Bräsig was going to say something, but restrained himself, for he knew better than the others what was going on in Frau Nüssler's heart; he turned to the window, elevated his eyebrows, and stared out stiffly at the April weather. Frau Nüssler sprang up, dried her eyes, pushed Rudolph and Jochen aside,--rather hastily,--went right up to Bräsig, throw her arms about him, and said, "Bräsig, I know you meant it all right; I won't break anybody's arms and legs."
"Oh, Frau Nüssler!" cried Bräsig, and the April showers and sunshine were reflected in his eyes, for his whole face laughed, while his eyes were dropping tears, "Tailor Wimmersdorf and the old crafty dyer, 'Meins wegens,' may get their deserts from you, for all I care."
"What does this mean?" cried Rudolph.
"I will tell you," said Bräsig, gently freeing himself from Frau Nüssler's arms, and taking her by the hand. "It means, that you have a real angel for a mother-in-law. Not one of the kind that you see at the balls, and promenading the streets of Rahnstadt. No! but an actual angel, out of the Old Testament, such a valiant, brave old angel, who is not afraid of the devil himself, contending in a good cause, and can put you, sir, in her pocket, three times over!" and he looked at Rudolph, as if he was the cause of all Frau Nüssler's distress.
"Good gracious!" exclaimed Rudolph, "I have done nothing!" and he looked at Jochen, and Jochen looked at Bauschan; but Bauschan did'nt know, and Jochen did'nt know, and Rudolph cried out, "I truly have not the least idea----"
"There is no necessity that you should," said Bräsig, and turned abruptly to Jochen; "and you, young Jochen, with your confounded goose-business, you will bring your whole household into a dangerous revolution. You had better sit down, and keep quiet, and you, Rudolph, come with me, I will make a brief examination of your management, and see what you have learned with Hilgendorf."
That was a suitable employment for Jochen, and Rudolph obtained a fine opportunity to urge Uncle Bräsig's assistance in his plans for a speedy marriage. It is possible that both of these reflections had occurred to Bräsig.
In the afternoon, Fritz Triddelsitz came riding up the yard. This time, he was mounted on a dapple-gray, which had a most singular gait, in front, he stepped out like a man, and as a general thing, went on only three legs; from which one may perceive, that nature, in her intelligent way, often creates superfluities; for instance, the tail of a piuscher,[[10]] the ears of a mastiff, and the left hind-leg of a schreiber koppel. Fritz's dapple-gray was not handsome to look at, particularly when he was in motion; but he was a courteous beast, he bowed all along the street, and he harmonized with Fritz, for he had grown very courteous, with his nobleman, and when some of his comrades joked him about his dapple-gray, he laughed in his sleeve: "You blockheads! I have profited finely by my trading, with the chestnut mare for the black, the black for the brown, and the brown for the dapple-gray; I have made money every time by the bargain." The dapple-gray came very courteously up the Rexow yard, Fritz dismounted courteously, entered the house courteously, and courteously said, "Good day!"
"Mother," said young Jochen, "help Herr Triddelsitz,"--for they were just sitting down to coffee.
"God preserve us!" thought Bräsig, "and is he called 'Herr' already?"