wine; but, in the hopes of rendering himself agreeable to Albert,
he thought he would stretch a point this once. He filled his goblet
full, and said, "Don't you think, neighbour, this wine has fire in it,
and is high flavoured? It is not, indeed, Wuertemberger wine, such as
you are accustomed to drink in Franconia, but it is real Elfinger, out
of the cellar of the senate, and calls itself eighty years old."

Astonished at this address, Albert put down his tankard, and answered
with a short, "Yes, yes." His neighbour, however, would not let him off
so easily. "It appears, nevertheless," he went on to say, "that it is
not quite the thing you like, but I know a remedy. Holloa, there!" he
called to a servant, "bring a can of Uhlbacher here. Now just taste
this; it grows hard by the castle of Wuertemberg. You must pledge me in
this toast: 'A short war and glorious victory.'"

Albert, to whom this conversation was in no wise agreeable, thought to
turn it to something which might lead to a more interesting topic. "You
have much beauty here in Ulm," said he; "at least, in passing through
the town, I remarked many pretty faces at the windows."

"Yes, in truth," answered the Ulmer, "the streets might be paved with
them."

"That would not be amiss," replied Albert, "for the pavement of your
streets is bad indeed. But tell me who lives in that corner house with
the bow-window?" pointing to the situation of it: "if I do not mistake,
two young ladies were looking out of the window as we rode by."

"So! you have remarked them already?" laughed the other: "upon my word,
you have a quick eye, and are a good judge. They are my pretty cousins,
on my mother's side: the little blonde is the daughter of the Herrn von
Besserer, the other is the lady of Lichtenstein, a Wuertemberger,
staying with her on a visit."

Albert thanked heaven for having been placed so near a relation of
Bertha, and determined at once to take advantage of his good fortune.
He turned to him, and in the most friendly manner said, "You have a
couple of pretty cousins, Herr von Besserer."

"I call myself Dieterick von Kraft, secretary to the grand council,
with your permission."

"A pair of pretty cousins, Herr von Kraft; do you visit them often?"

"Yes, I do," answered the secretary, "and particularly since the
daughter of Lichtenstein is in the house. Before her arrival, cousin
Marie and I were one heart and soul, but she is somewhat jealous now,
being piqued