ened to
see this there were terrible scenes. First she would make the wildest
accusations against Freneli, until she could talk no more and was
completely out of breath; when in this state she would sometimes rush at
her, and would have tried to beat her if she had had the strength. Then
she would pitch into Uli; a hundred times he would have to hear that he
was a filthy fellow and only a servant; that she saw what she had to
expect if she was such a fool as folks thought; but, thank heaven, there
was still time enough, and she wouldn't be such a fool as to bring her
money to a man who she was afraid would waste it all on women. Then she
would begin to bawl at such false statements, and say she was going to
die either by hanging or shooting herself. Often she would become
reconciled in the midst of her tears, and Uli had to promise not to run
after others any more, and not to say another good word to that old
Freneli, who just wanted to lead him on and astray. Again, the quarrel
would continue and Elsie would sulk. Then Uli would think: a girl that
was so jealous, and so often told him he was a servant, and bawled and
sulked so much, wouldn't be the most agreeable kind of wife; it would be
hard living with her, and it would be better if he drove the whole thing
out of his mind. But as soon as he became indifferent to her sulks,
Elsie grew anxious and sought a reconciliation; then she would buy him
something, or seek some other opportunity to flatter Uli, and beg him to
love her, for she had no other joy in life. And when she made him so
angry he mustn't take it ill of her; she only did it because her love
was so great and she didn't want anybody else to have him--etc., etc.
When she once had him to herself she wouldn't be jealous any more; but
so long as she was all in the air and didn't know where she stood, she
often felt as if she'd rather die. And she didn't really know whether
Uli loved her, either; sometimes it seemed to her that, if he loved her
very much, he'd go at it quite differently, and take hold of things
better; but he was just like a wooden doll and never lifted a hand. Then
when Uli would say that he didn't know how to do any better, that he too
didn't exactly know whether Elsie really wanted him, and if she was in
earnest about it she should speak with her parents, or they would go to
the pastor and announce their engagement and then see what would come of
it, Elsie would say that there was no hurry abou