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Then turning to Christian； he said： 〃Shake hands； you two！〃
Christian looked from one to the other； and at last held out her hand
to Herr Paul； who brushed it with his moustache； gazing after her as
she left the room with a queer expression。
〃My dear！〃 he began； 〃you support her in this execrable matter？ You
forget my position； you make me ridiculous。 I have been obliged to
go to bed in my own house； absolutely to go to bed； because I was in
danger of becoming funny。〃
〃Look here； Paul！〃 Mr。 Treffry said gruffly； 〃if any one's to bully
Chris； it's I。〃
〃In that case；〃 returned Herr Paul sarcastically； 〃I will go to
Vienna。〃
〃You may go to the devil！〃 said Mr。 Treffry； 〃and I'll tell you what…
…in my opinion it was low to set the police on that young chap； a
low； dirty trick。〃
Herr Paul divided his beard carefully in two； took his seat on the
very edge of an arm…chair； and placing his hands on his parted knees；
said：
〃I have regretted it sincemais； que diable！ He called me a coward…
…it is very hot weather！there were drinks at the KurhausI am her
guardianthe affair is a very beastly onethere were more drinksI
was a little enfin！〃 He shrugged his shoulders。 〃Adieu； my dear； I
shall be some time in Vienna； I need rest！〃 He rose and went to the
door； then he turned； and waved his cigar。 〃Adieu！ Be good； get
well！ I will buy you some cigars up there。〃 And going out； he shut
the door on any possibility of answer。
Mr。 Treffry lay back amongst his cushions。 The clock ticked； pigeons
cooed on the veranda； a door opened in the distance； and for a moment
a treble voice was heard。 Mr。 Treffry's head drooped forward； across
his face； gloomy and rugged； fell a thin line of sunlight。
The clock suddenly stopped ticking； and outside； in mysterious
accord； the pigeons rose with a great fluttering of wings； and flew
off'。 Mr。 Treffry made a startled； heavy movement。 He tried to get
on to his feet and reach the bell； but could not； and sat on the side
of the couch with drops of sweat rolling off his forehead； and his
hands clawing his chest。 There was no sound at all throughout the
house。 He looked about him； and tried to call； but again could not。
He tried once more to reach the bell； and； failing； sat still； with a
thought that made him cold。
〃I'm done for；〃 he muttered。 〃By George！ I believe I'm done for this
time！〃 A voice behind him said：
〃Can we have a look at you； sir？〃
〃Ah！ Doctor； bear a hand； there's a good fellow。〃
Dawney propped him against the cushions； and loosened his shirt。
Receiving no answer to his questions； he stepped alarmed towards the
bell。 Mr。 Treffry stopped him with a sign。
〃Let's hear what you make of me；〃 he said。
When Dawney had examined him； he asked：
〃Well？〃
〃Well；〃 answered Dawney slowly； 〃there's trouble； of course。〃
Mr。 Treffry broke out with a husky whisper： 〃Out with it； Doctor；
don't humbug me。〃
Dawney bent down； and took his wrist。
〃I don't know how you've got into this state； sir；〃 he said with the
brusqueness of emotion。 〃You're in a bad way。 It's the old trouble；
and you know what that means as well as I。 All I can tell you is；
I'm going to have a big fight with it。 It shan't be my fault；
there's my hand on that。〃
Mr。 Treffry lay with his eyes fixed on the ceiling； at last he said：
〃I want to live。〃
〃Yesyes。〃
〃I feel better now； don't make a fuss about it。 It'll be very
awkward if I die just now。 Patch me up； for the sake of my niece。〃
Dawney nodded。 〃One minute； there are a few things I want；〃 and he
went out。
A moment later Greta stole in on tiptoe。 She bent over till her hair
touched Mr。 Treffry's face。
〃Uncle Nic！〃 she whispered。 He opened his eyes。
〃Hallo； Greta！〃
〃I have come to bring you my love； Uncle Nic； and to say good…bye。
Papa says that I and Scruff and Miss Naylor are going to Vienna with
him； we have had to pack in half an hour； in five minutes we are
going to Vienna； and it is my first visit there； Uncle Nic。〃
〃To Vienna！〃 Mr。 Treffry repeated slowly。 〃Don't have a guide；
Greta； they're humbugs。〃
〃No； Uncle Nic；〃 said Greta solemnly。
〃Draw the curtains； old girl； let's have a look at you。 Why； you're
as smart as ninepence！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Greta with a sigh； touching the buttons of her cape；
〃because I am going to Vienna； but I am sorry to leave you； Uncle
Nic。〃
〃Are you； Greta？〃
〃But you will have Chris； and you are fonder of Chris than of me；
Uncle Nic。〃
〃I've known her longer。〃
〃Perhaps when you've known me as long as Chris； you shall be as fond
of me。〃
〃When I've known you as longmay be。〃
〃While I am gone； Uncle Nic； you are to get well； you are not very
well； you know。〃
〃What put that into your head？〃
〃If you were well you would be smoking a cigarit is just three
o'clock。 This kiss is for myself； this is for Scruff； and this is
for Miss Naylor。〃
She stood upright again； a tremulous； joyful gravity was in her eyes
and on her lips。
〃Good…bye； my dear； take care of yourselves； and don't you have a
guide； they're humbugs。〃
〃No； Uncle Nic。 There is the carriage！ To Vienna； Uncle Nic！〃 The
dead gold of her hair gleamed in the doorway。 Mr。 Treffry raised
himself upon his elbow。
〃Give us one more； for luck！〃
Greta ran back。
〃I love you very much！〃 she said； and kissing him； backed slowly；
then； turning； flew out like a bird。
Mr。 Treffry fixed his eyes on the shut door。
XXI
After many days of hot； still weather； the wind had come； and whirled
the dust along the parched roads。 The leaves were all astir； like
tiny wings。 Round Villa Rubein the pigeons cooed uneasily； all the
other birds were silent。 Late in the afternoon Christian came out on
the veranda； reading a letter：
〃DEAR CHRIS；We are here now six days； and it is a very large place
with many churches。 In the first place then we have been to a great
many； but the nicest of them is not St。 Stephan's Kirche； it is
another； but I do not remember the name。 Papa is out nearly all the
night； he says he is resting here； so he is not able to come to the
churches with us； but I do not think he rests very much。 The day
before yesterday we； that is； Papa； I； and Miss Naylor； went to an
exhibition of pictures。 It was quite beautiful and interesting （Miss
Naylor says it is not right to say 'quite' beautiful； but I do not
know what other word could mean 'quite' except the word 'quite；'
because it is not exceedingly and not extremely。 And O Chris！ there
was one picture painted by him； it was about a ship without masts
Miss Naylor says it is a barge； but I do not know what a barge ison
fire； and； floating down a river in a fog。 I think it is extremely
beautiful。 Miss Naylor says it is very impressionistickwhat is
that？ and Papa said 'Puh！' but he did not know it was painted by
Herr Harz； so I did not tell him。
〃There has also been staying at our hotel that Count Sarelli who came
one evening to dinner at our house； but he is gone away now。 He sat
all day in the winter garden reading； and at night he went out with
Papa。 Miss Naylor says he is unhappy； but I think he does not take
enough exercise； and O Chris！ one day he said to me； 'That is your
sister； Mademoiselle； that young lady in the white dress？ Does she
always wear white dresses？' and I said to him： 'It is not always a
white dress； in the picture； it is green； because the picture is
called 〃Spring。'〃 But I did not tell him the colours of all your
dresses because he looked so tired。 Then he said to me： 'She is very
charming。' So I tell you this； Chris； because I think you shall like
to know。 Scruff' has a sore toe； it is because he has eaten too much
meat。
〃It is not nice without you； Chris； and Miss Naylor says I am
improving my mind here； but I do not think it shall improve very
much； because at night I like it always best； when the shops are
lighted and the carriages are driving past； then I am wanting to
dance。 The first night Papa said he would take me to the theatre；
but yesterday he said it was not good for me； perhaps to…morrow he
shall think it good for me again。
〃Yesterday we have been in the Prater； and saw many people； and some
that Papa knew； and then came the most interesting part of all；
sitting under the trees in the rain for two hours because we could
not get a carriage （very exciting）。
〃There is one young lady here； only she is not any longer very young；
who knew Papa when he was a boy。 I like her very much； she shall
soon know me quite to the bottom and is very kind。
〃The ill husband of Cousin Teresa who went with us to Meran and lost
her umbrella and Dr。 Edmund was so sorry about it； has been very much
worse； so she is not here but in Baden。 I