"I needn't praise Anton to you any more. He belongs to you as well as to me. He is well educated; the military authorities wished to keep him in the army. They said he would be made an officer, but that is not for one of us. It will not be long before your daughter is the wife of the bailiff. My wife, thank God, lived to see him come home from the war with the great medal of honor. I'm sure you are glad of it too. A man with that medal is worth much, I do not mean in money, but wherever he goes he is esteemed and respected, and needn't stand back for anybody, no matter who he is." "We needn't do that, either," said Landolin, looking at the miller arrogantly. He laughed aloud when the miller added: "The judge's wife put it well when she said, 'Wherever he goes he has the honorable recognition of the highest rank in the whole kingdom.'" "Hoho!" cried Landolin, so loudly that even the lovers started. There was nothing more said; for, as the fair was over, the miller's relatives and the brother of Landolin's wife came in. The farmer's wife greeted her brother affectionately; and Landolin shook hands with him, and bade him welcome. He and his brother-in-law were enemies, as the brother-in-law sided with Titus; but to-day it was only proper that he should be invited to the family festival. They sat down together to the feast, when the miller remarked that next Sunday he would go with the lovers to visit the patriarch Walderjoergli, in the forest, and announce to him their betrothal. Landolin's face reddened to the roots of his hair, and he exclaimed: "I don't care anything for the patriarch. I don't care anything for old customs; and, as for me, Walderjoergli, with his long beard, is no saint; he's not down in my calendar." "He is a relative of my wife," replied the miller, "and you know very well of how much importance he is." "Just as much as there is in my glass," answered Landolin, after he had drained it. His wife, fearing a quarrel, declared she had great respect for Walderjoergli, and begged her husband to say nothing against him. Thoma joined her, and laid her hand on her father's shoulder, imploring him not to stir up a dispute unnecessarily. Landolin smiled on his child; poured a fresh glass of wine, and drank to the lovers' health. Anton and Thoma now started to go, but Landolin cried excitedly: "Hold on! Wait a moment, Anton! You mustn't ask for the marriage to take place before Candlemas. Give me your hand on it." "I have no hand to give. I have already given it to Thoma," replied Anton, laughing, as he went away with his betrothed. CHAPTER XI. "How many friends you have!" said Thoma; for they were often stopped on their way through the crowded fair grounds, especially by Anton's old comrades. "I wish we were alone," she added impatiently.