outhed children had gathered round her, and women had
watched her from the windows. She was almost in despair: why did Paul
remain upstairs such a terribly long time? She had had no idea, of
course, that he had first to wake his son out of a leaden sleep in an
untidy bed. And she must never, never know.

Now they had got him home again, but was it a pleasure? To that Paul
Schlieben had to give a curt "no" as answer, even if he had felt ever
so disposed to forgive, ever so placable. No joy came to them from that
quarter now. Perhaps they might have some later, much later. For the
time being it would be best for the young man to serve his time as a
soldier.

Wolfgang was to present himself on the first of April. Schlieben
pinned his last hope to that.

Wolfgang had always wished to serve with the Rathenow Hussars, but
after their last experiences his father deemed it more advisable to let
him join the more sedate infantry.

Formerly Wolfgang would have opposed this plan very strenuously--in
any case it must be cavalry--now it did not enter his head to do so. If
he had to serve as a soldier, it was quite immaterial to him where; he
was dead tired. His only wish was to sleep his fill for once. Kullrich
was dead--his sorrowing father had sent him the announcement from
Goerbersdorf towards Christmas--and he? He had wasted too many nights in
dissipation.

It was a blow to Paul Schlieben that Wolfgang was not accepted as a
soldier. "Disqualified"--a hard word--and why disqualified?

"Serious organic defect of the heart"--his parents read it with eyes
that thought they had made a mistake and that still read correctly.

Wolfgang was very exhausted when he came home after the
examination, but he did not seem to mind much that he was disqualified.
He did not show it--but was he not, all the same?

The doctor tried to put everything in as favourable a light as he
could after he, too, had examined him. "Defect of the heart, good
gracious, defect of the heart, there isn't a single person who has a
perfectly normal heart. If you take a little care of yourself,
Wolfgang, and live a regular life, you can grow to be a very old man
with it."

The young fellow did not say a word.

The Schliebens overwhelmed their doctor with reproaches. Why had he
not told them it long ago? He must surely have known. Why had he left
them in such ignorance?

Dr. Hofmann defended himself: had he not again and again exhorted
them to be careful?