sor W. than the
other, because he is said to be a Jew. "Still, with regard to all the
things that hang upon marriage, it's the same with every man," said I.
"That's just the chief point, you little goose," said Hella. And Frau
Doktor M. said: "Do you allow your chum to talk to you like that? What
is the chief point?" I was just going to say: "We _can't_ tell you
_that_," when Hella interrupted me and said: "Just because I'm her chum
I can talk to her like that; she would not let anyone else do it." Then
we went to dinner. Unfortunately we did not sit next "_her_." We
had veal cutlets and four pieces of chocolate cake, and as the Herr
Religionsprof. went by he said: "How many weeks have you been fasting?"
Before dinner we went to the museum to see the things they had dug up in
the Roman camp. The head mistress and Fraulein V. explained everything.
It was most instructive. In the afternoon we went to Deutsch-Altenburg.
It was great fun at tea. Then we had games and all the staff joined in,
the Fifth had got up a comedy by one of the girls. We were all in fits
of laughter. Then suddenly there came along a whole troop of officers
of the flying corps, frightfully smart, and one of them sat down at the
piano and began to play dance music. Another came up to the head and
begged her to allow the "young ladies" to dance. The head did not want
to at first, but all the girls of the Fifth and Sixth begged her to,
and the Herr Rel. Prof. said: "Oh, Frau Direktorin, let them have the
innocent pleasure," and so they really were allowed to dance. The rest
of us either danced with one another or looked on. And then, when Hella
and I were standing right in front, up came a splendid lieutenant and
said: "May I venture to separate the two friends for a little dance?"
"If you please," said I, and sailed off with him. To dance with a
lieutenant is glorious. Then the same lieutenant danced with Hella and
in the evening on the way home she said that the lieutenant had really
wanted to dance with her first, but I had been so prompt with my "If
you please" and had placed my hand on his shoulder. Of course that's
not true, but it is not a thing one would quarrel about with one's best
friend, and anyhow he danced with both of us. Unfortunately we were
not able to dance very long because we got so hot. Oh, and I had almost
forgotten, a captain with a black moustache saluted Frau Doktor M., for
they know one another. She blushed furiously; so he is pr