Thus every minute the friendship between her and the old worldling grew apace.
By the time they had got to the wild-duck and the dark glowing burgundy, which slid down their throats like warm caresses, she had already begun to call him "dear uncle." He, on his side, declared over and over again that he was "totally wrapped up in his dear, dear little Lilly."
So this was the test, the cruel probation, which she had dreaded with all her soul, through which she had expected to come dissected and unmasked, with every rag of concealment rudely torn off!
When she thought of how differently things were turning out, she could hardly contain herself for glee. There sat the mighty, dreaded peril, whose money-bags meant victory or defeat, a little wild beast tamed, who squeezed her fingers in his repulsive shrivelled hands and fawned on her for a smile.
He was undoubtedly quite amusing, especially when he told good stories.
What a lot of scandal he had gathered in the Colonies! In one evening he told more anecdotes than she had heard for a year. There was, for example, the story of the German Governor, Herr von So-and-So--she had once met him herself at Uhl's--who took up his duties abroad with a suite consisting of secretary, valet, and cook. In six months the cook came and said, "Herr Governor, I am----" He gave her two thousand marks and said, "Here you are, but keep quiet." Then she went to the secretary and said, "Herr Müller, I am----" He gave her three hundred marks and said, "Not a word." Then she went to the valet and said, "Johann, I'm so far gone, we'd better marry." After three months the valet came to the Governor and said, "Your Excellency, the hussy took us all in. The child is black!" And many another yarn followed of the same sort. In short, she nearly died of laughing.
"Konrad, why don't you laugh? Laugh, dearest."
And then he really did smile, but his eyes remained grave and his brow tense.
When the champagne came, they drank each other's health again, and kissed. The touch of those thick sensual old lips was horrible, but to ensure her future happiness it had to be endured. She was going to give Konrad a kiss too, but he declined it. Still worse, he tried to prevent her drinking so much.
"She ought to be more careful," he urged. "Please, uncle, don't fill up her glass so often. We never drink so much as this."