not know till today
that you were so goodlooking."

Lenz's face beamed with delight, which made him look still handsomer.
"I ought to get a new fashionable set of clothes, don't you think so?"
said Lenz.

"No, remain as you are. You look more solid and respectable as you
are."

"It does not only look so, but it is really so."

"Yes, indeed it is so. But pray don't speak as if every word were a
prong in a watchwheel."

"You are right."

They drove through the next village, and Annele again desired Gregor to
blow his horn with all his might! "Look! look! there is Ernestine, the
grocer's wife. She is a cousin of mine, and was long a servant in our
house, and then married a tailor, who afterwards became a grocer. She
can't bear me; she will be so spiteful that her green face will turn
blue, when she sees us drive past without our calling on her. Ah, ha!
there she comes to the window. Oh, yes! stare out your pig eyes, and
gape till you show your long teeth. Yes, it is Lenz and I,--look well
at my bridegroom! Much good may it do you!" They drove on.

"Now, does that give you any pleasure, Annele?" asked Lenz.

"Why not? We ought to be spiteful to spiteful people, and kind to the
good. Both are right."

"Perhaps; but I can't be so."

"You ought to be glad, then that you have got me. They shall all creep
into a mousehole before us, and be glad if we only look at them."

When they arrived in the town Annele gave her bridegroom fresh
directions for his deportment:--"If my brother-in-law's brother is
there, be sure you are very stiff to him. He would be glad to play you
a trick, for he is very malicious, because I did not take him; but I
did not care about him. And if my sister begins complaining, take it
coolly; you need not try to comfort her, it does no good, and is not
required. She has lots of money, and yet does nothing but grumble and
complain; her health is very bad. Our family in general are healthy
enough, you may see that by me."

The sister could not receive the betrothed couple at all, for she
was confined to bed by illness, and neither the husband nor the
brother-in-law were at home. They had both gone down the Rhine with a
large raft.

"I suppose you would like to stay with your sister, for I have some
business in the town."

"May I not go with you?"

"No; I have something to get for you."

"I had far better go with you in that case, for you men never know how
to choose."

"No, no; you must