m his
blue coat. Ivo was pleased to hear that he was to have a new one
shortly.

Accompanied by the women, who had lingered behind the half-open door of
the kitchen, Christina now walked into the street and looked after the
three as they walked toward Horb, escorted by Valentine as far as the
Eagle. The squire's wife was looking out of her window, and Christina
said to her, "Those are the President-Judge's boys. They are going to
take my Ivo out to their father in the Dipper. He likes to see them
make friends with him: Ivo is quite smart, and they are quite fond of
him."

Nor is it to be denied that Ivo felt some pride as he walked through
the village hand in hand with his town acquaintances. He was pleased to
see the people look out of the windows, and bid them all "Good-day"
with great self-complacency. Who will think ill of him for this in a
country where the very child in its cradle babbles of the omnipotence
of the functionaries, where their existence and their activity is
shrouded in awe-inspiring darkness, where all ages and all conditions
unite in humble salutations to clerk and constable, knowing that there
is no escape from their ill-will the moment the door of the secret
tribunal is closed upon the unhappy mortal against whom an accusation,
or a mere suspicion, has been uttered?

Mine host of the Dipper saluted Ivo very kindly, rubbing his hands the
while, according to an old habit, as if he were cold. Ivo was now
admitted to the "gentlemen's room," and to the table, where, screened
from the vulgar gaze, the Auditor-General and the President-Judge sat
in undisturbed admiration of each other's respectability.

Two merchants of Horb stood at the entrance of this chamber of peers,
in some little embarrassment. After considerable hesitation, one said
to the other, "Well, Mr. Councilman, what shall we drink'!"

"What you please, Mr. Councilman," answered the other.

The two had just been elected to their present exalted station, and
this was their first appearance at the gentlemen's table. They sat down
with many profound bows, to which the President-Judge returned a sneer
and exchanged a supercilious look with his colleague.

Ivo's satisfaction at being admitted into such great society was
destined to be cruelly dashed. The boys told what they had heard from
Ivo's mother about the efficiency of the horseshoe. The judge, who
liked to play the freethinker in matters of religion, because it was a
liberty no