a distance and groped his
way to a bench in his arbor. There he was sitting when they entered.
After greetings had passed the councilman asked after Herr
Nettenmair's health.

"Thank you," replied the old gentleman, "I am somewhat troubled with
my eyes--but it is of no consequence." He smiled as he spoke, and the
councilman exchanged a glance with Apollonius that won the latter's
whole soul. Then he told the old man the whole conference, and made
Apollonius blush in his modesty so that it was long before his usual
color came back. The old man pulled his shield lower down on his face,
that no one might see the thoughts which were oddly struggling with
one another there.

Any one who could have seen beneath the shield would have thought at
first that the old gentleman was glad; the shade of suspicion with
which he had received Apollonius the day before disappeared. He need
not be afraid, then, that this son would make common cause with his
brother against him! Indeed, a something appeared on his countenance
that seemed to rejoice malignantly at the elder's humiliation. Perhaps
he might have interfered, as was his way, with a laconic: "You will
take my place from now on, Apollonius, do you hear?" if the councilman
had not sung Apollonius' praise and if it had not been so well
deserved.

"Yes," he said in his diplomatic manner of hiding his thoughts by only
half expressing them; "yes, indeed, youth! he is young." "And yet so
efficient already!" supplemented the councilman.

The old gentleman inclined his head. One who was interested, as was
the councilman, might believe that he nodded. But he said: "It's the
young men that are all-important today in the world!" Yes, he felt
proud that his son was so efficient, ashamed that he himself was
blind, glad that Fritz could now no longer do as he liked, that the
honor of the home had gained one guardian more, afraid that the
efficiency in which he rejoiced would make him himself superfluous.
And he could do nothing to prevent it; he could do nothing more, he
was nothing more. And as if Apollonius had expressed that, he rose
stiffly erect, as if to show that his son was triumphing too early.

The councilman begged the old gentleman to keep his son at home during
the time that the repairs were being made and to allow him to work at
them. The old gentleman was silent for a time as if he were waiting
for Apollonius to refuse to stay. Then he seemed to assume that
Apollonius ref