thoroughly masculine.

The heir and future master of Burgsdorf, who had just been reprimanded
so sharply, sat opposite his mother, listening, as in duty bound, while
he helped himself liberally to ham and eggs. He was a handsome,
fresh-looking youth, about seventeen years old, whose appearance
indicated no great intellectual strength, but he seemed to beam with
good nature. His sun-burned face was the picture of health, but
otherwise he showed little resemblance to his mother. He lacked her
energetic expression, and the blue eyes and blonde hair were not from
her, but were an inheritance from his father. With his large, but very
awkward limbs, he looked like a young giant, and formed a striking
contrast to his more delicately formed, aristocratic looking uncle,
Wallmoden, who sat next him, and who said now with a slight _soupcon_ of
irony in his tone: "You certainly cannot hold Willibald answerable for
all these mad pranks; he certainly is a model son."

"I would advise him not to be anything else; who lives with me must obey
orders," cried Frau von Eschenhagen, as she struck an emphatic blow upon
the table, which made her brother wince.

"A man is bound to obey orders under your government," he answered. "At
the same time I would advise you, dear Regine, to do something more for
the intellectual development of your son. I have no doubt that under
your guidance he will become, in time, a most excellent farmer, but to
the education of a future landed proprietor, something more than that is
needed. Willibald has outgrown home instructors and should be sent away
now."

"Sent a--?" Frau Regine laid down knife and fork in unbounded
astonishment. "Sent away," she exclaimed, greatly irritated, "and in the
name of common sense, where?"

"Well, first to the university, and later to travel, that he may learn
something of the world and of men."

"That he may be altogether ruined by this world and these men, and no
comfort to me at all! No, Herbert, I'll never do that, and I tell you so
now, once for all. I have educated my son to be honest and fear God, and
do not think I shall turn him loose in your Sodom and Gomorrah which the
dear Lord in his forbearance has yet spared from the fire and brimstone
which it so richly deserves."

"You only know this Sodom and Gomorrah by hearsay, Regine," interrupted
Herbert, sarcastically. "You have lived in Burgsdorf ever since your
marriage; you must acknowledge that yourself!"

"I ac