After dinner coffee was served in the adjoining billiard-room, whither the inspectors followed the family only on holidays or when there was comparatively little to be done out of doors. They usually took their leave, to return to their duties of superintendence, so soon as Herr von Osternau rose from table. The only exception to this rule was the superintendent, Lieutenant von Osternau, who belonged to the family, and who was, besides, not very strict in the discharge of his duties, although he drew with great punctuality when quarter-day came round the very considerable sum which he received as salary. As he himself was wont to say, his office as superintendent of the entire estate did not require him to oversee the smaller details of its management, and he could therefore always find time for a game of billiards with his cousin and Lieschen, as well as for visits to the neighbouring estates, with frequent hunting expeditions. He could do this the more readily since Herr von Osternau himself always exercised a general supervision of all agricultural operations and kindly allowed his young cousin every possible liberty.
On the day upon which the Candidate Gottlieb Pigglewitch arrived at the castle, Lieutenant Albrecht von Osternau appeared in the dining-hall somewhat before half-past two. The third inspector, Herr von Wangen, was overseeing the harvesters in the Oster meadow and had excused himself from appearing at table, and Herr Storting was busy with the reception of the first instalments of hay. Therefore the superintendent had seen no necessity for exerting himself in the hot sun, but had taken a siesta from twelve to two, and was now awaiting his cousin in the cool, airy dining-hall.
He had not long to wait. Punctual as ever, Herr and Frau von Osternau entered. A minute later, Fritz rushed in, and Lieschen came to take her father's arm and accompany him in his daily promenade. Cousin Albrecht accosted her, but she slipped past him with an arch glance and the half-contemptuous inquiry, "Are you up again, cousin? I hope you enjoyed your nap."
"What makes you think I have been sleeping?" Albrecht asked, crossly, annoyed that Lieschen should betray him. Kind and courteous as was the castle's lord, he could hardly be pleased to learn that his superintendent had spent the precious time in a nap before dinner.
"Can you deny it, cousin?" Lieschen rejoined, with a laugh. "You had better not try that. So loud and sonorous a sound came from your room as I passed your door a while ago, that I stopped for a moment to wonder what it was. It was wonderful music. You say you are not very musical, but no one who has heard you snore will believe you."
"What were you doing at my room door? What did you want of me?"
Lieschen looked round scornfully at her cousin, who was following a few steps behind her father and herself. "You do not suppose, do you, that I was going to pay you a visit? No, Cousin Albrecht, I was on my way to one more worthy of such an honour, our new Candidate. Why do you look surprised? Oh, I understand, you do not know yet that we have a new inmate. You have been sleeping sweetly and snoring most musically while the Candidate was being installed in his rooms, which are just beyond yours. You cannot deny now that you have been asleep."
Albrecht was at a loss for a reply, and was relieved by Herr von Osternau's turning to Lieschen with the inquiry, "Did you pay the Candidate a visit in his room?"
"Of course, papa. I was frightfully curious to see him."
"And how did you like him?" asked her father.