You never saw such a little coffin, Welzel; it was the tiniest, miserablest little thing I ever glued together. And what a corpse! It didn't weigh ninety pounds.
TRAVELLER
[His mouth full.] What I don't understand's this…. Take up whatever paper you like and you'll find the most heartrending accounts of the destitution among the weavers. You get the impression that three-quarters of the people in this neighbourhood are starving. Then you come and see a funeral like what's going on just now. I met it as I came into the village. Brass band, schoolmaster, school children, pastor, and such a procession behind them that you would think it was the Emperor of China that was getting buried. If the people have money to spend on this sort of thing, well…! [He takes a drink of beer; puts down the glass; suddenly and jocosely.] What do you say to it, Miss? Don't you agree with me?
[ANNA gives an embarrassed laugh, and goes on working busily.
TRAVELLER
Now, I'll take a bet that these are slippers for papa.
WELZEL
You're wrong, then; I wouldn't put such things on my feet.
TRAVELLER
You don't say so! Now, I would give half of what I'm worth if these slippers were for me.