The drive was resumed in this singular way; there was something piquant
in not seeing his companion, her presence manifested only by her sweet
breath, the slight rustling of the glazed cloth which afforded her such
scanty room, and the prattle which flowed from her lips.

She was happy to serve him again; she had liked him from the first sight
in the hall; they did not seem to be strangers; he was like she knew not
whom, but she could swear the resemblance was perfect! She had been read
such a lecture by her manager and the police sub-chief, but, pooh! what
were such men but the knob on a post--the post remained and the knob was
unscrewed for another to be put on every now and then. They had
threatened but she was not a strolling player who feared the lock-up and
the House of Correction. They would think twice before they sent a
child of the Vieradlers into the Home of the Unrepentant Magdalens! and
all this intermixed with snatches of song and flashes of original wit at
the expense of the police and soldiers and the citizens.

And the flight into Italy with the Marchioness famous for protégés as
other old ladies for keeping cats or parrots? It was true she had made
her an offer and she had connived at the police being made to think she
had accompanied the eccentric dame. But she had remained in Munich to
help the man who was endeared to her.

Not a word about Baboushka and a fear to break the spell kept Claudius
quiet on that point.

Eight minutes passed like one, when--"Stop!" she exclaimed, and was out
beside him without a helping hand and upon the dusty road.