e she knew that in truth no
honourable titles were more than they deserved; and both women looked
up in surprise when the bride said--"All that I heard Adam say, while
he was sitting here with me, was kind, and sensible, and judicious."
The two women burst out laughing with one accord, and said she was
quite right; the Roettmaennin, patting the bride's shoulder, said that
was the only true way to get round a man, for they ought to be under
petticoat government; that men were good-for-nothing creatures, and
that they were utterly useless till they had a good wife. She, however,
said she made an exception in the case of her dear relative, the Forest
Miller, who did not apparently appreciate this compliment; for he could
only stammer when he tried to speak, and then coughed so violently that
he nearly choked. The Forest Miller had committed a rash action in
drinking fair with Speidel Roettmann, a competition no one had ever yet
attempted without being punished for it.

His wife was very much concerned about him, and prevailed on him to go
to bed; she then came back to the room, and said--"Heaven be praised!
he is sleeping quietly; he ought to know that no one is a match for
Roettmann in drinking."

Flattered by this compliment, the Roettmaennin said--"Take care that with
such a cough, he does not delay making his will."

"People say--God forgive me for repeating their malice!" said the
miller's wife, "that the Roettmaennin is a malicious woman. Can any one
be kinder than she is, in thus taking charge of a lone widow?" and
then, as if this misfortune had already occurred, she looked quite
disconsolate, and began to rub her eyes; as this was, however, of no
use, she clasped her hands, and, looking admiringly at the Roettmaennin,
continued--"And she thinks of my interests, and does not want her own
precious son to inherit every thing."

The Roettmaennin said she was obliged to her; but she was quite mistaken,
for she had never meant anything of the kind. She admitted that her son
deserved very little, but still she was not quite such a fool, as to
wish to see money and land heaped on strangers, when it ought by right
to come into her family.

The Roettmaennin now urged very sharply, that a messenger should be sent
after her husband and son. The head farmservant was summoned, but he
declared that he would not go, and that, moreover, he knew none of the
other servants would leave the house in such weather, and indeed he
c