name this
morning: that is THEODORE MUNDT.' Struck as I was with the stranger's
aspect, which appeared to me altogether American, I stared at him till he
suddenly raised his dark eyes, and fixed them on mine. To disembarrass
myself from my seeming rudeness as politely as possible, I bowed to his
gaze, and said inquiringly: 'I have the honor to address Mr. MUNDT?'

[2] A new public library and reading-room in Berlin.

''You have the _luck_,' he said, 'but the honor is _his_.'

''Honors are even, then,' said I, as brusquely as I dared; and of all
animals a traveller is the most impudent. 'I have in my pocket,' I
continued, 'a letter for you from my friend CARLYLE.' At the name of
CARLYLE he raised his hands in surprise, then rubbed them with delight,
and began to eulogise his friend.

'All this while I was fumbling in my pocket for my letter, when suddenly
it flashed over me that I had put it under the bust in the tavern. I grew
confused for a moment, and then as Mynheer MUNDT held out his hand for the
letter, I burst into a laugh, and confessed that I had left my letter at
home. MUNDT looked very serious, and quoted from Othello, 'That is a
fault;' and then from Macbeth, 'To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow.'
I thought there was a little affectation in this; perhaps it was merely
complimentary; but the immediate result of our imperfect acquaintance was,
that I made bold to introduce my friend to MUNDT, who invited us both to
his rooms to supper. On our way thither, as we passed the _Brunswik
Gasthaus_, where I lodged, I stepped in to procure my letter, and MUNDT
appeared rejoiced to hear directly from his 'very _fine_ friend' CARLYLE,
as he queerly styled him.

'I should feel that I was venturing on forbidden ground were I to reveal
more of what passed between us that evening. There was some drawing of
corks and some puffing of Hamburg-made Cheroots, which MUNDT declared to
be genuine Oriental; there was a ham of Westphalia, and a bit of La
Gruyere. But with all this we have nothing to do. I fear that I have
already made my preface too long. Enough be it then to say, that MUNDT
first revealed to me on this occasion (I am ashamed to own it) the name
and talents of our countryman SEATSFIELD. How enthusiastic he was I will
not describe; but his enthusiasm could only be equalled by his surprise
that I was not familiar with his writings.

'On the next day MUNDT gave me a letter to SEATSFIELD, directed to him at