We were on our best behaviour
all through the evening, although Mother had ordered roast chicken and
Father had provided a bottle of champagne. I am frightfully happy; it's
so splendid and noble. Think of what the girls will say, and the staff!
I'm frantically delighted. To-morrow I must write and tell Hella all
about it.
July 19th. I've managed it beautifully. I did not want to write just: We
are now noble, so I put it all in the signature, simply writing Always
your loving friend Rita Lainer von Lainsheim. I told Resi about it first
thing this morning, but Father scolded me about that at dinner time and
said it was quite unnecessary; it seems the nobility has gone to your
head. Nothing of the sort, but it's natural that I should be frightfully
glad and Dora too has covered a whole sheet of paper writing her new
name. Father says it does not really make us any different from what
we were before, but that is not true, for if it were he would not have
bothered to revive the title. He says it will make it easier for Oswald
to get on, but I'm sure there's more in it than that. Resi told the
landlord about it and in the afternoon he and his wife called to
congratulate us.
July 20th. Oswald says he won't stay here, it's much too dull, he is
going for a walking tour through the Alps, to Grossglockner, and then to
the Karawanken. He will talk of Father as the "Old Man," and I do think
it is so vulgar.
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