The Uhlan emptied his glass again, and then said: "You are quite right, although it cannot be denied that some of the middle class are very decent. I must own that I became acquainted with a couple of fellows—in our regiment of course they would have been quite impossible—but I met them several times in the train——"
The officer of the "Golden Butterflies" looked up with astonishment. "Do you mean to say that you travel second class?"
"Who, I?" At first the Uhlan was quite disconcerted, then he laughed loud and long: "What a joke! Do you suppose I travel second class? Perhaps you'll give me a free pass? Or do you think I act as an agent, perhaps? If I were to write this to my dear papa he would be highly amused."
It was long before the Uhlan had recovered his composure, then he said: "When I said just now I had got to know these fellows in the train, I was speaking figuratively. I meant a mere passing acquaintanceship, and as I told you these people were really quite nice, it was very amusing to me to talk with a fellow from the provinces who lives in such different circumstances. I was highly amused when they told me how they spent their month's salary of fifty or sixty marks. Just think, why, my hairdresser gets that!" Then quite suddenly he broke off and said: "By the way, we were disputing yesterday at mess as to how long it really was since the last officer belonging to the middle class had his discharge from your regiment."
"On 15th May it will be four years."
The Uhlan looked up astonished. "Just fancy, you remember the exact date!"
"Well, one does not easily forget such a joyful date."
"You are quite right, but haven't you got a bourgeois fellow among the ensigns?"
"Not a single one. The colonel has laid it down that under no circumstances whatever will he receive such a man."
"Very sensible of him. First of all, such a fellow would not suit here at all; secondly, he would be a great source of annoyance to you; thirdly, he himself would feel highly uncomfortable. The proper thing is for people to remain in their own class. And the common people who will not understand that talk about 'Caste' feeling and the 'Aristocratic Spirit'!—well, let them talk, what does it matter to us?"