"But are you not also attached to home?"
"Well, you see, we have no home. When we were in England we lived at hotels—and I am thoroughly at home on the Continent."
"And know it well?"
"Yes, some places, such as Paris, the Riviera, and Aix. I've also been to Rome and Venice. We always winter in the South."
"Possibly on account of Toby," suggested the young man. "I absolutely decline to call him Darling."
"You have made a sort of half-guess," she answered with a smile. "I will not conceal from you that a certain chemist at Nice is a celebrated dog doctor, and once, when Darling had bronchitis, auntie stayed on a month longer, on purpose to be near him, although we had taken our rooms at Venice. Is this your first visit to Germany?"
"Yes, I only arrived yesterday. I had no idea Homburg was such a charming place—partly garden, park and forest. My uncle never prepared me."
"I don't fancy the beauties of nature would appeal to Sir Horace."
"No, he is a practical man. If he were shown the mountains of the moon in a strong telescope, he would immediately wonder if there was grouse on them!"
"Then he and auntie would thoroughly agree. Are you remaining long?"