one; it was hard, to be sure; but more progress could
be made in one day, than in weeks by the other method.

He begged Eric to excuse himself in a few words to Fraeulein Milch for
not visiting her when she was so lonely, and he urged Eric to come
soon, for the Grand Master was there.

The Major, as has been said, lived in a wing of the country-house,
beautifully situated on the mountain-side, of which he had the care.
With the greatest solicitude the Major preserved his own independence
in life, but he felt a deep obligation toward the Grand Master, whose
universal friendliness and agreeable conversation he was never weary of
extolling. He always wanted to share with him every pleasure and
advantage, and now what had he better than Eric, whom he praised so
continually that his stock of eulogistic expressions became completely
exhausted, and he found more than usual difficulty in saying what he
wished.

On his first leisure evening Eric visited the Major. He easily made
peace with the Fraeulein; and the Major laughed till he choked and had
to be brought to with a slap on the back, because he had made a joke, a
most unusual thing with him, about Eric's confinement for six weeks.

Fraeulein Milch told of Eric's glory at the singing festival, and the
Major said,--

"That's good. At our feasts, singers are very important. But can you
sing, 'These holy halls'?"

Eric regretted that the air was too low for his voice.

"Then sing something else; sing for Fraeulein Milch."

Eric had difficulty in declining this friendly request, and Fraeulein
Milch thanked him, and helped him carry out his wish to defer the
performance to some appointed evening. The so-called Grand Master was
as disagreeable in his behavior, as Fraeulein Milch was charming. There
was something unpleasantly patronizing in his manner; it seemed as if
he were so accustomed to flattery, that only a simple unpretending
nature, like the Major's, could be at ease with him. The Major took
great pains to bring his true friends together, but he did not succeed.
The Grand Master behaved arrogantly towards Eric throughout. He
addressed him only as "Young man," and gave him instruction and advice,
as if Eric were in his employ. It required all Eric's self-possession,
to show the man, good-temperedly, the impropriety of his treatment for
the Grand Master was so inconsiderate as to speak, even in Roland's
presence, of the want of experience of the "young man," who ha