anxious to set about it at once (after
the nature of his kind). The friends' conversation subsided in tone.
The family bowed civilly to them as they passed, on which they, ducking
their heads faster and further than the occasion demanded, banged them
all three together with a resounding thwack. Ere they recovered from
this, the family had gone. Then they slunk, in gloomy silence, back to
their cold punch, which they found miserable. The imagery of the clouds
paled into cold darksome mist; Bellevue was Bellevue again, each
lightning-conductor a lightning-conductor, and the Webersche Zelt a
common refreshment shop. And, as there was hardly anybody else left in
the place, an unpleasant chill began to be perceptible, the very pipes
wouldn't keep alight; and the friends crept away, in a conversation
which only flared up for a moment now and then, like a burnt-out
candle. Severin left the others while they were still in the
Thiergarten, as he lived in it at the other end; and Marzell, turning
off at the Friedrich Strasse, left Alexander to wend his way to his
distant dwelling, and the society of his 'walking' aunt. It was on
account of the distance at which they lived from one another that they
had chosen a public place for their meetings, where they might see each
other on particular days of the week. They came, however, more for the
sake of keeping their promise than from any strong desire to see each
other. They found it impossible to hit back again upon the old
confidential tone which had formerly prevailed among them. Each of them
seemed to have something on his mind which destroyed all enjoyment and
freedom, and which he felt bound to keep to himself like some dark and
dangerous secret. In a very short time Severin suddenly disappeared
from Berlin altogether. Soon after that, Alexander complained, in a
highly despairing manner, that he had applied unsuccessfully for an
extension of his leave, and would be obliged to go away before he had
settled all the legal business connected with his heritage affairs, and
say good-bye to his nice, comfortable house.

"'But I thought you found it so uncanny to live in,' said Marzell.
'Isn't it pleasant to get away from the sound of your aunt "walking"
every night at twelve o'clock?'

"'Oh,' said Alexander, 'she's given that up some time ago; and I can
assure you that I regularly long for household ease and quietness, and
I shall most likely apply for my retirement almost at once, so