It is almost impossible to credit. I do not expect you to believe me--he
has charged me extra for a miserable little glass of milk I drink in bed at
night to prevent insomnia. Naturally, I did not pay. But the tragedy of
the story is this: I cannot expect the milk to produce somnolence any
longer; my peaceful attitude of mind towards it is completely destroyed. I
know I shall throw myself into a fever in attempting to plumb this want of
generosity in so wealthy a man as the manager of a pension. Think of me
to-night."--he ground the empty bag under his heel--"think that the worst
is happening to me as your head drops asleep on your pillow."

Two ladies came on the front steps of the pension and stood, arm in arm,
looking over the garden. The one, old and scraggy, dressed almost entirely
in black bead trimming and a satin reticule; the other, young and thin, in
a white gown, her yellow hair tastefully garnished with mauve sweet peas.

The Professor drew in his feet and sat up sharply, pulling down his
waistcoat.

"The Godowskas," he murmured. "Do you know them? A mother and daughter
from Vienna. The mother has an internal complaint and the daughter is an
actress. Fraulein Sonia is a very modern soul. I think you would find her
most sympathetic. She is forced to be in attendance on her mother just
now. But what a temperament! I have once described her in her autograph
album as a tigress with a flower in the hair. Will you excuse me? Perhaps
I can persuade them to be introduced to you."

I said, "I am going up to my room." But the Professor rose and shook a
playful finger at me. "Na," he said, "we are friends, and, therefore, I
shall speak quite frankly to you. I think they would consider it a little
'marked' if you immediately retired to the house at their approach, after