place; he who had built, and planted it all was dead.
Sonnenkamp smote his forehead with his hand, to banish the spell which
was overmastering him. What power was weaving it over him, and
depriving him of his own personality? Nothing but this woman's poor
pride in her own virtue.

"I still am, I still will, and all of them shall serve me," he said
aloud to himself.

He examined the trees in the garden; a pure tender covering of hoar
frost upon the branches kept them motionless, and threw over all around
an aspect of such stillness, yet so shining and glorified, that the
spectator involuntary held his breath. Here and there trees and shrubs
had been cut down by his direction, as was necessary in order that the
artistic effects that were aimed at in the laying out of the park
should be preserved; and Sonnenkamp never allowed the growth of the
trees to exceed the conception he had in his mind when planning his
grounds.

Two fine Newfoundland dogs, which had always been his close companions,
he ordered to be let loose, and smiled as the creatures leaped upon him
full of delight at greeting their master. There was something that
could give him a joyous greeting and be glad in his presence; dogs
after all were the best creatures in the world. He made the entire
circuit of the place with the dogs, and when he reached the fruit
orchard looked about him with a pleased smile; the carefully trained
branches, with their mantle of snowy rime, were like the most delicate
works of art. He only wished that he could transplant them just as they
were into the capital, and set them up before the astonished eyes of
his guests.

His guests! Would they really come? Would not this entertainment so
pompously announced end in humiliation? The branches of fruit-trees can
be trained and beat at will; why are men so obstinate? Suddenly his
face broke into a smile. He had heard a great deal said of a famous
singer who was enchanting all Paris; she must come, cost what it would,
and she must pledge herself to give no public concert, but to sing only
in his drawing-room, and perhaps at court. He would offer the
contemptible beau-monde of the capital what no one else could.

He had the dogs shut up again, and heard them whining and barking. That
was all right; the only kind of creatures to have were those that could
be sent for when you wanted them, and shut up when you were tired of
them.

Sonnenkamp had the horses harnessed at once and drove