"Yes, this seems a detestable bachelor establishment. You would grow careless enough with this cousin of yours, who rushes away like a madman if a lady makes her appearance. Has he no manners at all?"
"Poor Benno was so terribly embarrassed," Albert said, by way of excuse. "He completely lost his head. Be kind to him, Molly, I pray you, for he is the best fellow in the world. And now let me go look after your luggage."
He went, and Frau Gersdorf took her seat upon the sofa, with more caution than before. In a few moments another door was softly and timidly opened, and the master of the house appeared. He had employed the time of his absence in arranging his dress, and he now approached his guest with much humility. At first she seemed scarcely inclined to be as amiable as her husband had entreated her to be; on the contrary, she eyed her new cousin with judicial severity.
"Madame," he began, with hesitation, "pray pardon me that, upon your unexpected arrival--I was very sorry for it, very sorry----"
"For my arrival?" Molly interrupted him, indignantly.
"God forbid, no!" exclaimed Benno. "I only meant--I wished to observe that I am a bachelor."
"Unfortunately," said Molly, still ungraciously. "It is very sad to be a bachelor. Why do you not marry?"
"I?" cried Benno, dismayed at the question.
"Certainly; you must marry as soon as possible."
The words sounded so dictatorial that the doctor did not venture to contradict them; he merely bowed so profoundly that Frau Molly began to feel her irritation evaporate, and she added, in a milder tone,--