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THE DEVIL'S AMBASSADOR 137
very quiet. He pulled his cap over his eyes
and slept. He gave me the tickets to show
the guard, saying he did not wish to he
disturbed. At night we arrived in Vienna.
Three or four men met us on our arrival.
They were all muffled up, and I could not
see what they were like. I was hurried in a
closed cab to a house which looked dreadfully
dark and gloomy from the outside, but it was
very gay within, and very bright. Several
men and women were seated in one of the
rooms as we passed through. They were
noisy, and were drinking wine and smoking
cigarettes. They scrutinised me, and joked
about my dress. One gentleman, who was, I
lover :
" '
Where did you pick up this queen of the
forest ? '
"
The joke seemed to affect the whole com-
think, a Russian, said to my
pany, for they all roared. One bold girl,
very scantily clothed, came to me and offered
me wine, which I refused. She threw it on
the floor, and said :
" '
Soon you will be very glad of it ; you are
merely a tender chicken now wait until you
are an old hen and you can only cackle, and
no one wants : you you will be glad enough of
a glass of wine then. Damn ! you Who are
'
wine ? she
you to turn up your nose at good'
shrieked.
"The men were apart, talking in a low,
earnest tone, and my Paul was evidently very
excited. His face was deadly pale and his
eyes flashed. What could the meaning
of it