"No, a requiem; that is a kind of requiem--more correctly a morning impromptu, the last thoughts of a dying poacher." "Oh how interesting! Pray let me hear it." "It is a rather complicated piece of music, Fraeulein Capriani," Fermor always ignores the Capriani patent of nobility--"if you are not especially fond of our German classic masters ...." "I adore Wagner and Beethoven." "Then, indeed, I will .... but the harmony is very complicated!" Whereupon he began, with closed eyes, after the fashion of pretentious dilettanti, to deliver himself of a piece of music, the beginning of which reminded one of a piano-tuner, and the intermediate portion of the triumphal march of an operetta, and which, after it had lasted half an hour, and the audience had given up all hope of relief, suddenly, and without any apparent reason stopped short, a common termination where there has been no reason for beginning. "_C'est divin!_" Ad'lin exclaimed. "Your composition, Count, reminds me of the intermezzo of the Fifth symphony." "You are mistaken, Fraeulein Capriani, my composition recalls no other music!" Fermor said, greatly irritated. With his eyes glowing, his full red underlip trembling, and his manner insolently obtrusive, Capriani threw himself down beside Charlotte Malzin upon the sofa and stretched his arm along the back of it behind her shoulders. "Come and help me with my work, Count Malzin," Frau von Capriani called kindly from her pile of cretonne. "You have so steady a hand." And while Fritz took his place beside her, and began to cut a bird of Paradise out of the stuff with great precision, Kilary took Arthur by the buttonhole and said, "You ought to know all about it young man, how must one begin who wants to grow rich?" "You must ask my father," Arthur replied insolently. "All that I understand of financial matters is, how to make debts." A servant brought in the letters and papers upon a silver salver. Whilst Arthur opened a dozen begging letters, and tossed them aside, ironically remarking, "Three impoverished Countesses--two Barons--a captain ..." and whilst Ad'lin hailed with enthusiasm two letters from a couple of French duchesses whom she counted among her friends, the Conte hurriedly ran his eye over an unpretending epistle which he had instantly opened. His hands trembled, a strange greed shone in his eyes, and quivered about his lips. Quite pale, as one is apt to be in a moment of victory he paced the room to and fro once or twice and then stepping directly up to Malzin he exclaimed, "What do you think--coal--! Schneeburg is a coal-bed. Extraordinary! Your father tried after madder, and I--have found coal!" Malzin shuddered slightly, but merely said, "I congratulate you!" "Malzin would never have forgiven himself if your bargain had turned out a poor one," sneered Kilary.