th and an arm bath," volunteered the Herr Rat; "then I do my exercises
for an hour, and my work is over. A glass of wine and a couple of rolls
with some sardines--"

They were handed cherry cake with whipped cream.

"What is your husband's favourite meat?" asked the Widow.

"I really do not know," I answered.

"You really do not know? How long have you been married?"

"Three years."

"But you cannot be in earnest! You would not have kept house as his wife
for a week without knowing that fact."

"I really never asked him; he is not at all particular about his food."

A pause. They all looked at me, shaking their heads, their mouths full
of cherry stones.

"No wonder there is a repetition in England of that dreadful state of
things in Paris," said the Widow, folding her dinner napkin. "How can a
woman expect to keep her husband if she does not know his favourite food
after three years?"

"Mahlzeit!"

"Mahlzeit!"

I closed the door after me.

2. THE BARON.

"Who is he?" I said. "And why does he sit always alone, with his back to
us, too?"

"Ah!" whispered the Frau Oberregierungsrat, "he is a BARON."

She looked at me very solemnly, and yet with the slightest possible
contempt--a "fancy-not-recognising-that-at-the-first-glance" expression.

"But, poor soul, he cannot help it," I said. "Surely that unfortunate
fact ought not to debar him from the pleasures of intellectual
intercourse."

If it had not been for her fork I think she would have crossed herself.

"Surely you cannot understand. He is one of the First Barons."

More than a little unnerved, she turned and spoke to the Frau Doktor on
her left.

"My omelette is empty--EMPTY," she protested, "and this is the third I
have tried!"

I looked at the First of the Barons. He was eating salad--taking a
whole lettuce leaf on his fork and absorbing it slowly, rabbit-wise--a
fascinating process to watch.

Small and slight, with scanty black hair and beard and yellow-toned
complexion, he invariably wore black serge clothes, a rough linen shirt,
black sandals, and the largest black-rimmed spectacles that I had ever
seen.

The Herr Oberlehrer, who sat opposite me, smiled benignantly.

"It must be very interesting for you, gnadige Frau, to be able to
watch.... of course this is a VERY FINE HOUSE. There was a lady from
the Spanish Court here in the summer; she had a liver. We often spoke
together."

I looked gratified and humble.

"Now, in