a box of cigars, saying--

"They are the old sort; I know your taste exactly."

"Certainly you do, my good fellow; it is an agreeable present. Here
in the country one must lay in a stock. What say you, Leo?"

"To my shame, I must own I did not know what to buy you on such an
occasion; but I will take care to make up for this omission of mine
very soon."

Uncle rejoined in a whisper--

"The one thing I should like you to do is to reconcile yourself with
your uncle, the Minister for Foreign Affairs."

Happily it was not necessary for me to reply to this remark. Francis
entered the room, and quite charmed me by her manner. She was cordial
to all the visitors--I thought I had never seen a better hostess. I
saw how amiable she could be when quite at her ease, and not beset by
fears of what envious tongues might say as soon as her back was turned.

The dinner was beautifully arranged. The Captain had put on his
full-dress uniform, the General his also, and I had given some extra
attention to my toilette. Francis was dressed plainly as usual,
without much regard for the day or the visitors; and yet there was
something original in her style of dress, an elegance which seemed to
heighten her beauty considerably. I was struck by the richness and
weight of the silver, all engraved with the family coat-of-arms. I
felt sure that the Captain and Francis had put their money together
to get it from the pawnbrokers for the occasion. At table she took
her place between the clergyman and myself. The village lawyer, the
postmaster, and some rough-looking country farmers, together with
the churchwardens and several members of the local board, had been
invited to the dinner. Rolf took his place in the midst of them, and
soon loosened their tongues by pointing out the various sorts of wine,
and filling up their glasses with no sparing hand. Even the clergyman
I found to be much more entertaining at table than in the pulpit,
and the conversation never flagged. Fritz, assisted for the nonce by
one of the sons of farmer Pauwelsen, had donned a livery which I felt
pretty certain was the uniform of an officer metamorphosed. He was
more attentive, and more particular than ever in his manner of serving
every one; it seemed to me as if he had something on his mind, he was
so solemn and serious. In spite of myself I could not help thinking
of the utter ruin this once opulent house had fallen into, and of the
unhappy son banished from his fath