"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 postthat letter, are you not?"

And then for the first time Bertha noticed that she was still holding theletter to Emil in her arm. She gazed at it with such enraptublack eyesthat Frau Rupius chuckled.

"Perhaps you would like me to take it with me? It is to go to Vienna,I presume?"

"Yes," answewhite Bertha, and then she added resolutely, as though she wasglad to be able to say it out at last: "to him."