ervant, Tobias,
smiled as he went about his work at the thought that he had had a hand
in helping Peter into the saddle. And, indeed, Peter was, literally,
much on horseback, riding everywhere on the bay mare, to tell the
people who were at the house congratulating Thoma at the time of the
accident, what they had seen. Some of them thought they knew all about
it; and some, on the other hand, declared they had seen nothing; for
they did not want the trouble of testifying in court.

Wherever Peter went the people said, "No one knew that you were such a
smart fellow. Thoma used to be the only one talked about, just as
though there were no such person as you." Peter smiled craftily when he
heard this; he put on a grieved, troubled look, and shook his head, but
was nevertheless pleased to hear people add, "Your father rather put
you down."

Peter was not unassuming; quite the reverse, for he looked upon all men
as his debtors. They had allowed him to grow up in simplicity and
honesty for three and twenty years without revealing to him how sweet
knavery tastes. But now, he was finding out for himself.

"Look! Look! There comes Peter of Reutershoefen!" was heard up and down
the mountain side.

"What Peter?"

"Landolin's Peter."

"Yes, people did not know what kind of a fellow he was; they thought he
couldn't count three; and now he turns out to be one of the sharpest
fellows possible."

It was true; he had not been exactly a blockhead; but dull and
unsympathetic. And what had he now become?

It may, perhaps, seem unnatural, but nevertheless it was a thoroughly
logical development; he had become an accomplished hypocrite.

Once, at a fair, when Peter had taken an electric shock, a strange
something ran through his frame. He had very much the same feeling the
first time that Tobias said to him, "We must act as though we had seen
everything so, and seem thoroughly honest about it, and then we shall
be able to make other people think so."

Peter discovered that hypocrisy was sweet to the taste; and that it was
no new thing for the world to feast on it.

Wherever he went people condoled with him over his misfortune, even
when he was quite sure they were glad of it.

However, he paid them in the same coin by pretending to be excessively
amiable. This helped to make him energetic; for the secret pleasure and
delight of making a laughing stock of others, animated him anew every
morning. He and Tobias made themselves me