with thick, heavy black hair and larger diamonds in her ears than any one had ever seen before. Her name was Semlinger. Hagenstr�as partner in the export firm of Strunck and Hagenstr�He showed great zeal and ambition in municipal affairs, and was always acting on boards and committees and administra-tive bodies. But he was not very popular. His marriage had rather affronted the rigid traditions of the older families, like the M�ndorpfs, Langhals, and Buddenbrooks; and, for another thing, he seemed to enjoy thwarting their ideas at every turn--he would go to work in an underhand way to oppose their interests, in order to show his own superior fore-sight and energy. "Heinrich Hagenstrbm makes trouble the whole time," the Consul would say. "He seems to take a per-sonal pleasure in thwarting me. To-day he made a scene at the sitting of the Central Paupers' Deputation; and a few days ago in the Finance Department...." "The old skunk!" Johann Buddenbrook interjected. Another time, father and son sat down to table angry and depressed. What was the matter? Oh, nothing. They had lost a big consignment of rye for Holland: Strunck and Hagenstrom had snapped it up under their noses. He was a fox, Heinrich Hagenstrom. Tony had often heard such remarks, and she was not too well disposed toward Julie Hagenstrom; the two children walked together because they were neighbours, but usually they quarrelled. "My Father owns a thousand thalers, " said Julchen. She thought she was uttering the most terrible falsehood. "How much doe, s yours?" Tony was speechless with envy and humiliation. Then she said, with a quiet, oil-hand manner: "My chocolate tasted delicious this morning. What do you have for breakfast, Julie?" "Before I forget it," Julie would rejoin, "would you like one of my apples? Well, I won't give you any!" She pursed up her lips, and her black eyes watered with satis-faction. Sometimes Julie's brother Hermann went to school at the same time with the two girls. There was another brother too, named Moritz, but he was sickly and did his lessons at home. Hermann was fair-haired and snub-nosed. He breathed through his mouth and was always smacking his lips. "Stuff and nonsense!" he would say. "Papa has a lot more than a thousand thaler." He interested Tony because of the luncheon he took to school: not bread, but a soft sort of 59 lemon bun with currants in it, and sausage or smoked goose between. It seemed to be his favourite luncheon. Tony had never seen anything like it before. Lemon bun, with smoked goose--it must be wonderful! He let her look into his box, and she asked if she might have some. Hermann said: "Not to-day, Tony, because I can't spare any. But to-morrow I'll bring another piece for you, if you'll give me something." Next morning, Tony came out into the avenue, but there was no Julie. She waited five minutes, but there was no sign. Another minute--there came Hermann alone, swinging his lunch-box by the strap and smacking his lips. "Now," he said, "here's a bun, with some goose between--all lean; there's not a bit of fat to it. What will you give me for it?" "A shilling?" suggested Tony. They were standing in the middle of the avenue. "A shilling?" repeated Hermann. Then he gave a gulp and said, "No, I want something else." "What?" demanded Tony; for she was prepared to pay a good price for the dainty. "A kiss!" shouted Hermann Hagenstrbm. He flung his arms around Tony, and began kissing at random, never once touching her face, for she flung her head back with surprising agility, pushed him back with her left hand--it was holding her satchel--against his breast, while with her right hand she dealt him three or four blows in the face with all her strength. He stumbled backward; but at that moment sister Julie appeared from behind a tree, like a little black demon, and, falling upon Tony, tore off her hat and scratched her cheeks unmercifully. After this affair, naturally, the friend-ship was about at an end. It was
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