hem."

"I certainly did, at first, feel opposed to the idea of there being
anything in the shape of formal conditions attached to our meetings,"
said Lothair, "but I was in a peculiar mood then, which has passed away
now. There is no danger of our drifting into Philistinism. Everybody
has more on less of a tendency towards it, however sublimely he may
strive against it; and perhaps a certain spice of it may not always be
an unmitigated evil. However, we needn't bother ourselves about
whatever little clouds, of any sort, may rise on our horizon from time
to time. The devil is sure to bring some over us, as opportunities
offer. Let us discuss the Serapiontic principle. What are your views
about it?"

Theodore, Ottmar and Cyprian all thought that their union would have
been sure to assume a literary character, of itself, though nothing had
been expressly stipulated to that affect,--and at once took the vow of
obedience to the rule of Serapion the Hermit, so clearly formulated by
Lothair; which, as Theodore pointed out, amounted to this--that they
should never vex each other's souls by the production of scamped work.

So they clinked their glasses joyously, and gave each other the
fraternal embrace of the true Serapion Brother.

"Midnight," said Ottmar, "is still a long way off, and I think it would
be very nice if one of us were to relate something more pleasant and
amusing, by way of throwing the melancholy, nay terrible, events we
have been dealing with into the background a little. I think it rests
properly with Theodore to operate his promised 'Transition to Ordinary
Rationality.'"

"If you like," said Theodore, "I will read you a little story which I
wrote some time ago, which was suggested to me by a picture. When I saw
this picture, I discovered a meaning in it which the painter of it had
certainly never dreamt of--could not have dreamt of in fact--because it
referred to circumstances in my own early life, which the picture
brought strangely back to my memory."

"I sincerely trust there are no mad people in it," said Lothair; "for I
have had more than my fill of them already: and I hope it conforms to
the rule of our patron saint."

"There are no mad people in it," said Theodore, "but, as to its
conformity with Serapiontic rule, I must leave that to the verdict of
my worthy brethren, begging them at the same time not to judge me too
severely, seeing that my little story was suggested by a light, airy
pictur