ws together.
None of the letters were however directed to her, and one bore the seal
of the Consistorial President.

CHAPTER VII.
THE HOME OF SCHILDER-DAVID.

"Woe's me, Leegart!" had been the exclamation of little Joseph as that
good woman entered, for which want of civility his grandfather gave him
a hearty box on the ear. The boy began to cry and his grandfather to
scold, and Martina both to scold and to cry; for David would not even
allow her to soothe the boy by a single kind word. And Leegart said,
in a sensible tone of voice, though certainly with rather a nasal
twang--"It is really too bad to meet with such a welcome! I ought to go
away again immediately: it is enough to make one superstitious; but
whatever we do, let us at all events avoid superstition! Nothing in the
world is so dreadful; for people plague themselves perpetually about
things they do not see, and I am sure we have all plague enough with
the things we do see; so I shall stay where I am. Good morning, Joseph!
Say 'good morning' to me, prettily. There--now shake hands!"

"The boy slept very badly last night, and does not know what he is
saying," said Martina, in order to excuse the child.

"Make no apology to me, and let us say no more about it," said Leegart,
placing on the table, in formidable array, a solid pincushion,
consisting of a heavy brick covered with cloth, a pair of scissors with
a large and a small handle, and a smaller pair, a stock of pins and
needles, and a tiny wax taper. She thereby took possession of the house
for the day, and regulated it accordingly from her throne; for she
never rose again from her seat till she went away late at night.
Before, however, she settled in her place for the day, she went into
the next room, and returned shorn of her upper petticoat, for she was
never seen in the street without being very neatly dressed; but she was
anxious not to spoil her best gown by sitting on it. When she came into
the room again, she pushed the table into a comfortable corner, seated
herself, and Martina placed a footstool under her feet; and now Leegart
gave her orders in few and distinct words, and commenced by saying,
"Martina, get breakfast."

Martina brought in the oatmeal porridge, and placed it on the table.
Joseph said grace; and out of his stock of prayers, he selected on this
occasion the shortest--"May God give food to all poor children on
earth. Am