Professor Maedler's colour died away. He stood still before his friend, his pocket-handkerchief in hand, and stared. "I have not the remotest idea how to do it." "You must try." "I've had no experience. I am going on to fifty-three. As well ask me to dance on the trapeze. It is not proper. It is downright indecent." "Then you must do without the wax moon." "I cannot do without the wax moon." "Then, there is no help for it, you must make love to and propose to the fair Minna." "Friend," said the Russian-imperial-professor-of-astronomy-of-the-University-of-Dorpat, as he clasped Rollmann's hand. "You are experienced in the ways of the world. I have lived in an observatory, and associated only with fixed stars, revolving moons, and comets. Tell me how to do it, and I will obey as a lamb." "You will have to sigh." "O! I can do that." "And ogle the lady." "Ogle!--when going fifty-three!" "Learn a few lines of poetry." "Yes, Milton's Paradise Lost. Go on." "Tell the young lady that your heart is consumed with love." "Consumed with love, yes, go on." "Squeeze her hand." "I cannot! That I cannot!" gasped Professor Maedler. "Look at my whiskers. They are grey. There is a point beyond which I cannot go. Rollmann, why may I not settle it all with the mother, and let you court the young lady for me by proxy." "No, no, you must do it yourself." "I would not be jealous. Consider, I care nothing for the young girl. It is the moon I want. That you shall not touch or breathe on." "My dear Maedler, you and I are sure to be invited to dine with the family on Sunday. After dinner we will take a stroll in the garden. During dinner mind and be attentive to Miss Minna, and feed her with honeyed words. When we visit the garden I will tackle the mother, as Mephistopheles engages Martha, and you, you gay Faust, will have to be the gallant to Minna." "My good Rollmann! I dislike the simile. It offends me. Consider my age, my whiskers, my position at the Dorpat University, my map of the moon in four sheets, my paper on the occultation of Mars." "Pay attention to me, if you want your wax globe. Frau Witte, the Councillor and I will sit drinking coffee in the arbour. You ask Minna to show you the garden. When you are gone I will begin at once with the mother, praise you, and say how comfortably you are provided for at Dorpat, laud your good qualities, and bring her to understand that you are a suitor for the hand of her daughter. Meanwhile press your cause with ardour." "With ardour! I shall not be able to get up any warmth." "Think of the wax moon! direct your raptures to that." "This is all very well," said Maedler fretfully, "but you have forgotten the main thing. I know you will make a mistake. You have asked for the hand of the daughter, and said nothing about the moon." "Do not be concerned." "But I am concerned. It would be a pretty mischief if I got the daughter's hand instead of the face of the moon."