t paper, and was carrying a long ruler, with
a gilt apple on the top of it.

"'"He thinks he's King of Amboyna again, now," the landlady whispered,
"and he's been doing such extraordinary things of late that his brother
has had to have him taken to the asylum."

"'He recognized me; smiled down at me with proud benignity, and said,
"Now that the Bulgarians have been vanquished by our trusty General
Tellheim, we are returning to our capital."

"Though I wasn't making any attempt to speak to him, he motioned me to
silence with a wave of his hand, and said:

"'Enough, enough! we are aware what you would say, good sir. No more!
We are satisfied with you; you have done your duty. Accept this trifle
as a mark of our favour and esteem."

"'With which he took two or three cloves from his waistcoat-pocket and
put them into my hand. The men put him into a carriage which was
waiting. The tears came to my eyes as I saw him driven off.

"'"I hope we soon shall see you back again, safe and sound, and covered
with glory," said the landlady, shaking me warmly by the hand. With
many a painful thought in my tormented breast, I ran out into the
night, and soon came up with the party of my comrades, who were singing
cheery soldier-songs as they marched along.'

"'Then,' said Alexander, 'you feel certain that your love for Pauline
was a mere self-mystification?'

"'As sure as that I'm alive,' answered Marzell; 'and it won't require
much knowledge of mankind to convince you that my rapid change of
sentiment, when I found I hadn't a rival, would have been impossible
otherwise. Moreover, I am seriously in love now; and although I laughed
at the notion of your being married, because the idea of you in the
capacity of Paterfamilias seems rather too funny, somehow (I hope you
won't be vexed at my saying so), I am expecting very soon to lead a
darling girl home as my bride, in a fairer land than ours.'

"'I'm very glad, and I give you my heartiest congratulations, my dear,
dear old fellow,' said Alexander, quite delighted.

"'See how pleased he is that somebody else is going to follow his own
absurd example,' said Severin. 'As far as I'm concerned, the idea of
marriage fills me with absolute horror. However, I should like to tell
you the adventure I had with Pauline; it will amuse you.'

"'Well, what had you to do with Pauline?' asked Alexander, in an
irritable tone, 'We must hear that.'

"'It didn't amount to very much,' said Severin