“Don’t mention it; but I trust it won’t occur again.”
They shook hands, and the captain mounted and trotted off in a lively tempo toward the parade grounds.
Borgert, elated and free of care, hastened home. His duties to-day did not begin until ten. He really felt kindly towards König for the moment. It was not the first time the captain had helped him out of a dilemma. Ten days! Well, within ten days all sorts of things could happen. Why not his ability to repay the loan? And if not, bah! What is the use of speculating about the future? For the moment he was safe; that was the main thing.
Leimann meanwhile was awaiting the coming of his friend in the latter’s study, and when Borgert entered, serene of brow and humming an operatic tune, his face too brightened.
“Has he done it?” he shouted.
“Of course. Go to him at eleven, and he will do the same in your case, all the more as you need it less.”
And at noon, when the two friends met at the Casino over a bottle of fragrant Moselle, you could tell from Leimann’s exuberant gayety that his own request had not been refused.
Punctually at five all the officers of the regiment were assembled, with caps and sabres, in the reading-room of the Casino. And when the different squadron commanders had stepped up and reported “Everybody present,” the colonel at once let them know his mind.
“Gentlemen,” he said, in his most pompous manner, “I have commanded your presence in order to talk over a few matters. First: I must request that for the future, at balls and similar affairs, dancing spurs be worn, so as to avoid such unpleasant accidents as we had night before last. One gentleman, who shall be nameless,”—and as he said it he fixed a basilisk eye on Lieutenant von Meckelburg—“tore off with his spurs the whole edge on the robe of Frau Captain Stark. This must not occur again, gentlemen, and from now on I shall officially punish similar behavior. Furthermore, it is customary among persons of education not to be first in stretching out a hand to shake that of a lady. And if the lady herself offers her hand, good manners in our circles requires that the gentleman salute it with his lips. It was made evident to me by the complaints of one of the ladies of this regiment that some of you gentlemen stand greatly in need of further education on such points of etiquette.” This particular passage referred to the fact that Lieutenant Bleibtreu had omitted the customary hand-kiss the other day, when Frau Captain Stark had thrust her hand under his nose, his reason being that she had worn an old pair of dogskin gloves, soiled and wet by the rain.
Casting a big tear, which had meanwhile gathered in his left eye, several yards away, where it glittered in the sunshine, the commander continued: