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I would not have people forget often what I am; but now and then it is pleasant to be no more than what I myself am. And the two there, Wetter and Varvilliers, were the nearest to friends that I have known. One went back to his country, the other the deuce knew where. I should be alone. Alone I made my way back from Wetter's house, alone and on foot.
I paid to Max's bracelet and the arm which wore it the meed of looks, not of words. "I've been afraid to come," I said. "Is there anything to be afraid of here?" she asked with a smile and a wave of her hands. "Because of Wetter's Bill." "Oh, the Bill! You were very cowardly, Cæsar." "I could do nothing." "You never can, it seems to me."
He was Coralie's career; the analogy of my own relation toward Elsa urged that he who is a career is entitled to civility. Was not I Elsa's Struboff? I broke into a sudden laugh; it passed as a tribute to Wetter's acid correction. "You are studying here in Paris, madame?" I asked. "Yes," said Coralie. "Why else should we be here now?" "Why else should I be here now?" asked Wetter.
It was no shock, but rather a piquant titillation of my bitter humour, when I disentangled from Wetter's confident and eloquent description of the Ideal Ambassador a tolerably accurate, if somewhat partial, portrait of himself. I was rather surprised at his desire for the position.
This time I lowered my guard in surrender. "Certainly. I tried to make love to her," said I. "There, you see!" she cried reproachfully. Her censure of the irrelevant intrusion of such a subject was eloquent and severe. "It was all Wetter's fault," I remarked, sighing. "Good gracious! what's it got to do with Wetter? I hate the man!"
"I daresay I should bore her too." "Perhaps you would," he chuckled. "Only she wouldn't tell you so, of course." "But Wetter doesn't seem to bore her," I observed. "Good God, doesn't he?" cried my brother-in-law. There were limits to the amusement to be got out of him. I yawned and looked across the house again. Wetter's place was empty. I drew William Adolphus' attention to the fact.
Meanwhile I am wondering what imp holds sway in Wetter's brain; and I am laughing a little at this new example of the eternal antagonism between what is the truth and what is thought to be the truth. If mankind ever stumbled on absolute naked verity, what the devil would they make of it? By the way, I hear that Coralie is to make her début in Paris in a week or two.
Wetter's momentary halt was long enough for one of those glances of his to play over the group we made. From face to face it ran, a change of expression marking every stage. It rested at last on me. I turned my head sharply toward Elsa; her cheek was flushed; her eyes glistened; her body was bent forward in an eagerness of attention, as though she would not lose a word.
I told her that she was very silly, and that I wished I was going to marry you." "Oh, you did? But she wishes to marry me?" "She means to, of course." "Exactly. My dear, you've waited a long while to tell me something I knew very well." "I thought perhaps you'd be glad to see me," she said, with a little laugh. "Where have you been? Not to the Countess'?" "Indeed, no. To Wetter's." "Ah!
I stood between my friends, sipping my wine and detaining them, although the room was nearly empty. I felt a reluctance to part and an invincible repugnance to my bed. "Come to my quarters," I said, "and we'll have cigars." Varvilliers bowed ready assent. Wetter's face twisted into a smile. "I must plead excuse to the command," he said.
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