"He waltzes tolerably--too much swing, perhaps," muttered Fink to himself. "A distinguished-looking pair," cried Frau von Baldereck, as Anton and Lenore whirled past. "She talks too much to him," said the baroness to her husband, who happened to join her. "To him?" asked he; "who is the young man? I have never seen the face before." "He is one of the adherents of Herr von Fink--he is alone here--has rich relatives in Russia or America; I do not like the acquaintance for Lenore." "Why not?" replied the baron; "he looks a good, innocent sort of youth, and is far better suited for this child's-play than the old boys that I see around. There is Bruno Toennchen, whose only pleasure is to make the girls blush, or teach them to leave off blushing. Lenore looks uncommonly well to-night. I am going to my whist; send for me when the carriage is ready." Anton heard none of these comments upon him; and if the hum of the company around had been as loud as that of the great bell of the city's highest steeple, he would not have heard it better. For him the whole world had shrunk to the circle round which he and his partner revolved. The beautiful fair head so near his own that sometimes they touched, the warm breath that played on his cheek, the unspeakable charm of the white glove that hid her small hand, the perfume of her handkerchief, the red flowers fastened to her dress--these he saw and felt; all besides was darkness, barrenness, nothingness. Suddenly the music stopped, and Anton's world fell back into chaos. "What a pity!" said Lenore, as the last note died away. "I thank you for this bliss!" said Anton, leading her back to her place. As he moved to and fro in the crowd like a rudderless ship amid the waves, Fink took him in tow, and said, "I say, you hypocrite, you have either drunk sweet wine, or you are a quiet sort of Don Juan. How long have you known the Rothsattel? You have never spoken of her to me. She has a lovely figure and a classical face. Has she any sense?" At that moment how unspeakably Anton despised his friend! Such an expression as that could only proceed from the most degraded of human beings. "Sense!" exclaimed he, casting on Fink a look of deadly enmity; "he who doubts it must be utterly devoid of sense himself." "Well, well!" exclaimed Fink, in amazement; "I am not in that melancholy plight, for I think the girl, or rather the young lady, uncommonly lovely; and, had I not some small engagements elsewhere, I might feel constrained to choose her for the mistress of my affections. As it is, I can only admire her afar off." "You are right," said Anton, squeezing his arm. "Really," returned Fink, in his usual careless tone, "you begin well, it must be allowed; go on, my son, and prosper."