"Only a quarter of an hour!" (Nur ein Viertelstündchen.)
The cup of coffee which was handed to Christophe insisted on his taking more:
"Just a drop!" (Noch ein Schlückchen.)
The plates seasoned the cooking with morality and otherwise the cooking was quite excellent. One plate said:
"Think of everything: otherwise no good will come to you!"
Another:
"Affection and gratitude please everybody. Ingratitude pleases nobody."
Although Christophe did not smoke, the ash-tray on the mantelpiece insisted on introducing itself to him:
"A little resting place for burning cigars." (Ruheplätzchen für brennende
Cigarren.)
He wanted to wash his hands. The soap on the washstand said: