Presently the Professor left the room to order another bottle of wine and some sandwiches.
"That older girl, Mademoiselle Pauline, is an excellent maiden," remarked Dr. Hufeland, in tones of admiration. Herr Brandt nodded, his face growing serious.
"Did you notice how calm she kept amid all the excitement?"
"Yes, yes," said the Major, "she is excellent, always ready to arrange my stock or tie the ribbon on my queue. Very different from my niece, Marianne," he added, "very different, I assure you."
Herr Brandt raised his eyebrows.
"Richard has spoiled that girl," he remarked; "see here." He picked up "The Sorrows of Werther," which lay under Marianne's chair.
Then he read aloud high-flown passages marked by Marianne's pencil.
"How her parents expect any sensible German man to marry her I cannot form an idea. A German man desires a wife who can cook, sew, and keep his house in order."
The Doctor raised his hand, for the Professor was entering with the bottle.
Almost immediately his wife followed.