Page:The Works of J. W. von Goethe, Volume 5.djvu/64

50 "If you wish to insinuate yourself, this is the right way." In the meanwhile we had already proceeded far in our toilet: and, properly speaking, he should not have trusted me with his holiday clothes on the strength of mine; but he was honest-hearted, and, moreover, had my horse in his stable. I soon stood there smart enough, gave myself a consequential air, and my friend seemed to regard his counterpart with complacency. "Topp, Mr. Brother!" said he, giving me his hand, which I grasped heartily: "don't come too near my girl; she might make a mistake!"

My hair, which had now its full growth again, I could part at the top, much like his: and, as I looked at him repeatedly, I found it comical moderately to imitate his thicker eyebrows with a burnt cork, and bring mine nearer together in the middle; so that, with my enigmatical intentions, I might make myself an external riddle likewise. "Now, have you not," said I, as he handed me his beribboned hat, "something or other to be done at the parsonage, that I might announce myself there in a natural manner?" "Very well," replied he; "but then, you must wait two hours yet. There is a woman confined at our house: I will offer to take the cake to the parson's wife and you may carry it over. Pride must pay its penalty, and so must a joke." I resolved to wait; but these two hours were infinitely long, and I was dying with impatience when the third hour passed before the cake came out of the oven. At last I got it quite hot, and hastened away with my credentials in the most beautiful sunshine, accompanied for a distance by my counterpart, who promised to come after me in the evening and bring me my clothes. This, however, I