“Oh, but, begging your pardon, you must have done _something_?” “I only did what the professor does all the time.” “You don’t say so! How is that?” “Well, you just listen to me. Don’t you thee, dear Inaddlaw, this fellow Wumpf is a pawfect scapegwace, and there ith no penalty severe enough faw him.” “Good gracious!” stammered the _pedell_, clasping his hands above his head. “To think that such things are possible! It’s positively uncanny, Herr Rumpf, that it is! Heaven knows if I didn’t see you right here before me with my own eyes I’d swear that it’s the Herr Professor in person whose voice I hear this minute. You’ll make your fortune with such a gift as that some day, sir. Why, once when I was drinking my beer over at Lotze’s there was a magician who’d imitate anything you wanted him to, twittering birds and neighing horses, barking dogs and ranting priests. But it didn’t come up to your performance!” “Yeth, yeth, dear Inaddlaw! I dare thay you’re wight!” replied Rumpf, still continuing in the voice and tone of the professor. “You don’t mean to say you kept this thing up in his presence? Well, I must say, Herr Rumpf, there’s a time for everything. No wonder the Herr Professor was very much put out.” “Now weally! Do you think tho?” “I shall have to ask you to stop this now. You see, it’s not compatible with the dignity of my office. Will you please walk into this room?” “Thertainly----” “Herr Rumpf, I shall tell the Herr Professor that your punishment is altogether too lenient.” “What bithiness ith that of yours, you abthurd old fellow? I can do what I pleathe.” “That you cannot do.” “You will thee that I can. I can talk ath it thuits me, and whoever doeth not like it can thtop up hith ears.” “You wait and see.” “Wait for what?” “I shall inform the Herr Professor.” “Give him my compliments.” Inaddler turned the key and slowly walked away. * * * * * Inaddler, having done what was incumbent upon him, devoted himself lustily to his interrupted occupation. He dipped his brush into the tremendous pot of paste and supplied strip after strip of wall paper with the faintly fragrant liquid. Wilhelm Rumpf sat yawning upon the seat of his prison, and assured himself in a soliloquy that he was heartily sick of the gymnasium and of the uncalled-for restrictions of school life. Herr Samuel Heinzerling scratched his head, pushed his large round-eyed spectacles up high on his nose and shook his pedagogical head three or four times. “A mithewable boy, thith fellow Wumpf,” he murmured, “but I half believe I could win him by gentler methodth more weadily than I can by severity. I will make one more attempt to appeal to hith conscienthe. It ith a pity to let him go on like thith. He ith one of my motht gifted pupilth!” He touched the bell. After two minutes Annie appeared, Inaddler’s daughter. She was evidently about to go out, for a tiny hat surmounted by feathers was perched jauntily upon her curly head.