‘That shows your good taste,’ replied Jerome, gravely, raising his hat and wishing him good-evening; and then, after another look after the carriage as it drove rapidly away down the Nassau Road, he turned and sauntered slowly along the road towards the hotel of the _Vier Jahreszeiten_, where Mr. Wellfield and his family were staying. [Illustration] CHAPTER II. FRAU VON TROCKENAU’S ‘GESELLSCHAFT.’ The Count and Countess of Trockenau were both young, rich, and what their countrymen call _lebenslustig_, a word for which we have no equivalent shorter than a well-rounded sentence of explanation. Their estate was large, and as beautiful as heart could desire. It stood sloping up a rounded, richly-wooded hill in the neighbourhood of K——au; and from its great terrace, as well as from other less distinguished points of vantage, there was a broad and beautiful vista over the rich and many-coloured plain, to where in a silver line the Rhine might be seen winding his way towards Coblenz. Far distant, like blue clouds on the horizon, lay the soft outlines of the Rhine mountains; far over hill and dale shone the delicious sunshine, while the fair land spread her broad bosom, in the rich maturity of the latter July, to his fervent beams. All the summer long, Frau von Trockenau loved to have her friends around her, and those friends were various. Coffee-parties and picnics—or rather the German equivalents of picnics in the shape of _fêtes_ and _Landparteien_, suppers and dances, riding and driving, and, when it was late enough, shooting and _die Jagd_. An admirable cook, wines of a character not to disgrace the _cuisine_, a hearty welcome, and unlimited liberty to the guest to follow the bent of his own wishes—these were the attractions offered to their guests by the count and countess, and they proved so strong that Frau von Trockenau very rarely had an invitation refused. People refused or put off other visits in order to make one to Schloss Trockenau, and persons who were not spontaneously invited there schemed to get invitations.