r Manna free?" Lina was overflowing
with merriment, and she might indeed take pride in having been the
means of enlivening the whole house, and, more than all, Manna.

Eric succeeded in turning his fall into a joke, and he was at a loss,
when he looked at his mother, to know why she shook her head so
strangely. He had entirely forgotten how she reminded him with pride
during those sad days when Bella was visiting the villa, that his
father had said he had never had a fall.

Manna's cheeks had never before glowed so brightly as they did to-day;
the spell upon her seemed broken; one deep, hearty, childlike burst of
laughter had given her new life. She was sorely vexed, but she could
make no suitable response when Lina said to Herr Sonnenkamp:--

"Your Highness! The king was obliged to give the princess in marriage
to the knight who made her laugh, and public proclamation was made of
it from the tower of the castle throughout all lands. Now say what you
will give to Herr Dournay."

"I grant him a kiss," answered Sonnenkamp.

"Herr Dournay, you are authorized to kiss Manna, her father grants
permission," Lina called out to the company.

They all stood amazed, and Sonnenkamp cried:--

"No, child, that was not my meaning. He can give you a kiss."

"I don't need your permission for that," replied Lina.

She was now entirely in her element; wherever there was any fun, any
teasing, she seemed a different being, quick, inventive, excessively
merry, full of fanciful suggestions; as soon, however, as the
conversation took a serious turn, she always sat very quiet and
attentive, but her look said:--

"All this is no doubt very fine, but I've no relish for it; I've never
yet seen that people were any better off or any merrier for all their
smart speeches."

They returned to the villa.

Lina had hung her hat upon a bush. The Architect carried it to her,
stroking the brown ribbons, and regarding fondly the brown straw braid,
and the artificial vine-leaves, of a brown autumnal tint. He handed the
hat to Lina, and while doing it they pressed each other's hands, as the
Architect said that he must go to the castle again, in order to make
some arrangements for the next day. For an instant only, Lina looked
thoughtfully after him, and then, giving her head a toss, she bounded
up the steps and went into the music saloon. Placing herself at the
piano, she played a dancing tune, for the day must be wound off with a
dance; the rel