"No."
"That, too, must we have to bear!"
"Does your mother know?"
"She only knows that father has fled; and she keeps crying, 'Henry, Henry, come back!' For hours, she has kept saying those words over and over. It is incredible how her strength holds out. O Eric! when we were in your father's library, Roland said, 'In all these books is there a fate to compare with ours?'"
All Eric's attempts to soothe her were fruitless.
CHAPTER II.
THE CHILDREN OF MAMMON.
Roland arrived, and Herr Weidmann with him. He had heard of his father's flight, but not of Bella's. A great change had come over the boy in these four days, especially in the lines about his mouth: its childish expression had changed into one of pride and sadness, and his whole character had gained in firmness. He went directly to his mother, who had not once paused in her cry of, "Henry, Henry, come back! Henry, I will give you my ornaments: come back!"
She appeared not to have noticed Roland's absence, and showed no surprise now at seeing him. She only said,—
"Your father will soon come back: he is only gone for a vessel, a great vessel; he sits at the helm, he guides"—