evening." "By no means," said I coolly; "you are still very
young; but I advise you to be more cautious in future, for I am
not accustomed to such jokes. The subject on which you were so
facetious did you no credit, nor did it answer your purpose, for
you see I still wear the order; you had better have chosen some
other topic for your wit." "I assure you," said he, "it was only
my brother-in-law who"--"Let us say no more about it," said I.
"We had nearly been deprived of the pleasure of seeing you
altogether," he rejoined. "Yes; had it not been for Herr Stein, I
certainly should not have come; and, to tell you the truth, I am
only here now to prevent you Augsburg gentlemen being the
laughing-stock of other countries, which would have been the case
if I had told them that I was eight days in the city where my
father was born, without any one there taking the trouble to hear
me!" I played a concerto, and all went off well except the
accompaniment; and as a finale I played a sonata. At the close,
Baron Belling thanked me in the warmest manner in the name of all
the company; and, begging me to consider only their good will,
presented me with two ducats.

They give me no peace here till I agree to give a public concert
next Saturday. Perhaps--but I own I am heartily sick of it all. I
shall be indeed glad when I arrive at a place where there is a
court. I may with truth say that, were it not for my kind
cousins, my regrets would be as numberless as the hairs on my
head for ever having come to Augsburg. I must write you some
account of my fair cousin, but you must excuse my deferring this
till to-morrow, for one ought to be quite fresh to praise her as
highly as she deserves.