“Mr. Franz laughed heartily, and said how clever she was, took her on his knee, told her her sisters would be back again directly, and finished his remark by a kiss.

“Unfortunate Mr. Franz!  The young lady immediately gave him an unmistakable box on the ear with her small fist, and vociferated

“No, they won’t, they won’t, they won’t!  They’ll never come back till you’re gone!  They’ve gone away to get out of your way, because you won’t keep out of theirs.  And you’re a forward puppy, papa says, and can’t take a hint; and you’re always in everybody’s way, and I’ll get out of your way, too!’

“Here the little girl began to kick violently; but there was no occasion.  Mr. Franz set her down, and while she ran off to her sisters, he rushed back to the hotel, and double-locked himself into his room.

“After a time, however, he sent for his friend the waiter, for he felt that a talk would do him good.

“But the ‘officious fellow’ shook his head terribly.

“’How many more times am I to tell you what a foolish young gentleman you are?’ cried he.  ’Will you never get up wiser any morning of the year?’

“‘I thought,’ murmured Franz, in broken, almost sobbing accents—­’I thought—­the young ladies—­would have been delighted—­with—­my song;- -you see—­I’ve been—­so well taught—­and I can sing—­’

“‘Oh! pooh, pooh, pooh!’ interrupted the waiter once more.  ’Bother singing and everything else, if you’ve not been asked!  Much better go to bed!’

“Poor Franz!  It was hard work to give in, and he made a last effort.

“’Don’t you think—­after all—­that the prejudice—­is owing to—­what I told you about:- people do so dislike a snub-nose?’

“‘Oh, pooh! bother a snub-nose,’ exclaimed the waiter; ’what will your nose signify, if you don’t poke it in everybody’s way?’

“And with this conclusion Mr. Franz was obliged to be content; and he ordered his dinner up-stairs, and prepared himself for an evening of tears and repentance.

“But, before the waiter had been gone five minutes, he returned with a letter in his hand.

“‘Now, here’s somebody asking something at last,’ said he, for a servant had brought it.

“Franz trembled as he took it.  It was sure to be either a scolding or a summons to prison, he thought.  But no such thing:  it was an invitation to dinner.  Franz threw it on the floor, and kicked it from him—­he would go nowhere—­see nobody any more!

“The ‘officious fellow’ picked it up, and read it.  ‘Mr. Franz,’ said he, ’you mustn’t go to bed this time:  you must go to this dinner instead.  It’s from your father’s old partner—­he wishes you had called, but as you haven’t called, he asks you to dine.  Now you’re wanted, Mr. Franz, and must go.’

“‘I shall get into another mess,’ cried Franz, despondingly.

“’Oh, pooh! you’ve only to keep out of everybody’s way, and all will be right,’ insisted the waiter, as he left the room.