s young fellow-officer.

"There's a _man_!" he would say. "Head and heart, eyes and mouth in the
right places! A good fellow. In one word--a man!"

This word was the highest in Guentz's vocabulary. The opposite to it,
until his marriage, had been woman. After marriage he naturally
excepted Klaere.

How sick he was of the way people went on in Berlin! He could hardly
speak too strongly about the weaknesses of certain officers.

Reimers did not hold it necessary to be absolutely blind to the faults
of one's superiors and comrades; still, he thought that his friend went
a bit too far in his strictures, and he did not conceal his opinion.

"Dear boy," responded Guentz, "why should I not speak freely to you? Do
you think it gives me any pleasure that so many of our superiors and
comrades do not merit the respect which, as officers, they command?
This has nothing to do with their personal character. The only question
for me is: are they fit for their profession? If not, they are only a
nuisance in it, so far as I can see."

"You used to be less severe."

"Possibly. But when one has rubbed the sleepiness of habit out of one's
eyes one sees more clearly and sharply. Besides, take an example.
Stuckhardt will be a major soon. Do you consider him fit to lead a
division?"

"No, he has already made a terrible mess of his battery. He won't stay
on the staff for a year, that's certain."

"Why should he be there at all? I tell you he should never even have
been made a captain. What about Gropphusen?"

"Ah! There you are! He has missed his vocation!"

"Why is he still where he is then?" Guentz laughed grimly to himself.
"What ought he to have been?"

"A painter," answered Reimers.

The other made a grimace. "Possibly!----Well, thirdly, what of my
revered chief, Captain Mohr? What do you think of him?"

"He has already got a knife at his throat. I bet he'll be sent off
after the man[oe]uvres."

"He goes on drinking just as he has ever since I've known him." Guentz
sighed deeply. "And I tell you, Reimers, it's no joke to serve under
such a man."

Reimers nodded. "I feel with you, old man. And yet half the regiment
envies you for being in the fifth battery."

"Pooh!" laughed Guentz bitterly, "there you see them. They would all
like to idle under a sot. They just want to be where they think they're
least looked after. They may do as they choose; but I want to know what
I'm here for. If I have a profession I like to liv