"Now for the examination!" thought Johannes, waiting in mute patience—a victim to whatever wise questions the great man was to pillory him with.
"Have you—ah—known the family here for long?" asked von Pennewitz—opening and closing his thin lips with a sipping sound, while with fingers affectedly spread, he adjusted his eyeglasses, peering over the tops of them at Johannes.
"No, I do not know them at all!" replied Johannes, shaking his head.
"No?" said von Pennewitz, rubbing and wringing his hands, most cheerfully. And then he continued, in broken English:
"Well, well! That pleases me. Neither do I. Curious people! Do you not think so, young man?"
Johannes, somewhat encouraged by this affability, gave a hesitating assent.
"Have you such types in Holland, also? Surely upon a more modest scale? Ha! ha! ha!—These people are astonishingly rich! Have you tried their champagne?—No? Then you must just come with me to the buffet. It is worth the trouble, I can assure you."
Happy, now, to be at least walking with some one, Johannes followed the little man, who piloted him through the packed mass of people.
Arrived at the buffet they drank of the sparkling wine.
"But, sir," said Johannes, "I have heard that Lady Crimmetart is so very clever."