"I could not have believed that General von Werben would have remembered so insignificant a matter," cried the Count, "a poor knight of St. John!"
"Our meeting occurred on a very remarkable day," said the General; "on the 18th of January."
"The day of the proclamation of the German Empire!" interrupted the President, to whom the General's last remark, and the tone in which he made it, seemed of doubtful courtesy; "and here comes our heroine! Fräulein Elsa von Werben, here is our deliverer in the time of need: Count von Golm."
"I am highly honoured," said the Count.
Elsa, who had just entered the room, answered only by a bow.
"Now we are all assembled," cried the President, rubbing his hands.
"Captain Schmidt is still missing," said Elsa, looking beyond the Count to her father.
"I am only afraid that we shall put the Count's patience to too great a trial," answered the General in a tone of annoyance.
"I put myself absolutely at your disposal," said the Count; "but may I ask what the question is?"
"There is another gentleman with us, a captain in the merchant service," said the General.