an do so without being faithless to yourself. Do you know what will
happen if you go on as you have been doing? In two years, in spite of
your friendship, you'll not set foot in the tun."

"I? But tell me--"

"It's a very simple matter: because you'll be thinking of your friends
either behind prison bars or in America. Dear Franzel, must I tell you
why you're not fond of living? Because you believe that a man only
truly lives when he becomes a martyr to his convictions, I have always
loved you for this belief and yet I believe it a mistaken one. Test it
awhile; say to yourself that you aid many more by living than you could
by your martyrdom, and you will see that a man can guard his post very
bravely and self-sacrificingly, without fool-hardily summoning the
enemy by alarm shots. It would be an inexpressible comfort to me, if
you would promise for two years to let alone all 'agitation' and see
how affairs really are. There are currents in which it's a useless
waste of strength to row, because the boat floats onward of its own
accord, I know what it will cost you to do this. But it would be a
great joy if this last wish--"

"Say no more," cried the other suddenly pausing before his friend, with
his tearful eyes turned toward him--"Balder is it possible, that
you--that you are about to leave us? And can you believe if that should
happen, that I could continue my life as if nothing had occurred. When
men can no longer behold the sun--do you suppose I could--that I
would--" Words failed him, he turned abruptly away and stood motionless
beside the turning lathe.

"I did not mean that I thought you could live on, the same as before,"
said Balder in a lower voice. "But you need a substitute for what you
resign. You must learn to be glad to live, and I think I know how you
would learn to do so most quickly. You must take a wife, Franzel!"

"I? What can you be thinking about? How came such an idea into your
head? Just at this time too--"

"Because it will soon be too late for me to earn a kuppelpelz[4] from
you. True, I shall scarcely need it. I shall not feel cold where I lie.
But I should like to know of you're being warmly sheltered. And I know
from experience--I've been 'married' to Edwin---that the world looks
much blighter seen with four eyes than with two."

"You see," he continued, as his friend still stood motionless, boring a
hole in the bench with a point of a file--"Edwin will find a wife in
time who will ma