t tell you, sir, how greatly honoured I feel at
being allowed to make your acquaintance,' he said.

'Tut, tut,' said the Professor. 'Lottchen, present me to these ladies.'

What, he did not remember me? What, after the memorable evening in
Berlin? I know of few things more wholly grievous than to have a
celebrated connection who forgets he has ever seen you.

'I must apologise to you, madam,' he said to the bishop's wife, for
taking a seat at your table after all.'

'Oh, Professor----' murmured Mrs. Harvey-Browne.

'But you will perhaps forgive my joining a party of which my wife is a
member.'

'Oh, Professor, do pray believe----'

'I know a Brown,' he continued; 'in England there is a Brown I know. He
is of a great skill in card-tricks. Hold--I know another Brown--nay, I
know several. Relations, no doubt, of yours, madam?'

'No, sir, our name is _Harvey_-Browne.'

'_Ach so_. I understood Brown. So it is Harvey. Yes, yes; Harvey made
the excellent sauce. I eat it daily with my fish. Madam, a public
benefactor.'

'Sir, we are not related. We are the Harvey-Brownes.'

'What, you are both Harveys and Browns, and yet not related to either
Browns or Harveys? Nay, but that is a problem to split the head.'

'My husband is the Bishop of Babbacombe. Perhaps you have heard of him.
Professor. He too is literary. He annotates.'

'In any case, madam, his wife speaks admirable German,' said the
Professor, with a little bow. 'And this lady?' he asked, turning to me.

'Why, I am Charlotte's cousin,' I said, no longer able to hide my
affliction at the rapid way in which he had forgotten me, 'and
accordingly yours. Do you not remember I met you last winter in Berlin
at a party at the Hofmeyers?'

'Of course--of course. That is to say, I fear, of course not. I have no
memory at all for things of importance. But one can never have too many
little cousins, can one, young man? Sit thee down next to me--then shall
I be indeed a happy man, with my little wife on one side and my little
cousin on the other. So--now we are comfortable; and when my coffee
comes I shall ask for nothing more. Young man, when you marry, see to it
that your wife has many nice little cousins. It is very important. As
for my not remembering thee,' he went on, putting one arm round the back
of my chair, while the other was round the back of Charlotte's, 'be not
offended, for I tell thee that the day after I married my Lot here, I
fell into so great an a