Veronica And Other Friends

nica how much he wished to win her favor. He often went to meet her, a

ds the place of honor here!" When Jost joined them, Veronica took care that Blasi should walk between herself and the intruder, and she neither said a word herself, nor seemed to hear what the others were sayi

ur services any longer, and gives you your dismissal? She is already beginning to soften towards me, but unti

e insolent fellow's head. He did not throw it however, for Veronica had charged him to have as little as possible to do with Jost, and especially never to quarrel

to Fohrensee. Strange surmises were aroused, among the Fohrensee people; for it was known that she went to visit the cattle-dealer. Th

To be sure she is cleverer than he, but then he is tw

ming round the corner of Gertrude's house, where he w

l the time, and looking as if you ha

to ask you," retorted Blasi, "W

nd I'll answe

thing to be ashamed

exclaimed Judith

th his thumb over his shoulder at the ho

outed wit

e?" she said; "first Dietri

way; she avoids Jost as if he were a nettle, and who else is th

ll snickering

lasi, "tell me what it is th

; come a little nearer," and she w

as a Jew, for the cattle-dealer is worth more tha

ng about the c

are you talki

such a fashion that he will not

ands as if she were choking some one, who cert

s inmost mind he thought, "I can't make anything out of

came up Blasi joined her, and they walked quickly along over the crisp, frozen ground. She was more

you do me a

as the prompt reply, "I will jump into the big pond ov

to do that, but something very different. Do you think you could find out what Jost knows

still thinking about him, all this time

' as if she felt that she was not going to live much longer. Oh, help me get word to Dietrich if you can, Blasi! do help me!" Veronica's eyes were full of tears, as she raised them beseechingly to Blasi's face. He wa

t! I'll see what I can do!" he said in a very

ell about Dietrich. He ran across to the Rehbock, where he found Jost sitting with his glass. For if Jost, as he complained, had to sit and work all the morning, while others did as they pleas

ine sent to him. He did not mind paying for a drink to-night, he said, if Jost would tell him exactly what he knew about Dietrich; they ought to hang together, they three, who h

it, herself, and speak pleasantly to me, as I do to her. Tell her that she will never see him again, as long as she lives; he is too far off. But if she wants to send him a me

together too painful to see. There was no use in remonstrating with Jost, who sat there smiling scornfully without farther words. For the first time in his life, Blasi left his glass unfinished. He pulled his

ross into the farthest corner of the room. He related the whole conversation and i

ble me! I am to go and beseech him to tell me; and I must be friendly a

itched up the last hole, and

asi? I hope I shall be able to repay

you ask. If you want me to, I will go to find Dietrich

rything finished and settled up-as if she had no time to lose." Veronica paused, and the tears that it so troubled Blasi to see, filled her eyes to overflowing. "I promised mother that the bag should be sent home

snows cats and dogs; b

gs at the post-office at the Valley bridge. Do you think you could get down the steep foot

ight count on his courage, where he had only the forces of nat

o it?" she asked herself again and again, and each time her h

she heard her heart-rending words, "If I could only see him once m

en he left the house, that he could scarcely make way against it. The half-frozen snow stung and blinded him, but it did not deter him. He forced his way onwards, and though it was still dark and he could not see one step befor

ed that he had to be at work by sunrise, and having delivered the bag and received the pay for it,

indness if you will, and it won't cost yo

f, usually; it is marked "To be called for," but he'll be glad to be spared th

led near her dwelling. The woman was an aunt of Jost's, and had known better days when her husband was alive; but now she had fallen into poverty, and had grown sour and bitter, and would have n

ch!" he cried out. "I didn't copy all his work at school for

and came stamping into the room. The widow was sitting on a bench by the stove, picking wool. She had not heard his knocks, and she stared at him with amaz

know what's in it.

letter away a

e. I never get any le

airly out o

read it to you; I want to know what he says.

, 14th J

ear J

on. It was a short letter,

he do? The letter was Jost's. He was afraid of Jost, and he had opened Jost's letter! Presently an idea struck him, and he instantly acted on it. He stuck the envelope together as well as he

en she went to her bed-side in the morning, that Veronica's heart at once cried out, "It

he could scarcely wait to greet her, before beginning to tell it; but he w

e you ill? Sit down and

t ill. Then Blasi blurted out his story; he was so eager, that he could scarcely get the words out straight. Veronica liste

ere the letter came from?" Her eyes danced with j

mself, "The women-folk are queer creatures. No fellow can understand them. A moment ago she looked all broken-down

me day his mother would come to feel differently; but since he had brought so much trouble upon her, he could not expect her to forgive him yet. If Veronica was going to marry some one else, he did not want to hear about it. He could not make up his mind to go to Austra

of Correction. He felt the worst on his mother's account. He wanted Jost to write and tell him about th

own counsel, and to behave as usual, in a perfectly unconcerned manner, whenever he met Jost. She would take the rest in hand herself. Blasi was more than willing to leave it all to her; he had entire confidence in her ability to manage the affair. The letters of all the country round were collected at the central office in Fohrensee, to be forwarded together from there to the nearest city, where t

said his daughter who was his assistant, "the

he letter, which he handed to Veronica. "The

ed. The letter was addressed to a woman of the same name as that of the miller's widow. Th

etrich into going farther away? Had he suggested to him a new address now that the old one had been discovered? She felt sure that Jost was trying to prevent anyone but himself from having any communication with Dietrich. There was not a moment to lose. Wha

the follow

ery weak. Come home directly. Yo

d it as Jost had done his, and

said, "will you kindly see that this

he said laughing, as he threw the letters down on the same pi

These questions brought the color to Veronica's cheeks as she suspected what the answers might be. Did Jost think that she would marry him if Dietrich did not come back? or were there other reasons why he did not dare to let him come? All sorts of possible solutions flew through Veronica's head, and the conclusion she arrived at frightene