Thus ran Effi’s scoffing remarks and there was no mistaking the fact that she was not troubling herself any too much about the pre-nuptial exercises and the wedding day.  Mrs. von Briest had her own ideas on the subject, but did not permit herself to worry about it, as Effi’s mind was, to a considerable extent, occupied with the future, which after all was a good sign.  Furthermore Effi, by virtue of her wealth of imagination, often launched out into descriptions of her future life in Kessin for a quarter of an hour at a time,—­descriptions which, incidentally, and much to the amusement of her mother, revealed a remarkable conception of Further Pomerania, or, perhaps it would be more correct to say, they embodied this conception, with clever calculation and definite purpose.  For Effi delighted to think of Kessin as a half-Siberian locality, where the ice and snow never fully melted.

“Today Goschenhofer has sent the last thing,” said Mrs. von Briest, sitting, as was her custom, out in front of the wing of the mansion with Effi at the work-table, upon which the supplies of linen and underclothing kept increasing, whereas the newspapers, which merely took up space, were constantly decreasing.  “I hope you have everything now, Effi.  But if you still cherish little wishes you must speak them out, if possible, this very hour.  Papa has sold the rape crop at a good price and is in an unusually good humor.”

“Unusually?  He is always in a good humor.”

“In an unusually good humor,” repeated the mother.  “And it must be taken advantage of.  So speak.  Several times during our stay in Berlin I had the feeling that you had a very special desire for something or other more.”

“Well, dear mama, what can I say?  As a matter of fact I have everything that one needs, I mean that one needs here.  But as it is once for all decided that I am to go so far north—­let me say in passing that I have no objections; on the contrary I look forward with pleasure to it, to the northern lights and the brighter splendor of the stars—­as this has been definitely decided, I should like to have a set of furs.”

“Why, Effi, child, that is empty folly.  You are not going to St. Petersburg or Archangel.”

“No, but I am a part of the way.”

“Certainly, child, you are a part of the way; but what does that mean?  If you go from here to Nauen you are, by the same train of reasoning, a part of the way to Russia.  However, if you want some furs you shall have them.  But let me tell you beforehand, I advise you not to buy them.  Furs are proper for elderly people; even your old mother is still too young for them, and if you, in your seventeenth year, come out in mink or marten the people of Kessin will consider it a masquerade.”