del Roettmann. "It is nearly
seven years now that Adam has been plaguing both himself and us, on
account of that stupid affair of his. In our youth, much we should have
cared for any such matter." And the two old men clinked their glasses
together.

The mulled wine came, and they drank each other's health, and emptied
the tall glasses to the dregs, and refilled them, and laughed, and
narrated all their youthful pranks and exploits; and the burden of
their song was always, that the youth of the present day were good for
nothing, and totally devoid of all life and spirit.

Adam was standing beside his betrothed bride in the kitchen. For a long
time he did not speak, and at last he said, "I say, why did you agree
to have me? don't you know how I am situated?"

Tony answered smiling, "I suppose since the world began, no one ever
asked his betrothed such a question. But do you know, Adam, I am rather
glad you have done so, for it is honest on your part, and a good
beginning, if it be the will of God that we should live together, and
it appears we must. You see, Adam, there is no hope of your getting
Martina, and I am miserable, far more miserable than you can have the
least idea of. So I thought to myself, we are both miserable, so
perhaps we may lighten each other's burdens; and I am quite resolved to
leave my stepmother, for I am always in her way; and you can't think
what a person feels on seeing a stranger come to your own house and
home, abusing everything she sees, no matter how good and handsome it
may be. It vexes me to death to see her extravagance in the house, and
my father gets no good from it; and even the cup that belonged to my
mother, and was kept sacred, she actually gave to the farm servant, and
she only did so because she knew that it would annoy me. I shall become
cross and spiteful myself if I remain with her. My tongue is full of
gall, and words come to my lips, and thoughts into my head, that are
downright wicked. I often wish I were lying six feet under ground, and
I would have done so long ago, had it not been for the good, kind
Pastorin."

"I pity you," said Adam; "but as for me, though I still have my own
mother, she is more bitter towards me than any stepmother. I do not
like to say it, but I must. My Martina alone induced me to submit to
such usage, and not to run away from it into the wide world. And now I
am become an illtempered fellow; formerly I was only gruff and
thoughtless. I would f