Thus, adorned as she had been on the day of the wedding at Endringen,
Amrei came down from her room.
"What is this? What did you dress yourself up like that for?" cried Rose
angrily. She was already anxious and impatient because the visitor was
so long in making his appearance. "Why do you put all your possessions
on? Is that a fit necklace for a servant, with a coin hanging to it? You
take that off directly!"
"No, I shall not do that; for his mother gave it to me when I was a
little child, and I had it on when we danced together at Endringen."
Something was heard to fall on the staircase; but nobody heeded it, for
Rose screamed out:
"What! You good-for-nothing, horrible witch! You would have perished in
rags if we had not taken you up! And now you want to take my betrothed
from me!"
"Don't call him that until he is your betrothed," replied Amrei, with a
strange mixture of feelings in her voice.
"Wait! I'll show you what you've got to do!" shrieked Rose. "Take
that!" and she dragged Barefoot down to the ground and struck her in the
face.
"I'll take my things off! Let me go!" screamed Barefoot.
But Rose let go before she had finished saying it; for, as if he had
risen out of the ground, John was standing before her! He was as pale as
death, and his lips were quivering. He could not speak, but merely
raised his hand to protect Barefoot, who was still kneeling on the
floor.
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