, bending
toward the flames to conceal his blushes. "It's beginning to grow cold.
Franzel went out a short time ago, probably to visit his betrothed."

"Our tribune of the people betrothed? The conspirator conspired
against? And to whom, if I may ask?"

"You were right, Edwin, in your suspicion that something unusual was
the subject of Reginchen's thoughts. It's still a secret, however. But
I'm very glad. They will suit each other exactly, I think."

"Well, well! how fast children develope! Our philanthropist and woman
hater, and the little house swallow! This is news indeed! Well, I too
have something to tell. Just as I was coming into the house, the
post-man overtook me and handed me a letter, which, _entre nous_, is
worth fifty ducats: we've won the prize, my boy!"

"Your essay? That's very pleasant!"

"Pleasant? Nothing but pleasant? I think your brotherly love receives
the news of this miracle very phlegmatically."

"Because I think nothing more natural than that you should at last be
appreciated. I've never doubted that you would be."

"Yes, yes, child," laughed Edwin passing his hand caressingly over his
brother's luxuriant hair, "if you should read in the newspaper
to-morrow, that a certain Dr. Edwin was made Grand Mogul, or what would
be still more wonderful appointed minister of public worship and
instruction, you would, in your famous blindness, lay aside the sheet
and say: 'I'm only surprised that the bright idea didn't occur to them
long ago.' Well then, you member of the _nil admirari_ society, I can
venture to tell my second piece of news without fear of causing you any
special agitation. The faculty that were wise enough to assign the
prize to my essay, have been so well pleased with me that in spite of
my radical tendencies, they offer me a professorship. That is, for the
present only surreptiously. They have to struggle against all sorts of
eddies and tack constantly, to bring me through. But they think, if I
should come and show myself, certain orthodox colleagues, who believe
me a child of hell, would see that the devil is not so black as he's
painted. So I'm to come, see and conquer, and that soon, for the
professorship has been vacant ever since Easter, and they would like to
have the _collegium logicum_ filled again during this winter session.
The salary is not bad, at any rate it's a piece of bread, though for
the present there's no butter to spread it with. Well, if we find we
can't live