“Well, you'll find you're a German, if you like to say anything disagreeable about the coffee in the restaurant of the Emperor's railroad station; the first thing you know I shall be given three months on your account.”
Mrs. Adding asked: “Then they won't punish ladies? There, Rose! I'm safe, you see; and you're still a minor, though you are so wise for your years.”
She went back to her table, where Kenby came and sat down by her.
“I don't know that I quite like her playing on that sensitive child,”, said Mrs. March. “And you've joined with her in her joking. Go and speak, to him!”
The boy was slowly following his mother, with his head fallen. March overtook him, and he started nervously at the touch of a hand on his shoulder, and then looked gratefully up into the man's face. March tried to tell him what the crime of lese-majesty was, and he said: “Oh, yes. I understood that. But I got to thinking; and I don't want my mother to take any risks.”
“I don't believe she will, really, Rose. But I'll speak to her, and tell her she can't be too cautious.”
“Not now, please!” the boy entreated.
“Well, I'll find another chance,” March assented. He looked round and caught a smiling nod from Burnamy, who was still with the Eltwins; the Triscoes were at a table by themselves; Miss Triseoe nodded too, but her father appeared not to see March. “It's all right, with Rose,” he said, when he sat down again by his wife; “but I guess it's all over with Burnamy,” and he told her what he had seen. “Do you think it came to any displeasure between them last night? Do you suppose he offered himself, and she—”
“What nonsense!” said Mrs. March, but she was not at peace. “It's her father who's keeping her away from him.”
“I shouldn't mind that. He's keeping her away from us, too.” But at that moment Miss Triscoe as if she had followed his return from afar, came over to speak to his wife. She said they were going on to Dresden that evening, and she was afraid they might have no chance to see each other on the train or in Hamburg. March, at this advance, went to speak with her father; he found him no more reconciled to Europe than America.