knights too. Don't you intend
to marry again at all?"

Althea turned away in silence to get another ball of silk from her
work-basket, and at the same time to hide the colour which this
question had brought upon her cheek. Netz, having long listened for a
reply, exclaimed, "I understand! no answer is often a very decided one.
Now I am at home. You intend sure enough to marry, and I already know
the bridegroom. Shall I name him to you?"

"Spare me your thoughtless gossiping," said Althea, with anger, that
did not seem to be too seriously intended.

"You defy me? Well, then, I should be a fool to spare you any longer.
The lucky chosen one is called--"

At this moment Tausdorf entered the room.

"When one talks of the wolf," added Netz, laughing, "he is already
looking over the hedge. That is my man."

"Oh, you are the most intolerable tattler that I know of!" said Althea,
rising, and offering her hand to Tausdorf with a confused smile.

"Intolerable!" muttered Netz; "that again is somewhat strong, as indeed
your phrases towards me generally are. You think I don't understand
without rough language; yet in truth you ought to handle me quite
tenderly, and thank God that I look at the matter on the merry side:
were I disposed to take it up seriously, and quarrel with my fortunate
rival, you might sooner be a widow than a bride, or else have to cry
your bright eyes red over the corpse of your poor brother-in-law. But
compose yourself; it shall not be so bad as that I have at last learnt
to see that you are in the right with your negative. Every creature of
the field would be mated with its like. Now you are as tender as the
sensitive plant in the park green-house; you would be touched only
lightly with the finger-tips; while I love to grasp with my whole hand,
and don't always even draw the gauntlet off first. In any case, we
should make a strange couple. It is better, therefore, that the whole
business should be let alone, and, if I can yield you to any one
without grudging, it is to Tausdorf, who seems to have been made by
Heaven expressly for your wilfulness; and who, moreover, is such a
lusty knight. Your hands, then, my dear friends:--In the name and in
the spirit of my good brother Henry, I give and pledge you to each
other, and you shall exchange the troth-rings before my eyes."

"I pray you at length be silent," said Althea, whose confusion was at
its height; and with unfeigned emotion she added, "it has not