"No; what good would it be to me?" replied the mill-owner.
"Well, but I must have one, and I hope you will at least not refuse me this?"
"Of course not."
"I should like to go into the town to-morrow to see if one of the nobility has a good horse for sale. You won't object to that?"
"Not in the least."
By ten o'clock in the morning Ferdinand had left home to go into the town, and a few minutes later Boehme's cart and horse drew up in the courtyard. The pastor seemed unusually excited. When he hurried into the room, there were two flushed spots between his whiskers and his long nose. As soon as he saw Adler, he called out:
"Is Ferdinand at home?"
Adler was astonished, and noticed that his friend's voice was trembling.
"Why? What do you want Ferdinand for?" he asked.
"The scoundrel! He's a bad lot! Do you know what he said to Annette yesterday?"