She caught up Frau Rupius, just as the latter was going into the waiting room. The maid laid the valise on the large table in the centre of the room, kissed her mistress's hand, and departed. "Frau Rupius!" exclaimed Bertha, a note of inquiry in her voice. "I heard that you had returned already. Well, how did you get on?" said Frau Rupius, extending her hand in a friendly way. "Very well--very well indeed, but--" "Why, you are gazing at me as though you were quite frightened! No, Frau Bertha, I am coming back again--no later than to-morrow. The long journey that I had in view came to nothing, so I have had to--settle on something else." "Something else?" "Why, of course, staying at home. I shall be back again to-morrow. Well, how did you get on?" "I told you just now--very well." "Yes, of course, you did tell me before. But I see you are going to post that letter, are you not?" And then for the first time Bertha noticed that she was still holding the letter to Emil in her hand. She gazed at it with such enraptured eyes that Frau Rupius smiled. "Perhaps you would like me to take it with me? It is to go to Vienna, I presume?" "Yes," answered Bertha, and then she added resolutely, as though she was glad to be able to say it out at last: "to him." Frau Ropius nodded her head, as if satisfied. But she neither looked at Bertha nor made any reply. "I am so glad that I have met you again!" said Bertha. "You are the only woman here, you know, whom I trust; indeed, you are the only woman who could understand anything like this." "Ah, no," said Frau Rupius to herself, as though she were dreaming. "I do envy you so, because to-day in a few short hours you will see Vienna again. How fortunate you are!" Frau Rupius had sat down in one of the leather armchairs by the table. She rested her chin on her hand, looked at Bertha, and said: "It seems to me, on the other hand, that it is you who are fortunate." "No, I must, you see, remain here." "Why?" asked Frau Rupius. "You are free, you know. But go and put that letter into the box at once, or I shall see the address, and so learn more than you wish to tell me." "I will, though not because of that--but I should be glad if the letter went by this train and not later." Bertha hurried into the vestibule, posted the letter and at once returned to Anna, who was still sitting in the same quiet attitude. "I might have told you everything, you know," Bertha went on to say; "indeed I might say that I wished to tell you before I actually went to Vienna ... but--just fancy, isn't it strange? I did not venture to do so." "Moreover at that time, too, there probably had not been anything to tell," said Frau Rupius, without looking at Bertha. Bertha was amazed. How clever that woman was! She could see into everybody's thoughts!