Betsy comes down with a Lady. Koko bows significantly to Betsy. BETSY [shaking Koko's hand without turning towards him. To Lady] You are acquainted? LADY. No. BETSY. Baron Klíngen.... Why were you not here last night? KOKO KLÍNGEN. I could not come, I was engaged. BETSY. What a pity, it was so interesting! [Laughs] You should have seen what manifestations we had! Well, how is our charade getting on? KOKO KLÍNGEN. Oh, the verses for _mon second_ are ready. Nick composed the verses, and I the music. BETSY. What are they? What are they? Do tell me! KOKO KLÍNGEN. Wait a minute; how does it go?... Oh, the knight sings: "Oh, _naught_ so beautiful as nature: The _Nautilus_ sails by. Oh, _naughty_ lass, oh, _naughty_ lass! Oh, _nought_, oh _nought_! Oh fie!" LADY. I see, my second is "nought," and what is my first? KOKO KLÍNGEN. My first is _Aero_, the name of a girl savage. BETSY. _Aero_, you see, is a savage who wished to devour the object of her love. [Laughs] She goes about lamenting, and sings-- "My appetite," KOKO KLÍNGEN [interrupts]-- "How can I fight," ... BETSY [chimes in]-- "Some one to chew I long. I seeking go ..." KOKO KLÍNGEN-- "But even so ..." BETSY-- "No one to chew can find." KOKO KLÍNGEN-- "A raft sails by," BETSY-- "It cometh nigh; Two generals upon it ..." KOKO KLÍNGEN-- "Two generals are we: By fate's hard decree, To this island we flee." And then, the refrain-- "By fate's hard decree, To this island we flee." LADY. _Charmant!_ BETSY. But just think how silly! KOKO KLÍNGEN. Yes, that's the charm of it! LADY. And who is to be Aero? BETSY. I am. And I have had a costume made, but mamma says it's "not decent." And it is not a bit less decent than a ball dress. [To Theodore Ivánitch] Is Bourdier's man here? THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Yes, he is waiting in the kitchen. LADY. Well, and how will you represent Aeronaut? BETSY. Oh, you'll see. I don't want to spoil the pleasure for you. _Au revoir._ LADY. Good-bye! [They bow. Exit Lady]. BETSY [to Koko Klíngen] Come up to mamma. Betsy and Koko go upstairs. Jacob enters from servants' quarters, carrying a tray with teacups, cakes, &c., and goes panting across the stage. JACOB [to the Footmen] How d'you do? How d'you do? [Footmen bow]. JACOB [to Theodore Ivánitch] Couldn't you tell Gregory to help a bit! I'm ready to drop.... [Exit up the stairs]. FIRST FOOTMAN. That is a hard-working chap you've got there. THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Yes, a good fellow. But there now--he doesn't satisfy the mistress, she says his appearance is ungainly. And now they've gone and told tales about him for letting some peasants into the kitchen yesterday. It is a bad look-out: they may dismiss him. And he is a good fellow. SECOND FOOTMAN. What peasants were they?