Chapter IV

2018-04-15 作者： 外研社编译组

Chapter IV

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At six o’clock came the inquiry of the soldiers: Had anything been seen of Bachmann?Fr ulein Hesse answered, pleased to be playing a r le:“No, I’ve not seen him since Sunday have you, Emilie?”“No, I haven’t seen him,” said Emilie, and her awkwardness was construed as bashfulness.Ida Hesse, stimulated, asked questions, and played her part.“But it hasn’t killed Sergeant Huber?” she cried in consternation.

“No. He fell into the water.But it gave him a bad shock, and smashed his foot on the side of the moat.He’s in hospital.It’s a bad look-out for Bachmann.”

Emilie, implicated and captive, stood looking on.She was no longer free, working with all this regulated system which she could not understand and which was almost god like to her.She was put out of her place.Bachmann was in her room, she was no longer the faithful in service serving with religious surety.

Her situation was intolerable to her.All evening long the burden was upon her, she could not live.The children must be fed and put to sleep.The Baron and Baroness were going out, she must give them light refreshment.The man servant was coming in to supper after returning with the carriage.And all the while she had the insupportable feeling of being out of the order, self-responsible, bewildered.The control of her life should come from those above her, and she should move within that control.

But now she was out of it, uncontrolled and troubled.More than that, the man, the lover, Bachmann, who was he, what was he?He alone of all men contained for her the unknown quantity which terrified her beyond her service.Oh, she had wanted him as a distant sweetheart, not close, like this, casting her out of her world.

When the Baron and Baroness had departed, and the young manservant had gone out to enjoy himself, she went upstairs to Bachmann.He had wakened up, and sat dimly in the room.Out in the open he heard the soldiers, his comrades, singing the sentimental songs of the nightfall, the drone of the concertina rising in accompaniment.