f the
Forest Miller, who was about to sacrifice his child in such a criminal
manner, in order to save her marriage portion.

Martina, however, was vexed that Joseph should be sent out of the house
on this particular day. Still it was quite right that he should not
hear what they were going to talk about; and though she did not join in
Leegart's denunciations, she could not help crying and lamenting. She
sent Joseph back to Haespele, but Joseph had talked enough already of
the dog he seemed doomed never to get. He went along the village, and a
woman who met him said in a compassionate tone, "Ah! poor child! this
is an evil day for you," Joseph thought so too, as he had been pushed
out of the house. Presently another, by way of cloaking the bad news
adroitly, said, "Joseph, what is your father doing? Is it long since
you saw him?" The boy perceived that something was going on in the
village, and that it concerned him; he, however, kept his promise to
his mother, and told no one that his father was to come this very day.

It never ceased snowing, and Joseph, being quite alone on the ice, kept
sliding backwards and forwards on the ground, and constantly looking at
the path where his father was likely to come. But he found himself at
last so solitary, that he went to his grandfather's. He remained
standing outside the door of the workshop, for he heard two men talking
there. He knew their voices: they were the two churchwardens Wagner and
Harzbauer. They were saying that the cook at the Parsonage had let out
that the Pastor intended to leave the village, and that she believed
Roettmann and the Forest Miller were the chief cause of this; and then
they abused Adam, saying that he well deserved his nickname of _The
Horse_, for he allowed himself to be bridled and driven about, just as
other people chose.

The men now came out, along with Schilder-David, who said, "So you are
there, Joseph? Go home, and I will soon come to you."

His grandfather did not take him by the hand, as usual, but went with
his two friends to the Parsonage. Joseph stood still. But suddenly, as
if some one had whistled to him, he turned round, and ran off through
the village into the fields, to meet his father. "He will be so glad to
see me! and he will put me before him on his horse." Away ran the boy,
jumping merrily along through the fields, and into the wood. Every now
and then he wiped off the snow from his face and breast with his hands,
and mak