“Oh, certainly!  But I am not at all nervous in the dark.”

Officer (stopping under the lamp to light a cigarette):  “You like Wagner?  Do you know him well?  I confess I find him long and loud.”

Margot:  “He is a little long, but so wonderful!”

Officer:  “Don’t you feel tired? (With emphasis) I do!”

Margot:  “No, I’m not at all tired.”

Officer:  “You would not like to go and have supper with me in a private room in a hotel, would you?”

Margot:  “You are very kind, but I don’t like supper; besides, it is late. (Leaving his side to look at the number on the door) I am afraid we must part here.”

Officer (drawing a long breath):  “But you said I might take you home!!”

Margot (with a slow smile):  “I know I did, but this is my home.”

He looked disappointed and surprised, but taking my hand he kissed it, then stepping back saluted and said: 

“Pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle.”

My second adventure occurred on my way back to England.  After a little correspondence, my mother allowed me to take Frau von Mach with me to Berlin to hear the Ring der Nibelungen.  She and I were much excited at this little outing, in honour of which I had ordered her a new black satin dress.  German taste is like German figures, thick and clumsy, and my dear old friend looked like a hold-all in my gift.

When we arrived in Berlin I found my room in the hotel full of every kind of flower; and on one of the bouquets was placed the card of our permanent lodger, Mr. Loring.  I called out to Frau von Mach, who was unpacking: 

“Do come here, dearest, and look at my wonderful roses!  You will never guess who they come from!”

Frau von Mach (looking rather guilty):  “I think I can guess.”

Margot:  “I see you know!  But who would have dreamt that an old maid like Loring would have thought of such gallantry?”

Frau von Mach:  “But surely, dear child, you knew that he admired you?”

Margot:  “Admired me!  You must be cracked!  I never remember his saying a civil word to me the whole time I was in Dresden.  Poor mamma!  If she were here now she would feel that her letter to you on the danger of my elopement was amply justified!”

Frau von Mach and I sat side by side at the opera; and on my left was a German officer.  In front of us there was a lady with beautiful hair and diamond grasshoppers in it; her two daughters sat on either side of her.

Everything was conducted in the dark and it was evident that the audience was strung up to a high pitch of expectant emotion, for, when I whispered to Frau von Mach, the officer on my left said, “Hush!” which I thought extremely rude.  Several men in the stalls, sitting on the nape of their necks, had covered their faces with pocket-handkerchiefs, which I thought infinitely ridiculous, bursting as they were with beef and beer.  My musical left was only a little less good-looking than the white officer.  He kept a rigid profile towards me and squashed up into a corner to avoid sharing an arm of the stall with me.  As we had to sit next to each other for four nights running, I found this a little exaggerated.