She hurriedly lowered her veil, and, quickening her step, almost ran from the room.
She had entirely forgotten in her haste the playthings which, on the evening before, she had bought with so much love and sadness; and she took them back with her to the hotel.
CHAPTER XXXI
Eagerly as Anna had desired to see her son again, long as she had thought about it, prepared herself be orehand, she had no idea of what an effect the sight of him would have on her; when she got back to her solitary room at the hotel again, she could not for a long time understand why she was there.
"Yes, all is over; I am alone again," she said to herself; and, without taking off her hat, she threw herself into an easy-chair which stood near the fireplace. And, fixing her eyes on a bronze clock standing on a table between two windows, she became absorbed in thought.
The French maid whom she had brought from abroad with her came and offered to help her dress; Anna looked at her with surprise, and replied, "By and by." A servant came to announce coffee; "By and by," she said.
The Italian nurse came in, bringing the little daughter whom she had just dressed; the plump, well-nurtured little one, as always, when she saw her mother, lifted up her bare little arms with the palms down, and, smiling with her toothless little mouth, began to beat the air with her plump little hands like a fish waving its fins, and to pull at the starched tucks of her embroidered skirt. No one could help smiling back, or kissing the little girl, or letting her catch hold of one of her fingers, screaming with delight, and jumping; no one could help pressing her lips for a kiss to the little sweet mouth. All this Anna did, and she took her into her arms, trotted her on her knee, and she kissed her fresh cheek and
