"Ah--hm,--I must confess to you--er--my dear doctor, that--er--I take it very ill of Fritz, that he, er--accepted a position,--er--with--that,--er--adventurer."
The old doctor looked the irritated gentleman full in the eyes. "When one is homesick and sees his children, who cannot bear the city air, hungering for bread, one will do many things, which could not be contemplated for an instant, under even slightly improved circumstances."
"Ossi always told you ...." began Zinka.
"Oh pshaw! Ossi is an enthusiast, whose heart is always drowning out his head."
The old doctor sighed. "Well, I will intrude no longer," he said. He had often enough seen his noble patients yawn, as the door was closing upon him after a prolonged visit.
"Not at all,--not at all--wait a moment; I must call the children; Gabrielle! Ossi!"
The young people appeared from the garden-room.
"Ah--it is the friend who saved my life," Gabrielle exclaimed, cordially extending her hand.
Oswald too greeted him kindly, but suddenly he, as well as the old physician became slightly embarrassed--each remembered the unpleasant scene in the inn.--The conversation did not flow very freely.
"Now, I really must go," the doctor insisted in some confusion.