From Vienna she is, with
such a voice like a bird."
"And the beads, and the gray gown, and the fringe,
and the cigarettes?"
"And the oogly husband," finished Frau Knapf, nodding.
"Oogly," I agreed, "isn't the name for it. And so
she is Frau Nirlanger? I thought there would be a Von at
the very least."
Whereupon my visitor deserted the doorknob, took half
a dozen stealthy steps in my direction and lowered her
voice to a hissing whisper of confidence.
"It is more as a Von. I will tell you. Today comes
Frau Nirlanger by me and she says: `Frau Knapf, I wish
to buy clothes, aber echt Amerikanische. Myself, I do
not know what is modish, and I cannot go alone to buy.'"
"That's a grand idea," said I, recalling the gray
basque and the cannon-ball beads.
"Ja, sure it is," agreed Frau Knapf. "Soo-o-o, she
asks me was it some lady who would come with her by the
stores to help a hat and suit and dresses to buy.
Stylish she likes they should be, and echt Amerikanisch.
So-o-o-o, I say to her, I would go myself with you, only
so awful stylish I ain't, and anyway I got no time. But
a lady I know who is got such stylish clothes!" Frau
Knapf raised admiring hands and eyes toward heaven.
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