To prove to her that in the presence of her majesty all desire for an adventure ended, he presented himself formally: "Von Prell, future ex-lieutenant." Observing her questioning look he continued: "As I delicately indicated, my days in the regiment are numbered." Lilly timidly inquired whether an officer's life no longer pleased him. "Until now I knew of no sort of life that would _not_ have pleased me." Wanton spirits shot little gleams from his small grey eyes. "But the paternal riches have taken wing, and my wages as army serf will just about buy radishes, and even radishes get expensive around Christmas time. So the best thing for me to do is to buy an old herring keg and let myself be salted and packed. If you should happen to know of one to be had cheap, I give the best prices." Lilly frankly laughed a joyous laugh. He joined in, holding his hands to his hips and emitting a thin, falsetto tehee, which, though scarcely audible, shook his slim, sinewy body as with a storm of merriment. They now sat opposite each other like two good friends, with the counter between. Lilly wished the hour would never end. A maid entered to exchange a volume of Flygare-Carlén for her mistress. He unassumingly disposed himself for a stay, examined the backs of several books, and acted altogether as if he were at home. When the maid left he pulled the door open obsequiously and bowed and scraped as she passed through. Lilly grew more and more hilarious and restrained her laughter with difficulty. "Before the next customer comes you must go," she said, "else they'll begin to think something." "Why?" he asked. "The customers change." But Lilly insisted, whereupon he took to pleading. "Listen," he said. "I am known as a man utterly devoid of moral fibre. Do _you_ be my stay in this mundane existence--at least until the door opens again. While I'm sitting here I can commit no follies, and that must convey some consolation to your charitable heart." It was agreed, therefore, that he might keep his place until the next time the bell rang. He leaned back in his chair comfortably and scanned Lilly with the tender emotions of unlimited ownership. "All earthly ills flow from garrulousness," he began. "If Columbus had just kept the discovery of America to himself nobody would have made it disagreeable for him. I will be wilier. I will consider my discovery as a family secret between you and me. What a feast for the fellows! Let them keep to the moths that fly at twilight, like the two prospective art-shop proprietresses, to whom I owe the good fortune of your acquaintance." Lilly had completely forgotten the sisters. It was about time for them to be coming home. Suppose they were suddenly to open the door! The bell rang. No, it wasn't they. It was a spinster, who daily devoured several volumes of love affairs, and came every evening for fresh fodder.