f the work.

Roland heard carriage-wheels, his heart beat, it was certainly Eric
coming. He hurried to the road, and saw Pranken sitting by the Justice.

The Chevalier had followed Roland, who stood staring at the carriage.
Pranken held out his hand and asked Roland to introduce the gentleman;
Roland was obliged to mention his name, and the Chevalier added, in a
tone of studied respect, the position he held. Pranken nodded in a very
friendly manner, and left the carriage to walk with Roland, telling him
that he brought him greetings from his sister, and that he wanted to
speak with him alone, by and by, as he had an important message for
him. Then he praised the noble bearing of the stranger, and said that
such a man was far better than a conceited German doctor.

"Eric has a right to be conceited, but he is not," answered Roland.

Pranken twirled his moustache; he might be easy, and let Eric have due,
since he was out of the way.

Roland felt an anxiety for which he could not account; he had a
foreboding that something was going on which concerned Eric. At the
villa Pranken left Roland to the Chevalier, to whom he nodded
graciously; he asked the Justice to go without him to Herr Sonnenkamp,
and, while the Justice stared in astonishment, vanished, without
waiting for an answer, and went to find Fraeulein Perini.

There was a most cordial greeting between the two, who held out both
hands to each other. When Pranken asked about the Chevalier, Fraeulein
Perini pretended to know nothing of him; Pranken spoke strongly of the
good impression he had received of the man, and affected not to suspect
that she had brought any secret influence to bear in the matter.

Then came an account of the visit to Manna. Not fully, but in some
measure, Pranken made known what a change had taken place in himself.

Fraeulein Perini listened attentively, holding her pearl cross in her
left hand; then she gave the particulars of Eric's secret visit to Frau
Ceres, which she had referred to in her note: she showed Pranken a
letter, which she had received from the superior in answer to her
inquiries about the meeting between Eric and Manna. A copy of a letter
from Roland to Manna, in which Eric was mentioned, was also at hand.

But now all the chivalry in Pranken's nature showed itself, increased
by a moral and religious impulse. He stretched out his hand, as if he
would shelter Manna from every breath, and said firmly and decidedly,
that n