or Herr
Baron. He must appear ridiculous to himself."

"Perhaps Doctor is a finer title," replied Sonnenkamp sharply; "or is
that born with a person?"

Eric's remark irritated him, and he would have been glad to send him
out of the company. But he suddenly became more amiable, as Bella
approached and said to him,

"Do you know, Herr Sonnenkamp, what we are all really here for, and
what this whole fete means? It is a christening feast, and our gracious
Prince has played off a good joke. The Wine-dealer has striven for
nobility so long, at last offering up his daughter as a sacrificial
lamb, that the Prince could not help granting it to him at last. And
isn't it good that he has given him the name Herr von Endlich? (At
Last.)"

Then in a very amusing way she went on to describe how fine it would be
if so old a candidate for baptism suddenly cried, I don't want that
name, I want another.

Turning to Eric, she sketched the whole assemblage for him with apt,
though somewhat malicious strokes. She ridiculed with most sarcasm a
knot of young girls, who evidently could not forget the heavy weight of
hair upon their heads, for the hair-dressers from the Baths and the
Fortress had been hurrying, since early morning, from house to house,
to deck out the girls' heads in proper company style. Bella mimicked
the girls as they said to each other, "Please tell me if my chignon is
still on."

With much merriment she pointed out a tall, lank Englishman, coming in
sight with his stout wife and three slim daughters, who wore long curls
and extraordinarily brilliant dresses. He lived in winter at the
capital, in the summer at a country-seat, passing the time in angling,
while his daughters were constantly drawing. He was considered very
rich, and his wealth had a singular source; many years before, a
brother of his wife had been sent to Botany Bay, and, being an
experienced trader, had there succeeded in establishing a large export
business, and laid the foundation of the family wealth.

Bella was full of charming humor, and Eric felt as if he had done her
injustice. He had listened to the sharp judgment, the mental
dissection, of Bella from the physician, when he ought to have
contested it decidedly. He looked at her as if asking pardon for
something, and she, well satisfied, showed a fresh cheerfulness, which
was not wanting in magic power. She treated Eric with marked attention
before the whole company.

Count Clodwig joined