"Why, that's the beauty of it!" cried Franz, highly excited. "Is it?" said Theresa, looking mystified. "Yes; because it's a known thing among the wise ones, that when gold pieces glitter before you in that way in the air, the spot they hover over is where hidden treasure is to be found." "Who are the 'wise ones?'" "Oh, there are many old people that can tell about dreams." "A good many," said Theresa, dryly. "Well, Franz, I hope you won't go wasting your time digging for this hid treasure. You had much better hoe potatoes." "I don't think so," said Franz; "and I hope you won't think so, if I tell you my motive." "What motive?" said Theresa. "That I may be rich enough to marry you." Theresa turned very red, and then burst out laughing. "Franz," said she, "don't deceive yourself about that, for _I'll_ not deceive you! I would not marry you if you were made of money. I must have a husband of quite another sort--" "Rudolf, in short," cried Franz, angrily. "We are not talking of Rudolf," returned Theresa, turning yet redder. "There are some people that never can believe you don't like them, without it's being the fault of somebody else, instead of their own. If I had never seen any other young man in the world, Franz, I should not choose to marry you." "Oh, come, now, Theresa!--" "It's the truth! You have not those qualities which I love." "What are those qualities?" said Franz, very crustily. "Spirit; self-denial; temperance; a modest opinion of yourself; generosity; truth; charitable feelings towards others." "I don't believe there's a fellow with all you want under the sun," said Franz, aiming a stone at that luminary. "If you'd mentioned one thing, I might have tried to acquire it for your sake; but such a lot of them,--no, thank you! the reward wouldn't be worth the trouble: and besides, I know I could not accomplish it; so there's no use in trying." "But, Franz, what a bad case you make out for yourself, if you own you are deficient in all these things." "I'm not! I've as many of them as anybody else; but what you want is perfection, and that's what's not to be found. You may _fancy_ you find it, if a fellow pleases you in something else,--white teeth, or black eyes, or a smart jacket, or nobody knows what; but he won't _be_ perfection any the more for all that. And I'm just as honest and fair-dealing as other people, and just as much liked, and not at all intemperate; and as for spirit,--ho! if Rudolf stood here between me and the edge of the cliff this minute, wouldn't I tip him over it, that's all!"