promise me a trousseau. Others may debase themselves for money, but I know what I owe to my noble birth!"
At this there was applause. Frau Harnisch and Frau Tietz were observed wiping away the tears which the Countess's nobility of mind had provoked. But their tears flowed again when the niece said:
"But, alas, where shall I, as a servant, find one so well born as myself?"
"As an officer," said the lieutenant, "I cannot, my dear Magda, allow this girl to be badly treated, even if she is only a poor servant."
The lieutenant in the first act, the poor cousin, who was to marry the secret Countess, was Magda's fiance! The audience was trembling with excitement. Even the authoress noticed it. "Inventiveness is one of my strongest points," she said to Diederich, who was absolutely flabbergasted. But Dr. Scheffelweis had no time to abandon himself to the emotions of the drama. He was defending himself against Wulckow.
The niece, on the other hand, was shouting to the public: "Surely he must see that I am a Countess, he who is sprung from the same noble line!"
"Oh, Countess," said Diederich, "now I really am curious to know if he will recognise the fact."
"Of course," replied the authoress. "They recognise each other because of their finer manners."
As a matter of fact, the lieutenant and the niece were exchanging glances, because Emma, Magda and Frau Hessling were eating cheese with a knife. Diederich was open-mouthed. The vulgar demeanour of the manufacturer's family evoked the greatest amusement in the audience. The Buck girls, Frau Cohn and Guste Daimchen were all delighted. Even Wulckow became interested. He licked the grease from his fingers and said:
"You're all right; they are laughing."
Then a laugh was heard of a different kind. It was quite
