"No subterfuges! Have you seen her to-day?"
"Well, I see I shall fare better by confessing everything at once," said Mr. Bemperlein, who in spite of all his efforts to appear unconcerned had become more and more embarrassed. "Hear, then, oh severe judge, and you, grave assistant judge, with your diabolic smile, the strange story which has happened to me to-day, and which seems to be specially intended to lead me from one trouble to another."
"Tell us, Bemperlein; tell us!" cried Sophie. "The affair begins to look romantic."
"Well, then, you know, Miss Sophie, that the Grenwitz family has come to town to-day."
"We are aware of that. Go on, accused!"
"But you do not know that the baroness wrote to me immediately after her arrival, and asked me to call on her in the course of the day. She said she had to confer with me on a matter of the utmost importance."
"The affairs of the baroness are always of the utmost importance," said Franz.
"That I knew; and therefore I did not exactly hasten to pay my visit. Towards evening, however, just before I came here, I went to the house."
"Well, and what was the great trifle?"
"I never found it out, for I was not fortunate enough to be admitted. In the house-door I met Mr. Timm, who was in such a hurry that he nearly ran over me, and he had barely time to say to me 'What on earth are you doing here, Bemperlein?' In the ante-chamber to which the servant had shown me I found Mademoiselle Marguerite."