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 my heart torn by Florentine’s behaviour. She seemed to have met with an old and very familiar acquaintance; for they spoke of the last ball which they had both been at in a neighbouring watering-place,—and he called her the queen of the day, and reproached her for having only danced three times with him; adding, that a duel had nearly been fought about her, and that all the girls in the company had almost died of vexation at witnessing the homage which was paid to her surpassing charms.

All this flattery the girl seemed to drink in greedily; I could no longer endure the sight, but rose to retire to my room. As I walked towards the door, my eye rested once more upon Florentine, and her beauty seemed to encrease upon my ardent gaze.

“I understand from my daughter,” said the host, now addressing me, and rising from table with all the company, “that you are a friend of Mr Blum’s. We hope to see him here soon; and would have great pleasure in receiving the gentleman into our house. His grandmother was a good friend of ours; pray write to him that the best room in the house,—No. 3, my own daughter’s at present—is at his service.”

I was so much out of temper with Florentine’s behaviour that I could not help shedding a little of my spleen on the occasion. I told him that I had come to his house on the express recommendation of my friend Blum, who must have heard a good deal about it; but that nevertheless I was glad he had not come in person to-day.

“Glad that he has not come to-day!” repeated the host of the Blue Angel, with some astonishment, and beginning to suspect that all was not right from the tone in which I had spoken: “What has happened, sir? What do you mean by these words?”

“I mean, sir,” said I, “that his expectations may fall short on Miss Florentine’s side at least.”

At these words mine host looked utterly astonished.