is of a storm has passed, a company of persons become
very lively, and have an additional feeling of home. They had withdrawn
into the inner music saloon, whose vaulted ceiling, brilliantly lighted
up, had even a festive appearance. Half way up the walls of the room
four balconies projected, and in the centre was the grand piano. On one
side was a circular seat, upon an elevated platform, where Bella was
sitting with the happy Justice's wife on the right, and the forester's
wife on the left.

The young girls were promenading arm in arm through the saloon, and
Pranken, full of his jokes, accompanied them; he carried in his hand a
rose out of Lina's wreath; when Clodwig and Eric joined the circle,
with the major, the young people came up to them.

Bella asked the major whether the work upon the castle, which Herr
Sonnenkamp had begun to rebuild, was still continued. The major nodded;
he always nodded several times before he spoke, as if carefully
arranging beforehand what he should say.

He asserted very confidently that they would find a spring in the
castle court-yard. Clodwig begged him to preserve carefully every relic
of the middle ages and the Roman period, and promised soon to go
himself, and superintend the excavations. The head-forester jestingly
observed, "Herr Sonnenkamp,"--everybody called him Herr, but with a
peculiar accent, as if they wished no further acquaintance with
him,--"Herr Sonnenkamp will probably now give his name to the restored
castle."

When Herr Sonnenkamp's name was mentioned, it seemed as if a dam had
been carried away, and the conversation rushed in headlong from all
quarters.

"Herr Sonnenkamp has a deal of understanding," said the
school-director, "but Moliere maliciously observes, that the rich man's
understanding is in his pocket."

The apothecary added, "Herr Sonnenkamp loves to represent himself as an
incorrigible sinner, in the hope that nobody will believe him; but
people do believe him."

Eric caught the names Herr Sonnenkamp, Frau Ceres, Manna, Roland, Frau
Perini; it was like the chirping of birds in the woods, all sounds
mingled together, and no one melody distinctly heard. The wife of the
Justice, with a significant glance towards Pranken, said, "Men like the
major and Herr von Pranken can take up at once such mysterious,
interloping people from abroad, but ladies must be more reserved." Then
she gave it to be understood that the old established families could
not be