‘That’s none of your business,’ screamed Frau Adriani. ‘None of your business! Come here, child!’ She went up to the child, who shrank away in fear. She laid her hand on her head. ‘What are you being so silly for? Why did you run away from me? Are you frightened of me? You mustn’t be frightened of me! I only want the best for you! And you run away to strangers . . . can those strangers be closer to you than I am? I have explained to you, they’re not even properly married . . .’ She appealed to the child with false conviction, listening to herself; she spoke self-consciously, theatrically. ‘Running away like that . . .!’ The child shuddered.

‘Could I possibly have a word with you?’ I said gently.

‘What . . . There’s nothing to talk about!’

‘Perhaps there is.’ We all went into the dining-hall.

‘So the child ran away to you! Wonderful! Just as well you returned her when I told you to! She won’t be running away any more – I can promise you that. What a creature! She’ll . . .’

‘But the child must have had some reason for running away!’ I said.

‘No. Not at all. She had no reason.’

‘Hm! And what will you do with her now?’

‘I’ll punish her,’ said Frau Adriani, scenting blood and greedy for more. She stretched in her chair.

‘May I ask you one question: How will you punish her?’

‘I don’t have to give you an answer – I don’t have to. But I can assure you, because it’s in accordance with Frau Collin’s own wishes, with her own wishes, that the child receives a strict upbringing. So she’ll be confined to her room, she’ll be given some extra work to do in the household, she won’t be allowed to go out with the others on walks – that’s the way we operate here.’

‘And if we were to ask you to remit her punishment . . . would you do that?’

‘No. I couldn’t agree to that. You could ask till . . . Was that what you wanted to ask?’ she added sneeringly.

‘But . . . do you treat all the children like that? Of course, one has to be strict some of the time, but to drive a child to the point of desperation . . .’

‘Who’s driving children to desperation! Bring up your own children! If you and this lady here should have any! And I’ll bring up this one!’

‘Go tell that to the marines!’ muttered the Princess.

‘What was that?’ asked Frau Adriani.

‘Nothing.’

‘I have my principles. So long as a child is in my power . . .’