"Two weeks to spend in hobbling from the bed to the sofa, and from the sofa to the bed! it is insufferable!" Herwarth exclaimed when he was again alone with Paul, after Dr. Putzer had left his room. In his vexation he did not meet with much sympathy from his friend. "You are wrong, noble knight," Paul replied, mockingly. "You will not only suffer it, but after a while you will admit that this enforced rest is highly beneficial for both of us. I at least am always delighted to have a good excuse for luxurious idleness. With what ecstasy shall I now survey from a distance the blue ice-rifts in the glaciers, in the consciousness that I am not called upon to ascend them in the sweat of my brow! I verily believe, my dear Herwarth, that you divined my secret wishes, and in heroic self-sacrifice sprained your knightly ankle to do me pleasure, that I might lounge and dawdle here for two weeks. It was true magnanimity on your part, my noble friend. We shall have some delightful days together. I will send for piles of books from Innspruck and Bozen, and I have any quantity of good cigars,--that is, as good as can be had in this confounded Austria. Oh, we will idle away the time gloriously!" "Do you think I shall allow you to sit still here in the inn on my account while such delightful excursions are to be made all round the country?" "On your account? You know perfectly well that you have nothing to do with it, noble knight. I act to please myself. I follow my inclination for the _dolce far niente_--for a season of repose after all these nonsensical, tiresome mountain-ascents, of which I have had in the last week enough to last me my lifetime. I have a horror of your delightful excursions, where your only gain is an unquenchable thirst. The view of the mountains from below is far finer than that of the valleys from above. I will have none of your mountain-excursions." "But, Delmar, you are the most indefatigable mountain-climber. You have been the chief instigator of our boldest efforts." "Have I? Very likely. I sometimes am a prey to whims. I suppose it is because I have done so much of it that I feel such an unconquerable repugnance now to any mountain ascent." "You cannot convince me. I will never consent to have you tied to the house on my account." "You will never consent? You do not consider the significance of the words so calmly uttered, noble knight. You have not the slightest idea of all to which you will consent. As I said just now, a patient is not an individual but a case. You will therefore consent to whatever I see fit; for example, to let me put a fresh wet bandage upon your foot at this moment. Let me advise you not to irritate me by opposition. Do not force me to cool your head also with a wet bandage." "But, Delmar, let us speak seriously."