"A very sensible remark, Herr Reimers," laughed Kläre.
Reimers blushed a little and rejoined: "Well, then, I shall soon go bride-hunting. For your advice is always good, dear lady."
"Now then, flatterer!" growled Güntz. "Don't make my wife conceited."
But when Reimers had bidden them good-bye he said to Kläre: "I really believe it would be a most sensible thing for Reimers to marry; he is not the sort to become a mere mess-house or tavern _habitué_. He ought to go about and study the daughters of our country a little."
"Why go about? There's good enough near at hand," said Frau Kläre.
Smilingly his wife pointed over her shoulder to the neighbouring villa.
"You don't want to earn a match-maker's reward, do you, now?" inquired her husband.
"Oh, Fatty, darling! don't you know me better than that?" his wife protested. "No, no, nothing of the sort! But seriously, I do mean that those two young people would suit each other very well. With regard to Marie, I know positively this much, she thinks Reimers very nice; and that is, at any rate, something to go on, until our dear Reimers opens his eyes."
"But let him open them quite by himself, please; no assistance, I do beg!" the captain interrupted.
"But, Kläre, how about that episode of the Gropphusen? That was a bit off the rails, wasn't it?"
"Nothing of the kind. Nothing but a mere passing flirtation."
"No, Kläre," he replied. "I understand Reimers. He would never have anything to do with mere passing flirtations. It is just the dear fellow's misfortune that he takes everything so damned seriously. It went pretty deep with him that time with the Gropphusen; you can believe me as to that."
"Still, one does not cling for all eternity to such a useless sort of business."
"Well, we must hope not," he said. "And, really, the two would suit each other excellently."
Walking up and down the room he continued: "Yes, in all respects. Reimers has an income of about seventy thousand marks, and the colonel would certainly be able to give his daughter a bit of money without having to pinch himself. I should say about twenty thousand. True, he is no Cr[oe]sus; but then he will soon be made a general. Our dear Reimers will have to keep his passion for books in check. Yes, yes! The thing would answer admirably."