ought in Eric, but Pranken refrained,
and asked after Fraeulein Lina. The mother said that her child was
learning to cook, which every good housewife ought to be able to do;
only it was to be regretted that there were no cooks fit to give any
instruction. Pranken expressed himself in praise of this proceeding,
and spoke of the demoralised condition of service, for which they had
to thank the revolutionists, who undermined all fidelity and all
belief.

The lady considered this very true, and was again on the point of
referring to Eric, when luckily the Justice entered. He had put on his
official dress, and his sword, making an almost ridiculous appearance,
but Pranken was highly delighted at this respect for the occasion. They
drove together to the villa. When Pranken left the Justice's house, he
twirled his mustaches, in a most serene state of self-satisfaction and
content. He is still honorable in the highest degree, shamefully good
would many of his comrades call it, so to spare the girl. With this
feeling of exemplary virtue--and it has a fine relish--he was extremely
amiable, and full of elasticity, feeling convinced that he was, every
instant, a benefactor of the family, and that at no small sacrifice on
his own part.

Lina looked at them from the servant's room near the kitchen, as
they drove off; she stood behind the flowers in full bloom upon the
window-seat, and, as she inhaled the fragrance of a new-blown monthly
rose, a fragrance not less sweet breathed through her soul. When she
could no longer see the carriage in which her father sat with the
baron, she hastened to the best room, opened the piano, and sang, with
clear voice and ardent expression, love-songs to the world in general.
Her mother came in, with her hair in disorder, and considered it wholly
incomprehensible that Lina should be singing, while two pots put there
in the kitchen were boiling over.

"You'll never be anything but an ignoramus; except a little bit of
language you learned there, the convent has only made you simpler than
ever."

Lina went into the kitchen again, and stood before the hearth, lost in
reverie. She would like to have heard what her father and Pranken had
to say to one another.

Their conversation was very constrained. Pranken praised the Justice
for his zeal in keeping his district pure; the Justice complained that
he had, in this case, no overt acts to proceed upon, only a supposed
dangerous tendency. He understood