You"ll come with me, you say?
MIZZIE
I will, papa.
COUNT
Oh, I"m so glad. Thank you, Mizzie.
MIZZIE
Why should you thank me? It"s a pleasure to me.
COUNT
You can"t imagine, of course ... without you, Mizzie.... There would be so much to remember--this time in particular.... You know, of course, that I took Lolo to Normandy last year?
MIZZIE
Of course, I know....
COUNT
And as far as Egon is concerned ... not that I want to persuade you by any means ... but in a strange place like that you often get more acquainted with a person in a couple of days than during many years at home.
MIZZIE
It"s settled now that I go with you, papa. And as for the rest, don"t let us talk of it--for the time being.
COUNT
Then, you know, I"m going to telephone to the ticket office at once and reserve sleeping car compartments for the day after to-morrow--or for to-morrow.
MIZZIE
Are you in such a hurry?
COUNT
What"s the use of sitting about here, once we have made up our minds?
So I"ll telephone.... Does that suit you?
MIZZIE
Yes.
COUNT (_puts his arms about her_)
PROFESSOR WINDHOFER (_appears at the garden gate_)
COUNT
Why, there"s the professor. Have you a lesson to-day?
MIZZIE
I had forgotten it, too.
PROFESSOR (_handsome; about thirty-five; his beard is blond and trimmed to a point; he is very carefully dressed, and wears a gray overcoat; he takes off his hat as he enters the garden and comes forward_)
Good morning, Countess. How do you do, Count?
COUNT
Good morning, my dear Professor, and how are you? You have to pardon me. I was just about to go to the telephone--we are going away, you know.
PROFESSOR
Oh, are you going away? Please, don"t let me detain you.
COUNT
I suppose I shall see you later, Professor. (_He goes into the house_)
PROFESSOR
So you are going away, Countess?
MIZZIE
Yes, to Ostend.
PROFESSOR
That"s rather a sudden decision.
MIZZIE
Yes, rather. But that"s my way.
PROFESSOR
That means an end to the lessons for the present, I suppose? Too bad.
MIZZIE
I don"t think I shall be able to-day even ... I am feeling a little upset.
PROFESSOR