nough for all useful purposes; for he trotted through the
rye with the composure of an elephant, and did spring a partridge from
her nest. But the partridge happily escaped from three well-loaded
barrels, and we never saw more either of her or her companions. Then
went we deep into the woods, following the notes of the cuckoo and the
ring-dove, only that we might come forth again with hands unstained by
the blood of any such innocent creatures.

I was very much amused with all this for a while, but by degrees it
began to grow tiresome; and I proposed that, as the sun wore towards
the west, we should return home. My wish was law, to my kind
companions; and homewards we turned our faces. But as we drew towards a
small house, about three or four English miles from the town, the
sounds of music were heard, and we found, on approaching, that it was
filled with ladies and gentlemen from Gabel, the younger portion of
whom were dancing to the notes of a fiddle, a clarionet, and a bassoon.
It was our purpose to mix with the people of Bohemia as much as
possible; we therefore expressed a desire to stop short for a minute or
two, and to become spectators, if not partners in the frolic. Again
were our wishes complied with cheerfully. We joined the merry-making,
were well and kindly received, and laying aside our guns and pouches,
danced with such of the young ladies as happened to be without
partners. Nor did we get away from this pleasant little broad-day ball
without doing some violence to the hospitable feelings of its founders.

Dancing seems to be a passion with all orders of people in Bohemia. The
very cow-herds dance on the high road, to the music of their own
voices, and the universal figure is the waltz. Quadrilles and
gallopades have, no doubt, their worshippers among the higher classes;
but among the lower, the waltz--most truly called the German
waltz,--seems to be all in all. The party to which, for half-an-hour,
we attached ourselves, belonged to the middle ranks, that is, to such
middle ranks as even Germany produces; for there were present the
doctor and his wife, a wealthy brewer and his family, with others of
Gabel's magnates, and I believe that I had the honour of dancing with
the brewer's daughter.

So passed one day at Gabel; to ourselves most pleasantly, and if we
might judge from the manners of the people about us, not less agreeably
to them. The rest of our story at this stage is told in few words. We
ret