pon him that Roschen first felt towards him something
more than the passing interest that every maiden reasonably feels in
every seemly young man. Her disposition towards him, to be sure, even
when thus stimulated by a sympathetic melancholy, was only that of
friendliness; but it evidently was a friendliness so cordial and so
sincere that it made quite a tolerable foundation upon which Ludwig
freely built fine air-castles of hope. For his disposition towards
Roschen was altogether that of a lover--as anybody might have known
after hearing that decided expression of his opinion to the effect that
all the angels singing together could not make music so sweet as the
music of her voice.

In due time, in accordance with the decorous German custom, both of
these young men made formal application to Andreas for permission to
be ranked formally as Roschen's suitors; and, as it chanced, they both
preferred their requests upon the same day. The young Herr Strauss
undeniably had some strong points to make in his own favor; and he made
them, to do him justice, without any hesitation or false modesty. As he
truly said--speaking with an easy assurance, and airily fingering his
gold watch-chain as he spoke--in marrying him Roschen would make an
excellent match. In rather marked contrast with this justifiable yet not
wholly pleasing assumption of self-importance, was the modest tone in
which Ludwig urged his suit; yet was Andreas not unfavorably impressed
by the fact that he dwelt less upon his deserts than upon his desire
to be deserving; and that in connection with the creditable presentment
that he made of the condition of his worldly affairs he did not insist,
as the Herr Strauss had insisted, upon a minute examination of Roschen's
dowry. As bearing indirectly yet forcibly upon a general consideration
of the cases of these young men, the statement may be added that one of
them had made for his proposed father-in-law several excellent pairs
of shoes, while the other had made for--or, rather, against--him only a
series of uncommonly sharp bargains.

To neither of the lovers did Andreas give an immediate answer. He must
think a little, he said. The self-esteem of the Herr Strauss was a
trifle ruffled by the suggestion that in such a case waiting of any sort
was necessary; it seemed to him that an offer so desirable as that
which he had made was entitled to instant acceptance. But Ludwig noted
a certain trembling in the voice that bad