before his distracted gaze. As for me, I had seen that sight too often, through the little window, at the time of the rosy hours of Mazenderan; and I cared only for what was being said next door, seeking for a hint how to act, what resolution to take.
“Go and peep through the little window! Tell me what he looks like!”
We heard the steps being dragged against the wall.
“Up with you! … No! … No, I will go up myself, dear!”
“Oh, very well, I will go up. Let me go!”
“Oh, my darling, my darling! … How sweet of you! … How nice of you to save me the exertion at my age! … Tell me what he looks like!”
At that moment, we distinctly heard these words above our heads:
“There is no one there, dear!”
“No one? … Are you sure there is no one?”
“Why, of course not … no one!”
“Well, that’s all right! … What’s the matter, Christine? You’re not going to faint, are you … as there is no one there? … Here … come down … there! … Pull yourself together … as there is no one there! … But how do you like the landscape? ”
“Oh, very much!”
“There, that’s better! … You’re better now, are you not? … That’s all right, you’re better! … No excitement! … And what a funny house, isn’t it, with landscapes like that in it?”