Still holding the letter in his hand, he hurried away.
Anna was in no hurry. But even so, she began to
grow a little fidgety when the moment of which he
had spoken grew into something like five minutes. She
felt sorry she had brought her dear child's letter. --
_"Dummer_Kerl"_ indeed! Mr. Jervis Blake was nothing
of the sort -- he was a very kind, sensible young
fellow! She was glad when at last she heard Mr.
Head's quick, active steps coming down the short
passage.
"Here!" he exclaimed, coming towards her.
"Here is the letter, Frau Bauer! And though it is
true that there is nothing in it of any value to me,
yet I recognise your good intention. The next time
there may be something excellent. I therefore give
you a florin, with best thanks for having brought it.
Instead of all that gossip concerning our poor prisoners,
it would have been better if he had said what
it was that he liked to eat as a relish to the bully
beef on which, it seems, the British are universally
fed."
Anna's point of view changed with lightning quickness.
What a good thing she had brought the letter!
Two shillings was two shillings, after all.
"Thanks many," she said gratefully, as he hurried
her along the passage and unlocked the back door.
But, as so often happens, it was a case of more haste
less speed -- the door slammed-to before the visitor
could slip out, and at the same moment that of the
parlour opened, and Anna, to her great surprise, heard
the words, uttered in German, "Look here, Hegner!
I really can't stay any longer. You forget that I've
a long way to go." She could not see the speaker,
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