"Signor Roller! Mr. Inspector! That's enough Signoring and Inspectoring," said the man, with a loud laugh--"for the present, at least, till we have given it to the old man--to him and his nephew and his whole brood! If I could only get at the throat of all of them--could only play them a real trick! I'd be willing to pay something for it! Only I have no money! It's all up!" The man laughed again; he was evidently half drunk. "I have money," said Antonio quickly, "and----" "Then we'll take a drink, Signor Italiano," exclaimed the other, slapping him on the shoulder. "_Una bottiglia--capisci?_ Ha! ha! I have not entirely forgotten my Italian! _Carrara_--marble oxen--_capisci?--capisci?_" "_Eccomi tutto a voi_," said the Italian, taking the man's arm. "Whither?" "To business, to the devil, to the cellar!" exclaimed Roller, laughingly pointing to the red lantern above the saloon at the corner of the Springbrunnenstrasse. * * * * * [The three upper rooms of the General's villa are arranged for a ball. Else appears in a blue gown, but is quite displeased with herself. All looks blue. It is Ottomar's fault, as usual; he has gone out and not returned. And then Wallbach doesn't love Luise, nor Luise him. The men spend so much money. Ottomar is deep in debt; Wartenberg can't get along with his twenty thousand, and Clemda with his fifty thousand spends twice that much every year. Aunt Sidonie comes in, and is charmed with Else's tarletan; she tells Else she looks just like her princess in the book she is writing, and then refers to Count Golm as a good match for Else. Else is infuriated, says she would not marry Golm if he laid a crown at her feet. The General comes in and Schieler enters and gives the General an account of the railroad project, touching upon the sale of Valerie's estates to Golm, and suggests Golm as a prospective husband for Else.] * * * * * The Count had entered a few minutes before in his provincial uniform with the order of St. John. The reception-room had become almost filled with guests meanwhile, and it was with some difficulty that he made his way to the hostesses. Else had not spared him this trouble, to be sure; at this moment, when he caught sight of her at the door, she was eagerly continuing the conversation, which she had begun with Captain von Schönau, so eagerly that the Count, having spoken to Sidonie, stood behind her for half a minute without being noticed, till Schönau finally thought it his duty to draw her attention to the new guest with a gesture, and the words, "I think, Miss Else----" "I think myself fortunate," said the Count. "Oh! Count Golm!" said Else, with a well feigned surprise. "Pardon me for not seeing you at once! I was so absorbed. May I make the gentlemen acquainted: Captain von Schönau of the General Staff--a good friend of our family--Count von Golm. Have you seen Papa, Count? He is in the other room. Then, dear Schönau----"