ll together in a knot staring at Sonnenkamp, and took off
their hats.

Sonnenkamp acknowledged the salutation most graciously.

The Cabinetsrath regretted that he could not go with him; he simply
ordered the coachman to stop before the great gate of the palace.

Pranken left Roland alone, as the Ensign had promised to call for the
latter when he got back from the drill ground. With an unusually quiet
tone and modest manner, Pranken bade good bye until they met again at
table, for Sonnenkamp had ordered an elegant little lunch for four,
himself, his son and son-in-law, and the Cabinetsrath.

Sonnenkamp dashed along through the streets of the city; the people on
foot stood still. Many who knew him saluted him, and many too, who did
not know him; for a foreign prince might sit in such a carriage, and
deference must be paid to a foreign prince.

The horses trotted on gaily, as if they knew to what honor they were
carrying their master. Sonnenkamp lay back in the carriage, and played
awhile with the order upon his breast. This token gave him an
encouragement; for why was he apprehensive in taking the second step,
when he had felt no apprehension in taking the first, and no danger had
yet made its appearance?

The carriage drove past a building with many windows. Sonnenkamp knew
it. It was the editing and printing establishment of Professor Crutius.
Knots of men were standing in front of it, some of them reading a copy
of the paper; they looked up and nodded, as the handsome carriage
passed by. Sonnenkamp would have liked to stop to get a paper; he had
already grasped the check-string, intending to gives Bertram the signal
to stop, but he dropped it again.

Why is this? Why is he so anxious to get the newspaper to-day? Ah, men
are better off in the desolate wilderness, where not one human being is
to be seen, where there are no newspapers nor anything of the kind. So
Sonnenkamp thought to himself, as he drove through the lively capital
to the palace of the Prince.

A jolt suddenly startled him; the carriage was stopped. Around the
corner, a battalion of soldiers was approaching with loud music. The
carriage had to stop until the soldiers had all passed by, and it
required some effort to keep the horses in check, on account of the
noise.

Now they were all past; Sonnenkamp looked at his watch. It would be a
terrible thing if, at the very outset, he should have missed the
appointed minute, and have been obliged to ex