ve to Wolfsgarten. Frau Bella was extremely glad to be able to
welcome the Cabinetsraethin; she was very amiable, and looked to-day
lovelier than ever. She had a friendly word for everybody, and she was
especially gracious to Eric. She thought that, at his last visit, he
seemed to be a little out of tune, and she wished now to dissipate any
such feeling by exhibiting a decided preference.

Eric received the friendly attention gratefully, but very coldly, as
the sharp-eyed woman did not fail to perceive.

Sonnenkamp, who had quick perception, held his breath as a hunter does,
when the game comes within range of his shot. Indeed, thought he, they
know how to play a good game! The reputation of this house for virtue
had hitherto weighed upon him somewhat, but now he moved about with a
sort of home feeling.

It was a little court assembled here, and the etiquette, though
savoring of rural freedom, was not the less precise. A large number of
prominent personages were collected, and the fact was the more
striking, because they were brought together from scattered points of
country life; it was a group of separate and independent individuals
drawn hither from their retirement. The larger portion were officers
who had retired on pensions, or been honorably discharged from the
service; there were red, yellow, and blue ribbons of different orders
modestly tied in the button-holes; the old gentlemen had their hair
carefully dressed, and their beards freshly colored; the ladies showed
that they had sojourned at Paris some weeks in the year to some
purpose.

The conversation was carried on in French, out of regard to a French
lady.

A celebrated musician had also been invited, now staying at the
country-house of a brother-artist, who had married a former
music-pupil, a rich heiress, and had gained a highly respectable
standing in the neighborhood.

Except Eric, Herr Sonnenkamp and the musical-artist were the only
untitled personages in the company; his genius raised the artist, and
his millions the rich man, into the new atmosphere. The Wine-cavalier
might already be considered as one of the nobility, for it was known
that his whole family were to be ennobled very soon. The newly
betrothed couple had also been invited, but on the day of the fete, a
letter was received which contained the information, couched in
courteous terms of regret, that the bridegroom, having been taken
slightly ill, was unable to be present, and the b