as still
looking after her with my mouth open, when she came back dressed like a
man!"

Mahlmann was silent for a moment and wrapped himself with a shiver in
his red coat.

"Dear me! how cold it always is now; it used to be warm in July. Things
never turn out as one expects. The little Mamseli had promised me
faithfully I should have my good clothes back--yes, indeed--bless you!
But I must say she looked downright pretty in my best black suit, and I
saw why she hadn't worn clothes of the Baron's, or of her own father's.
He was short and fat, and the Baron was tall and broad-shouldered,
and the little one would not have looked well in their things. Now she
looked like a real boy, and like two boys we ran to one of the many
prisons where the aristocrats were, I With a basket and she with a
basket, with bread and writing-paper, and we took them to the wife
of one of the gaolers who earned a lot of money by selling them. The
aristocrats were always writing letters, which shows what do-nothings
they were; for an honest man has a tongue to talk with, and doesn't need
to make marks on paper to kill time. We went to the great prison two or
three times; I stayed outside because I was afraid, but Mamseli Manon
went in and talked with the gaolers. What more she did I don't know;
I waited outside and thought of my confirmation suit, for the little
Mamseli wasn't very careful of it. She had had it three days and took
it home with her, and I never knew where it was when she was in the shop
with her ordinary clothes on. It was always dark when we went out, then
she'd come for me and we'd start* I must say she always brought me some*
thing, a drop of wine or a bit of cake. The evening of the fourth day
when I was waiting for her at the gate of the prison, someone seized
hold of my shoulder and said in German, 'Forward!' It was my Baron who
stood before me all at once and was in a devil of a hurry to get away.
'Franz!' he said to me, 'be quick or I am lost!' 'Where is the little
Mamsell?' I asked, 'and where is my confirmation suit?' Then he grabbed
me by the arm and dragged me through the streets till I was out of
breath. 'She will come,' he said half to himself, 'to-morrow the mistake
will be cleared up, when I am out of the city. Her father will save
her.' But though he was still pulling me along, I stopped short. 'Herr
Baron,' I said, 'the little Mamsell has got on my best black suit, and
the trousers were made out of the Herr Pas