These society gatherings were what he delighted in, and he thought
it his duty to try to model his friend in the same way. It was not
without a struggle with himself that he let a dance go by and went
over to where Wilhelm stood.

"What a great pity it is that you don't dance."

"Fraulein Ellrich has just said the same thing," answered Wilhelm,
smiling a little.

"And she is quite right. You are like a thirsty man beside a
delicious spring, and are not able to drink. It is pure Tantalus."

"Your analogy does not hold good. What I am looking at does not give
me the sensation of a delicious spring, and does not make me
thirsty."

Paul looked at him surprised. "Still you are a man of flesh and
blood, and the sight of all these charming girls must give you
pleasure."

"You know I am engaged to only one girl here, and her I have seen
under more favorable circumstances."

"Well! She probably does not always wear such beautiful dresses, and
if she were not excited by the music and dancing her eyes might
possibly not sparkle so much; that is what I mean about its being a
pity that you don't dance."

"That is not it. I have seen this beautiful girl on other occasions