The doctor gazed at him in speechless astonishment. He had been accustomed to absolute authority over his patient, who had always yielded him the most implicit obedience; and now, all at once, he had risen in open rebellion against his best and most deliberate conclusions, this was too much for the doctor; he grew angry. "Are you mad?" he cried excitedly. "You will enter active service? _You?_ No, that surpasses all conception." The professor was silent, but he set his teeth together as Frederic had before described, a deep flush covered his face, and he gazed at the doctor with a glance which forced that gentleman to assume another tone. "Give me only one reason, one single sensible reason, for this insane proceeding!" he said, almost imploringly. "Could you not serve the Fatherland just as well with the pen, if you could only bring your mind to that? Why will you not enter one of the bureaus? only tell me why." "I will not!" "You have an obstinate head!" cried the doctor again becoming angry. "In this you have a remarkable likeness to my niece. '_I will not!_' and now the whole world might rise against it; but it must be! Exactly Jane's manner, exactly her tone; just as if you had learned of her. One is just like the other; you would make a nice, 'married pair!'" "Doctor, please spare me this foolish jesting!" broke out the professor with great violence, at the same time stamping furiously. For a moment Doctor Stephen stood utterly dumb before this passionate outbreak of his amiable patient, then he said, in a tone of sincere astonishment. "I believe that even _you_ can be rough and violent!" Fernow frowned and turned away. "Well it was only a jest!" said the doctor apologetically. "I know that you and Jane stand half upon a war-footing; but you can become very angry now, professor! I notice that, for the last two months, you have not been the same person you used to be!" Fernow did not defend himself against the reproach with a single word; he preserved an obstinate silence. "Well, to go back to the main business," began the Doctor anew--but this time in a low voice--"you will not accept my proposition?" "No!" "You will really march to-morrow with the army?" "In any event." "Well then--I cannot compel you, and if it cannot be otherwise,"--here the doctor's patriotism broke through all resentment; he cordially extended his hand to his patient--"well then, go in God's name! Who knows? The surgeon-in-chief, may be cleverer than we all; of one thing at least he has convinced you, one which you would never believe from me: that you are not consumptive, that you have no decided illness, and as to your nerves--do you remember what I prescribed to you four weeks ago?" The professor slowly raised his eyes. "Some powerful remedy," he said softly.