ed. Again an old memory arose within him; at the
time that he had travelled with Eric to Wolfsgarten, he had seen this
as in a vision. Must it then take place? He demurred, he hung back; he
said that then he should certainly lose Manna. If he fell, then all
would naturally be over. If he killed Eric, Manna would never become
the wife of a man who had killed another on her account.

Fraeulein Perini cast down her eyes, in order to hide her malicious
smile. Things were now taking exactly the turn she had wished; Manna
should lose them both, and find in the convent her only refuge.

They had talked so long that church was over, and as the clergyman came
out, Fraeulein Perini went with him, and Pranken turned back towards the
Villa. He met the Doctor and Eric, walking together and engaged in
earnest conversation.

The Doctor was in as good spirits as ever, and was expounding to Eric
how the fresh must, which is so joyously drunk and which tastes so
deliciously, is, according to the assertion of old people, a real cure,
building the whole body anew, so that it is taken both for enjoyment
and for the health. "Thus the crisis caused by the intoxication of the
new wine is really good. So it is with this riot. It has been
beneficial in many ways. The anger of the inhabitants of the
neighborhood has exceeded all reasonable bounds, and has thus lost all
pretension of justice. On this side there is nothing more to be feared.
But even in the house itself it is clear that life will henceforth be
more vigorous. That they are all sleeping is a good sign."

They met the Cooper, and the Doctor would hear the whole story over
again, growing very merry over the account of the effect produced in
the park by the fire-engine and the water-works. The Cooper narrated
how the engine had been quickly made ready, as Herr Sonnenkamp had
presented it with the very best hose.

They soon met a group of men, delegates sent by the different
communities to assure Herr Sonnenkamp of their readiness to protect him
in any emergency, if he would only abstain from bringing an action for
what had occurred.

The Doctor begged the men to come back on Sunday, saying that he would
previously inform Herr Sonnenkamp.

He turned back with Eric, and they were not a little surprised at
finding the Professorin already on the terrace with Manna. The Doctor
joked very merrily over the genius of accident, which could accomplish
more than all science. He declared th