"Have you got him so soon?" said he to Eric. "Be sure and hold him by a tight rein."
And, pointing to the vineyard, he said: "Next season we shall have there—so Herr Sonnenkamp says—the first wine. Have you ever drunk virgin wine?"
Eric answered in the negative, and the Major delighted in being able to explain to him that the first product of a vineyard was so denominated.
The Major's gait was nothing but a perpetual plunge forward and a recovery of himself again; every two steps he stopped and looked round, always with a smile. He smiled upon every one he met. Why were people to be made unhappy because he has lost his toes? Why should they see a troubled countenance? He informed Eric that he had frozen his toes in the Russian campaign, and had been obliged to have them amputated; and he smiled very cheerfully, as he said:—
"Yes, truly our German proverb is right. Every one knows best himself where the shoe pinches."
He nodded his agreement with Eric, who made an application of the proverb to the various relations of life.
Then he asked Roland whether his mother had yet risen; for Frau Ceres made the no small sacrifice of getting up at nine o'clock, and, what will be considered a not much inferior one, of completing her toilet in a single hour, and going with the family to church. She always made up, therefore, for the lost sleep by going to bed again before dinner, and putting on afterwards, for the first time, her real Sunday apparel.
When they reached the level road, the architect met them, on his way also to dinner; he joined Eric, while Roland went with the Major. The men were all obliged to look at Roland's dogs, before they assembled in the balcony-saloon. They found the doctor and the priest already with Herr Sonnenkamp.
Eric had scarcely been introduced, when Frau Ceres appeared in splendid full dress.
The Major offered his arm, the servants drew back the folding-doors, and they went through several apartments into the dining-hall.