"Tell Mr. Elkish to come up when he leaves the office," he said to the servant who had entered quietly; then he glanced at the clock standing on his desk, a Mercury of light-colored Barbedienne bronze. "Five o'clock already! Tell Elkish to be here by half-past five." The servant bowed; as he was leaving the room, his master called after him: "Is my son at home?" "No, Herr Geheimrat." "And my daughter?" "She and Mlle. Tallieu drove to Professor Jedlitzka's for her music lesson." "Hm! Very well! Be sure to give my message to Mr. Elkish, Francis." At this moment an elderly lady of distinguished appearance entered the room. "Do I disturb you, Joe?" He dismissed the servant with a nod. "No, Fanny, if a half-hour will suffice; in half an hour I expect Elkish. At half-past five, Francis." The servant withdrew as quietly as he had entered, and husband and wife were left alone. With the eye of the careful housewife she glanced about the room. The luxury of her surroundings had not diminished the traditional concern for minute details of housekeeping. From her mother she had acquired her loving devotion to the affairs of the house. She guarded its growing prosperity, and with a keen eye, as well as a careful hand, she treasured the beautiful and choice possessions with which a fondness for collecting and a feeling for art had enriched her home. Her large corps of servants was capable and well-trained; yet Mrs. Benas would delegate to none the supervision of her household and the inspection of its details. Her appearance did not betray her habits. She was forty-nine years old; her dark hair, with a touch of grey, was becomingly arranged over a rather high forehead. Her generous mouth, showing well-preserved teeth, and her full double chin gave her countenance a look of energy, softened by the mild and intelligent expression of her eyes. The slight curve of her nose was sufficient to impart to her countenance the unmistakable stamp of her race. But it did not detract from the air of distinction that characterized Frau Geheimrat Benas. The rapid survey satisfied her that everything was in the best of order in the luxuriously equipped workroom of her husband. Not a particle of dust rested upon the costly bronzes, standing about on desk and mantel, on tables and stands, with designed carelessness. Not too obtrusively, and yet effectively, they revealed the Geheimrat as a patron of the arts, able to surround himself with the choicest works of the most distinguished artists.