Frederick's amazement waxed when all of a sudden she wanted to cross the deck and go below to comfort that donkey Achleitner. Frederick would not allow her. He was ashamed of his previous attack of fright, called himself a miserable coward, and got himself under perfect control. In this attitude he played the role of a severe mentor, Ingigerd's responsible guardian and protector, strict, but fatherly and good-natured. Though she laughed at him, it by no means displeased her to let him have his way. XXXIX Frederick's kindliness to Ingigerd's little wards made it unnecessary to summon Rosa. He asked the children their names, and they were soon chattering confidingly with their new uncle. Ella Liebling, a girl of five, to whom Ingigerd had given her doll, was sitting at one end of the couch, a cover wrapped about her legs, while Siegfried had established himself comfortably on the bed. With a spiritless expression for a child, he was playing a rather monotonous game of cards with an imaginary partner. "Mamma is divorced," Ella explained. "Papa was always quarrelling with her." "Yes," said Siegfried, pushing his cards aside, as if waking up from a trance, and bending over to Frederick, who was sitting beside Ella, "mamma once threw a boot at papa." "But papa is strong," said Ella. "He once picked up a chair and knocked it down and smashed it to pieces." Though Ingigerd was suffering from nausea, she had to laugh. "Those children are great sport," she said. "Papa once threw a bottle against the wall," Siegfried went on, "because Uncle Bolle was always coming to see us." And so the children continued, like little wiseacres, to discuss in detail the theme of "happy marriages." "Rosa says mamma is to blame because papa left us," observed Siegfried. "I think so, too," said Ella. "I think mamma's to blame." "Rosa said mamma doesn't do anything but read novels." "Rosa says," Ella chimed in, "that if mamma were not always lying in bed, she would feel much better." And "Rosa says," "Rosa says," went on for a long while. The former non-commissioned officer and lackey of the vaudeville star, Bulke, came towing Rosa across the deck in the same way as he did his master. Both looked red and contented. Frederick asked what the prospects were for the _Roland_. "Oh, everything's all right," Bulke laughed, "if only something else doesn't turn up." "Bulke," said Rosa, "take Siegfried on your back." Bulke proceeded to do so, while Rosa lifted Ella to her crimson arm. Now the children begged to remain where they were, although before they had been annoying Ingigerd by constantly crying for Rosa. "Let them stay," said Ingigerd. Rosa thanked her. "They are really best off here," she said. "All they take for supper is some milk and a roll. I will bring it right away." "What is that on your arm?" asked Frederick. It looked as if a beast had been clawing at her.