“You are surprised to see me, I suppose?”
“Well, I will admit,” the baron answered, “something in the nature of an announcement might have been expected, as a reasonable concession to the laws of courtesy. But since you are here, you had better sit down and take some breakfast with us.”
Rudolph laughed, and took a chair at the table. Before eating he poured himself out a generous tumbler of wine, and drank it almost at a draught. The baron stared a little, looked across at his wife, and lifted his brows meaningly. The talk at first was light. Rudolph touched upon the places he had seen, and made himself exceedingly witty and merry at the expense of the distinguished personages he had met in the course of his travels. He asked how matters stood at Athens; inquired after Agiropoulos and Mademoiselle Veritassi, the Mowbray-Thomases, and his friend the young Viscount, but never a word was said about Andromache. Then lying back in his chair, and lighting a cigar, the baron asked, with a mocking smile.
“And, my amiable nephew, how fares it with the fascinating Natzelhuber?”
Rudolph drew in his brows with a frown, and looking hastily at his aunt, said:
“We will not discuss her, sir, if you please.”
“Oh,” assented the baron, interjectionally, and busied himself with his cigar; “may one, without indiscretion, be permitted to inquire into your plans for the future?”
“I have no plans,” said Rudolph, taking up a cigar.
“At least I see,” laughed the baron, “you have succumbed to the beneficial influence of tobacco.”
“Yes, I smoke now; I do most things now that other men do.”