n in an
arm-chair, and stretched out his legs before him. But what in another
young man would have been considered vulgar and unseemly, passed in the
case of the nephew for agreeableness. "He is an Englishman," they would
say, "they are all like that; an Englishman can lie down on a sofa and
go to sleep while ten ladies stand up for lack of a seat; we shouldn't
take it amiss in an Englishman." He was very watchful, however, of the
old gentleman, his uncle; and when he began to spring about the room,
or, as he seemed constantly inclined to do, put his feet up in a chair,
a serious look served to make him behave himself a little better. And
then, how could any one take any thing amiss, when the uncle on
entering would say to the lady of the house: "My nephew is still
somewhat coarse and uncultured, but I am sanguine that a little society
will do much to polish his manners, and I therefore recommend him to
you with my whole heart."

[Illustration]

Thus was the nephew brought into society, and all Gruenwiesel spoke of
nothing else for two whole days. The old gentleman did not stop with
this, however, but set about changing his entire course of life. In the
afternoon, in company with his nephew, he would go out to the cave on
the mountain, where the most respectable gentlemen of Gruenwiesel drank
beer and played at bowls. The nephew there showed himself to be an
accomplished master of the sport, as he never bowled down less than
five or six pins. Now and then, it is true, a singular spirit seemed to
control him. He would, for instance, often chase a ball with the speed
of an arrow, right down among the pins, and there set up all kinds of
strange noises; or when he had knocked down the king, or made a strike,
he would stand on his beautifully curled head, and throw his feet into
the air; or when a wagon rattled by, he would be found, before he was
fairly missed from the room, on the driver's seat, would ride a short
distance, and then come back.

On these occasions, the old gentleman was accustomed to beg pardon of
the mayor and the other gentlemen, for the antics of his nephew; but
they laughed, charged it all to the account of his youth, asserted that
at his age they were also as nimble, and loved the harum-scarum chap,
as they called him, uncommonly well.

But there were also times when they were not a little vexed with him,
and yet they did not venture to make any complaints, because the young
Englishman passed ever