"Vell, sen I vill tell you. And sare are two sings to tell. Se fairst is a ve'y small, but se secondt iss a ve'y lahge. And se fairst is sat that _I_ am now se Countess. "So? you are glad? I sank you ve'y much. I sink sat iss not much trouble --to be a countess--in Ame'ica? "Se secondt sing"--here a servant entered, and, it seemed to me, never would go out, but Senda waited till we were again alone--"se secondt-- pahdon me, I sink I shall betteh se secondt sing divide again into two aw sree. And se fairst is sat Monsieur Fontenette vill like ve'y--ve'y much to come home--now--right avay." We lifted hands to clap and opened mouths to hurrah, but she raised a warning hand. "No, vait--if you pleass. "Se secondt of sose two or sree sings--it is sat--he--Monsieur Fontenette --hass ask me--" Our hearts rose slowly into our throats--"Ze vun qvestion to vich sare can be only--se--vun--answeh." At this we gulped our breath like schoolgirls and glowed. But the more show we made of hopeful and pleading smiles, the more those dear eyes, so seldom wet, filled up with tears. "_He_ sinks sare can two answehs be, and he like to heah which is se answeh I shall gif him, so he shall know if he shall come--now--aw if he shall come--neveh. "O my sweet friend,"--to Mrs. Smith, down whose, face the salt drops stole unhindered--"sare iss nossing faw _you_ to cry." She smiled heroically. I could be silent no longer. "Senda, what have you answered?" "I haf answered"--her lips quivered till she gnawed them cruelly--"I am sorry to take such a long time to tell you sat--but--I--I find sat--ve'y hahd--to tell." She smiled and gnawed her lips again. "I haf answered-- "Do you sink, my deah, sat siss is ri-ight to tell the we'y vords sat I haf toldt him?--yes?--vell--he tell me I shall se answeh make in vun vord--is sat not like a man? "But I had to take six. And sey are sese: I cannot vhispeh across se ocean."