"Yes, you keep dropping it all the while; may be you don't want to tell it, after all?"
"Oh, I want to, but I have interrupted the story a good many times, chiefly because it is a little bit strange, indeed, almost romantic."
"Why, you said he was a district councillor."
"Certainly, a district councillor, and his name is Geert von
Innstetten, Baron von Innstetten."
All three laughed.
"Why do you laugh?" said Effi, nettled. "What does this mean?"
"Ah, Effi, we don't mean to offend you, nor the Baron either. Innstetten did you say? And Geert? Why, there is nobody by that name about here. And then you know the names of noblemen are often a bit comical."
"Yes, my dear, they are. But people do not belong to the nobility for nothing. They can endure such things, and the farther back their nobility goes, I mean in point of time, the better they are able to endure them. But you don't know anything about this and you must not take offense at me for saying so. We shall continue to be good friends just the same. So it is Geert von Innstetten and he is a Baron. He is just as old as mama, to the day."
"And how old, pray, is your mama?"
"Thirty-eight."