"Karl Glogaver - 02 - Breakfast In The Ruins" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

"Karl, dear. There is someone who would like to meet you. May we have Karl in
with us for a moment, Miss Henshaw?"
"Of course, Frau Glogauer." Miss Henshaw darted him a look of stern triumph.
Reluctantly, he let the swing slow down and then jumped off.

Miss Henshaw took his hand and they walked across the ornamental pavement to the
french windows. His mother smiled fondly and patted his head.

"Frau Spiegelberg is here and wants to meet you."
He supposed, from his mother's tone, that he should know who Frau Spiegelberg
was, that she must be an important visitor, not one of Frau Glogauer's regulars.
A woman dressed in purple and white silk was towering behind his mother. She
gave him quite a friendly smile. He bowed twice very deeply. "Good afternoon,
Frau Spiegelberg."
"Good afternoon, Karl," said Frau Spiegelberg.

"Frau Spiegelberg is from Berlin, Karl," said his mother. "She has met the
great Chancellor Bismarck himself!"
Again Karl bowed.

The ladies laughed. Frau Spiegelberg said with charming, almost coquettish
modesty, "I must emphasize I am not on intimate terms with Prinz Bismarck!" and
she gave a trilling laugh. Karl knew that all the ladies would be practicing
that laugh after she had gone back to Berlin.

"I would like to go to Berlin," said Karl.

"It is a very fine city," said Frau Spiegelberg complacently. "But your
Brunswick is very pretty."
Karl was at a loss for something to say. He frowned and then brightened. "Frau
Spiegelberg -" he gave another little bow - "have you met Chancellor Bismarck's
son?"
"I have met both. Do you mean Herbert or William or -" Frau Spiegelberg glanced
modestly at her companions again - "Bill as he likes to be called."
"Bill," said Karl.

"I have attended several balls at which he has been present, yes."
"So you - have touched him, Frau Spiegelberg?"
And again the trilling laugh. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, Father met him once I believe when on business in Berlin..."
"So your Father and I have an acquaintance in common. That is splendid, Karl."
Frau Spiegelberg made to turn away. "A handsome boy, Frau -"
"And Father shook hands with him," said Karl.

"Really? Well..."
"And Father said he drank so much beer that his hands were always wet and clammy
and he could not possibly live for long if he continued to drink that much.
Father is, himself, not averse to a few tots of beer or glasses of punch, but he
swears he has never seen anyone drink so much in all his life. Is Bill Bismarck