The coachman had at last harnessed the horses; the whole party
seated themselves in the carriage. Emil climbed on to the box, after
Tartaglia; he was more comfortable there, and had not Klueber, whom he
could hardly bear the sight of, sitting opposite to him.

* * * * *

The whole way home Herr Klueber discoursed ... and he discoursed alone;
no one, absolutely no one, opposed him, nor did any one agree with
him. He especially insisted on the point that they had been wrong
in not following his advice when he suggested dining in a shut-up
summer-house. There no unpleasantness could have occurred! Then
he expressed a few decided and even liberal sentiments on the
unpardonable way in which the government favoured the military,
neglected their discipline, and did not sufficiently consider
the civilian element in society (_das buergerliche Element in der
Societaet_!), and foretold that in time this cause would give rise to
discontent, which might well pass into revolution, of which (here
he dropped a sympathetic though severe sigh) France had given them
a sorrowful example! He added, however, that he personally had the
greatest respect for authority, and never ... no, never!... could be a
revolutionist--but he could not but express his ... disapprobation at
the sight of such licence! Then he made a few general observations on
morality and immorality, good-breeding, and the sense of dignity.

During all these lucubrations, Gemma, who even while they were walking
before dinner had not seemed quite pleased with Herr Klueber, and had
therefore held rather aloof from Sanin, and had been, as it were,
embarrassed by his presence--Gemma was unmistakably ashamed of her