"That is true," said Axel, with some hesitation, for what he had promised in an emergency had often annoyed him since, and it always puts a man out of humor, when he must give up something from which he has derived advantage and pleasure. But Pomuchelskopp was so friendly, so well-meaning and upright; he gave him so much good advice,--and--this he said by the way--if things didn't go right, he was always at hand,--that Axel shook hands with him cordially, as he took leave, and sat down to his reflections, with his head full of paddocks. Habermann was crossing the courtyard; Axel opened the window, and called to him: "Herr Habermann," said he, "how far have you gone with the barley-sowing, behind the park?" "I think we shall finish the meadow day after to-morrow; to-morrow we begin down here, by the brook." "Good! From there up to the hill--I will tell you about the rest afterwards--you may sow Timothy, rye-grass, and white clover, with the barley. Send Triddelsitz to Rahnstadt, in the morning, to get the seed from David." "But pasture grass does not follow barley." "Do you hear me? I wish this piece of ground sowed for a pasture. I am going to put up paddocks there, for the brood-mares." "Paddocks? paddocks?" asked the old man, as if he could not believe his ears. "Yes, paddocks," said Axel, preparing to close the window. "Herr von Rambow," said Habermann, laying his hand on the window-seat, "this is the finest soil in the whole meadow, if you take it away, there will not be enough for grain. That was the very reason the late Herr Kammerrath rented the pastor's acre." It was the very thing which Axel had said to himself, and he knew very well that the inspector was right; but it is very irritating for a master, to acknowledge his inferior in the right. "I shall not rent the pastor's acre again," said the young Herr. The old man let his hands fall to his sides. "Not rent the Pastor's acre again?" said he, "Herr, the field has brought us--I have kept a special book for it----" "It is all one to me! You hear me, I shall not rent it again." "Herr von Rambow, it cannot be possible----" "Did you hear me? _I shall not rent it again!_" "But Herr, I beg of you, reflect----" "Eh, what!" exclaimed Axel, and closed the window. "A tedious old fellow!" he exclaimed, "an old fogy!" and he went back to his chair, and thought about his paddocks; but the fine pictures which his fancy had painted would not return, he must first get rid of the thought that he had again committed an injustice.