The mother was thinking of her son, and now Emilygave her own interpretation to those words. Yes, George wascertainly with her on her birthday.
  It happened that the next day was another birthday in thathouse, the General's birthday. He had been born the day after hisdaughter, but before her of course- many years before her. Manypresents arrived, and among them came a saddle of exquisiteworkmanship, a comfortable and costly saddle- one of the Princes hadjust such another. Now, from whom might this saddle come? TheGeneral was delighted. There was a little note with the saddle. Now ifthe words on the note had been "many thanks for yesterday'sreception," we might easily have guessed from whom it came. But thewords were "From somebody whom the General does not know."
  "Whom in the world do I not know?" exclaimed the General. "Iknow everybody;" and his thoughts wandered all through society, for heknew everybody there. "That saddle comes from my wife!" he said atlast. "She is teasing me- charming!"
  But she was not teasing him; those times were past.
  Again there was a feast, but it was not in the General's house, itwas a fancy ball at the Prince's, and masks were allowed too.
  The General went as Rubens, in a Spanish costume, with a littleruff round his neck, a sword by his side, and a stately manner. TheGeneral's lady was Madame Rubens, in black velvet made high roundthe neck, exceedingly warm, and with a mill-stone round her neck inthe shape of a great ruff- accurately dressed after a Dutch picture inthe possession of the General, in which the hands were especiallyadmired. They were just like the hands of the General's lady.
  Emily was Psyche. In white crape and lace she was like afloating swan. She did not want wings at all. She only wore them asemblematic of Psyche.
  Brightness, splendor, light and flowers, wealth and taste appearedat the ball; there was so much to see, that the beautiful hands ofMadame Rubens made no sensation at all.
  A black domino, with an acacia blossom in his cap, danced withPsyche.
  "Who is that?" asked the General's lady.
  "His Royal Highness," replied the General. "I am quite sure of it.I knew him directly by the pressure of his hand."
  The General's lady doubted it.
  General Rubens had no doubts about it. He went up to the blackdomino and wrote the royal letters in the mask's hand. These weredenied, but the mask gave him a hint.
  The words that came with the saddle: "One whom you do not know,General."
  "But I do know you," said the General. "It was you who sent me thesaddle."
  The domino raised his hand, and disappeared among the otherguests.
  "Who is that black domino with whom you were dancing, Emily?"asked the General's lady.
  "I did not ask his name," she replied, "because you knew it. It isthe Professor. Your protege is here, Count!" she continued, turning tothat nobleman, who stood close by. "A black domino with acaciablossoms in his cap."
  "Very likely, my dear lady," replied the Count. "But one of thePrinces wears just the same costume."
  "I knew the pressure of the hand," said the General. "The saddlecame from the Prince. I am so certain of it that I could invite thatdomino to dinner."
  "Do so. If it be the Prince he will certainly come," replied theCount.
  "And if it is the other he will not come," said the General, andapproached the black domino, who was just speaking with the King.The General gave a very respectful invitation "that they might makeeach other's acquaintance," and he smiled in his certaintyconcerning the person he was inviting. He spoke loud and distinctly.
  The domino raised his mask, and it was George. "Do you repeat yourinvitation, General?"