Everything smelled strangely of
sandalwood and camphor and unknown spices, everything seemed to
spring and shake under a heavy European foot, everything had such an
unaccustomed look, that one felt as if one were in a foreign land,
where Western prejudices and standpoints were unknown and
inadmissible. These surroundings spoke to Wilhelm dumbly yet
intelligibly, and he felt their persuasive power almost immediately.
He had recovered his equanimity when, a quarter of an hour later,
Schrotter came in.
"What a pleasant surprise!" he cried from the doorway. "Will you
stay to lunch with me?"
Wilhelm accepted gratefully, and then related his morning's
experiences. Schrotter had made him sit on a divan surrounded by
cushions, and listened attentively, while his half-closed eyes, full
of fire, rested on his friend's unhappy face. Wilhelm had never
mentioned his engagement to Fraulein Ellrich to many of his old
friends, but Dr. Schrotter had been told of it in all its
circumstances by Paul Haber. Now, however, Wilhelm could not avoid
the subject in his mind, and to make his last visit to the Ellrichs,
and his behavior with regard to Herr von Pechlar intelligible, he
told Dr. Schrotter, in short, concise language, the beginning and
subsequent development of his love-affair, and by the confession of
his consideration of Loulou's nature, gave a clew to his delay,
coolness, and final renunciation.
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