“But you forget, sir,” said I, “that I have no share in these freedoms, and that were I to attempt them, you'd resent the liberty pretty soon.”
“The Knabe is right,” “He says what's true,” “He speaks sensibly,” were muttered all around.
“You have been well educated, I suspect?” said the cashier, in a gentle voice; and now the thought that by a word—a mere word—I might compromise myself beyond recall flashed across me, and I answered, “I have learned some things.”
“One of which was caution,” broke in another; and a roar of laughter welcomed his joke.
Many a severer sarcasm would not have cut so deeply into me. The imputation of a reserve based on cunning was too much for my temper, and in a moment I forgot all prudence, And hotly said, “If I am such an object of interest to you, gentlemen, that you must know even the details of my education, the only way I see to satisfy this curiosity of yours is to say that, if you will question me as to what I know And what I do not, I will do my best to answer you.”
“That's a challenge,” cried one; “he thinks we are too illiterate to examine him.”
“We see that you speak German fluently,” said the cashier; “do you know French?”
I nodded assent
“And Italian and English?”
“Yes; English is my native language.”