Forth from here, the Manichæans watch us.
The Manichæans are the creditors, so called after the old much reprobated sect of the Manichæans, who in the third century held the doctrines of the Persian heretic Manes.
Upon a wearied steed, a Jena student flew,
In stumbling career, the fields and meadows through;
And full of dread, with which the Philistines imbued him,
Still wildly looked behind, lest creditors pursued him.
The Renommist.
Mr. Traveller had now, in Heidelberg, studied for half a year the customs and general life of the students. Gladly would he yet longer have sojourned amongst his new friends; but he could only remain on the continent till autumn, and wished to make use of this time, in acquainting himself with some others of the most celebrated of the universities of Germany. After long delay, a day was finally fixed during the Easter vacation. His way lay through Leipsic and Berlin, and it was agreed to set out in a hired carriage as far as Weinheim, there, till the arrival of the post-wagon, to celebrate the last farewell. Towards five o'clock, on the appointed morning, Freisleben and Hoffmann went to call their friend Von Kronen, and were astonished to find the long-sleeper already up and prepared. "I'll tell you how it happened," said he; "I had given my boot-fox orders to rouse me out of bed at four o'clock, be it as it would. This morning, while it was yet quite dark, he rushed into my room with his lantern, and startled me out of the sweetest dreams, with the cry of 'Fire! fire!' 'Where then, where?' I demanded. 'Get up,' said he, 'in a moment, and come with me.' I sprung out of bed, threw on my clothes, again demanding, 'Tell me though, where is the fire?' He then quietly answered, 'Here, you see it, in my lantern!'"
The friends laughed at the ingenuity of the boot-fox, and hastened to Mr. Traveller. They found him already dressed, and busy with his boot-fox, in packing the dress-suit in which he had yesterday paid his farewell visits to the professors. The room looked desolate and inhospitable; and on the walls on every side peeped forth the nails, on which had been suspended pipes, pictures, and other house-gear. On the floor, packing paper lay every where in heaps; here and there lay a pair of old shoes, some old boxes, and the like; upon one chair a trunk, and on another a hat-case. In one corner of the room lay a heap of books which were to be sent direct to England. The writing-desk was open, and there lay the purse, the watch, and all that belongs to the pocket, whilst a stick, and the umbrella in its case leaned against it.
Astonished at these changes, Freisleben's spaniel ran about the room, smelling at every thing in the most particular manner. The carriage now rattled up; the stout driver made his appearance, and announced that all was ready. Hastily the maid brought in the coffee, and hastily was it drunk. The driver and the boot-fox carried down the luggage; Mr. Traveller put on his travelling coat, the friends lit their pipes, and all hastened to the carriage. The maid was below and wished a happy journey; the boot-fox, to whom some remaining pipes and the little coffee-machine was given, said--"I thank you many times; and, fare you well;" and as the carriage set off, the old House-Philistine thrust his head with his white nightcap out of the window above, and with sleepy voice cried--"a happy journey!" But the maid remained standing at the door, and looked after the carriage till it turned the next corner.
Mr. Traveller carried with him from Heidelberg only happy recollections, and rarely can we say this of a place; therefore, as the carriage swept round the turn of the road at Neuenheim, he bade a last and regretful farewell to the little city which, stretched along the bank of the Neckar.
Having arrived in Weinheim, the friends first took a walk up the lovely Birkenau Thal. They had just returned thence, and seated themselves in the inn to a breakfast à la fourchette, when a whole troop of youths arrived on foot. They were clad in blue-and-white frockcoats and blouses, with belt round the waist, wore for the most part straw hats; carried each a stout knapsack on his back; in their hands held short cudgels; and had a basket-flask suspended by a riband that passed over the breast. They were Wurtzburg students, who had penetrated by Wertheim into the Odenwald, and had traversed that ancient and forest land in every direction. Von Kronen and Freisleben found amongst them some old acquaintances. They gave them a hearty welcome; and the new-comers, who were full of life and good humour, related many of their travel adventures,--how they came to a village where it was the Kirchweih, or wake; and how the young bauers came to hard cudgels with them, because they had enticed from them the loveliest maidens on the dancing ground; of the Wild Hunter, the Felsenmeere, or Sea of Rocks, and of the solitary Jäger-house, where they had been obliged to pass the night on straw, as there were no beds to be found for so many guests. They felicitated themselves on all the pleasure that they promised themselves in Heidelberg. The whole company was very merry; they did not spare the excellent Hupberger, and totally forgot that on the heels of this welcome must come a speedy parting. But suddenly the landlord stepped in, and announced that the Eilwagen had arrived. The whole company broke up hastily, and accompanied Mr. Traveller to it. It was high time when they arrived at it, and the Englishman had scarcely leisure to take a hurried leave of his friends. He promised to send them notice of the other universities that he should visit, gave them another hearty shake of the hand--the postilion had blown his bugle, and the wagon rolled on its way. "Tell the English," cried Freisleben to him, as he still looked out of the window, "that the German students are not so bad as they have been described to them." "Honi soit qui mal y pense," replied Mr. Traveller. While this passed, the other students had raised the