"Why Lena, how you spoil me. But you should not offer it to me so formally. It seems just as if I were at the club. You must bring it to me in your hand, it tastes best that way. And now give me your little hand, and let me stroke it. No, no, the left one; that is nearest the heart. And now sit right there, between Herr and Frau Doerr, so that you will be opposite me and I can see you all the time. I have been happy all day, looking forward to this time." Lena laughed. "Perhaps you don't believe it? But I can prove it to you, Lena, for I have brought you something from the fine party that we had yesterday. And when one has a little present to bring, he always feels happy about the girl who is to receive it. Isn't that so, my dear Doerr?" Doerr grinned, but Frau Doerr said: "Lord, he? He bring presents? Doerr is all for scraping and saving. That is the way with gardeners. But I am curious to see what the Herr Baron has brought." "Well, then I will not keep you waiting any longer, or else dear Frau Doerr might think I have brought a golden slipper or some such thing out of a fairy story. But this is all it is." And therewith he gave Lena a paper bag, from which, unless all signs failed, the fringed ends of some snapping bonbons peeped out. They proved to be snapping bonbons and the bag was passed around. "But now we must pull one, Lena. Hold on tight and shut your eyes." Frau Doerr was delighted when the cracker snapped, and still more so when Lena's forefinger began to bleed. "That doesn't hurt, Lena, I know it doesn't. It is just like a bride who pricks her finger. I used to know one who was so crazy about it, that she kept pricking herself and sucked and sucked, as if it were something wonderful." Lena blushed. But Frau Doerr did not notice and went on: "And now read the verse, Herr Baron." And this is what he read: When two forget themselves for love, God and the angels rejoice above. "Heavens," said Frau Doerr, folding her hands. "That is just like something out of a song book. Is the verse always so pious?" "I hope not," said Botho. "Not always. Come, dear Frau Doerr, let us pull one and see what we shall get out of it." And then he pulled again and read: Where Love's dart has struck well. Wide open stand both heaven and hell. "Now, Frau Doerr, what do you say to that? It sounds different, doesn't it?" "Yes," said Frau Doerr, "it sounds different. But I don't quite like it.... If I pull a bonbon...." "Well?" "Then I don't want anything about hell to come out, I don't want to hear that there is any such thing."