“Now that is a good idea,” said Judith.  “You’d better tell him then, that you do it to pay your debts, and that it would be well for him to follow your example.  Now you have told me enough.  Bring me your shirt on Saturday, and I’ll wash it for you.”

Judith lifted her water-jug and was turning away, but Blasi detained her.

“Just wait one moment, I want to ask you a question.  Do you think she will have him?”

The question seemed to interest Judith, for she stood stock still.

“Who? whom? what do you mean?”

“I mean Veronica and Jost.  Do you think she will take him?” As Blasi spoke he came slowly nearer to Judith.  “He has been saying some things lately, that made me think so.”

“If you know anything more stupid than that, I should like to hear it,” cried Judith very angry indeed; but she did not move away, for she wanted to hear all that Blasi had to say.

“I know what you mean,” he went on, “but I am not so very stupid as you think.  It certainly means something, when she is so changed.  Jost says that she knows all that Dietrich has been about, and she is hot with anger against him because he has not told her about it himself.  Jost says that if he only mentions Dietrich’s name before her she looks like a wild-cat in a moment, and he says too that he has noticed for some time, that she has no objection to letting Dietrich see that she can get along very well without his help, and you know that she is capable of anything when she’s angry.”

“Well, this was the one drop wanting!” said Judith, and shouldering her jug she went off, snorting with anger, in such a rage that Blasi stood looking after her in stupid amazement, and muttered,

“I wonder if she wants to get him, too!”

Judith walked along, talking aloud to herself,

“Yes, she is! she is! she is capable of anything when she is angry!”

Now Judith had looked upon her neighbor’s boy from his childhood up, as if he belonged to her.  He was her prime, favorite and she meant to do well by him.  She liked Veronica because she was such a steady girl at her needle, and because she would have nothing to say to any one but Dietrich.  This very reserve however, was rather distasteful to Judith as regarded herself, but she liked it towards others.  She had planned it all out that Dietrich should marry Veronica soon after the confirmation, that they should set up a pretty little establishment, and be her beloved neighbors.  She meant to be their intimate friend and helper, to go freely in and out of their house, and to stand god-mother now and then.  She would leave her property to the little ones.  Now all this fine air-castle was overthrown and all her plans spoiled.  Judith bounced violently into the kitchen and set her jug down with such a bang that the water spurted up into the air.