His host having disappeared, he saw no one who might introduce him to the young ladies, many of whom were watching him with interest.

After a few moments of hesitation he started toward them in a simple and natural manner.
"Allow me," he said, "to overstep the rules of strict etiquette.

It has been seven years since I have been in my own country and upon returning to it I cannot suppress my admiration and refrain from paying my respects to its most precious ornaments, the ladies." But as none of them ventured a reply, he found himself obliged to retire.

He then turned toward a group of men who, upon seeing him approach, arranged themselves in a semicircle.
"Gentlemen," he addressed them, "it is a custom in Germany, when a stranger finds himself at a function and there is no one to introduce him to those present, that he give his name and so introduce himself.

Allow me to adopt this usage here, not to introduce foreign customs when our own are so beautiful, but because I find myself driven to it by necessity.