[Footnote 1: _Bagging_, in the North of England, is the common expression for a meal taken between dinner and supper. And, as it perfectly expresses the meaning of the German _vesperbrod_, I thought myself authorized to adopt it here; particularly as _tea_, in the mouth of a character, like carpenter Clarenbach, would appear preposterous. The antiquaries of Yorkshire and Lancashire derive the word _bagging_ from the old custom of carrying bread and cheese in a bag, in the afternoon, to the labourers in the fields; and this derivation is not altogether improbable. _Translator._] _Fred._ I do not understand a word of all this. What does he mean? SCENE VII. Enter GERNAU. _Gern._ Good morrow, Frederica! _Fred._ Why so ruffled? Is that your welcome, after having kept out of the way for two days together? _Gern._ Things grow worse and worse, between your brother and me, every day. _Fred._ Why so? _Gern._ He would have me do things which I neither can, must, nor will do. SCENE VIII. Enter CLARENBACH. _Clar._ Jack a Privy Counsellor, you say? _Fred._ Gernau says so. _Gern._ His diploma arrived yesterday. _Clar._ He has not mentioned it to me. _Fred._ He will most certainly come to day. _Clar._ But could he wait till to day? _Fred._ Who knows but he wishes to surprise us? _Clar._ He is going to be married too. _Fred._ My brother? _Clar._ I am told all this by strangers. Can he turn out so, because he is a greater man than I? or, perhaps, he is altogether bad.--God knows! _Fred._ He is so full of business. _Clar._ So am I. _Fred._ Those that work with the head are apt to be more absent than those that work with the hand. _Clar._ But is it not a real relaxation to act according to the dictates of the heart? or have the hearts of those people nothing to do with their concerns? If so, they are wretched beings indeed, and I am very sorry for my son, that he must first lose the treasures of his heart to hoard up gold. [Exit. SCENE IX. FREDERICA, GERNAU. _Fred._ Tell me immediately, dear Gernau, what is the matter between you and my brother? _Gern._ He is not a good man, Frederica. _Fred._ Shall I go to him, Gernau? _Gern._ Do not embitter my life, good soul; I have trouble enough besides. Your brother will drive me away. _Fred._ What? _Gern._ He will throw me out of my office. _Fred._ Why? _Gern._ To put a more accommodating man in my place. _Fred._ He does not wish to do that certainly, nor could he even effect it. _Gern._ He is all-powerful here; his abilities, his connections at Court, his office, render every thing possible that he wishes to atchieve. _Fred._ And what does he want of you? what displeases him?