t his thoughts were in the
villa, in the park, in the hot-houses, in the greenhouse. He wanted to
ask Joseph whether the Professorin had said anything more definite, and
whether she knew all about him. But he kept back the words, and simply
said that he wanted to send some messengers.

"And do you see to it too, let Roland be hunted up and brought here at
once. Let Herr von Pranken be sent for, too," he cried out after
Joseph.

Roland was hard to find, but Pranken was not to be found at all, for he
was in a place where no one would ever have thought of looking for the
life-enjoying Baron.

The head waiter entered and said that dinner was ready, and asked when
it should be served up. Sonnenkamp looked hard at the questioner. The
creature surely knew that he would eat nothing, and had only come to
spy upon him; perhaps there were many people down below who would like
to hear how Herr Sonnenkamp bore himself just now. Sonnenkamp rose
proudly, looked at the head waiter with a repelling glance, and told
him that he need not ask, he would let him know when he wanted what he
had ordered; and at the same time he charged him to see to it, that no
one should be allowed to enter his room without having been announced.

One thing after another passed in confusion through his brain;
Joseph had told him about the suicides who are dissected in the
dissecting-room. Sonnenkamp contemplated himself from head to foot, and
then opened his mouth as if he must utter the thought that was now
running through his soul. He is being dissected, not bodily, but
spiritually, by every stinging, scandal-loving tongue.

CHAPTER V.

THE CONFESSION OF A WORLDLING.

At the very time that Sonnenkamp was entering the palace, Pranken was
going into the deanery; he was detained a few minutes by the passing
soldiery, he had to salute many a comrade covered with dust, on foot
and on horseback. He was going to that quarter of the city wherein
resounded no clang of military music; here all was still, as if
everything were holding its breath, except that in the church the organ
notes were still swelling. He went in, he saw the Dean, a large
powerful man, just returning into the sacristy. Pranken sat awhile in a
pew, until he felt sure that the Dean had reached his house; then he
left the church. The servant was standing in the open door; he said
that the reverend gentleman requested Pranken to wal