t the people are still
strong-hearted and straight-forward enough to cast out a man who was
unjustly acquitted."

"Wolfgang, come with me," said the judge's wife, rising; and taking her
son's arm, she went to Landolin's table. She said to her son that she
would remain there, and that he might join his comrades; and giving her
hand to Landolin, she sat down beside him, asked after his wife and
daughter--people never asked after Peter--and promised to visit them
soon. She also intimated that she hoped to be able to straighten out
the difficulty with Anton. Landolin told her, composedly, that Anton
had visited them the evening before, but that Thoma had refused him,
and that was probably the cause of his staying away from the
celebration.

"Had I known that, I should not have come either," he concluded; and
the lady discovered what suffering he must that day have undergone; and
with the most sympathetic expression of voice and countenance, she
said:

"Ex-bailiff, I have some good advice for you."

"Good advice? that is always useful."

"I think you ought to go away with Thoma for a few weeks. Go to a
bathing place. It will do you good."

"I'm not sick. There is nothing the matter with me. I didn't know that
our judge's wife was a doctor, too."

"You understand what I mean."

"I'm sorry I'm so stupid, but I don't understand you."

"Then I must speak plainly. Do you think that I desire your welfare?"

"Yes, certainly; why not?"

"You ought to go away a few weeks, and when you come back matters will
be in a better condition. Other things will have happened in the
meantime, and----You may believe me it would be well."

Landolin shook his head, and said after a long silence: "I know you
mean thoroughly well; of course you do; but I shall not stir from this
spot. I'll stay, if only to fool the rest of them. Already the
honorable Titus--the hypocrite!--has been trying to spread the rumor
that I am going to sell my farm. I'll stay here and cry fie upon the
whole country. We have owned our farm for hundreds and hundreds of
years. You can ask Walderjoergli; he will testify."

"I believe your word alone," said the judge's wife; Landolin nodded
well pleased, for it did him good to be so readily believed, and he
continued, in a clear voice:

"Yes, madame, we farmers are not so easily displaced as the----people
of rank. We at Reutershoefen are a strong stock; people may dig as much
as they choose at the roots; they wi