"No," she chanted, "I rasser sis one. I sink mine hussbandt never be
satisfied viss a vorld not full of vorms and bugs; and I am glad to stay
alvays viss mine hussbandt."

"And I reckon he thinks you're big enough world for him, just yourself,
doesn't he?"


"No." She seemed to speak more than half to herself. "A man--see se
lightening!--a man who can be satisfied viss a vorld no bigger as I can by
mineself gif him--mine Kott! I vould not haf such a man! See se
lightening! but I sink sare vill be no storm; sare is no sunder viss se
ligh'--Ah! sare are se trhuants!" We rose to meet them. First came the
children, vaunting their fatigue, then a black maid or two, with twice
their share of baskets, and then our three spouses; the Baron came last
and was mute. The two ladies called cheery, weary good-byes to another
contingent, that passed on by the gate, and hail and farewell to our fat
neighbor as he went home. Then they yielded their small burdens to us,
climbed the veranda stairs and entered the house.



VII


No battle, it is said, is ever fought, and I dare say no game--worth
counting--is ever played, exactly as previously planned. One of our
company had planned, very secretly, as he thought, a battle; another,
almost openly, was already waging hers; while a third was playing a game--