Dinner was served at separate tables where single guests might take
it as they pleased, and Wilhelm was absentminded and dreamy when he
sat down. He scarcely glanced at the large, cool dining-room,
ornamented with engravings of portraits of the Grand Dukes of Baden
and their wives. Six large windows looked into the valley of the
Gutach with its little town of Hornberg, and the mountains lying
beyond. He hardly noticed the rather silent people at the other
tables, in which the English element predominated. He had come in
purposely late in the hope of finding Fraulein Ellrich already
there. She was not present; but he was not kept long in suspense
before a waiter opened the door, and the lovely girl appeared
accompanied by a stately gentleman and a stout lady. They seemed to
be known to the servants, for as soon as they appeared the
headwaiter and his subordinates rushed toward them, and with many
bows and scrapes took their wraps from them and ushered them to
their places.

Wilhelm, who possessed very little knowledge of society, was
somewhat at a loss. Ought he to recognize the young lady? If he
followed his inclination, he certainly would do so. But her parents!
They seemed to be cold and reserved-looking. Happily all fell out
for the best. The Ellrichs walked straight to the table where he was
sitting, and in a moment Wilhelm was greeting his lovely
acquaintance with a low bow. Her quick eyes had already recognized
him from the doorway. She returned his greeting smiling and
blushing, and as her father nodded kindly, the ice was broken.
Wilhelm introduced himself, and the councilor gave him the tips of
his fingers and said: "If you have no objection we will sit at your
table." His wife, who gazed at Wilhelm through a gold "pince-nez"
with hardly concealed surprise, took her place next to him; on the