Now Eric heard a man's voice—it is the voice of Pranken below on the balcony—which was saying in a loud tone,—
"We attach much, too much importance to it. Such a family-tutor ought properly to wear a livery; that would be the best."
"You are very merry to-day," replied Sonnenkamp.
"On the contrary, very serious; the sacred order of things, without which neither society nor the state can exist, has a sure support in the differences of rank being maintained, if each one shows his particular class. Service—"
Eric closed the window softly; he deemed it unworthy to listen.
The nightingales sang outside in the thicket, and the frogs croaked in the swamp.
"Each sings in its own way," said Eric to himself, as he thought of the cheering words of his father, and the expression of the young baron.
CHAPTER III.
THE OLD UNDER A NEW FACE.
On the morning, Roland wanted to ride before doing any thing else; but Eric, whose maxim was that the day could be consecrated only by taking some good influence into the soul, made him read aloud the first chapter of Benjamin Franklin's autobiography. This was the dedicatory act of their new occupation, and when they were called to breakfast, both were very animated. They could take an equal satisfaction with Fräulein Perini, who returned from mass with Herr von Pranken.