"You may make one for me too," said Albert, throwing his hat upon a chair and himself into the corner of the well-padded sofa. "As heretofore, Albert mine?" asked the obliging landlord, taking another tumbler and spoon from the cupboard and placing it on the table by the side of the smoking tea-kettle. "Rather a little more than less," was the mysterious reply. While Mr. Toby was brewing the hot drink according to this prescription, Albert was gazing at the tips of his boots. "You are not in good humor to-night, Albert mine!" said Toby, looking up from his occupation. "It would be a lie to say the contrary!" "What's the matter? Has little Louisa caught you?" "Little Louisa be d----d." "Or have they sent you a little note, which you had conveniently forgotten?" "Something of the kind!" "Well, what is it?" asked Toby, placing the grog he had mixed for Albert upon the table and stirring it busily. "There, take a mouthful, and then speak out!" Albert took the tumbler, tasted, to see if it was neither too hot nor too cold, neither too sweet nor too bitter, neither too strong nor too weak, and when he had gained the conviction that it came fully up to his standard, he more than half emptied it at one draught. "It goes down easily to-night," said Toby, good naturedly. "Try it again." "You recollect that I commenced last summer at Grenwitz a foolish sort of a thing with a little black-eyed witch of a French girl?" continued Timm. "I know," said Toby, smiling cunningly; "I know what's the matter now." "No, you don't. The little thing was as shy as a wild-duck. In other respects, to be sure, she was as stupid, too, for you know she lent me, poor as I was, three hundred dollars, which she had put into the savings bank." "That was noble in her." "But now she wants them back." "Did you give her a note?" "No!" "Why, then, you have only to say that you know nothing about it, and it's all right. Selah!" "That is not so easy. She has great friends, with whom I should not like to have trouble." "Why not?" "Did I not tell you that Marguerite is no longer with the Grenwitz people?" "Not a word. Where is she?" "At Privy Councillor Rohan's." "How did she get there?" "I believe through Bemperlein, the candidate for the university, forsooth; the hypocrite who, I am told, is now the privy councillor's right hand, and as others say engaged to my pet of other days." "Much good may it do him!" said Toby. "But who has dunned you?"