broad and stately, on the high road, with
well-arranged, shady grounds on each side. The General gave Frau Ceres
his arm, and they were shown, by servants in rich livery, to the
garden, through paths bordered with carefully-tended, fragrant flowers.
At the foot of the garden steps the Wine-count met them, and begged the
General to resign Frau Ceres to his care. Various groups were walking
about the garden, or sitting on the pleasant grass-plots.

The Wine-count's wife, a tall, stout woman, had not heard in vain that
she looked like the Empress Maria Theresa. She was dressed to-day quite
in her imperial style, and wore a splendid diadem of brilliants.

Sonnenkamp was presented to the bridal pair. The bridegroom looked very
weary, but the bride, with her wreath of roses, very animated; much
regret was expressed that Manna was not with the family at the fete.

The Court Marshal expressed his pleasure at meeting Herr Sonnenkamp
again, and at making the acquaintance of his wife and of his handsome
son, of whom he had heard so much. A glow was thrown over the whole
evening, when he said rather loudly, with evident intention, that
Sonnenkamp had been most honorably mentioned at the Prince's table, on
the preceding day. Frau Ceres, still wearing her white cape over her
richly ornamented dress, was seated next the Court marshal.

The Wine-chevalier, wearing several orders, was moving about among the
company. He was a man of good manners, having been in constant
intercourse with all the aristocracy of Europe. In the time of
Napoleon, when he was a jovial travelling agent for his father's firm,
he had been employed by the wary Metternich on several missions, which
he had carried through with much skill. There was scarcely a French
General whom he had not known, and he had even conversed twice with
Napoleon himself.

The Wine-count had three sons and three daughters; the oldest daughter
was already married to an officer of noble family. Of the three sons,
one had disappeared in America, after having squandered large sums of
money for his father; the second was a member of a theatre orchestra in
a capital of middle Germany, and it was said he had written to his
father that, for his part, he would not be ennobled. The third and
oldest son was the Wine-chevalier, who had striven very eagerly for the
honor of nobility, and was very happy in his success.

The Wine-count was most cordial in his manner; there was a remarkable
elast