Her aunt, however,
did not listen to Freneli, but went on, "Can't you think of her? You
know her well. She's a hard-working girl, but acts up a little at times,
and if you don't quarrel you can have a very good life together."
Thereupon she laughed very heartily, and looked first at one and then
the other.
Then Uli looked up; but before he had gulped out an answer Freneli
intervened, and said, "Go and hitch up; Auntie, one can carry a joke too
far, too. I wish I'd never gone along. I don't know why I can't be left
in peace. Yesterday other folks made me angry, and today you're worse
still. That's not kind, Auntie."
Uli had stood up to go out; but his mistress said, "Sit down and listen.
I'm in earnest; I've said to Joggeli many a time that there never were
two people better fitted for each other than you two; it was as if you'd
grown up for each other."
"But Auntie," cried Freneli, "for goodness gracious sake, do stop, or
I'll run away. I won't be auctioned off like a cow. Wait till Christmas;
then I'll get out of your sight, or even before, if I'm so displeasing
to you. Why do you take so much useless pains to bring two people
together that don't want each other? Uli cares for me just as much as I
do for him, and the sooner we part company the gladder I'll be."
But now Uli's tongue was loosened and he said, "Freneli, don't be so
angry with me; I can't help this.
Pages:
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331