"I tell you, dikemaster," he said, "I was thinking--you have actually grown ten years younger. You have set my blood coursing with all your proposals; if only we can get down with all that to-day!"
"Oh, we shall, we shall, your Honor," replied the old man with a smirk; "the roast goose over there will give us strength! Yes, thank God, I am still always well and brisk!" He looked round the room to make sure that Hauke was not about; then he added with calm dignity: "And so I hope I may fulfill the duties of my office a few more blessed years."
"And to this, my dear dikemaster," returned his superior, "we want to drink this glass together."
Elke who had looked after the lunch laughed to herself as she left the room just when the glasses were clicking. Then she took a dish of scraps from the kitchen and walked through the stable to give them to the poultry in front of the outside door. In the stable stood Hauke Haien and with his pitchfork put hay into the racks of the cows that had to be brought up here so early because of the bad weather. But when he saw the girl come, he stuck the pitchfork into the ground. "Well, Elke!" he said.
She stood still and nodded at him: "All right, Hauke--but you should have been in there!"
"Do you think so? Why, Elke?"
"The dikemaster general has praised the master!"
"The master? What has that to do with me?"
"No, I mean, he has praised the dikemaster!"
The young man's face was flushed crimson: "I know very well," he said, "what you are driving at."