Ceres.

"Your honored husband is very benevolent."

"I thank you," replied Frau Ceres.

"If I were in your place," exclaimed Sonnenkamp, "I would say, Your
Highness, it is our duty, and we are highly rewarded for it by its
meeting your gracious notice."

"Please write that out for me, I will learn it," said Frau Ceres,
turning to her husband. She seemed to have grown younger, and her
cheeks glowed.

The Professorin was extremely animated, and after saying: "I am your
Mistress of Ceremonies," she led Frau Ceres to a seat.

"No, not so,--you must look after your train a little, and spread it
out handsomely. So,--that's light, and then open your fan, you have the
right to open it now, but not before. It is best to have it hung to
your wrist by a small cord; it falls so easily."

The jesting went on merrily; when twelve o'clock struck, Roland
cried:--

"Father, now your health is being drunk by hundreds of people."

Sonnenkamp kissed his son, Frau Ceres kissed the Professorin, then bent
her head and waited calmly for a kiss on her brow from her husband.
Outside, the bells rang, and guns were fired.

"Welcome to the New Year! to fresh life!" cried Eric, as his pupil
gratefully kissed the hand which grasped his own.

In the neighborhood of the villa, there was much noise of guns and
shouting; and Sonnenkamp was quite indignant that the good German
police should allow such doings; it was nothing but rude vulgarity.

Eric said, on the other hand:--

"We can find in this inharmonious noise, if we consider it
psychologically, an expression of joy. Without knowing it himself, the
insignificant man who fires off a pistol, takes pleasure in the sense
of surprise that he can produce an effect so far off, and that so many
people must notice what he does. So this custom, barbarous in itself,
is to be explained; it gives force to the human voice, you see, to the
vociferous shouting."

Sonnenkamp smiled, and Eric was glad that he had brought, not his pupil
alone, but the father also, to a gentler view of humanity.

But Sonnenkamp thought: This walking university, these ready
catechetical answers on every subject, begin to grow a little tedious;
it is well that we are going into a wider circle.

Then he smiled, and bade Eric and Roland a cheerful good-night.

Warmly wrapped in furs and attended by two servants, the Professorin
and the Aunt returned to their own house; and soon all was still, and
every one dreami