"Taroc with a musical accompaniment is a speciality of this house," said Doctor Friedrich. "Songs without words, so to speak," added Herr Martin. The others laughed. Garlan turned round towards Bertha again, for she had suddenly left off playing. "I have a slight headache," she said, as if it were necessary to make some excuse; immediately, however, she felt as though it were beneath her dignity to say that, and she added: "I don't feel any inclination to play." Everybody looked at her, feeling that something rather out of the common was happening. "Won't you come and sit by us, Bertha?" said Frau Garlan. Elly had a vague idea that she ought to show her affection for her aunt, and hung on her arm; and the two of them stood side by side, leaning against the piano. "Are you going with us to the 'Red Apple' this evening?" Frau Martin asked of her hostess. "No, I don't think so." "Ah," broke in Herr Garlan, "if we must forgo our concert this afternoon we will have one in the evening instead--your lead, Doctor." "The military concert?" asked Doctor Friedrich's wife. Frau Garlan rose to her feet. "Do you really mean to go to the 'Red Apple' this evening?" she asked her husband. "Certainly." "Very well," she answered, somewhat flustered, and at once went off to the kitchen again to make fresh arrangements. "Richard," said Garlan to his son; "you might make haste and run over and tell the manager to have a table reserved for us in the garden." Richard hurried off, colliding in the doorway with his mother, who was just coming into the room. She sank down on the sofa as though exhausted. "You can't believe," she said to Doctor Friedrich's wife; "how difficult it is to make Brigitta understand the simplest thing." Frau Martin had gone and sat down beside her husband, at the same time throwing a glance towards Bertha, who was still standing silently with Elly beside the piano. Frau Martin stroked her husband's hair, laid her hand on his knee and seemed to feel that she was under the necessity of showing the company how happy she was. "I'll tell you what. Aunt," said Elly suddenly to Bertha; "let's go into the garden for a while. The fresh air will drive your headache away." They went down the steps into the courtyard, in the centre of which a small lawn had been laid out. At the back, it was shut off by a wall, against which stood a few shrubs and a couple of young trees, which still had to be propped up by stakes. Away over the wall only the blue sky was to be seen; in boisterous weather the rush of the river which flowed close by could be heard. Two wicker garden chairs stood with their backs against the wall, and in front of them was a small table. Bertha and Elly sat down, Elly still keeping her arm linked in her aunt's. "Tell you what, Elly?" "See, I am quite a big girl now; do tell me about him."