As always, the italicized parts are what I'm unsure about:
The beautiful weather had worked its effect. So long one had waited for it, now it had appeared in that sudden turn that one could so often observe here by the sea. Slowly and peacefully the waves came in, something dreamlike, soporific was in them. Against the white of their crests that shone as if it were made up of pure snowflakes, it stood out from the extensive, almost reddish dunes.
The promenades and paths that laid there lonely for days were filled with a constantly growing stream of people. One had not seen Zoppot so full on a weekday and on top of that before the real main-time. Certainly, one had to make up for his long deprivation.
Even Hans was among the people out on a walk. Leisurely he strolled along the promenade, heard in the Kur Garden from the excellent choir a rhapsody by Liszt and a dance by Brahms, and walkt far along the sea-built bridge, the biggest and most beautiful that he could remember seeing in a seaside resort. All around him giving and taking looks, greeting and chatting, laughing and flirting without end. And the music played the accompaniment to it, and the waves murmured their eternal song.
He didn't look to the right and left; full of quiet delight he breathed the fresh forest fragrance that rose from the sea and whose fruity breeze pierced the soul, so to speak.
All of a sudden, however, he was snatched from his happy contemplation. Under the people who had up until now moved up and down the bridge with such cheerful ease, something wonderful appeared to happen. The stream gathered, stopt short,
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people stood still formed groups, spoke lively to one another, shook their heads, made furious motions and gestures. Now the music also broke off, in the middle of the thrilling waltz, abruptly and without any conclusion. What had happened?
"The successor to the Austrian throne has been murdered... with his wife!"
For a moment he stood as if paralyzed, while the terrible knowledge flew around him from mouth to mouth. Curses became loud, plonked away, sounded over the bridge and the paths. There, the words that Fritz spoke back then in the idyll of the Pronitt parish garden were stirred up in him. Now he knew that the war would come.
At the exit of the Kur house he met the pretty stranger from the "starfish." She lookt completely changed. A silk skirt, which shimmered in all colors, flowed like water on the lithe body down to her feet, which were in delicate, white beach shoes, a not tasteless but striking blouse, and an affected panama hat with a narrow red band, which left her drawn up face in the shade. Her eyes greeted him as a good friend, her white, slightly pointed teeth, sparkled. Not the slightest excitement that one read on all faces in this hour was to be seen on her.
"Haven't you heard it yet?" he askt without any address.
"Heard what? Oh... about the assassination down there? Of course I've heard about it."
"And are so calm, so..." he wanted to say "happy," but he improved: "So unconcerned about it?"
"Unconcerned!? My goodness! It is sad. But so many sad things happen in the world."
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She saw his astonishment. "I show to him the human compassion that this case must give rise to in every sympathetic heart."
"But here it's a question of more than pure human compassion."
She shook her head. "Not for me; I am not able to attach any conclusions to it, as I have just now heard a few of my friends express."
They were going the same way, so he stayed by her side. Although everything was now occupied with other thoughts, he still noticed that she attracted the attention of the passersby. She seemed to be used to it, it didn't concern her. In her lively way, she spoke about Zoppot and the wonderful people who would meet together in such a bath. "Half are Poles, even a few Russians are in the 'starfish.' And even a Frenchman, a real genuine one. Did you see him yester-day? The young, slender man with the small, dark goatee, the long, white hands, and the fine, translucent skin; he sat directly opposite you."
"People don't interest me like they do you."
"Oh, he is very entertaining, the genuine French gentleman, he has seen much and knows how to tell it."
He was pretty sure that her words were aimed at him. His dull personality seemed not to please her. But he couldn't help it. His thoughts were too occupied by the heavy events of the day for him to be able to show an interest in her light conversation. And now, however, he did what he had firmly intended to refrain from: he spoke of war.
He had not thought that she would show any interest in so serious
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a subject. He was all the more astonished by the attention that she showed.
"Wonderful," she said, "the whole world is talking about war! But it's been doing it for years already. For a while it becomes quiet. But then if such an event as to-day's happens, then one hears it again everywhere."
"There are rising shadows."
"No, it will not come to that," she replied lively and definitely, "certainly not. They are all afraid of each other."
"That is no reason. Elementary necessities don't let themselves be delayed."
A passing gentleman, trimly dressed, said hello. Distracted, she thanked him and then said: "Then what do the people by you over there in East Prussia think about it? Here they are always saying many thousands of Russians armed to the teeth are standing on the border and waiting only for the opportune moment to break in."
"We East Prussians are not a timid breed. We are not afraid of the Russians."
"I believe it. I asked only because the matter concerns me a little. My mother lives close to the border."
They had arrived at the entry door to the "seastar." "See you later!" she cried and offered him her hand.
