extremely generous and forgiving; and our present reigning
master! Good heavens! he has his peculiarities, but they are quite
innocent, and with them he has inexhaustible kindness of heart, and do
you think he would persecute the son of his teacher and the comrade of
his brother's youth? I would sooner assert that he would show favor to
any one who should assist Herr Eric--this Herr Eric, who has made it
impossible for him to aid him in person."

Pranken was in despair. He looked at the Justice as if he were a
hunting-dog that would not obey. He kept opening and shutting his hand,
which seemed to feel a desperate longing for a whip; he made signs to
the Justice, but in vain, and at last he smiled bitterly to himself. He
looked at the Justice's mouth, thinking that his teeth must have grown
again, he spoke fluently and decidedly as he never had done before. Ah,
these bureaucrats! thought Pranken, pulling up his top-boots. Yes,
these bureaucrats are not to be depended on!

"I am very glad," he cried at last, with a forced smile, "I am
delighted that our respected Justice dispels all apprehension.
Certainly, these official gentlemen understand their business
excellently."

The Justice received his stab, but it did not penetrate the uniform.
Sonnenkamp seemed to have played with the two men long enough. With an
air of triumph, he went to his writing-table, where several sealed
letters lay, tore the cover from one which he selected, and gave them
the enclosed sheet, saying,--

"Read that, Herr von Pranken, and you too, Herr Justice, read it
aloud."

And the Justice read,--

Villa Eden, May--, 186-.

RESPECTED HERR CAPTAIN DOCTOR DOURNAY,--You will not take it ill of an
old and experienced man, honored sir, if he takes the liberty of
questioning from his one-sided, practical point of view, whether you
are not committing an injustice in employing your mind, so richly
endowed by nature, and furnished with knowledge, upon a single boy,
instead of a large community. Allow me to say to you that I regard mind
and knowledge as capital, and you make of your capital an investment at
far too low a rate of interest. I honor the nobleness of mind and the
modesty so manifest in your offer, but feeling assured that you
entirely mistake yourself, when you think that you can be satisfied in
so limited a sphere. I must, no less decidedly than gratefully, decline
your offer to undertake the