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 for joy.  Just ask Johannes; I told him this morning that I didn’t know where under the sun I could find a better wife than you.”

“Let me go,” cried Freneli, who had carried on like an angry cat during all this handsome speech and had not even refrained from pinching and scratching.

“I’ll let you go,” said Uli, who manfully bore the scratching and pinching; “but you mustn’t suspect me of wanting you only in case I could be tenant on the farm.  You must believe that I love you anyway.”

“I make no promises,” cried Freneli, and she pulled herself free with all her might, and fled to the other end of the table.