“Great Heavens! The Count von Hern—Bernadine!”
“Just so,” Sogrange assented. “Nice clear writing, isn’t it?”
Peter sat bolt upright in his chair.
“Do you mean to say that Bernadine is on board?” Sogrange shook his head.
“By the exercise, my dear Baron,” he said, “of a superlative amount of ingenuity, I was able to prevent that misfortune. Now lean over and read the label on the next chair.”
Peter obeyed. His manner had acquired a new briskness. “La Duchesse della Nermino,” he announced.
Sogrange nodded.
“Everything just as it should be,” he declared. “Change those labels, my friend, as quickly as you can.”
Peter’s fingers were nimble and the thing was done in a few seconds.
“So I am to sit next the Spanish lady,” he remarked, feeling for his tie.