"And I hope that he will long gratify that wish," answered Justus, with a courteous bow, as he continued on his way past his astonished interlocutor.
Ottomar, meanwhile, had gone up to the Baroness, and, without taking the chair next to her, although it, as well as half those at the table, had long been unoccupied, said in a loud voice, as was necessary to the deaf old lady in the noise which prevailed around:
"Pardon me, Baroness, but will you allow me to trouble you with a question?"
The Baroness looked at him through her immense glasses. She knew at once what Ottomar wanted to ask, and that Baroness Holzweg must have repeated what she had told her, and she was determined not to allow herself to be mixed up in the matter.
"Ask anything you like, my dear child," she said.
"Certain rumours which are circulating in this company, about myself on the one hand, and Fräulein von Wallbach on the other, and which have come to my ears from Herr von Grieben amongst others, are traced hack to you, Baroness, as Grieben has them from his aunt, Frau von Holzweg, and she asserts that she had them from you."
"That is a long preamble, my dear child," said the Baroness, to gain time.
"My question will be so much the shorter. From whom did you hear this story?"
"My dear child, all the world is talking about it!"
"I cannot be content with that answer, my dear lady; I must know the actual person."