at he had discovered what a treasure he had in his
wife, and he did not tell her; for he could not express himself on the
subject.

There were but two persons in the house whom he shunned. One of them
noticed it, and the other did not. Landolin avoided being in the same
field, or at the same work anywhere, with Thoma; for he felt as though
he were under a ban whenever she looked at him: and even when he was
not looking at her, he thought he could feel her eyes following every
motion he made. He could not imagine what more she wanted of him, since
she had forbidden his making any effort to arrange matters with Anton.
Since his coming home, and especially since the celebration, Landolin
was in the habit of shutting his eyes when he thought he was unnoticed;
and even when looking at anyone they winked incessantly, as though they
were tired and only kept open by force. A glance that Thoma gave him
made him conscious of this habit for the first time, and also apprised
him that she knew its cause.

The other person whom Landolin avoided was Tobias; for Peter persisted
in saying that Tobias must be sent away. And although Landolin was by
no means soft-hearted, especially toward servants, whom, at the best,
he considered rascals; yet the thought of this dismissal was painful to
him. He could not forget how much Tobias had helped him to his
acquittal.

Outside of the house there were two persons whom they would all have
been glad to forget entirely. One was Anton. They heard nothing from
him directly; for he had gone, with a large raft, down the Rhine to
Holland. But all the people who came to the house--and gradually many
began coming--expressed their regret that Anton was not to be his
son-in-law; and their inquiries as to the cause were unceasing.

Whoever could have observed her closely must have seen that Thoma's
eyebrows had sunk a degree lower since Anton went away. He had once
told her that his father had often urged him to go to Rotterdam with a
raft some time, and get acquainted with the daughters of his business
friends there, and look around for a wife. There was already a Dutch
woman in the neighborhood--a comfortable, clear-complexioned, good
woman, also married to a miller; and Thoma fancied that Anton could be
happy with such an honest, careful wife.

The second person whom they would have liked to forget was
Cushion-Kate. She lived quietly, and scarcely spoke with any one; but
every night she might have be