I too turned round, and stood waiting in pseudo-courteous expectation. Yet still I wore on my face an impudent smile as I gazed at him. He seemed to hesitate, and his brows contracted to their utmost limits. Every moment his visage was growing darker. The Baroness also turned in my direction, and gazed at me in wrathful perplexity, while some of the passersby also began to stare at us, and others of them halted outright.

“ Hein! ” the Baron vociferated again, with a redoubled growl and a note of growing wrath in his voice.

“ Ja wohl! ” I replied, still looking him in the eyes.