"
"At ten crowns a sheet makes two hundred and fifty crowns. And then?"
"And then? How can I tell beforehand?"
"Indeed, can't you tell beforehand? But you ought to know. You seem to
imagine that being married simply means living together and amusing
yourselves! No, my dear boy, there will be children, and children
require feeding and clothing."
"There needn't be babies directly, if one loves _as we love_ one
another."
"How the dickens do you love one another?"
"_As we love_ one another." He put his hand on his waistcoat.
"And won't there be any children if people love as you love? You must
be mad! But you are a decent, respectable member of society, and
therefore I'll give my consent; but make good use of the time, my boy,
and increase your income, for hard times are coming. The price of
wheat is rising."
The assistant grew red in the face when he heard the last words, but
his joy at the old man's consent was so great that he seized his hand
and kissed it. Heaven knew how happy he was! When he walked for the
first time down the street with his future bride on his arm, they both
radiated light; it seemed to them that the passers-by stood still and
lined the road in honour of their triumphal march; and they walked
along with proud eyes, squared shoulders and elastic steps.
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