All this rather turned Nat 's head ; and as he sat in the brilliant opera-house , chatted among the ladies at some select coffee-party , or whisked an eminent professor 's amiable daughter down the room , trying to imagine she was Daisy , he often asked himself if this gay fellow could be the poor homeless little Street musician who once stood waiting in the rain at the gates of Plumfield . His heart was true , his impulses good , and his ambitions high ; but the weak side of his nature came uppermost here ; vanity led him astray , pleasure intoxicated him , and for a time he forgot everything but the delights of this new and charming life . Without meaning to deceive , he allowed people to imagine him a youth of good family and prospects ; he boasted a little of Mr Laurie 's wealth and influence , of Professor Bhaer 's eminence , and the flourishing college at which he himself had been educated . Mrs Jo was introduced to the sentimental Frauleins who read her books , and the charms and virtues of his own dear Madchen confided to sympathetic mammas . All these boyish boastings and innocent vanities were duly circulated among the gossips , and his importance much increased thereby , to his surprise and gratification , as well as some shame . But they bore fruit that was bitter in the end ; for , finding that he was considered one of the upper class , it very soon became impossible for him to live in the humble quarters he had chosen , or to lead the studious , quiet life planned for him . He met other students , young officers , and gay fellows of all sorts , and was flattered at being welcomed among them ; though it was a costly pleasure , and often left a thorn of regret to vex his honest conscience . He was tempted to take better rooms in a more fashionable street , leaving good Frau Tetzel to lament his loss , and his artist neighbour , Fraulein Vogelstein , to shake her grey ringlets and predict his return , a sadder and a wiser man . The sum placed at his disposal for expenses and such simple pleasures as his busy life could command seemed a fortune to Nat , though it was smaller than generous Mr Laurie first proposed . Professor Bhaer wisely counselled prudence , as Nat was unused to the care of money , and the good man knew the temptations that a well-filled purse makes possible at this pleasure-loving age . So Nat enjoyed his handsome little apartment immensely , and insensibly let many unaccustomed luxuries creep in . He loved his music and never missed a lesson ; but the hours he should have spent in patient practice were too often wasted at theatre , ball , beer-garden , or club -- doing no harm beyond that waste of precious time , and money not his own ; for he had no vices , and took his recreation like a gentleman , so far . But slowly a change for the worse was beginning to show itself , and he felt it . These first steps along the flowery road were downward , not upward ; and the constant sense of disloyalty which soon began to haunt him made Nat feel , in the few quiet hours he gave himself , that all was not well with him , spite of the happy whirl in which he lived . ` Another month , and then I will be steady , ' he said more than once , trying to excuse the delay by the fact that all was new to him , that his friends at home wished him to be happy , and that society was giving him the polish he needed . But as each month slipped away it grew harder to escape ; he was inevitably drawn on , and it was so easy to drift with the tide that he deferred the evil day as long as possible . Winter festivities followed the more wholesome summer pleasures , and Nat found them more costly ; for the hospitable ladies expected some return from the stranger ; and carriages , bouquets , theatre tickets , and all the little expenses a young man can not escape at such times , told heavily on the purse which seemed bottomless at first . Taking Mr Laurie for his model , Nat became quite a gallant , and was universally liked ; for through all the newly acquired airs and graces the genuine honesty and simplicity of his character plainly shone , winning confidence and affection from all who knew him . Among these was a certain amiable old lady with a musical daughter -- well-born but poor , and very anxious to marry the aforesaid daughter to some wealthy man . Nat 's little fictions concerning his prospects and friends charmed the gnadige Frau as much as his music and devoted manners did the sentimental Minna .
Their quiet parlour XXXXX homelike and restful to Nat , when tired of gayer scenes ; and the motherly interest of the elder lady was sweet and comfortable to him ; while the tender blue eyes of the pretty girl were always so full of welcome when he came , of regret when he left , and of admiration when he played to her , that he found it impossible to keep away from this attractive spot .
charmed chosen circulated doing drawn grew knew live met seemed