in any shape, Daniels made no
reply.

"At the age of eighteen, while at the University, I was given a private
tutor in art and architecture, to which I had a bent. He was a Frenchman
and I acquired his elegant tongue with that well-known facility of us
Poles in attaining proficiency in the Western ones. Armed with that and
Italian--"

"Which you speak with finish," interrupted the Jew.

"I expect my Italian and French tour to be delightful. But I am not over
the frontier yet, and hardly will be soon if my passport is commented
upon by an authority cognizant of this night's adventure."

"I regret to find that it was deliberately planned," resumed Daniels.
"My daughter's virtue has raised more hostility under this roof than
even her talent. The proprietor is a notorious rascal, but he is too
useful to the profligate among the town officials to be reprimanded. The
police, too, wink at his personal misdoings, because he is always their
friend to deliver the criminals who make this haunt their rendezvous.
All those painted women, as well as the waiter-girls, are spies and
Dalilahs who betray the Samsons of crime to the police at any given
moment. That would be neither here nor there, however, if my daughter
and I were allowed to conclude our engagement--which, believe me, would
never have been signed if we had guessed the character of the resort.
Not only would they lodge me in prison for a pretended attempt to elude
my contract, but they seek to throw my poor Rebecca into the arms of
such reprobates as this Major the Baron. The hag whom you noticed is not
unconcerned in the plot. It is a protege of hers--a lovely young girl,
guileless in appearance as a cherub, whom they would substitute for my
girl, if she had been detained to-night. In fact--"

He paused. The orchestra had played and two or three vocalists had
appeared and sang, without Claudius, absorbed in this conversation,
noticing that the entertainment had commenced. A little fat man in a
ruffled and embroidered shirt, buff waistcoat with crystal buttons, knee
breeches and silk stockings of reproachless black, and steel buckled
shoes, had come before the curtain, sticking one thumb in his waistband
and the other in his vest armhole, to display a huge seal ring and a
mammoth diamond hoop, respectively, as well as his idea of ease in
company. He announced in a high flute-like voice that in consequence of
indisposition, which a sworn medical affirmation confirmed-