[The following evening Innstetten met Effi at the station in Berlin
and said he had thought she would not keep her word, as she had not
when she came to Berlin to select their apartment. In a short time he
began to bestir himself to make a place for his wife in Berlin
society. At a small party early in the season he tactlessly twitted
her about Crampas and for days thereafter she felt haunted by the
Major's spirit. But once the Empress had selected her to be a lady of
honor at an important function, and the Emperor had addressed a few
gracious remarks to her at a court ball, the past began to seem to her
a mere dream, and her cheerfulness was restored. After about seven
years in Berlin Dr. Rummschüttel was one day called to see her for
various reasons and prescribed treatment at Schwalbach and Ems. She
was to be accompanied by the wife of Privy Councillor Zwicker, who in
spite of her forty odd years seemed to need a protectress more than
Effi did. While Roswitha was helping with the preparations for the
journey Effi called her to account for never going, as a good Catholic
should, to a priest to confess her sins, particularly her great sin,
and promised to talk the matter over with her seriously after
returning from Ems.]