cherry-tree. But now come
here, Moshoo Rudolph. Do you promise never to enter a pulpit again, or
to preach another sermon?" "Never again." "Do you promise to get up at
three o'clock in the morning in summer, and give out the feeds for the
horses?" "Punctually." "Do you promise to learn how to plough, harrow,
mow and bind properly? I mean to bind with a wisp, there's no art in
doing it with a rope." "Yes," said Rudolph. "Do you promise when coming
home from market never to sit in an inn over a punch-bowl while your
carts go on before, so that you are obliged to reel after them?" "I
promise never to do so," said Rudolph. "Do you promise--Mina, do you see
that pretty flower over there, the blue one I mean, will you bring it to
me, I want to smell it--do you promise," he repeated as soon as Mina was
out of hearing, "never to flirt with any of those confounded
farm-girls?" "Oh, Mr. Braesig, do you take me for a scoundrel?" asked
Rudolph, turning away angrily. "No, no," answered Braesig, "but I want
you to understand clearly from the very beginning that I will strangle
you if ever you cause my little godchild to shed a tear." And as he
spoke he looked so determined, that one might have thought he was going
to begin the operation at once. "Thank you, Mina," he said, taking the
flower from her, and after smelling it putting it in his button-hole.
"And now come here, Mina, and I will give you my blessing. Nay, you
needn't go down on your knees, for I'm not one of your parents, I'm only
your godfather. And, Moshoo Rudolph, I promise to take your part this
afternoon when your father comes, and to help you to free yourself from
being bound to a profession you don't like. Come away both of you, we
must go in now. But, Rudolph, remember you musn't sit on the grass and
read, but must see to the proper manuring of your fields yourself. Look,
this is the way the farm-lads ought to hold their pitch-forks, not like
that. Bang! and tumble off all that is on it; no, they must shake the
fork gently three or four times, breaking and spreading the manure as
they do so. When a bit of ground is properly spread it ought to look as
smooth and clean as a velvet table-cover." He then went into the house
accompanied by the two young people.

[The love affairs of both young couples ran smoothly, since uncle Braesig
was on their side. Godfrey and Lina were married first and, when pastor
Behrens died, moved into the parsonage of Guerlitz, for Godfrey was