hand
unsold."

"The town-clerk is an old fool," continued Baptist, fretfully. "These
aristocrats!--they always want to ride on the necks of us honest traders.
But patience! Our turn will come someday."

"But, dearest husband," said Margaret, soothingly, "the town-clerk has
always been very agreeable and friendly with you, and it is certainly not
his fault, that the coffer was not ready at the right time. Many go out
for wool and come home shorn. Had you thought more of the skin than of the
fleece, you would have saved yourself all this trouble. You understand:
your business--that's the skin; the street paving--that's the fleece."

"Yes, I understand well enough what you mean," rejoined the
Tischlermeister, "but I understand it quite otherwise! You, however, do
not understand me: men were meant for general affairs, for great matters.
Their mind stretches far beyond the narrow circle of housewifery. Only let
me alone, and don't mix yourself up in things which don't concern you, and
which you don't understand."

Frau Margaret saw plainly that her remonstrance made no impression, and
she remained silent. But her sad and downcast looks spoke more loudly to
the heart of her husband than her words. Heinzelmann found that her view
was not far wrong, after all, and made an attempt to withdraw from his
companions, and again live a domestic life. But his attempt failed.
Vanity, and the desire to appear somebody, led him back again to his
crooked ways, and soon they became worse.

The insurrection at Paris broke out--the Republic was proclaimed--and the
news of these events fell on the minds of the German people like a spark
in a barrel of gunpowder. Blow followed blow, feelings grew hot, and
almost every town had its own revolution. That was something for Master
Baptist Heinzelmann. He was called to the head of the Democratic party,
and made the leader of a revolutionary club, and spouted speeches full of
fire and flame; the mob cried hurrah! held up their hands for him--he
became drunk with triumph--was chosen town-councilor--a great man, as he
thought, and leader of the people. He was near being elected Deputy to the
Diet, and sent as representative to the Parliament at Berlin. Master
Baptist swam in pleasures--Frau Margaret swam in tears. Her husband
triumphed--she sat at home and wept. Her husband walked proudly about, and
looked radiant with joy--she was full of mournfulness, and the feeling of
happiness seemed to have d