r anything handed to her.

The whole family had the feeling that here was a strength adequate to
attain its own end.

Manna did not visit in the neighborhood; she insisted upon it that she
had come only to be with her parents and her brother, and no one else.

Sonnenkamp was alarmed at this determined and uncompliant bearing.

CHAPTER III.

EVERYTHING FLIES THAT HAS WINGS.

Manna soon expressed a determined purpose to get a better insight into
the method and direction of her brother's education. She wanted to be
present at Eric's lessons.

Sonnenkamp endeavored to induce the Aunt to inform Eric of this
request, but she declined. Manna had better ask him herself.

Sonnenkamp was deeply vexed at this refusal, but Manna's resolution was
taken at once. She expressed her wish at the table, assigning no
reason, for she thought that the real one might wound, and any other
than the real one she could not consent to offer as a pretext.

After they had risen from the table, Eric gave her the arrangement of
the hours of study, and declared himself ready to conform to her
wishes, merely adding that he should continue his instruction without
any reference to her presence.

Manna now sat at the window with her embroidery, whilst Eric and Roland
pursued their occupations at the table. By noon Manna had laid aside
her work, and was listening with closed eyes. The next day she brought
no work with her, and thus she sat there day after day with the two,
listening with interest even to the mathematics. The musical voice of
Eric seemed to have a magical charm for the proud and cold maiden, and
at many an utterance she opened wide her eyes, as if she must satisfy
herself who this really was that was speaking.

One day, however, she came only to say that she should come no more.

"I could still learn a great deal from you," she said, "but it is
better that I should keep by myself. I thank you," she said again; but
as if recollecting that she was continually doing this, she quickly
added,--

"I thank you differently from what I have before. I acknowledge the
delicacy with which you have spared me the perplexity of answering the
question I see you wanted to put to me, whether I was satisfied with
your instruction. It is very kind not to have asked this question."

"You are good at reading countenances," answered Eric. And so they
parted.

From this time Manna's haughty