"What a wretch!" she cried out in bitter rage. "He seems to give his
master nothing but eggs. But I know what I'll do," she said to herself,
eagerly seeking for a key, which she discovered, as of old, on a rusty
nail. Next she repaired to the cellar where she quickly found what she
was after; the bottle stood in sore need of cleaning, however, as did
everything else she touched. Then she set about beating two eggs, adding
a glass of the strengthening wine, for she had vividly recollected how
much her master used to enjoy this. When she entered his room with this
concoction a little later, the odor from it was so inviting that the
Baron breathed it in gratefully. Mr. Trius had left the room and
Apollonie had put the empty cup away, and yet she kept on setting trifles
in order.
"Oh, Baron," she said finally, "there is so much to do still. I saw the
kitchen just now. If the Baroness had seen it as dirty as that, what
would she have said? And every other place is the same. I feel as if I
couldn't rest till everything is set in order. I wish I could work all
night!"
"No, no, Apollonie! You must have a good night's rest; I intend to sleep,
too, in this lovely bed," he said smilingly. "Would you like to live
here again and undertake the management of the castle?"
Apollonie stared at her master at first as if she could not comprehend
his words.
"Tell me what you think of it? Are you willing to do it?" he asked again.
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