They began again.

Two years passed, Richart found a niche in commerce for his brother Jacob, and Jacob left Tergou directly after dinner, which was at eleven in the forenoon.

At supper that day Elias remembered what had happened the last time; so it was in a low whisper he said, "Sit wider, dears!" Now until that moment, Catherine would not see the gap at table, for her daughter Catherine had besought her not to grieve to-night, and she had said, "No, sweetheart, I promise I will not, since it vexes my children." But when Elias whispered "Sit wider!" says she, "Ay! the table will soon be too big for the children, and you thought it would be too small;" and having delivered this with forced calmness, she put up her apron the next moment, and wept sore.
"'Tis the best that leave us," sobbed she; "that is the cruel part." "Nay! nay!" said Elias, "our children are good children, and all are dear to us alike.

Heed her not! What God takes from us still seems better that what He spares to us; that is to say, men are by nature unthankful--and women silly." "And I say Richart and Jacob were the flower of the flock," sobbed Catherine.
The little coffer was empty again, and to fill it they gathered like ants.

In those days speculation was pretty much confined to the card-and-dice business.