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Soden is a little town half an hour's distance fro the spurs of the Taunus Mountains, and is known a us in Russia for its waters, which are supposed to be beneficial to people eak lungs The Frankforters visit it more for purposes of recreation, as Soden possesses a fine park and various 'wirthschaften,' where one may drink beer and coffee in the shade of the tall li the right bank of the Maine, and is planted all along with fruit trees While the carriage was rolling slowly along an excellent road, Sanin stealthily watched how Gemma behaved to her betrothed; it was the first tiether
She was quiet and simple in her manner, but rather more reserved and serious than usual; he had the air of a condescending school himself and those under his authority a discreet and decorous pleasure Sanin saw no signs in him of any marked attentiveness, of what the French call 'empressement,' in his demeanour to Gemma It was clear that Herr Klüber considered that it was a matter settled once for all, and that therefore he saw no reason to trouble or excite himself But his condescension never left hi ramble before dinner about the wooded hills and valleys behind Soden, even when enjoying the beauties of nature, he treated nature itself with the saisterial severity peeped out froard to one strealade, instead ofa few picturesque curves; he disapproved, too, of the conduct of a bird--a chaffinch--for singing so monotonously Ge herself; but Sanin did not recognise her as the Ge days; it was not that she see--but her soul seemed to have withdrawn into herself With her parasol open and her gloves still buttoned up, she walked sedately, deliberately, as well-bred young girls walk, and spoke little
Emil, too, felt stiff, and Sanin more so than all He was somewhat embarrassed too by the fact that the conversation was all the tih spirits! He darted, barking frantically, after blackbirds, leaped over ravines, stu into the water, lapped at it in desperate haste, shook hiue trailing after him almost to his shoulder Herr Kl&uu he supposed conducive to the ed the out of a side pocket a small booklet entitled, 'Knallerbsen; oder du sollst und wirst lachen!' (Squibs; or youthe funny anecdotes of which the little book was full He read them twelve specimens; he aroused very little mirth, however; only Sanin smiled, from politeness, and he hiave vent to a brief, business-like, but still condescending laugh At twelve o'clock the whole party returned to Soden to the best tavern there