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The old man bragged triumphantly of the new acquisition； urging his son…in…law also to rejoice。
〃A very useful fellow； isn't he？ 。 。 。 These gringoes from Germany work well； know a good many things and cost little。 Then； too； so disciplined！ so servile！ 。 。 。 I am sorry to praise him so to you because you are a Frenchy； and your nation has in them a very powerful enemy。 His people are a hard…shelled race。〃
Desnoyers replied with a shrug of indifference。 His country was far away； and so was Germany。 Who knew if they would ever return！ 。 。 。 They were both Argentinians now； and ought to interest themselves in present affairs and not bother about the past。
〃And how little pride they have！〃 sneered Madariaga in an ironical tone。 〃Every one of these gringoes when he is a clerk at the Capital sweeps the shop； prepares the meals； keeps the books； sells to the customers； works the typewriter； translates four or five languages； and dances attendance on the proprietor's lady friend； as though she were a grand senora 。 。 。 all for twenty…five dollars a month。 Who can compete with such people！ You； Frenchy； you are like me； very serious； and would die of hunger before passing through certain things。 But； mark my words； on this very account they are going to become a terrible people！〃
After brief reflection； the ranchman added：
〃Perhaps they are not so good as they seem。 Just see how they treat those under them！ It may be that they affect this simplicity without having it； and when they grin at receiving a kick； they are saying inside； 〃Just wait till my turn comes； and I'll give you three！〃
Then he suddenly seemed to repent of his suspicions。
〃At any rate； this Karl is a poor fellow； a mealy…mouthed simpleton who the minute I say anything opens his jaws like a fly…catcher。 He insists that he comes of a great family； but who knows anything about these gringoes？ 。 。 。 All of us； dead with hunger when we reach America； claim to be sons of princes。〃
Madariaga had placed himself on a familiar footing with his Teutonic treasure； not through gratitude as with Desnoyers； but in order to make him feel his inferiority。 He had also introduced him on an equal footing in his home； but only that he might give piano lessons to his younger daughter。 The Romantica was no longer framing herself in the doorwayin the gloaming watching the sunset reflections。 When Karl had finished his work in the office； he was now coming to the house and seating himself beside Elena； who was tinkling away with a persistence worthy of a better fate。 At the end of the hour the German； accompanying himself on the piano； would sing fragments from Wagner in such a way that it put Madariaga to sleep in his armchair with his great Paraguay cigar sticking out of his mouth。
Elena meanwhile was contemplating with increasing interest the singing gringo。 He was not the knight of her dreams awaited by the fair lady。 He was almost a servant； a blond immigrant with reddish hair； fat； heavy； and with bovine eyes that reflected an eternal fear of disagreeing with his chiefs。 But day by day； she was finding in him something which rather modified these impressions his feminine fairness； except where he was burned by the sun； the increasingly martial aspect of his moustachios； the agility with which he mounted his horse； his air of a troubadour； intoning with a rather weak tenor voluptuous romances whose words she did not understand。
One night； just before supper； the impressionable girl announced with a feverish excitement which she could no longer repress that she had made a grand discovery。
〃Papa； Karl is of noble birth！ He belongs to a great family。〃
The plainsman made a gesture of indifference。 Other things were vexing him in those days。 But during the evening； feeling the necessity of venting on somebody the wrath which had been gnawing at his vitals since his last trip to Buenos Aires； he interrupted the singer。
〃See here； gringo； what is all this nonsense about nobility which you have been telling my girl？〃
Karl left the piano that he might draw himself up to the approved military position before responding。 Under the influence of his recent song； his pose suggested Lohengrin about to reveal the secret of his life。 His father had been General von Hartrott； one of the commanders in the war of '70。 The Emperor had rewarded his services by giving him a title。 One of his uncles was an intimate councillor of the King of Prussia。 His older brothers were conspicuous in the most select regiments。 He had carried a sword as a lieutenant。
Bored with all this grandeur； Madariaga interrupted him。 〃Lies 。 。 。 nonsense 。 。 。 hot air！〃 The very idea of a gringo talking to him about nobility！ 。 。 。 He had left Europe when very young in order to cast in his lot with the revolting democracies of America； and although nobility now seemed to him something out…of…date and incomprehensible； still he stoutly maintained that the only true nobility was that of his own country。 He would yield first place to the gringoes for the invention of machinery and ships； and for breeding priceless animals； but all the Counts and Marquises of Gringo…land appeared to him to be fictitious characters。
〃All tomfoolery！〃 he blustered。 〃There isn't any nobility in your country； nor have you five dollars all told to rub against each other。 If you had； you wouldn't come over here to play the gallant to women who are 。 。 。 you know what they are as well as I do。〃
To the astonishment of Desnoyers； the German received this onslaught with much humility； nodding his head in agreement with the Patron's last words。
〃If there's any truth in all this twaddle about titles；〃 continued Madariaga implacably； 〃swords and uniforms； what did you come here for？ What in the devil did you do in your own country that you had to leave it？〃
Now Karl hung his head； confused and stuttering。
〃Papa； papa；〃 pleaded Elena。 〃The poor little fellow！ How can you humiliate him so just because he is poor？〃
And she felt a deep gratitude toward her brother…in…law when he broke through his usual reserve in order to come to the rescue of the German。
〃Oh； yes； of course； he's a good…enough fellow；〃 said Madariaga； excusing himself。 〃But he comes from a land that I detest。〃
When Desnoyers made a trip to Buenos Aires a few days afterward； the cause of the old man's wrath was explained。 It appeared that for some months past Madariaga had been the financial guarantor and devoted swain of a German prima donna stranded in South America with an Italian opera company。 It was she who had recommended Karlan unfortunate countryman； who after wandering through many parts of the continent； was now living with her as a sort of gentlemanly singer。 Madariaga had joyously expended upon this courtesan many thousands of dollars。 A childish enthusiasm had accompanied him in this novel existence midst urban dissipations until he happened to discover that his Fraulein was leading another life during his absence； laughing at him with the parasites of her retinue； whereupon he arose in his wrath and bade her farewell to the accompaniment of blows and broken furniture。
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