CHAPTER XXV

tifflyinGerman,forshewasstillangrywithhimbecauseofLetty'shair,"Iamgladtohearthatyouwillhavenolossesfromthis." "Losses!"criedManske."Onthecontrary,itisthebestthingthatcouldhappen—theverybestthing.Thosestableshavelongbeenalmostunfitforuse,HerrvonLohm,andIcansayfrommyheartthatIwasgladtoseethemgo.Theywerealltopieceseveninyourfather'stime." "Yes,theyoughttohavebeenrebuiltlongago,butonehasnotalwaysthemoneyinone'spocket.Helpyourself,mydearpastor." "Whoistheenemy?"brokeinDellwig'sharshvoice. "Ah,whoindeed?"saidManske,lookingsad."Thatisthemelancholysideoftheaffair—thatsomeone,presumablyofmyparish,shouldcommitsuchacrime." "Hehasdonemeagreatservice,anyhow,"saidAxel,fillingtheglasses. "Hehasimperilledhisimmortalsoul,"saidManske. "Haveyousuchanenemy?"askedAnna,surprised. "Ididnotknowit.Mostlikelyitwassomepoor,half-witteddevil,orperhaps—perhapsachild." "ButIsawtheblazeimmediatelyafterIpassedyou,"saidDellwig."Youwerewithinastone'sthrowofthestables,goinghome.Ihadhardlyreachedthemwhenthefirebrokeout.Didyouthenseenooneontheroad?" "No,Ididnot,"saidAxelshortly.TherewasanaggressivenoteinDellwig'svoicethatmadehimfearhewasgoingtobeveryzealousinhelpingtobringthedelinquenttojustice. "Itwasthesupperhour,"saidDellwig,musing,"andthemenwouldallbeindoors.Hadyoubeentothestables,gn?digerHerr?" "No,Ihadnot.Takeanotherglassofwine.Acigar?Whoeveritwas,hehasdonemeagoodturn." "Beyondalldoubthehas,"saidDellwig,hiseyesfixedonAxelwithanoddexpression. "Someofuswouldhavenoobjectiontothesamethinghappeningatourplaces,"remarkedoneofthefarmersjocosely. "Noobjectionwhatever,"agreedanotherwithalaugh. "Ifthemancouldbetrustedtodisplaythesamediscriminationeverywhere,"saidthethird. "Jokenotaboutcrime,"saidManske,rebukingthem. "Thediscriminationwascert