"
"Ah, you speak English," she said, quickly catching at the word;
"that is charming. I am tremendously fond of English, and am quite
accustomed to it, as I spent a great part of my time in England when
I was very young. I have been told that I have a slight English
accent in speaking German. Do you think so?"
"My ear is not expert enough for that," said Wilhelm apologetically.
"My friends," she chattered on, "nearly all speak French; but I
think English is much more uncommon. Fluent English in a German is
always proof of good education. Don't you think so?"
"Not always," said Wilhem frankly; "it might happen that one had
worked as a journeyman in America."
The girl turned up her nose a little at this rather unkind
observation, but Wilhelm went on:
"With your leave I would rather keep to our mother-tongue. To speak
in a foreign language with a fellow-country-woman without any
necessity would be like acting a charade, and a very uncomfortable
thing."
"I think a charade is very amusing," she answered; "but just as you
like. Opportunities of speaking English are not far to seek. Most of
the visitors at the hotel are English. I dare say you have noticed
it already. But they are not the best sort. They are common city
people, who even drop their h's, but who play at being lords on the
Continent.
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