'Yes, at Frankenburg; they are familiar with your name there. I have written so often of you to Ernestine, my sister.'
'She was educated in England, I believe?'
'With Herminia at the west end of London; so you and she will get on famously together. As you are a musician, you will like her immensely, Carl.'
'I have no doubt of that.'
Little indeed could poor Charlie Pierrepont foresee all Ernestine was yet to be to him.
'I am a bad fellow, I fear,' said the Count reflectively; 'I have trifled with too many women in my time, and fear that I am not worthy of this sweet cousin of mine, even if she would have me.'
'Nay, nay, Heinrich——'
'Somebody writes, that "if we were all judged by our deservings, there is scarcely a man on earth would find a woman bad enough for him."'
'That is taking a low estimate of mankind in general.'
'And of the 95th Thuringians in particular,' added the young Count, laughing; 'to-morrow we shall start for Frankenburg in an open britzka—it is only twenty-five miles from this; and now, one bottle more of St. Julian, and then we shall go and see the girls at the gardens of the Prinz Carl.'