"I talked of study," he said, "and it is croquet I study, and I have five marks. Chermany is poor compared to rich England, and in Allenstein I play only for three marks when I play croquet. But we Chermans have industry, we have perseverance, also nothing distracts us, but we go on while others stop still. I am very content to be a poor Cherman in rich England.... No.... I will have no ice! If I am warm inside me, why should I make cold inside me? But soon I will have some port, and I am happy to be here. I could sing, so happy am I."
Once again the Princess must have been listening to him.
"Indeed, dearest, you shall not sing," she said.
He looked at her with a grave replete eye.
"But if I choose, I shall sing," he said, "and if I do not choose then I shall not sing."
Dodo felt that there was something moving below this ridiculous talk, which she could not quite grasp. Some sort of shifting shadow was there, like a fish below water....
"Don't be a hen-peck, sir," she said. "Sing quietly to me."
He leaned a little sideways to her, beating the table softly with his hand. Edith, who was sitting on his other side, caught the rhythm of his beat.
"That's 'Deutschland über alles,'" she said, cheerfully.
He gave her a complicated wink.