just described. Her more refined appearance, however, her handsome
dress, her beautiful cap, her well-powdered toupet, and the massive
gold chain encircling her neck, indicated that she was no servant,
but the lady of the house.

However, peculiarly pleasant relations seemed to prevail between the
mistress and the servant, for the appearance of the lady did not
cause the latter to interrupt her merry play with the cat; and the
mistress, on her part, evidently did not consider it strange or
disrespectful, but quietly approached her servant.

"Catharine," she said, "just listen how that abominable bird,
Paperl, screams again to-day. I am sure the noise will disturb the
doctor, who is at work already."

"Yes, Paperl is an intolerable nuisance," sighed Catharine. "I
cannot comprehend why the Kapellmeister--I was going to say the
doctor--likes the bird so well, and why he has brought it along from
England. Yes, if Paperl could sing, in that case it would not be
strange if the Ka--, I mean the doctor, had grown fond of the bird.
But no, Paperl merely jabbers a few broken words which no good
Christian is able to understand."

"He who speaks English can understand it well enough, Catharine,
"said the lady, "for the bird talks English, and in that respect
Paperl knows more than either of us."

"But Paperl cannot talk German, and I think that our language,
especially our dear Viennese dialect, sounds by far better than that
horrid English. I don't know why the doctor likes the abominable