We dined lightly on soldiers' bread and some of the prince's wine-- furnished by Rosenthal--and for dessert we had some shelled almonds and half a cake of chocolate--furnished by ourselves; also drinks of pale native brandy from the bar.
During the evening we received several bulletins regarding the mythical automobile.

Invariably Mittendorfer was desolated to be compelled to report that there had been another slight delay.

We knew he was desolated, because he said he was.

During the evening, also, we met all the regular members of the household living under that much-disturbed roof.

There was the husband, a big lubberly Fleming who apparently did not count for much in the economic and domestic scheme of the establishment; his wife, a large, commanding woman who ran the business and the house as well; his wife's mother, an old sickly woman in her seventies; and his wife's sister, a poor, palsied half-wit.
When the sister was a child, so we heard, she had been terribly frightened, so that to this day, still frightened, she crept about, a pale shadow, quivering all over pitiably at every sound.