THE LITTLE PLAYMATE SETTLES ACCOUNTS But I admit that the smile discouraged me.

Nevertheless I proceeded gallantly.
"Ah, Jungfrau Texel," said I, "you cannot know how your presence brightens our lives here in the Red Tower.

Wherefore will you not come oftener to our grim abode ?" I thought that, on the whole, pretty well; but, looking up at Helene, I saw that her smile (so different from that of the Io-Cow Katrin) had become a whole volume of scathing satire.

God wot, it is not easy to make love to a lass when your "Little Sister" is listening--especially to a woman-mountain set on watch-springs like Katrin Texel.
But, after all, Katrin was no ways averse to love-making of any kind, which, after all, is the main thing.

And as for the Little Playmate, I did not mind her a bonnet-tag.