far greater
distinction. For, besides bearing the title of count, he wore upon
every one of his coats--aye, even on his dressing-gown--a great silver
star. Thus it had happened that when, about a year before, he had paid
a flying visit one afternoon to his cousin, Baron Thaddeus--but alone
that time, without the stout lady (who was his wife) and without the
children Felix had said to him, "Please tell me, uncle, have you been
made _king_ now?" For Felix had seen a picture of a king in his
picture-book with just such a star on his breast, and naturally thought
his uncle was one, since he wore this mark of royalty. His uncle had
laughed much at the question on that occasion, and replied, "No, dear
child, I am not the king, but I am the king's most faithful servant and
minister, who rules over a great many people. If you belonged to the
line of the Counts of Brakel, perhaps you might one day wear a star
like this one of mine. As it is, you are only a simple 'von'--a baron,
and cannot expect to come to very much."

Felix did not understand his uncle in the slightest, and his father
thought it did not much matter whether he did or not. The uncle told
his fat lady how Felix had thought he was the king; on which she
ejaculated, "Sweet, delightful, _touching_ innocence!"

And now Felix and Christlieb had to come forward from the window, where
they had been eating their cake with much kickering and laughter. Their
mother wiped the cake-crumbs and raisin-remnants from their lips, and
they were handed over to their gracious uncle and aunt, who kissed
them, with loud ejaculations of, "Oh, sweet and darling nature! oh
rural simplicity!" and placed big cornets of paper in their hands.
Tears came to the eyes of Baron Thaddeus von Brakel, and to those of
his wife, over this condescension of their grand kinsfolk. Meanwhile
Felix had opened his paper-cornet, and found in it bonbons, at which he
set to work to munch vigorously, in which Christlieb followed his
example.

"My boy! my boy!" cried his gracious uncle, "that is not the way to do
it; you will destroy your teeth! You must suck them gently till the
sugar dissolves in your mouth." But Felix laughed, and said, "Gracious
uncle! do you think I am a baby, and haven't got teeth to bite them
with?" With which he put a bonbon in his mouth and gave it such a bite
that everything rattled and rang. "Delicious naivety!" the fat lady
cried. The uncle agreed; but drops of perspiration stood