Roswitha, who was ordinarily none too curious, had, however, after these words betaken herself as quickly as possible up the back stairs and had just finished reading the account when Johanna came to her.

Johanna laid the letters Innstetten had given her upon the table, glanced over the addresses, or at least pretended to, for she knew very well to whom they were directed, and said with feigned composure:  “One goes to Hohen-Cremmen.”

“I understand that,” said Roswitha.

Johanna was not a little astonished at this remark.  “His Lordship does not write to Hohen-Cremmen ordinarily.”

“Oh, ordinarily?  But now—­Just think, the porter gave me this downstairs only a moment ago.”

Johanna took the paper and read in an undertone a passage marked with a heavy ink line:  “As we learn from a well informed source, shortly before going to press, there occurred yesterday morning in the watering place Kessin, in Hither Pomerania, a duel between Department Chief von Innstetten of Keith St. and Major von Crampas.  Major von Crampas fell.  According to rumors, relations are said to have existed between him and the Department Chief’s wife, who is beautiful and still very young.”

“What don’t such papers write?” said Johanna, who was vexed at seeing her news anticipated.  “Yes,” said Roswitha, “and now the people will read this and say disgraceful things about my poor dear mistress.  And the poor major!  Now he is dead!”

“Why, Roswitha, what are you thinking of anyhow?  Ought he not to be dead?  Or ought our dear gracious master to be dead?”

“No, Johanna, our gracious master, let him live, let everybody live.  I am not for shooting people and can’t even bear the report of the pistol.  But take into consideration, Johanna, that was half an eternity ago, and the letters, which struck me as so strange the moment I saw them, because they had a red cord, not a ribbon, wrapped around them three or four times and tied—­why, they were beginning to look quite yellow, it was so long ago.  You see, we have been here now for over six years, and how can a man, just because of such old things—­”

“Ah, Roswitha, you speak according to your understanding.  If we examine the matter narrowly, you are to blame.  It comes from the letters.  Why did you come with the chisel and break open the sewing table, which is never permissible?  One must never break open a lock in which another has turned a key.”

“Why, Johanna, it is really too cruel of you to say such a thing to my face, and you know that you are to blame, and that you rushed half crazy into the kitchen and told me the sewing table must be opened, the bandage was in it, and then I came with the chisel, and now you say I am to blame.  No, I say—­”