f
the crowd pushed backwards and forwards amongst each other, and the
strangers had soon disappeared in the crush; but even after the hours
of 'Change were long over, and only a few odd individuals crossed the
hall, Traugott still remained in the self-same place with the letter of
advice in his hand, as though he were converted into a solid stone
statue.

At length he perceived Herr Elias Roos coming towards him with two
strangers. "What are you about, cogitating here so long after noon, my
respected Herr Traugott?" asked Elias Roos; "have you sent off the
letter all right?" Mechanically Traugott handed him the paper; but Herr
Elias Roos struck his hands together above his head, stamping at first
gently, but then violently, with his right foot, as he cried, making
the hall ring again, "Good God! Good God! what childish tricks are
these? Nothing but sheer childishness, my respected Traugott,--my
good-for-nothing son-in-law--my imprudent partner. Why, the devil must
be in your honour! The letter--the letter! O God! the post!" Herr Elias
Roos was almost choking with vexation, whilst the two strangers were
laughing at the singular letter of advice, which could hardly be said
to be of much use. For, immediately after the words, "In reply to yours
of the 20th inst. respecting----" Traugott had sketched the two
extraordinary figures of the old man and the youth in neat bold
outlines. The two strangers sought to pacify Herr Elias Roos by
addressing him in the most affectionate manner; but Herr Elias Roos
tugged his round wig now on this side and now on that, struck his cane
against the floor, and cried, "The young devil!--was to write letter of
advice--makes drawings--ten thousand marks gone--dam!" He blew through
his fingers and then went on lamenting, "Ten thousand marks!" "Don't
make a trouble of it, my dear Herr Roos," said at length the elder of
the two strangers. "The post is of course gone; but I am sending off a
courier to Hamburg in an hour. Let me give him your letter, and it will
then reach its destination earlier than it would have done by the post"
"You incomparable man!" exclaimed Herr Elias, his face a perfect blaze
of sunshine. Traugott had recovered from his awkward embarrassment; he
was hastening to the table to write the letter, but Herr Elias pushed
him away, casting a right malicious look upon him, and murmuring
between his teeth, "No need for you, my good son!"

Whilst Herr Elias was studiously busy writ