“Immediately! but Frau von Werrig will be so good as to give me my wages.”
“Yes,” she answered in a slower and more subdued voice. “That shall be done presently.”
“It will not be so very difficult to reckon them, I have been here twenty years; just as many years as Marie is old, for I came as child’s nurse, and have helped her learn to talk and walk, and played mother to the dear child a bit. Then I obtained my wages, for they were good times; but the pension-time came, and we had no cook or servant but me. ‘The rats run away if the ship springs a leak,’ but the old mole Trude stayed. Mankind is in the world to work, I said, and why should not I be the cook and waiting-maid too, that my little Marie should not want any thing? So I became maid-of-all-work and have stayed here ever since. Then, you told me you would double my wages, and give me twenty thalers a year, and four thalers at Christmas. Is it not so, Frau von Werrig?”
“I believe that was the agreement.”
“I am quite certain about it,” cried the general, who began to understand the drift of Trude. “Yes, Trude was to have twenty thalers a year, and we are owing her many years’ wages. You know, wife, I have always kept an account-book for the debts, and only a few days ago—Oh! oh! the pain! Trude, help me cover up the foot warmer!—we reckoned it up a few days ago, and we owe Trude one hundred and thirty thalers.”
“One hundred and thirty thalers,” repeated Trude, clapping her hands, astonished. “Is it true? oh, that is splendid. I shall be rich, and get a husband yet. I pray you give it to me, Frau von Werrig, right away.”
“Not so quickly,” said she, proudly. “We will reckon together how much you have saved—because—”
“Oh!” interrupted Trude, “how good you are to make me keep so much; you are my savings bank, where I can deposit my money.”
“Because,” she continued, with emphasis, without noticing the interruption, “our future son-in-law will pay your wages, the rich banker, Herr Ebenstreit. Yes, the wealthy lover of our daughter. At the moment I have not so much cash in the house.”
“Your grace will allow me to stay until Herr Ebenstreit is married, and, in your name, pays me my wages?”