n the plain walls did not seem so bare to him any longer. Was
it only because he had grown accustomed to it? A softer light fell
through the dreary windows and glided over the monotonous rows of
benches, beautifying them.

Even Lehmann and Kesselborn were not quite so unsympathetic lately.
All his thoughts grew gentler, more forgiving. The boy's hard heart
became soft. When the clergyman spoke of the Commandments and specially
emphasised the one, "Honour thy father and thy mother," it seemed to
Wolfgang there was much for which he must ask forgiveness; especially
his mother's forgiveness.

But then when he came home and wanted to say something loving to
her--something quite unprepared, quite spontaneous--he could not do it,
for she had not perceived his intention.

Kate often went to the station to meet him--oh, how tired the poor
boy must be when he came home. It was really too great a rush for him
to have to go to town for his Bible-lessons so often, and
there was always twice as much work at school before the end of the
term. She would have liked to have caressed him, to have fondled him as
she formerly did little Woelfchen. But when she saw him come sauntering
along, never looking out for her, never imagining that she was there
waiting for him, she would turn quickly down the first street or remain
standing quietly behind a tree and let him pass by. He did not notice
her at all.

The popular clergyman had to prepare a great many boys for
confirmation, too many; he could not interest himself in each
individual one of them; nevertheless he thought he could assure
Wolfgang's mother, who came to see him full of a certain anxiety in
order to ask him how her son was getting on, that he was satisfied with
him.

"I know, I know, Frau Schlieben. Your husband considered it his duty
to explain it to me--I have also seen the boy's Catholic certificate of
baptism. But I think I can assure you with a clear conscience that the
lad is a sincere, evangelical Christian. What, you still have some
doubts about it?" Her doubtful mien, the questioning anxiety in her
eyes astonished him.

She nodded: yes, she had a doubt. Odd that she should have got it
quite lately. But a stranger, anybody else would not understand it, not
even this man with the clever eyes and the gentle smile. And she could
hardly have expressed her doubt in words. And she would have had to
tell her tale quite from the beginning, from the time when she took the