uld possibly live with
him. He must remain alone in his old owl's nest. You could not go to
him there."

"But we should go to him so much more, if he is old and ill. He needs us
more then than if he had a family," Leonore said eagerly. "He could be
our father and we his children and we could take care of him and love
him. If he only were not so dreadfully far away! If you could only tell
us where he lives, we could write to him and get his permission to go
there. Without him we can't do anything at all, because Mr. von Stiele
in Hanover wants Salo to study for years and years longer. We have to do
everything he says, unless our uncle should call us. Oh, please tell me
where he lives!"

"Just think of all the deprivations you would have to suffer with your
old uncle! Think how lonely it would be for you to live with a sick man
in a wild nest among the rocks! What do you say to that?" he said curtly.

"Oh, it would only be glorious for Salo and me to have a real home with
an uncle we loved," Leonore continued, showing that her longing could not
be quenched. "There is only one thing I should miss there, but I have to
miss it in Hanover, too. I shall never, never feel at home there!"

"Well, what is this?" the gentleman queried.

"That I can't be together with Aunt Maxa and the children."

"Shall we ask Aunt Maxa's advice? Would this suit you, child?"

"Oh, yes indeed," Leonore answered happily.

At the mention of Aunt Maxa she suddenly remembered that they had not
told her where they were going. As she was afraid that they had
remained away too long already, Lenore urged Maezli to take her leave
quickly, while she gave her hand to the steward.

"Will you deliver a message for me, Leonore?" he said; "will you tell
your Aunt Maxa that the master of the castle, whom she knew long years
ago, would love to visit her, but he is unable? Ask her if he may hope
that she will come up to him at the castle instead?"

Maezli gave her hand now to say good-bye, and when she noticed that the
pillow had slipped down again, she said, "Apollonie would just love to
set things in order for you, but Mr. Trius won't let her in. She would
be willing to give a finger from her right hand if she were allowed to do
everything Mr. Trius doesn't do."

"Come now, Maezli," said Leonore, for she had the feeling that this
peculiar revelation might be followed by others as unintelligible. But
the Castle-Steward smiled, as if he had comprehended