’And only when we know that we leave the work of our generation in abler hands, can we calmly look forward to the time when we shall bid adieu to our daily task, and then we may confidently reckon upon a bright and glorious future for our dear Fatherland.  A health to the Young!’

The hostess, who had ventured nearer when she heard that the speech was going on well, was proud of her husband; the whole company was in an exhilarated humour, but the gladdest of all was the student.

He had stood a little in awe of his father, whose severely patriarchal principles he well knew.  He now heard that the old man was extremely liberal-minded towards youth, and he was very glad to be enabled to discourse with him upon serious matters.

But, for the moment, it was only a question of jesting; a propos of the toast, there ensued one of those interesting table-talks, about who was really young and who old.  After the company had arrived at this witty result, that the eldest were in reality the youngest, they adjourned to the dessert-table, which was laid in the ladies’ room.

But, no matter how gallant the gentlemen—­especially those of the old school—­may be towards the fair sex, neither feminine amiability nor the most recherche dessert has power to stop them for long on their way to the smoking-room.  And soon the first faint aroma of cigars, so great a luxury to smokers, announced the beginning of that process which has obtained for our ladies the fame of being quite smoke-dried.

The student and a few other young gentlemen remained for a time with the young ladies—­under the strict surveillance of the elder ones.  But little by little they also were swallowed up in the gray cloud which indicated the way that their fathers had taken.

In the smoking-room they were carrying on a very animated conversation upon some matter of social politics.  The host, who was speaking, supported his view with a number of ‘historical facts,’ which, however, were entirely unreliable.

His opponent, a solicitor of the High Court, was sitting chuckling inwardly at the prospect of refuting these inaccurate statements, when the student entered the room.

He came just in time to hear his father’s blundering, and, in his jovial humour, in his delight over the new conception of his father that he had acquired after the toast, he said, with a cheery bluntness: 

’Excuse me, father, you are mistaken there.  The circumstances are not at all as you state.  On the contrary—­’

He got no further:  the father laughingly slapped him on the shoulder, and said: 

’There, there! are you, too, trifling with newspapers!  But really, you must not disturb us; we are in the middle of a serious discussion.’

The son heard an irritating sniff from the gray cloud; he was provoked at the scorn implied in his interposition being regarded as disturbing a serious conversation.