a feeling of
reaction has awakened there a more liberal, independent spirit.

If Seppl might be taken as an extreme type of the provincial mode
of thought, so might a young student with whom we shortly became
acquainted be regarded as representing that of the town. Pursuing a
long course of medical studies at the Innsbruck University, he implied
rather by his actions than by any outward expressions that he regarded
his worthy country relations as zealots, absented himself from
Rosenkranz and long family graces, and spoke compassionately of his
relatives as being "very naive;" and these simple, unsophisticated
people in their turn, though staggered by this spirit of quiet
innovation and rebellion in their midst, made their minds easy on the
score that a man of the world, such as he was, and honorably providing
for himself, could not be expected to be such as they were. He had not
time for prayers and confessions: he must study, and then must enjoy
relaxation; but some of their extra petitions might be put to his
account. Not that this was ever expressed in so many words: it was
rather from our own quiet observations that we drew these inferences.
Nor did opportunities fail, seeing that our new acquaintance was in
fact no other than the "Herr Student," the saintly personage whom
we had imagined in long black Noah's Ark coat, wearing the orthodox
clerical stock embroidered with blue and white beads, leading
Rosenkranz, and, should we ever have the honor of his acquaintance,
saying three Ave Marias before conversing with heretics.

Instead of this, behold a good-looking, cheerful young man in gold
spectacles, wearing a suit the color of ripe chestnuts, who, whilst
we began impatiently to look for Anton, appeared before us like a good
genius from the inn, introduced himself and apologized that we should
have been kept waiting. "I regret," he added, "that I was not aware of
your arrival until the kellnerin pointed you out through the window;
otherwise I should have taken the liberty to explain to you that
my brother may be a little late. He brought me and two friends over
earlier in the day, and had then to attend to a little business. _Mein
compliment_;" and with a low bow he returned to the inn.

We no longer anxiously inquired of each other whether the ever-ready
Anton had received our message, rather whether we had not put him to
considerable inconvenience when there was business of the Hofbauer's
to be attended to. An