ming repose and dignity.

The Professorin bowed and left them.

Manna had to sit down; she felt as if her limbs would never again
support her; Sonnenkamp said to her that she had doubtless long ago
forgotten the bitter epithet that her mother had applied to him; she
might now go to her mother, who would assure her, that she had only
made use of the words in anger.

Manna nodded, without saying a word; and then Sonnenkamp spoke of her
marriage with Pranken, in regard to which he took a pride in feeling
that he had never laid any constraint upon his child. Manna implored
him not to press the matter upon her then.

"Very well, you need not make up your mind till our return, but promise
me to be friendly to him."

Manna could promise this, and Sonnenkamp smiled inwardly at the thought
of his keeping Pranken in suspense until everything was finally
arranged; if any insurmountable difficulty came up then, it could not
change what would be already settled.

"You are now a Freifraeulein," said he impressively and smiling to his
child, "you shall be free in everything; only, to-day, let everything
remain still in suspense. I cannot be dishonorable." He really meant,
that he did not so much mind deceiving Pranken, but he added that it
would be much more proper to consent or to refuse when they had been
for a short time, in the full possession of their new rank. And with
that, he took leave of his child with friendly words.

At noon there was great rejoicing at the villa, for the Ensign with a
number of his comrades had arrived; they rode out with Roland, who was
treated as one of themselves.

In accordance with Pranken's wish, they started that evening for the
capital.

When Roland took leave of Eric's mother, she gave him a paper on which
was written,--

On the rim of the Hero Roland's helmet was once and is again inscribed,
in golden letters,--"The weapons of the whole world must leave me still
unstained."

CHAPTER X.

DOWN BELOW.

At the servants' table in the basement there was a big gap; the seat at
the head, which belonged to Bertram, was not occupied by any one;
Joseph and Lootz were also wanting, for they had gone with the old and
the young master to the capital. The men and women at the table were
whispering in a low tone; at last the head gardener said that the
affair was no longer a secret; he maintained that, at the time of the
Prin