things.

The courteous reader will, at all events, see the great convenience of
this theory.

Moreover, as Ludwig was a very good-looking young fellow, with blooming
red cheeks, he would, by virtue of his qualities, have been the idol of
all elegant circles, had not his short-sight led to his committing
numerous "quid-pro-quos," which had often most annoying consequences.
However, he consoled himself with the thought of the "impression,"
which was indescribable, which he believed himself to make upon all
female hearts: and, besides, there was a good deal in the habit he had,
just because he was so short-sighted, of placing himself in a closer
proximity to ladies with whom he was conversing, than might have been
considered altogether _convenable_, a species of innocent pushingness,
belonging to the "genial" character, so as to be sure not to make any
mistakes with reference to the person he was addressing; a matter which
had more than once been productive of annoyance.

The morning after the ball at Count Walther Puck's, Euchar received a
note from Ludwig, running as follows:

"Dearest and most beloved friend,--I am utterly miserable. I am
stricken by destiny. It is all over with me! I am dashed down from
the flowery summit of the fairest hope into the blackest and most
fathomless abyss of the deepest despair. That which was to have been
the source of my indescribable bliss constitutes my misery. Come to me
as speedily as you can, and give me some comfort, if such a thing be
possible."

Euchar found him stretched on his sofa, with his head bound up, pale
and worn from sleeplessness.

"Is it you?" he cried, in a feeble voice, stretching an arm towards
him: "is it you, my noble friend? Ah! _you_ have some sympathy for my
sufferings. At all events, let me tell you what I have gone through,
and then say whether you think all is over with me, or not."

"Things did not turn out quite as you expected at the ball, I suppose,"
said Euchar.

Ludwig heaved a deep sigh.

"Was the lovely Victorine a little unkind?" inquired Euchar. "Didn't
she behave to you quite as you expected?"

"I offended her," answered Ludwig, in the most funereal tones, "to an
extent, and in a manner, which she can never forgive."

"Good heavens!" cried Euchar; "this is very distressing. How did it
happen? Please to let me hear."

Ludwig, after heaving a profound sigh, and quoting some verses of
appropriate poetry, went on, in a voice of profou