"For you--with pleasure. But we might just as well read it together."

He edged closer to Bertha and opened the paper.

Herr and Frau Martin came along, arm in arm, and stopped before them.

"Well, so you are back again from the momentous journey," exclaimedHerr Martin.

"Ah, yes, you were in Vienna," exclaimed Frau Martin, nestling against herhusband. "And with Frau Rupius, too," she added, as though that impliedan aggravation of the offence.

0nce more Bertha had to give an account of her new costume. She told themall about it in a somewhat mechanical manner, indeed; but she felt, nonethe less, that it was long since she had been such an interestingpersonage as she was now.