"Don't you know, Ferdinande?" asked Uncle Ernst.
"Ferdinande is his pupil, you know," continued Aunt Rikchen.
"Oh!" said Reinhold; "my compliments."
"It isn't worth mentioning," said Ferdinande.
"His best pupil!" exclaimed Aunt Rikchen; "he told me so himself yesterday, and that your 'Shepherd Boy' pleased the Commission very much. Ferdinande has a 'Shepherd Boy' at the exposition, you know, suggested by Schiller's poem——"
"Uhland's poem, Aunt!"
"I beg pardon—I haven't had the good fortune of an academic education, as others have!—I don't know now what I was about to say——"
"I guess it won't make much difference," growled Uncle Ernst.
"You were speaking of Ferdinande's 'Shepherd Boy,' Aunt," said Reinhold, coming to her aid.
Aunt Rikchen cast a grateful glance at him, but, before she could answer, the bell rang in the hall and a clear voice asked, "Are the family still at the table?"