quite solemn."

"It is a devilish serious matter; there is war, real, genuine war,
though the whole thing sounds so absurd that, in spite of the
declaration by France that you can read in all the papers, one feels
almost tempted to bet that it is a newspaper hoax. What do you say now,
Angelica? Is that piece of news serious enough for you?"

"Gracious heavens!" cried Angelica, "what an absurdity!"

"That is a very wise remark of yours, my respected friend; but it can't
be helped; on account of just such absurdities the most sensible men
have lost their lives and whole nations their blood and treasure. To be
sure, there must be wars, else how would the battle-painters live?
However, you know my sentiments on that subject. Considering the
present system of artillery battles and rapid firing, you may be sure
it isn't for the sake of art that I am going."

"You going to the war? You don't know what you are talking about,
Rosenbusch! You a warrior and hero? That is undoubtedly your second
item of news, the comic one, I mean."

"You are again mistaken, and of course to my disadvantage, my dear
patroness. The second item has nothing whatever to do with the first;
on the contrary, if we must regard the first as a public calamity, we
can call the second a joyful private occurrence: Fraeulein Nanny and
Herr Franz Xavier Kiederhuber are announced as engaged; the wedding is
to take place in three weeks."

His face had not lost its indifferent expression while he spoke these
words, but yet there was something about his voice as if everything
were not yet quite right.

"My dear friend," she said, at last. "I have been so little _au
courant_ of your affairs of the heart for the last few months, that I
really do not know whether I ought to congratulate you or to assure you
of my silent sympathy, I must tell you frankly, though, that of all
your lovesick moods I never could understand this passion of yours for
that insignificant, coquettish, and not particularly attractive little
doll--" (Even now, when the faithless one had ceased to be dangerous,
Angelica's jealousy vented itself in this harsh criticism.) "And now
for your grief at having found out such a little hypocrite to drive you
into the jaws of a park of artillery, belching forth death and
destruction--"

"It isn't that at all," he interrupted, with a heavy sigh. "It isn't
any sardonic mood that makes me think this vengeance of fate absurd.
For all I care she may mak