ed. Hans wished him at the ---- next barber's; but there was something
so unpleasantly positive in the visitor's appearance, that he had not the
power to object, so politely bowed him into the shop. The stranger removed
his cap, and discovered two very ugly protuberances, one on each side of
his head, and of most unphrenological appearance. Hans commenced
operations--the lather dried as fast as he laid it on, and the razor
emitted small sparks as it encountered the bristles on the stranger's
chin, Hans felt particularly uncomfortable, and not a word had hitherto
passed on either side, when the stranger broke the ice by asking, rather
abruptly, "Have you any schnapps in the house?" Hans jumped like a parched
pea. Without waiting for a reply, the stranger rose and opened the
cupboard. "I never take anything stronger than water," said Hans, in
reply, to the "pshaw!" which broke from the stranger's lips as he smelt at
the contents of a little brown pitcher. "More fool you," replied his
customer. "Here taste that--some of the richest grape-blood of Rheingau;"
and he handed Hans a small flask, which the sober barber respectfully
declined. "Ha! ha! and yet you hope to thrive with the women," said the
stranger. "No wonder that Agnes treats you as she does. But drink, man!
drink!"

The stranger took a pipe, and coolly seated himself again in his chair,
hung one leg over the back of another, and striking his finger briskly
down his nose, elicited a flame that ignited his tobacco, and then he
puffed, and puffed, till every moth in the shop coughed aloud. The
uneasiness of Hans increased, and he looked towards the door with the most
cowardly intention; and, lo! two laughing, dimpled faces, were peeping in
at them. "Ha! how are you?" said the stranger; "come in! come in!" and to
Hans' horror, two very equivocal damsels entered the shop. Hans felt
scandalised, and was about to make a most powerful remonstrance, when he
encountered the eye of his impertinent customer; and, from its sinister
expression, he thought it wise to be silent. One of the damsels seated
herself upon the stranger's knee, whilst the other looked most coaxingly
to the barber; who, however, remained proof to all her winks and blinks,
and "wreathed smiles."

"'Sblitzen!" exclaimed the lady, "the man's an icicle!"

"Hans, you're a fool!" said the stranger; and his enamorata concurred in
the opinion. The flask was again proffered--the eye-artillery again
brought int