plexity. "Are you in earnest?"

"Never more so in my life. I've entered the pulpit for the first and
last time." "Rudolph!" cried Mina in astonishment. "What's the use of
trying to make me a clergy man," said Rudolph quickly. "Look at Godfrey
and then look at me. Do you think I should make a good parson? And then,
there's another thing, even if I were so well up in theology that I
could puzzle the learned professors themselves, they would never pass me
in the examination. All that they care about is having men who can adopt
all their cant phrases. If I were the apostle Paul himself they'd refuse
to pass me, if they caught sight of this little scar upon my cheek."
"What are you going to do then?" asked Mina anxiously, and laying her
hand upon his arm, she added: "Oh, _don't_ be a soldier!" "I should
think not! No, I want to be a farmer." "The confounded young rascal!"
muttered Braesig. "Yes, my own dear little Mina," continued Rudolph,
drawing her to his side on the bench, "I intend to be a farmer; a real
good, hard-working farmer, and you, dear Mina, must help me to become
one." "What!" said Braesig to himself, "is she to teach him to plough and
harrow?" "I, Rudolph?" asked Mina. "Yes, my sweet child," he answered,
stroking her smooth hair and soft cheeks; then taking her chin in his
hand, he raised her face toward him, and looking into her blue eyes,
went on: "If I could only be certain that you'd consent to be my little
wife as soon as I'd a home to offer you, it would make everything easy
to me, and I should be sure of learning to be a good farmer. Will you,
Mina, will you?" Mina began to cry softly, and Rudolph kissed away the
tears as they rolled down her cheeks, and then she laid her little
round-head on his shoulder. Rudolph gave her time to recover her
composure, and after a few minutes she told him in a low whisper that
she would do as he asked, so he kissed her again and again. Braesig
seeing this exclaimed half aloud: "The devil take him! Stop that!"
Rudolph found time to tell her in the midst of his kissing that he
intended to speak to his father that afternoon, and said amongst other
things that it was a pity Braesig was not there, as he was sure he would
have helped him to make his explanation to his father, who, he knew,
thought a great deal of Braesig's advice. "The young rascal to catch my
fish!" muttered Braesig. Then Mina said: "Braesig was here this morning
and dined with us. I daresay he is enjoying