he did not come.

Sonnenkamp stood in the hot-house near the palms; he felt chilly;
then he asked himself: "Why does not the child love you? Is that
crack-brained German revolutionist, that Doctor Fritz, in the right,
who used the words in a published letter: Thou who extirpatest filial
and parental love in thy fellow human beings, how canst thou hope for
the love of thine own children?"

He could not comprehend how these words, which were uttered in a
contest long gone by, and which he wished to forget, now came into his
mind. Suddenly a loud cry made the strong man shudder.

"God bless you, massa! God bless you, massa!" seemed to be uttered by
the voice of a spirit.

He searched about, and found his wife's parrot, which had been brought
in its cage to the hot-house. The gardener, when summoned, informed him
that Frau Ceres had ordered the parrot to be brought here, as the
dwelling-house was too cold for it.

"God bless you, massa! God bless you, massa!" cried the parrot behind
Sonnenkamp, as he was leaving the palm-house.

Roland, in the meanwhile, stood as if rooted at the spot where his
father had left him; the park, the house, everything swam round before
his eyes. Joseph then came. Roland was rejoiced that there was yet one
human being with whom he could lament over Eric's expulsion. He told
him what had happened, and made complaint about his father.

"Don't say anything to me that I cannot repeat to your father,"
interposed Joseph. He was a prudent and faithful servant, who would
have nothing to do with secrets, or with tale-bearing. His father had
impressed that upon him, when he went away from his home, and he had
resolutely and faithfully kept his counsel.

Roland asked Joseph if he was not going to return soon to his native
city; Joseph replied in the negative, but went on to tell, with great
animation, how splendid it was the first time he had leave to go home.
He described very minutely the road, and whom he met at this place and
at that, and how his mother was peeling potatoes when he stepped into
the house, and how then his father came in, and all the neighbors, and
expected to see him wearing golden clothes, because he was in the
service of so rich a man. Joseph laughed at this simplicity, but Roland
did not. He went back to the house, and it seemed to him as if the
whole house thrust him out. He went into Manna's chamber; he thought it
would seem homelike here, but the pictures on the wall, an