sir. It is a great pleasure to me to entertain an Englishman. I make many
friends travelling. I like to make friends. I remember them all, and
sometimes we meet again. _Kellner_, some tea for the gentleman--English
tea with what you call bread and butter. So! And for me--" Selingman
paused for a moment and drew a deep sigh of resignation--"some coffee."

"Very kind of you, I'm sure," Norgate murmured.

Herr Selingman beamed.

"It is a great pleasure," he said, "but many times I wonder why you
Englishmen, so clever, so world-conquering, do not take the trouble to
make yourselves with the languages of other nations familiar. It means
but a little study. Now you, perhaps, are in business?"

"Not exactly," Norgate replied grimly. "To tell you the truth, at the
present moment I have no occupation."

"No occupation!"

Herr Selingman paused in the act of conveying a huge portion of rusk to
his mouth, and regarded his companion with wonder.

"So!" he repeated. "No occupation! Well, that is what in Germany we know
nothing of. Every one must work, or must take up the army as a permanent
profession. You are, perhaps, one of those Englishmen of whom one reads,
who give up all their time to sport?"

Norgate shook his head.