tables, in which the English element predominated.  He had come in purposely late in the hope of finding Fraulein Ellrich already there.  She was not present; but he was not kept long in suspense before a waiter opened the door, and the lovely girl appeared accompanied by a stately gentleman and a stout lady.  They seemed to be known to the servants, for as soon as they appeared the headwaiter and his subordinates rushed toward them, and with many bows and scrapes took their wraps from them and ushered them to their places.

Wilhelm, who possessed very little knowledge of society, was somewhat at a loss.  Ought he to recognize the young lady?  If he followed his inclination, he certainly would do so.  But her parents!  They seemed to be cold and reserved-looking.  Happily all fell out for the best.  The Ellrichs walked straight to the table where he was sitting, and in a moment Wilhelm was greeting his lovely acquaintance with a low bow.  Her quick eyes had already recognized him from the doorway.  She returned his greeting smiling and blushing, and as her father nodded kindly, the ice was broken.  Wilhelm introduced himself, and the councilor gave him the tips of his fingers and said:  “If you have no objection we will sit at your table.”  His wife, who gazed at Wilhelm through a gold “pince-nez” with hardly concealed surprise, took her place next to him; on the other side sat her husband, and opposite the daughter’s face smiled at him.

The councilor was a well-preserved man of about fifty, of good height, dressed in a well-made gray traveling suit, with a light gray silk tie adorned with a pin of black pearl.  His closely-cut hair was very thin, and had almost disappeared from the top of his head.  His chin was clean-shaven, but his well-brushed whiskers and closely-cut mustache showed signs of gray.  His light blue eyes were cold and rather tired-looking, at the corners of the mouth were evident signs of indolence, and his whole appearance gave an impression of self-consciousness mixed with indifference toward the rest of mankind; his wife, stout, blooming, and tranquil, appeared to be a kindly soul.

The conversation opened trivially on the circumstances of Wilhelm meeting with Fraulein Ellrich, and on the beauty of the neighborhood, which Herr Ellrich glorified as not being overrun.

“I would much rather recommend it for quiet than Switzerland with its crowds,” he said.

Wilhelm agreed with him, and related how he was induced by the romantic aspect of the place to give up his original plans, and to anchor himself here.  When they questioned him, he gave them some information about Heidelberg and his journey to Hornberg.  Frau Ellrich complimented him on his sketch, and while he modestly disclaimed the praise, she asked him why he had not devoted himself to art.