inely pious conduct of the priest
towards the prisoners. He was a living example of the grand doctrine
that religion required one to interest himself in the stumbling and the
unfortunate, whether they were guilty or innocent. The Doctor, on the
other hand, maintained in a very droll fashion that it was an extremely
beneficial thing for the Ranger to pass, once in his life, several
weeks within walls and under a roof.

There was little else said; they reached the county town in good
season.

Sonnenkamp went to the telegraph office, in order to send some
messages, one of which was directed to the University-town for the
widow of the Professor.

"At that time--does it not seem to you as if it were ten years ago?--at
that time it was very different from to-day. Don't you think that there
were villains also among the singers, perhaps worse ones than those in
prison yonder?"

It pained Eric grievously that Roland must be initiated so early into
the bitterness and the dissensions of life. They went together to the
court-house.

The president and the judges occupied a raised platform; on the right
sat the jury, and on the left, the accused and their counsel; the room
was full of spectators, for there was a general curiosity to hear the
mysterious Herr Sonnenkamp speak in public, and no one knew what might
be picked up in the way of information.

The dwarf, the groom, and the huntsman sat on the criminals' seat. The
dwarf took snuff very zealously, the groom looked around imploringly,
and Claus held his hands before his eyes.

The dwarf looked as if he had had good keeping, and thriven under it;
he gazed around the ball with an almost satisfied bearing, as if he
felt flattered that so many people concerned themselves about him. The
groom, whose hair had been very nicely dressed, regarded the crowd with
a contemptuous glance.

Claus seemed to have pined away considerably, and when the dwarf wanted
to whisper something to him, as he sat there at a little distance from
his fellow defendants, he turned away displeased. He looked up to the
space occupied by the spectators, and saw among them his wife, two of
his sons, and his daughter; but the cooper was not present. The
children appeared to have grown since he had last seen them, and
they were dressed in their Sunday-clothes, in order to witness the
disgrace--no, it must simply be the honor of their father.

The huntsman moved restlessly on the seat, and spoke to his wif