"Call the _herrschaftliche Kutscher_ Fritz," Frau Dellwig then commanded a passing boy in a loud and stern voice. "Not only mad, but improper," was her private comment. "She goes by night to her _Bräutigam_--to her unacknowledged _Bräutigam_." Even a possible burning _Bräutigam_ did not, in her opinion, excuse such a step. The darkness concealed the anger on her face, and Anna neither noticed nor cared for the anger in her voice, but began herself to run in the direction of the stables, leaving Frau Dellwig to her reflections. "Princess Ludwig is looking for you everywhere, Aunt Anna," said Letty, coming towards her, having found Fritz and succeeded in making him understand what she wanted. "Where is she? Is the carriage coming?" "He said five minutes. She was at the house, asking the servants if they had seen you." "Come along then, we'll go to her." "I was afraid I should not find you here," said the princess as Anna came up the steps of the house into the light of the entry, "and that you had run off to Lohm to put the fire out. My dear child, what do you look like? Come and look at yourself in the glass." She led her to the glass that hung above the Dellwig hat-stand. "I am just going there," said Anna, looking at her reflection without seeing it. "The carriage is being got ready now." "Then I am coming too. What has the wind been doing to your hair? See, I knew you were running about bare-headed, and have brought you a scarf. Come, let me tie it over all these excited little curls, and turn you into a sober and circumspect young woman." Anna bent her head and let the princess do as she pleased. "Herr Dellwig is afraid the fire will spread to the house," she said breathlessly. "Our engine has only just gone----" "I heard it." "It is such a lumbering thing, it will be hours getting there----" "Oh, not hours. Half a one, perhaps." "Are they insured?" "The buildings? They are sure to be. But there is always a loss that cannot be covered--_ach_, Frau Dellwig, good-evening--you see we have taken possession of your house. To have no stables and probably no horses just when the busy time is beginning is terrible. Poor Axel. There--now you are tidy. Wait, let me fasten your cloak and cover up your pretty dress. Is Letty to come too?" "Oh--if she likes. Why doesn't the carriage come?" "It will be much better if Letty goes to bed," said the princess. "Oh!" said Letty. "It is long past her bedtime, and she has no hat, and nothing round her. Shall we not ask Frau Dellwig to send a servant with her home?" "_Aber gewiss_----" began Frau Dellwig. But Anna was out again on the steps, was shutting out the flaming sky with one hand while she strained her eyes into the darkness of the corner where the coach-house was. She could hear Fritz's voice, and the horses' hoofs on the cobbles, and she could see the light of a lantern jogging up and down as the stable-boy who held it hurried to and fro. "Quick, quick, Fritz," she cried.