Page:The German Novelists (Volume 2).djvu/385

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La Motte Fouqé.
375

him as on the other professors, and felt infinitely delighted at the idea of beholding the rod which was now hanging over him, descend, in terrorem, upon his professional shoulders.

Their whole force marched forthwith until they formed a junction before the said Nordenholm’s house; and there they set up a shout for Marcellin. Marcellin! echoed from a hundred voices, but it was in vain! no Marcellin made his appearance.

At length he was seen sinking quite pale and breathless, with difficulty supporting himself upon his sword-stick, out of the crowd about him. Some of the senior natives approached him with looks of eager and terrific inquiry, while the light of their torches glared strangely upon his livid and distorted features. “What!” cried he, scornfully as they gathered round him, “do you think this either well bred or right to dog me in so scandalous a stile to the very steps of a strange old master joiner, one whom I may not so much as call by name; and would you delude me by maintaining that this is the family house of the hated Professor Nordenholm?”

“Of a truth,” replied one of the students, in no good humoured tone, “the head master resides in Nordenholm’s family house, but who, as you so outrageously insist, has offered to dog your steps thither; and, moreover, how happen you to know any thing respecting Nordenholm’s residence? you who de-