from all this world's joys. Those who dwelt out here in these wilds
must, methought, feel this as I felt it; and so in truth it proved.
After I had taken my place at the hearth by my aunt's side, and she had
mingled some spiced wine for us with her own feeble hands, she bid me
speak. When she heard what it was that had brought me forth to the
forest so late before Christmas, which we ever spent with our grand-uncle
Im Huff she at first did but laugh at our Magister's suit; but as soon as
I told her that it was Ann's earnest purpose to wed with him, she swore
that she would never suffer such a deed of mad folly.

Master Peter had many times been her guest at the lodge; and she, though
so small and feeble herself, loved to see tall and stalwart men, so that
she had given him the name of "the little dry Bookworm," hardly accounting
him a man at all. When she heard of his newly-gained wealth, she said:
"If instead of being the richer by these thousands he could but be the
same number of years younger, lift a hundredweight more, and see a
hundred miles further out into the world, I would not mind his seeking
his happiness with that lovely child!"

As for my uncle, he did but hum a burly bass to the tune of the "Little
wee wife." But, being called away, he turned to me before closing the
door behind him, and asked me very keenly, as though he had been
restraining his impatience for some space: "And how about your brother?
How is it that this matter has come about? Was not Herdegen pledged to
marry Ann?"

Thereupon I told my aunt all I knew, and gave her Herdegen's letter to
read, which I had taken care to bring with me; and even as she read it
her countenance grew dark and fearful to look upon; she set her teeth
like a raging hound, and hit her little hand on the table that stood by