erty of introducing him to the
society of Gruenwiesel. And yet this language seemed so hard for him to
acquire, that often there was nothing left to do but to whip it into
him. The mayor expressed himself well satisfied with these
explanations, only advising moderation on the old man's part; and he
said that evening, over his beer, that he had seldom seen so
intelligent and clever a man as the strange gentleman. "It is a pity,"
added he, in conclusion, "that he comes so little into society; still,
I think that when the nephew is a little further advanced in German, he
will visit my circle oftener."

[Illustration]

Through this single circumstance, the public opinion of the town was
completely changed. The stranger was looked upon as a clever man,
wishes for his better acquaintance were freely expressed, and when, now
and then, a terrible shriek was heard to come from the house, the
Gruenwiesel people simply said: "He is giving his nephew lessons in the
German language," and ceased to block up the street before his house,
as they had been wont to do on hearing those cries. In the course of
three months the German exercises seemed to be finished, as the old
gentleman took another step in the education of his nephew. There lived
a feeble old Frenchman in the town, who gave the young people lessons
in dancing. The old gentleman sent for him one day, and told him that
he wished his nephew to be instructed in dancing. He gave him to
understand that while the young man was quite docile, yet where dancing
was concerned he was rather peculiar; he had, for instance, once
learned how to dance from another master, but so singular were the
figures taught him, that he could not be taken out into society. But
then his nephew believed himself to be a great dancer, notwithstanding
the fact that his dancing did not bear the slightest resemblance to a
waltz or a gallopade. As for the rest, he promised the dancing-master a
thaler a lesson; and the Frenchman announced himself as ready to begin
the instruction of this peculiar pupil. Never in the world, as the
Frenchman privately asserted, was there anything so extraordinary as
these dancing-lessons. The nephew, quite a tall, slim young man, whose
legs were still much too short, would make his appearance, finely
dressed in a red coat, loose green trousers, and kid gloves. He spoke
but little, and with a foreign accent, was at the beginning fairly
clever and well-behaved, but would suddenl