Frau von Treumann had not heard the gentle taps, and when she saw her, started, and tried to hide her face in her handkerchief. "Tell me what is the matter," begged Anna, her voice full of tenderness. "_Nichts, nichts_," was the hasty reply. "I did not hear you knock----" "Tell me what is the matter," begged Anna again, fairly putting her arms round the poor lady. "Our letters have said so much already--surely there is nothing you cannot tell me now? And if I can help you----" Frau von Treumann freed herself by a hasty movement, and began to walk up and down again. "No, no, you can do nothing--you can do nothing," she said, and wept as she walked. Anna watched her in consternation. "See to what I have come--see to what I have come!" said the agitated lady under her breath but with passionate intensity, as she passed and repassed her dismayed hostess; "oh, to have fallen so low! oh, to have fallen so low!" "So low?" echoed Anna, greatly concerned. "At my age--I, a Treumann--I, a _geborene_ Gräfin Ilmas-Kadenstein--to live on charity--to be a member of a charitable institution!" "Institution? Charity? Oh no, no!" cried Anna. "It is a home here, and there is no charity in it from the attic to the cellar." And she went towards her with outstretched hands. "A home! Yes, that is it," cried Frau von Treumann, waving her back, "it is a home, a charitable home!" "No, not a home like that--a real home, my home, your home--_ein Heim_," Anna protested; but vainly, because the German word _Heim_ and the English word "home" have little meaning in common. "_Ein Heim, ein Heim_," repeated Frau von Treumann with extraordinary bitterness, "_ein Frauenheim_--yes, that is what it is, and everybody knows it." "Everybody knows it?" "How could I think," she said, wringing her hands, "how could I think when I decided to come here that the whole world was to be made acquainted with your plans? I thought they were to be kept private, that the world was to think we were your friends----" "And so you are." "--your guests----" "Oh, more than guests--this is home." "Home! Home! Always that word----" And she burst into a fresh torrent of tears. Anna stood helpless. What she said appeared only to aggravate Frau von Treumann's sorrow and rage--for surely there was anger as well as sorrow? She was at a complete loss for the reason of this outburst. Had not every detail been discussed in the correspondence? Had not that correspondence been exhaustive even to boredom? "You have told your servants----" "My servants?" "You have told them that we are objects of charity----" "I----" began Anna, and then was silent.