hbock
were very exasperating to Blasi and several times he seized the big bowl
to throw it at the insolent fellow's head. He did not throw it however,
for Veronica had charged him to have as little as possible to do with
Jost, and especially never to quarrel with him, and Veronica's influence
over Blasi grew stronger every day. So he did not throw the bowl, but
instead, drained it to the bottom and then left the room.

About this time Blasi began to meet Judith very often on his evening walk.
Judith seemed to have some business that took her frequently to Fohrensee.
Strange surmises were aroused, among the Fohrensee people; for it was
known that she went to visit the cattle-dealer. The two were often seen
standing before his house in the open street, gesticulating vehemently
with hands and arms. The people about said,

"Something's in the wind. They're going to be married. To be sure she is
cleverer than he, but then he is twenty-five years younger, and that
counts for something."

One evening in January, Judith met Blasi as he was coming round the corner
of Gertrude's house, where he was always at work till it was time to go
for Veronica.

"What makes you go about laughing all the time, and looking as if you had
been winning a game?" asked Judith.

"That's exactly what I was going to ask you," retorted Blasi, "What have
you got to laugh about?"

"Answer me, and I'll answer you, my lad."

"All right; it's nothing to be ashamed of. She'll have me."

"Good heavens!" exclaimed Judith "Who? Which one?"

Blasi did not turn round, but pointed with his thumb over his shoulder at
the house he had just left. "That one," he said.

Judith shouted with laughter.

"Will she have you all three?" she said; "first Dietrich, then Jost, and
now you."

"I don't see the joke," said Blasi crossly. "Dietrich has run away; she
avoids Jost as if he were a nettle, and who else is there? Who is there
for her to call upon if she wants help, hey?"

Judith was still snickering over the news.

"Now it's your turn," said Blasi, "tell me what it is that you're so
pleased about."

"It is very much like yours, Blasi; come a little nearer," and she
whispered in his ear, "I have him."

"Mercy on us!" cried Blasi. "You will be as rich as a Jew, for the
cattle-dealer is worth more than half the people in Fohrensee, all put
together."

"I'm not talking about the cattle-dealer."

"Pshaw! whom are you talking about then?"

"Somebody e