.

." "What other virtues are left, I wonder ?" he interrupted.
"And who does not scorn to take a pride in her looks because she happens to take a pride in her books," continued Bernardine, looking at the Disagreeable Man, and not seeming to see him: "she is what she is by reason of that grave and loveless woman who won the battle for her." Here she paused.
"But how ridiculous for me to talk to you in this way!" she said.

"It is not likely that you would be interested in the widening out of women's lives." "And pray why not ?" he asked.

"Have I been on the shelf too long ?" "I think you would not have been interested even if you had never been on the shelf," she said frankly.

"You are not the type of man to be generous to woman." "May I ask one little question of you, which shall conclude this subject," he said, "since here we are already at the Gasthaus: to which type of learned woman do you lay claim to belong ?" Bernardine laughed.
"That I leave to your own powers of discrimination," she said, and then added, "if you have any." And that was the end of the matter, for the word spread about that Herr Allitsen had arrived, and every one turned out to give the two guests greeting.