ly, and looked first at one and then
the other.

Then Uli looked up; but before he had gulped out an answer Freneli
intervened, and said, "Go and hitch up; Auntie, one can carry a joke too
far, too. I wish I'd never gone along. I don't know why I can't be left
in peace. Yesterday other folks made me angry, and today you're worse
still. That's not kind, Auntie."

Uli had stood up to go out; but his mistress said, "Sit down and listen.
I'm in earnest; I've said to Joggeli many a time that there never were
two people better fitted for each other than you two; it was as if you'd
grown up for each other."

"But Auntie," cried Freneli, "for goodness gracious sake, do stop, or
I'll run away. I won't be auctioned off like a cow. Wait till Christmas;
then I'll get out of your sight, or even before, if I'm so displeasing
to you. Why do you take so much useless pains to bring two people
together that don't want each other? Uli cares for me just as much as I
do for him, and the sooner we part company the gladder I'll be."

But now Uli's tongue was loosened and he said, "Freneli, don't be so
angry with me; I can't help this. But this much let me tell you; even if
you do hate me, I've loved you this long time, and wouldn't want a
better wife. Any one would be happy with you; if you'll have me, I'd be
only too happy."

"Oh, ho!" said Freneli, "now that you hear about the farm and that you'd
get it in lease if you had a wife, all at once I'll just suit you.
You're a cheerful fellow! If you only got the farm you'd marry a hussy
from the gutter, or a fence-post, wouldn't you? But oh, ho ho!" she
laughed scornfully, "you've struck the wrong girl; I don't have to have
a husband; I don't want any, and least of all a man that would marry a
lamp-wick if there was a little oil on it. If you won't start off I'll
walk home alone," and with that she was about to dart out of the door.

But Uli caught her and held her with a strong arm, resist as she would,
saying, "No, truly, Freneli, you wrong me. If I could have you, I'd go
out into the wilderness, where I'd have to clear the whole land before I
could plant it. It's true that when Elsie flirted so with me, the farm
went to my head and I'd have married her just on that account. But I'd
have committed a heavy sin; for even then you were in my heart, and I
always liked to see you a hundred times better than her. Every time I
saw her I was frightened; but when I met you my heart always jumped