But I
for my part, insignificant though I be, must confess, that I consider
all this charming and that our Havelland cities are nothing in
comparison. When the Emperor's birthday is celebrated in our region
the only flags hoisted are just the black and white, with perhaps a
bit of red here and there, but that is not to be compared with the
world of flags you speak of. Generally speaking, I find over and over
again, as I have already said, that everything here has a certain
foreign air about it, and I have not yet seen or heard a thing that
has not more or less amazed me. Yesterday evening, for example, there
was that remarkable ship out in the hall, and behind it the shark and
the crocodile. And here your own room. Everything so oriental and, I
cannot help repeating, everything as in the palace of an Indian
prince."
"Well and good! I congratulate you, Princess."
"And then upstairs the social room with its long curtains, which sweep
over the floor."
"Now what, pray, do you know about that room?"
"Nothing beyond what I just told you. For about an hour while I lay
awake in the night it seemed to me as though I heard shoes gliding
over the floor, and as though there were dancing, and something almost
like music, too. But all very quiet. I told Johanna about it this
morning, merely in order to excuse myself for sleeping so long
afterwards. She told me that it came from the long curtains up in the
social room. I think we shall put a stop to that by cutting off a
piece of the curtains or at least closing the windows.
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