WEILER.

That is true.  It does not matter whether the flattery is coarse or fine.  If a woman only notices that one means to flatter her, she is satisfied.  It is just as when boys stroke a kitten.  Whether they pet it gently or roughly, whether it likes it or not, it cannot help purring.

MARY.

And I presume you mean to pet me with this comparison.

WEILER.

If you feel obliged to purr it must have been a petting.

MARY (looking out of the window).

He is coming, mother.

SOPHY.

Who?  Robert?

WEILER.

I had better be off to my wood-cutters.  Otherwise the old man will make a row.

[Exit.]

SOPHY (calling after him).

If you cannot come in I will save your portion.  An uncomfortable fellow!  And it is not likely that he will acquire polite manners at this late day.  That is a relic of his better days.  And for that reason your father is indulgent with him because they were old comrades.  Godfrey also was one of them.  When he had wasted his property in drink he fell in with Stein.

[Surveying the table.]

Here at the head the father of the bridegroom; next to him your father; then the good droll pastor.  If it had not been for him, Robert would have gone long ago.

MARY.

Mother, at that time Robert was so wild, so impetuous—­

SOPHY.

You are right.  At that time the pastor and we could scarcely keep him. [Counts once more the afore-mentioned persons.] Then here Mr. Moeller; and there your godfather, my cousin Mr. Wilkens; then I myself here; there Robert and you; finally, at the foot, Andrew and William.  How the time passes!  If I think back to my engagement day!  Then I was not as happy as I am today.

MARY.

Mother, I wonder whether every girl that is to become a bride feels as I do?  SOPHY.  Not every one has such good cause to be glad as you have.

MARY.

But is it gladness that I feel?  I am so depressed, mother, so—­

SOPHY.

Of course.  You are like the flower on which clings a dewdrop.  It hangs its head, and yet the dew is no burden.

MARY.

I feel as if it were wrong of me to leave my father, even if it is to go with Robert.

SOPHY.

The Bible says, “A woman shall leave father and mother and cleave to her husband.”—­But my case was quite different from yours.  Your father was a stately man, no longer quite young, but tall and straight like a pine.  At that time his beard was still black as coal.  Many a girl that would gladly have married him set her cap at him; that I knew.  But to me he seemed too serious, too severe.  He took everything so seriously, and he cared nothing for amusements.  It was no easy matter to accommodate myself to him.  I never had to worry about the means of subsistence; and if I should say that he ever treated me harshly, I should be telling a lie; even if he pretended to be harsh.