Frau
Ceres, who appeared again at table, betrayed by no look or word that
she had conversed so confidentially with Eric; she addressed,
frequently, some brief remark to him; but again all were occupied in
urging her to eat something. Eric wondered at the patience with which
Sonnenkamp did this again and again.

After dinner, while they were taking coffee, Sonnenkamp observed to
Eric in a careless way, that a new applicant had presented himself, who
brought the highest recommendation from Roland's last tutor, the
candidate Knopf. He gave Eric to understand that they did not receive
every one at once to dinner, and ordered Joseph to introduce the
stranger.

A slim, sunburnt man entered. He was introduced to the company. Eric
was introduced by the title of Captain, Doctor being suffered
temporarily to rest in peace. The stranger, whose name was Professor
Crutius, had been a fellow-student with the candidate Knopf, had seen a
good deal of the world, and, finally, for several years, had been
professor in the military school at West Point, near New York.

He gave this information with great ease, but in rather a harsh tone of
voice.

Sonnenkamp seemed to have reserved this entertainment for the dessert,
to allow the two applicants to engage in a tilt with each other, while
quietly smoking his cigar. He was very shrewd in finding the points
where they could attack each other, but he was not not a little
surprised that Eric immediately laid down his arms; expressing his
thanks to the stranger, he said that he envied his rich experience in
life, and his wide survey of the world, while he himself had, to his
regret, been confined to the limited circle of the Principality and to
the world of books.

The stranger had made the discovery very soon that Fraeulein Perini was
the hair-spring in the watchwork of this household, and he found that
they had some reminiscences in common. Crutius had accompanied an
American family to Italy, and had gone from thence to the New World.

In a manner showing candor and experience, he described the
characteristics of an American boy of the upper class, and how such a
boy must be managed. Without directly pointing it out, this description
was evidently intended for Roland, who sat gazing at the stranger.

Eric, standing with Sonnenkamp by the balcony-railing, which he grasped
tightly in his hands, said that he himself was not sufficiently
prepared, and that the stranger would be, probably,