urnamed Bieler.

"God be with you, fair sister-in-law," exclaimed the wild Netz, shaking
Althea's white hand with no very gentle cordiality.

"What brings you so soon again to the city?" returned Althea
displeasedly, and drew back her hand.

"Rasselwitz treats us to-day with a dozen flasks of old Hungary, at
Barthel Wallach's," replied Netz: "You know that when once I get into
the old den I can't set off again without having seen you. God forgive
you, lady, but you must have bewitched me; and I shall yet denounce you
to the council of Schweidnitz."

"How willingly would I undo the spell of which you complain! Truly, it
gives me no pleasure."

"Tush! you are not in earnest. We all know that women like to be
courted, that their value may be the greater."

Here he began to whistle and clatter up and down the room, when his
eyes suddenly fell upon Francis, who had not yet been able to separate
himself from the goblet.

"The devil! you too, Friend! What wind has blown you hither?"

"If any one should ask you," said Francis roughly, "tell him you don't
know."

"And how is it with your lucky horse-swop?" asked Netz, in a mocking
tone: "Have you settled with Rasselwitz?"

"Long ago," replied Francis, dryly, and poured out the drainings of the
flask.

"It must be allowed," exclaimed Netz, with a loud laugh--"you know how
to manage things admirably. He has got the bay, then?"

"If I were an ass! I was drunk at the time I made the bargain, and
therefore am bound to nothing."

"Rasselwitz will show you that, my fine fellow! You have had his horse,
and must keep your word."

"He may fetch his mare, then, from the hangman. The beast fell down
with me at the Bresslauer gate. I should deserve to be breeched if I
suffered myself to be cheated in this manner."

"You'll have a stout tussle of it with him. In such matters he does not
jest, and least of all with you."

"Let him come, then, and fight it out with me. I have already shown the
Turks in Hungary that I am not afraid. When I have got my cold iron at
my side, I am a match for a whole stable-full of such younkers."

And with this he emptied the last goblet and drained it, while Netz bit
his lips, and drawing Bieler aside, asked in a whisper, "If they should
not throw the braggart out of window?" To this the other replied by a
friendly nod of assent; but Althea, who had overheard the question,
exclaimed, "For God's sake do not trouble the quiet of this widowed