nervous and uneasy.

"Frederick," said the old man, one of those dignified, astute, tall,
gray-bearded, and keen-eyed men, whom we find in the picture galleries
of the middle ages, dressed in a suit of stately black, with the
golden chain of his order, and riband of the Fleece, "I was very
anxious to see you, my son. The influence of our house is deserting
us; you have not attended the council lately--there is a majority
organizing against us. You should be at your post my son. The first
element of success in life is industry--patient, untiring industry; it
is to this we owe the fortunes of our house the very decorations which
I wear, the consideration with which I am treated," and the old man
curled the long, tapering moustache, partly in pride, partly in anger.

"But, my father, you forget that I am wholly occupied in my
studies--that you yourself urged me to contend for the prize which the
city gives--that you considered this would be the readiest means of
extending your family influence."

"Forget!" exclaimed the old man indignantly. "Forget!" and his
spurs clanged upon the pavement. "I am not quite so old as to forget
thus--neither do I forget that you wasted three months in making love
to that jungfrau Marguerite, and three more months in lamenting her
loss, even after she had spurned you, you son of the chief citizen of
Dantzic. You succeed in nothing, sir; unstable as water, you trifle
away all existence. Now tell me, you solitary student, where have you
been to-night? Of course not wasting every moment in the holiday with
your boon companions, and making love to all the peasants? Speak,
sir."