Confusion seized him.
"I have less English to amuse myself with the ladies," he answered wildly.

Next moment, however, he regained that painful mastery of the tongue which had won his promotion as agent, and stammered: "Pardon.

I would mean, I speak so badly as not to entertain her." "Indeed, you speak very nicely," she rejoined, with such a smile as no woman had ever troubled to bestow on him.

"That will be so pleasant, for my German is shocking." Dazed by the compliment, by her manner of taking for granted that future conversation which had seemed too good to come true, but above all by her arch, provoking smile, Rudolph sat with his head in a whirl, feeling that the wide eyes of all the second-cabiners were penetrating the tumultuous secret of his breast.

Again his English deserted, and left him stammering.