boldness to confess my heart!
Bonker, ven I did land in England ze leetle thought zat vould rise
vas--'Ze land of freedom vunce again! Here shall I not have to be
alvays ze Baron von Blitzenberg, oldest noble in Bavaria, hereditary
carpet-beater to ze Court! I vill disguise and go mit old Bonker for a
frolic!'"

"You touch my tenderest chord, Baron!"

"Goot, goot, my friend!" cried the Baron, warming to his work of
confession like a penitent whose absolution is promised in advance; "you
speak ze vords I love to hear! Of course I vould not be vicked, and
I vould not disgrace myself; but I do need a leetle exercise. Is it
possible?"

Essington sprang up and enthusiastically shook his hand.

"Dear Baron, you come like a ray of sunshine through a London fog--like
a moulin rouge alighting in Carlton House Terrace! I thought my own
leaves were yellowing; I now perceive that was only an autumnal change.
Spring has returned, and I feel like a green bay tree!"

"Hoch, hoch!" roared the Baron, to the great surprise of two Cabinet
Ministers and a Bishop who were taking tea at the other side of the
room. "Vat shall ve do to show zere is no sick feeling?"

"H'm," reflected Essington, with a comical look. "There's a lot of
scaffolding at the bottom of St. James's Street. Should we have it down
to-night? Or what do you say to a packet of dynamite in the two-penny
tube?"

The Baron sobered down a trifle.

"Ach, not so fast, not qvite so fast, dear Bonker. Remember I must not
get into troble at ze embassy."

"My dear fellow, that's your pull. Foreign diplomatists are
police-proof!"

"Ah, but my wife!"

"One stormy hour--then tears and forgiveness!"

The Baron lowered his voice.

"Her mozzer vill visit us next veek. I loff and respect Lady Grillyer;
but I should not like to have to ask her for forgiveness."

"Yes, she has rather an uncompromising nose, so far as I remember."

"It is a kind nose to her friends, Bonker," the Baron explained, "but
severe towards----"

"Myself, for instance," laughed Essington. "Well, what do you suggest?"

"First, zat you dine mit me to-night. No, I vill take no refusal!
Listen! I am now meeting a distinguished person on important
international business--do you pairceive? Ha, ha, ha! To-night it vill
be necessary ve most dine togezzer. I have an engagement, but he can be
put off for soch a great person as the man I am now meeting at ze club!
You vill gom?"

"I should have been delig