lottenburg knows the duty
it owes the capital."

When they entered the handsome hotel, in whose lower rooms a somewhat
motley company were already drinking coffee, a waiter came toward them
and after a hasty glance at Toinette, showed the young couple the way
to the second story. If they wished to dine alone, they would find
empty rooms and tables there--

"There's no help for it," said Edwin laughing, "they evidently suspect
you of a desire to enjoy my society alone; you'll have to reconcile
yourself to it. But we'll drink our coffee in the open air, and then
you can make up for the conquests you can't celebrate at dinner."

He went up stairs beside her and opened the first door, which led into
a comfortable room. She sat down without ceremony on the little sofa,
removed her hat and cloak, and assured him that in spite of the second
breakfast of fruit which she had eaten, she was already very hungry.
Edwin seated himself opposite her and took up the bill of fare. Amid
all sorts of jests, they began to select their favorite dishes, and he
could not help remembering their little dinners in Jaegerstrasse. He
inquired about her birds. She now had a dozen sparrows for boarders,
she said, and would rather hear nothing about those delights of the
table. She had afterwards learned that even the restaurant had been in
the conspiracy against her, and had only charged her half price. She
would soon be reduced to Lotte's bread and butter. "But we won't talk
about that to-day," she said suddenly, "it'll come soon enough."

She rose, yawned, and began to look at the lithographs that hung on the
walls. "You see," said she, "if we had brought the dwarf with us, we
should have been better served."

"The waiter seems to think we shall be satisfied with our young love.
Wait a moment, I'll go down myself, enter into a tender relation with
the cook, and bribe some ministering spirit to devote himself
exclusively to us." He left the little room and hurried down stairs.
Just as he was turning the corner, he ran against a gentleman who was
rushing up. Their mutual apologies died on their lips.

"You here, Edwin?"

"Marquard!"

"No less a personage," laughed the physician. "And in the best of
company. But you--is Balder here?"

"It was impossible to persuade him, unfortunately. You know him."

"So you're alone? Well, you shall join our party at any rate. It's
entirely composed of your acquaintances, except my little suburban
night