As Von Schwanthal uttered this exclamation, he started back in surprise, and had, in fact, cause for wonder; for before him, with the most amiable smile upon his benevolent countenance, stood no other than Dr. Normann! he who, ever since the settlement had been in existence, had been abused and cursed a thousand times, by almost everybody, and to whom the Oldenburghers, in particular, had vowed death, if he should ever come within their clutches!--yes--whose fraud had even elicited abuse from the little tailor, who, although not in general maliciously disposed, yet had declared "that he would pass a hot goose over the fellow's skin, if he could catch him!"
This Doctor Normann now stood before the astonished settlers, bowing and smiling, as though he had the best-founded claims to the gratitude of the emigrants; and said to those next him, with the most hearty expression of voice, whilst he held out his hand towards them--
"Well, how are you, my friends?--all well and hearty?--that's the chief thing! How d'ye do, Pastor Hehrmann?--and you, my dear M. Von Schwanthal? Ah! Mr. Meier and Mr. Schmidt--Mr. Siebert--all hearty? I am delighted--I am really delighted!"
"Sir," said Hehrmann, who had collected himself first, "it cannot be concealed from you that we are all a little surprised at seeing you here, after what has occurred!"
"You thought, perhaps, that I had run away from you!" said the Doctor, laughing. "No, no; on the contrary, you ran off from me. The boat started half an hour earlier than the captain had told me, and----"
"To what are we to attribute the honour of this visit?" asked Pastor Hehrmann, somewhat coldly.
"My dear Pastor," said Normann, advancing towards him, looking him full in the face, "I can guess the cause of your coolness--the land is not what both of us expected. But should I have returned, if I had cheated you?"
"Well, hark ye," said Schmidt, who had hitherto stood by in astonishment, "we have no fault to find with the quality of the land--that's good enough; but there's not the least shadow of all the rest of what you talked about! You must excuse me, but it was all humbug!"
"I really cannot understand you, Doctor!" Becher interrupted the last speaker, who was getting rather excited; "how you can dare----"