Milly most willingly washed her face in the basin, and after she had done so, the water was as pure as it had been before.
"And now wipe thy face with this!"
With that he handed the young woman a towel, with which she rubbed her face all over with all her might, yet not the smallest trace of anything red or white was to be seen upon the snowy napkin, while her face had only become rosier than ever from the scrubbing.
The dean was astonished.
"How comes it," cried he, "that thy face, which was once so full of freckles, is now without a single speck upon it?"
"Freckles always disappear in winter," answered Milly.
And that was no more than the truth. From many faces freckles disappear in winter, and it was just then the very depth of winter.
At this, the very reverend gentleman grew very wroth. He struck the table violently with his book, and stretching forth his hand, exclaimed:
"Then thou hast been foully calumniated by thine accuser, Dame Fürmender, the wife of Augustus Zwirina, who, by way of punishment for such a calumny, is excluded from to-morrow's communion."
Dame Fürmender, who was sitting in the corner of the front pew, where everyone could see it, got up, courtesied, and went straight out of the church.