he whole village
sends greetings! From Anton the stable-boy--he is now head man--to the
old night watchman whose horn you once hung up on the top of the
tower. Oh, what a pleasure this is!

BOLZ.

How is Miss Runeck? Tell me, old chap!

KORB.

Very well indeed, now. But we have been through much. The late general
was ill for four years. It was a bad time. You know he was always an
irritable man.

BOLZ.

Yes, he was hard to manage.--

KORB.

And especially during his illness. But Miss Adelaide took care of
him, so gentle and so pale, like a perfect lamb. Now, since his death,
Miss Adelaide runs the estate, and like the best of managers. The
village is prospering again. I will tell you everything, but not until
this evening. Miss Adelaide is waiting for me; I merely ran in quickly
to tell you that we are here.

BOLZ.

Don't be in such a hurry, Korb.--So the people in the village still
think of me!

KORB.

I should say they did! No one can understand why you don't come near
us. It was another matter while the old gentleman was alive, but now--

BOLZ (_seriously_).

My parents are dead; a stranger lives in the parsonage.

KORB.

But we in the manor-house are still alive! Miss Runeck would surely be
delighted--

BOLZ.

Does she still remember me?

KORB.

Of course she does. This very day she asked about you.

BOLZ.

What did she ask, old chap?

KORB.

She asked me if it was true what people are saying, that you have
grown very wild, make debts, run after girls, and are up to the devil
generally.

BOLZ.

Good gracious! You stood up for me, I trust?

KORB.

Of course! I told her that all that might be taken for granted with
you.

BOLZ.

Confound it! That's what she thinks of me, is it? Tell me, Korb, Miss
Adelaide has many suitors, has she not?

KORB.

The sands of the sea are as nothing to it.

BOLZ (_vexed_).

But yet she can finally choose only one, I suppose.

KORB (_slyly_).

Correct! But which one? That's the question.

BOLZ.

Which do you think it will be?

KORB.

Well, that is difficult to say. There is this Mr. von Senden who is
now living in town. If any one has a chance it is probably he. He
fusses about us like a weasel. Just as I was leaving he sent to the
house a whole dozen of admission cards to the great fete at the club.
It must be the sort of club where the upper classes go arm-in-arm with
the townspeople.

BOLZ.

Yes, it is a political soci