"It is shocking how stupid
and obstinate these farmers are," and congratulated herself on having
got over all that. Notwithstanding his demurrer, Wendel was on the road
long before daybreak.

Vefela and Brenner were now publicly betrothed, and people gossiped a
good deal about it, some even hinting that Brenner had given the
manor-house farmer a drink of which he died, as he had refused his
consent to the match. So over-cunning is foul-mouthed suspicion.

The first change to which Vefela was now forced to submit was a very
sad one. Brenner sent a seamstress from the town to fit dresses for
her. Vefela felt like a recruit who is no longer his own master, and is
forced to wear any clothes brought to him, because the lot has picked
him out; but she submitted without a word. Next Sunday, when she had to
put on the new dresses, she stood weeping beside the seamstress, and
took a sad farewell of every piece. The skirt was particularly hard to
part with: her mother had given it to her when she was confirmed, and
had told her to go in it to the altar when she married. It is a great
defect in a city lady's dress that it cannot be put on or off without
the assistance of a servant. Vefela shuddered as the seamstress fumbled
about her. Her hair was braided and put up in a comb; and, when all was
done, Vefela could not help laughing as she looked at herself in the
window and made herself a reverential bow.

Brenner was delighted when she bashfully entered the room: he said she
looked ten times as pretty as before. But when Vefela said that the
city dresses amounted to nothing after all,--that one peasant's dress
was worth more, and cost more too, than six such city flags,--Brenner
looked cross, and said that that was "silly village-prattle." Vefela
bit her lips, and her eyes were full of tears: she went out and wept.

She very seldom left the house, for she was ashamed to be "marked" so.
She thought everybody must be looking at her. Only one other girl in
the village wore city dresses. She had been brought up by old Ursula,
and no one knew exactly where she came from.

Vefela had hard times in Melchior's house, for his wife was a very
dragon, and always gave birth to still-born children,--so that people
said they were poisoned in her womb. Melchior and Vefela often sat in
the barn, pretending to amuse themselves by peeling turnips, but in
fact eating them with much appetite. Vefela did her best to encourage
her brother to yield