Harietta became cajoling--no one could have looked more frank or simple, as simple as she looked to all great ladies when she would disarm them and win her way. She would look up at them gently, and ask their advice, and say that of course she was only a newcomer and very ignorant, not clever like they! "Hans, darling, I was only joking, am I not devoted to your interests and always ready to serve you and the higher powers whom you serve? Of course, I will come on Tuesday night and, of course, I will go on." She let her lip tremble and her eyes fill with tears; they were quite real tears. She felt the hardship of having to weary her brain with a new cypher, and self-pity inflames the lachrymose glands. "To business then, _mein liebchen_--attend carefully to every word. In England you must be received by Royalty itself, and you must go into the highest circles of the diplomatic and political world. The men are indiscreet there; they trust their women and tell them secret things. It is the women you must please. The English are a race of fools; numbers are aristocrats in all classes and therefore too stupid to suspect craft, and those who are not are trying to appear to be, and too conceited to use their wits. You can be of enormous use to our country, Harietta, my wife," and he walked up and down the room in his excitement, his hands clasped behind him--he would have been a very handsome man but for his too wide hips. Marietta looked at him out of the corner of her eye; she did not notice this defect in him, for her he was a splendid male, with a delightful quality of savagery in love which she had found in no other man except Verisschenzko--Verisschenzko! Her thoughts hesitated when they came to him--Verisschenzko was adorable, but he was a man to be feared--much more than Hans. Him she could always cajole if she used passion enough, but she had the uncomfortable feeling that Verisschenzko gave way to her only when--and because--he wanted to, not for the reason that she had conquered him. "Of great use to our country, Harietta, my wife," Hans murmured again, clearing his throat. "I am not your wife, my pretty Hans!" and she raised her eyebrows, and curled one corner of her upper lip. "You gave me up at the bidding of the higher command--I am your mistress now and then, when I feel inclined--but I am Stanislass' wife. I like a man better when I am his mistress; there are no tiresome old duties along with it." Hans growled, he hated to realise this. "You must be more careful with your speech, Harietta. When you get to England you must not say 'along with it'--after the pains I have taken with your grammar, too! You can use Americanisms if they are apt, and even a literal translation of another language--but bad grammar--common phrases--pah! that is to give the show away!" Harietta reddened--her vanity disliked criticism.