_I.--Friendship_


"Victor," said Flamin, to the young Englishman, "give me this night thy
friendship for ever, and swear to me that thou wilt never disturb me in
my love to thee. Swear thou wilt never plunge me in misfortune and
despair!"

The two friends were standing at midnight in the mild, sweet air of May,
alone on the watch-tower of the little watering place of St. Luna. It
was their first meeting for eight years. Flamin was the son of Chaplain
Eymann, who had retired from the court of the Prince of Flachsenfingen;
Victor was the heir of Lord Horion, a noble Englishman who lived at
Flachsenfingen and directed all the affairs of the prince. The two boys
had been sent in their infancy to London and brought up together there
for twelve years; then for six years they had lived with Chaplain Eymann
at St. Luna, and Victor had naturally conceived a great affection for
the old clergyman and a deep love for his son. When, however, Victor was
eighteen years of age, Lord Horion had sent him to Göttingen to study
medicine, and he had remained at that university for eight years.
Everybody wondered why a great English nobleman should want to bring his
son up as a physician; but Horion was a politician and his ways were
dark and secret. Neither Chaplain Eymann nor the wife of that worthy
pastor ever understood why his lordship should have been so anxious that
Flamin and Victor should be brought up together and united by the
closest ties of friendship; but being good, simple souls, they accepted
the favours showered upon their son without seeking to discover if there
were any reason for them. Eight years' absence had not diminished
Victor's affection for them, but the young English nobleman was alarmed