Part 22 (1/2)
When the pastor took his leave, Landolin accompanied him respectfully.
Pausing before the house, the pastor said in a low tone:
”Give me half.”
”Half of what?”
”When you were in prison, did you not vow a hundred times that when you were released you would give liberally to the poor and the church? Give me half, or a third, or a fourth.”
”Herr Pastor, you're joking. It is too soon for me to joke with you.”
”If you change your mind, you know where to find me,” said the pastor.
As he turned away, Landolin looked after him scornfully.
He went to the well and drank of the water that poured swiftly from it.
As he wiped his mouth, he said to his wife who was looking out of the window:
”Nothing in the world quenches my thirst so, and makes me feel so well and fresh as water from our own well.”
”Come in, it is bed-time.”
CHAPTER XLI.
Landolin strove to think of something else than that which, against his will, forced itself upon him; and asked his wife after they had got to their room:
”Is there nothing new? Hasn't anything happened all this long time?”
”No; at least not much. The old Dobel-Farmer was so badly hurt, unloading a wagon-load of wood, that he died. Perhaps you heard of it.
The government has bought the Dieslinger farm for a forest. The owner of the Syringa farm is married again. In Heidlingen they have a new minister. The former one tried to make his church Old-Catholic, as they call it; and the Improvement Society, as they call it, has laid out a new road near our forest. The superintendent, the good old General, has often been here, and asked after you.”
Thus his wife went on.
”Who came to see you oftenest while I was away?”
”My brother. But there were a good many other people who came to condole with me. I wouldn't listen to their pity, so after awhile they stopped coming.”
”Didn't the miller ever come to see you?”
”No; not once.”
”That's just like a Dutchman. He won't go unless he's pushed. To-morrow I'll straighten matters between Anton and Thoma. I'll go and see the miller.”
”Don't do that. Don't try to hitch up so fast. You understand what I mean. You know when a man wants to turn a wagon round, or back his horses, he can't do it on a gallop.”
”Aha!” thought Landolin, ”she's trying to be smart. Everybody thinks they're smarter than I am.”
As Landolin was silent, his wife continued: ”Now, you go to sleep. I'm sleepy.”