"Go to the fellow across the street, Gabriel," said Mr. Hummel, "and ask if, for the sake of peace, he is willing to take down his bells at once. I require my sleep, and I will not suffer that a rabble of thieves shall be allured to my house, make inroads upon the fence, steal my plums, and break into my factory. This man, by his ringing, calls together all the rogues of the neighborhood." Gabriel replied: "I will go over there for the sake of peace; but only if I may say with civility what I think fit." "With civility?" repeated Hummel, winking slyly at his confidant. "You do not understand your own interest. So fine an opportunity of making yourself important will not occur soon again, and it would be a pity to let it escape you. But I foresee, Gabriel, that, civil or not, we shall be unable to deal with the man. He's malicious and obstinate and bitter. He is a bulldog, Gabriel. There, you have his character." Gabriel proceeded to the house of poor Mr. Hahn, who sat, still suffering, before his untasted breakfast, and looked suspiciously at the inmate of the hostile house. "I come only to inquire," began Gabriel, adroitly, "whether, perhaps, you may have received intelligence through your son of my master?" "None," answered Mr. Hahn, sorrowfully; "there are times when everything goes wrong, dear Gabriel." "Yes, what a roguish trick that was, last night," said Gabriel, pityingly. Mr. Hahn sprang up. "He called me insane and said I was a coxcomb. Am I to put up with that? I, a man of business, and in my own garden! As for the plaything, you may be right enough; one must not put too much confidence in men. But now my honor is touched, and I tell you the bells shall remain, and I shall place a watchman there every night." In vain did Gabriel speak rationally to him. Mr. Hahn was inexorable, and called out after him as he was leaving: "Tell him we shall meet again in court." Accordingly he went to his attorney, and insisted upon bringing a suit for the abusive language of the previous night. "Good," said Mr. Hummel, when Gabriel returned from his fruitless mission. "These people compel me to adopt measures of security for myself. I will take care that no strange horse-hair shall be attached to my house. When the rogues sound the bells over there, the dogs shall bark here. Measure for measure, Gabriel." He went gloomily to his factory, and paced about wildly. His bookkeeper, who appeared to be a much-oppressed man, because he never could obtain his rights from Mr. Hummel, thought it was his duty and a fitting time to speak. "The ideas of this man Hahn are absurd; all the world finds fault with them." But the speech did him no good.