"And by way of proving her assertion she drew from her travelling-bag her marriage lines, extracted from the registers of the cathedral of Cracow, to wit:—'Bridegroom: Wenceslaus Kvatopil, Sub-Lieutenant in the *** Dragoons. Bride: Anna Dunkircher. Witnesses: Babolescky, Colonel, and Kolmarscky, shopkeeper. Officiating clergyman: Stanislaus Lubousky. Dated, Feb. 16th, 1846.'
"Then she showed me the baptismal certificate of the daughter. 'Marianna, born in lawful wedlock, June 19th, 1846. Father: Sub-Lieutenant Wenceslaus Kvatopil. Mother: Anna Dunkircher. Officiating clergyman: Stanislaus Lubousky. Godparents: the above-mentioned marriage-witnesses.'
"A marriage contract, duly attested, was also among the documents."
All at once Bessy burst out laughing.
The cook came in and brought the soup.
"Ha! ha! ha! Do you know why, according to Ollendorf, the Captain weeps?"
"Because the Englishman has no bread."
"Look, Susy, you've forgotten to give my guardian some bread! Give him a crusty bit, he likes that!"
The servant apologised, but said that she didn't think the soup required bread.
It was excellent soup, made of cream and eggs and rice and finely-chopped chicken. Bessy filled my plate with it.