six in the
morning
Herr Kraft being a near relation of the Herrn von Besserer , was entitled to free access to his house , and upon this occasion he made an earlier call than usual . He found the maidens still at breakfast . Ladies of the present day may perhaps be shocked at the homely meal which our two belles of Ulm , in the year 1519 , were partaking of when their cousin Dieterick entered the room . It was not an elegant déjeuné , served up in painted porcelain in the form of beautiful antique vases , or curious-shaped chocolate cups ; no , the natural grace of Marie and Bertha was not impaired by the occupation of breakfasting on humble _ beer-soup _ , -LSB- 1 -RSB- at six in the morning , served up in the brown-coloured jug of that day . Can this avowal , however , prejudice the attractive qualities of these two beauties ? In the eyes of some it perhaps may ; but whoever could have seen Marie and Bertha , in their pretty little morning caps and neat clean dresses , would certainly , as cousin Kraft did , have no objection to partake of the breakfast with them . `` I can see at once , cousin , '' began Marie , after the usual salutations of the morning , `` that you would like to partake of our soup , because , I suppose , your old cross nurse has not taken care of you this morning ; but do n't flatter yourself that you will get any here , for you deserve punishment , and must expect -- '' `` Oh , we have been waiting for you so long , '' interrupted Bertha .