a little poison, or mind being pricked by
the briars and nettles. He who has to do
with nettles must grasp them firmly, and
the man who stood in the Gurlitz garden,
looking over toward Pumpelhagen, had a
firm grip, but he could wait till the right
time, — the daisies must go to seed first.
" The stone was out of the way," he said
to himself, with satisfaction, "and it was
the corner-stone. What was left nowV
The Herr Lieutenant ? He would fatten
him first, feed him with mortages and bills
of exchange, and processes and procura-
tions, until he should be fat enough, and
then knock him on the head. Or, could
he do better ? Malchen was a pretty girl,
or Salchen either, — Herr von Zwippelwitz
said the other day, when he borrowed the
money for that chestnut colt, that Salchen
had a pair of eyes like — now, what was
it V like fire-wheels, or like cannon-balls ?
Well, Salchen would know.
*• But no, on the whole, no I He under-
stood the other way best, he would not
meddle with this. To be sure, it might do,
in case of necessity ; but safe was safe,
better keep the cork in the bottle.
" Then theYe was Habermann ! Infamous,
sneaking scoundrel I That very morning
he wouldn*t speak to him. Did he think it
was for Pomuchelskopp to speak first?
To a servant? What was he but a ser-
vant ? No, let me first have the lieuten-
ant well in my clutches, and then I will
see to him.
