"Prussia was once humbled by a Frenchman." I was irritating him with a
purpose in view.

"Bah!"

"The only reason the French were beaten was because they did not think
the German race worth troubling about."

He laughed pleasantly. "You Americans have a strange idea of the
difference between the German and the Frenchman."

This was just what I wanted.

"And who informed you that I was an American?"

He was disconcerted.

"Why," he said, lamely, "it is easily apparent, the difference between
the American and the Englishman." Then, as though a bright idea had
come to him, "The English never engage in conversation with strangers
while traveling. Americans are more sociable."

"They are? Then I advise them to follow the example set by the
Englishman: Never try to get up a conversation while traveling with a
German. It is a disagreeable task;" and I settled back behind my paper.

How had he found out that I was an American? Was I known? And for
what reason was I known? To my knowledge I had never committed any
offence to the extent that I must be watched like a suspect. What his