e perseverance when
it was needed. Otherwise she preferred a leisurely comfort in her
movements. But when she rode along the street behind her long husband
and before her gay little admirer, her head was humming with all sorts
of notions and she made up her mind to torment Hoeflinger a bit in order
to get him closer to her.

She began by suggesting that he should add a horn to his wheel, since
the little cat-bell was insufficient for the road. She referred to
Victor, commending the loud blast which made all children run to
safety. She also called his attention to the safety of those behind him
and showed her concern about her own; so he gave in and bought a little
horn. Then she complained that his back shut out the view from her
because he was perched so high and advised him to lower his handle-bar.
He suggested riding behind, but that she would not permit: Victor would
speed too much and with him she rode more safely. So Hoeflinger agreed
to lower his handle-bar. But now she complained that she could not bear
to see his bent back and peevishly asked him to raise it again. With
such a longlegs one could do nothing; if he had a well-proportioned
figure like Victor, it would be easier to get along with him. Pratteler
had substituted sole-leather for the worn-out rubber on Hoeflinger's
pedals, because it would last longer. Now it happened that he slipped
on the hard and smooth surface. Then Spiele asked him to wear soft
sandals like Victor, but he preferred his stiff boots. However, he
procured hooks which kept the foot in place and allowed him to enjoy
the advantage of the leather surface. Now she was worried lest the
hooks should prove a dangerous obstacle in jumping off the wheel. She
consulted Victor; but he only said, it depended.

One Sunday, however, on their way home, they met a drunken farm-hand,
also on a wheel. Hoeflinger saw from a distance that the man took up the
whole width of the road and could not control his machine. He gave a
warning blast of his horn. Spiele tinkled merrily. Victor also tooted a
warning. All three kept to the right. For a moment it seemed as if an
accident could be avoided. But suddenly, as though he had been struck a
blow from the back, the brute swerved to the other side of the road. He
could not help himself and had to ride straight into Hoeflinger's wheel:
it was his fate. Hoeflinger wanted to jump quickly, but could not get
out of the hooks as rapidly as he would, and lost contro