rought him a letter. He read it, nodded, and rode in good spirits
to the village.

CHAPTER VII.

OUR FRIEND KNOPF.

On the bright summer days people sail joyously up and down the river,
everything sparkles and glitters in the sunlight, and is full of
gladness. Who there thinks how much sorrow, how much weariness,
anguish, and care, dwell within the houses they pass by? Look yonder at
the high-perched village, that seems to rise so prettily out of the
river, and sends to us now the sound of bells; there goes a poor
village schoolmaster, with depressed countenance, from the church to
the school-house. But to-day his face is lighted up, for a faithful
friend stands in front of the schoolhouse, and extends to him his hand.

"Hey! you here, Herr Knopf?" cried the schoolmaster.

"The free Republic of the United States gives me a day's freedom. You
see before you an independent man. Ah, dear Fassbender, I am specially
born to be a teacher of girls; I tell you that previous to the deluge
of their first ball, girls are the choicest blossoms of our planet."

Knopf related to his fellow-teacher how happy he was to have for a
pupil a bright American girl, quick of apprehension; and his homely
countenance, as he spoke, assumed a wholly different expression.

Knopf had, in fact, an ugly face, it was so full of seams. His nose,
mouth, brow, even his eyebrows, which projected somewhat over his
light-blue eyes whenever he wore no spectacles, as was now the case,
all seemed kneaded out of dough. But now, as he spoke of his pupil, his
countenance, was lighted up.

He made known that he had come hither, in order to give Roland's
present instructor some hints concerning the character of his pupil,
and the manner in which he could best be advanced. He had already been
walking since before sunrise, and it was a refreshing walk. He felt now
that it was not needful for him to go to the villa, he would make an
appointment with the tutor to meet him here, and requested that a boy
might carry a note from him to Captain Dournay.

The children came up one after another, and saluted Herr Knopf, whom
they already knew. A curly-headed boy was very happy to be the bearer
of the note to Villa Eden, instead of being obliged to sit in school.

Knopf knew a beautiful spot back of the village, under a linden on the
crown of the hill, where there was a wide prospect on every side.
Str