"to-day we have hit upon my sister's collation-day.
That pretty girl who turned about so quickly is the daughter of the
Justice, freshly baked out of the oven of the convent of the 'Sacred
Heart' at Aix. You will find her a genuine child of the Rhine, and my
sister has given her the appropriate name Musselina; there is in her
something of perpetual summer. Through this warm-hearted child we are
now already announced to the company."

While he was arranging his hair with his pocket-comb, he continued,--

"The family is very respectable and highly esteemed; the little one is
too good to be trifled with; one must have an inferior kind to smoke in
the open air."

Pranken suddenly became aware whom he was talking to, and immediately
added,--"So would our comrade, Don John Nipper, who was everlastingly
betting, express himself. Do you know that the wild fellow has now an
affection of the spine, and is wheeled about at Wiesbaden in a chair?"

Pranken's whole manner changed; and springing with joyful elasticity
out of the carriage, he reached out his hand to Eric, saying, "Welcome
to Wolfsgarten!" Many carriages were standing in the court-yard, and in
the garden they found the ladies, who with fans and parasols sat upon
handsome chairs around a bed of luxuriantly-growing forget-me-nots, in
the centre of which was a red rhododendron in full bloom.

"We are no peace-breakers; don't let us disturb you, good ladies,"
cried out Pranken from a distance, in a jesting tone. Bella greeted her
brother, and then Eric, whom she recognised at once. The wife of the
Justice and Fraeulein Lina were very happy to renew the acquaintance of
yesterday; then were introduced the district physician's wife and
sister, the head-forester's wife and her mother, the apothecary's wife,
the burgomaster's wife, the school-director's wife, and the wives of
the two manufacturers. In fact, all the notabilities of the place
seemed to have assembled. The gentlemen had gone, it was said, to view
some prospect not very far off, and would soon be back.

The conversation was not very lively, and Eric's appearance awakened
interest. The director's wife, a large striking figure--Bella called
her the lay figure, for she knew how to dress well, and everything
became her--raised her opera-glass and looked round upon the landscape,
but took advantage of this survey to get a nearer look at Eric's face.
The manner in which she then balanced the glass in her hand seemed