a pound on Lispund sugar; for that was
what Lange allowed him. I said that we
would not take off a single farthing."

"That was right, Clausen," said my uncle,
with a look of which his servant was proud
for many a month.

With the new year, there was the meeting
of the town-council for the election of
burghers. My uncle, as usual, was proposed,
for he had always been re-elected. Now, on
the contrary, a number of voices proposed
Lange in his stead; so that my uncle found it
necessary to step forward and take his place
beside the magistrate. The sight of him
brought many of the misguided to their
duty, and my uncle was re-elected, but only
by a small majority.

My uncle's supremacy was thus for the
time established both within and without
the city; but things might become worse.
As soon as the ice broke up, Lange set off
to Hamburg; his adherents endeavouring to
make people believe that he was gone to
Berlin. My uncle's old Lubeck journey now
faded into insignificance. Neither was that
all. When Lange came home, he advertised
in the States paper that his shop was now
afresh supplied with the newest and the best
manufactured goods, which he had selected
in person whilst abroad. When my uncle
read this advertisement, he whistled; but he
did not say a word. When my aunt—who
in a common way never interfered with
business matters—read it, she asked, with
ears in her eyes, whether we also ought
not to advertise. My uncle began again to
whistle, and went out of the room.

A sort of desperation prevailed among the
domestics. To them it seemed incomprehensible
how the law and justice of the country
could allow such a fellow as Lange to come
to the town, and oust out a shopkeeper who
had possession of everybody before Lange
was able to button his own jacket. Many of
them were not backward in asserting that
there would be no harm in shooting such a
rascal. If my uncle had only spoken the
word, they would, some night, have burned
Lange's house and premises to the ground.

Three months afterwards, the principal
book-keeper rushed into Johan Falsen's
room: "Master," exclaimed he, "Lange has
made a clean run of it! The burgomaster is
going up the town with his people, to take
possession of everything. Look out, master:
you can see them from the window!"

If my uncle had maintained his equanimity
during his adversity, he maintained it no less
during his prosperity. "How dare you come
in here," said he to his clerk, "unless you
had been sent for?" The man stole back to
his desk.

My uncle never left the premises that day,
nor sent out any one into the town to inquire
into the state of Lange's case, and in no way
whatever showed any sign of triumph. He
only, when he made his circuit through the
court and the timber-yard, cast round a
glance as if to say to the place, "Now we
have it all to ourselves.

About a fortnight afterwards, a messenger
came from Mrs. Lange's, to say that she wished
to have a little conversation with my uncle;
and if he would permit it, she would come
down to him that afternoon.

"Hem!" said my uncle, and began to walk
up and down the room. "Hem! Gine, don't
you think I ought to go up to her? It
certainly must be painful for that poor woman
to go out."

"She is a young and handsome woman,"
said my aunt; "and it would set people
a-talking if you were seen going to her."

In the afternoon, therefore, the whole town
saw her coming to us. As she went down
the street, though they did not put their
heads out of their windows to look after her,
they peeped behind their blinds and their
flower-pots, that they might see Mrs. Lange
going down to shopkeeper Falsen's! Carthage
lowed itself to Rome.

In the afternoon, my aunt sat at the coffee-
table in all her stiffest grandeur; she almost
bent under the weight of diamonds, chains,
and rings. My aunt had, however, naturally
a good heart; and when the pretty little
sorrowful woman entered her door, she forgot
the formal, low curtsey which belonged to
the grandeur. She hasted forward to meet
Mrs. Lange, took her by both hands, and
kissed her; and with that they both began to
weep.

Before poor Mrs. Lange had said a word
about her business with my uncle, it was
decided that she should stop all the afternoon
with them; and all the neighbours, right and
left and across the road, who sat watching
to see her go back still more crest-fallen,
had now to sit waiting for her in vain.

"Your friendly reception of me," said poor
Mrs. Lange, smiling through her tears, and
pressing my aunt's hand, "really gives me
courage. I am come here with a message from
my husband to you, Mr. Falsen. If you only
may not be angry! My husband has no friend
in the town to whom he can confide these
things, and he begs, therefore, that you will
take in hand the management of his affairs
with his creditors. He can offer them a
dividend of twenty-five per cent., to be paid
in twelve months. It really is a very
extraordinary thing for me to come to you on such
an errand," said Mrs. Lange, again bursting
into tears, "but you are an honest man,
Mr. Falsen."

"It is not a very brilliant offer which he
makes to his creditors," said my uncle. "But
I will do what I can for you, Mrs. Lange.
Only, I would give your husband this one
piece of advice: never, when he gets on his
legs again, either to deal in timber or in
grain. It is not a safe thing for any one
who has not both large capital and great
experience."