pare. He put the faithful Valentine in charge during the time that he
himself was obliged to be busy about affairs outside. There was a
well-founded suspicion that the disagreeable-looking workman had been
guilty of various dishonest acts. Fritz Nettenmair, who clung to the
guardian of his honor as to its last bulwark, did everything he could
to justify him and thus to keep him in the house. He explained that he
had given the man express orders to do all the things of which he was
accused. Apollonius would have liked to have made a legal complaint
against the fellow, but he was obliged to be content with paying him
off and forbidding him the house. Apollonius was inexorable, gentle
though he was in putting his reasons before his brother. Any
unprejudiced person would have to admit that he could not do
otherwise, that the fellow must go. And with a savage laugh Fritz
Nettenmair, too, thought, when he was alone, "Of course he must go!"
Whatever Apollonius showed him, strictness and gentleness merely
strengthened him in the belief that relaxed its hold upon him the less
the longer he nourished it and that grew the thirstier for his heart's
blood the longer he fed it from that fount. He saw no further obstacle
to prevent his brother's criminal intention from succeeding.

From now on his state of mind alternated between despairing
resignation to what could no longer be prevented, what had already
probably taken place, and feverish endeavors to prevent it
notwithstanding. In accordance with these two moods his behavior
toward Apollonius took the form of unconcealed obstinacy or of
cringing and vigilant dissimulation. When the first mood governed him
he sought forgetfulness day and night. Unfortunately the discharged
workman had found employment in a quarry near by and was his companion
on many a night. The important people turned away from him, and
revenged themselves on him with unconcealed contempt for the desire
that he had awakened in them and could no longer satisfy. He avoided
them, and followed the workman into places where the latter was at
home. There he sounded his jovial condescension an octave lower. The
gin-shops now rang with his jokes; and they took on more and more the
character of the surroundings.

Roofs that are covered with metal or tiles usually require repairing
only after a number of years have elapsed; it is different with slate
roofs. While the roof is being covered damage to the slates from the
s