er
must needs suggest and flow into one another, giving rise to new
combinations of thought, as we see in mechanics, and conspicuously in
chemistry.

Weidmann often expressed briefly to Eric his pleasure at Roland's zeal
in work and study, and his interest in the labor of others in the
manufactories.

But, if a great and noticeable change was taking place in Roland, a
still greater transformation was being effected in Eric. Here, where a
man wrought always with reference to his neighbor, where no one dreamed
of grasping the entire system, but each throve quietly by himself; here
Eric's lips were often sealed for days together. He no longer felt it
his duty to be always imparting. He not only found a deep joy in his
love for Manna, but he preferred listening to talking, and seeing to
showing. He felt as if he were on some peaceful island, where yet he
could hear a friendly voice at any hour. Pranken might now have watched
him from morning till night in vain: he would have had to retract that
bitter speech of his about Eric's zeal for imparting knowledge.

Roland and Knopf often regarded him with surprise. He would accompany
them on long walks without uttering a single word.

The evening of each day was devoted to festivity. Great stress was here
laid upon that evening recreation, which, unfortunately, has become
obsolete in the world. Frau Weidmann, who dressed neatly but plainly
during the day, appeared regularly each evening in holiday attire. They
did not have prayers at Mattenheim; but Weidmann held private worship
in his soul.

When Roland expressed his peculiar pleasure in the fine and efficient
system of horse-breeding at Mattenheim, Weidmann would say,--

"I have a story to tell about that. Everybody has heard, and possibly
seen with his own eyes, how the old lord of the manor used to drive
through the village with his span of dock-tailed bays, to the
admiration of all beholders. And it is customary to say that we have no
such horses now-a-days, so large, so fat, so handsome! Well, that may
be. But no more are there such miserable nags to be seen as in old
times. All horses are moderately strong and handsome, and of tolerably
good blood. The breed generally has improved. And there you have the
present age. The horse is a fine emblem to my mind; the lilac is
another. They used to bring this flowering shrub from Persia, and set
it only in the parks of great people; but now it grows everywhere, and
is none t