le.

Annele thanked her politely, and apologized for not offering her
dinner; Ernestine assured her that she did not come on that account.

"I believe you did not," said Annele; "but these words have a double
interpretation." Annele felt convinced that Ernestine had come on
purpose to have her revenge, in order that Annele, who had always
looked down on her, should now be filled with spite and envy; but
Annele had too long played the part of a landlord's daughter, not to be
able to receive her visitor with the most polite and cordial speeches;
in this manner she did not sacrifice her pride--for she was, after all,
the daughter of the Landlord of the Golden Lion, and the other only a
poor cousin, who had once been a maid in their service; and she hinted
to Ernestine, that the various branches of industry she mentioned,
though very suitable for people of a certain class, would be wholly
unsuitable to those of a higher order.

Ernestine, in truth, was not totally devoid of malice when she went to
the Morgenhalde, although she had brought in the bag on her arm, a
pound of roasted coffee and some white sugar, as an offering to Annele.
When, however, she saw her, these spiteful feelings were changed into
sincere pity, and when Annele treated her so haughtily, she quickly
subsided into her usual meek submissiveness, and totally forgot her new
silk gown and her gold watch. The present she had intended for Annele,
she now converted into a mere sample of her goods, which, she said, she
offered to her, in the hope of getting her custom, and she shed very
heartfelt tears, when she said:--"That if all the persons who had
received benefits from the Golden Lion, would now repay them in kind,
Annele's parents would have wherewithal to live on for a hundred years
to come; and she added, in all sincerity, that if Annele had only
remained in the Lion after her marriage, the inn would now have been as
flourishing as in good old times."

This tempting bait made Annele forget old discord, and all the odious
new finery of her cousin. Now there began an exchange of reminiscences
of old days, intermingled with lamentations over the present, and false
ungrateful people; and they agreed so perfectly, that Annele and
Ernestine parted as if they had been the dearest friends from time
immemorial, and had always lived together like sisters. Annele escorted
Ernestine part of the way, and commissioned her to tell her husband to
look out for a respe