Hepicturedherintrouble，indangerfromthesavagesoldierythatcameandwentlikeevilshadowsthroughthesepleasantSaxonvalleys，leavingdeathandmiserybehindthem：burnthomesteads;wild—eyedwomen，hidingtheirfacesfromthelight。Wouldhenotforhersakegivehislife？
　　SoitwasmadecleartohimthatlittleElsawashislove。
　　Untilnextmorning，when，raisinghiseyesfromthewhirlingsaw，therestoodbeforehimMargot，laughing。Margot，mischief—loving，wayward，thatwouldeverbetohimthebabyhehadplayedwith，nursed，andcomforted。Margotweary!Hadhenotathousandtimescarriedhersleepinginhisarms。Margotindanger!Atthemerethoughthisfaceflushedanangryscarlet。
　　AllthatafternoonUlrichcommunedwithhimself，triedtounderstandhimself，andcouldnot。ForElsaandMargotandHedwigwerenottheonlyonesbyalongway。Whatgirlinthevillagedidhenotlove，ifitcametothat：Liesel，whoworkedsohardandlivedsopoorly，bulliedbyhercross—grainedgranddam。Susanna，plainandalittlecrotchety，whohadneverhadasweethearttocoaxthethinlipsintosmiles。Thelittleones—forsotheyseemedtolong，lankyUlrich，withtheirpleasantways—Ulrichsmiledashethoughtofthem—howshouldamanloveonemorethananother？
　　TheHerrPfarrershookhisheadandsighed。
　　"Thatisnotlove。GottinHimmel!thinkwhatitwouldleadto？ThegoodGodneverwouldhavearrangedthingsso。Youloveone;sheistheonlywomanintheworldforyou。"
　　"Butyou，yourself，HerrPastor，youhavetwicebeenmarried，"
　　suggestedthepuzzledwheelwright。
　　"Butoneatatime，Ulrich—oneatatime。Thatisaverydifferentthing。"
　　Whyshoulditnotcometohim，aloneamongmen？Surelyitwasabeautifulthing，thislove;athingworthyofaman，withoutwhichamanwasbutauselessdevoureroffood，cumberingtheearth。
　　SoUlrichpondered，pausingfromhisworkonedrowsysummer'safternoon，listeningtothelowsongofthewaters。HowwellheknewthewindingMuhlde'smerryvoice。Hehadworkedbesideit，playedbesideitallhislife。Oftenhewouldsitandtalktoitastoanoldfriend，readinganswersinitschangingtones。
　　Trudchen，seeinghimidle，pushedhercoldnoseintohishand。
　　Trudchenjustnowwasfeelingcleverandimportant。WasshenotthemotherofthefivemostwonderfulpuppiesinallSaxony？Theyswarmedabouthislegs，pressinghimwiththeirlittlefoolishheads。Ulrichstoopedandpickeduponeineachbighand。Butthiscausingjealousyandheartburning，laughing，helaydownuponalog。Thenthewholefivestormedoverhim，bitinghishair，tramplingwiththeirclumsypawsuponhisface;tillsuddenlytheyracedoffinabodytoattackafloatingfeather。Ulrichsatupandwatchedthem，thelittlerogues，thelittlefoolish，helplessthings，thatcalledforsomuchcare。A
　　motherthrushtwitteredabovehishead。Ulrichroseandcreepingontiptoe，peepedintothenest。Butthemotherbird，castingoneglancetowardshim，wentonwithherwork。WhoeverwasafraidofUlrichthewheelwright!Thetinymurmuringinsectsbuzzedtoandfroabouthisfeet。Anoldman，passingtohiseveningrest，gavehim"good—day。"
　　Azephyrwhisperedsomethingtotheleaves，atwhichtheylaughed，thenpasseduponhisway。Hereandthereashadowcreptoutfromitshiding—place。
　　"IfonlyIcouldmarrythewholevillage!"laughedUlrichtohimself。
　　Butthat，ofcourse，isnonsense!
　　Thespringthatfollowedletloosethedogsofwaragainupontheblood—stainedland，fornowallGermany，taughtlatebycommonsufferingforgetfulnessoflocalrivalries，wasrushingtogetherinamightywavethatwouldsweepFrenchfeetforeverfromtheirholdonGermansoil。Ulrich，forwhomtheloveofwomanseemednot，wouldatleastbetheloverofhiscountry。He，too，wouldmarchamongthosebravesternheartsthat，stealinglikeathousandrivuletsfromeveryGermanvalley，wereflowingnorthandwesttojointhePrussianeagles。
　　ButevenloveofcountryseemeddeniedtoUlrichofthedreamyeyes。
　　Hiswheelwright'sbusinesshadcalledhimtoatownfaroff。Hehadbeenwalkingalltheday。Towardsevening，passingtheoutskirtsofawood，afeeblecryforhelp，soundingfromtheshadows，felluponhisear。Ulrichpaused，andagainfromthesombrewoodcreptthatwearycryofpain。Ulrichranandcameatlasttowhere，amongthewildflowersandthegrass，laypronefivehumanfigures。TwoofthemwereoftheGermanLandwehr，theotherthreeFrenchmeninthehateduniformofNapoleon'sfamousscouts。Ithadbeensomeunimportant"affairofoutposts，"oneofthosecommonincidentsofwarfarethatareneverrecorded—neverrememberedsavehereandtherebysomesadfaceunnoticedinthecrowd。Fourofthemenweredead;one，aFrenchmanwasstillalive，thoughbleedingcopiouslyfromadeepwoundinthechestthatwithahandfulofdankgrasshewastryingtostaunch。