[He pays and eats. The WAITER stands a moment at the edge of the platform and passes his hand across his brow. The LITTLE MAN eyes him and speaks gently.] LITTLE MAN. Herr Ober! [The WAITER turns.] Might I have a glass of beer? WAITER. Yes, sare. LITTLE MAN. Thank you very much. [The WAITER goes.] AMERICAN. [Pausing in the deglutition of his eggs--affably] Pardon me, sir; I'd like to have you tell me why you called that little bit of a feller "Herr Ober." Reckon you would know what that means? Mr. Head Waiter. LITTLE MAN. Yes, yes. AMERICAN. I smile. LITTLE MAN. Oughtn't I to call him that? GERMAN. [Abruptly] 'Nein--Kellner'. AMERICAN. Why, yes! Just "waiter." [The ENGLISHWOMAN looks round her paper for a second. The DUTCH YOUTH stops eating and laughs. The LITTLE MAN gazes from face to face and nurses his hat.] LITTLE MAN. I didn't want to hurt his feelings. GERMAN. Gott! AMERICAN. In my country we're very democratic--but that's quite a proposition. ENGLISHMAN. [Handling coffee-pot, to his wife] More? ENGLISHWOMAN. No, thanks. GERMAN. [Abruptly] These fellows--if you treat them in this manner, at once they take liberties. You see, you will not get your beer. [As he speaks the WAITER returns, bringing the LITTLE MAN'S beer, then retires.] AMERICAN. That 'pears to be one up to democracy. [To the LITTLE MAN] I judge you go in for brotherhood? LITTLE MAN. [Startled] Oh, no! AMERICAN. I take considerable stock in Leo Tolstoi myself. Grand man--grand-souled apparatus. But I guess you've got to pinch those waiters some to make 'em skip. [To the ENGLISH, who have carelessly looked his way for a moment] You'll appreciate that, the way he acted about my eggs. [The ENGLISH make faint motions with their chins and avert their eyes.] [To the WAITER, who is standing at the door of the buffet] Waiter! Flash of beer--jump, now! WAITER. 'Komm' gleich'! GERMAN. 'Cigarren'! WAITER. 'Schon'! [He disappears.] AMERICAN. [Affably--to the LITTLE MAN] Now, if I don't get that flash of beer quicker'n you got yours, I shall admire. GERMAN. [Abruptly] Tolstoi is nothing 'nichts'! No good! Ha? AMERICAN. [Relishing the approach of argument] Well, that is a matter of temperament. Now, I'm all for equality. See that poor woman there--very humble woman--there she sits among us with her baby. Perhaps you'd like to locate her somewhere else? GERMAN. [Shrugging]. Tolstoi is 'sentimentalisch'. Nietzsche is the true philosopher, the only one. AMERICAN. Well, that's quite in the prospectus--very stimulating party--old Nietch--virgin mind. But give me Leo! [He turns to the red-cheeked YOUTH] What do you opine, sir? I guess by your labels you'll be Dutch. Do they read Tolstoi in your country? [The DUTCH YOUTH laughs.] AMERICAN. That is a very luminous answer.