"Do you then wish that I should leave you?" asked Karl, in amazement.
"I must, my little man," said Sturm, gravely; "I must wish it, because it is necessary for your dear departed mother's sake."
"I am to go to my uncle!" cried Karl.
"Exactly so," said his father; "it's all settled, provided your uncle will have you. You shall be a farmer, you shall learn something regular, you shall leave your father."
"Father," said Karl, much downcast, "I do not like leaving you. Can't you come with me to the country?"
"I go to the country! Ho, ho, ho!" Sturm laughed till the house shook again. "My mannikin would put me into his pocket, and take me to the country." Then wiping his eyes: "Come here, my Karl," said he, holding the youth's head between his two great hands; "you are my own good lad; but there must be partings on this earth, and if it were not now, it would be in a couple of years."
And thus Karl's departure from the firm was arranged.
As the time drew near, he tried in vain to conceal his emotion by a great deal of cheerful whistling. He stroked Pluto tenderly, executed all his various odd jobs with intense zeal, and kept as close as he could to his father, who often left his barrels to place his hand in silence on his son's head.
"Nothing heavy in farming!" said the paternal Sturm to Anton, looking anxiously into his face.
"Heavy!" replied Anton; "it will be no light matter to learn all connected with it."