are a man of noble ideas," began the Prince anew; "you have shaped
your life yourself, I respect you for that; such men deserve the
highest honors. I am glad that I can confer them on you, as I can."

Sonnenkamp wanted to say that he was well aware of the opinion of the
Count of Wolfsgarten, but that he did not question the absolute power
of the Prince; but it seemed better to be silent. Why should he embark
in a discussion which would only lengthen out the scene? And besides,
the Cabinetsrath had strongly urged upon him the necessity of
discretion.

The Prince now went over once more all the noble and good things which
Sonnenkamp had done. The latter listened modestly with downcast eyes;
he really found it very trying to hear it all now in his present
position; the Prince might defer it until a party, or a hunt, or some
other occasion would offer a favorable opportunity. Sonnenkamp was of
the opinion that the whole court, as well as himself, looked upon all
these stories about nobility as nothing more than an excellent
necessary humbug; he was astonished to find the Prince so solemn and
earnest in a tete-a-tete. Or was this part of the humbug?

But the Prince was going through with what was before him as became a
man moved by duty, however unpleasant the duty might be; he evidently
considered it proper to declare his motives, in order to exhort the man
to strive after things still more noble. He seemed to himself at this
moment a kind of priest, who, concealed from the whole world in the
inner sanctuary of the temple, is consecrating a novice; he was much
moved himself. The first chamberlain had not been wrong; the Prince had
returned to the palace some time before the hour appointed, but he had
been quietly preparing himself beforehand for this solemn ceremony.

Since Herr von Endlich's elevation to the nobility, the Prince had been
in the habit of using certain set phrases; no one knew who had
originated them, but he often repeated, like a lesson learned by heart,
the words--"Yes, yes, it is an established rule, an excellent rule,
that the monumental should not be treated lightly. One should not carve
in stone, or cast in bronze, a momentary jest or whim, to look awkward
and out of place as time goes on; such things are only fit to enliven
the passing moment. The transient should not be transformed into an
enduring monument."

He did not show distinctly what was in his mind, but it was easy to see
what he meant