"I will make you a present of the twenty-fifth," she said with a laugh.
"And now you are mine, altogether mine," he exclaimed ardently.
"What are you thinking of?"
"Have I not let you beat me?"
"Certainly; but I promised you to grant your wish after the twenty-fifth blow, and you have only received twenty-four," the cruel little bit of virtue cried, "and I have witnesses to prove it."
With these words, she drew back the curtains over the door, and her husband, followed by two other gentlemen came out of the next room, smiling. For a moment the stockbroker remained speechless on his knees before the beautiful woman; then he gave a deep sigh, and sadly uttered that one, most significant word:
"Crash!"
AN HONEST IDEAL
Among my numerous friends in Vienna, there is one who is an author, and who has always amused me by his childish idealism.