simply replied to questions put to him, and had
always spoken either to impart something to others, or to enlighten
them; now he was speaking with the view, at any rate with the secondary
view, of appearing well, taking pleasure in the effect of this and that
expression. He was startled when he became aware of it, and continued
speaking further. He repelled the reproachful suggestion, saying to
himself that it was really his duty to play the part of host. His eyes
glistened, and he brought Sonnenkamp and Clodwig into a state of
pleasant animation. The ladies also received their share. But Bella had
a manner,--and since she had it, it must be well-mannered,--when she
was not leading the conversation,--no matter who was speaking, or what
was spoken about,--a manner of introducing into the little circle,
where it was a disturbing element, a dialogue with the person sitting
next to her, and hindering him, even if he wished to do so, from
falling into the general stream of conversation.

Eric had vanity enough to make him note her want of interest; it vexed
him at first, but afterwards he thought no more about it.

Herr Sonnenkamp was very well satisfied with the family-tutor, who not
only made a good appearance in his own sphere, and gave to him the
rightful consideration, but whose very presence was an ornament of the
house, and brought to his table the noblest of the land.

Clodwig again requested that he might be immediately informed of every
remains of Roman Antiquities discovered in the restoration of the
castle; Sonnenkamp promised it with readiness, and gave an extremely
humorous account of the silly motives attributed to him for rebuilding
the castle. Some said he wished to figure in "Baedeker's Traveller's
Manual," which people carried with them in the summer season, when they
passed up and down the river, so that the castle might be pointed at,
and the bored English, with finger upon the line of the book, might
gape at it awhile with open mouth; but that really an aesthetic reason
determined him. He honestly confessed that he intended, in rebuilding
the castle, to give a harmonious finish to the view from his work-room
window, desiring at the same time to make some contribution to the
beauty of the German fatherland.

There was always a peculiar tang in Sonnenkamp's utterance of these
words, "German fatherland;" one could detect therein something like
deep-seated savage hate, and yet the tone was rather that of