ct Manna by speaking to her in the morning.

Manna expressed her thanks.

At breakfast, Pranken had many anecdotes to relate, and he did it well,
of the royal hunting-lodge, and particularly of events at Court. And he
succeeded in giving a new and humorous setting out to many worn-out
garrison stories, that were fresh to this circle.

"Dear child," Sonnenkamp broke in, "you have not congratulated Herr von
Pranken on his appointment as chamberlain."

Manna bowed in congratulation, and Pranken referred in a cheerful way
to the contrast there would be between his summer life as a husbandman,
and his winter as chamberlain. He said, further, that the happiest day
of his life had been the one he had spent on the island ploughing; and
a single rose was the only thing that he envied, upon which glances
fell that he would have liked to turn towards himself.

Manna blushed.

Pranken went on to say that the Prince would drink the waters, this
summer, at Carlsbad.

Sonnenkamp immediately added, that Doctor Richard some time ago had
prescribed these waters to him as better suited to his case than those
of Vichy.

All the links seemed supplied for a complete chain when Pranken
narrated, in continuation, that his brother-in-law Clodwig, and his
sister Bella, would visit Carlsbad this summer.

"And you must accompany us," Sonnenkamp said, nodding to Pranken.

Before she was fairly settled at home. Manna saw herself withdrawn from
thence into the whirlpool of a watering-place life. Mention was
made of Lina's non-acceptance of the invitation, and Pranken spoke
very cleverly of the pleasant impression that her half-childlike,
half-matronly appearance made upon him. He wanted to obviate any ill
effects from Manna's hearing that he had for a while paid court to her
friend. He then declared that he would take the snow-white pony to
Wolfsgarten with him, in order to have it perfectly trained for Manna.
Her remark, that she now took no pleasure on horseback, was set aside
in an almost authoritative way by her father, who said the physician
had directed only the day before, that Manna should keep as much as
possible in the open air, and take a great deal of exercise.

Manna must now give a name to the snow-white little horse. Pranken
wanted to have this done in due form, but Manna declined. When they
rose from breakfast, she went to the stable, and gave to the snow-white
pony three lumps of sugar.

"Now for the name--the name!" c