She was a fat florid old lady, who looked coarsely clever and resolute; and she had a daughter who promised to resemble her but too faithfully, in due course of time.

It was a relief to me, at dinner, to find myself placed between the merchant's wife and her eldest son.

They were far more attractive neighbors at table, to my thinking, than Frau Meyer.
Dinner being over, we withdrew to another room to take our coffee.

The merchant and his son, both ardent musicians in their leisure hours, played a sonata for pianoforte and violin.

I was at the opposite extremity of the room, looking at some fine proof impressions of prints from the old masters, when a voice at my side startled me by an unexpected question.
"May I ask, sir, if you are acquainted with Mr.Keller's son ?" I looked round, and discovered Frau Meyer.
"Have you seen him lately ?" she proceeded, when I had acknowledged that I was acquainted with Fritz.