that you know all
about my former difficulties. No, she is not dead, but I have reason to
believe that she will not oppose my marriage."

"That is very accommodating of her," remarked one of the company.

"In fact," said the Professor, "I hope that she will now be induced to
aid me in getting a wife. She and I never took to each other very much;
but now I hope all that may be ended, and when I marry she will come and
stay with me."

"What a happy family!" exclaimed some wag.

"Yes, indeed; and I hope you will come to my wedding, all of you. I
won't mention names, but here is to my little bride!" and the Professor
waved his glass in the air.

"Here's to his little bride!" roared the roysterers, with shouts of
laughter. "Here's her health. Sie soll leben--Hoch!" And so the fun
waxed still more fast and furious, while each young fellow followed the
Professor's example, and drank a toast to the girl of his heart.

While all this festivity had been going on at the Gruener Mann, a very
different scene had been enacted elsewhere. Young Fritz von Hartmann,
with a solemn face and a reserved manner, had, after the experiment,
consulted and adjusted some mathematical instruments; after which, with
a few peremptory words to the janitor, he had walked out into the street
and wended his way slowly in the direction of the house of the
Professor. As he walked he saw Von Althaus, the professor of anatomy, in
front of him, and quickening his pace he overtook him.

"I say, Von Althaus," he exclaimed, tapping him on the sleeve, "you were
asking me for some information the other day concerning the middle coat
of the cerebral arteries. Now I find----"

"Donnerwetter!" shouted Von Althaus, who was a peppery old fellow. "What
the deuce do you mean by your impertinence! I'll have you up before the
Academical Senate for this, sir"; with which threat he turned on his
heel and hurried away. Von Hartmann was much surprised at this
reception. "It's on account of this failure of my experiment," he said
to himself, and continued moodily on his way.

Fresh surprises were in store for him, however. He was hurrying along
when he was overtaken by two students. These youths, instead of raising
their caps or showing any other sign of respect, gave a wild whoop of
delight the instant that they saw him, and rushing at him, seized him by
each arm and commenced dragging him along with them.

"Gott in Himmel!" roared Von Hartmann. "What is the meanin