uld be the
most suitable thing for Roland to devote himself to agriculture, in
connection with other branches of industry carried out on a large
scale.

The conversation broke up into groups. Knopf said to Eric, that at the
present time there was no longer an Olympus where the fate of human
beings could be decided, and Weidmann added, that the worst thing of
all was, that Roland had nothing to expect, nothing to wish for and to
obtain, and for which he must exert his energies, happy when he
succeeded in his first attempt, and then girding himself immediately
for another; for this is the impelling cause of all movement and
progress, that what is attained becomes the seed of a new effort.

"You were right," he closed, finally turning to Eric, "we cannot
provide for another in advance, least of all here. And no one can be
trained to be a giver of happiness. There must be awakened within the
youth a desire to associate himself with his fellow-men; he must not
merely want to confer happiness, but to create something. Out of
creative activity alone proceeds happiness. He must be educated both
for himself and for others; he must refer everything to others, and at
the same time to himself."

Dr. Fritz had taken no part in the discussion; he sat meditatively with
his brows contracted.

"Why have you had nothing to say?" said Weidmann in a low tone to him,
when the conversation had become general. Dr. Fritz replied in the same
low tone:--

"It is hard enough to know what to do with such an enormous inheritance
righteously acquired; but how much harder, with one to which guilt
adheres."

Weidmann made a significant sign to his nephew, and laid his finger
upon his lips, as if begging silence. Eric had heard nothing of the
conversation between the two, but as he looked at them, he had a
feeling, as if something transpired there which was calculated to
excite alarm. He had an involuntary dread, for which he could not
assign any reason.

Frau Weidmann now came in, and invited them to the table. They got up
at once and proceeded to the dining-room.

Eric sat by the side of Knopf, and said to him:--

"I have a question to ask you, Herr Colleague, which you may take until
tomorrow to answer."

"What is it, pray?"

"What would you do; if you should become the possessor suddenly of many
millions?"

Knopf, who had just put his glass up to his mouth, began to cough and
choke so that he was forced to leave the table. He came