Oswald, whose back was towards his mother, heard her say: "Your Monsieur Capriani's officiousness seems to me to pass all bounds. Pray tell him _de ma part_ that I am quite ready to buy the service of him, at any price that he may name, however high, but that it is not my habit to accept gifts from those with whom I neither have nor wish to have any social intercourse." "But, good Heavens! I had forgotten one half of my message," said Zoe, striking her forehead. "He expressly hoped that you would see in this little attention nothing more than a proof of respectful esteem from a former servant,--he would not venture to say friend,--of your family. He assures me that he attended yourself and your husband years ago while you were in the Riviera, and he declares that if you do not recognise Conte Capriani, you will surely remember Doctor--Doctor--I have forgotten the name--but at any rate the doctor that you had there." "Why it must be Stein!" exclaimed Fraeulein Klette. "Yes, that was the name," said Zoe. "Why, I knew him," Fraeulein Klette went on eagerly. "You must remember me to him; he was practising at Nice, when I spent the winter with the Orczinskas. The women raved about him--he was a very handsome man then, and he had invented a hygienic corset, all the women wore it.--You must have known him too, Wjera. I am certain that I met him once at your villa, that winter that you and your husband passed in the Riviera." "He declares that he attended your husband," said Zoe. There was a brief--a very brief pause, and then the Countess said clearly and distinctly, "Possibly, but it does not interest me, and you can tell him from me that I do not remember it!" "How young you look when you're angry, Wjera," said Mimi Dey, laughing, "the old demon flashes in your eyes when you're vexed." "There's a deal of pleasure in playing whist with you, Ossi," exclaimed Truyn at the same moment,--he was Oswald's partner,--"that's five trumps that you have thrown away--I had a slam in my hand." "How could I guess that you had anything in diamonds?" "I led." "Clubs." "No, diamonds! Just look." "Don't you think that Ossi, when he puts on that gloomy face, looks astonishingly like young Capriani?" observed Pistasch. No longer master of himself Oswald threw his cards down on the table. "Come, come, behave yourself, Ossi," said Truyn. "There's no use in trying to jest with you: you are as sensitive as a commoner," grumbled Pistasch. "Let us rather say as irritable as a crowned head," said Georges laughing, "_Les extremes se touchent_." "I really believe it is the reappearance of your old family spectre which must have affected your nerves lately, Ossi," Pistasch said innocently. "Which family spectre are you talking of?" asked Oswald hoarsely. "Have you several of them then?" asked Pistasch. "I know only of the blind one that laughs--my man told me to-day while I was dressing that it has been heard laughing again. The butler had told him so."