As he said it the thing seemed clear, but afterward I had my doubts, for, on reference to my dictionary, I found that _süd_ (south) and _sied_ (scorching, boiling) had nothing whatever to do with each other. But now enough of my studies, and to turn to my home life. It was as happy as it could be. At the first sign of spring, I and my Duphot used to repair to Trostburg, our country seat, whither my parents followed for a stay of some weeks during the hunting season. As with the dawn, long before sunrise, the sky is light, so, long before my dear ones arrived, my heart would be full of joyful expectation. True, their coming never realized things exactly as I had pictured them. The many guests arriving simultaneously with them claimed their constant attention, and, with the departure of the guests, they, too, went off to pastures new. We would go down to the carriage to see them off, Duphot and I. Papa would kiss me fondly, mamma allow me to carry out her tiny lapdog to her, from which she was never parted for a day. On pretext of placing it on her lap, I used to get into the carriage, put my arms round her neck, and kiss her as much as ever I wanted. It may be imagined if my kisses were few! Then they would drive away, mamma waving her dear hand to me ever so far along the road. When I could see them no longer from the courtyard, I would run to the turret room and watch at the window until the carriage appeared like a tiny speck in the cutting through which they had to drive to reach the railway station. Half an hour later a dense white cloud would pass along the horizon, slowly to dissolve in fleecy streaks; and then I knew: They are gone! That cloud fading away in the sky had been emitted by the fiery engine which was bearing away from me those I loved best on earth. After such partings I invariably cried, as I imagined, until far into the night--in reality until about ten o’clock; and the following morning I had already begun to look forward to our next meeting in Vienna. There I was much better off. Papa would often come to visit me in the schoolroom; and mamma would send for me to the drawing room to see those friends who asked for me. Almost daily we would meet in the Prater, and that was the acme of delight to me. Mamma was always so pleased to see me--especially if I were prettily dressed. I got to know that she liked me best in my gray velvet pelisse trimmed with fur; and whenever my good Duphot took it into her head to have me dressed in anything else, I was like a little fury. One day in spring--I shall never forget it; it happened to be my birthday, and I was ten years old--a very warm day. I had insisted on being dressed in my fur pelisse, much against Mme. Duphot’s better judgment. I was so hot in it I thought I should melt, what with delight and the temperature!