Gesammelte Schriften von Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (3/10) : $b Dritter Band: Erzählungen. Erster Band.

Fräulein Lotti awakens to a symphony of ticking clocks, each chiming the hour with precise grace. The mechanical chorus—German stock clock, French wall clock, a delicate music box—fills her modest bedroom, stirring a quiet joy that brightens her thoughts. At thirty‑five, the once‑sharp sting of youthful vanity has softened; she accepts her plain appearance, yet a faint pride remains in the steady rhythm of her craft as a respected clockmaker.

From her window Lotti surveys a tiny, sun‑lit square framed by four narrow façades, where morning light pools like a promise. The rooftop sky dominates the view, and a flock of gray pigeons gathers for their daily feed, drawing the curious eyes of nearby neighbors—an elderly tailor, a bustling workshop owner, and lively youths at play. These simple scenes set the stage for Lotti’s gentle observations of city life, hinting at the small connections and quiet dramas that will unfold around her modest world.