his lady was not a member of the same church.

He then invited the Professor's widow, by Sonnenkamp's request, to
drive with them to the country-house which the Cabinetsraethin--he
corrected himself immediately and said the Cabinetsrath--thought of
purchasing; she would certainly do her part towards securing such an
agreeable neighbor for Herr Sonnenkamp. Her objection, that she was
hardly yet settled, was flatteringly set aside.

The carriage drove up.

The Cabinetsraethin and Sonnenkamp entered, and the mother must drive
with them to the villa now for sale. They were in extreme good humor on
the way, but involuntarily there came over Eric's mother the thought
that she was mixed up in some sort of intrigue, and that her simplicity
was made use of for some interested purpose. What it was, she was
wholly ignorant. She felt serious anxiety, and this positively
increased when Sonnenkamp said, as they entered the house, that it
belonged to him, and he was glad to be able to pass it over to his
noble neighbor.

What does this mean? Has a surprise been prepared for her? Does
Sonnenkamp mean to give her the house?

She was soon aware of her mistake, for the Cabinetsraethin immediately
proceeded to assign the rooms to herself, her husband, and her
children. She had two sons in the army, and one invalid daughter; rooms
were also designated for her grandchildren, and when she was looking
for a choice spot for herself, Sonnenkamp promised to have the grounds
laid out anew. She was amazed to find what capabilities the grounds
possessed.

Sonnenkamp was extremely complaisant; it had been, indeed, his
desire to reserve the country-seat as the payment for his patent of
nobility,--for the sum to be paid by the Cabinetsrath was merely
nominal,--but he had been obliged to give way to Pranken's
representations that this was utterly impracticable, and that it was
much wiser to be on neighborly terms with so influential a man, as thus
every thing would come about much more naturally.

The Cabinetsraethin sat with the Professor's widow in the garden, and
endeavored to impress upon her that she would surely be glad, through
her great influence, to aid the Sonnenkamp family in obtaining the rank
which was their due; at first she went no farther, but it was her fixed
plan that the widow should apply the main lever, and that neither she
nor her husband should take a prominent part. Should the plan miscarry,
they would remain concealed,