Such new, wonderful youth
must first become conscious of itself before it can pass on to longings
and desires. The three sensible elders would have better let the three
queens go on quietly with their delightful dances--first to the right,
then to the left, until they were weary. They will never have such
dances again--never in their lives.

The first suitors who presented themselves were the two boarders of the
pretty little widow with the heart-shaped face, Herr Oehmchen and Herr
Leinhose. They paid a visit to the Sperbers, but not together; neither
knew of the other's intention. They did not venture to go directly to
the Rauchfuss farm; the thing was to be conducted with utmost
propriety.

"Hallo!" thought Herr Sperber. "The thing must be getting serious when
such settled gentlemen put themselves in motion." Herr Sperber did not
fly too high in his ambitions for his protegee. "A plain fellow like
that is the best for a woman of her sort," he thought to himself; "then
there won't be any such business as there was with Herr Rauchfuss. Such
a chap hasn't anything particular to show off before the world, no red
beard, no giant's stature, no whimsies in the brain, no big heart, no
wit--just an average fellow that'll settle down and keep quiet."

Herr Sperber received both the gentlemen in a very friendly fashion.
The nephew, of course, would cut them out--but that was his affair.

Beate, who was invited one evening to meet the nephew and the other two
at her old friends', enjoyed the astonished admiration of the three
like a delicious confection--or rather like a sweet perfume that she
breathed in. "Men are drunk with me," she thought again, and was proud
and happy.

Although the two boarders and the nephew were quite sufficiently
wearisome in their enamored state, she was not bored; she was only
conscious of herself and of the incense of sacrifice which arose under
her nostrils and seemed to invigorate her. The three men were alike
indifferent to her; they were only the vessels in which the incense was
burnt.

After such an evening she was gay and strong as a young goddess. The
next day she was indefatigably at work, imposed even more respect than
usual on her people, and felt exceedingly well.

On Saturday evenings the Kirsten girls had a way of strolling up with
their friends; but it was not long before first one and then another
came with them, whom they had met on the way and did not know how to
shake off.