t I had gone far
beyond the German gate, the bridge and the outworks and the post
station, and it was only when I was within a hundred yards of the
village and saw the chimney and the little windows that I recalled it
all like a dream, and commenced to read the permit again, repeating,
"It is true, yes, it is true; what happiness! what will they say!"

I reached the house and pushed open the door exclaiming, "The permit!"

Aunt Gredel in her sabots was just sweeping the kitchen, and Catherine
was coming downstairs with her arms bare, and her blue kerchief crossed
over her breast; she had been to the garret for chips, and both of them
on seeing me and hearing me cry, "the permit!" stood stock still. But
I repeated, "the permit!" and Aunt Gredel threw up her hands as I had
done, exclaiming, "Long live the King!"

Catherine, quite pale, was leaning against the side of the staircase; I
was at her side in an instant and embraced her so heartily that she
leaned on my shoulder and cried, and I carried her down, so to speak,
while aunt danced round us, exclaiming, "Long live the King! long live
the Minister!"

There was never anything like it. The old blacksmith, Ruppert, with
his leather apron on and his shirt open at the throat, came in to ask
what had happened.

"What is it, neighbor?" said he, as he held his big tongs in his hands
and opened his little eyes as wide as possible.

This calmed us a little, and I answered, "We have received our permit
to marry."

"Ah, that is it? is it? now I understand, I understand."

He had left the door open and five or six other neighbors came in--Anna
Schmoutz, the spinner, Christopher Wagner, the field-guard, Zapheri
Gross, and several others, till the room was full. I read the permit
aloud; everybody listened, and when it was finished Catherine began to
cry again, and Aunt Gredel said:

"Joseph, that minister is the best of men. If he were here, I would
embrace him and invite him to the wedding; he should have the place of
honor next Mr. Goulden."

Then the women went off to spread the news, and I commenced my
declarations anew to Catherine, as if the old ones went for nothing;
and I made her repeat a thousand times that she had never loved any one
but me, till we cried and laughed, and laughed and cried, one after the
other, till night. We heard Aunt Gredel, as she attended to the
cooking, talking to herself and saying, "That is what I call a good
king;" or, "If my go