"Is he just the same?"

"Much about," answered Marie Lagoutte, who never took her eyes off me.

Sperver noticed this.

"Let me introduce to you my foster-son, Doctor Fritz, from the Black
Forest," he answered proudly. "Now we shall see a change, Master Tobie.
Now that Fritz has come the abominable fits will be put an end to. If I
had but been listened to earlier--but better late than never."

Marie Lagoutte was still watching us, and her scrutiny seemed
satisfactory, for, addressing the major-domo, she said--

"Now, Monsieur Offenloch, hand the doctor a chair; move about a little,
do! There you stand with your mouth wide open, just like a fish. Ah, sir,
these Germans!"

And the good man, jumping up as if moved by a spring, came to take off my
cloak.

"Permit me, sir."

"You are very kind, my dear lady."

"Give it to me. What terrible weather! Ah, monsieur, what a dreadful
country this is!"

"So monseigneur is neither better nor worse," said Sperver, shaking the
snow off his cap; "we are not too late, then. Ho, Kasper! Kasper!"