appearance before the world. No one had ever seen him intoxicated, and,
in general society, he always played the part of one very condescending
and indifferent, who is yet so noble as to remain in intercourse with
these inferior people, as much as to say. One owes that much for old
acquaintance' sake. Mothers always warned their daughters of the
Wine-chevalier, just as one speaks to children of the wolf howling
outside there in the fields, but the mothers themselves did not take it
in bad part when he sometimes cast a languishing glance upon them, and
even when he frequently said something to them in whispers.

The Justice's daughter, Lina, was not so simple as the mother always
said, for she declared that the Wine-chevalier was that transformed
manikin in the fairy-tales, who travelled to learn what shivering
meant.

The Wine-chevalier of course kept himself fresh in his toilet and his
anecdotes, and in everything, externally and internally, that the
prevailing fashion required, from year to year, living also for several
months in Paris. He did not, like his father, speak of his friend this
and the other ambassador, minister so and so, and prince so and so, but
he let it be known that he lived in the most inseparable intimacy with
the most famous members of the Jockey Club.

The Wine-chevalier always experienced, besides, some degree of pleasure
in devoting himself to paying courteous compliments to the virtuous
Frau Bella, but she looked at him to-day, as if he were not present,
and as if she heard not a word of what he was saying. The count also
was so abstracted and absent-minded; that he speedily lost all the
games, often gazing at him with wonderment, sitting there in the same
chair that Eric had occupied.

A new ally to the Wine-chevalier made his appearance, but this was also
of no avail to-day. A corpulent man dressed with fastidious nicety
likewise called at Wolfsgarten; he was formerly a famous basso, who had
married a rich widow from the neighboring commercial city, and settled
down here in this beautiful region. At other times he was well received
by Bella, for he sang very agreeably with the remnant of his voice.
When he perceived that his greeting to-day was not so cordial as usual,
he said that he only came to make a passing call, and Bella was vexed
so much the more; she did not like to have Wolfsgarten regarded as a
place for casual visits. When both had departed, Bella and Clodwig
breathed again