For the rest of the drive he sat obdurately silent. He went to his room
with the mien of an offended man. During lunch he only opened his lips to
eat.

On his side Mr Bunker maintained a cheerful composure, and seemed not a
whit put about by his friend's lack of appreciation.

"Anozzer bottle of claret," said the Baron, gruffly, to a waiter.

Mr Bunker let him consume it entirely by himself, awaiting the results
with patience. Gradually his face relaxed a little, until all at once,
when the bump in the bottom of the bottle was beginning to appear above
the wine, the whole room was startled by a stentorian, "Ha, ha, ha!"

"My dear Bonker!" cried the Baron, when he had finished laughing, "forgif
me! I begin for to see ze moral, ha, ha, ha!"

CHAPTER VI.

The Baron expressed no further wish for instruction, but, instead, he
began to show a desire for society.

"Doesn't one fool suffice?" his friend asked.

"Ach, yes, my vise fool; ha, ha, ha! Bot sometimes I haf ze craving for
peoples, museec, dancing--in vun vord, society, Bonker!"

"But this is not the season, Baron. You wouldn't mix with any but the best
society, would you?"

"Zere are some nobles in town. In my paper I see Lord zis, Duke of zat, in
London. Pairhaps my introdogtions might be here now."

This suggestion seemed to strike Mr Bunker unfavourably.

"My company is beginning to pall, is it, Baron?"

"Ach, no, dear Bonker! I vould merely go out jost vunce or tvice. Haf you
no friends now in town?"

An idea seemed to seize Mr Bunker.

"Let me see the paper," he said.

After perusing it carefully for a little, he at last exclaimed in a tone
of pleased discovery, "Hullo! I see that Lady Tulliwuddle is giving a
reception and dance to-night. Most of the smart people in town just now
are sure to be there. Would you care to go, Baron?"

"Ach, surely," said the Baron, eagerly. "Bot haf you been invited,
Bonker?"

"Oh, I used to have a standing invitation to Lady Tulliwuddle's dances,
and I'm certain she would be glad to see me again."

"Can you take me?"

"Of course, my dear Baron, she will be honoured."

"Goot!" cried the Baron. "Ve shall go."

Mr Bunker explained that it was the proper thing to arrive very late, and
so it was not until after twelve o'clock that they left the Hotel
Mayonaise for the regions of Belgravia. The Baron, primed with a bottle of
champagne, and arrayed in a costume which Mr