er them, pancakes; and, my good girl, take care that six of them
are excellently thick and savoury; you know, indeed, how Henrik likes
them."

"And should we not," suggested Louise, "have whipped cream and raspberry
jam with the pancakes?"

"Yes, with pleasure," returned the mother,--"Jacobi would unquestionably
recommend that."

Louise blushed, and the Judge besought with animation that there might
be something a little more substantial than "angels' food" for supper,
which was promised him.

The Assessor shook out the "family-roof" in the hall in indignation.
"The most miserable roof in all Christendom," said he; "it defends
neither from wind nor rain, and is as heavy as the ark! and----"

But at the very moment when he was shaking and scolding his worst, he
perceived a sound----exclamations and welcomes, in every possible
variety of joyous and cordial tones. The "court-preacher" was thrown
head and shoulders over the "family-roof," and with great leaps hastened
Jeremias forward to shake hands with the son and the friend of the
house, who were just now returned home from the University.

Tokens of condolement mingled themselves with welcomes and
felicitations.

"How wet, and pale, and cold you are!"

"Oh, we have had a magnificent shower!" said Henrik, shaking himself,
and casting a side glance on Jacobi, who looked both downcast and
doleful in his wet apparel. "Such weather as this is quite an affair of
my own. In wind and rain one becomes so--I don't know rightly how--do
you, _mon cher_?"

"A jelly, a perfect jelly!" said Jacobi, in a mournful voice; "how can
one be otherwise, knocked about in the most infamous of peasant-cars,
and storm, and pouring rain, so that one is perfectly battered and
melted! Hu, hu, u, u, u, uh!"

"Oh, according to my opinion," said Henrik, laughing heartily at the
gestures of his travelling companion, "it is a hardening sort of
weather; there is a proud exalting feeling in it, sitting there quite
calm under the raging of the elements; especially when one looks down
from one's elevation on other fellow-mortals, who go lamenting, and full
of anxiety, under their umbrellas. Thus one sits on one's car as on a
throne; nay, indeed, one gets quite a flattering idea of oneself, as if
one were a little, tiny philosopher. Apropos! I bethink myself now, as
if we had seen, as we came this way, a philosopher in a lady's cloak
walking hither. But, how are you all, sweet, sweet sisters? How