"You also knew my wife?" he asked.
"I had the honour," said I. "In Forstadt."
"In Forstadt! Do you know the king?"
"Not so well as I could wish," I answered. "About as well as I know Wetter here."
"That's admirably well!" cried Wetter. "Well enough not to trust me."
The fat man looked from one to the other of us in an obtuse suspicion of our hilarity.
"The king admired my wife's talents," said he. "We intend to visit Forstadt next year."
"Do you?" said I, and Wetter's peal broke out again.
"The king will find my wife's talent much increased by training," pursued Struboff.
"Damn your wife's talent!" said Wetter, quite suddenly. "You talk as much about it as she does of your beauty."