"With pleasure," answered Bertha. "I shall have to go again, of course, before long, to have my costume tried on." Garlan laughed. "Yes, and you can take me with you, too, when you try it on." He sidled up closer to her than was necessary. It was a way he had always to squeeze up against her, and, moreover, she was accustomed to his jokes, but on the present occasion she thought him particularly objectionable. She was very much annoyed that he, of all men, always spoke of Frau Rupius in such a suspicious way. "Let us sit down," said Herr Garlan; "if you don't mind." They both sat down on a seat. Garlan took the newspaper from his pocket. "Ah!" said Bertha involuntarily. "Will you have it?" asked Garlan. "Has your wife read it yet?" "Tut, tut!" said Garlan disdainfully. "Will you have it?" "If you can spare it." "For you--with pleasure. But we might just as well read it together." He edged closer to Bertha and opened the paper. Herr and Frau Martin came along, arm in arm, and stopped before them. "Well, so you are back again from the momentous journey," said Herr Martin. "Ah, yes, you were in Vienna," said Frau Martin, nestling against her husband. "And with Frau Rupius, too," she added, as though that implied an aggravation of the offence. Once more Bertha had to give an account of her new costume. She told them all about it in a somewhat mechanical manner, indeed; but she felt, none the less, that it was long since she had been such an interesting personage as she was now. Klingemann went by, bowed with ironical politeness, and turned round to Bertha with a look which seemed to express his sympathy for her in having to be friendly with such people. It seemed to Bertha as though she were gifted that day with the ability to read men's glances. It began to grow dark. They set off together towards the town. Bertha suddenly grew uneasy at not having met her boy. She walked on in front with Frau Martin, who turned the conversation on to the subject of Frau Rupius. She badly wanted to find out whether Bertha had observed anything. "But what do you mean, Frau Martin? I accompanied Frau Rupius to her brother's house, and called for her there on my way back." "And are you convinced that she was with her brother the whole time?" "I really don't know what you expect Frau Rupius to do! Where would she have been then?" "Well," said Frau Martin; "really, you are an artless creature. I must say--or are you only putting on? Do you quite forget then ..." Then she whispered something into Bertha's ear, at which the latter grew very red. She had never heard such an expression from a woman. She was indignant. "Frau Martin," she said, "I am not so old myself either and, as you see, it is quite possible to live a decent life in such circumstances." Frau Martin was a little taken aback. "Yes, of course!" she said. "Yes, of course! You must, I dare say, think that I am a little over-nice in such matters."