or sociable intercourse with any one,—­ especially with ladies, many of whom are disreputable, and those who are not so are deficient in good breeding.”  Ritter could not deny that I was right.  Raaff at last said, smiling, “I can quite believe it, for M. Mozart is not wholly here to admire the Parisian beauties; one half of him is elsewhere—­where I have just come from.”  This of course gave rise to much laughing and joking; but Raaff presently said, in a serious tone, “You are quite right, and I cannot blame you; she deserves it, for she is a sweet, pretty, good girl, well educated, and a superior person with considerable talent.”  This gave me an excellent opportunity strongly to recommend my beloved Madlle.  Weber to him; but there was no occasion for me to say much, as he was already quite fascinated by her.  He promised me, as soon as he returned to Mannheim, to give her lessons, and to interest himself in her favor.  I ought, by rights, to insert something here, but I must first finish the history of our friendship; if there is still room, I may do so.  He was in my eyes only an every-day acquaintance, and no more; but I often sat with him in his room, so by degrees I began to place more confidence in him, and at last told him all my Mannheim history,—­how I had been bamboozled and made a fool of, adding that perhaps I might still get an appointment there.  He neither said yes nor no; and on every occasion when I alluded to it he seemed each time more indifferent and less interested in the matter.  At last, however, I thought I remarked more complacency in his manner, and he often, indeed, began to speak of the affair himself.  I introduced him to Herr Grimm and to Madame d’Epinay.  On one occasion he came to me and said that he and I were to dine with Count Sickingen some day soon; adding, “The Count and I were conversing together, and I said to him, ’A propos, has your Excellency heard our Mozart?’ ’No; but I should like very much both to see and to hear him, for they write me most astonishing things about him from Mannheim.’  ’When your Excellency does hear him, you will see that what has been written to you is rather too little than too much.’  ‘Is it possible?’ ‘Beyond all doubt, your Excellency.’” Now, this was the first time that I had any reason to think Raaff interested in me.  Then it went on increasing, and one day I asked him to come home with me; and after that he often came of his own accord, and at length every day.  The day after he left this, a good-looking man called on me in the forenoon with a picture, and said, “Monsieur, je viens de la part de ce Monsieur,” showing me a portrait of Raaff, and an admirable likeness.  Presently he began to speak German; and it turned out that he was a painter of the Elector’s, whom Raaff had often mentioned to me, but always forgot to take me to see him.  I believe you know him, for it must be the very person Madame Urspringer, of Mayence, alludes to in her letter, because he says he often met us