s, he could read the bitterest enmity. Besides,
the fellow had spread his legs, and thrust out his elbows, as if to
obstruct the way, and now stood grinning impudently in his face.

"Fine weather, Herr Graf," he cried, hoarsely and thickly. "Quite fine
again for taking a walk, alone or with a single companion. I suppose
you won't be left alone long--ha, ha, ha! She'll probably get away from
the wedding soon, so as to dance a little while with the Herr Graf, all
alone by yourselves--ha, ha, ha!"

"Get out of the way, fellow!" cried Felix, stepping close up to him.
"If you are seeking a quarrel, you will find you have hit on the wrong
man."

"The wrong man?" blurted out the peasant, who coolly remained standing
where he was, and merely folded his arms across his breast. "That would
be a joke; if I couldn't see who the right man is, two feet off. You
are a count, and I am only a stupid country lout--isn't that the way?
And Zenz dances with you, and hangs on your neck, and turns her back on
me. So now, you see, I know all about it; I'm sober, too, and
understand my business as well as the next man. If the Herr Count would
perhaps like to row out upon the lake with the girl, Hiesl would
consider it an honor to provide a boat for his high-mightiness's
pleasure; and if the stupid country lout has to hold the light for the
Herr Count--"

"Out of my way, you fool!" cried Felix, now angry in his turn at the
jealous fellow's crazy attack. "If you touch me with a finger, I'll
break every bone in your body. I don't understand a word of what you
have been raving about. The waiter-girl isn't my sweetheart, and if it
will give you any satisfaction, you can wait and see whether she will
steal out here to meet me. If you had your five senses about you, and
hadn't left your eyes behind in your beer-mug, you would see that I am
not your Herr Count. So get on! I'm in no humor to stand any more
nonsense!"

The peasant made no answer, nor did he laugh any more; but stared
straight in Felix's face, and stood like a post. And now when Felix
stepped forward to pass by, he suddenly felt himself seized around the
waist and violently pushed back. The blood rushed madly to his
forehead. "You blackguard!" he cried, "if you will have it, you shall."

He struck his adversary in the chest with such force that for a moment
the sturdy fellow's arms relaxed their hold. But the next instant he
felt himself grasped again and forced back to the edge of