she has as many crotchets and misgivings about it as if it
was little Hans, there, below! And he a Prince! a real Prince!--devil a
doubt of it--that scatters the money about like chaff! Here's an order
at sight for nine hundred gulden; and here's a bill at ten days--a nice
date--for fourteen hundred and eighty-six Prussian dollars; and this
is nearly as much more. Kate, my beauty, I knew you 'd do it! I never
looked at you in your old clogs and the worsted cloak that I did n't
think of the day I 'd see you in satin and velvet! Faix, it's the best
bottle of claret in the Adler I 'll drink your health in this day!
Nelly, who will we ask in to dinner?"

"Don't you think, papa, it were better we should not speak of this--"

"Why, better? Are we ashamed of it?"

"I mean, more prudent as regards ourselves, and more respectful to the
Prince."

"Respectful--to my son-in-law!--that's 'more of it.' Upon my conscience,
I'll have to go to school again in my old days. I know nothing of life
at all, at all! Respect, indeed!"

"I would but suggest, papa, that for Kate's sake--"

"There--there----don't provoke me. I never set my heart on a thing
yet--big or little--that I was n't met with a caution about this, or
a warning about that, till at last I got so tutored and corrected and
trained that, as Billy Morris used to say at whist, 'I dread a good hand
more than a bad one.'"

"Far be it from me, dearest father," said Nelly, smiling, "to throw a
shadow over a bright moment. If it will give you pleasure--"

"Sure I said it would,--sure I told you 't is what I 'd like. A fine
dinner at the 'Schwan;' four gulden a head, without wine; a dozen of
champagne in ice, hock for them that can drink it, and port and Lafitte
for Peter Dalton and men of his own sentiments. There's the programme,
Nelly, and you'll see if I can't fill up the details."

"Well, but we have yet much to do; here are several letters,--here is
Frank's. Let us learn how the dear fellow fares."

Dalton sat down without speaking; there was, indeed, more of resignation
than curiosity in his features, as he crossed his arms and listened.

"Dearest Nelly,----I only heard a few days ago that my last
two letters had been stopped; they were not, as they should
have been, submitted to my captain to read, and hence they
were arrested and suppressed. This goes by a private hand--a
friend of mine--a pedler from Donaueschingen--"

"A what?--a pedle