Munich, with clothes of indescribable colors that suggested Persian art
and the vignettes of mediaeval manuscripts. The husband admired Bertha's
elegance, lamenting her childlessness in secret, almost as though it
were a crime of high treason. Germany was magnificent because of the
fertility of its women. The Kaiser, with his artistic hyperbole, had
proclaimed that the true German beauty should have a waist measure of at
least a yard and a half.

When Desnoyers entered into the smoking room in order to take the
seat which Bertha had reserved for him, her husband and his wealthy
hangers-on had their pack of cards lying idle upon the green felt. Herr
Rath was continuing his discourse and his listeners, taking their cigars
from their mouths, were emitting grunts of approbation. The arrival of
Julio provoked a general smile of amiability. Here was France coming
to fraternize with them. They knew that his father was French, and
that fact made him as welcome as though he came in direct line from the
palace of the Quai d'Orsay, representing the highest diplomacy of the
Republic. The craze for proselyting made them all promptly concede to
him unlimited importance.

"We," continued the Counsellor looking fixedly at Desnoyers as if he
were expecting a solemn declaration from him, "we wish to live on good
terms with France."

The youth nodded his head so as not to appear inattentive. It appeared
to him a very good thing that these peoples should not be enemies, and
as far as he was concerned, they might affirm this relationship as often
as they wished: the only thing that was interesting him just at
that time was a certain knee that was seeking his under the table,
transmitting its gentle warmth through a double curtain of silk.