nnenkamp's thoughts while he was turning
round to lock the green-house door. The thing was as surely and as
firmly fixed in his mind as the door was surely and firmly looked.

"Do you speak English?" he asked, seeing his wife still sitting in the
rocking-chair; she had taken off the red shawl, and as she sat there,
her satin dress had a rich golden lustre.

"Captain, Doctor, I beg your pardon, what name?" said Sonnenkamp, in
introducing him.

"Dournay."

Frau Ceres gave a hardly perceptible nod, and, as if there were no one
else present, said in a peevish tone to her husband, that he paid no
attention to her, and had not said a single word to her about her new
dress. Sonnenkamp stood wholly at a loss to know what was the meaning
of this unexpected sally of his wife. Did she think it was a mark of
high-breeding to show the stranger such a degree of indifference? She
was not diplomatic enough for that. He turned, and as if apologising,
remarked to Eric that his wife loved gay colors.

In a tone of strict truth, Eric replied that he entirely coincided with
the gracious lady; that gay colors were in keeping with external
nature; and that people ought to be sunny and bright like the flowers.

Frau Ceres smiled at this friendly turn, and Eric continued in the same
strain, that it was a lamentable effect of the style of conversation
employed in society, that the expression even of a truth should be
regarded as mere civility and flattery, whenever it struck pleasantly
upon the ear; that words were deprived of their real meaning, and
people accustomed themselves to advance ideas which neither the speaker
nor the hearer actually believed; that our manner of talking in society
was like a card of invitation to an evening party, in which eight
o'clock was specified as the hour, when half past nine was meant; and
he who went at eight only brought the hosts into a dilemma.

Frau Ceres looked from Eric to her husband, and from her husband to
Eric, and as no one said anything, Eric continued, briefly pointing out
how colors in dress harmonised with the natural environment. But he
soon perceived that he was going too far in this exposition, and he
added that the attire of ladies approached nearer to the ethereal
bright plumage of the birds.

His mother now beckoned to Roland, who appeared in the distance. He
pointed to the summit of the tower. The mother looked up and smiled;
and the father also smiled when he saw the flag of th