mines which he had
laid in K----. They argued for two hours, three hours, walking up and
down the streets, and in the heat of their discussion, agreed to submit
the question to the Professor for his decision, never recollecting that
poor old Emanuel had been many a year in his grave. They parted, and
never met again. Now to _me_ there is something almost terrific about
this story (which has this peculiarity, that it is strictly true). My
imagination _boggles_ at a Philistinism of a depth so ghastly! So we
are not going to be Philistines. We are not going to insist on spinning
on at the thread which we were spinning twelve years ago, nor be
annoyed with each other for having on different hats and coats. We will
be different to what we were then, and yet the same; so that is
settled. What Lothair, without much relevancy, said of clubs is, I dare
say true enough, and proves how prone poor Humanity is to dam up the
minutest remnants of its freedom, and build an artificial roof to
prevent it looking up to the clear blue sky. But what have we to do
with this? For my part, I adhere to Ottmar's proposal, that we meet
every week on a certain day."

"I shall oppose it persistently," said Lothair. "But to put an end to
this horrible argument and discussion, let Cyprian tell us the strange
adventure which is so much in his thoughts to-day."

"My idea," said Cyprian, "is rather that we should try to get into a
merrier mood; and it would greatly conduce to this if Theodore would be
so kind as to open yon old mysterious vase, which, judging by the
delicate aroma it gives out, might have pertained to the Brotherhood of
the Clucking Hen. Nothing on earth could have a more opposite effect
than my adventure, which you would consider inappropriate, altogether
uninteresting--nay, silly and absurd. It is gloomy in its character at
the same time, and the part which I play in it is the reverse of
distinguished: abundant reasons for saying nothing about it."

"Did I not tell you," cried Theodore, "that our Cyprian, our dear
Sunday-child, had been seeing all kinds of questionable spirits again,
which he won't allow our utterly carnal eyes to look upon? Out with
your adventure, Cyprian, and if you _do_ play rather an ungrateful part
in it, I promise that I will soon recollect, and dish you up adventures
of my own in which I play a more ungrateful part than you can possibly
do. I assure you I have a large stock of them."

"So be it then," said