"I am exceedingly delighted to make the acquaintance of such a capital fellow."
"So am I! So am I!" replied the young man, examining his admirer with a quick, sharp glance from his blue eyes, and pushing his spectacles with his finger higher up on his nose in order to be the better able to do so. "With whom have I the honor?"
The gentleman in the velvet coat stepped back, threw his chest out, lifted his much-tried hat, and said,
"I am Director Caspar Schmenckel, from Vienna."
"Ah," replied the other, lightly; "glad to make your acquaintance. My name is Timm, Albert Timm."
"You are not an artist?" said Mr. Schmenckel, confidentially.
"How so?" asked Mr. Timm, evasively.
Director Schmenckel imitated the gesture of one who throws a very heavy object with both hands straight up in the air, in order to let it fall again upon the neck.
"Aha!" said Mr. Timm, who quickly understood in which region of the fine arts the director had been gathering his laurels; "pardon me that I was not personally acquainted with a man of your distinction; but I have only been here a few days."
"Well, I thought so," replied Mr. Schmenckel, as they proceeded arm in arm. "You are a noble fellow; very different from these poor creatures hereabouts. You speak as you think; as you feel in your heart. Caspar Schmenckel likes such fellows, and if he can be of any service to you say the word and it's done."