“The same as before, simply that I should rather see you with Gieshuebler than with Crampas.”

“Because you take Crampas too seriously and Gieshuebler too lightly.”

Innstetten jokingly shook his finger at her.

Three days later was New Year’s eve.  Effi appeared in a charming ball gown, a gift that the Christmas table had brought her.  But she did not dance.  She took her seat among the elderly dames, for whom easy chairs were placed near the orchestra gallery.  Of the particular noble families with which the Innstettens associated there was nobody present, because, shortly before, there had occurred a slight disagreement with the city faction in the management of the club, which had been accused of “destructive tendencies,” especially by old Mr. Gueldenklee.  However, three or four other noble families from over the Kessine, who were not members of the club, but only invited guests, had crossed over the ice on the river, some of them from a great distance, and were happy to take part in the festivity.  Effi sat between the elderly wife of baronial councillor von Padden and a somewhat younger Mrs. von Titzewitz.  The former, an excellent old lady, was in every way an original, and sought by means of orthodox German Christianity to counteract the tendency toward Wendish heathenism, with which nature had endowed her, especially in the prominent structure of her cheek bones.  In her orthodoxy she went so far that even Sidonie von Grasenabb was in comparison a sort of esprit fort.  The elderly dame, having sprung from a union of the Radegast and the Schwantikow branches of the family, had inherited the old Padden humor, which had for years rested like a blessing upon the family and had heartily rejoiced everybody who came into touch with them, even though enemies in politics or religion.

“Well, child,” said the baronial councillor’s wife, “how are you getting on, anyhow?”

“Quite well, most gracious Lady.  I have a very excellent husband.”

“I know.  But that does not always suffice.  I, too, had an excellent husband.  How do matters actually stand?  No temptations?”

Effi was startled and touched at the same time.  There was something uncommonly refreshing about the free and natural tone in which the old lady spoke, and the fact that she was such a pious woman made it even more refreshing.

“Ah, most gracious Lady—­”

“There it comes.  Nothing new, the same old story.  Time makes no change here, and perhaps it is just as well.  The essential thing, my dear young woman, is struggle.  One must always wrestle with the natural man.  And when one has conquered self and feels almost like screaming out, because it hurts so, then the dear angels shout for joy.”

“Ah, most gracious Lady, it is often very hard.”

“To be sure, it is hard.  But the harder the better.  You must be glad of that.  The weakness of the flesh is lasting.  I have grandsons and granddaughters and see it every day.  But the conquering of self in the faith, my dear Lady, that is the essential thing, that is the true way.  This was brought to our knowledge by our old man of God, Martin Luther.  Do you know his Table Talks?”