nn asked, turning to Roland.

He said no.

Weidmann looked down, then up, and asked,--

"Have you determined yet what you mean to do?"

For the first time, Roland hesitated to give a direct answer.

Weidmann urged the matter no further. Eric could not conceive what made
Roland so timid; but he saw clearly what a great influence this man had
acquired over his pupil. Perhaps also what Roland had heard caused him
to waver, and he was reluctant to speak, before a man of such active
usefulness, of a vocation in which outward show and glory were the ends
in view.

But there was another reason. The child with golden hair let go her
father's hand, went up to Knopf and whispered to him, that now he must
be convinced all was true she had told him; that he had never believed
she had met any one in the wood, but now the witness was before his
eyes.

Roland whispered to Knopf, that Eric had never been disposed to believe
that such a thing had really happened to him.

Knopf, who saw himself placed in the midst of wonder-land, moved his
hand repeatedly over his breast, while his eyes gleamed behind his
spectacles. Yes, in the very midst of chemistry, scientific feeding,
locomotive whistles, and dividend calculations--in the midst of all
this there was still romance left in the world. True, this happens only
to children born on Sunday, and Lilian was a Sunday-child.

He only wished that he could do something towards deepening and making
lasting this gleaming romance of their wonderful meeting.

But that's just it! One can't do anything in this sphere of the
romantic, it always comes of its own accord, unexpected and surprising;
it won't be regulated and reasonably built up. All one can do is, to
keep still and hold his breath, and make no sound; otherwise the charm
is broken. He had to do something to further it, and he did the very
best thing; he went off and left the children by themselves.

They looked at each other, but neither spoke. A handsome red heifer,
with a bell on her neck and a garland over her horns, was led into the
farm-yard. The maiden went up to her, and stroking her, said,--

"Ah, good evening, Brindy! Do you feel proud because you've taken the
prize? Shall you tell your neighbors of it? Will you enjoy yourself now
at home, or don't you know anything about your honors?"

The heifer was led to the barn, and the child, turning to Roland,
cried,--

"Wouldn't you like to know whether the heifer has any n