The Opposite House: A Novel — page 244: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Lhe Opposite Flouse. 239 “JT hope so! I should be very sorry not to see him in his uniform. I should like to make the young hero a little vain, and tell him that it is very becoming. There, will you have this spray fastened closer, or leave it loose ?” Verja leaned back and looked at her niece’s little head. She was satisfied. Just at that moment some one tapped lightly at the door, and the maid noiselessly entered. “Count Raven has just arrived from Frankfort, and my mistress begs the ladies to come down as soon as possible.” Baroness von Kartegg adjusted the glittering gold bracelet on her arm and stepped in front of the mirror. “We ’ll come directly, as soon as Fraulein Marie is ready.” She stooped to arrange the pink-silk folds of her train. ‘Good heavens! Count Raven !” cried Marie, in horror, as the door closed behind the girl. ‘‘ What does he want now, especially this evening, when he knows that we are to attend the officers’ ball ’” “ell me, Marie, can you really endure Count Raven?” asked Verja, suddenly planting herself before the young baroness, with the gaze of an in- quisitor. ‘Tell me frankly and honestly ; 1 want to know the truth,” cComicloo KS