"And why to you?"
"That they may see how happy I am."
"What is that to them?"
"It is a great deal to them."
"But what?"
"It is the certainty that when they come to me to represent their distresses, they will find a man who is ready to help if he can."
"I never knew anybody with such odd notions. When shall we go?"
"At once."
So we went through every part of the whole establishment, Hermine opening great eyes of wonder and sometimes clinging tight to my arm, but she was very kind and friendly to the men, only a little cool and distant with the gentlemen of the Technical Bureau--so cool and distant that Herr Windfang's beautiful speech, which he had known by heart for a week, stuck fast in his throat.
"Why were you so ungracious to the poor fellows?" I asked.