returned, saying that a sledge had come from
Roettmann's godless old wife, who desired that the clergyman should come
to her immediately.

"Is Adam here, or a servant?" asked the pastor.

"A servant."

"Tell him to come in, and to take something warm till I am ready."

His wife implored him not to expose his life to danger for the sake of
such a wicked old dragon: even by daylight it was dangerous at this
time of year to drive to Roettmann's house, and how much worse by night!

"If a doctor must go to attend his patient, in spite of wind and
weather, how much more am I bound to do so!" answered the pastor.

The servant came into the room, and the pastor gave him a glass of
punch saying, "Is your mistress dangerously ill?"

"No, not so bad exactly--at least she can still scold and curse
bravely."

The pastor's wife entreated him afresh, at least to wait till it was
daylight, saying she would take the responsibility on herself, if the
formidable Roettmaennin left the world without spiritual aid; but she
seemed well aware that her persuasions would be quite unavailing, for
while eagerly entreating him to remain, she was pouring some kirsch
into a straw flask, and having fetched a large sheepskin cloak, she
placed the flask in one of its pockets. The young farmer wished to go
with his brother-in-law, but he declined, saying, as he went out, "Pray
stay at home, and go to bed early: if you were to go with me you would
probably become hoarse, and I hope we shall sing a great deal together
while the holidays last--that beautiful melody of Mozart's will
accompany me on the way."

The brother and sister, however, went together to the front of the
house, where the pastor got into the sledge; his wife wrapping his feet
closely in a large woollen rug, and saying reproachfully to the driver,
"Why did not you bring a carriage instead of a sledge?"

"Because the snow is quite deep at our house."

"That is just like you all up there; you never think of how things are
elsewhere, or whether the jolting of these frozen and rough roads may
not break people's limbs. Drive slow as far as Harzeneck: be very
careful, Otto: pray get out and walk up the hill at Otterzwang. But
perhaps you had better sit still, for you might catch cold: may Heaven
protect you!"

"Good night!" said her husband, and his voice sounded quite hollow from
under all his mufflings: the horses trotted off with the sledge, which
was heard jolting and rumblin