In the 1940s, Madame Ilsa Lenzel teaches German and French at the Grassmount School for Girls. She moved to America two years ago after she escaped Europe during WWII. She invites a guest for dinner, the Countess Natalie Pozinska of Poland. The two had known each other in Vienna, and Natalie was now living in New York. She had written to Madame Lenzel to pay a visit.   When Natalie arrives, Madame Lenzel notices Natalie’s deteriorated appearance. She had a sickly complexion and a shabby outfit. They talk about a Doctor Stern, Madame’s friend from Vienna who was now in Zurich. Madame Lenzel is saving part of her salary each month to bring him to America. Madame Lenzel then introduces Natalie to Miss Thompson, the headmistress, and they have tea together. Natalie says that she taught Madame how to speak French and that Madame struggled with it. Madame freezes, considering that Natalie might be trying to replace her teaching position. The headmistress is eager for her students “to hear French so beautifully spoken" by Natalie during dinner.   At dinner, Madame witnesses Natalie charm the schoolgirls and headmistress with her stories in French. Madame knows Natalie lied about her luxurious travels because she saw a third class label of a steamship on her suitcase. Natalie would barely touch her food, and Madame could not understand how someone as poor as Natalie could not eat. Natalie continued to describe the beauty of Poland before its invasion in perfect French. After dinner, Miss Thompson says she wishes she could afford two language teachers but reassures Madame Lenzel that she is an excellent teacher. Natalie thanks Miss Thompson for her hospitality, and the women retire to bed.   Madame wakes up to eating noises, and sees Natalie eating voraciously in bed from an enormous bag she kept during dinner. Shocked, Madame approaches Natalie and asks why she did not eat at dinner. Natalie says she did not want them to know how hungry she was. She began to sob and say that she had been starving for countless months. Madame understands what hunger is like and knows that everything else, including honor and decency, becomes unimportant when hungry.   Madame finds Miss Thompson to ask if it would be possible to divide her language work. Madame offers to teach literature and grammar and have Natalie teach conversation. When she offers to divide her salary between the two, Miss Thompson says it could be arranged. As Madame heads back upstairs, she laments that it will be a long time until she can bring Doctor Stern, but she knows he is with friends in Zurich and will never be hungry.