erally become intoxicated with this
music--and no wonder. You cannot reason upon it, or explain it, but its
strains compel you to sensations of despair and joy, of exultation and
excitement, as though under the influence of some potent charm.

I strolled leisurely back to the inn, beneath the starlit heavens. The
outline of the mountains was clearly marked in the distance, and in the
foreground quaint gable-ends mixed themselves up with the shadows and
the trees--a pretty picture, prettier than anything one can see by the
light of "common day."

The following morning I set about making inquiries respecting the mines
which I knew existed in the neighbourhood of Oravicza. I found that an
English gentleman owned a gold mine in the immediate vicinity, and that
he was then living in the town. This induced me to go off at once to
call upon him, and I was immediately received in a very friendly manner.
This accidental meeting was rather curious, for on comparing notes we
found that we had been schoolfellows together at Westminster. H----
being my senior, we had not known each other well; but meeting here in
the wilds, we were as old familiar friends. H---- kindly insisted on my
leaving the inn and taking up my quarters with him in his bachelor
residence, which was in fact big enough to accommodate a whole form of
Westminster boys. I was not at all sorry to avoid a second night at the
Krone, and gladly fell into my friend's hospitable arrangements.

I was in great luck altogether, for that very evening a dance was to
come off at Oravicza, and my friend invited me to accompany him. Dancing
is one of the sins I compound for; moreover, I had a lively recollection
of the bright eyes I had encountered yesterday.

Oravicza is a central place, in a way the chief town of the Banat. It
has a pleasant little society, composed of the families of the
officials, and of the military stationed there; they are mostly German
by origin. Amongst the belles of the evening I soon discovered my merry
critics of yesterday. I was duly presented, and we laughed together over
my "first appearance." It was one of the pleasantest evenings I ever
remember. I hate long invitations to anything agreeable; this party, for
instance, had the charm of unexpectedness. If unfortunately I should
prove not quite good enough to go to heaven, I think it would be very
pleasant to stop at Oravicza--supposing, of course, that my friends all
stopped there as well.

He