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diff --git a/old/10142-8.txt b/old/10142-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f635d3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10142-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7358 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Maezli, by Johanna Spyri + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Maezli + A Story of the Swiss Valleys + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Release Date: November 20, 2003 [EBook #10142] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAEZLI *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Gwidon Naskrent, Tom Allen and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + +MÄZLI + +A STORY OF THE SWISS VALLEYS + +BY + +JOHANNA SPYRI + +AUTHOR OF "HEIDI, CORNELLI", ETC. + +TRANSLATED BY + +ELISABETH P. STORK + +1921 + + + +FOREWORD + + +The present story is the third by Madame Spyri to appear in this series. +For many years the author was known almost entirely for her Alpine +classic, "Heidi". The publication of a second story, "Cornelli", during +the past year was so favorably received as to assure success for a +further venture. + +"Mäzli" may be pronounced the most natural and one of the most +entertaining of Madame Spyri's creations. The atmosphere is created by +an old Swiss castle and by the romantic associations of the noble family +who lived there. Plot interest is supplied in abundance by the children +of the Bergmann family with varying characters and interests. A more +charming group of young people and a more wise and affectionate mother +would be hard to find. Every figure is individual and true to life, with +his or her special virtues and foibles, so that any grown person who +picks up the volume will find it a world in miniature and will watch +eagerly for the special characteristics of each child to reappear. +Naturalness, generosity, and forbearance are shown throughout not by +precept but by example. The story is at once entertaining, healthy, and, +in the best sense of a word often misused, sweet. Insipid books do no +one any good, but few readers of whatever age they may be will fail to +enjoy and be the better for Mäzli. + +It may save trouble to give here a summary of the Bergmann household. +The mother is sometimes called Mrs. Rector, on account of her being the +widow of a former rector of the parish, and sometimes Mrs. Maxa, to +avoid confusion with the wife of the present rector. It is as if there +were two Mrs. John Smiths, one of whom is called Mrs. Helen; Maxa +being, of course, a feminine Christian name. Of the five children the +eldest is the high-spirited, impulsive Bruno, who is just of an age to go +away to a city school. Next comes his sister Mea, whose fault is that +she is too submissive and confiding. Kurt, the second boy, is the most +enterprising and humorous of the family; whereas, Lippo, another boy, is +the soul of obedience and formality. Most original of all is Mäzli, +probably not over six, as she is too young to go to school. + +The writer of this preface knows of one family--not his own, +either--which is waiting eagerly for another book by the author of +"Heidi" and "Cornelli." To this and all families desirous of a story +full of genuine fun and genuine feeling the present volume may be +recommended without qualification. + +CHARLES WHARTON STORK + + + +CONTENTS + + I. IN NOLLA + II. DIVERS WORRIES + III. CASTLE WILDENSTEIN + IV. AN UNEXPECTED APPARITION + V. OPPRESSIVE AIR + VI. NEW FRIENDS + VII. THE MOTHER'S ABSENCE HAS CONSEQUENCES + VIII. MÄZLI PAYS VISITS + IX. IN THE CASTLE + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +"I can shout very loud, just listen: 'Mr. Castle-Steward'!" + +"No, I won't do it," said Lippo again, after scrutinizing the unusual +performance. + +She went with folded hands from one bed to the other. + +Before following her brother she wanted to see exactly what the Knight +looked like. + +He shook the little girl's hand with all his might. + +"Can you guess why I am taking you up there?" + +A head was raised up and two sharp eyes were directed towards her. + +It seemed to crown all the preceding pleasures to roam without restraint +in the woods and meadows. + + + +CHAPTER I + +IN NOLLA + +For nearly twenty years the fine old castle had stood silent and deserted +on the mountain-side. In its neighborhood not a sound could be heard +except the twittering of the birds and the soughing of the old +pine-trees. On bright summer evenings the swallows whizzed as before +about the corner gables, but no more merry eyes looked down from the +balconies to the green meadows and richly laden apple trees in the +valley. + +But just now two merry eyes were searchingly raised to the castle from +the meadow below, as if they might discover something extraordinary +behind the fast-closed shutters. + +"Mea, come quick," the young spy exclaimed excitedly, "look! Now it's +opening." Mea, who was sitting on the bench under the large apple tree, +with a book, put aside the volume and came running. + +"Look, look! Now it's moving," her brother continued with growing +suspense. "It's the arm of a black coat; wait, soon the whole shutter +will be opened." + +At this moment a black object lifted itself and soared up to the tower. + +"It was only a bird, a large black-bird," said the disappointed Mea. +"You have called me at least twenty times already; every time you think +that the shutters will open, and they never do. You can call as often as +you please from now on, I shall certainly not come again." + +"I know they will open some day," the boy asserted firmly, "only we can't +tell just when; but it might be any time. If only stiff old Trius would +answer the questions we ask him! He knows everything that is going on up +there. But the old crosspatch never says a word when one comes near him +to talk; all he does is to come along with his big stick. He naturally +doesn't want anybody to know what is happening up there, but everybody in +school knows that a ghost wanders about and sighs through the pine +trees." + +"Mother has said more than once that nothing is going on there at all. +She doesn't want you to talk about the ghost with the school-children, +and she has asked you not to try to find out what they know about it. +You know, too, that mother wants you to call the castle watchman Mr. +Trius and not just Trius." + +"Oh, yes, I'll call him Mr. Trius, but I'll make up such a song about +him that everybody will know who it is about," Kurt said threateningly. + +"How can he help it when there is no ghost in Wildenstein about which he +could tell you tales," Mea remarked. + +"Oh, he has enough to tell," Kurt eagerly continued. "Many wonderful +things must have happened in a castle that is a thousand years old. He +knows them all and could tell us, but his only answer to every question +is a beating. You know, Mea, that I do not believe in ghosts or spirits. +But it is so exciting to imagine that an old, old Baron of Wallerstätten +might wander around the battlements in his armor. I love to imagine him +standing under the old pine trees with wild eyes and threatening +gestures. I love to think of fighting him, or telling him that I am not +afraid." + +"Oh, yes, I am sure you would run away if the armoured knight with his +wild eyes should come nearer," said Mea. "It is never hard to be brave +when one is as far away from danger as you are now." + +"Oho! so you think I would be afraid of a ghost," Kurt exclaimed +laughing. "I am sure that the ghost would rather run away from me if I +shouted at him very loudly. I shall make a song about him soon and then +we'll go up and sing it for him. All my school friends want to go with +me; Max, Hans and Clevi, his sister. You must come, too, Mea, and then +you'll see how the ghost will sneak away as soon as we scream at him and +sing awfully loud." + +"But, Kurt, how can a ghost, which doesn't exist, sneak away?" Mea +exclaimed. "With all your wild ideas about fighting, you seem to really +believe that there is a ghost in Wildenstein." + +"You must understand, Mea, that this is only to prove that there is +none," Kurt eagerly went on. "A real ghost could rush towards us, mad +with rage, if we challenged him that way. You will see what happens. It +will be a great triumph for me to prove to all the school and the village +people that there is no restless ghost who wanders around Wildenstein." + +"No, I shan't see it, because I won't come. Mother does not want us to +have anything to do with this story, you know that, Kurt! Oh, here comes +Elvira! I must speak to her." + +With these words Mea suddenly flew down the mountainside. A girl of her +own age was slowly coming up the incline. It was hard to tell if this +measured walk was natural to her or was necessary to preserve the +beautiful red and blue flowers on her little hat, which were not able to +stand much commotion. It was clearly evident, however, that the +approaching girl had no intention of changing her pace, despite the fact +that she must have noticed long ago the friend who was hurrying towards +her. + +"She certainly could move her proud stilts a little quicker when she sees +how Mea is running," Kurt said angrily. "Mea shouldn't do it. Oh, well, +I shall make a song about Elvira that she won't ever forget." + +Kurt now ran away, too, but in the opposite direction, where he had +discovered his mother. She was standing before a rose bush from which +she was cutting faded blossoms and twigs. Kurt was glad to find his +mother busy with work which did not occupy her thoughts, as he often +longed for such an opportunity without success. Whenever he was eager to +discuss his special problems thoroughly and without being interrupted, +his young brother and sister were sure to intrude with their questions, +or the two elder children needed her advice at the same moment. So Kurt +rushed into the garden to take advantage of this unusual opportunity. +But today again he was not destined to have his object fulfilled. Before +he reached his mother, a woman approached her from the other side, and +both entered immediately into a lively conversation. If it had been +somebody else than his special old friend Mrs. Apollonie, Kurt would +have felt very angry indeed. But this woman had gained great distinction +in Kurt's eyes by being well acquainted with the old caretaker of the +castle; so he always had a hope of hearing from her many things that were +happening there. + +To his great satisfaction he heard Mrs. Apollonie say on his approach: +"No, no, Mrs. Rector, old Trius does not open any windows in vain; he +has not opened any for nearly twenty years." + +"He might want to wipe away the dust for once in his life; it's about +time," Kurt's mother replied. "I don't believe the master has returned." + +"Why should the tower windows, where the master always lived, be opened +then? Something unusual has happened," said Mrs. Apollonie +significantly. + +"The ghost of Wildenstein might have pushed them open," Kurt quickly +asserted. + +"Kurt, can't you stop talking about this story? It is only an invention +of people who are not contented with one misfortune but must make up an +added terror," the mother said with animation. "You know, Kurt, that I +feel sorry about this foolish tale and want you to pay no attention to +it." + +"But mother, I only want to support you; I want to help you get rid of +people's superstitions and to prove to them that there is no ghost in +Wildenstein," Kurt assured her. + +"Yes, yes, if only one did not know how the brothers--" + +"No, Apollonie," the rector's widow interrupted her, "you least of all +should support the belief in these apparitions. Everybody knows that you +lived in the castle more than twenty years, and so people think that you +know what is going on. You realize well enough that all the talk has no +foundation whatever." + +Mrs. Apollonie lightly shrugged her shoulders, but said no more. + +"But, mother, what can the talk come from then, when there is no +foundation for it, as you say?" asked Kurt, who could not let the matter +rest. + +"There is no real foundation for the talk," the mother replied, "and no +one of all those who talk has ever seen the apparition with his own eyes. +It is always other people who tell, and those have been told again by +others, that something uncanny has been seen at the castle. The talk +first started from a misfortune which happened years ago, and later on +the matter came up and people thought a similar misfortune had taken +place again. Although this was an absolutely false report, all the old +stories were brought up again and the talk became livelier than ever. +But people who know better should be very emphatic in suppressing it." + +"What was the misfortune that happened long ago in the castle and then +again?" Kurt asked in great suspense. + +"I have no time to tell you now, Kurt," the mother declared decisively. +"You have to attend to your school work and I to other affairs. When I +have you all together quietly some evening I shall tell you about those +bygone times. It will be better for you to know than to muse about all +the reports you hear. You are most active of all in that, Kurt, and I do +not like it; so I hope that you will let the matter rest as soon as you +have understood how unfounded the talk really is. Come now, Apollonie, +and I will give you the plants you wanted. I am so glad to be able to +let you have some of my geraniums. You keep your little flower garden in +such perfect order that it is a pleasure to see it." + +During the foregoing speeches Apollonie's face had clearly expressed +disagreement with what had been said; she had, however, too much respect +for the lady to utter her doubts. Bright sunshine spread itself over her +features now, because her flower garden was her greatest pride and joy. + +"Yes, yes, Mrs. Rector, it is a beautiful thing to raise flowers," she +said, nodding her head. "They always do their duty, and if one grows a +little to one side, I can put a stick beside it and it grows straight +again as it ought to. If only the child were like that, then I should +have no more cares. But she only has her own ideas in her head, and such +strange whims that it would be hard to tell where they come from." + +"There is nothing bad about having her own ideas," replied the rector's +widow. "It naturally depends on what kind of ideas they are. It seems +to me that Loneli is a good-natured child, who is easily led. All +children need guidance. What special whims does Loneli have?" + +"Oh, Mrs. Rector, nobody knows what things the child might do," +Apollonie said eagerly. "Yesterday she came home from school with +glowing eyes and said to me, 'Grandmother, I should love to go to Spain. +Beautiful flowers of all colors grow there and large sparkling grapes, +and the sun shines down brightly on the flowers so that they glisten! I +wish I could go right away!' Just think of a ten-year-old child saying +such a thing. I wonder what to expect next." + +"There is nothing very terrible about that, Apollonie," said the rector's +widow with a smile. "The child might have heard you mention Spain +yourself so that it roused her imagination. She probably heard in school +about the country, and her wish to go there only shows that she is +extremely attentive. To think out how she might get there some time is a +very innocent pleasure, which you can indulge. I agree with you that +children should be brought up in a strict and orderly way, because they +might otherwise start on the wrong road, and nobody loves such children. +But Loneli is not that kind at all. There is no child in Nolla whom I +would rather see with my own." + +Apollonie's honest face glowed anew. "That is my greatest consolation," +she said, "and I need it. Many say to me that an old woman like me is +not able to bring up and manage a little child. If you once were obliged +to say to me that I had spoiled my grandchild, I should die of shame. +But I know that the matter is still well, as long as you like to see the +child together with yours. Thank you ever so much now. Those will fill +a whole bed," she continued, upon receiving a large bunch of plants from +her kind friend. "Please let me know if I can help in any way. I am +always at home for you, Mrs. Rector, you know that." + +Apollonie now said good-bye with renewed thanks. Carrying her large +green bundle very carefully in order not to injure the tender little +branches, she hurried through the garden towards the castle height. The +rector's widow glanced after her thoughtfully. Apollonie was intimately +connected with the earliest impressions of her childhood, as well as with +the experiences of her youth, with all the people whom she had loved most +and who had stood nearest to her. Her appearance therefore always +brought up many memories in Mrs. Maxa's heart. Since her husband's +death, when she had left the rectory in the valley and had come back to +her old home, all her friends called her Mrs. Maxa to distinguish her +from the present rector's wife of the village. She had been used to see +Apollonie in her parents' house. Baroness Wallerstätten, the mistress of +the castle at that time, had often consulted the rector as to many +things. Apollonie, a young girl then, had always been her messenger, and +everyone liked to see her at the rectory. When it was discovered how +quick and able young Apollonie was, things were more and more given into +her charge at the castle. The Baroness hardly undertook anything in her +household without consulting Apollonie and asking her assistance. The +children, who were growing up, also asked many favors from her, which she +was ever ready to fulfill. The devoted, faithful servant belonged many +years so entirely to the castle that everyone called her "Castle +Apollonie." + +Mrs. Maxa was suddenly interrupted in her thoughts by loud and repeated +calls of "Mama, Mama!" + +"Mama!" it sounded once more from two clear children's voices, and a +little boy and girl stood before her. "The teacher has read us a paper +on which was written--" began the boy. + +"Shall I, too; shall I, too?" interrupted the girl. + +"Mäzli," said the mother, "let Lippo finish; otherwise I can't understand +what you want." + +"Mama, the teacher has read us a paper, on which was written that in Sils +on the mountain--" + +"Shall I, too? Shall I, too?" Mäzli, his sister, interrupted again. + +"Be quiet, Mäzli, till Lippo has finished," the mother commanded. + +"He has said the same thing twice already and he is so slow. There has +been a fire in Sils on the mountain and we are to send things to the +people. Shall I do it, too, Mama, shall I, too?" Mäzli had told it all +in a single breath. + +"You didn't say it right," Lippo retorted angrily. "You didn't start +from the beginning. One must not start in the middle, the teacher told +us that. Now I'll tell you, Mama. The teacher has read us a paper--" + +"We know that already, Lippo," the mother remarked. "What was in the +paper?" + +"In the paper was written that a big fire in Sils on the mountain has +destroyed two houses and everything in them. Then the teacher said that +all the pupils of the class--" + +"Shall I too, shall I, too?" Mäzli urged. + +"Finish a little quicker now, Lippo," said the mother. + +"Then the teacher said that all the pupils from all the classes must +bring some of their things to give to the poor children--" + +"Shall I too, Mama, shall I go right away and get together all they +need?" Mäzli said rapidly, as if the last moment for action had arrived. + +"Yes, you can give some of your clothes and Lippo can bring some of his," +the mother said. "I shall help you, for we have plenty of time. +To-morrow is Sunday and the children are sure not to bring their things +to school before Monday, as the teacher will want to send them off +himself." + +Lippo agreed and was just beginning to repeat the exact words of the +teacher in which he had asked for contributions. But he had no chance to +do it. + +Kurt came running up at this moment, calling so loudly that nothing else +could possibly be heard: "Mother, I forgot to give you a message. Bruno +is not coming home for supper. The Rector is climbing High Ems with him +and the two other boys. They will only be home at nine o'clock." + +The mother looked a little frightened. "Are the two others his comrades, +the Knippel boys?" + +Kurt assented. + +"I hope everything will go well," she continued. "When those three are +together outside of school they always quarrel. When we came here first +I was so glad that Bruno would have them for friends, but now I am in +continual fear that they will clash." + +"Yes, mother," Kurt asserted, "you would never have been glad of that +friendship if you had really known them. Wherever they can harm anybody +they are sure to do it, and always behind people's backs. And Bruno +always is like a loaded gun-barrel, just a little spark and he is on fire +and explodes." + +"It is time to go in," said the mother now, taking the two youngest by +the hand. Kurt followed. It had not escaped him that an expression of +sorrow had spread over his mother's face after his words. He hated to +see his mother worried. + +"Oh, mother," he said confidently, "there is no reason for you to be +upset. If Bruno does anything to them, they are sure to give it back to +him in double measure. They'll do it in a sneaky way, because they are +afraid of him in the open field." + +"Do you really think that this reassures me, Kurt?" she asked turning +towards him. Kurt now realized that his words could not exactly comfort +his mother, but he felt that some help should be found, for he was always +able to discover such a good side to every evil, that the latter was +swallowed up. He saw an advantage now. "You know, mother, when Bruno +has discharged his thunder, it is all over for good. Then he is like a +scrubbed out gun-barrel, all clean and polished. Isn't that better than +if things would keep sticking there?" + +Mea, standing at the open window, was beckoning to the approaching group +with lively gestures; it meant that the time for supper was already +overdue. Kurt, rushing to her side, informed her that their mother meant +to tell them the story of Wallerstätten as soon as everything was quiet +that night and the little ones were put to bed: "Just mark now if we +won't hear about the ghost of Wallerstätten," he remarked at the end. +Kurt was mistaken, however. Everything was still and quiet long ago, the +little ones were in bed and the last lessons were done. But Bruno had +not yet returned. Over and over again the mother looked at the clock. + +"You must not be afraid, mother, that they will have a quarrel, because +the rector is with them," Kurt said consolingly. + +Now rapid steps sounded outside, the door was violently flung open and +Bruno appeared, pale with rage: "Those two mean creatures, those +malicious rascals; the sneaky hypocrites!--the--the--" + +"Bruno, no more please," the mother interrupted. "You are beside +yourself. Come sit down with us and tell us what happened as soon as you +feel more quiet; but no more such words, please." + +It took a considerable time before Bruno could tell his experience +without breaking out again. He told them finally that the rector had +mentioned the castle of High Ems in their lessons that day. After asking +his pupils if they had ever inspected the famous ruins they had all said +no, so the rector invited the three big boys to join him in a walk to see +the castle. It was quite a distance away and they had examined the ruins +very thoroughly. Afterwards the rector had taken them to a neighboring +inn for a treat, so that it was dark already when they were walking down +the village street. "Just where the footpath, which comes from the large +farmhouse crosses the road," Bruno continued, "Loneli came running along +with a full milk-bottle in her arm. That scoundrel Edwin quickly put out +his foot in front of her and Loneli fell down her whole length; the milk +bottle flew far off and the milk poured down the road like a small white +stream. The boys nearly choked with laughter and all I was able to do +was to give Edwin a sound box on the ear," Bruno concluded, nearly +boiling with rage. "Such a coward! He ran right off after the Rector, +who had gone ahead and had not seen it. Loneli went silently away, +crying to herself. I'd like to have taken hold of both of them and given +them proper--" + +"Yes, and Loneli is sure to be scolded by her grandmother for having +spilled the milk," Mea interrupted; "she always thinks that Loneli is +careless and that it is always her own fault when somebody harms her. +She is always punished for the slightest little fault." + +"But she never defends herself," Kurt said, half in anger, partly with +pity. "If those two ever tried to harm Clevi, they would soon get their +faces scratched; Apollonie has brought Loneli up the wrong way." + +"Should you like to see Loneli jump at a boy's face and scratch it, +Kurt?" asked the mother. + +After meditating a while Kurt replied, "I guess I really shouldn't." + +"Don't you all like Loneli because she never gets rough and always is +friendly, obliging and cheerful? Her grandmother really loves her very +much; but she is a very honest woman and worries about the child just +because she is anxious to bring her up well. I should be extremely sorry +if she scolded Loneli in the first excitement about the spilled milk. +The boys should have gotten the blame, and I am sure that Apollonie will +be sorry if she hears later on what really happened." + +"I'll quickly run over and tell her about it," Kurt suggested. The +mother explained to him, however, that grandmother and grandchild were +probably fast asleep by that time. + +"Are we going to have the story of Castle Wildenstein for a finish now?" +he inquired. But his mother had already risen, pointing to the wall +clock, and Kurt saw that the usual time for going to bed had passed. As +the following day was a Sunday, he was satisfied. They generally had +quiet evenings then and there would be no interruptions to the story. +Bruno, too, had now calmed down. It had softened him that his mother had +found the Knippel boys' behaviour contemptible and that she had not +excused them in the least. He might have told the Rector about it, but +such accusations he despised. He felt quite appeased since his mother +had shared his indignation and knew about the matter. Soon the house lay +peacefully slumbering under the fragrant apple trees. The golden moon +above was going her way and seemed to look down with friendly eyes, as if +she was gratified that the house, which was filled all day with such +noise and lively movement, was standing there so calm and peaceful. + + + +CHAPTER II + +DIVERS WORRIES + +Before the mother went off to church on Sunday morning she always glanced +into the living-room to see if the children were quietly settled at their +different occupations and to hope that everything would remain in order +during her absence. When she looked in to-day everything was peaceful. +Bruno and Mea were both sitting in a corner lost in a book, Kurt had +spread out his drawings on a table before him, and Lippo and Mäzli were +building on their small table a beautiful town with churches, towers and +large palaces. The mother was thoroughly satisfied and went away. For +awhile everything was still. A bright ray of sunshine fell over Kurt's +drawing and gaily played about on the paper. Kurt, looking up, saw how +the meadows were sparkling outside. + +"The two rascally milk-spillers from yesterday ought to be locked up for +the whole day," Kurt suddenly exploded. + +Mea apparently had been busy with the same thought for she assented very +eagerly. The two talked over the whole affair anew and had to give vent +to their indignation about the scoundrels and their pity for poor Loneli. +Mäzli must have found the conversation entertaining, for glancing over to +the others, she let Lippo place the blocks whichever way he pleased, +something that very seldom happened. Only when the children said no more +she came back to her task. + +"Goodness gracious!" Kurt exclaimed suddenly, starting up from his +drawing; "you ought to have reminded me, Mea, that we have to bring some +clothes to school for the poor people whose houses were burnt up. You +heard it, but mother does not even know about it yet." + +"I forgot it, too," said Mea quietly, continuing to read. + +"Mother knows about it long ago. I told her right away," Lippo declared. +"Teacher told us to be sure not to forget." + +"Quite right, little school fox," Kurt replied, while he calmly kept on +drawing. As long as his mother knew about the matter he did not need to +bother any more. + +But the last words had interested Mäzli very much. Throwing together the +houses, towers and churches she said to Lippo, "Come, Lippo, I know +something amusing we can do which will please mama, too." + +Lippo wondered what that could be, but he first laid every block neatly +away in the big box and did not let Mäzli hurry him in the least. + +"Don't do it that way," Mäzli called out impatiently. "Throw them all in +and put on the lid. Then it's all done." + +"One must not do that, Mäzli; no one must do it that way," Lippo said +seriously. "One ought to put in the first block and pack it before one +takes up the second." + +"Then I won't wait for you," Mäzli declared, rapidly whisking out by the +door. + +When Lippo had properly filled the box and set it in its right place, he +quickly followed Mäzli, wondering what her plan was. But he could find +her nowhere, neither in the hall nor in the garden, and he got no answer +to his loud, repeated calls. Finally a reply came which sounded +strangely muffled, as if from up above, so he went up and into her +bedroom. There Mäzli was sitting in the middle of a heap of clothes, her +head thrust far into a wardrobe. Apparently she was still pulling out +more things. + +"You certainly are doing something wonderful," said Lippo, glancing with +his big eyes at the clothes on the floor. + +"I am doing the right thing," said Mäzli now in the most decided tone. +"Kurt has said that we must send the poor people some clothes, so we must +take them all out and lay together everything we don't need any more. +Mama will be glad when she has no more to do about it and they can be +sent away to-morrow. Now get your things, too, and we'll put them all in +a heap." + +The matter, however, seemed still rather doubtful to Lippo. Standing +thoughtfully before all the little skirts and jackets, he felt that this +would not be quite after his mother's wish. + +"When we want to do something with our clothes, we always have to ask +mother," he began again. + +But Mäzli did not answer and only pulled out a bunch of woolen stockings +and a heavy winter cloak, spreading everything on the floor. + +"No, I won't do it," said Lippo again, after scrutinizing the unusual +performance. + +"You don't want to do it because you are afraid it will be too much +work," Mäzli asserted with a face quite red with zeal. "I'll help you +when I am done here." + +"I won't do it anyhow," Lippo repeated resolutely; "I won't because we +are not allowed to." + +Mäzli found no time to persuade him further, as she began to hunt for her +heavy winter shoes, which were still in the wardrobe. But before she had +brought them forth to the light, the door opened and the mother was +looking full of horror at the devastation. + +"But children, what a horrible disorder!" she cried out, "and on Sunday +morning, too. What has made you do it? What is this wild dry-goods shop +on the floor?" + +"Now, you see, Mäzli," said Lippo, not without showing great satisfaction +at having so clearly proved that he had been in the right. Mäzli tried +with all her might to prove to her mother that her intention had solely +been to save her the work necessary to get the things together. + +But the mother now explained decidedly to the little girl that she never +needed to undertake such actions in the future as she could not possibly +judge which clothes she still needed and which could be given away. +Mäzli was also told that such help on her part only resulted in double +work for her mother. "Besides I can see Mäzli," the mother concluded, +"that your great zeal seems to come from a wish to get rid of all the +things you don't like to wear yourself. All your woolen things, which +you always say scratch your skin. So you do not mind if other children +have them, Mäzli?" + +"They might like them better than to be cold," was Mäzli's opinion. + +"Oh, mother, Mrs. Knippel is coming up the road toward our house; I am +sure she is coming to see us," said Lippo, who had gone to the window. + +"And I have not even taken my things off on account of your disorder +here," said the mother a little frightened. "Mäzli, go and greet Mrs. +Knippel and take her into the front room. Tell her that I have just come +from church and that I shall come directly." + +Mäzli ran joyfully away; the errand seemed to please her. She received +the guest with excellent manners and led her into the front room to the +sofa, for Mäzli knew exactly the way her mother always did. Then she +gave her mother's message. + +"Very well, very well, And what do you want to do on this beautiful +Sunday?" the lady asked, + +"Take a walk," Mäzli answered rapidly. "Are they still locked up?" she +then casually asked. + +"Who? Who? Whom do you mean?" and the lady looked somewhat disapprovingly +at the little girl. + +"Edwin and Eugen," Mäzli answered fearlessly. + +"I should like to know where you get such ideas," the lady said with +growing irritation. "I should like to know why the boys should be locked +up." + +"Because they are so mean to Loneli all the time," Mäzli declared. + +The mother entered now. To her friendly greeting she only received a +very cold reply. + +"I only wonder, Mrs. Rector," the guest began immediately in an +irritated manner, "what meanness that little poison-toad of a Loneli has +spread and invented about my boys. But I wonder still more that some +people should believe such things." + +Mrs. Maxa was very much astonished that her visitor should have already +heard what had taken place the night before, as she knew that her sons +would not speak of it of their own free will. + +"As long as you know about it already, I shall tell you what happened," +she said. "You have apparently been misinformed. It had nothing to do +whatever with a meanness on Loneli's part. Mäzli, please join the other +children and stay there till I come," the mother interrupted herself, +turning to the little girl, whose eyes had been expectantly glued on the +visitor's face in the hope of hearing if the two boys were still locked +up. + +Mäzli walked away slowly, still hoping that she would hear the news +before she reached the door. But Mäzli was doomed to be disappointed, as +no word was spoken. Then Mrs. Maxa related the incident of the evening +before as it occurred. + +"That is nothing at all," said the district attorney's wife in answer. +"Those are only childish jokes. All children hold out their feet +sometimes to trip each other. Such things should not be reckoned as +faults big enough to scold children for." + +"I do not agree with you," said Mrs. Maxa. "Such kinds of jokes are +very much akin to roughness, and from small cruelties larger ones soon +result. Loneli has really suffered harm from this action, and I think +that joking ceases under such circumstances." + +"As I said, it is not worth the trouble of losing so many words about. I +feel decidedly that too much fuss is made about the grandmother and the +child. Apollonie does not seem to get it out of her head that her name +was Castle-Apollonie and she carries her head so high that the child will +soon learn it from her. But I have come to talk with you about something +much more important." + +The visitor now gave her listener some information that seemed to be far +from pleasing to Mrs. Maxa, because the face of the latter became more +and more worried all the time. Mrs. Knippel and her husband had come to +the conclusion that the time had come when their sons should be sent to +the neighboring town in order to enter the lowest classes of the high +school. The Rector's teaching had been sufficient till now, but they +felt that the boys had outgrown him and belonged to a more advanced +school. So they had decided to find a good boarding place for the three +boys together, as Bruno would naturally join them in order that they +could remain together. Since the three would, in later years, have great +authority in the little community, it would be splendid if they were +educated alike and could agree thoroughly in everything. "My husband +means to go to town in the near future and look for a suitable house +where they can board," the speaker concluded. "I am sure that you will +be grateful if the question is solved for Bruno, as you would otherwise +be obliged to settle it yourself." + +Frau Maxa's heart was very heavy at this news. She already saw the +consequences and pictured the terrible scenes that would result if the +three boys were obliged to live closely together. + +"The thought of sending Bruno away from home already troubles me +greatly," she said finally. "I do not see the necessity for it. Our +rector, who has offered to teach them out of pure kindness, means to keep +the boys under his care till a year from next spring. They are able to +learn plenty still from him. However, if you have resolved to send your +sons away, I shall be obliged to do the same, as the Rector could not +continue the lessons for Bruno alone." Mrs. Maxa declined the offer of +her visitor to look up a dwelling-place for Bruno, as she had to talk the +matter over first with her brother. He was always her counsellor in +these things, because he was the children's guardian. + +The district attorney's wife did not seem gratified with this +information. As she was anxious to have the matter settled then and +there, she remarked rather sarcastically that a mother should be able to +decide such matters alone. "The boys are sensible enough to behave +properly without being constantly watched," she added. "I can certainly +say that mine are, and where two hold to the right path, a third is sure +to follow." + +"My eldest is never one to follow blindly," Mrs. Maxa said with +animation. "I should not wish it either in this case. I shall keep him +at home as long as it is possible for me, and after that I shall send him +away under God's protection." + +"Just as you say," the other lady uttered, rising and taking leave. "We +can talk the question of boarding over again another time," she remarked +as she was going away; "when the time comes, my husband's preparation for +the future will be welcome, I am sure." + +When the mother, after escorting her guest, came back to the children's +room, Mäzli immediately called out, "Did she say if the two are still +locked up?" + +"What are you inventing, Mäzli?" said the mother. "You probably don't +know yourself what it means." + +"Oh, yes, I know," Mäzli assured her. "I asked her if the boys were +still locked up because Kurt said that." + +Kurt laughed out loud: "Oh, you naughty child to talk so wild! Because I +say that those two ought to be locked up, Mäzli runs over and immediately +asks their mother that question." + +Mrs. Maxa now understood clearly where her visitor had heard about her +boy's behaviour of yesterday. + +"Mäzli," she said admonishingly, "have you forgotten that you are not to +ask questions of grown-up people who come to see me?" + +"But why shouldn't I ask what the locked-up children are doing?" Mäzli +declared, feigning great pity in her voice. + +"Now the foxy little thing wants to incline mother to be comforted by +pretending to pity them," Kurt declared. + +Suddenly a terrific shout of joy sounded from all voices at once as they +all called: "Uncle Phipp! Uncle Phipp!" In a moment they had disappeared +through the door. + +Kurt jumped out through the window, which was not dangerous for him and +was the shortest way to the street. The mother also ran outside to greet +Uncle Phipp who was her only brother. He lived on his estate in Sils +valley, which was famous for its fruit. He was always the most welcome +guest in his sister's house. He had been away on a journey and had not +made his appearance for several weeks in Nolla, and his coming was +therefore greeted with special enthusiasm. One could hardly guess that +there was an uncle in the midst of the mass which was moving forward and +taking up the whole breadth of the road. The five children were hanging +on to him on all sides in such a way that it looked as if one solid +person was walking along on many feet. + +"Maxa, I have no hand for you as you can see," the brother saluted her. +"I greet you heartily, though, with my head, which I can still nod." + +"No, I want to have your hand," Mrs. Maxa replied. "Lippo can let your +right hand go for a moment. How are you, Philip? Welcome home! Did you +have a pleasant journey and did you find what you were looking for?" + +"All has gone to my greatest satisfaction. Forward now, young people, +because I want to take off my overcoat," the uncle commanded. "It is +filled with heavy objects which might pull me to the ground." + +Shouting with joy, the five now pushed their uncle into the house; they +had all secretly guessed what the heavy objects in his long pockets were. +When the uncle had reached the house, he insisted on taking off his coat +alone in order to prevent the things from being hurt. He had to hang it +up because the mother insisted that they should go to lunch and postpone +everything else till the afternoon. The next difficult and important +question to be settled was, who should be allowed to sit beside Uncle +Philip at dinner, because those next had the best chance to talk to him. +He chose the youngest two to-day. Leading him in triumph to the +inviting-looking table, they placed him in their midst with joyfully +sparkling eyes. It was a merry meal. The children were allowed to ask +him all they wanted to and he told them so many amusing things about his +travels that they could never get weary of listening. Last of all the +good things came the Sunday cake, and when that was eaten, Mäzli showed +great signs of impatience, as if the best of all were still to come. + +"I think that Mäzli has noticed something," said the uncle; "and one must +never let such a small and inquisitive nose point into empty air for too +long. We must look now what my overcoat has brought back from the ship." + +Mäzli who had already jumped up from her chair seized her uncle's hand as +soon as he rose. She wanted to be as close to him as possible while he +was emptying the two deep pockets. What lovely red books came out first! +He presented them to Bruno and Kurt who appeared extremely pleased with +their presents. + +"This is for mother for her mending" Mäzli called out looking with +suspense at her uncle's fingers. He was just pulling out a dainty little +sewing case. + +"You guessed wrong that time, Mäzli," he said. "Your mother gets a +present, too, but this is for Mea, who is getting to be a young lady. +She will soon visit her friends with the sewing case under her arm." + +"Oh, how lovely, uncle, how lovely!" Mea cried out, altogether enchanted +with her gift. "I wish you had brought some friends for me with you; +they are hard enough to find here." + +"I promise to do that another time, Mea. To-day there was no more room +for them in my overcoat. But now comes the most important thing of all!" +and with these words the uncle pulled a large box out of each pocket. +"These are for the small people," he said, "but do not mix them up. In +one are stamping little horses, and in the other little steaming pots. +Which is for Mäzli?" + +"The stamping horses," she said quickly. + +"I don't think so. Take it now and look," said the uncle. When Lippo +had received his box also, the two ran over to their table, but Mäzli +suddenly paused half-way. + +"Uncle Philip," she asked eagerly, "has mother gotten something, too, +something nice? Can I see it?" + +"Yes, something very nice," the uncle answered, "but she has not gotten +it yet; one can't see it, but one can hear it." + +"Oh, a piano," Mäzli guessed quickly. + +"No, no, Mäzli; you might see as much as that," said the uncle. "You +couldn't possibly guess it. It can't come out till all the small birds +are tucked into their nests and everything is still and quiet." + +Mäzli ran to her table at last and when she found a perfect array of +shining copper kettles, cooking pans and pots in her box she forgot +completely about the horses. She dug with growing astonishment into her +box, which seemed to be filled with ever new and more marvellous objects. +Lippo was standing up his beautifully saddled horses in front of him, but +the thing he liked best of all was a groom in a red jacket. He put him +first on one horse and then on all the others, for, to the boy's great +delight, he fitted into every saddle. He sat secure, straight and +immovable even when the horses trotted or galloped. + +Uncle Philip was less able to stand the quiet which was reigning after +the presentation of his gifts than were the children, who were completely +lost in the new marvels. He told them now that he was ready to take them +all on a walk. Mäzli was ready before anyone, because she had thrown +everything into her box and then with a little pushing had been able to +put on the lid. This did not worry her further, so she ran towards the +uncle. + +"Mäzli, you mustn't do that; no, you mustn't," Lippo called after her. +But the little girl stood already outside, holding her uncle's hand ready +for the march. Everybody else was ready, as they all had only had one +object to put away, and the mother gave her orders to Kathy, the cook. + +"Come, Lippo, don't stay behind!" the uncle called into the room. + +"I have to finish first, then I'll come right away," the little boy +called back. + +The mother was ready to go, too, now. "Where is Lippo?" she asked, +examining her little brood. + +"He sits in there like a mole in his hole and won't come out," said Kurt +"Shall I fetch him? He'll come quickly enough then." + +"No, no," the mother returned. "I'll attend to it." Lippo was sitting at +his little table, laying one horse after the other slowly and carefully +in the box so that they should not be damaged. + +"Come, Lippo, come! We must not let Uncle Philip wait," the mother said. + +"But, mother, one must not leave before everything is straightened up and +put into the wardrobe," Lippo said timidly. "One must always pack up +properly." + +"That is true, but I shall help you to-day," said the mother, and with +her assistance everything was soon put in order. + +"Oh, here comes the slow-poke at last," Kurt cried out. + +"No, you must not scold him, for Lippo did right in putting his things in +order before taking a walk," said his mother, who had herself given him +that injunction. + +"Bravo, my god-son! I taught you that, but now we must start," said the +uncle, extending his hand to the little boy. "Where shall we go?" + +"Up to the castle," Kurt quickly suggested. Everybody was satisfied with +the plan and the mother assented eagerly, as she had intended the same +thing. + +"We shall go up towards the castle hill," the uncle remarked as he set +out after taking the two little ones by the hand. "We shall have to go +around the castle, won't we? If cross Mr. Trius is keeping watch, we +won't get very close to it, because the property is fenced in for a long +way around." + +"Oh, we can go up on the road to the entrance," said Kurt with animation. +"We can look into the garden from there, but everything is overgrown. On +the right is a wooden fence which we can easily climb. From there we can +run all the way up through the meadows to a thick hawthorn hedge; on the +other side of that begin the bushes and behind that the woods with the +old fir and pine trees, but we can't climb over it. We could easily +enough get to the castle from the woods." + +"You seem to have a very minute knowledge of the place," said the uncle. +"What does Mr. Trius say to the climbing of hedges? In the meadows there +are beautiful apple-trees as far as I remember." + +"He beats everybody he can catch," was Kurt's information, "even if they +have no intention of taking the apples. Whenever he sees anyone in the +neighborhood of the hedge, he begins to strike out at them." + +"His intention is probably to show everybody who tries to nose around +that the fences are not to be climbed. Let us wait for your mother, who +knows all the little ways. She will tell us where to go." + +Uncle Philip glanced back for his sister, who had remained behind with +Mea and Bruno. While the uncle was amusing the younger ones, the two +others were eagerly talking over their special problems with her, so that +they got ahead very slowly. + +"To which side shall we go now? As you know the way so well, please tell +us where to go," said the uncle when the three had approached. + +The mother replied that Uncle Philip knew the paths as well as she, if +not even better. As long as the decision lay with her, however, she +chose the height to the left from which there was a clear view of the +castle. + +"Then we'll pass by Apollonie's cottage," said Kurt. "I am glad! Then we +can see what Loneli is doing after yesterday's trouble. She is the +nicest child in school." + +"Let us go there," the uncle assented. "I shall be glad to see my old +friend Apollonie again! March ahead now!" + +They had soon reached the cottage at the foot of the hill, which lay +bathed in brilliant sunshine. Only the old apple-tree in the corner +threw a shadow over the wooden bench beneath it and over a part of the +little garden. Grandmother and grandchild were sitting on the bench +dressed in their Sunday-best and with a book on their knees. A delicious +perfume of rosemary and mignonette filled the air from the little +flower-beds. Uncle Philip looked over the top of the hedge into the +garden. + +"Real Sunday peace is resting on everything here. Just look, Maxa!" he +called out to his sister. "Look at the rose-hushes and the mignonette! +How pleasant and charming Apollonie looks in her spotless cap and shining +apron with the apple-cheeked child beside her in her pretty dress!" + +Loneli had just noticed her best friends and, jumping up from the bench, +she ran to them. + +Apollonie, glancing up, now recognized the company, too. Radiant, she +approached and invited them to step into her garden for a rest. She was +already opening the door in order to fetch out enough chairs and benches +to seat them all when Mrs. Maxa stopped her. She told Apollonie that +their time was already very short, as they intended to climb the hill, +but they had wished to greet her on their way up and to see her +well-ordered garden. + +"How attractively it is laid out, Mrs. Apollonie!" Uncle Philip +exclaimed. "This small space is as lovely as the large castle-garden +used to be. Your roses and mignonette, the cabbage, beans and beets, the +little fountain in the corner are so charming! Your bench under the +apple-tree looks most inviting." + +"Oh, Mr. Falcon, you are still as fond of joking as ever," Apollonie +returned. "So you think that my rose-beds are as fine as those up there +used to be? Indeed, who has ever seen the like of them or of my wonderful +vegetable garden in the castle-grounds? There has never been such an +abundance of cauliflower and peas, such rows of bean-poles, such +salad-beds. What a delight their care was to me. Such a garden will +never be seen again. I have to sigh every time when I think that +anything so beautiful should be forever lost." + +"But that can't be helped," Uncle Philip answered. "There is one great +advantage you have here. Nobody can possibly disturb your Sunday peace. +You need not throw up your hands and exclaim: 'Falcon is the worst of +all.'" + +"Oh, Mr. Falcon, so you still remember," Apollonie exclaimed. "Yes, I +must admit that the three young gentlemen have trampled down many a young +plant of mine. Still I should not mind such a thing if I only had the +care of the garden back again, but it doesn't even exist any more. Mr. +Trius's only harvest is hay and apples, and that is all he wants +apparently, because he has thrown everything else out. Please do not +think that I am swimming in pure peace here because no boys are stamping +down my garden. Oh, no! It is very difficult to read my Sunday psalm in +peace when I am given such a bitter soup of grief to swallow as I got +yesterday. It keeps on burning me, and still I have to swallow it." + +"You probably mean the Knippel-soup from yesterday?" Kurt interrupted, +full of lively interest. Loneli had only just told him that things had +gone very badly the day before when she had returned home all soiled from +her fall and with the empty milk-bottle. So he felt more indignant than +before and had immediately interpreted Apollonie's hint. "I want to tell +you, Apollonie, that it was not Loneli's fault in the least. Those +rascals enjoy sticking out their feet and seeing people tumble over +them." + +"The child can't possibly have behaved properly, Kurt, or the district +attorney's sons would not have teased her." + +"I'll fetch Bruno right away and he'll prove to you that Loneli did +nothing whatever. He saw it," Kurt cried eagerly with the intention of +fetching his brother, who had already started up the hill. But his +mother detained him. It was not her wish to fan Bruno's rage afresh by +the discovery that Loneli had been considered guilty. She therefore +narrated the incident to Apollonie just as Bruno had reported it. + +Loneli's blue eyes glistened with joy when the story was told according +to the truth. She knew that the words spoken by the rector's widow had +great weight with her grandmother. + +"Can you see now that it was not Loneli's fault?" Kurt cried out as soon +as his mother had finished. + +"Yes, I see it and I am happy that it is so," said Apollonie. "How could +one have suspected that boys who had a good education should want to hurt +others without cause? The young Falcon would never have done such a +thing, I know that. He only ran into the vegetable garden because his +two friends were chasing him from both sides." + +Uncle Philip laughed: "I am glad you are so just to me, Mrs. Apollonie. +Even when you scolded the Falcon properly for tramping down your plants, +you knew that it was not in maliciousness he did it but in self-defence. +I am afraid it is time to go now" and with these words he heartily shook +his old acquaintance by the hand. The two little ones, who had never +left his side, were ready immediately to strike out once more. + +They soon reached the hill and the castle, which was bathed in the soft +evening light, lay openly before them. A hushed silence reigned about +the gray building and the old pine trees under the tower, whose branches +lay trailing on the ground. For years no human hand had touched them. +Where the blooming garden had been wild bushes and weeds covered the +ground. + +The mother and uncle, settling down on a tree-trunk, looked in silence +towards the castle, while the children were hunting for strawberries on +the sunny incline. + +"How terribly deserted and lonely it all looks," Uncle Philip said after +a while. "Let us go back. When the sun is gone, it will get more dreary +still." + +"Don't you notice anything, Philip?" asked his sister, taken up with her +own thoughts. "Can you see that all the shutters are closed except those +on the tower balcony? Don't you remember who used to live there?" + +"Certainly I do. Mad Bruno used to live there," the brother answered. +"As his rooms alone seem to be kept in order, he might come back?" + +"Why, he'll never come back," Uncle Philip exclaimed. "You know that we +heard ages ago that he is an entirely broken man and that he lay deadly +sick in Malaga. Mr. Tillman, who went to Spain, must certainly know +about it. Restless Baron Bruno has probably found his last resting-place +long ago. Why should you look for him here?" + +"I only think that in that case a new owner of the place would have +turned up by now," was his sister's opinion. "Two young members of the +family, the children of Salo and Eleanor, are still alive. I wonder +where these children are. They would be the sole owners after their +uncle's death." + +"They have long ago been disinherited," the brother exclaimed. "I do not +know where they are, but I have an idea on that subject. I shall tell +you about it to-night when we are alone. Here you are so absent-minded. +You throw worried looks in all directions as if you were afraid that this +perfectly solid meadow were a dangerous pond into which your little brood +might fall and lose their lives." + +The children had scattered in all directions. Bruno had gone far to one +side and was deeply immersed in a little book he had taken with him. Mea +had discovered the most beautiful forget-me-nots she had ever seen in all +her life, which grew in large masses beside the gurgling mountain stream. +Beside herself with transport, she flew from place to place where the +small blue flowers sparkled, for she wanted to pick them all. + +Kurt had climbed a tree and from the highest branch he could reach was +searchingly studying the castle, as if something special was to be +discovered there. Mäzli, having discovered some strawberries, had pulled +Lippo along with her. She wanted him to pick those she had found while +she hunted for more in the meantime. The mother was very busy keeping an +eye on them all. Kurt might become too daring in his climbing feats. +Mäzli might run away too far and Lippo might put his strawberries into +his trousers-pocket as he had done once already, and cause great harm to +his little Sunday suit. + +"You fuss and worry too much about the children," Uncle Philip said. +"Just let the children simply grow, saying to them once in a while, 'If +you don't behave, you'll be locked up.'" + +"Yes, that certainly sounds simple," said his sister. "It is a pity you +have no brood of your own to bring up, Philip, as lively as mine, and +each child entirely different from the others, so that one has to be +urged to a thing that another has to be kept from. I get the cares +without looking for them. A new great worry has come to me to-day, which +even you won't be able to just push aside." + +Mrs. Maxa told her brother now about the morning's interview with the +wife of the district attorney. She told him of the problem she had with +Bruno's further education, because the lessons he had been having from +the Rector would end in the fall, and of her firm intention of keeping +him from living together with his two present comrades. The three had +never yet come together without bringing as a result some mean deed on +one side and an explosion of rage on the other. + +"Don't you think, Philip, that it will be a great care for me to think +that the three are living under one roof? Don't you think so yourself?" +Mrs. Maxa concluded. + +"Oh, Maxa, that is an old story. There have been boys at all times who +fought together and then made peace again." + +"Philip, that does not console me," the sister answered. "That has never +been Bruno's way at all. He never fights that way. But it is hard to +tell what he might do in a fit of anger at some injustice or meanness, +and that is what frightens me so." + +"His godfather of the same name has probably passed that on to him. +Nobody more than you, Maxa, has always tried to wash him clean and excuse +him for all his deeds of anger. In your indestructible admiration ..." + +Uncle Philip got no further, as all the children now came running toward +them. The two little ones both tried hard to put the biggest +strawberries they had found into the mouths of their mother and uncle. +Mea could not hold her magnificent bunch of forget-me-nots near enough to +their eyes to be admired. The two older boys had approached, too, as +they had an announcement to make. The sun had gone down behind the +mountain, so they had remembered that it was time to go home. + +Mother and uncle rose from their seats and the whole group started down +the mountainside. The two little ones were gaily trotting beside the +uncle, bursting into wild shouting now and then, for he made such leaps +that they flew high into the air sometimes. He held them so firmly, +however, that they always reached the ground safely. + +At the entrance to the house Kurt had a brilliant idea. "Oh, mother," he +called out excitedly over the prospect, "tonight we must have the story +of the Wallerstätten family. It will fit so well because we were able to +see the castle today, with all its gables, embrasures and battlements." + +But the mother answered: "I am sorry to say we can't. Uncle is here +today, and as he has to leave early tomorrow morning, I have to talk to +him tonight. You have to go to bed early, otherwise you will be too +tired to get up tomorrow after your long walk." + +"Oh, what a shame, what a shame!" Kurt lamented. He was still hoping +that he would find out something in the story about the ghost of +Wildenstein, despite the fact that one could not really believe in him. +Sitting on the tree that afternoon, he had been lost in speculations as +to where the ghost might have appeared. + +When the mother went to Mäzli's bed that night to say prayers with her +she found her still very much excited, as usual, by the happenings of the +day. She always found it difficult to quiet the little girl, but to-day +she seemed filled by very vivid impressions. Now that everything was +still, they seemed to come back to her. + +Mäzli sat straight up in her bed with shining eyes as soon as her mother +appeared. "Why was the Knippel-soup allowed to spoil Apollonie's Sunday +peace?" she cried out. + +"Where have you heard that, Mäzli?" the mother said, quite frightened. +She already saw the moment before her when Mäzli would tell the district +attorney's wife that new appellation. "You must never use that +expression any more, Mäzli. You see, nobody would be able to know what +you mean. Kurt invented it apparently when Apollonie spoke about having +so much to swallow. He should not have said it. Do you understand, +Mäzli, that you must not say it any more?" + +"Yes, but why is anyone allowed to spoil Apollonie's Sunday peace?" Mäzli +persevered. Apollonie was her special friend, whom she wanted to keep +from harm. + +"No one should do it, Mäzli," the mother replied. It is wrong to spoil +anybody's Sunday peace and no one should do it." + +"But our good God should quickly call down, 'Don't do it, don't do it!' +Then they would know that they were not allowed," was Mäzli's opinion. + +"He does it, Mäzli! He does it every time anybody does wrong," said the +mother, "for the evil-doer always hears such a voice that calls out to +him: 'Don't do it, don't do it!' But sometimes he does it in spite of the +voice. Even young children like you, Mäzli, hear the voice when they +feel like doing wrong, and they do wrong just the same." + +"I only wonder why God does not punish them right away; He ought to do +that," Mäzli eagerly replied. + +"But He does," said the mother. As soon as anybody has done wrong, he +feels a great weight on his heart so that he keeps on thinking, 'I wish I +hadn't done it!' Then our good God is good and merciful to him and does +not punish him further. He gives him plenty of time to come to Him and +tell Him how sorry he is to have done wrong. God gives him the chance to +beg His pardon. But if he does not do that, he is sure to be punished so +that he will do more and more evil and become more terribly unhappy all +the time." + +"I'll look out, too, now if I can hear the voice," was Mäzli's +resolution. + +"The chief thing is to follow the voice, Mäzli," said the mother. "But +we must be quiet now. Say your prayers, darling, then you will soon go +to sleep." + +Mäzli said her little prayer very devoutly. As there was nothing more to +trouble her, she lay down and was half asleep as soon as her mother +closed the door behind her. + +She was still expected at four other little beds. Every one of the +children had a problem to bring to her, but there was so little time left +to-day that they had to be put off till to-morrow. In fact, they were +all glad to make a little sacrifice for their beloved uncle. When she +came back into the room, she found him hurrying impatiently up and down. +He could hardly wait to make his sister the announcement to which he had +already referred several times. + +"Are you coming at last?" he called to her. "Are you not a bit curious +what present I have brought you?" + +"Oh, Philip, I am sure it can only be a joke," Mrs. Maxa replied. "I +should love to know what you meant when you spoke of the children of +Wallerstätten." + +"It happens to be one and the same thing," the brother replied. "Come +here now and sit down beside me and get your mending-basket right away so +that you won't have to jump up again. I know you. You will probably run +off two or three times to the children." + +"No, Philip, to-day is Sunday and I won't mend. The children are all +sleeping peacefully, so please tell me about it." + +Uncle Philip sat down quietly beside his sister and began: "As surely as +I am now sitting here beside you, Maxa, so surely young Leonore of +Wallerstätten was sitting beside me three days ago. I am really as sure +as anything that it was Leonore's child. She is only an hour's distance +away from you and is probably going to stay in this neighborhood for a +few weeks. I wanted to bring you this news as a present." + +Mrs. Maxa first could not say a word from astonishment. + +"Are you quite sure, Philip?" she asked, wishing for an affirmation. +"How could you become so sure that the child you saw was Leonore's little +daughter?" + +"First of all, because nobody who has known Leonore can ever forget what +she looked like. The child is exactly like her and looks at one just the +way Leonore used to do. Secondly, the child's name was Leonore, too. +Thirdly, she had the same brown curls rippling down her shoulders that +her mother had, and she spoke with a voice as soft and charming. For the +fifth and sixth reasons, because only Leonore could have such a child, +for there could not be two people like her in the whole world." Uncle +Philip had grown very warm during these ardent proofs. + +"Please tell me exactly where and how you saw the child," the sister +urged. + +So the brother related how he had come back three days ago from a trip +and, arriving in town, had given orders in the hotel for a carriage to be +brought round to take him back to Sils that same evening. The host had +then informed him that two ladies had just ordered a carriage to take +them to the same destination. He thought that as long as they had seemed +to be strangers and were anxious to know more about the road, they would +be very glad to have a companion who was going the same way. So the host +had made all necessary arrangements, as there were no objections to the +plan on either side. When the carriage had driven up, he had seen that +the ladies had with them a little daughter who was to occupy the +back-seat of the carriage. + +"This daughter, as I thought, was Leonore's child. I am as certain of +that as of my relation with you," the brother concluded. + +Mrs. Maxa was filled with great excitement. + +Could one of the children for whom she had vainly longed and inquired for +such long years be really so near her? Would she be able to see her? Who +were the ladies to whom she belonged? + +To all her various questions the brother could only answer that the +ladies with whom Leonore was living came from the neighborhood of +Hannover. They had taken a little villa in Sils on the mountain, which +they had seen advertised for the summer months. He had shown the ladies +his estate in Sils and had offered to serve them in whatever way they +wished. Then they had taken leave. + +Leonore's name had wakened so many happy memories of her beautiful +childhood and youth in Mrs. Maxa that she began to revive those times +with her brother and tirelessly talked of the days they had spent there +together with her unforgettable friend Leonore and her two cousins. The +brother seemed just as ready to indulge in those delightful memories as +she was, and whenever she ceased, he began again to talk of all the +unusual happenings and exploits that had taken place with their dear +friends. + +"Do you know, Maxa, I think we had much better playmates than your +children have," he said finally. "If Bruno beats his comrades, I like it +better than if he acted as they do." + +Brother and sister had not talked so far into the night for a long time. +Nevertheless, Mrs. Maxa could not get to sleep for hours afterwards. +Leonore's image with the long, brown curls and the winning expression in +her eyes woke her lively desire to see the child that resembled her so +much. + + + +CHAPTER III + +CASTLE WILDENSTEIN + +When Mäzli and Lippo were neatly washed and dressed the next morning, +they came downstairs to the living-room chattering in the most lively +manner. Mäzli was just telling Lippo her plans for the afternoon when he +should be back from school. The mother, after attending to some task, +followed the children, who were standing around the piano. + +As soon as she entered, Kurt broke out into a frightened cry. "Oh, +mother, we have forgotten all about the poor people whose houses burnt +down and we were supposed to take the things with us this morning." + +"Yes, the teacher told us twice that we must not forget it," Lippo +complained, "but I didn't forget it." + +"Don't worry, children, I have attended to it," said the mother. "Kathy +has just gone to the school with a basket full of things. It was too +heavy for you to carry." + +"Oh, how nice and convenient it is to have a mother," Kurt said quite +relieved. + +The mother sat down at the piano. + +"Come, let us sing our morning song, now," she said. "We can't wait for +uncle, because he might come back too late from his walk." Opening the +book, she began to sing "The golden sun--with joy and fun." + +The children taking up the melody sang it briskly, for they knew it well. +Mäzli was singing full of zeal, too, and wherever she had forgotten the +words, she did not stop, but made up some of her own. + +Two stanzas had been sung when Kurt said, "We must stop now or it will +get too late. After breakfast it is time to go to school." + +The mother, assenting, rose and went to the table to fill their cups. + +But Lippo broke into a loud wail. Pulling his mother back, he cried, +"Don't go! Please don't! We must finish it. We have to finish it. Come +back, mother, come back." + +She tried to loosen the grip of the boy's firm little fingers on her +dress and to calm him, but she did not succeed, and he kept on crying +louder and louder: "Come back! You said one must not leave anything half +done. We didn't finish the song and we must do it." + +Kurt now began to cry out, too: "Let go your pincher-claws--we'll get to +school late." + +Mea's voice joined them with loud exclamation against Lippo, who was +trying hard to pull his mother back, groaning loudly all the time. + +Uncle Philip entered at this moment. + +"What on earth is going on here?" he cried loudly into the confusion. + +Everybody began to explain. + +Lippo let go his grip at last and, approaching his uncle, solicited his +help. Kurt's voice, however, was the loudest and he got the lead in +telling about Lippo's obstinacy. + +"Lippo is right," the uncle decided. "One must finish what one has +begun. This is a splendid principle and ought to be followed. Lippo has +inherited this from his god-father and so he shall also have his help. +Come Lippo, we'll sit down and finish the song to the last word." + +"But, Uncle Philip, the song has twelve stanzas, and we have to go to +school. Lippo must go, too," Kurt cried out in great agitation. "He +can't get an excuse for saying that he had to finish his morning song." + +"That is true, Kurt is right," said the uncle. "You see, Lippo, I know a +way out. When you sing to-night, mother must promise me to finish the +song. Then you will have sung it to the end." + +"We can't do that," Lippo wailed. "This is a morning song and we can't +sing it at night. We must finish it now. Wait, Kurt!" he cried aloud, +when he saw that the boy was taking up his school-bag. + +"What can we do? Where is your mother? Why does she run away at such a +moment?" Uncle Philip cried out helplessly. "Call for your mother! You +mustn't go on like that." + +Lippo had run back to the piano and, leaning against it, was crying +bitterly. Kurt, after opening the door, called loudly for his mother in +a voice that was meant to bring her from a distance. This exertion +proved unnecessary, as she was standing immediately behind the door. +Bruno, in order to question her about something, had drawn her out with +him. + +"Oh, mother, come in!" Kurt cried in milder accents. "Come and teach our +two-legged law-paragraph here to get some sense. School is going to +start in five minutes." + +The mother entered. + +"Maxa, where did you go?" the brother accosted her. "It is high time to +get this boy straightened out. Just look at the way he is clutching the +piano in his trouble. He ought to be off. Kurt is right." + +The mother, sitting down on the piano-stool, took the little boy's hand +and pulled him towards her. + +"Come, Lippo, there is nothing to cry about," she said calmly. "Listen +while I explain this. It is a splendid thing to finish anything one has +begun, but there are things that cannot be finished all at once. Then +one divides these things into separate parts and finishes part first with +the resolution to do another part the next day, and so on till it is +done. We shall say now our song has twelve stanzas and we'll sing two of +them every morning; in that way we can finish it on the sixth day and we +have not left it unfinished at all. Can you understand, Lippo? Are you +quiet now?" + +"Yes," said the little boy, looking up to his mother with an expression +of perfect satisfaction. + +The leave-taking from the uncle had to be cut extremely short. "Come +soon again," sounded three times more from the steps, and then the +children started off. + +The mother, looking through the window, followed them with her eyes. She +was afraid that Kurt and Mea would leave the little one far behind on +account of having been kept too long already, and it happened as she +feared. She saw Lippo trudging on behind with an extraordinarily full +school-bag on his back. + +"Can you see what Lippo is carrying?" she asked her brother. + +The lid of the bag was thrust open and a thick unwieldy object which did +not fit into it was protruding. + +"What is he carrying along, I wonder? Can you see what it is?" + +"I can only see a round object wrapped up in a gray paper," her brother +replied. "I am sure it must be something harmless. I have to say that +Lippo is a wonderfully obedient and good boy and full of the best sense. +As soon as one says the right word to him, he comes 'round. Why did you +wait so long though, Maxa, before saying it to him?" was Uncle Philip's +rather reproachful question. "Why did you run away and leave him crying +and moaning? He needed your help. What he wanted was perfectly correct +but was not just suitable at that moment, and he needed an explanation. +How could you calmly run away?" + +"It was just as necessary to hear Bruno's question," the sister said. "I +knew that Lippo was in good hands. I thought naturally that you would be +able to say the right word to him. You know yourself how he respects +you." + +"Oh, yes, that is right," Uncle Philip admitted. "It is not always easy +to say the right word to a little fellow who has the right on his side +and needs to have the other side shown to him, too; he is terribly +pedantic besides, and says that one can't sing a morning song in the +evening, and when he began to wail in his helplessness, it made me +miserable. How should one always just be able to say the right word?" + +His sister smiled. + +"Do you admit now, Philip, that bringing up children is not a very simple +matter?" + +"There is a truth in what you say. On the other hand, it does not look +very terrible, either," the brother said with a glance at Mäzli, who was +quietly and peacefully sitting at the table, eating her bread and milk in +the most orderly fashion. + +She had been compelled to stop in the middle of breakfast by the +excitement caused by Lippo. It had been very thrilling, but now she +could calmly finish. + +Uncle Philip suddenly discovered that the tune set for his departure was +already past. Taking a rapid leave of his sister, he started to rush +off, but she held him for a moment. + +"Please, Philip, try to find out for me about the little girl, to whom +she belongs, and with whom she is travelling," she begged him eagerly. +"Please do that for me! If your supposition, that she is Leonore's child +is right, I simply must see her. Nobody can prevent me from seeing her +once at least." + +"We'll see, we'll see," the brother answered hurriedly, and was gone the +next moment. + +The day had started with so much agitation and it had all taken so much +time that Mrs. Maxa had her hands full now in order to complete the most +necessary tasks before the children came back from school. + +Mäzli was very obedient to-day and had settled down on her little chair. +She was virtuously knitting on a white rag, which was to receive a bright +red border and was destined to dust Uncle Philip's desk. It was to be +presented to him on his next birthday as a great surprise. Mäzli had in +her head this and many other thoughts caused by the morning's scene, so +she did not feel the same inclination to set out on trips of discovery as +usual, and remained quietly sitting on her chair. Her mother was +extremely preoccupied, as could easily be seen. Her thoughts had nothing +to do with either the laundry or the orders she was giving to Kathy, nor +the cooking apples she had sorted out in the cellar. Her hand often lay +immovably on these, while she absently looked in front of her. Her +thoughts were up in the castle-garden with the lovely young Leonore, and +in her imagination she was wandering about with her beloved friend, +singing and chattering under the sounding pine trees. + +Her brother's news had wakened all these memories very vividly. Then +again she would sigh deeply and another communication filled her full of +anxiety. Bruno had asked her not to wait for him at dinner, as he had +resolved to stop his comrades from a wicked design and therefore would +surely be a trifle late. What this was and what action he meant to +prevent the boy had not had time to say, for Kurt had opened the door at +that moment calling for her with his voice of thunder. All she had been +able to do was to beg Bruno, whatever happened, not to let his anger +become his master. Sooner than the mother had expected Kurt's steps +could be heard hurriedly running into the house followed by a loud call +for her. + +"Here I am, Kurt," sounded calmly from the living-room, where his mother +had finally settled down after her tasks, beside Mäzli's chair. "Come in +first before you try to make your announcements; or is it so dreadfully +urgent?" + +Kurt had already reached his mother's side. + +"Oh, mother, when I come home from school I'm never sure if you are in +the top or the bottom of the house," he said, "so I have to inquire in +plenty of time, especially when there is so much to tell you as there is +to-day. Now listen. First of all, the teacher thanks you for the +presents for the poor people. He lets you know that if you think it +suitable to send them a helmet of cardboard with a red plume, he will put +it by for the present. Or did you have a special intention with it?" + +"I do not understand a word of what you say, Kurt," the mother replied. + +That moment Lippo opened the door. He was apt to come home after the +older boy, for Kurt was not obliged to wait for him after school. + +"Here comes the one who will be able to explain the precious gift you +sent, mother," said Kurt. + +Lippo, trotting cheerfully into the room, had bright red cheeks from his +walk. The mother began by asking, "Tell me, Lippo, did you take +something to school this morning in your school-bag for the poor people +whose houses were burnt?" + +"Yes, mother, my helmet from Uncle Philip," Lippo answered. + +"I see! You thought that if a poor little chap had no shirt, he would be +glad to get a fine helmet with a plume for his head," Kurt said laughing. + +"You don't need to laugh!" Lippo said, a little hurt. "Mother told us +that we must not only send things we don't want any more. So I gave the +helmet away and I should have loved to keep it." + +"Don't laugh at him, Kurt; I really told him that," the mother affirmed. +"He wanted to do right but he did not quite find the right way of doing +it. If you had told me your intention, Lippo, I could have helped you to +do some positive good. Next time you want to help, tell me about it, and +we'll do it together." + +"Yes, I will," Lippo said, quite appeased. + +"Oh, mother, listen!" Kurt was continuing. "I have to tell you something +you won't like and we don't like either. Just think! Loneli had to sit +on the shame-bench to-day. But all the class is on Loneli's side." + +"But why, Kurt? The poor child!" the mother exclaimed. "What did she do? +I am afraid that her honest old grandmother will take it terribly to +heart. She'll be in deep sorrow about it and will probably punish Loneli +again." + +"No, indeed, she must not do that," Kurt said eagerly. "The teacher said +himself that he hated to put Loneli there, as she was a good and obedient +child, but that he had to keep his word. He had announced that he was +tired of the constant chattering going on in the school. To stop it he +had threatened to put the first child on the shame-bench that was caught. +So poor Loneli had to sit there all by herself and she cried so terribly +that we all felt sorry. But of course, mother, a person doesn't talk +alone, and Loneli should not have been obliged to stay there alone. The +teacher had just asked: 'Who is talking over there? I can hear some +whispering. Who is it?' Loneli answered 'I' in a low voice, so she had +to be punished. One of her neighbors should have said 'I,' too, of +course; it was perfectly evident that there was another one." + +"Loneli might have asked somebody a question which was not answered," his +mother suggested. + +"Mea will know all about it, for she followed Loneli after school. Now +more still, mother," Kurt continued. "Two boys from my class were beaten +this morning by Mr. Trius. Early this morning they had climbed over the +castle hedge to inspect the apples on the other side of the hedge. But +Mr. Trius was already about and stood suddenly before them with his +heavy stick. In a jiffy they had a real Trius-beating, for the hedge is +high and firm and one can't get across it quickly. Now for my fourth +piece of news. Farmer Max who lives behind the castle has told everybody +that when his father came back late yesterday night from the cattle-fair +in the valley, he saw a large coach, which was right behind his own, +drive into the castle-garden. He was quite certain that it went there, +but nobody seems to know who was in it. So you are really listening at +last, mother! I noticed that you have been absentminded till now. +Farmer Max told us something else about his father that you wouldn't like +me to repeat, I know." + +"You would not say so if it were not wrong; you had better not repeat it, +Kurt," said the mother. + +"No, indeed, it is not bad, but very strange. I can tell you though, +because I don't believe it myself. Max told that his father said there +was something wrong about the coach and that he went far out of its way. +The coachman looked as if he only had half a head, and his coat-collar +was rolled up terribly high in order to hide what was below. He was +wildly beating the horses so that they fairly flew up the castle-hill, +while sparks of fire were flying from their hoofs." + +"How can you tell such rubbish, Kurt? How should there be something +unnatural in such a sight?" the mother scolded him. "I am sure you think +that the Wildenstein ghost is wandering about again. You can see every +day that horses' hoofs give out sparks when they strike stone, and to see +a coachman with a rolled up collar in windy weather is not an unusual +sight either. In spite of all I say to you, Kurt, you seem to do nothing +but occupy yourself with this matter. Can't you let the foolish people +talk without repeating it all the time?" + +Kurt was very glad when Mea entered at that moment, for he had really +disobeyed his mother's repeated instructions in the matter. But he +comforted himself with the thought that he was only acting according to +her ideas if he was finally able to prove to the people that the whole +thing was a pure invention and could get rid of the whole thing for good. + +"Why are your eyes all swollen?" he accosted his sister. + +Mea exploded now. Half angry and half complaining, she still had to +fight against her tears. "Oh, mother, if you only knew how difficult it +is to stay friends with Elvira. Whenever I do anything to offend her, +she sulks and won't have anything to do with me for days. When I want to +tell her something and run towards her, speaking a little hurriedly, she +is hurt. Then she always says I spoil the flowers on her hat because I +shake them. And then she turns her back on me and won't even speak to +me." + +"Indeed! I have seen that long ago," Kurt broke in, "and I began a song +about her yesterday. It ought to be sung to her. I'll recite it to you: + + A SONG ABOUT A WELL KNOWN YOUNG LADY. + + I know a maiden fair of face, + Who mostly turns her back. + All noise she thinks a great disgrace, + But tricks she does not lack. + +"No, Kurt, you mustn't go on with that song," Mea cried with indignation. + +"Mea is right when she doesn't want you to celebrate her friends in that +way, Kurt," said the mother, "and if she asks you to, you must leave +off." + +"But I am her brother and I do not wish to see my sister being tyranized +over and treated badly by a friend. I certainly wouldn't call her a real +friend," Kurt eagerly exclaimed. "I should be only too glad if my song +made her so angry that she would break the friendship entirely. There +would be nothing to mourn over." + +Mea, however, fought passionately for her friend and never gave way till +Kurt had promised not to go on with his ditty. But her mother wanted to +know now what had given Mea such red eyes. So she told them that she had +followed Loneli in order to comfort her, for she was still crying. +Loneli had told her then about being caught at chattering. Elvira, who +was Loneli's neighbor, had asked her if she would be allowed to go to +Sils on dedication day, next Sunday, and Loneli had answered no. Then +Elvira wanted to know why not, to which Loneli had promised to give her +an answer after school, as they were not allowed to talk in school. That +moment the teacher had questioned them and Loneli had promptly accused +herself. + +"Don't you think, mother, that Elvira should have admitted that she asked +Loneli a question? Then Loneli would not have had to sit on the +shame-bench alone. He might have given them both a different +punishment," Mea said, quite wrought up. + +"Oho! Now she sent Loneli to the shame-bench besides, and Loneli is a +friend of mine!" Kurt threw in. "Now she'll get more verses after all." + +"Elvira should certainly have done so," the mother affirmed. + +"Yes, and listen what happened afterwards," Mea continued with more ardor +than before. "I ran from Loneli to Elvira, but I was still able to hear +poor Loneli's sobs, for she was awfully afraid to go home. She knew that +she had to tell her grandmother about it and she was sure that that would +bring her a terrible punishment. When I met Elvira, I told her that it +was unfair of her not to accuse herself and to let Loneli bear the +punishment alone. That made her fearfully angry. She said that I was a +pleasant friend indeed, if I wished this punishment and shame upon her. +She should not have said that, mother, should she? I told her that the +matter was easy enough for her as it was all settled for her, but not for +Loneli. I asked to tell the teacher how it all happened, so that he +could say something in school and let the children know what answer +Loneli had given her. Then he would see that she was innocent. But +Elvira only grew angrier still and told me that she would look for +another friend, if I chose to preach to her. She said that she didn't +want to have anything to do with me from now on and, turning about, ran +away." + +"So much the better!" Kurt cried out. "Now you won't have to run humbly +after Elvira any more, as if you were always in the wrong, the way you +usually do to win her precious favor." + +"Why shouldn't Mea meet her friend kindly again if she wants to, Kurt?" +said the mother. "Elvira knows well enough who has been offended this +time and has broken off the friendship. She will be only too glad when +Mea meets her half-way." + +Kurt was beginning another protest, but it was not heard. Lippo and +Mäzli arrived at that moment, loudly announcing the important news that +Kathy was going to serve the soup in a moment and that the table was not +even set. + +The mother had put off preparations for dinner on purpose. During the +foregoing conversation she had repeatedly glanced towards the little +garden gate to see if Bruno was not coming, but he could not be seen yet. +So she began to set the table with Mea, while Lippo, too, assisted her. +The little boy knew exactly where everything belonged. He put it there +in the most orderly fashion, and when Mea put a fork or spoon down +quickly a little crookedly, he straightway put them perfectly straight +the way they belonged. + +Kurt laughed out loud, "Oh, Lippo, you must become an inn-keeper, then +all your tables will look as if they had been measured out with a +compass." + +"Leave Lippo alone," said the mother. "I wish you would all do your +little tasks as carefully as he does." + +Dinner was over and the mother was looking out towards the road in +greater anxiety, but Bruno had not come. + +"Now he comes with a big whip," Kurt shouted suddenly. "Something must +have happened, for one does not usually need a whip in school." + +The younger boy opened the door, full of expectation. Bruno could not +help noticing his mother's frightened expression, despite the rage he was +in, which plainly showed in his face. + +He exclaimed, as he entered, "I'll tell you right away what happened, +mother, so that you won't think it was still worse. I have only whipped +them both as they deserved, that is all." + +"But, Bruno, that is bad enough. You seem to get more savage all the +time," the mother lamented. "How could you do such a thing?" + +"I'll explain it right away and then you will have to admit that it was +the only thing to do," Bruno assured her. "The two told me last Saturday +that they had a scheme for to-day in which I was to join. They had +discovered that the lovely plums in the Rector's garden were ripe and +they meant to steal them. When the Rector is through with his lessons at +twelve o'clock he always goes to the front room and then nobody knew what +is going on in the garden. Their plan was to use this time to-day in +order to shake the tree and fill their pockets full of plums. I was to +help them. I told them what a disgrace it was for them to ask me and I +said that I would find means to prevent it. So they noisily called me a +traitor and told me that accusing them was worse than stealing plums. I +said that it wasn't my intention to tell on them, but I would come and +use my whip as soon as they touched the tree. So they laughed and +sneered at me and said that they were neither afraid of me nor of my +whip. As soon as our lessons were done at twelve o'clock, they ran to +the garden and, getting the whip I had hidden in the hallway, I ran after +them. Edwin was already half way up the tree and Eugene was just +beginning to climb it. First I only threatened and tried in that way to +force Edwin down and keep Eugene from going further. But they kept on +sneering at me till Edwin had reached the first branch and was shaking it +so hard that the lovely plums came spattering to the ground. I got so +furious at that that I began to beat first the boy higher up and then the +lower one. First, Edwin tumbled down on top of Eugene and then they both +ran away moaning, while I kept on striking them. They left the plums on +the ground and I followed them." + +"It is terrible, Bruno, that such scenes have to come up between you all +the time," the mother lamented. "You are always the one who gets wild +and loses control. It is hard to excuse that, even if your intention is +good, Bruno. I wish I could keep you boys apart." + +"It was a good thing he became furious at them to-day, mother," Kurt +remarked. "You see it shows that even two can't get the better of him. +If he had not been so mad, the two would have been stronger, and our poor +Rector would have lost his plums." + +It was hard to tell if this explanation comforted the mother. She had +gone out with a sign to attend to Bruno's belated lunch. The time was +already near at hand when all the children had to get back to school. + +When that same evening the little ones were happily playing and the big +children were busy with their school work, Kurt stole up to his mother's +chair and asked her in a low voice, "Shall we have the story to-day?" + +The mother nodded. "As soon as the little ones are in bed." At this +Mäzli pricked up her ears. + +When all the work was done in the evening, all the family usually played +a game together. Kurt, who was usually the first to pack up his papers, +was still scribbling away after Mea had laid hers away. Looking over his +shoulder into the note-book, she exclaimed, "He is writing some verses +again! Who is the subject of your song, Kurt?" + +"I'll read it to you, then you can guess yourself," said the boy. "The +first verse is already written somewhere else. Now listen to the +second." + + She stares about with stately mien: + "O ho, just look at me! + If I am not acknowledged queen, + I surely ought to be." + + Her friend agrees with patient air + And fastens up her shoes. + Then queenie thinks: That's only fair, + She couldn't well refuse. + + But if the friend should try to show + The queen her faults, look out! + She'd break the friendship at a blow + And straightway turn about. + +Mea had been obliged to laugh a little at first at the description of the +humble behaviour which did not seem to describe her very well. Finally, +however, sad memories rose up in her. + +"Do you know, mother," she cried out excitedly, "it is not the worst that +she shows me her back, but that one can't ever agree with her. Every +time I find anything pleasant and good, she says the opposite, and when I +say that something is wrong and horrid, she won't be of my opinion +either. It is so hard to keep her friendship because we always seem to +quarrel when I haven't the slightest desire to." + +"Just let her go. She is the same as her brothers," said Bruno. "I +never want their friendship again, and I wish I might never have anything +more to do with them." + +"It is better to give them things, the way you did to-day," Kurt +remarked. + +"I can understand Mea," said the mother. "As soon as we came here she +tried to get Elvira's friendship. She longs for friendship more than you +do." + +"Oh, mother, I have six or eight friends here, that is not so bad," Kurt +declared. + +"I couldn't say much for any of them," Bruno said quickly. + +"It must hurt Mea," the mother continued, "that Elvira does not seem to +be capable of friendship. You only act right in telling her what you +consider wrong, Mea. If you show your attachment to her and try not to +be hurt by little differences of opinion, your friendship might gradually +improve." + +As Lippo and Mäzli felt that the time for the general game had come, they +came up to their mother to declare their wish. Soon everybody was +merrily playing. + +It happened to-day, as it did every day, that the clock pointed much too +soon to the time which meant the inexorable end of playing. This usually +happened when everybody was most eager and everything else was forgotten +for the moment. As soon as the clock struck, playing was discontinued, +the evening song was sung and then followed the disappearance of the two +little ones. While the older children put away the toys, the mother went +to the piano to choose the song they were to sing. + +Mäzli had quickly run after her. "Oh, please, mama, can I choose the +song to-day?" she asked eagerly. + +"Certainly, tell me which song you would like to sing best." + +Mäzli seized the song-book effectively. + +"But, Mäzli, you can't even read," said the mother. "How would the book +help you? Tell me how the song begins, or what lines you know." + +"I'll find it right away," Mäzli asserted. "Just let me hunt a little +bit." With this she began to hunt with such zeal as if she were seeking +a long-lost treasure. + +"Here, here," she cried out very soon, while she handed the book proudly +over to her mother. + +The latter took the book and read: + + "Patience Oh Lord, is needed, + When sorrow, grief and pain"-- + +"But, Mäzli, why do you want to sing this song?" her mother asked. + +Kurt had stepped up to them and looked over the mother's shoulder into +the book. "Oh, you sly little person! So you chose the longest song you +could find. You thought that Lippo would see to it that we would sing +every syllable before going to bed." + +"Yes, and you hate to go to bed much more than I do," said Mäzli a little +revengefully. It had filled her with wrath that her beautiful plan had +been seen through so quickly. "When you have to go, you always sigh as +loud as yesterday and cry: 'Oh, what a shame! Oh, what a shame!' and you +think it is fearful." + +"Quite right, cunning little Mäzli," Kurt laughed. + +"Come, come, children, now we'll sing instead of quarrelling," the mother +admonished them. "We'll sing 'The lovely moon is risen.' You know all +the words of that from beginning to end, Mäzli." + +They all started and finished the whole song in peace. + +When the mother came back later on from the beds of the two younger +children, the three elder ones sat expectantly around the table, for Kurt +had told them of their mother's promise to tell them the story of the +family of Wallerstätten that evening. They had already placed their +mother's knitting-basket on the table in preparation of what was to come, +because they knew that she would not tell them a story without knitting +at the same time. + +Smilingly the mother approached. "Everything is ready, I see, so I can +begin right away." + +"Yes, and right from the start, please; from the place where the ghost +first comes in." + +The mother looked questioningly at Kurt. "It seems to me, Kurt, that you +still hope to find out about this ghost, whatever I may say to the +contrary. I shall tell you, though, how people first began to talk about +a ghost in Wildenstein. The origin of these rumors goes back many, many +years." + +"There is a picture in the castle," the mother began to relate, "which I +often looked at as a child and which made a deep impression upon me. It +represents a pilgrim who wanders restlessly about far countries, despite +his snow-white hair, which is blowing about his head, and despite his +looking old and weather-beaten. It is supposed to be the picture of the +ancestor of the family of Wallerstätten. The family name is thought to +have been different at that time. + +"This ancestor is said to have been a man extremely susceptible to +violent outbreaks. In his passion he was supposed to have committed many +evil deeds, on account of which his poor wife could not console herself. +Praying for him, she lay whole days on her knees in the chapel. She died +suddenly, however, and this shocked the baron so mightily that he could +not remain in the castle. In order to find peace for his restless soul +he became a repentant pilgrim. So he took the emblem of a pilgrim into +his coat of arms and called himself Wallerstätten. Leaving his estate +and his sons, he nevermore returned. + +"Later on two of his descendants lived in the castle. Both were well +loved and respected, because they did a great deal to have the land +cultivated for a long distance around and as a result all the farmers +became rich. But both had inherited the violent temper of their +ancestor, and the truth is that there always were members in the family +with that fatal characteristic. Nobody knew what happened between the +brothers, but one morning one of them was found dead on the floor of the +big fencing-hall. All that the castle guard knew about it was that his +two masters had settled a dispute with a duel. The other brother had +immediately disappeared, but was brought back dead to the castle a few +days afterwards. + +"Climbing up a high mountain, he had fallen down a precipice and had been +found dead. These events threw all the neighborhood into great +consternation. + +"That is when the rumors first spread that the restless spirit of the +brother murderer was seen wandering about the castle. All this happened +many years before my father and your grandfather moved into Nolla as +Rector. The rumor had somewhat faded then and all that we children heard +about it was that my father was very positive in denying all such reports +that reached his ears. Your grandfather was the closest friend of the +master of Wallerstätten, whom everybody called the Baron. I can only +remember seeing him once for a moment, but he made an unusual impression +upon me. I remember him very vividly as a very tall man going with rapid +steps through the courtyard and mounting a horse, which was trying to +rear. He died before I was five years old, and I have often heard my +father say to my mother that it was a great misfortune for the two sons +to have lost their father. I felt so sorry for them that I would often +stop in the middle of play to ask her, 'Oh, mother, can nobody help +them?' To comfort me she would tell me that God alone could help. For a +long time I prayed every night before going to sleep: 'Dear God, please +help them in their trouble!' Both were always very kind and friendly with +me. I was up at the castle a great deal, because the Baroness +Maximiliana of Wallerstätten was my godmother. My father instructed the +two sons and acted as helper and adviser to the Baroness in many things. +He went up to her every morning, holding me by one hand and Philip by the +other. My brother had lessons together with the boys, who were one year +apart in age, while Philip was just between them. Bruno, the elder--" + +"I was named after him, mother, wasn't I?" Bruno interrupted here. + +"Salo was a year younger--" + +"I was called after him," Mea said quickly. "You wanted a Salo so much +and, as I was a girl, you called me Malomea, didn't you?" + +The mother nodded. + +"And I was called after father," Kurt cried out, in order to prove that +his name also had a worthy origin. + +"I went up to the castle because my godmother wished it. She would have +loved to have a little daughter herself, therefore she occupied herself +with me as if I belonged to her. She taught me to embroider and to do +other fine handwork. Whenever she went with me into the garden and +through the estate, she taught me all about the trees and flowers. I was +often allowed to pick the violets that grew in great abundance beneath +the hedges and in the grass at the border of the little woods. Oh, what +beautiful days those were! Soon they were to become more perfect still +for us. + +"But I received an impression in those days which remained in my heart +for a long while like a menacing power, often frightening me so that I +was very unhappy. Once my father came down very silently from the +castle. When my mother asked him if anything had happened he replied, +and I still hear his words 'Young Bruno has inherited his ancestor's +dreadful passion. His mother is naturally more worried about this than +about anything else.'" + +"Look at him," Kurt said dryly, glancing at Bruno, who was sitting beside +his mother. For answer Bruno's eyes flashed threateningly at his +brother. + +"Oh, please go on, mother," Mea urged. She was in no mood to have the +tale interrupted by a fight between her brothers. + +"It seemed terrible to me," the mother continued again, "that Bruno, my +generous, kind friend, should have anything in his character to worry his +mother. Often I cried quietly in a corner about it and wondered how such +a thing could be. I had to admit it myself, however. Whenever the three +boys had a disagreement or anybody did something to displease Bruno, he +would get quite beside himself with rage, acting in a way which he must +have been sorry for later on. I have to repeat again, though, that he +had at bottom a noble and generous nature and would never have willingly +harmed anyone or committed a cruel deed. But one could see that his +outbreaks of passion might drive him to desperate deeds. + +"Salo, his brother, never became angry, but he had a very unyielding +nature just the same. He was just as obstinate in his way as his +brother, and never gave in. Philip was always on his side, for the two +were the best of friends. Bruno was much more reserved and taciturn than +Salo, who was naturally very gay and could sing and laugh so that the +halls would re-echo loudly with his merriment. The Baroness herself +often laughed in that way, too. That is why Bruno imagined that she +loved her younger son better than him, and because he himself loved his +mother passionately, he could not endure this thought. It was not true, +however. She loved his eldest boy passionately and everybody who was +close to her could see it. + +"When I was ten years old and Philip fifteen, an unusually charming girl +was added to our little circle. I above everybody else was enchanted +with her. Our friends at the castle and even Philip, who certainly was +not easily filled with enthusiasm, were extremely enthusiastic about our +new playmate. She was a girl of eleven years old, you see just a year +older than I was. She was far, far above me, though, in knowledge, +ability, and especially in her manners and whole behaviour, so that I was +perfectly carried away by her charm. + +"Her name was Leonore. She was related to the baroness and had come down +from the far north, in fact from Holstein, where my godmother came from +and all her connections lived. Leonore, the daughter of one of her +relations, had very early lost her father and mother, as her mother had +died soon after the Baroness decided to adopt the child. She knew that +Leonore would otherwise be all alone in the world, and she hoped that a +gentle sister would have an extremely beneficial influence on the two +self-willed brothers. Now a time began for me which was more wonderful +than anything I could ever have imagined. Leonore was to continue her +studies, of course, and take up new ones. For that purpose a very +refined German lady came to the castle very soon after Leonore's arrival. +Only years afterwards I realized what a splendid teacher she had been. + +"My godmother had arranged for me to share the studies with Leonore, and +therefore I was to live all day at the castle as her companion, only +returning in the evenings. So we two girls spent all our time together, +and in bad weather I also remained there for the night. Leonore had a +tremendous influence on me, and I am glad to say an influence for my +good, for I was able to look up to her in everything. Whatever was +common or low was absolutely foreign to her noble nature. This close +companionship with her was not only the greatest enjoyment of my young +years, but was the greatest of benefits for my whole life." + +"You certainly were lucky, mother," Mea exclaimed passionately. + +"Yes, and Uncle Philip was lucky, too, to have two such nice friends," +Bruno added. + +"I realize that," the mother answered. "You have no idea, children, how +often I have wished that you, too, could have such friends." + +"Please go on," Kurt begged impatiently. "Where did they go, mother? +Doesn't anyone know what has become of them?" + +"Whenever our brothers, as we called them, were free," the mother +continued, "they were our beloved playmates. We valued their stimulating +company very much and were always happy when through some chance they +were exempt from some of their numerous lessons. They always asked us to +join them in their games and we were very happy that they wanted our +company. Baroness von Wallerstätten had guessed right. Since Leonore +had come into our midst, the brothers fought much more seldom, and +everybody who knew Bruno well could see that he tried to suppress his +outbursts of rage in her presence. Once Leonore had become pale with +fright when she had been obliged to witness such a scene, and Bruno had +not forgotten it. Four years had passed for us in cloudless sunshine +when a great change took place. The young barons left the castle in +order to attend a university in Germany, and Philip also left for an +agricultural school. So we only saw the brothers once a year, during +their brief holidays in the summer. Those days were great feast days +then for all of us, and we enjoyed every single hour of their stay from +early morning till late at night. We always began and ended every day +with music, and frequently whole days were spent in the enjoyment of it. + +"Both young Wallerstättens were extremely musical and had splendid +voices, and Leonore's exquisite singing stirred everybody deeply. The +Baroness always said that Leonore's voice brought the tears to her eyes, +no matter if she sang merry or serious songs. It affected me in that +way, too, and one could never grow weary of hearing her. I had just +finished my seventeenth and Leonore her eighteenth year when a summer +came which was to bring grave changes. We did not expect Philip home for +the holidays. Through the Baroness' help he was already filling the post +of manager of an estate in the far north. The young barons had also +completed their studies and were expected to come home and to consult +with their mother about their plans for the future. She fully expected +them to travel before settling down, and after that she hoped sincerely +that one of them would come to live at home with her; this would mean +that he would take the care of the estate on his shoulders with its +troubles and responsibilities. Soon after their arrival the sons seemed +to have had an interview with their mother which clearly worried her, for +she went about silently, refusing to answer any questions. Bruno strode +up and down the terrace with flaming eyes whole hours at a time, without +saying a word. Salo was the only sociable one left, and sometimes he +would come and sit down beside us; but if we questioned him about their +apparent feud, he remained silent. How different this was from our +former gay days! But this painful situation did not last long. On the +fifth or sixth day after their arrival the brothers did not appear for +breakfast. The Baroness immediately inquired in great anxiety if they +had left the castle, but nobody seemed to have noticed them. Apollonie +was the only one who had seen them going upstairs together in the early +morning, so she was sent up to look for them in the tower rooms. When +she found them empty, she opened the door of the old fencing-hall by some +strange impulse. Here Salo was crouching half fainting on the floor. He +told her that it was nothing to worry about, and that he had only lost +consciousness for a moment. She had to help him to get up, however, and +he came downstairs supported on her arm. The Baroness never said a word. +She stayed in her son's chamber till the physician who had been sent for +had gone away again. Then returning to us, she sat down beside Leonore +and me and told us that we ought to know what had happened. Apparently +she was very calm, but I had never seen her face so pale. She informed +us that when she had spoken to her sons about their future plans, she had +discovered that neither of them had ever spoken about it to the other. +Now they both declared to her that their full intention had been for +years to come home after the completion of their studies and to live in +Wildenstein with her and Leonore. Bruno was quite beside himself when he +found that Salo had apparently no intention to yield to him in the +matter, so he challenged his brother to a duel in order to decide which +of them was to remain at home. Salo had been wounded and, losing +consciousness, had fallen to the ground. Bruno, fearing something worse, +had disappeared. The doctor had not found Sale's wounds of a serious +nature, but as he had a delicate constitution, great care had to be +taken. When I left the castle that day I felt that all the joy and +happiness I had ever known on earth was shattered, and this feeling +stayed with me a long while after. Soon after that sad event the +Baroness got ready for a journey to the south, where she meant to go with +Salo and Leonore. Salo had not recovered as quickly as she had hoped, +and Leonore, instead of getting more robust in our vigorous mountain-air, +only became thinner and frailer. Only once Bruno sent his mother some +news. In extremely few words he let her know that he was going to Spain, +and that she need not trouble more about him. But the news of his +brother's survival reached him, nevertheless. Now all those I had loved +so passionately had gone away, and I felt it very deeply. There the +castle stood, sad and lifeless, and its lighted windows looked down no +more upon us from the height. All its eyes were closed and were to +remain so." + +"Oh, oh, did they never come back?" cried out Kurt with regret. + +"No, never," the mother replied. "At that time, too, apparently, all the +reports which had long ago faded were revived as to a ghost who was +supposed to wander about the castle. There were many who asserted they +had seen or heard him, and till to-day the ghost of Wildenstein is +haunting people's heads." + +"Look at him," said Bruno dryly, pointing to the lower end of the table +where Kurt was sitting. + +"Finish, please, mother," the latter quickly urged. "Where did they all +get to? And where is the brother who disappeared?" + +"All I still have to tell you is short and sad," said the mother. +"Leonore faithfully wrote to me. After spending the first winter in the +south it became apparent that the Baroness's health was shattered. She +refused to return to the castle and sent her instructions to Apollonie, +who had married the gardener of Wildenstein, and who now with her husband +became caretaker of the castle, Three years afterwards the Baroness died +without ever having returned. A short time after that Leonore became +Salo's wife, but they were not fated to remain together long. Not more +than three years later Salo died of a violent fever and Leonore followed +him in a few months, but they left a little boy and a little girl. After +Salo's death Leonore was left alone in life, so an aunt from Holstein +came to live with her in Nice. After Leonore's death this aunt took the +two children home with her. I heard this from Apollonie, who had been +sent Leonore's last instructions by this aunt. I never learned anything +further about the two children, and only once did I receive word from +Baron Bruno through Apollonie. Your late father, young Rector Bergmann, +had married me just about the time when we heard of the Baroness's death. +I followed him very gladly to Sils, because Philip had just bought an +estate there and was very anxious to have me close to him. One day +Apollonie came to me in great agitation. Baron Bruno, never once sending +word, had arrived in the castle after an absence of eight years and had +brought with him a companion by the name of Mr. Demetrius. The Baron +had naturally expected to find his mother, his brother and his erstwhile +playmates gathered there as before. When he heard from Apollonie +everything that had happened in his absence, he broke into a violent +passion, because he believed that the news had been purposely kept from +him. Apollonie was able to show him his late mother's letters where she +had given her exact orders in case of his return. He could also see from +them that she wrote to him frequently and had tried to reach him in vain. +Baron Bruno had lived an extremely unsettled existence and all the +letters had miscarried, despite the orders he had left in big cities to +have them forwarded. Full of anger and bitterness the Baron immediately +left, and till the present hour he has not been heard of. Mr. +Demetrius, later on called Mr. Trius by everybody, came back a few years +ago to the deserted castle. Apollonie had meanwhile lost her husband, +had closed up all the rooms at the castle, and had gone to live again in +the former gardener's cottage, where she is living now. From the time +when he reappeared till to-day, Mr. Trius has led a solitary life and +sees no one except Apollonie, and her only when he is in need of her. +However hard Apollonie tried to make him tell about his master, he would +not do it. You know now about my happy life in Wildenstein and will be +able to understand the reason why I moved here again after the death of +your father. Another inducement was that our dear Rector, an erstwhile +friend of my father's, promised to give Bruno instruction which he could +not get at a country school, so that I was able to keep him at home +longer, you see. Now you know why the deserted castle attracts me so +despite its sad aspect, for it brings back to me my most beautiful +memories." + +"Oh, please, mother, tell us a little more," Kurt begged eagerly, when +his mother rose. + +"Oh, mother," Mea joined in, "tell us more about your friend, Leonore." + +"Oh, yes, tell us more, mother," Bruno supplicated. "There must be more +to know still. Did Baron Bruno keep on travelling in Spain?" + +"I think most of the time, but I can't tell you for sure," the mother +replied. "I know everything only from Apollonie, who had these reports +from Mr. Trius, but he either does not choose to talk or does not know +very much himself about his master. I have told you everything now and +you must go to bed as quickly as you can. It was your bedtime long ago." + +No questions or supplications helped now, and soon the house was silent, +except for the mother's quiet steps as she once more visited the +children's beds. Her eldest, who could become so violent, lay before her +with a peaceful expression on his clear brow. She knew how high his +standard of honor was, but how would he end if his unfortunate trait +gained more ascendancy over him? Soon she would be obliged to send him +away, and how could she hope for a loving influence in strange +surroundings, which was the only thing to quiet him? The mother knew that +she had not the power to keep her children from pain and sin, but she +knew the hand which leads and steadies all children that are entrusted to +it, that can guard and save where no mother's hand or love can avail. +She went with folded hands from one bed to the other, surrendering her +children to their Father's protection in Heaven. He knew best how much +they were in need of His loving care. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +AN UNEXPECTED APPARITION + +Kurt had so many plans the next day that he already rushed to school as +if he had not a minute to lose. Mea and Lippo, who started with him, +looked full of astonishment at his unusual speed. Arriving at the +school, he saw Loneli coming along with a drooping head and not, as +usual, with a happy stride. + +"What is it, Loneli?" asked Kurt coming nearer. "Why are your eyes +swollen already before it is even eight o'clock? Just he happy. I'll +help you. Did anybody hurt you?" + +"No, Kurt, no one, but I can't be happy any more," and with these +words Loneli's eyes filled again with tears. "I wish you could see +grandmother since I've been on the shame-bench. I would not mind if +she were angry, for she generally forgives me again after a while; but +she is sad all the time. It is worst when I go to school in the +morning, because she says that I brought down shame on us both, and +that I have given her gray hairs. She said to me that after having +lived an honorable life and spent most of it with the most noble +family, this was very hard for her. She felt as if she had raised me +only to bring down shame on both for the rest of our lives." + +Loneli broke out anew into tears. This neverending disgrace, together +with the constant reproaches she had had to bear, seemed to choke her, + +"No, no, Loneli, you don't need to cry any more. It is not at all the +way your grandmother is taking it," Kurt said consolingly. "I'll go to +her ever so soon to explain what happened. Please be happy and +everything will come out all right." + +"Do you think so?" Loneli asked, pleasantly surprised. Her eyes were +clear again, for she always believed whatever Kurt said to her. Now he +rushed over to the noisy crowd of children, who seemed to have been +waiting for him. Kurt was always glad to have such numerous friends, for +he usually needed a large following for the execution of his schemes. +To-day he had two large undertakings in his head, and he needed to +persuade his comrades to join him. He was explaining with such violent +gestures and eager words that they entirely neglected the first strokes +of the tower bell. At the last and eighth stroke the little crowd +dispersed as suddenly as a flock of frightened birds. Then they rushed +into the school house. Kurt was home to-day ahead of everybody, too. He +approached his mother with a large sheet of paper. + +"Look, mother, Mr. Trius got a song. Yesterday evening he threatened +two more of my friends with the stick, but they were luckily able to save +themselves. It seems as if he had at least four eyes and ears which can +see and hear whatever is going on. I finished the song. Can I read it +to you?" + +"I wish you had no friends that Mr. Trius has occasion to frighten with +a stick," said the mother. "I hope that it won't ever happen to you." + +"Oh, he often threatens innocent people," Kurt replied. "Listen to a +true description of him." + + A SONG ABOUT MR. TRIUS, THE BOY BEATER. + + Old Trius lives in our town, + A haughty man is he, + And every one that he can catch + He beats right heartily. + + Old Trius wears a yellow coat, + It's very long and thick, + But all the children run away + At sight of his big stick. + + Old Trius of the pointed hat + He wanders all around, + And if he beats nobody, why + There's no one to be found. + + Old Trius thinks: To spank a boy + Is really very kind, + And all he cannot hit in front + At least he hits behind. + + Old Trius makes a pretty face + With every blow he gives. + He'll beat us all for many years, + I'm thinking, if he lives. + +The mother could not help smiling a little bit during the perusal, but +now she said seriously: "This song must under no condition fall into Mr. +Trius' hands. He might not look at it as a joke, and you must not offend +him. I advise you, Kurt, not to challenge Mr. Trius in any way, for he +might reply to you in some unexpected fashion. He has his own ways and +means of getting rid of people." + +Kurt was very anxious to get his mother's permission to run about that +same evening by moonlight with his friends, and his mother granted it +willingly. + +"I hope you are not going on one of the unfortunate apple-expeditions I +hear so much about," she added. + +Kurt quite indignantly assured her that he would never do such a thing. +Lippo was pushing him to one side now. The little boy had made attempts +to reach his mother for several minutes, and he was delighted at his +brother's quick departure. + +"Mr. Rector sends you his regards and he wants to know if you wanted to +give him an answer. Here is a letter," said Lippo. + +"Where did you bring the letter from?" asked the mother. + +"I didn't bring the letter. Lise from the rectory brought it," was +Lippo's information. "But Lise saw me in front of the door and said that +I should take the letter up with me and give it to you, and tell her +whether you wanted to give the Rector an answer or not." + +"Oh, that is just the way a message ought to be given," the mother said +with a smile. "Did you hear it, Mäzli? I wish you could learn from Lippo +how to do it. Whenever you have one to give, I have such trouble to find +out what really happened and what you have only imagined." + +Mäzli, whose knitting-ball was at that moment in the most hopelessly +knotted condition, was ever so glad when her mother suggested a new +activity. Quickly flinging her knitting away, she jumped up from her +stool. Then she began to repeat Lippo's speech, word for word: "I did +not bring the letter. Lise from the rectory--" + +"No, no, Mäzli, I do not mean it that way," the mother interrupted her. +"I mean that the reports you bring me so often sound quite impossible. I +want you to be as careful and exact in them as Lippo." + +In the meantime the mother had opened the letter and looked suddenly +quite frightened. + +"Tell the girl that I shall go to Mr. Rector myself and that she need +not wait for an answer," was her message entrusted to Lippo. + +The thing she had dreaded so much was settled now. The Rector let her +know in his letter that he had realized the time had come for his pupils +to be put into different hands. He wrote that he had decided to +discontinue the studies with them next fall, but that he would be only +too glad to be of assistance to Mrs. Maxa in consulting about Bruno's +further education. He closed with an assurance that he would be the +happier to do so because Bruno had always been very dear to him. + +Mrs. Maxa, sitting silently with folded hands, was lost in thought. +This was something that happened very seldom. + +But Mea stood before her and trying to get her sympathy with passionate +gestures. "Just think, mother," she cried out, "Elvira is so angry now +that she will never have anything more to do with me, no never. But she +was most offended because I told her that it was wrong of her; not to +admit that she had chattered in school. She said quite sarcastically +that if I chose to correct her on account of that raggedy Loneli, I +should keep Loneli for a friend and not her." + +"Let her be for once," said the mother. "Till now you have always gone +after her; so do what she wishes this time. It is wrong to call Loneli +raggedy; few people are as honest and agreeable as Apollonie and her +grandchild." + +Mea was ready with many more complaints, for whenever anything bothered +her, she felt the need to tell her mother. She realized, though, that +she had to put off further communications for a quiet evening hour. + +Bruno had approached, and turning to his mother, asked in great suspense: +"Mother, what did Mr. Rector write to you? Have the plum-thieves been +discovered?" + +"I do not think that they have brought his decision about, but I am sure +they hastened it. Read the letter," said his mother, handing it to him. + +"That is not so bad," Bruno said after reading it. "As soon as you send +me to town I shall be rid of them at last, and I won't have to bother +about them any more. You know, mother, that all they care about is to do +mean and nasty things." + +"But they will go to town, too, and then you will be thrown together. +There won't be anybody then who cares for you and will listen to you," +the mother lamented. + +"Do not worry, mother, the town is big and we won't be so close together. +I'll keep far enough away from them, you may be sure. Don't let it +trouble you," Bruno reassured her. + +Kurt was so much occupied at lunch with his own plans and ideas that he +never even noticed when his favorite dessert appeared on the table. +Lippo, seriously looking at him, said quite reproachfully, "Now you don't +even see that we have apple-dumpling." Such an indifference seemed wrong +to the little boy. + +But Kurt even swallowed the apple-dumpling absent-mindedly. After lunch +he begged his mother's permission to be allowed to leave immediately, +because he still had so much to talk over with his friends. "I'll tell +you all about it afterwards, mother. Be sure that I am doing something +right that ought to be done," he reassured her. "If only I can go now." +Having obtained permission, he shot away, and arriving at the +school-house, flew into the midst of a crowd of boys. But before their +plan could be carried out the children were obliged to sit two whole +hours on the school-benches. It truly seemed to-day as if they would +never end. + +Lux, the sexton's boy, who preferred pulling the bell-rope and being +violently drawn up by it to sitting in school, tapped his neighbor's +sleeve. + +"How late is it, Max?" he asked. + +"I don't know." + +"Max," Lux whispered again, "the second expedition will be more fun than +the first. I look forward to it more, don't you?" + +"You can look forward to the shame-bench if you don't keep quiet," Max +retorted, squinting with his eyes in the direction of the teacher. + +The latter had actually directed his eyes to the side where the +whisperers sat. Lux, bending over his book, kept quiet at last. Finally +the longed-for hour came and in a few minutes the whole swarm was +outside. With a great deal of noise, but in a quick and pretty orderly +fashion they now formed a procession, which began to move in the +direction of Apollonie's little house. Here a halt was made. Kurt, +climbing to the top of a heap of logs, which lay in the pathway, stood +upright, while the others grouped themselves about him. Apollonie opened +the window a little, but hid behind it, for she was wondering what was +going on. Loneli stood close behind her. She had just come back +breathlessly, for she had heard that a procession was coming towards her +grandmother's house. + +"Mrs. Apollonie," Kurt cried out with loud voice, "two whole classes +from school have come to you to tell you that it was not Loneli's fault +when she had to sit on the shame-bench. It only happened because her +character is so good. Out of pure politeness she answered a question +somebody asked her. When the teacher wanted to know who was chattering, +she honestly accused herself. She did not tell him that she answered a +question in fear of accusing somebody else. We wanted to tell you all +about it so that you won't think you have to be ashamed of Loneli. We +think and know that she is the friendliest and most obliging child in +school." + +"Long live Loneli!" Lux suddenly cheered so that the whole band +involuntarily joined him. "Long live Loneli!;" it sounded again and the +echo from the castle-mountain repeated, "Loneli." + +Apollonie opened the window completely, and putting out her head, cried: +"It is lovely of you, children that you don't want Loneli disgraced. I +thank you for justifying her. Wait a minute. I should like to do you a +favor, too." + +With that Apollonie disappeared from the window. Soon after she came out +by the door with a large basket of fragrant apples on her arm. Putting +it in front of the children, she said encouragingly, "Help yourselves." + +"Good gracious," cried out Lux, with one of the juicy apples between his +teeth, "I know these. They only grow in the castle-garden, on the two +trees on the right, in the corner by the fence. Do you know that, Kurt," +he said confidentially, "I only wonder how she could get hold of such a +basket full, you know, without being--you know--" With this he made the +unmistakable motion of Mr. Trius with his tool of correction. + +"What on earth do you mean?" Kurt cried out full of indignation. "Mrs. +Apollonie did not need to steal them. Mr. Trius certainly could give +her a few baskets of apples for all the shirts she sews and mends for +him." + +"Oh, I see, that is different," said Lux, now properly informed. + +In the shortest time the huge basket was emptied of its delicious apples +and the whole band had dispersed after many exclamations of thanks. They +all ran home and Kurt outran them all. It was important now to do his +home-work as speedily as possible, as the second expedition was to take +place a little later. When he reached the front door he noticed that +Mrs. Knippel was coming up behind him. + +Running ahead quickly, he flung open the living-room door and called in, +"Take Mäzli out of the way or else something horrible will happen again." + +After saying this he ran away. Bruno and Mea, who were busy in the room +with their work, did not find it necessary to follow Kurt's command. If +he found it so necessary, why didn't he do it himself, they thought, +remaining seated. Mäzli had risen rapidly and looked towards the door +with large expectant eyes, wondering what was going to happen. Mrs. +Knippel now entered. + +"Why does something horrible always happen when Mrs. Knippel comes?" +Mäzli asked in a loud voice. + +Mea, quickly getting up, went out of the door, pulling Mäzli after her; +to explain her hasty retreat, she said that she wanted to fetch her +mother. She simply had to take that horrible little Mäzli out of the +way; who could know what she might say next. She always brought forward +her most awful ideas when it was least suitable. The mother, who was on +the way already, entered just when Mea was running out with Mäzli. Bruno +also slipped quickly after them. He had only waited for his mother's +appearance in order to fly. + +"Your children are certainly very peculiar," the district attorney's wife +began. "I have to think so every time I see them. What do all your +admonitions help, I should like to know? Nature will have its way! Not +one of my children has ever been so impertinent, to say the least, as +your little daughter is already." + +"I am very sorry you should have to tell me that," Mrs. Maxa replied. +"Isn't it possible that the child should have unconsciously said an +impertinence? I hope you have never had a similar experience with my +older children." + +"No, I could not say that," Mrs. Knippel answered. "But I should say +that all of them have inherited the love of preaching, especially your +daughter Mea. Children can be unlike by disposition without its being +necessary that one of them should constantly make sermons to the other." + +"My children are very often of different opinions, but I could not say +that they preach much to each other," said Mrs. Maxa. + +"It is certainly Mea's habit to do so, and that is why she is not able to +keep peace with her friends. I suppose you received a letter from our +Rector telling you of the refusal to teach the boys any further." + +This was said with a less severe intonation. + +Mrs. Maxa confirmed the statement. + +"So the change we have looked forward to has really come," the visitor +continued, "and my husband agrees with me that prompt action should be +taken. He is going to the city to-morrow; in fact, he has left already +in order to visit his sister on the way. He will look for a suitable, +attractive home in town that the three boys can move into next fall." + +"You do not mean to tell me, Mrs. Knippel, that your husband is ordering +living-quarters for Bruno, too?" Mrs. Maxa said in consternation. + +"Oh, yes, and this is why my husband has sent me here, to let you know +how glad he is to do it for you," the attorney's wife said soothingly. +"He was positively sure that you would be glad if he decided and ordered +everything to suit himself and you." + +"But, Mrs. Knippel, I am not prepared for this. I have not even spoken +to my brother about it. You know very well that he is the children's +guardian." + +Mrs. Maxa was quite unable to hide her excitement. + +"You can be reassured, for we have thought of that, too," the visitor +said with a slightly superior smile. "My husband's sister does not live +very far from Mr. Falcon in Sils. So he planned to visit your brother +and talk the plan over with him." + +This calmed Mrs. Maxa a trifle, for her brother knew already how it +stood between the three comrades and how little she wanted them to live +together. But she could not help wondering why these people were trying +to force the boys to live together. + +"I do not really understand why the boys should have to live together," +she said with animation; "they do not profess to feel much friendship for +each other, and never seek each other out. You yourself, Mrs. Knippel, +do not seem to get a very good impression from my children's ways. I do +not see why you wish your sons to live with mine at all." + +"It is a matter of decorum," the attorney's wife replied, "and my husband +agrees with me. What would people in town say if the sons of the two +best families here, who have always studied together, should not live +together? Everybody would think that something special had happened +between the families. Both parties will only gain in respect by +joining." + +"I do not believe that people in the city will be interested in what the +three boys are doing," said Mrs. Maxa, smiling a little. + +That same moment the door was flung wide open. With a triumphant face as +if she wanted to say, "Just look whom I bring you here," Mäzli stood on +the threshhold leading Apollonie in. The latter hastily retreated. + +"No, no, Mäzli," she said quite frightened, "you should have told me that +there was company." + +Mrs. Knippel had risen to take her departure: "It seems to me that other +visitors are greeted very joyfully by your children. Well, I must say +they have rather odd tastes," she said, walking towards the door. + +"Apollonie is a very old friend of ours. All the children love her very +much. They may have inherited this attachment, though," Mrs. Maxa +replied with a smile. + +"I only want to say one more word," said the lady turning round before +stepping outside the door. "The scene your son Kurt enacted to-day in +front of Apollonie's cottage with his crowd of miscellaneous friends can +only be called a vulgar noise." + +But Mrs. Maxa did not yet know what Kurt had done. The visitor turned +to go now, as it seemed not worth her while to waste words about it. As +soon as the field was clear, Mäzli rushed out of a hiding-place, pulling +Apollonie with her. The old woman was terribly apologetic about having +gone into the room. When she had told Mäzli that she wanted to see her +mother, the little girl had taken her there without any further ado. She +informed the Rector's widow that she had come to her with a quite +incredible communication. + +Mrs. Maxa found it necessary at this point to interrupt her friend. She +had noticed that Mäzli was all ears to what was coming. + +"Mäzli, go and play with Lippo till I come," she said. + +"Please tell me all about it afterwards, Apollonie," was Mäzli's +instruction before going to do as she was bid. + +Apollonie's communication took a considerable time. She had just left +when the family sat down to a belated supper. + +Kurt swallowed his meal with signs of immoderate impatience. As soon as +possible he rushed away, after having given his promise not to come home +late. The friends that were to join him in this expedition had to be +sought out first. When he neared the meeting place, he felt a little +disappointed. In the twilight he could see that there was a smaller +number assembled than he had hoped for. This certainly was not the crowd +he had had together at noon when at least all the boys had promised to +take part in his new enterprise. + +"They were afraid, they were afraid," all voices cried together. Kurt +heard now, while each screamed louder than the other that many boys and +girls had left when the darkness was beginning to fall. Among the few +that were left there were only four girls. + +"It doesn't matter," said Kurt. "There are enough people still. Whoever +is afraid may leave. We must start, though, because we have rather far +to go. We are not going up the well-known path, because Mr. Trius +watches for apple-hunters there till midnight, I think. That suits us +exactly, for he must not hear us. We are going up to the woods at the +back of the castle. First, we'll sing our challenge, then comes the +pause, to give the ghost enough time, then again and after that for the +third and last time. If there really is a ghost, he will have appeared +by then. You can understand that he won't let himself be teased by us. +So when he hasn't come, we can tell everybody what we did. Then they'll +see that it is only a superstition and that there is no wandering ghost +in Wildenstein. Forward now!" + +The little crowd set out full of spirits and eagerness for the adventure, +for Kurt had clearly shown them that there could be no ghost. To go up +there and sing loudly to a non-existent ghost was capital fun. +Furthermore, they looked forward to boasting of their daring deed +afterwards. Faster and faster they climbed, so that only half of the +usual time was taken in reaching their destination. It was dark at +first, but the moon suddenly came out from behind the clouds, cheerfully +lighting up the fields. + +Having reached the rear of the castle hill, they hurried up the incline +and into the pinewoods, where the trees stood extremely close together. +This made it very dark, despite the fact that the wood was small. Soon +clouds covered the moon, and the little band became stiller and stiller. +Here and there one of the children sneaked off and did not reappear. +Three of the girls, after mysteriously whispering together, were gone, +too, and with them several more stole away, for there was a strange +rustling in the bushes. Kurt with Lux and his enterprising sister Clevi +were at the extreme front. + +When it became very still, Kurt turned around. + +"Come along! Where are you all?" he called back. + +"We are coming," several voices answered from some children immediately +behind him. It was Max, Hans and Simi, and then Stoffi and Rudi behind +them, but they were all. Kurt halted. + +"Where is the whole troup?" asked Kurt. "Let us wait till they catch up. +We must all stay together up there." + +But none followed. All the answer Kurt got to his question was the +screaching of an owl. + +"Oh, they've gone, they were afraid," said Max. "They were there, +though, when we came into the woods." + +"The cowards!" Clevi cried indignantly, + +"To be afraid of trees! That certainly is funny." + +"Well, we aren't afraid anyway; otherwise we shouldn't be here any more. +Call to those who are gone," Max called back. + +"Come on now, come!" Kurt commanded. "There are eight of us left to +sing, so we must all sing very loud." + +On they went speedily till they could see the end of the woods. One of +the gray towers was peering between the trees. They had at last reached +their goal. + +"Here we stop!" said Kurt, "but we must not go outside the woods. The +Wildenstein ghost might otherwise step up to us, if he walks around the +terrace. Here we go!" + +Kurt began and all the others vigorously joined him: + + Come out, you ghost of Wildenstein! + For we are not afraid, + We've come here in the bright moonshine + To sing the song we've made + Come out, come out, and leave your den; + You'll never scare the folks again. + +Everything was quiet roundabout, only the night wind was soughing in the +old pine-trees. Between them there was a clear view of the terrace, +which the moon was now flooding with light; the space before the castle +lay peaceful and deserted. + +"We must sing again," said Kurt. "He didn't hear us. If he doesn't give +us an answer this time we'll tell him what we know. Then we'll sing +fearfully loud: + + Hurrah! We have a certain sign, + There is no ghost in Wildenstein. + + "Then we'll start again." + +Clevi, who was gifted with a far-carrying voice, began: + + "Come out, you ghost of Wildenstein!" + +And the boys with voices of thunder chimed in: + + "For we are not afraid." + +"Just look! Who is coming there? Who can it be?" said Kurt, staring at +the terrace. + +An incredibly tall figure, which could not possibly be human, was +wandering across the terrace with slow steps. It could not be a tree +either, for it slowly moved over towards the woods. Did he really see +straight, or was it the moonlight which was throwing a flitting shadow. + +That moment Max, who was very big, turned about and fled. The four +others followed headlong, leaving only Lux and Clevi beside Kurt. + +The horrible figure came nearer and nearer, and it could now be clearly +discerned. Full moonlight fell on the armor he was garbed in and made +it, as well as the high helmet with waving plumes, glitter brightly. A +long mantle fell from his shoulders down to his high riding boots, half +hiding his fearful figure. Could this be a human creature? No, +impossible! No living man could be as enormous as that. With measured +steps the apparition walked silently towards the pine trees. Here the +three singers stood horror-stricken, not uttering a sound. + +Lux, like one crazed, suddenly rushed headlong away between the trees and +down the hill. Clevi once more looked at the approaching figure with +wide-open eyes. Before following her brother she wanted to see exactly +what the knight looked like. + +Kurt was left quite alone, and still the fearful creature stalked nearer. +With a desperate leap he sprang to one side and left the woods abruptly. +Hurrying towards the meadow, he ran down the mountain, leaped over first +one hedge and then a second. Then he flew on till he stood in the little +garden at home where a peaceful light from the living-room seemed to +greet him. + +Breathing deeply, he ran in and his mother met him at the door. + +"Oh, is it you, Kurt?" she said kindly. "But you are a little late after +all. Was it so hard to leave the beautiful moonlight? Or was it such fun +rushing about? But, Kurt, you are entirely out of breath. Come sit down +a moment with me. After that you have to go to bed; all the others have +gone already." + +Usually Kurt would have adored being able to sit alone with his mother +and have all her attention directed towards him. This he could not enjoy +now. Might not his mother ask him further details about his walk? So he +said that he preferred to go to bed right away, and his mother understood +that he was glad to get to rest after running about so ceaselessly. Only +when Kurt lay safely and quietly in bed could he think over what had +happened and how cowardly he had acted. + +After all, his mother had clearly told him that there was no ghost in +Wildenstein. Whom then, had he seen in armor and helmet and with a long +mantle? It could not have been Mr. Trius, because he was a short, stout +person, whereas the apparition was a tree-high figure. Might it be a +sentinel at the castle who was ordered to go about? May be the old +castle-barons had always wished an armed sentinel to keep watch. If only +he had not run away! He could have let the sentinel walk up to him and +then he could have told him of his intention. The sentinel could only +have been pleased by his endeavor to get rid of such an old superstition. +If only he had not run away! + +Oh, yes, now that Kurt was safely under cover and Bruno's breathing +beside him spoke of his big brother's nearness, it seemed easy enough to +act bravely! If only he had done it! The thing he could not explain to +himself was how anybody could be so horribly tall. That was hardly +credible. Kurt felt at bottom quite sure that it was impossible for +anybody to look like that. + +"If only I could have told mother about it!" he sighed. But he felt +dreadfully ashamed. She had absolutely forbidden him troubling himself +about this matter. Even with his intention to get rid of the talk he had +acted against her command. Well, and what had he accomplished? More than +ever the whole village would say to-morrow that the ghost of Wildenstein +was wandering about again. Furthermore he did not know how to gainsay +it. If it only had not been so huge! + +When the mother stepped up to her children's bedside later on as usual, +she stopped a little while before Kurt. Hearing him moaning in his +sleep, she thought he was ill. + +"Kurt," she said quietly, "does something hurt you?" + +He woke up. "Oh, mother," he said, seizing her hand, "is it you? I +thought the ghost of Wildenstein was stretching out his enormous arm +towards me! + +"You were dreaming; don't think about such things in daytime," the mother +said kindly. "Have you forgotten your evening prayer after the +excitements of the day?" + +"Yes, I had so much to think about that I forgot it," Kurt admitted. + +"Say it now, then you will fall asleep more quietly," said the mother. +"But please, Kurt, never forget that God hears our prayers and comforts +and calms us only when we open our hearts entirely to him. You know, +Kurt, don't you, that we must hide nothing from him?" + +Kurt moaned "Yes" in a very low voice. + +After giving him a good-night kiss the mother withdrew. + + + +CHAPTER V + +OPPRESSIVE AIR + +It seemed as if for several days a heavy atmosphere was weighing down the +limbs of all Mrs. Maxa's household, so that its wonted cheerfulness was +entirely absent. Even the mother went about more silently than usual, +for the worry about Bruno's future weighed heavily on her heart. She had +written to her brother to come to her as soon as possible, so that they +could talk the matter over and come to a united decision. He had +answered her that urgent business was forcing him to a journey to South +Germany, and that it would be time enough to settle the matter after his +return. Bruno, having heard about the situation, was already wrought up +by the mere possibility of his being obliged to live with the two boys. +Secretly he was already making the wildest plans in order to escape such +an intolerable situation. Why shouldn't he simply disappear and go to +Spain like the young Baron of Wallerstätten? Probably the young gentleman +had had some money to dispose of, while he had none. He might hire +himself out as a sailor, however, and travel to China or Australia. He +might study the inhabitants and peculiarities of these countries and +write famous books about them. In that way he could make a good +livelihood. Might he not join a band of wandering singers? His mother +had already told him how well his voice sounded and that she wanted him +to develop it later on. With wrinkled brows Bruno sat about whole +evenings, not saying one word but meditating on his schemes. He found it +extremely hard to tell which one of them was best and to think of means +to carry it out. + +Mea's forehead, also, was darkened by heavy clouds, but she was not as +silent as her brother. Every few moments exclamations of pain or +indignation escaped her. But had she not fared badly? + +When they had moved from Sils to Nolla, Elvira had immediately approached +Mea as if she wanted to become her friend. Mrs. Knippel had sent her an +invitation in order to cement the bonds of friendship, and she had done +the same with Bruno, who was to become her sons' close comrade. It was +quite true that Bruno had declared from the beginning that he would not +make friends with the two who were to share his studies, and every time +they came together fights and quarrels were the result. + +But Mea had a heart which craved friendship. She was overcome with +happiness by the advances of the Knippel family, and immediately gave +herself to her new friend with absolute confidence and warm love. Soon +many differences of opinion and of natural disposition showed themselves +in the two girls, but Mea, in her overflowing joy of having found a +friend, was little troubled by this at first. She thought that all these +things would come right by and by when they came closer to each other. +She hoped that the desired harmony would come when they became better +acquainted. But the more the two girls got to know know each other, the +deeper their differences grew, and every attempt at a clear understanding +only ended in a wider estrangement. + +Mrs. Maxa had always tried to fill her children with a contempt not only +of all wrong, but also of low and ugly actions. She had made an effort +to keep her children from harmful influences and to implant in them a +hate for these things. Whenever Mea found Elvira of a different opinion +in such matters, she was assured that she was in the right by the +mother's opinion, which coincided with her own; so she felt as if Elvira +should be shown the right way, too. Whenever this happened, Elvira +turned from her and told her that she wanted to hear no sermons. + +So the two had not yet become friends, despite the fact that Mea was +still hoping and wishing for it, and her brother Kurt had proved himself +in the right when he had doubted it from the beginning. Since the +incident with Loneli, when Mea had told her friend her opinion in +perfectly good faith, Elvira had not spoken to her any more and had +remained angry. But Mea's nature was not inclined to sulk. Whenever she +felt herself injured, words of indignation poured out from her like fiery +lava from a crater. After that everything was settled. She had been +obliged to sit day after day on the same bench with the sulking girl, +and to come to school and leave again without saying a word. Should this +situation, which had already become intolerable to her, continue forever? +Mea could only moan with this prospect in view. She was glad that Kurt +was in a strangely depressed mood, too, and hardly ever spoke. He would +otherwise have been sure to make several horrible songs about her +experiences with the moping Elvira. + +Kurt, who was usually cheerful, had been as terribly depressed for the +last few days as if he had been carrying a heavy weight around with him +all the time. He had kept something from his mother, and therefore the +weight seemed to get heavier and heavier. It oppressed Kurt more than he +could say that he had not immediately confessed his fault. But how could +the mother have believed him when he told her that he had seen a figure +which could not possibly be human. He really felt like a traitor towards +his mother. All people in Nolla believed anew that a ghost of +Wildenstein went about, for the apparition had actually been seen. Kurt +knew quite well that it was all his fault. He hardly dared to look at +his mother and he longed for somebody to help him. He was filled with +the craving to be happy again. + +Only Lippo and Mäzli pursued their usual occupations and were untroubled +by heavy thoughts. As soon as Mäzli noticed that the usual cheerfulness +had departed from the house, she tried to get into a different atmosphere +at once. She always knew a place of refuge in such a case. "Oh, mama, I +have to go and see Apollonie," she would repeatedly say with firm +conviction to her mother. Having the greatest confidence in Apollonie's +guarding hand, and knowing, besides, that Mäzli's visits always were +welcome, the mother often let her youngest go there. The little girl was +well able to find her way to the cottage and always went without +attempting any digressions from the path. In the evening Loneli +generally accompanied her home. Mäzli would arrive carrying a large +bunch of flowers, the inevitable gift from Apollonie, Presenting them to +her mother, she would shout: "There they are again, just look! I have +some for you again, mother." + +The mother then looked full of delight at the bunch and said, "Yes, those +are the same lovely mignonette that used to grow in the castle-garden, +Apollonie has transplanted them into her own. But they were much finer +in the castle, nowhere could their equal have been found," she concluded, +inhaling the delicious fragrance of the flowers. + +Mäzli promptly poked her little nose into the bouquet, uttering an +exclamation of unspeakable delight. + +Loneli's eyes were very merry again, and was full of her usual gaiety. +Since Kurt had made his little speech and had rehabilitated Loneli's +honour before the school children, the grandmother was as kind to her as +of yore and never mentioned the shame-bench again. Loneli's heart was +simply filled with gratefulness for what he had done and she often wished +in turn for an opportunity to help him out of some trouble. She had +noticed that Kurt was no longer the merriest and most entertaining of the +children, and had given up being their leader in all gay undertakings. +What could be the matter? Loneli hated to see him that way and could not +help pondering about this remarkable change. Being extremely observant, +she had noticed that it was very hard to find out the truth about the +night expedition to the castle. All the boys' answers consisted in dark +allusions to the fact that the ghost was wandering about Wildenstein more +than ever. As not one of them wanted to admit the hasty retreat before +the ghost had even been properly inspected, they only dropped vague and +terrifying words about the matter. + +Brave little Clevi, who usually relished telling of her dangerous +adventures when they had turned out well, was as silent as a mouse about +it all. Whenever Loneli asked her a straight question needing a straight +answer, Clevi ran away, and Loneli got none. The report was sure to have +some foundation, and the most noticeable thing of all was that Kurt's +change had come since that night. That same day he had taken the load +off her heart and had been so gay and merry. So Loneli put two and two +together, and having made these observations, was filled with sudden +wrath. + +As soon as school was ended, she rushed to the astonished Clevi: "Oh, I +know what you have done, Clevi. Kurt was your leader and you didn't obey +him; you all ran away because you were afraid. Oh, you have spoiled it +all for him." + +"Yes, and what about him? He was afraid himself," Clevi cried out +excitedly, for the reproach had stung her. "I could see with what +terrified bounds he flew down the mountain-side." + +"Was he afraid, too, do you really mean? But of what?" Loneli questioned +further. + +"Of what? That is easily said: of what! You ought to have seen that huge +creature coming towards us from the castle." + +Since it had come out that they had been so frightened, Clevi now told in +detail about the horribly tall armoured knight with the high boots and +the long cloak hanging down to his boot-tops. + +"Was the mantle blue?" Loneli, who had been listening intensely, +interrupted. + +"It was night-time, and you can imagine we did not see the color +clearly," Clevi said indignantly. "But the color has nothing to do with +it, it was the length, the horrible, horrible length of that thing! It +looked just too awful. He had a high helmet on his head besides, with a +still higher bunch of black plumes that nodded in the most frightful +way." + +A gleam of joy sparkled in Loneli's eyes. Flying away like an arrow, she +sought out Mrs. Maxa's house. Kurt was standing at the hawthorn hedge +in front of the garden with his schoolbag still slung around him. He had +not rushed in ahead of the others according to his custom. + +With puckered brow he was pulling one leaf after another from the hedge. +Then he flung them all away, as if he wanted with each to rid himself of +a disagreeable thought. + +"Kurt," Loneli called to him, "please wait a moment. Don't go in yet, +for I want to tell you something." + +When Loneli stood beside Kurt she was suddenly filled with embarrassment. +She knew exactly what she had to say, but it would sound as if she was +trying to examine Kurt. This kept her from beginning. + +"Tell me what you want, Loneli," Kurt encouraged her, when he saw her +hesitation. + +So Loneli began: + +"I wanted to ask you if--if--oh, Kurt! Are you so sad on account of what +happened at the castle and because you thought there was no ghost?" + +"I don't want to hear anything more about it," Kurt said evasively, +pulling a handful of leaves from the hedge and throwing them angrily to +the ground. + +"But it might only have been a man after all," Loneli continued quietly. + +"Yes, yes, that is easily said, Loneli. How can you talk when you +haven't even seen him?" + +Kurt flung the last leaves away impatiently and tried to go. But Loneli +would not yield. + +"Just wait a moment, Kurt," she entreated. "It is true that I did not +see him, but Clevi told me all about him. I know why he looked that way +and why he was so enormous. I also know where he got the armour, the +long blue mantle, and the high black plumes." + +"What!" Kurt exclaimed, staring at Loneli as if she were a curious ghost +herself. How can you know anything about it?" + +"Certainly I know about it," Loneli assured him. "Listen! You must +remember that grandmother lived a long time at the castle, so she has +told me everything that went on up there. In the lowest story there is a +huge old hall, and the walls are covered with weapons and things like +armour and helmets. In one corner there is an armoured knight with a +black-plumed helmet on his head. Whenever the young gentlemen from the +castle wanted to play a special prank, one of them would take the knight +on his shoulders, and the knightly long mantle would be hung over his +shoulders so as to cover him down to his high boot-tops. This figure +looked so terrible coming along the terrace that everybody always ran +away, even in bright daylight. Once the two young ladies shrieked loudly +when they suddenly saw the fearful knight. That pleased the young +gentlemen more than anything." + +"Oh, then my mother saw him, too, and knows what he looks like," Kurt +exclaimed with a sudden start, for he had been breathlessly listening. + +"Certainly, for she was one of the young ladies," Loneli said. + +"But now nobody is at the castle except Mr. Trius, and he couldn't have +been there," Kurt objected. "I know that he sneaks about the meadows +till late in the evening in order to catch apple-thieves. That is so far +from the little woods that he could not possibly have heard us." + +"But it was Mr. Trius just the same, you can believe me, Kurt," Loneli +assured her friend. "My grandmother has often said that Mr. Trius +always knows everything that is going on. He seems to hide behind the +hedges and then suddenly comes out from behind the trees when one least +expects him. You know that the boys have known about your plan several +days and that they don't always talk in a low voice. Besides, they have +been trying to get hold of apples every night. You can be sure that Mr. +Trius heard distinctly what your plan was." + +"Yes, that is true, but I have to go to mother now," Kurt exclaimed, as +he started toward the house. Then, turning back once more, he said: +"Thank you ever so much, Loneli, you have done me a greater service than +you can realize by telling me everything. Nothing could have made me +happier than what you have said." As he spoke these words he shook the +little girl's hand with all his might. + +The boy ran into the house, while Loneli hastened home with leaps and +bounds, for her heart was thrilling with great joy. + +"Where is mother, where is mother?" Kurt impetuously asked Lippo, whom he +met in the hall carrying a large water-pitcher entrusted to him by Kathy. + +"One knows well enough where mama must be when it is nearly lunch-time. +You came home late from school," Lippo answered, carefully trotting away +with his fragile burden. + +"Yes, I did, you little sentinel of good order," Kurt laughed out, +passing Lippo in order to hasten to the dining-room. + +Now Kurt could laugh again. + +"Oh, are you as far as that already," he cried out in surprise when he +found everybody settling down to lunch. "What a shame! I wanted to tell +you something, mother." + +She gazed at him questioningly. He had not had any urgent news for her +lately, and she was glad to hear his clear voice and see his merry eyes +again. + +"You must wait now till after lunch, Kurt," she said kindly, "for you +were rather late to-day." + +"Yes, I was rather slow at first," Kurt informed her. "Then Loneli ran +after me to tell me something she has found out. I have often said +before that Loneli is the most clever child in all Nolla, besides being +the most friendly and obliging one could possibly find. Even if she is +only brought up by simple Apollonie, she is more refined at bottom than a +girl I know who adorns her outside with the most beautiful ribbons and +flowers. I would rather have a single Loneli than a thousand Elviras." + +Lippo had been anxiously looking at Kurt for some time. + +"Here come the beans and you have your plate still full of soup," he said +excitedly. + +"Kurt, I think that it would be better for you to eat your soup instead +of uttering such strange speeches. Besides, we all agree with you about +Loneli. I think that she is an unusually nice and sympathetic child." + +"Oh, Kurt," the observant little Mäzli exclaimed, "do you have to talk so +much all at once because you talked so little yesterday, the day before +yesterday and the day before that?" + +"Yes, that is the exact reason, Mäzli," Kurt said with a laugh. His soup +was soon eaten, for his spirits had fully come back now, and in the +shortest time he had emptied his plate. + +Kurt was only able to get his mother to himself after school. The elder +children were busy at that time and the two little ones had taken a walk +to Apollonie. His mother, having clearly understood his wish to have a +thorough talk with her, had reserved this quiet hour for him. Kurt made +an honest confession of his disobedience without once excusing himself by +saying that he had only done it to destroy all foolish superstition and +by this means to become her helper. He could therefore tell her without +reserve how terribly he had been cast down the last few days. The weight +had been very heavy on his heart before his confession, because he had +been so ashamed of the miserable end of the undertaking. He had, +moreover, been very much afraid that she would tell him that no ghost of +Wildenstein existed, after he himself had seen the incredible apparition. +What Loneli had told him had relieved him immensely. Now his mother, who +had seen the terrible sight herself, could understand his fright. + +"Oh, little mother, I hope you are not angry with me any more," Kurt +begged her heartily. "I shall never do anything any more you don't want +me to, for I know now what it feels like. I know that this was my +punishment for doing what you had forbidden me to do." + +When his mother saw that Kurt had realized his mistake and had humbly +borne the punishment, she did not scold him any further. She confirmed +everything Loneli had told him about the knight. She also agreed with +the little girl that the watchful Mr. Trius had probably discovered long +ago what Kurt had planned to do that night. With the horrible apparition +he had probably meant to punish and banish the boys for good. + +"Oh, Kurt," the mother concluded, "I hope I can rely on you from now on +not to have anything more to do with the matter of the fabulous ghost of +Wildenstein." + +Kurt could give his honest promise, for he had enough of his endeavour to +prove the non-existence of the ghost. It put him into the best spirits +that there had been nothing supernatural about it, and that he was able +again to talk with his mother as before. With a loud and jubilant song +he joined his brothers and sisters. + +Mrs. Maxa was also very happy that Kurt had regained his cheerfulness. +What met her ears now, though, was not Kurt's singing, but loud cries of +delight. Opening the door, she distinguished the well-known calls of +"Uncle Philip, Uncle Philip!" So her longed-for brother was near at last. +Her two little ones, who had met with him on their stroll home, were +bringing him along. All five children shouted loudly in order to let +their uncle know how welcome he was. + +"Oh, how glad I am that you have come at last! Welcome, Philip! Please +come in," Mrs. Maxa called out to him. + +"I'll come as soon as it is possible," he replied, breathing heavily. He +held a child with each hand, and three were between his feet, all +welcoming him tumultuously, so that for the moment it was impossible for +him to move forward. + +Gradually the whole knot moved into the house and towards the uncle's +armchair. Here ten busy hands fastened him down so that he should not at +once get away. + +"You rascals, you!" the uncle said, quite exhausted. "A man is lucky to +escape from you with his life. Are you trying to throttle your +godfather, Lippo? Whoever put two fat little arms about a godfather's +neck like that? You seem to have climbed the chair from behind and to +have only your foot on the arm of the chair. If you slip, I shall be +strangled. Who then will find out for whom I brought a harmonica that's +buried in the depths of my coat-pocket? It gives forth the most beautiful +melodies you ever heard, when you have learned to play it." + +A harmonica was the most wonderful thing Lippo could imagine. His +neighbor in school, a little girl called Toneli, owned one and could play +whole songs on it--he had always thought it splendid. If a harmonica was +really destined for him, he had better let go his uncle's arm. + +Uncle Philip dove into his deep pockets with both hands, and soon the +wonderful, coveted object really came to light. And how much bigger and +finer it was than Toneli's little instrument. Such a one must be able to +sound the loveliest tones. Lippo, holding his treasure in his hand, +could hardly believe it to be his own property, but Uncle Philip +reassured him, saying: "Come, Lippo, take it, the harmonica is meant for +you." + +There were presents for all the children in the depths of the pockets, +and one child after another ran away to show his gift to his mother. +Lippo saw and heard nothing else just then. In expectation of the +melodies which would well up he blew with all his might quite horrible, +ear-shattering sounds. + +"Lippo, you must learn how to play a little first. Everything has to be +learned. Give it to me," said Uncle Philip; "you see you must do this +way." Setting the instrument to his lips and pushing it up and down, he +played the merriest tunes. Lippo looked up in speechless admiration at +his god-father. He was tremendously impressed that Uncle Philip could do +everything, even blow a harmonica, which generally only boys were able to +do. How fine it sounded! He was sure that nobody else could bring forth +such beautiful melodies. + +Lippo was interrupted by his brothers and sisters, who were noisily +announcing supper. So Uncle Philip was taken in their midst into the +dining-room, and he might have been likened to a prisoner-of-war captured +by the victors amidst shouts of triumph. + +The mother had purposely ordered supper a little early, and she noticed +that her brother was satisfied with the arrangement. If his intention +had been to shorten the time he could have with the children, he had no +intention of cheating them of amusement, and he told them so many +entertaining things that they felt they had never had a better time with +him. At last, however, it was quiet in the living-room. Uncle Philip +was sitting there alone, waiting for his sister, who had gone upstairs +with the children. + +"First of all, Philip," she said on her return, as she settled down +beside him, "what shall be done with Bruno? I am sure you told Mr. +Knippel not to engage board and lodging for him." + +"On the contrary, I gave him full power to do so," the brother replied. +"Mr. Knippel gave me the impression that you would agree to it and would +be very grateful if he took the matter in hand, so I thought that that +would be the simplest way out. It won't be so very terrible if the boys +live together. Don't always imagine the worst. But I must tell you +something else." + +Uncle Philip seemed to be rather glad to pass quickly over the hard +problem. He guessed in fact that his communication would cause his +sister great consternation. And he had guessed rightly. In her fright +over his first words she had not even heard the last. + +"How could you do such a thing," she began to complain. "I can see quite +clearly what will happen without unduly imagining anything. The low +nature and character of the two boys rouses Bruno's ire, and he +constantly flies into a rage when he is with them. It is my greatest +sorrow that he can't control himself. What on earth will happen if the +three are compelled to be together daily, nay constantly, and will even +live together. The matter frightens me more than you can realize, +Philip, and now you have made it impossible for me to change the plan." + +"But, Maxa, can't you see that I could not act otherwise. Mr. Knippel +was terribly anxious to arrange it all, and you know how quickly he is +offended. He always imagines that his low birth is in his way, for he +cannot understand our utter indifference to all the money he has heaped +up. You must not be so anxious about it. It can't possibly last very +long," the brother consoled her. "There is sure to be a violent quarrel +between them soon, and as soon as that happens, I promise to take the +matter in hand. That will give us good grounds to separate them." + +The prospect of a horrible fight was, however, no consolation to Mrs. +Maxa. But she said nothing more for the matter was irrevocably settled. + +"I have to tell you something now which will put you into a happier +mood," he began, clearly relieved that his unpleasant communication had +been made. "Yesterday evening the two ladies from Hanover who were my +travelling companions some time ago came to me to ask my advice about +something which troubled them very much. They have received an urgent +call to return home to their aged mother, who has fallen very ill and has +asked to see them. The little girl who is in their care, however, has +been so sick for a few days that they had to call the doctor. They +summoned him again yesterday in order to consult him as to whether there +might be danger if the child travelled. He told them positively that +they could not think of letting her go now, and that she might not be +able to go for weeks. A slow fever showed that she was on the point of +serious illness, Which would not quickly pass. The ladies were extremely +frightened and told the doctor their dilemma, for they were both +absolutely compelled to leave. One of them might be able to return in +about two weeks, but they had to find a reliable person in the meantime +who could nurse the child. This was terribly difficult for them as +strangers. The doctor's advice was to bring the young invalid to the +hospital in Sils, where she would be well taken care of and he could see +her every day. The ladies wanted my opinion before deciding. They +realize that doctors always favor hospitals because the care of their +patients is made simple and easy, so they wondered if I advised them to +have the young girl sent there. I told them that the place was not at +all badly equipped, but that it was rather small, and the patients were +of course very mixed. When I asked the ladies if it would not be better +if the child's parents decided that difficult question, I received the +information that Leonore von Wallerstätten was an orphan and that the +aunt who had put her in their care had also died." + +"Oh, Philip, now there is no doubt any more that she is our Leonore's +little daughter," Mrs. Maxa cried in the greatest agitation. "Oh, +Philip, how could you ever advise them to send her to the hospital? Why +didn't you say right away that your sister would immediately take the +child into her house." + +"How could I do that? Just think a moment, Maxa!" said the brother. "Did +you want me to add to your troubles and anxieties by bringing a patient +sick with fever into your house? It might turn out to be a dangerous +illness, which all your five might catch; what should you have said to me +then?" + +"Philip, I shall go to Sils with you to-morrow and I'll ask you to take +me to the ladies. I want them to know who I am, of course. I shall tell +them that I have the right as her mother's nearest friend to receive +Leonore into my house and to nurse her. I am sure that the little +patient can take the trip in your closed carriage. You can quickly go to +the doctor to tell him of our plan and have the carriage sent to us. +Please do this for me, Philip! I can't stand that the child of our +Leonore should go to a strange hospital all by herself." + +Mrs. Maxa had spoken with such decision that her brother had listened to +her in greatest surprise. + +"So you have resolved to carry this through, Maxa? Are you sure that you +won't have to take it all back after your excitement has vanished?" he +asked her. + +"You can rely on me, Philip. I have absolutely made up my mind to do +it," the sister assured him. "You must help me now to put it through. I +shall be able to take care of things when she gets here, but do all in +your power to prevent the ladies from putting obstacles in my path. You +see, I do not even know them." + +"I shall do whatever you wish," the listener said willingly. "It +certainly is hard to tell where a woman will set up complaints and where +she will suddenly not know either fear or obstacles! I have already told +the two Miss Remkes about you. As soon as I knew the child's name, I +realized the situation. I told the ladies about your being the best +friend of their charge's mother, and that you would surely go to see her +now and then in the hospital. This pleased them greatly." + +Uncle Philip began now to lay minute plans for the morrow. His sister +had to give her promise to be ready very early in order to reach Sils in +good time, for the patient was to be taken to the hospital in the course +of the forenoon. He also gave her all the needed instructions relating +to the coachman and the carriage. + +She listened quietly till he had finished and then said, "I have some +news for you, too. Just think! Baron Bruno has come back. He arrived in +the middle of the night when nobody could see him. He is absolutely +alone now in the desolate castle. Just imagine how he must feel to be +within those walls again where he spent his happy years with all those +loved ones he has not seen since he left the castle in a fit of terror." + +"Yes, and why did it happen? Wasn't it his own will?" the brother said +harshly. "Whenever you speak about him, your voice takes on a tone as if +you were speaking about a misunderstood angel. Why did the raging lion +come back all of a sudden?" + +"Please, Philip, don't be so hard!" his sister said, "He is entirely left +alone now. Is sorrow easier to bear when it is our own doing? I heard +that he was ill. That is probably the reason why he has come home. I +know all this from Apollonie, who is in communication with Mr. Trius. +She keeps on scheming to find a way to set the rooms in order for her +young master, as she still calls him. She knows how his mother would +wish everything to be for her son. I understand quite well that she +worries night and day about the state things are in at the castle. Her +former master has for nurse, servant, cook and valet only that peculiar +and ancient Mr. Trius. She can hardly think about it without wishing +that she might do something for her old friend. The poor woman is so +anxious to make his life at the castle a little more the way it used to +be in the old times." + +"For heaven's sake, Maxa, I hope you are not trying to interfere. Do you +intend to undertake that, too?" the brother exclaimed in perturbation. +"If he wanted things different, he certainly would find a way. Please +have nothing to do with it, otherwise you'll be sorry." + +"You can be perfectly reassured, for unfortunately nothing whatever can +be done," Mrs. Maxa replied. "If I had known a way to do something for +him, I should have done it. My great wish is to let a little sunshine +into the closed up, sombre rooms, and may be even a little deeper. I had +great hopes of doing something through Apollonie, who knows so much about +the castle, but she has explained the state of affairs to me. She was +going to enter and take things in hand as soon as she heard from Mr. +Trius that her master had returned, for she still considers herself his +servant as in times gone by. It was her intention, naturally, to put +everything into the usual order in the house. But Mr. Trius won't even +let her go into the garden. He let her know that he had received orders +not to let anyone into the place. His master knew no one here and had no +intention of meeting anyone. I know quite well, therefore, that I shall +he unable to gratify my great desire of doing something for that +miserable, lonely man." + +"So much the better," the brother said, quite relieved. "I am glad that +the villain has bolted you out himself. If I should have tried to keep +you out, you certainly would have found means to resist me, I know." + +"I willingly admit it," Mrs. Maxa replied with a smile. "But Philip, I +should consider it wise for us to go to bed now, if we have to make an +early start to Sils to-morrow." + +Brother and sister separated, but Mrs. Maxa had many arrangements to +make before she came to rest. If the ladies would consent to put the +little girl in her charge, she meant to bring her immediately home with +her. Therefore everything had to be made ready for the little patient. + +About midnight Mrs. Maxa still went to and fro in a bedroom on the top +floor, which was entirely isolated. When everything necessary had been +made ready, she tried to place various embellishments in the little +chamber. Finally she placed in the middle of the table a round bowl, +which was to be filled to-morrow with the most beautiful roses from her +garden. Mrs. Maxa wanted the child of her adored Leonore to receive a +pleasant impression from her room in the strange new house. When the +morning sun would shine in through the open windows and the green slope +of the castle would send its greeting to her, she did not want little +Leonore to feel dissatisfied with her new quarters. With this thought +Mrs. Maxa happily closed the door of the room behind her and sought out +her own chamber. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +NEW FRIENDS + +Early next morning brother and sister started towards the valley. Before +going Mrs. Maxa had given her orders and had arranged for Mäzli to spend +the day with Apollonie, in order to prevent her from getting into +mischief. As it was a sunshiny morning and the paths were dry, walking +was delightful. The distance they had to traverse occupied about two +hours, but it did not seem long. As soon as brother and sister arrived +in Sils, they went to see the two Misses Remke. Both ladies were +kneeling before a large trunk, surrounded by heaps of clothes, shoes, +books and boxes, and a hundred trifles besides. When the visitors +arrived, they immediately stood before the open door of the room used for +packing. + +Mrs. Maxa's first impulse was to withdraw with an excuse, but the ladies +had jumped up already and most cordially greeted their kind friend, Mr +Falcon, whom they called their helper and saviour in all difficulties. +They received his sister joyfully, too, for they had been most eager to +know her. Both ladies regretted that their meeting had to take place in +a moment when their house appeared in its most unfavorable light. Mrs. +Maxa assured them, however, that she understood the preparations for +their impending trip and said that she would not disturb them longer than +was necessary. She intended, therefore, to voice her request +immediately. Mr. Falcon, steering straight for some chairs he had +discovered, brought them for the ladies despite all the assorted objects +on the floor. Mrs. Maxa spoke of her intention of taking the child to +her house and her sincere hope that there would be no objection and the +ladies could feel their visitor's great eagerness manifested in her +words. They on their part did not hide the great relief which this +prospect gave them and were extremely glad to leave their young charge in +such good hands. + +"It has been very hard for us to decide to leave Leonore behind," one of +them said. "Unfortunately we must go, and she is not able to travel. +But as long as our plans seem to coincide so well, I shall ask you if it +would be inconvenient to you if we put off the date of our return a week +longer. You must realize that we are taking the journey for the sake of +our sick mother, and that everything is uncertain in such a case. One +can never tell what change may come, and we might wish to stay a little +longer." + +Mrs. Maxa hastened to assure them that nothing could suit her better +than to keep Leonore in her house for several weeks and she promised to +send frequent news about the little girl's state of health. She begged +them not to be anxious about her and not to hurry back for Leonore's +sake. As she was longing to see the child instead of remaining in their +way, she begged to be allowed to greet Leonore. She was sure that her +brother, who had already risen, also wanted to take his leave. As soon +as he had seen how completely the ladies entered into his sister's plans, +he wished to arrange the details and so said that he was now going to the +doctor in order to get his permission for the little trip. After +obtaining this, as he sincerely hoped to do, he would prepare the +carriage and send it directly to the house, as it was important for the +patient to make the journey during the best portion of the day. +Thereupon he hastened off. + +One of the ladies took Mrs. Maxa to the sick room, which was situated in +the uppermost story. + +"You won't find Leonore alone," she said, "her brother is with her. He +is taking a trip through Switzerland with his teacher and some friends, +and came here ahead of them in order to see his sister. His travelling +companions will join him here to-morrow, and then they are all going back +to Germany." + +"I fear that the poor boy will lose his day with his sister if I take her +with me," Mrs. Maxa said regretfully. + +"Well, that can't be altered," the lady quickly replied. "We are all +only too happy that you are willing to take Leonore into your house. Who +knows how her stay in the hospital might have turned out? Poor Leonore +was so frightened by the thought; but we knew no other way. It does not +matter about her brother's visit, because they can see each other again +in Hanover, for he is at a boarding school there." + +The lady now opened a door and led Mrs. Maxa into a room. + +"Leonore, look, here is Mrs. Bergmann, a great friend of your mother's." +Miss Remke said, "and I am sure you will be glad of the news she is +bringing you. I shall accept your kind permission to get back to my work +now, Mrs. Bergmann. Everything is ready for Leonore, because she was to +leave for the hospital very shortly." + +With these words she went out. The sick child sat completely dressed on +a bed in the corner of the room, half reclining on the pillows. + +Mrs. Maxa had to agree with her brother who had said that she had her +mother's large, speaking eyes, the same soft brown curls, and the same +serious expression on her delicately shaped little face. Mrs. Maxa +would have easily recognized the child even without knowing her name. +Leonore only looked more serious still; in fact, her glance was extremely +sad and at that moment tears were hanging on her lashes, for she had been +crying. The boy sitting by her got up and made a bow to the new arrival. +He had his father's gay blue eyes and his clear, open brow. After giving +him her hand Mrs. Maxa stepped up to the bed to greet Leonore and was so +deeply moved that she could barely speak. + +"My dear child," she said, seizing both slender hands, "you resemble your +mother so much that I have to greet you as my own beloved child. I loved +her very much and we meant a great deal to each other. You remind me of +both your father and mother, Salo. What happiness my friendship with +your parents has brought me! I want you both to be my children now, for +your parents were the best friends I ever had in the world." + +This speech apparently met a response in the two children's hearts. As +answer Leonore took Mrs. Maxa's hand and held it tight between her own, +and Salo came close to her to show what confidence he felt. Then he said +joyfully: "Oh, I am so glad that you have come; you must help me comfort +Leonore. She is terribly afraid of the hospital and all the strange +people there. She even imagines that she will die there alone and +forsaken and was crying because she thinks that we won't see each other +again. I have to go so far away and I can't help it. To-morrow they are +coming to fetch me and then I have to go back to school. What shall we +do?" + +"As to that," Mrs. Maxa replied, "nothing can be done. But if Leonore +has to spend a little while in the hospital, she won't be an absolute +stranger there. I won't let you be lonely for I shall often go to see +you, dear child, and it is not even quite certain that you have to go +there." + +"Oh, yes, they are going to take me there this morning, maybe quite +soon," said Leonore. Listening anxiously, she again grasped Mrs. Maxa's +hand as if it were her safety anchor. + +Mrs. Maxa did not gainsay her, because she did not yet know what the +doctor might decide. All she could do to calm Leonore was to tell her +that she was not dangerously ill. She might recover very quickly if she +only stayed quiet for a while. In that case she could soon see her +brother again, for the ladies had promised to take her home as soon as +she was well. + +Mrs. Maxa had hardly said that when Leonore's eyes again began to fill +with tears. + +"But I don't feel at home there. We really have no home anywhere," she +said with suppressed sobs. + +"Yes, it is true; we have no home anywhere," Salo exclaimed passionately. +"But, Leonore, you must have faith in me!" Fighting against his rising +agitation, he quickly wiped away a tear from his eyes, which were usually +so bright. "It won't be so long till I have finished my studies and then +I can do what I please. Then I shall try to find a little house for us +both, which will be our home. I am going to get that if I have to work +for twenty years in the fields till it is paid for." + +Salo's eyes had become sunny again during this speech. He looked as if +he would not have minded seizing a hoe that very moment. + +Rapid steps were now heard approaching, the door was quickly opened, and +Miss Remke called out on entering: "The carriage is at the door. Let us +get ready, for I do not want the gentleman to wait. I am sure you will +be so kind as to help me lift Leonore out of bed and to carry her down +stairs." + +Leonore had grown as white as a sheet from fright. + +"May I ask if it is my brother's carriage, or--" Mrs. Maxa hesitated a +little. + +"Yes, certainly," the lady interrupted, while she rapidly pulled some +covers and shawls out of a wardrobe. "Your brother has come himself in +order to see that the carriage is well protected. He also means to give +the coachman the directions himself, but we must not keep him waiting. +What a kind friend he is!" + +Mrs. Maxa had already lifted Leonore from her bed and was carrying her +out. + +"Please bring all the necessary things downstairs. I can do this easily +alone, for she is as light as a feather," she called back to the lady who +had hastened after her in order to help. + +Going downstairs Mrs Maxa said, "Leonore, I am going to take you home +with me now. The doctor is letting me do what I wished: you will stay +with me till you are well again, and I shall take care of you. Shall you +like to come with me? We know each other a little already and I hope you +won't feel so strange with us." + +Leonore, flinging both arms about Mrs. Maxa's neck, held her so tight +that she could feel the little girl considered her no stranger any +longer. + +Suddenly Leonore called back in jubilating tones, "Salo, Salo, did you +hear?" + +Salo had heard her call but comprehended nothing further. Miss Remke had +piled such heaps of shawls and covers on his arms that one always slid +down after the other and he was obliged to pick them up again. As +quickly as the circumstances allowed, he ran after his sister. + +Arrived at the carriage, Mrs. Maxa immediately looked about for her +brother. She wanted to hand Leonore to him while she prepared everything +in the conveyance for the child's comfort. + +He was already there. Understanding his sister's sign, he took the child +into his arms, then lifted her gently into the carriage. His glance was +suddenly arrested by the boy, who was standing beside the carriage with +his burdens. + +With the most joyful surprise he exclaimed, "As sure as I am born this +must be a young Salo. It is written in his eyes. Give me your hand, +boy. Your father was my friend, my best friend in the world; so we must +be friends, too." + +Salo's eyes expressed more and more surprise. This manner of being taken +to a hospital seemed very odd to him. The strangest of all, however, was +that Leonore sat in the corner of the carriage smiling contentedly, for +Mrs. Maxa had just whispered something into her ear. + +"Do we have to say good-bye now, Leonore," Salo asked, jumping up the +carriage step, "and can't I see you any more?" + +"Salo," Mrs. Maxa said, "I was just thinking that you could sit beside +the coachman if you want to. You can drive to Nolla with us, for you +will want to see where Leonore is going. I can have you brought back +to-morrow in time to meet your friends. Do you approve of that, Philip?" + +"Certainly, certainly," the brother answered, "but if that is the plan, I +am going along. I thought at first that this trip would prove a very +mournful one. It seems more like a festal-journey to me now, so I've +come, too. Salo and I will sit high up and to-morrow I promise to bring +him back here." + +With shining eyes the boy climbed to the seat which the coachman had just +relinquished. He understood now that the hospital was not to be their +destination. With many hearty handshakes and good wishes the two Remke +ladies at last let their friend and adviser go. After many more last +greetings to all the party the carriage finally rolled towards the +valley. + +Leonore was so exhausted that, leaning against her companion, she fell +asleep, but she staunchly held on to Mrs. Maxa's hand, which seemed to +her that of a loving mother. It was the first time in her life that she +had felt this. + +On the high seat outside the conversation was extremely lively. Young +Salo had to tell where and how he lived, and then his companion explained +in turn the places they were passing through and told him whatever +unusual had happened in the neighborhood. The uncle found out that +neither Salo nor his sister had the slightest remembrance of their +parents. The boy's earliest memory went back to an estate in Holstein +where they had lived with an elderly great-aunt, his grandmother's +sister. They were about five or six years old when the aunt died, after +which they were sent to Hanover to their present abode. + +Twice a year a relation of their great-aunt came to see them, but he was +such a stiff, quiet gentleman that they could not enjoy his visits. It +was, however, this man who always decided what was to be done with them. +For the present they were to remain where they were till Salo had +finished his studies. After that the choice where to settle was left to +them. + +"But I know what I shall do first of all," Salo added with sparkling +eyes. + +Just then the old castle came in view. + +"Oh, what a wonderful castle with great towers!" Salo exclaimed. "It is +all closed up; there can't be anybody living there. It doesn't seem to +be in ruins, though. What is it called?" + +"This is Castle Wildenstein," the boy's companion curtly answered, +throwing a searching glance at the young Baron. The latter looked +innocently up at the gray towers, remarking that anybody who owned a +castle like that would simply be the happiest man in the world. + +"He knows nothing about the castle of his ancestors and the whole tragic +story. So much the better," said Uncle Philip to himself. + +When the carriage drove up before Mrs. Maxa's door, everything was very +quiet there, for the children were still in school. Kathy came running +towards them with astonished eyes. She did not know at all what was +going on, and that was a novelty for her. + +Salo had the reins pressed into his hands before he knew it. With a +bound his new friend had jumped to the ground and called back, "If you +don't move, the horses will stay quiet, too." Quickly opening the +carriage, he lifted Leonore out and carried her up to the little room +which had been got ready for her. Mrs. Maxa followed at his heels. He +then turned hurriedly back to his young substitute, for he felt a little +uneasy at the thought of what might happen to the horses and carriage. +The boy might want to drive about and the horses might begin to jump. +But no; stiff and immovable, the boy sat at his post, firmly holding the +reins. + +Even now when a party of eight feet came running towards him, Salo did +not move. The calls of "Uncle Philip, Uncle Philip!" sounded with more +vigor than usual, because the children had not expected him back so soon, +and therefore had to celebrate his coming with double energy. Uncle +Philip was immediately surrounded, and eight arms held him so tight that +there was no use in struggling. + +"Just look at my young nobleman up there," he said, vainly trying to get +free. "He certainly knows what it means to remain firmly at his post and +do his duty. If he had not held the reins tightly, your wild cries would +have driven horses and carriage down the ravine long ago." + +All arms suddenly dropped and all eyes were directed towards the figure +on the coachman's seat. In the unexpected joy of their uncle's return +nobody had noticed the boy. Uncle Philip, who was free now, let Salo get +down and introduced him to the children. + +Salo had a friendly greeting for every one and his eyes sparkled gaily +when he shook their hands. His whole appearance was so attractive and +engaging that the children immediately took a liking to him. With lively +gestures they surrounded him like an old acquaintance, so that Salo +quickly felt that he had come among good friends. Even the reserved +Bruno, whom nobody had ever been able to approach, linked Salo's arm +confidentially in his in order to conduct the guest into the house. + +Here Bruno sat down beside Salo and the two were immediately immersed in +the most eager conversation. Mea, Kurt and Lippo were hunting everywhere +for their mother, for they had not the faintest idea where she had gone. + +When Uncle Philip came back, he called them together and told them where +their mother was and what she wished them to know through him. As she +had brought a sick child with her, she could have no intercourse with the +children for two or three days. The doctor had also forbidden them to go +up to the sick-room, and they were to do the best they could during that +time. If the sickness should get worse, a nurse was to come to the house +and then the mother would be free again. If the illness was to be +slight, on the contrary, the children would be admitted to the sick-room +and make Leonore's acquaintance. They could even help a little in her +care, for the mother would not then be obliged to keep them apart. Mäzli +was to be sent to Apollonie every morning and was to spend the day there. +Not to be able to have a glimpse of their mother for two or three days +was depressing news indeed. The three children's faces were absolutely +disconcerted, for the obstacles were clearly insurmountable. + +"Well, is this so terrible?" Uncle Philip said cheerily. "Who needs to +let his wings droop? Just think if you were in the place of the sick +girl, who has no mother at all! Can't you let her have yours for a few +days? No? Just think what is to follow. Your mother will come down then +and bring you a new playmate. Leonore is friendly and charming and has +sweeter manners than you have ever seen. Kurt is sure to make dozens of +songs about her and Mea will be carried away with enthusiasm for her. +Lippo will find an affectionate protectress in her who will be able to +appreciate his little-recognized virtues. Are you satisfied now?" + +This speech really had splendid results. All three were willing enough +now to let the sick Leonore have their mother, and they were anxious +besides to do everything in their power to make Leonore's recovery +speedy. The uncle's description of the new playmate had wakened such a +lively sympathy in them that they were ready to assist him in many ways, +and he was even obliged to cool their zeal. As their guest was to remain +such a short while, Uncle Philip suggested a walk in order to show him +the surroundings, but when they looked around for Salo, they could not +find either him or Bruno. + +"They thought of the same thing," Uncle Philip said. "It will be great +fun to hunt for them." So they started off. + +Uncle Philip had guessed right. Bruno had found his new friend so much +to his liking that he wanted to keep him entirely to himself. While the +uncle had talked with the younger children, he had led Salo out to take +him on a stroll in the beautiful sunset. Salo was perfectly satisfied, +too, as he felt himself likewise drawn towards Bruno. In this short time +the two boys had grown as confiding as if they had known each other for +years and they were just then wandering towards the castle hill, absorbed +in lively conversation. + +"Can you guess why I am taking you up there?" Bruno suddenly asked, +interrupting the talk. + +"Because it is so lovely," Salo replied quickly. + +He had stopped walking and was looking across the flowering meadows +towards the castle over which rosy clouds were floating on the bright +evening sky. + +"No, not for that reason," said Bruno, "but because it belongs to an +uncle of yours." + +Salo looked at him, full of astonishment. + +"But Bruno, what an idea!" he called out laughing. "That would not be so +bad, but it can't be true. We only have one uncle, who has been living +in Spain for a number of years and who expects to stay there." + +"The castle belongs to just that uncle who lives in Spain," Bruno +asserted. + +He reminded Salo of the fact that their mothers had known each other +while living in the castle and had grown to be such friends there. Salo +admitted this but was firmly persuaded that the castle had long since +been sold and that his uncle would never come back, he had heard that +from his great-aunt. So Bruno had to agree with him that the castle had +probably been sold, if the uncle did not think of returning. + +"Do you know, Salo," said Bruno while they continued their walk, "I +should love to do what your uncle did. I want to go away from here and +disappear for a long time. Then I would not be obliged to be fettered to +those two horrid boys. I can't stand it, and you now know yourself what +they are like." + +Bruno had described his two comrades to his new friend, their mean +attitude and their frequent and contemptible tricks. Salo had repeatedly +shown his feeling by sudden exclamations and he said now with comforting +sympathy, "I am sure it must make you feel like running away if you are +obliged to spend all your days with two such boys. But don't listen to +them, pay no attention to them, and let them do and say what they please. +If they want to be mean, let them be, for they can't make you different." + +"Oh, if you could be with me, that would be much easier," Bruno said. "I +should know then that you felt with me and shared my anger. When I am +compelled to be alone with them and they do sneaky acts to people who +can't defend themselves, I always get so mad that I have to beat them. +That always brings nasty talk and makes my mother unhappy, and then I +feel worse than ever. If only I could go far away and never have to meet +them any more!" + +"If you had an idea what it is like not to have any home at all, you +would not wish to leave yours without even knowing where to go," said +Salo. "You would not think that anything was too hard to bear if you +could go home and tell your mother all about it. If you have that +consolation, it should make you able to stand a lot of trouble. I +shouldn't mind living with those two during school term, if I could go to +a place during the holidays that were a real home for me and Leonore. +Every time I come to her she cries about having no home in the whole wide +world. I try to think out something so that we won't have to wait so +long before we can live together. But that is hard to carry out, for the +gentleman in Holstein who decides about our upbringing wants me to study +for many years. That will take much too long. Leonore might even die +before that, and I want to do it all for her. I am so glad now that +Leonore has fallen ill and has therefore come to you," he said with a +brighter glance. "I wish she would stay sick for a while--of course not +awfully sick," he corrected himself rapidly, "I mean just sick enough so +that your mother would not let her go. I know quite well how happy +Leonore will be with her. She was so kind and friendly with us right +away. Since our old aunt died nobody has been so good and sweet with us +as your mother and that will do more good to Leonore than anything else +on earth." + +Salo's words made a deep impression on Bruno. He had never before +realized that everyone did not have a lovely home like his, and a mother +besides who was always ready to greet him affectionately, who could be +told everything, could help him bear everything, who shared all his +experiences and had a sympathy like no one else. All this he had +accepted as if it could not be otherwise. Now came the realization that +things might be different. Poor Salo and his sister, for instance, had +to suffer bitterly from missing what he had always enjoyed to the full +without thinking about it. He was seized with a sudden sympathy for his +new friend, who looked so refined and charming, and who already had to +bear such sorrow for himself and his sister. Bruno now flung behind him +all the thoughts and schemes he had had in connection with his coming +fate and with all the fire of his nature he fastened on the thought of +doing everything in his power to help Salo. He wanted to further his +friend's plan to found a home for himself and his sister as soon as +possible. That was something much more important than his disinclination +to DC with the Knippel boys. + +"Now I shall not think about anything but what you can do to make your +plan come true," he said at the conclusion of his meditation. "If there +are two of us who are so set on finding a way we are sure to succeed +somehow." + +"It seems so wonderful to me," said Salo, quite overcome by Bruno's warm +sympathy. "I have various friends in boarding school, but there isn't +one to whom I could have told what I am always thinking about, as I have +told you. You are so different from them. Will you be my friend?" + +Bruno firmly grasped Salo's proffered hand and cried out with beaming +eyes, "Yes, Salo, I will be your friend my whole life long. I wish I +could do you a favor, too, as you have done me." + +"But I have not done anything for you," Salo said with surprise. + +"Oh, yes, you have. Now that I know I have a friend I have lost my dread +of living with the Knippel boys. I know that I can let them do as they +please, for I'll know that I have a friend who thinks as I do and would +have the same feeling about their actions, I'll be able to tell you +everything, and you will tell me what you think. I can let them alone +and think of you." + +"Do you know, Bruno, the way I feel a real friendship ought to be?" Salo +said with glowing eyes, for this had made him happy, too. "I think it +ought to be this way: if we have to hear of anything that is ugly, mean +or rough, we ought to think right away: I have a friend who would never +do such a thing. If we hear of something though that pleases us, because +it is fine, noble and great, we should think again: My friend would do +the same. Don't you agree with me?" + +Bruno judged himself very severely, because his mother had held up his +own faults to him so that he knew them very well. He replied +hesitatingly, "I wish one could always be the way one wants to be. Would +you give up trusting a friend right away if he did not act the way you +expected him to?" + +"No, no," Salo said quickly, "such a friend could not trust me any more +either. I mean it differently. The friend ought to hate to do wrong and +ought to want to do right. He ought to be most sorry if he did not come +up to the best." + +Bruno could now gladly and joyfully assent. Suddenly the two boys heard +their names called out loudly. Turning round they saw Kurt and Lippo +hurrying towards them and the uncle following with Mea at a slower pace. + +"Wait, wait!" Kurt cried out so loudly that the echo sounded back again +from the castle, "Wait, wait!" + +The two friends were doing just what had been asked of them, for they +were sitting quietly on the turf. The brothers had now reached them, and +Mea soon followed with the uncle, whose face showed signs of +perturbation. + +"I hope you have not run up to the castle with Salo, Bruno," he cried out +with agitation. + +"Oh, no, uncle," Bruno replied, "we sat down here on the way up. I just +wanted to show Salo the castle that belonged to his uncle, but he does +not know anything about it. He thinks that it has been sold long ago +because he never heard about it." + +"Good!" said Uncle Philip with satisfaction. "Now let us quickly go +home. It is not right to starve a guest on his first visit; he might +never come again." + +"Oh, I certainly shall, Mr.--," here Salo hesitated, "I do not remember +the name," he added, quite concerned. + +"My name here is Uncle Philip," the kind gentleman answered, "just Uncle +Philip, nothing else!" + +"Am I allowed to call you Uncle, too? That makes me feel so much at +home!" Salo exclaimed after nodding cordially. "Well, Uncle Philip, I +mean to come to you again with the keenest pleasure every time I am +invited. I would even come with the greatest joy if you never gave me +anything to eat." + +"No, no, we don't have institutions for starving people," Uncle Philip +replied. "We are returning home now to a little feast I have told Kathy +to get ready. It will consist mostly of country dishes. Our guest must +know he has been received by friends." + +"Oh, Uncle Philip, I felt that the first moment I met you," Salo +exclaimed. + +The little group now strolled happily down the incline towards the house. + +Mäzli was standing in the doorway with eyes as big as saucers. She had +received the news from Kathy that they were to have omelette +apple-soufflé, ham-pudding, sour milk and sweet biscuits for supper in +honour of a charming guest and Uncle Philip, who had come back. So Mäzli +looked out at them, and as soon as they were near enough, studied Salo +very carefully. + +He must have pleased her, for she quickly ran towards him and, reaching +out her hand, said, "Won't you stay with us for a while?" + +Salo laughed: "Yes, I should love to." + +Taking him by the hand, Mäzli led him into the house and to the room +where the inviting table was already set. Kathy had been so many years +in the house that she knew exactly how things ought to be. Everyone sat +down now and Uncle Philip was amusingly talking. Everything he had +ordered for the meal tasted so delightfully that it seemed like a feast +to them and Salo said, "I should never have been able to conceive such a +wonderful end of my holidays, if I had imagined the most marvellous thing +in the world." + +"If Salo could only stay here a few days, if only _one_ day more," Bruno +urged. All the rest were of the same opinion and they loudly begged +Uncle Philip to persuade him to spend the next day with them. They +thought that even one day together would be perfect for everyone. + +"Yes, and for me most of all," said Salo, "but I cannot. My teacher and +comrades are coming to fetch me at Sils to-morrow at ten o'clock. This +is absolutely settled and there is not the slightest chance for my +staying here, even if I wished it more than anything in the world." + +"That is right, Salo, that is the way to talk," Uncle Philip said. "What +has to be, has to be, even if we don't like it. Please do not beg him +any more to stay. Let us play a nice game now and let us enjoy ourselves +while he is with us." + +Uncle Philip soon started the game, and their merry mood returned with +the fun. + +At the exact time when their mother always called the little ones for bed +Lippo cried, "Uncle Philip, we must sing the evening song now and after +that Mäzli and I must go to bed." + +This did not suit Mäzli at all, however, for she was full of the game +just then. Salo, who was sitting beside her, had been so funny, that it +suited her better to stay here than to go to bed, Quickly climbing up the +uncle's chair from behind, she put both round arms caressingly about his +neck and whispered in his ear, "Oh, darling Uncle Philip, to-day is a +feast-day, isn't it? Can't we stay up a little longer? The game is such +fun and it's so tiresome to go to bed." + +"Yes, yes, it is a feast-day," the uncle assented; "the little ones can +stay up a little longer. Let us all keep on playing." + +Mäzli joyfully skipped back to her place, and the merriment was resumed. +The game, which was very amusing, was made more so by Uncle Philip's +funny remarks. Nobody had noticed therefore how quiet Mäzli had grown. + +Salo suddenly remarked, "Oh, look! Mäzli is sound asleep. She is nearly +tumbling from her chair." And the little girl would have dropped had not +Salo held her by quickly putting his arm about her. + +Uncle Philip went to her. + +"Come, Mäzli, come," he said encouragingly, "open your eyes quickly and +Mea will take you to bed." + +"No, no," Mäzli lamented, and would not move. + +"But you must! Just look, we are all going," the uncle said vigorously. +"Do you want to stay behind?" + +"No, no, no," Mäzli moaned, full of misery. + +"Mea, give her some cake," the uncle ordered, "then she'll wake up." + +"We have no cake, uncle," Mea replied. + +"What, you don't have a thing so necessary as that in a house full of +children! Well, I shall get some to-morrow," he said, quite agitated. +"Do you want a candy, Mäzli? Come, just taste how sweet it is." + +"No, no, no," Mäzli moaned again in such sorrowful tones as no one had +ever heard from the energetic little child. + +Suddenly a most disturbing thought shot through the uncle's brain: +"Suppose the child has already caught the fever? What should I do? What +ought one to do?" he cried out with growing anxiety. + +Kathy had entered the room in the meantime to see if anything more was +needed. + +"That is the way, Mr. Falcon," she said, going up to Mäzli, and quickly +lifting her in her strong arms, she carried her upstairs. Despite all +her lamenting the child was then undressed and put to bed. In the +shortest time she was sound asleep again without a trace of fever. + +"Well, that's over now," Uncle Philip said, quite relieved when Kathy +came back with the news. "I really think that the time has come for us +all to seek our beds. Lippo actually looks as if he could not stand on +his little legs." + +The boy was as white as chalk from staying up so late. From time to time +he tried to open his eyes, but they always fell shut again. The uncle, +taking his hand, wanted to lead him away, but he fought against it. + +"Uncle Philip, we have not sung the evening song yet," he said, clutching +the piano. + +"Mercy!" the uncle cried out disturbed. "Is this going to start now? No, +no, Lippo, it is much too late to-night. You can sing two songs +to-morrow, then everything will be straightened out." + +"Then we shall have sung two songs to-morrow, but none to-day," Lippo +began in a complaining voice, holding on to the piano and pulling his +uncle towards him. + +"Nothing can be done, we have to do it," Uncle Philip said with +resignation, for he knew the obstinacy of his godson in regard to all +customs. + +"Kurt, you can tell me about the songs; please find the shortest in the +song-book, or we shall have to sing till to-morrow morning. Please spare +us such a miserable scene. But wait, Kurt! The song must have a tune I +can sing, for as nobody plays the piano, I have to set the tune. Do you +want to sing with us, too, Salo, or is it too late for you? You can +retire if you prefer. You go upstairs to the room at the right corner." + +"Oh, no, I want to stay as long as anybody is left," Salo replied. "I +shall enjoy singing and doing everything with you. It is all so funny +and strange." + +Kurt had chosen a suitable song and Uncle Philip began it so vigorously +that everybody could join and a full-voiced chorus was formed. Lippo's +voice sounded dreadfully weak, but he sang every note to the last word, +fighting mightily against his growing sleepiness. Now the little company +could wander upstairs to their respective rooms without further obstacle. + +"Oh," Uncle Philip breathed relieved when they had reached the top. "At +least we are as far as this. It really is an undertaking to keep in +order a handful of children where one always differs from the last. Now +I have luckily gotten through for today. What? Not yet? What is the +matter, Bruno?" + +The latter, approaching his uncle with clear signs that he wanted him for +something, had pulled him aside. + +"I want to ask you for something," said Bruno. "I wonder if you will do +me a great favor, Uncle Philip. Salo and I have so much to talk about +still and he must leave to-morrow, I wanted to ask you if Kurt can sleep +beside you in the guest room and Salo could sleep in Kurt's bed in my +room." + +"What are you thinking of," the uncle said irritably. "You should hear +what your mother would say to that. The idea of having a Wallerstätten +for a guest and offering him a bed which has been used already. That +would seem a real crime in her eyes. That can't be; no, it mustn't. I +hope you can see it, too, don't you?" + +"Yes," Bruno said, much depressed, for he had to agree. But Uncle could +not stand such downcast spirits. + +"Listen, Bruno," he said, "you realize that we can't do it that way. But +an uncle knows how to arrange things and that is why he is here. This is +the way we'll do. I'll sleep in your bed, and Salo and you can sleep in +the guest-room. Will that suit?" + +"Oh, thank you, Uncle Philip! There is no other uncle like you," Bruno +cried out in his enthusiasm. + +So Uncle Philip's last difficulty was solved for to-day and everybody was +willing to go to bed. Soon the house lay in deep quiet: even the sick +child in the highest story lay calmly sleeping on her cool pillows. She +did not even notice when Mrs. Maxa stepped up once more to her bedside +with a little lamp. Before herself retiring she wanted to listen once +more to the child's breathing. Only the two new friends were still +talking long after midnight. + +They understood each other so thoroughly and upon all points that Bruno +had proposed in his enthusiasm that they would not waste one minute of +the night in sleep. Salo expressed his wish over and over again that +Bruno might become his comrade in the boarding school. But finally +victorious sleep stole unperceived over the two lads and quietly closed +their eyes. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE MOTHER'S ABSENCE HAS CONSEQUENCES + +Next morning Salo was allowed to go into his sister's room in order to +say good-bye to her. She looked at him so cheerfully that he asked with +eager delight, "Do you feel so much better already, Leonore?" + +"Oh, yes, I feel as if I were at home," she replied with shining eyes. +"I feel as if our mother had come down from heaven to take care of me." + +"When you can get up and go downstairs you will be happier still. I know +how much you will enjoy meeting the whole family," said Salo. "Then you +will feel as if you were in a real home that belongs to you." + +"It is such a shame that you have to go," Leonore sighed, but this time +the tears did not come quite so urgently. How things had changed since +yesterday--how different it was now to stay behind! + +At this moment Mrs. Maxa entered the room. + +She had left it as she wanted to give brother and sister an opportunity +to see each other alone, but the time had come for Salo to depart, and he +was obliged to leave his sister. To-day it seemed harder for him to go +away than leave Leonore behind. + +"I can't even say that I wish you to come soon. I have to hope that you +can remain here a long while," he said cheerily, while Leonore was +smiling bravely. Uncle Philip, ready for the journey, stood beside the +carriage. All the children ran towards Salo as soon as he appeared, and +when he said good-bye, he was treated like a friend of the family of many +years' standing. Each of the children showed his grief in a special +manner. Mäzli cried loudly over and over again, "Oh, Salo, please come +soon again, please come soon again." + +When the carriage was rolling away and the handkerchiefs that fluttered +him last greetings were all Salo could see from the distance, he rapidly +brushed away a few tears. He had never felt so thoroughly at home +anywhere in the world before. How happy he had been! The thought of +going far away and possibly never coming back gave him a little pang of +grief. + +When the children returned at noon from school they were still full of +their vivid impression of Salo's sudden appearance and departure. They +were all anxious to tell their mother about it, because they knew that +they could always count on her lively sympathy. One or the other of the +children kept forgetting that the mother must not be sought and would +absent-mindedly make an attempt to go upstairs, but they were always met +by unexpected resistance. Lippo on his arrival home from school had +posted himself there to see that his mother's orders were strictly kept. +He also had missed her desperately, but he had nevertheless remembered +her injunctions and was quite certain that the others might forget and +act contrary to her orders. Placing himself on the first step, he would +hold any of his brothers or sisters with both hands when they came +towards him as they dashed upstairs. When he cried out loudly, "We +mustn't do it, we mustn't do it," they ran away again, quite frightened, +for his horrified shrieks might have penetrated into the sick-room. +Kathy was the only one who appreciated Lippo's worth. She had received +orders to remind the children of the strict command, and she knew quite +well from previous experiences that she could never have succeeded as +effectively as he. Mäzli, meanwhile, was sitting at Apollonie's table, +gayly eating a snow-white milk-pudding which Apollonie knew so well how +to prepare. Whenever Mäzli came to a meal at her house, she always set +this favorite dish before the child. + +The days when Mäzli came for a visit here were happy days for Loneli. +There was always something funny going on at meal-time, because Mäzli had +so many amusing things to speak about. On those days she was never +obliged to tell her grandmother exactly what lessons she had known in +school and which she had not. Usually Apollonie was dreadfully anxious +to hear how punctually she had fulfilled her duties, and she always chose +lunch-time for that purpose because then no other affair interfered with +talking. Beaming with joy, Loneli now sat beside Mäzli, who was telling +uninterruptedly about Salo. She told them that he was friendlier and +nicer than any boy she had ever seen, and she quoted Bruno, Mea and Kurt +as saying exactly the same thing. Usually they disagreed on such points. +Apollonie was quite absorbed in listening, too, and nodding her head once +in a while, she seemed to say: "Yes, yes, I know that he couldn't be +called Salo for nothing." This interesting subject of conversation kept +her longer than usual to-day. + +"Suddenly she started up, quite frightened. Oh, is it possible? It is +nearly one o'clock. Hurry up, Loneli, or you'll be late for school. +Mäzli, you and I have something to do, too, this afternoon. I shall take +you on a walk and I'll tell you where we are going as soon as we start." + +As the dishes had to be washed first, Apollonie thought that Mäzli might +go out to play in the garden. But Mäzli preferred to see the plates +washed and dried and afterwards set in neat rows. After these tasks +Apollonie put on a good apron, a beautiful neck-cloth, and after packing +up several shirts, cloths and stockings into a large basket the two set +out. + +"Where are we going?" Mäzli asked, inspecting the basket. "Who are you +taking these things to?" + +"They belong to Mr. Trius," replied Apollonie. "We are going all the +way up to the castle, as far as the great iron door. When I pull the +bell-knob, Mr. Trius comes and gets this basket. You'll be able to peep +in through the door till he comes back again with the empty basket." + +"Can one look into the garden from there and see the big +mignonette-bushes that mama liked so much?" Mäzli asked. + +"Yes, yes, the garden is there," Apollonie replied with a profound sigh, +"but the great rose and mignonette beds are gone. It would take a long +time nowadays to find even a couple of the flowers." + +"We could surely find them inside," Mäzli said with great certainty. + +"But Mäzli, what are you thinking of? Nobody is allowed to go in. You +see, Mr. Trius lets nobody either into the garden or into the castle," +Apollonie repeated with great emphasis. "I should have gone in long ago +if he had let me. Oh, how I should have loved to go, and I know how +badly needed I am. What a dreadful disorder all the rooms must be in! If +I could only go a single time to do the most necessary things!" Apollonie +in her great trouble had quite forgotten that she was speaking to little +Mäzli. + +"Why should you bring him so many shirts and stockings if he doesn't let +you in? Don't bring him anything," Mäzli cried out indignantly. + +"No, no, Mäzli. You see, these are his shirts and stockings, and I have +only washed and mended them for him," Apollonie explained. + +"Besides, Mr. Trius can't do as he pleases. Do you see the open windows +up there? No, you couldn't see them from here. Well, up there lives a +sick gentleman, a baron, who won't let anybody come into the garden. He +is the master there and can give orders, and people must not disobey him. +Look, one can see the open windows quite plainly now." + +"Can we see the bad baron, too?" asked Mäzli peeping up searchingly. + +"I did not say that he was bad, Mäzli, I only said that he can give +orders," Apollonie corrected. "And you can't see him because he is lying +sick in bed. Look, look! the fine, thick raspberry bushes used to be +there." Apollonie was pointing to wild-looking shrubs that were climbing +up the castle incline. "Oh, how different it all used to be! Two +splendid hedges used to run up there, then across and down again on the +other side. Both girls and boys used to feast on them for whole days at +a time, and there were always enough left for pots and pots full of jam. +And now how terrible it all looks! Everything is growing wild. Nobody +who has known the place the way I knew it could have ever thought that it +would look like this." + +Mäzli was not very deeply moved by the change. She had long been gazing +at the high gate which was to be their destination and which they were +nearing rapidly. + +"Does Mr. Trius take his big stick along when he comes down to the +gate?" she asked, looking cautiously about her. + +"Yes, yes, he never goes about without it, Mäzli, but you need not be +afraid," Apollonie calmed her. "He won't hurt you, and I should advise +him not to. Look! there he comes already. He has been spying about, and +nothing ever escapes him." + +Mr. Trius was already standing at the gate with his stick and opened it. +"That is fine," he said, receiving the basket, and was in the act of +closing the door again immediately. + +"No, no, Mr. Trius, don't do that!" said Apollonie, restraining him. +She had vigorously pushed back the door and posted herself firmly in the +opening. "I always do my duty punctually and I like to do it because you +belong to the castle. But you can at least let me have a word about the +master's health." + +"The same," was the reply. + +"The same; what does that mean?" Apollonie retorted. "Do you watch him +while he sleeps? Are you cooking the right things for him? What does the +master eat?" + +"Venison." + +"What? How can you cook such things for him? Such rich and heavy meat for +a sick man! What does the doctor say to that?" + +"Nothing." + +"What, nothing? He certainly must say what his patient ought to eat. Who +is his doctor? I hope a good one. I am afraid the master is not +troubling much about it. Did you fetch the one from Sils? He is very +careful, I know." + +"No." + +"Who do you have?" + +"No one." + +Apollonie threw up her arms in violent agitation. "So the baron lies up +there sick and lonely and nobody even fetches a doctor. Oh, if his +mother knew this! That simply won't do, and I am going in. Please let me +in. The master won't have to see me at all. All I want to do is to cook +something strengthening for him. I shall only put his room in order, and +if he happens to get up, I can make his bed. Oh, please let me in, Mr. +Trius! You know that I'll do anything in the world for you. Please let +me nurse the sick master!" + +Apollonie's voice had grown supplicating. + +"Forbidden," was the curt reply. + +"But I am no stranger here. I have served in this house for more than +thirty years," Apollonie went on eagerly. "I know what is needed and +what the master ought to have. Things are not attended to at all, I +fear, and indeed I know it. After all I am an old acquaintance, and I'll +only come an hour a day to do the most urgent task." + +"Nobody is allowed to come," Mr. Trius said again in his unchangeable, +dry tone. It was all the same to him whether Apollonie begged or +scolded. In her anxiety about the sick master she had forgotten +everything else. + +"Where is the child?" she suddenly cried out in great anxiety. "Good +gracious, where is she? She must have run into the garden." + +Mr. Trius had suddenly grown more lively. Throwing the gate to with +great violence, he turned the huge key before pulling it rapidly out. He +realized that Apollonie was capable of doing anything in her excitement +about the lost child. + +"Witch's baggage!" he murmured angrily. Swinging his stick in a +threatening way, he ran towards the castle. + +"Mr. Trius," Apollonie screamed after him with all her might, "if you +touch the child you will have to reckon with me, do you hear? Hold the +stick down. She can't help being frightened if she sees you." + +But he had quickly been lost from view. While Apollonie and Mr. Trius +had been absorbed in their violent altercation and had stared at each +other, she in wild excitement and he in stiff immovability, Mäzli had +slipped from between the two as swiftly as a little mouse. Then she had +merrily wandered up towards the castle hoping that she would soon see the +garden with the lovely flowers. But all she could see were wild bushes +and stretches of grass with only the yellow sparkling flowers which grow +in every common meadow. This was not what Mäzli had expected, so she +went up to the terrace of the castle and looked about from there for the +flower garden. At the end of the terrace where the little pine wood +began she saw something that looked like fiery yellow flowers and quickly +ran there. But instead of flowers she saw a lion skin shining in the +sun. To see what was under the skin Mäzli came closer. A head was +raised up and two sharp eyes were directed towards her. It was a man who +had half raised himself on the long chair which was covered by the skin. +As soon as she saw that it was a human being and not a lion, she came +nearer and asked quite confidentially, "Do you happen to know where the +beautiful old mignonette is, that mama saw in the garden here?" + +"No," the man answered curtly. + +"Maybe Mr. Trius knows, but one can't ask him. Are you afraid of Mr. +Trius, too?" Mäzli asked. + +"No." + +"But he always goes about with a big stick. Kurt has made a song about +him where he tells everything that Mr. Trius does," Mäzli chattered on. +"It begins like this: + + Old Trius lives in our town, + A haughty man is he, + And every one that he can catch + He beats right heartily. + +I don't remember the rest, but it is quite long. But he wants to make a +song about Salo now, because he is so awfully nice. He said it as soon +as Salo went away today. We all like him, and Bruno said that if he made +a stupid song he would tear it up." + +"Is everybody here called Salo and Bruno?" the gentleman burst out +angrily. + +"No, nobody except Bruno, you know; he is my big brother," Mäzli +explained. "Salo only came yesterday and went away again to-day. But he +did not want to go and we wanted to keep him. But he was not allowed to. +If his sister is well again, she has to go away, too. But we don't know +her yet. Her name is Leonore." + +"Who sent you here?" the gentleman ejaculated harshly. But Mäzli only +looked at him in astonishment. + +"Nobody has sent me. Nobody knows where I am, not even Apollonie," Mäzli +began to explain. "I only ran away because Apollonie had to tell Mr. +Trius so many things and I wanted to see the mignonette. I am visiting +Apollonie because mama has to nurse Leonore, who is ill and can't come +down. Because I don't obey Kathy very well and she has to cook, I spend +the days with Apollonie. Oh, here he comes!" Mäzli interrupted herself +suddenly, for she was frightened. Coming close to her new acquaintance, +as if to seek his protection, she whispered confidentially. "Oh, won't +you help me, please, if he tries to hurt me?" + +Mr. Trius was rushing towards them, holding out his stick in front like +an emblem of his profession. The gentleman only made a light gesture +with his hand, and Mr. Trius disappeared as he had come. + +"Won't he hurt me if I come down to the door where he stands?" Mäzli +asked. She retreated slightly from her protector, whom she had held +tightly in her fear of the stick. + +"No," he replied curtly, but his voice did not sound as severe as before, +a fact which Mäzli noticed immediately. She was very grateful to him for +chasing Mr. Trius away and she now felt desirous of doing him a service +in return. + +"Do you always have to sit alone here all the time? Does no one come to +see you?" she asked, full of sympathy. + +"No." + +"Oh, then I must come to you another time and I'll keep you company," +Mäzli said consolingly. "Does the bad baron never come down to you +here?" she asked anxiously. + +"Where is he?" came a second question. + +"Don't you know that?" Mäzli said in great surprise. "He is up there +where the windows are open." With this Mäzli looked up, and walking close +to the chair, whispered cautiously, "A sick baron lies up there. +Apollonie says that he is not bad, but I know that one has to be afraid +of him. Are you afraid of him?" + +"No." + +"Then I won't be afraid of him either," Mäzli remarked, quite reassured. +The gentleman who had chased away Mr. Trius so easily and was not afraid +of the bad baron gave her all the confidence in the world. Under his +protection she could face every danger. + +"I'll go home now, but I'll come soon again," and with this Mäzli gave +her hand in a most winning way. When she wanted to say good-bye she +realized that she did not know either the gentleman's name or title, so +she stopped. + +"I am the Castle Steward," said the gentleman, helping Mäzli. When the +leave-taking was done Mäzli ran back towards the door. Sure enough, Mr. +Trius was standing inside the portals and Apollonie on the outside, for +the careful man had not opened them again. He thought that the excited +woman might forcibly enter the garden in order to seek the child. + +"God be thanked that you are here again!" she cried when Mäzli came out. +She quickly took her hand. Mr. Trius, after violently shutting the +gate, had immediately turned his back upon the visitors. + +"I was simply frightened to death, Mäzli. How could you run away from +me? I did not know where you had got to." + +"You didn't need to be so frightened," Mäzli said with calm assurance. +"I was with the Castle-Steward. I don't need to be afraid of anything +with him, not even of Mr. Trius." + +"What, the Castle-Steward! What are you saying, Mäzli? Who said it was +the Steward?" Apollonie's words were full of anxiety, as if Mäzli might +be threatened with great danger. + +"He told me so himself. He was sitting all alone under a big tree. He +sits there alone all the time. But I am going up to see him soon again," +Mäzli informed her. + +"No, no, Mäzli, what are you thinking of? You can't do it if he has not +told you to. I am sure Mr. Trius will see that you won't get in there +any more," said Apollonie, and she was quite sure that Mäzli's plan would +never succeed. + +But if Mäzli ever made a discovery, she was not easily led away. + +"Yes, but he won't be allowed to stop me," she said a little scornfully. + +That evening Loneli was allowed to bring Mäzli home. She always loved to +go to Mrs. Maxa's house, because Kurt and Mea were her best friends. +Loneli was always so friendly and obliging to everybody that the school +children often asked her to deliver messages. This often took place in +cases of estrangements when a third person was needed. Loneli had been +asked after school to-day to give a message to Mea and she was glad of +the chance to deliver it. + +Mea had sent a proposal of peace to Elvira through Loneli, for she hated +the constant sulking of her friend and the unpleasant new manner she +exhibited in turning her back upon her. Mea had twice before tried to be +reconciled to the embittered Elvira, but unfortunately in vain. She did +not dare to admit this to Kurt, who would not have approved of her +behaviour but would have even made a horrible song about it. But one +could always rely on Loneli, who was discreet. Mea, standing at the +window, saw Loneli coming towards the house and ran down to meet her. + +"I have to tell you something terribly sad about Elvira," Loneli said, +quite downcast. + +"What is it? What is it?" Mea asked. + +"She doesn't ever want to renew her friendship with you and she has asked +me to tell you that. You may be sure that I should not tell you if I did +not have to," Loneli added, "because it makes me so sad." + +Mea reflected a moment, wondering what she had really done. All she had +been guilty of was accusing Elvira of an act of injustice. So all +friendly feelings between them were to be withdrawn for all time as her +punishment. + +"Elvira can sulk for the rest of eternity, if she wants to," Mea said now +without the slightest trace of sadness. Loneli was greatly surprised. +"There are other people in this world besides her. I should have loved +to tell Elvira who was staying with us. Never has anybody been so nice +and pleased us so. I wish I could have told her who is here now, though +we don't know her yet; but Elvira keeps on turning her back on me. You +see, Loneli, the nicest boy, about Bruno's age, came to see us, and his +sister is sick upstairs. We are not allowed to see her just yet, but I +can hardly wait till she comes down. If she is as nice as her brother, +she is the nicest child any of us have ever seen." + +At this description Loneli's vivacious eyes fairly gleamed with sympathy. + +"What is her name," she asked expectantly. + +"Leonore," Mea answered. + +"Oh," Loneli immediately began, "my grandmother also knew a young lady +called Leonore. She always says that that young lady was as lovely as an +angel and that there could not be anybody in the world as wonderful as +she." + +"I am rather glad if Leonore is not like an angel, for she might not be +my friend then," Mea said quickly. "Elvira even, who certainly is not at +all like an angel, has to break her friendship with me every few weeks." + +"Maybe she does that because she is so little like an angel," Loneli +suggested. + +At this both children laughed. Often Loneli found exactly the right word +to say which would throw light on the matter. Kurt always enjoyed these +remarks of hers. + +At that moment shrieks of joy sounded from the house: "Mama is coming! +Mama is coming!" + +Lippo, the watchman, had posted himself again on the stairs as soon as he +had returned from school, and he had found ample work there. Kurt had +again forgotten the command and had to be chased away, and even Bruno had +made an attempt to quietly steal up to his mother. But all this had only +brought horrified cries from the little boy. + +They had both meant no wrong whatever. All they had wanted was to +quickly say a word to the mother through the open door. Nevertheless, +Lippo had grown terribly wrought up about it. A firm command had been +given, and they had tried to break it, so they all had been obliged to +give way before his violent noise. + +A strange gentleman had come, too, who was half-way up the stairs with +two leaps. But Lippo had grabbed the tails of his coat and, holding on +to them with both hands, shrieked, "Nobody is allowed to go up. You must +not go up." + +Laughingly turning about, the gentleman said, "Just let me go, little +one. I am allowed because I am the doctor. Your uncle told me where to +go, so I'll easily find my way. But I'll make use of you some day, for +you are a splendid sentinel." + +When the doctor on his return found him still on the same spot, he called +him a pillar of good order and told him that he would send for him if he +should ever need a reliable watchman. + +Soon after, Lippo uttered sudden shouts of joy, for he saw his mother +coming downstairs. What a surprise it was to see her when they had +thought that she would be shut up for one or two days longer! + +"Mama is coming! Mama is coming!" + +All had heard his exclamations and Mea was the first to appear, pulling +Loneli after her. Bruno came rushing from one side and Kurt from the +other, and Mäzli shot like an arrow right into their midst. The mother +found herself solidly surrounded. + +"Mama, just think--" + +"Oh, listen, mama!" + +"Oh, mama, I want to tell you--" + +"Do you know, mama?" + +This came from all sides and all at once. + +"To-morrow, children, to-morrow," said the mother. "We must be very +happy that we can see each other so soon again. I wanted to send one of +you to Apollonie, but I am glad to see you here, Loneli." + +Mrs. Maxa now told Loneli the message she was to take to her +grandmother. The doctor had just been there and had found Leonore much +better already. As her fever had gone down, he feared no serious +illness. Leonore was to spend several more days in bed and therefore she +was to have a nurse who could also take care of her at night-time. For +this nobody better than grandmother Apollonie could be found, and Mrs. +Maxa would be so glad for her patient's and her own sake if she could +arrange to come to the house for several days and nights. She told +Loneli to tell her grandmother that the little girl was named Leonore and +that Mrs. Maxa was quite sure she would not be hard to take care of. + +The mother would not allow herself to be detained any longer. To all the +questions which stormed in upon her she only had one answer: "To-morrow, +children, to-morrow." Then she disappeared again into the sick room. + +"Please tell me what she is like, when you have seen her. I am so +curious," said Loneli, taking leave, and Mea promised to give the +sympathetic Loneli a full report of everything. + +Next morning extremely early Apollonie appeared at Mrs. Maxa's house. +As the door was not open yet, she knocked quietly and after a while Kathy +appeared with heavy, sleepy eyes. + +"Why should anybody rush about at this early hour," she said a little +angrily. It did not suit her at all that Apollonie should have found out +what a short time she had been astir. + +"I begin my day at this hour," said Apollonie, "and there is no need for +me to rush about. I can leave that to those who get up late. I have +come to take Mrs. Rector's place in the sick room." + +"She hasn't even called yet," Kathy flung out. + +"So much the better, then I have at least not come too late. I can find +some work everywhere," and with this Apollonie entered the living room +and began to set it in order. + +Kathy did not hinder her and, to show her gratitude, attempted to start a +little conversation. But Apollonie was not in the mood for that. She +was solely filled by the question who the sick Leonore was that she was +going to nurse. Could it be possible? + +That moment a bell sounded from upstairs, and Apollonie obeyed the call. +Mrs. Maxa, opening the door, let her enter. Wide awake, Leonore was +sitting up in bed. Her thick, curly hair was falling far down below her +shoulders, and her dark, solemn eyes were gazing with surprise at +Apollonie. The latter looked immovably at the little girl, while tears +were coursing down her cheeks. + +"Oh, oh," she said, as soon as she was able to control her emotion, "one +does not need to ask where our little Leonore comes from. It seems to me +as if old times had come back again. Yes, she looked exactly like that +when she came to the castle; only she was not quite so pale." + +"Leonore," Mrs. Maxa said, "Mrs. Apollonie has known both your father +and mother very well. So I thought that you would like to have her for a +nurse." + +"Certainly," Leonore replied happily, while she stretched out her hand in +a friendly manner towards Apollonie. "Won't you tell me everything you +know about them?" Apollonie was only too glad to do that, but in her +agitation she had first to wipe her eyes. + +There was no end to the children's enthusiasm when they found that their +mother was to be their own again. The unaccustomed separation had seemed +much longer and harder to bear than they had imagined, but it was all +over now, she was back and would be theirs now for all time to come. + +Bruno suggested that they should divide up their mother's time between +them to-day. This would make it possible for all to get her hearing +separately. In all this time a great deal of matter had accumulated +which was crying to be heard. If they were all to talk to her at once, +as had happened several times before, no one would have any satisfaction, +as she might not even be able to understand them. So it was settled that +every child should have their mother alone for an hour, and they were to +take their turns according to age. + +"So of course the first hour after school from eleven till twelve belongs +to me," was Bruno's statement. + +"From one till two I shall have my turn," Mea cried out. She was +counting on asking her mother so many questions that they might easily +take three hours. She had no communications to make but she was terribly +eager to hear all about Leonore. + +"I'll get the time between four and five o'clock," said Kurt. This term +suited him exactly, as he had a secret hope of prolonging it somewhat. +The two little ones were to have the remaining time before supper, and +Kurt thought that they could not have very much to tell, whereas he was +in need of a great deal of advice. + +The mother had been quite certain that Bruno in his interview with her +would make a last, desperate effort to escape having to live with the +Knippel boys. What was her surprise when she found that this had been +entirely pushed into the background by his lively sympathy in Salo's +destiny. + +Bruno's thoughts were constantly occupied by the thought that his new, +charming friend stood entirely alone in the world. As Salo had no one +who could help him to find a home, Bruno hoped that his mother would be +able to give him some advice. He felt sure that she would gladly do +this, for she loved both children tenderly, as she had formerly loved +their parents. + +The boy had been absolutely right when he supposed that Mrs. Maxa would +be glad to help them, but she had to tell Bruno frankly that there was no +advice she was able to give. She had no authority over the children and +could therefore do nothing, as everything depended on Salo's early +completion of his studies so that he could choose an occupation. This +would have to be settled by the gentleman of whom Salo had spoken. He +was probably a relation of their mother's who had undertaken the care of +the children. + +Bruno was terribly cast down when he heard this. When his mother did not +give him help and counsel right away, she usually gave him some hope by +saying, "We shall see." As she had not said this to-day, he felt certain +that nothing could be done. But the mother's unhappy face showed to +Bruno that her disability did not come from a lack of sympathy, and that +it pained her very much that she could do nothing. + +When Bruno came out of the room he was very silent and sadder than he had +ever been in his life. + +Mea, on the contrary, came skipping out from her interview. Her mother +had told her that Leonore was charming, refined and modest, besides being +extremely grateful for every little favor. But what thrilled Mea beyond +everything was that Leonore had repeatedly told her mother how much she +looked forward to meeting her, because the two were of an age. Leonore's +only fear was that Mea might find her rather tiresome. All the girls in +the boarding school had always accused her of that, for she was often +terribly unhappy, and she could not help it. Mea was more eager than +ever now to meet Leonore, for she was already filled with a warm love for +the sick child. She could talk and think of practically nothing but +Leonore. + +"I certainly have to make a song about this violent new friendship," Kurt +said in the evening, when Mea had urged more than once, "Oh, mother, I +hope you won't let Leonore go as soon as she can come down and the doctor +says she is well; otherwise we shall barely be able to become +acquainted." + +Mea flared like a rocket at her brother's suggestion, crying violently, +"Indeed you won't, Kurt." + +"Mea, Mea," the mother admonished her, "I propose to do all I can to keep +Leonore here as long as possible, but--" + +"But, Mea, she might be put to flight with fear and never be seen again +if you attack your poor brothers in such a way," Kurt quickly concluded +the mother's sentence. + +Mea had to laugh over this speech, which little resembled her mother's +style of talking. + +"My dear Kurt," she said, "I am quite able to complete a sentence without +your assistance. I wanted to say that I should not be able to do very +much, because the ladies will take Leonore when it suits them best. I +have to admit, however, that there was some truth in Kurt's reply. +Leonore has such a delicate, refined nature that it might frighten her to +see you carried away by such passion, Mea." + +When the doctor came back again in two days he was surprised at the +improved condition of his little patient. "If she was not so very +young," the doctor said to Mrs. Maxa while she accompanied him out of +the room, "I should say that her illness came largely from some hidden +sorrow and inner suffering. She has apparently been able to shake it off +in the good care and affectionate treatment she is getting here. But I +can scarcely believe this of a child." + +When Mrs. Maxa asked him how soon Leonore could leave the room and spend +the day with her very active children, he answered, "She can do it from +to-morrow on. Nothing can possibly refresh her more than some lively +playmates." + +With this he took his leave. Going downstairs, he met Apollonie, who was +just coming up with a supper-tray laden with delicate dishes for the sick +child. + +"That is right," said the doctor; "it gives one an appetite only to look +at it." + +"Yes, the poor child eats like a little bird," said Apollonie; "but Mrs. +Rector says that there must be things to choose from in order to tempt +her. How is she getting along, doctor? Do you think she'll get well +again? Isn't she just like a little angel?" + +"That is hard for me to say, as I do not know any angels," he said +smiling, "but she might be for all I know. I am sure that she will get +well with careful nursing, and you are sure to see to that, Mrs. +Apollonie. You seem to think that in being given care of the child you +have drawn the big prize in the lottery." + +"Indeed I have. I really have," she cried after him. + +No event had ever been looked forward to with such great suspense in Mrs. +Maxa's house as the appearance of Leonore. As soon as all the children +were home from school the next morning, their mother fetched her down. +The three older ones were standing expectantly together in a little +group, while the two smaller ones had placed themselves with wide-open +eyes near the door. Leonore, entering, greeted one after the other in +such an engaging, confidential way that she made them feel as if they +were old friends. She loved their mother so much and had been so closely +drawn to her that she was fond of the children before she had even seen +them. This pleased them tremendously, for they had expected Leonore to +be very different from themselves and had been rather afraid of her. As +soon as they saw her, they felt that they might each be special friends +with their charming guest. Leonore found herself surrounded by them all +in a corner of the sofa. As she did not look at all strong yet, the +mother had led her there. Leonore tried to answer all the questions, +listen to all the projects and information which were showered upon her, +while her eyes danced with merriment. These unusual surroundings made +Leonore so happy that her face became quite rosy. Mea had been already +completed in her mind a plan which, if it succeeded, would make it +possible for her to have Leonore to herself sometimes. Since all her +brothers and sisters liked the visitor so much, it was not easy to get +her off alone. If only her mother would sanction the plan! That day Mea +had to set the table, and when lunch time had come, she quickly ran to +her mother to ask her if she might take Apollonie's place in Leonore's +room, and to her great delight she willingly consented. Mea told her she +would only be too glad to wait on Leonore at night if she could but be +with her. Leonore really needed no more special care, and in case of an +emergency Mea could easily run down to fetch her mother. + +"Leonore will mean more to you than she will ever realize," the mother +concluded, "and I feel very gratified if you can do something for her, +too." + +Mrs. Maxa then informed Apollonie of the new plan, and she felt sure +that the latter would be glad to get home again. + +"I do everything in my power for that angel," she exclaimed. "I should +go to live in the desert if only I could procure a home for her." + +After dinner she went to Leonore to say good-bye, and the child pressed +her hand most warmly, thanking her for the good care she had received. + +"I shall never forget how kind you have been, Apollonie," she said +heartily. "I shall come to see you as soon as I am allowed to go. I +hope that we shall see each other very often." + +"Oh, yes, I hope so! Please ask Mrs. Rector to let you come to me as +often as possible," said Apollonie before leaving. + +Leonore now told the children that Apollonie had very vividly described +to her the lovely home of her parents and the wonderful life in the +castle. She had said frankly that she would never desire such a fine +home, if only Salo and she could call a little house their own, so the +good-hearted Apollonie had suggested that they might live with her. She +could easily let them have the whole cottage with the exception of a tiny +chamber. She could wait on them, and what more could they desire? +Leonore had felt that this would be better than anything she had dreamed +of, as she could come over to Mrs. Maxa and her children as often as she +pleased. How happy Salo would be if she wrote him about it. + +"Yes, you can," Mäzli declared. "Her house is a lovely place to live in. +Loneli is there, who does everything one wants her to, and Apollonie +always cooks what one likes best." + +Kurt made a little enigmatical remark to Mäzli about her greed, but +before she could have it explained to her, the mother turned to Leonore. + +"I do not want you to be deluded by this thought, dear child," she said, +"for that might only bring you disappointment. As soon as you are well, +you can walk to Apollonie's cottage and then you will see what a tiny +place it is. The great obstacle of Salo's studies would not be put aside +in that way, either, for he could not join you there for years." + +"Oh, I was thinking all the time how lovely it would be to live with +Apollonie! It would be so wonderful--I could live with her there and Salo +could come to us in the holidays till he is through with his studies. +Then we could both settle here in the neighborhood." + +Leonore had been counting on this new scheme and she looked up at Mrs. +Maxa as if she longed for her consent. As Mrs. Maxa did not have the +heart to shatter the child's hopes completely, she decided to let the +matter rest for the present. As soon as they could visit Apollonie, +Leonore could judge for herself how impossible the plan was. + +Leonore's eyes were usually very sad, but occasionally she would look +quite merry, and it was so that she appeared that evening when the +children were surrounding her on all sides. When each had to tell her so +much and tried to be nearest her, she experienced the feeling that she +had come to a family to which she really belonged. Each of the children +had founded a special relation with Leonore. Bruno saw himself as her +protector and adviser, and as her brother's close friend he meant to keep +an active watch over her. Mea, whose thoughts had been completely +absorbed for days in her new friend, brought her all the warmth of a +heart which craved friendship passionately. Kurt had made it his duty to +cheer up the rather melancholy child as much as was in his power. Lippo, +still filled a little with his post of sentinel, always came close to her +as if he still needed to watch over her. Mäzli was of the firm opinion +that she had to entertain the guest, so she would relate fragments of +funny things she knew, passing from one to another. In this way Leonore +got to hear of the Knippel family. The time passed so quickly that loud +laments were heard when the mother announced that it was time for Leonore +to retire. She did not want her strength to be overtaxed on her first +day out of bed. + +"We shall have many more days after this when we can be together," she +added. "Let us be glad of that." + +"There might not be so many, for I feel quite well already," Leonore said +with a sigh. + +Mrs. Maxa smiled. + +"We must thank God for that. But you need to get strong, and I hope that +you may find the needed recreation and change here." Then she accompanied +the two girls up to their room at the top of the house. As Mea was to be +Leonore's sole nurse from now on, Mrs. Maxa wanted to reassure herself +that nothing was missing. It was in Mea's nature to endow every new +friend with marvellous qualities. Her imagination was always as active +as her heart, which she gave unreservedly on such occasions. +Unfortunately Mea suffered many disappointments in that way, because on +nearer acquaintance her friends very seldom came up to her expectations. +She always tried hard to hold on to the original image, even if it did +not in the least coincide with what her friends proved to be in reality +and this brought on numberless fights with Kurt, who, with his usual +shrewdness, could not help revealing to her the real state of affairs. +This always disillusioned her finally, for it was hard to deny his +proofs. Whenever another girl woke a passionate love in her, she was +bound to expect something unusual from her. + +A week had passed since Leonore had spent her first day as convalescent +among the family. As Mea had the privilege of being in the closest, most +intimate contact with her new friend in the late evening hours, she was +in a state of perfect bliss. Every moment of the day that she was home +she tried to be at Leonore's side and in her walks to and from school +there existed for her no other subject of conversation than Leonore. + +It was quite unusual that Kurt had not produced a rhyme about her great +devotion. He had not once said: "Things will be different after a +while." Brother and sister this time were entirely of one opinion about +her: it even seemed as if Kurt himself had caught a touch of the +friendship fever, as he used to call Mea's great devotion. + +Apparently Bruno was of the same opinion, too. In all his free hours he +used to sit in a corner of the room with his books, paying no attention +to anything else, but since Leonore had come he always joined the merry +group and generally had something to relate or to show for Leonore's +entertainment. This he did in a quiet, gentler manner, such that it +seemed as if he would hardly have behaved otherwise. + +Lippo felt so comfortable in Leonore's presence that he always kept as +close to her as possible. Even when he told his experiences at great +length, she never became impatient, but encouraged him to go on when his +brothers and sisters made sarcastic remarks about him. + +From time to time he would confidentially say to her: "Just stay with us +always, Leonore. You are at home here now, even if you have no home +anywhere else." This was uttered in a spirit of utter conviction, as the +little boy had heard it from her own lips and was sure that this would be +the best for them all. + +Leonore blushed a deep scarlet at these words, as if Lippo had pronounced +a thought she did not dare to foster in her own heart. Once his mother +had noticed this, so she told Lippo one evening, not to say this again. +As it was impossible to keep Leonore, it was much better not to speak of +it, as it only gave her pain. As this was a firm command, Lippo obeyed +faithfully. He kept on, however, showing Leonore that he loved to be +with her. + +Mäzli's love for Leonore showed itself more than anything in a wish to +lend her a helping; hand in many things which the little girl felt her +lovely friend stood in need of. She had seen quite plainly that Leonore +often became very sad when everyone else about her was laughing and she +herself had been quite bright a moment before. But Mäzli knew how she +was going to help. She meant to tell Apollonie how to fit up her cottage +for Leonore and Salo, who, she hoped, would spend his holidays there, +too. She meant to superintend these preparations herself and to have it +all fixed as daintily as possible. + +By this time Mea's new friend was adored by the whole family, and they +showed it by doing all in their power for her. They had agreed that she +differed absolutely from Mea's former friends. They could not analyze +wherein lay the charm which pervaded her whole personality. The children +had never known anybody who was so polite towards everyone, including +Kathy, who only spoke affectionate, tender words, and always seemed so +grateful when others were kind to her. This spirit was something new and +extremely delightful. They had to admit to themselves that they wished +everybody would act in such a way, as this would do away forever with the +fights and altercations that had always arisen between them, and for +which they were afterwards always sorry. The only thing they would have +been glad to change in Leonore were her sudden fits of gloom, which +affected them all. Leonore tried very hard to fight these depressing +thoughts, but they went so deep that she seldom succeeded. Their mother +consoled them by saying that Leonore would get stronger as soon as she +could take walks with them in the woods and meadows, and that feelings +which now weighed on her would then seem lighter. + +A few days later the children, including Leonore, came back with rosy +cheeks and glowing eyes from their first walk to the surrounding hills. +The fresh mountain breeze had exhilarated them so much that the feeling +of well-being was laughing from their young faces. Even Leonore's +cheeks, that were usually so pale, were faintly tinged with a rosy hue. +The mother stepped out of the garden into the road in order to welcome +the children. + +"Oh," she cried out joyfully. "This first walk has been splendid. +Leonore looks like a fresh apple-blossom." + +Taking her hand with great tenderness between her own, she gazed at her +very closely in order to rejoice over the rosy color on the child's +delicate face. That moment a beggar-woman approached, holding by each +hand a little girl. The children's clothes were so ragged that their +little bodies were scarcely covered. + +Looking at Mrs. Maxa, the beggar-woman said, "Yes, yes, children can +make one happy enough when one has a home. You are a fortunate lady to +have a good roof for your own. It would be better for two such homeless +ones as these not to exist! They are sure to remain homeless all their +lives, and that is the saddest thing of all." + +With that she stretched out her hand, for Mrs. Maxa was looking at her +intently. Leonore had quickly taken off her shawl and jacket. + +"May I give it to them?" she asked Mrs. Maxa in a low voice. + +The beggar-woman had already noticed the girl's gesture and stretched out +her hands in her direction. + +"I am glad, young lady, that you have pity for these homeless ones, even +if you do not know what that means. God bless you!" + +Leonore looked imploringly into Mrs. Maxa's face. The latter nodded, as +it was too late now to explain to Leonore what action would have been +better. She made up her mind to do it afterwards for similar occasions. +With many words the poor woman thanked her for the gift. She was very +anxious to kiss the young lady's hand for the two garments, but Leonore +had immediately run away. Mea followed and found Leonore, who had been +so merry on the walk, sitting in her sofa-corner, crying bitterly with +her head between her hands. + +"What is the matter, Leonore? Why do you cry so terribly?" Mea, asked, +quite frightened. + +She could not answer at once. The mother and the other children had come +in, too, and now they all surrounded the sobbing girl in great amazement +and sympathy. + +"That is the way I am," she said at last, sobbing aloud, "I am homeless +like them. Anyone who is homeless has to remain so always, and it is +terrible. That is what the woman said, and I believe her. How should +one find a home if one can't look for one?" + +Leonore had never before broken out into such passionate grief. Mrs. +Maxa looked at her very sorrowfully. + +"She is a real Wallerstätten at the bottom of her heart," she said to +herself. "That will mean more struggles for her than I thought." + +At a sign from her the children plainly understood that she asked them to +go into the garden for a little while. Sitting down beside Leonore, she +took her hand between her own and waited till the violent outbreak had +ceased. + +Then she said tenderly: "Oh, Leonore, don't you remember what you told me +once when you were ill and I was sitting on your bed? You told me that +you found a song among your mother's music which always comforted you +when you seemed to lose courage and confidence in God. You said that it +always made you feel that He was not forgetting you and your brother, and +that he is looking after you in whatever way is best for you, even if you +can't recognize it now. Have you forgotten this? Can you tell me your +favorite verse in it?" + +"Oh, yes, I can," said Leonore, "it is the verse: + + God, who disposest all things well, + I want but what thou givest me, + Oh how can we thine acts foretell, + When Thou art far more wise than we? + +"Yes, I always feel better when I think of that," Leonore added after a +time in a totally changed voice. "It makes me happy because I know that +God can do for us what Salo and I can't do for ourselves. But when +everything stays the same for so long and there is no prospect of any +change, it is so hard to keep this faith. If we can't do anything for +ourselves, it seems as if everything would have to be that way. The +woman said that if anybody is homeless once, he has to remain that way +for the rest of his life." + +"No, no, Leonore," Mrs. Maxa answered, "you must not take a chance word +seriously. The poor woman only said it because she saw no immediate help +for her children. It is not true at all. Of course you can't look ahead +into your future, but you can ask God to give you full confidence in Him. +Then you can leave it all to Him, and the sense of His protection will +make you calmer. It will also keep you from making uncertain plans, +which might only bring fresh disappointments." + +Leonore had attentively followed every word Mrs. Maxa had uttered. +Looking thoughtfully in front of her for a moment, she said, "Aunt +Maxa"--this was the mode of address she had long ago been granted--"don't +you want me to think of Apollonie's cottage either? Shall we have a +disappointment, if I hope that we can find a home there?" + +"Yes, my dear child. It is entirely out of the question for you and your +brother to live there. I should not tell you this if I were not +absolutely certain, and you can imagine that I should not shatter such a +hope if I did not have to." + +It hurt Mrs. Maxa very much to say this, but she found it necessary. +She knew that Apollonie in her measureless love and admiration would +never be able to refuse a single one of Leonore's wishes, even if it +meant the impossible. + +"I shall not think about it any more then," said Leonore, embracing Mrs. +Maxa with utter confidence, "and I shall be glad now that I can still +remain with you." + +Later that evening when the children were all together and Leonore had +conquered her grief for that day, a letter came for their mother from +Hanover. She had informed the ladies of Leonore's complete recovery and +had added that the doctor thought it necessary for the child to enjoy the +strengthening mountain air for a while longer. She herself had no other +wish than to keep Leonore in her house as long as possible. The ladies' +answer was full of warm thanks for her great help in their embarrassing +situation. They were very glad to accept her great kindness for two more +weeks, after which one of them would come to fetch Leonore home. + +Mrs. Maxa glanced with a heavy heart at the child to whom she had grown +as devoted as to her own. She felt dreadfully sad at the thought of +letting her go away so soon. The worst of it was that she knew the +ladies' abode had never really meant a home for poor Leonore. It only +doubled her grief to know how hard it would be for the child to leave +her, but as she had no right over her, she could do nothing. The only +thing she could plan was to ask the ladies to let her have Leonore +sometimes during the summer holidays. She decided not to dampen the +children's good spirits that evening with the discouraging news in the +letter. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +MÄZLI PAYS VISITS + +Whenever Mäzli found the time heavy on her hands, she would suddenly +remember people who might want to see her. She had been extremely +occupied all these days entertaining Leonore, as during school hours she +had been the older girl's sole companion. Her brothers and sisters were +now home for a holiday and constantly surrounded Leonore. Finding +herself without her usual employment, Mäzli ran after her mother on the +morning of the holiday and kept on saying, "I must go to see Apollonie. +I am sure Loneli is sad that I have not been to see her so long," until +her mother finally gave her permission to go that afternoon. + +On her way to Apollonie Mäzli had been struck by an idea which occupied +her very much. She arrived at the cottage of her old friend and sat down +beside Loneli, who was not in the least sad, but looked about her with +the merriest eyes. "I must go see the Castle-Steward to-day," she said +quickly. "I promised it but I forgot about it." + +"No, no, Mäzli," Apollonie said evasively, "we have lots of other things +to do. We have to see if the plums are getting ripe on the tree in the +corner of the garden, and after that you must see the chickens. Just +think, Mäzli, they have little chicks, and you will have to see them. I +am sure you won't ever want to leave them." + +"Oh, yes, when I have seen them I must go to the Castle-Steward because I +promised to," Mäzli replied. + +"I am sure he has forgotten all about it and does not remember you any +more," Apollonie said, trying to ward Mäzli off from her design. "Does +your mama know that you mean to go to the castle?" + +"No, because I only thought of it on my way here," Mäzli assured her old +friend. "But one must always keep a promise; Kurt told me that." + +"Mr. Trius won't even let you in," Apollonie protested. + +"Certainly! He has to. I know the Castle-Steward well, and he is not in +the least afraid of Mr. Trius; I have noticed that," said Mäzli, firmly +holding to her resolution. + +Apollonie realized that words would do no good and resolved to entertain +Mäzli so well with the little chickens and other things that it would +finally be too late for her to go to the castle. Mäzli inspected the +tiny chickens and the ripening plums with great enjoyment, but as this +had barely taken any time at all, she soon said resolutely, "I have to go +now because it is late. If you would like to stay home, Loneli can come +with me. I am sure we can easily find the way." + +"What are you dreaming of, Mäzli?" Apollonie cried out. "How do you +think Mr. Trius would receive you if you ask him to let you in, I should +like to know? You'll find out something you won't like, I am afraid. No, +no, this can't be. If you insist on going, I had better go along." + +Apollonie went indoors to get ready for the walk, as she always put on +better clothes whenever she mounted to the castle, despite the fact that +she might not see anyone. Loneli was extremely eager to have a chance to +find out who was the Castle-Steward whom Mäzli had promised to visit. +She had tried to persuade her grandmother to let her go with Mäzli, in +which case her mother would not need to change her clothes, But the +latter would not even hear of it, remarking, "You can sit on the bench +under the pear tree with your knitting in the meantime, and you can sing +a song. We are sure to be back again in a little while." + +Soon they started off, Apollonie firmly holding Mäzli's hand. Mr. Trius +appeared at the door before they even had time to ring; it seemed as if +the man really had his eyes on everything. Throwing a furious glance at +Mäzli, he opened the door before Apollonie had said a word. But he had +taken great care to leave a crack which would only allow a little person +like Mäzli to slip through without sticking fast in the opening. Mäzli +wriggled through and started to run away. The next moment the door was +closed again. "Do you think I intend to squeeze myself through, too? You +do not need to bolt it, Mr. Trius," Apollonie said, much offended. "It +is not necessary to cut off the child from me like that, so that I don't +even know where she is going. I am taking care of her, remember. Won't +you please let me in, for I want to watch her, that is all." + +"Forbidden," said Mr. Trius. + +"Why did you let the child in?" + +"I was ordered to." + +"What? You were ordered to? By the master?" cried out Apollonie. "Oh, +Mr. Trius, how could he let the child go in and walk about the garden +while his old servant is kept out? She ought to be in there looking after +things. I am sure you have never told him how I have come to you, come +again and again and have begged you to admit me. I want to put things +into their old order and you don't want me to. You don't even know, +apparently, which bed he has and if his pillows are properly covered. +You said so yourself. I am sure that the good old Baroness would have no +peace in her grave if she knew all this. And this is all your fault. I +can clearly see that. I can tell you one thing, though! If you refuse to +give my messages to the master as I have begged and begged you to so +often, I'll find another way. I'll write a letter." + +"Won't help." + +"What won't help? How can you know that? You won't know what's in the +letter. I suppose the Baron still reads his own letters," Apollonie +eagerly went on. + +"He receives no letters from these parts." + +This was a terrible blow for Apollonie, to whom this new thought had +given great confidence. She therefore decided to say nothing more and +quietly watched Mr. Trius as he walked up and down inside the garden. + +Mäzli in the meantime had eagerly pursued her way and was soon up on the +terrace. Glancing about from there, she saw the gentleman again, +stretched out in the shadow of the pine tree, as she had seen him first, +and the glinting cover was lying again on his knees. Mäzli ran over to +him. + +"How do you do, Mr. Castle-Steward? Are you angry with me because I have +not come for so long?" she called out to him from a distance, and a +moment later she was by his side. "It was only on account of Leonore," +Mäzli continued. "I should otherwise have come ages ago. But when the +others are all in school she can't be left alone. So I stay with her and +I like to do it because she is so nice. Everybody likes Leonore, +everybody likes her terribly; Kurt and Bruno, too. They stay home all +the time now because Leonore is with us. You ought to know how nice she +is. You would like her dreadfully right away." + +"Do you think so?" said the gentleman, while something like a smile +played about his lips. "Is it your sister?" + +"My sister? No, indeed," Mäzli said, quite astonished at his error. "She +is Salo's sister, the boy who was with us and who had to go back to +Hanover. She has to go back to Hanover, too, as soon as she is well, and +mama always gets very sad when she talks about it. But Mea gets sadder +still and even cries. Leonore hates to leave us, but she has to. She +cried dreadfully once because she can never, never have a home. As long +as she lives she'll have to be homeless. The beggar-woman who came with +the two ragged children said that. They were homeless, and Leonore said +afterwards, 'I am that way, too,' and then she cried terribly, and we +were sent out into the garden. She might have cried still more if she +had thought about our having a home with a mama while she has none. She +has no papa or anybody. But you must not think that she is a homeless +child with a torn dress; she looks quite different. Maybe she can find a +home in Apollonie's little house under the hill. Then Salo can come home +to her in the holidays. But mama does not think that this can be. But +Leonore wants it ever so much. I must bring her to you one day." + +"Who are you, child? What is your name," asked the gentleman abruptly. + +Mäzli looked at him in astonishment. + +"I am Mäzli," she said, "and mama has the same name as I have. But they +don't call her that. Some people call her Mrs. Rector, some mama, and +Uncle Philip says Maxa to her and Leonore calls her Aunt Maxa." + +"Is your father the rector of Nolla?" the gentleman asked. + +"He has been in heaven a long while, and he was in heaven before we came +here, but mama wanted to come back to Nolla because this was her home. +We don't live in the rectory now, but where there is a garden with lots +of paths, and where the big currant-bushes are in the corners, here and +here and here." Mäzli traced the position of the bushes exactly on the +lionskin. The castle-steward, leaning back in his chair, said nothing +more. "Do you find it very tiresome here?" Mäzli asked sympathetically. + +"Yes, I do," was the answer. + +"Have you no picture-book" + +"No." + +"Oh, I'll bring you one, as soon as I come again. And then--but perhaps +you have a headache?" Mäzli interrupted herself. "When my mama wrinkles +up her forehead the way you do she always has a headache, and one must +get her some cold water to make it better. I'll quickly get some," and +the next instant Mäzli was gone. + +"Come back, child!" the gentleman called after her. "There is nobody in +the castle, and you won't find any." + +It seemed strange to Mäzli that there should be nobody to bring water to +the Castle-Steward. + +"I'll find somebody for him," she said, eagerly running down the incline +to the door, in whose vicinity Mr. Trius was wandering up and down. + +"You are to go up to the Castle-Steward at once," she said standing still +in front of him, "and you are to bring him some cold water, because he +has a headache. But very quickly." + +Mr. Trius glanced at Mäzli in an infuriated way as if to say: "How do +you dare to come to me like this?" Then throwing the door wide open he +growled like a cross bear: "Out of here first, so I can close it." After +Mäzli had slipped out he banged the big door with all his might so that +the hinges rattled. Turning the monstrous key twice in the lock, he also +bolted it with a vengeance. By this he meant to show that no one could +easily go in again at his pleasure. + +Apollonie, who had been sitting down in the shade not far from the door +now went up to Mäzli and said, "You stayed there a long time. What did +the gentleman say?" + +"Very little, but I told him a lot," Mäzli said. "He has a headache, +Apollonie, and just think! nobody ever brings him any water, and Mr. +Trius even turns the key and bolts the door before he goes to him." + +Apollonie broke out into such lamentations and complaints after these +words that Mäzli could not bear it. + +"But he has the water long ago, Apollonie. I am sure Mr. Trius gave it +to him. Please don't go on so," she said a trifle impatiently. But this +was only oil poured on the flames. + +"Yes, no one knows what he does and what he doesn't do," Apollonie +lamented, louder than ever. "The poor master is sick, and all his +servant does is to stumble about the place, not asking after his needs +and letting everything go to rack and ruin. Not a cabbage-head or a +pea-plant is to be seen. Not one strawberry or raspberry, no golden +apricots on the wall or a single little dainty peach. The disorder +everywhere is frightful. When I think how wonderfully it used to be +managed by the Baroness!" Apollonie kept on wiping her eyes because +present conditions worried her dreadfully. "You can't understand it, +Mäzli," she continued, when she had calmed down a trifle. "You see, +child, I should be glad to give a finger of my right hand if I could go +up there one day a week in order to arrange things for the master as they +should be and fix the garden and the vegetables. The stuff the old +soldier is giving him to eat is perfectly horrid, I know." + +Mäzli hated to hear complaints, so she always looked for a remedy. + +"You don't need to be so unhappy," she said. "Just cook some nice +milk-pudding for him and I'll take it up to him. Then he'll have +something good to eat, something much better than vegetables; oh, yes, a +thousand times better." + +"You little innocent! Oh, when I think of forty years ago!" Apollonie +cried out, but she complained no further. Mäzli's answers had clearly +given her the conviction that the child could not possibly understand the +difficult situation she was in. + +Mäzli chattered gaily by Apollonie's side, and as soon as she reached +home, wanted to tell her mother what had happened. But the child was to +have no opportunity for that day. The mother had been very careful in +keeping the contents of Miss Remke's letter from the children in order +not to spoil their last two weeks together. Unfortunately Bruno had that +day received a letter from Salo, in which he wrote that in ten days one +of the ladies was coming to fetch Leonore home, as she was completely +well. Salo remarked quite frankly that he himself hardly looked forward +to Leonore's coming, as he saw in each of her letters how happy she was +in Aunt Maxa's household and how difficult the separation would be for +her. Whenever he thought how hard it would be for her to grow accustomed +to the change again, all his joy vanished at the prospect of her return. +Bruno had read the whole letter aloud and had therewith conjured up such +consternation and grief on every side that the mother hardly knew how to +comfort them. Leonore herself was sitting in the midst of the excited +group. She gave no sound and had unsuccessfully tried to swallow her +rising tears, but they had got the better of her and were falling over +her cheeks in a steady stream. + +Mea was crying excitedly, "Oh, mother, you must help us. You have to +write to the ladies that they mustn't come. Please don't let Leonore +go!" + +Bruno remarked passionately that no one had the right to drag a sick +person on a journey against the doctor's wishes. The doctor had said the +last time he had been here that Leonore was to have not less than a month +for her complete recovery. + +Kurt cried out over and over again, "Oh, mother, it's cruel, it's +perfectly cruel! We all want to keep her here and she wants to stay. Now +she is to be violently taken from us. Isn't that absolutely cruel?" + +Lippo, coming close to Leonore, also did his best to console her. He +remembered that he could not say "stay with us" any more, but he had +another plan. + +"Don't cry, Leonore," he said encouragingly. "As soon as I am big, Uncle +Philip has promised to give me a house and a lot of meadows. I'll be a +farmer then, and I'll write to you to come to live with me, and Salo can +come for the holidays, too." + +Leonore could not help smiling, but it only brought more tears when she +thought how much love she was receiving from all these children, and that +she had to leave them and might never see them again. The mother's +attempts to comfort them failed entirely, because she had no hope +herself. + +In the middle of this agitating scene Mäzli arrived, perfectly happy and +filled with her recent experiences. She wished to relate what the +Castle-Steward had said to her and what she had said to him, and what had +happened afterwards. But no one listened because they were so deeply +absorbed with their own disturbing thoughts. They were not in the least +interested in what Mäzli had to say about the Steward, as they all +thought that the steward was Mr. Trius. That evening the unheard-of +happened. Mäzli actually begged to go to bed before the evening song had +been sung, because the depressing atmosphere in the house was so little +to her taste that she even preferred to go to bed. + +Mea had been hoping till now that her mother would find some means to +keep Leonore. If it could not be the way Apollonie planned, she might at +least stay for a long stretch of time. All of a sudden this hope was +gone entirely, and the day of separation was terribly near. The girl +looked so completely miserable when she started out for school next day +that the mother had not the heart to let her go without a little comfort. + +"You only need to go to school two more days, Mea," she said. "Next week +you can stay home and spend all your time with Leonore." + +Mea was very glad to hear it, but without uttering a word she ran away, +for everything that concerned Leonore brought tears to her eyes. + +Leonore had been looking so pale the last few days that Mrs. Maxa +surveyed her anxiously. Perhaps the recovery had not been as complete as +they had hoped, for the news of the close date of her departure had +proved to be a great strain for her. Mrs. Maxa went about quite +downcast and silent herself. Nothing for a long time had been so hard +for her to bear as the thought of separation from the little girl she had +begun to love like one of her own, who had also grown so lovingly +attached to her. The pressure lay on them all very heavily. Bruno never +said a word. Kurt, standing in a corner with a note-book, was busily +scribbling down his melancholy thoughts, but he did not show his verses +to anyone, as the tragic feeling in them might have drawn remarks from +Bruno which he might not have been able to endure. Lippo faithfully +followed Leonore wherever she went and from time to time repeated his +consoling words, but he said them in such a wailing voice that they +sounded extremely doleful. Mäzli alone still gazed about her with merry +eyes and was dancing with joy when she saw that it was a bright sunny +day. + +"You can take a little walk with Leonore, Mäzli," the mother said +immediately after lunch, as soon as the other children had started off to +school. "Leonore will grow too pale if she does not get into the open +air. Take her on a pretty walk, Mäzli. You might go to Apollonie." + +Mäzli most willingly got her little hat, and the children set out. When +they had passed half-way across the garden Mäzli suddenly stood still. + +"Oh, I forgot something," she said. "I have to go back again. Please +wait for me, I won't be long." + +Mäzli disappeared but came back very shortly with a large picture-book +under each arm. They were the biggest she had found and she had chosen +them because she thought: The bigger the books, the bigger his delight at +looking at them. + +"Now I'll tell you what I thought," she said on reaching Leonore. "You +see, up in the castle under a big tree sits the sick Castle-Steward. I +promised to go to see him soon again and to bring him a picture book. +But I am bringing him two because he'll like two better. I also promised +to bring you and something else besides. You don't know why he needs +that other thing, but you will hear when we are up there. Let us go +now." + +"But, Mäzli, I don't know the gentleman and he doesn't know me," Leonore +began to object. "I can't go, because he might not like it. Besides +your mother knows nothing about it." + +But Mäzli had not the slightest intention of giving up her expedition. + +"I have everything I want to bring him now, and the Castle-Steward has +probably been waiting for us all day, so, you see, we simply must go. +Mama also says that one has to go to see sick people and bring them +things, because it cheers them up. He has to sit all day alone under the +tree and he gets dreadfully tired. When he has a headache not a person +comes to bring him anything. It is not nice of you not to want to go +when he is expecting us." + +Mäzli had talked so eagerly that she not only became absolutely convinced +herself that it would be the greatest wrong if she did not go to see the +Castle-Steward, but produced a similar feeling in Leonore. + +"I shall gladly go with you, if you think the sick gentleman does not +object," she said; "I only didn't know whether he would want us." + +Mäzli was satisfied now, and, gaily talking, led Leonore toward the lofty +iron door. The path led up between fragrant meadows and heavily laden +apple trees, and when they reached their destination, they found it quite +superfluous to ring the bell. Mr. Trius had long ago observed them and +stood immovably behind the door. Hoping that he would open it, the +children waited expectantly, but he did not budge. + +"We want to pay a visit to the Castle-Steward," said Mäzli. "You'd +better open soon." + +"Not for two," was the answer. + +"Certainly. We both have to go in, because he is expecting us," Mäzli +informed him. "I promised to bring Leonore, so you'd better open." + +But Mr. Trius did not stir. + +"Come, Mäzli, we'd better go back," said Leonore in a low voice. "Can't +you see that he won't open it? Maybe he is not allowed." + +But it was no easy matter to turn Mäzli from her project. + +"If he won't open it I'll scream so loud that the Castle-Steward will +hear it," she said obstinately. "He is sure to say something then, for +he is waiting for us. I can shout very loud, just listen: 'Mr. +Castle-Steward!'" + +Her cry was so vigorous that Mr. Trius became quite blue with rage. "Be +quiet, you little monster!" he said, but he opened the door nevertheless. + +"Maybe we shouldn't go in," said Leonore. Mäzli pulled her along, +however, and never let go her hand till they had reached the terrace; she +had no desire to leave her friend behind when they were so near their +goal. Now, Mäzli quickly taking back the second picture-book, which +Leonore had been carrying for her, began to run. + +"Just come! Leonore. Look! there he sits already." With this Mäzli flew +over to the large pine tree. + +"How do you do, Mr. Castle-Steward! Didn't I come soon again, this +time?" she merrily called out to him. "I have also brought everything I +promised. Here are the picture books--look! two of them. I thought you +might look through one too quickly." + +Mäzli laid both books on the lion skin and began to rummage through her +pockets. "Look what else I brought you," and Mäzli laid down a tiny +ivory whistle. "Kurt gave it to me once and now I give it to you. If +you have a headache and Mr. Trius is far away, all you need to do is to +whistle. Then he can come and bring you some water. He'll hear it far, +far away, because it whistles as loud as anything. Just try it once! I +have also brought you Leonore." + +The gentleman started slightly and looked up. Leonore had shyly +retreated behind the chair, but Mäzli pulled her forward. The gentleman +now threw a penetrating glance at the delicate looking little girl, who +hardly dared to raise her large, dark eyes to his. Leonore, who had +blushed violently under his scrutiny, said in a barely audible voice, +"Perhaps we should not have come; but Mäzli thought we might be allowed +to see you. Can we do something for you? Perhaps Mäzli should not have +brought me. Oh, I am so sorry if I have offended you." + +"No, indeed. Mäzli meant well when she wanted me to meet her friend," +the gentleman said in quite a friendly voice. "What is the name of +Mäzli's friend?" + +"Leonore von Wallerstätten," the girl answered, and noticing the large +books on the gentleman's knees, she added, "May I take the books away? +They might be too heavy." + +"Yes, you might, but it was very good of Mäzli to bring them all the way +up to me," he said. "I'll look at them a little later." + +"May I fix your pillow for you? It does not do you much good that way," +said Leonore, pulling it up. It had long ago slipped out of position. + +"Oh, this is better, this is lovely," the sick man replied, comfortably +leaning back in the chair. + +"What a shame! It won't stay, I am afraid. It is falling down again," +said Leonore regretfully. "We ought to have a ribbon. If I only had one +and a thread and needle!--but perhaps we could come again to-morrow--" + +Leonore became quite frightened suddenly at her boldness and remained +silent from embarrassment. But Mäzli got her out of this trying +situation. Full of confidence she announced that they would return the +next day with everything necessary. + +The gentleman now asked Leonore where she came from and where she lived. +She related that she had been living in a boarding school for several +years, ever since the death of her great-aunt, with whom both she and her +brother had found a home. + +"Have you no other relations?" the gentleman asked, keenly observing her +the while. + +"No, none at all, except an uncle who has been living in Spain for many +years. My aunt told us that he won't ever come back and that no one +knows where he is. If we knew where he is, we should have written to him +long ago. Salo would go to Spain as soon as he was allowed to and I +should go to him in any case." + +"Why?" the gentleman asked. + +"Because he is our father's brother," she replied, "and we could love him +like a father, too. He is the only person in the whole world to whom we +could belong. We have wished many and many a time a chance to look for +him, because we might live with him." + +"No, you couldn't do that. I know him, I have been in Spain," the +Castle-Steward said curtly. + +A light spread over Leonore's face, as if her heart had been suddenly +flooded with hope. + +"Oh, do you really know our uncle? Do you know where he is living?" she +cried out, while her cheeks flushed with happiness. "Oh, please tell me +what you know about him." + +When she gazed up at the gentleman with such sparkling eyes, it seemed to +him that he ought to consider his reply carefully. + +Suddenly he said positively, "No, no, you can never seek him out. Your +uncle is an old, sick man, and no young people could possibly live with +him. He must remain alone in his old owl's nest. You could not go to +him there." + +"But we should go to him so much more, if he is old and ill. He needs us +more then than if he had a family," Leonore said eagerly. "He could be +our father and we his children and we could take care of him and love +him. If he only were not so dreadfully far away! If you could only tell +us where he lives, we could write to him and get his permission to go +there. Without him we can't do anything at all, because Mr. von Stiele +in Hanover wants Salo to study for years and years longer. We have to do +everything he says, unless our uncle should call us. Oh, please tell me +where he lives!" + +"Just think of all the deprivations you would have to suffer with your +old uncle! Think how lonely it would be for you to live with a sick man +in a wild nest among the rocks! What do you say to that?" he said curtly. + +"Oh, it would only be glorious for Salo and me to have a real home with +an uncle we loved," Leonore continued, showing that her longing could not +be quenched. "There is only one thing I should miss there, but I have to +miss it in Hanover, too. I shall never, never feel at home there!" + +"Well, what is this?" the gentleman queried. + +"That I can't be together with Aunt Maxa and the children." + +"Shall we ask Aunt Maxa's advice? Would this suit you, child?" + +"Oh, yes indeed," Leonore answered happily. + +At the mention of Aunt Maxa she suddenly remembered that they had not +told her where they were going. As she was afraid that they had +remained away too long already, Lenore urged Mäzli to take her leave +quickly, while she gave her hand to the steward. + +"Will you deliver a message for me, Leonore?" he said; "will you tell +your Aunt Maxa that the master of the castle, whom she knew long years +ago, would love to visit her, but he is unable? Ask her if he may hope +that she will come up to him at the castle instead?" + +Mäzli gave her hand now to say good-bye, and when she noticed that the +pillow had slipped down again, she said, "Apollonie would just love to +set things in order for you, but Mr. Trius won't let her in. She would +be willing to give a finger from her right hand if she were allowed to do +everything Mr. Trius doesn't do." + +"Come now, Mäzli," said Leonore, for she had the feeling that this +peculiar revelation might be followed by others as unintelligible. But +the Castle-Steward smiled, as if he had comprehended Mäzli's words. + +Mrs. Maxa was standing in front of her house, surrounded by her +children, anxiously looking for the two missing ones. Nobody could +understand where Leonore and Mäzli might have stayed so long. Suddenly +they caught a glimpse of two blue ribbons fluttering from Leonore's hat. +Quickly the children rushed to meet them. + +"Where do you come from? Where did you stay so long? Where have you been +all this time," sounded from all sides. + +"In the castle," was the answer. + +The excitement only grew at this. + +"How could you get there? Who opened the door? What did you do at the +castle?" The questions were poured out at such a rate that no answer +could possibly have been heard. + +"I went to see the Castle-Steward before. I have been to see him quite +often," said Mäzli loudly, for she was desirous of being heard. + +Leonore had gone ahead with the mother's arm linked in hers, for she was +very anxious to deliver her message. + +Kurt was too much interested in Mäzli's expedition to the castle to be +frightened off by the first unintelligible account. He had to find out +how it had come about and what had happened, but the two did not get very +far in their dialogue. + +As soon as Mäzli began to talk first about Mr. Trius and then about the +Steward, Kurt always said quickly, "But this is all one and the same +person. Don't make two out of them, Mäzli! All the world knows that Mr. +Trius is the Steward of Castle Wildenstein; he is one person and not +two." + +Then Mäzli answered, "Mr. Trius is one and the Castle-Steward is +another. They are two people and not one." + +After they had repeated this about three times Bruno said, "Oh, Kurt, +leave her alone. Mäzli thinks that there are two, when she calls him +first Mr. Trius and then Mr. Castle-Steward." + +That was too much for Mäzli, and shouting vigorously, "They are two +people, they are two people," she ran away. + +Leonore had related in the meantime how Mäzli had proposed to visit the +sick Castle-Steward and how she had at first been reluctant to go, till +Mäzli had made her feel that she was wrong. She related everything that +had happened and all the questions he had asked her. + +"Just think, Aunt Maxa," Leonore went on, "the gentleman knows our uncle +in Spain. He said that he had been there, too, and he knows that our +uncle is old and ill and is living all by himself. I wanted so much to +find out where he was, and asked him to tell me, but he thought it would +not help, as we couldn't possibly go to him. So I said that we might +write, and just think, Aunt Maxa! at last he said he would ask your +advice." Then Leonore gave her message. "He did not say that the +Castle-Steward, as he called himself to Mäzli, sent the message, but told +me that it was from the master of the castle, whom you knew a long time +ago," Leonore concluded. "Oh, just think! Aunt Maxa, we might find our +uncle after all. Oh, please help us, for I want so much to write to +him." + +Mrs. Maxa had listened with ever-growing agitation, and she was so +deeply affected that she could not say a word. She could not express the +thought which thrilled her so, because she did not know the Baron's +intentions. Mea's loud complaints at this moment conveniently hid her +mother's silence. + +"Oh, Leonore," she cried out, "if you go to Spain, we shan't see each +other again for the rest of our lives; then you will never, never come +back here any more!" + +"Do you really think so?" Leonore asked, much downcast. She felt that it +would be hard for her to choose in such a case, and she suddenly did not +know if she really wanted to go to Spain. + +"It is not very easy to make a trip to Spain, children," said the mother, +"and I am sure that it is not necessary to get excited about it." + +When Kurt, after the belated supper that night, renewed his examination +about the single or the double Steward of Castle Wildenstein, their +mother announced that bedtime had not only come for the little ones, but +for all. Soon after, the whole lively party was sleeping soundly and +only the mother was still sitting in her room, sunk in deep meditation. +She had not been able to think over the Baron's words till now and she +wondered what hopes she might build upon them. He might only want to +talk over Leonore's situation because he had realized how little she felt +at home in Hanover. But all this thinking led to nothing, and she knew +that our good Lord in heaven, who opens doors which seem most tightly +barred, had let it happen for a purpose. She was so grateful that she +would be able to see the person who, more than anyone else, held +Leonore's destiny in his hands. Full of confidence in God, she hoped +that the hand which had opened an impassable road would also lead an +embittered heart back to himself, and by renewing in him the love of his +fellowmen, bring about much happiness and joy. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +IN THE CASTLE + +The next afternoon, after planning a pleasant walk for Leonore and Mäzli, +Mrs. Maxa started on her way to the castle. As soon as she neared the +grated iron door it opened wide, and holding his hat in his hand, Mr. +Trius stood deeply bowing in the opening. + +"May I see the Baron?" asked Mrs. Maxa. + +After another reverence Mr. Trius led the visitor up the hill, and when +he had duly announced her, invited her with a third bow to step forward. +It was quite evident that Mr. Trius had been definitely ordered to +change his usual mode of behaviour. + +Mrs. Maxa now approached the chair near the pine tree. + +"Have you really come, Mrs. Maxa?" said the sick man, putting out his +hand. "Did no bitter feelings against the evil-doer keep you back?" + +Mrs. Maxa pressed the proffered hand and replied, "I could wish for no +greater joy, Baron, than to have your door opened for me. I have +wondered oftener than you could think if this would ever happen, for I +wanted an opportunity to serve you. I know no bitter feelings and never +have known them. Everybody who has loved this castle and its inmates has +known they suffered grief and pain." + +"I returned to this old cave here to die," said the Baron. "You can see +plainly that I am a broken man. I only wished to forget the past in this +solitude, and I thought it right for me to die forgotten. Then your +little girl came in here one day--I have not been able to discover how." + +"Oh, please forgive her," said Mrs. Maxa. "It is a riddle to me, too, +how she succeeded in entering this garden. I knew nothing about it till +yesterday evening when the children came home from the castle. I am +terribly afraid that Mäzli has annoyed you." + +"She has not done so at all, for she is her mother's true child," said +the Baron. "She was so anxious to help me and to bring me what I lacked. +Because she loved Leonore so much, she wanted me to know her, too, but I +cannot understand Leonore. She begged and begged to be allowed to see +her uncle, as she wished to live with him and love him like a father. +She even longs to seek him out in a foreign country. What shall I do? +Please give me your advice, Mrs. Maxa." + +"There is only one thing to do, Baron," the lady replied with an +overflowing heart. "God Himself has done what we never could have +accomplished, despite all our wishes. The child has been led into your +arms by God and therefore belongs to you from now on. You must become +her father and let her love and take care of you. You will soon realize +what a treasure she is, and through her the good old times will come back +to this castle. You will grow young again yourself as soon as you two +are here together." + +The Baron replied: "Our dear Maxa always saw things in an ideal light. +How could a delicate child like Leonore fit into a wilderness like this +castle. Everything here is deserted and forlorn. Just think of the old +watchman here and me, what miserable housemates we should be. Won't you +receive the child in your house, for she clearly longs to have a home? I +know that she will find one there and apparently has found it already. +She can learn by and by who her uncle is and then she can come to visit +him sometimes." + +Amazed at this sudden change, Mrs. Maxa was silent for a while. How she +would have rejoiced at this prospect a few days ago! + +"I love Leonore like my own child and wanted nothing better than to keep +her with me," she said finally, "but I think differently now. The +children belong to you, and the castle of their fathers must become their +home. You must let Leonore surround you with her delightful and soothing +personality, which is sure to make you happy. When you come to know her +you will soon realize of what I should have robbed you. There is no +necessity at all for the castle to remain forlorn and empty. Despite the +loss of our dear loved ones, the life here can again become as pleasant +as in former times. Your mother always hoped that this would happen at +her eldest son's return, as she had desired that his home should remain +unchanged even after her death. Leonore can have her quarters in your +mother's rooms." + +"I wonder if you would like to see the rooms you knew so well, Mrs. +Maxa," the Baron said slowly. + +Mrs. Maxa gladly assented to this. + +"May I go everywhere?" she asked. "I know my way so well." + +"Certainly, wherever you wish," the Baron replied. + +Entering the large hall, Mrs. Maxa was filled with deep emotion. Here +she had spent the most beautiful days of her childhood in delicious games +with the unforgettable Leonore and the two young Barons. Everything was +as it had been then. The large stone table in the middle, the stone +benches on the walls and the niches with the old knights of Wallerstätten +stood there as of yore. + +When she went into the dining-hall, everything looked bare and empty. +The portraits of ancestors had been taken from the walls and the glinting +pewter plates and goblets were gone from the large oaken sideboard. Mrs. +Maxa shook her head. + +Going up the stairs, she decided first of all to go to the Baron's rooms, +for she wondered what care he was receiving. Rigid with consternation, +she stopped under the doorway. What a room it was! Not the tiniest +picture was on the wall and not a single small rug lay on the uneven +boards. Nothing but an empty bedstead, an old wicker chair and a table +which had plainly been dragged there from the servants' quarters, +comprised the furniture. Mrs. Maxa looked again to make sure that it +was really the Baron's room. There was no doubt of it, it was the +balcony room in the tower. Where did the Baron sleep? + +As the sight proved more than she could bear, she quickly sought the late +Baroness' chamber. Here, too, everything was empty and the red +plush-covered chairs and the sofa in the corner over which all the +pictures of the children used to hang were gone. Only an empty bedstead +stood in the corner. + +Mrs. Maxa went next to Leonore's room, which used to be extremely +pretty. Lovely pictures used to hang on the walls, chairs covered in +light blue silk were standing about, a half-rounded bed was placed in a +corner, and she remembered the dearest little desk on which two flower +vases, always filled with fresh roses, used to stand. Mrs. Maxa did not +even go in this time, it was too horribly forlorn. The only thing which +still spoke of old times was the wallpaper with the tiny red and blue +flowers. She quickly went out. Throwing a single glance at the large +ball-room, she likened it to a dreary desert. Not a curtain, not a chair +or painting could be seen. Where could all the valuable damask-covered +furniture have gone to? Was it possible that the castle had been robbed +and no one knew of it? + +It was probable, however, that Mr. Trius did not know about anything, +and it was plain that the Baron himself had not troubled about these +things. Mrs. Maxa hurriedly went back to him. + +"To what a dreary home you have come back, my poor friend!" she cried +out, "and I know that your mother never wished you to find it like this. +How unhappy you must have felt when you entered these walls after so many +years! You cannot help feeling miserable here, and it is all quite +incomprehensible to me." + +"Not to me," the Baron quietly replied; "I somehow felt it had to be that +way. Did I value my home before? It is a just retribution to me to find +the place so empty and forlorn. I only returned to die here and I can +await death in daytime on my chair out here and at night time in my nest. +I need nothing further; but death has not come as quickly as I thought it +would. Why are you trying to bring me back to life again?" + +"This is what I decidedly mean to do, so we shall banish the subject of +death from now on, as I confidently believe that our Lord in Heaven has +other plans for you," Mrs. Maxa said decisively. "I can see for myself +that it is better for Leonore to stay with us, and I am ever so happy for +your permission. May I write the ladies in Hanover that you do not want +Leonore to be fetched away for the present?" + +The Baron heartily gave this permission. + +"I have to trouble you for one thing, Baron. Can you remember Apollonie, +who was for many years your most faithful servant?" + +The Baron smilingly answered, "Of course I remember her. How could I +possibly forget Apollonie, who was always ready to help us in everything. +Your little daughter has already given me news of her." + +"She is the only one who might know what happened to the furniture," Mrs. +Maxa continued. "I am going to see her right away, and I wish you would +admit her when she comes. In case the place has really been robbed, you +must let me get what you require. Nobody is looking after you and you +stand sorely in need of good care. I am quite sure that your mother +would like me to look after you. Do you not think so?" + +"I do," the Baron replied smilingly, "and I feel that I ought to be +obedient." + +After these words Mrs. Maxa took her leave and rapidly walked down the +mountain. + +She unexpectedly entered Apollonie's garden while the latter was working +there, and immediately described to her the terrible state of things at +the castle. She had always believed that the Baron would find it +home-like and furnished, and now everything was gone, and he had not even +a bed to sleep in, but was obliged to spend both day and night in his +chair. + +Apollonie had been wringing her hands all the time and broke out at last +bitterly, "How could I have foreseen that? Oh, what a Turk, what a +savage, what an old heathen that miserable Trius is," she sobbed, full of +rage and grief. "I understand now why he never answered my questions. I +have asked him many a time if he had taken out the right bed and was +using the things belonging to it which were marked with a blue crown in +the corners. He only used to grin at me and never said a word. He never +even looked for them and calmly let my poor sick Baron suffer. Nothing +is missing, not even the tiniest picture or trifle, and he had to come +back to a terrible waste! All my sleepless nights were not in vain, but I +had not the slightest idea that it could be as bad as that. The worst of +it is that it is my fault. + +"Yes, it really is all my fault, Mrs. Maxa," and Apollonie went on to +tell how this had come about. Baron Bruno had only heard the news of his +brother's marriage and his mother's death when he returned the first time +years ago. He left again immediately, and she was quite sure that he did +not intend to return for a long while. As no one had lived at the castle +for so long, she had decided to put all the beautiful things safely away, +in order to keep them from ruin and possible thieves. So she had stored +them in the attic, wrapped in sheets, and had locked the place up. +Apollonie had never doubted that she would be called to the castle as +soon as the Baron returned, for she belonged there as of old and occupied +the little gardener's cottage belonging to it. But her dreams were not +to come true. + +"I must go to him this minute," gasped Apollonie; she had spoken rapidly +and with intense excitement. "I want to fix my master's room to-day. I +am sure I can do it, for all the furniture from the different rooms is +marked and grouped together. But shall I be let in? The horrible +stubborn old watchman always keeps me out." + +But Mrs. Maxa was able to quiet her on that score by the Baron's recent +promise, and she even urged Apollonie to start directly. The Baron +should be told of the situation and have a bed prepared for him that +night. After this Mrs. Maxa left. + +Leonore, knowing where the mother had gone, flew to meet her when she saw +her coming. + +"Did he give you the address, Aunt Maxa," she asked expectantly. + +"He means to let you know when he has traced it." + +This seemed quite hopeful to Leonore, and she was glad to be able to give +her brother this news. Mrs. Maxa herself lost no time in writing to the +ladies in Hanover that Leonore's uncle had returned and wished to keep +her near him. + +Apollonie was meanwhile getting ready for her walk. Her agitation was so +great that she took rather long in getting ready. Her toilet finally +completed, she hurried up the incline with astonishing ease, for the hope +of being admitted to the castle made her feel at least ten years younger, +though she still had some doubts whether the door would be opened for +her; On her arrival she pulled the bell-rope. Mr. Trius appeared, +quietly opened and silently walked away again. Apollonie, who knew from +Mäzli where the master was, went towards the terrace. When she saw the +sick man, she was completely overcome by memories of former times. She +only said shakily, "Oh, Baron, Baron! I cannot bear this! It is my fault +that you have no proper room or bed! And ill and suffering as you are!" +Apollonie could get no further for sobs and tears. + +The Baron shook her hand kindly. "What is the matter, Mrs. Apollonie? +We have always been good friends. What do you mean?" + +He then heard from Apollonie that it had been the Baroness' wish to leave +the whole house unchanged on account of his possible return. Apollonie +frankly admitted that she had only moved the things away to keep them +from being ruined and had naturally counted on putting every object back +again as soon as he came back, for she remembered where every pin-cushion +and tiny picture belonged. She begged the Baron's permission to let her +fix his room to-day, another one the day after, and so on till the castle +looked again as his mother had wished it to be. + +The Baron replied that Apollonie could do whatever she chose, adding that +he trusted her entirely. + +Her heart was filled with joy as she ran towards the attic. She came +down soon afterwards laden with blankets, sheets and pillows, only to go +up again for a new load. This went on for a couple of hours, and between +times she set the manifold objects in order. How gladly she put up the +heavy hangings in the Baron's room. She knew how he had always loved the +beautiful red color which dimmed the bright sunlight. Apollonie stood +still in the middle of the room and looked about her. Everything was +there down to the two pen-holders the Baron had last been using, which +were on the big shell of the bronze inkstand. Beside them lay a black +pen-wiper with red and white roses which Miss Leonore herself had +embroidered. The cover was half turned back and the snow-white bed with +the high pillows was ready to receive the sick man. Over the bed hung a +little picture of his mother, which had been there since his boyhood, and +Apollonie had also remembered every other detail. When she went down to +the terrace, a cool evening breeze was already blowing through the +branches of the pine tree. + +"Everything is ready, Baron," she said; "we are going to carry you up +together, because Mr. Trius can't do it alone. I am sure you will sleep +well to-night." + +"Where do you want to take me?" the Baron asked, surprised. "I am quite +comfortable able here." + +"No, no, Baron, it is getting too cool for you here. Your room is a +better place at this hour; your mother would have wished it, I am sure. +Will you allow me to call Mr. Trius?" + +"I'll have to give in, I suppose," the Baron acquiesced. + +Mr. Trius was already on the spot, for he was blessed with splendid +hearing. + +"You are to carry me up," said the Baron. "Apollonie will show you how +it is done." + +Apollonie immediately seized him firmly about the waist. + +"You do the same, Mr. Trius," she said; "then please, Baron, put one arm +about his neck and one around mine. We shall clasp hands under your feet +and lift you up." + +In the most easy, comfortable way the Baron was lifted and carried to his +chamber and placed on the fresh bed. Leaning back on the easy pillows, +he looked about him. + +"How charming it is," he said, letting his glance rest here and there. +"You have brought everything back, Mrs. Apollonie, and have made it look +the way it was years ago." + +"Make things comfortable for him for the night now," Apollonie whispered +to Mr. Trius, leaving the room to repair to the kitchen. + +"Gracious heavens! what disorder," she cried out on entering, for the +whole place was covered with dust and spider-webs. Opening a cupboard, +she saw only a loaf of bread and a couple of eggs, and this was all she +was able to find even on further search. + +"What a wretch!" she cried out in bitter rage. "He seems to give his +master nothing but eggs. But I know what I'll do," she said to herself, +eagerly seeking for a key, which she discovered, as of old, on a rusty +nail. Next she repaired to the cellar where she quickly found what she +was after; the bottle stood in sore need of cleaning, however, as did +everything else she touched. Then she set about beating two eggs, adding +a glass of the strengthening wine, for she had vividly recollected how +much her master used to enjoy this. When she entered his room with this +concoction a little later, the odor from it was so inviting that the +Baron breathed it in gratefully. Mr. Trius had left the room and +Apollonie had put the empty cup away, and yet she kept on setting trifles +in order. + +"Oh, Baron," she said finally, "there is so much to do still. I saw the +kitchen just now. If the Baroness had seen it as dirty as that, what +would she have said? And every other place is the same. I feel as if I +couldn't rest till everything is set in order. I wish I could work all +night!" + +"No, no, Apollonie! You must have a good night's rest; I intend to sleep, +too, in this lovely bed," he said smilingly. "Would you like to live +here again and undertake the management of the castle?" + +Apollonie stared at her master at first as if she could not comprehend +his words. + +"Tell me what you think of it? Are you willing to do it?" he asked again. + +"Am I willing? am I willing? Oh, Baron, of course I am, and you cannot +know how happy I am," she cried out with frank delight. "I can come +to-morrow morning, Baron, to-morrow, but now--I wonder what you'll say. +You see, I am living with my daughter's child, who is twelve years old. +She is a very good child, but is scarcely old enough yet to help much in +the house and garden." + +"How splendid! When Apollonie will be too old to do the work, we shall +have a young one to carry it on," said the Baron. "When you move up here +tomorrow, you will know which quarters to choose for yourself, I know." + +The Baron sank back with evident comfort into his pillows, and Apollonie +wandered home with a heart overflowing with happiness. At the first rays +of the sun next morning she was already in front of her cottage, packing +only the most necessary things for herself and the child into a cart, as +she intended to fetch the rest of them later. Loneli had just heard the +great news, because she had been asleep when her grandmother returned the +night before. She was so absolutely overcome by the prospect of becoming +an inmate of the castle that she stood still in the middle of the little +chamber. + +"Come, come," the grandmother urged, "we have no time for wondering, as +we shall have to be busy all day." + +"What will Kurt and Mea say?" was Loneli's first exclamation. She would +have loved to run over to them right away, for whenever anything happened +to her she always felt the wish to tell her two best friends. + +"Yes, and think what Mrs. Rector will say," Apollonie added. "But let +us quickly finish up here, for we must get to the castle as soon as +possible. You are not going to school for the next two days and on +Sunday I hope to be all done." + +Apollonie rapidly tied up her bundle and locked the cottage door. Then +quickly setting out, they did not stop till they had reached the +iron-grated door. Mr. Trius, after letting them wait a while, appeared +with dragging steps. + +"Why not before daybreak?" he growled. + +"Because you might have been still in bed and could not have unlocked the +door. But for that I should have come then," Apollonie quickly retorted. + +So he silently led the way, for he had had to realize that Apollonie was +not in the least backward now that she had the master's full support. +She first sought out her old chamber, and Loneli was extremely puzzled to +see her grandmother wiping her eyes over and over again. The whole thing +was like a beautiful fairy story to the child, and she loved the charming +room with the dark wainscoting along the wall. + +But Apollonie did not indulge very long in dreams and memories. Soon +after, she was making war on the fine spider-webs in the kitchen, and in +a couple of hours it already looked livable and cosy there. Mr. Trius +smiled quite pleasantly when he entered, as he was just on the point of +brewing himself and his master a cup of coffee. The only thing he +usually added was a piece of dry bread, as he was too lazy to get milk +and butter from the neighboring farmers, and his master had never asked +for either. The steaming coffee and hot milk and the fresh white bread +Apollonie had prepared looked very appetizing to him. The wooden benches +were clean scrubbed, and he didn't object to absence of the annoying +spider-webs, which had always tickled his nose. + +Apollonie, pouring the fragrant beverage into a large cup, politely +invited Mr. Trius to take his seat at the table. He could not help +enjoying the meal and the new order of things in the kitchen. Apollonie +now prepared the breakfast tray, setting on it the good old china that +the Baroness had always used. She had put a plate with round +butter-balls beside the steaming coffee-pot, and fresh round rolls peeped +invitingly from an old-fashioned little china basket. + +When Apollonie came to her master's room, he exclaimed, "Oh, how good +this looks! Just like old times." + +At first he thought that even looking at it would do him good, but +Apollonie did not agree with him. + +"Please take a little, Baron," she begged him, "otherwise your strength +will not come back. Take a little bit at first and gradually more and +more. I know you will like the butter. Loneli got it at the best farm +hereabouts." + +After tasting a little the Baron was surprised how good it was. + +When her master was comfortably sitting in the lovely morning sun, +Apollonie fetched Loneli out. She wanted the child to thank him for +receiving her into his house. Now the great task of cleaning and moving +began, and it took a whole day of feverish activity to get the rooms in +the castle settled. Only at meal times was this interrupted, for +Apollonie did not look at this as a minor matter, and she carefully +planned what to give her master. + +For Mr. Trius she had to consider the quantity, for he seemed to have an +excellent appetite and clearly enjoyed coming to the neat-looking +kitchen. He had begun to show his gratitude to Apollonie by willingly +carrying the heavy furniture about. + +Two days had passed in uninterrupted work, and Apollonie had accomplished +what she had set out to do. When she brought her master his breakfast on +Sunday, she stood irresolutely holding the doorknob in her hand. + +"Have you something to tell me Apollonie? You certainly can't complain +that I don't appreciate your delicious coffee. Just look at the progress +I am making." + +With comical seriousness the Baron pointed to the empty cup and the sole +remaining roll. + +"God be thanked and praised for that," she said joyfully. "I shall tell +you because you asked me. I wonder if you would give me a little Sunday +pleasure by inspecting all the rooms. I have your chair already at the +door." + +After the great work Apollonie had done, his only objection was that she +desired something which meant pleasure for him and labour for her. But +he was willing enough to be put into the heavy wheel-chair. + +"It is wonderful what you have done, Apollonie," he concluded. "You seem +to have even changed Mr. Trius from an old bear into an obedient lamb." + +Soon after, the Baron sat propped up in his wheel-chair. Here, guided by +Apollonie, he was taken first of all to the large ball-room, which had +witnessed all the happy gatherings of the family and their friends. It +actually glistened in its renewed splendor, and the Baron silently looked +about him. The tower room, which had been his brother Salo's abode, was +inspected next, and again the Baron uttered no word. Beautiful portraits +of his ancestors adorned these walls, and he recalled how Salo had loved +them. + +Apollonie moved next to the room of the Baroness where every object was +in its place again. The faithful servant noticed how her master's +glances drank it all in and as they remained he still showed no desire to +leave. + +"My mother was sitting in this arm-chair when I last spoke to her," he +said at last, "and this red pin cushion was lying on the table before +her. I remember standing there and playing with the pins, and I can +recall every word she said. Don't carry me down to-day, Mrs. +Apollonie," he continued after a pause, "I want to spend my Sunday here. +I am glad there are no more empty rooms to flee from." + +Apollonie was more gratified than she could say that her master was +beginning to feel at home and hoped that it would soon become dear to +him. She wanted him to see also Leonore's bright and cheerful room, +which the Baroness had had furnished in the daintiest way, and was unable +to suppress her wish. "Please, Baron, take one more small trip with me," +she begged. "We can soon come back here." + +As he raised no objection, they set out. Through the wide-open windows +of the room the woods could be seen. Flocks of gay birds sat carolling +on the luxuriant branches of the fir trees, and their songs filled the +room with laughter. The Baron let his gaze roam out to the trees with +their merry minstrels and back again to the pleasant chamber. + +"You have accomplished miracles, Mrs. Apollonie," he cried out. "It +only took you two days to change this mournful cave into a pleasant abode +where young people could be happy. Please take me back to my mother's +room now and come to me as soon as you find time, for I have something to +talk over with you." + +An interview lasting a considerable time took place that afternoon. +Loneli had been thinking about Kurt and Mea while she was wandering +happily up and down the terrace, and she wondered how soon they would +hear of the great event. She was very anxious for them to pay her a +visit, for which she was already making plans. + +When Loneli came back from her stroll, she saw her grandmother sitting on +the window-seat, sobbing violently. + +"But grandmother, why are you crying? Everything is so wonderful here, +and all the birds outside are singing." + +"I am singing with them in my heart, child; these tears are tears of +joy," said the grandmother. "Sit down, Loneli, and I'll tell you what is +going to happen to-morrow. I feel as if this happiness was too much for +me, Loneli." Apollonie was once more swept away by emotion, and it took +her a little time before she could tell Loneli the wonderful news. + +On this day it was so quiet in Mrs. Maxa's garden, that it hardly seemed +as if the whole family was gathered in the vine-covered gardens. The +thought of its being Leonore's last Sunday kept them from being gay, +despite the fact that they were playing a game which they usually +enjoyed. The mother's thoughts were wandering, too, for she had waited +all day to get news from the castle. Wondering what this meant, Mrs. +Maxa found it difficult to keep her attention on the children. Mäzli +undertook a little stroll from time to time, for her companions depressed +her very much. She had been to see Kathy, who was sitting near the +house-door, and had chatted occasionally with the passers, but now she +returned carrying a letter. + +"A boy brought it, and Kathy asked him from whom it was, but he didn't +know," she explained. + +"Give it to me, Mäzli," said the mother. "It is addressed to Leonore, +though," she added, a bit frightened, "but--" + +Leonore put both hands up to her face. "Please read it, Aunt Maxa, I +can't." + +"You need not be frightened, children," she said quickly, with a joyful +flush on her cheeks. "Listen! As the Castle-Steward wants to see his two +young friends, Leonore and Mäzli, again, he invites them, with the rest +of the family, including the mother, to spend the following day at Castle +Wildenstein." + +"I am glad," said Mäzli rapidly, "then Kurt can see that the +Castle-Steward and Mr. Trius are two people." + +The children had been entirely taken aback by fright, which turned into +surprise, but they began to shout joyfully now, for the prospect of being +invited to the castle was an event nobody could have predicted. For +years they had only seen the mysterious shuttered doors and windows, and +it was no wonder that they were delighted. Mea had heartily voiced her +delight with the others till she noticed that Leonore had become very +quiet and melancholy. + +"But, Leonore," she exclaimed, "why don't you look forward to the lovely +day we are going to have? I can't imagine anything nicer than to be able +to inspect the whole castle." + +"I can't," Leonore replied. "I know too well that everything will be +over after that day, and I may even never see you any more." + +Poor Mea was deeply affected by these words, and immediately her joy had +flown. It was rather difficult to quiet everybody down in bed that night +and even when Kurt had gone to sleep he uttered strange triumphant +exclamations, for in his dreams the boy had climbed to the top of the +highest battlement. + +At ten o'clock next morning all the children were ready to leave and had +formed a regular procession. Bruno and Kurt had placed themselves at the +head and were only waiting for their mother. + +Now the two boys started off at such a rate that no one else could keep +up with them, so the mother appointed Leonore and Mea as guides, and +herself followed with Mäzli. She firmly held the little girl's hand, for +there was no telling what she might undertake otherwise, and the less +independent Lippo held his mother's other hand, so that the two older +brothers were obliged to accommodate their steps to the rest. But Kurt, +simply bursting with impatience, dashed ahead once, only to drop behind +again; later on he would appear from behind a hedge. Lippo simply could +not stand such disorder, and to even up the pairs he took Bruno's hand. +When they reached the familiar iron-grated door at last, to their +surprise both wings of it were thrown open. + +Mr. Trius, with his hat lowered to the ground, stood at his post to +receive them. Shining silver buttons set off a coat which plainly +belonged to his gala suit. Kurt was so completely confounded by this +reception that he quickly fell into line with the rest, and the +procession proceeded. The first thing they saw on the terrace was a long +festive table with garlands of ivy and flowers. Apollonie soon after +appeared in a beautiful silk gown the Baroness had given her, and her +measured movements made the occasion seem extremely solemn. She had, to +all appearance, become "Castle Apollonie" again. Loneli, wearing a +pretty dress and carrying a huge bouquet of flowers, stepped up to +Leonore. Then she handed her the flowers and recited in a clear, +impressive voice the following words which Apollonie had composed +herself: + + "Thrice welcome to this home of thine, + Lady of Castle Wildenstein." + +Leonore, rigid with surprise, first stared at Loneli, then looked at the +mother. + +Mrs. Maxa took Leonore's hand and led her to the Baron, who had +smilingly surveyed the scene. + +"I think that her uncle is going to make his little niece a speech at +last," Mrs. Maxa said, placing Leonore's hand in her uncle's. Like a +flash comprehension dawned on Leonore. + +"Dear uncle, dear uncle!" she cried out, embracing him tenderly. "Is it +really true that you are my uncle? Is this wonderful thing really true?" + +"Yes, child, I am the uncle you longed to love like a father," said the +Baron. "I want to be your father and I hope you can love me a little. +Will you mind living with me, Leonore?" + +"Oh, dear, dear uncle," Leonore repeated with renewed signs of warm +affection. "It is not very hard to love you. When you told me that my +uncle in Spain was sick and miserable, I wished he could be just like +you. I really can't quite believe that Salo and I may live with you in +this wonderful castle, where I can be so near Aunt Maxa and everybody I +love. I wonder what Salo will say. May I write to him today and let him +know that we shall have a home with you?" + +"How do you do, Mr. Castle-Steward," + +Mäzli said that moment, thrusting a plump, round hand between Leonore's +and the Baron's. Mäzli had actually made use of the first moment her +hand was free. + +"Now Kurt can see for himself that you and Mr. Trius are two people; +can't he, Mr. Steward?" + +"This certainly must be cleared up," the Baron answered, shaking Mäzli's +hand. "We shall prove to them all that Mäzli knows what she has seen. +Leonore, I want to meet your friends now. Won't you bring them to me?" + +The children were all standing around their mother and Apollonie, who +were clearing up the mystery for them. The mother had barely been able +to check their violent outbreak, but could not quite quench all +enthusiasm. When they heard that Leonore had come to introduce them to +her uncle, they were a little scared, but Leonore understood their +hesitation and declared, "Just come! You have no idea how nice he is." +Pulling Mea with her, she compelled the others to follow, and arriving at +her uncle's side, she immediately began, "This is Bruno, my brother's +best friend, and this is Mea, my best friend. I never had a friend like +her in all my life. This is Kurt--" + +"Kurt is my friend," said the uncle; "I know him because he is the poet. +I hope he'll make songs about us all now; I know the one about Mr. +Trius." + +Quite taken aback, Kurt looked at the Baron. How could he know that +song? His mother had strictly forbidden him to show it to anyone, and he +had only read it aloud at home. How could a stranger hear about it? + +"You can say in your new song that Mr. Castle-Steward and Mr. Trius are +two persons and not one; you can see that yourself," Mäzli declared +aloud. + +Kurt then suddenly understood that his impudent small sister had probably +been the informer and he did not know what to answer. + +But Leonore helped him over his embarrassment by continuing, "This is +Lippo, Uncle, who has asked me to live with him when he is grown up. +Isn't he a wonderful friend, Uncle? He knew I had no home." + +"You have quite marvellous friends, Leonore," said the Baron; "they must +visit you very often, if Mrs. Maxa will allow it." + +"Gladly, and I know that their happiness will be yours, too, when you see +them all wandering through the house and garden." + +"Yes, all of us, and Salo, too," Leonore exclaimed. "Do you think Salo +will soon be here, Uncle?" + +Apollonie had approached the lively group under the pine tree, and as +there happened to be a suitable pause, she announced that dinner was +ready. + +"I really ought to invite my dear friend, Mrs. Maxa, to come to the +table _with me_; I shall ask, however, who is going to take me?" said the +Baron. + +All the children immediately cried, "I," "I," "I," "I," "I," "I," and +hands caught hold of the back and both sides of the Baron's chair. + +"I am driving in a coach and six to-day! How things have changed for me!" +the gentleman said smilingly. The meal Apollonie had planned was a great +success and the open air on the terrace added to the children's +enjoyment. + +When the fruit course, which consisted of yellow plums, was eaten, the +Baron gave the young birds, as he called the children, permission to fly +freely about. It seemed to crown all the preceding pleasures to be able +to roam without restraint in the woods and meadows. First of all they +ran towards the adjoining woods, where their need for an outlet could be +gratified. + +"Long years to you, Leonore!" Bruno cried. "Now you and Salo are going +to have a wonderful home quite near to us. Isn't it splendid! When Salo +comes, we shall be together." + +"Long live the Baron!" Kurt screamed now with all his might. "Hurrah for +Castle Wildenstein, the wonderful new home! Long live Apollonie! But +where is Loneli?" he suddenly interrupted himself in the midst of his +outburst; "she ought to be here, too." + +When everybody agreed with him, Kurt dashed towards the terrace where +Loneli was just helping her grandmother carry away the dishes. + +"We want to have Loneli with us, Apollonie. Please let her come with +me," Kurt explained his errand. + +"Who wants her, do you say?" Apollonie began rather severely, despite a +glad note in her voice which could not be disguised. + +"Everybody does, and Leonore especially," was Kurt's sly answer. + +"You can go, Loneli," said the grandmother. "You must celebrate this +great day with them." + +Loneli actually glowed with joy when she ran off with Kurt. + +As they were sitting under the pine tree, the Baron and Mrs. Maxa were +reviving memories of long ago, and he listened with great emotion when +Mrs. Maxa told him how faithfully his mother had tried to send him news. +Her letters had, however, miscarried, because he had changed his +residence so frequently. But he had wanted him to know how constant his +mother's love had been and how anxiously she was waiting his return. + +"Mrs. Maxa," he said after a little pause, "I feel terribly ashamed. I +came here with anger and hate in my heart against God and man, and my +only hope was to die as soon as possible. I expected to be forsaken and +despised, and instead of that I meet only kindness and love on every +side. I never deserved such a thing! Do you think I can ever atone for +all the wrong I've done?" + +"We must always bear in mind that there is One who is glad to forgive us +our sins, Baron, and He can deliver us from them if we sincerely beg Him +to," Mrs. Maxa answered. + +As the Baron remained silent, Mrs. Maxa added, "Will you let me say +something to you on the strength of our old friendship, Baron Bruno?" + +"Certainly. I can trust my dear Maxa to say only what is right," he +replied. + +"I have noticed that you have evaded mentioning the name Salo, that you +seemed reluctant to answer Leonore's questions concerning his possible +coming. I know that bitter memories are connected with the name, but I +also want you to know that you will deprive yourself of a great blessing +if you banish the boy who bears that name." + +"Please let him come here, if only for a little while," Mrs. Maxa +begged, yet more strongly, "so that you can see him. If you can't +willingly see him who may be the pride and joy of your life, then open +the door of his home because, before God, it is right, which you must +feel as fully as I." + +The Baron was silent, then finally said, "Salo may come." + +Mrs. Maxa's face shone with joy and gratitude. Many things had still to +be discussed, and the two old friends remained sitting under the pine +tree till the last rays of the setting sun were throwing a rosy light +over the gray castle. The children were at last returning from their +walk across the meadows. They looked like a full-blown garden when they +approached the Baron's chair, for they were covered with garlands of +poppies, ivy and cornflowers. Now supper was announced, and the Baron +was escorted to the terrace as before. It was a true triumphal march +this time, when he, throned in his chair with the lion-skin on his knees, +was pushed along by the gaily decked children. The Baron told them how +much he would enjoy taking a similar ride into the fields some day. + +When Mrs. Maxa gave the sign for parting after the merry supper party, +no sign of grief was shown because the Baron had already told them that +Leonore was to move up into the castle in a few days. They were all to +be present then. After that there would be no end to their visits. + +When the Baron shook Mäzli's hand at parting, he said, "You came to see +me first, Mäzli, so you shall always be my special friend." + +"Yes, I'll be your friend," Mäzli said firmly. + +When Leonore tenderly took leave of her uncle she whispered in his ear, +"May Salo come soon, Uncle?" + +This time the answer was a clear affirmative, and the child's heart was +filled with rapture. + +"Oh, Aunt Maxa," he cried aloud, "Can't we sing our evening song up here? +I should love to sing the song my mother used to sing." + +When consent was given, they grouped themselves about the Baron's chair +and sang: + + God, Who disposes all things well, + I want but what Thou givest me. + Oh how can we Thine acts foretell, + When Thou are far more wise than we? + +All the way home the children kept looking back at the castle, for their +day had been too marvellous. + +The next day three letters were sent to Salo, one from Bruno and one from +Leonore, both full of enthusiasm about the great event of the day before; +and one from Mrs. Maxa. The last thrilled Salo most, because it +contained a summons for him to come to his new home. + +The news that Baron Bruno had come back and that Apollonie had resumed +her old post at the castle had spread all over the neighborhood. +Everybody had heard that Loneli also was living at the castle, that Baron +Salo's daughter had come, and his son was soon to be there. The report +that Mrs. Rector Bergmann's whole family had spent a day at the castle +was reported, too, and everybody talked about the intimate friendship of +the two families. + +A few days after the celebration at the castle the district attorney's +wife came to call on Mrs. Maxa. She lost no time in telling her hostess +that she counted on Baron Salo's son joining the other three lads in town +and that her husband had agreed to look up another room for him. She had +no doubt that the sons of the three most important families of Nolla +ought naturally to live and study together, and she knew that every +effort would be made to find Salo a suitable room, even if the +application came rather late. Mrs. Maxa did not need to mind these +annoying negotiations now, but calmly replied that the Baron would send +his nephew to the high school in the city and would undoubtedly make his +own arrangements. Mrs. Knippel, after remarking that her husband +counted on seeing the Baron himself, withdrew. A moment after she left +Loneli came into the house to see Mea. + +"Just think, Mea," the peace-loving Loneli said to her, "I have a message +for you from Elvira; she wants you to know that she is willing to forgive +you on condition that she may meet Leonore. She wants to be her friend +and sit beside her in school." + +"It's too late now, and it won't help her. I don't care whether she +wants to make up with me or not," Mea said placidly. "Neither Leonore +nor I are going to school. You won't have to go either, Loneli, because +a lady is coming to the castle to teach us all. Baron Wallerstätten and +mama have settled it, so I know it." + +Loneli could hardly believe her ears, the surprise seemed too great. +"Then I shan't have to sit on the shame-bench any more," she said with a +beaming face, for a heavy trouble was removed from her heart. + +"You can ask Leonore if she wants to meet Elvira," said Mea, for Leonore +had stepped up to them. + +But Loneli's message held no interest whatever for Leonore, who wished +for no new acquaintances. She only desired to give the time she was not +spending with her uncle to Mea and her brothers and sisters. Least of +all she wished to meet a girl who had been so disagreeable to her beloved +Mea. + +Uncle Philip had been away on a business trip. On his arrival home he +received the following note from his sister: "If you still want to see +Leonore with us, come as soon as possible. She is going to live with her +uncle at the castle in a very few days. I shall tell you all about it +when you come." + +He arrived the very next morning, and as soon as he met his sister, he +exploded: "I was quite sure, Maxa, that you would immediately deliver the +little dove into the vulture's claws. I wish I had never put her in your +care!" + +"Come in, Philip and sit down," Mrs. Maxa said composedly. "We are +going to have dinner in a moment, and then you will have the chance to +ask the dove herself what she thinks of the vulture's claws." + +Uncle Philip opened the door and found the children absolutely immersed +in the recent events. The instant he stepped over the threshold they +rushed up to him and fairly flooded him with news. Their speeches came +thick and fast, and he heard nothing but manifestations of love for the +dear, good Baron, Leonore's charming uncle, the good, kind +Castle-Steward. Mäzli had not given up this title even now. + +"Do you see, Philip, that you can't swim against the stream?" said Mrs. +Maxa when she was sitting alone with her brother after dinner. "The best +thing you can do is to pay your old friend a call; that would add you to +the list of his admirers, instead of your bearing him a grudge." + +But Uncle Philip violently objected to this proposal. + +"Baron Bruno spoke of you with a sincere feeling of attachment which you +apparently don't deserve," his sister said. "He was afraid of your +feeling towards him, though. Listen to what he said 'I fear that he +won't wish to have anything to do with me, and I shall be powerless in +that case.'" + +"I won't refuse the hand of an old friend, though, Maxa," said the +brother now, "if he offers it to me to reestablish peace. What is he +going to do for Salo's son?" + +"Salo has already been sent word that he is to have the castle of his +ancestors for a home," replied Mrs. Maxa. + +"I am going out for a walk," Uncle Philip said suddenly, taking down his +hat from the peg, and Mrs. Maxa guessed quite well where he was going. +He reappeared at supper time and sat down with merry eyes in the midst of +them all. + +"Leonore," he began, "as soon as you are the mistress of the castle, I +shall often be your guest. Your uncle and I have just done some business +together. He told me how different everything used to be in the castle +grounds and that he regretted not understanding about these matters. So +he asked me to take charge of things, as they were in my special field. +He hoped my old attachment to the place"--at these words Uncle Philip's +voice became quite hoarse suddenly--"Maxa, your plum-cake is so sweet it +makes one hoarse," he said, for he would never admit that he had been +overcome by deep emotion. "So I have undertaken to attend to the matter +and I shall often come to the castle." + +That Uncle Philip belonged to the castle, too, now awoke hearty outbursts +from the children, which the mother happily joined, for it had been her +greatest wish that the two should become friends again. + +The last evening before Leonore was to move into the castle had come, and +the children were all sitting in a little corner. They were in the most +cheerful mood, busily making delightful plans for the future. Suddenly +the door opened, and wild shrieks of joy burst from everybody. "Salo, +Salo, Salo!" they all cried out. The boy had just arrived in time to +have a last splendid evening with his friends before moving into his new +home. The next day turned out more wonderful than they had ever dared to +dream, and it was followed again by a succession of other days as +delightful. Every time the children came together it seemed like a new +party, and the Baron took great care that those parties did not end too +quickly. + +Kurt had soon informed Salo and Bruno that there was a large hall with +weapons and armor at the ground floor of the castle. When the boys asked +Apollonie to admit them, she opened a little side door for them, because +Mr. Trius had hidden the other key. Salo lifted the armoured knight to +his shoulders, and had the long, blue cloak draped around him. He looked +like a frightful giant as he wandered up and down the big room, and Kurt +recognized the ghost of Wildenstein he had seen that dreadful night. + +Salo, with his charming disposition, soon entirely won over his uncle, +who decided to send his nephew to the neighboring town to study, and Salo +and Bruno were to spend their study-time as well as their holidays +together. + +When the summer holidays were over, Salo and Bruno moved into town, but +even this leave-taking did not prove very hard. The children were not to +be separated very long, for the boys were to spend many week-ends at +home, besides all their holidays. Bruno had soon written to his mother +from town that she need not worry at all about the Knippel boys, as they +scarcely ever saw them. + +When Mrs. Maxa cannot help recalling all her former fears and plans for +the future because her son's violent temper caused her such anxiety, she +said to herself with a glad heart: + + Oh how can we Thine acts foretell, + When Thou are far more wise than we? + +Apollonie has become the real, true Castle-Apollonie of yore and manages +for her master's sake to live in undisturbed peace with Mr. Trius. She +is taking such good care of the Baron and his little adopted daughter +that a bloom of health has spread over their cheeks. On sunny days the +Baron can frequently be seen walking up and down the terrace on Leonore's +arm, and his young guide is very careful of his health and looks after +him tenderly. The sound of a beautiful voice can often be heard through +the open castle windows, for Leonore has inherited her mother's voice, +and it gives her uncle the keenest pleasure to listen to the songs she +used to sing in bygone days. The people in Nolla unanimously agree that +the ghost of Wildenstein has gone to his eternal rest, because peace +again is reigning at the castle. + + +THE END + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Maezli, by Johanna Spyri + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAEZLI *** + +***** This file should be named 10142-8.txt or 10142-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/1/4/10142/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Gwidon Naskrent, Tom Allen and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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