he country is just the place for arranging such a
matter easily and comfortably. If you would prefer to speak with her
alone first, you have only to give me a wink."

"Is this merely your private opinion, or are you perhaps acting--"

"Under higher orders? Not yet, unfortunately. But you know my
diplomatic talents. If you will only give me full powers--"

"I am sorry, uncle, but I really am too weak to talk any longer in this
jesting way of matters which, after all, have their serious side too.
Excuse me for to-day; I must go back to the house; and, in conclusion,
I must beg of you not to exert yourself at all in my interest. You see
I am quite well, under the circumstances--as well as I could wish all
men were--and after I have passed a few weeks more in the country--"

He tried to speak lightly; but he sank back upon the bench, and could
only motion with his hand for the old baron to leave him, for a sudden
throbbing pain in his wounded breast deprived him of speech. The uncle
stammered out a few frightened words, and then hastened back to his
horse, which he had tied outside the park-gate. He mounted
thoughtfully, and rode off shaking his head. There were some things
about the young people of nowadays that went beyond his comprehension.

CHAPTER V.

A few weeks after this meeting, Felix wrote Jansen the following
letter:

"Villa Rossel, _last of October_.

"The spirit moves me to talk with you, old Daedalus; and as my physician
has seriously impressed me with the duty of sparing my lungs, I may
neither look you up myself nor tempt you to come out here to me. So I
must force you to puzzle out these awkward copy-book letters of mine,
in which you will recognize the handwriting of your pupil as little as
you will his customary style.

"For, between ourselves be it said, things still look rather blue and
gloomy to me. Our friends won't have told you this; before them I have
played the lively, joyous Hotspur, merely in order to make them think
there would be no danger in leaving me out here alone. I can no longer
reconcile it to my conscience to exile my good host from the city, even
though he does put such a good face on the matter; and then there is
Kohle too--hard as it is for him to tear himself away from his bare
walls, he can't go on with his work until he has first made the
necessary designs. What do I lack here except that one thing