"I move that the protest be rejected."
The Grand Master gazed helplessly about. He, with all his honors on his head, bring forward a proposition, and not have it accepted!—
The Doctor at length begged Eric, as one not yet bound by the traditions prevailing here, to explain his meaning more precisely.
Eric arose and said, that, though strongly inclined to agree with the Doctor, he was not quite sure where right lay. He could only permit himself to quote the words of a noble spirit now passed away. Clodwig had seen, as in a vision upon his death-bed, the combatants of the present day dividing into two hostile camps, one of which rallied around the Pope, the other around the standard of free thought. A third party, agreeing partly with the former, and partly with the latter, he thought impossible.
The protest was rejected; but the Doctor's proposition, openly to acknowledge the justice of the Papal animadversions, was also set aside. At the close of the celebration the brethren sat down to a banquet. Roland was once more welcomed by the Banker with peculiar heartiness.
The youth asked the Major in a low voice, why Professor Einsiedel and Knopf were not members of the order.
"They are natural members of the association," answered the Major.
As they left the castle by the light of the full moon, Roland said to the Major,—
"To have lived a day like this makes death seem easy."
"I say with Claus," answered the Major, "we won't look for death till the very last."