cuments as they were taken out. That is money then--

Manna turned to Eric, with a timid entreaty that he would do and say in
her place all that was necessary: she felt her head growing dizzy.

Eric replied, that he hoped she would not have the affectation of those
persons who receive thoughtlessly the burden of great wealth without
being willing to learn their own position in the world.

"I do not understand," said Manna. In view of all these great
possessions she addressed him for the first time by the familiar German
"Thou" in the presence of others.

"You will soon learn to understand it. We are children of the actual
world; and, if we cannot preserve our ideality in the midst of the
actual world, we have no ideality. We will learn together to use aright
this immense wealth. This is the first time, too, that I ever saw such
a vast amount."

"It is a great thought that the whole world is made up of debtors and
creditors," exclaimed Roland.

Still greater was the amazement of the children when the lower drawer
was opened, which, being on casters, was easily drawn out in spite of
its great weight.

Here lay piles of gold from the mint, and gold in bars.

Roland and Manna involuntarily knelt down, like little children, and
felt of it. After the notary had sat down to his writing in the
adjoining room, and Eric and Weidmann had been called away, they
remained still upon the floor, gazing wonderingly at the gold and then
in one another's faces. Manna was the first to recover her voice.

"Are we not like the children who lost their way in the wood, and
stumbled upon hidden treasure? But"--

She could not finish her sentence; for what she wanted to say was, "an
evil spirit guards the gold."

"Come," said Roland, "lay your hand here on mine and on the gold. This
gold shall do good, only good, and always good, and shall make amends
for the past. We swear it."

"Yes, we swear it," repeated Manna. "Ah! if only our father may not
have to be suffering want out in the world, while we here have all
things in abundance. Perhaps he is seeking a shelter, while these
luxurious rooms are his own. Oh! why do men strive for riches, and sell
their own brothers? O God, why dost thou suffer it? Take all that we
have, and drive the iniquity out of the world."

The girl's tears fell upon the gleaming gold. Roland soothed her, and
laid her head on his breast; and so the two children knelt in silence
before the glittering gold.