But Doctor Ueberbein answered: "Anything; but, Klaus Heinrich, you need not worry! He's a very decent fellow. I know him, I'm rather in with his set. You'll get on splendidly with him." So Klaus Heinrich received the poet of the "Joy of Life," received him at the "Hermitage," so as to give the business as private a character as possible. "In the yellow room, Braunbart if you please," he said, "that's the most presentable one for occasions like this." There were three handsome chairs in this room, which indeed were the only valuable pieces of furniture in the Schloss, heavy Empire arm-chairs of mahogany, with spiral arms and yellow upholstery on which blue-green lyres were embroidered. Klaus Heinrich on this occasion did not dispose himself ready for an audience, but waited in some anxiety near by, until Axel Martini on his side had waited for seven or eight minutes in the yellow room. Then he walked in hastily, almost hurriedly, and advanced towards the poet, who made a low bow. "I am very much pleased to make your acquaintance," he said, "dear sir ... dear Doctor, I believe?" "No, Royal Highness," answered Axel Martini in an asthmatic voice, "not doctor, I've no title." "Oh, forgive me ... I assumed ... Let's sit down, dear Herr Martini. I am, as I have said, delighted to be able to congratulate you on your great success...." Herr Martini drew down the corners of his mouth. He sat down on the edge of one of the mahogany arm-chairs, at the uncovered table, round whose edge ran a gold border, and crossed his feet, which were cased in cracked patent-leather boots. He was in frock-coat and wore yellow gloves. His collar was frayed at the edges. He had rather staring eyes, thin cheeks and a dark yellow moustache, which was clipped like a hedge. His hair was already quite grey on the temples, although according to the "May-combat" Annual he was not more than thirty years old, and under his eyes glowed patches of red which did not suggest robust health. He answered to Klaus Heinrich's congratulations: "Your Royal Highness is very kind. It was not a difficult victory. Perhaps it was hardly tactful of me to compete." Klaus Heinrich did not understand this; but he said: "I have read your poem repeatedly with great pleasure. It seems to me a complete success, as regards both metre and rhyme. And it entirely expresses the 'Joy of Life.'" Herr Martini bowed in his chair. "Your skill," continued Klaus Heinrich, "must be a source of great pleasure to you--an ideal recreation. What is your calling, Herr Martini?" Herr Martini showed that he did not understand, by describing a note of interrogation with the upper half of his body. "I mean your main calling. Are you in the Civil Service?" "No, Royal Highness, I have no calling; I occupy myself exclusively with poetry...." "None at all.... Oh, I understand. So unusual a gift deserves that a man's whole powers be devoted to it."