But just as I was on the point of obeying the impulse I was under to clutch him by the scruff of the neck and kick him out of the grounds, it came upon me like a blow in the face that I had no business to interfere. Von Wurst had as yet done nothing actively unlawful, and the mere expression of his impertinent admiration was not a warrant for a perfect stranger to both parties, like myself, to pick a quarrel with him. Moreover, the young lady's father was not far off, and could be summoned in case of need; and finally, she herself did not appear to be frightened. She took not the slightest notice of Von Wurst, for, though looking straight towards him, her glance seemed to pass over him or through him without informing her of his existence--in a way which, had there been a grain of manly decency in his composition, would have made him wish the earth to swallow him: and nothing but a slight disdainful quiver of her upper lip betrayed that she had heard his remark at all. I restrained my wrath, therefore, as best I might, and contented myself with turning round in my chair and staring at the lieutenant in as offensive and insulting a manner as I could. He noticed my behaviour, and doubtless divined the cause of it: and by way of showing, perhaps, how little he cared for my displeasure, he presently summoned the kellner and sent him off for a bouquet of flowers. The man soon returned with a very large and showy one. 'Take it to that Fräulein there,' said Von Wurst, with a leer of defiance at me, 'and present it to her with my compliments.' The man looked rather frightened at this commission, but obeyed nevertheless, and laid the bouquet before the young lady with a deprecatory air and an inarticulate murmur. By this time the attention of most of the people round about had been attracted, and everyone watched with interest to see what the young lady would do. As for me, I was pretty nearly at the end of my tether, and only awaited the first symptom of distress on her part to take the lieutenant by the throat. He could probably have settled me with one hand, but at the moment I forgot to think of that. Amidst a general pause of suspense, the young lady quietly took up the bouquet and examined it critically. The colour in her cheeks deepened a shade, and her eyes sparkled beneath their lashes, but otherwise she betrayed no signs of uneasiness or indignation. At length she laid the flowers down, put her hand in her pocket, and pulled out her pocket-book. The kellner shifted nervously from one leg to the other, and glanced hurriedly towards Von Wurst, whose insolent smile was losing itself in an expression of something like bewilderment. The young lady opened the pocket-book, and took out of it a gold piece of the value of six thalers. Handing it to the astonished kellner, she said in German and in a low even tone, which was distinctly audible to all the curious listeners: