may; why not?" But having received so grievous an insult the next
evening, I resolved not to go near him again, to steer clear of
the whole set of patricians, and to leave Augsburg. During
dinner, on the 16th, I was called out by a servant-maid of
Langenmantl's, who wished to know whether he might expect me to
go with him to the concert? and he begged I would come to him
immediately after dinner. I sent my compliments in return, that I
had no intention of going to the concert; nor could I come to
him, as I was already engaged (which was quite true); but that I
would call next morning to take leave of him, as on Saturday
next, at furthest, I was to leave Augsburg. In the meantime Herr
Stein had been to see the other patricians of the Evangelical
party, and spoke so strongly to them that these gentlemen were
quite excited. "What!" said they, "shall we permit a man who does
us so much honor to leave this without even hearing him? Herr von
Langenmantl, having already heard him, thinks that is enough."

At last they became so excited that Herr Kurzenmantl, the
excellent youth, was obliged to go to Herr Stein himself to
entreat him, in the name of the patricians, to do all in his
power to persuade me to attend the concert, but to say that I
must not expect great things. At last I went with him, though
with considerable reluctance. The principal gentlemen were very
polite, particularly Baron Belling, who is a director or some
such animal; he opened my music-portfolio himself. I brought a
symphony with me, which they played, and I took a violin part.
The orchestra is enough to throw any one into fits. That young
puppy Langenmantl was all courtesy, but his face looked as
impertinent as ever; he said to me, "I was rather afraid you
might have escaped us, or been offended by our jokes the other