It was a common practice at the theatre, she said.
Mr.Meyer found that he was learning a great deal he had not known before.

But he considered it all quite natural.
From henceforth the whole family did their best to keep him in a good humour.

They consulted his wishes, inquired after his tastes, and were always asking if there was anything he fancied or had a particular liking for.
"What good girls these girls of mine are!" said this happy pater-familias to himself.
On his birthday, too, they had pleasant surprises in store for him in the shape of presents.
Matilda, in particular, delighted him with a valuable meerschaum pipe on which hunting-dogs were carved.

The whole thing, not including the silver stopper, cost five and twenty florins in hard cash.
Moved partly by the fulness of his joy and partly because he thought it the proper thing to do, Meyer resolved to visit Aunt Teresa that very day, and was the more disposed to do so because a new velvet collar had recently been sewn on to his overcoat, so he stuck the beautiful meerschaum pipe in his mouth and went to Teresa's dwelling, which was situated at the other end of the town.
The worthy spinster was sitting by her fireside, for she had a fire lighted though the spring was fine.

Mr.Meyer greeted her without taking his pipe from his mouth.
Teresa made him sit down.