"
He began rapidly signing the warrants, one after the
other.
"Comrade," said the secretary in a surly tone, "you are
not chewing tobacco!"
"Yes I am, yes I am," said the leader, "or, at least, I
was just going to."
He bit a huge piece out of his plug, with what seemed to
me an evident distaste, and began to chew furiously.
"It is well," said the other. "Remember comrade, that
you are watched. It was reported last night to the
Executive Committee of the Circle of the Brothers that
you chewed no tobacco all day yesterday. Be warned,
comrade. This is a free and independent republic. We will
stand for no aristocratic nonsense. But whom have you
here?" he added, breaking off in his speech, as if he
noticed me for the first time. "What dog is this?"
"Hush," said the leader, "he is a representative of the
foreign press, a newspaper reporter."
"Your pardon," said the secretary. "I took you by your
dress for a prince. A representative of the great and
enlightened press of the Allies, I presume. How deeply
we admire in Germany the press of England! Let me kiss
you."
"Oh, don't trouble," I said, "it's not worth while."
"Say, at least, when you write to your paper, that I
offered to kiss you, will you not?"
Meantime, the leader had finished signing the papers.
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