seal once more voiced the triumphant shout:  “Now the fun will begin!” His boots drowned what his head said to him of the unavoidable consequences of his extravagance, of his descent in the general esteem.  It seemed to him that everything would be just as it had been, once his brother was away.  Looking ahead, he even believed in his extraordinary magnanimity in forgiving his brother for having been there.  He stood before his brother in all his old greatness, in which he confronted the intruder as the sole head of the business; with his most condescending laugh he waved to his brother the assurance that he would manage to get the old man in the blue coat to consent; he himself must send Apollonius away.

The young wife felt as if her angel were about to leave her.  She felt that she was safer from him when near him than when he was at a distance; for all the charm that forbade her desires to be sinful fell upon her from his honest eyes.

Apollonius had also told the councilman of his decision.  It hurt him that the good man—­who usually approved of everything that Apollonius wanted to do, in advance, as if the latter could not do anything that he would not be obliged to approve—­received his news with odd, wondering, monosyllabic coldness.  He pressed him to tell him the reason for this change.  The two good men understood each other easily.  After recovering from his surprise at finding Apollonius in ignorance of it, the councilman told him what he knew of his brother’s mode of life and expressed the opinion that his father’s house and business could not exist without Apollonius’ aid.  He promised to make further inquiries about the matter, and was soon able to enlighten Apollonius as to the details.  Here and there in the town his brother owed not inconsiderable sums; the slate business, particularly of late, had been so carelessly and unconscientiously carried on that some customers of many years’ standing had already withdrawn their patronage, and others were about to do so.  Apollonius was frightened.  He thought of his father, of his sister-in-law and of her children.  He thought of himself too, but it was just his own strong sense of honor that made him first imagine what the proud, upright, blind old man would have to suffer under the disgrace of a possible bankruptcy.  He would be able to earn his bread; but his brother’s wife and children?  And they were not accustomed to hardship.  He had heard that Christiane’s inheritance from her parents had been considerable.  He took heart.  Perhaps the situation could still be saved.  And he wanted to save it.  He would not stop at any sacrifice of time and strength and property.  If he could not hinder the decline, at least those who were dear to him should not want.

The staunch councilman rejoiced at his favorite’s view of the matter, on which indeed he had reckoned; he had thought it odd that Apollonius had not shown it before.  He offered him his aid, saying that he had neither wife nor child and that God had permitted him to acquire something so that he might help a friend with it.  Apollonius did not as yet accept his offer.  He wanted first to see how matters stood and to feel sure that he could remain an honest man if he took his friend at his word.