in common, and
might be left alone together until dinner-time.

Sonnenkamp looked at him with surprise. Eric explained that he asked
this on the first day, in order that there might be no precedent of
custom established. It was thoroughly needful to keep Roland
undisturbed, and in a persistent determination; this could only be done
by leaving to them at least half of the day, and the freshness of the
morning. Sonnenkamp agreed to it, shrugging his shoulders.

At breakfast it had been casually mentioned that Bella and Clodwig
would dine with them to-day.

Eric saw at once the chief difficulty of his calling, which lay in the
liability of diversions becoming interruptions. He drew a line of
demarkation between himself and all the household, especially
Sonnenkamp, which was not expressly defined, but yet could not be
overstepped; and this was so much the more difficult, as Eric was not
taciturn, and readily entered into the discussion of all matters. But
what was this line? There was a something in him which said to each one
that he must not ask more than Eric was ready, on his part, to answer.
He labored with Roland, and found out where the boy was well-grounded
in knowledge, where there was only a partial deficiency, and where
there was total ignorance.

A carriage drove into the court. Roland looked towards Eric. He did not
appear to have heard the rattling wheels.

"Your friends have arrived," said Roland. He avoided saying that he
himself was very impatient to greet Clodwig and Bella, and, under the
form of a reprimand, to receive praise for executing the bold deed. But
Eric insisted that they had no friends except duty; that there was
nothing and nobody there for them until they had performed their duty.

Roland clasped his hands tightly together under the table, and
compelled himself to be quiet.

Suddenly, in the midst of a mathematical axiom, he said,--

"Excuse me, they have fastened Griffin by a chain, I know it by his
bark; they must not do it: it spoils him."

"Let Griffin and everything else alone; all must wait," Eric said,
maintaining his stand.

Roland pranced like a horse who feels the rein and spurs of the rider.

Soon, however, Eric went with Roland down into the court. Roland was
right; Griffin was chained. He loosed him, and both boy and dog seemed
unchained, madly sporting together.

Bella was with Frau Ceres.

A servant informed Eric that Count Clodwig was expecting him. Clodwig
cam