It was not necessary for Kruse to announce their arrival with three cracks of his whip.  The servants had long been watching at the doors and windows for their master and mistress, and even before the carriage stopped all the inmates of the house were grouped upon the stone doorstep, which took up the whole width of the sidewalk.  In front of them was Rollo, who, the moment the carriage stopped, began to circle around it.  Innstetten first of all helped his young wife to alight.  Then, offering her his arm, he walked with a friendly bow past the servants, who promptly turned and followed him into the entrance-hall, which was furnished with splendid old wardrobes and cases standing around the walls.  The housemaid, a pretty girl, no longer very young, whose stately plumpness was almost as becoming to her as the neat little cap on her blonde head, helped her mistress take off her muff and cloak, and was just stooping down to take off her fur-lined rubber shoes.  But before she had time to make a beginning, Innstetten said:  “I suppose the best thing will be for me to introduce to you right here all the occupants of our house, with the exception of Mrs. Kruse, who does not like to be seen, and who, I presume, is holding her inevitable black chicken again.”  Everybody smiled.  “But never mind Mrs. Kruse.  Here is my old Frederick, who was with me when I was at the university.  Good times then, weren’t they, Frederick?—­This is Johanna, a fellow countrywoman of yours, if you count those who come from the region of Pasewalk as full-fledged Brandenburgians; and this is Christel, to whom we trust our bodily welfare every noon and evening, and who knows how to cook, I can assure you.—­And this is Rollo.  Well, Rollo, how goes it?”

Rollo seemed only to have waited for this special greeting, for the moment he heard his name he gave a bark for joy, stood up on his hind legs and laid his forepaws on his master’s shoulders.

“That will do, Rollo, that will do.  But look here; this is my wife.  I have told her about you and said that you were a beautiful animal and would protect her.”  Hereupon Rollo ceased fawning and sat down in front of Innstetten, looking up curiously at the young wife.  And when she held out her hand to him he frisked around her.

During this introduction scene Effi had found time to look about.  She was enchanted, so to speak, by everything she saw, and at the same time dazzled by the abundant light.  In the forepart of the hall were burning four or five wall lights, the reflectors themselves very primitive, simply of tin-plate, which, however, only improved the light and heightened the splendor.  Two astral lamps with red shades, a wedding present from Niemeyer, stood on a folding table between two oak cupboards.  On the front of the table was the tea service, with the little lamp under the kettle already lighted.  There were, beside these, many, many other things, some of them very queer.  From one side of the hall to the other ran three beams, dividing the ceiling into sections.  From the front one was suspended a ship under full sail, high quarter-deck, and cannon ports, while farther toward the front door a gigantic fish seemed to be swimming in the air.  Effi took her umbrella, which she still held in her hand, and pushed gently against the monster, so that it set up a slow rocking motion.