the most fitting
person.

Sonnenkamp made no reply, puffing out quickly cloud after cloud of
smoke into the air.

"Magnanimity," he thought to himself. "Magnanimity,--nothing but smoke
and vapor."

The stranger was very zealously engaged in conversation with Frau Ceres
and Fraeulein Perini. Roland went to his father, and said, in a voice as
determined as it was low,--

"Send him away; I don't want him."

"Why not?"

"Because I have Herr Eric, and because Herr Knopf has sent him."

"Go to your own room; you have nothing to say about this," Eric
ordered.

The boy stared at him, and went.

Eric declared to the father that Roland's instinctive feeling was just;
the bitterness against his former teacher he could not at all judge of,
but it was evident that the boy wanted to be received by some entirely
unprejudiced stranger.

Sonnenkamp was surprised at this kindly appreciation on Eric's part,
especially when he went on to state how unpleasant a thing it must be
for the boy to be transferred in this way from one hand to another.
The stranger, in the meanwhile, had asked Fraeulein Perini whether
Sonnenkamp had any relatives, whether that had always been his name,
and whether he received many letters. He touched upon one and another
point in his conversation, evidently to reconnoitre the state of
feeling entertained by the family concerning America; and when
Sonnenkamp, with great energy, asserted that he should like a dictator
for America, who would put to rout the rascality there, Crutius said,
that there were very many in the New World who really cherished the
conviction and desire that America would establish a monarchy, but
didn't dare to say so.

Sonnenkamp nodded to himself, and whistled again inaudibly.

"Where did you put up?" he abruptly inquired of the stranger.

Crutius named an inn in the village.

"There you are very well quartered."

The stranger's countenance changed for an instant. He had evidently
expected that his luggage would be sent for, and that he would be
received as a guest in the house.

Sonnenkamp thanked him very courteously for the call, and requested him
to give his address in full, so that he might be written to if there
should be occasion. The stranger's hand trembled as he took out his
well-worn pocket-book, and gave his card. He took leave with formal
politeness.

Sonnenkamp requested Eric to escort his fellow-teacher a part of the
way, and handed him several gold pie