_two feet at least during the night_; and that the pantaloons which had
fitted so admirably before, were now only knee-breeches. He rushed to the
window with the intention of breaking his neck by a leap into the street,
when his eye fell upon the strange customer of the preceding day, who was
leaning against the gable-end of the house opposite, quietly smoking his
meerschaum. Hans paused; then thought, and then concluded that having
found an appetite, he had repented of his boast at parting, and had called
for his teeth. Being a good-natured lad, Hans shuffled down stairs, and
opening the door, called him to come over. The stranger obeyed the
summons, but honourably refused to accept of his teeth, except on the
conditions of the wager. To Hans' great surprise he seemed perfectly
acquainted with the phenomenon of the past night, and good-naturedly
offered to go to Stitz, and inform him of the barber's dilemma. The
stranger departed, and in a few moments the tailor arrived, and having
ascertained by his inch measure the truth of Hans' conjectures, bade him
be of good cheer, as he had a suit of clothes which would exactly fit him.
They had been made for a travelling giant, who had either forgotten to
call for them, or suspected that Stitz would require the _gelt_ before he
gave up the broadcloth.

The tailor was right--they did fit--and in an hour afterwards Hans was on
his way to the _fête_. When he arrived there many of his old friends stood
agape for a few moments: but as stranger things had occurred in Germany
than a man growing two feet in one night, they soon ceased to notice the
alteration in Hans' appearance. Agnes was evidently struck with the
improvement of the barber's figure, and for two whole hours did he enjoy
the extreme felicity of making half-a-dozen other young gentlemen
miserable, by monopolising the arm and conversation of the beauty of
Stocksbawler. But pleasure, like fine weather, lasts not for ever; and, as
Hans and Agnes turned the corner of a path, his eye again encountered the