Part 12 (2/2)

The Dresden of my day was different frolish person the whole ti into my new rooms, I wrote out for myself a severe Stundenplan, which I pinned overI woke up and dashed into the kitchen to have coffee with the solitary slavey; after that I practised the fiddle or piano till 830, e had the pension breakfast; and the rest of the day was taken up by literature, drawing and other lessons I went to concerts or the opera by reatly disdressed by a letter she had received froers while I was in the pension, as soht elope with a foreigner To this hour I do not knohether my mother was serious; but I wrote and told her that Frau von Mach's life depended on her lodgers, that there was only one per, who never spoke to me--and that I had no time to elope

Many and futile were the efforts to ularly, I never alluded to any of thereat friends with Frau von Mach and in looseblack cherries; we discussed Shakespeare, Wagner, Brahel, and the tiht I arrived early at the Opera House and was looking about while the fiddles were tuning up I wore my pearls and a scarlet crepe-de-chine dress and a black cloth cape with a hood on it, which I put on overa frank stare at the audience, when I observed just opposite me an officer in a white uniform As the Saxon soldiers wore pale blue, I wondered what ar man, with tailor-made shoulders, a small waist and silver and black on his sword-belt When he turned to the stage, I looked at hilasses On closer inspection, he was even handsoht A lady joined hiazing down at the stalls, pulling up her long black gloves

She wore a row of huge pearls, which fell below her waist, and a black jet decollete dress Few people wore low dresses at the opera and I saw half the audience fixing her with their glasses

She was evidently famous Her hair was fox-red and pinned back on each side of her teold and pearls; she surveyed the stalls with cavernous eyes set in a snohite face; and in her hand she held a bouquet of lilac orchids She was the best-looking woman I saw all the time I was in Germany and I could not take an to look about the opera-house when lasses, and I instantly put hts were lowered for the overture, I saw hi atabout in the entr'actes and, when the curtain dropped at the end of the first act, I left the box It did not taketo identify the white officer He was not accoainst the wall s to a man; as I passed hi on his outstretched toes

He pulled hiet out of my way; I looked up and our eyes aze may have made me blush I lowered er was my favourite opera and so it appeared to be of the Dresdeners; Wagner, having quarrelled with the authorities, refused to allow the Ring to be played in the Dresden Opera House; and every one was tired of the swans and doves of Lohengrin and Tannhauser

There was a great crowd that night and, as it was raining e caet a cab; I sahite officer with his lady, but he did not see ive elaborate orders to the coach for some time, as no cab turned up, I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head and started to walk home; when the crowd scattered I found myself alone and I turned into a little street which led into Luttichau-strasse Suddenly I beca followed; I heard the even steps and the click of spurs of so behind me; I should not have noticed this had I not halted under a lamp to pull on my hood, which the wind had blown off When I stopped, the steps also stopped I walked on, wondering if it had beennearer The street being deserted, I was unable to endure it any longer; I turned round and there was the officer His black cloak hanging loosely over his shoulders showed me the white uniform and silver belt He saluted ht accompany me home I said:

”Oh, certainly! But I a under the laner? Do you know hi and loud”

MARGOT: ”He is a little long, but so wonderful!”

OFFICER: ”Don't you feel tired? (With emphasis) _I_ DO!”

MARGOT: ”No, I'o and have supper with me in a private room in a hotel, would you?”

MARGOT: ”You are very kind, but I don't like supper; besides, it is late (Leaving his side to look at the number on the door) I a breath): ”But you said I ht take you home!!”

MARGOT (with a slow smile): ”I know I did, but this is my hoback saluted and said:

”Pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle”

My second adventure occurred on land After a little correspondence, my mother allowedder Nibelungen She and I were , in honour of which I had ordered her a new black satin dress Gerures, thick and cluift

When we arrived in Berlin I found my room in the hotel full of every kind of flower; and on one of the bouquets was placed the card of our per I called out to Frau von Mach, as unpacking:

”Do come here, dearest, and look at uess who they couilty): ”I think I can guess”

MARGOT: ”I see you know! But ould have dreaallantry?”

FRAU VON MACH: ”But surely, dear child, you knew that he admired you?”