al's study. It was
here that he was awaiting me as he stood posed in a majestic attitude
beside his writing-table. Lolling on a divan close by was De Griers.

"My good sir," the General began, "may I ask you what this is that you
have gone and done?"

"I should be glad," I replied, "if we could come straight to the point.
Probably you are referring to my encounter of today with a German?"

"With a German? Why, the German was the Baron Burmergelm--a most
important personage! I hear that you have been rude both to him and to
the Baroness?"

"No, I have not."

"But I understand that you simply terrified them, my good sir?" shouted
the General.

"Not in the least," I replied. "You must know that when I was in Berlin
I frequently used to hear the Berliners repeat, and repellently
prolong, a certain phrase--namely, 'Ja wohl!'; and, happening to meet
this couple in the carriage-drive, I found, for some reason or another,
that this phrase suddenly recurred to my memory, and exercised a
rousing effect upon my spirits. Moreover, on the three previous
occasions that I have met the Baroness she has walked towards me as
though I were a worm which could easily be crushed with the foot. Not
unnaturally, I too possess a measure of self-respect; wherefore, on
THIS occasion I took off my hat, and said politely (yes, I assure you
it was said politely): 'Madame, j'ai l'honneur d'etre votre esclave.'
Then the Baron turned round, and said 'Hein!'; whereupon I felt moved
to ejaculate in answer 'Ja wohl!' Twice I shouted it at him--the first
time in an ordinary tone, and the second time with the greatest
prolonging of the words of which I was capable. That is all."

I must confess that this puerile explanation gave me great pleasure. I
felt a strong desire to overlay the incident with an even added measure
of grossness; so, the further I proceeded, the more did the gusto of my
proceeding increase.

"You are only making fun of me!" vociferated the General as, turning to
the Frenchman, he declared that my bringing about of the incident had
been gratuitous. De Griers smiled contemptuously, and shrugged his
shoulders.

"Do not think THAT," I put in. "It was not so at all. I grant you that
my behaviour was bad--I fully confess that it was so, and make no
secret of the fact. I would even go so far as to grant you that my
behaviour might well be called stupid and indecent tomfoolery; but,
MORE than that it was not. Also, let me tell you t