oke. But Franzl said she could make no
allowance for people jesting on such sacred subjects. Pilgrim tried to
persuade her, with the aid of the holy Haspucius--whose words he first
repeated in Greek, and then kindly translated into German, and even
into the Black Forest dialect, for her benefit--that he had distinctly
written, an exception would be made in favour of household servants,
for, however comfortable they may be in this world, their life is hard
enough at best!

Franzl became more composed, and seemed to think that what was said
about servants was true enough. Presently she resumed: "I shall have
such pleasure in seeing my good Lenz's children--for I never saw them;
the boy's name is Wilhelm, is it not? and what is the name of the
little girl?"

"Marie."

"Of course; for that was her grandmother's name."

"I am glad you reminded me of that word grandmother; I had quite
forgotten to say, that the children believe that I have gone to fetch
their grandmother, and that she is to arrive in a sledge. The children
are to remain awake till we arrive, so your Highness of Knuslingen must
be so condescending as to allow the children to call you grandmother."

Franzl, the worthy spinster! pronounced this to be both wrong and
untrue, for it is never right to deceive children. A family name
belongs only to blood relations, and that is a point about which no
jesting should be permitted. She consoled herself, however, by thinking
that she would explain it all herself to the children; she had not the
blessing of being born in Knuslingen for nothing. In the consciousness
that she was the representative of the district of Knuslingen, she was
firm in her duty.

The various episodes on the journey were, however, of some use in
sobering down Franzl; for, first of all, she had persuaded herself that
the whole village would form a procession to receive her on her return,
and to escort her to her new home. She was, however, received only with
a shout of uproarious laughter, and that was by Petrowitsch, who roared
so at the sight of Franzl's costume, that he was obliged to sit down in
a chair; and Bueble played his part also, for, as he could not laugh, he
barked loudly, and snapped at Franzl; and it was certainly rather
unkind in Petrowitsch to call out, "Anton Striegler, your lover, must
have known what you would look like some day, and this was why he threw
you over and married another."

"And the worms will spare you yet a