At that moment John announced Fritz von Ehrenberg.

The boy came in dressed in an admirably fitting summer suit. He was
radiant with youth and strength, victory gleamed in his eye; a hymn of
victory seemed silently singing on his lips.

"Well Fritz, you seem merry," said Niebeldingk and patted the boy's
shoulder. He could not suppress a smile of sad envy.

"Don't ask me! Why shouldn't I be happy? Life is so beautiful, yes,
beautiful. Only you musn't have any dealings with women. That plays
the deuce with one."

"You don't know yourself how right you are," Niebeldingk sighed,
looking out of the corner of an eye at the knight of several
honourable orders who had now taken up his station in the shelter of
the house opposite.

"Oh, but I do know it," Fritz answered. "If I could describe to you
the contempt with which I regard my former mode of life ... everything
is different ... different ... so much purer ... nobler ... I'm
absolutely a stoic now.... And that gives one a feeling of such peace,
such serenity! And I have you to thank for it, Herr von Niebeldingk."

"I don't understand that. To teach in the _stoa_ is a new employment
for me."

"Well, didn't you introduce me to that noble lady? Wasn't it you?"

"Aha," said Niebeldingk. The image of Alice, smiling a gentle