"Now, Fritzchen," the old man began, letting his bulldog glance, half severe, half servile, rest on his squire, "we are not Catholics, and I am not your father confessor. I simply came here to talk over with you the autumn conference, and, with the Lord's permission, to drink a glass of good wine in your company. Instead, you choose to set before me this trash, and to begin talking of that cursed business, which has already caused me enough headaches." "_You_ began it, old man." "Yes, in the pulpit. That is my damned duty.... And if you rascals will carry on such games, then----" "You must rail and swear...." "You've had many a clout from me, Fritzchen...." "And I have kissed the hand that held the rod," he interposed, laughing. "I thought I had done enough; but if I had known _that_ of you ... ah! ah!" "You would like to make it good?" mocked Leo. "If possible ... with pleasure." Leo seized his glass. "Health, Master Pastor!" "Fritzchen, have mercy!" "I say drink! _Donnerwetter_!" And again the superb glasses made reproachful music as they met at being turned to such abominable uses. Leo uncorked the second bottle, and offered the pastor a cigar. "I beg pardon, Fritzchen, but are these also--so to say--penitence cigars?" "What a pity!" thought Leo. "I didn't think of that;" and he shook his head, smiling. The pastor kindled the excellent weed forthwith, and revelled in the fragrant clouds. "There you sit, stretching your legs in your splendour," said he, "and split with laughter at the old fat fellow you love to make a fool of. But do you imagine that it makes what you have done one hair's breadth better?" "Humph!" said Leo, curling his moustache. "You may deluge it with rose-water, but it still stinks." "Humph!" came a second time from Leo. "That day in the church I gave you a scorcher, to the best of my ability. And now you resent it. That's not pretty of you, Fritzchen." "What I resent," replied Leo, "is that, instead of coming to me and having it out fair and straight, you preferred to let a woman lead you by the nose in the matter, and tried, according to her receipt, to scourge me into creeping to the foot of the cross, howling and whining my penitence. That's not a manly course to take, and I believe that the old God of our fathers Himself wouldn't be pleased at it." "Do you mean by this woman your sister?" "Yes, I mean my sister." "Very well. You must know, Fritzchen, that your sister came to me a couple of years or so before that, and said---- It doesn't matter what she said, except that I tell you it is no subject for joking, and you should lay it to heart that the unhappy story threatened to prove fatal to your sister's peace." "What do you know about my sister's peace?"