He spoke in a kind of low, dreamy mysterious tone, which so touched the Major's heart, that he fell upon the speaker's neck, embraced and kissed him, and cried,—
"You must enter our society. You must speak so there. That is the place for you."
Knopf had come to fulfil Weidmann's commission, and to make some inquiries of Eric about the black man Adams. When the Cooper and his betrothed entered, and the Major gave them his blessing, and Fräulein Milch brought in a bottle of wine, Knopf was the merriest of the company. He could not fully say what was in his heart; but he laid his hand on the tablets in his breast-pocket, which meant, "Here is another beautiful romance for me to write down. Ah, how beautiful the world is!"
Into the midst of this joyful company came the tidings of Sonnenkamp's flight.
"And we have not yet passed sentence upon him!" cried the Major.
Fräulein Milch smiled knowingly at the Major, as much as to say, "Did I not tell you he was making fools of you?"
Without waiting to finish their wine, the Major and Knopf hurried to the Villa.
Eric was busy with the notary, and they had to wait some time before they could speak with him.
The notary had brought Eric a paper in Sonnenkamp's handwriting, which declared that he had taken with him all the property made in slave-traffic; he appointed Weidmann and Eric guardians of his children, and arranged for Roland's being declared of age in the spring.
Another messenger came from Weidmann bringing the good news, that, according to a letter just received from Doctor Fritz, Abraham Lincoln had been elected President.