Page:German Stories (Volumes 2–3).djvu/356

166 of lacqueys in red coats with gold lace. This, joined to the stiff, formal manners of himself and all his family, constantly reminded the commoners, that they must not, on any occasion, step beyond their prescribed rules and limitations. Consequently, those public assemblies became every day less and less attended, and private family circles were made up to pass away the evenings.

One of these minor clubs used to meet twice or thrice in the week, at a large room in one of the hotels, which they knew would, at such times, be unoccupied. Here they supped, and entertained themselves with conversation merely, without thinking of cards, having the advantage too of a large beautiful garden behind the house for their promenade. The members of this society had all been acquainted with each other before now,—only one individual had introduced himself who was a stranger to them, and to every one else at W. He was styled Marquis, which title seemed, in his case, not a little extraordinary, as, according to the list of arrivals, he was neither of French nor Italian extraction, but had a name that might perchance be Norwegian, Islandic, or Russian,—a string of consonant that no reader