d say:
'Thank God! we've resisted temptation; we've remained united in
poverty, and maintain ourselves honestly; we'd rather toil and suffer
together than part.' But how will it be a day or a week later? How
then? When sorrow and want and misfortune come--for we're only human
after all--and you find yourselves helpless? Won't you say to
yourselves: 'If we'd only consented.' Won't you then, by word or look,
say to one another: 'Why didn't you urge me? Why didn't you decide to
go?' I don't want to persuade you, I merely want to remind you of all
you ought to consider in the matter."

Silence ensued. The husband looked at his wife and then at the ground;
the wife looked at him for a while, and then suddenly raised her hand
to her eyes.

The cracking of a whip was heard and then a fine black-pied cow
bellowing loud and deep, as if the sound issued from a cavern. All were
startled. The sound broke upon the silence like a ghost-call at
noonday.

The innkeeper cursed and swore, and putting his head out of the window,
abused the servant for not having brought the calf, which had, in
truth, already been sold to the butcher.

The servant fastened the cow to the fence, and hurried home to bring
its calf. The cow dragged at the rope, as if trying to strangle
herself, and groaned and bellowed until she foamed at the mouth.

"That's only a beast, and see how she goes on!" cried Walpurga.

The arrival of the cow seemed to dissipate the effect of the
innkeeper's eloquence. But Walpurga suddenly composed herself. Speaking
quickly, as if addressing an unseen being, and without looking at any
one, she said:

"A man or a woman can do more than a beast!" Then, turning toward her
husband, she added: "Come here, Hansei, give me your hand. Tell me,
from the bottom of your heart, will you be satisfied with whatever I
may do or say?"

"Do you mean if you say 'no'?" replied Hansei, hesitating.

"Whether I say 'yes' or 'no' is what I mean."

Hansei could not utter a word. Had he been able to speak, his remarks
would have been very sensible. He kept looking into his hat, as if
there to read the thoughts that were running through his head. Then he
took his blue pocket-handkerchief, and twisted it up as if he were
trying to make a ball of it. When Walpurga found that Hansei did not
answer, she said:

"I can't ask you to decide. I, alone, can do that. I'm the child's
mother--I'm the wife, and ... if I go, I must, and I'm sure I can,
ke