As he approached the red sandstone house, with its sculptured
balconies, and its pretty front garden, he had a disagreeable
surprise. At the iron gate two cabs were standing, evidently waiting
for visitors at the house. He was shown, not into the little blue-
room, but into the large drawing-room near the winter garden, and
found several people there in lively conversation. Beside Loulou and
Frau Ellrich there were Fraulein Malvine Marker, with her mother,
and also Herr von Pechlar, the lieutenant of hussars of cotillion
fame.
"Have you come too to say good-by?" cried Loulou, going to meet
Wilhelm.
Her face looked troubled, and her voice trembled, and yet Wilhelm
felt as if a shower of cold water had drenched his head. The
insincerity of their relations, her distant manner before the
others, but above all the unfortunate word "too," including him with
the lieutenant, put him so much out of tune that all his previous
intentions vanished, and he sank at once to the position of an
ordinary visitor.
Herr von Pechlar led the conversation, and took no notice of the new
guest's presence. He oppressed Wilhelm, and made him feel small by
the smartness of his uniform, his rank as first lieutenant, and his
eyeglasses.
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