Towards twelve his service at the barracks being over, Botho von Rienaecker was walking along under the Lindens toward the Gate, simply with the intention of filling up the time as well as he could until his interview at Hiller's. Two or three picture shops were very welcome to him in this interim. At Lepke's there were a couple of Oswald Achenbach's in the show window, among them a street in Palermo, dirty and sunny, and strikingly truthful as to life and color. "There are things, then, about which one is never quite clear. So it is with these Achenbach's. Until recently I always swore by Andreas; but when I see something like this, I do not know that Oswald is not his equal or his superior. In any case he is more brilliant and varied. But such things as this I can only think to myself, for to say them before people would be to lower the value of my 'Storm at Sea' by half, and quite unnecessarily." Thinking of these matters he stood for a time before Lepke's show window and then walked across the Parisian Square to the Gate and the path turning sharply to the left toward the Zoological Garden, until he paused before Wolf's group of lions. Here he looked at the clock. "Half past twelve. Then it is time." And so he turned and went back over the same path towards the Lindens. In front of the Redern Palace he saw Lieutenant von Wedell of the Dragoon Guards coming towards him. "Where are you going, Wedell?" "To the club. And you?" "To Hiller's." "Aren't you rather early?" "Yes, but what of it? I am to breakfast with an old uncle of mine, an old Neumaerker who lives in an odd corner with 'Aldermann, Petermann and Zimmermann'--all names that rhyme with man, but without connection or obligation. By the way, he was once in your regiment, my Uncle, I mean. To be sure it was long ago, about forty years. Baron Osten." "From Wietzendorf?" "The same." "Oh, I know him, at least by name. There is some relationship. My grandmother was an Osten. Is he the same who has the quarrel with Bismarck?" "The same. I tell you what, Wedell, you had better come too. The club can wait and Pitt and Serge too; you can find them at three just as well as at one. The old gentleman is still wild over the blue and gold of the dragoons, and is enough of a Neumaerker to consider every Wedell an acquisition." "Very well, Rienaecker, but it is on your responsibility." "With pleasure." During this talk they had reached Hiller's, where the old Baron was already standing by the glass door looking out, for it was a minute after one. He made no comments, however, and was evidently overjoyed when Botho presented "Lieutenant von Wedell." "Your nephew ..."