“You give me full absolution?”
“Yes, under the condition that you tell nobody a word of your guilty conduct. I have told you that I take you to be an extwaawdinawy lad, Wumpf——”
“Thank you for your good opinion. My word of honour then that so long as you are in your present position at the town gymnasium no word shall pass my lips!”
With that he turned the key and opened the door.
Like the king in Uhland’s ballad did Samuel Heinzerling step out into the pure air of heaven. He took a deep breath; then, brushing his hair from his brow as if trying to remember something, he said—
“Wumpf, I can take a joke ath well ath any man; but I wish you would do me the favour not to mimic me in future. You—you weally do it too well!”
“Your wish is my law!”
“Vewy good! And now you’d betht hathten down to the clath-woom. It’th not yet a quarter to—you’ll be just in time!”
“But how can I do that, Herr Professor? They all know that you have given me three days!”
“Vewy good! I’ll go with you.”