added smiling:--

"Yes, this is our new self-government in all matters, high and low. We
have no overseers, neither consecrated nor unconsecrated."

The sun shone down brightly upon the lively scene of joyous festivity,
and Roland, standing upon the now empty platform, said to Eric:--

"If my father were only here! Suppose now that to each one of the
multitude here, all of them,--how many do you think there are?"

"At least a thousand."

"A thousand persons," he repeated. "Then, if one should give this very
minute a thousand gulden to each one of them?"

"This would be very well for a day, a year, or even several years, but
not for life. You have been told that the way to help people is, to put
good tools into their hands, and good tools into their souls, so that
they may get their own living--that's the thing."

"Yes, yes, it was only a dream," said Roland, and his countenance fell.

Why had Eric not shared with him in the joy of this dream?

It was time for them to go to the dance; they heard the sound of music.
They entered the Raven Inn, where a green garland was hanging outside,
and inside, peasants and peasant girls were dancing merrily. On a
little platform among the musicians there was a man playing the flute,
who nodded to them as they came in; it was Knopf. Roland seized Eric's
hand, trembling, and pointing to a table covered with a red cloth where
several well-dressed people were sitting, he cried:--

"There she is! There she is!"

A child of slender form, and of a blooming, rosy countenance, with
long, flowing hair, was standing on the knee of a handsome, powerfully
built man, with a massive head, who was addressed as Doctor Fritz.

Knopf gave a signal to the trumpeter near him, and the dance ceased. He
came down, and shook Eric and Roland by the hand. Tears stood in his
eyes under his huge spectacles, and fell upon the glasses, so that he
had to doff his spectacles, and look at the new-comers with blinking
eyes.

"You come at a good time, at the best. We are celebrating the District
Fair."

"Forgive me," exclaimed Roland.

"I did that a long while ago. Dear--you have grown very tall. Come with
me."

He conducted them to the large table, and introduced Eric to Frau
Weidmann. And another person, who was sitting behind the table, shook
Eric and Roland by the hand; it was the Russian, who was now living
with Weidmann as a pupil. Weidmann's two sons, Dr. Fritz, from America,
and his child, we