mentality and feebleness. Let us finish. You know my advice.
Give no sign of life, and so give time a chance to do its work. Try to
forgot the past, and help the lady to do likewise, and do not remind
her of it again by letters, or any other kind of communication. And now
let us talk of something else. What are your plans?"

"I have none," answered Wilhelm, with a dispirited gesture. "I have not
forgotten what you wrote to me at New Year. If our wishes make up our
future, I have no future before me, for I have no wish."

"Not even to be near me again?" asked Schrotter.

"Ah, yes," answered Wilhelm quickly, and looked him affectionately in
the deep-set blue eyes.

"You see now. This wandering life is no good for you. You must see
about getting back to Berlin."

"Yes, but you know--"

"Of course I know. But something must be done. You must apply to the
authorities to withdraw your sentence of banishment."

"And you advise me to do this?"

"Unwillingly, as you may well suppose. But I see nothing else for you."

"And how should I word such a petition? I could neither acknowledge a
transgression in the past, nor promise amendment in the future."

"No, it would be of no use going into details. It would have to be a
bald petition for pardon." And seeing Wilhelm recoil involuntarily, he
added: "It does not do to be too proud in such a case. In the
preposterously unequal struggle between the individual and the
organized power of the State, it is no disgrace to declare yourself
beaten and ask for quarter."

"A petition without any gush or protestations of loyalty, in which I
would simply say: 'Please allow me to come back to Berlin, because I
prefer it to any other place of residence,' would certainly be
ineffectual, and I should only have humiliated myself for nothing."

"We must get somebody to take up your cause. I shall do all in my power
to make the Oberburgermeister put in a good word for you."

"Would you yourself do what you are advising me to do?"

Schrotter was silent for a moment.

"I am not in the same case. If Berlin were as much a necessity to me as
it is to you I would do it--most certainly."

Wilhelm looked as if he were swallowing a bitter draught. But
Schrotter's strong hand lay tenderly on the dark head.

"Yes, friend Eynhardt," he said; "you will send in the petition, and it
will, I hope, have the desired result. Do it for my sake. Yes, look at
me; I have need of you. I miss you. I am getti