w, because I am not
in the humor for it today? In the humor? I've let the fox see my hand.
If I hadn't, he would have blurted it out; now I have warned him and
made him cautious. I am too honest with a player who cheats so; I am
bound to lose. Good; I will be 'in the humor' tomorrow, I'll act as
though I were blind and deaf, as if I didn't see what it is he is
trying to do, even if it were still clearer. A cobweb on the lapel of
my coat so that he may have something to brush off! I can't bear to
have a fellow like that look into my face--the hypocrite!"

Thus prepared and resolved to outdo the fox in cunning, even though it
should put his self-control to the severest test, Apollonius found his
brother waiting for him the following day. Apollonius too had resolved
on his course. He was determined not to let himself be confused today
by any mood of his brother's; everything depended on shutting off the
source of all these moods. Fritz wished him the most unembarrassed,
jovial good morning that he could command.

"If you will listen to me calmly and in a spirit of brotherliness,"
said Apollonius, "I hope that this will be the best kind of a morning
for you and me and all of us."

"And all of us," repeated Fritz and put nothing of his explanation of
the three words into his tone. "I know that you always think of us
all, so speak out merrily from your heart; I'll do the same."

Apollonius omitted his intended introduction. He had learnt to be wise
and cautious; but to be wise and cautious toward a brother would have
seemed to him to be duplicity. Even if he had known of his brother's
duplicity he, unlike the latter, would never have thought of meeting
him with the same weapons. Even in the face of his experience he would
have persuaded himself that he was mistaken.

"I think, Fritz," he, began cordially, "we should have been different
toward each other from what we have been." He good-naturedly took half
the blame on himself. In his own mind his brother put the whole of it
on him, and was about to assure him jovially of the contrary when
Apollonius continued. "Things have not been the same as they used to
be between us, nor as they should be. The reason for this, as far as I
know, is only your wife's dislike of me. Or do you know of any other?"

"I know of none," said his brother shrugging his shoulders
regretfully; but he thought of Apollonius' return against his advice,
of the ball, of the conference in the church lo