The Professor was standing with the Chamberlain and the Sovereign in the study. The latter held in his hand the memorial that Werner had prepared respecting the new catalogue of the museum.
"Only now can I form an estimate concerning the extent of the catalogue which you consider necessary. I am ready to agree to your proposals, if you will bind yourself to undertake the superintendence of the new arrangement and of the catalogue. If you cannot do us this service, everything must remain as before, for only the great confidence which I have in you, and the wish to keep you here, will induce me to make the necessary sacrifice. You see I make the undertaking dependent upon the degree of inclination which you yourself have for this work."
The Professor replied that his presence might be desirable for the introductory arrangements, and that he was ready to spend some weeks upon it. Afterwards, it would be sufficient if from time to time he examined the progress of the work.
"With this I shall be content for the present," said the Sovereign, after a pause; "our contract is, then, concluded. But I see that it will be necessary to get some one who will carry out the details under your guidance. Will the Curator be able to it?"
The Professor thought not.
"And could you propose any one?"
The Professor thought over the old members of his circle.
But the proper man at once occurred to the Chamberlain.
"Would not Magister Knips do for this work?"
"Just the man," said the Professor; "industry, knowledge, everything about him, makes him peculiarly adapted for it. I believe that he may be had at once. I can answer for his trustworthiness with respect to the care of objects of value. But I cannot take this responsibility upon me without disclosing to your Highness that once in his life, from want of caution, he was implicated in a disagreeable affair, that lessened the confidence, not only of myself, but of many of his acquaintances."