Frau Wyner gave a slight shriek.
"Fräulein Sissy is probably right," said Nürnberger; "at any rate I am convinced that most women take platonic love either as an insult or an excuse."
"There are young girls here," Frau Ehrenberg reminded him gently.
"One sees that already," said Nürnberger, "from the fact of their joining in the conversation."
"All the same, I would like to take the liberty of adding a little anecdote to the chapter of platonic love," said Heinrich.
"But not a Jewish one," put in Else.
"Of course not. A blonde little girl...."
"That proves nothing," interrupted Else.
"Please let him finish his story," remonstrated Frau Ehrenberg.
"Well then, a blonde little girl," began Heinrich again, "once expressed her conviction to me, quite different, you see, from Fräulein Sissy, that platonic love did, as a matter of fact, exist, and do you know what she suggested as a proof of it? giving ... an experience out of her own life. She had, you know, once spent a whole hour in a room with a lieutenant and...."