ng had been only a dream; but he still breathed
the odor of the delicate perfumery which Bella's garments had left
behind in his room; he still saw the chair on which she had been
sitting; she had actually been there.

But Bella did not reach home unseen. In the park she met her brother.
She confessed to him frankly that she had been to see Sonnenkamp, to
cheer him up; she praised Otto for his constancy, and for despising the
miserable, weak world.

"I could love this man!" she exclaimed; "he is a conqueror, he has won
for himself a bit of the world. Pshaw! Let them grub for remains from
the Roman world, which was so powerful and despised every one that
spoke of justice for the slaves--and what are they themselves?"

"Sister," said Pranken playfully, "you are still too young and handsome
to dress yourself up with those ingenious whims; you do not need such
cosmetic contrivances."

Bella drew back a step from him, and then said:--

"No, I wanted to say a word to you; but no. Only persevere, and
bring your designs with Manna to a point soon. How does the little
cloister-plant do?"

"I beg of you, Bella----"

"Well, well, I'm going directly, I can do none of you any good."

She turned away quickly, and went back to Wolfsgarten.

Pranken looked after her with astonishment. He composed himself, for
the Priest came up. He reached out his hand to him humbly, and spoke
very gratefully of his having come voluntarily to build up anew the
house of sorrow.

CHAPTER XIII.

COUNTER-POISON.

Prince Valerian, who had met with such a rough rebuff from Sonnenkamp,
had himself announced to Eric. Roland, who was in the next room, heard
him say, the first thing as he entered:--

"Where is Roland?"

"He desires to be left alone," answered Eric; and then the Prince
declared that Eric was best able to form an opinion as to what might be
good for Roland; but for his part, he could not help thinking that
intercourse with men in whose eyes he could behold the love they bore
him, would be of greater assistance than anything else in this
unspeakable sorrow.

Roland rose to his feet in the next room. Would this really be better
than musing by one's self? He kept quiet, and heard the Prince ask how
the daughter and how the wife had received the exposure of the dreadful
secret.

The Prince spoke in a loud, Eric in a low tone, and Roland did not
understand Eric's ans