As soon as Braesig had told as much as he knew of the affair, he set off down the footpath that led to Rexow.  Hawermann stood and watched him till he was out of sight, and then said to himself:  “He’s a good man, his heart’s in the right place, and if I find that it is so, I will * * * but * * * but * * *!” He was not thinking of Braesig when he said this, but of Frank.

[When uncle Braesig had reached Rexow, he was consulted on a matter of great consequence.  Two young nephews of Joseph Nuessler, Godfrey Baldrian and Rudolph Kurz, had asked permission to spend the weeks before their examinations—­both were students of theology—­at Rexow.  Should they be invited to come?  Godfrey was all right, a serious-minded youth, but Rudolph, although a good sort of a fellow, was frivolous, he had even fought a duel in Rostock for the sake of a merchant’s pretty daughter.  Was there any danger of Lina and Mina falling in love?  “Braesig,” Joseph said, “you see it might quite well happen, and what are we as their parents to do?” “Let them alone, Joseph!” he replied.  “Why does God send young folks into the world, if he does not intend them to love each other?  But the little round-heads!” His advice was finally taken, and the two young men were soon settled at the Nuessler home.  At first everything went well, but after a while difficulties arose, and uncle Braesig was again called upon for advice.]

Braesig went to Rexow that morning to see Mrs. Nuessler as he had intended.  The crown-prince was in the doorway when he arrived, and came forward to meet him with such a hearty wag of the tail that any one would have thought him a most christian-minded dog, and would have imagined that he had quite forgiven Braesig the fright he had given him the last time he was at Rexow.  There was a look of such quiet satisfaction in his yellow brown eyes that one would have thought that everything was going on well in the house; that Mrs. Nuessler was busy in the kitchen, and that Joseph was comfortably seated in his own particular arm-chair.  But it was not so.  When Braesig went into the parlor he certainly found Joseph in his old place, but Mrs. Nuessler was standing in front of him, and was giving him a lecture about caring for nothing, and never interfering when things were going wrong, although it was his duty to do so.  As soon as she saw Braesig, she went up to him and said angrily:  “And you keep out of the way, Braesig.  Every one may be standing on their heads here for anything you care, and it’s all your fault that we ever took those two lads into the house.”  “Gently,” said Braesig.  “Gently!  Don’t excite yourself, Mrs. Nuessler!  Well what’s all this about the divinity students?” “A very great deal!  But I should never have said a word about it, for they’re Joseph’s relations, and ‘it’s an ill bird that soils its own nest!’ There has been no peace or comfort in the house since the two young men have been here, and if it goes on like this much longer, I’m afraid