Aunt Ursul hastily left the house and went to meet the minister, who, with rapid strides, was approaching, having his hat, wig and snuff-box in one hand, and in the other a colored pocket handkerchief with which he was wiping his bald head.
"I know it already," he called out, as soon as he caught sight of Aunt Ursul. "Herkimer, who met me between your house and Volz', has told me everything."
"So much the better," replied Aunt Ursul, "and now, dominie, don't talk as loud as if you were standing in the pulpit. The young folks are within, and must not hear what we are doing here. Come close."
She led the minister away from the house to the wall of the door-yard, where nobody could hear except Hans, who now raised his thick head and with a bit of grass in his mouth observantly looked at the two with his black eyes from under his bushy foretop.
"What business have you to listen? Go your way," said Aunt Ursul to the horse.
"But, Aunt Ursul, what in all the world is it all about?" asked the minister.
"You shall soon hear," replied Aunt Ursul, whose glances wandered from the edge of the woods to the sky, and from there again toward the woods, and at last, with a peculiar expression of face, rested on the minister.
"You are not married, dominie, and for what you do, or leave undone, you are accountable to nobody."
"What do you mean by that?" asked the minister.
"My old man is seventy-one, and I do not believe that he will last much longer," remarked Ursul thoughtfully.