o longer, in the slightest degree,
feel melancholy now he for the first time departed from his quiet home
and the forests where he had lived so long. He could not even press a
tear out of his eyes or utter a sigh, when he thought of his mother,
who must now feel helpless and wretched; for he was indifferent to
every thing: "Well," he said, "tears and sighs, yearning for home and
sadness proceed indeed from the heart, but thanks to Dutch Michel, mine
is of stone and cold." Putting his hand upon his breast, he felt all
quiet and no emotion. "If Michel," said he, beginning to search the
carriage, "keeps his word as well with respect to the hundred thousand
florins as he does with the heart, I shall be very glad." In his
search he found articles of dress of every description he could wish,
but no money. At length, however, he discovered a pocket containing
many thousand thalers in gold, and bills on large houses in all the
great cities. "Now I have what I want," thought he, squeezed himself
into the corner of the carriage and went into the wide world.

For two years he travelled about in the world, looked from his carriage
to the right and left up the houses, but whenever he alighted he looked
at nothing except the sign of the hotel, and then ran about the town to
see the finest curiosities. But nothing gladdened him, no pictures, no
building, no music, no dancing, nor any thing else had any interest
for, or excited his stone heart; his eyes and ears were blunted for
every thing beautiful. No enjoyment was left him but that which he
felt in eating and drinking and sleep; and thus he lived running
through the world without any object, eating for amusement and sleeping
from _ennui_. From time to time he indeed remembered that he had been
more cheerful and happier, when he was poor and obliged to work for a
livelihood. Then he was delighted by every beautiful prospect in the
valley, by music and song, then he had for hours looked in joyful
expectation towards the frugal meal which his mother was to bring him
to the kiln.

When thus reflecting on the past, it seemed very strange to him, that
now he could not even laugh, while formerly he had laughed at the
slightest joke. When others laughed, he only distorted his mouth out
of politeness, but his heart did not sympathise with the smile. He
felt he was indeed exceedingly tranquil, but yet not contented. It was
not a yearning after home, nor was it sadness, but a vo