have come at a more fortunate time than
just now, for work keeps increasing and I am bankrupt of workmen. You
are both heartily welcome. Put your bundles down and come in; our meal
is indeed almost finished, but you can come and take your seats at the
table, and Rose shall look after you and get you something." And Master
Martin and the two journeymen went into the room. There sat the honest
masters, the worthy syndic Jacobus Paumgartner at their head, all with
hot red faces. Dessert was being served, and a better brand of wine was
sparkling in the glasses. Every master was talking about something
different from all his neighbours and in a loud voice, and yet they all
thought they understood each other; and now and again some of them
burst out in a hearty laugh without exactly knowing why. When, however.
Master Martin came back, leading the two young men by the hand, and
announced aloud that he brought two journeymen who had come to him well
provided with testimonials just at the time he wanted them, then all
grew silent, each master scrutinising the smart young fellows with a
smile of comfortable satisfaction, whilst Frederick cast his eyes down
and twisted his baretta about in his hands. Master Martin directed the
youths to places at the very bottom of the table; but these were soon
the very best of all, for Rose came and took her seat between the two,
and served them attentively both with dainty dishes and with good rich
wine. There was Rose, a most winsome picture of grace and loveliness,
seated between the two handsome youths, all in midst of the bearded old
men--it was a right pleasant sight to see; the mind instantly recalled
a bright morning cloud rising solitary above the dim dark horizon, or
beautiful spring flowers lifting up their bright heads from amidst the
uniform colourless grass. Frederick was so very happy and so very
delighted that his breath almost failed him for joy; and only now and
again did he venture to steal a glance at her who filled his heart so
fully. His eyes were fixedly bent upon his plate; how could he possibly
dream of eating the least morsel? Reinhold, on the other hand, could
not turn his sparkling, radiant eyes away from the lovely maiden. He
began to talk about his long journeys in such a wonderful way that Rose
had never heard anything like it. She seemed to see everything of which
he spoke rise up vividly before her in manifold ever-changing forms.
She was all eyes and ears; and wh