would please me indeed if father Peter could lead
me to the church. If only he could come back again! Here we are rolling
in riches while he may be nibbling at hunger's table.' And the very idea
of such a thing made her weep, while even Dame Ilse said:

'I should not be sorry myself to see him come back--there is always
something lacking in a house when the good man is away.'

But the fact was that she was growing quite tired of having no one to
scold. And what do you think happened?

On the very eve of the wedding a man pushing a wheelbarrow arrived at
the city gate, and paid toll upon a barrel of nails which it contained,
and then made the best of his way to the bride's dwelling and knocked at
the door.

The bride herself peeped out of the window to see who it could be, and
there stood father Peter! Then there was great rejoicing in the house;
Lucia ran to embrace him, and even Dame Ilse held out her hand in
welcome, and only said: 'Rogue, mend your ways,' when she remembered the
empty treasure cupboard. Father Peter greeted the bridegroom, looking
at him shrewdly, while the mother and daughter hastened to say all
they knew in his favour, and appeared to be satisfied with him as a
son-in-law. When Dame Ilse had set something to eat before her husband,
she was curious to hear his adventures, and questioned him eagerly as to
why he had gone away.

'God bless my native place,' said he. 'I have been marching through the
country, and have tried every kind of work, but now I have found a job
in the iron trade; only, so far, I have put more into it than I have
earned by it. This barrel of nails is my whole fortune, which I wish to
give as my contribution towards the bride's house furnishing.'

This speech roused Dame Ilse to anger, and she broke out into such
shrill reproaches that the bystanders were fairly deafened, and Friedlin
hastily offered Master Peter a home with Lucia and himself, promising
that he should live in comfort, and be always welcome. So Lucia had her
heart's desire, and father Peter led her to the church next day, and
the marriage took place very happily. Soon afterwards the young people
settled in a fine house which Friedlin had bought, and had a garden and
meadows, a fishpond, and a hill covered with vines, and were as happy as
the day was long. Father Peter also stayed quietly with them, living, as
everybody believed, upon the generosity of his rich son-in law. No one
suspected that his barrel of