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Dominic, in Endringen, they say, has three daughters as straight as organ-pipes; choose one of them we should like to have a daughter from that house." "Yes," the mother observed, "Ameile is sure to have nice daughters." "And it would be well," continued the father, "if you went to Siebenhofen and took a look at Amrei, the Butter Count's daughter.
She passed her hands over her eyes hastily, then opened them wide, and asked herself as if in a dream: "Why, it's the stranger of the wedding at Endringen! He has come to the village! He has come to fetch you! No, he knows nothing of you! But he shall know! but no, what are you saying!" He comes nearer and nearer, but does not look up.
"I should think that fifty would be enough, and even that is a pretty bit of money." "No, not a red farthing less than a round hundred, and in saying that I am making you a present of a hundred. But I am willing to do that much for you and your sister in fact, I am always glad to do a kindness to a fellow-townsman. Why, in Endringen or in Siebenhofen they would gladly give me double the money.
The gardes-champêtres of the two dominions also used to pass by often, the barrels of their muskets shining as they approached and gleaming long after they had passed. Amrei was almost always accosted by the garde-champêtre of Endringen as she sat by the roadside, and he often made inquiries of her as to whether this or that person had passed by.
"Well, I am ready," said the young man, standing up as he spoke. He is the strange dancer whose acquaintance we made at the wedding in Endringen. He went out to the stable, and presently returned with the white horse already saddled. And as he was fastening his valise to the bolster, a fine, large wolf-hound began jumping up at him and licking his hands.
Through the centre of the Holderwasen ran a road to Endringen, and not far from it stood the many-colored boundary-stakes with the coats-of-arms of the two sovereign princes whose dominions came together here. In rustic vehicles of all kinds the peasants used to drive past, and men, women, and children kept passing to and fro with hoe, scythe, and sickle.
Amrei drew a deep breath and began: "You may believe me when I say that no child could have thought more about you than I have done, long ago, long before these last days. Do you remember Josenhans, by the pond, where the road turns off to Endringen?" "Surely, surely!" said the two old people. "Well, I am Josenhans's daughter!" "Why, I thought I knew you!" exclaimed the old woman. "God greet you!"
"Good heavens!" she thought. "How does it happen that I sit here so proudly driving along in festive attire? It is a good hour's ride to Endringen, and yet it seems as if we had only just started." The word was now given to alight, and Rose was immediately surrounded by all kinds of friends. Several of them asked: "Is that not a sister of your brother's wife?"
Hardly had she taken the first piece of her Sunday dress in her hand, when a feeling of joy came over her; and the evening sun, sending a red beam into the little attic, shone upon a pair of glowing cheeks. "Put on your Sunday dress!" She had but one Sunday dress, and that was the one she had worn that day at the wedding in Endringen.
The night was dark, and large pine fagots had been provided for torches; and the lads who carried them danced about and shouted with joy. Scarcely had the musicians gone back, and scarcely had the party left Endringen well behind, when the cry was: "Put out the torches! They only dazzle us!"
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