has been done
for you. But let it remain concealed between ourselves how we have been
affected by this, for I cannot show the world, and you must not, that I
laid so much stress on the matter. I shall appear indifferent; we must
both appear so. Above all, do not let Herr Dournay know anything of it.
You came quick to-day; where did you meet my messenger?" Roland said
that he knew nothing of any messenger. He now heard that his father, in
the night, had sent a messenger to Mattenheim, with word to come back
at once; and also that the son of the Cabinetsrath, the ensign, had
been on a visit to the house with many companions, who were again
coming at noon to see Roland.

"And where is Herr Dournay?" again asked Sonnenkamp.

Roland replied that he had remained behind with Fraeulein Milch.
Sonnenkamp laughed, and impressed his son with the necessity of
continuing his customary deportment towards Eric; he must always be
grateful to him, and he should be especially careful to be right
modest.

"You must also learn to treat our elevation of rank as unimportant
before the world. Now go to your mother--no, wait. You must still have
something more that will make you strong, that will make you proud,
that will make you feel safe. Stand here, I will show you how highly I
esteem you, how I look upon you as a grown man."

He fumbled hurriedly in his pocket finally he brought out the ring of
keys, went to the fire-proof safe built in the wall, rattled back the
knobs on it, and at once opened both the folding-doors.

"See here," said he, "all this will, one day, be yours, yours and your
sister's. Come here, hold out your hands--so." He took a large package
out of the safe, and said:--

"Attend to what I say; here I put a million pounds sterling--so--hold
tight. Do you know what that is, a million pounds? more than six
millions of thalers are contained in these papers, and, beside that, I
have something to spare. Does your head whirl? it must not; you must
know what you possess, what will make you master of the world, superior
to everything. Now give it to me. See, here it lies in this place;
close by it are the other papers; underneath them is gold, coined gold;
a good deal of it; I like coined gold; uncoined, too; that lies here. I
may die. I often feel that a vertigo might suddenly seize me, and carry
me off. Over here, see here--here lies my will. When I die, you are of
age. Now, my full-grown son, you are a man, give me your