If you lived in America now, you might reap a goodly profit from that goose." "America?
How ?" "You could put him in a museum and exhibit him as an intimate friend of the grand duke of Ehrenstein." But Gretchen did not laugh.

It was a serious thing to talk lightly of so grand a person as the duke.

Still, the magic word America, where the gold came from, flamed her curiosity.
"You are from America ?" "Yes." "Are you rich ?" "In fancy, in dreams"-- humorously.
"Oh! I thought they were all rich." "Only one or two of us." "Is it very large, this America ?" "France, Spain, Prussia would be lonesome if set down in America.

Only Russia has anything to boast of." "Did you fight in the war ?" "Yes.

Do you like music ?" "Were you ever wounded ?" "A scratch or two, nothing to speak of.