The Child Manuela: Mädchen in Uniform book (new translation)

by MaedchenInUniform

Original title: Das Mädchen Manuela (Actually, The GIRL Manuela, but wrong title is known.) Written by Christa Winsloe as a semi-autobiography (she's Manuela.) Translated by the woman behind christas-museum Christa Winsloe: More than Mädchen in Uniform [The result: Nothing is changed. Like the original, but in English.] (UPDATES are irregular, up to several times a week.)

29. Chapter 4: VI

NOTE: Sorry, Chris(ta Winsloe), but this part is as if Meinhardis' housekeeper is talking to a friend who is a wall.

"Yes, you see, Frau Professor," said Fräulein von Helling to her neighbour, "this is the child, she always has the boys on her mind. It's simply terrible. And how one is supposed to keep an eye on her? I can't possibly run after her here. This Fritz is courting her; well, and she puts up with it. She is madly in love, and at that age, I beg you-thirteen and a half years old. God, if the child's Mother had witnessed this! It's just good that she's never discovered that her daughter is a sly fox." Helling sighed deeply. "You see, I'm having a really hard time. The aunts write to me to keep an eye on her. Keep an eye on her! She runs out of the house and nobody knows what she's doing. I tried to have a serious talk with her father, but men . . . Well, anyway, she got it from her father; he's after every skirt just the same; one can't be surprised. But now I have seen it with my own eyes, and now I'll be able to make it clear to him what his 'beautiful' daughter is doing. I refuse to be responsible. And I'll write another letter to Her Excellency von Ehrenhardt this evening. In my opinion, the child must leave the house. What she doesn't get to see and hear! She's endlessly stuck in the kitchen with the servants. And Bertram-do you know that the boy is sometimes not even there at night? Yes, you may be surprised. This is how children are these days . . ."