Mr. Feuerstein cast up his eyes. ``For Hilda's sake!'' he
murmured audibly. Then he made a great show of choking down his
wrath. ``I, sir, am of an ancient Prussian family--a gentleman.
I saw your peerless daughter, sought an introduction, careless
who or what she was in birth and fortune. Love, the leveler, had
conquered me. I--''

``Do you work?'' Brauner broke in. ``What are your prospects?
What have you got? What's your character? Have you any
respectable friends who can vouch for you? You've wandered into
the wrong part of town. Down here we don't give our daughters to
strangers or do-nothings or rascals. We believe in love--yes.
But we also have a little common sense and self-respect.''
Brauner flung this at Mr. Feuerstein in High-German. Hilda,
mortified and alarmed, was also proud that her father was showing
Mr. Feuerstein that she came of people who knew something, even
if they were ``trades-folk.''

``I can answer all your questions to your satisfaction,'' replied
Mr. Feuerstein loftily, with a magnanimous wave of his white
hand. ``My friends will speak for me. And I shall give you the
addresses of my noble relatives in Germany, though I greatly fear
they will oppose my marriage. You, sir, were born in the
Fatherland. You know their prejudices.''

``Don't trouble yourself,'' said Brauner ironically. ``Just take
yourself off and spare yourself the disgrace of mingling with us
plain folk. Hilda, go to your room!'' Brauner pointed the stem
of his pipe toward the outside door and looked meaningly at Mr.