learned, he would already be an '_archivarius_!' That is what I wanted
to make of him. What a fine title! An '_archivarius_!' But what has
become of him? An '_asinus_!' _Quantus asinus_! I ought to have made a
baker of him. He did not wish to be other, the fool: the '_perversus
homo_.' Now he is nothing but a '_pistor_.'"

At this grievous charge poor Henrik would have longed to sink into the
earth for very shame, a longing which would have met with opposition,
not only from the ground-floor inhabitants, but also from the assistants
working in the underground cellars.

Lorand took Henrik's part.

"Never mind, Henrik. At any rate in both families there is a
good-for-nothing who can do nothing except produce bread: I am the
peasant, you the baker: I thresh the wheat, you bake bread of it: let
the high and mighty feast on their pride."

Then the common good-humor of the high and mighty put a good tone on the
conversation. Father Fromm actually made peace though slowly with fate,
and agreed that it was just as well Henrik could continue his father's
business. He might find some respite in the fact that at least his
second child would become a "lady."

Desiderius had a joy in store for him in that he was to meet his
erstwhile Rector,[74] who was to give away the bride. The old fellow had
still the same military mien, the same harsh voice, and was still as
sincerely fond of Desiderius and the two families as ever.

[Footnote 74: The director of the school when he was educated at
Pressburg.]

Lorand was to be Desiderius' best man.

In this official position he was obliged to stand on the bridegroom's
left, while the latter swore before the altar, to provide for the
bride's happiness "till death us do part," receiving in trust a faithful
hand which even in death would not loosen its hold on his. He was the
first to praise the bride for repeating after the minister so
courageously and clearly those words, at which the voices of girls are
wont to tremble. He was the first to raise his glass to the happy
couple's health: he opened the ball with the bride: and one day later,
it was he who took her back on his arm to his mother's home, saying:

"Dear sister-in-law, step into the house from which your calm face has
driven all signs of mourning: embrace her who awaits you--the good
mother who has to-day for the first time exchanged her black gown for
that blue one in which we knew her in days of happiness. Never has bride
b