ecidedly that she liked Fink much the
best of the two, she shook her head, and smiling, replied, "You are no
judge, dear; there is a nobility and natural grace in every thing the
stranger does and says that is perfectly enchanting."

Meanwhile the great day of the opening lesson arrived, and Fink, having
superintended Anton's toilette, carried him off to the scene of action.

As they went down stairs, the door of Jordan's room softly opened, and
Specht, stretching out his long neck to look after them, cried out to
those within, "He is gone. Did you ever hear of such a thing? Why, there
are only the nobility there! A pretty story it will make."

"After all, why should he not go, since he is invited?" said the
good-natured Jordan. To this no one knew exactly what to answer, till
Pix cried angrily, "I do not like his accepting such an invitation. He
belongs to us and to the office. He will learn no good among such
people."

"These dancing-lessons must be curious scenes," chimed in Specht;
"frivolous in the extreme, mere love-making and dueling--for which we
know Wohlfart has always had a turn. Some fine morning we shall have him
going out with pistols under his arm, and not returning on his feet."

"Nonsense!" replied the irritable Pix; "they don't fight more than other
people."

"Then he will have to speak French?"

"Why not Russ?" asked Mr. Pix.

At which the two fell into a dispute as to what was the medium of
communication in the great lady's _salon_. However, all the colleagues
agreed in considering that Wohlfart had taken an exceedingly bold and
mysterious step, and one pregnant with calamitous consequences.

Nor was this the only discussion on the subject. "He is gone!" announced
the cousin, returning from an interview with some of the domestics.

"Another trick of his friend Fink," said the merchant.

Sabine looked down at her work. "I am glad," said she at length, "that
Fink should use his influence to give his friend pleasure. He himself
does not care for dancing, and I am sure that to attend these lessons is
in him an act of self-denial; and I am also truly glad that Wohlfart,
who has hitherto led such a solitary life, should go a little into
society."

"But into such society as this? How is it possible!" cried the cousin.

Sabine tapped the table with her thimble. "Fink has spoken highly of
him, and that was good and kind. And, in spite of the grave face of my
dear brother, he shall, as a reward,