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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/10436-0.txt b/10436-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..70e9c47 --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3827 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10436 *** + +ERICK AND SALLY + +By the Swiss Writer + +JOHANNA SPYRI + +Author of Heidi, Chel, and many other stories + +Translated by + +HELENE H. BOLL + +1921 + + + + + + +Affectionately dedicated to + +MRS. MARTHA C. BÃœHLER + + + + +PREFACE + +To our Boys and Girls: + +Years ago, in a little country called Switzerland, there lived a little +girl who was the daughter of a doctor. This doctor sometimes had to +climb up high mountains and sometimes he had to descend slowly to the +deep valleys, always on horseback, to visit the sick people who had sent +for him. Of course there were no telephones, electric lights, steam +trains or automobiles, and so often this doctor was away from home for +two or three days attending the people who needed his help. His trips +took him into little villages where there were only a few hundred poor +people who made a scant living from farming and sheep raising, but he +knew them so well that he became very fond of them, and he shared their +sorrows and joys. When he returned home he would tell his little +daughter, who was Johanna Spyri, about what he had seen and heard. She +became very much interested in the people whom her father told about, +and when she grew up she visited many of the places that he had told her +about when she was a child. + +It was not until she was quite a grown woman that she wrote any books, +but the children of Switzerland and Germany loved her stories so much, +that we have decided to translate the story of Erick and Sally for the +children of America. The author knew children and loved them, and wrote +to them and not for them. Thus, every one who reads this story will +follow the sorrows and pleasures of Erick just as if he were a personal +living friend. + +The translator understands American boys and girls, for she has been a +teacher in our schools for many years. She also has an intimate +knowledge of the country described in this story for she has often +visited the places mentioned. Through her knowledge and love of the +country about which Madame Spyri wrote, and speaking her language, the +translator, Helene H. Boll, appreciates her thoughts, and has faithfully +reproduced them in this absorbing little story. + +THE PUBLISHERS. + + + + +CONTENTS + +Chapter I In the Parsonage of Upper Wood +Chapter II A Call in the Village +Chapter III 'Lizebeth on the Warpath +Chapter IV The Same Night in Two Houses +Chapter V Disturbance in School and Home +Chapter VI A Lost Hymn +Chapter VII Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army +Chapter VIII What Happens on Organ-Sunday +Chapter IX A Secret that is Kept +Chapter X Surprising Things Happen + + + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +Portrait of Madame Spyri + +Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here, +dear child" + +Churi....unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that Erick rolled +down the rest of the mountain side + +He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and rejoicingly +exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?" + + + +CHAPTER I + +_In the Parsonage of Upper Wood_ + + +The sun was shining so brightly through the foremost windows of the old +schoolhouse in Upper Wood, that the children of the first and second +classes appeared as if covered with gold. They looked at one another, +all with beaming faces, partly because the sun made them appear so, and +partly for joy; for when the sunshine came through the last window, then +the moment approached that the closing word would be spoken, and the +children could rush out into the evening sunshine. The teacher was still +busy with the illuminated heads of the second class, and indeed with +some zeal, for several sentences had still to be completed, before the +school could be closed. The teacher was standing before a boy who looked +well-fed and quite comfortable, and who was looking up into the +teacher's face with eyes as round as two little balls. + +"Well, Ritz, hurry, you surely must have thought of something by now. +Now then! What can be made useful in a household? Do not forget to +mention the three indispensable qualities of the object." + +Ritz, the youngest son of the minister, was usually busy thinking of +that which had just happened to him. So just now it had come to his +mind, how this very morning Auntie had arrived. She was an older sister +of his mother and had no home of her own; but made a home with her +relatives. She was a frequent visitor at the parsonage for months at a +time and would help the mother in governing the household. Ritz +remembered especially, that Auntie was particularly inclined to have the +children go to bed in good time--and they had to go--and he also +remembered that they could not get the extra ten minutes from Mother, +for Auntie was always against begging Mother. In fact, Auntie talked so +much about going to bed, that Ritz felt the feared command of retiring +during the whole day. So his thoughts were occupied with these +experiences, and he said after some thinking: "One can make use of an +aunt in a household. She must--she must--she must--" + +"Well, what must she? That will be something different from a quality," +the teacher interrupted the laborious speech of the boy. + +"She must not always be reminding that it is time to go to bed," it now +came out. + +"Ritz," the teacher said now in a severe tone, "is the school the place +to joke?" + +But Ritz looked at the teacher with such unmistakable fright and +astonishment, that the latter saw that it was an honest opinion which +Ritz had made use of in his sentence. He therefore changed his mind and +said more gently: "Your sentence is unfitting and incorrect, for your +three qualities are not there. Do you understand that, Ritz? You will +have to make three sentences at home, all alike; but do not forget the +different qualities. Have you understood me?" + +"Yes, teacher," answered Ritz in deepest dejection, for he already saw +himself sitting alone in the evening thinking and thinking and gnawing +on his slate pencil, while Sally and Edi could pursue their merry +entertainments. + +Now the end of school was announced. In a short time the door was +opened, and the boys and girls hastened out toward the open place before +the schoolhouse, where suddenly all were crowded together like a huge +ball, from the midst of which came a tremendous noise and confused +shoutings. Something out of the common must have happened. + +"In the house of old Marianne"--"a tremendously rich lady"--"a piano, +four men could not get it in, the door is too narrow"--"a small +boy"--"before we went to school"--It was so confused, nothing could +really be understood. Then a voice shouted: "All come along! Perhaps +they are not through with it, come, all of you to the Middle Lot!" And +suddenly the whole ball separated, and almost the whole crowd ran in the +same direction. + +Only two boys remained on the playground and looked at each other, quite +perplexed. The one was stout little Ritz, who long since had forgotten +his great trouble and had listened intently to the exciting, although +incomprehensible story. The other was his brother Edi, a slender, tall +fellow with a high forehead and serious grey eyes beneath. He was hardly +two years older than his brother; but for his not quite nine years, he +was tall, and appeared much older than the seven-year-old Ritz. + +"We must run home quickly and ask whether we too may go; we must see +that, Ritz, so hurry up!" With these words Edi pulled his brother along, +and soon they turned round the corner and also disappeared. + +Behind the schoolhouse, near the hawthorn hedge, stood the last of the +crowd in animated conversation. It was Sally, the ten-year-old sister of +the two boys, with her friend Kaetheli, who with great excitement seemed +to describe an occurrence. + +"But Kaetheli, I do not know the beginning," said Sally. "Just you begin +at the beginning, from where you saw everything with your own eyes, will +you?" + +"Very well, I will, but this time you must pay close attention," said +Kaetheli. "You know that the old blind straw-plaiter lived with the +little girl Meili at old Marianne's? Well, Meili went to school at Lower +Wood. Two weeks ago her father died and Meili had to go to Lower Wood to +her uncle. Then Marianne cleaned the bedroom and the sitting-room +terribly clean, opened all the windows, and afterwards closed them all +again and put on the shutters. She herself lives in the little room +above. But this morning everything was open, and yet Marianne had said +nothing about it to anyone and all people in Middle Lot were surprised +at that. At half-past eleven, just when we were coming out of school, we +saw a wagon coming up the hill from Lower Wood, and the horse could +hardly pull the load, for there was a large piano on the wagon, a bed, +and lots of other things, a table and a little box, and I think that was +all. Now the wagon stopped at old Marianne's cottage, and all at once +there came out of the cottage old Marianne and a woman, who was quite +white in the face, and behind them came a little boy, and no one had +seen them come up. Then four men of Middle Lot wanted to carry the piano +into the cottage but it would not go through the door because the door +was too narrow and the piano too wide. And all who stood around to look +said she must be a very rich woman, because she had such a large piano. +But no one knew from where she came, and when anyone asked old Marianne +she snarled and said: 'I haven't any time.' + +"All the people around are surprised that a rich lady should come to old +Marianne in the wooden cottage; my father has said long since that the +cottage would tumble over one of these days. And Sally! I wish you could +see the woman, you too would be surprised that she should make her home +there. Just think, she wears a black silk skirt on week-days!" + +"And what about the boy, how does he look?" asked Sally, who had +followed her friend's story with close attention. + +"I had almost forgotten him," continued Kaetheli. "Just think, he wears +velvet pants, quite short black velvet pants and a velvet jacket and a +cap to match. Just imagine a boy with velvet pants!" + +"I should think that would be quite pretty," observed Sally, "but what +does he look like otherwise?" + +"I have forgotten that, I had to watch the moving of the piano. He is +nothing particular to look at." + +"Kaetheli, do you know what?" Sally said, "you go home with me. I want +to ask whether I may go home with you for a little while. I should like +to see that too, and then afterwards we will both go to old Marianne's +to call, will you?" + +Kaetheli was ready at once to carry out the plan, and the children ran +together toward the parsonage. + +It was only a little while before, that Edi and Ritz had arrived home +panting for breath. In the garden on the bench under the large +apple-tree, Mother and Auntie were sitting mending and conversing over +the bringing-up of the children; for Auntie knew many a good advice, +quite new and not worn out. Now they heard hasty running, and Edi and +Ritz came rushing along. + +"May we--in the Middle Lot--to the Middle Lot--people have arrived--a +wagon and a piano--a terribly rich woman and a--" + +Both shouted in confusion, breathlessly and incomprehensibly. + +"Now," the aunt cried into the noise, "if you behave like two canary +birds who suddenly have become crazy, no human being can understand a +word. One is to be silent and the other may talk, or still better both +be silent." + +But Ritz and Edi could do neither. If Edi began to report, then Ritz had +to follow. It always had been so, and to be silent at this moment of +excitement, that could not be expected; therefore both began afresh and +would no doubt have continued thus for some time if Sally and Kaetheli +had not arrived on the scene. They made everything clear in a short +time. + +But the mother did not like to have her children run to the Middle Lot +for the sake of staring at strange people who had arrived there, and to +increase the gaping crowd who, no doubt, were standing in front of +Marianne's cottage. She did not give the longed-for permission, but she +invited Kaetheli to stay at the parsonage and take afternoon coffee with +the children and afterwards play in the garden. + +That was at least something; Sally and Ritz were satisfied, and they ran +at once with Kaetheli into the house. But Edi showed a dissatisfied +face, for wherever something strange could be seen or found, he had to +be there. + +He stood there without saying a word. He was thinking whether he dared +to work on his mother to get the desired permission. He feared, however, +the auxiliary troops which his aunt would lead into battle to help his +mother. But before he had weighed all sides his aunt said: "Well, Edi, +have you not yet swallowed the defeat? Isn't there some old Roman, or +Egyptian, who also could not always do what he wanted? Just you think +that over and you will see that it will help you." + +That helped, indeed, for Edi was a great searcher in history, and when +he happened in that field, then all other interests were pushed into the +background. He at once remembered that he had not finished reading about +his old Egyptian, and with a smoothed brow he ran into the house. + +The sun had set and it was growing dark among the bushes in the garden, +where the children, with red cheeks, were seeking each other and hiding +again. All of a sudden there came a loud, penetrating call: "To bed, to +bed!" Ritz had just found a fine hiding-place in the henhouse, where he +had comfortably settled, secure from being discovered, when this +terrible call reached him. It struck him like a thunderbolt. Yes, it +took his breath away so that he turned white and hadn't the strength to +rise; for, with the call came the remembrance of the three sentences +which he had to write: three whole sentences and nine different +qualities, and he had forgotten everything, and now all the time had +gone and he had to go to bed. + +"Where are you, Ritz?" It sounded into his hiding-place. "Come, crawl +out. I know you are in there and will be covered with feathers from head +to foot." + +The aunt stood before the henhouse, and Sally and Kaetheli beside her +full of expectation, for they had sought Ritz for a long time in vain. +But Auntie had experience in such things. Ritz actually came crawling +out of the henhouse and stood now in a lamentable condition before his +aunt. + +"How you do look! You ought to have been in bed an hour ago, you haven't +a drop of blood in your cheeks," the aunt exclaimed. "What is the matter +with you, Ritz?" + +"Where is Mamma?" asked Ritz in his fright. + +"She is upstairs; come, she will put you to bed at once when I have got +you finally together. Come, Sally, and you, Kaetheli, go home now." + +With these words she took Ritz by the hand, and drew him up the stone +steps into the house, and wanted to bring him up the stairs to the +bedroom. Then everything was over and no rescue from going to bed at +once. Now Ritz stopped his aunt and groaned: "I must--I must--I have to +write three sentences for punishment." + +"There we have it." But Ritz looked so miserable that Auntie felt great +pity for him. "Come in here," she said, and shoved him into the +living-room, "and take out your things." + +Now she sat down beside him and the whole affair proceeded finely. Not +that Auntie formed the sentences, no indeed, she was not going to cheat +the teacher; but she knew well what was needed to form a sentence and +she pushed and spurred Ritz and brought so many things before him, and +reminded him how they looked, that he had his three sentences and his +nine qualities together in no time. Now there came a feeling to Ritz +that he had not acted right, when he said that an aunt must not always +be reminding people, and when now Auntie asked: "Ritz, why had you to +write the sentences?" then the feeling grew stronger in him, for he felt +that he could not tell the cause of his punishment without making his +aunt angry. He stuttered, "I have--I have--the teacher has said, that I +made an unfitting sentence." + +"Yes, I can imagine that," said Auntie. "Now quickly to bed." + +Edi and Ritz slept in the same room and that was the place where the two +boys, every evening after the mother had said evening prayer with them, +and they were alone, exchanged their deepest thoughts and experiences +with one another and talked them over. Ritz had the greatest respect for +Edi, for although the latter was only a little older, yet he was already +in the fourth class, and he himself was only in the second, and in +history Edi knew more than the scholars in the fifth and some in the +sixth class. When now the two were well tucked in their beds, Ritz said: +"Edi, was it a sin that I said Auntie must not always remind?" Edi +thought a bit, such a case had never come to him. After a while he said: +"You see, Ritz, it goes thus: if you have done something that is a sin, +then you must go at once to Daddy and confess, there is no help for it; +but if you do that, then everything comes again in order and you feel +happy again, and afterwards you look out not to do the sinful thing +again. I can tell you that, Ritz. But if you do not confess, then you +are always full of fear when a door is slammed or a letter-carrier +unexpectedly brings a letter, then you think at once: 'There now, +everything will come out.' And so you are never sure nor safe and you +feel a pressure in the chest. But there is another thing that presses so +hard that you can think of nothing else, for example, if you have given +away a rabbit, you regret it afterwards. But there is a remedy and I +have tried it many a time, and it helps. You must think of something +dreadful, like a large fire, when everything is burnt up, the fortress +and the soldiers in it and all historical books, and--all at once you +think everything backwards and you have everything; then you are so glad +that you think: what difference does a rabbit make? You still have +everything else. Now Ritz, try that and see if it helps you, then you +can find out whether everything passes away or whether you have to tell +Daddy tomorrow." + +"Yes, I will try it," said Ritz somewhat indistinctly, and soon after he +took such deep breaths that Edi knew what was going on. He heaved a sigh +and said: "Oh, Ritz, you are asleep and I wanted to tell you so much +about the old Egyptian." + +A little while afterwards the whole peaceful parsonage of Upper Wood lay +in deep sleep; only old 'Lizebeth went about the passage calling: "Bs, +bs, bs." She wanted to get the old grey cat into the kitchen to catch +the mice during the night. 'Lizebeth had been in the parsonage of Upper +Wood as long as one could remember, for there had always been a son, and +when the time had come, then he had become parson in Upper Wood. First +'Lizebeth had served the grandfather, then the father and now the son, +and she had long since elected Edi as the future minister, and intended +to look after his house when he should be the master here. + + + +CHAPTER II + +_A Call in the Village_ + + +The friendly village Upper Wood lay on the top of the hill close by the +fir wood; it had a beautiful white church with a high, slender tower. At +a distance of three-quarters of an hour's walk, down in the valley, lay +Lower Wood, a small community which, however, did not wish to be +considered smaller. They had a new schoolhouse and a church of their +own, but the church had no tower, only a little red dome. Therefore the +people of Upper Wood were a little proud, because their church was much +prettier and also because they learned much more in the old schoolhouse +in Upper Wood than in the new one of Lower Wood; but that was the +children's fault, not the teacher's. In the middle, between the two +villages lay a hamlet consisting of a few farms and some small houses of +little pretense. It was called the Middle Lot, and its people the Middle +Lotters. They had the choice to what church and school they wished to +belong, whether to Lower Wood or Upper Wood, and according to their +choice they were judged by the people of Upper Wood; for whoever wanted +to learn much and be decent, he must, according to the Upper Wooders, +strive to belong to them. This was a fixed and general idea of the +people on the top of the hill. In the Middle Lot there lived only two +families who were generally respected; the Justice of Peace, who was +obliged to live there because otherwise he would have to be called +there, and that would have been inconvenient. This peace-making man was +Kaetheli's father. And the other was old Marianne, who lived in her own +house and pulled horse-hair for a living, and never did harm to anyone. + +When on the next morning the three children of the parsonage passed +Marianne's house on their way to school, Sally said: "It is fun to go to +school to-day for the strange boy of yesterday will come too; if we only +knew his name. Kaetheli described him to me; he wears velvet pants. Of +course he will come to Upper Wood to school." + +"Of course," said Edi with a dignified air; "who would think of going to +Lower Wood to School?" + +"Of course, who would go there to school?" observed Ritz. + +Then the three in perfect harmony entered the schoolhouse. But no +strange face was to be seen in the whole schoolroom; everything went on +in the usual way to the end of the morning. Then everyone hurried away +in different directions. Sally was standing there, somewhat undecided; +she would like to have heard something new of the strange boy and his +mother, for she loved to hear news, and now not even Kaetheli, with whom +she talked things over, had been in school. But now she saw Edi soaring +along like an arrow into the midst of a crowd of boys, and they all +acted so strangely and they shouted so strangely that Sally thought that +something particular must be in preparation there, and no doubt +concerned the new-comers. Then she could hear something from Edi. She +went slowly on and kept on turning round, but Edi did not come, and only +after Sally had long since greeted the mother and was about to call her +father out of his study for dinner, did the two brothers come running +along, their faces red as fire, and breathless, for they had lingered to +the last moment. The father was just leaving his study when both rushed +toward him and now it began: "We have--the Middle Lotters--with the +Lower Wooders--" + +"Hush, hush," said the father. "First get your breath, then relate, one +after the other; but before anything, first the soup." With these words +the father took Ritz's hand, and Sally and Edi followed them into the +dining-room. Sally pulled Edi a little back and whispered: + +"Tell me quickly, what did they tell about the strange boy?" + +"About him?" returned Edi in a somewhat scornful tone. "I had forgotten +all about him! We have something else to do than to talk about a strange +boy, of whom one does not even know whether he will come to Upper Wood +to school." + +This answer was somewhat unexpected to Sally and had a saddening effect; +but she always could find a way out of an unpleasant situation. So she +sat as still as a mouse during the whole time the soup was eaten, and +her thoughts were hard at work. + +Now the father turned to Edi and said: "Now you can relate your +adventure, while Ritz remains quiet, and afterwards his turn will come." +Ritz looked quite obedient for he had two large noodles on his plate to +work with. + +But Edi, in a moment, put down knife and fork and quickly began: "Just +think, Papa, we have made three songs, one for each parish. First, the +Lower Wooders began. The sixth class were angry because we laughed at +them, that they only now have to _make_ sentences, and we in the fourth +class have begun to _write_ them already. They made a song about us +which runs: + + "'Of Upper Wood the boys + They in their minds rejoice + Because they think that they the cleverest are, + But if ever they must fight + They are in sorry plight + And they turn round and run for ever so far.' + +"How do you like that song, Papa?" + +"Well, that is such as Lower Wooders would make," said the father. + +"And then," Edi continued, "we have made a song for an answer, that goes +thus: + + "'And of Lower Wood the crowd + They always yell so loud + That they never, never stay within their den, + For all dispute and strife + They are much alive + For they use their fists when they ought to use their pen.' + +"How do you like this one, Papa?" + +"Just about the same. And who has sung about the Middle Lot?" asked the +father. + +"The Lower Wooders and we together; they too had to have a song, but the +shortest, as it ought to be. It runs so: + + "'And they of Middle Lot + They all together plot + That they are striving zealously for peace, + But with quarrelling they never cease.' + +"And how do you like that, Papa?" + +"They are, all three of them, kind of fighting songs, Edi," answered the +father, "and I should prefer that you keep busy with your history +studies, instead of taking sides in these party-fights. One never knows +where one comes out, and such poetry usually ends with lumps on the +heads." + +Edi seemed much disappointed as he attacked his noodles with a visibly +spoiled appetite. + +"And what has been your experience, Sally? Why are you so pensive?" the +father continued. + +"Kaetheli was not at school," reported Sally, "and I had so much to talk +over with her. Perhaps she is sick; may I go to see her this afternoon? +We have no school, you know." + +"Aha, Sally wants to see the strange boy," the sharp-witted Edi +remarked. + +"You may go, Sally," the mother said, answering a questioning look from +the father. "But you will not go into any house where you have no +business, just to look at strangers. I know you are capable of doing +such things. You can start soon after dinner." + +Sally was very happy. She quickly fetched her straw hat and took leave. +But outside she did not run straight through the passage-way as she +usually did in similar cases, but went to the kitchen door and peeped +in, and when she saw 'Lizebeth at the sink, where the latter was +scraping her pans, she went in very close to the old woman and said +somewhat mysteriously: "'Lizebeth, does Edi or Ritz perhaps have a torn +mattress on their bed?" + +'Lizebeth stopped scraping and turned round. She looked at Sally from +head to foot, put her hands on her hips and said very slowly and +importantly: "May I ask what you mean by that question, Sally? Do you +think this household is so carried on that one lies about on ragged +mattresses and sleeps, until a little one, who is far from old enough to +turn a mattress, thinks of coming to ask 'does not this one or that one +have a ragged mattress' on his bed? Yes, Sally, what cobwebs you do have +in your head." + +"I do not care about the mattress, it is on account of Marianne that I +ask," Sally explained. "Do you know, she now has some new people in her +house and I should so much like to see them, and therefore I wanted so +much to know whether you could not sacrifice a mattress so that Marianne +could pull the horsehair for a mattress, for Mother will not let me go +into the house without a good excuse." + +"Oh, so! that is different," said 'Lizebeth quite mildly, for she had +also been wondering what kind of people her old friend had taken into +her home, and now, perhaps, she could learn something about them through +Sally. + +"I can help you, Sally," she said. "You go to Marianne and tell her that +I send my greetings, and I have long since intended to come and see her, +but the likes of us cannot get away when we want to; we never know what +may happen if we are out of the house for five minutes; but tell her +that I will surely come some fine Sunday. Now then go, and give my +message." + +Sally ran with a joyous heart, first through the garden, then away over +the meadow and down the hill as far as the fir wood, where the dry road +lay for a long stretch in the shade. Here Sally slackened her pace a +little. It was so beautiful to walk along in shade of the trees, where +above in their tops the wind rustled so delightfully and all the birds +sang in confusion. She also had to consider how she would arrange her +calls, whether she would go first to Kaetheli or to Marianne; but this +time old Marianne had a stronger attraction than Kaetheli and Sally felt +that she must go there first and give her message. Now her thoughts fell +on the strange people and she had to imagine how they looked and what +she was going to say, and what they would say when she knocked and asked +for Marianne. Thus she thought everything well out, for Sally had a +great power of imagining things. + +In this way she came to the first houses of Middle Lot. She turned away +from the road and went toward Marianne's house, which stood a little way +from the road and lay almost hidden behind a hedge. As Sally had been +accustomed to do, she now ran right into the house, although the house +door was also the kitchen door. After entering the front door she stood +in the small kitchen and was at once before another door which led into +the living-room. This door stood wide open and Sally found herself +suddenly in the presence of a lady dressed in black, who sat in that +room sewing and who lifted her head at Sally's noisy entrance, and with +large sad eyes she looked at the child in silence. + +Sally grew as red as fire and in her embarrassment remained standing +near the door like one rooted to the floor. + +Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here, +dear child, what brings you to me?" + +Sally was quite confused. She did not remember why she had come, for she +had really not come to see Marianne. She had invented that--to get into +the house where she had arrived now so unexpectedly. She approached the +lady and wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Sally grew +crimson and stood there more helpless than ever before in her life. + +The lady took the child's hand and stroked her glowing cheeks. + +"Come, sit down beside me, dear child," she then said, with a voice so +sweet that it went deep into Sally's heart. "Come, we shall come +gradually to know each other a little." + + +[Illustration: _Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly +tone, "Come here, dear child."..._] + + +Now there came from out of a corner a quick noise of moving; Sally did +not know what it was, for until now she had not dared to look around the +room, but now she looked up. + +A boy, a little taller than she, was carrying a small easy chair and +placed it before Sally. He looked at her with such a merry face as the +restrained laughter came so visibly out of his eyes, that the sight +brought a complete reversion in Sally's feelings, and she, all at once, +laughed right out; upon which, the boy too, relieved his feelings by a +bright peal of laughter, for the rushing in and then the confusion of +the unexpected guest had long since tempted him to laugh; but he was too +well trained to dare to break out. + +"Well, my child," said the mother with that winning voice, "and what has +brought you to me?" + +"I have--I ought to--I wanted," Sally began hesitatingly, "I wanted to +give a message to Marianne--" Sally could not stop at half the truth. +The sad, friendly eyes of the lady were penetratingly resting on hers, +so everything had to come out as it was. + +"That is lovely and friendly of you, that you want to see us, dear +little girl. How did you hear of us?" asked the lady, and took off +Sally's straw hat, while she put the question to the child. She placed +the hat on the table and smoothed her hair with a mother's touch. + +Now Sally related all in full confidence how it had happened, and that +she and her two brothers had wanted to come yesterday to find out who +was coming to live with Marianne, and to find out how the piano and all +the other things could find room in the little house. Sally now, for the +first time, looked around the room and she had to wonder a little, for +she saw only the piano and four bare walls, and then there were the two +easy chairs on which she and the lady were sitting, and the small table. +She knew that besides this room there was a very small bedroom, where +two beds could hardly find room. Sally could not set herself to rights; +all was so different from what she had imagined. She had expected to see +strange and foreign things standing about everywhere and now she saw +nothing besides an old piano. And yet the lady who sat before her in a +black silken dress looked more aristocratic than Sally could ever have +imagined; and the boy in his velvet suit looked quite like the old +knights in Edi's beautiful picture book, and he had brought her a seat +without anyone telling him, and was more refined and courteous than she +had ever before seen a boy. + +When Sally turned her surprised eyes again to the lady, she saw such a +painful expression in her face that it came involuntarily into her mind +how the mother had said, that of course "she would not go there for the +sake of staring at the people," and she felt that she was doing +something very much like it. Sally rose. All at once she remembered to +whom she really wanted to go, so she said hastily: "I must go to +Kaetheli; she may be sick." With these words she quickly offered her +hand to the lady. + +The lady, too, had risen; she took the proffered hand, held it between +both of hers, and looked once more so lovingly into the child's eyes, +that her little heart was moved. Then she kissed her forehead and said: +"You dear child, you were a friendly picture in our quiet room." + +Then she let go of her hand, and Sally went through the open door into +the small kitchen. The boy, meanwhile, had opened the house door and now +he stood outside quite courteously, like a doorkeeper, to bid Sally +good-bye. + +"Are you not coming to school tomorrow?" + +"Yes, indeed," was the answer. + +That pleased Sally very much and she at once decided that he must become +Edi's friend, for she had taken a great liking to the boy and when he +was Edi's friend then he would be hers too, and he must come every +Sunday afternoon and spend it with them and they would teach him all +kinds of games; and many undertakings passed through her brain, for with +this friend everything could be carried out; he was so entirely +different from other boys and girls in the school. "Then you are coming +to-morrow?" she asked with happy expectation. + +"Where shall I come?" he questioned in return. + +"To school, of course." + +"Yes, indeed, I'll come to school." + +"Well, then, good-bye," said Sally, giving her hand, "but I do not know +your name." + +"Erick--and yours?" + +"Sally." + +Now they shook hands, and Erick remained standing in the doorway until +Sally had turned round the hedge, then he shut the door and Sally ran +toward the house of the Justice of Peace. Before she reached it, old +Marianne met her, panting under the large bundle of horsehair which she +was carrying on her head. Sally was delighted to see her, for she had +just remembered that she had not given 'Lizebeth's message. She rushed +so quickly toward the old woman and with such force, that the latter +went back some steps and almost lost her balance, and Sally cried out: +"Marianne, you have such nice people in your rooms. Do you talk much +with them? Do you cook for them? Do you buy the things they need? Have +they no maid? Do you make their beds?" + +"Gently, gently," said Marianne, who had recovered her balance, "else I +lose my breath. But tell me, how did you get into the people's room? I +hope you know how I am to be found." + +Sally told her that she, for the shorter way, had not gone round the +house, where, in the woodshed, a narrow stair went up to Marianne's +small room; but that she had wanted to run in the front way, through the +kitchen, and out the back door; but that she had stood suddenly before +the open door of the room and under the eyes of the lady. + +"You must never do that again," Marianne interrupted Sally, raising her +finger warningly. "Do you hear that, Sally? Never do that again. They +are not people into whose home you can rush, as if they were living on +the highway." + +"But the lady was quite friendly, Marianne," soothed Sally, "she was not +at all offended." + +"That makes no difference, she is always so, she could not be otherwise, +and just on that account, and on account of many other things, do you +hear, Sally? Promise that you never again go that way when you want to +come to me. Will you promise?" + +"Yes, indeed I will. I do not intend to do it again. Good night, +Marianne! Now I have forgotten the main thing: 'Lizebeth sends her +greetings and she will come to see you on a fine Sunday." + +The last words came from some distance, for Sally had already started on +a run while she gave the message, and when Marianne wanted to send her +greetings, Sally was already far away. After a few more jumps Sally +arrived at the house of the Justice of Peace, in front of which stood a +large apple tree which shaded the stone well. Here stood Kaetheli who +did not look sick at all, but splashed with two fat, red arms about the +water in which she seemed to clean some object eagerly. + +"Then you are not sick. Why didn't you come to school then?" Sally +called out when she saw her. + +"Oh, it is you? Good evening! I could not make out who was jumping +about, and I hadn't the time to look," Kaetheli said with some +importance. "That is also the reason why I did not go to school. I +hadn't the time, for Mother has gone away today to see sick Grandmother, +and then we got young chickens, twelve quite small ones, and that is why +I have to wash a stocking, for I have run after the chicks everywhere +and near the barn I stepped in the dirt quite deep. But come, I will +show you the chickens. Never mind if I have only one stocking on." + +But Sally had only very little time left and besides, her head was full +of quite different things and she wanted to hear Kaetheli tell of +something else than the new chickens, so she said quite decisively: "No, +Kaetheli, I haven't time enough to see the chickens. I only wanted to +know whether you were ill and I want to tell you something. I have seen +the strange lady and the boy whom you know. He does look nice. Do you +know his name?" + +"He?" said Kaetheli, shrugging her shoulders. "Of course I know. His +name is Erick and just think, he goes to school at Lower Wood; I have +seen him myself today, with his school sack, going there." + +That was a blow for Sally. He went to school at Lower Wood. What was now +to come of her beautiful plans? Of all the planned Sundays which were to +be so full of joy and delight, and the whole friendship with the +prepossessing Erick? For how could Edi ever be brought to making friends +with a fellow who went to Lower Wood to school, when he just as well +might have gone to Upper Wood? Sally was very downcast, but she did not +easily give up a pleasant intention. On the way home she wanted to think +what could be done, therefore she stretched out her hand to the +astonished Kaetheli, and this time the invitation, to at least come into +the room and eat a piece of bread and butter, was not accepted; nor +would she go with Kaetheli behind the barn where they could fetch down +ripe cherries from the large cherry tree--it was all of no use. + +"Another time, Kaetheli, it is already so late I must go home," and +Sally ran away. Kaetheli stood there much surprised and looked after +her, and in her bright mind she thought: "Sally has something new in her +head, else I could have brought her to the cherry tree, for she is not +always so anxious to go home; but I will find out what it is." + +Meanwhile Sally ran for a long stretch, then she began to walk slower, +for she had to think over so many things and she was so lost in her +plans that she forgot when she arrived at the garden which stretched +from her home far into the meadows. Ritz stood on the low wall and +beckoned with wild gestures, for Sally had not seen him at first. + +"Do come a little quicker so that you can tell something, else we will +have to go to bed, for Auntie has already looked twice at her watch. +Were you in the barn at Kaetheli's? How many cows are in it? Have you +seen the young goat?" + +But Sally had different things in her head. She hastily stepped into the +house, while Ritz followed. The rest of the family were in the +living-room. Mother and Auntie were mending stockings; Father was +reading a large church paper. Edi, his head supported on both hands, sat +lost in his history book. Sally had hardly opened the door when she +cried out with much excitement: "Oh, Mother, you ought to have seen how +friendly the lady was, and she is so beautiful and so gentle and so +good, and quite an aristocratic lady; and Erick in his velvet suit is +like a knight, and so fine and polite. Edi could not find a nicer +friend." + +They all looked surprised at Sally, and a pause followed this outburst. +Sally had quite forgotten that she was not to go to the strange people, +and that she had given, as the object of her walk, the call on Kaetheli. +She now remembered everything and she grew very red. + +"But, dear child," said the mother, "did you really, in spite of +opposition from me, press into the home of the strange people? How could +you enter the house without an excuse?" + +"Not without an excuse, Mamma," said Sally, somewhat embarrassed. +"'Lizebeth had given me a message for old Marianne." + +"Which the inquisitive Sally fetched in the kitchen for the purpose of +carrying out her plan, that is clear," remarked Auntie. When the whole +truth lay open to the light of day, Sally felt relieved and she returned +with new zeal to her communication. She had much to describe: the empty +room and the silk dress of the lady, and her sad glances, and then the +knightly Erick with his joyous laughter and the merry eyes; but she +could not describe it all so attractively as it seemed to her. + +"So," said Edi, looking up from his book, "now you have another friend. +It will go, no doubt, with him as with little Leopold!" After giving her +this fling he bent again over his book and read on, taking no notice of +anything. + +Sally did not find the desired sympathy. She was so full of her +impressions that she felt Mother and Aunt should be all afire and aflame +for her new friendship. Instead of that, the two kept on mending the +stockings; Father did not even look up from his paper and Edi had only a +satirical remark for sympathy. Sally had rather a bad reputation for +making friendships. Almost every week she saw some one who appealed to +her so much, that she must make a friendship at once; but the +friendships were mostly of short duration, for she had imagined +something else than she often found on looking closer. This made her +quite unhappy at the time, but the next week she had already found some +one else who filled her thoughts. + +The last unfortunate friendship had brought forth Edi's satire to a +greater degree. The tailor of Upper Wood had three sons, and since the +father on his wanderings had spent some time in Vienna he gave his sons, +in remembrance of the beautiful days which he spent there, the names of +three Austrian grand dukes. It was this strange name that had first +attracted Sally; to that was added that Leopold, the oldest of the sons, +who had lived with his grandfather until now, but had come recently to +Upper Wood, always wore elegant jackets and pants after the latest cut. +Leopold had entered Sally's class and his appearance had at once +inspired her. But he was so small and dainty that he received the name +Leopoldy from the whole school. The rumor had preceded Leopold, that he +had staid three years in the same class in the town where his +grandfather lived. So Edi looked down on Leopoldy from an elevation of a +fourth class boy and noticed with scorn how Sally found pleasure in the +little fellow and befriended him. But that did not last long for, after +a trial of a week, Leopoldy was set back two classes, since he had been +put in the fifth class on account of his years, but not his deserts. In +these eight days Sally had discovered, with sorrow, that Leopoldy was +unusually silly, and Sally was glad that the enormous gap that lies +between the fifth and third class, made easier the rupture of this +friendship which could not continue, for nothing could be done with +Leopoldy. So it happened that no one listened with sympathy to the +enthusiastic description which Sally gave of her new friends, for each +one remembered Leopoldy, and that was not inspiring. + +This general coolness angered Sally very much. She knew her new friends +if they would only believe her. All ought to be so interested in this +mother and her Erick, that they would want to know everything possible +about them, and now no one asked a question and they hardly listened to +her communication. That was too much; Sally had to relieve her tension. +She suddenly broke forth to Edi, who was entirely lost in his book: +"Although you read a thousand books one after the other, and act as if +one did not tell anything, and you think that one must have no +friendship with any human being on this earth but only for the +thousand-thousand-year-old Egyptians, yet you might be glad to have a +friend like Erick." + +Edi must have just read something that made him solemn, for he looked +quite restrainedly up from his book and said quite seriously: "You see, +Sally, you do not at all know what friendship is, for you believe that +one can have a new friend every week. But one ought to have only one +friend for the whole life, and one must drag his enemy three times +around the walls of Troy." + +"Then he will have to make a nice journey if he comes from Upper Wood," +remarked Sally quickly. + +The mother meanwhile had left the room, and Aunt rose from her work. + +"You will get quite barbaric from pure historical research," she said, +turning to Edi, "but now it is high time to go to bed, quick! But where +is Ritz?" + +Ritz had withdrawn behind the stove a full hour ago in the hope of there +escaping his fate for some time. But sleep had overcome him in the dark +corner. + +"Now we have the trouble," the aunt cried, when the sleeper had been +discovered, and only with the greatest difficulty she woke him. + +While Auntie was pushing and shaking the sleepy Ritz, Edi had tried +several times to get near her, but she had always escaped him. Now a +quiet moment came. Ritz was at last awake. Edi quickly stepped up to his +aunt and said: "I did not mean alive, only after his death, like +Achilles did." + +"Now he too is talking in his sleep and says all kinds of nonsense," the +aunt cried quite excitedly, for she had long since forgotten Edi's +judgment on the enemy and she did not know what he was talking about. +"No, no, it cannot go on like this, children must go to bed in good +time, else the whole household gets out of joint." + +Edi wanted to explain once more, only to make it clear to her, and not +to have to go to bed misunderstood, so he had followed her about, and +now a greater misunderstanding had arisen. There was no more chance for +explanation. Ritz and Edi were shoved into their room, the light put on +the table, the door was closed, and away went Auntie. + +"I am sure Mother will come to us. I must explain everything to her," +Edi said to himself, for to be so misunderstood disquieted the thinking +Edi exceedingly. And the mother came as she did every evening, and she +promised to make everything clear to Auntie, so he could be pacified and +find the sleep which Ritz long since had found again. + + + +CHAPTER III + +'Lizebeth on the Warpath + + +On the following morning 'Lizebeth stood full of expectation at the +kitchen door, and made all kinds of signs when Sally came rushing into +the living-room from breakfast. The signs were indeed understood by the +child but she had no time to go to the kitchen. She waved her school-bag +and shouted in rushing by 'Lizebeth: "When I come from school; it is too +late now!" Followed by Edi and Ritz she continued her run. + +Something very particular must be in preparation, for after school all +the scholars were standing again in a dense circle, beating their hands +in the air and shouting as loud as they could, to have their views +heard. Sally, who had waited a few moments for her brothers, went on +home for she knew how long such meetings were apt to last and that her +brothers would only arrive home when the soup was being served. Sally +stepped into the house and with her school-bag in her hand she went +straight to the kitchen. + +"Now I will tell you everything that happened yesterday, 'Lizebeth," she +said. + +'Lizebeth nodded encouragingly and Sally began, and became more and more +excited the longer she talked. She was most excited when she came to +telling about the lady and her little boy, describing the way she +talked, how she and the boy were dressed, and her aristocratic way. But +all at once 'Lizebeth jumped as if a wasp had stung her and she called +out, "What do you say, Sally? This woman wears a silk dress in the +middle of the week? Silk? And she lives at Marianne's? And the boy wears +velvet pants and a jacket all of velvet? Well, well! I have lived ten +years with your great-grandfather and thirty with your grandfather and +twelve with your father, and I have seen your father grow up from the +first day of his life and your little brothers. And I have known them +since they were babies and none of them ever had velvet pants on their +body, and yet they were all ministers, your great-grandfather, your +grandfather, your father, and the little ones will be ministers too, and +none of them ever had even a piece of velvet on them and this woman in +the middle of the week walks about in silk, yes indeed! And then taking +rooms at Marianne's and living where the basket mender has lived, I tell +you, Sally, there is something behind that! But it has to come out, and +if Marianne wants to help a hundred times to cover it up, I tell you, +Sally, I will bring out what is behind it all. Yes, indeed, velvet +pants? I wonder what we shall hear next!" + +Sally stood quite astounded before the anger-spouting 'Lizebeth, and +could not understand the cause of this outbreak. But she had enough of +it, so she turned round and hastened into the sitting-room, where, +according to her expectations, at the very last moment, just when +'Lizebeth came into the room with the soup tureen, the brothers +appeared, in a peculiar way. At each side of 'Lizebeth one crawled into +the room, then shot straight across the room, like the birds before a +storm shoot through the air so that one fears they will run their heads +against something. Fortunately the two boys did not run their heads +against anything, but each landed quite safely on his chair, and at once +'Lizebeth placed the soup on the table; but so decidedly and with such +an angry face, as if she wanted to say: "There! If you had to put up +with what I have to, then you would not trouble about your soup." + +When she was again out of the room the father said, looking at his wife: +"There will be a thunder storm, sure signs are visible." Then turning to +his sons he continued: "But what do boys deserve, who come so late to +table and from pure bad conscience almost knock it over?" + +Ritz looked crestfallen into his plate, and from there in a somewhat +roundabout way past his mother's plate, slyly across to his aunt, to see +whether it looked like an order to go to bed at once. And it was so +beautiful today, how beautiful the running about this evening after +school would be! + +There was no order, for the general attention was claimed by 'Lizebeth, +who with the same signs of snorting anger threw more than placed the +rest of the meal on the table and then grumbled herself out again. + +As soon as dinner was over the father put on his little velvet cap and +went in perfect silence out into the garden. For the storms in the house +were more unpleasant to him than those that come from the sky. As soon +as he had left the room 'Lizebeth stood in the doorway, both arms akimbo +and looking quite warlike; she said: "I should think it would make no +difference if I were to make a call on Marianne. I should think it is +fully four years since I went to see her in the Middle Lot." + +The pastor's wife had listened with astonishment to this speech, which +sounded very reproachful. Now she said soothingly: "But, 'Lizebeth, I +should hope that you do not think that I would oppose your going to +Marianne or anywhere else; or that I ever have done so. Do go as soon as +you feel like it." + +"Just as if nothing had to be done, and as if I were and had been on a +visit in the parsonage at Upper Wood for fifty years and more," was the +answer. "No, no, I know what has to be done if no one else does. I can +wait until Sunday afternoon; that is a time when the likes of me may go +out, and if it suits the lady then, then I go, and shall not stay away +very long. Why? I know why if no one else knows it." + +"Of course that suits me, too," the lady pacified again, "do just what +you think best." She did not say more for she had already noticed that a +fire of anger was kindled in 'Lizebeth which would blaze up if another +word fell in it. She could not imagine what had struck 'Lizebeth, but +she found it more advisable not to touch on it. So 'Lizebeth grumbled +for a little while, then she went away, since no further chance for +outbreaks was offered. But there was no peace during the whole week; all +noticed that, and each went carefully by 'Lizebeth as if she were a +powder magazine which, at a careless touch, might fly up in the air at +any moment. At last Sunday came. 'Lizebeth, after dinner, rushed about +the kitchen with such a great noise, one could notice that many thoughts +were working in her which she tried to give vent to. But she went into +her room only after everything was bright and in its place. + +She dressed herself in her Sunday-best and entered the sitting-room to +take leave, just as though she was going on a long journey, for it was +an event for 'Lizebeth to leave the parsonage for several hours. Now she +wandered with slow steps along the road and looked to the right and left +on the way to see what was growing in the field belonging to this or +that neighbor. But her thoughts began again to work in her; one could +see that, for she began to walk quicker and quicker and to talk half +aloud to herself. Now she had arrived. Marianne had seen her from her +little window and was surprised that this time 'Lizebeth was so soon +keeping her promise. For years she had promised, had sent the messages +that she would soon come; but she had never come and now she was there +after the message had been brought only three days ago. Marianne went to +meet her friend with a pleasant smile and welcomed her near the hedge +before the cottage; then she conducted her guest around the cottage and +up the narrow, wooden stairs. 'Lizebeth did not like this way and before +she had reached the top of the stairs she had to speak out. + +"Listen, Marianne," she said, "formerly one dared to come in the front +door and through the kitchen, but now your oldest friends have to come +by the back way, which, no doubt, is on account of the strange people +whom you have taken into your house. I have heard much of them and now I +see for myself that they, from pure pride, do not know what to order +next, that you dare not go through your own house." + +"Dear me, 'Lizebeth, what queer thoughts you do have," said Marianne, +quite frightened. "That is not true, no one has forbidden me anything. +And the people are so good and not a bit proud, and so friendly, and so +kind and humble." + +"Catch your breath, Marianne," 'Lizebeth interrupted her; "with all your +excitement you cannot prove that white is black, and when such people +come along, no one knows whence, and take a living-room and a bedroom in +such a hut, so hidden as yours is, Marianne, where they pay next to +nothing, and the woman struts about in a silk skirt and her little son +in velvet; then there is something behind it all, and if she has silk +skirts then she must have other things too, and she must know why she +hides all these things in a hut which really does not look larger than a +large henhouse. I wanted only to warn you, Marianne; you surely will be +the loser with such a crowd." + +"'Lizebeth," Marianne said now more emphatically than she had ever been +known to speak, "it would be well, if all people were as this woman is, +and you and I could thank God if we were like her. I have never in this +world seen a better and a more patient and a more amiable human being. +And in regard to the silk skirt, please be still and do not talk about +it, 'Lizebeth; many a thing looks different to what it really is, and it +would be better for you, if you would not load your conscience with +wrong against a suffering woman on whom God has His eye." + +Marianne did not wish to tell what she knew, that the lady had only the +one skirt and no other whatsoever, and so, of course, was obliged to +wear it. She did not want to tell that to 'Lizebeth now she heard how +the latter judged. + +"I do not think of loading my conscience with anything," 'Lizebeth +continued, "and that much is not as it looks, that I know; but when a +little boy of whom no one knows from where he came, wears velvet pants +on bright week-days and even a velvet jacket, then they are velvet pants +and do not only look so, that is certain. There is something behind that +and it will come out and it will not look the best. Yes indeed, wearing +velvet pants, such a little tramp of whom no one knows from where he +comes, yes indeed." + +"Do not sin against the dear boy," Marianne said seriously. "Look at him +and you will see that he looks like a little angel, and he is one." + +"So, that too," 'Lizebeth continued, "and pray when did you see an +angel, Marianne, that you know he looks just like them? I should like to +know! But I have served over fifty years in a respectable house, and I +have helped to bring up the old parson, and the present one and his two +sons; but we have never known anything of velvet pants, no, never, and +we were, I should think, different people from these. That is what I +wanted to tell you, Marianne, and that is the main reason why I came to +you, so that you should know what one is forced to think. And with +regard to the angels, I can tell you that we have a little boy that +looks exactly like the angels that blow the trumpets in the picture; +such fat, firm, red cheeks has our Moritzli, like painted, and such +round arms and legs." + +"Yes, it is true, little Ritz was always a splendid little fellow, I +should like to see him again," Marianne answered good-naturedly. + +This reconciled 'Lizebeth a little; in a much friendlier tone she said: +"Then come again to Upper Wood, you will have time, more than I. Then +you can look at the other, too, and can see what a pretty, straight nose +he has, that no angel could have a prettier one, and in the whole school +he is by far the brightest,--that the teacher himself says of Eduardi." + +'Lizebeth always called the boys by their full names, for the shortening +of the names, Ritz and Edi, seemed to her a degrading of their names and +an injustice to her favorites. + +"Yes, yes, I believe you. What a delight it must be to see such a +well-ordered household and all so happy together and so joyous," +Marianne said with a sigh, and she threw a glance at the room of the +stranger, and now 'Lizebeth was completely pacified, for she felt the +parsonage again on the top. + +"What is the matter with the people?" she asked with compassion. + +"I do not know what to say," was the answer, "I do not understand it all +myself." + +"I thought as much, with such strangers one is never secure." + +"No, no, I did not mean anything like that," Marianne opposed. "I tell +you they are the best people one could find. I would do anything for the +woman." + +Marianne did not like to tell her friend what she knew and to consult +with her about things she could not comprehend, for 'Lizebeth had +evidently no love for the two and was full of distrust, and Marianne had +taken them both into her heart so that she could not bear sharp remarks +about them even from her good friend. She therefore was silent and +'Lizebeth could get nothing more out of her concerning her lodgers. + +During this long talk a good deal of time had passed. 'Lizebeth rose +from the wooden bench behind the table where she and Marianne had been +sitting and was about to bid good-bye. But Marianne would not allow +that, for the friend must first drink a cup of coffee; then she was +going to walk with her. So they did, and as the two friends wandered +together through the evening, they had much to tell each other and were +very talkative; only when 'Lizebeth began to talk about the strangers in +Marianne's house, was the latter silent and hardly spoke. Where the road +went into the woods, they parted, and Marianne had to promise to return +the call as soon as possible. Then 'Lizebeth stepped out vigorously and +arrived at home in such good spirits that the parson's wife resolved to +send her often to Marianne on a visit. + +When Marianne on her return came near her cottage, she heard lovely +singing; she well knew the song. Every evening at twilight the stranger +sat down at the piano and sang, and she sang so beautifully and with a +voice that came from such depths that it touched Marianne's heart so +that she could not tear herself away when she heard the song, until it +was ended. But there was one song in particular which Marianne loved to +hear and which the woman sang every day, either at the beginning or the +end of her songs. It always seemed as if a great joy came into her voice +and as if she wanted to make this joy appeal to all who listened. And +yet this song touched Marianne's heart so deeply that she wept every +time she heard it. So it happened this evening. There was a log lying +before the house-door which served her for a resting-place when, in the +evening, she wanted to get a little fresh air. She rolled it under the +window so that she might look for a moment into the room. There sat the +lady, and her large blue eyes looked up to the evening sky so seriously +and sorrowfully, and yet there was something which sounded again like a +great joy in the beautiful song she was singing. The little boy sat on a +footstool beside her and looked at his mother with his joyful, bright +eyes, and listened to the singing. + +Marianne could not look long. A strange feeling came over her, and she +stepped down from the log, put her apron to her eyes and wept and wept, +until the singing had died away. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +The Same Night in Two Houses + + +When on this evening Edi and Ritz were lying in their bed and Mother had +finished saying evening prayer with them and had closed the door after +her, Edi began: "Have you noticed, Ritz, that Father is almost like God? +He already knows the thing before one has told half of it." + +"No, I have never noticed that," Ritz replied. "But it is all right, for +then he can do everything he wants to and also make fine weather." + +"Oh, Ritz, you only look at the profit! but just look at the other +side." Here Edi rose up in bed from pure zeal and continued: "Do you +remember, not long ago I recited our songs, which we made about the +others, to Papa; then he knew at once that we were preparing a big fight +and has forbidden us to take part in it. And this evening they all have +talked it over that I should lead the boys of Upper Wood into battle, +and I have thought it all over and prepared ahead. Then I would be +Fabius Cunctator, and would lead my troops above on the hill round and +round it and would not attack, for you must know that is much safer, and +so Hannibal could do nothing and could not attack me." + +"Is Hannibal still living then?" asked Ritz serenely. + +"Oh, Ritz, how indescribably ignorant you are!" Edi remarked +compassionately. "He died more than a thousand years ago. But big Churi, +the leader of the Middle Lotters, our enemies, is Hannibal. But you see, +I just remember something: Churi is not a real Hannibal, for he was a +great and noble general, and Churi cannot represent him; but do you know +what, we can take the strange boy Erick, for Hannibal!--he looks quite +different from Churi,--shall we?" + +"That is all the same to me since we cannot be in the fight," remarked +Ritz. + +"That is true, we dare not, I had quite forgotten that," lamented Edi. +"If I only knew what we could do to be in this fight and yet not do +anything that is forbidden." + +"Don't you know an example in the world's history?" asked Ritz, to whom +his brother presented so often, in cases of need, examples out of this +rich fountain. + +"No. If we only lived like the old Greeks," Edi answered with a deep +sigh. "When they wanted to know anything of which no one knew the +answer, they quickly drove to Delphi to the oracle and asked advice. +Then there was an answer at once and they knew what was to be done. But +now there are no more oracles, not even in Greece. Isn't that too bad?" + +"Yes, that is too bad," said Ritz rather sleepily, "but I am sure you +will think of another example." + +Edi began at once to think, but however much he thought, and groped in +his memory and upheaved what he had stored away in his brain, he could +not find in the whole history of the world one single case where some +one had carried out something that the father had forbidden, and yet +stood afterwards with honor before him. For that was what Edi was trying +to find; and he was sitting straight up in his bed in the dark, and in +spite of all his endeavors he could find no way out. And when he now +heard the deep breathing of the sweetly sleeping Ritz, he became too +discouraged to try any more. He lay down on his pillow and was soon +dreaming about the uniform of Fabius Cunctator. + +Soon after this Marianne too lay down on her couch, but for a long time +sleep would not come. The singing of the lady downstairs had made her +very, very sad; this voice had never before touched her so deeply as it +had done this evening, and she still heard the sound of weeping and +rejoicing in confusion. So Marianne heard the old clock on the wall +strike eleven, then twelve, and yet she could not go to sleep. Now it +seemed to her as if she heard a gentle knocking below in the house. Who +could want anything of her so late in the night? She must be mistaken, +she said to herself. But no, she now heard it quite plainly, somebody +was knocking somewhere. She quickly dressed herself and hastened down to +the kitchen. She opened the front door--no one was there. But the +knocking came again and now Marianne thought that it came from the +sleeping room of her boarders. Softly she opened the door of the room. +Within the pale lady sat on her bed, but she was much paler than usual, +so that Marianne stepped quickly into the room, and much frightened, she +exclaimed: "Dear me! What is the matter? Oh how bad you do look!" + +"Yes, I feel very ill, my good Marianne," the lady answered with her +friendly voice. "I am so sorry that I frightened you so in the middle of +the night; but I had no rest, I was obliged to call you. I have a few +things to tell you and it might have been too late." + +"Dear, dear! what do you mean?" lamented Marianne. "I will get the +doctor at once from Lower Wood,--he is the nearest." + +"No, Marianne, I thank you, I know my condition," said the sick woman +soothingly, "it is a cramp in my heart, which often comes and this time +more terribly than usual, and so, my good Marianne, I wanted to tell you +that if I am no longer here tomorrow, will you give this," (and she gave +a small paper to Marianne), "to him who has to prepare for my last +resting-place. It is the only thing that I leave, and which I have saved +for a long time, so that I need not be buried in a pauper's grave. That +must not be, for my father's sake," she added, very softly. + +"Dear, dear Lord!" Marianne lamented, "grant that it may not be that! Do +think of the dear little boy! Dear Mrs. Dorn, do not take it amiss, I +have never before asked anything at all, but if you leave nothing, what +have I to do with the dear boy? Has he no relatives? Has he no father?" + +The mother looked at the sleeping Erick, who, with his golden curls +encircling his rosy face, lay there so peacefully and so carefree. She +put her hand on his forehead--for his narrow bed stood quite close to +hers--and said softly: "On earth you have no father any more, my child, +but above in heaven there lives a Father who will not forsake you. I +have given you long since to Him. I know He will care for you and +protect you, so I can go quietly and joyfully. Yes, my good Marianne," +she turned again to the latter, "I have done a great wrong; I have hurt +deeply the best of fathers through disobedience and selfishness. For +that I have suffered much; but in my suffering it was permitted me to +learn how great the love and compassion of our Father in heaven is for +His children, and since then a song of deepest gratitude sounds ever and +ever in my heart: + + "'I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise.'" + +The sick woman had folded her hands while she spoke, and in her eyes +there was a wonderful light; but now she sank back on her pillows, +exhausted and pale. Marianne stood there quietly and now and then had to +wipe her eyes. + +"But now I must run to the doctor,--it is high time," she said, +frightened. "Mrs. Dorn, can I give you anything?" + +"No, I thank you," the sick woman answered softly. "I thank you for +everything, my good Marianne." + +The latter now hastily left the house and ran as fast as she could +through the silent night toward Lower Wood. From time to time she had to +stop to get her breath. Then she looked up to the bright star-covered +sky and prayed: "Dear God, help us all." She had great difficulty in +awakening the doctor in Lower Wood at two o'clock in the night; but at +last he heard her knocking and followed her soon after on the road to +her house. When they entered together the room of the sick woman, the +light had burned down and threw a faint light on the quiet, pale face. +The mother had stretched out her arm upon the bed of her child. The boy +had encircled her slender, white hand with both his plump hands, and +held it firmly. The doctor approached and looked closer at the sleeper; +he bent over her for some moments. + +"Marianne," he said, "loosen the hand out of the little boy's. The woman +is sleeping her eternal sleep, she will nevermore awaken on this earth. +She must have died suddenly from heart failure, while you were away to +fetch me." + +The doctor left the quiet house at once, and Marianne did as he had told +her. She folded the hands of the departed one on her breast, then she +sat down on Erick's bed, looking now at the serious face of the dead +mother, now at the care-free sleeping boy, and wept quietly, until the +rays of the morning sun fell into the quiet room and roused Marianne to +the consciousness that a new, sad day had begun--a day on which Erick +had to be told that he never again on this earth could take hold of the +loving hand of his mother. + + + +CHAPTER V + +Disturbance in School and Home + + +Never before had the schoolmaster of Upper Wood had such hard work with +his schoolchildren as on the morning after this night. Of course there +were times that some were more restless and more dense than usual; but +there were usually a good many with whom he could work successfully. But +today it seemed as though a crowd of excited spirits had taken +possession of the children. All the boys cast uncanny, warlike glances +at each other, even suppressed threatenings were thrust hither and +thither, and when the teacher turned his back such threatening gestures +were made to those who faced him, that they, one and all, rolled their +eyes with wrath and gave the most ridiculous answers. They all were so +eager for the battle, that they could no longer distinguish between +friend and foe, and each shook his clenched fist at the other. + +Sally and Kaetheli, those model scholars, kept putting their heads +together and whispered continuously like the ripple of a brook. Yes, +indeed, Kaetheli was so brim full of news that she even kept on +whispering to Sally while the latter had to answer questions in +arithmetic and of course got into the most inexplicable confusion. Even +Edi, the very best scholar, forgot his studies and was staring sadly +before him. For just now had come before his mind's eye, during the +rest-period, the great bravery of his troops who, from want of a real +enemy, had put each other in a sorry shape. And he was not allowed to +lead these courageous soldiers against the boasting Churi, and to show +this fellow how a great general does his work! The teacher was just +standing before him and called on him, continuing in the geography +lesson: "Edi, will you tell me the most important productions of Upper +Italy?" + +Italy! At the sound of that name, the whole war operation stood before +Edi's eyes, for he had studied the minutest details of that region where +the Romans had met their enemies, and Churi, as Hannibal, stood +triumphant before him. Edi, heaving a deep sigh, answered nothing for +the present. + +"Edi," the master said when no answer came, "I cannot understand what +sadness can be found in our topic, nor what can burden your mind, but +one thing I can see, that today you all are like a herd of thoughtless +sheep with whom nothing can be done. Kaetheli, you magpie, can you stop +a moment and listen to what I am saying? You all are going home. I have +had enough, and everyone--do you understand?--everyone takes home some +home-work for punishment. As you go out, come to my desk, one after the +other, and each will receive his special task." + +So it was done, and at once the whole crowd rushed with joyous hearts +into the open. For the home-work did not at all suppress the joy that +school had closed a whole half-hour early. Outside on the playground, +the groups who had common interests at once crowded together. The +largest throng pressed around Edi, to listen with much shouting and +noise to his battle plans. + +At once after leaving the schoolroom Kaetheli took Sally by the hand and +said: "I will go with you for a while, then I can finish telling you +what Marianne told Mother this morning." With this Kaetheli continued +her story, which she had begun in school, and told Sally everything that +had happened last night in Marianne's cottage. Sally listened very +quietly and never said a word. When they arrived at the garden, Kaetheli +had just finished her sad tale; she stood still for a moment and was +surprised that Sally did not say anything; then she said, "Good-bye!" +and ran away. + +At the noon meal Ritz related faithfully all that had happened in +school: for now, since Sally and even Edi had received home-tasks, he +found that to be more remarkable than sorrowful. Edi seemed somewhat +dejected. When now the small, golden, roasted apples were placed on the +table, Ritz stopped his report and applied himself thoroughly to the +work of eating them. When he had cleared his plate, which was done very +quickly, he looked slyly at the plates of his brother and sister, for he +knew that the second supply of the things on the table came only after +all three had finished their first. When he looked at Sally, his eyes +stayed on her, and after he had watched her attentively for some time, +he said: "Sally, you keep on swallowing as much as you can, but you see, +nothing can go down, because you have put nothing into your mouth, and +your plate stays filled." + +Now Sally could not restrain her tears longer, for she had with great +difficulty swallowed them, and had been very quiet. Now she burst out +into loud sobbing and said through her tears: "Poor Erick, too, cannot +eat today. Now he has neither father nor mother and is all alone in the +world." + +Sally's weeping grew louder and louder, for she could not stop, since +she had restrained herself so long. Ritz looked, surprised and startled, +from one to the other; he did not quite understand whether he was to +blame for this. The mother rose, took Sally by the hand, and led her out +of the room. + +This incident caused a great disturbance at the midday meal. The father +was annoyed and sat without saying a word. The aunt, with great +animation, tried to point out to him with this proof, how excitable +children become when they do not go to bed in good time. Edi, too, sat +quite ill-humoredly before his plate, as if he had to swallow sorrel +instead of little golden apples; for he felt much troubled that his +father had heard of his inattention in the school. Ritz had expected a +kind of admonishing speech from him, because the outburst had taken +place right after he had spoken to Sally. Since it did not come and no +one seemed to trouble about him, he settled himself firmly in his seat +and ate everything that was on Sally's and his mother's plates. + +When the father went out in the garden soon after, the mother followed +him and led him to the small bench under the apple tree. Seated there +she told him what Sally, continuously interrupted by loud sobbing, had +told her: what had happened during the past night in Marianne's cottage. +And she now asked her husband whether he did not think that some +enquiries ought to be made about these strangers, and whether one ought +not to do something for the little boy who, as it seemed, was standing +all alone in the world. But the pastor was not of her opinion, and said +that these people had turned to Lower Wood for school and church, +therefore he could not interfere at present. His colleague in Lower Wood +would no doubt take everything in hand and see what could be done with +the boy. He was sure that the pastor in Lower Wood would find some +relations of the boy, and he perhaps knew already more about the +strangers, than was suspected. The woman, no doubt, had confided in his +colleague about herself, since she would have had to do that as she had +sent her boy to Lower Wood to school, and perhaps also to Sunday school. +One could not possibly give in to Sally in all her manifold emotions and +pay attention to them. The child had too vivid an imagination and was +yet too young to have the gift of discrimination, and if one should give +in to her fancies one soon would fill the house with Leopoldys and other +creatures, who soon would be turned out of the house or, at least, be +pushed aside by the same Sally, as soon as she saw that the good people +were not as she had imagined them. + +"I have to take Sally's part somewhat, dear husband," said the mother. +"You are right, she feels very strongly, and she shows these feelings to +everyone whom she meets; but I do not find that wrong, for, wherever she +meets with a response, there she remains faithful to her feelings, and +she loves her friends warmly and constantly. With what devotion has she +adhered to Kaetheli from babyhood! And I much prefer that she go through +life with her warm heart, and expect to find a friend in every human +being, than that she should pass people indifferently, and have no +conception of friendship, although she may meet with many a +disappointment and many a condemnation through this trait." + +"Both will be her share, in plenty," said the father. "In this direction +we therefore will do our share in saving her from these things as much +as she can be saved." + +So the mother saw that the best that could be done was to pacify Sally +and to explain to her that nothing could be done at present but +something would be done later from another source. + +When it became known that the strange woman had died, there was a great +deal of talk, especially among the Middle Lotters, in whose midst the +woman had lived, but had never been seen--a fact which had always caused +suspicion. Since no one knew anything about her past life, then everyone +had the more to say about who she might have been. At any rate, nothing +very good, in that they all agreed, else she would have been friendly +with them and would not have kept herself so apart. When now no +relations appeared and she had to be buried without any mourners, then a +number of stories began to circulate which became more and more +mysterious. For the official of the community had said that, no doubt, +she had been an exile, and the Justice of Peace had added that then she +must have committed very great political crimes. 'Lizebeth was not loath +to bring these stories to the pastor and his wife, for she had never +been able to overcome the thought of the velvet pants. The pastor's +wife shook her head incredulously and forbade 'Lizebeth to carry the +stories further. The pastor said: "There must have been something +crooked, but the woman is now buried, and we will say nothing more about +it." + +Marianne alone stood opposed to all and told them to their faces that it +was an injustice and wickedness to talk as they did; none of them had +known the woman, else they would know that there was nothing bad about +her, but that she had been an angel of goodness, gentleness and kindly +deeds. And although the lady had appeared as aristocratic as a princess, +she had been more friendly with humble folk, such as Marianne, than many +a Middle Lotter who ran about in torn stockings. But if Marianne was +asked if she had known the woman well, who she was, and why not a single +relative enquired after her, although the notice of her death was put +into all the papers; then she too could give no explanation, since she +did not know anything. + +A few wicked people then said: "No doubt Marianne will have had her +profit from it." But she had not, and never had looked for it. The woman +had paid the low rent in advance for the month, which had just ended; it +had been the month of August. When now, immediately after the funeral of +the poor woman, the officials came and looked to see what the +inheritance of the little boy would be, then it was found that there was +nothing but the piano and the black silk skirt. The officials decided to +give the latter to Marianne, since she had rendered her the last +services and put her in her last bed. + +The dress had once been very beautiful, for the material was heavy and +costly, but it was much worn, and yet Marianne thought: "It is too +handsome for me. I will not wear it but it is a dear remembrance," for +she had only seen the dear woman in that one dress. While they were +still talking over what should be done with the piano, the landlord of +the Krone in Lower Wood drove up with an empty wagon and took the piano, +the beds, the table and the two easy chairs, for everything had been +hired from him; but he had been paid in advance up to this time. + +So nothing was left for the little boy but the velvet suit that he wore. +Now they began to talk about what was to be done with the boy, and some +propositions were made as to how he could be cared for. At this point +Marianne stepped forth and said that she would keep the little boy until +she was leaving. In three weeks she was going to move down to Oakwood to +her cousin's, for her house was as good as sold. The officials were +greatly pleased with this offer; many things could turn up in three +weeks, and for the time being the little waif was cared for. So they +parted from one another satisfied with their work. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A Lost Hymn + + +The next morning, when the mother lay still and pale on her bed, Erick +woke up; Marianne, who had watched for his wakening, came to his couch +and said: + +"Dear Erick, your mother has gone, last night, to heaven, and now she +feels very happy, and looks down on you and watches to see whether you +stay good and honest so that sometime you may come to her." + +First he had answered quite quietly: "Yes, I know, Mother has told me +that it would come so." But when he went to his mother and looked at her +for a long, long time and she did not open her eyes, then he sat down on +a footstool and cried quietly. As long as his mother lay there he could +not be made to leave her, and when she was carried out, then he sat down +in the spot where she always had sat, and did not go away the whole day. +But he was quite still, and although he wept, he did it so quietly that +no sound could be heard. + +The day after the officials had been there and Marianne had taken Erick +from the empty room upstairs to her little home, she thought that it +would be best if he were to go to school and again come in contact with +other children, so that he might become happy again and make a little +noise with them; for this quiet weeping seemed sadder to Marianne than +if he had sobbed aloud. So she told him on that morning, that it would +be best for him if he were to go to school. In an instant Erick obeyed, +took out his books, packed them in his bag and started on his way to +school. So it went on from day to day, and gradually it seemed to +Marianne that Erick grew more and more as he used to be; but the sunny, +joyous face which he used to have had not yet returned, and something +like shyness had come to him, which never before had been noticed in +him. It seemed as if a safe, strong wall, which formerly had protected +him, had fallen down, and as though he looked for the first time on +things and people which surrounded him and which were strange to him. +The safe wall had been the great love of his mother, which had encircled +him everywhere. + +Two weeks had passed since Erick had again gone to school. When lessons +were over, he had never waited until the scholars of the Middle Lot had +gathered to make a noisy journey home, but he had run away at once and +had walked the long way alone. When he came home, he found his piece of +bread and his cup of milk ready on the table if Marianne was not there +to give it to him. When she was there, she often said: "Go out a little +to play with the children, Erick, it will be good for you and you will +have time afterwards to do your lessons." Erick had always gone out, as +far as the hedge before the house, and had stopped and watched how here +and there the children were running about and playing all kinds of +games; but he had never joined them. + +So also today, he stood there and looked with surprised eyes across at +the freshly mown meadow, where a crowd of Middle Lot children were +playing with much noise "Catch me if you can." Big Churi was running +after Kaetheli and as she knew what heavy blows from those big fists +would fall upon her back if she should be caught, she rushed over the +field toward the hedge and into Marianne's little garden, almost +throwing down Erick on her way. At this instant the quick-running Churi +would have caught Kaetheli; but quick as a deer, Erick rushed forth, +opened his arms wide and so stopped Churi until Kaetheli had shot around +the cottage, fleet as an arrow, and again to her goal on the meadow, +where she could get her breath without fear of being caught. + +Churi grumbled: "Another time you leave me alone, or--" With this he +shook his fist at Erick and then ran away, for he hoped to catch +Kaetheli before she should reach her goal. When the latter had rested a +little she came running back again, for she indeed had felt Erick's +chivalrous service and she was very grateful to him. She therefore could +not see him standing so alone, but ran up to him and said cheeringly: +"Come and play with us, you must not always stand so alone, that is +lonesome." + +"No," said Erick, "I cannot play with you. I do not want to shout so +terribly." + +"You need not scream, that does not belong to the game. Come along!" +Saying this, Kaetheli took Erick's hand firmly in hers and pulled him +along. + +Erick played with the rest, and now he had begun he played with all his +might. They had stopped the game of "Catch" and were playing a circle +game. The children had formed a large circle and held each other's +hands. In the middle of the circle stood the excluded child. This child +had to strike someone's hand at random and then there was a race around +the circle to see who would first get in the open space inside. This +game was played with the greatest zeal; but suddenly Erick pulled his +hands away from his neighbors' and ran away, so that great confusion +arose. + +"We will not let him play any more," cried Churi, much angered. + +"Indeed we will," maintained Kaetheli firmly, "perhaps a wasp has stung +him, or perhaps they play the same game where he used to live. When he +returns he can take my hand. Now we will go on." + +So it was done, and soon after they were playing again with great glee, +and Erick was forgotten. + +Not far from their playground stood a blind man with a barrel-organ +playing his melodies. When Erick had heard the first notes, he had freed +himself and had run away. Now he stood at a little distance from the +organ grinder and listened with strained attention to all the melodies. +When the man left, the boy went quietly toward the cottage, and when +Marianne saw him come, she said to herself: "I had hoped that the +children would make him merry again, and now it seems to me that he is +sadder than he was before." + +From that time on Kaetheli looked every evening, when the games began, +to see whether Erick was standing near the hedge, and when she saw him +there she ran to get him. Erick now played every day with the children +and when he was in the spirit of the game, he looked quite happy. But +almost every evening the same thing occurred as on the first. In the +midst of the game Erick stopped, ran away and did not return. Once a +number of wandering journeymen had passed by; they had sung loud and +joyously their wander-songs, one after the other. Away was Erick, and +one could see him far away, quietly following the singing men. Once +trumpet blasts sounded across the meadow to the playing children--for +one of Middle Lot was with the players in the army and was practising +his marches--at once Erick ran away in the direction of the sounds. +Another time a boy with a harmonica had approached the playing children; +it was Erick's turn just then to seek the hiders, but threatenings and +pleadings were of no avail, he did not seek any more. He placed himself +in front of the boy and listened to him; there he remained standing and +did not stir. + +Churi in his hiding-place was about to burst with anger because Erick +stopped seeking. He had hoped that Erick would exhaust himself looking +for him, for Churi had climbed up the high pear-tree which stood in the +centre of their playground, and from there he could overlook Erick's +inactivity and his stubborn resistance to being moved. Kaetheli too had +become impatient, for in the farthest corner of the goat-shed, whither +she had crawled, she felt herself secure from being found, and now, all +at once, she discovered that there was no more seeking, and she could +easily guess the cause. With a good deal of trouble she crawled out +again, with many signs of her hiding-place on her dress for she had been +obliged to sit crouched. She ran to Erick, who was still in the same +spot, near the harmonica player. + +"I should like to know what is the matter with you," she called out. +"Every evening, just when we have the greatest fun, all at once you run +away like a hare, or you stand there like a statue and let everything go +as it will. But that will not do! Come and seek us. But first I must +hide again." + +The tones of the harmonica had just stopped and the boy had gone. Erick +took a deep breath and said: "I cannot play any more. I must go home." + +He turned away and went; but that annoyed Kaetheli. She ran after him +and talked angrily at him. "That is not nice of you, Erick; you need not +have done that. You have spoiled the game now four or five times--that +is surely not kind of you, do you think it is?" They had by this time +arrived at Marianne's cottage. Erick stopped at the hedge and turned +round. He said, quite friendly: "Do not be angry, Kaetheli, you see I +have to act so." + +"Yes, but why? Tell me now, what you do and why you have to spoil +everything?" demanded Kaetheli, rather huffed, for she could not yet get +over the fact that she had crawled all for nothing into the incomparable +hiding-place in the goat-shed. + +"I will tell you, Kaetheli, for you must not think that I purposely +spoil everything for you. I did not think of that," said Erick, excusing +himself. "Do you see, there is a beautiful song which my mother sang +every day, and also on the last day, and I should so much like to hear +that song again. But no one sings it, and I may listen wherever I like, +I hear only other things. Oh, if I could only hear that song again, just +once!" + +Now Kaetheli saw how Erick's eyes filled with big tears, and in an +instant her anger turned into pity. "You must not be sad on that +account, for I can help you," she said readily. "I know so many songs; +tell me what the name of yours is, then I will say it to you right +away." + +"I try to remember it all the time, but I cannot get the words together; +but I remember well the melody. Do you think you could guess the words, +if I sing the melody?" + +"Of course I can, you just sing on," encouraged Kaetheli, with +confidence. + +Erick sang a line, and then another, and still a bit, then he could not +go further. Kaetheli, surprised, shook her head. "I never have heard +that song, but perhaps we sing it, only a little differently. I am sure +I shall find it. Tell me what it is about, about people or animals?" + +"At the beginning about flowers, green trees, you know, with those +beautiful branches and--" + +"Stop, I know all," Kaetheli interrupted him; "now I am going to sing it +to you." And with a firm voice and full tones Kaetheli began seriously: + + "'Three roses in the garden, + Three birds are in the wood, + In summer it is lovely + In winter it is good.' + +"Is that it?" she now asked, full of confidence that it must be it. But +Erick shook his head decidedly, and said: + +"No, no, that is not my song, there is no similarity between it and what +you sing." + +Kaetheli was much surprised. "But the flowers and the trees are in the +song," she said, "or perhaps, Erick, you have forgotten the song and do +not know how it goes?" + +"Indeed, indeed I know," the latter assured her. "You see, first there +is a great feast, where they all come and throw down many flowers and +wreaths because a great lord is coming and--" + +"Perhaps a count," Kaetheli interposed. + +"Perhaps so." + +"Oh! now I know it! If you only had spoke of the count right away; now +listen!" And again Kaetheli began with full tones: + + "'I stood on a high mountain + And looked into a vale, + A little ship came swimming + Three counts did hoist the sail.' + +"Well, Erick?" + +But Erick shook his head even more and said sadly: "Not at all, not a +bit like it! Perhaps the song is lost and no one knows anything about +it." + +"I know something else to help you," said helpful Kaetheli, whose tender +heart was filled with compassion. "To be sure, it is a little late, but +I can still do it." + +Then she ran away, and Erick looked after her with great surprise, and +wondered where she was going to look for the song. + +Running all the way, Kaetheli had reached the bottom of the hill in a +quarter of an hour. On the garden wall stood Ritz. "Get Sally, Ritz, but +be quick," Kaetheli called up to him. That just suited Ritz, for he +hoped that something particular was in store, and before Kaetheli +reached the wall, Sally was brought out. + +Breathlessly Kaetheli told her what she wanted and now expected, since +Sally knew so many songs that she would bring out the desired one on the +spot. But it was not accomplished so quickly and there followed a long +explanation, for Sally must know all that was to be found in the song, +whether it was joyous or sad, and then she began to guess and to try +whether it could be this one or that, but none seemed to fit according +to the descriptions, and suddenly Kaetheli jumped up and exclaimed: "The +evening bells are ringing; I have to go home. I am afraid that father +will be at supper before me and then he'll scold. I thought you would +know it much quicker, Sally, such a simple song! Think it over and bring +it to me at school, but sure, for else Erick will be sad again. Good +night!" + +Kaetheli was away like a shot, and Sally went thoughtfully back to the +house. Very soon the sitting-room was lighted up, where mother and aunt +were seated at the table, and now the father also sat down. Edi had long +since waited with his book to see whether the lamp would be lighted in +the room, for his mother had forbidden him to read in the twilight. Ritz +sat down to finish, with many a sigh, a delayed arithmetic lesson. Now +Sally entered the room; under each arm she carried four or five books of +different sizes and makeup. Panting under the heavy load she threw +them on the table. + +"Oh, for heaven's sake," cried Auntie, frightened, "now Sally will turn +into a historical searcheress." + +"No, no," cried Sally, "only give me a little room, I am obliged to look +for something." She sat down at once behind the heap of books and began +her work in earnest. But she did not remain undisturbed for long, for +the large amount of reading material which she had brought in attracted +the eyes of all, and all at once the father, who had looked at the books +from over his paper, said: + +"Sally, I see a book which is little suited for you to read. Where did +you get the Niebelungen song?" + +"I was just going to ask," said the mother, "what you intended to do +with A.M. Arndt's war songs?" + +Sally had taken along from all tables and book-cases what seemed to her +a collection of songs. These two books she had found in her father's +study and now she explained that she had to find Erick's lost song, and +what Kaetheli had told her about what was in it. + +"Aha," said Edi, and giggled a little, "on that account you took that +book from the piano. Erick will be pleased with the words you will get +from this." + +He held the book before his sister and pointed with his finger to the +title: "Songs Without Words". Sally was not as thorough in her thinking +as her brother was. She had, in the zeal of her intention, thought that +these were some particular kind of songs, and she now looked with some +confusion at the book in which only black notes were to be found. Ritz, +too, was now roused to interest in the doings. He too had taken up a +book and read rather laboriously: "Battle Sonnets" from-- + +"What! You have also been to my table, Sally?" the aunt interrupted the +reader. "You children are really terrible! At any rate you ought to have +been in bed long ago; it is high time, pack together." + +But this time Sally showed herself unusually obstinate. She assured them +that she could not sleep, not for the whole night, if she had not found +the song. She must bring it to Kaetheli, as she had promised to do so, +and from fear that she should not find the song Sally worked herself +into such a state of excitement that the mother interfered. She +explained to the child that they were not the kind of books where such a +song could be found, and that the descriptions which Kaetheli had given +were much too uncertain to find any song. Sally herself should speak +with Erick about what he still knew of his song, and then they would +search for it together, for she too would gladly help the poor boy to +keep in memory the song his mother had loved. + +These words pacified Sally and so she willingly packed together her +books and put each in its place. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army + + +Meanwhile the sunny September had approached and everywhere the apples +and pears were smiling down from the trees. Every morning one could see +the Mayor of Upper Wood walk toward the hillside, where he had started a +new vineyard where only reddish, sweet Alsatian grapes grew. The +hillside lay toward the valley about a half-hour's walk below Upper +Wood; but the walk was not too far for the Mayor to watch the growth of +his grapes, for they were of the most delicious kind. + +The Justice of Peace, Kaetheli's father, had also a small vineyard on +that side, but of a much inferior kind, and when he sometimes went to +see whether his grapes would ripen this year, he always found the Mayor +there, and usually said, pointing to the latter's grapes: "A splendid +plant." + +And the Mayor answered: "I should think so. And this year will not be +like last! Just let them come!" and with these words he held up his +finger threateningly. + +"If one only could get hold of one of that crowd," remarked the Justice +of Peace, "so that one could make an example of him of what would happen +to all the wicked fellows." + +"I have prepared for that, Justice of Peace," the other answered, full +of meaning. "The boldest of them will carry the reminder of the sweet +grapes for weeks about with him and will be plainly marked." + +This conversation had already been repeated several times, for both men +had an especial interest in the topic. But they soon had to pass to more +important things, for in these communities all kinds of things happen. +At present all the inhabitants of the three places were in great tension +and expectation about something which caused so much talk that they +hardly found time to attend to their daily business. The Upper Wooders +had bought an organ for their church, which was to be dedicated the +following Sunday. + +In the Middle Lot something was also taking place. Old Marianne was busy +packing up, for she could no longer keep her cottage. Her work was not +enough to pay the running expenses, so she was going down to Oakwood +where she had a cousin who was glad to have her live with him. Now the +question was, where the little stranger was to go, whom she had kept +with her up till now. She wanted to stay over Sunday and attend the +dedication, and on Monday she was going to lock up the house. + +To the schoolchildren also the approaching festivity was an opportunity +for much loud discussion. Two parties had naturally formed themselves, +the church and the no-church party. For the one side wanted to attend +church on Organ-Sunday, as they called the day for short, and listen to +the organ; the other did not care anything about hearing the music, for +they said they could hear the organ in the afternoon when they were +obliged to go to Sunday school, and to attend church twice was too much. +The main thing was that women would be sitting about everywhere with +large baskets full of cake and unusually good cookies; these must be +secured. The Middle Lotters especially were against the morning church +service. To the surprise of all, big Churi voted for the church-going. +He had brought it about that the great, long-prepared battle day was +fixed for Organ-Sunday, although many voices voted against it, and there +were still some that did not agree with the arrangement, for they were +sure that on the feast-day much else was to be seen and heard. But Churi +grew quite wild if anyone said a word against his plan, and they did not +care to make him angry now, for no one could manage so many soldiers as +he had to look after, and only thus could the victory be won. The Middle +Lotters had naturally joined the Lower Wooders against the Upper Wooders +and so they were now a large army. The Upper Wooders therefore made a +new effort to get Edi for leader and to win the battle, for against such +a large army only a well prepared battle-plan and a general well versed +in war could save them, and Edi was the only one who knew how to do +both. + +But he remained steadfast, although it almost choked him, for all the +brilliant examples of the small Greek army against the enormous hordes +of Persians stood before him, and he had to swallow them all down, for +he knew his father's aversion to such warlike doings and then--on +Organ-Sunday! + +Churi had ordered that his whole army should come together on the Friday +before Organ-Sunday in the Middle Lot. So the whole crowd collected on +the evening fixed, and there was an indescribable noise. But big Churi +shouted the loudest and explained to them the arrangements of the day: +first, all would go to church, and during that time, he and his officers +would go to find out the best place for camping and for the battle. + +"Ah, so, Churi!" a little fellow in the crowd shouted, "that is why you +voted for church, that you might do outside what you want to!" + +Churi cried, much vexed: "That must be on account of discipline; if you +do not want to go, then don't, and the Upper Wooders will pay you for +it." This threat was effective, just as Churi wanted it to be. + +The whole army should not come together until after the organ dedication +was over in the morning, and the midday meal which followed at once, was +finished; and in the morning only Churi with his officers should march +out to arrange all places and positions. So he had planned. The officers +whom he had chosen were all his good friends, the toughest Middle +Lotters that could be found. + +About this time a year ago, he had, with the very same boys, broken into +the Mayor's vineyard and stolen all his very best, fine Alsatian grapes. +He intended to do this again with his confidential friends, for it had +never been found out who had stolen the grapes, although they had tried +in all the three communities to find the culprits, and this had greatly +encouraged Churi and his allies. But he knew how careful the Mayor had +been this year, and he knew very well of his daily walks and that in the +afternoon his wife also took a walk in the direction of the vineyard, +and in the evening they often took the same walk together; so that the +culprits had not any day been sure of them. But on Organ-Sunday no one +would be outside--of that Churi was convinced; therefore he had +arranged everything in view of that, for although there would be an +investigation, all the many Lower Wooders and Middle Lotters would be in +that region, and the culprits would never be found out from among such a +large crowd. + +After Churi had told his army of his battle plans, they dispersed in all +directions. A number of spectators had gathered around the warriors, +every child in Middle Lot, down to the two-year-olds. Ahead of all was +Kaetheli, who was always on the spot when something was to be seen or +heard. When she left the meadow, she saw Erick standing near the hedge, +where he had stood for a long time watching the tumultuous crowd. +Kaetheli ran to him. "This will be such a fight as never before," she +called to him with admiration. "Don't you want to be in it, Erick?" + +"No," he answered drily. + +"Why not?" + +"Because they act as I do not care to act." + +"Not? You are a peculiar boy, you are always alone. Do you know where +you are going Monday when Marianne goes away from here?" + +"No." + +"You are going to be auctioned off. My father has said so." + +"What is that?" asked Erick, who now listened more attentively to +Kaetheli. + +"Oh, there are a crowd of people in the room and they bid on you, and +whoever bids the lowest gets you." + +"That is stupid," said Erick. + +"Why is it stupid?" + +"Because they would get more money if they gave me to him who offers the +most." + +"No, you did not understand. You are not going to be sold, quite the +reverse; he who gets you also gets the money--do you understand now?" + +"Who gives him the money?" + +"Well, that is not a person, as you think," Kaetheli explained. "Do you +see, there is a money box with money in it for the people who are poor +and miserable and homeless." + +Erick grew purple. + +"I am not going to be auctioned," he said defiantly. + +"Yes, indeed, Erick, that cannot be helped. One has to obey before one +is confirmed. If you do not obey, then someone just puts you on his +shoulder and takes you to the auction room." + +After Kaetheli had instructed Erick in what was coming to him, she bade +him good-night and went her way. Erick stayed on the same spot and did +not move. He had become deathly pale and his blue eyes flashed defiance +and indignation, which had never been seen in this sunny face. Thus +Erick stood on the same spot when Churi came by on his way home. + +"Have they made you angry, velvet panty? I never have seen you so mad," +he exclaimed and stopped near the hedge. + +He received no answer. + +"You join us in the fight and strike hard; that will relieve your +feelings." + +Erick shook his head. + +"Don't be such a sneak, and say something. The fellow who has made you +wrathful will no doubt be there, then you can get at him." + +"It is no boy," grumbled Erick. + +"So, who then, perhaps Kaetheli?" + +"I will not go to be auctioned," Erick burst out and his anger flashed +as never before. + +"Well, well, is that all. That is nothing," Churi thought. "You just +come with us and you will forget the auction on the spot. Or are you +afraid of the thrashing, you fine velvet pants? Do you know what? I +could tell you something that would suit you?" + +Churi had caught an idea: he had heard something of some danger that was +lurking among the Mayor's grapes, and the others too knew something +about it; so he reckoned that none of the others would go first and he +himself would prefer to have some other fellow first find out whether a +trap was laid somewhere, in which the first one would fall, while the +rest would be warned. For this post of inspection Erick fitted +splendidly. + +"Well, will you?" he urged the silent Erick. + +But the latter shook his head negatively. + +"And if I help you so that you need not be auctioned, will you then?" + +"How can you do that?" Erick asked doubtingly. + +"As soon as I want to," boasted Churi. "Don't you know that my father is +the sergeant here? He goes into every house along the whole mountain, +far beyond Lower Wood, and he knows all the people and can place you +where he likes. You only need to say what you want to do: take care of +the cows, deliver letters, push little children along in their +carriages--whatever you like best." + +Erick had never heard lying, he did not know what it was. He believed +word for word what the swaggering Churi told him. He considered a moment +and then he asked: "What shall I have to do for that?" + +"Something which you yourself will find more merry than anything you +ever did. You can go with me and the officers in the morning. You are +the scout and always go first to see whether the land is clear and safe +for us and where we can best pitch our tents and give battle. But one +thing I have to tell you: you have to obey me. I am the general, and if +you do not do at once what I tell you, you suffer for it. First we go +through a vineyard--" + +"One cannot give battle there, nor camp," Erick interrupted. + +"That makes no difference," Churi continued, "you listen to what I tell +you. You have to go through the vineyard and not make a bit of noise, do +you hear? And not run away, else--" Churi lifted his fist threateningly. +"You must not tell anyone where we are going, do you hear?" + +"I am not going," said Erick. + +"Then go to the auction--that is the best thing for you; I am going now, +good night." + +But Churi nevertheless remained. The blood again rushed into Erick's +cheeks. He hesitated a moment, then he asked: "If I go with you, are you +sure that I can get there, where I deliver letters?" + +"Of course you can," Churi grumbled. + +"Then I will go." + +"Give me your hand on it!" + +Churi held out his hand and Erick laid his in it. Churi kept hold of the +hand. "Promise that you will be there under the apple tree on the meadow +at seven o'clock Sunday morning." + +"I promise," said Erick. + +Churi let go of his hand, said "Good night," and disappeared behind the +cottage. + +The news of the day spread with wonderful rapidity through the schools +of the three parishes. The next evening, the evening before +Organ-Sunday, every child in Upper and Lower Wood, and above all, in +Middle Lot, knew that the quiet Erick all at once belonged to the +rowdies; that he was not only going to fight with them in the Sunday +battle, but that he was going with the worst rowdy, with Churi and his +companions, early in the morning before church. + +Sally came with swollen eyes to supper, for Kaetheli had informed her of +everything: how the fine Erick, whom she would so gladly have taken into +her home and her friendship, had fallen into the hands of the coarse and +wicked Churi and would be ruined and led to do all kinds of wicked +things by the bad boy. All this made her tender heart ache. She had +gone, in the afternoon, to the solitary bench under the apple tree and +had wept until supper time; for, in spite of deep thinking, she had not +been able to find a way by which she could snatch Erick away from the +bad companions. + +Edi, too, wore a drawn face as though he lived on trouble and annoyance +only, and his inner wrath goaded him to unpleasant speeches, for he +hardly had taken his seat at table, when he looked across at Sally and +said: "You can count to-morrow the blue bumps which your friend Erick +will carry home with him, when he begins in the morning before church +and serves under Churi." + +Not much was needed to make Sally break out. "Yes, I know, Edi, that you +would prefer to begin this evening and fight through the whole day +to-morrow," she cried, half sobbing, half defiant, looking across the +table, "if Papa had not forbidden it." + +Edi became flushed, for it came into his mind how long he had searched +for an example after which he might take part and yet hold his own +before his father. + +The latter looked earnestly at him and said: "Edi, Edi, I hope you will +try not to be a Pharisee. It is a bad sign for the boy Erick that he has +joined the fighters, moreover, and that he has made friends with the +very worst rowdy. But, dear Sally, you need not knock your potatoes so +roughly about your plate as if they were to blame for all the unpleasant +things; eat them peacefully." + +But Sally could not swallow anything more. When soon after Edi lay in +his bed, he heaved a deep sigh and said: "Everything is over for me, but +I will be glad for one thing, that tomorrow comes, because to-morrow is +Sunday. You know what we get to-morrow, Ritz?" + +"Sunday school." + +"No, I don't mean that, I mean something nice." + +"But Sunday school is nice." + +"No, I don't mean that either, I mean something which one can use very +well, when no other pleasure comes along." + +"An oracle," Ritz said quickly, much contented with the delightful +prospect. + +"Ritz, you do guess such ridiculous things. I have told you that there +are no more oracles. There will be apple-cake, that is what I meant," +Edi said with a sigh, for now he saw again all the things for which he +had wished so much more than apple-cake. + +"And do you know, Edi," said Ritz, following his own train of thought, +"to-morrow Sally will not be able to eat again because Erick gets his +bumps; then we will also get her share, and that will make three pieces +for each." With these words Ritz turned happily on his side and went to +sleep. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +What Happens on Organ-Sunday + + +Early in the morning, long before the nine o'clock church service, large +crowds of people were walking toward Upper Wood, for everybody wanted to +hear the new organ. It was a beautiful Sunday and everyone preferred to +go to Upper Wood to church. The women all carried a few beautiful +flowers on their hymnbooks, and when they had arrived at the open place +before the church they stopped and greeted each other and stood talking +in different groups. Gradually the men came along and did the same. + +The Mayor was standing a little on one side with the Justice of Peace. +They were in deep conversation in which many threats occurred, for the +Mayor several times held up his finger and waved it threateningly in the +air. + +Kaetheli stood close beside her father and pricked up her ears. Now the +church bells began to ring. Soon after the pastor's wife and Sally came +out of their house door, and behind them quiet, devout Edi and Ritz with +hymn-books under their arms. After a few steps they all stopped to wait +for the pastor. Now the old wife of the sexton ran to the pastor's wife; +she always had to report something as soon as she caught sight of her. +Kaetheli took advantage of the opportunity. Like a flash she was from +her father's side and whispered with the greatest rapidity in Sally's +ear: "Just think what I know now. Last evening Neighbor Rudi, who +belongs to Churi's officers, told me that it was not on account of the +fight that they were going away in the morning; but that they were going +into the Mayor's vineyard and were going to take his early grapes; that +Churi had persuaded Erick to come along, because he wants to send him +ahead through the vineyard, because a trap might be set there. Of course +Erick would be caught and the others could be warned and pass by, +without harm. But imagine what the Mayor has just told father: he has +had something placed in the narrow pathway which leads through the grape +vines which no one can see; but if anyone steps on it, it discharges a +shot in the face and burns it so that no one could recognize him any +more, for it would mar him so badly. Just think, Erick's curls will be +burned off and his handsome face will be so marred that we shall not +know him." + +Sally had become as white as snow from fright. "Come quickly, Kaetheli," +she said urgently, "we will run after Erick and tell him everything, +come!" + +"It is much too late, why, what do you think," Kaetheli said, "they +started early this morning. Erick is already burned." + +Now the pastor came out. The mother turned and took Sally's hand, who +tried to stay behind. Kaetheli went toward the church, and Sally knew +that she too had to go in; but she could hardly walk from fear and +anguish, and as she sat on her bench within, she saw and heard nothing +of the whole organ festivities, for she only saw the disfigured Erick +before her, how he was sitting in the vineyard and moaning, and her +tears fell so plentifully that she could no longer look up. + +Churi and his officers had assembled at the set time. Erick also had +kept his word and was there. Although the companions had started early, +they met single churchgoers on their way to Upper Wood, for these people +wanted to look around on their way to church, to see how things were in +the fields and gardens, and so they had set off in good time. + +Now Churi had commanded his officers that they must each bring a basket, +for there was no time to eat the grapes in the vineyard; they must cut +them quickly and throw them into their baskets, then they would go into +the woods, to a safe place, and eat them in peace. But armed with +baskets the officers appeared somewhat suspicious; Churi himself thought +so and he now ordered, when they arrived at Upper Wood, that his +officers should hide the baskets behind a barn, until all the church-goers +had entered the church and the roads were safe. + +Erick had already asked twice what the baskets were needed for on an +inspection march, but he had received no answer. As now the warriors sat +hidden behind the heap of straw and had time for questions and answers, +Erick asked again: "What are you going to put in the baskets?" + +"Grapes, if you insist on knowing!" Churi shouted at him, "and you too +will find them good when you eat them." + +After the bells had stopped ringing and all was quiet round about, Churi +commanded them to start. "But you will be very quiet when you pass the +church, do you hear?" he ordered; "for the doors are still open." + +Full, bright organ tones came through the opened doors toward the boys +when they silently approached the church, and now, suddenly, the whole +congregation joined with the tones of the organ and sang in loud, full +chorus: + + "How shall I then receive Thee? + And how shall I then meet Thee? + Oh, Thou, the world's desire + Who set'st my heart on fire!" + +Like lightning Erick was away out of the midst of his companions to the +church-door and into the church. + +Churi grew pale from fright; he believed nothing less than that Erick +had rushed into the church to betray publicly to the whole congregation +the intended grape-theft. Instantly he turned around and ran away like a +madman, for he firmly believed that half the congregation was on his +heels, since he heard a crowd running after him. But the runners were +his companions, who followed him in greatest haste, for since they saw +the brave Churi run like fire, they thought that there must be great +danger, and they rushed with always longer and longer leaps after him. + +Erick had run into the midst of a crowd of people, who all stood in the +passage of the church because there were no more seats on the benches, +so full was the church. Now the hymn, accompanied by the organ, rushed +like a big, full stream on through the church: + + "Thy Zion scatters palms + And greening twigs for Thee, + But I in glorious psalms + Will lift my soul to Thee! + My heart be overflowing + In constant love and praise + In service will be growing, + Will Thy dear name then grace." + +In breathless attention Erick stood there, for it was his mother's song! +He was trembling in every limb and large tears ran down his cheeks. A +woman who sat near him noticed the trembling little fellow; she drew him +compassionately close to her and made a little room for him, so that he +could sit down. + +The singing had stopped and the pastor began to preach. During the +sermon Erick recovered a little from the strong emotion which had quite +overpowered him when he suddenly heard in such powerful tones his lost +song again. + +He now looked round and saw that he was firmly wedged in and could not +move, for two more women had forced themselves between the sitters, and +the whole passage the full length of the church was densely thronged +with people. So Erick sat, quiet as a mouse, and did not stir until the +sermon and prayer were at an end. Then once more the full tones of the +organ sounded and the congregation rose and sang: + + "I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise." + +His mother had sung that at the very last. Erick saw her again before +him, as she had sat the last evening at the piano and had spoken to him +with words so full of love; and then, in the morning, she had lain there +so still and pale. He laid his head on the arm of the bench and sobbed +as if his heart would break. The people passed by him, and here and +there one woman said to another: "The poor little fellow, he has no one +on this earth," and then they went out. + +The pastor in the pulpit had seen Erick rush into church. He now looked +again in that direction, and noticed the little chap, how he sat there +on the empty bench, so forsaken, his head resting on his arm. The pastor +now walked behind the last of the congregation toward the bench. He +stepped into the pew and put his hand on Erick's shoulder and asked +kindly: "Why are you weeping so hard, my boy?" + +"Because--because--because they sang Mother's song," sobbed Erick. + +"What is your name?" the pastor asked again. + +"Erick Dorn," was the answer. + +Now the pastor knew what to do. He took the boy's hand in his fatherly +hand, pulled him down from the high bench and said: "Come with me, my +boy!" + +At the parsonage the three children stood waiting for the father's +return, as they did every Sunday. Sally had not said a word since they +had left church; now she came close to her mother and said, quite +excited: "Please, please, Mamma, may I go now at once to Kaetheli? I +have to talk over something with her, really I must." + +Sally had made up her mind to go out into the vineyards to look for +Erick, but she did not know the way, so Kaetheli was to go with her. But +the mother opposed Sally's urging and said: "You know, dear, that we +have dinner at once, and father does not allow such running away on +Sunday. There he comes now. Who is the little boy whose hand he is +holding?" + +Sally uttered a loud shout of joy and tore away. "Oh, Erick! you are not +burnt!" she cried, beside herself with joy, when she now saw Erick +before her with his abundant curls and bright eyes. + +"Of course not," said Erick, politely lifting his little cap and +offering his hand to her, a little surprised, for he did not know when +he could have burned himself. Quickly she took his hand and so the three +met the surprised mother who, however, at the sight of Erick, guessed at +once who the fine boy in the velvet jacket was. She greeted him lovingly +and stroked his tear-stained eyes and flushed cheeks. + +Sally would have liked to ask at once how all had happened, and would +have urged him to tell everything; but when she saw how he must have +wept, she shrank from enquiring and held his hand quietly. Edi and Ritz +also noticed at once the traces of tears and greeted him quite calmly. + +The pastor left his family to go to his room and the mother took his +place and conducted Erick, whom Sally on the other side held firmly by +the hand, up the stairs; Ritz and Edi followed. When 'Lizebeth, who was +standing in the kitchen door, saw the procession come and noticed that +the mother held the little stranger so tenderly by his hand, as though +he were her own small Ritz, then 'Lizebeth at once shut the kitchen +door, and grumbled: "There is something wrong about this!" + +Soon after, the whole family sat around the noonday table, and if Sally +could not eat yesterday from sorrow, today she could not swallow +anything from pure joy, not even the apple cake, which surprised Ritz +very much. But he was glad that the sad Erick also got some, for he +thought that that must comfort him. + +In the evening of this Sunday, Erick sat in the midst of the pastor's +family around the four-cornered sitting-room table, as snugly and +familiarly as if he long since belonged there. He had been treated, the +whole afternoon, with such kindness by all, that his whole heart, which +had been accustomed to a mother's great love, opened, and he felt more +happy than he had in all the sad days since he had had to miss this +love. Sally did not know how she could do enough to give him pleasure. +Now she had brought the most beautiful picture book that she owned, and +Erick looked with her at the pictures, which she eagerly explained to +him; all the time beaming with joy that everything, she had believed +lost, had come to her; that Erick was in the midst of them at home like +a near friend, and was to stay over the night, for the father had +arranged that at once. + +Edi sat over his history book and Ritz had a book of his own before him, +but looked over it at Sally and listened to her explanation. Now Edi +lifted his head--he must have come upon something very particular. + +"Papa," he said, "now I know for certain what I want to be: a +sea-captain. Then I can sail around the world, for _sometime_ I must see +all the lands where all these things have happened." + +"So, I thought you wanted to be a professor of history," remarked the +father, not much disturbed by this piece of news. + +"I want to be that, too," said Ritz, "I, too, want to sail in ships." + +"No, you see, Ritz, two brothers must not be the same thing, else they +get in each other's way," instructed Edi. + +"Then I will be a sea-robber, they too sail in ships," Ritz comforted +himself. + +"We will not hope anything of the kind," said the father behind his +church paper. + +"And do you remember, Ritz, what I once told you about Julius Caesar?" +Edi reminded him. "If I were to catch you like that, then I should be +obliged to have you killed." + +"No, I do not want that! But what can one be with ships?" Ritz asked +plaintively, for if Edi expressed a thought, then it usually remained +firmly in Ritz's head. + +"One can be also something very good without ships, my dear Ritz," the +mother said comfortingly, "and that is much safer; then one stays on +firm land, and I should advise you to stay. And what does our Erick want +to be? Has he too thought of that?" + +"I must become an honorable man," answered Erick at once. + +"That is no calling," instructed Edi. + +But the father put down his book and said, nodding at the boy: "That is +right, Erick, go toward that goal: first, and above all, an honorable +man; after that, every calling is all right." + +Now the mother rose, for it was time to go to bed. Edi and Ritz took +Erick between them and thus marched ahead of the mother to conduct him +to his little room which was beside their bedroom, so that the door +between could be left open, with the advantage that Erick also could be +drawn into the nightly conversation. Both Edi and Ritz were delighted +with that. + +So the Organ-Sunday, which had begun so hostilely, ended quite +peacefully. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A Secret that is Kept + + +When on the next morning the pastor's family was at breakfast, the +pastor arranged that Erick should not go with the other three to school, +since he belonged to the school in Lower Wood and it was now too far to +go there. When the other three had gone, then Erick should come to him +in his study. So it was decided, and when Erick came into the study the +pastor pointed to a seat and said: "Now sit down in front of me"--for he +himself sat on the large sofa--"look into my eyes, and tell me +everything from the beginning and exactly what happened yesterday before +you came into church, also what you intended to do, for I have heard all +kinds of things." + +Erick looked with his large, bright blue eyes straight into the +pastor's, and told everything from the beginning: how he was going to be +auctioned and did not want to be, what Churi had promised him, how he +then had gone with them, also how the others had brought large baskets +to put grapes in, but he did not know where they were to get the grapes. +The pastor, however, now knew everything, for Sally had reported how the +Mayor was expecting his grape-thieves again and how he was going to +receive them. It was now quite plain, as one had always suspected, that +the same crowd, the Middle Lotters, under Churi's lead, had plundered +the vineyard. + +"Erick," said the pastor earnestly, "you want to be an honorable man and +you mean it seriously so far as you understand the word, I have seen +that; but that is not the way which will lead you there. See, you can +understand, that you have made friends with a crowd of boys who are on +no good road; for, to run about wild on Sunday, when the bells call to +church, and to be obliged to hide behind barns from nice people,--you +did not learn that from your mother, did you, Erick?" + +Erick had to lower his open eyes and answered very low: "No." + +"But worse things turn up if one goes with bad boys," the pastor +continued. "Through them, one often comes where one never wanted to +come. See, if you had not been saved from it through your mother's song +which you heard, you would have been caught with the others in the +vineyard as a thief, and punished as such. Well, Erick, if your mother +should have had to hear that!" + +Erick had grown dark red in the face. He was silent for some time, +visibly from fear and perplexity, then he asked timidly: "Can I no +longer grow to be an honorable man?" + +"Yes, indeed, Erick," said the pastor now kindly, "that you can. You +know now on what road one cannot go; think of that and keep yourself far +from bad companions. And now I will tell you how you can become a man of +honor. Do you remember how the verse in your mother's song goes, which +begins: + + "'Thy Zion scatters palms + And greening twigs for Thee, + But I in glorious psalms + Will lift my soul to Thee!'" + +In an instant Erick continued: + + "'My heart be overflowing + In constant love and praise, + In service will be growing, + Will Thy dear name then grace.'" + +"Erick, you must never forget these words. If you bring all your deeds +before the dear God and look to it before Him, whether you 'Will grace +His dear name' as well as you know, then you will become a genuinely +honorable man. Will you think on it?" + +"Yes, I will," Erick promised gladly, as now he looked up again to the +pastor freely and openly. + +"Then," the latter said after a while, "there is still something else, +Erick. Have you known your father?" + +"No." + +"Do you know if he is still alive, where he is?" + +"Mother told me father had gone to America, to make a large fortune for +himself and for us; but he has not yet returned." + +"Do you know other relatives, sisters or brothers of your mother, or +some close friends?" + +"No." + +"Don't you know of anyone to whom one could turn, who would look after +you?" + +"No, no," said Erick, quite anxiously. + +But the pastor put his hand very kindly on Erick's head and said: "You +must not be afraid, my boy, all will come out all right. You may go +now." + +Erick rose; he hesitated for a moment, then he asked somewhat +falteringly: "Must I go now directly to be auctioned? I am afraid +Marianne has gone by now." + +"No, no," the pastor answered quickly, "you will not go there at all, +not at all. Now you go down to Mamma, she will keep you for the +present." + +Erick's eyes shone for joy. He had thought up till now that he would be +sent to the auction, away from the happy life in the parsonage, but now +this threatening bugbear was done away with forever. When Erick entered +the sitting-room he found old Marianne sitting there. They had sent +word, the evening before, that Erick would not come back for the night, +but Marianne could not have gone away without taking leave of him. With +many tears she bade him good-bye, and Erick too felt sorry that good old +Marianne was going away; but since he might stay in the parsonage, it +was indeed a different thing for him than if he had had to remain behind +alone. + +The weeping Marianne had hardly left the door, when the stately Mayor +came in and went with firm steps toward the pastor's study. Early in the +morning, when he was going into the vineyard, he had met the Justice of +Peace, and heard from him all the happenings of yesterday, how Erick had +spoiled the game for the grape-thieves, and how they, the would-be +thieves, had run far beyond the next two villages before they even +became aware that it was only their allies who were chasing them. +Kaetheli had learned all that, and had reported it to her father. The +Mayor was quite satisfied with the outcome of the affair, and since he +looked on Erick as the saver of his grapes, he now came to the pastor to +talk over what could be done for the poor orphan. + +The gentlemen held a long consultation, for both were anxious to find +the most suitable plan for the boy; but they could not come to an +agreement. The Mayor proposed that since the little fellow did not +appear to be very strong, it would be best to apprentice him to an easy +trade. He thought it would be best to put him to board at the tailor's, +then he would grow into the trade without much trouble, and would have +nice companions in the tailor's own boys; they were suited to each +other, for the tailor's sons were also dressed as cleanly and carefully +as he was. But the pastor had other thoughts; he had a good institute in +his mind, where Erick could be cared for at once and later be educated +for a teacher. This also suited the Mayor, and he took leave with the +assurance that he would make Erick a nice little gift, for the little +fellow had shown him a greater kindness than he could know, which the +pastor verified. + +When later the pastor told his wife of their transaction, she did not +quite agree with it; she thought that she might keep the orphaned Erick +for a while with her; in fact she should prefer to keep him altogether, +for she had already taken this loving, trusting boy deep into her heart. +But the pastor convinced her that the "keeping altogether" could not be +done, since there were nearer obligations to all kinds of relatives, so +that one could not give the little stranger preference in such a way. +But he gladly granted the wish of his wife to keep Erick at least a few +weeks in their home; for, he said, one could postpone his entrance into +the institute until the beginning of the new year. + +When the children were told of the decision there was great rejoicing, +for Edi had put into Ritz's head a large number of splendid +undertakings, which could be carried out only by three people, and Sally +knew of nothing in the whole world that could have given her greater joy +than that now she could be with the new friend from day to day; for he +was in every way what she could wish, and in many ways he was much nicer +than she could have imagined from the manners of her former friends. + +Erick had such a happy, refined, thoughtful disposition, that it seemed +to Sally as if she lived in continuous sunshine when she was with him. +The aunt also agreed with the decision to keep the boy in the parsonage, +although at first she had seen in it a disturbance in the order of the +household, since the increasing of the number would mean that in the +evening it would take even longer to get to a settlement. But when she +noticed that Erick, on the first hint, rose at once and did what was +desired, then her fears turned to hopes that one might impress the +others a little with this ever-ready boy, which impressed her very +favorably. 'Lizebeth alone continued her dislike of the new-comer, and +whenever she met him in the house she measured him with her eyes from +his head to as far as the velvet reached. + +Erick soon felt quite at home in the parsonage. He now went with the +three children to the same school, shared Edi's historical interest as +long as the latter entertained him with it, which was the case on every +walk to school, and as often as possible besides, for Edi found large +gaps in the historical knowledge of his new friend and felt himself +called upon to fill them in. Erick was a good listener and often put +questions which drove Edi to new, deep studies and which excited him so +much that he had almost no other thoughts but Rome and Carthage. + +With good-natured Ritz, Erick was also on good terms. The little fellow +ran after him wherever he went, and looked delighted when he saw him +from afar; then he rushed at him and was always sure of a pleasant +reception and jocular conversation, for Erick was always friendly, +talkative and in good humor, and never buried in history books which +often made Edi unhappy. So Ritz spent all the time out of school either +with Erick, or seeking him, which however sometimes cost him a good deal +of time, for the very nearest friends, after all, were Erick and Sally. +The two could not be separated. There was a great similarity in their +temperaments, for what the one wanted the other liked also, and what the +one did not like, did not please the other, and both liked nothing +better than to go together up into the woods, where under the old +fir-tree was the small bench on which they could sit and tell each other +all they knew; or to go down to the foaming Woodbach and there, sitting +on the stones near the bank, watch the tossing waves rush down. They +never seemed to lack topics of conversation. Erick told about his +mother, and how they had lived together, and of her beautiful singing; +and Sally never grew weary of hearing again and again the same stories, +and would keep on asking questions. + +So they sat on their bench under the tree on the sunny Sunday afternoon +in the first week in October, and Sally had just begun her questions. +This time she wanted to know why the mother had sent Erick to Lower Wood +to school and not to Upper Wood, where all good people from Middle Lot +came--Kaetheli, for example. Then Erick told her that his mother had +asked Marianne about the schools, and after Marianne had explained +everything to her, and that fewer children went to Lower Wood and mostly +children who were not so well-known, then his mother had at once decided +that he should go there. "For you see, Sally, we were obliged to be +alone and hide ourselves until I had become an honorable man." + +"But why? I do not understand it at all," Sally said somewhat +impatiently. "And then afterwards when you had become an honorable man, +what did you want to do, if you did not know anyone?" + +"I should very much like to tell it to you, Sally," Erick answered very +seriously, "but you would have to promise me that you would tell it to +no human being; never, not if it should take many, many years." + +"Yes, yes, I will surely promise that," Sally said quickly, for she was +very anxious to hear the secret. + +"No, Sally, you must consider it well," said Erick, and held his hands +behind his back, to let her have time, "then if you have decided that +you will tell no human being one single word, then you must promise it +to me with a firm handshake." + +Sally had fully decided. "Just give me your hand, Erick," she urged. +"So, I promise you that I will tell to no one a single word of that +which you want to tell me." + +Now Erick felt safe. "You see, Sally," he began, "in Denmark there is a +very large, beautiful estate, with a beautiful lawn before the house to +which one can go directly through large doors out of the halls, and in +the middle of the lawn are the beautiful flower-beds just filled with +roses; and on the other side of the house one goes across to the large, +old oaks, where the horses graze--for there are many beautiful horses. +And on the left side of the house one comes directly into the small +forest; there is a pond quite surrounded by dense trees, and a small +bench stands above and from there one descends three steps to the little +boat that has two oars, and my mother liked best to sit there and row +about the pond. For, you see, my mother lived there when she was a +child, and also later when she was grown up. And there below, where the +lawn stops, begin the large stables where the horses are when they are +not grazing; and my mother had her own little white horse. She rode +about on that with grandfather or with old John. Oh, that was so +beautiful! But once Mother was disobedient to grandfather, for she +wanted to go far away with my father, and grandfather would not have it; +but she went, and then she was not allowed to come back, and everything +was over." + +Sally had listened with breathless attention. Now she burst out: "Dear, +dear, what a pity! That is exactly like Adam and Eve in Paradise! But +where did your mother go to? And who is now on that beautiful estate?" + +"Mother went far away to Paris, then to many other places, and at last +we came to Middle Lot. My grandfather still lives on the estate." + +"Oh, Erick, we will write a letter at once to your grandfather and ask +him whether you may now come home again?" + +"Oh, no, no! I dare not do that," opposed Erick. "I must not go to my +grandfather until I have become an honorable man, so that I may say to +him: 'I will not bring shame on your name, Grandfather, but Mother would +like to make up through me for what you have suffered through her!' I +have promised that to my mother!" + +"Oh, what a pity, what a pity!" lamented Sally, "you may never go to the +beautiful estate until you are a man; that will be a terrible long time. +And then you have to go away in the winter to quite strange people, to +an institute. Oh, if you only could go to the beautiful estate, to +Grandfather! Can it not be brought about, Erick? Can no one help you?" + +"No, that is quite impossible," said Erick, thoroughly convinced. "But +now, since you know all, I will tell you a good deal more about the +estate, for I know much more, and Mother and I have talked so often +about it," so Erick told more and more until they reached home, where +both of them were much distracted, for both were wandering in thought +about the beautiful estate far away. The mother looked several times now +at the one, then at the other, for nothing unusual in her children ever +escaped her motherly eye; but she said nothing. When later she had +prayed with the children, and was now standing in her own bedroom, she +heard how Sally, in her little bedroom beside hers, was praying loud and +earnestly to God. + +The mother wondered what could so occupy the thoughts of her little +girl, who was usually so open and communicative. What had happened this +evening, and what was urging her to such a pleading prayer, and why had +she not said a word about it? Could the child have a secret trouble? She +softly opened the door a little, and now heard how Sally several times +in succession fervently prayed: "Oh, dear God, please bring it about +that Erick may come to his grandfather on the beautiful estate." + +Now the mother entered Sally's room. "My dear child," she said, "for +what did you pray just now to the dear God? Will you explain it to me?" + +But Sally made such an uproar that the mother stopped with surprise. +"You did not hear it, Mother? I hope you have not understood it, Mother. +Have you? You must not know it, Mother, no one must know it. It is a +great secret." + +"But, dear child, do be quiet and listen to me," said the mother kindly. +"I heard that you prayed to the dear God for something for Erick. +Perhaps we, too, could do something for him. Tell me what you know, for +it may lead to something good for him." + +"No, no," cried Sally in the greatest excitement, "I will say nothing, I +have promised him, and I do not know anything else than for what I have +prayed." And Sally threw herself on her pillow and began to sob. + +Now the mother ordered her to be quiet and let the thing rest. She would +not ask her any more, nor speak of it. Sally should do as she felt, and +surrender everything to the dear God. But the mother put two things +together in her mind. When Marianne had come to take leave, she had +questioned her about Erick's mother and the latter's condition; also +whether Marianne knew her maiden name. But Marianne did not know much, +only once she had seen a strange name, but had not been able to read it. +It was when Erick, at one time, had taken the cover from his mother's +little Bible; then she saw a name written with golden letters. Erick +must have the little Bible. The lady had seen the little black book in +Erick's box and had taken off the close-fitting cover and had found +written in fine gold letters the name, "Hilda von Vestentrop". She at +once assumed that this must be the maiden name of Erick's mother; but +she knew nothing further. + +Now she had learned through Sally's prayer that Denmark had been her +native land, and that a father was living there. All this she told to +her husband the same evening, and proposed that he should write at once +to this gentleman in Denmark. + +The pastor leaned far back in his armchair and stared at his wife with +astonishment. "Dear wife," he said at last, "do you really believe that +I could send a letter addressed 'von Vestentrop, Denmark'? This address +is no doubt enough for the dear God, but not for short-sighted human +beings." + +But the wife did not give in. She reminded her husband that he knew +their countryman, the pastor of the French church in Copenhagen, and +that he perhaps could help him onto the track of von Vestentrop; the +latter must be the owner of an estate and such a gentleman could be +found. And the wife spoke so long and so impressively to her husband +that he finally sat down that very evening and wrote two letters. The +one he addressed "To Mr. von Vestentrop in Denmark". This one he +enclosed in the second and addressed that to his acquaintance, the +pastor of the French church in Copenhagen. Then he laid the heavy letter +on his writing-table so that early to-morrow morning 'Lizebeth would +find it and carry it to the post office. + + + +CHAPTER X + +Surprising Things Happen + + +Weeks had passed by since Erick had become an inhabitant of the +parsonage, but 'Lizebeth had not changed her mind. Just now she was +standing in the kitchen-door, when Erick came running up the steps, and +hastily asked: "Where are Ritz and Edi?" + +'Lizebeth measured him with a long look and said: "I should have thought +that a boy in velvet would utter the names in a strange house more +politely, and that he might say, 'Where are Eduardi and Moritzli?'" + +Much frightened, Erick looked up to 'Lizebeth. "I did not know that I +ought to talk so in the parsonage; I have never done it and I am sorry +for it; now I will always remember to say it," he promised assuringly. + +Now that did not suit 'Lizebeth. She had believed that he would answer, +"That is none of your business." For that remark she had prepared a +fitting answer. And now he answered her so nicely that she was caught, +but if he really was going to carry out his promise, then the lady of +the house might find out how she had schoolmastered him and that might +draw upon her some unpleasantness, for she knew how tenderly the former +treated the boy Erick. She therefore changed her tactics and said: +"Well, you see, I always say the names in the proper way; it is +different with you, you are their comrade, and as far as I am concerned, +you can call them as you like." + +"I should like to ask something else, if I may," said Erick, and +politely waited for permission. + +'Lizebeth liked this mannerly way very well and said encouragingly: +"Yes, indeed, ask on, as much as you like." + +"I wanted to ask whether I may say ''Lizebeth' like the others, or +whether I ought to say 'Mistress 'Lizebeth'." + +Now Erick had won over 'Lizebeth's whole heart for the reason that he +wanted to know what title she ought to have by rights, and that showed +her what a fine boy he was. She patted his shoulder protectingly, and +his curly hair, and said: "You just call me ''Lizebeth', and if you want +to ask anything, then come into the kitchen, and I will tell you +everything you want to know and--wait a moment!" With these words she +turned round and chased about the kitchen, then she came to him with two +splendid, bright red apples in her hand. + +"Oh, what beautiful apples! Thank you ever so much, 'Lizebeth!" he cried +delightedly, and now ran out. + +'Lizebeth looked after him with such pride as if she were his +grandmother, and said to herself: "Let anyone come now and show me three +finer little boys in the whole world than our three are." With this +challenge, and the proud consciousness that no one could accept it, she +turned to her pans and kettles. + +So Erick had won over everyone, but there was still one who looked at +him from the corner of his eyes and always with a look of wrath, for a +few days after Organ-Sunday, the Mayor had ordered that Churi should +appear before him, and the bold Churi could hardly keep on his feet when +he had to appear before the judicial tribunal, for he expected to +receive the well-earned punishment from the strong hand of the Mayor. +But the latter only pinched his ear a little and said: "Churi, Churi! +this time you get off better than you deserve, for I know now who got +the grapes last year, and I also know who wanted to get them again a few +days ago. If from now on, even one single little bunch is missing, I +shall hold you responsible, and you will be surprised at what will +happen to you, think of that! Now go." + +Churi did not need to be told that twice; he was gone as if his life was +at stake; but from that time on he thought of revenge on Erick, and when +he met him, he shook his fist at him and said: "You wait! I will get you +sometime." But so far he had never met Erick alone, and had never been +able to do him the slightest harm. This secretly embittered Churi still +more. + +Now winter had set in. Upper Wood lay deeply buried in snow, and +everyone was busy thinking of Christmas and New Year. In these days the +pastor gave a gentle hint to his wife, that the time for Erick's change +to the institute, for which the Mayor also had offered his help, was +fast approaching. But the lady hardly let him finish his sentence for +excitement, and answered at once: "How can you even think of such a +thing! In the first place; we must wait for the answer from Denmark, +before we do anything; and secondly, the whole Christmas joy would be +spoiled completely for the children, through such news; thirdly, we +ourselves, you and I, could not separate ourselves so suddenly and +unprepared from a child who is as dear to us as one of our own--" + +"Fourthly, 'Lizebeth will give notice at once," continued the pastor, +"for she now is the worst of all, from all that I see. One thing is +sure, dear wife, if the little fellow was not so guileless and had not +such an exceptionally good disposition, you women would have ruined him +so that he never could get straightened again, for you, one and all, +spoil him quite terribly." + +"It is just this harmless and exceptionally well-disposed character of +the child which wins all hearts, so that one cannot help treating him +with peculiar love. No talk of sending Erick away before Easter can be +considered, and much can happen before then, my dear husband." + +"Oh, yes," the latter agreed, "only do not look for an answer from +Denmark, for it would be in vain. The guilelessness in that address went +a little too far." + +But the pastor's wife was contented that another respite had been +granted, and she hoped on. + +The winter passed, Easter was approaching, but no answer came. This time +the pastor's wife got ahead of her husband. When shortly before Easter a +belated April frost set in, she explained to him that new winter wraps +had to be made for all the children, and before one could think of +sending Erick away, summer clothing had to be prepared for him; his good +velvet suit looked, indeed, still very fine, and would last some time +yet, but her husband knew it was his only suit, and for mid-summer +another must absolutely be procured for him, and for that, time and +leisure were needed. + +The pastor gave his consent to the postponement without opposition. In +his heart he was heartily glad for the good excuse; for he, like all the +rest, had learned to love Erick so much that the thought of his +departure was very painful to him. + +His wife was contented again and thought in her heart: "Who knows what +may happen before summer." + +But something did happen which seemed to destroy with one blow all her +hopes. The warm June had come and on the sunny hillsides around Upper +Wood the strawberries, which grew there in plenty, were beginning to +give out most delightful fragrance, and to turn red. That was a glorious +time for all children round about. The children of the parsonage, too, +undertook daily strawberry-expeditions and every evening belated they +returned home. The order-devoted aunt, who, after a winter's absence, +had returned with the summer to the parsonage, did not leave any remedy +untried to restore at least the usual condition of things. + +Below near the Woodbach the berries grew largest and most plentifully. +But to go there they had to wait till Saturday afternoon, when they had +no school, for it was too far to take the walk after afternoon school. +When Saturday came and the sun was shining brightly in the sky, then the +whole company in joyous mood left the parsonage, Sally and Erick ahead, +Ritz and Edi following. All were armed with baskets, for to-day, so they +had decided, Mother was to receive a great quantity of strawberries +instead of their eating all on the spot as usually happened. Having +arrived on the hillside over the Woodbach, the best spots were sought; +if one was found which was plentifully sprinkled over with strawberries, +then the whole company was called together and the place cleared, and +afterwards each went out again for new discoveries. + +Erick was a good climber; without any trouble he swung himself down over +the steepest hillsides, and jumped up the high rocks like a squirrel. +Sally saw him, how he swung himself down a rock where he had espied on +the lowest end a spot that shone bright red in the sun, as if covered +with rubies. Were they berries or flowers which were growing there so +beautifully? Erick must see them nearer. Sally shouted after him: "Call +us if you find something, but be careful, it is steep there." + + +[Illustration: _Churi....unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that +Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side...._] + + +Erick answered with a yodel and disappeared. Having arrived below, he +met the Middle Lotters, who were bending in groups here and there, or +lying on the ground, eating the berries which they picked. Erick could +not find the red spot which he had seen from above; but not far away +from him stood Churi, who had seen him coming down. Churi called to him: + +"Come here, velvet pants, here are berries such as you have never seen." + +Erick went quite calmly to him and when he now had stepped quite close +to Churi, the latter unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that Erick +rolled down the rest of the mountain side and right into the gray waves +of the Woodbach. + +When Churi saw that, he was frightened. For a moment he stared at the +gray waves; but Erick had disappeared, not a speck of him could be seen. +Then Churi softly turned round and ran away as quickly as he could, +without looking round, for his conscience bit him and drove him along, +and he dared not look anyone in the face for fear that someone could +read there what he had done. The other Middle Lotters had not paid +attention to what was going on. Perhaps once in a while one of the crowd +would ask, "What has become of Churi all of a sudden?" and another would +answer, "He can go, wherever he likes," and they would turn again to +their berries and think no more of him. + +Meanwhile Sally had remained standing in the same spot and had waited +for Erick's call. When it did not come, she began to call, but received +no answer. She now called to Edi, and he came running with Ritz, and all +three called together for Erick, but in vain. The sun had long since +set, and it was beginning to grow dark. All children, even the Middle +Lotters, went past them on their homeward way, and they were always the +very last. "Show me once more, and be quite sure, the very spot where he +began to climb down," said Edi, "I will go down, in the same path." + +Sally showed the exact spot, where Erick had descended over the rock, +and Edi began the descent a little timidly. But he arrived safely down +below and ran hither and thither, calling with a loud voice: "Erick! +Erick!" But only the echo from the rocks, round about, answered +mockingly: "'Rick! 'Rick!" + +Now it really began to be dark, and round about not a human sound, only +the rushing of the Woodbach, sounded through the stillness. Edi began to +feel a little uncomfortable; he climbed as quickly as possible up the +rock and said hastily: "Come, we will go home. Perhaps Erick is already +at home, he may have gone by another road." + +But Sally opposed this proposition with all her power, and assured him +firmly that Erick had not gone home; that he would have first come back +to her; and she was not going a step away from where he had left her, +until Erick came, for if he were to come and she was not there, then he +would wait for her again, if he had to wait the whole night, she was +sure of that. + +"We must go home, you know it," declared Edi. "Come, Sally, you know we +must." + +"I cannot, I cannot!" lamented Sally. "You go with Ritz and tell them at +home how it is; perhaps Erick cannot find the road again." At this +conjecture which, only now after she had uttered it, Sally saw plainly, +she began to weep and sob piteously, while Edi took Ritz by the hand and +ran toward home as quickly as possible. + +Mother and Aunt were standing before the parsonage, looking in all +directions to see if the children would not make their appearance +somewhere. 'Lizebeth ran to and fro, hither and thither, and asked of +the returning children of the neighborhood, where the parsonage children +were. She received the same answer from all: the three were still below +by the Woodbach, and were waiting for Erick, who had gone alone. At last +Ritz and Edi came running through the darkness. Both panted in +confusion, one interrupting the other. They shouted: "Sally +sits--"--"Erick is over"--"Yes, Erick is over"--"But Sally still sits +and"-- + +"Sally sits and Erick is over!" cried the aunt. "Now let anyone make +sense of that!" But the mother drew Edi aside and said; "Come, tell me +quietly what has happened." + +Then Edi told everything, how Erick had climbed over the rock and how +Sally now was sitting alone below near the Woodbach, and Erick gave no +answer to all his calling. + +"For heaven's sake," the mother cried, now thoroughly frightened, "I +hope that nothing has happened to Erick! Or could he have lost his way?" +She ran into the house to ask her husband what was to be done. At once +'Lizebeth ran to seven or eight neighbors and brought them together with +a good deal of noise, all armed with staves and lanterns, as 'Lizebeth +had ordered. Also several women hastened up, they too wanted to help in +the seeking. Now the pastor had come out and joined them, for he himself +wanted to do everything to find Erick, and at any rate to bring Sally +home. 'Lizebeth came last in the procession, with a large basket hanging +from her arm, for without a basket, 'Lizebeth could not leave the house. + +Two long hours went by, while the mother walked ceaselessly to and fro, +now to the window, then to the house door, now up and down the +sitting-room; for the longer no news came the greater grew her fear. At +last the house-door was opened and in came the father, holding the +weeping Sally by the hand, for he had not been able to comfort her. They +had at that time not been able to get a trace of Erick; but the +neighbors were still seeking for him and had promised not to stop +seeking until he was found. 'Lizebeth was still with them, and she was +the most energetic of all the seekers. + +Only after many comforting words from the mother, and after she had +prayed with her whole heart with the child to the dear God, that He +would protect the lost Erick and bring him home again, could Sally at +last be quieted. She fell then into a deep sleep, and slept so soundly +that she did not wake until late the next morning, and the mother was +glad to know that her daughter was sleeping, as her grief would be +awakened again, when she woke up. + +Sunday morning passed quietly and sadly in the parsonage. Father and +Mother came out of church, before which the people of Upper Wood and +Lower Wood, from Middle Lot, and the whole neighborhood round about, had +assembled to talk over the calamity. + +So far Ritz and Edi had kept very quiet, each busy with his own +occupation. Edi, a large book on his knees, was reading. Ritz was very +busy with breaking off the guns from all his tin soldiers, as now, +having peace in the land, they did not need them. + +"So," Edi, who had looked now and then over his book, said quite +seriously: "if war breaks out again, then the whole company can stay at +home, for they have no more guns; with what are they supposed to fight?" + +Ritz had not thought of that. Quickly he threw all the gunless soldiers +into the box and said: "I do not care to play any more today," no doubt +with the unexpressed hope that the guns, by the time he should open the +box again, might be somehow mended. But now he became restless and asked +to go out, and Edi, who had seen the large gathering by the church, also +decided to go out doors, for he too wanted to hear what was going on. + +The aunt opposed their going out for some time, but finally gave her +consent for half an hour, to which the mother, who had just come in, +agreed. Now Sally appeared and rushed at once to her mother, to hear +about Erick, whether he had come home and how, where and when, or +whether news had come. But before the mother had time to tell her child +gently that no news had come from Erick, but that more people had gone +out, early in the morning, to seek him, the two brothers came rushing in +with unusual bluster and shouted in confusion: + +"There comes a large, large"--"A very tall gentleman"--"A gentleman who +walks very straight out of a coach with two horses." + +"I believe it is a general," Edi brought out finally and very +importantly. + +"No doubt," laughed the aunt. "Next you will see nothing but old +Carthaginians walking about Upper Wood and the whole neighborhood." + +But the mother did not laugh. "Could it not be someone who might bring +news of Erick?" she asked. She ran to the window. At the entrance of the +house was an open traveling coach, to which were harnessed two bay +horses which pawed the ground impatiently, and shook their heads so that +the bright harness rattled loudly. Ritz and Edi disappeared again. These +sounds were irresistible to them. + +Now 'Lizebeth rushed in. "There is a strange gentleman below with the +master," she reported. "I have directed him to the pastor's study, so +that the table can be set here, for I must go out again to the little +boy. The gentleman has snow-white hair but he has a fresh, ruddy face +and walks straight like an army man or a commander." + +"And he came alone?" asked the mistress. "Then he does not bring Erick? +Who may he be?" + +Meanwhile the tall, strange gentleman had entered the pastor's study +below, with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop, of Denmark. The +gentleman will excuse me if I interrupt him." + +The pastor was so surprised that for a moment he could not collect his +wits. Erick's grandfather! There stood the man bodily before him, whose +existence had been to him a mere fairy tale, and the man looked so +stately and so commanding, that everyone who beheld him must be inspired +with respect. But at the same time there was something winning in his +expression, which was familiar to the reverend gentleman from Erick's +dear face. And this gentleman had traveled so far to fetch his grandson, +and Erick had disappeared. + +All this passed through the pastor's head with lightning speed; he stood +for a moment like one paralyzed. But the colonel did not give much time +to the surprised man to recover himself. He quickly took the offered +easy chair, drew the pastor down on another, looked straight into his +eyes and said: "Dear Sir, you sent through the French pastor in +Copenhagen a letter addressed to me, in which you inform me of things of +which I do not believe one single word." + +The surprise of the pastor increased and was reflected in his face. + +"Please understand me rightly, dear Sir," the speaker continued, "not +that I mean that you would make an incorrect statement; but you yourself +have been duped, your kindness has been shamefully misused. Because I +knew that, I did not wish to answer your letter in writing, for we would +have exchanged many letters uselessly and yet would never have come to +an understanding. Behind all this is a clever fellow, who wants to trick +you and me for the sake of gain. So I have let everything rest until I +could combine the present explanation with a journey to Switzerland. So +here I am, and I will tell you, in as few words as possible, the +unfortunate story which led to this deception. But let me look at once +at the object in question. I want to see what the boy is like, whom the +man dares to place before my eyes as my grandson." + +The pastor had now to tell of the unfortunate accident of Erick's +disappearance, how they had searched so far in vain, but how everything +was being done to find the dear boy; therefore he might make his +appearance at any moment. + +The colonel only smiled a little, but that smile was a little sarcastic +and he said: "My good Sir, let us stop the seeking. The boy will not +return. The fellow who has placed him in your hands has calculated +wrongly this time. He, no doubt, hoped that I, at such a distance, would +credulously accept everything that he wanted, and would do what he +wished. Now he has found out that I myself was on the way to see you; +and to bring before my eyes some foundling as my daughter's child, that +he did not dare to do. On that account the child has disappeared, +Reverend Sir; that man knows me." + +However much the pastor might assure the colonel that no one had +interfered in the case, that the boy, after his mother's death, without +anyone's intercession had come into the parsonage, and that from the boy +himself, without himself knowing it, had come the suggestions about the +country and the name of the grandfather,--all explanation of the pastor +did no good, the sturdy gentleman adhered to his firm opinion that the +whole thing was the invented trick of a man who wished to make money, +and that the disappearance of the boy at the necessary moment confirmed +it. + +"But how should, how could the man of whom you speak--" + +The colonel did not listen to the end of the sentence. "You do not know +this man," he threw in, "you do not know his knavery, Sir! I had a +daughter, an only child; I had lost my wife soon after marriage; the +child was all in all to me. She was the sunshine of my house, beautiful +as few, always joyous, amiable to everyone and full of talents. She had +a voice which delighted everyone; it was my joy. I had her instructed in +the house, also in music. Then, a young teacher came and settled in the +town, near which my estate lies. People talked much about the young +musician, and of his artistic skill. He was engaged to teach on all our +neighboring estates. I did the same. I had him come to my house every +day and had no suspicion of misfortune. After a few months, my daughter, +who was hardly eighteen years old, told me that she wanted to marry that +man. I answered her that that never would happen; she should never again +speak of such a thing. She did not say another word, nor did she +complain--that was not her way. I thought all was past and settled, but +found it safer to stop the lessons, and I dismissed the instructor. The +same evening my daughter asked me, whether I could ever in my life +change my opinion. 'Never in my life,' I said, 'that is as sure as my +military honor'. The next morning, she had disappeared. A letter left +for me told me that she was going away with that man and would become +his wife. From that time on,--it is now twelve years ago,--I have never +heard anything from my child, till your letter came. + +"That my daughter is dead, I can well believe, but that she has left a +helpless little boy, that I do not believe, for she would have sent such +a boy, of whom she had a right to dispose, to me; she knows me, she +would have known that I would give him my name, and the remembrance +would be wiped away. But this boy, who has disappeared again at the +right time, has been substituted by the music-teacher, who no doubt +lives somewhere in this neighborhood, and has done it for the purpose of +receiving a sum of money from me. And now, dear Sir, we are through. The +only thing left for me is to express my regret that, your kindness has +been misused through my name; good-bye." + +With these words the colonel rose and offered his hand to the pastor. +The latter held it firmly, saying: "Only one more word, Colonel! +Consider one thing: you know your daughter's character. After she had +done you the great wrong, she might have decided not to send the boy to +you before he in some way could make good the mother's wrongdoing--perhaps +not until the time when he would do honor to your name, when he should +prove to you through his own character that he was worthy of your name." + +"You are a splendid man, who means well with me; but you have not had +the experience I have had. You know no distrust, I can see that, and +that is why you have been imposed upon. Let us part." + +Saying this the colonel again shook the pastor's hand and opened the +door. There the lady of the house met him, who for some time with +impatience had been walking up and down in the garden, for she was sure +that this caller, who stayed so long, was somehow connected with the +lost Erick, and she could not understand why her husband did not call +her. Sally, from the same expectation and greater impatience, followed +her every step. When now the mother had seen from the garden, that the +strange gentleman had risen, she could bear it no longer; she must know +what was going on. When she stepped on the threshold at the moment when +the stranger opened the door, then politeness demanded that the parson +introduce his wife, and the stranger from politeness was obliged to step +back into the room when the master of the house introduced his wife to +him with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop from Denmark. You indeed +will be delighted to hear this name." + +The lady stepped toward the colonel with visible delight and said +excitedly: "Is it possible? But at what a moment! But you will stay with +us, Colonel, for your dear grandchild must be found. The sweet boy +cannot be lost, he must have lost his way." + +"Pardon me, my gracious lady," the colonel here interrupted her politely, +but somewhat stiffly, "I shall start at once. You are under a delusion; +I have no grandchild, and I must bid you good-bye." + +At mention of the name "Vestentrop", Sally had grown very red; and she +trembled all over, during the conversation that followed. Now she +restrained herself no longer. Tears poured from her eyes, and with the +greatest agitation she sobbed: "Indeed, indeed, he is, I know it, he has +told me himself; but I dared not tell it to anyone." + +"Well, the boy has found at least one good friend and defender," said +the colonel well-pleased, and wanted to pat Sally's cheeks, but she +withdrew quickly, for she first wanted to know whether the gentleman +would believe and recognize Erick, before she would let him touch her. + +The mother too was struck to the core by this incredulity. Her husband +had whispered a few words to her, so she understood at once the whole +situation. + +"Colonel," she now said, placing herself before him, "do not act in such +haste. Let me prevail on you to stay a few days, yes, even this one day! +The dear child must, and will be found, please God! See him first. Learn +to know the treasure which you are about to give up so lightly. If you +could know what sunshine you want to withhold from your house, you could +never be happy again. Do not think, sir, that I would give the child +away; how shall I, how shall we all be able to bear it, when the dear, +sunny face shall have disappeared forever from among our children." The +tears came into the mother's eyes also, and she could say no more. + +"Well, I have to declare that the little wanderer has fallen into good +hands," said the colonel, giving his hand to the pastor's wife in an +approving way. "You will allow me now to depart." + +This time the gentleman was determined to go. He went out and walked +along the long corridor with head lifted proudly, followed by the +pastor, who tried in vain to overtake him so that he could open the door +for his guest. But before the door could be opened from within, it was +pushed open with great force from outside, and like an arrow the slender +Edi shot straight into the tall colonel, who had been standing directly +behind the closed door; and at once after Edi, Ritz rushed into Edi, and +the tall gentleman received the second push, and in his ears rang +confused screamings of mixed words: "They are coming--they +come--Marianne--Erick--Marianne--they come--they come." And really! In +the house door appeared Marianne, quite broad in her Sunday best, +holding Erick, of whom she kept a firm grasp, as if he might fall from +there down again into the Woodbach. Behind both the partaking scholars +of the parishes pressed in with shouts of rejoicing. + +There was no possibility for the military gentleman to get out; the +crowd pressed into the house with great force. He gave in and did what +he had never done before in his life--he retreated, step by step, until +he had arrived, backwards, over the threshold of the study, together +with the whole of the pastor's family, old and young; and at last the +fighting Sally pressed in. She had taken Erick by the hand and did not +want to let go of him, and on the other side Marianne held his hand as +in a clamp, and she herself was held back from all sides, for the +schoolfellows wanted to know first the story of how Erick was lost and +found again. + +It was an indescribable uproar. Only after the efforts of Sally had +succeeded in pulling Erick and Marianne out of the human ball and into +the study, was there sufficient calm so that one could understand the +other, for the school friends had stayed respectfully before the door; +they did not dare to press into the study-room of their pastor. + +Now only could the information be understood, which Erick and +Marianne--each relieving the other--gave about the whole occurrence. +Erick told how he, after a strong push, had fallen into the water and +then had known nothing more, and had wakened again when somebody was +rubbing him firmly. That had been Marianne, who now related further. She +had gone yesterday afternoon from Oakwood, where she was living now, +upward along the Woodbach, to the place where the berries grew the most +plentifully, as she knew these many years that she had sought and sold +them in the taverns of Upper and Lower Wood. As she was seeking for +berries close by the water, bending down behind the willow bush, she saw +how the bush was being shaken and how something had remained hanging to +it. She bent around the bush to find out what it might be, and saw the +black velvet jacket on the water! "Oh, dear God!" she then cried out +with unutterable horror, and never stopped crying until, under her +desperate rubbing with skirt and apron, Erick opened his eyes and looked +with surprise at Marianne. Now she quickly took the large market-basket +in which she intended to put the many small baskets, when they were +filled; threw the latter all in a heap, put the dripping Erick in it, +and carried him, as quickly as she could, toward her small cottage, far +beyond Oakwood, in which she lived together with her cousin. Here she at +once undressed the wet boy, wound him closely in a large blanket so that +nothing was to be seen of him besides a tuft of yellow, curly hair, put +him in bed with the heavy cover far above his head, for, "getting him +warm is the principal thing for the little boy," she kept on saying to +herself. Then she went into her kitchen and soon came back with a cup of +steaming hot milk, lifted Erick's head from under the covers, so that +his mouth became free, and poured the hot milk in it to make the little +fellow warm. When she now had packed him in the blanket again, and the +fright at finding the unconscious Erick and the fear of his taking cold +had passed a little, then it came into her mind that the people of the +parsonage did not know what had become of him, and that they too would +be anxious about him. She went again to the bed and tried to bring the +deeply hidden Erick up again. But Erick was already half asleep, and +when Marianne told him her thoughts, he said comfortingly: "No, no, they +will know that I will come back again, and if they are anxious, then +'Lizebeth will come and look for me." + +Of that Marianne was sure: 'Lizebeth would come and take him home. No +doubt Erick had started to come and see Marianne, his friend in Oakwood, +and on his way there had fallen into the Woodbach by accident, Marianne +thought, for in her anxiety for his welfare, she had not spoken a word +with Erick about the accident. Now he was fast asleep. + +Marianne sat down beside him and lifted the cover now and then to listen +whether he was breathing properly. After she had sat thus a while and +noticed how the little fellow's cheeks began to glow like the reddest +strawberries, then she feared no longer that he would catch cold, and +she also felt sure that 'Lizebeth would not come and thought that the +people in the parsonage would assume that he was going to spend the +night at the cottage. So Marianne had peacefully locked her cottage and +gone to sleep. + +The next morning Marianne first had to brush and press the velvet suit, +for she would not bring the boy back to the parsonage in disorder; she +would not have done that for the sake of his blessed mother. Then she +too must dress in her Sunday best, and so the morning had almost passed +before they both had started on their way, quite contented and without +any suspicion of the enormous fear and excitement which had been in the +parsonage and had spread over the whole of Upper Wood. At the church +they had been greeted by the assembled crowd with great noise and much +confused talking, and then they were accompanied to the parsonage by the +schoolmates, who were crazed with joy at seeing Erick. + +In the general excitement and joy, the colonel had been quite forgotten. +He had sat down unnoticed on a chair, and had listened attentively to +the reports, following with his eyes the lively gestures which the +excited Erick was making in the zeal of telling his story. Now the +reports were finished and for the first time Erick's eyes beheld the +stranger in the crowd. The latter beckoned him to come to him; Erick +obeyed at once. + +"Come here, my boy, hither," and the colonel placed him right before +him. "So, just look straight in my eyes. What is your name?" + +Erick with his bright eyes looked directly into those of the strange +gentleman, and without hesitation he said: "Erick Dorn." + +The gentleman looked at him still more directly. "After whom were you +called, boy, do you know?" + +Erick hesitated a moment with the answer, but he did not divert his +glance. It seemed as if the eyes of the stranger attracted and conquered +him. "After my grandfather," he now said with a clear voice. + +"My boy--your mother used to look at me just so,--I am your +grandfather--" and now big tears ran down the austere gentleman's +cheeks. Erick must have been seized by the attraction of kinship, for +without the least shyness, he threw both arms around the old gentleman's +neck and rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you? I +know you well! And I have so much to tell you from Mother, so much." + + +[Illustration: _He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and +rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?"..._] + + +"Have you? Have you, my boy?" But the grandfather could say no more. + +When Erick noticed that his grandfather kept on wiping away the tears, +then sad thoughts gained the upper hand in him and all at once the +rejoicing expression disappeared, and he said quite sadly: "Oh, +Grandfather, I was not to come to you now, and not for a long time. Only +when I had become an honorable man, was I to step before you and say to +you: 'My mother sends me to you, that you may be proud of me, and that I +may make good the sorrow, which my mother has caused you.'" + +The grandfather put his arms lovingly around Erick and said: "Now +everything is all right. It is enough that your mother has sent you to +me. She meant it well with the 'honorable man', in this I recognize my +child; and you do not disobey her, my boy, for you see, you did not come +to me, but I came to you. And an honorable man you will also become with +me." + +"Yes, that I will, and I know too, how one becomes one, for the reverend +pastor has told me how." + +"That is lovely of him, we will thank him for it. And now we start, this +very day, on our journey to Denmark." + +"To Denmark, Grandfather, to the beautiful estate, right now?" Erick's +eyes grew larger and larger with astonishment and expectation, for he +only now comprehended, what he was going to meet: all that had stood +before his mental eyes as the highest and most splendid, ever since he +could think, and that his mother had painted for him in the bright +coloring of her childhood's remembrances, again and again, the distant, +beautiful estate, the handsome horses, the pond with the barge, the +large house with the winter-garden,--everything he was now to see, and +live there with this grandfather, for whom his mother had planted such a +love and reverence in her boy's heart, that he saw in him the highest of +what could be found on this earth,--all this over-powered Erick so much +that he was not able to comprehend his good fortune, and with a deep +breath he asked: "Are you sure, Grandfather?" + +"Yes, yes, my boy," the grandfather assured him, laughing. "Come, I hope +you can start at once. You will not have much to pack?" + +"Oh, no," said Erick. "You see,"--and he counted on his fingers: "three +writing-books, three school-books, the pen-box and the beautiful +Christmas present that I received here in the parsonage." + +"That is well, that will make a small bundle," but the old gentleman +looked at his grandson, rather surprised, and said: "I am astonished, +little waif, that you look so fine." + +"Yes, I believe you, Grandfather," answered Erick. "That is good stuff +that I am wearing; it comes from you. You see, when in the old suit +which I had worn so long, the patches became holes, then Mother brought +out the beautiful velvet cloak, with the broad lace, and said: 'That is +good, that comes from Grandfather, you can wear that a long time.' And +then she cut everything apart and sewed everything together again, and +so there came out what I am now wearing. And Mother received a great +deal of money for the broad lace. But only when all was finished and I +was wearing it, she became glad again; during the cutting and the sewing +together, she was very quiet." + +The grandfather too had become still, and he turned away for a while. No +doubt he too thought of the time and what happy days they were when he +had hung around his beloved child the rich mantle, and how sweetly she +stood before him, she whom he was never to see again. + +"Come, my boy," he said, turning again to Erick. "What has become of +your foster-parents? It is time that we thank them." + +The pastor's wife had seen at once that the grandfather had recognized +his grandson, and as the latter was standing before him, she gently +urged her husband and children, as well as Marianne, out of the room and +closed the door after her; and outside, in the long passage, she let the +interested crowd ask their loud questions, and give their loudest +answers, undisturbed. But when the colonel, holding Erick by the hand, +came out of the study, she at once made an open path for them through +the assembled people, to bring them upstairs to the quiet reception +room, where at last the family and their guest could be among +themselves. Here the beaming grandfather went first to the lady of the +house, and then to the master and then again to the lady, and every time +he took each by both their hands with indescribable heartiness and kept +on saying: "I have no words, but thanks, eternal thanks!" And all at +once he saw Sally's head peeping out from behind her mother. He suddenly +took it between his two hands and cried: "There is, I believe, the great +friend and defender of my boy. Well, now will you forgive me?" + +Sally pulled one of his hands down and pressed a hearty kiss on it, and +now the colonel tenderly stroked her hair and said: "Such good friends +are worth a great deal!" + +But when he expressed his intention to start at once with Erick, there +arose great opposition, and this time the mother distinguished herself +in opposition against such quick separation. The grandfather of her +Erick ought to spend at least one night beneath her roof, and give the +family the chance of learning to know him a little better and to have +Erick another day in their midst. + +All the children as well as Erick supported, louder and always louder, +the mother's request, and the beleaguered grandfather had to give in. +Ritz and Edi ran with much delight and noise down the stairs to seat +themselves proudly in the coach, and thus drive to the inn, where both +must tell to the guests present, who had changed their consultation +place from the church to the inn, what they knew of the strange +gentleman. And so it came about that on the same Sunday afternoon, all +Upper and Lower Wooders, as well as the Middle Lotters, knew Erick's +family and fate, and they had to talk loud and zealously before every +door, over this change of luck that had come to Erick. + +In the parsonage, too, the evening was spent with unusually animated +conversation. How much had to be told to the grandfather of the +happenings of the last and all former days, and Erick had to throw in a +question now and then, which referred to the distant estate, for his +thoughts always travelled back to that spot. + +"Is Mother's white pony still alive, Grandfather?" he once suddenly +asked. + +The beautiful pony had long been put away, was the answer. "But you +shall have one just like your mother's, my boy. I can now bear the sight +of it again," the grandfather said. + +"Does old John still live, who made the barge and scraped the +pebble-walks so nicely?" Erick asked another time. + +"What, you know of that too? Yes, indeed, he is still living, but the +joy of seeing my daughter's son whom I am bringing home will almost kill +him," said the colonel, smiling contentedly at the prospect. + +When Sally and Erick told of their first meeting and Sally's call in +Marianne's cottage, and now it came out that it was the same Marianne +who had pulled Erick out of the water, and who had stuck so faithfully +to his mother, the colonel suddenly jumped up and demanded that Erick +should go with him at once to Marianne for, from pure joy, they both had +not thanked her as they ought to. But the lady had foreseen such a +request, and had not let Marianne go home. And so she was called into +the room and the colonel quickly took a chair and placed it in front of +him. Marianne had to sit down there and tell everything that she knew of +his daughter, and what she herself had heard and seen. Marianne was very +glad to do that, and she spoke with such love and reverence of the dear +one, that at the end of her story, the colonel took her hand and shook +it heartily, but he could not speak. He rose and walked a few times up +and down the room, then he beckoned to Erick, took out of his wallet two +papers and said: "Give this to the good old woman, my boy; she shall +have a few good days, she deserves it." + +Erick had never before enjoyed the happiness of giving; never had he +been able to give anything to anyone, for he himself had never owned +anything. An enormous joy rose up in his heart and with bright eyes he +stepped to Marianne and said: "Marianne, here is something for you, for +which you can buy whatever you like." + +But when Marianne saw that on the paper was a number and several zeros +after it, she struck her hands together from astonishment and fright, +and cried: "Dear God, I have not earned that, this is riches!" And when +she still kept her hands away from the money, Erick stuck the papers +deep into her pocket and said: + +"Do you remember, Marianne, how you have said that you were growing old +and could no longer work as you used to, and therefore you had to give +up the little house and go to your old cousin? Now you can have your +cottage again, with that money, and live in it happily." + +"That I can, that I can," cried Marianne, forgetting in her joy that she +did not want to take the large present. Tears of joy ran down her +cheeks, and from happiness and emotion she could not utter a word of +thanks, but kept on pressing the colonel's hand and then Erick's, and +all were glad with Marianne that she could move again into the cottage +and keep it for always. When at last they must separate for the night, +the colonel pressed the house-mother's hand once more and said: "My dear +friend, you will understand with what gratitude my heart is full, when I +tell you that this is the first happy evening which I have had for the +last twelve years." + +Parting had to come the next morning. The mother took Erick in her arms +and after she pressed him to her heart, she said: "My dear Erick, never +forget your mother's song! It has already brought you once from the +wrong road into the right one; it will guide you well as long as you +live. Keep it in your heart, my Erick." + +When Erick noticed tears in the mother's eyes, then his grew wet, and +when Sally noticed that, she put both hands to her face and began to +sob. Then Erick ran to his grandfather and pleadingly cried: "Oh, +Grandfather, can we not take Sally along? Don't you think we could?" + +The grandfather smiled and answered: "I could not wish anything I should +like better, my boy, but we cannot rob the parsonage of all its +children, all at once. But come, perhaps we can make some arrangement. +What does the mother think about it, if we were to take our little +friend next summer and bring her back for the winter, and do so every +year?" + +"Yes, yes," shouted Erick, "every, every year as long as we live! Will +you give me your word on it, Grandfather, now, right away?" + +"To give you my word on it that it shall be so long as we live, that is +asking much, my boy," said the grandfather smiling. "If now you, both of +you, should wish, all at once, to have things different--what then?" + +"Oh, no, we are not so stupid," said Erick, "are we, Sally? Just you +promise right away, Grandfather." + +The latter held out his hand to the mother and said: "If it suits Mamma, +then we both will promise, that it shall continue, as long as it pleases +our children." + +The mother gave her hand on it, and now the two hands were pressed most +heartily. + +And the pastor said: "So, so! Agreements are made between the colonel +and the parson's wife behind my back, and I have nothing to do with it +but say yes. Well, then, I will say at once a firm _yes_ and _Amen_." + +With these words he too shook his guest's hand firmly and there remained +only to take leave from Ritz and Edi, both of whom he heartily invited +to Denmark, wherein Erick strongly supported him, adding: "And you know, +Edi, when you are in Denmark, then you can go on ships, and study there +all about them. That will be a good thing for your calling." For Erick +had not forgotten that Edi intended to sail around the whole world, and +that Ritz too wanted to be something on the sea. + +The grandfather was already entering the travelling coach, when Erick +was held back by 'Lizebeth; he had pressed into her hand a valuable +paper, but she had put her apron to her eyes and had begun to sob aloud +behind it, and now she was holding Erick and said: "I think the Sir +Grandfather, he means it well as far as he sees things; but that he +takes the dear boy away from us,--to take one's little boy simply +away--" + +"I will come back again, 'Lizebeth, every year when the storks return. +Therefore, good-bye, 'Lizebeth, until I come again." + +Saying this, Erick quickly jumped into the carriage, and he wore the +same velvet suit in which he had come. For a long, long time he saw the +white handkerchiefs wave, and he waved his in answer, until the +carriage, down below at the foot of the hill, turned around the corner +and disappeared into the woods. But when the fleet horses, soon after, +reached the first houses of the Middle Lot, there was another halt. + +From the moment that Erick had disappeared, Churi had looked like a +picture of horror. He had grown white and grayish looking, and at every +sound that he heard, he trembled, for he thought: "Now they are coming +to fetch you, to put you into prison." Churi had heard that someone who +had thrown another boy into the water had been fetched by two gendarmes +and had been put into prison, where he had been kept for twenty years in +chains. Churi saw this picture always before him and for fear, he could +no longer eat nor sleep; and he dared look at no one. And when the +report came that Erick had turned up again, then his fear increased. For +now, so he thought, it would surely come out that he had done the deed; +and now he was sure that the police would come to get him. But when on +Sunday, the story went round like lightning that Erick, in looking for +berries, had fallen into the water, then it all at once was clear to +Churi, that Erick had not told about him and that he again could go +about quite free and without fear. A great, oppressive weight fell from +Churi's heart, and he was so touched by Erick's kindness and generosity +that he did not sleep from thinking what he could possibly do for Erick +to show him his gratitude. + +It had really been so. Erick had thought that Churi had not meant to +push him into the water, so he had felt sorry for him, if he should be +punished for what he did not mean to do, and so Erick had only said that +he had received a push when looking for berries, and had fallen into the +water. And they had assumed that the boys had knocked each other about +as usual, and Erick had been pushed accidentally. + +Churi had thought out his reward, and had arranged the following +program. All the scholars of Middle Lot had to place themselves in a +long line along the street, and when now the carriage with Erick came +driving along, they, the scholars, all together must shout, "Hurrah for +Erick." + +As they one and all now shouted with all their might, there was a +terrible noise, so that the horses jumped and shied. But the coachman +had them well in hand and brought them in a short time to stand quietly. +At this moment one of the boys shot out of the line and onto the +carriage step. It was Churi. He bent to Erick's ear and whispered: "I +will never again hurt you as long as I live, Erick, and when you come +back again, you just reckon on me; no one shall ever touch you, and you +shall have all the crabs and strawberries and hazel nuts which I can +find." + +But on the other side someone else had sprung on the carriage step and +clamored for Erick's attention. He felt something under his nose from +which came various odors. It was an enormous bunch of fire-red and +yellow flowers, which Kaetheli held out to him, who with one foot on the +step was balancing over the colonel, and called to Erick: "Here, Erick, +you must take a nosegay from the garden with you, and when you come +back, be sure you come and see us, do not forget." + +"Thank you, Kaetheli," Erick called back, "I shall certainly come to see +you, a year from now. Good-bye, Kaetheli, good-bye, Churi!" + +Both jumped down, and the horses started. + +"Look, look, Grandfather," cried Erick quickly, and pulled the +grandfather in front of him, so that he could see better. "Look, there +is Marianne's little house. Do you see the small window? There Mother +always sat and sewed, and you see, close beside it stood the piano, +where Mother sat the very last time and sang." + +The grandfather looked at the little window and he frowned as though he +were in pain. + +"What did your mother sing last, my boy?" he then asked. + + "I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise." + +When Erick had ended, the grandfather sat for a while quiet and lost in +thought; then he said: "Your mother must have found a treasure when in +misery, which is worth more than all the good luck and possessions which +she had lost. The dear God sent that to her, and we will thank Him for +it, my boy. That, too, can make me happy again, else the sight of that +little window would crush my heart forever. But that your mother could +sing like that, and that you, my boy, come into my home with me, that +wipes away my suffering and makes me again a happy father." + +The grandfather took Erick's hand lovingly in his, and so they drove +toward the distant home. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10436 *** diff --git a/10436-h/10436-h.htm b/10436-h/10436-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..76de83e --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/10436-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4516 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Erick and Sally, by Johanna Spyri</title> + <style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + p {text-align: justify;} + blockquote {text-align: justify;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center;} + pre {font-size: 0.7em;} + + hr {text-align: center; width: 50%;} + html>body hr {margin-right: 25%; margin-left: 25%; width: 50%;} + hr.full {width: 100%;} + html>body hr.full {margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 0%; width: 100%;} + + .ctr {text-align: center;} + .toc {margin-left: 15%; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 0em;} + .note, .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + + img {border: 0;} + + .poem + {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + + .figure + {padding: 1em; margin: 0; text-align: center; font-size: 0.8em; margin: auto;} + .figure img + {border: none;} + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red} + + --> + +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10436 ***</div> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook,<br> + Erick and Sally, by Johanna Spyri,<br> + Translated by Helene H. Boll</h1> +<br> +<br> +<hr class="full"> + +<p> </p> +<h1> + ERICK AND SALLY +</h1> + +<h4> + By the Swiss Writer +</h4> +<h2>JOHANNA SPYRI</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>Author of Heidi, Chel, and many other stories</i></p> +<p class="ctr"><i>Translated by</i></p> +<h4>HELENE H. BOLL</h4> + +<p class="ctr">1921</p> + +<p> </p> +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/frontis.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="images/frontt.jpg" width="150" +alt="Johanna Spyri"></a></p> + +<p> </p> +<h4>Affectionately dedicated to<br><br> + MRS. MARTHA C. BÜHLER</h4> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>PREFACE</h2> +<p><i>To our Boys and Girls:</i></p> +<p> + Years ago, in a little country called Switzerland, there lived a little + girl who was the daughter of a doctor. This doctor sometimes had to + climb up high mountains and sometimes he had to descend slowly to the + deep valleys, always on horseback, to visit the sick people who had sent + for him. Of course there were no telephones, electric lights, steam + trains or automobiles, and so often this doctor was away from home for + two or three days attending the people who needed his help. His trips + took him into little villages where there were only a few hundred poor + people who made a scant living from farming and sheep raising, but he + knew them so well that he became very fond of them, and he shared their + sorrows and joys. When he returned home he would tell his little + daughter, who was Johanna Spyri, about what he had seen and heard. She + became very much interested in the people whom her father told about, + and when she grew up she visited many of the places that he had told her + about when she was a child. +</p> +<p> + It was not until she was quite a grown woman that she wrote any books, + but the children of Switzerland and Germany loved her stories so much, + that we have decided to translate the story of Erick and Sally for the + children of America. The author knew children and loved them, and wrote + to them and not for them. Thus, every one who reads this story will + follow the sorrows and pleasures of Erick just as if he were a personal + living friend. +</p> +<p> + The translator understands American boys and girls, for she has been a + teacher in our schools for many years. She also has an intimate + knowledge of the country described in this story for she has often + visited the places mentioned. Through her knowledge and love of the + country about which Madame Spyri wrote, and speaking her language, the + translator, Helene H. Boll, appreciates her thoughts, and has faithfully + reproduced them in this absorbing little story. +</p> +<p> + THE PUBLISHERS. +</p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr> +<p><b>Contents</b></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH1"> +CHAPTER I - In the Parsonage of Upper Wood +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH2"> +CHAPTER II - A Call in the Village +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH3"> +CHAPTER III - 'Lizebeth on the Warpath +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH4"> +CHAPTER IV - The Same Night in Two Houses +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH5"> +CHAPTER V - Disturbance in School and Home +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH6"> +CHAPTER VI - A Lost Hymn +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH7"> +CHAPTER VII - Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH8"> +CHAPTER VIII - What Happens on Organ-Sunday +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH9"> +CHAPTER IX - A Secret that is Kept +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH10"> +CHAPTER X - Surprising Things Happen +</a></p> +<p> </p> +<hr> +<p> </p> +<p><b>List of Illustrations</b></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="images/frontis.jpg"> +Johanna Spyri +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="images/001.jpg"> +<i>Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly +tone, "Come here, dear child,"...</i> +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="images/002.jpg"> +<i>Churi ... unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that +Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side....</i> +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="images/003.jpg"> +<i>He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and +rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?"...</i> +</a></p> +<p> </p> +<hr> +<a name="2HCH1"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>In the Parsonage of Upper Wood</i></p> +<p> + The sun was shining so brightly through the foremost windows of the old + schoolhouse in Upper Wood, that the children of the first and second + classes appeared as if covered with gold. They looked at one another, + all with beaming faces, partly because the sun made them appear so, and + partly for joy; for when the sunshine came through the last window, then + the moment approached that the closing word would be spoken, and the + children could rush out into the evening sunshine. The teacher was still + busy with the illuminated heads of the second class, and indeed with + some zeal, for several sentences had still to be completed, before the + school could be closed. The teacher was standing before a boy who looked + well-fed and quite comfortable, and who was looking up into the + teacher's face with eyes as round as two little balls. +</p> +<p> + "Well, Ritz, hurry, you surely must have thought of something by now. + Now then! What can be made useful in a household? Do not forget to + mention the three indispensable qualities of the object." +</p> +<p> + Ritz, the youngest son of the minister, was usually busy thinking of + that which had just happened to him. So just now it had come to his + mind, how this very morning Auntie had arrived. She was an older sister + of his mother and had no home of her own; but made a home with her + relatives. She was a frequent visitor at the parsonage for months at a + time and would help the mother in governing the household. Ritz + remembered especially, that Auntie was particularly inclined to have the + children go to bed in good time—and they had to go—and he also + remembered that they could not get the extra ten minutes from Mother, + for Auntie was always against begging Mother. In fact, Auntie talked so + much about going to bed, that Ritz felt the feared command of retiring + during the whole day. So his thoughts were occupied with these + experiences, and he said after some thinking: "One can make use of an + aunt in a household. She must—she must—she must—" +</p> +<p> + "Well, what must she? That will be something different from a quality," + the teacher interrupted the laborious speech of the boy. +</p> +<p> + "She must not always be reminding that it is time to go to bed," it now + came out. +</p> +<p> + "Ritz," the teacher said now in a severe tone, "is the school the place + to joke?" +</p> +<p> + But Ritz looked at the teacher with such unmistakable fright and + astonishment, that the latter saw that it was an honest opinion which + Ritz had made use of in his sentence. He therefore changed his mind and + said more gently: "Your sentence is unfitting and incorrect, for your + three qualities are not there. Do you understand that, Ritz? You will + have to make three sentences at home, all alike; but do not forget the + different qualities. Have you understood me?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, teacher," answered Ritz in deepest dejection, for he already saw + himself sitting alone in the evening thinking and thinking and gnawing + on his slate pencil, while Sally and Edi could pursue their merry + entertainments. +</p> +<p> + Now the end of school was announced. In a short time the door was + opened, and the boys and girls hastened out toward the open place before + the schoolhouse, where suddenly all were crowded together like a huge + ball, from the midst of which came a tremendous noise and confused + shoutings. Something out of the common must have happened. +</p> +<p> + "In the house of old Marianne"—"a tremendously rich lady"—"a piano, + four men could not get it in, the door is too narrow"—"a small + boy"—"before we went to school"—It was so confused, nothing could + really be understood. Then a voice shouted: "All come along! Perhaps + they are not through with it, come, all of you to the Middle Lot!" And + suddenly the whole ball separated, and almost the whole crowd ran in the + same direction. +</p> +<p> + Only two boys remained on the playground and looked at each other, quite + perplexed. The one was stout little Ritz, who long since had forgotten + his great trouble and had listened intently to the exciting, although + incomprehensible story. The other was his brother Edi, a slender, tall + fellow with a high forehead and serious grey eyes beneath. He was hardly + two years older than his brother; but for his not quite nine years, he + was tall, and appeared much older than the seven-year-old Ritz. +</p> +<p> + "We must run home quickly and ask whether we too may go; we must see + that, Ritz, so hurry up!" With these words Edi pulled his brother along, + and soon they turned round the corner and also disappeared. +</p> +<p> + Behind the schoolhouse, near the hawthorn hedge, stood the last of the + crowd in animated conversation. It was Sally, the ten-year-old sister of + the two boys, with her friend Kaetheli, who with great excitement seemed + to describe an occurrence. +</p> +<p> + "But Kaetheli, I do not know the beginning," said Sally. "Just you begin + at the beginning, from where you saw everything with your own eyes, will + you?" +</p> +<p> + "Very well, I will, but this time you must pay close attention," said + Kaetheli. "You know that the old blind straw-plaiter lived with the + little girl Meili at old Marianne's? Well, Meili went to school at Lower + Wood. Two weeks ago her father died and Meili had to go to Lower Wood to + her uncle. Then Marianne cleaned the bedroom and the sitting-room + terribly clean, opened all the windows, and afterwards closed them all + again and put on the shutters. She herself lives in the little room + above. But this morning everything was open, and yet Marianne had said + nothing about it to anyone and all people in Middle Lot were surprised + at that. At half-past eleven, just when we were coming out of school, we + saw a wagon coming up the hill from Lower Wood, and the horse could + hardly pull the load, for there was a large piano on the wagon, a bed, + and lots of other things, a table and a little box, and I think that was + all. Now the wagon stopped at old Marianne's cottage, and all at once + there came out of the cottage old Marianne and a woman, who was quite + white in the face, and behind them came a little boy, and no one had + seen them come up. Then four men of Middle Lot wanted to carry the piano + into the cottage but it would not go through the door because the door + was too narrow and the piano too wide. And all who stood around to look + said she must be a very rich woman, because she had such a large piano. + But no one knew from where she came, and when anyone asked old Marianne + she snarled and said: 'I haven't any time.' +</p> +<p> + "All the people around are surprised that a rich lady should come to old + Marianne in the wooden cottage; my father has said long since that the + cottage would tumble over one of these days. And Sally! I wish you could + see the woman, you too would be surprised that she should make her home + there. Just think, she wears a black silk skirt on week-days!" +</p> +<p> + "And what about the boy, how does he look?" asked Sally, who had + followed her friend's story with close attention. +</p> +<p> + "I had almost forgotten him," continued Kaetheli. "Just think, he wears + velvet pants, quite short black velvet pants and a velvet jacket and a + cap to match. Just imagine a boy with velvet pants!" +</p> +<p> + "I should think that would be quite pretty," observed Sally, "but what + does he look like otherwise?" +</p> +<p> + "I have forgotten that, I had to watch the moving of the piano. He is + nothing particular to look at." +</p> +<p> + "Kaetheli, do you know what?" Sally said, "you go home with me. I want + to ask whether I may go home with you for a little while. I should like + to see that too, and then afterwards we will both go to old Marianne's + to call, will you?" +</p> +<p> + Kaetheli was ready at once to carry out the plan, and the children ran + together toward the parsonage. +</p> +<p> + It was only a little while before, that Edi and Ritz had arrived home + panting for breath. In the garden on the bench under the large + apple-tree, Mother and Auntie were sitting mending and conversing over + the bringing-up of the children; for Auntie knew many a good advice, + quite new and not worn out. Now they heard hasty running, and Edi and + Ritz came rushing along. +</p> +<p> + "May we—in the Middle Lot—to the Middle Lot—people have arrived—a + wagon and a piano—a terribly rich woman and a—" +</p> +<p> + Both shouted in confusion, breathlessly and incomprehensibly. +</p> +<p> + "Now," the aunt cried into the noise, "if you behave like two canary + birds who suddenly have become crazy, no human being can understand a + word. One is to be silent and the other may talk, or still better both + be silent." +</p> +<p> + But Ritz and Edi could do neither. If Edi began to report, then Ritz had + to follow. It always had been so, and to be silent at this moment of + excitement, that could not be expected; therefore both began afresh and + would no doubt have continued thus for some time if Sally and Kaetheli + had not arrived on the scene. They made everything clear in a short + time. +</p> +<p> + But the mother did not like to have her children run to the Middle Lot + for the sake of staring at strange people who had arrived there, and to + increase the gaping crowd who, no doubt, were standing in front of + Marianne's cottage. She did not give the longed-for permission, but she + invited Kaetheli to stay at the parsonage and take afternoon coffee with + the children and afterwards play in the garden. +</p> +<p> + That was at least something; Sally and Ritz were satisfied, and they ran + at once with Kaetheli into the house. But Edi showed a dissatisfied + face, for wherever something strange could be seen or found, he had to + be there. +</p> +<p> + He stood there without saying a word. He was thinking whether he dared + to work on his mother to get the desired permission. He feared, however, + the auxiliary troops which his aunt would lead into battle to help his + mother. But before he had weighed all sides his aunt said: "Well, Edi, + have you not yet swallowed the defeat? Isn't there some old Roman, or + Egyptian, who also could not always do what he wanted? Just you think + that over and you will see that it will help you." +</p> +<p> + That helped, indeed, for Edi was a great searcher in history, and when + he happened in that field, then all other interests were pushed into the + background. He at once remembered that he had not finished reading about + his old Egyptian, and with a smoothed brow he ran into the house. +</p> +<p> + The sun had set and it was growing dark among the bushes in the garden, + where the children, with red cheeks, were seeking each other and hiding + again. All of a sudden there came a loud, penetrating call: "To bed, to + bed!" Ritz had just found a fine hiding-place in the henhouse, where he + had comfortably settled, secure from being discovered, when this + terrible call reached him. It struck him like a thunderbolt. Yes, it + took his breath away so that he turned white and hadn't the strength to + rise; for, with the call came the remembrance of the three sentences + which he had to write: three whole sentences and nine different + qualities, and he had forgotten everything, and now all the time had + gone and he had to go to bed. +</p> +<p> + "Where are you, Ritz?" It sounded into his hiding-place. "Come, crawl + out. I know you are in there and will be covered with feathers from head + to foot." +</p> +<p> + The aunt stood before the henhouse, and Sally and Kaetheli beside her + full of expectation, for they had sought Ritz for a long time in vain. + But Auntie had experience in such things. Ritz actually came crawling + out of the henhouse and stood now in a lamentable condition before his + aunt. +</p> +<p> + "How you do look! You ought to have been in bed an hour ago, you haven't + a drop of blood in your cheeks," the aunt exclaimed. "What is the matter + with you, Ritz?" +</p> +<p> + "Where is Mamma?" asked Ritz in his fright. +</p> +<p> + "She is upstairs; come, she will put you to bed at once when I have got + you finally together. Come, Sally, and you, Kaetheli, go home now." +</p> +<p> + With these words she took Ritz by the hand, and drew him up the stone + steps into the house, and wanted to bring him up the stairs to the + bedroom. Then everything was over and no rescue from going to bed at + once. Now Ritz stopped his aunt and groaned: "I must—I must—I have to + write three sentences for punishment." +</p> +<p> + "There we have it." But Ritz looked so miserable that Auntie felt great + pity for him. "Come in here," she said, and shoved him into the + living-room, "and take out your things." +</p> +<p> + Now she sat down beside him and the whole affair proceeded finely. Not + that Auntie formed the sentences, no indeed, she was not going to cheat + the teacher; but she knew well what was needed to form a sentence and + she pushed and spurred Ritz and brought so many things before him, and + reminded him how they looked, that he had his three sentences and his + nine qualities together in no time. Now there came a feeling to Ritz + that he had not acted right, when he said that an aunt must not always + be reminding people, and when now Auntie asked: "Ritz, why had you to + write the sentences?" then the feeling grew stronger in him, for he felt + that he could not tell the cause of his punishment without making his + aunt angry. He stuttered, "I have—I have—the teacher has said, that I + made an unfitting sentence." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I can imagine that," said Auntie. "Now quickly to bed." +</p> +<p> + Edi and Ritz slept in the same room and that was the place where the two + boys, every evening after the mother had said evening prayer with them, + and they were alone, exchanged their deepest thoughts and experiences + with one another and talked them over. Ritz had the greatest respect for + Edi, for although the latter was only a little older, yet he was already + in the fourth class, and he himself was only in the second, and in + history Edi knew more than the scholars in the fifth and some in the + sixth class. When now the two were well tucked in their beds, Ritz said: + "Edi, was it a sin that I said Auntie must not always remind?" Edi + thought a bit, such a case had never come to him. After a while he said: + "You see, Ritz, it goes thus: if you have done something that is a sin, + then you must go at once to Daddy and confess, there is no help for it; + but if you do that, then everything comes again in order and you feel + happy again, and afterwards you look out not to do the sinful thing + again. I can tell you that, Ritz. But if you do not confess, then you + are always full of fear when a door is slammed or a letter-carrier + unexpectedly brings a letter, then you think at once: 'There now, + everything will come out.' And so you are never sure nor safe and you + feel a pressure in the chest. But there is another thing that presses so + hard that you can think of nothing else, for example, if you have given + away a rabbit, you regret it afterwards. But there is a remedy and I + have tried it many a time, and it helps. You must think of something + dreadful, like a large fire, when everything is burnt up, the fortress + and the soldiers in it and all historical books, and—all at once you + think everything backwards and you have everything; then you are so glad + that you think: what difference does a rabbit make? You still have + everything else. Now Ritz, try that and see if it helps you, then you + can find out whether everything passes away or whether you have to tell + Daddy tomorrow." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I will try it," said Ritz somewhat indistinctly, and soon after he + took such deep breaths that Edi knew what was going on. He heaved a sigh + and said: "Oh, Ritz, you are asleep and I wanted to tell you so much + about the old Egyptian." +</p> +<p> + A little while afterwards the whole peaceful parsonage of Upper Wood lay + in deep sleep; only old 'Lizebeth went about the passage calling: "Bs, + bs, bs." She wanted to get the old grey cat into the kitchen to catch + the mice during the night. 'Lizebeth had been in the parsonage of Upper + Wood as long as one could remember, for there had always been a son, and + when the time had come, then he had become parson in Upper Wood. First + 'Lizebeth had served the grandfather, then the father and now the son, + and she had long since elected Edi as the future minister, and intended + to look after his house when he should be the master here. +</p> +<a name="2HCH2"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>A Call in the Village</i></p> +<p> + The friendly village Upper Wood lay on the top of the hill close by the + fir wood; it had a beautiful white church with a high, slender tower. At + a distance of three-quarters of an hour's walk, down in the valley, lay + Lower Wood, a small community which, however, did not wish to be + considered smaller. They had a new schoolhouse and a church of their + own, but the church had no tower, only a little red dome. Therefore the + people of Upper Wood were a little proud, because their church was much + prettier and also because they learned much more in the old schoolhouse + in Upper Wood than in the new one of Lower Wood; but that was the + children's fault, not the teacher's. In the middle, between the two + villages lay a hamlet consisting of a few farms and some small houses of + little pretense. It was called the Middle Lot, and its people the Middle + Lotters. They had the choice to what church and school they wished to + belong, whether to Lower Wood or Upper Wood, and according to their + choice they were judged by the people of Upper Wood; for whoever wanted + to learn much and be decent, he must, according to the Upper Wooders, + strive to belong to them. This was a fixed and general idea of the + people on the top of the hill. In the Middle Lot there lived only two + families who were generally respected; the Justice of Peace, who was + obliged to live there because otherwise he would have to be called + there, and that would have been inconvenient. This peace-making man was + Kaetheli's father. And the other was old Marianne, who lived in her own + house and pulled horse-hair for a living, and never did harm to anyone. +</p> +<p> + When on the next morning the three children of the parsonage passed + Marianne's house on their way to school, Sally said: "It is fun to go to + school to-day for the strange boy of yesterday will come too; if we only + knew his name. Kaetheli described him to me; he wears velvet pants. Of + course he will come to Upper Wood to school." +</p> +<p> + "Of course," said Edi with a dignified air; "who would think of going to + Lower Wood to School?" +</p> +<p> + "Of course, who would go there to school?" observed Ritz. +</p> +<p> + Then the three in perfect harmony entered the schoolhouse. But no + strange face was to be seen in the whole schoolroom; everything went on + in the usual way to the end of the morning. Then everyone hurried away + in different directions. Sally was standing there, somewhat undecided; + she would like to have heard something new of the strange boy and his + mother, for she loved to hear news, and now not even Kaetheli, with whom + she talked things over, had been in school. But now she saw Edi soaring + along like an arrow into the midst of a crowd of boys, and they all + acted so strangely and they shouted so strangely that Sally thought that + something particular must be in preparation there, and no doubt + concerned the new-comers. Then she could hear something from Edi. She + went slowly on and kept on turning round, but Edi did not come, and only + after Sally had long since greeted the mother and was about to call her + father out of his study for dinner, did the two brothers come running + along, their faces red as fire, and breathless, for they had lingered to + the last moment. The father was just leaving his study when both rushed + toward him and now it began: "We have—the Middle Lotters—with the + Lower Wooders—" +</p> +<p> + "Hush, hush," said the father. "First get your breath, then relate, one + after the other; but before anything, first the soup." With these words + the father took Ritz's hand, and Sally and Edi followed them into the + dining-room. Sally pulled Edi a little back and whispered: +</p> +<p> + "Tell me quickly, what did they tell about the strange boy?" +</p> +<p> + "About him?" returned Edi in a somewhat scornful tone. "I had forgotten + all about him! We have something else to do than to talk about a strange + boy, of whom one does not even know whether he will come to Upper Wood + to school." +</p> +<p> + This answer was somewhat unexpected to Sally and had a saddening effect; + but she always could find a way out of an unpleasant situation. So she + sat as still as a mouse during the whole time the soup was eaten, and + her thoughts were hard at work. +</p> +<p> + Now the father turned to Edi and said: "Now you can relate your + adventure, while Ritz remains quiet, and afterwards his turn will come." + Ritz looked quite obedient for he had two large noodles on his plate to + work with. +</p> +<p> + But Edi, in a moment, put down knife and fork and quickly began: "Just + think, Papa, we have made three songs, one for each parish. First, the + Lower Wooders began. The sixth class were angry because we laughed at + them, that they only now have to <i>make</i> sentences, and we in the fourth + class have begun to <i>write</i> them already. They made a song about us + which runs: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'Of Upper Wood the boys</p> + <p>They in their minds rejoice</p> + <p>Because they think that they the cleverest are,</p> + <p>But if ever they must fight</p> + <p>They are in sorry plight</p> + <p>And they turn round and run for ever so far.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "How do you like that song, Papa?" +</p> +<p> + "Well, that is such as Lower Wooders would make," said the father. +</p> +<p> + "And then," Edi continued, "we have made a song for an answer, that goes + thus: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'And of Lower Wood the crowd</p> + <p>They always yell so loud</p> + <p>That they never, never stay within their den,</p> + <p>For all dispute and strife</p> + <p>They are much alive</p> + <p>For they use their fists when they ought to use their pen.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "How do you like this one, Papa?" +</p> +<p> + "Just about the same. And who has sung about the Middle Lot?" asked the + father. +</p> +<p> + "The Lower Wooders and we together; they too had to have a song, but the + shortest, as it ought to be. It runs so: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'And they of Middle Lot</p> + <p>They all together plot</p> + <p>That they are striving zealously for peace,</p> + <p>But with quarrelling they never cease.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "And how do you like that, Papa?" +</p> +<p> + "They are, all three of them, kind of fighting songs, Edi," answered the + father, "and I should prefer that you keep busy with your history + studies, instead of taking sides in these party-fights. One never knows + where one comes out, and such poetry usually ends with lumps on the + heads." +</p> +<p> + Edi seemed much disappointed as he attacked his noodles with a visibly + spoiled appetite. +</p> +<p> + "And what has been your experience, Sally? Why are you so pensive?" the + father continued. +</p> +<p> + "Kaetheli was not at school," reported Sally, "and I had so much to talk + over with her. Perhaps she is sick; may I go to see her this afternoon? + We have no school, you know." +</p> +<p> + "Aha, Sally wants to see the strange boy," the sharp-witted Edi + remarked. +</p> +<p> + "You may go, Sally," the mother said, answering a questioning look from + the father. "But you will not go into any house where you have no + business, just to look at strangers. I know you are capable of doing + such things. You can start soon after dinner." +</p> +<p> + Sally was very happy. She quickly fetched her straw hat and took leave. + But outside she did not run straight through the passage-way as she + usually did in similar cases, but went to the kitchen door and peeped + in, and when she saw 'Lizebeth at the sink, where the latter was + scraping her pans, she went in very close to the old woman and said + somewhat mysteriously: "'Lizebeth, does Edi or Ritz perhaps have a torn + mattress on their bed?" +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth stopped scraping and turned round. She looked at Sally from + head to foot, put her hands on her hips and said very slowly and + importantly: "May I ask what you mean by that question, Sally? Do you + think this household is so carried on that one lies about on ragged + mattresses and sleeps, until a little one, who is far from old enough to + turn a mattress, thinks of coming to ask 'does not this one or that one + have a ragged mattress' on his bed? Yes, Sally, what cobwebs you do have + in your head." +</p> +<p> + "I do not care about the mattress, it is on account of Marianne that I + ask," Sally explained. "Do you know, she now has some new people in her + house and I should so much like to see them, and therefore I wanted so + much to know whether you could not sacrifice a mattress so that Marianne + could pull the horsehair for a mattress, for Mother will not let me go + into the house without a good excuse." +</p> +<p> + "Oh, so! that is different," said 'Lizebeth quite mildly, for she had + also been wondering what kind of people her old friend had taken into + her home, and now, perhaps, she could learn something about them through + Sally. +</p> +<p> + "I can help you, Sally," she said. "You go to Marianne and tell her that + I send my greetings, and I have long since intended to come and see her, + but the likes of us cannot get away when we want to; we never know what + may happen if we are out of the house for five minutes; but tell her + that I will surely come some fine Sunday. Now then go, and give my + message." +</p> +<p> + Sally ran with a joyous heart, first through the garden, then away over + the meadow and down the hill as far as the fir wood, where the dry road + lay for a long stretch in the shade. Here Sally slackened her pace a + little. It was so beautiful to walk along in shade of the trees, where + above in their tops the wind rustled so delightfully and all the birds + sang in confusion. She also had to consider how she would arrange her + calls, whether she would go first to Kaetheli or to Marianne; but this + time old Marianne had a stronger attraction than Kaetheli and Sally felt + that she must go there first and give her message. Now her thoughts fell + on the strange people and she had to imagine how they looked and what + she was going to say, and what they would say when she knocked and asked + for Marianne. Thus she thought everything well out, for Sally had a + great power of imagining things. +</p> +<p> + In this way she came to the first houses of Middle Lot. She turned away + from the road and went toward Marianne's house, which stood a little way + from the road and lay almost hidden behind a hedge. As Sally had been + accustomed to do, she now ran right into the house, although the house + door was also the kitchen door. After entering the front door she stood + in the small kitchen and was at once before another door which led into + the living-room. This door stood wide open and Sally found herself + suddenly in the presence of a lady dressed in black, who sat in that + room sewing and who lifted her head at Sally's noisy entrance, and with + large sad eyes she looked at the child in silence. +</p> +<p> + Sally grew as red as fire and in her embarrassment remained standing + near the door like one rooted to the floor. +</p> +<p> + Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here, + dear child, what brings you to me?" +</p> +<p> + Sally was quite confused. She did not remember why she had come, for she + had really not come to see Marianne. She had invented that—to get into + the house where she had arrived now so unexpectedly. She approached the + lady and wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Sally grew + crimson and stood there more helpless than ever before in her life. +</p> +<p> + The lady took the child's hand and stroked her glowing cheeks. +</p> +<p> + "Come, sit down beside me, dear child," she then said, with a voice so + sweet that it went deep into Sally's heart. "Come, we shall come + gradually to know each other a little." +</p> +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="images/001t.jpg" width="150" alt= + "Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone,'Come here, dear child,'..."></a></p> +<h4><i>"Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, + 'Come here, dear child,'..."</i></h4> +<p> </p> +<p> + Now there came from out of a corner a quick noise of moving; Sally did + not know what it was, for until now she had not dared to look around the + room, but now she looked up. +</p> +<p> + A boy, a little taller than she, was carrying a small easy chair and + placed it before Sally. He looked at her with such a merry face as the + restrained laughter came so visibly out of his eyes, that the sight + brought a complete reversion in Sally's feelings, and she, all at once, + laughed right out; upon which, the boy too, relieved his feelings by a + bright peal of laughter, for the rushing in and then the confusion of + the unexpected guest had long since tempted him to laugh; but he was too + well trained to dare to break out. +</p> +<p> + "Well, my child," said the mother with that winning voice, "and what has + brought you to me?" +</p> +<p> + "I have—I ought to—I wanted," Sally began hesitatingly, "I wanted to + give a message to Marianne—" Sally could not stop at half the truth. + The sad, friendly eyes of the lady were penetratingly resting on hers, + so everything had to come out as it was. +</p> +<p> + "That is lovely and friendly of you, that you want to see us, dear + little girl. How did you hear of us?" asked the lady, and took off + Sally's straw hat, while she put the question to the child. She placed + the hat on the table and smoothed her hair with a mother's touch. +</p> +<p> + Now Sally related all in full confidence how it had happened, and that + she and her two brothers had wanted to come yesterday to find out who + was coming to live with Marianne, and to find out how the piano and all + the other things could find room in the little house. Sally now, for the + first time, looked around the room and she had to wonder a little, for + she saw only the piano and four bare walls, and then there were the two + easy chairs on which she and the lady were sitting, and the small table. + She knew that besides this room there was a very small bedroom, where + two beds could hardly find room. Sally could not set herself to rights; + all was so different from what she had imagined. She had expected to see + strange and foreign things standing about everywhere and now she saw + nothing besides an old piano. And yet the lady who sat before her in a + black silken dress looked more aristocratic than Sally could ever have + imagined; and the boy in his velvet suit looked quite like the old + knights in Edi's beautiful picture book, and he had brought her a seat + without anyone telling him, and was more refined and courteous than she + had ever before seen a boy. +</p> +<p> + When Sally turned her surprised eyes again to the lady, she saw such a + painful expression in her face that it came involuntarily into her mind + how the mother had said, that of course "she would not go there for the + sake of staring at the people," and she felt that she was doing + something very much like it. Sally rose. All at once she remembered to + whom she really wanted to go, so she said hastily: "I must go to + Kaetheli; she may be sick." With these words she quickly offered her + hand to the lady. +</p> +<p> + The lady, too, had risen; she took the proffered hand, held it between + both of hers, and looked once more so lovingly into the child's eyes, + that her little heart was moved. Then she kissed her forehead and said: + "You dear child, you were a friendly picture in our quiet room." +</p> +<p> + Then she let go of her hand, and Sally went through the open door into + the small kitchen. The boy, meanwhile, had opened the house door and now + he stood outside quite courteously, like a doorkeeper, to bid Sally + good-bye. +</p> +<p> + "Are you not coming to school tomorrow?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed," was the answer. +</p> +<p> + That pleased Sally very much and she at once decided that he must become + Edi's friend, for she had taken a great liking to the boy and when he + was Edi's friend then he would be hers too, and he must come every + Sunday afternoon and spend it with them and they would teach him all + kinds of games; and many undertakings passed through her brain, for with + this friend everything could be carried out; he was so entirely + different from other boys and girls in the school. "Then you are coming + to-morrow?" she asked with happy expectation. +</p> +<p> + "Where shall I come?" he questioned in return. +</p> +<p> + "To school, of course." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed, I'll come to school." +</p> +<p> + "Well, then, good-bye," said Sally, giving her hand, "but I do not know + your name." +</p> +<p> + "Erick—and yours?" +</p> +<p> + "Sally." +</p> +<p> + Now they shook hands, and Erick remained standing in the doorway until + Sally had turned round the hedge, then he shut the door and Sally ran + toward the house of the Justice of Peace. Before she reached it, old + Marianne met her, panting under the large bundle of horsehair which she + was carrying on her head. Sally was delighted to see her, for she had + just remembered that she had not given 'Lizebeth's message. She rushed + so quickly toward the old woman and with such force, that the latter + went back some steps and almost lost her balance, and Sally cried out: + "Marianne, you have such nice people in your rooms. Do you talk much + with them? Do you cook for them? Do you buy the things they need? Have + they no maid? Do you make their beds?" +</p> +<p> + "Gently, gently," said Marianne, who had recovered her balance, "else I + lose my breath. But tell me, how did you get into the people's room? I + hope you know how I am to be found." +</p> +<p> + Sally told her that she, for the shorter way, had not gone round the + house, where, in the woodshed, a narrow stair went up to Marianne's + small room; but that she had wanted to run in the front way, through the + kitchen, and out the back door; but that she had stood suddenly before + the open door of the room and under the eyes of the lady. +</p> +<p> + "You must never do that again," Marianne interrupted Sally, raising her + finger warningly. "Do you hear that, Sally? Never do that again. They + are not people into whose home you can rush, as if they were living on + the highway." +</p> +<p> + "But the lady was quite friendly, Marianne," soothed Sally, "she was not + at all offended." +</p> +<p> + "That makes no difference, she is always so, she could not be otherwise, + and just on that account, and on account of many other things, do you + hear, Sally? Promise that you never again go that way when you want to + come to me. Will you promise?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed I will. I do not intend to do it again. Good night, + Marianne! Now I have forgotten the main thing: 'Lizebeth sends her + greetings and she will come to see you on a fine Sunday." +</p> +<p> + The last words came from some distance, for Sally had already started on + a run while she gave the message, and when Marianne wanted to send her + greetings, Sally was already far away. After a few more jumps Sally + arrived at the house of the Justice of Peace, in front of which stood a + large apple tree which shaded the stone well. Here stood Kaetheli who + did not look sick at all, but splashed with two fat, red arms about the + water in which she seemed to clean some object eagerly. +</p> +<p> + "Then you are not sick. Why didn't you come to school then?" Sally + called out when she saw her. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, it is you? Good evening! I could not make out who was jumping + about, and I hadn't the time to look," Kaetheli said with some + importance. "That is also the reason why I did not go to school. I + hadn't the time, for Mother has gone away today to see sick Grandmother, + and then we got young chickens, twelve quite small ones, and that is why + I have to wash a stocking, for I have run after the chicks everywhere + and near the barn I stepped in the dirt quite deep. But come, I will + show you the chickens. Never mind if I have only one stocking on." +</p> +<p> + But Sally had only very little time left and besides, her head was full + of quite different things and she wanted to hear Kaetheli tell of + something else than the new chickens, so she said quite decisively: "No, + Kaetheli, I haven't time enough to see the chickens. I only wanted to + know whether you were ill and I want to tell you something. I have seen + the strange lady and the boy whom you know. He does look nice. Do you + know his name?" +</p> +<p> + "He?" said Kaetheli, shrugging her shoul- ders. "Of course I know. His + name is Erick and just think, he goes to school at Lower Wood; I have + seen him myself today, with his school sack, going there." +</p> +<p> + That was a blow for Sally. He went to school at Lower Wood. What was now + to come of her beautiful plans? Of all the planned Sundays which were to + be so full of joy and delight, and the whole friendship with the + prepossessing Erick? For how could Edi ever be brought to making friends + with a fellow who went to Lower Wood to school, when he just as well + might have gone to Upper Wood? Sally was very downcast, but she did not + easily give up a pleasant intention. On the way home she wanted to think + what could be done, therefore she stretched out her hand to the + astonished Kaetheli, and this time the invitation, to at least come into + the room and eat a piece of bread and butter, was not accepted; nor + would she go with Kaetheli behind the barn where they could fetch down + ripe cherries from the large cherry tree—it was all of no use. +</p> +<p> + "Another time, Kaetheli, it is already so late I must go home," and + Sally ran away. Kaetheli stood there much surprised and looked after + her, and in her bright mind she thought: "Sally has something new in her + head, else I could have brought her to the cherry tree, for she is not + always so anxious to go home; but I will find out what it is." +</p> +<p> + Meanwhile Sally ran for a long stretch, then she began to walk slower, + for she had to think over so many things and she was so lost in her + plans that she forgot when she arrived at the garden which stretched + from her home far into the meadows. Ritz stood on the low wall and + beckoned with wild gestures, for Sally had not seen him at first. +</p> +<p> + "Do come a little quicker so that you can tell something, else we will + have to go to bed, for Auntie has already looked twice at her watch. + Were you in the barn at Kaetheli's? How many cows are in it? Have you + seen the young goat?" +</p> +<p> + But Sally had different things in her head. She hastily stepped into the + house, while Ritz followed. The rest of the family were in the + living-room. Mother and Auntie were mending stockings; Father was + reading a large church paper. Edi, his head supported on both hands, sat + lost in his history book. Sally had hardly opened the door when she + cried out with much excitement: "Oh, Mother, you ought to have seen how + friendly the lady was, and she is so beautiful and so gentle and so + good, and quite an aristocratic lady; and Erick in his velvet suit is + like a knight, and so fine and polite. Edi could not find a nicer + friend." +</p> +<p> + They all looked surprised at Sally, and a pause followed this outburst. + Sally had quite forgotten that she was not to go to the strange people, + and that she had given, as the object of her walk, the call on Kaetheli. + She now remembered everything and she grew very red. +</p> +<p> + "But, dear child," said the mother, "did you really, in spite of + opposition from me, press into the home of the strange people? How could + you enter the house without an excuse?" +</p> +<p> + "Not without an excuse, Mamma," said Sally, somewhat embarrassed. + "'Lizebeth had given me a message for old Marianne." +</p> +<p> + "Which the inquisitive Sally fetched in the kitchen for the purpose of + carrying out her plan, that is clear," remarked Auntie. When the whole + truth lay open to the light of day, Sally felt relieved and she returned + with new zeal to her communication. She had much to describe: the empty + room and the silk dress of the lady, and her sad glances, and then the + knightly Erick with his joyous laughter and the merry eyes; but she + could not describe it all so attractively as it seemed to her. +</p> +<p> + "So," said Edi, looking up from his book, "now you have another friend. + It will go, no doubt, with him as with little Leopold!" After giving her + this fling he bent again over his book and read on, taking no notice of + anything. +</p> +<p> + Sally did not find the desired sympathy. She was so full of her + impressions that she felt Mother and Aunt should be all afire and aflame + for her new friendship. Instead of that, the two kept on mending the + stockings; Father did not even look up from his paper and Edi had only a + satirical remark for sympathy. Sally had rather a bad reputation for + making friendships. Almost every week she saw some one who appealed to + her so much, that she must make a friendship at once; but the + friendships were mostly of short duration, for she had imagined + something else than she often found on looking closer. This made her + quite unhappy at the time, but the next week she had already found some + one else who filled her thoughts. +</p> +<p> + The last unfortunate friendship had brought forth Edi's satire to a + greater degree. The tailor of Upper Wood had three sons, and since the + father on his wanderings had spent some time in Vienna he gave his sons, + in remembrance of the beautiful days which he spent there, the names of + three Austrian grand dukes. It was this strange name that had first + attracted Sally; to that was added that Leopold, the oldest of the sons, + who had lived with his grandfather until now, but had come recently to + Upper Wood, always wore elegant jackets and pants after the latest cut. + Leopold had entered Sally's class and his appearance had at once + inspired her. But he was so small and dainty that he received the name + Leopoldy from the whole school. The rumor had preceded Leopold, that he + had staid three years in the same class in the town where his + grandfather lived. So Edi looked down on Leopoldy from an elevation of a + fourth class boy and noticed with scorn how Sally found pleasure in the + little fellow and befriended him. But that did not last long for, after + a trial of a week, Leopoldy was set back two classes, since he had been + put in the fifth class on account of his years, but not his deserts. In + these eight days Sally had discovered, with sorrow, that Leopoldy was + unusually silly, and Sally was glad that the enormous gap that lies + between the fifth and third class, made easier the rupture of this + friendship which could not continue, for nothing could be done with + Leopoldy. So it happened that no one listened with sympathy to the + enthusiastic description which Sally gave of her new friends, for each + one remembered Leopoldy, and that was not inspiring. +</p> +<p> + This general coolness angered Sally very much. She knew her new friends + if they would only believe her. All ought to be so interested in this + mother and her Erick, that they would want to know everything possible + about them, and now no one asked a question and they hardly listened to + her communication. That was too much; Sally had to relieve her tension. + She suddenly broke forth to Edi, who was entirely lost in his book: + "Although you read a thousand books one after the other, and act as if + one did not tell anything, and you think that one must have no + friendship with any human being on this earth but only for the + thousand-thousand-year-old Egyptians, yet you might be glad to have a + friend like Erick." +</p> +<p> + Edi must have just read something that made him solemn, for he looked + quite restrainedly up from his book and said quite seriously: "You see, + Sally, you do not at all know what friendship is, for you believe that + one can have a new friend every week. But one ought to have only one + friend for the whole life, and one must drag his enemy three times + around the walls of Troy." +</p> +<p> + "Then he will have to make a nice journey if he comes from Upper Wood," + remarked Sally quickly. +</p> +<p> + The mother meanwhile had left the room, and Aunt rose from her work. +</p> +<p> + "You will get quite barbaric from pure historical research," she said, + turning to Edi, "but now it is high time to go to bed, quick! But where + is Ritz?" +</p> +<p> + Ritz had withdrawn behind the stove a full hour ago in the hope of there + escaping his fate for some time. But sleep had overcome him in the dark + corner. +</p> +<p> + "Now we have the trouble," the aunt cried, when the sleeper had been + discovered, and only with the greatest difficulty she woke him. +</p> +<p> + While Auntie was pushing and shaking the sleepy Ritz, Edi had tried + several times to get near her, but she had always escaped him. Now a + quiet moment came. Ritz was at last awake. Edi quickly stepped up to his + aunt and said: "I did not mean alive, only after his death, like + Achilles did." +</p> +<p> + "Now he too is talking in his sleep and says all kinds of nonsense," the + aunt cried quite excitedly, for she had long since forgotten Edi's + judgment on the enemy and she did not know what he was talking about. + "No, no, it cannot go on like this, children must go to bed in good + time, else the whole household gets out of joint." +</p> +<p> + Edi wanted to explain once more, only to make it clear to her, and not + to have to go to bed misunderstood, so he had followed her about, and + now a greater misunderstanding had arisen. There was no more chance for + explanation. Ritz and Edi were shoved into their room, the light put on + the table, the door was closed, and away went Auntie. +</p> +<p> + "I am sure Mother will come to us. I must explain everything to her," + Edi said to himself, for to be so misunderstood disquieted the thinking + Edi exceedingly. And the mother came as she did every evening, and she + promised to make everything clear to Auntie, so he could be pacified and + find the sleep which Ritz long since had found again. +</p> +<a name="2HCH3"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>'Lizebeth on the Warpath</i></p> +<p> + On the following morning 'Lizebeth stood full of expectation at the + kitchen door, and made all kinds of signs when Sally came rushing into + the living-room from breakfast. The signs were indeed understood by the + child but she had no time to go to the kitchen. She waved her school-bag + and shouted in rushing by 'Lizebeth: "When I come from school; it is too + late now!" Followed by Edi and Ritz she continued her run. +</p> +<p> + Something very particular must be in preparation, for after school all + the scholars were standing again in a dense circle, beating their hands + in the air and shouting as loud as they could, to have their views + heard. Sally, who had waited a few moments for her brothers, went on + home for she knew how long such meetings were apt to last and that her + brothers would only arrive home when the soup was being served. Sally + stepped into the house and with her school-bag in her hand she went + straight to the kitchen. +</p> +<p> + "Now I will tell you everything that happened yesterday, 'Lizebeth," she + said. +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth nodded encouragingly and Sally began, and became more and more + excited the longer she talked. She was most excited when she came to + telling about the lady and her little boy, describing the way she + talked, how she and the boy were dressed, and her aristocratic way. But + all at once 'Lizebeth jumped as if a wasp had stung her and she called + out, "What do you say, Sally? This woman wears a silk dress in the + middle of the week? Silk? And she lives at Marianne's? And the boy wears + velvet pants and a jacket all of velvet? Well, well! I have lived ten + years with your great-grandfather and thirty with your grandfather and + twelve with your father, and I have seen your father grow up from the + first day of his life and your little brothers. And I have known them + since they were babies and none of them ever had velvet pants on their + body, and yet they were all ministers, your great-grandfather, your + grandfather, your father, and the little ones will be ministers too, and + none of them ever had even a piece of velvet on them and this woman in + the middle of the week walks about in silk, yes indeed! And then taking + rooms at Marianne's and living where the basket mender has lived, I tell + you, Sally, there is something behind that! But it has to come out, and + if Marianne wants to help a hundred times to cover it up, I tell you, + Sally, I will bring out what is behind it all. Yes, indeed, velvet + pants? I wonder what we shall hear next!" +</p> +<p> + Sally stood quite astounded before the anger-spouting 'Lizebeth, and + could not understand the cause of this outbreak. But she had enough of + it, so she turned round and hastened into the sitting-room, where, + according to her expectations, at the very last moment, just when + 'Lizebeth came into the room with the soup tureen, the brothers + appeared, in a peculiar way. At each side of 'Lizebeth one crawled into + the room, then shot straight across the room, like the birds before a + storm shoot through the air so that one fears they will run their heads + against something. Fortunately the two boys did not run their heads + against anything, but each landed quite safely on his chair, and at once + 'Lizebeth placed the soup on the table; but so decidedly and with such + an angry face, as if she wanted to say: "There! If you had to put up + with what I have to, then you would not trouble about your soup." +</p> +<p> + When she was again out of the room the father said, looking at his wife: + "There will be a thunder storm, sure signs are visible." Then turning to + his sons he continued: "But what do boys deserve, who come so late to + table and from pure bad conscience almost knock it over?" +</p> +<p> + Ritz looked crestfallen into his plate, and from there in a somewhat + roundabout way past his mother's plate, slyly across to his aunt, to see + whether it looked like an order to go to bed at once. And it was so + beautiful today, how beautiful the running about this evening after + school would be! +</p> +<p> + There was no order, for the general attention was claimed by 'Lizebeth, + who with the same signs of snorting anger threw more than placed the + rest of the meal on the table and then grumbled herself out again. +</p> +<p> + As soon as dinner was over the father put on his little velvet cap and + went in perfect silence out into the garden. For the storms in the house + were more unpleasant to him than those that come from the sky. As soon + as he had left the room 'Lizebeth stood in the doorway, both arms akimbo + and looking quite warlike; she said: "I should think it would make no + difference if I were to make a call on Marianne. I should think it is + fully four years since I went to see her in the Middle Lot." +</p> +<p> + The pastor's wife had listened with astonishment to this speech, which + sounded very reproachful. Now she said soothingly: "But, 'Lizebeth, I + should hope that you do not think that I would oppose your going to + Marianne or anywhere else; or that I ever have done so. Do go as soon as + you feel like it." +</p> +<p> + "Just as if nothing had to be done, and as if I were and had been on a + visit in the parsonage at Upper Wood for fifty years and more," was the + answer. "No, no, I know what has to be done if no one else does. I can + wait until Sunday afternoon; that is a time when the likes of me may go + out, and if it suits the lady then, then I go, and shall not stay away + very long. Why? I know why if no one else knows it." +</p> +<p> + "Of course that suits me, too," the lady pacified again, "do just what + you think best." She did not say more for she had already noticed that a + fire of anger was kindled in 'Lizebeth which would blaze up if another + word fell in it. She could not imagine what had struck 'Lizebeth, but + she found it more advisable not to touch on it. So 'Lizebeth grumbled + for a little while, then she went away, since no further chance for + outbreaks was offered. But there was no peace during the whole week; all + noticed that, and each went carefully by 'Lizebeth as if she were a + powder magazine which, at a careless touch, might fly up in the air at + any moment. At last Sunday came. 'Lizebeth, after dinner, rushed about + the kitchen with such a great noise, one could notice that many thoughts + were working in her which she tried to give vent to. But she went into + her room only after everything was bright and in its place. +</p> +<p> + She dressed herself in her Sunday-best and entered the sitting-room to + take leave, just as though she was going on a long journey, for it was + an event for 'Lizebeth to leave the parsonage for several hours. Now she + wandered with slow steps along the road and looked to the right and left + on the way to see what was growing in the field belonging to this or + that neighbor. But her thoughts began again to work in her; one could + see that, for she began to walk quicker and quicker and to talk half + aloud to herself. Now she had arrived. Marianne had seen her from her + little window and was surprised that this time 'Lizebeth was so soon + keeping her promise. For years she had promised, had sent the messages + that she would soon come; but she had never come and now she was there + after the message had been brought only three days ago. Marianne went to + meet her friend with a pleasant smile and welcomed her near the hedge + before the cottage; then she conducted her guest around the cottage and + up the narrow, wooden stairs. 'Lizebeth did not like this way and before + she had reached the top of the stairs she had to speak out. +</p> +<p> + "Listen, Marianne," she said, "formerly one dared to come in the front + door and through the kitchen, but now your oldest friends have to come + by the back way, which, no doubt, is on account of the strange people + whom you have taken into your house. I have heard much of them and now I + see for myself that they, from pure pride, do not know what to order + next, that you dare not go through your own house." +</p> +<p> + "Dear me, 'Lizebeth, what queer thoughts you do have," said Marianne, + quite frightened. "That is not true, no one has forbidden me anything. + And the people are so good and not a bit proud, and so friendly, and so + kind and humble." +</p> +<p> + "Catch your breath, Marianne," 'Lizebeth interrupted her; "with all your + excitement you cannot prove that white is black, and when such people + come along, no one knows whence, and take a living-room and a bedroom in + such a hut, so hidden as yours is, Marianne, where they pay next to + nothing, and the woman struts about in a silk skirt and her little son + in velvet; then there is something behind it all, and if she has silk + skirts then she must have other things too, and she must know why she + hides all these things in a hut which really does not look larger than a + large henhouse. I wanted only to warn you, Marianne; you surely will be + the loser with such a crowd." +</p> +<p> + "'Lizebeth," Marianne said now more emphatically than she had ever been + known to speak, "it would be well, if all people were as this woman is, + and you and I could thank God if we were like her. I have never in this + world seen a better and a more patient and a more amiable human being. + And in regard to the silk skirt, please be still and do not talk about + it, 'Lizebeth; many a thing looks different to what it really is, and it + would be better for you, if you would not load your conscience with + wrong against a suffering woman on whom God has His eye." +</p> +<p> + Marianne did not wish to tell what she knew, that the lady had only the + one skirt and no other whatsoever, and so, of course, was obliged to + wear it. She did not want to tell that to 'Lizebeth now she heard how + the latter judged. +</p> +<p> + "I do not think of loading my conscience with anything," 'Lizebeth + continued, "and that much is not as it looks, that I know; but when a + little boy of whom no one knows from where he came, wears velvet pants + on bright week-days and even a velvet jacket, then they are velvet pants + and do not only look so, that is certain. There is something behind that + and it will come out and it will not look the best. Yes indeed, wearing + velvet pants, such a little tramp of whom no one knows from where he + comes, yes indeed." +</p> +<p> + "Do not sin against the dear boy," Marianne said seriously. "Look at him + and you will see that he looks like a little angel, and he is one." +</p> +<p> + "So, that too," 'Lizebeth continued, "and pray when did you see an + angel, Marianne, that you know he looks just like them? I should like to + know! But I have served over fifty years in a respectable house, and I + have helped to bring up the old parson, and the present one and his two + sons; but we have never known anything of velvet pants, no, never, and + we were, I should think, different people from these. That is what I + wanted to tell you, Marianne, and that is the main reason why I came to + you, so that you should know what one is forced to think. And with + regard to the angels, I can tell you that we have a little boy that + looks exactly like the angels that blow the trumpets in the picture; + such fat, firm, red cheeks has our Moritzli, like painted, and such + round arms and legs." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, it is true, little Ritz was always a splendid little fellow, I + should like to see him again," Marianne answered good-naturedly. +</p> +<p> + This reconciled 'Lizebeth a little; in a much friendlier tone she said: + "Then come again to Upper Wood, you will have time, more than I. Then + you can look at the other, too, and can see what a pretty, straight nose + he has, that no angel could have a prettier one, and in the whole school + he is by far the brightest,—that the teacher himself says of Eduardi." +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth always called the boys by their full names, for the shortening + of the names, Ritz and Edi, seemed to her a degrading of their names and + an injustice to her favorites. +</p> +<p> + "Yes, yes, I believe you. What a delight it must be to see such a + well-ordered household and all so happy together and so joyous," + Marianne said with a sigh, and she threw a glance at the room of the + stranger, and now 'Lizebeth was completely pacified, for she felt the + parsonage again on the top. +</p> +<p> + "What is the matter with the people?" she asked with compassion. +</p> +<p> + "I do not know what to say," was the answer, "I do not understand it all + myself." +</p> +<p> + "I thought as much, with such strangers one is never secure." +</p> +<p> + "No, no, I did not mean anything like that," Marianne opposed. "I tell + you they are the best people one could find. I would do anything for the + woman." +</p> +<p> + Marianne did not like to tell her friend what she knew and to consult + with her about things she could not comprehend, for 'Lizebeth had + evidently no love for the two and was full of distrust, and Marianne had + taken them both into her heart so that she could not bear sharp remarks + about them even from her good friend. She therefore was silent and + 'Lizebeth could get nothing more out of her concerning her lodgers. +</p> +<p> + During this long talk a good deal of time had passed. 'Lizebeth rose + from the wooden bench behind the table where she and Marianne had been + sitting and was about to bid good-bye. But Marianne would not allow + that, for the friend must first drink a cup of coffee; then she was + going to walk with her. So they did, and as the two friends wandered + together through the evening, they had much to tell each other and were + very talkative; only when 'Lizebeth began to talk about the strangers in + Marianne's house, was the latter silent and hardly spoke. Where the road + went into the woods, they parted, and Marianne had to promise to return + the call as soon as possible. Then 'Lizebeth stepped out vigorously and + arrived at home in such good spirits that the parson's wife resolved to + send her often to Marianne on a visit. +</p> +<p> + When Marianne on her return came near her cottage, she heard lovely + singing; she well knew the song. Every evening at twilight the stranger + sat down at the piano and sang, and she sang so beautifully and with a + voice that came from such depths that it touched Marianne's heart so + that she could not tear herself away when she heard the song, until it + was ended. But there was one song in particular which Marianne loved to + hear and which the woman sang every day, either at the beginning or the + end of her songs. It always seemed as if a great joy came into her voice + and as if she wanted to make this joy appeal to all who listened. And + yet this song touched Marianne's heart so deeply that she wept every + time she heard it. So it happened this evening. There was a log lying + before the house-door which served her for a resting-place when, in the + evening, she wanted to get a little fresh air. She rolled it under the + window so that she might look for a moment into the room. There sat the + lady, and her large blue eyes looked up to the evening sky so seriously + and sorrowfully, and yet there was something which sounded again like a + great joy in the beautiful song she was singing. The little boy sat on a + footstool beside her and looked at his mother with his joyful, bright + eyes, and listened to the singing. +</p> +<p> + Marianne could not look long. A strange feeling came over her, and she + stepped down from the log, put her apron to her eyes and wept and wept, + until the singing had died away. +</p> +<a name="2HCH4"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>The Same Night in Two Houses</i></p> +<p> + When on this evening Edi and Ritz were lying in their bed and Mother had + finished saying evening prayer with them and had closed the door after + her, Edi began: "Have you noticed, Ritz, that Father is almost like God? + He already knows the thing before one has told half of it." +</p> +<p> + "No, I have never noticed that," Ritz replied. "But it is all right, for + then he can do everything he wants to and also make fine weather." +</p> +<p> + "Oh, Ritz, you only look at the profit! but just look at the other + side." Here Edi rose up in bed from pure zeal and continued: "Do you + remember, not long ago I recited our songs, which we made about the + others, to Papa; then he knew at once that we were preparing a big fight + and has forbidden us to take part in it. And this evening they all have + talked it over that I should lead the boys of Upper Wood into battle, + and I have thought it all over and prepared ahead. Then I would be + Fabius Cunctator, and would lead my troops above on the hill round and + round it and would not attack, for you must know that is much safer, and + so Hannibal could do nothing and could not attack me." +</p> +<p> + "Is Hannibal still living then?" asked Ritz serenely. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, Ritz, how indescribably ignorant you are!" Edi remarked + compassionately. "He died more than a thousand years ago. But big Churi, + the leader of the Middle Lotters, our enemies, is Hannibal. But you see, + I just remember something: Churi is not a real Hannibal, for he was a + great and noble general, and Churi cannot represent him; but do you know + what, we can take the strange boy Erick, for Hannibal!—he looks quite + different from Churi,—shall we?" +</p> +<p> + "That is all the same to me since we cannot be in the fight," remarked + Ritz. +</p> +<p> + "That is true, we dare not, I had quite forgotten that," lamented Edi. + "If I only knew what we could do to be in this fight and yet not do + anything that is forbidden." +</p> +<p> + "Don't you know an example in the world's history?" asked Ritz, to whom + his brother presented so often, in cases of need, examples out of this + rich fountain. +</p> +<p> + "No. If we only lived like the old Greeks," Edi answered with a deep + sigh. "When they wanted to know anything of which no one knew the + answer, they quickly drove to Delphi to the oracle and asked advice. + Then there was an answer at once and they knew what was to be done. But + now there are no more oracles, not even in Greece. Isn't that too bad?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, that is too bad," said Ritz rather sleepily, "but I am sure you + will think of another example." +</p> +<p> + Edi began at once to think, but however much he thought, and groped in + his memory and upheaved what he had stored away in his brain, he could + not find in the whole history of the world one single case where some + one had carried out something that the father had forbidden, and yet + stood afterwards with honor before him. For that was what Edi was trying + to find; and he was sitting straight up in his bed in the dark, and in + spite of all his endeavors he could find no way out. And when he now + heard the deep breathing of the sweetly sleeping Ritz, he became too + discouraged to try any more. He lay down on his pillow and was soon + dreaming about the uniform of Fabius Cunctator. +</p> +<p> + Soon after this Marianne too lay down on her couch, but for a long time + sleep would not come. The singing of the lady downstairs had made her + very, very sad; this voice had never before touched her so deeply as it + had done this evening, and she still heard the sound of weeping and + rejoicing in confusion. So Marianne heard the old clock on the wall + strike eleven, then twelve, and yet she could not go to sleep. Now it + seemed to her as if she heard a gentle knocking below in the house. Who + could want anything of her so late in the night? She must be mistaken, + she said to herself. But no, she now heard it quite plainly, somebody + was knocking somewhere. She quickly dressed herself and hastened down to + the kitchen. She opened the front door—no one was there. But the + knocking came again and now Marianne thought that it came from the + sleeping room of her boarders. Softly she opened the door of the room. + Within the pale lady sat on her bed, but she was much paler than usual, + so that Marianne stepped quickly into the room, and much frightened, she + exclaimed: "Dear me! What is the matter? Oh how bad you do look!" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I feel very ill, my good Marianne," the lady answered with her + friendly voice. "I am so sorry that I frightened you so in the middle of + the night; but I had no rest, I was obliged to call you. I have a few + things to tell you and it might have been too late." +</p> +<p> + "Dear, dear! what do you mean?" lamented Marianne. "I will get the + doctor at once from Lower Wood,—he is the nearest." +</p> +<p> + "No, Marianne, I thank you, I know my condition," said the sick woman + soothingly, "it is a cramp in my heart, which often comes and this time + more terribly than usual, and so, my good Marianne, I wanted to tell you + that if I am no longer here tomorrow, will you give this," (and she gave + a small paper to Marianne), "to him who has to prepare for my last + resting-place. It is the only thing that I leave, and which I have saved + for a long time, so that I need not be buried in a pauper's grave. That + must not be, for my father's sake," she added, very softly. +</p> +<p> + "Dear, dear Lord!" Marianne lamented, "grant that it may not be that! Do + think of the dear little boy! Dear Mrs. Dorn, do not take it amiss, I + have never before asked anything at all, but if you leave nothing, what + have I to do with the dear boy? Has he no relatives? Has he no father?" +</p> +<p> + The mother looked at the sleeping Erick, who, with his golden curls + encircling his rosy face, lay there so peacefully and so carefree. She + put her hand on his forehead—for his narrow bed stood quite close to + hers—and said softly: "On earth you have no father any more, my child, + but above in heaven there lives a Father who will not forsake you. I + have given you long since to Him. I know He will care for you and + protect you, so I can go quietly and joyfully. Yes, my good Marianne," + she turned again to the latter, "I have done a great wrong; I have hurt + deeply the best of fathers through disobedience and selfishness. For + that I have suffered much; but in my suffering it was permitted me to + learn how great the love and compassion of our Father in heaven is for + His children, and since then a song of deepest gratitude sounds ever and + ever in my heart: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'I lay in heaviest fetters,</p> + <p>Thou com'st and set'st me free;</p> + <p>I stood in shame and sorrow,</p> + <p>Thou callest me to Thee;</p> + <p>And lift'st me up to honor</p> + <p>And giv'st me heavenly joys</p> + <p>Which cannot be diminished</p> + <p>By earthly scorn and noise.'"</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + The sick woman had folded her hands while she spoke, and in her eyes + there was a wonderful light; but now she sank back on her pillows, + exhausted and pale. Marianne stood there quietly and now and then had to + wipe her eyes. +</p> +<p> + "But now I must run to the doctor,—it is high time," she said, + frightened. "Mrs. Dorn, can I give you anything?" +</p> +<p> + "No, I thank you," the sick woman answered softly. "I thank you for + everything, my good Marianne." +</p> +<p> + The latter now hastily left the house and ran as fast as she could + through the silent night toward Lower Wood. From time to time she had to + stop to get her breath. Then she looked up to the bright star-covered + sky and prayed: "Dear God, help us all." She had great difficulty in + awakening the doctor in Lower Wood at two o'clock in the night; but at + last he heard her knocking and followed her soon after on the road to + her house. When they entered together the room of the sick woman, the + light had burned down and threw a faint light on the quiet, pale face. + The mother had stretched out her arm upon the bed of her child. The boy + had encircled her slender, white hand with both his plump hands, and + held it firmly. The doctor approached and looked closer at the sleeper; + he bent over her for some moments. +</p> +<p> + "Marianne," he said, "loosen the hand out of the little boy's. The woman + is sleeping her eternal sleep, she will nevermore awaken on this earth. + She must have died suddenly from heart failure, while you were away to + fetch me." +</p> +<p> + The doctor left the quiet house at once, and Marianne did as he had told + her. She folded the hands of the departed one on her breast, then she + sat down on Erick's bed, looking now at the serious face of the dead + mother, now at the care-free sleeping boy, and wept quietly, until the + rays of the morning sun fell into the quiet room and roused Marianne to + the consciousness that a new, sad day had begun—a day on which Erick + had to be told that he never again on this earth could take hold of the + loving hand of his mother. +</p> +<a name="2HCH5"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>Disturbance in School and Home</i></p> +<p> + Never before had the schoolmaster of Upper Wood had such hard work with + his schoolchildren as on the morning after this night. Of course there + were times that some were more restless and more dense than usual; but + there were usually a good many with whom he could work successfully. But + today it seemed as though a crowd of excited spirits had taken + possession of the children. All the boys cast uncanny, warlike glances + at each other, even suppressed threatenings were thrust hither and + thither, and when the teacher turned his back such threatening gestures + were made to those who faced him, that they, one and all, rolled their + eyes with wrath and gave the most ridiculous answers. They all were so + eager for the battle, that they could no longer distinguish between + friend and foe, and each shook his clenched fist at the other. +</p> +<p> + Sally and Kaetheli, those model scholars, kept putting their heads + together and whispered continuously like the ripple of a brook. Yes, + indeed, Kaetheli was so brim full of news that she even kept on + whispering to Sally while the latter had to answer questions in + arithmetic and of course got into the most inexplicable confusion. Even + Edi, the very best scholar, forgot his studies and was staring sadly + before him. For just now had come before his mind's eye, during the + rest-period, the great bravery of his troops who, from want of a real + enemy, had put each other in a sorry shape. And he was not allowed to + lead these courageous soldiers against the boasting Churi, and to show + this fellow how a great general does his work! The teacher was just + standing before him and called on him, continuing in the geography + lesson: "Edi, will you tell me the most important productions of Upper + Italy?" +</p> +<p> + Italy! At the sound of that name, the whole war operation stood before + Edi's eyes, for he had studied the minutest details of that region where + the Romans had met their enemies, and Churi, as Hannibal, stood + triumphant before him. Edi, heaving a deep sigh, answered nothing for + the present. +</p> +<p> + "Edi," the master said when no answer came, "I cannot understand what + sadness can be found in our topic, nor what can burden your mind, but + one thing I can see, that today you all are like a herd of thoughtless + sheep with whom nothing can be done. Kaetheli, you magpie, can you stop + a moment and listen to what I am saying? You all are going home. I have + had enough, and everyone—do you understand?—everyone takes home some + home-work for punishment. As you go out, come to my desk, one after the + other, and each will receive his special task." +</p> +<p> + So it was done, and at once the whole crowd rushed with joyous hearts + into the open. For the home-work did not at all suppress the joy that + school had closed a whole half-hour early. Outside on the playground, + the groups who had common interests at once crowded together. The + largest throng pressed around Edi, to listen with much shouting and + noise to his battle plans. +</p> +<p> + At once after leaving the schoolroom Kaetheli took Sally by the hand and + said: "I will go with you for a while, then I can finish telling you + what Marianne told Mother this morning." With this Kaetheli continued + her story, which she had begun in school, and told Sally everything that + had happened last night in Marianne's cottage. Sally listened very + quietly and never said a word. When they arrived at the garden, Kaetheli + had just finished her sad tale; she stood still for a moment and was + surprised that Sally did not say anything; then she said, "Good-bye!" + and ran away. +</p> +<p> + At the noon meal Ritz related faithfully all that had happened in + school: for now, since Sally and even Edi had received home-tasks, he + found that to be more remarkable than sorrowful. Edi seemed somewhat + dejected. When now the small, golden, roasted apples were placed on the + table, Ritz stopped his report and applied himself thoroughly to the + work of eating them. When he had cleared his plate, which was done very + quickly, he looked slyly at the plates of his brother and sister, for he + knew that the second supply of the things on the table came only after + all three had finished their first. When he looked at Sally, his eyes + stayed on her, and after he had watched her attentively for some time, + he said: "Sally, you keep on swallowing as much as you can, but you see, + nothing can go down, because you have put nothing into your mouth, and + your plate stays filled." +</p> +<p> + Now Sally could not restrain her tears longer, for she had with great + difficulty swallowed them, and had been very quiet. Now she burst out + into loud sobbing and said through her tears: "Poor Erick, too, cannot + eat today. Now he has neither father nor mother and is all alone in the + world." +</p> +<p> + Sally's weeping grew louder and louder, for she could not stop, since + she had restrained herself so long. Ritz looked, surprised and startled, + from one to the other; he did not quite understand whether he was to + blame for this. The mother rose, took Sally by the hand, and led her out + of the room. +</p> +<p> + This incident caused a great disturbance at the midday meal. The father + was annoyed and sat without saying a word. The aunt, with great + animation, tried to point out to him with this proof, how excitable + children become when they do not go to bed in good time. Edi, too, sat + quite ill-humoredly before his plate, as if he had to swallow sorrel + instead of little golden apples; for he felt much troubled that his + father had heard of his inattention in the school. Ritz had expected a + kind of admonishing speech from him, because the outburst had taken + place right after he had spoken to Sally. Since it did not come and no + one seemed to trouble about him, he settled himself firmly in his seat + and ate everything that was on Sally's and his mother's plates. +</p> +<p> + When the father went out in the garden soon after, the mother followed + him and led him to the small bench under the apple tree. Seated there + she told him what Sally, continuously interrupted by loud sobbing, had + told her: what had happened during the past night in Marianne's cottage. + And she now asked her husband whether he did not think that some + enquiries ought to be made about these strangers, and whether one ought + not to do something for the little boy who, as it seemed, was standing + all alone in the world. But the pastor was not of her opinion, and said + that these people had turned to Lower Wood for school and church, + therefore he could not interfere at present. His colleague in Lower Wood + would no doubt take everything in hand and see what could be done with + the boy. He was sure that the pastor in Lower Wood would find some + relations of the boy, and he perhaps knew already more about the + strangers, than was suspected. The woman, no doubt, had confided in his + colleague about herself, since she would have had to do that as she had + sent her boy to Lower Wood to school, and perhaps also to Sunday school. + One could not possibly give in to Sally in all her manifold emotions and + pay attention to them. The child had too vivid an imagination and was + yet too young to have the gift of discrimination, and if one should give + in to her fancies one soon would fill the house with Leopoldys and other + creatures, who soon would be turned out of the house or, at least, be + pushed aside by the same Sally, as soon as she saw that the good people + were not as she had imagined them. +</p> +<p> + "I have to take Sally's part somewhat, dear husband," said the mother. + "You are right, she feels very strongly, and she shows these feelings to + everyone whom she meets; but I do not find that wrong, for, wherever she + meets with a response, there she remains faithful to her feelings, and + she loves her friends warmly and constantly. With what devotion has she + adhered to Kaetheli from babyhood! And I much prefer that she go through + life with her warm heart, and expect to find a friend in every human + being, than that she should pass people indifferently, and have no + conception of friendship, although she may meet with many a + disappointment and many a condemnation through this trait." +</p> +<p> + "Both will be her share, in plenty," said the father. "In this direction + we therefore will do our share in saving her from these things as much + as she can be saved." +</p> +<p> + So the mother saw that the best that could be done was to pacify Sally + and to explain to her that nothing could be done at present but + something would be done later from another source. +</p> +<p> + When it became known that the strange woman had died, there was a great + deal of talk, especially among the Middle Lotters, in whose midst the + woman had lived, but had never been seen—a fact which had always caused + suspicion. Since no one knew anything about her past life, then everyone + had the more to say about who she might have been. At any rate, nothing + very good, in that they all agreed, else she would have been friendly + with them and would not have kept herself so apart. When now no + relations appeared and she had to be buried without any mourners, then a + number of stories began to circulate which became more and more + mysterious. For the official of the community had said that, no doubt, + she had been an exile, and the Justice of Peace had added that then she + must have committed very great political crimes. 'Lizebeth was not loath + to bring these stories to the pastor and his wife, for she had never + been able to overcome the thought of the velvet pants. The pastor's + wife shook her head incredulously and forbade 'Lizebeth to carry the + stories further. The pastor said: "There must have been something + crooked, but the woman is now buried, and we will say nothing more about + it." +</p> +<p> + Marianne alone stood opposed to all and told them to their faces that it + was an injustice and wickedness to talk as they did; none of them had + known the woman, else they would know that there was nothing bad about + her, but that she had been an angel of goodness, gentleness and kindly + deeds. And although the lady had appeared as aristocratic as a princess, + she had been more friendly with humble folk, such as Marianne, than many + a Middle Lotter who ran about in torn stockings. But if Marianne was + asked if she had known the woman well, who she was, and why not a single + relative enquired after her, although the notice of her death was put + into all the papers; then she too could give no explanation, since she + did not know anything. +</p> +<p> + A few wicked people then said: "No doubt Marianne will have had her + profit from it." But she had not, and never had looked for it. The woman + had paid the low rent in advance for the month, which had just ended; it + had been the month of August. When now, immediately after the funeral of + the poor woman, the officials came and looked to see what the + inheritance of the little boy would be, then it was found that there was + nothing but the piano and the black silk skirt. The officials decided to + give the latter to Marianne, since she had rendered her the last + services and put her in her last bed. +</p> +<p> + The dress had once been very beautiful, for the material was heavy and + costly, but it was much worn, and yet Marianne thought: "It is too + handsome for me. I will not wear it but it is a dear remembrance," for + she had only seen the dear woman in that one dress. While they were + still talking over what should be done with the piano, the landlord of + the Krone in Lower Wood drove up with an empty wagon and took the piano, + the beds, the table and the two easy chairs, for everything had been + hired from him; but he had been paid in advance up to this time. +</p> +<p> + So nothing was left for the little boy but the velvet suit that he wore. + Now they began to talk about what was to be done with the boy, and some + propositions were made as to how he could be cared for. At this point + Marianne stepped forth and said that she would keep the little boy until + she was leaving. In three weeks she was going to move down to Oakwood to + her cousin's, for her house was as good as sold. The officials were + greatly pleased with this offer; many things could turn up in three + weeks, and for the time being the little waif was cared for. So they + parted from one another satisfied with their work. +</p> +<a name="2HCH6"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>A Lost Hymn</i></p> +<p> + The next morning, when the mother lay still and pale on her bed, Erick + woke up; Marianne, who had watched for his wakening, came to his couch + and said: +</p> +<p> + "Dear Erick, your mother has gone, last night, to heaven, and now she + feels very happy, and looks down on you and watches to see whether you + stay good and honest so that sometime you may come to her." +</p> +<p> + First he had answered quite quietly: "Yes, I know, Mother has told me + that it would come so." But when he went to his mother and looked at her + for a long, long time and she did not open her eyes, then he sat down on + a footstool and cried quietly. As long as his mother lay there he could + not be made to leave her, and when she was carried out, then he sat down + in the spot where she always had sat, and did not go away the whole day. + But he was quite still, and although he wept, he did it so quietly that + no sound could be heard. +</p> +<p> + The day after the officials had been there and Marianne had taken Erick + from the empty room upstairs to her little home, she thought that it + would be best if he were to go to school and again come in contact with + other children, so that he might become happy again and make a little + noise with them; for this quiet weeping seemed sadder to Marianne than + if he had sobbed aloud. So she told him on that morning, that it would + be best for him if he were to go to school. In an instant Erick obeyed, + took out his books, packed them in his bag and started on his way to + school. So it went on from day to day, and gradually it seemed to + Marianne that Erick grew more and more as he used to be; but the sunny, + joyous face which he used to have had not yet returned, and something + like shyness had come to him, which never before had been noticed in + him. It seemed as if a safe, strong wall, which formerly had protected + him, had fallen down, and as though he looked for the first time on + things and people which surrounded him and which were strange to him. + The safe wall had been the great love of his mother, which had encircled + him everywhere. +</p> +<p> + Two weeks had passed since Erick had again gone to school. When lessons + were over, he had never waited until the scholars of the Middle Lot had + gathered to make a noisy journey home, but he had run away at once and + had walked the long way alone. When he came home, he found his piece of + bread and his cup of milk ready on the table if Marianne was not there + to give it to him. When she was there, she often said: "Go out a little + to play with the children, Erick, it will be good for you and you will + have time afterwards to do your lessons." Erick had always gone out, as + far as the hedge before the house, and had stopped and watched how here + and there the children were running about and playing all kinds of + games; but he had never joined them. +</p> +<p> + So also today, he stood there and looked with surprised eyes across at + the freshly mown meadow, where a crowd of Middle Lot children were + playing with much noise "Catch me if you can." Big Churi was running + after Kaetheli and as she knew what heavy blows from those big fists + would fall upon her back if she should be caught, she rushed over the + field toward the hedge and into Marianne's little garden, almost + throwing down Erick on her way. At this instant the quick-running Churi + would have caught Kaetheli; but quick as a deer, Erick rushed forth, + opened his arms wide and so stopped Churi until Kaetheli had shot around + the cottage, fleet as an arrow, and again to her goal on the meadow, + where she could get her breath without fear of being caught. +</p> +<p> + Churi grumbled: "Another time you leave me alone, or—" With this he + shook his fist at Erick and then ran away, for he hoped to catch + Kaetheli before she should reach her goal. When the latter had rested a + little she came running back again, for she indeed had felt Erick's + chivalrous service and she was very grateful to him. She therefore could + not see him standing so alone, but ran up to him and said cheeringly: + "Come and play with us, you must not always stand so alone, that is + lonesome." +</p> +<p> + "No," said Erick, "I cannot play with you. I do not want to shout so + terribly." +</p> +<p> + "You need not scream, that does not belong to the game. Come along!" + Saying this, Kaetheli took Erick's hand firmly in hers and pulled him + along. +</p> +<p> + Erick played with the rest, and now he had begun he played with all his + might. They had stopped the game of "Catch" and were playing a circle + game. The children had formed a large circle and held each other's + hands. In the middle of the circle stood the excluded child. This child + had to strike someone's hand at random and then there was a race around + the circle to see who would first get in the open space inside. This + game was played with the greatest zeal; but suddenly Erick pulled his + hands away from his neighbors' and ran away, so that great confusion + arose. +</p> +<p> + "We will not let him play any more," cried Churi, much angered. +</p> +<p> + "Indeed we will," maintained Kaetheli firmly, "perhaps a wasp has stung + him, or perhaps they play the same game where he used to live. When he + returns he can take my hand. Now we will go on." +</p> +<p> + So it was done, and soon after they were playing again with great glee, + and Erick was forgotten. +</p> +<p> + Not far from their playground stood a blind man with a barrel-organ + playing his melodies. When Erick had heard the first notes, he had freed + himself and had run away. Now he stood at a little distance from the + organ grinder and listened with strained attention to all the melodies. + When the man left, the boy went quietly toward the cottage, and when + Marianne saw him come, she said to herself: "I had hoped that the + children would make him merry again, and now it seems to me that he is + sadder than he was before." +</p> +<p> + From that time on Kaetheli looked every evening, when the games began, + to see whether Erick was standing near the hedge, and when she saw him + there she ran to get him. Erick now played every day with the children + and when he was in the spirit of the game, he looked quite happy. But + almost every evening the same thing occurred as on the first. In the + midst of the game Erick stopped, ran away and did not return. Once a + number of wandering journeymen had passed by; they had sung loud and + joyously their wander-songs, one after the other. Away was Erick, and + one could see him far away, quietly following the singing men. Once + trumpet blasts sounded across the meadow to the playing children—for + one of Middle Lot was with the players in the army and was practising + his marches—at once Erick ran away in the direction of the sounds. + Another time a boy with a harmonica had approached the playing children; + it was Erick's turn just then to seek the hiders, but threatenings and + pleadings were of no avail, he did not seek any more. He placed himself + in front of the boy and listened to him; there he remained standing and + did not stir. +</p> +<p> + Churi in his hiding-place was about to burst with anger because Erick + stopped seeking. He had hoped that Erick would exhaust himself looking + for him, for Churi had climbed up the high pear-tree which stood in the + centre of their playground, and from there he could overlook Erick's + inactivity and his stubborn resistance to being moved. Kaetheli too had + become impatient, for in the farthest corner of the goat-shed, whither + she had crawled, she felt herself secure from being found, and now, all + at once, she discovered that there was no more seeking, and she could + easily guess the cause. With a good deal of trouble she crawled out + again, with many signs of her hiding-place on her dress for she had been + obliged to sit crouched. She ran to Erick, who was still in the same + spot, near the harmonica player. +</p> +<p> + "I should like to know what is the matter with you," she called out. + "Every evening, just when we have the greatest fun, all at once you run + away like a hare, or you stand there like a statue and let everything go + as it will. But that will not do! Come and seek us. But first I must + hide again." +</p> +<p> + The tones of the harmonica had just stopped and the boy had gone. Erick + took a deep breath and said: "I cannot play any more. I must go home." +</p> +<p> + He turned away and went; but that annoyed Kaetheli. She ran after him + and talked angrily at him. "That is not nice of you, Erick; you need not + have done that. You have spoiled the game now four or five times—that + is surely not kind of you, do you think it is?" They had by this time + arrived at Marianne's cottage. Erick stopped at the hedge and turned + round. He said, quite friendly: "Do not be angry, Kaetheli, you see I + have to act so." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, but why? Tell me now, what you do and why you have to spoil + everything?" demanded Kaetheli, rather huffed, for she could not yet get + over the fact that she had crawled all for nothing into the incomparable + hiding-place in the goat-shed. +</p> +<p> + "I will tell you, Kaetheli, for you must not think that I purposely + spoil everything for you. I did not think of that," said Erick, excusing + himself. "Do you see, there is a beautiful song which my mother sang + every day, and also on the last day, and I should so much like to hear + that song again. But no one sings it, and I may listen wherever I like, + I hear only other things. Oh, if I could only hear that song again, just + once!" +</p> +<p> + Now Kaetheli saw how Erick's eyes filled with big tears, and in an + instant her anger turned into pity. "You must not be sad on that + account, for I can help you," she said readily. "I know so many songs; + tell me what the name of yours is, then I will say it to you right + away." +</p> +<p> + "I try to remember it all the time, but I cannot get the words together; + but I remember well the melody. Do you think you could guess the words, + if I sing the melody?" +</p> +<p> + "Of course I can, you just sing on," encouraged Kaetheli, with + confidence. +</p> +<p> + Erick sang a line, and then another, and still a bit, then he could not + go further. Kaetheli, surprised, shook her head. "I never have heard + that song, but perhaps we sing it, only a little differently. I am sure + I shall find it. Tell me what it is about, about people or animals?" +</p> +<p> + "At the beginning about flowers, green trees, you know, with those + beautiful branches and—" +</p> +<p> + "Stop, I know all," Kaetheli interrupted him; "now I am going to sing it + to you." And with a firm voice and full tones Kaetheli began seriously: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'Three roses in the garden,</p> + <p>Three birds are in the wood,</p> + <p>In summer it is lovely</p> + <p>In winter it is good.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "Is that it?" she now asked, full of confidence that it must be it. But + Erick shook his head decidedly, and said: +</p> +<p> + "No, no, that is not my song, there is no similarity between it and what + you sing." +</p> +<p> + Kaetheli was much surprised. "But the flowers and the trees are in the + song," she said, "or perhaps, Erick, you have forgotten the song and do + not know how it goes?" +</p> +<p> + "Indeed, indeed I know," the latter assured her. "You see, first there + is a great feast, where they all come and throw down many flowers and + wreaths because a great lord is coming and—" +</p> +<p> + "Perhaps a count," Kaetheli interposed. +</p> +<p> + "Perhaps so." +</p> +<p> + "Oh! now I know it! If you only had spoke of the count right away; now + listen!" And again Kaetheli began with full tones: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'I stood on a high mountain</p> + <p>And looked into a vale,</p> + <p>A little ship came swimming</p> + <p>Three counts did hoist the sail.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "Well, Erick?" +</p> +<p> + But Erick shook his head even more and said sadly: "Not at all, not a + bit like it! Perhaps the song is lost and no one knows anything about + it." +</p> +<p> + "I know something else to help you," said helpful Kaetheli, whose tender + heart was filled with compassion. "To be sure, it is a little late, but + I can still do it." +</p> +<p> + Then she ran away, and Erick looked after her with great surprise, and + wondered where she was going to look for the song. +</p> +<p> + Running all the way, Kaetheli had reached the bottom of the hill in a + quarter of an hour. On the garden wall stood Ritz. "Get Sally, Ritz, but + be quick," Kaetheli called up to him. That just suited Ritz, for he + hoped that something particular was in store, and before Kaetheli + reached the wall, Sally was brought out. +</p> +<p> + Breathlessly Kaetheli told her what she wanted and now expected, since + Sally knew so many songs that she would bring out the desired one on the + spot. But it was not accomplished so quickly and there followed a long + explanation, for Sally must know all that was to be found in the song, + whether it was joyous or sad, and then she began to guess and to try + whether it could be this one or that, but none seemed to fit according + to the descriptions, and suddenly Kaetheli jumped up and exclaimed: "The + evening bells are ringing; I have to go home. I am afraid that father + will be at supper before me and then he'll scold. I thought you would + know it much quicker, Sally, such a simple song! Think it over and bring + it to me at school, but sure, for else Erick will be sad again. Good + night!" +</p> +<p> + Kaetheli was away like a shot, and Sally went thoughtfully back to the + house. Very soon the sitting-room was lighted up, where mother and aunt + were seated at the table, and now the father also sat down. Edi had long + since waited with his book to see whether the lamp would be lighted in + the room, for his mother had forbidden him to read in the twilight. Ritz + sat down to finish, with many a sigh, a delayed arithmetic lesson. Now + Sally entered the room; under each arm she carried four or five books of + different sizes and makeup. Panting under the heavy load she threw + them on the table. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, for heaven's sake," cried Auntie, frightened, "now Sally will turn + into a historical searcheress." +</p> +<p> + "No, no," cried Sally, "only give me a little room, I am obliged to look + for something." She sat down at once behind the heap of books and began + her work in earnest. But she did not remain undisturbed for long, for + the large amount of reading material which she had brought in attracted + the eyes of all, and all at once the father, who had looked at the books + from over his paper, said: +</p> +<p> + "Sally, I see a book which is little suited for you to read. Where did + you get the Niebelungen song?" +</p> +<p> + "I was just going to ask," said the mother, "what you intended to do + with A.M. Arndt's war songs?" +</p> +<p> + Sally had taken along from all tables and book-cases what seemed to her + a collection of songs. These two books she had found in her father's + study and now she explained that she had to find Erick's lost song, and + what Kaetheli had told her about what was in it. +</p> +<p> + "Aha," said Edi, and giggled a little, "on that account you took that + book from the piano. Erick will be pleased with the words you will get + from this." +</p> +<p> + He held the book before his sister and pointed with his finger to the + title: "Songs Without Words". Sally was not as thorough in her thinking + as her brother was. She had, in the zeal of her intention, thought that + these were some particular kind of songs, and she now looked with some + confusion at the book in which only black notes were to be found. Ritz, + too, was now roused to interest in the doings. He too had taken up a + book and read rather laboriously: "Battle Sonnets" from— +</p> +<p> + "What! You have also been to my table, Sally?" the aunt interrupted the + reader. "You children are really terrible! At any rate you ought to have + been in bed long ago; it is high time, pack together." +</p> +<p> + But this time Sally showed herself unusually obstinate. She assured them + that she could not sleep, not for the whole night, if she had not found + the song. She must bring it to Kaetheli, as she had promised to do so, + and from fear that she should not find the song Sally worked herself + into such a state of excitement that the mother interfered. She + explained to the child that they were not the kind of books where such a + song could be found, and that the descriptions which Kaetheli had given + were much too uncertain to find any song. Sally herself should speak + with Erick about what he still knew of his song, and then they would + search for it together, for she too would gladly help the poor boy to + keep in memory the song his mother had loved. +</p> +<p> + These words pacified Sally and so she willingly packed together her + books and put each in its place. +</p> +<a name="2HCH7"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army</i></p> +<p> + Meanwhile the sunny September had approached and everywhere the apples + and pears were smiling down from the trees. Every morning one could see + the Mayor of Upper Wood walk toward the hillside, where he had started a + new vineyard where only reddish, sweet Alsatian grapes grew. The + hillside lay toward the valley about a half-hour's walk below Upper + Wood; but the walk was not too far for the Mayor to watch the growth of + his grapes, for they were of the most delicious kind. +</p> +<p> + The Justice of Peace, Kaetheli's father, had also a small vineyard on + that side, but of a much inferior kind, and when he sometimes went to + see whether his grapes would ripen this year, he always found the Mayor + there, and usually said, pointing to the latter's grapes: "A splendid + plant." +</p> +<p> + And the Mayor answered: "I should think so. And this year will not be + like last! Just let them come!" and with these words he held up his + finger threateningly. +</p> +<p> + "If one only could get hold of one of that crowd," remarked the Justice + of Peace, "so that one could make an example of him of what would happen + to all the wicked fellows." +</p> +<p> + "I have prepared for that, Justice of Peace," the other answered, full + of meaning. "The boldest of them will carry the reminder of the sweet + grapes for weeks about with him and will be plainly marked." +</p> +<p> + This conversation had already been repeated several times, for both men + had an especial interest in the topic. But they soon had to pass to more + important things, for in these communities all kinds of things happen. + At present all the inhabitants of the three places were in great tension + and expectation about something which caused so much talk that they + hardly found time to attend to their daily business. The Upper Wooders + had bought an organ for their church, which was to be dedicated the + following Sunday. +</p> +<p> + In the Middle Lot something was also taking place. Old Marianne was busy + packing up, for she could no longer keep her cottage. Her work was not + enough to pay the running expenses, so she was going down to Oakwood + where she had a cousin who was glad to have her live with him. Now the + question was, where the little stranger was to go, whom she had kept + with her up till now. She wanted to stay over Sunday and attend the + dedication, and on Monday she was going to lock up the house. +</p> +<p> + To the schoolchildren also the approaching festivity was an opportunity + for much loud discussion. Two parties had naturally formed themselves, + the church and the no-church party. For the one side wanted to attend + church on Organ-Sunday, as they called the day for short, and listen to + the organ; the other did not care anything about hearing the music, for + they said they could hear the organ in the afternoon when they were + obliged to go to Sunday school, and to attend church twice was too much. + The main thing was that women would be sitting about everywhere with + large baskets full of cake and unusually good cookies; these must be + secured. The Middle Lotters especially were against the morning church + service. To the surprise of all, big Churi voted for the church-going. + He had brought it about that the great, long-prepared battle day was + fixed for Organ-Sunday, although many voices voted against it, and there + were still some that did not agree with the arrangement, for they were + sure that on the feast-day much else was to be seen and heard. But Churi + grew quite wild if anyone said a word against his plan, and they did not + care to make him angry now, for no one could manage so many soldiers as + he had to look after, and only thus could the victory be won. The Middle + Lotters had naturally joined the Lower Wooders against the Upper Wooders + and so they were now a large army. The Upper Wooders therefore made a + new effort to get Edi for leader and to win the battle, for against such + a large army only a well prepared battle-plan and a general well versed + in war could save them, and Edi was the only one who knew how to do + both. +</p> +<p> + But he remained steadfast, although it almost choked him, for all the + brilliant examples of the small Greek army against the enormous hordes + of Persians stood before him, and he had to swallow them all down, for + he knew his father's aversion to such warlike doings and then—on + Organ-Sunday! +</p> +<p> + Churi had ordered that his whole army should come together on the Friday + before Organ-Sunday in the Middle Lot. So the whole crowd collected on + the evening fixed, and there was an indescribable noise. But big Churi + shouted the loudest and explained to them the arrangements of the day: + first, all would go to church, and during that time, he and his officers + would go to find out the best place for camping and for the battle. +</p> +<p> + "Ah, so, Churi!" a little fellow in the crowd shouted, "that is why you + voted for church, that you might do outside what you want to!" +</p> +<p> + Churi cried, much vexed: "That must be on account of discipline; if you + do not want to go, then don't, and the Upper Wooders will pay you for + it." This threat was effective, just as Churi wanted it to be. +</p> +<p> + The whole army should not come together until after the organ dedication + was over in the morning, and the midday meal which followed at once, was + finished; and in the morning only Churi with his officers should march + out to arrange all places and positions. So he had planned. The officers + whom he had chosen were all his good friends, the toughest Middle + Lotters that could be found. +</p> +<p> + About this time a year ago, he had, with the very same boys, broken into + the Mayor's vineyard and stolen all his very best, fine Alsatian grapes. + He intended to do this again with his confidential friends, for it had + never been found out who had stolen the grapes, although they had tried + in all the three communities to find the culprits, and this had greatly + encouraged Churi and his allies. But he knew how careful the Mayor had + been this year, and he knew very well of his daily walks and that in the + afternoon his wife also took a walk in the direction of the vineyard, + and in the evening they often took the same walk together; so that the + culprits had not any day been sure of them. But on Organ-Sunday no one + would be outside—of that Churi was convinced; therefore he had + arranged everything in view of that, for although there would be an + investigation, all the many Lower Wooders and Middle Lotters would be in + that region, and the culprits would never be found out from among such a + large crowd. +</p> +<p> + After Churi had told his army of his battle plans, they dispersed in all + directions. A number of spectators had gathered around the warriors, + every child in Middle Lot, down to the two-year-olds. Ahead of all was + Kaetheli, who was always on the spot when something was to be seen or + heard. When she left the meadow, she saw Erick standing near the hedge, + where he had stood for a long time watching the tumultuous crowd. + Kaetheli ran to him. "This will be such a fight as never before," she + called to him with admiration. "Don't you want to be in it, Erick?" +</p> +<p> + "No," he answered drily. +</p> +<p> + "Why not?" +</p> +<p> + "Because they act as I do not care to act." +</p> +<p> + "Not? You are a peculiar boy, you are always alone. Do you know where + you are going Monday when Marianne goes away from here?" +</p> +<p> + "No." +</p> +<p> + "You are going to be auctioned off. My father has said so." +</p> +<p> + "What is that?" asked Erick, who now listened more attentively to + Kaetheli. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, there are a crowd of people in the room and they bid on you, and + whoever bids the lowest gets you." +</p> +<p> + "That is stupid," said Erick. +</p> +<p> + "Why is it stupid?" +</p> +<p> + "Because they would get more money if they gave me to him who offers the + most." +</p> +<p> + "No, you did not understand. You are not going to be sold, quite the + reverse; he who gets you also gets the money—do you understand now?" +</p> +<p> + "Who gives him the money?" +</p> +<p> + "Well, that is not a person, as you think," Kaetheli explained. "Do you + see, there is a money box with money in it for the people who are poor + and miserable and homeless." +</p> +<p> + Erick grew purple. +</p> +<p> + "I am not going to be auctioned," he said defiantly. +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed, Erick, that cannot be helped. One has to obey before one + is confirmed. If you do not obey, then someone just puts you on his + shoulder and takes you to the auction room." +</p> +<p> + After Kaetheli had instructed Erick in what was coming to him, she bade + him good-night and went her way. Erick stayed on the same spot and did + not move. He had become deathly pale and his blue eyes flashed defiance + and indignation, which had never been seen in this sunny face. Thus + Erick stood on the same spot when Churi came by on his way home. +</p> +<p> + "Have they made you angry, velvet panty? I never have seen you so mad," + he exclaimed and stopped near the hedge. +</p> +<p> + He received no answer. +</p> +<p> + "You join us in the fight and strike hard; that will relieve your + feelings." +</p> +<p> + Erick shook his head. +</p> +<p> + "Don't be such a sneak, and say something. The fellow who has made you + wrathful will no doubt be there, then you can get at him." +</p> +<p> + "It is no boy," grumbled Erick. +</p> +<p> + "So, who then, perhaps Kaetheli?" +</p> +<p> + "I will not go to be auctioned," Erick burst out and his anger flashed + as never before. +</p> +<p> + "Well, well, is that all. That is nothing," Churi thought. "You just + come with us and you will forget the auction on the spot. Or are you + afraid of the thrashing, you fine velvet pants? Do you know what? I + could tell you something that would suit you?" +</p> +<p> + Churi had caught an idea: he had heard something of some danger that was + lurking among the Mayor's grapes, and the others too knew something + about it; so he reckoned that none of the others would go first and he + himself would prefer to have some other fellow first find out whether a + trap was laid somewhere, in which the first one would fall, while the + rest would be warned. For this post of inspection Erick fitted + splendidly. +</p> +<p> + "Well, will you?" he urged the silent Erick. +</p> +<p> + But the latter shook his head negatively. +</p> +<p> + "And if I help you so that you need not be auctioned, will you then?" +</p> +<p> + "How can you do that?" Erick asked doubtingly. +</p> +<p> + "As soon as I want to," boasted Churi. "Don't you know that my father is + the sergeant here? He goes into every house along the whole mountain, + far beyond Lower Wood, and he knows all the people and can place you + where he likes. You only need to say what you want to do: take care of + the cows, deliver letters, push little children along in their + carriages—whatever you like best." +</p> +<p> + Erick had never heard lying, he did not know what it was. He believed + word for word what the swaggering Churi told him. He considered a moment + and then he asked: "What shall I have to do for that?" +</p> +<p> + "Something which you yourself will find more merry than anything you + ever did. You can go with me and the officers in the morning. You are + the scout and always go first to see whether the land is clear and safe + for us and where we can best pitch our tents and give battle. But one + thing I have to tell you: you have to obey me. I am the general, and if + you do not do at once what I tell you, you suffer for it. First we go + through a vineyard—" +</p> +<p> + "One cannot give battle there, nor camp," Erick interrupted. +</p> +<p> + "That makes no difference," Churi continued, "you listen to what I tell + you. You have to go through the vineyard and not make a bit of noise, do + you hear? And not run away, else—" Churi lifted his fist threateningly. + "You must not tell anyone where we are going, do you hear?" +</p> +<p> + "I am not going," said Erick. +</p> +<p> + "Then go to the auction—that is the best thing for you; I am going now, + good night." +</p> +<p> + But Churi nevertheless remained. The blood again rushed into Erick's + cheeks. He hesitated a moment, then he asked: "If I go with you, are you + sure that I can get there, where I deliver letters?" +</p> +<p> + "Of course you can," Churi grumbled. +</p> +<p> + "Then I will go." +</p> +<p> + "Give me your hand on it!" +</p> +<p> + Churi held out his hand and Erick laid his in it. Churi kept hold of the + hand. "Promise that you will be there under the apple tree on the meadow + at seven o'clock Sunday morning." +</p> +<p> + "I promise," said Erick. +</p> +<p> + Churi let go of his hand, said "Good night," and disappeared behind the + cottage. +</p> +<p> + The news of the day spread with wonderful rapidity through the schools + of the three parishes. The next evening, the evening before + Organ-Sunday, every child in Upper and Lower Wood, and above all, in + Middle Lot, knew that the quiet Erick all at once belonged to the + rowdies; that he was not only going to fight with them in the Sunday + battle, but that he was going with the worst rowdy, with Churi and his + companions, early in the morning before church. +</p> +<p> + Sally came with swollen eyes to supper, for Kaetheli had informed her of + everything: how the fine Erick, whom she would so gladly have taken into + her home and her friendship, had fallen into the hands of the coarse and + wicked Churi and would be ruined and led to do all kinds of wicked + things by the bad boy. All this made her tender heart ache. She had + gone, in the afternoon, to the solitary bench under the apple tree and + had wept until supper time; for, in spite of deep thinking, she had not + been able to find a way by which she could snatch Erick away from the + bad companions. +</p> +<p> + Edi, too, wore a drawn face as though he lived on trouble and annoyance + only, and his inner wrath goaded him to unpleasant speeches, for he + hardly had taken his seat at table, when he looked across at Sally and + said: "You can count to-morrow the blue bumps which your friend Erick + will carry home with him, when he begins in the morning before church + and serves under Churi." +</p> +<p> + Not much was needed to make Sally break out. "Yes, I know, Edi, that you + would prefer to begin this evening and fight through the whole day + to-morrow," she cried, half sobbing, half defiant, looking across the + table, "if Papa had not forbidden it." +</p> +<p> + Edi became flushed, for it came into his mind how long he had searched + for an example after which he might take part and yet hold his own + before his father. +</p> +<p> + The latter looked earnestly at him and said: "Edi, Edi, I hope you will + try not to be a Pharisee. It is a bad sign for the boy Erick that he has + joined the fighters, moreover, and that he has made friends with the + very worst rowdy. But, dear Sally, you need not knock your potatoes so + roughly about your plate as if they were to blame for all the unpleasant + things; eat them peacefully." +</p> +<p> + But Sally could not swallow anything more. When soon after Edi lay in + his bed, he heaved a deep sigh and said: "Everything is over for me, but + I will be glad for one thing, that tomorrow comes, because to-morrow is + Sunday. You know what we get to-morrow, Ritz?" +</p> +<p> + "Sunday school." +</p> +<p> + "No, I don't mean that, I mean something nice." +</p> +<p> + "But Sunday school is nice." +</p> +<p> + "No, I don't mean that either, I mean something which one can use very + well, when no other pleasure comes along." +</p> +<p> + "An oracle," Ritz said quickly, much contented with the delightful + prospect. +</p> +<p> + "Ritz, you do guess such ridiculous things. I have told you that there + are no more oracles. There will be apple-cake, that is what I meant," + Edi said with a sigh, for now he saw again all the things for which he + had wished so much more than apple-cake. +</p> +<p> + "And do you know, Edi," said Ritz, following his own train of thought, + "to-morrow Sally will not be able to eat again because Erick gets his + bumps; then we will also get her share, and that will make three pieces + for each." With these words Ritz turned happily on his side and went to + sleep. +</p> +<a name="2HCH8"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>What Happens on Organ-Sunday</i></p> +<p> + Early in the morning, long before the nine o'clock church service, large + crowds of people were walking toward Upper Wood, for everybody wanted to + hear the new organ. It was a beautiful Sunday and everyone preferred to + go to Upper Wood to church. The women all carried a few beautiful + flowers on their hymnbooks, and when they had arrived at the open place + before the church they stopped and greeted each other and stood talking + in different groups. Gradually the men came along and did the same. +</p> +<p> + The Mayor was standing a little on one side with the Justice of Peace. + They were in deep conversation in which many threats occurred, for the + Mayor several times held up his finger and waved it threateningly in the + air. +</p> +<p> + Kaetheli stood close beside her father and pricked up her ears. Now the + church bells began to ring. Soon after the pastor's wife and Sally came + out of their house door, and behind them quiet, devout Edi and Ritz with + hymn-books under their arms. After a few steps they all stopped to wait + for the pastor. Now the old wife of the sexton ran to the pastor's wife; + she always had to report something as soon as she caught sight of her. + Kaetheli took advantage of the opportunity. Like a flash she was from + her father's side and whispered with the greatest rapidity in Sally's + ear: "Just think what I know now. Last evening Neighbor Rudi, who + belongs to Churi's officers, told me that it was not on account of the + fight that they were going away in the morning; but that they were going + into the Mayor's vineyard and were going to take his early grapes; that + Churi had persuaded Erick to come along, because he wants to send him + ahead through the vineyard, because a trap might be set there. Of course + Erick would be caught and the others could be warned and pass by, + without harm. But imagine what the Mayor has just told father: he has + had something placed in the narrow pathway which leads through the grape + vines which no one can see; but if anyone steps on it, it discharges a + shot in the face and burns it so that no one could recognize him any + more, for it would mar him so badly. Just think, Erick's curls will be + burned off and his handsome face will be so marred that we shall not + know him." +</p> +<p> + Sally had become as white as snow from fright. "Come quickly, Kaetheli," + she said urgently, "we will run after Erick and tell him everything, + come!" +</p> +<p> + "It is much too late, why, what do you think," Kaetheli said, "they + started early this morning. Erick is already burned." +</p> +<p> + Now the pastor came out. The mother turned and took Sally's hand, who + tried to stay behind. Kaetheli went toward the church, and Sally knew + that she too had to go in; but she could hardly walk from fear and + anguish, and as she sat on her bench within, she saw and heard nothing + of the whole organ festivities, for she only saw the disfigured Erick + before her, how he was sitting in the vineyard and moaning, and her + tears fell so plentifully that she could no longer look up. +</p> +<p> + Churi and his officers had assembled at the set time. Erick also had + kept his word and was there. Although the companions had started early, + they met single churchgoers on their way to Upper Wood, for these people + wanted to look around on their way to church, to see how things were in + the fields and gardens, and so they had set off in good time. +</p> +<p> + Now Churi had commanded his officers that they must each bring a basket, + for there was no time to eat the grapes in the vineyard; they must cut + them quickly and throw them into their baskets, then they would go into + the woods, to a safe place, and eat them in peace. But armed with + baskets the officers appeared somewhat suspicious; Churi himself thought + so and he now ordered, when they arrived at Upper Wood, that his + officers should hide the baskets behind a barn, until all the church- + goers had entered the church and the roads were safe. +</p> +<p> + Erick had already asked twice what the baskets were needed for on an + inspection march, but he had received no answer. As now the warriors sat + hidden behind the heap of straw and had time for questions and answers, + Erick asked again: "What are you going to put in the baskets?" +</p> +<p> + "Grapes, if you insist on knowing!" Churi shouted at him, "and you too + will find them good when you eat them." +</p> +<p> + After the bells had stopped ringing and all was quiet round about, Churi + commanded them to start. "But you will be very quiet when you pass the + church, do you hear?" he ordered; "for the doors are still open." +</p> +<p> + Full, bright organ tones came through the opened doors toward the boys + when they silently approached the church, and now, suddenly, the whole + congregation joined with the tones of the organ and sang in loud, full + chorus: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"How shall I then receive Thee?</p> + <p>And how shall I then meet Thee?</p> + <p>Oh, Thou, the world's desire</p> + <p>Who set'st my heart on fire!"</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + Like lightning Erick was away out of the midst of his companions to the + church-door and into the church. +</p> +<p> + Churi grew pale from fright; he believed nothing less than that Erick + had rushed into the church to betray publicly to the whole congregation + the intended grape-theft. Instantly he turned around and ran away like a + madman, for he firmly believed that half the congregation was on his + heels, since he heard a crowd running after him. But the runners were + his companions, who followed him in greatest haste, for since they saw + the brave Churi run like fire, they thought that there must be great + danger, and they rushed with always longer and longer leaps after him. +</p> +<p> + Erick had run into the midst of a crowd of people, who all stood in the + passage of the church because there were no more seats on the benches, + so full was the church. Now the hymn, accompanied by the organ, rushed + like a big, full stream on through the church: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"Thy Zion scatters palms</p> + <p>And greening twigs for Thee,</p> + <p>But I in glorious psalms</p> + <p>Will lift my soul to Thee!</p> + <p>My heart be overflowing</p> + <p>In constant love and praise</p> + <p>In service will be growing,</p> + <p>Will Thy dear name then grace."</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + In breathless attention Erick stood there, for it was his mother's song! + He was trembling in every limb and large tears ran down his cheeks. A + woman who sat near him noticed the trembling little fellow; she drew him + compassionately close to her and made a little room for him, so that he + could sit down. +</p> +<p> + The singing had stopped and the pastor began to preach. During the + sermon Erick recovered a little from the strong emotion which had quite + overpowered him when he suddenly heard in such powerful tones his lost + song again. +</p> +<p> + He now looked round and saw that he was firmly wedged in and could not + move, for two more women had forced themselves between the sitters, and + the whole passage the full length of the church was densely thronged + with people. So Erick sat, quiet as a mouse, and did not stir until the + sermon and prayer were at an end. Then once more the full tones of the + organ sounded and the congregation rose and sang: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"I lay in heaviest fetters,</p> + <p>Thou com'st and set'st me free;</p> + <p>I stood in shame and sorrow,</p> + <p>Thou callest me to Thee;</p> + <p>And lift'st me up to honor</p> + <p>And giv'st me heavenly joys</p> + <p>Which cannot be diminished</p> + <p>By earthly scorn and noise."</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + His mother had sung that at the very last. Erick saw her again before + him, as she had sat the last evening at the piano and had spoken to him + with words so full of love; and then, in the morning, she had lain there + so still and pale. He laid his head on the arm of the bench and sobbed + as if his heart would break. The people passed by him, and here and + there one woman said to another: "The poor little fellow, he has no one + on this earth," and then they went out. +</p> +<p> + The pastor in the pulpit had seen Erick rush into church. He now looked + again in that direction, and noticed the little chap, how he sat there + on the empty bench, so forsaken, his head resting on his arm. The pastor + now walked behind the last of the congregation toward the bench. He + stepped into the pew and put his hand on Erick's shoulder and asked + kindly: "Why are you weeping so hard, my boy?" +</p> +<p> + "Because—because—because they sang Mother's song," sobbed Erick. +</p> +<p> + "What is your name?" the pastor asked again. +</p> +<p> + "Erick Dorn," was the answer. +</p> +<p> + Now the pastor knew what to do. He took the boy's hand in his fatherly + hand, pulled him down from the high bench and said: "Come with me, my + boy!" +</p> +<p> + At the parsonage the three children stood waiting for the father's + return, as they did every Sunday. Sally had not said a word since they + had left church; now she came close to her mother and said, quite + excited: "Please, please, Mamma, may I go now at once to Kaetheli? I + have to talk over something with her, really I must." +</p> +<p> + Sally had made up her mind to go out into the vineyards to look for + Erick, but she did not know the way, so Kaetheli was to go with her. But + the mother opposed Sally's urging and said: "You know, dear, that we + have dinner at once, and father does not allow such running away on + Sunday. There he comes now. Who is the little boy whose hand he is + holding?" +</p> +<p> + Sally uttered a loud shout of joy and tore away. "Oh, Erick! you are not + burnt!" she cried, beside herself with joy, when she now saw Erick + before her with his abundant curls and bright eyes. +</p> +<p> + "Of course not," said Erick, politely lifting his little cap and + offering his hand to her, a little surprised, for he did not know when + he could have burned himself. Quickly she took his hand and so the three + met the surprised mother who, however, at the sight of Erick, guessed at + once who the fine boy in the velvet jacket was. She greeted him lovingly + and stroked his tear-stained eyes and flushed cheeks. +</p> +<p> + Sally would have liked to ask at once how all had happened, and would + have urged him to tell everything; but when she saw how he must have + wept, she shrank from enquiring and held his hand quietly. Edi and Ritz + also noticed at once the traces of tears and greeted him quite calmly. +</p> +<p> + The pastor left his family to go to his room and the mother took his + place and conducted Erick, whom Sally on the other side held firmly by + the hand, up the stairs; Ritz and Edi followed. When 'Lizebeth, who was + standing in the kitchen door, saw the procession come and noticed that + the mother held the little stranger so tenderly by his hand, as though + he were her own small Ritz, then 'Lizebeth at once shut the kitchen + door, and grumbled: "There is something wrong about this!" +</p> +<p> + Soon after, the whole family sat around the noonday table, and if Sally + could not eat yesterday from sorrow, today she could not swallow + anything from pure joy, not even the apple cake, which surprised Ritz + very much. But he was glad that the sad Erick also got some, for he + thought that that must comfort him. +</p> +<p> + In the evening of this Sunday, Erick sat in the midst of the pastor's + family around the four-cornered sitting-room table, as snugly and + familiarly as if he long since belonged there. He had been treated, the + whole afternoon, with such kindness by all, that his whole heart, which + had been accustomed to a mother's great love, opened, and he felt more + happy than he had in all the sad days since he had had to miss this + love. Sally did not know how she could do enough to give him pleasure. + Now she had brought the most beautiful picture book that she owned, and + Erick looked with her at the pictures, which she eagerly explained to + him; all the time beaming with joy that everything, she had believed + lost, had come to her; that Erick was in the midst of them at home like + a near friend, and was to stay over the night, for the father had + arranged that at once. +</p> +<p> + Edi sat over his history book and Ritz had a book of his own before him, + but looked over it at Sally and listened to her explanation. Now Edi + lifted his head—he must have come upon something very particular. +</p> +<p> + "Papa," he said, "now I know for certain what I want to be: a + sea-captain. Then I can sail around the world, for <i>sometime</i> I must see + all the lands where all these things have happened." +</p> +<p> + "So, I thought you wanted to be a professor of history," remarked the + father, not much disturbed by this piece of news. +</p> +<p> + "I want to be that, too," said Ritz, "I, too, want to sail in ships." +</p> +<p> + "No, you see, Ritz, two brothers must not be the same thing, else they + get in each other's way," instructed Edi. +</p> +<p> + "Then I will be a sea-robber, they too sail in ships," Ritz comforted + himself. +</p> +<p> + "We will not hope anything of the kind," said the father behind his + church paper. +</p> +<p> + "And do you remember, Ritz, what I once told you about Julius Caesar?" + Edi reminded him. "If I were to catch you like that, then I should be + obliged to have you killed." +</p> +<p> + "No, I do not want that! But what can one be with ships?" Ritz asked + plaintively, for if Edi expressed a thought, then it usually remained + firmly in Ritz's head. +</p> +<p> + "One can be also something very good without ships, my dear Ritz," the + mother said comfortingly, "and that is much safer; then one stays on + firm land, and I should advise you to stay. And what does our Erick want + to be? Has he too thought of that?" +</p> +<p> + "I must become an honorable man," answered Erick at once. +</p> +<p> + "That is no calling," instructed Edi. +</p> +<p> + But the father put down his book and said, nodding at the boy: "That is + right, Erick, go toward that goal: first, and above all, an honorable + man; after that, every calling is all right." +</p> +<p> + Now the mother rose, for it was time to go to bed. Edi and Ritz took + Erick between them and thus marched ahead of the mother to conduct him + to his little room which was beside their bedroom, so that the door + between could be left open, with the advantage that Erick also could be + drawn into the nightly conversation. Both Edi and Ritz were delighted + with that. +</p> +<p> + So the Organ-Sunday, which had begun so hostilely, ended quite + peacefully. +</p> +<a name="2HCH9"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>A Secret that is Kept</i></p> +<p> + When on the next morning the pastor's family was at breakfast, the + pastor arranged that Erick should not go with the other three to school, + since he belonged to the school in Lower Wood and it was now too far to + go there. When the other three had gone, then Erick should come to him + in his study. So it was decided, and when Erick came into the study the + pastor pointed to a seat and said: "Now sit down in front of me"—for he + himself sat on the large sofa—"look into my eyes, and tell me + everything from the beginning and exactly what happened yesterday before + you came into church, also what you intended to do, for I have heard all + kinds of things." +</p> +<p> + Erick looked with his large, bright blue eyes straight into the + pastor's, and told everything from the beginning: how he was going to be + auctioned and did not want to be, what Churi had promised him, how he + then had gone with them, also how the others had brought large baskets + to put grapes in, but he did not know where they were to get the grapes. + The pastor, however, now knew everything, for Sally had reported how the + Mayor was expecting his grape-thieves again and how he was going to + receive them. It was now quite plain, as one had always suspected, that + the same crowd, the Middle Lotters, under Churi's lead, had plundered + the vineyard. +</p> +<p> + "Erick," said the pastor earnestly, "you want to be an honorable man and + you mean it seriously so far as you understand the word, I have seen + that; but that is not the way which will lead you there. See, you can + understand, that you have made friends with a crowd of boys who are on + no good road; for, to run about wild on Sunday, when the bells call to + church, and to be obliged to hide behind barns from nice people,—you + did not learn that from your mother, did you, Erick?" +</p> +<p> + Erick had to lower his open eyes and answered very low: "No." +</p> +<p> + "But worse things turn up if one goes with bad boys," the pastor + continued. "Through them, one often comes where one never wanted to + come. See, if you had not been saved from it through your mother's song + which you heard, you would have been caught with the others in the + vineyard as a thief, and punished as such. Well, Erick, if your mother + should have had to hear that!" +</p> +<p> + Erick had grown dark red in the face. He was silent for some time, + visibly from fear and perplexity, then he asked timidly: "Can I no + longer grow to be an honorable man?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed, Erick," said the pastor now kindly, "that you can. You + know now on what road one cannot go; think of that and keep yourself far + from bad companions. And now I will tell you how you can become a man of + honor. Do you remember how the verse in your mother's song goes, which + begins: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'Thy Zion scatters palms</p> + <p>And greening twigs for Thee,</p> + <p>But I in glorious psalms</p> + <p>Will lift my soul to Thee!'"</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + In an instant Erick continued: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'My heart be overflowing</p> + <p>In constant love and praise,</p> + <p>In service will be growing,</p> + <p>Will Thy dear name then grace.'"</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "Erick, you must never forget these words. If you bring all your deeds + before the dear God and look to it before Him, whether you 'Will grace + His dear name' as well as you know, then you will become a genuinely + honorable man. Will you think on it?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I will," Erick promised gladly, as now he looked up again to the + pastor freely and openly. +</p> +<p> + "Then," the latter said after a while, "there is still something else, + Erick. Have you known your father?" +</p> +<p> + "No." +</p> +<p> + "Do you know if he is still alive, where he is?" +</p> +<p> + "Mother told me father had gone to America, to make a large fortune for + himself and for us; but he has not yet returned." +</p> +<p> + "Do you know other relatives, sisters or brothers of your mother, or + some close friends?" +</p> +<p> + "No." +</p> +<p> + "Don't you know of anyone to whom one could turn, who would look after + you?" +</p> +<p> + "No, no," said Erick, quite anxiously. +</p> +<p> + But the pastor put his hand very kindly on Erick's head and said: "You + must not be afraid, my boy, all will come out all right. You may go + now." +</p> +<p> + Erick rose; he hesitated for a moment, then he asked somewhat + falteringly: "Must I go now directly to be auctioned? I am afraid + Marianne has gone by now." +</p> +<p> + "No, no," the pastor answered quickly, "you will not go there at all, + not at all. Now you go down to Mamma, she will keep you for the + present." +</p> +<p> + Erick's eyes shone for joy. He had thought up till now that he would be + sent to the auction, away from the happy life in the parsonage, but now + this threatening bugbear was done away with forever. When Erick entered + the sitting-room he found old Marianne sitting there. They had sent + word, the evening before, that Erick would not come back for the night, + but Marianne could not have gone away without taking leave of him. With + many tears she bade him good-bye, and Erick too felt sorry that good old + Marianne was going away; but since he might stay in the parsonage, it + was indeed a different thing for him than if he had had to remain behind + alone. +</p> +<p> + The weeping Marianne had hardly left the door, when the stately Mayor + came in and went with firm steps toward the pastor's study. Early in the + morning, when he was going into the vineyard, he had met the Justice of + Peace, and heard from him all the happenings of yesterday, how Erick had + spoiled the game for the grape-thieves, and how they, the would-be + thieves, had run far beyond the next two villages before they even + became aware that it was only their allies who were chasing them. + Kaetheli had learned all that, and had reported it to her father. The + Mayor was quite satisfied with the outcome of the affair, and since he + looked on Erick as the saver of his grapes, he now came to the pastor to + talk over what could be done for the poor orphan. +</p> +<p> + The gentlemen held a long consultation, for both were anxious to find + the most suitable plan for the boy; but they could not come to an + agreement. The Mayor proposed that since the little fellow did not + appear to be very strong, it would be best to apprentice him to an easy + trade. He thought it would be best to put him to board at the tailor's, + then he would grow into the trade without much trouble, and would have + nice companions in the tailor's own boys; they were suited to each + other, for the tailor's sons were also dressed as cleanly and carefully + as he was. But the pastor had other thoughts; he had a good institute in + his mind, where Erick could be cared for at once and later be educated + for a teacher. This also suited the Mayor, and he took leave with the + assurance that he would make Erick a nice little gift, for the little + fellow had shown him a greater kindness than he could know, which the + pastor verified. +</p> +<p> + When later the pastor told his wife of their transaction, she did not + quite agree with it; she thought that she might keep the orphaned Erick + for a while with her; in fact she should prefer to keep him altogether, + for she had already taken this loving, trusting boy deep into her heart. + But the pastor convinced her that the "keeping altogether" could not be + done, since there were nearer obligations to all kinds of relatives, so + that one could not give the little stranger preference in such a way. + But he gladly granted the wish of his wife to keep Erick at least a few + weeks in their home; for, he said, one could postpone his entrance into + the institute until the beginning of the new year. +</p> +<p> + When the children were told of the decision there was great rejoicing, + for Edi had put into Ritz's head a large number of splendid + undertakings, which could be carried out only by three people, and Sally + knew of nothing in the whole world that could have given her greater joy + than that now she could be with the new friend from day to day; for he + was in every way what she could wish, and in many ways he was much nicer + than she could have imagined from the manners of her former friends. +</p> +<p> + Erick had such a happy, refined, thoughtful disposition, that it seemed + to Sally as if she lived in continuous sunshine when she was with him. + The aunt also agreed with the decision to keep the boy in the parsonage, + although at first she had seen in it a disturbance in the order of the + household, since the increasing of the number would mean that in the + evening it would take even longer to get to a settlement. But when she + noticed that Erick, on the first hint, rose at once and did what was + desired, then her fears turned to hopes that one might impress the + others a little with this ever-ready boy, which impressed her very + favorably. 'Lizebeth alone continued her dislike of the new-comer, and + whenever she met him in the house she measured him with her eyes from + his head to as far as the velvet reached. +</p> +<p> + Erick soon felt quite at home in the parsonage. He now went with the + three children to the same school, shared Edi's historical interest as + long as the latter entertained him with it, which was the case on every + walk to school, and as often as possible besides, for Edi found large + gaps in the historical knowledge of his new friend and felt himself + called upon to fill them in. Erick was a good listener and often put + questions which drove Edi to new, deep studies and which excited him so + much that he had almost no other thoughts but Rome and Carthage. +</p> +<p> + With good-natured Ritz, Erick was also on good terms. The little fellow + ran after him wherever he went, and looked delighted when he saw him + from afar; then he rushed at him and was always sure of a pleasant + reception and jocular conversation, for Erick was always friendly, + talkative and in good humor, and never buried in history books which + often made Edi unhappy. So Ritz spent all the time out of school either + with Erick, or seeking him, which however sometimes cost him a good deal + of time, for the very nearest friends, after all, were Erick and Sally. + The two could not be separated. There was a great similarity in their + temperaments, for what the one wanted the other liked also, and what the + one did not like, did not please the other, and both liked nothing + better than to go together up into the woods, where under the old + fir-tree was the small bench on which they could sit and tell each other + all they knew; or to go down to the foaming Woodbach and there, sitting + on the stones near the bank, watch the tossing waves rush down. They + never seemed to lack topics of conversation. Erick told about his + mother, and how they had lived together, and of her beautiful singing; + and Sally never grew weary of hearing again and again the same stories, + and would keep on asking questions. +</p> +<p> + So they sat on their bench under the tree on the sunny Sunday afternoon + in the first week in October, and Sally had just begun her questions. + This time she wanted to know why the mother had sent Erick to Lower Wood + to school and not to Upper Wood, where all good people from Middle Lot + came—Kaetheli, for example. Then Erick told her that his mother had + asked Marianne about the schools, and after Marianne had explained + everything to her, and that fewer children went to Lower Wood and mostly + children who were not so well-known, then his mother had at once decided + that he should go there. "For you see, Sally, we were obliged to be + alone and hide ourselves until I had become an honorable man." +</p> +<p> + "But why? I do not understand it at all," Sally said somewhat + impatiently. "And then afterwards when you had become an honorable man, + what did you want to do, if you did not know anyone?" +</p> +<p> + "I should very much like to tell it to you, Sally," Erick answered very + seriously, "but you would have to promise me that you would tell it to + no human being; never, not if it should take many, many years." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, yes, I will surely promise that," Sally said quickly, for she was + very anxious to hear the secret. +</p> +<p> + "No, Sally, you must consider it well," said Erick, and held his hands + behind his back, to let her have time, "then if you have decided that + you will tell no human being one single word, then you must promise it + to me with a firm handshake." +</p> +<p> + Sally had fully decided. "Just give me your hand, Erick," she urged. + "So, I promise you that I will tell to no one a single word of that + which you want to tell me." +</p> +<p> + Now Erick felt safe. "You see, Sally," he began, "in Denmark there is a + very large, beautiful estate, with a beautiful lawn before the house to + which one can go directly through large doors out of the halls, and in + the middle of the lawn are the beautiful flower-beds just filled with + roses; and on the other side of the house one goes across to the large, + old oaks, where the horses graze—for there are many beautiful horses. + And on the left side of the house one comes directly into the small + forest; there is a pond quite surrounded by dense trees, and a small + bench stands above and from there one descends three steps to the little + boat that has two oars, and my mother liked best to sit there and row + about the pond. For, you see, my mother lived there when she was a + child, and also later when she was grown up. And there below, where the + lawn stops, begin the large stables where the horses are when they are + not grazing; and my mother had her own little white horse. She rode + about on that with grandfather or with old John. Oh, that was so + beautiful! But once Mother was disobedient to grandfather, for she + wanted to go far away with my father, and grandfather would not have it; + but she went, and then she was not allowed to come back, and everything + was over." +</p> +<p> + Sally had listened with breathless attention. Now she burst out: "Dear, + dear, what a pity! That is exactly like Adam and Eve in Paradise! But + where did your mother go to? And who is now on that beautiful estate?" +</p> +<p> + "Mother went far away to Paris, then to many other places, and at last + we came to Middle Lot. My grandfather still lives on the estate." +</p> +<p> + "Oh, Erick, we will write a letter at once to your grandfather and ask + him whether you may now come home again?" +</p> +<p> + "Oh, no, no! I dare not do that," opposed Erick. "I must not go to my + grandfather until I have become an honorable man, so that I may say to + him: 'I will not bring shame on your name, Grandfather, but Mother would + like to make up through me for what you have suffered through her!' I + have promised that to my mother!" +</p> +<p> + "Oh, what a pity, what a pity!" lamented Sally, "you may never go to the + beautiful estate until you are a man; that will be a terrible long time. + And then you have to go away in the winter to quite strange people, to + an institute. Oh, if you only could go to the beautiful estate, to + Grandfather! Can it not be brought about, Erick? Can no one help you?" +</p> +<p> + "No, that is quite impossible," said Erick, thoroughly convinced. "But + now, since you know all, I will tell you a good deal more about the + estate, for I know much more, and Mother and I have talked so often + about it," so Erick told more and more until they reached home, where + both of them were much distracted, for both were wandering in thought + about the beautiful estate far away. The mother looked several times now + at the one, then at the other, for nothing unusual in her children ever + escaped her motherly eye; but she said nothing. When later she had + prayed with the children, and was now standing in her own bedroom, she + heard how Sally, in her little bedroom beside hers, was praying loud and + earnestly to God. +</p> +<p> + The mother wondered what could so occupy the thoughts of her little + girl, who was usually so open and communicative. What had happened this + evening, and what was urging her to such a pleading prayer, and why had + she not said a word about it? Could the child have a secret trouble? She + softly opened the door a little, and now heard how Sally several times + in succession fervently prayed: "Oh, dear God, please bring it about + that Erick may come to his grandfather on the beautiful estate." +</p> +<p> + Now the mother entered Sally's room. "My dear child," she said, "for + what did you pray just now to the dear God? Will you explain it to me?" +</p> +<p> + But Sally made such an uproar that the mother stopped with surprise. + "You did not hear it, Mother? I hope you have not understood it, Mother. + Have you? You must not know it, Mother, no one must know it. It is a + great secret." +</p> +<p> + "But, dear child, do be quiet and listen to me," said the mother kindly. + "I heard that you prayed to the dear God for something for Erick. + Perhaps we, too, could do something for him. Tell me what you know, for + it may lead to something good for him." +</p> +<p> + "No, no," cried Sally in the greatest excitement, "I will say nothing, I + have promised him, and I do not know anything else than for what I have + prayed." And Sally threw herself on her pillow and began to sob. +</p> +<p> + Now the mother ordered her to be quiet and let the thing rest. She would + not ask her any more, nor speak of it. Sally should do as she felt, and + surrender everything to the dear God. But the mother put two things + together in her mind. When Marianne had come to take leave, she had + questioned her about Erick's mother and the latter's condition; also + whether Marianne knew her maiden name. But Marianne did not know much, + only once she had seen a strange name, but had not been able to read it. + It was when Erick, at one time, had taken the cover from his mother's + little Bible; then she saw a name written with golden letters. Erick + must have the little Bible. The lady had seen the little black book in + Erick's box and had taken off the close-fitting cover and had found + written in fine gold letters the name, "Hilda von Vestentrop". She at + once assumed that this must be the maiden name of Erick's mother; but + she knew nothing further. +</p> +<p> + Now she had learned through Sally's prayer that Denmark had been her + native land, and that a father was living there. All this she told to + her husband the same evening, and proposed that he should write at once + to this gentleman in Denmark. +</p> +<p> + The pastor leaned far back in his armchair and stared at his wife with + astonishment. "Dear wife," he said at last, "do you really believe that + I could send a letter addressed 'von Vestentrop, Denmark'? This address + is no doubt enough for the dear God, but not for short-sighted human + beings." +</p> +<p> + But the wife did not give in. She reminded her husband that he knew + their countryman, the pastor of the French church in Copenhagen, and + that he perhaps could help him onto the track of von Vestentrop; the + latter must be the owner of an estate and such a gentleman could be + found. And the wife spoke so long and so impressively to her husband + that he finally sat down that very evening and wrote two letters. The + one he addressed "To Mr. von Vestentrop in Denmark". This one he + enclosed in the second and addressed that to his acquaintance, the + pastor of the French church in Copenhagen. Then he laid the heavy letter + on his writing-table so that early to-morrow morning 'Lizebeth would + find it and carry it to the post office. +</p> +<a name="2HCH10"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>Surprising Things Happen</i></p> +<p> + Weeks had passed by since Erick had become an inhabitant of the + parsonage, but 'Lizebeth had not changed her mind. Just now she was + standing in the kitchen-door, when Erick came running up the steps, and + hastily asked: "Where are Ritz and Edi?" +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth measured him with a long look and said: "I should have thought + that a boy in velvet would utter the names in a strange house more + politely, and that he might say, 'Where are Eduardi and Moritzli?'" +</p> +<p> + Much frightened, Erick looked up to 'Lizebeth. "I did not know that I + ought to talk so in the parsonage; I have never done it and I am sorry + for it; now I will always remember to say it," he promised assuringly. +</p> +<p> + Now that did not suit 'Lizebeth. She had believed that he would answer, + "That is none of your business." For that remark she had prepared a + fitting answer. And now he answered her so nicely that she was caught, + but if he really was going to carry out his promise, then the lady of + the house might find out how she had schoolmastered him and that might + draw upon her some unpleasantness, for she knew how tenderly the former + treated the boy Erick. She therefore changed her tactics and said: + "Well, you see, I always say the names in the proper way; it is + different with you, you are their comrade, and as far as I am concerned, + you can call them as you like." +</p> +<p> + "I should like to ask something else, if I may," said Erick, and + politely waited for permission. +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth liked this mannerly way very well and said encouragingly: + "Yes, indeed, ask on, as much as you like." +</p> +<p> + "I wanted to ask whether I may say ''Lizebeth' like the others, or + whether I ought to say 'Mistress 'Lizebeth'." +</p> +<p> + Now Erick had won over 'Lizebeth's whole heart for the reason that he + wanted to know what title she ought to have by rights, and that showed + her what a fine boy he was. She patted his shoulder protectingly, and + his curly hair, and said: "You just call me ''Lizebeth', and if you want + to ask anything, then come into the kitchen, and I will tell you + everything you want to know and—wait a moment!" With these words she + turned round and chased about the kitchen, then she came to him with two + splendid, bright red apples in her hand. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, what beautiful apples! Thank you ever so much, 'Lizebeth!" he cried + delightedly, and now ran out. +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth looked after him with such pride as if she were his + grandmother, and said to herself: "Let anyone come now and show me three + finer little boys in the whole world than our three are." With this + challenge, and the proud consciousness that no one could accept it, she + turned to her pans and kettles. +</p> +<p> + So Erick had won over everyone, but there was still one who looked at + him from the corner of his eyes and always with a look of wrath, for a + few days after Organ-Sunday, the Mayor had ordered that Churi should + appear before him, and the bold Churi could hardly keep on his feet when + he had to appear before the judicial tribunal, for he expected to + receive the well-earned punishment from the strong hand of the Mayor. + But the latter only pinched his ear a little and said: "Churi, Churi! + this time you get off better than you deserve, for I know now who got + the grapes last year, and I also know who wanted to get them again a few + days ago. If from now on, even one single little bunch is missing, I + shall hold you responsible, and you will be surprised at what will + happen to you, think of that! Now go." +</p> +<p> + Churi did not need to be told that twice; he was gone as if his life was + at stake; but from that time on he thought of revenge on Erick, and when + he met him, he shook his fist at him and said: "You wait! I will get you + sometime." But so far he had never met Erick alone, and had never been + able to do him the slightest harm. This secretly embittered Churi still + more. +</p> +<p> + Now winter had set in. Upper Wood lay deeply buried in snow, and + everyone was busy thinking of Christmas and New Year. In these days the + pastor gave a gentle hint to his wife, that the time for Erick's change + to the institute, for which the Mayor also had offered his help, was + fast approaching. But the lady hardly let him finish his sentence for + excitement, and answered at once: "How can you even think of such a + thing! In the first place; we must wait for the answer from Denmark, + before we do anything; and secondly, the whole Christmas joy would be + spoiled completely for the children, through such news; thirdly, we + ourselves, you and I, could not separate ourselves so suddenly and + unprepared from a child who is as dear to us as one of our own—" +</p> +<p> + "Fourthly, 'Lizebeth will give notice at once," continued the pastor, + "for she now is the worst of all, from all that I see. One thing is + sure, dear wife, if the little fellow was not so guileless and had not + such an exceptionally good disposition, you women would have ruined him + so that he never could get straightened again, for you, one and all, + spoil him quite terribly." +</p> +<p> + "It is just this harmless and exceptionally well-disposed character of + the child which wins all hearts, so that one cannot help treating him + with peculiar love. No talk of sending Erick away before Easter can be + considered, and much can happen before then, my dear husband." +</p> +<p> + "Oh, yes," the latter agreed, "only do not look for an answer from + Denmark, for it would be in vain. The guilelessness in that address went + a little too far." +</p> +<p> + But the pastor's wife was contented that another respite had been + granted, and she hoped on. +</p> +<p> + The winter passed, Easter was approaching, but no answer came. This time + the pastor's wife got ahead of her husband. When shortly before Easter a + belated April frost set in, she explained to him that new winter wraps + had to be made for all the children, and before one could think of + sending Erick away, summer clothing had to be prepared for him; his good + velvet suit looked, indeed, still very fine, and would last some time + yet, but her husband knew it was his only suit, and for mid-summer + another must absolutely be procured for him, and for that, time and + leisure were needed. +</p> +<p> + The pastor gave his consent to the postponement without opposition. In + his heart he was heartily glad for the good excuse; for he, like all the + rest, had learned to love Erick so much that the thought of his + departure was very painful to him. +</p> +<p> + His wife was contented again and thought in her heart: "Who knows what + may happen before summer." +</p> +<p> + But something did happen which seemed to destroy with one blow all her + hopes. The warm June had come and on the sunny hillsides around Upper + Wood the strawberries, which grew there in plenty, were beginning to + give out most delightful fragrance, and to turn red. That was a glorious + time for all children round about. The children of the parsonage, too, + undertook daily strawberry-expeditions and every evening belated they + returned home. The order-devoted aunt, who, after a winter's absence, + had returned with the summer to the parsonage, did not leave any remedy + untried to restore at least the usual condition of things. +</p> +<p> + Below near the Woodbach the berries grew largest and most plentifully. + But to go there they had to wait till Saturday afternoon, when they had + no school, for it was too far to take the walk after afternoon school. + When Saturday came and the sun was shining brightly in the sky, then the + whole company in joyous mood left the parsonage, Sally and Erick ahead, + Ritz and Edi following. All were armed with baskets, for to-day, so they + had decided, Mother was to receive a great quantity of strawberries + instead of their eating all on the spot as usually happened. Having + arrived on the hillside over the Woodbach, the best spots were sought; + if one was found which was plentifully sprinkled over with strawberries, + then the whole company was called together and the place cleared, and + afterwards each went out again for new discoveries. +</p> +<p> + Erick was a good climber; without any trouble he swung himself down over + the steepest hillsides, and jumped up the high rocks like a squirrel. + Sally saw him, how he swung himself down a rock where he had espied on + the lowest end a spot that shone bright red in the sun, as if covered + with rubies. Were they berries or flowers which were growing there so + beautifully? Erick must see them nearer. Sally shouted after him: "Call + us if you find something, but be careful, it is steep there." +</p> +<p> + Erick answered with a yodel and disappeared. Having arrived below, he + met the Middle Lotters, who were bending in groups here and there, or + lying on the ground, eating the berries which they picked. Erick could + not find the red spot which he had seen from above; but not far away + from him stood Churi, who had seen him coming down. Churi called to him: +</p> +<p> + "Come here, velvet pants, here are berries such as you have never seen." +</p> +<p> + Erick went quite calmly to him and when he now had stepped quite close + to Churi, the latter unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that Erick + rolled down the rest of the mountain side and right into the gray waves + of the Woodbach. +</p> +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="images/002t.jpg" width="150" alt= + "'Churi....unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that + Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side....'"></a></p> +<h4><i>"Churi ... unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that + Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side...."</i></h4> +<p> </p> +<p> + When Churi saw that, he was frightened. For a moment he stared at the + gray waves; but Erick had disappeared, not a speck of him could be seen. + Then Churi softly turned round and ran away as quickly as he could, + without looking round, for his conscience bit him and drove him along, + and he dared not look anyone in the face for fear that someone could + read there what he had done. The other Middle Lotters had not paid + attention to what was going on. Perhaps once in a while one of the crowd + would ask, "What has become of Churi all of a sudden?" and another would + answer, "He can go, wherever he likes," and they would turn again to + their berries and think no more of him. +</p> +<p> + Meanwhile Sally had remained standing in the same spot and had waited + for Erick's call. When it did not come, she began to call, but received + no answer. She now called to Edi, and he came running with Ritz, and all + three called together for Erick, but in vain. The sun had long since + set, and it was beginning to grow dark. All children, even the Middle + Lotters, went past them on their homeward way, and they were always the + very last. "Show me once more, and be quite sure, the very spot where he + began to climb down," said Edi, "I will go down, in the same path." +</p> +<p> + Sally showed the exact spot, where Erick had descended over the rock, + and Edi began the descent a little timidly. But he arrived safely down + below and ran hither and thither, calling with a loud voice: "Erick! + Erick!" But only the echo from the rocks, round about, answered + mockingly: "'Rick! 'Rick!" +</p> +<p> + Now it really began to be dark, and round about not a human sound, only + the rushing of the Woodbach, sounded through the stillness. Edi began to + feel a little uncomfortable; he climbed as quickly as possible up the + rock and said hastily: "Come, we will go home. Perhaps Erick is already + at home, he may have gone by another road." +</p> +<p> + But Sally opposed this proposition with all her power, and assured him + firmly that Erick had not gone home; that he would have first come back + to her; and she was not going a step away from where he had left her, + until Erick came, for if he were to come and she was not there, then he + would wait for her again, if he had to wait the whole night, she was + sure of that. +</p> +<p> + "We must go home, you know it," declared Edi. "Come, Sally, you know we + must." +</p> +<p> + "I cannot, I cannot!" lamented Sally. "You go with Ritz and tell them at + home how it is; perhaps Erick cannot find the road again." At this + conjecture which, only now after she had uttered it, Sally saw plainly, + she began to weep and sob piteously, while Edi took Ritz by the hand and + ran toward home as quickly as possible. +</p> +<p> + Mother and Aunt were standing before the parsonage, looking in all + directions to see if the children would not make their appearance + somewhere. 'Lizebeth ran to and fro, hither and thither, and asked of + the returning children of the neighborhood, where the parsonage children + were. She received the same answer from all: the three were still below + by the Woodbach, and were waiting for Erick, who had gone alone. At last + Ritz and Edi came running through the darkness. Both panted in + confusion, one interrupting the other. They shouted: "Sally + sits—"—"Erick is over"—"Yes, Erick is over"—"But Sally still sits + and"— +</p> +<p> + "Sally sits and Erick is over!" cried the aunt. "Now let anyone make + sense of that!" But the mother drew Edi aside and said; "Come, tell me + quietly what has happened." +</p> +<p> + Then Edi told everything, how Erick had climbed over the rock and how + Sally now was sitting alone below near the Woodbach, and Erick gave no + answer to all his calling. +</p> +<p> + "For heaven's sake," the mother cried, now thoroughly frightened, "I + hope that nothing has happened to Erick! Or could he have lost his way?" + She ran into the house to ask her husband what was to be done. At once + 'Lizebeth ran to seven or eight neighbors and brought them together with + a good deal of noise, all armed with staves and lanterns, as 'Lizebeth + had ordered. Also several women hastened up, they too wanted to help in + the seeking. Now the pastor had come out and joined them, for he himself + wanted to do everything to find Erick, and at any rate to bring Sally + home. 'Lizebeth came last in the procession, with a large basket hanging + from her arm, for without a basket, 'Lizebeth could not leave the house. +</p> +<p> + Two long hours went by, while the mother walked ceaselessly to and fro, + now to the window, then to the house door, now up and down the + sitting-room; for the longer no news came the greater grew her fear. At + last the house-door was opened and in came the father, holding the + weeping Sally by the hand, for he had not been able to comfort her. They + had at that time not been able to get a trace of Erick; but the + neighbors were still seeking for him and had promised not to stop + seeking until he was found. 'Lizebeth was still with them, and she was + the most energetic of all the seekers. +</p> +<p> + Only after many comforting words from the mother, and after she had + prayed with her whole heart with the child to the dear God, that He + would protect the lost Erick and bring him home again, could Sally at + last be quieted. She fell then into a deep sleep, and slept so soundly + that she did not wake until late the next morning, and the mother was + glad to know that her daughter was sleeping, as her grief would be + awakened again, when she woke up. +</p> +<p> + Sunday morning passed quietly and sadly in the parsonage. Father and + Mother came out of church, before which the people of Upper Wood and + Lower Wood, from Middle Lot, and the whole neighborhood round about, had + assembled to talk over the calamity. +</p> +<p> + So far Ritz and Edi had kept very quiet, each busy with his own + occupation. Edi, a large book on his knees, was reading. Ritz was very + busy with breaking off the guns from all his tin soldiers, as now, + having peace in the land, they did not need them. +</p> +<p> + "So," Edi, who had looked now and then over his book, said quite + seriously: "if war breaks out again, then the whole company can stay at + home, for they have no more guns; with what are they supposed to fight?" +</p> +<p> + Ritz had not thought of that. Quickly he threw all the gunless soldiers + into the box and said: "I do not care to play any more today," no doubt + with the unexpressed hope that the guns, by the time he should open the + box again, might be somehow mended. But now he became restless and asked + to go out, and Edi, who had seen the large gathering by the church, also + decided to go out doors, for he too wanted to hear what was going on. +</p> +<p> + The aunt opposed their going out for some time, but finally gave her + consent for half an hour, to which the mother, who had just come in, + agreed. Now Sally appeared and rushed at once to her mother, to hear + about Erick, whether he had come home and how, where and when, or + whether news had come. But before the mother had time to tell her child + gently that no news had come from Erick, but that more people had gone + out, early in the morning, to seek him, the two brothers came rushing in + with unusual bluster and shouted in confusion: +</p> +<p> + "There comes a large, large"—"A very tall gentleman"—"A gentleman who + walks very straight out of a coach with two horses." +</p> +<p> + "I believe it is a general," Edi brought out finally and very + importantly. +</p> +<p> + "No doubt," laughed the aunt. "Next you will see nothing but old + Carthaginians walking about Upper Wood and the whole neighborhood." +</p> +<p> + But the mother did not laugh. "Could it not be someone who might bring + news of Erick?" she asked. She ran to the window. At the entrance of the + house was an open traveling coach, to which were harnessed two bay + horses which pawed the ground impatiently, and shook their heads so that + the bright harness rattled loudly. Ritz and Edi disappeared again. These + sounds were irresistible to them. +</p> +<p> + Now 'Lizebeth rushed in. "There is a strange gentleman below with the + master," she reported. "I have directed him to the pastor's study, so + that the table can be set here, for I must go out again to the little + boy. The gentleman has snow-white hair but he has a fresh, ruddy face + and walks straight like an army man or a commander." +</p> +<p> + "And he came alone?" asked the mistress. "Then he does not bring Erick? + Who may he be?" +</p> +<p> + Meanwhile the tall, strange gentleman had entered the pastor's study + below, with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop, of Denmark. The + gentleman will excuse me if I interrupt him." +</p> +<p> + The pastor was so surprised that for a moment he could not collect his + wits. Erick's grandfather! There stood the man bodily before him, whose + existence had been to him a mere fairy tale, and the man looked so + stately and so commanding, that everyone who beheld him must be inspired + with respect. But at the same time there was something winning in his + expression, which was familiar to the reverend gentleman from Erick's + dear face. And this gentleman had traveled so far to fetch his grandson, + and Erick had disappeared. +</p> +<p> + All this passed through the pastor's head with lightning speed; he stood + for a moment like one paralyzed. But the colonel did not give much time + to the surprised man to recover himself. He quickly took the offered + easy chair, drew the pastor down on another, looked straight into his + eyes and said: "Dear Sir, you sent through the French pastor in + Copenhagen a letter addressed to me, in which you inform me of things of + which I do not believe one single word." +</p> +<p> + The surprise of the pastor increased and was reflected in his face. +</p> +<p> + "Please understand me rightly, dear Sir," the speaker continued, "not + that I mean that you would make an incorrect statement; but you yourself + have been duped, your kindness has been shamefully misused. Because I + knew that, I did not wish to answer your letter in writing, for we would + have exchanged many letters uselessly and yet would never have come to + an understanding. Behind all this is a clever fellow, who wants to trick + you and me for the sake of gain. So I have let everything rest until I + could combine the present explanation with a journey to Switzerland. So + here I am, and I will tell you, in as few words as possible, the + unfortunate story which led to this deception. But let me look at once + at the object in question. I want to see what the boy is like, whom the + man dares to place before my eyes as my grandson." +</p> +<p> + The pastor had now to tell of the unfortunate accident of Erick's + disappearance, how they had searched so far in vain, but how everything + was being done to find the dear boy; therefore he might make his + appearance at any moment. +</p> +<p> + The colonel only smiled a little, but that smile was a little sarcastic + and he said: "My good Sir, let us stop the seeking. The boy will not + return. The fellow who has placed him in your hands has calculated + wrongly this time. He, no doubt, hoped that I, at such a distance, would + credulously accept everything that he wanted, and would do what he + wished. Now he has found out that I myself was on the way to see you; + and to bring before my eyes some foundling as my daughter's child, that + he did not dare to do. On that account the child has disappeared, + Reverend Sir; that man knows me." +</p> +<p> + However much the pastor might assure the colonel that no one had + interfered in the case, that the boy, after his mother's death, without + anyone's intercession had come into the parsonage, and that from the boy + himself, without himself knowing it, had come the suggestions about the + country and the name of the grandfather,—all explanation of the pastor + did no good, the sturdy gentleman adhered to his firm opinion that the + whole thing was the invented trick of a man who wished to make money, + and that the disappearance of the boy at the necessary moment confirmed + it. +</p> +<p> + "But how should, how could the man of whom you speak—" +</p> +<p> + The colonel did not listen to the end of the sentence. "You do not know + this man," he threw in, "you do not know his knavery, Sir! I had a + daughter, an only child; I had lost my wife soon after marriage; the + child was all in all to me. She was the sunshine of my house, beautiful + as few, always joyous, amiable to everyone and full of talents. She had + a voice which delighted everyone; it was my joy. I had her instructed in + the house, also in music. Then, a young teacher came and settled in the + town, near which my estate lies. People talked much about the young + musician, and of his artistic skill. He was engaged to teach on all our + neighboring estates. I did the same. I had him come to my house every + day and had no suspicion of misfortune. After a few months, my daughter, + who was hardly eighteen years old, told me that she wanted to marry that + man. I answered her that that never would happen; she should never again + speak of such a thing. She did not say another word, nor did she + complain—that was not her way. I thought all was past and settled, but + found it safer to stop the lessons, and I dismissed the instructor. The + same evening my daughter asked me, whether I could ever in my life + change my opinion. 'Never in my life,' I said, 'that is as sure as my + military honor'. The next morning, she had disappeared. A letter left + for me told me that she was going away with that man and would become + his wife. From that time on,—it is now twelve years ago,—I have never + heard anything from my child, till your letter came. +</p> +<p> + "That my daughter is dead, I can well believe, but that she has left a + helpless little boy, that I do not believe, for she would have sent such + a boy, of whom she had a right to dispose, to me; she knows me, she + would have known that I would give him my name, and the remembrance + would be wiped away. But this boy, who has disappeared again at the + right time, has been substituted by the music-teacher, who no doubt + lives somewhere in this neighborhood, and has done it for the purpose of + receiving a sum of money from me. And now, dear Sir, we are through. The + only thing left for me is to express my regret that, your kindness has + been misused through my name; good-bye." +</p> +<p> + With these words the colonel rose and offered his hand to the pastor. + The latter held it firmly, saying: "Only one more word, Colonel! + Consider one thing: you know your daughter's character. After she had + done you the great wrong, she might have decided not to send the boy to + you before he in some way could make good the mother's wrongdoing— + perhaps not until the time when he would do honor to your name, when he + should prove to you through his own character that he was worthy of your + name." +</p> +<p> + "You are a splendid man, who means well with me; but you have not had + the experience I have had. You know no distrust, I can see that, and + that is why you have been imposed upon. Let us part." +</p> +<p> + Saying this the colonel again shook the pastor's hand and opened the + door. There the lady of the house met him, who for some time with + impatience had been walking up and down in the garden, for she was sure + that this caller, who stayed so long, was somehow connected with the + lost Erick, and she could not understand why her husband did not call + her. Sally, from the same expectation and greater impatience, followed + her every step. When now the mother had seen from the garden, that the + strange gentleman had risen, she could bear it no longer; she must know + what was going on. When she stepped on the threshold at the moment when + the stranger opened the door, then politeness demanded that the parson + introduce his wife, and the stranger from politeness was obliged to step + back into the room when the master of the house introduced his wife to + him with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop from Denmark. You indeed + will be delighted to hear this name." +</p> +<p> + The lady stepped toward the colonel with visible delight and said + excitedly: "Is it possible? But at what a moment! But you will stay with + us, Colonel, for your dear grandchild must be found. The sweet boy + cannot be lost, he must have lost his way." +</p> +<p> + "Pardon me, my gracious lady," the colonel here interrupted her + politely, but somewhat stiffly, "I shall start at once. You are under a + delusion; I have no grandchild, and I must bid you good-bye." +</p> +<p> + At mention of the name "Vestentrop", Sally had grown very red; and she + trembled all over, during the conversation that followed. Now she + restrained herself no longer. Tears poured from her eyes, and with the + greatest agitation she sobbed: "Indeed, indeed, he is, I know it, he has + told me himself; but I dared not tell it to anyone." +</p> +<p> + "Well, the boy has found at least one good friend and defender," said + the colonel well-pleased, and wanted to pat Sally's cheeks, but she + withdrew quickly, for she first wanted to know whether the gentleman + would believe and recognize Erick, before she would let him touch her. +</p> +<p> + The mother too was struck to the core by this incredulity. Her husband + had whispered a few words to her, so she understood at once the whole + situation. +</p> +<p> + "Colonel," she now said, placing herself before him, "do not act in such + haste. Let me prevail on you to stay a few days, yes, even this one day! + The dear child must, and will be found, please God! See him first. Learn + to know the treasure which you are about to give up so lightly. If you + could know what sunshine you want to withhold from your house, you could + never be happy again. Do not think, sir, that I would give the child + away; how shall I, how shall we all be able to bear it, when the dear, + sunny face shall have disappeared forever from among our children." The + tears came into the mother's eyes also, and she could say no more. +</p> +<p> + "Well, I have to declare that the little wanderer has fallen into good + hands," said the colonel, giving his hand to the pastor's wife in an + approving way. "You will allow me now to depart." +</p> +<p> + This time the gentleman was determined to go. He went out and walked + along the long corridor with head lifted proudly, followed by the + pastor, who tried in vain to overtake him so that he could open the door + for his guest. But before the door could be opened from within, it was + pushed open with great force from outside, and like an arrow the slender + Edi shot straight into the tall colonel, who had been standing directly + behind the closed door; and at once after Edi, Ritz rushed into Edi, and + the tall gentleman received the second push, and in his ears rang + confused screamings of mixed words: "They are coming—they + come—Marianne—Erick—Marianne—they come—they come." And really! In + the house door appeared Marianne, quite broad in her Sunday best, + holding Erick, of whom she kept a firm grasp, as if he might fall from + there down again into the Woodbach. Behind both the partaking scholars + of the parishes pressed in with shouts of rejoicing. +</p> +<p> + There was no possibility for the military gentleman to get out; the + crowd pressed into the house with great force. He gave in and did what + he had never done before in his life—he retreated, step by step, until + he had arrived, backwards, over the threshold of the study, together + with the whole of the pastor's family, old and young; and at last the + fighting Sally pressed in. She had taken Erick by the hand and did not + want to let go of him, and on the other side Marianne held his hand as + in a clamp, and she herself was held back from all sides, for the + schoolfellows wanted to know first the story of how Erick was lost and + found again. +</p> +<p> + It was an indescribable uproar. Only after the efforts of Sally had + succeeded in pulling Erick and Marianne out of the human ball and into + the study, was there sufficient calm so that one could understand the + other, for the school friends had stayed respectfully before the door; + they did not dare to press into the study-room of their pastor. +</p> +<p> + Now only could the information be understood, which Erick and + Marianne—each relieving the other—gave about the whole occurrence. + Erick told how he, after a strong push, had fallen into the water and + then had known nothing more, and had wakened again when somebody was + rubbing him firmly. That had been Marianne, who now related further. She + had gone yesterday afternoon from Oakwood, where she was living now, + upward along the Woodbach, to the place where the berries grew the most + plentifully, as she knew these many years that she had sought and sold + them in the taverns of Upper and Lower Wood. As she was seeking for + berries close by the water, bending down behind the willow bush, she saw + how the bush was being shaken and how something had remained hanging to + it. She bent around the bush to find out what it might be, and saw the + black velvet jacket on the water! "Oh, dear God!" she then cried out + with unutterable horror, and never stopped crying until, under her + desperate rubbing with skirt and apron, Erick opened his eyes and looked + with surprise at Marianne. Now she quickly took the large market-basket + in which she intended to put the many small baskets, when they were + filled; threw the latter all in a heap, put the dripping Erick in it, + and carried him, as quickly as she could, toward her small cottage, far + beyond Oakwood, in which she lived together with her cousin. Here she at + once undressed the wet boy, wound him closely in a large blanket so that + nothing was to be seen of him besides a tuft of yellow, curly hair, put + him in bed with the heavy cover far above his head, for, "getting him + warm is the principal thing for the little boy," she kept on saying to + herself. Then she went into her kitchen and soon came back with a cup of + steaming hot milk, lifted Erick's head from under the covers, so that + his mouth became free, and poured the hot milk in it to make the little + fellow warm. When she now had packed him in the blanket again, and the + fright at finding the unconscious Erick and the fear of his taking cold + had passed a little, then it came into her mind that the people of the + parsonage did not know what had become of him, and that they too would + be anxious about him. She went again to the bed and tried to bring the + deeply hidden Erick up again. But Erick was already half asleep, and + when Marianne told him her thoughts, he said comfortingly: "No, no, they + will know that I will come back again, and if they are anxious, then + 'Lizebeth will come and look for me." +</p> +<p> + Of that Marianne was sure: 'Lizebeth would come and take him home. No + doubt Erick had started to come and see Marianne, his friend in Oakwood, + and on his way there had fallen into the Woodbach by accident, Marianne + thought, for in her anxiety for his welfare, she had not spoken a word + with Erick about the accident. Now he was fast asleep. +</p> +<p> + Marianne sat down beside him and lifted the cover now and then to listen + whether he was breathing properly. After she had sat thus a while and + noticed how the little fellow's cheeks began to glow like the reddest + strawberries, then she feared no longer that he would catch cold, and + she also felt sure that 'Lizebeth would not come and thought that the + people in the parsonage would assume that he was going to spend the + night at the cottage. So Marianne had peacefully locked her cottage and + gone to sleep. +</p> +<p> + The next morning Marianne first had to brush and press the velvet suit, + for she would not bring the boy back to the parsonage in disorder; she + would not have done that for the sake of his blessed mother. Then she + too must dress in her Sunday best, and so the morning had almost passed + before they both had started on their way, quite contented and without + any suspicion of the enormous fear and excitement which had been in the + parsonage and had spread over the whole of Upper Wood. At the church + they had been greeted by the assembled crowd with great noise and much + confused talking, and then they were accompanied to the parsonage by the + schoolmates, who were crazed with joy at seeing Erick. +</p> +<p> + In the general excitement and joy, the colonel had been quite forgotten. + He had sat down unnoticed on a chair, and had listened attentively to + the reports, following with his eyes the lively gestures which the + excited Erick was making in the zeal of telling his story. Now the + reports were finished and for the first time Erick's eyes beheld the + stranger in the crowd. The latter beckoned him to come to him; Erick + obeyed at once. +</p> +<p> + "Come here, my boy, hither," and the colonel placed him right before + him. "So, just look straight in my eyes. What is your name?" +</p> +<p> + Erick with his bright eyes looked directly into those of the strange + gentleman, and without hesitation he said: "Erick Dorn." +</p> +<p> + The gentleman looked at him still more directly. "After whom were you + called, boy, do you know?" +</p> +<p> + Erick hesitated a moment with the answer, but he did not divert his + glance. It seemed as if the eyes of the stranger attracted and conquered + him. "After my grandfather," he now said with a clear voice. +</p> +<p> + "My boy—your mother used to look at me just so,—I am your + grandfather—" and now big tears ran down the austere gentleman's + cheeks. Erick must have been seized by the attraction of kinship, for + without the least shyness, he threw both arms around the old gentleman's + neck and rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you? I + know you well! And I have so much to tell you from Mother, so much." +</p> +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="images/003t.jpg" width="150" alt= + "He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and + rejoicingly exclaimed: 'Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?'"></a></p> +<h4><i>"He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and + rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?"..."</i></h4> +<p> </p> +<p> + "Have you? Have you, my boy?" But the grandfather could say no more. +</p> +<p> + When Erick noticed that his grandfather kept on wiping away the tears, + then sad thoughts gained the upper hand in him and all at once the + rejoicing expression disappeared, and he said quite sadly: "Oh, + Grandfather, I was not to come to you now, and not for a long time. Only + when I had become an honorable man, was I to step before you and say to + you: 'My mother sends me to you, that you may be proud of me, and that I + may make good the sorrow, which my mother has caused you.'" +</p> +<p> + The grandfather put his arms lovingly around Erick and said: "Now + everything is all right. It is enough that your mother has sent you to + me. She meant it well with the 'honorable man', in this I recognize my + child; and you do not disobey her, my boy, for you see, you did not come + to me, but I came to you. And an honorable man you will also become with + me." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, that I will, and I know too, how one becomes one, for the reverend + pastor has told me how." +</p> +<p> + "That is lovely of him, we will thank him for it. And now we start, this + very day, on our journey to Denmark." +</p> +<p> + "To Denmark, Grandfather, to the beautiful estate, right now?" Erick's + eyes grew larger and larger with astonishment and expectation, for he + only now comprehended, what he was going to meet: all that had stood + before his mental eyes as the highest and most splendid, ever since he + could think, and that his mother had painted for him in the bright + coloring of her childhood's remembrances, again and again, the distant, + beautiful estate, the handsome horses, the pond with the barge, the + large house with the winter-garden,—everything he was now to see, and + live there with this grandfather, for whom his mother had planted such a + love and reverence in her boy's heart, that he saw in him the highest of + what could be found on this earth,—all this over-powered Erick so much + that he was not able to comprehend his good fortune, and with a deep + breath he asked: "Are you sure, Grandfather?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, yes, my boy," the grandfather assured him, laughing. "Come, I hope + you can start at once. You will not have much to pack?" +</p> +<p> + "Oh, no," said Erick. "You see,"—and he counted on his fingers: "three + writing-books, three school-books, the pen-box and the beautiful + Christmas present that I received here in the parsonage." +</p> +<p> + "That is well, that will make a small bundle," but the old gentleman + looked at his grandson, rather surprised, and said: "I am astonished, + little waif, that you look so fine." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I believe you, Grandfather," answered Erick. "That is good stuff + that I am wearing; it comes from you. You see, when in the old suit + which I had worn so long, the patches became holes, then Mother brought + out the beautiful velvet cloak, with the broad lace, and said: 'That is + good, that comes from Grandfather, you can wear that a long time.' And + then she cut everything apart and sewed everything together again, and + so there came out what I am now wearing. And Mother received a great + deal of money for the broad lace. But only when all was finished and I + was wearing it, she became glad again; during the cutting and the sewing + together, she was very quiet." +</p> +<p> + The grandfather too had become still, and he turned away for a while. No + doubt he too thought of the time and what happy days they were when he + had hung around his beloved child the rich mantle, and how sweetly she + stood before him, she whom he was never to see again. +</p> +<p> + "Come, my boy," he said, turning again to Erick. "What has become of + your foster-parents? It is time that we thank them." +</p> +<p> + The pastor's wife had seen at once that the grandfather had recognized + his grandson, and as the latter was standing before him, she gently + urged her husband and children, as well as Marianne, out of the room and + closed the door after her; and outside, in the long passage, she let the + interested crowd ask their loud questions, and give their loudest + answers, undisturbed. But when the colonel, holding Erick by the hand, + came out of the study, she at once made an open path for them through + the assembled people, to bring them upstairs to the quiet reception + room, where at last the family and their guest could be among + themselves. Here the beaming grandfather went first to the lady of the + house, and then to the master and then again to the lady, and every time + he took each by both their hands with indescribable heartiness and kept + on saying: "I have no words, but thanks, eternal thanks!" And all at + once he saw Sally's head peeping out from behind her mother. He suddenly + took it between his two hands and cried: "There is, I believe, the great + friend and defender of my boy. Well, now will you forgive me?" +</p> +<p> + Sally pulled one of his hands down and pressed a hearty kiss on it, and + now the colonel tenderly stroked her hair and said: "Such good friends + are worth a great deal!" +</p> +<p> + But when he expressed his intention to start at once with Erick, there + arose great opposition, and this time the mother distinguished herself + in opposition against such quick separation. The grandfather of her + Erick ought to spend at least one night beneath her roof, and give the + family the chance of learning to know him a little better and to have + Erick another day in their midst. +</p> +<p> + All the children as well as Erick supported, louder and always louder, + the mother's request, and the beleaguered grandfather had to give in. + Ritz and Edi ran with much delight and noise down the stairs to seat + themselves proudly in the coach, and thus drive to the inn, where both + must tell to the guests present, who had changed their consultation + place from the church to the inn, what they knew of the strange + gentleman. And so it came about that on the same Sunday afternoon, all + Upper and Lower Wooders, as well as the Middle Lotters, knew Erick's + family and fate, and they had to talk loud and zealously before every + door, over this change of luck that had come to Erick. +</p> +<p> + In the parsonage, too, the evening was spent with unusually animated + conversation. How much had to be told to the grandfather of the + happenings of the last and all former days, and Erick had to throw in a + question now and then, which referred to the distant estate, for his + thoughts always travelled back to that spot. +</p> +<p> + "Is Mother's white pony still alive, Grandfather?" he once suddenly + asked. +</p> +<p> + The beautiful pony had long been put away, was the answer. "But you + shall have one just like your mother's, my boy. I can now bear the sight + of it again," the grandfather said. +</p> +<p> + "Does old John still live, who made the barge and scraped the + pebble-walks so nicely?" Erick asked another time. +</p> +<p> + "What, you know of that too? Yes, indeed, he is still living, but the + joy of seeing my daughter's son whom I am bringing home will almost kill + him," said the colonel, smiling contentedly at the prospect. +</p> +<p> + When Sally and Erick told of their first meeting and Sally's call in + Marianne's cottage, and now it came out that it was the same Marianne + who had pulled Erick out of the water, and who had stuck so faithfully + to his mother, the colonel suddenly jumped up and demanded that Erick + should go with him at once to Marianne for, from pure joy, they both had + not thanked her as they ought to. But the lady had foreseen such a + request, and had not let Marianne go home. And so she was called into + the room and the colonel quickly took a chair and placed it in front of + him. Marianne had to sit down there and tell everything that she knew of + his daughter, and what she herself had heard and seen. Marianne was very + glad to do that, and she spoke with such love and reverence of the dear + one, that at the end of her story, the colonel took her hand and shook + it heartily, but he could not speak. He rose and walked a few times up + and down the room, then he beckoned to Erick, took out of his wallet two + papers and said: "Give this to the good old woman, my boy; she shall + have a few good days, she deserves it." +</p> +<p> + Erick had never before enjoyed the happiness of giving; never had he + been able to give anything to anyone, for he himself had never owned + anything. An enormous joy rose up in his heart and with bright eyes he + stepped to Marianne and said: "Marianne, here is something for you, for + which you can buy whatever you like." +</p> +<p> + But when Marianne saw that on the paper was a number and several zeros + after it, she struck her hands together from astonishment and fright, + and cried: "Dear God, I have not earned that, this is riches!" And when + she still kept her hands away from the money, Erick stuck the papers + deep into her pocket and said: +</p> +<p> + "Do you remember, Marianne, how you have said that you were growing old + and could no longer work as you used to, and therefore you had to give + up the little house and go to your old cousin? Now you can have your + cottage again, with that money, and live in it happily." +</p> +<p> + "That I can, that I can," cried Marianne, forgetting in her joy that she + did not want to take the large present. Tears of joy ran down her + cheeks, and from happiness and emotion she could not utter a word of + thanks, but kept on pressing the colonel's hand and then Erick's, and + all were glad with Marianne that she could move again into the cottage + and keep it for always. When at last they must separate for the night, + the colonel pressed the house-mother's hand once more and said: "My dear + friend, you will understand with what gratitude my heart is full, when I + tell you that this is the first happy evening which I have had for the + last twelve years." +</p> +<p> + Parting had to come the next morning. The mother took Erick in her arms + and after she pressed him to her heart, she said: "My dear Erick, never + forget your mother's song! It has already brought you once from the + wrong road into the right one; it will guide you well as long as you + live. Keep it in your heart, my Erick." +</p> +<p> + When Erick noticed tears in the mother's eyes, then his grew wet, and + when Sally noticed that, she put both hands to her face and began to + sob. Then Erick ran to his grandfather and pleadingly cried: "Oh, + Grandfather, can we not take Sally along? Don't you think we could?" +</p> +<p> + The grandfather smiled and answered: "I could not wish anything I should + like better, my boy, but we cannot rob the parsonage of all its + children, all at once. But come, perhaps we can make some arrangement. + What does the mother think about it, if we were to take our little + friend next summer and bring her back for the winter, and do so every + year?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, yes," shouted Erick, "every, every year as long as we live! Will + you give me your word on it, Grandfather, now, right away?" +</p> +<p> + "To give you my word on it that it shall be so long as we live, that is + asking much, my boy," said the grandfather smiling. "If now you, both of + you, should wish, all at once, to have things different—what then?" +</p> +<p> + "Oh, no, we are not so stupid," said Erick, "are we, Sally? Just you + promise right away, Grandfather." +</p> +<p> + The latter held out his hand to the mother and said: "If it suits Mamma, + then we both will promise, that it shall continue, as long as it pleases + our children." +</p> +<p> + The mother gave her hand on it, and now the two hands were pressed most + heartily. +</p> +<p> + And the pastor said: "So, so! Agreements are made between the colonel + and the parson's wife behind my back, and I have nothing to do with it + but say yes. Well, then, I will say at once a firm <i>yes</i> and <i>Amen</i>." +</p> +<p> + With these words he too shook his guest's hand firmly and there remained + only to take leave from Ritz and Edi, both of whom he heartily invited + to Denmark, wherein Erick strongly supported him, adding: "And you know, + Edi, when you are in Denmark, then you can go on ships, and study there + all about them. That will be a good thing for your calling." For Erick + had not forgotten that Edi intended to sail around the whole world, and + that Ritz too wanted to be something on the sea. +</p> +<p> + The grandfather was already entering the travelling coach, when Erick + was held back by 'Lizebeth; he had pressed into her hand a valuable + paper, but she had put her apron to her eyes and had begun to sob aloud + behind it, and now she was holding Erick and said: "I think the Sir + Grandfather, he means it well as far as he sees things; but that he + takes the dear boy away from us,—to take one's little boy simply + away—" +</p> +<p> + "I will come back again, 'Lizebeth, every year when the storks return. + Therefore, good-bye, 'Lizebeth, until I come again." +</p> +<p> + Saying this, Erick quickly jumped into the carriage, and he wore the + same velvet suit in which he had come. For a long, long time he saw the + white handkerchiefs wave, and he waved his in answer, until the + carriage, down below at the foot of the hill, turned around the corner + and disappeared into the woods. But when the fleet horses, soon after, + reached the first houses of the Middle Lot, there was another halt. +</p> +<p> + From the moment that Erick had disappeared, Churi had looked like a + picture of horror. He had grown white and grayish looking, and at every + sound that he heard, he trembled, for he thought: "Now they are coming + to fetch you, to put you into prison." Churi had heard that someone who + had thrown another boy into the water had been fetched by two gendarmes + and had been put into prison, where he had been kept for twenty years in + chains. Churi saw this picture always before him and for fear, he could + no longer eat nor sleep; and he dared look at no one. And when the + report came that Erick had turned up again, then his fear increased. For + now, so he thought, it would surely come out that he had done the deed; + and now he was sure that the police would come to get him. But when on + Sunday, the story went round like lightning that Erick, in looking for + berries, had fallen into the water, then it all at once was clear to + Churi, that Erick had not told about him and that he again could go + about quite free and without fear. A great, oppressive weight fell from + Churi's heart, and he was so touched by Erick's kindness and generosity + that he did not sleep from thinking what he could possibly do for Erick + to show him his gratitude. +</p> +<p> + It had really been so. Erick had thought that Churi had not meant to + push him into the water, so he had felt sorry for him, if he should be + punished for what he did not mean to do, and so Erick had only said that + he had received a push when looking for berries, and had fallen into the + water. And they had assumed that the boys had knocked each other about + as usual, and Erick had been pushed accidentally. +</p> +<p> + Churi had thought out his reward, and had arranged the following + program. All the scholars of Middle Lot had to place themselves in a + long line along the street, and when now the carriage with Erick came + driving along, they, the scholars, all together must shout, "Hurrah for + Erick." +</p> +<p> + As they one and all now shouted with all their might, there was a + terrible noise, so that the horses jumped and shied. But the coachman + had them well in hand and brought them in a short time to stand quietly. + At this moment one of the boys shot out of the line and onto the + carriage step. It was Churi. He bent to Erick's ear and whispered: "I + will never again hurt you as long as I live, Erick, and when you come + back again, you just reckon on me; no one shall ever touch you, and you + shall have all the crabs and strawberries and hazel nuts which I can + find." +</p> +<p> + But on the other side someone else had sprung on the carriage step and + clamored for Erick's attention. He felt something under his nose from + which came various odors. It was an enormous bunch of fire-red and + yellow flowers, which Kaetheli held out to him, who with one foot on the + step was balancing over the colonel, and called to Erick: "Here, Erick, + you must take a nosegay from the garden with you, and when you come + back, be sure you come and see us, do not forget." +</p> +<p> + "Thank you, Kaetheli," Erick called back, "I shall certainly come to see + you, a year from now. Good-bye, Kaetheli, good-bye, Churi!" +</p> +<p> + Both jumped down, and the horses started. +</p> +<p> + "Look, look, Grandfather," cried Erick quickly, and pulled the + grandfather in front of him, so that he could see better. "Look, there + is Marianne's little house. Do you see the small window? There Mother + always sat and sewed, and you see, close beside it stood the piano, + where Mother sat the very last time and sang." +</p> +<p> + The grandfather looked at the little window and he frowned as though he + were in pain. +</p> +<p> + "What did your mother sing last, my boy?" he then asked. +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"I lay in heaviest fetters,</p> + <p>Thou com'st and set'st me free;</p> + <p>I stood in shame and sorrow,</p> + <p>Thou callest me to Thee;</p> + <p>And lift'st me up to honor</p> + <p>And giv'st me heavenly joys</p> + <p>Which cannot be diminished</p> + <p>By earthly scorn and noise."</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + When Erick had ended, the grandfather sat for a while quiet and lost in + thought; then he said: "Your mother must have found a treasure when in + misery, which is worth more than all the good luck and possessions which + she had lost. The dear God sent that to her, and we will thank Him for + it, my boy. That, too, can make me happy again, else the sight of that + little window would crush my heart forever. But that your mother could + sing like that, and that you, my boy, come into my home with me, that + wipes away my suffering and makes me again a happy father." +</p> +<p> + The grandfather took Erick's hand lovingly in his, and so they drove + toward the distant home. +</p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full"> +<p> </p> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10436 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/10436-h/images/001.jpg b/10436-h/images/001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8acd5b --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/images/001.jpg diff --git a/10436-h/images/001t.jpg b/10436-h/images/001t.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..92ae12c --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/images/001t.jpg diff --git a/10436-h/images/002.jpg b/10436-h/images/002.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0c83bd3 --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/images/002.jpg diff --git a/10436-h/images/002t.jpg b/10436-h/images/002t.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..65c3fd0 --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/images/002t.jpg diff --git a/10436-h/images/003.jpg b/10436-h/images/003.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6309709 --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/images/003.jpg diff --git a/10436-h/images/003t.jpg b/10436-h/images/003t.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..463d085 --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/images/003t.jpg diff --git a/10436-h/images/frontis.jpg b/10436-h/images/frontis.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..640aa20 --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/images/frontis.jpg diff --git a/10436-h/images/frontt.jpg b/10436-h/images/frontt.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ec16765 --- /dev/null +++ b/10436-h/images/frontt.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f11247 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #10436 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10436) diff --git a/old/10436-8.txt b/old/10436-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..62512ab --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10436-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4256 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Erick and Sally, by Johanna Spyri, Translated +by Helene H. Boll + + +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: Erick and Sally + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Release Date: December 11, 2003 [eBook #10436] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: iso-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ERICK AND SALLY*** + + +E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell and the Project Gutenberg Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +ERICK AND SALLY + +By the Swiss Writer + +JOHANNA SPYRI + +Author of Heidi, Chel, and many other stories + +Translated by + +HELENE H. BOLL + +1921 + + + + + + +Affectionately dedicated to + +MRS. MARTHA C. BÜHLER + + + + +PREFACE + +To our Boys and Girls: + +Years ago, in a little country called Switzerland, there lived a little +girl who was the daughter of a doctor. This doctor sometimes had to +climb up high mountains and sometimes he had to descend slowly to the +deep valleys, always on horseback, to visit the sick people who had sent +for him. Of course there were no telephones, electric lights, steam +trains or automobiles, and so often this doctor was away from home for +two or three days attending the people who needed his help. His trips +took him into little villages where there were only a few hundred poor +people who made a scant living from farming and sheep raising, but he +knew them so well that he became very fond of them, and he shared their +sorrows and joys. When he returned home he would tell his little +daughter, who was Johanna Spyri, about what he had seen and heard. She +became very much interested in the people whom her father told about, +and when she grew up she visited many of the places that he had told her +about when she was a child. + +It was not until she was quite a grown woman that she wrote any books, +but the children of Switzerland and Germany loved her stories so much, +that we have decided to translate the story of Erick and Sally for the +children of America. The author knew children and loved them, and wrote +to them and not for them. Thus, every one who reads this story will +follow the sorrows and pleasures of Erick just as if he were a personal +living friend. + +The translator understands American boys and girls, for she has been a +teacher in our schools for many years. She also has an intimate +knowledge of the country described in this story for she has often +visited the places mentioned. Through her knowledge and love of the +country about which Madame Spyri wrote, and speaking her language, the +translator, Helene H. Boll, appreciates her thoughts, and has faithfully +reproduced them in this absorbing little story. + +THE PUBLISHERS. + + + + +CONTENTS + +Chapter I In the Parsonage of Upper Wood +Chapter II A Call in the Village +Chapter III 'Lizebeth on the Warpath +Chapter IV The Same Night in Two Houses +Chapter V Disturbance in School and Home +Chapter VI A Lost Hymn +Chapter VII Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army +Chapter VIII What Happens on Organ-Sunday +Chapter IX A Secret that is Kept +Chapter X Surprising Things Happen + + + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +Portrait of Madame Spyri + +Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here, +dear child" + +Churi....unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that Erick rolled +down the rest of the mountain side + +He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and rejoicingly +exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?" + + + +CHAPTER I + +_In the Parsonage of Upper Wood_ + + +The sun was shining so brightly through the foremost windows of the old +schoolhouse in Upper Wood, that the children of the first and second +classes appeared as if covered with gold. They looked at one another, +all with beaming faces, partly because the sun made them appear so, and +partly for joy; for when the sunshine came through the last window, then +the moment approached that the closing word would be spoken, and the +children could rush out into the evening sunshine. The teacher was still +busy with the illuminated heads of the second class, and indeed with +some zeal, for several sentences had still to be completed, before the +school could be closed. The teacher was standing before a boy who looked +well-fed and quite comfortable, and who was looking up into the +teacher's face with eyes as round as two little balls. + +"Well, Ritz, hurry, you surely must have thought of something by now. +Now then! What can be made useful in a household? Do not forget to +mention the three indispensable qualities of the object." + +Ritz, the youngest son of the minister, was usually busy thinking of +that which had just happened to him. So just now it had come to his +mind, how this very morning Auntie had arrived. She was an older sister +of his mother and had no home of her own; but made a home with her +relatives. She was a frequent visitor at the parsonage for months at a +time and would help the mother in governing the household. Ritz +remembered especially, that Auntie was particularly inclined to have the +children go to bed in good time--and they had to go--and he also +remembered that they could not get the extra ten minutes from Mother, +for Auntie was always against begging Mother. In fact, Auntie talked so +much about going to bed, that Ritz felt the feared command of retiring +during the whole day. So his thoughts were occupied with these +experiences, and he said after some thinking: "One can make use of an +aunt in a household. She must--she must--she must--" + +"Well, what must she? That will be something different from a quality," +the teacher interrupted the laborious speech of the boy. + +"She must not always be reminding that it is time to go to bed," it now +came out. + +"Ritz," the teacher said now in a severe tone, "is the school the place +to joke?" + +But Ritz looked at the teacher with such unmistakable fright and +astonishment, that the latter saw that it was an honest opinion which +Ritz had made use of in his sentence. He therefore changed his mind and +said more gently: "Your sentence is unfitting and incorrect, for your +three qualities are not there. Do you understand that, Ritz? You will +have to make three sentences at home, all alike; but do not forget the +different qualities. Have you understood me?" + +"Yes, teacher," answered Ritz in deepest dejection, for he already saw +himself sitting alone in the evening thinking and thinking and gnawing +on his slate pencil, while Sally and Edi could pursue their merry +entertainments. + +Now the end of school was announced. In a short time the door was +opened, and the boys and girls hastened out toward the open place before +the schoolhouse, where suddenly all were crowded together like a huge +ball, from the midst of which came a tremendous noise and confused +shoutings. Something out of the common must have happened. + +"In the house of old Marianne"--"a tremendously rich lady"--"a piano, +four men could not get it in, the door is too narrow"--"a small +boy"--"before we went to school"--It was so confused, nothing could +really be understood. Then a voice shouted: "All come along! Perhaps +they are not through with it, come, all of you to the Middle Lot!" And +suddenly the whole ball separated, and almost the whole crowd ran in the +same direction. + +Only two boys remained on the playground and looked at each other, quite +perplexed. The one was stout little Ritz, who long since had forgotten +his great trouble and had listened intently to the exciting, although +incomprehensible story. The other was his brother Edi, a slender, tall +fellow with a high forehead and serious grey eyes beneath. He was hardly +two years older than his brother; but for his not quite nine years, he +was tall, and appeared much older than the seven-year-old Ritz. + +"We must run home quickly and ask whether we too may go; we must see +that, Ritz, so hurry up!" With these words Edi pulled his brother along, +and soon they turned round the corner and also disappeared. + +Behind the schoolhouse, near the hawthorn hedge, stood the last of the +crowd in animated conversation. It was Sally, the ten-year-old sister of +the two boys, with her friend Kaetheli, who with great excitement seemed +to describe an occurrence. + +"But Kaetheli, I do not know the beginning," said Sally. "Just you begin +at the beginning, from where you saw everything with your own eyes, will +you?" + +"Very well, I will, but this time you must pay close attention," said +Kaetheli. "You know that the old blind straw-plaiter lived with the +little girl Meili at old Marianne's? Well, Meili went to school at Lower +Wood. Two weeks ago her father died and Meili had to go to Lower Wood to +her uncle. Then Marianne cleaned the bedroom and the sitting-room +terribly clean, opened all the windows, and afterwards closed them all +again and put on the shutters. She herself lives in the little room +above. But this morning everything was open, and yet Marianne had said +nothing about it to anyone and all people in Middle Lot were surprised +at that. At half-past eleven, just when we were coming out of school, we +saw a wagon coming up the hill from Lower Wood, and the horse could +hardly pull the load, for there was a large piano on the wagon, a bed, +and lots of other things, a table and a little box, and I think that was +all. Now the wagon stopped at old Marianne's cottage, and all at once +there came out of the cottage old Marianne and a woman, who was quite +white in the face, and behind them came a little boy, and no one had +seen them come up. Then four men of Middle Lot wanted to carry the piano +into the cottage but it would not go through the door because the door +was too narrow and the piano too wide. And all who stood around to look +said she must be a very rich woman, because she had such a large piano. +But no one knew from where she came, and when anyone asked old Marianne +she snarled and said: 'I haven't any time.' + +"All the people around are surprised that a rich lady should come to old +Marianne in the wooden cottage; my father has said long since that the +cottage would tumble over one of these days. And Sally! I wish you could +see the woman, you too would be surprised that she should make her home +there. Just think, she wears a black silk skirt on week-days!" + +"And what about the boy, how does he look?" asked Sally, who had +followed her friend's story with close attention. + +"I had almost forgotten him," continued Kaetheli. "Just think, he wears +velvet pants, quite short black velvet pants and a velvet jacket and a +cap to match. Just imagine a boy with velvet pants!" + +"I should think that would be quite pretty," observed Sally, "but what +does he look like otherwise?" + +"I have forgotten that, I had to watch the moving of the piano. He is +nothing particular to look at." + +"Kaetheli, do you know what?" Sally said, "you go home with me. I want +to ask whether I may go home with you for a little while. I should like +to see that too, and then afterwards we will both go to old Marianne's +to call, will you?" + +Kaetheli was ready at once to carry out the plan, and the children ran +together toward the parsonage. + +It was only a little while before, that Edi and Ritz had arrived home +panting for breath. In the garden on the bench under the large +apple-tree, Mother and Auntie were sitting mending and conversing over +the bringing-up of the children; for Auntie knew many a good advice, +quite new and not worn out. Now they heard hasty running, and Edi and +Ritz came rushing along. + +"May we--in the Middle Lot--to the Middle Lot--people have arrived--a +wagon and a piano--a terribly rich woman and a--" + +Both shouted in confusion, breathlessly and incomprehensibly. + +"Now," the aunt cried into the noise, "if you behave like two canary +birds who suddenly have become crazy, no human being can understand a +word. One is to be silent and the other may talk, or still better both +be silent." + +But Ritz and Edi could do neither. If Edi began to report, then Ritz had +to follow. It always had been so, and to be silent at this moment of +excitement, that could not be expected; therefore both began afresh and +would no doubt have continued thus for some time if Sally and Kaetheli +had not arrived on the scene. They made everything clear in a short +time. + +But the mother did not like to have her children run to the Middle Lot +for the sake of staring at strange people who had arrived there, and to +increase the gaping crowd who, no doubt, were standing in front of +Marianne's cottage. She did not give the longed-for permission, but she +invited Kaetheli to stay at the parsonage and take afternoon coffee with +the children and afterwards play in the garden. + +That was at least something; Sally and Ritz were satisfied, and they ran +at once with Kaetheli into the house. But Edi showed a dissatisfied +face, for wherever something strange could be seen or found, he had to +be there. + +He stood there without saying a word. He was thinking whether he dared +to work on his mother to get the desired permission. He feared, however, +the auxiliary troops which his aunt would lead into battle to help his +mother. But before he had weighed all sides his aunt said: "Well, Edi, +have you not yet swallowed the defeat? Isn't there some old Roman, or +Egyptian, who also could not always do what he wanted? Just you think +that over and you will see that it will help you." + +That helped, indeed, for Edi was a great searcher in history, and when +he happened in that field, then all other interests were pushed into the +background. He at once remembered that he had not finished reading about +his old Egyptian, and with a smoothed brow he ran into the house. + +The sun had set and it was growing dark among the bushes in the garden, +where the children, with red cheeks, were seeking each other and hiding +again. All of a sudden there came a loud, penetrating call: "To bed, to +bed!" Ritz had just found a fine hiding-place in the henhouse, where he +had comfortably settled, secure from being discovered, when this +terrible call reached him. It struck him like a thunderbolt. Yes, it +took his breath away so that he turned white and hadn't the strength to +rise; for, with the call came the remembrance of the three sentences +which he had to write: three whole sentences and nine different +qualities, and he had forgotten everything, and now all the time had +gone and he had to go to bed. + +"Where are you, Ritz?" It sounded into his hiding-place. "Come, crawl +out. I know you are in there and will be covered with feathers from head +to foot." + +The aunt stood before the henhouse, and Sally and Kaetheli beside her +full of expectation, for they had sought Ritz for a long time in vain. +But Auntie had experience in such things. Ritz actually came crawling +out of the henhouse and stood now in a lamentable condition before his +aunt. + +"How you do look! You ought to have been in bed an hour ago, you haven't +a drop of blood in your cheeks," the aunt exclaimed. "What is the matter +with you, Ritz?" + +"Where is Mamma?" asked Ritz in his fright. + +"She is upstairs; come, she will put you to bed at once when I have got +you finally together. Come, Sally, and you, Kaetheli, go home now." + +With these words she took Ritz by the hand, and drew him up the stone +steps into the house, and wanted to bring him up the stairs to the +bedroom. Then everything was over and no rescue from going to bed at +once. Now Ritz stopped his aunt and groaned: "I must--I must--I have to +write three sentences for punishment." + +"There we have it." But Ritz looked so miserable that Auntie felt great +pity for him. "Come in here," she said, and shoved him into the +living-room, "and take out your things." + +Now she sat down beside him and the whole affair proceeded finely. Not +that Auntie formed the sentences, no indeed, she was not going to cheat +the teacher; but she knew well what was needed to form a sentence and +she pushed and spurred Ritz and brought so many things before him, and +reminded him how they looked, that he had his three sentences and his +nine qualities together in no time. Now there came a feeling to Ritz +that he had not acted right, when he said that an aunt must not always +be reminding people, and when now Auntie asked: "Ritz, why had you to +write the sentences?" then the feeling grew stronger in him, for he felt +that he could not tell the cause of his punishment without making his +aunt angry. He stuttered, "I have--I have--the teacher has said, that I +made an unfitting sentence." + +"Yes, I can imagine that," said Auntie. "Now quickly to bed." + +Edi and Ritz slept in the same room and that was the place where the two +boys, every evening after the mother had said evening prayer with them, +and they were alone, exchanged their deepest thoughts and experiences +with one another and talked them over. Ritz had the greatest respect for +Edi, for although the latter was only a little older, yet he was already +in the fourth class, and he himself was only in the second, and in +history Edi knew more than the scholars in the fifth and some in the +sixth class. When now the two were well tucked in their beds, Ritz said: +"Edi, was it a sin that I said Auntie must not always remind?" Edi +thought a bit, such a case had never come to him. After a while he said: +"You see, Ritz, it goes thus: if you have done something that is a sin, +then you must go at once to Daddy and confess, there is no help for it; +but if you do that, then everything comes again in order and you feel +happy again, and afterwards you look out not to do the sinful thing +again. I can tell you that, Ritz. But if you do not confess, then you +are always full of fear when a door is slammed or a letter-carrier +unexpectedly brings a letter, then you think at once: 'There now, +everything will come out.' And so you are never sure nor safe and you +feel a pressure in the chest. But there is another thing that presses so +hard that you can think of nothing else, for example, if you have given +away a rabbit, you regret it afterwards. But there is a remedy and I +have tried it many a time, and it helps. You must think of something +dreadful, like a large fire, when everything is burnt up, the fortress +and the soldiers in it and all historical books, and--all at once you +think everything backwards and you have everything; then you are so glad +that you think: what difference does a rabbit make? You still have +everything else. Now Ritz, try that and see if it helps you, then you +can find out whether everything passes away or whether you have to tell +Daddy tomorrow." + +"Yes, I will try it," said Ritz somewhat indistinctly, and soon after he +took such deep breaths that Edi knew what was going on. He heaved a sigh +and said: "Oh, Ritz, you are asleep and I wanted to tell you so much +about the old Egyptian." + +A little while afterwards the whole peaceful parsonage of Upper Wood lay +in deep sleep; only old 'Lizebeth went about the passage calling: "Bs, +bs, bs." She wanted to get the old grey cat into the kitchen to catch +the mice during the night. 'Lizebeth had been in the parsonage of Upper +Wood as long as one could remember, for there had always been a son, and +when the time had come, then he had become parson in Upper Wood. First +'Lizebeth had served the grandfather, then the father and now the son, +and she had long since elected Edi as the future minister, and intended +to look after his house when he should be the master here. + + + +CHAPTER II + +_A Call in the Village_ + + +The friendly village Upper Wood lay on the top of the hill close by the +fir wood; it had a beautiful white church with a high, slender tower. At +a distance of three-quarters of an hour's walk, down in the valley, lay +Lower Wood, a small community which, however, did not wish to be +considered smaller. They had a new schoolhouse and a church of their +own, but the church had no tower, only a little red dome. Therefore the +people of Upper Wood were a little proud, because their church was much +prettier and also because they learned much more in the old schoolhouse +in Upper Wood than in the new one of Lower Wood; but that was the +children's fault, not the teacher's. In the middle, between the two +villages lay a hamlet consisting of a few farms and some small houses of +little pretense. It was called the Middle Lot, and its people the Middle +Lotters. They had the choice to what church and school they wished to +belong, whether to Lower Wood or Upper Wood, and according to their +choice they were judged by the people of Upper Wood; for whoever wanted +to learn much and be decent, he must, according to the Upper Wooders, +strive to belong to them. This was a fixed and general idea of the +people on the top of the hill. In the Middle Lot there lived only two +families who were generally respected; the Justice of Peace, who was +obliged to live there because otherwise he would have to be called +there, and that would have been inconvenient. This peace-making man was +Kaetheli's father. And the other was old Marianne, who lived in her own +house and pulled horse-hair for a living, and never did harm to anyone. + +When on the next morning the three children of the parsonage passed +Marianne's house on their way to school, Sally said: "It is fun to go to +school to-day for the strange boy of yesterday will come too; if we only +knew his name. Kaetheli described him to me; he wears velvet pants. Of +course he will come to Upper Wood to school." + +"Of course," said Edi with a dignified air; "who would think of going to +Lower Wood to School?" + +"Of course, who would go there to school?" observed Ritz. + +Then the three in perfect harmony entered the schoolhouse. But no +strange face was to be seen in the whole schoolroom; everything went on +in the usual way to the end of the morning. Then everyone hurried away +in different directions. Sally was standing there, somewhat undecided; +she would like to have heard something new of the strange boy and his +mother, for she loved to hear news, and now not even Kaetheli, with whom +she talked things over, had been in school. But now she saw Edi soaring +along like an arrow into the midst of a crowd of boys, and they all +acted so strangely and they shouted so strangely that Sally thought that +something particular must be in preparation there, and no doubt +concerned the new-comers. Then she could hear something from Edi. She +went slowly on and kept on turning round, but Edi did not come, and only +after Sally had long since greeted the mother and was about to call her +father out of his study for dinner, did the two brothers come running +along, their faces red as fire, and breathless, for they had lingered to +the last moment. The father was just leaving his study when both rushed +toward him and now it began: "We have--the Middle Lotters--with the +Lower Wooders--" + +"Hush, hush," said the father. "First get your breath, then relate, one +after the other; but before anything, first the soup." With these words +the father took Ritz's hand, and Sally and Edi followed them into the +dining-room. Sally pulled Edi a little back and whispered: + +"Tell me quickly, what did they tell about the strange boy?" + +"About him?" returned Edi in a somewhat scornful tone. "I had forgotten +all about him! We have something else to do than to talk about a strange +boy, of whom one does not even know whether he will come to Upper Wood +to school." + +This answer was somewhat unexpected to Sally and had a saddening effect; +but she always could find a way out of an unpleasant situation. So she +sat as still as a mouse during the whole time the soup was eaten, and +her thoughts were hard at work. + +Now the father turned to Edi and said: "Now you can relate your +adventure, while Ritz remains quiet, and afterwards his turn will come." +Ritz looked quite obedient for he had two large noodles on his plate to +work with. + +But Edi, in a moment, put down knife and fork and quickly began: "Just +think, Papa, we have made three songs, one for each parish. First, the +Lower Wooders began. The sixth class were angry because we laughed at +them, that they only now have to _make_ sentences, and we in the fourth +class have begun to _write_ them already. They made a song about us +which runs: + + "'Of Upper Wood the boys + They in their minds rejoice + Because they think that they the cleverest are, + But if ever they must fight + They are in sorry plight + And they turn round and run for ever so far.' + +"How do you like that song, Papa?" + +"Well, that is such as Lower Wooders would make," said the father. + +"And then," Edi continued, "we have made a song for an answer, that goes +thus: + + "'And of Lower Wood the crowd + They always yell so loud + That they never, never stay within their den, + For all dispute and strife + They are much alive + For they use their fists when they ought to use their pen.' + +"How do you like this one, Papa?" + +"Just about the same. And who has sung about the Middle Lot?" asked the +father. + +"The Lower Wooders and we together; they too had to have a song, but the +shortest, as it ought to be. It runs so: + + "'And they of Middle Lot + They all together plot + That they are striving zealously for peace, + But with quarrelling they never cease.' + +"And how do you like that, Papa?" + +"They are, all three of them, kind of fighting songs, Edi," answered the +father, "and I should prefer that you keep busy with your history +studies, instead of taking sides in these party-fights. One never knows +where one comes out, and such poetry usually ends with lumps on the +heads." + +Edi seemed much disappointed as he attacked his noodles with a visibly +spoiled appetite. + +"And what has been your experience, Sally? Why are you so pensive?" the +father continued. + +"Kaetheli was not at school," reported Sally, "and I had so much to talk +over with her. Perhaps she is sick; may I go to see her this afternoon? +We have no school, you know." + +"Aha, Sally wants to see the strange boy," the sharp-witted Edi +remarked. + +"You may go, Sally," the mother said, answering a questioning look from +the father. "But you will not go into any house where you have no +business, just to look at strangers. I know you are capable of doing +such things. You can start soon after dinner." + +Sally was very happy. She quickly fetched her straw hat and took leave. +But outside she did not run straight through the passage-way as she +usually did in similar cases, but went to the kitchen door and peeped +in, and when she saw 'Lizebeth at the sink, where the latter was +scraping her pans, she went in very close to the old woman and said +somewhat mysteriously: "'Lizebeth, does Edi or Ritz perhaps have a torn +mattress on their bed?" + +'Lizebeth stopped scraping and turned round. She looked at Sally from +head to foot, put her hands on her hips and said very slowly and +importantly: "May I ask what you mean by that question, Sally? Do you +think this household is so carried on that one lies about on ragged +mattresses and sleeps, until a little one, who is far from old enough to +turn a mattress, thinks of coming to ask 'does not this one or that one +have a ragged mattress' on his bed? Yes, Sally, what cobwebs you do have +in your head." + +"I do not care about the mattress, it is on account of Marianne that I +ask," Sally explained. "Do you know, she now has some new people in her +house and I should so much like to see them, and therefore I wanted so +much to know whether you could not sacrifice a mattress so that Marianne +could pull the horsehair for a mattress, for Mother will not let me go +into the house without a good excuse." + +"Oh, so! that is different," said 'Lizebeth quite mildly, for she had +also been wondering what kind of people her old friend had taken into +her home, and now, perhaps, she could learn something about them through +Sally. + +"I can help you, Sally," she said. "You go to Marianne and tell her that +I send my greetings, and I have long since intended to come and see her, +but the likes of us cannot get away when we want to; we never know what +may happen if we are out of the house for five minutes; but tell her +that I will surely come some fine Sunday. Now then go, and give my +message." + +Sally ran with a joyous heart, first through the garden, then away over +the meadow and down the hill as far as the fir wood, where the dry road +lay for a long stretch in the shade. Here Sally slackened her pace a +little. It was so beautiful to walk along in shade of the trees, where +above in their tops the wind rustled so delightfully and all the birds +sang in confusion. She also had to consider how she would arrange her +calls, whether she would go first to Kaetheli or to Marianne; but this +time old Marianne had a stronger attraction than Kaetheli and Sally felt +that she must go there first and give her message. Now her thoughts fell +on the strange people and she had to imagine how they looked and what +she was going to say, and what they would say when she knocked and asked +for Marianne. Thus she thought everything well out, for Sally had a +great power of imagining things. + +In this way she came to the first houses of Middle Lot. She turned away +from the road and went toward Marianne's house, which stood a little way +from the road and lay almost hidden behind a hedge. As Sally had been +accustomed to do, she now ran right into the house, although the house +door was also the kitchen door. After entering the front door she stood +in the small kitchen and was at once before another door which led into +the living-room. This door stood wide open and Sally found herself +suddenly in the presence of a lady dressed in black, who sat in that +room sewing and who lifted her head at Sally's noisy entrance, and with +large sad eyes she looked at the child in silence. + +Sally grew as red as fire and in her embarrassment remained standing +near the door like one rooted to the floor. + +Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here, +dear child, what brings you to me?" + +Sally was quite confused. She did not remember why she had come, for she +had really not come to see Marianne. She had invented that--to get into +the house where she had arrived now so unexpectedly. She approached the +lady and wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Sally grew +crimson and stood there more helpless than ever before in her life. + +The lady took the child's hand and stroked her glowing cheeks. + +"Come, sit down beside me, dear child," she then said, with a voice so +sweet that it went deep into Sally's heart. "Come, we shall come +gradually to know each other a little." + + +[Illustration: _Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly +tone, "Come here, dear child."..._] + + +Now there came from out of a corner a quick noise of moving; Sally did +not know what it was, for until now she had not dared to look around the +room, but now she looked up. + +A boy, a little taller than she, was carrying a small easy chair and +placed it before Sally. He looked at her with such a merry face as the +restrained laughter came so visibly out of his eyes, that the sight +brought a complete reversion in Sally's feelings, and she, all at once, +laughed right out; upon which, the boy too, relieved his feelings by a +bright peal of laughter, for the rushing in and then the confusion of +the unexpected guest had long since tempted him to laugh; but he was too +well trained to dare to break out. + +"Well, my child," said the mother with that winning voice, "and what has +brought you to me?" + +"I have--I ought to--I wanted," Sally began hesitatingly, "I wanted to +give a message to Marianne--" Sally could not stop at half the truth. +The sad, friendly eyes of the lady were penetratingly resting on hers, +so everything had to come out as it was. + +"That is lovely and friendly of you, that you want to see us, dear +little girl. How did you hear of us?" asked the lady, and took off +Sally's straw hat, while she put the question to the child. She placed +the hat on the table and smoothed her hair with a mother's touch. + +Now Sally related all in full confidence how it had happened, and that +she and her two brothers had wanted to come yesterday to find out who +was coming to live with Marianne, and to find out how the piano and all +the other things could find room in the little house. Sally now, for the +first time, looked around the room and she had to wonder a little, for +she saw only the piano and four bare walls, and then there were the two +easy chairs on which she and the lady were sitting, and the small table. +She knew that besides this room there was a very small bedroom, where +two beds could hardly find room. Sally could not set herself to rights; +all was so different from what she had imagined. She had expected to see +strange and foreign things standing about everywhere and now she saw +nothing besides an old piano. And yet the lady who sat before her in a +black silken dress looked more aristocratic than Sally could ever have +imagined; and the boy in his velvet suit looked quite like the old +knights in Edi's beautiful picture book, and he had brought her a seat +without anyone telling him, and was more refined and courteous than she +had ever before seen a boy. + +When Sally turned her surprised eyes again to the lady, she saw such a +painful expression in her face that it came involuntarily into her mind +how the mother had said, that of course "she would not go there for the +sake of staring at the people," and she felt that she was doing +something very much like it. Sally rose. All at once she remembered to +whom she really wanted to go, so she said hastily: "I must go to +Kaetheli; she may be sick." With these words she quickly offered her +hand to the lady. + +The lady, too, had risen; she took the proffered hand, held it between +both of hers, and looked once more so lovingly into the child's eyes, +that her little heart was moved. Then she kissed her forehead and said: +"You dear child, you were a friendly picture in our quiet room." + +Then she let go of her hand, and Sally went through the open door into +the small kitchen. The boy, meanwhile, had opened the house door and now +he stood outside quite courteously, like a doorkeeper, to bid Sally +good-bye. + +"Are you not coming to school tomorrow?" + +"Yes, indeed," was the answer. + +That pleased Sally very much and she at once decided that he must become +Edi's friend, for she had taken a great liking to the boy and when he +was Edi's friend then he would be hers too, and he must come every +Sunday afternoon and spend it with them and they would teach him all +kinds of games; and many undertakings passed through her brain, for with +this friend everything could be carried out; he was so entirely +different from other boys and girls in the school. "Then you are coming +to-morrow?" she asked with happy expectation. + +"Where shall I come?" he questioned in return. + +"To school, of course." + +"Yes, indeed, I'll come to school." + +"Well, then, good-bye," said Sally, giving her hand, "but I do not know +your name." + +"Erick--and yours?" + +"Sally." + +Now they shook hands, and Erick remained standing in the doorway until +Sally had turned round the hedge, then he shut the door and Sally ran +toward the house of the Justice of Peace. Before she reached it, old +Marianne met her, panting under the large bundle of horsehair which she +was carrying on her head. Sally was delighted to see her, for she had +just remembered that she had not given 'Lizebeth's message. She rushed +so quickly toward the old woman and with such force, that the latter +went back some steps and almost lost her balance, and Sally cried out: +"Marianne, you have such nice people in your rooms. Do you talk much +with them? Do you cook for them? Do you buy the things they need? Have +they no maid? Do you make their beds?" + +"Gently, gently," said Marianne, who had recovered her balance, "else I +lose my breath. But tell me, how did you get into the people's room? I +hope you know how I am to be found." + +Sally told her that she, for the shorter way, had not gone round the +house, where, in the woodshed, a narrow stair went up to Marianne's +small room; but that she had wanted to run in the front way, through the +kitchen, and out the back door; but that she had stood suddenly before +the open door of the room and under the eyes of the lady. + +"You must never do that again," Marianne interrupted Sally, raising her +finger warningly. "Do you hear that, Sally? Never do that again. They +are not people into whose home you can rush, as if they were living on +the highway." + +"But the lady was quite friendly, Marianne," soothed Sally, "she was not +at all offended." + +"That makes no difference, she is always so, she could not be otherwise, +and just on that account, and on account of many other things, do you +hear, Sally? Promise that you never again go that way when you want to +come to me. Will you promise?" + +"Yes, indeed I will. I do not intend to do it again. Good night, +Marianne! Now I have forgotten the main thing: 'Lizebeth sends her +greetings and she will come to see you on a fine Sunday." + +The last words came from some distance, for Sally had already started on +a run while she gave the message, and when Marianne wanted to send her +greetings, Sally was already far away. After a few more jumps Sally +arrived at the house of the Justice of Peace, in front of which stood a +large apple tree which shaded the stone well. Here stood Kaetheli who +did not look sick at all, but splashed with two fat, red arms about the +water in which she seemed to clean some object eagerly. + +"Then you are not sick. Why didn't you come to school then?" Sally +called out when she saw her. + +"Oh, it is you? Good evening! I could not make out who was jumping +about, and I hadn't the time to look," Kaetheli said with some +importance. "That is also the reason why I did not go to school. I +hadn't the time, for Mother has gone away today to see sick Grandmother, +and then we got young chickens, twelve quite small ones, and that is why +I have to wash a stocking, for I have run after the chicks everywhere +and near the barn I stepped in the dirt quite deep. But come, I will +show you the chickens. Never mind if I have only one stocking on." + +But Sally had only very little time left and besides, her head was full +of quite different things and she wanted to hear Kaetheli tell of +something else than the new chickens, so she said quite decisively: "No, +Kaetheli, I haven't time enough to see the chickens. I only wanted to +know whether you were ill and I want to tell you something. I have seen +the strange lady and the boy whom you know. He does look nice. Do you +know his name?" + +"He?" said Kaetheli, shrugging her shoulders. "Of course I know. His +name is Erick and just think, he goes to school at Lower Wood; I have +seen him myself today, with his school sack, going there." + +That was a blow for Sally. He went to school at Lower Wood. What was now +to come of her beautiful plans? Of all the planned Sundays which were to +be so full of joy and delight, and the whole friendship with the +prepossessing Erick? For how could Edi ever be brought to making friends +with a fellow who went to Lower Wood to school, when he just as well +might have gone to Upper Wood? Sally was very downcast, but she did not +easily give up a pleasant intention. On the way home she wanted to think +what could be done, therefore she stretched out her hand to the +astonished Kaetheli, and this time the invitation, to at least come into +the room and eat a piece of bread and butter, was not accepted; nor +would she go with Kaetheli behind the barn where they could fetch down +ripe cherries from the large cherry tree--it was all of no use. + +"Another time, Kaetheli, it is already so late I must go home," and +Sally ran away. Kaetheli stood there much surprised and looked after +her, and in her bright mind she thought: "Sally has something new in her +head, else I could have brought her to the cherry tree, for she is not +always so anxious to go home; but I will find out what it is." + +Meanwhile Sally ran for a long stretch, then she began to walk slower, +for she had to think over so many things and she was so lost in her +plans that she forgot when she arrived at the garden which stretched +from her home far into the meadows. Ritz stood on the low wall and +beckoned with wild gestures, for Sally had not seen him at first. + +"Do come a little quicker so that you can tell something, else we will +have to go to bed, for Auntie has already looked twice at her watch. +Were you in the barn at Kaetheli's? How many cows are in it? Have you +seen the young goat?" + +But Sally had different things in her head. She hastily stepped into the +house, while Ritz followed. The rest of the family were in the +living-room. Mother and Auntie were mending stockings; Father was +reading a large church paper. Edi, his head supported on both hands, sat +lost in his history book. Sally had hardly opened the door when she +cried out with much excitement: "Oh, Mother, you ought to have seen how +friendly the lady was, and she is so beautiful and so gentle and so +good, and quite an aristocratic lady; and Erick in his velvet suit is +like a knight, and so fine and polite. Edi could not find a nicer +friend." + +They all looked surprised at Sally, and a pause followed this outburst. +Sally had quite forgotten that she was not to go to the strange people, +and that she had given, as the object of her walk, the call on Kaetheli. +She now remembered everything and she grew very red. + +"But, dear child," said the mother, "did you really, in spite of +opposition from me, press into the home of the strange people? How could +you enter the house without an excuse?" + +"Not without an excuse, Mamma," said Sally, somewhat embarrassed. +"'Lizebeth had given me a message for old Marianne." + +"Which the inquisitive Sally fetched in the kitchen for the purpose of +carrying out her plan, that is clear," remarked Auntie. When the whole +truth lay open to the light of day, Sally felt relieved and she returned +with new zeal to her communication. She had much to describe: the empty +room and the silk dress of the lady, and her sad glances, and then the +knightly Erick with his joyous laughter and the merry eyes; but she +could not describe it all so attractively as it seemed to her. + +"So," said Edi, looking up from his book, "now you have another friend. +It will go, no doubt, with him as with little Leopold!" After giving her +this fling he bent again over his book and read on, taking no notice of +anything. + +Sally did not find the desired sympathy. She was so full of her +impressions that she felt Mother and Aunt should be all afire and aflame +for her new friendship. Instead of that, the two kept on mending the +stockings; Father did not even look up from his paper and Edi had only a +satirical remark for sympathy. Sally had rather a bad reputation for +making friendships. Almost every week she saw some one who appealed to +her so much, that she must make a friendship at once; but the +friendships were mostly of short duration, for she had imagined +something else than she often found on looking closer. This made her +quite unhappy at the time, but the next week she had already found some +one else who filled her thoughts. + +The last unfortunate friendship had brought forth Edi's satire to a +greater degree. The tailor of Upper Wood had three sons, and since the +father on his wanderings had spent some time in Vienna he gave his sons, +in remembrance of the beautiful days which he spent there, the names of +three Austrian grand dukes. It was this strange name that had first +attracted Sally; to that was added that Leopold, the oldest of the sons, +who had lived with his grandfather until now, but had come recently to +Upper Wood, always wore elegant jackets and pants after the latest cut. +Leopold had entered Sally's class and his appearance had at once +inspired her. But he was so small and dainty that he received the name +Leopoldy from the whole school. The rumor had preceded Leopold, that he +had staid three years in the same class in the town where his +grandfather lived. So Edi looked down on Leopoldy from an elevation of a +fourth class boy and noticed with scorn how Sally found pleasure in the +little fellow and befriended him. But that did not last long for, after +a trial of a week, Leopoldy was set back two classes, since he had been +put in the fifth class on account of his years, but not his deserts. In +these eight days Sally had discovered, with sorrow, that Leopoldy was +unusually silly, and Sally was glad that the enormous gap that lies +between the fifth and third class, made easier the rupture of this +friendship which could not continue, for nothing could be done with +Leopoldy. So it happened that no one listened with sympathy to the +enthusiastic description which Sally gave of her new friends, for each +one remembered Leopoldy, and that was not inspiring. + +This general coolness angered Sally very much. She knew her new friends +if they would only believe her. All ought to be so interested in this +mother and her Erick, that they would want to know everything possible +about them, and now no one asked a question and they hardly listened to +her communication. That was too much; Sally had to relieve her tension. +She suddenly broke forth to Edi, who was entirely lost in his book: +"Although you read a thousand books one after the other, and act as if +one did not tell anything, and you think that one must have no +friendship with any human being on this earth but only for the +thousand-thousand-year-old Egyptians, yet you might be glad to have a +friend like Erick." + +Edi must have just read something that made him solemn, for he looked +quite restrainedly up from his book and said quite seriously: "You see, +Sally, you do not at all know what friendship is, for you believe that +one can have a new friend every week. But one ought to have only one +friend for the whole life, and one must drag his enemy three times +around the walls of Troy." + +"Then he will have to make a nice journey if he comes from Upper Wood," +remarked Sally quickly. + +The mother meanwhile had left the room, and Aunt rose from her work. + +"You will get quite barbaric from pure historical research," she said, +turning to Edi, "but now it is high time to go to bed, quick! But where +is Ritz?" + +Ritz had withdrawn behind the stove a full hour ago in the hope of there +escaping his fate for some time. But sleep had overcome him in the dark +corner. + +"Now we have the trouble," the aunt cried, when the sleeper had been +discovered, and only with the greatest difficulty she woke him. + +While Auntie was pushing and shaking the sleepy Ritz, Edi had tried +several times to get near her, but she had always escaped him. Now a +quiet moment came. Ritz was at last awake. Edi quickly stepped up to his +aunt and said: "I did not mean alive, only after his death, like +Achilles did." + +"Now he too is talking in his sleep and says all kinds of nonsense," the +aunt cried quite excitedly, for she had long since forgotten Edi's +judgment on the enemy and she did not know what he was talking about. +"No, no, it cannot go on like this, children must go to bed in good +time, else the whole household gets out of joint." + +Edi wanted to explain once more, only to make it clear to her, and not +to have to go to bed misunderstood, so he had followed her about, and +now a greater misunderstanding had arisen. There was no more chance for +explanation. Ritz and Edi were shoved into their room, the light put on +the table, the door was closed, and away went Auntie. + +"I am sure Mother will come to us. I must explain everything to her," +Edi said to himself, for to be so misunderstood disquieted the thinking +Edi exceedingly. And the mother came as she did every evening, and she +promised to make everything clear to Auntie, so he could be pacified and +find the sleep which Ritz long since had found again. + + + +CHAPTER III + +'Lizebeth on the Warpath + + +On the following morning 'Lizebeth stood full of expectation at the +kitchen door, and made all kinds of signs when Sally came rushing into +the living-room from breakfast. The signs were indeed understood by the +child but she had no time to go to the kitchen. She waved her school-bag +and shouted in rushing by 'Lizebeth: "When I come from school; it is too +late now!" Followed by Edi and Ritz she continued her run. + +Something very particular must be in preparation, for after school all +the scholars were standing again in a dense circle, beating their hands +in the air and shouting as loud as they could, to have their views +heard. Sally, who had waited a few moments for her brothers, went on +home for she knew how long such meetings were apt to last and that her +brothers would only arrive home when the soup was being served. Sally +stepped into the house and with her school-bag in her hand she went +straight to the kitchen. + +"Now I will tell you everything that happened yesterday, 'Lizebeth," she +said. + +'Lizebeth nodded encouragingly and Sally began, and became more and more +excited the longer she talked. She was most excited when she came to +telling about the lady and her little boy, describing the way she +talked, how she and the boy were dressed, and her aristocratic way. But +all at once 'Lizebeth jumped as if a wasp had stung her and she called +out, "What do you say, Sally? This woman wears a silk dress in the +middle of the week? Silk? And she lives at Marianne's? And the boy wears +velvet pants and a jacket all of velvet? Well, well! I have lived ten +years with your great-grandfather and thirty with your grandfather and +twelve with your father, and I have seen your father grow up from the +first day of his life and your little brothers. And I have known them +since they were babies and none of them ever had velvet pants on their +body, and yet they were all ministers, your great-grandfather, your +grandfather, your father, and the little ones will be ministers too, and +none of them ever had even a piece of velvet on them and this woman in +the middle of the week walks about in silk, yes indeed! And then taking +rooms at Marianne's and living where the basket mender has lived, I tell +you, Sally, there is something behind that! But it has to come out, and +if Marianne wants to help a hundred times to cover it up, I tell you, +Sally, I will bring out what is behind it all. Yes, indeed, velvet +pants? I wonder what we shall hear next!" + +Sally stood quite astounded before the anger-spouting 'Lizebeth, and +could not understand the cause of this outbreak. But she had enough of +it, so she turned round and hastened into the sitting-room, where, +according to her expectations, at the very last moment, just when +'Lizebeth came into the room with the soup tureen, the brothers +appeared, in a peculiar way. At each side of 'Lizebeth one crawled into +the room, then shot straight across the room, like the birds before a +storm shoot through the air so that one fears they will run their heads +against something. Fortunately the two boys did not run their heads +against anything, but each landed quite safely on his chair, and at once +'Lizebeth placed the soup on the table; but so decidedly and with such +an angry face, as if she wanted to say: "There! If you had to put up +with what I have to, then you would not trouble about your soup." + +When she was again out of the room the father said, looking at his wife: +"There will be a thunder storm, sure signs are visible." Then turning to +his sons he continued: "But what do boys deserve, who come so late to +table and from pure bad conscience almost knock it over?" + +Ritz looked crestfallen into his plate, and from there in a somewhat +roundabout way past his mother's plate, slyly across to his aunt, to see +whether it looked like an order to go to bed at once. And it was so +beautiful today, how beautiful the running about this evening after +school would be! + +There was no order, for the general attention was claimed by 'Lizebeth, +who with the same signs of snorting anger threw more than placed the +rest of the meal on the table and then grumbled herself out again. + +As soon as dinner was over the father put on his little velvet cap and +went in perfect silence out into the garden. For the storms in the house +were more unpleasant to him than those that come from the sky. As soon +as he had left the room 'Lizebeth stood in the doorway, both arms akimbo +and looking quite warlike; she said: "I should think it would make no +difference if I were to make a call on Marianne. I should think it is +fully four years since I went to see her in the Middle Lot." + +The pastor's wife had listened with astonishment to this speech, which +sounded very reproachful. Now she said soothingly: "But, 'Lizebeth, I +should hope that you do not think that I would oppose your going to +Marianne or anywhere else; or that I ever have done so. Do go as soon as +you feel like it." + +"Just as if nothing had to be done, and as if I were and had been on a +visit in the parsonage at Upper Wood for fifty years and more," was the +answer. "No, no, I know what has to be done if no one else does. I can +wait until Sunday afternoon; that is a time when the likes of me may go +out, and if it suits the lady then, then I go, and shall not stay away +very long. Why? I know why if no one else knows it." + +"Of course that suits me, too," the lady pacified again, "do just what +you think best." She did not say more for she had already noticed that a +fire of anger was kindled in 'Lizebeth which would blaze up if another +word fell in it. She could not imagine what had struck 'Lizebeth, but +she found it more advisable not to touch on it. So 'Lizebeth grumbled +for a little while, then she went away, since no further chance for +outbreaks was offered. But there was no peace during the whole week; all +noticed that, and each went carefully by 'Lizebeth as if she were a +powder magazine which, at a careless touch, might fly up in the air at +any moment. At last Sunday came. 'Lizebeth, after dinner, rushed about +the kitchen with such a great noise, one could notice that many thoughts +were working in her which she tried to give vent to. But she went into +her room only after everything was bright and in its place. + +She dressed herself in her Sunday-best and entered the sitting-room to +take leave, just as though she was going on a long journey, for it was +an event for 'Lizebeth to leave the parsonage for several hours. Now she +wandered with slow steps along the road and looked to the right and left +on the way to see what was growing in the field belonging to this or +that neighbor. But her thoughts began again to work in her; one could +see that, for she began to walk quicker and quicker and to talk half +aloud to herself. Now she had arrived. Marianne had seen her from her +little window and was surprised that this time 'Lizebeth was so soon +keeping her promise. For years she had promised, had sent the messages +that she would soon come; but she had never come and now she was there +after the message had been brought only three days ago. Marianne went to +meet her friend with a pleasant smile and welcomed her near the hedge +before the cottage; then she conducted her guest around the cottage and +up the narrow, wooden stairs. 'Lizebeth did not like this way and before +she had reached the top of the stairs she had to speak out. + +"Listen, Marianne," she said, "formerly one dared to come in the front +door and through the kitchen, but now your oldest friends have to come +by the back way, which, no doubt, is on account of the strange people +whom you have taken into your house. I have heard much of them and now I +see for myself that they, from pure pride, do not know what to order +next, that you dare not go through your own house." + +"Dear me, 'Lizebeth, what queer thoughts you do have," said Marianne, +quite frightened. "That is not true, no one has forbidden me anything. +And the people are so good and not a bit proud, and so friendly, and so +kind and humble." + +"Catch your breath, Marianne," 'Lizebeth interrupted her; "with all your +excitement you cannot prove that white is black, and when such people +come along, no one knows whence, and take a living-room and a bedroom in +such a hut, so hidden as yours is, Marianne, where they pay next to +nothing, and the woman struts about in a silk skirt and her little son +in velvet; then there is something behind it all, and if she has silk +skirts then she must have other things too, and she must know why she +hides all these things in a hut which really does not look larger than a +large henhouse. I wanted only to warn you, Marianne; you surely will be +the loser with such a crowd." + +"'Lizebeth," Marianne said now more emphatically than she had ever been +known to speak, "it would be well, if all people were as this woman is, +and you and I could thank God if we were like her. I have never in this +world seen a better and a more patient and a more amiable human being. +And in regard to the silk skirt, please be still and do not talk about +it, 'Lizebeth; many a thing looks different to what it really is, and it +would be better for you, if you would not load your conscience with +wrong against a suffering woman on whom God has His eye." + +Marianne did not wish to tell what she knew, that the lady had only the +one skirt and no other whatsoever, and so, of course, was obliged to +wear it. She did not want to tell that to 'Lizebeth now she heard how +the latter judged. + +"I do not think of loading my conscience with anything," 'Lizebeth +continued, "and that much is not as it looks, that I know; but when a +little boy of whom no one knows from where he came, wears velvet pants +on bright week-days and even a velvet jacket, then they are velvet pants +and do not only look so, that is certain. There is something behind that +and it will come out and it will not look the best. Yes indeed, wearing +velvet pants, such a little tramp of whom no one knows from where he +comes, yes indeed." + +"Do not sin against the dear boy," Marianne said seriously. "Look at him +and you will see that he looks like a little angel, and he is one." + +"So, that too," 'Lizebeth continued, "and pray when did you see an +angel, Marianne, that you know he looks just like them? I should like to +know! But I have served over fifty years in a respectable house, and I +have helped to bring up the old parson, and the present one and his two +sons; but we have never known anything of velvet pants, no, never, and +we were, I should think, different people from these. That is what I +wanted to tell you, Marianne, and that is the main reason why I came to +you, so that you should know what one is forced to think. And with +regard to the angels, I can tell you that we have a little boy that +looks exactly like the angels that blow the trumpets in the picture; +such fat, firm, red cheeks has our Moritzli, like painted, and such +round arms and legs." + +"Yes, it is true, little Ritz was always a splendid little fellow, I +should like to see him again," Marianne answered good-naturedly. + +This reconciled 'Lizebeth a little; in a much friendlier tone she said: +"Then come again to Upper Wood, you will have time, more than I. Then +you can look at the other, too, and can see what a pretty, straight nose +he has, that no angel could have a prettier one, and in the whole school +he is by far the brightest,--that the teacher himself says of Eduardi." + +'Lizebeth always called the boys by their full names, for the shortening +of the names, Ritz and Edi, seemed to her a degrading of their names and +an injustice to her favorites. + +"Yes, yes, I believe you. What a delight it must be to see such a +well-ordered household and all so happy together and so joyous," +Marianne said with a sigh, and she threw a glance at the room of the +stranger, and now 'Lizebeth was completely pacified, for she felt the +parsonage again on the top. + +"What is the matter with the people?" she asked with compassion. + +"I do not know what to say," was the answer, "I do not understand it all +myself." + +"I thought as much, with such strangers one is never secure." + +"No, no, I did not mean anything like that," Marianne opposed. "I tell +you they are the best people one could find. I would do anything for the +woman." + +Marianne did not like to tell her friend what she knew and to consult +with her about things she could not comprehend, for 'Lizebeth had +evidently no love for the two and was full of distrust, and Marianne had +taken them both into her heart so that she could not bear sharp remarks +about them even from her good friend. She therefore was silent and +'Lizebeth could get nothing more out of her concerning her lodgers. + +During this long talk a good deal of time had passed. 'Lizebeth rose +from the wooden bench behind the table where she and Marianne had been +sitting and was about to bid good-bye. But Marianne would not allow +that, for the friend must first drink a cup of coffee; then she was +going to walk with her. So they did, and as the two friends wandered +together through the evening, they had much to tell each other and were +very talkative; only when 'Lizebeth began to talk about the strangers in +Marianne's house, was the latter silent and hardly spoke. Where the road +went into the woods, they parted, and Marianne had to promise to return +the call as soon as possible. Then 'Lizebeth stepped out vigorously and +arrived at home in such good spirits that the parson's wife resolved to +send her often to Marianne on a visit. + +When Marianne on her return came near her cottage, she heard lovely +singing; she well knew the song. Every evening at twilight the stranger +sat down at the piano and sang, and she sang so beautifully and with a +voice that came from such depths that it touched Marianne's heart so +that she could not tear herself away when she heard the song, until it +was ended. But there was one song in particular which Marianne loved to +hear and which the woman sang every day, either at the beginning or the +end of her songs. It always seemed as if a great joy came into her voice +and as if she wanted to make this joy appeal to all who listened. And +yet this song touched Marianne's heart so deeply that she wept every +time she heard it. So it happened this evening. There was a log lying +before the house-door which served her for a resting-place when, in the +evening, she wanted to get a little fresh air. She rolled it under the +window so that she might look for a moment into the room. There sat the +lady, and her large blue eyes looked up to the evening sky so seriously +and sorrowfully, and yet there was something which sounded again like a +great joy in the beautiful song she was singing. The little boy sat on a +footstool beside her and looked at his mother with his joyful, bright +eyes, and listened to the singing. + +Marianne could not look long. A strange feeling came over her, and she +stepped down from the log, put her apron to her eyes and wept and wept, +until the singing had died away. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +The Same Night in Two Houses + + +When on this evening Edi and Ritz were lying in their bed and Mother had +finished saying evening prayer with them and had closed the door after +her, Edi began: "Have you noticed, Ritz, that Father is almost like God? +He already knows the thing before one has told half of it." + +"No, I have never noticed that," Ritz replied. "But it is all right, for +then he can do everything he wants to and also make fine weather." + +"Oh, Ritz, you only look at the profit! but just look at the other +side." Here Edi rose up in bed from pure zeal and continued: "Do you +remember, not long ago I recited our songs, which we made about the +others, to Papa; then he knew at once that we were preparing a big fight +and has forbidden us to take part in it. And this evening they all have +talked it over that I should lead the boys of Upper Wood into battle, +and I have thought it all over and prepared ahead. Then I would be +Fabius Cunctator, and would lead my troops above on the hill round and +round it and would not attack, for you must know that is much safer, and +so Hannibal could do nothing and could not attack me." + +"Is Hannibal still living then?" asked Ritz serenely. + +"Oh, Ritz, how indescribably ignorant you are!" Edi remarked +compassionately. "He died more than a thousand years ago. But big Churi, +the leader of the Middle Lotters, our enemies, is Hannibal. But you see, +I just remember something: Churi is not a real Hannibal, for he was a +great and noble general, and Churi cannot represent him; but do you know +what, we can take the strange boy Erick, for Hannibal!--he looks quite +different from Churi,--shall we?" + +"That is all the same to me since we cannot be in the fight," remarked +Ritz. + +"That is true, we dare not, I had quite forgotten that," lamented Edi. +"If I only knew what we could do to be in this fight and yet not do +anything that is forbidden." + +"Don't you know an example in the world's history?" asked Ritz, to whom +his brother presented so often, in cases of need, examples out of this +rich fountain. + +"No. If we only lived like the old Greeks," Edi answered with a deep +sigh. "When they wanted to know anything of which no one knew the +answer, they quickly drove to Delphi to the oracle and asked advice. +Then there was an answer at once and they knew what was to be done. But +now there are no more oracles, not even in Greece. Isn't that too bad?" + +"Yes, that is too bad," said Ritz rather sleepily, "but I am sure you +will think of another example." + +Edi began at once to think, but however much he thought, and groped in +his memory and upheaved what he had stored away in his brain, he could +not find in the whole history of the world one single case where some +one had carried out something that the father had forbidden, and yet +stood afterwards with honor before him. For that was what Edi was trying +to find; and he was sitting straight up in his bed in the dark, and in +spite of all his endeavors he could find no way out. And when he now +heard the deep breathing of the sweetly sleeping Ritz, he became too +discouraged to try any more. He lay down on his pillow and was soon +dreaming about the uniform of Fabius Cunctator. + +Soon after this Marianne too lay down on her couch, but for a long time +sleep would not come. The singing of the lady downstairs had made her +very, very sad; this voice had never before touched her so deeply as it +had done this evening, and she still heard the sound of weeping and +rejoicing in confusion. So Marianne heard the old clock on the wall +strike eleven, then twelve, and yet she could not go to sleep. Now it +seemed to her as if she heard a gentle knocking below in the house. Who +could want anything of her so late in the night? She must be mistaken, +she said to herself. But no, she now heard it quite plainly, somebody +was knocking somewhere. She quickly dressed herself and hastened down to +the kitchen. She opened the front door--no one was there. But the +knocking came again and now Marianne thought that it came from the +sleeping room of her boarders. Softly she opened the door of the room. +Within the pale lady sat on her bed, but she was much paler than usual, +so that Marianne stepped quickly into the room, and much frightened, she +exclaimed: "Dear me! What is the matter? Oh how bad you do look!" + +"Yes, I feel very ill, my good Marianne," the lady answered with her +friendly voice. "I am so sorry that I frightened you so in the middle of +the night; but I had no rest, I was obliged to call you. I have a few +things to tell you and it might have been too late." + +"Dear, dear! what do you mean?" lamented Marianne. "I will get the +doctor at once from Lower Wood,--he is the nearest." + +"No, Marianne, I thank you, I know my condition," said the sick woman +soothingly, "it is a cramp in my heart, which often comes and this time +more terribly than usual, and so, my good Marianne, I wanted to tell you +that if I am no longer here tomorrow, will you give this," (and she gave +a small paper to Marianne), "to him who has to prepare for my last +resting-place. It is the only thing that I leave, and which I have saved +for a long time, so that I need not be buried in a pauper's grave. That +must not be, for my father's sake," she added, very softly. + +"Dear, dear Lord!" Marianne lamented, "grant that it may not be that! Do +think of the dear little boy! Dear Mrs. Dorn, do not take it amiss, I +have never before asked anything at all, but if you leave nothing, what +have I to do with the dear boy? Has he no relatives? Has he no father?" + +The mother looked at the sleeping Erick, who, with his golden curls +encircling his rosy face, lay there so peacefully and so carefree. She +put her hand on his forehead--for his narrow bed stood quite close to +hers--and said softly: "On earth you have no father any more, my child, +but above in heaven there lives a Father who will not forsake you. I +have given you long since to Him. I know He will care for you and +protect you, so I can go quietly and joyfully. Yes, my good Marianne," +she turned again to the latter, "I have done a great wrong; I have hurt +deeply the best of fathers through disobedience and selfishness. For +that I have suffered much; but in my suffering it was permitted me to +learn how great the love and compassion of our Father in heaven is for +His children, and since then a song of deepest gratitude sounds ever and +ever in my heart: + + "'I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise.'" + +The sick woman had folded her hands while she spoke, and in her eyes +there was a wonderful light; but now she sank back on her pillows, +exhausted and pale. Marianne stood there quietly and now and then had to +wipe her eyes. + +"But now I must run to the doctor,--it is high time," she said, +frightened. "Mrs. Dorn, can I give you anything?" + +"No, I thank you," the sick woman answered softly. "I thank you for +everything, my good Marianne." + +The latter now hastily left the house and ran as fast as she could +through the silent night toward Lower Wood. From time to time she had to +stop to get her breath. Then she looked up to the bright star-covered +sky and prayed: "Dear God, help us all." She had great difficulty in +awakening the doctor in Lower Wood at two o'clock in the night; but at +last he heard her knocking and followed her soon after on the road to +her house. When they entered together the room of the sick woman, the +light had burned down and threw a faint light on the quiet, pale face. +The mother had stretched out her arm upon the bed of her child. The boy +had encircled her slender, white hand with both his plump hands, and +held it firmly. The doctor approached and looked closer at the sleeper; +he bent over her for some moments. + +"Marianne," he said, "loosen the hand out of the little boy's. The woman +is sleeping her eternal sleep, she will nevermore awaken on this earth. +She must have died suddenly from heart failure, while you were away to +fetch me." + +The doctor left the quiet house at once, and Marianne did as he had told +her. She folded the hands of the departed one on her breast, then she +sat down on Erick's bed, looking now at the serious face of the dead +mother, now at the care-free sleeping boy, and wept quietly, until the +rays of the morning sun fell into the quiet room and roused Marianne to +the consciousness that a new, sad day had begun--a day on which Erick +had to be told that he never again on this earth could take hold of the +loving hand of his mother. + + + +CHAPTER V + +Disturbance in School and Home + + +Never before had the schoolmaster of Upper Wood had such hard work with +his schoolchildren as on the morning after this night. Of course there +were times that some were more restless and more dense than usual; but +there were usually a good many with whom he could work successfully. But +today it seemed as though a crowd of excited spirits had taken +possession of the children. All the boys cast uncanny, warlike glances +at each other, even suppressed threatenings were thrust hither and +thither, and when the teacher turned his back such threatening gestures +were made to those who faced him, that they, one and all, rolled their +eyes with wrath and gave the most ridiculous answers. They all were so +eager for the battle, that they could no longer distinguish between +friend and foe, and each shook his clenched fist at the other. + +Sally and Kaetheli, those model scholars, kept putting their heads +together and whispered continuously like the ripple of a brook. Yes, +indeed, Kaetheli was so brim full of news that she even kept on +whispering to Sally while the latter had to answer questions in +arithmetic and of course got into the most inexplicable confusion. Even +Edi, the very best scholar, forgot his studies and was staring sadly +before him. For just now had come before his mind's eye, during the +rest-period, the great bravery of his troops who, from want of a real +enemy, had put each other in a sorry shape. And he was not allowed to +lead these courageous soldiers against the boasting Churi, and to show +this fellow how a great general does his work! The teacher was just +standing before him and called on him, continuing in the geography +lesson: "Edi, will you tell me the most important productions of Upper +Italy?" + +Italy! At the sound of that name, the whole war operation stood before +Edi's eyes, for he had studied the minutest details of that region where +the Romans had met their enemies, and Churi, as Hannibal, stood +triumphant before him. Edi, heaving a deep sigh, answered nothing for +the present. + +"Edi," the master said when no answer came, "I cannot understand what +sadness can be found in our topic, nor what can burden your mind, but +one thing I can see, that today you all are like a herd of thoughtless +sheep with whom nothing can be done. Kaetheli, you magpie, can you stop +a moment and listen to what I am saying? You all are going home. I have +had enough, and everyone--do you understand?--everyone takes home some +home-work for punishment. As you go out, come to my desk, one after the +other, and each will receive his special task." + +So it was done, and at once the whole crowd rushed with joyous hearts +into the open. For the home-work did not at all suppress the joy that +school had closed a whole half-hour early. Outside on the playground, +the groups who had common interests at once crowded together. The +largest throng pressed around Edi, to listen with much shouting and +noise to his battle plans. + +At once after leaving the schoolroom Kaetheli took Sally by the hand and +said: "I will go with you for a while, then I can finish telling you +what Marianne told Mother this morning." With this Kaetheli continued +her story, which she had begun in school, and told Sally everything that +had happened last night in Marianne's cottage. Sally listened very +quietly and never said a word. When they arrived at the garden, Kaetheli +had just finished her sad tale; she stood still for a moment and was +surprised that Sally did not say anything; then she said, "Good-bye!" +and ran away. + +At the noon meal Ritz related faithfully all that had happened in +school: for now, since Sally and even Edi had received home-tasks, he +found that to be more remarkable than sorrowful. Edi seemed somewhat +dejected. When now the small, golden, roasted apples were placed on the +table, Ritz stopped his report and applied himself thoroughly to the +work of eating them. When he had cleared his plate, which was done very +quickly, he looked slyly at the plates of his brother and sister, for he +knew that the second supply of the things on the table came only after +all three had finished their first. When he looked at Sally, his eyes +stayed on her, and after he had watched her attentively for some time, +he said: "Sally, you keep on swallowing as much as you can, but you see, +nothing can go down, because you have put nothing into your mouth, and +your plate stays filled." + +Now Sally could not restrain her tears longer, for she had with great +difficulty swallowed them, and had been very quiet. Now she burst out +into loud sobbing and said through her tears: "Poor Erick, too, cannot +eat today. Now he has neither father nor mother and is all alone in the +world." + +Sally's weeping grew louder and louder, for she could not stop, since +she had restrained herself so long. Ritz looked, surprised and startled, +from one to the other; he did not quite understand whether he was to +blame for this. The mother rose, took Sally by the hand, and led her out +of the room. + +This incident caused a great disturbance at the midday meal. The father +was annoyed and sat without saying a word. The aunt, with great +animation, tried to point out to him with this proof, how excitable +children become when they do not go to bed in good time. Edi, too, sat +quite ill-humoredly before his plate, as if he had to swallow sorrel +instead of little golden apples; for he felt much troubled that his +father had heard of his inattention in the school. Ritz had expected a +kind of admonishing speech from him, because the outburst had taken +place right after he had spoken to Sally. Since it did not come and no +one seemed to trouble about him, he settled himself firmly in his seat +and ate everything that was on Sally's and his mother's plates. + +When the father went out in the garden soon after, the mother followed +him and led him to the small bench under the apple tree. Seated there +she told him what Sally, continuously interrupted by loud sobbing, had +told her: what had happened during the past night in Marianne's cottage. +And she now asked her husband whether he did not think that some +enquiries ought to be made about these strangers, and whether one ought +not to do something for the little boy who, as it seemed, was standing +all alone in the world. But the pastor was not of her opinion, and said +that these people had turned to Lower Wood for school and church, +therefore he could not interfere at present. His colleague in Lower Wood +would no doubt take everything in hand and see what could be done with +the boy. He was sure that the pastor in Lower Wood would find some +relations of the boy, and he perhaps knew already more about the +strangers, than was suspected. The woman, no doubt, had confided in his +colleague about herself, since she would have had to do that as she had +sent her boy to Lower Wood to school, and perhaps also to Sunday school. +One could not possibly give in to Sally in all her manifold emotions and +pay attention to them. The child had too vivid an imagination and was +yet too young to have the gift of discrimination, and if one should give +in to her fancies one soon would fill the house with Leopoldys and other +creatures, who soon would be turned out of the house or, at least, be +pushed aside by the same Sally, as soon as she saw that the good people +were not as she had imagined them. + +"I have to take Sally's part somewhat, dear husband," said the mother. +"You are right, she feels very strongly, and she shows these feelings to +everyone whom she meets; but I do not find that wrong, for, wherever she +meets with a response, there she remains faithful to her feelings, and +she loves her friends warmly and constantly. With what devotion has she +adhered to Kaetheli from babyhood! And I much prefer that she go through +life with her warm heart, and expect to find a friend in every human +being, than that she should pass people indifferently, and have no +conception of friendship, although she may meet with many a +disappointment and many a condemnation through this trait." + +"Both will be her share, in plenty," said the father. "In this direction +we therefore will do our share in saving her from these things as much +as she can be saved." + +So the mother saw that the best that could be done was to pacify Sally +and to explain to her that nothing could be done at present but +something would be done later from another source. + +When it became known that the strange woman had died, there was a great +deal of talk, especially among the Middle Lotters, in whose midst the +woman had lived, but had never been seen--a fact which had always caused +suspicion. Since no one knew anything about her past life, then everyone +had the more to say about who she might have been. At any rate, nothing +very good, in that they all agreed, else she would have been friendly +with them and would not have kept herself so apart. When now no +relations appeared and she had to be buried without any mourners, then a +number of stories began to circulate which became more and more +mysterious. For the official of the community had said that, no doubt, +she had been an exile, and the Justice of Peace had added that then she +must have committed very great political crimes. 'Lizebeth was not loath +to bring these stories to the pastor and his wife, for she had never +been able to overcome the thought of the velvet pants. The pastor's +wife shook her head incredulously and forbade 'Lizebeth to carry the +stories further. The pastor said: "There must have been something +crooked, but the woman is now buried, and we will say nothing more about +it." + +Marianne alone stood opposed to all and told them to their faces that it +was an injustice and wickedness to talk as they did; none of them had +known the woman, else they would know that there was nothing bad about +her, but that she had been an angel of goodness, gentleness and kindly +deeds. And although the lady had appeared as aristocratic as a princess, +she had been more friendly with humble folk, such as Marianne, than many +a Middle Lotter who ran about in torn stockings. But if Marianne was +asked if she had known the woman well, who she was, and why not a single +relative enquired after her, although the notice of her death was put +into all the papers; then she too could give no explanation, since she +did not know anything. + +A few wicked people then said: "No doubt Marianne will have had her +profit from it." But she had not, and never had looked for it. The woman +had paid the low rent in advance for the month, which had just ended; it +had been the month of August. When now, immediately after the funeral of +the poor woman, the officials came and looked to see what the +inheritance of the little boy would be, then it was found that there was +nothing but the piano and the black silk skirt. The officials decided to +give the latter to Marianne, since she had rendered her the last +services and put her in her last bed. + +The dress had once been very beautiful, for the material was heavy and +costly, but it was much worn, and yet Marianne thought: "It is too +handsome for me. I will not wear it but it is a dear remembrance," for +she had only seen the dear woman in that one dress. While they were +still talking over what should be done with the piano, the landlord of +the Krone in Lower Wood drove up with an empty wagon and took the piano, +the beds, the table and the two easy chairs, for everything had been +hired from him; but he had been paid in advance up to this time. + +So nothing was left for the little boy but the velvet suit that he wore. +Now they began to talk about what was to be done with the boy, and some +propositions were made as to how he could be cared for. At this point +Marianne stepped forth and said that she would keep the little boy until +she was leaving. In three weeks she was going to move down to Oakwood to +her cousin's, for her house was as good as sold. The officials were +greatly pleased with this offer; many things could turn up in three +weeks, and for the time being the little waif was cared for. So they +parted from one another satisfied with their work. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A Lost Hymn + + +The next morning, when the mother lay still and pale on her bed, Erick +woke up; Marianne, who had watched for his wakening, came to his couch +and said: + +"Dear Erick, your mother has gone, last night, to heaven, and now she +feels very happy, and looks down on you and watches to see whether you +stay good and honest so that sometime you may come to her." + +First he had answered quite quietly: "Yes, I know, Mother has told me +that it would come so." But when he went to his mother and looked at her +for a long, long time and she did not open her eyes, then he sat down on +a footstool and cried quietly. As long as his mother lay there he could +not be made to leave her, and when she was carried out, then he sat down +in the spot where she always had sat, and did not go away the whole day. +But he was quite still, and although he wept, he did it so quietly that +no sound could be heard. + +The day after the officials had been there and Marianne had taken Erick +from the empty room upstairs to her little home, she thought that it +would be best if he were to go to school and again come in contact with +other children, so that he might become happy again and make a little +noise with them; for this quiet weeping seemed sadder to Marianne than +if he had sobbed aloud. So she told him on that morning, that it would +be best for him if he were to go to school. In an instant Erick obeyed, +took out his books, packed them in his bag and started on his way to +school. So it went on from day to day, and gradually it seemed to +Marianne that Erick grew more and more as he used to be; but the sunny, +joyous face which he used to have had not yet returned, and something +like shyness had come to him, which never before had been noticed in +him. It seemed as if a safe, strong wall, which formerly had protected +him, had fallen down, and as though he looked for the first time on +things and people which surrounded him and which were strange to him. +The safe wall had been the great love of his mother, which had encircled +him everywhere. + +Two weeks had passed since Erick had again gone to school. When lessons +were over, he had never waited until the scholars of the Middle Lot had +gathered to make a noisy journey home, but he had run away at once and +had walked the long way alone. When he came home, he found his piece of +bread and his cup of milk ready on the table if Marianne was not there +to give it to him. When she was there, she often said: "Go out a little +to play with the children, Erick, it will be good for you and you will +have time afterwards to do your lessons." Erick had always gone out, as +far as the hedge before the house, and had stopped and watched how here +and there the children were running about and playing all kinds of +games; but he had never joined them. + +So also today, he stood there and looked with surprised eyes across at +the freshly mown meadow, where a crowd of Middle Lot children were +playing with much noise "Catch me if you can." Big Churi was running +after Kaetheli and as she knew what heavy blows from those big fists +would fall upon her back if she should be caught, she rushed over the +field toward the hedge and into Marianne's little garden, almost +throwing down Erick on her way. At this instant the quick-running Churi +would have caught Kaetheli; but quick as a deer, Erick rushed forth, +opened his arms wide and so stopped Churi until Kaetheli had shot around +the cottage, fleet as an arrow, and again to her goal on the meadow, +where she could get her breath without fear of being caught. + +Churi grumbled: "Another time you leave me alone, or--" With this he +shook his fist at Erick and then ran away, for he hoped to catch +Kaetheli before she should reach her goal. When the latter had rested a +little she came running back again, for she indeed had felt Erick's +chivalrous service and she was very grateful to him. She therefore could +not see him standing so alone, but ran up to him and said cheeringly: +"Come and play with us, you must not always stand so alone, that is +lonesome." + +"No," said Erick, "I cannot play with you. I do not want to shout so +terribly." + +"You need not scream, that does not belong to the game. Come along!" +Saying this, Kaetheli took Erick's hand firmly in hers and pulled him +along. + +Erick played with the rest, and now he had begun he played with all his +might. They had stopped the game of "Catch" and were playing a circle +game. The children had formed a large circle and held each other's +hands. In the middle of the circle stood the excluded child. This child +had to strike someone's hand at random and then there was a race around +the circle to see who would first get in the open space inside. This +game was played with the greatest zeal; but suddenly Erick pulled his +hands away from his neighbors' and ran away, so that great confusion +arose. + +"We will not let him play any more," cried Churi, much angered. + +"Indeed we will," maintained Kaetheli firmly, "perhaps a wasp has stung +him, or perhaps they play the same game where he used to live. When he +returns he can take my hand. Now we will go on." + +So it was done, and soon after they were playing again with great glee, +and Erick was forgotten. + +Not far from their playground stood a blind man with a barrel-organ +playing his melodies. When Erick had heard the first notes, he had freed +himself and had run away. Now he stood at a little distance from the +organ grinder and listened with strained attention to all the melodies. +When the man left, the boy went quietly toward the cottage, and when +Marianne saw him come, she said to herself: "I had hoped that the +children would make him merry again, and now it seems to me that he is +sadder than he was before." + +From that time on Kaetheli looked every evening, when the games began, +to see whether Erick was standing near the hedge, and when she saw him +there she ran to get him. Erick now played every day with the children +and when he was in the spirit of the game, he looked quite happy. But +almost every evening the same thing occurred as on the first. In the +midst of the game Erick stopped, ran away and did not return. Once a +number of wandering journeymen had passed by; they had sung loud and +joyously their wander-songs, one after the other. Away was Erick, and +one could see him far away, quietly following the singing men. Once +trumpet blasts sounded across the meadow to the playing children--for +one of Middle Lot was with the players in the army and was practising +his marches--at once Erick ran away in the direction of the sounds. +Another time a boy with a harmonica had approached the playing children; +it was Erick's turn just then to seek the hiders, but threatenings and +pleadings were of no avail, he did not seek any more. He placed himself +in front of the boy and listened to him; there he remained standing and +did not stir. + +Churi in his hiding-place was about to burst with anger because Erick +stopped seeking. He had hoped that Erick would exhaust himself looking +for him, for Churi had climbed up the high pear-tree which stood in the +centre of their playground, and from there he could overlook Erick's +inactivity and his stubborn resistance to being moved. Kaetheli too had +become impatient, for in the farthest corner of the goat-shed, whither +she had crawled, she felt herself secure from being found, and now, all +at once, she discovered that there was no more seeking, and she could +easily guess the cause. With a good deal of trouble she crawled out +again, with many signs of her hiding-place on her dress for she had been +obliged to sit crouched. She ran to Erick, who was still in the same +spot, near the harmonica player. + +"I should like to know what is the matter with you," she called out. +"Every evening, just when we have the greatest fun, all at once you run +away like a hare, or you stand there like a statue and let everything go +as it will. But that will not do! Come and seek us. But first I must +hide again." + +The tones of the harmonica had just stopped and the boy had gone. Erick +took a deep breath and said: "I cannot play any more. I must go home." + +He turned away and went; but that annoyed Kaetheli. She ran after him +and talked angrily at him. "That is not nice of you, Erick; you need not +have done that. You have spoiled the game now four or five times--that +is surely not kind of you, do you think it is?" They had by this time +arrived at Marianne's cottage. Erick stopped at the hedge and turned +round. He said, quite friendly: "Do not be angry, Kaetheli, you see I +have to act so." + +"Yes, but why? Tell me now, what you do and why you have to spoil +everything?" demanded Kaetheli, rather huffed, for she could not yet get +over the fact that she had crawled all for nothing into the incomparable +hiding-place in the goat-shed. + +"I will tell you, Kaetheli, for you must not think that I purposely +spoil everything for you. I did not think of that," said Erick, excusing +himself. "Do you see, there is a beautiful song which my mother sang +every day, and also on the last day, and I should so much like to hear +that song again. But no one sings it, and I may listen wherever I like, +I hear only other things. Oh, if I could only hear that song again, just +once!" + +Now Kaetheli saw how Erick's eyes filled with big tears, and in an +instant her anger turned into pity. "You must not be sad on that +account, for I can help you," she said readily. "I know so many songs; +tell me what the name of yours is, then I will say it to you right +away." + +"I try to remember it all the time, but I cannot get the words together; +but I remember well the melody. Do you think you could guess the words, +if I sing the melody?" + +"Of course I can, you just sing on," encouraged Kaetheli, with +confidence. + +Erick sang a line, and then another, and still a bit, then he could not +go further. Kaetheli, surprised, shook her head. "I never have heard +that song, but perhaps we sing it, only a little differently. I am sure +I shall find it. Tell me what it is about, about people or animals?" + +"At the beginning about flowers, green trees, you know, with those +beautiful branches and--" + +"Stop, I know all," Kaetheli interrupted him; "now I am going to sing it +to you." And with a firm voice and full tones Kaetheli began seriously: + + "'Three roses in the garden, + Three birds are in the wood, + In summer it is lovely + In winter it is good.' + +"Is that it?" she now asked, full of confidence that it must be it. But +Erick shook his head decidedly, and said: + +"No, no, that is not my song, there is no similarity between it and what +you sing." + +Kaetheli was much surprised. "But the flowers and the trees are in the +song," she said, "or perhaps, Erick, you have forgotten the song and do +not know how it goes?" + +"Indeed, indeed I know," the latter assured her. "You see, first there +is a great feast, where they all come and throw down many flowers and +wreaths because a great lord is coming and--" + +"Perhaps a count," Kaetheli interposed. + +"Perhaps so." + +"Oh! now I know it! If you only had spoke of the count right away; now +listen!" And again Kaetheli began with full tones: + + "'I stood on a high mountain + And looked into a vale, + A little ship came swimming + Three counts did hoist the sail.' + +"Well, Erick?" + +But Erick shook his head even more and said sadly: "Not at all, not a +bit like it! Perhaps the song is lost and no one knows anything about +it." + +"I know something else to help you," said helpful Kaetheli, whose tender +heart was filled with compassion. "To be sure, it is a little late, but +I can still do it." + +Then she ran away, and Erick looked after her with great surprise, and +wondered where she was going to look for the song. + +Running all the way, Kaetheli had reached the bottom of the hill in a +quarter of an hour. On the garden wall stood Ritz. "Get Sally, Ritz, but +be quick," Kaetheli called up to him. That just suited Ritz, for he +hoped that something particular was in store, and before Kaetheli +reached the wall, Sally was brought out. + +Breathlessly Kaetheli told her what she wanted and now expected, since +Sally knew so many songs that she would bring out the desired one on the +spot. But it was not accomplished so quickly and there followed a long +explanation, for Sally must know all that was to be found in the song, +whether it was joyous or sad, and then she began to guess and to try +whether it could be this one or that, but none seemed to fit according +to the descriptions, and suddenly Kaetheli jumped up and exclaimed: "The +evening bells are ringing; I have to go home. I am afraid that father +will be at supper before me and then he'll scold. I thought you would +know it much quicker, Sally, such a simple song! Think it over and bring +it to me at school, but sure, for else Erick will be sad again. Good +night!" + +Kaetheli was away like a shot, and Sally went thoughtfully back to the +house. Very soon the sitting-room was lighted up, where mother and aunt +were seated at the table, and now the father also sat down. Edi had long +since waited with his book to see whether the lamp would be lighted in +the room, for his mother had forbidden him to read in the twilight. Ritz +sat down to finish, with many a sigh, a delayed arithmetic lesson. Now +Sally entered the room; under each arm she carried four or five books of +different sizes and makeup. Panting under the heavy load she threw +them on the table. + +"Oh, for heaven's sake," cried Auntie, frightened, "now Sally will turn +into a historical searcheress." + +"No, no," cried Sally, "only give me a little room, I am obliged to look +for something." She sat down at once behind the heap of books and began +her work in earnest. But she did not remain undisturbed for long, for +the large amount of reading material which she had brought in attracted +the eyes of all, and all at once the father, who had looked at the books +from over his paper, said: + +"Sally, I see a book which is little suited for you to read. Where did +you get the Niebelungen song?" + +"I was just going to ask," said the mother, "what you intended to do +with A.M. Arndt's war songs?" + +Sally had taken along from all tables and book-cases what seemed to her +a collection of songs. These two books she had found in her father's +study and now she explained that she had to find Erick's lost song, and +what Kaetheli had told her about what was in it. + +"Aha," said Edi, and giggled a little, "on that account you took that +book from the piano. Erick will be pleased with the words you will get +from this." + +He held the book before his sister and pointed with his finger to the +title: "Songs Without Words". Sally was not as thorough in her thinking +as her brother was. She had, in the zeal of her intention, thought that +these were some particular kind of songs, and she now looked with some +confusion at the book in which only black notes were to be found. Ritz, +too, was now roused to interest in the doings. He too had taken up a +book and read rather laboriously: "Battle Sonnets" from-- + +"What! You have also been to my table, Sally?" the aunt interrupted the +reader. "You children are really terrible! At any rate you ought to have +been in bed long ago; it is high time, pack together." + +But this time Sally showed herself unusually obstinate. She assured them +that she could not sleep, not for the whole night, if she had not found +the song. She must bring it to Kaetheli, as she had promised to do so, +and from fear that she should not find the song Sally worked herself +into such a state of excitement that the mother interfered. She +explained to the child that they were not the kind of books where such a +song could be found, and that the descriptions which Kaetheli had given +were much too uncertain to find any song. Sally herself should speak +with Erick about what he still knew of his song, and then they would +search for it together, for she too would gladly help the poor boy to +keep in memory the song his mother had loved. + +These words pacified Sally and so she willingly packed together her +books and put each in its place. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army + + +Meanwhile the sunny September had approached and everywhere the apples +and pears were smiling down from the trees. Every morning one could see +the Mayor of Upper Wood walk toward the hillside, where he had started a +new vineyard where only reddish, sweet Alsatian grapes grew. The +hillside lay toward the valley about a half-hour's walk below Upper +Wood; but the walk was not too far for the Mayor to watch the growth of +his grapes, for they were of the most delicious kind. + +The Justice of Peace, Kaetheli's father, had also a small vineyard on +that side, but of a much inferior kind, and when he sometimes went to +see whether his grapes would ripen this year, he always found the Mayor +there, and usually said, pointing to the latter's grapes: "A splendid +plant." + +And the Mayor answered: "I should think so. And this year will not be +like last! Just let them come!" and with these words he held up his +finger threateningly. + +"If one only could get hold of one of that crowd," remarked the Justice +of Peace, "so that one could make an example of him of what would happen +to all the wicked fellows." + +"I have prepared for that, Justice of Peace," the other answered, full +of meaning. "The boldest of them will carry the reminder of the sweet +grapes for weeks about with him and will be plainly marked." + +This conversation had already been repeated several times, for both men +had an especial interest in the topic. But they soon had to pass to more +important things, for in these communities all kinds of things happen. +At present all the inhabitants of the three places were in great tension +and expectation about something which caused so much talk that they +hardly found time to attend to their daily business. The Upper Wooders +had bought an organ for their church, which was to be dedicated the +following Sunday. + +In the Middle Lot something was also taking place. Old Marianne was busy +packing up, for she could no longer keep her cottage. Her work was not +enough to pay the running expenses, so she was going down to Oakwood +where she had a cousin who was glad to have her live with him. Now the +question was, where the little stranger was to go, whom she had kept +with her up till now. She wanted to stay over Sunday and attend the +dedication, and on Monday she was going to lock up the house. + +To the schoolchildren also the approaching festivity was an opportunity +for much loud discussion. Two parties had naturally formed themselves, +the church and the no-church party. For the one side wanted to attend +church on Organ-Sunday, as they called the day for short, and listen to +the organ; the other did not care anything about hearing the music, for +they said they could hear the organ in the afternoon when they were +obliged to go to Sunday school, and to attend church twice was too much. +The main thing was that women would be sitting about everywhere with +large baskets full of cake and unusually good cookies; these must be +secured. The Middle Lotters especially were against the morning church +service. To the surprise of all, big Churi voted for the church-going. +He had brought it about that the great, long-prepared battle day was +fixed for Organ-Sunday, although many voices voted against it, and there +were still some that did not agree with the arrangement, for they were +sure that on the feast-day much else was to be seen and heard. But Churi +grew quite wild if anyone said a word against his plan, and they did not +care to make him angry now, for no one could manage so many soldiers as +he had to look after, and only thus could the victory be won. The Middle +Lotters had naturally joined the Lower Wooders against the Upper Wooders +and so they were now a large army. The Upper Wooders therefore made a +new effort to get Edi for leader and to win the battle, for against such +a large army only a well prepared battle-plan and a general well versed +in war could save them, and Edi was the only one who knew how to do +both. + +But he remained steadfast, although it almost choked him, for all the +brilliant examples of the small Greek army against the enormous hordes +of Persians stood before him, and he had to swallow them all down, for +he knew his father's aversion to such warlike doings and then--on +Organ-Sunday! + +Churi had ordered that his whole army should come together on the Friday +before Organ-Sunday in the Middle Lot. So the whole crowd collected on +the evening fixed, and there was an indescribable noise. But big Churi +shouted the loudest and explained to them the arrangements of the day: +first, all would go to church, and during that time, he and his officers +would go to find out the best place for camping and for the battle. + +"Ah, so, Churi!" a little fellow in the crowd shouted, "that is why you +voted for church, that you might do outside what you want to!" + +Churi cried, much vexed: "That must be on account of discipline; if you +do not want to go, then don't, and the Upper Wooders will pay you for +it." This threat was effective, just as Churi wanted it to be. + +The whole army should not come together until after the organ dedication +was over in the morning, and the midday meal which followed at once, was +finished; and in the morning only Churi with his officers should march +out to arrange all places and positions. So he had planned. The officers +whom he had chosen were all his good friends, the toughest Middle +Lotters that could be found. + +About this time a year ago, he had, with the very same boys, broken into +the Mayor's vineyard and stolen all his very best, fine Alsatian grapes. +He intended to do this again with his confidential friends, for it had +never been found out who had stolen the grapes, although they had tried +in all the three communities to find the culprits, and this had greatly +encouraged Churi and his allies. But he knew how careful the Mayor had +been this year, and he knew very well of his daily walks and that in the +afternoon his wife also took a walk in the direction of the vineyard, +and in the evening they often took the same walk together; so that the +culprits had not any day been sure of them. But on Organ-Sunday no one +would be outside--of that Churi was convinced; therefore he had +arranged everything in view of that, for although there would be an +investigation, all the many Lower Wooders and Middle Lotters would be in +that region, and the culprits would never be found out from among such a +large crowd. + +After Churi had told his army of his battle plans, they dispersed in all +directions. A number of spectators had gathered around the warriors, +every child in Middle Lot, down to the two-year-olds. Ahead of all was +Kaetheli, who was always on the spot when something was to be seen or +heard. When she left the meadow, she saw Erick standing near the hedge, +where he had stood for a long time watching the tumultuous crowd. +Kaetheli ran to him. "This will be such a fight as never before," she +called to him with admiration. "Don't you want to be in it, Erick?" + +"No," he answered drily. + +"Why not?" + +"Because they act as I do not care to act." + +"Not? You are a peculiar boy, you are always alone. Do you know where +you are going Monday when Marianne goes away from here?" + +"No." + +"You are going to be auctioned off. My father has said so." + +"What is that?" asked Erick, who now listened more attentively to +Kaetheli. + +"Oh, there are a crowd of people in the room and they bid on you, and +whoever bids the lowest gets you." + +"That is stupid," said Erick. + +"Why is it stupid?" + +"Because they would get more money if they gave me to him who offers the +most." + +"No, you did not understand. You are not going to be sold, quite the +reverse; he who gets you also gets the money--do you understand now?" + +"Who gives him the money?" + +"Well, that is not a person, as you think," Kaetheli explained. "Do you +see, there is a money box with money in it for the people who are poor +and miserable and homeless." + +Erick grew purple. + +"I am not going to be auctioned," he said defiantly. + +"Yes, indeed, Erick, that cannot be helped. One has to obey before one +is confirmed. If you do not obey, then someone just puts you on his +shoulder and takes you to the auction room." + +After Kaetheli had instructed Erick in what was coming to him, she bade +him good-night and went her way. Erick stayed on the same spot and did +not move. He had become deathly pale and his blue eyes flashed defiance +and indignation, which had never been seen in this sunny face. Thus +Erick stood on the same spot when Churi came by on his way home. + +"Have they made you angry, velvet panty? I never have seen you so mad," +he exclaimed and stopped near the hedge. + +He received no answer. + +"You join us in the fight and strike hard; that will relieve your +feelings." + +Erick shook his head. + +"Don't be such a sneak, and say something. The fellow who has made you +wrathful will no doubt be there, then you can get at him." + +"It is no boy," grumbled Erick. + +"So, who then, perhaps Kaetheli?" + +"I will not go to be auctioned," Erick burst out and his anger flashed +as never before. + +"Well, well, is that all. That is nothing," Churi thought. "You just +come with us and you will forget the auction on the spot. Or are you +afraid of the thrashing, you fine velvet pants? Do you know what? I +could tell you something that would suit you?" + +Churi had caught an idea: he had heard something of some danger that was +lurking among the Mayor's grapes, and the others too knew something +about it; so he reckoned that none of the others would go first and he +himself would prefer to have some other fellow first find out whether a +trap was laid somewhere, in which the first one would fall, while the +rest would be warned. For this post of inspection Erick fitted +splendidly. + +"Well, will you?" he urged the silent Erick. + +But the latter shook his head negatively. + +"And if I help you so that you need not be auctioned, will you then?" + +"How can you do that?" Erick asked doubtingly. + +"As soon as I want to," boasted Churi. "Don't you know that my father is +the sergeant here? He goes into every house along the whole mountain, +far beyond Lower Wood, and he knows all the people and can place you +where he likes. You only need to say what you want to do: take care of +the cows, deliver letters, push little children along in their +carriages--whatever you like best." + +Erick had never heard lying, he did not know what it was. He believed +word for word what the swaggering Churi told him. He considered a moment +and then he asked: "What shall I have to do for that?" + +"Something which you yourself will find more merry than anything you +ever did. You can go with me and the officers in the morning. You are +the scout and always go first to see whether the land is clear and safe +for us and where we can best pitch our tents and give battle. But one +thing I have to tell you: you have to obey me. I am the general, and if +you do not do at once what I tell you, you suffer for it. First we go +through a vineyard--" + +"One cannot give battle there, nor camp," Erick interrupted. + +"That makes no difference," Churi continued, "you listen to what I tell +you. You have to go through the vineyard and not make a bit of noise, do +you hear? And not run away, else--" Churi lifted his fist threateningly. +"You must not tell anyone where we are going, do you hear?" + +"I am not going," said Erick. + +"Then go to the auction--that is the best thing for you; I am going now, +good night." + +But Churi nevertheless remained. The blood again rushed into Erick's +cheeks. He hesitated a moment, then he asked: "If I go with you, are you +sure that I can get there, where I deliver letters?" + +"Of course you can," Churi grumbled. + +"Then I will go." + +"Give me your hand on it!" + +Churi held out his hand and Erick laid his in it. Churi kept hold of the +hand. "Promise that you will be there under the apple tree on the meadow +at seven o'clock Sunday morning." + +"I promise," said Erick. + +Churi let go of his hand, said "Good night," and disappeared behind the +cottage. + +The news of the day spread with wonderful rapidity through the schools +of the three parishes. The next evening, the evening before +Organ-Sunday, every child in Upper and Lower Wood, and above all, in +Middle Lot, knew that the quiet Erick all at once belonged to the +rowdies; that he was not only going to fight with them in the Sunday +battle, but that he was going with the worst rowdy, with Churi and his +companions, early in the morning before church. + +Sally came with swollen eyes to supper, for Kaetheli had informed her of +everything: how the fine Erick, whom she would so gladly have taken into +her home and her friendship, had fallen into the hands of the coarse and +wicked Churi and would be ruined and led to do all kinds of wicked +things by the bad boy. All this made her tender heart ache. She had +gone, in the afternoon, to the solitary bench under the apple tree and +had wept until supper time; for, in spite of deep thinking, she had not +been able to find a way by which she could snatch Erick away from the +bad companions. + +Edi, too, wore a drawn face as though he lived on trouble and annoyance +only, and his inner wrath goaded him to unpleasant speeches, for he +hardly had taken his seat at table, when he looked across at Sally and +said: "You can count to-morrow the blue bumps which your friend Erick +will carry home with him, when he begins in the morning before church +and serves under Churi." + +Not much was needed to make Sally break out. "Yes, I know, Edi, that you +would prefer to begin this evening and fight through the whole day +to-morrow," she cried, half sobbing, half defiant, looking across the +table, "if Papa had not forbidden it." + +Edi became flushed, for it came into his mind how long he had searched +for an example after which he might take part and yet hold his own +before his father. + +The latter looked earnestly at him and said: "Edi, Edi, I hope you will +try not to be a Pharisee. It is a bad sign for the boy Erick that he has +joined the fighters, moreover, and that he has made friends with the +very worst rowdy. But, dear Sally, you need not knock your potatoes so +roughly about your plate as if they were to blame for all the unpleasant +things; eat them peacefully." + +But Sally could not swallow anything more. When soon after Edi lay in +his bed, he heaved a deep sigh and said: "Everything is over for me, but +I will be glad for one thing, that tomorrow comes, because to-morrow is +Sunday. You know what we get to-morrow, Ritz?" + +"Sunday school." + +"No, I don't mean that, I mean something nice." + +"But Sunday school is nice." + +"No, I don't mean that either, I mean something which one can use very +well, when no other pleasure comes along." + +"An oracle," Ritz said quickly, much contented with the delightful +prospect. + +"Ritz, you do guess such ridiculous things. I have told you that there +are no more oracles. There will be apple-cake, that is what I meant," +Edi said with a sigh, for now he saw again all the things for which he +had wished so much more than apple-cake. + +"And do you know, Edi," said Ritz, following his own train of thought, +"to-morrow Sally will not be able to eat again because Erick gets his +bumps; then we will also get her share, and that will make three pieces +for each." With these words Ritz turned happily on his side and went to +sleep. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +What Happens on Organ-Sunday + + +Early in the morning, long before the nine o'clock church service, large +crowds of people were walking toward Upper Wood, for everybody wanted to +hear the new organ. It was a beautiful Sunday and everyone preferred to +go to Upper Wood to church. The women all carried a few beautiful +flowers on their hymnbooks, and when they had arrived at the open place +before the church they stopped and greeted each other and stood talking +in different groups. Gradually the men came along and did the same. + +The Mayor was standing a little on one side with the Justice of Peace. +They were in deep conversation in which many threats occurred, for the +Mayor several times held up his finger and waved it threateningly in the +air. + +Kaetheli stood close beside her father and pricked up her ears. Now the +church bells began to ring. Soon after the pastor's wife and Sally came +out of their house door, and behind them quiet, devout Edi and Ritz with +hymn-books under their arms. After a few steps they all stopped to wait +for the pastor. Now the old wife of the sexton ran to the pastor's wife; +she always had to report something as soon as she caught sight of her. +Kaetheli took advantage of the opportunity. Like a flash she was from +her father's side and whispered with the greatest rapidity in Sally's +ear: "Just think what I know now. Last evening Neighbor Rudi, who +belongs to Churi's officers, told me that it was not on account of the +fight that they were going away in the morning; but that they were going +into the Mayor's vineyard and were going to take his early grapes; that +Churi had persuaded Erick to come along, because he wants to send him +ahead through the vineyard, because a trap might be set there. Of course +Erick would be caught and the others could be warned and pass by, +without harm. But imagine what the Mayor has just told father: he has +had something placed in the narrow pathway which leads through the grape +vines which no one can see; but if anyone steps on it, it discharges a +shot in the face and burns it so that no one could recognize him any +more, for it would mar him so badly. Just think, Erick's curls will be +burned off and his handsome face will be so marred that we shall not +know him." + +Sally had become as white as snow from fright. "Come quickly, Kaetheli," +she said urgently, "we will run after Erick and tell him everything, +come!" + +"It is much too late, why, what do you think," Kaetheli said, "they +started early this morning. Erick is already burned." + +Now the pastor came out. The mother turned and took Sally's hand, who +tried to stay behind. Kaetheli went toward the church, and Sally knew +that she too had to go in; but she could hardly walk from fear and +anguish, and as she sat on her bench within, she saw and heard nothing +of the whole organ festivities, for she only saw the disfigured Erick +before her, how he was sitting in the vineyard and moaning, and her +tears fell so plentifully that she could no longer look up. + +Churi and his officers had assembled at the set time. Erick also had +kept his word and was there. Although the companions had started early, +they met single churchgoers on their way to Upper Wood, for these people +wanted to look around on their way to church, to see how things were in +the fields and gardens, and so they had set off in good time. + +Now Churi had commanded his officers that they must each bring a basket, +for there was no time to eat the grapes in the vineyard; they must cut +them quickly and throw them into their baskets, then they would go into +the woods, to a safe place, and eat them in peace. But armed with +baskets the officers appeared somewhat suspicious; Churi himself thought +so and he now ordered, when they arrived at Upper Wood, that his +officers should hide the baskets behind a barn, until all the church-goers +had entered the church and the roads were safe. + +Erick had already asked twice what the baskets were needed for on an +inspection march, but he had received no answer. As now the warriors sat +hidden behind the heap of straw and had time for questions and answers, +Erick asked again: "What are you going to put in the baskets?" + +"Grapes, if you insist on knowing!" Churi shouted at him, "and you too +will find them good when you eat them." + +After the bells had stopped ringing and all was quiet round about, Churi +commanded them to start. "But you will be very quiet when you pass the +church, do you hear?" he ordered; "for the doors are still open." + +Full, bright organ tones came through the opened doors toward the boys +when they silently approached the church, and now, suddenly, the whole +congregation joined with the tones of the organ and sang in loud, full +chorus: + + "How shall I then receive Thee? + And how shall I then meet Thee? + Oh, Thou, the world's desire + Who set'st my heart on fire!" + +Like lightning Erick was away out of the midst of his companions to the +church-door and into the church. + +Churi grew pale from fright; he believed nothing less than that Erick +had rushed into the church to betray publicly to the whole congregation +the intended grape-theft. Instantly he turned around and ran away like a +madman, for he firmly believed that half the congregation was on his +heels, since he heard a crowd running after him. But the runners were +his companions, who followed him in greatest haste, for since they saw +the brave Churi run like fire, they thought that there must be great +danger, and they rushed with always longer and longer leaps after him. + +Erick had run into the midst of a crowd of people, who all stood in the +passage of the church because there were no more seats on the benches, +so full was the church. Now the hymn, accompanied by the organ, rushed +like a big, full stream on through the church: + + "Thy Zion scatters palms + And greening twigs for Thee, + But I in glorious psalms + Will lift my soul to Thee! + My heart be overflowing + In constant love and praise + In service will be growing, + Will Thy dear name then grace." + +In breathless attention Erick stood there, for it was his mother's song! +He was trembling in every limb and large tears ran down his cheeks. A +woman who sat near him noticed the trembling little fellow; she drew him +compassionately close to her and made a little room for him, so that he +could sit down. + +The singing had stopped and the pastor began to preach. During the +sermon Erick recovered a little from the strong emotion which had quite +overpowered him when he suddenly heard in such powerful tones his lost +song again. + +He now looked round and saw that he was firmly wedged in and could not +move, for two more women had forced themselves between the sitters, and +the whole passage the full length of the church was densely thronged +with people. So Erick sat, quiet as a mouse, and did not stir until the +sermon and prayer were at an end. Then once more the full tones of the +organ sounded and the congregation rose and sang: + + "I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise." + +His mother had sung that at the very last. Erick saw her again before +him, as she had sat the last evening at the piano and had spoken to him +with words so full of love; and then, in the morning, she had lain there +so still and pale. He laid his head on the arm of the bench and sobbed +as if his heart would break. The people passed by him, and here and +there one woman said to another: "The poor little fellow, he has no one +on this earth," and then they went out. + +The pastor in the pulpit had seen Erick rush into church. He now looked +again in that direction, and noticed the little chap, how he sat there +on the empty bench, so forsaken, his head resting on his arm. The pastor +now walked behind the last of the congregation toward the bench. He +stepped into the pew and put his hand on Erick's shoulder and asked +kindly: "Why are you weeping so hard, my boy?" + +"Because--because--because they sang Mother's song," sobbed Erick. + +"What is your name?" the pastor asked again. + +"Erick Dorn," was the answer. + +Now the pastor knew what to do. He took the boy's hand in his fatherly +hand, pulled him down from the high bench and said: "Come with me, my +boy!" + +At the parsonage the three children stood waiting for the father's +return, as they did every Sunday. Sally had not said a word since they +had left church; now she came close to her mother and said, quite +excited: "Please, please, Mamma, may I go now at once to Kaetheli? I +have to talk over something with her, really I must." + +Sally had made up her mind to go out into the vineyards to look for +Erick, but she did not know the way, so Kaetheli was to go with her. But +the mother opposed Sally's urging and said: "You know, dear, that we +have dinner at once, and father does not allow such running away on +Sunday. There he comes now. Who is the little boy whose hand he is +holding?" + +Sally uttered a loud shout of joy and tore away. "Oh, Erick! you are not +burnt!" she cried, beside herself with joy, when she now saw Erick +before her with his abundant curls and bright eyes. + +"Of course not," said Erick, politely lifting his little cap and +offering his hand to her, a little surprised, for he did not know when +he could have burned himself. Quickly she took his hand and so the three +met the surprised mother who, however, at the sight of Erick, guessed at +once who the fine boy in the velvet jacket was. She greeted him lovingly +and stroked his tear-stained eyes and flushed cheeks. + +Sally would have liked to ask at once how all had happened, and would +have urged him to tell everything; but when she saw how he must have +wept, she shrank from enquiring and held his hand quietly. Edi and Ritz +also noticed at once the traces of tears and greeted him quite calmly. + +The pastor left his family to go to his room and the mother took his +place and conducted Erick, whom Sally on the other side held firmly by +the hand, up the stairs; Ritz and Edi followed. When 'Lizebeth, who was +standing in the kitchen door, saw the procession come and noticed that +the mother held the little stranger so tenderly by his hand, as though +he were her own small Ritz, then 'Lizebeth at once shut the kitchen +door, and grumbled: "There is something wrong about this!" + +Soon after, the whole family sat around the noonday table, and if Sally +could not eat yesterday from sorrow, today she could not swallow +anything from pure joy, not even the apple cake, which surprised Ritz +very much. But he was glad that the sad Erick also got some, for he +thought that that must comfort him. + +In the evening of this Sunday, Erick sat in the midst of the pastor's +family around the four-cornered sitting-room table, as snugly and +familiarly as if he long since belonged there. He had been treated, the +whole afternoon, with such kindness by all, that his whole heart, which +had been accustomed to a mother's great love, opened, and he felt more +happy than he had in all the sad days since he had had to miss this +love. Sally did not know how she could do enough to give him pleasure. +Now she had brought the most beautiful picture book that she owned, and +Erick looked with her at the pictures, which she eagerly explained to +him; all the time beaming with joy that everything, she had believed +lost, had come to her; that Erick was in the midst of them at home like +a near friend, and was to stay over the night, for the father had +arranged that at once. + +Edi sat over his history book and Ritz had a book of his own before him, +but looked over it at Sally and listened to her explanation. Now Edi +lifted his head--he must have come upon something very particular. + +"Papa," he said, "now I know for certain what I want to be: a +sea-captain. Then I can sail around the world, for _sometime_ I must see +all the lands where all these things have happened." + +"So, I thought you wanted to be a professor of history," remarked the +father, not much disturbed by this piece of news. + +"I want to be that, too," said Ritz, "I, too, want to sail in ships." + +"No, you see, Ritz, two brothers must not be the same thing, else they +get in each other's way," instructed Edi. + +"Then I will be a sea-robber, they too sail in ships," Ritz comforted +himself. + +"We will not hope anything of the kind," said the father behind his +church paper. + +"And do you remember, Ritz, what I once told you about Julius Caesar?" +Edi reminded him. "If I were to catch you like that, then I should be +obliged to have you killed." + +"No, I do not want that! But what can one be with ships?" Ritz asked +plaintively, for if Edi expressed a thought, then it usually remained +firmly in Ritz's head. + +"One can be also something very good without ships, my dear Ritz," the +mother said comfortingly, "and that is much safer; then one stays on +firm land, and I should advise you to stay. And what does our Erick want +to be? Has he too thought of that?" + +"I must become an honorable man," answered Erick at once. + +"That is no calling," instructed Edi. + +But the father put down his book and said, nodding at the boy: "That is +right, Erick, go toward that goal: first, and above all, an honorable +man; after that, every calling is all right." + +Now the mother rose, for it was time to go to bed. Edi and Ritz took +Erick between them and thus marched ahead of the mother to conduct him +to his little room which was beside their bedroom, so that the door +between could be left open, with the advantage that Erick also could be +drawn into the nightly conversation. Both Edi and Ritz were delighted +with that. + +So the Organ-Sunday, which had begun so hostilely, ended quite +peacefully. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A Secret that is Kept + + +When on the next morning the pastor's family was at breakfast, the +pastor arranged that Erick should not go with the other three to school, +since he belonged to the school in Lower Wood and it was now too far to +go there. When the other three had gone, then Erick should come to him +in his study. So it was decided, and when Erick came into the study the +pastor pointed to a seat and said: "Now sit down in front of me"--for he +himself sat on the large sofa--"look into my eyes, and tell me +everything from the beginning and exactly what happened yesterday before +you came into church, also what you intended to do, for I have heard all +kinds of things." + +Erick looked with his large, bright blue eyes straight into the +pastor's, and told everything from the beginning: how he was going to be +auctioned and did not want to be, what Churi had promised him, how he +then had gone with them, also how the others had brought large baskets +to put grapes in, but he did not know where they were to get the grapes. +The pastor, however, now knew everything, for Sally had reported how the +Mayor was expecting his grape-thieves again and how he was going to +receive them. It was now quite plain, as one had always suspected, that +the same crowd, the Middle Lotters, under Churi's lead, had plundered +the vineyard. + +"Erick," said the pastor earnestly, "you want to be an honorable man and +you mean it seriously so far as you understand the word, I have seen +that; but that is not the way which will lead you there. See, you can +understand, that you have made friends with a crowd of boys who are on +no good road; for, to run about wild on Sunday, when the bells call to +church, and to be obliged to hide behind barns from nice people,--you +did not learn that from your mother, did you, Erick?" + +Erick had to lower his open eyes and answered very low: "No." + +"But worse things turn up if one goes with bad boys," the pastor +continued. "Through them, one often comes where one never wanted to +come. See, if you had not been saved from it through your mother's song +which you heard, you would have been caught with the others in the +vineyard as a thief, and punished as such. Well, Erick, if your mother +should have had to hear that!" + +Erick had grown dark red in the face. He was silent for some time, +visibly from fear and perplexity, then he asked timidly: "Can I no +longer grow to be an honorable man?" + +"Yes, indeed, Erick," said the pastor now kindly, "that you can. You +know now on what road one cannot go; think of that and keep yourself far +from bad companions. And now I will tell you how you can become a man of +honor. Do you remember how the verse in your mother's song goes, which +begins: + + "'Thy Zion scatters palms + And greening twigs for Thee, + But I in glorious psalms + Will lift my soul to Thee!'" + +In an instant Erick continued: + + "'My heart be overflowing + In constant love and praise, + In service will be growing, + Will Thy dear name then grace.'" + +"Erick, you must never forget these words. If you bring all your deeds +before the dear God and look to it before Him, whether you 'Will grace +His dear name' as well as you know, then you will become a genuinely +honorable man. Will you think on it?" + +"Yes, I will," Erick promised gladly, as now he looked up again to the +pastor freely and openly. + +"Then," the latter said after a while, "there is still something else, +Erick. Have you known your father?" + +"No." + +"Do you know if he is still alive, where he is?" + +"Mother told me father had gone to America, to make a large fortune for +himself and for us; but he has not yet returned." + +"Do you know other relatives, sisters or brothers of your mother, or +some close friends?" + +"No." + +"Don't you know of anyone to whom one could turn, who would look after +you?" + +"No, no," said Erick, quite anxiously. + +But the pastor put his hand very kindly on Erick's head and said: "You +must not be afraid, my boy, all will come out all right. You may go +now." + +Erick rose; he hesitated for a moment, then he asked somewhat +falteringly: "Must I go now directly to be auctioned? I am afraid +Marianne has gone by now." + +"No, no," the pastor answered quickly, "you will not go there at all, +not at all. Now you go down to Mamma, she will keep you for the +present." + +Erick's eyes shone for joy. He had thought up till now that he would be +sent to the auction, away from the happy life in the parsonage, but now +this threatening bugbear was done away with forever. When Erick entered +the sitting-room he found old Marianne sitting there. They had sent +word, the evening before, that Erick would not come back for the night, +but Marianne could not have gone away without taking leave of him. With +many tears she bade him good-bye, and Erick too felt sorry that good old +Marianne was going away; but since he might stay in the parsonage, it +was indeed a different thing for him than if he had had to remain behind +alone. + +The weeping Marianne had hardly left the door, when the stately Mayor +came in and went with firm steps toward the pastor's study. Early in the +morning, when he was going into the vineyard, he had met the Justice of +Peace, and heard from him all the happenings of yesterday, how Erick had +spoiled the game for the grape-thieves, and how they, the would-be +thieves, had run far beyond the next two villages before they even +became aware that it was only their allies who were chasing them. +Kaetheli had learned all that, and had reported it to her father. The +Mayor was quite satisfied with the outcome of the affair, and since he +looked on Erick as the saver of his grapes, he now came to the pastor to +talk over what could be done for the poor orphan. + +The gentlemen held a long consultation, for both were anxious to find +the most suitable plan for the boy; but they could not come to an +agreement. The Mayor proposed that since the little fellow did not +appear to be very strong, it would be best to apprentice him to an easy +trade. He thought it would be best to put him to board at the tailor's, +then he would grow into the trade without much trouble, and would have +nice companions in the tailor's own boys; they were suited to each +other, for the tailor's sons were also dressed as cleanly and carefully +as he was. But the pastor had other thoughts; he had a good institute in +his mind, where Erick could be cared for at once and later be educated +for a teacher. This also suited the Mayor, and he took leave with the +assurance that he would make Erick a nice little gift, for the little +fellow had shown him a greater kindness than he could know, which the +pastor verified. + +When later the pastor told his wife of their transaction, she did not +quite agree with it; she thought that she might keep the orphaned Erick +for a while with her; in fact she should prefer to keep him altogether, +for she had already taken this loving, trusting boy deep into her heart. +But the pastor convinced her that the "keeping altogether" could not be +done, since there were nearer obligations to all kinds of relatives, so +that one could not give the little stranger preference in such a way. +But he gladly granted the wish of his wife to keep Erick at least a few +weeks in their home; for, he said, one could postpone his entrance into +the institute until the beginning of the new year. + +When the children were told of the decision there was great rejoicing, +for Edi had put into Ritz's head a large number of splendid +undertakings, which could be carried out only by three people, and Sally +knew of nothing in the whole world that could have given her greater joy +than that now she could be with the new friend from day to day; for he +was in every way what she could wish, and in many ways he was much nicer +than she could have imagined from the manners of her former friends. + +Erick had such a happy, refined, thoughtful disposition, that it seemed +to Sally as if she lived in continuous sunshine when she was with him. +The aunt also agreed with the decision to keep the boy in the parsonage, +although at first she had seen in it a disturbance in the order of the +household, since the increasing of the number would mean that in the +evening it would take even longer to get to a settlement. But when she +noticed that Erick, on the first hint, rose at once and did what was +desired, then her fears turned to hopes that one might impress the +others a little with this ever-ready boy, which impressed her very +favorably. 'Lizebeth alone continued her dislike of the new-comer, and +whenever she met him in the house she measured him with her eyes from +his head to as far as the velvet reached. + +Erick soon felt quite at home in the parsonage. He now went with the +three children to the same school, shared Edi's historical interest as +long as the latter entertained him with it, which was the case on every +walk to school, and as often as possible besides, for Edi found large +gaps in the historical knowledge of his new friend and felt himself +called upon to fill them in. Erick was a good listener and often put +questions which drove Edi to new, deep studies and which excited him so +much that he had almost no other thoughts but Rome and Carthage. + +With good-natured Ritz, Erick was also on good terms. The little fellow +ran after him wherever he went, and looked delighted when he saw him +from afar; then he rushed at him and was always sure of a pleasant +reception and jocular conversation, for Erick was always friendly, +talkative and in good humor, and never buried in history books which +often made Edi unhappy. So Ritz spent all the time out of school either +with Erick, or seeking him, which however sometimes cost him a good deal +of time, for the very nearest friends, after all, were Erick and Sally. +The two could not be separated. There was a great similarity in their +temperaments, for what the one wanted the other liked also, and what the +one did not like, did not please the other, and both liked nothing +better than to go together up into the woods, where under the old +fir-tree was the small bench on which they could sit and tell each other +all they knew; or to go down to the foaming Woodbach and there, sitting +on the stones near the bank, watch the tossing waves rush down. They +never seemed to lack topics of conversation. Erick told about his +mother, and how they had lived together, and of her beautiful singing; +and Sally never grew weary of hearing again and again the same stories, +and would keep on asking questions. + +So they sat on their bench under the tree on the sunny Sunday afternoon +in the first week in October, and Sally had just begun her questions. +This time she wanted to know why the mother had sent Erick to Lower Wood +to school and not to Upper Wood, where all good people from Middle Lot +came--Kaetheli, for example. Then Erick told her that his mother had +asked Marianne about the schools, and after Marianne had explained +everything to her, and that fewer children went to Lower Wood and mostly +children who were not so well-known, then his mother had at once decided +that he should go there. "For you see, Sally, we were obliged to be +alone and hide ourselves until I had become an honorable man." + +"But why? I do not understand it at all," Sally said somewhat +impatiently. "And then afterwards when you had become an honorable man, +what did you want to do, if you did not know anyone?" + +"I should very much like to tell it to you, Sally," Erick answered very +seriously, "but you would have to promise me that you would tell it to +no human being; never, not if it should take many, many years." + +"Yes, yes, I will surely promise that," Sally said quickly, for she was +very anxious to hear the secret. + +"No, Sally, you must consider it well," said Erick, and held his hands +behind his back, to let her have time, "then if you have decided that +you will tell no human being one single word, then you must promise it +to me with a firm handshake." + +Sally had fully decided. "Just give me your hand, Erick," she urged. +"So, I promise you that I will tell to no one a single word of that +which you want to tell me." + +Now Erick felt safe. "You see, Sally," he began, "in Denmark there is a +very large, beautiful estate, with a beautiful lawn before the house to +which one can go directly through large doors out of the halls, and in +the middle of the lawn are the beautiful flower-beds just filled with +roses; and on the other side of the house one goes across to the large, +old oaks, where the horses graze--for there are many beautiful horses. +And on the left side of the house one comes directly into the small +forest; there is a pond quite surrounded by dense trees, and a small +bench stands above and from there one descends three steps to the little +boat that has two oars, and my mother liked best to sit there and row +about the pond. For, you see, my mother lived there when she was a +child, and also later when she was grown up. And there below, where the +lawn stops, begin the large stables where the horses are when they are +not grazing; and my mother had her own little white horse. She rode +about on that with grandfather or with old John. Oh, that was so +beautiful! But once Mother was disobedient to grandfather, for she +wanted to go far away with my father, and grandfather would not have it; +but she went, and then she was not allowed to come back, and everything +was over." + +Sally had listened with breathless attention. Now she burst out: "Dear, +dear, what a pity! That is exactly like Adam and Eve in Paradise! But +where did your mother go to? And who is now on that beautiful estate?" + +"Mother went far away to Paris, then to many other places, and at last +we came to Middle Lot. My grandfather still lives on the estate." + +"Oh, Erick, we will write a letter at once to your grandfather and ask +him whether you may now come home again?" + +"Oh, no, no! I dare not do that," opposed Erick. "I must not go to my +grandfather until I have become an honorable man, so that I may say to +him: 'I will not bring shame on your name, Grandfather, but Mother would +like to make up through me for what you have suffered through her!' I +have promised that to my mother!" + +"Oh, what a pity, what a pity!" lamented Sally, "you may never go to the +beautiful estate until you are a man; that will be a terrible long time. +And then you have to go away in the winter to quite strange people, to +an institute. Oh, if you only could go to the beautiful estate, to +Grandfather! Can it not be brought about, Erick? Can no one help you?" + +"No, that is quite impossible," said Erick, thoroughly convinced. "But +now, since you know all, I will tell you a good deal more about the +estate, for I know much more, and Mother and I have talked so often +about it," so Erick told more and more until they reached home, where +both of them were much distracted, for both were wandering in thought +about the beautiful estate far away. The mother looked several times now +at the one, then at the other, for nothing unusual in her children ever +escaped her motherly eye; but she said nothing. When later she had +prayed with the children, and was now standing in her own bedroom, she +heard how Sally, in her little bedroom beside hers, was praying loud and +earnestly to God. + +The mother wondered what could so occupy the thoughts of her little +girl, who was usually so open and communicative. What had happened this +evening, and what was urging her to such a pleading prayer, and why had +she not said a word about it? Could the child have a secret trouble? She +softly opened the door a little, and now heard how Sally several times +in succession fervently prayed: "Oh, dear God, please bring it about +that Erick may come to his grandfather on the beautiful estate." + +Now the mother entered Sally's room. "My dear child," she said, "for +what did you pray just now to the dear God? Will you explain it to me?" + +But Sally made such an uproar that the mother stopped with surprise. +"You did not hear it, Mother? I hope you have not understood it, Mother. +Have you? You must not know it, Mother, no one must know it. It is a +great secret." + +"But, dear child, do be quiet and listen to me," said the mother kindly. +"I heard that you prayed to the dear God for something for Erick. +Perhaps we, too, could do something for him. Tell me what you know, for +it may lead to something good for him." + +"No, no," cried Sally in the greatest excitement, "I will say nothing, I +have promised him, and I do not know anything else than for what I have +prayed." And Sally threw herself on her pillow and began to sob. + +Now the mother ordered her to be quiet and let the thing rest. She would +not ask her any more, nor speak of it. Sally should do as she felt, and +surrender everything to the dear God. But the mother put two things +together in her mind. When Marianne had come to take leave, she had +questioned her about Erick's mother and the latter's condition; also +whether Marianne knew her maiden name. But Marianne did not know much, +only once she had seen a strange name, but had not been able to read it. +It was when Erick, at one time, had taken the cover from his mother's +little Bible; then she saw a name written with golden letters. Erick +must have the little Bible. The lady had seen the little black book in +Erick's box and had taken off the close-fitting cover and had found +written in fine gold letters the name, "Hilda von Vestentrop". She at +once assumed that this must be the maiden name of Erick's mother; but +she knew nothing further. + +Now she had learned through Sally's prayer that Denmark had been her +native land, and that a father was living there. All this she told to +her husband the same evening, and proposed that he should write at once +to this gentleman in Denmark. + +The pastor leaned far back in his armchair and stared at his wife with +astonishment. "Dear wife," he said at last, "do you really believe that +I could send a letter addressed 'von Vestentrop, Denmark'? This address +is no doubt enough for the dear God, but not for short-sighted human +beings." + +But the wife did not give in. She reminded her husband that he knew +their countryman, the pastor of the French church in Copenhagen, and +that he perhaps could help him onto the track of von Vestentrop; the +latter must be the owner of an estate and such a gentleman could be +found. And the wife spoke so long and so impressively to her husband +that he finally sat down that very evening and wrote two letters. The +one he addressed "To Mr. von Vestentrop in Denmark". This one he +enclosed in the second and addressed that to his acquaintance, the +pastor of the French church in Copenhagen. Then he laid the heavy letter +on his writing-table so that early to-morrow morning 'Lizebeth would +find it and carry it to the post office. + + + +CHAPTER X + +Surprising Things Happen + + +Weeks had passed by since Erick had become an inhabitant of the +parsonage, but 'Lizebeth had not changed her mind. Just now she was +standing in the kitchen-door, when Erick came running up the steps, and +hastily asked: "Where are Ritz and Edi?" + +'Lizebeth measured him with a long look and said: "I should have thought +that a boy in velvet would utter the names in a strange house more +politely, and that he might say, 'Where are Eduardi and Moritzli?'" + +Much frightened, Erick looked up to 'Lizebeth. "I did not know that I +ought to talk so in the parsonage; I have never done it and I am sorry +for it; now I will always remember to say it," he promised assuringly. + +Now that did not suit 'Lizebeth. She had believed that he would answer, +"That is none of your business." For that remark she had prepared a +fitting answer. And now he answered her so nicely that she was caught, +but if he really was going to carry out his promise, then the lady of +the house might find out how she had schoolmastered him and that might +draw upon her some unpleasantness, for she knew how tenderly the former +treated the boy Erick. She therefore changed her tactics and said: +"Well, you see, I always say the names in the proper way; it is +different with you, you are their comrade, and as far as I am concerned, +you can call them as you like." + +"I should like to ask something else, if I may," said Erick, and +politely waited for permission. + +'Lizebeth liked this mannerly way very well and said encouragingly: +"Yes, indeed, ask on, as much as you like." + +"I wanted to ask whether I may say ''Lizebeth' like the others, or +whether I ought to say 'Mistress 'Lizebeth'." + +Now Erick had won over 'Lizebeth's whole heart for the reason that he +wanted to know what title she ought to have by rights, and that showed +her what a fine boy he was. She patted his shoulder protectingly, and +his curly hair, and said: "You just call me ''Lizebeth', and if you want +to ask anything, then come into the kitchen, and I will tell you +everything you want to know and--wait a moment!" With these words she +turned round and chased about the kitchen, then she came to him with two +splendid, bright red apples in her hand. + +"Oh, what beautiful apples! Thank you ever so much, 'Lizebeth!" he cried +delightedly, and now ran out. + +'Lizebeth looked after him with such pride as if she were his +grandmother, and said to herself: "Let anyone come now and show me three +finer little boys in the whole world than our three are." With this +challenge, and the proud consciousness that no one could accept it, she +turned to her pans and kettles. + +So Erick had won over everyone, but there was still one who looked at +him from the corner of his eyes and always with a look of wrath, for a +few days after Organ-Sunday, the Mayor had ordered that Churi should +appear before him, and the bold Churi could hardly keep on his feet when +he had to appear before the judicial tribunal, for he expected to +receive the well-earned punishment from the strong hand of the Mayor. +But the latter only pinched his ear a little and said: "Churi, Churi! +this time you get off better than you deserve, for I know now who got +the grapes last year, and I also know who wanted to get them again a few +days ago. If from now on, even one single little bunch is missing, I +shall hold you responsible, and you will be surprised at what will +happen to you, think of that! Now go." + +Churi did not need to be told that twice; he was gone as if his life was +at stake; but from that time on he thought of revenge on Erick, and when +he met him, he shook his fist at him and said: "You wait! I will get you +sometime." But so far he had never met Erick alone, and had never been +able to do him the slightest harm. This secretly embittered Churi still +more. + +Now winter had set in. Upper Wood lay deeply buried in snow, and +everyone was busy thinking of Christmas and New Year. In these days the +pastor gave a gentle hint to his wife, that the time for Erick's change +to the institute, for which the Mayor also had offered his help, was +fast approaching. But the lady hardly let him finish his sentence for +excitement, and answered at once: "How can you even think of such a +thing! In the first place; we must wait for the answer from Denmark, +before we do anything; and secondly, the whole Christmas joy would be +spoiled completely for the children, through such news; thirdly, we +ourselves, you and I, could not separate ourselves so suddenly and +unprepared from a child who is as dear to us as one of our own--" + +"Fourthly, 'Lizebeth will give notice at once," continued the pastor, +"for she now is the worst of all, from all that I see. One thing is +sure, dear wife, if the little fellow was not so guileless and had not +such an exceptionally good disposition, you women would have ruined him +so that he never could get straightened again, for you, one and all, +spoil him quite terribly." + +"It is just this harmless and exceptionally well-disposed character of +the child which wins all hearts, so that one cannot help treating him +with peculiar love. No talk of sending Erick away before Easter can be +considered, and much can happen before then, my dear husband." + +"Oh, yes," the latter agreed, "only do not look for an answer from +Denmark, for it would be in vain. The guilelessness in that address went +a little too far." + +But the pastor's wife was contented that another respite had been +granted, and she hoped on. + +The winter passed, Easter was approaching, but no answer came. This time +the pastor's wife got ahead of her husband. When shortly before Easter a +belated April frost set in, she explained to him that new winter wraps +had to be made for all the children, and before one could think of +sending Erick away, summer clothing had to be prepared for him; his good +velvet suit looked, indeed, still very fine, and would last some time +yet, but her husband knew it was his only suit, and for mid-summer +another must absolutely be procured for him, and for that, time and +leisure were needed. + +The pastor gave his consent to the postponement without opposition. In +his heart he was heartily glad for the good excuse; for he, like all the +rest, had learned to love Erick so much that the thought of his +departure was very painful to him. + +His wife was contented again and thought in her heart: "Who knows what +may happen before summer." + +But something did happen which seemed to destroy with one blow all her +hopes. The warm June had come and on the sunny hillsides around Upper +Wood the strawberries, which grew there in plenty, were beginning to +give out most delightful fragrance, and to turn red. That was a glorious +time for all children round about. The children of the parsonage, too, +undertook daily strawberry-expeditions and every evening belated they +returned home. The order-devoted aunt, who, after a winter's absence, +had returned with the summer to the parsonage, did not leave any remedy +untried to restore at least the usual condition of things. + +Below near the Woodbach the berries grew largest and most plentifully. +But to go there they had to wait till Saturday afternoon, when they had +no school, for it was too far to take the walk after afternoon school. +When Saturday came and the sun was shining brightly in the sky, then the +whole company in joyous mood left the parsonage, Sally and Erick ahead, +Ritz and Edi following. All were armed with baskets, for to-day, so they +had decided, Mother was to receive a great quantity of strawberries +instead of their eating all on the spot as usually happened. Having +arrived on the hillside over the Woodbach, the best spots were sought; +if one was found which was plentifully sprinkled over with strawberries, +then the whole company was called together and the place cleared, and +afterwards each went out again for new discoveries. + +Erick was a good climber; without any trouble he swung himself down over +the steepest hillsides, and jumped up the high rocks like a squirrel. +Sally saw him, how he swung himself down a rock where he had espied on +the lowest end a spot that shone bright red in the sun, as if covered +with rubies. Were they berries or flowers which were growing there so +beautifully? Erick must see them nearer. Sally shouted after him: "Call +us if you find something, but be careful, it is steep there." + + +[Illustration: _Churi....unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that +Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side...._] + + +Erick answered with a yodel and disappeared. Having arrived below, he +met the Middle Lotters, who were bending in groups here and there, or +lying on the ground, eating the berries which they picked. Erick could +not find the red spot which he had seen from above; but not far away +from him stood Churi, who had seen him coming down. Churi called to him: + +"Come here, velvet pants, here are berries such as you have never seen." + +Erick went quite calmly to him and when he now had stepped quite close +to Churi, the latter unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that Erick +rolled down the rest of the mountain side and right into the gray waves +of the Woodbach. + +When Churi saw that, he was frightened. For a moment he stared at the +gray waves; but Erick had disappeared, not a speck of him could be seen. +Then Churi softly turned round and ran away as quickly as he could, +without looking round, for his conscience bit him and drove him along, +and he dared not look anyone in the face for fear that someone could +read there what he had done. The other Middle Lotters had not paid +attention to what was going on. Perhaps once in a while one of the crowd +would ask, "What has become of Churi all of a sudden?" and another would +answer, "He can go, wherever he likes," and they would turn again to +their berries and think no more of him. + +Meanwhile Sally had remained standing in the same spot and had waited +for Erick's call. When it did not come, she began to call, but received +no answer. She now called to Edi, and he came running with Ritz, and all +three called together for Erick, but in vain. The sun had long since +set, and it was beginning to grow dark. All children, even the Middle +Lotters, went past them on their homeward way, and they were always the +very last. "Show me once more, and be quite sure, the very spot where he +began to climb down," said Edi, "I will go down, in the same path." + +Sally showed the exact spot, where Erick had descended over the rock, +and Edi began the descent a little timidly. But he arrived safely down +below and ran hither and thither, calling with a loud voice: "Erick! +Erick!" But only the echo from the rocks, round about, answered +mockingly: "'Rick! 'Rick!" + +Now it really began to be dark, and round about not a human sound, only +the rushing of the Woodbach, sounded through the stillness. Edi began to +feel a little uncomfortable; he climbed as quickly as possible up the +rock and said hastily: "Come, we will go home. Perhaps Erick is already +at home, he may have gone by another road." + +But Sally opposed this proposition with all her power, and assured him +firmly that Erick had not gone home; that he would have first come back +to her; and she was not going a step away from where he had left her, +until Erick came, for if he were to come and she was not there, then he +would wait for her again, if he had to wait the whole night, she was +sure of that. + +"We must go home, you know it," declared Edi. "Come, Sally, you know we +must." + +"I cannot, I cannot!" lamented Sally. "You go with Ritz and tell them at +home how it is; perhaps Erick cannot find the road again." At this +conjecture which, only now after she had uttered it, Sally saw plainly, +she began to weep and sob piteously, while Edi took Ritz by the hand and +ran toward home as quickly as possible. + +Mother and Aunt were standing before the parsonage, looking in all +directions to see if the children would not make their appearance +somewhere. 'Lizebeth ran to and fro, hither and thither, and asked of +the returning children of the neighborhood, where the parsonage children +were. She received the same answer from all: the three were still below +by the Woodbach, and were waiting for Erick, who had gone alone. At last +Ritz and Edi came running through the darkness. Both panted in +confusion, one interrupting the other. They shouted: "Sally +sits--"--"Erick is over"--"Yes, Erick is over"--"But Sally still sits +and"-- + +"Sally sits and Erick is over!" cried the aunt. "Now let anyone make +sense of that!" But the mother drew Edi aside and said; "Come, tell me +quietly what has happened." + +Then Edi told everything, how Erick had climbed over the rock and how +Sally now was sitting alone below near the Woodbach, and Erick gave no +answer to all his calling. + +"For heaven's sake," the mother cried, now thoroughly frightened, "I +hope that nothing has happened to Erick! Or could he have lost his way?" +She ran into the house to ask her husband what was to be done. At once +'Lizebeth ran to seven or eight neighbors and brought them together with +a good deal of noise, all armed with staves and lanterns, as 'Lizebeth +had ordered. Also several women hastened up, they too wanted to help in +the seeking. Now the pastor had come out and joined them, for he himself +wanted to do everything to find Erick, and at any rate to bring Sally +home. 'Lizebeth came last in the procession, with a large basket hanging +from her arm, for without a basket, 'Lizebeth could not leave the house. + +Two long hours went by, while the mother walked ceaselessly to and fro, +now to the window, then to the house door, now up and down the +sitting-room; for the longer no news came the greater grew her fear. At +last the house-door was opened and in came the father, holding the +weeping Sally by the hand, for he had not been able to comfort her. They +had at that time not been able to get a trace of Erick; but the +neighbors were still seeking for him and had promised not to stop +seeking until he was found. 'Lizebeth was still with them, and she was +the most energetic of all the seekers. + +Only after many comforting words from the mother, and after she had +prayed with her whole heart with the child to the dear God, that He +would protect the lost Erick and bring him home again, could Sally at +last be quieted. She fell then into a deep sleep, and slept so soundly +that she did not wake until late the next morning, and the mother was +glad to know that her daughter was sleeping, as her grief would be +awakened again, when she woke up. + +Sunday morning passed quietly and sadly in the parsonage. Father and +Mother came out of church, before which the people of Upper Wood and +Lower Wood, from Middle Lot, and the whole neighborhood round about, had +assembled to talk over the calamity. + +So far Ritz and Edi had kept very quiet, each busy with his own +occupation. Edi, a large book on his knees, was reading. Ritz was very +busy with breaking off the guns from all his tin soldiers, as now, +having peace in the land, they did not need them. + +"So," Edi, who had looked now and then over his book, said quite +seriously: "if war breaks out again, then the whole company can stay at +home, for they have no more guns; with what are they supposed to fight?" + +Ritz had not thought of that. Quickly he threw all the gunless soldiers +into the box and said: "I do not care to play any more today," no doubt +with the unexpressed hope that the guns, by the time he should open the +box again, might be somehow mended. But now he became restless and asked +to go out, and Edi, who had seen the large gathering by the church, also +decided to go out doors, for he too wanted to hear what was going on. + +The aunt opposed their going out for some time, but finally gave her +consent for half an hour, to which the mother, who had just come in, +agreed. Now Sally appeared and rushed at once to her mother, to hear +about Erick, whether he had come home and how, where and when, or +whether news had come. But before the mother had time to tell her child +gently that no news had come from Erick, but that more people had gone +out, early in the morning, to seek him, the two brothers came rushing in +with unusual bluster and shouted in confusion: + +"There comes a large, large"--"A very tall gentleman"--"A gentleman who +walks very straight out of a coach with two horses." + +"I believe it is a general," Edi brought out finally and very +importantly. + +"No doubt," laughed the aunt. "Next you will see nothing but old +Carthaginians walking about Upper Wood and the whole neighborhood." + +But the mother did not laugh. "Could it not be someone who might bring +news of Erick?" she asked. She ran to the window. At the entrance of the +house was an open traveling coach, to which were harnessed two bay +horses which pawed the ground impatiently, and shook their heads so that +the bright harness rattled loudly. Ritz and Edi disappeared again. These +sounds were irresistible to them. + +Now 'Lizebeth rushed in. "There is a strange gentleman below with the +master," she reported. "I have directed him to the pastor's study, so +that the table can be set here, for I must go out again to the little +boy. The gentleman has snow-white hair but he has a fresh, ruddy face +and walks straight like an army man or a commander." + +"And he came alone?" asked the mistress. "Then he does not bring Erick? +Who may he be?" + +Meanwhile the tall, strange gentleman had entered the pastor's study +below, with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop, of Denmark. The +gentleman will excuse me if I interrupt him." + +The pastor was so surprised that for a moment he could not collect his +wits. Erick's grandfather! There stood the man bodily before him, whose +existence had been to him a mere fairy tale, and the man looked so +stately and so commanding, that everyone who beheld him must be inspired +with respect. But at the same time there was something winning in his +expression, which was familiar to the reverend gentleman from Erick's +dear face. And this gentleman had traveled so far to fetch his grandson, +and Erick had disappeared. + +All this passed through the pastor's head with lightning speed; he stood +for a moment like one paralyzed. But the colonel did not give much time +to the surprised man to recover himself. He quickly took the offered +easy chair, drew the pastor down on another, looked straight into his +eyes and said: "Dear Sir, you sent through the French pastor in +Copenhagen a letter addressed to me, in which you inform me of things of +which I do not believe one single word." + +The surprise of the pastor increased and was reflected in his face. + +"Please understand me rightly, dear Sir," the speaker continued, "not +that I mean that you would make an incorrect statement; but you yourself +have been duped, your kindness has been shamefully misused. Because I +knew that, I did not wish to answer your letter in writing, for we would +have exchanged many letters uselessly and yet would never have come to +an understanding. Behind all this is a clever fellow, who wants to trick +you and me for the sake of gain. So I have let everything rest until I +could combine the present explanation with a journey to Switzerland. So +here I am, and I will tell you, in as few words as possible, the +unfortunate story which led to this deception. But let me look at once +at the object in question. I want to see what the boy is like, whom the +man dares to place before my eyes as my grandson." + +The pastor had now to tell of the unfortunate accident of Erick's +disappearance, how they had searched so far in vain, but how everything +was being done to find the dear boy; therefore he might make his +appearance at any moment. + +The colonel only smiled a little, but that smile was a little sarcastic +and he said: "My good Sir, let us stop the seeking. The boy will not +return. The fellow who has placed him in your hands has calculated +wrongly this time. He, no doubt, hoped that I, at such a distance, would +credulously accept everything that he wanted, and would do what he +wished. Now he has found out that I myself was on the way to see you; +and to bring before my eyes some foundling as my daughter's child, that +he did not dare to do. On that account the child has disappeared, +Reverend Sir; that man knows me." + +However much the pastor might assure the colonel that no one had +interfered in the case, that the boy, after his mother's death, without +anyone's intercession had come into the parsonage, and that from the boy +himself, without himself knowing it, had come the suggestions about the +country and the name of the grandfather,--all explanation of the pastor +did no good, the sturdy gentleman adhered to his firm opinion that the +whole thing was the invented trick of a man who wished to make money, +and that the disappearance of the boy at the necessary moment confirmed +it. + +"But how should, how could the man of whom you speak--" + +The colonel did not listen to the end of the sentence. "You do not know +this man," he threw in, "you do not know his knavery, Sir! I had a +daughter, an only child; I had lost my wife soon after marriage; the +child was all in all to me. She was the sunshine of my house, beautiful +as few, always joyous, amiable to everyone and full of talents. She had +a voice which delighted everyone; it was my joy. I had her instructed in +the house, also in music. Then, a young teacher came and settled in the +town, near which my estate lies. People talked much about the young +musician, and of his artistic skill. He was engaged to teach on all our +neighboring estates. I did the same. I had him come to my house every +day and had no suspicion of misfortune. After a few months, my daughter, +who was hardly eighteen years old, told me that she wanted to marry that +man. I answered her that that never would happen; she should never again +speak of such a thing. She did not say another word, nor did she +complain--that was not her way. I thought all was past and settled, but +found it safer to stop the lessons, and I dismissed the instructor. The +same evening my daughter asked me, whether I could ever in my life +change my opinion. 'Never in my life,' I said, 'that is as sure as my +military honor'. The next morning, she had disappeared. A letter left +for me told me that she was going away with that man and would become +his wife. From that time on,--it is now twelve years ago,--I have never +heard anything from my child, till your letter came. + +"That my daughter is dead, I can well believe, but that she has left a +helpless little boy, that I do not believe, for she would have sent such +a boy, of whom she had a right to dispose, to me; she knows me, she +would have known that I would give him my name, and the remembrance +would be wiped away. But this boy, who has disappeared again at the +right time, has been substituted by the music-teacher, who no doubt +lives somewhere in this neighborhood, and has done it for the purpose of +receiving a sum of money from me. And now, dear Sir, we are through. The +only thing left for me is to express my regret that, your kindness has +been misused through my name; good-bye." + +With these words the colonel rose and offered his hand to the pastor. +The latter held it firmly, saying: "Only one more word, Colonel! +Consider one thing: you know your daughter's character. After she had +done you the great wrong, she might have decided not to send the boy to +you before he in some way could make good the mother's wrongdoing--perhaps +not until the time when he would do honor to your name, when he should +prove to you through his own character that he was worthy of your name." + +"You are a splendid man, who means well with me; but you have not had +the experience I have had. You know no distrust, I can see that, and +that is why you have been imposed upon. Let us part." + +Saying this the colonel again shook the pastor's hand and opened the +door. There the lady of the house met him, who for some time with +impatience had been walking up and down in the garden, for she was sure +that this caller, who stayed so long, was somehow connected with the +lost Erick, and she could not understand why her husband did not call +her. Sally, from the same expectation and greater impatience, followed +her every step. When now the mother had seen from the garden, that the +strange gentleman had risen, she could bear it no longer; she must know +what was going on. When she stepped on the threshold at the moment when +the stranger opened the door, then politeness demanded that the parson +introduce his wife, and the stranger from politeness was obliged to step +back into the room when the master of the house introduced his wife to +him with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop from Denmark. You indeed +will be delighted to hear this name." + +The lady stepped toward the colonel with visible delight and said +excitedly: "Is it possible? But at what a moment! But you will stay with +us, Colonel, for your dear grandchild must be found. The sweet boy +cannot be lost, he must have lost his way." + +"Pardon me, my gracious lady," the colonel here interrupted her politely, +but somewhat stiffly, "I shall start at once. You are under a delusion; +I have no grandchild, and I must bid you good-bye." + +At mention of the name "Vestentrop", Sally had grown very red; and she +trembled all over, during the conversation that followed. Now she +restrained herself no longer. Tears poured from her eyes, and with the +greatest agitation she sobbed: "Indeed, indeed, he is, I know it, he has +told me himself; but I dared not tell it to anyone." + +"Well, the boy has found at least one good friend and defender," said +the colonel well-pleased, and wanted to pat Sally's cheeks, but she +withdrew quickly, for she first wanted to know whether the gentleman +would believe and recognize Erick, before she would let him touch her. + +The mother too was struck to the core by this incredulity. Her husband +had whispered a few words to her, so she understood at once the whole +situation. + +"Colonel," she now said, placing herself before him, "do not act in such +haste. Let me prevail on you to stay a few days, yes, even this one day! +The dear child must, and will be found, please God! See him first. Learn +to know the treasure which you are about to give up so lightly. If you +could know what sunshine you want to withhold from your house, you could +never be happy again. Do not think, sir, that I would give the child +away; how shall I, how shall we all be able to bear it, when the dear, +sunny face shall have disappeared forever from among our children." The +tears came into the mother's eyes also, and she could say no more. + +"Well, I have to declare that the little wanderer has fallen into good +hands," said the colonel, giving his hand to the pastor's wife in an +approving way. "You will allow me now to depart." + +This time the gentleman was determined to go. He went out and walked +along the long corridor with head lifted proudly, followed by the +pastor, who tried in vain to overtake him so that he could open the door +for his guest. But before the door could be opened from within, it was +pushed open with great force from outside, and like an arrow the slender +Edi shot straight into the tall colonel, who had been standing directly +behind the closed door; and at once after Edi, Ritz rushed into Edi, and +the tall gentleman received the second push, and in his ears rang +confused screamings of mixed words: "They are coming--they +come--Marianne--Erick--Marianne--they come--they come." And really! In +the house door appeared Marianne, quite broad in her Sunday best, +holding Erick, of whom she kept a firm grasp, as if he might fall from +there down again into the Woodbach. Behind both the partaking scholars +of the parishes pressed in with shouts of rejoicing. + +There was no possibility for the military gentleman to get out; the +crowd pressed into the house with great force. He gave in and did what +he had never done before in his life--he retreated, step by step, until +he had arrived, backwards, over the threshold of the study, together +with the whole of the pastor's family, old and young; and at last the +fighting Sally pressed in. She had taken Erick by the hand and did not +want to let go of him, and on the other side Marianne held his hand as +in a clamp, and she herself was held back from all sides, for the +schoolfellows wanted to know first the story of how Erick was lost and +found again. + +It was an indescribable uproar. Only after the efforts of Sally had +succeeded in pulling Erick and Marianne out of the human ball and into +the study, was there sufficient calm so that one could understand the +other, for the school friends had stayed respectfully before the door; +they did not dare to press into the study-room of their pastor. + +Now only could the information be understood, which Erick and +Marianne--each relieving the other--gave about the whole occurrence. +Erick told how he, after a strong push, had fallen into the water and +then had known nothing more, and had wakened again when somebody was +rubbing him firmly. That had been Marianne, who now related further. She +had gone yesterday afternoon from Oakwood, where she was living now, +upward along the Woodbach, to the place where the berries grew the most +plentifully, as she knew these many years that she had sought and sold +them in the taverns of Upper and Lower Wood. As she was seeking for +berries close by the water, bending down behind the willow bush, she saw +how the bush was being shaken and how something had remained hanging to +it. She bent around the bush to find out what it might be, and saw the +black velvet jacket on the water! "Oh, dear God!" she then cried out +with unutterable horror, and never stopped crying until, under her +desperate rubbing with skirt and apron, Erick opened his eyes and looked +with surprise at Marianne. Now she quickly took the large market-basket +in which she intended to put the many small baskets, when they were +filled; threw the latter all in a heap, put the dripping Erick in it, +and carried him, as quickly as she could, toward her small cottage, far +beyond Oakwood, in which she lived together with her cousin. Here she at +once undressed the wet boy, wound him closely in a large blanket so that +nothing was to be seen of him besides a tuft of yellow, curly hair, put +him in bed with the heavy cover far above his head, for, "getting him +warm is the principal thing for the little boy," she kept on saying to +herself. Then she went into her kitchen and soon came back with a cup of +steaming hot milk, lifted Erick's head from under the covers, so that +his mouth became free, and poured the hot milk in it to make the little +fellow warm. When she now had packed him in the blanket again, and the +fright at finding the unconscious Erick and the fear of his taking cold +had passed a little, then it came into her mind that the people of the +parsonage did not know what had become of him, and that they too would +be anxious about him. She went again to the bed and tried to bring the +deeply hidden Erick up again. But Erick was already half asleep, and +when Marianne told him her thoughts, he said comfortingly: "No, no, they +will know that I will come back again, and if they are anxious, then +'Lizebeth will come and look for me." + +Of that Marianne was sure: 'Lizebeth would come and take him home. No +doubt Erick had started to come and see Marianne, his friend in Oakwood, +and on his way there had fallen into the Woodbach by accident, Marianne +thought, for in her anxiety for his welfare, she had not spoken a word +with Erick about the accident. Now he was fast asleep. + +Marianne sat down beside him and lifted the cover now and then to listen +whether he was breathing properly. After she had sat thus a while and +noticed how the little fellow's cheeks began to glow like the reddest +strawberries, then she feared no longer that he would catch cold, and +she also felt sure that 'Lizebeth would not come and thought that the +people in the parsonage would assume that he was going to spend the +night at the cottage. So Marianne had peacefully locked her cottage and +gone to sleep. + +The next morning Marianne first had to brush and press the velvet suit, +for she would not bring the boy back to the parsonage in disorder; she +would not have done that for the sake of his blessed mother. Then she +too must dress in her Sunday best, and so the morning had almost passed +before they both had started on their way, quite contented and without +any suspicion of the enormous fear and excitement which had been in the +parsonage and had spread over the whole of Upper Wood. At the church +they had been greeted by the assembled crowd with great noise and much +confused talking, and then they were accompanied to the parsonage by the +schoolmates, who were crazed with joy at seeing Erick. + +In the general excitement and joy, the colonel had been quite forgotten. +He had sat down unnoticed on a chair, and had listened attentively to +the reports, following with his eyes the lively gestures which the +excited Erick was making in the zeal of telling his story. Now the +reports were finished and for the first time Erick's eyes beheld the +stranger in the crowd. The latter beckoned him to come to him; Erick +obeyed at once. + +"Come here, my boy, hither," and the colonel placed him right before +him. "So, just look straight in my eyes. What is your name?" + +Erick with his bright eyes looked directly into those of the strange +gentleman, and without hesitation he said: "Erick Dorn." + +The gentleman looked at him still more directly. "After whom were you +called, boy, do you know?" + +Erick hesitated a moment with the answer, but he did not divert his +glance. It seemed as if the eyes of the stranger attracted and conquered +him. "After my grandfather," he now said with a clear voice. + +"My boy--your mother used to look at me just so,--I am your +grandfather--" and now big tears ran down the austere gentleman's +cheeks. Erick must have been seized by the attraction of kinship, for +without the least shyness, he threw both arms around the old gentleman's +neck and rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you? I +know you well! And I have so much to tell you from Mother, so much." + + +[Illustration: _He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and +rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?"..._] + + +"Have you? Have you, my boy?" But the grandfather could say no more. + +When Erick noticed that his grandfather kept on wiping away the tears, +then sad thoughts gained the upper hand in him and all at once the +rejoicing expression disappeared, and he said quite sadly: "Oh, +Grandfather, I was not to come to you now, and not for a long time. Only +when I had become an honorable man, was I to step before you and say to +you: 'My mother sends me to you, that you may be proud of me, and that I +may make good the sorrow, which my mother has caused you.'" + +The grandfather put his arms lovingly around Erick and said: "Now +everything is all right. It is enough that your mother has sent you to +me. She meant it well with the 'honorable man', in this I recognize my +child; and you do not disobey her, my boy, for you see, you did not come +to me, but I came to you. And an honorable man you will also become with +me." + +"Yes, that I will, and I know too, how one becomes one, for the reverend +pastor has told me how." + +"That is lovely of him, we will thank him for it. And now we start, this +very day, on our journey to Denmark." + +"To Denmark, Grandfather, to the beautiful estate, right now?" Erick's +eyes grew larger and larger with astonishment and expectation, for he +only now comprehended, what he was going to meet: all that had stood +before his mental eyes as the highest and most splendid, ever since he +could think, and that his mother had painted for him in the bright +coloring of her childhood's remembrances, again and again, the distant, +beautiful estate, the handsome horses, the pond with the barge, the +large house with the winter-garden,--everything he was now to see, and +live there with this grandfather, for whom his mother had planted such a +love and reverence in her boy's heart, that he saw in him the highest of +what could be found on this earth,--all this over-powered Erick so much +that he was not able to comprehend his good fortune, and with a deep +breath he asked: "Are you sure, Grandfather?" + +"Yes, yes, my boy," the grandfather assured him, laughing. "Come, I hope +you can start at once. You will not have much to pack?" + +"Oh, no," said Erick. "You see,"--and he counted on his fingers: "three +writing-books, three school-books, the pen-box and the beautiful +Christmas present that I received here in the parsonage." + +"That is well, that will make a small bundle," but the old gentleman +looked at his grandson, rather surprised, and said: "I am astonished, +little waif, that you look so fine." + +"Yes, I believe you, Grandfather," answered Erick. "That is good stuff +that I am wearing; it comes from you. You see, when in the old suit +which I had worn so long, the patches became holes, then Mother brought +out the beautiful velvet cloak, with the broad lace, and said: 'That is +good, that comes from Grandfather, you can wear that a long time.' And +then she cut everything apart and sewed everything together again, and +so there came out what I am now wearing. And Mother received a great +deal of money for the broad lace. But only when all was finished and I +was wearing it, she became glad again; during the cutting and the sewing +together, she was very quiet." + +The grandfather too had become still, and he turned away for a while. No +doubt he too thought of the time and what happy days they were when he +had hung around his beloved child the rich mantle, and how sweetly she +stood before him, she whom he was never to see again. + +"Come, my boy," he said, turning again to Erick. "What has become of +your foster-parents? It is time that we thank them." + +The pastor's wife had seen at once that the grandfather had recognized +his grandson, and as the latter was standing before him, she gently +urged her husband and children, as well as Marianne, out of the room and +closed the door after her; and outside, in the long passage, she let the +interested crowd ask their loud questions, and give their loudest +answers, undisturbed. But when the colonel, holding Erick by the hand, +came out of the study, she at once made an open path for them through +the assembled people, to bring them upstairs to the quiet reception +room, where at last the family and their guest could be among +themselves. Here the beaming grandfather went first to the lady of the +house, and then to the master and then again to the lady, and every time +he took each by both their hands with indescribable heartiness and kept +on saying: "I have no words, but thanks, eternal thanks!" And all at +once he saw Sally's head peeping out from behind her mother. He suddenly +took it between his two hands and cried: "There is, I believe, the great +friend and defender of my boy. Well, now will you forgive me?" + +Sally pulled one of his hands down and pressed a hearty kiss on it, and +now the colonel tenderly stroked her hair and said: "Such good friends +are worth a great deal!" + +But when he expressed his intention to start at once with Erick, there +arose great opposition, and this time the mother distinguished herself +in opposition against such quick separation. The grandfather of her +Erick ought to spend at least one night beneath her roof, and give the +family the chance of learning to know him a little better and to have +Erick another day in their midst. + +All the children as well as Erick supported, louder and always louder, +the mother's request, and the beleaguered grandfather had to give in. +Ritz and Edi ran with much delight and noise down the stairs to seat +themselves proudly in the coach, and thus drive to the inn, where both +must tell to the guests present, who had changed their consultation +place from the church to the inn, what they knew of the strange +gentleman. And so it came about that on the same Sunday afternoon, all +Upper and Lower Wooders, as well as the Middle Lotters, knew Erick's +family and fate, and they had to talk loud and zealously before every +door, over this change of luck that had come to Erick. + +In the parsonage, too, the evening was spent with unusually animated +conversation. How much had to be told to the grandfather of the +happenings of the last and all former days, and Erick had to throw in a +question now and then, which referred to the distant estate, for his +thoughts always travelled back to that spot. + +"Is Mother's white pony still alive, Grandfather?" he once suddenly +asked. + +The beautiful pony had long been put away, was the answer. "But you +shall have one just like your mother's, my boy. I can now bear the sight +of it again," the grandfather said. + +"Does old John still live, who made the barge and scraped the +pebble-walks so nicely?" Erick asked another time. + +"What, you know of that too? Yes, indeed, he is still living, but the +joy of seeing my daughter's son whom I am bringing home will almost kill +him," said the colonel, smiling contentedly at the prospect. + +When Sally and Erick told of their first meeting and Sally's call in +Marianne's cottage, and now it came out that it was the same Marianne +who had pulled Erick out of the water, and who had stuck so faithfully +to his mother, the colonel suddenly jumped up and demanded that Erick +should go with him at once to Marianne for, from pure joy, they both had +not thanked her as they ought to. But the lady had foreseen such a +request, and had not let Marianne go home. And so she was called into +the room and the colonel quickly took a chair and placed it in front of +him. Marianne had to sit down there and tell everything that she knew of +his daughter, and what she herself had heard and seen. Marianne was very +glad to do that, and she spoke with such love and reverence of the dear +one, that at the end of her story, the colonel took her hand and shook +it heartily, but he could not speak. He rose and walked a few times up +and down the room, then he beckoned to Erick, took out of his wallet two +papers and said: "Give this to the good old woman, my boy; she shall +have a few good days, she deserves it." + +Erick had never before enjoyed the happiness of giving; never had he +been able to give anything to anyone, for he himself had never owned +anything. An enormous joy rose up in his heart and with bright eyes he +stepped to Marianne and said: "Marianne, here is something for you, for +which you can buy whatever you like." + +But when Marianne saw that on the paper was a number and several zeros +after it, she struck her hands together from astonishment and fright, +and cried: "Dear God, I have not earned that, this is riches!" And when +she still kept her hands away from the money, Erick stuck the papers +deep into her pocket and said: + +"Do you remember, Marianne, how you have said that you were growing old +and could no longer work as you used to, and therefore you had to give +up the little house and go to your old cousin? Now you can have your +cottage again, with that money, and live in it happily." + +"That I can, that I can," cried Marianne, forgetting in her joy that she +did not want to take the large present. Tears of joy ran down her +cheeks, and from happiness and emotion she could not utter a word of +thanks, but kept on pressing the colonel's hand and then Erick's, and +all were glad with Marianne that she could move again into the cottage +and keep it for always. When at last they must separate for the night, +the colonel pressed the house-mother's hand once more and said: "My dear +friend, you will understand with what gratitude my heart is full, when I +tell you that this is the first happy evening which I have had for the +last twelve years." + +Parting had to come the next morning. The mother took Erick in her arms +and after she pressed him to her heart, she said: "My dear Erick, never +forget your mother's song! It has already brought you once from the +wrong road into the right one; it will guide you well as long as you +live. Keep it in your heart, my Erick." + +When Erick noticed tears in the mother's eyes, then his grew wet, and +when Sally noticed that, she put both hands to her face and began to +sob. Then Erick ran to his grandfather and pleadingly cried: "Oh, +Grandfather, can we not take Sally along? Don't you think we could?" + +The grandfather smiled and answered: "I could not wish anything I should +like better, my boy, but we cannot rob the parsonage of all its +children, all at once. But come, perhaps we can make some arrangement. +What does the mother think about it, if we were to take our little +friend next summer and bring her back for the winter, and do so every +year?" + +"Yes, yes," shouted Erick, "every, every year as long as we live! Will +you give me your word on it, Grandfather, now, right away?" + +"To give you my word on it that it shall be so long as we live, that is +asking much, my boy," said the grandfather smiling. "If now you, both of +you, should wish, all at once, to have things different--what then?" + +"Oh, no, we are not so stupid," said Erick, "are we, Sally? Just you +promise right away, Grandfather." + +The latter held out his hand to the mother and said: "If it suits Mamma, +then we both will promise, that it shall continue, as long as it pleases +our children." + +The mother gave her hand on it, and now the two hands were pressed most +heartily. + +And the pastor said: "So, so! Agreements are made between the colonel +and the parson's wife behind my back, and I have nothing to do with it +but say yes. Well, then, I will say at once a firm _yes_ and _Amen_." + +With these words he too shook his guest's hand firmly and there remained +only to take leave from Ritz and Edi, both of whom he heartily invited +to Denmark, wherein Erick strongly supported him, adding: "And you know, +Edi, when you are in Denmark, then you can go on ships, and study there +all about them. That will be a good thing for your calling." For Erick +had not forgotten that Edi intended to sail around the whole world, and +that Ritz too wanted to be something on the sea. + +The grandfather was already entering the travelling coach, when Erick +was held back by 'Lizebeth; he had pressed into her hand a valuable +paper, but she had put her apron to her eyes and had begun to sob aloud +behind it, and now she was holding Erick and said: "I think the Sir +Grandfather, he means it well as far as he sees things; but that he +takes the dear boy away from us,--to take one's little boy simply +away--" + +"I will come back again, 'Lizebeth, every year when the storks return. +Therefore, good-bye, 'Lizebeth, until I come again." + +Saying this, Erick quickly jumped into the carriage, and he wore the +same velvet suit in which he had come. For a long, long time he saw the +white handkerchiefs wave, and he waved his in answer, until the +carriage, down below at the foot of the hill, turned around the corner +and disappeared into the woods. But when the fleet horses, soon after, +reached the first houses of the Middle Lot, there was another halt. + +From the moment that Erick had disappeared, Churi had looked like a +picture of horror. He had grown white and grayish looking, and at every +sound that he heard, he trembled, for he thought: "Now they are coming +to fetch you, to put you into prison." Churi had heard that someone who +had thrown another boy into the water had been fetched by two gendarmes +and had been put into prison, where he had been kept for twenty years in +chains. Churi saw this picture always before him and for fear, he could +no longer eat nor sleep; and he dared look at no one. And when the +report came that Erick had turned up again, then his fear increased. For +now, so he thought, it would surely come out that he had done the deed; +and now he was sure that the police would come to get him. But when on +Sunday, the story went round like lightning that Erick, in looking for +berries, had fallen into the water, then it all at once was clear to +Churi, that Erick had not told about him and that he again could go +about quite free and without fear. A great, oppressive weight fell from +Churi's heart, and he was so touched by Erick's kindness and generosity +that he did not sleep from thinking what he could possibly do for Erick +to show him his gratitude. + +It had really been so. Erick had thought that Churi had not meant to +push him into the water, so he had felt sorry for him, if he should be +punished for what he did not mean to do, and so Erick had only said that +he had received a push when looking for berries, and had fallen into the +water. And they had assumed that the boys had knocked each other about +as usual, and Erick had been pushed accidentally. + +Churi had thought out his reward, and had arranged the following +program. All the scholars of Middle Lot had to place themselves in a +long line along the street, and when now the carriage with Erick came +driving along, they, the scholars, all together must shout, "Hurrah for +Erick." + +As they one and all now shouted with all their might, there was a +terrible noise, so that the horses jumped and shied. But the coachman +had them well in hand and brought them in a short time to stand quietly. +At this moment one of the boys shot out of the line and onto the +carriage step. It was Churi. He bent to Erick's ear and whispered: "I +will never again hurt you as long as I live, Erick, and when you come +back again, you just reckon on me; no one shall ever touch you, and you +shall have all the crabs and strawberries and hazel nuts which I can +find." + +But on the other side someone else had sprung on the carriage step and +clamored for Erick's attention. He felt something under his nose from +which came various odors. It was an enormous bunch of fire-red and +yellow flowers, which Kaetheli held out to him, who with one foot on the +step was balancing over the colonel, and called to Erick: "Here, Erick, +you must take a nosegay from the garden with you, and when you come +back, be sure you come and see us, do not forget." + +"Thank you, Kaetheli," Erick called back, "I shall certainly come to see +you, a year from now. Good-bye, Kaetheli, good-bye, Churi!" + +Both jumped down, and the horses started. + +"Look, look, Grandfather," cried Erick quickly, and pulled the +grandfather in front of him, so that he could see better. "Look, there +is Marianne's little house. Do you see the small window? There Mother +always sat and sewed, and you see, close beside it stood the piano, +where Mother sat the very last time and sang." + +The grandfather looked at the little window and he frowned as though he +were in pain. + +"What did your mother sing last, my boy?" he then asked. + + "I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise." + +When Erick had ended, the grandfather sat for a while quiet and lost in +thought; then he said: "Your mother must have found a treasure when in +misery, which is worth more than all the good luck and possessions which +she had lost. The dear God sent that to her, and we will thank Him for +it, my boy. That, too, can make me happy again, else the sight of that +little window would crush my heart forever. But that your mother could +sing like that, and that you, my boy, come into my home with me, that +wipes away my suffering and makes me again a happy father." + +The grandfather took Erick's hand lovingly in his, and so they drove +toward the distant home. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ERICK AND SALLY*** + + +******* This file should be named 10436-8.txt or 10436-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/4/3/10436 + + +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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Boll</h1> + +<pre> +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 <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Erick and Sally</p> +<p>Author: Johanna Spyri</p> +<p>Release Date: December 11, 2003 [eBook #10436]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: iso-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ERICK AND SALLY***</p> +<br> +<center><h3>E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell<br> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team</h3></center> +<br> +<hr class="full"> + +<p> </p> +<h1> + ERICK AND SALLY +</h1> + +<h4> + By the Swiss Writer +</h4> +<h2>JOHANNA SPYRI</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>Author of Heidi, Chel, and many other stories</i></p> +<p class="ctr"><i>Translated by</i></p> +<h4>HELENE H. BOLL</h4> + +<p class="ctr">1921</p> + +<p> </p> +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/frontis.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="images/frontt.jpg" width="150" +alt="Johanna Spyri"></a></p> + +<p> </p> +<h4>Affectionately dedicated to<br><br> + MRS. MARTHA C. BÜHLER</h4> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>PREFACE</h2> +<p><i>To our Boys and Girls:</i></p> +<p> + Years ago, in a little country called Switzerland, there lived a little + girl who was the daughter of a doctor. This doctor sometimes had to + climb up high mountains and sometimes he had to descend slowly to the + deep valleys, always on horseback, to visit the sick people who had sent + for him. Of course there were no telephones, electric lights, steam + trains or automobiles, and so often this doctor was away from home for + two or three days attending the people who needed his help. His trips + took him into little villages where there were only a few hundred poor + people who made a scant living from farming and sheep raising, but he + knew them so well that he became very fond of them, and he shared their + sorrows and joys. When he returned home he would tell his little + daughter, who was Johanna Spyri, about what he had seen and heard. She + became very much interested in the people whom her father told about, + and when she grew up she visited many of the places that he had told her + about when she was a child. +</p> +<p> + It was not until she was quite a grown woman that she wrote any books, + but the children of Switzerland and Germany loved her stories so much, + that we have decided to translate the story of Erick and Sally for the + children of America. The author knew children and loved them, and wrote + to them and not for them. Thus, every one who reads this story will + follow the sorrows and pleasures of Erick just as if he were a personal + living friend. +</p> +<p> + The translator understands American boys and girls, for she has been a + teacher in our schools for many years. She also has an intimate + knowledge of the country described in this story for she has often + visited the places mentioned. Through her knowledge and love of the + country about which Madame Spyri wrote, and speaking her language, the + translator, Helene H. Boll, appreciates her thoughts, and has faithfully + reproduced them in this absorbing little story. +</p> +<p> + THE PUBLISHERS. +</p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr> +<p><b>Contents</b></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH1"> +CHAPTER I - In the Parsonage of Upper Wood +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH2"> +CHAPTER II - A Call in the Village +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH3"> +CHAPTER III - 'Lizebeth on the Warpath +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH4"> +CHAPTER IV - The Same Night in Two Houses +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH5"> +CHAPTER V - Disturbance in School and Home +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH6"> +CHAPTER VI - A Lost Hymn +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH7"> +CHAPTER VII - Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH8"> +CHAPTER VIII - What Happens on Organ-Sunday +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH9"> +CHAPTER IX - A Secret that is Kept +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="#2HCH10"> +CHAPTER X - Surprising Things Happen +</a></p> +<p> </p> +<hr> +<p> </p> +<p><b>List of Illustrations</b></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="images/frontis.jpg"> +Johanna Spyri +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="images/001.jpg"> +<i>Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly +tone, "Come here, dear child,"...</i> +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="images/002.jpg"> +<i>Churi ... unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that +Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side....</i> +</a></p> +<p class="toc"><a href="images/003.jpg"> +<i>He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and +rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?"...</i> +</a></p> +<p> </p> +<hr> +<a name="2HCH1"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>In the Parsonage of Upper Wood</i></p> +<p> + The sun was shining so brightly through the foremost windows of the old + schoolhouse in Upper Wood, that the children of the first and second + classes appeared as if covered with gold. They looked at one another, + all with beaming faces, partly because the sun made them appear so, and + partly for joy; for when the sunshine came through the last window, then + the moment approached that the closing word would be spoken, and the + children could rush out into the evening sunshine. The teacher was still + busy with the illuminated heads of the second class, and indeed with + some zeal, for several sentences had still to be completed, before the + school could be closed. The teacher was standing before a boy who looked + well-fed and quite comfortable, and who was looking up into the + teacher's face with eyes as round as two little balls. +</p> +<p> + "Well, Ritz, hurry, you surely must have thought of something by now. + Now then! What can be made useful in a household? Do not forget to + mention the three indispensable qualities of the object." +</p> +<p> + Ritz, the youngest son of the minister, was usually busy thinking of + that which had just happened to him. So just now it had come to his + mind, how this very morning Auntie had arrived. She was an older sister + of his mother and had no home of her own; but made a home with her + relatives. She was a frequent visitor at the parsonage for months at a + time and would help the mother in governing the household. Ritz + remembered especially, that Auntie was particularly inclined to have the + children go to bed in good time—and they had to go—and he also + remembered that they could not get the extra ten minutes from Mother, + for Auntie was always against begging Mother. In fact, Auntie talked so + much about going to bed, that Ritz felt the feared command of retiring + during the whole day. So his thoughts were occupied with these + experiences, and he said after some thinking: "One can make use of an + aunt in a household. She must—she must—she must—" +</p> +<p> + "Well, what must she? That will be something different from a quality," + the teacher interrupted the laborious speech of the boy. +</p> +<p> + "She must not always be reminding that it is time to go to bed," it now + came out. +</p> +<p> + "Ritz," the teacher said now in a severe tone, "is the school the place + to joke?" +</p> +<p> + But Ritz looked at the teacher with such unmistakable fright and + astonishment, that the latter saw that it was an honest opinion which + Ritz had made use of in his sentence. He therefore changed his mind and + said more gently: "Your sentence is unfitting and incorrect, for your + three qualities are not there. Do you understand that, Ritz? You will + have to make three sentences at home, all alike; but do not forget the + different qualities. Have you understood me?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, teacher," answered Ritz in deepest dejection, for he already saw + himself sitting alone in the evening thinking and thinking and gnawing + on his slate pencil, while Sally and Edi could pursue their merry + entertainments. +</p> +<p> + Now the end of school was announced. In a short time the door was + opened, and the boys and girls hastened out toward the open place before + the schoolhouse, where suddenly all were crowded together like a huge + ball, from the midst of which came a tremendous noise and confused + shoutings. Something out of the common must have happened. +</p> +<p> + "In the house of old Marianne"—"a tremendously rich lady"—"a piano, + four men could not get it in, the door is too narrow"—"a small + boy"—"before we went to school"—It was so confused, nothing could + really be understood. Then a voice shouted: "All come along! Perhaps + they are not through with it, come, all of you to the Middle Lot!" And + suddenly the whole ball separated, and almost the whole crowd ran in the + same direction. +</p> +<p> + Only two boys remained on the playground and looked at each other, quite + perplexed. The one was stout little Ritz, who long since had forgotten + his great trouble and had listened intently to the exciting, although + incomprehensible story. The other was his brother Edi, a slender, tall + fellow with a high forehead and serious grey eyes beneath. He was hardly + two years older than his brother; but for his not quite nine years, he + was tall, and appeared much older than the seven-year-old Ritz. +</p> +<p> + "We must run home quickly and ask whether we too may go; we must see + that, Ritz, so hurry up!" With these words Edi pulled his brother along, + and soon they turned round the corner and also disappeared. +</p> +<p> + Behind the schoolhouse, near the hawthorn hedge, stood the last of the + crowd in animated conversation. It was Sally, the ten-year-old sister of + the two boys, with her friend Kaetheli, who with great excitement seemed + to describe an occurrence. +</p> +<p> + "But Kaetheli, I do not know the beginning," said Sally. "Just you begin + at the beginning, from where you saw everything with your own eyes, will + you?" +</p> +<p> + "Very well, I will, but this time you must pay close attention," said + Kaetheli. "You know that the old blind straw-plaiter lived with the + little girl Meili at old Marianne's? Well, Meili went to school at Lower + Wood. Two weeks ago her father died and Meili had to go to Lower Wood to + her uncle. Then Marianne cleaned the bedroom and the sitting-room + terribly clean, opened all the windows, and afterwards closed them all + again and put on the shutters. She herself lives in the little room + above. But this morning everything was open, and yet Marianne had said + nothing about it to anyone and all people in Middle Lot were surprised + at that. At half-past eleven, just when we were coming out of school, we + saw a wagon coming up the hill from Lower Wood, and the horse could + hardly pull the load, for there was a large piano on the wagon, a bed, + and lots of other things, a table and a little box, and I think that was + all. Now the wagon stopped at old Marianne's cottage, and all at once + there came out of the cottage old Marianne and a woman, who was quite + white in the face, and behind them came a little boy, and no one had + seen them come up. Then four men of Middle Lot wanted to carry the piano + into the cottage but it would not go through the door because the door + was too narrow and the piano too wide. And all who stood around to look + said she must be a very rich woman, because she had such a large piano. + But no one knew from where she came, and when anyone asked old Marianne + she snarled and said: 'I haven't any time.' +</p> +<p> + "All the people around are surprised that a rich lady should come to old + Marianne in the wooden cottage; my father has said long since that the + cottage would tumble over one of these days. And Sally! I wish you could + see the woman, you too would be surprised that she should make her home + there. Just think, she wears a black silk skirt on week-days!" +</p> +<p> + "And what about the boy, how does he look?" asked Sally, who had + followed her friend's story with close attention. +</p> +<p> + "I had almost forgotten him," continued Kaetheli. "Just think, he wears + velvet pants, quite short black velvet pants and a velvet jacket and a + cap to match. Just imagine a boy with velvet pants!" +</p> +<p> + "I should think that would be quite pretty," observed Sally, "but what + does he look like otherwise?" +</p> +<p> + "I have forgotten that, I had to watch the moving of the piano. He is + nothing particular to look at." +</p> +<p> + "Kaetheli, do you know what?" Sally said, "you go home with me. I want + to ask whether I may go home with you for a little while. I should like + to see that too, and then afterwards we will both go to old Marianne's + to call, will you?" +</p> +<p> + Kaetheli was ready at once to carry out the plan, and the children ran + together toward the parsonage. +</p> +<p> + It was only a little while before, that Edi and Ritz had arrived home + panting for breath. In the garden on the bench under the large + apple-tree, Mother and Auntie were sitting mending and conversing over + the bringing-up of the children; for Auntie knew many a good advice, + quite new and not worn out. Now they heard hasty running, and Edi and + Ritz came rushing along. +</p> +<p> + "May we—in the Middle Lot—to the Middle Lot—people have arrived—a + wagon and a piano—a terribly rich woman and a—" +</p> +<p> + Both shouted in confusion, breathlessly and incomprehensibly. +</p> +<p> + "Now," the aunt cried into the noise, "if you behave like two canary + birds who suddenly have become crazy, no human being can understand a + word. One is to be silent and the other may talk, or still better both + be silent." +</p> +<p> + But Ritz and Edi could do neither. If Edi began to report, then Ritz had + to follow. It always had been so, and to be silent at this moment of + excitement, that could not be expected; therefore both began afresh and + would no doubt have continued thus for some time if Sally and Kaetheli + had not arrived on the scene. They made everything clear in a short + time. +</p> +<p> + But the mother did not like to have her children run to the Middle Lot + for the sake of staring at strange people who had arrived there, and to + increase the gaping crowd who, no doubt, were standing in front of + Marianne's cottage. She did not give the longed-for permission, but she + invited Kaetheli to stay at the parsonage and take afternoon coffee with + the children and afterwards play in the garden. +</p> +<p> + That was at least something; Sally and Ritz were satisfied, and they ran + at once with Kaetheli into the house. But Edi showed a dissatisfied + face, for wherever something strange could be seen or found, he had to + be there. +</p> +<p> + He stood there without saying a word. He was thinking whether he dared + to work on his mother to get the desired permission. He feared, however, + the auxiliary troops which his aunt would lead into battle to help his + mother. But before he had weighed all sides his aunt said: "Well, Edi, + have you not yet swallowed the defeat? Isn't there some old Roman, or + Egyptian, who also could not always do what he wanted? Just you think + that over and you will see that it will help you." +</p> +<p> + That helped, indeed, for Edi was a great searcher in history, and when + he happened in that field, then all other interests were pushed into the + background. He at once remembered that he had not finished reading about + his old Egyptian, and with a smoothed brow he ran into the house. +</p> +<p> + The sun had set and it was growing dark among the bushes in the garden, + where the children, with red cheeks, were seeking each other and hiding + again. All of a sudden there came a loud, penetrating call: "To bed, to + bed!" Ritz had just found a fine hiding-place in the henhouse, where he + had comfortably settled, secure from being discovered, when this + terrible call reached him. It struck him like a thunderbolt. Yes, it + took his breath away so that he turned white and hadn't the strength to + rise; for, with the call came the remembrance of the three sentences + which he had to write: three whole sentences and nine different + qualities, and he had forgotten everything, and now all the time had + gone and he had to go to bed. +</p> +<p> + "Where are you, Ritz?" It sounded into his hiding-place. "Come, crawl + out. I know you are in there and will be covered with feathers from head + to foot." +</p> +<p> + The aunt stood before the henhouse, and Sally and Kaetheli beside her + full of expectation, for they had sought Ritz for a long time in vain. + But Auntie had experience in such things. Ritz actually came crawling + out of the henhouse and stood now in a lamentable condition before his + aunt. +</p> +<p> + "How you do look! You ought to have been in bed an hour ago, you haven't + a drop of blood in your cheeks," the aunt exclaimed. "What is the matter + with you, Ritz?" +</p> +<p> + "Where is Mamma?" asked Ritz in his fright. +</p> +<p> + "She is upstairs; come, she will put you to bed at once when I have got + you finally together. Come, Sally, and you, Kaetheli, go home now." +</p> +<p> + With these words she took Ritz by the hand, and drew him up the stone + steps into the house, and wanted to bring him up the stairs to the + bedroom. Then everything was over and no rescue from going to bed at + once. Now Ritz stopped his aunt and groaned: "I must—I must—I have to + write three sentences for punishment." +</p> +<p> + "There we have it." But Ritz looked so miserable that Auntie felt great + pity for him. "Come in here," she said, and shoved him into the + living-room, "and take out your things." +</p> +<p> + Now she sat down beside him and the whole affair proceeded finely. Not + that Auntie formed the sentences, no indeed, she was not going to cheat + the teacher; but she knew well what was needed to form a sentence and + she pushed and spurred Ritz and brought so many things before him, and + reminded him how they looked, that he had his three sentences and his + nine qualities together in no time. Now there came a feeling to Ritz + that he had not acted right, when he said that an aunt must not always + be reminding people, and when now Auntie asked: "Ritz, why had you to + write the sentences?" then the feeling grew stronger in him, for he felt + that he could not tell the cause of his punishment without making his + aunt angry. He stuttered, "I have—I have—the teacher has said, that I + made an unfitting sentence." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I can imagine that," said Auntie. "Now quickly to bed." +</p> +<p> + Edi and Ritz slept in the same room and that was the place where the two + boys, every evening after the mother had said evening prayer with them, + and they were alone, exchanged their deepest thoughts and experiences + with one another and talked them over. Ritz had the greatest respect for + Edi, for although the latter was only a little older, yet he was already + in the fourth class, and he himself was only in the second, and in + history Edi knew more than the scholars in the fifth and some in the + sixth class. When now the two were well tucked in their beds, Ritz said: + "Edi, was it a sin that I said Auntie must not always remind?" Edi + thought a bit, such a case had never come to him. After a while he said: + "You see, Ritz, it goes thus: if you have done something that is a sin, + then you must go at once to Daddy and confess, there is no help for it; + but if you do that, then everything comes again in order and you feel + happy again, and afterwards you look out not to do the sinful thing + again. I can tell you that, Ritz. But if you do not confess, then you + are always full of fear when a door is slammed or a letter-carrier + unexpectedly brings a letter, then you think at once: 'There now, + everything will come out.' And so you are never sure nor safe and you + feel a pressure in the chest. But there is another thing that presses so + hard that you can think of nothing else, for example, if you have given + away a rabbit, you regret it afterwards. But there is a remedy and I + have tried it many a time, and it helps. You must think of something + dreadful, like a large fire, when everything is burnt up, the fortress + and the soldiers in it and all historical books, and—all at once you + think everything backwards and you have everything; then you are so glad + that you think: what difference does a rabbit make? You still have + everything else. Now Ritz, try that and see if it helps you, then you + can find out whether everything passes away or whether you have to tell + Daddy tomorrow." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I will try it," said Ritz somewhat indistinctly, and soon after he + took such deep breaths that Edi knew what was going on. He heaved a sigh + and said: "Oh, Ritz, you are asleep and I wanted to tell you so much + about the old Egyptian." +</p> +<p> + A little while afterwards the whole peaceful parsonage of Upper Wood lay + in deep sleep; only old 'Lizebeth went about the passage calling: "Bs, + bs, bs." She wanted to get the old grey cat into the kitchen to catch + the mice during the night. 'Lizebeth had been in the parsonage of Upper + Wood as long as one could remember, for there had always been a son, and + when the time had come, then he had become parson in Upper Wood. First + 'Lizebeth had served the grandfather, then the father and now the son, + and she had long since elected Edi as the future minister, and intended + to look after his house when he should be the master here. +</p> +<a name="2HCH2"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>A Call in the Village</i></p> +<p> + The friendly village Upper Wood lay on the top of the hill close by the + fir wood; it had a beautiful white church with a high, slender tower. At + a distance of three-quarters of an hour's walk, down in the valley, lay + Lower Wood, a small community which, however, did not wish to be + considered smaller. They had a new schoolhouse and a church of their + own, but the church had no tower, only a little red dome. Therefore the + people of Upper Wood were a little proud, because their church was much + prettier and also because they learned much more in the old schoolhouse + in Upper Wood than in the new one of Lower Wood; but that was the + children's fault, not the teacher's. In the middle, between the two + villages lay a hamlet consisting of a few farms and some small houses of + little pretense. It was called the Middle Lot, and its people the Middle + Lotters. They had the choice to what church and school they wished to + belong, whether to Lower Wood or Upper Wood, and according to their + choice they were judged by the people of Upper Wood; for whoever wanted + to learn much and be decent, he must, according to the Upper Wooders, + strive to belong to them. This was a fixed and general idea of the + people on the top of the hill. In the Middle Lot there lived only two + families who were generally respected; the Justice of Peace, who was + obliged to live there because otherwise he would have to be called + there, and that would have been inconvenient. This peace-making man was + Kaetheli's father. And the other was old Marianne, who lived in her own + house and pulled horse-hair for a living, and never did harm to anyone. +</p> +<p> + When on the next morning the three children of the parsonage passed + Marianne's house on their way to school, Sally said: "It is fun to go to + school to-day for the strange boy of yesterday will come too; if we only + knew his name. Kaetheli described him to me; he wears velvet pants. Of + course he will come to Upper Wood to school." +</p> +<p> + "Of course," said Edi with a dignified air; "who would think of going to + Lower Wood to School?" +</p> +<p> + "Of course, who would go there to school?" observed Ritz. +</p> +<p> + Then the three in perfect harmony entered the schoolhouse. But no + strange face was to be seen in the whole schoolroom; everything went on + in the usual way to the end of the morning. Then everyone hurried away + in different directions. Sally was standing there, somewhat undecided; + she would like to have heard something new of the strange boy and his + mother, for she loved to hear news, and now not even Kaetheli, with whom + she talked things over, had been in school. But now she saw Edi soaring + along like an arrow into the midst of a crowd of boys, and they all + acted so strangely and they shouted so strangely that Sally thought that + something particular must be in preparation there, and no doubt + concerned the new-comers. Then she could hear something from Edi. She + went slowly on and kept on turning round, but Edi did not come, and only + after Sally had long since greeted the mother and was about to call her + father out of his study for dinner, did the two brothers come running + along, their faces red as fire, and breathless, for they had lingered to + the last moment. The father was just leaving his study when both rushed + toward him and now it began: "We have—the Middle Lotters—with the + Lower Wooders—" +</p> +<p> + "Hush, hush," said the father. "First get your breath, then relate, one + after the other; but before anything, first the soup." With these words + the father took Ritz's hand, and Sally and Edi followed them into the + dining-room. Sally pulled Edi a little back and whispered: +</p> +<p> + "Tell me quickly, what did they tell about the strange boy?" +</p> +<p> + "About him?" returned Edi in a somewhat scornful tone. "I had forgotten + all about him! We have something else to do than to talk about a strange + boy, of whom one does not even know whether he will come to Upper Wood + to school." +</p> +<p> + This answer was somewhat unexpected to Sally and had a saddening effect; + but she always could find a way out of an unpleasant situation. So she + sat as still as a mouse during the whole time the soup was eaten, and + her thoughts were hard at work. +</p> +<p> + Now the father turned to Edi and said: "Now you can relate your + adventure, while Ritz remains quiet, and afterwards his turn will come." + Ritz looked quite obedient for he had two large noodles on his plate to + work with. +</p> +<p> + But Edi, in a moment, put down knife and fork and quickly began: "Just + think, Papa, we have made three songs, one for each parish. First, the + Lower Wooders began. The sixth class were angry because we laughed at + them, that they only now have to <i>make</i> sentences, and we in the fourth + class have begun to <i>write</i> them already. They made a song about us + which runs: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'Of Upper Wood the boys</p> + <p>They in their minds rejoice</p> + <p>Because they think that they the cleverest are,</p> + <p>But if ever they must fight</p> + <p>They are in sorry plight</p> + <p>And they turn round and run for ever so far.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "How do you like that song, Papa?" +</p> +<p> + "Well, that is such as Lower Wooders would make," said the father. +</p> +<p> + "And then," Edi continued, "we have made a song for an answer, that goes + thus: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'And of Lower Wood the crowd</p> + <p>They always yell so loud</p> + <p>That they never, never stay within their den,</p> + <p>For all dispute and strife</p> + <p>They are much alive</p> + <p>For they use their fists when they ought to use their pen.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "How do you like this one, Papa?" +</p> +<p> + "Just about the same. And who has sung about the Middle Lot?" asked the + father. +</p> +<p> + "The Lower Wooders and we together; they too had to have a song, but the + shortest, as it ought to be. It runs so: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'And they of Middle Lot</p> + <p>They all together plot</p> + <p>That they are striving zealously for peace,</p> + <p>But with quarrelling they never cease.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "And how do you like that, Papa?" +</p> +<p> + "They are, all three of them, kind of fighting songs, Edi," answered the + father, "and I should prefer that you keep busy with your history + studies, instead of taking sides in these party-fights. One never knows + where one comes out, and such poetry usually ends with lumps on the + heads." +</p> +<p> + Edi seemed much disappointed as he attacked his noodles with a visibly + spoiled appetite. +</p> +<p> + "And what has been your experience, Sally? Why are you so pensive?" the + father continued. +</p> +<p> + "Kaetheli was not at school," reported Sally, "and I had so much to talk + over with her. Perhaps she is sick; may I go to see her this afternoon? + We have no school, you know." +</p> +<p> + "Aha, Sally wants to see the strange boy," the sharp-witted Edi + remarked. +</p> +<p> + "You may go, Sally," the mother said, answering a questioning look from + the father. "But you will not go into any house where you have no + business, just to look at strangers. I know you are capable of doing + such things. You can start soon after dinner." +</p> +<p> + Sally was very happy. She quickly fetched her straw hat and took leave. + But outside she did not run straight through the passage-way as she + usually did in similar cases, but went to the kitchen door and peeped + in, and when she saw 'Lizebeth at the sink, where the latter was + scraping her pans, she went in very close to the old woman and said + somewhat mysteriously: "'Lizebeth, does Edi or Ritz perhaps have a torn + mattress on their bed?" +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth stopped scraping and turned round. She looked at Sally from + head to foot, put her hands on her hips and said very slowly and + importantly: "May I ask what you mean by that question, Sally? Do you + think this household is so carried on that one lies about on ragged + mattresses and sleeps, until a little one, who is far from old enough to + turn a mattress, thinks of coming to ask 'does not this one or that one + have a ragged mattress' on his bed? Yes, Sally, what cobwebs you do have + in your head." +</p> +<p> + "I do not care about the mattress, it is on account of Marianne that I + ask," Sally explained. "Do you know, she now has some new people in her + house and I should so much like to see them, and therefore I wanted so + much to know whether you could not sacrifice a mattress so that Marianne + could pull the horsehair for a mattress, for Mother will not let me go + into the house without a good excuse." +</p> +<p> + "Oh, so! that is different," said 'Lizebeth quite mildly, for she had + also been wondering what kind of people her old friend had taken into + her home, and now, perhaps, she could learn something about them through + Sally. +</p> +<p> + "I can help you, Sally," she said. "You go to Marianne and tell her that + I send my greetings, and I have long since intended to come and see her, + but the likes of us cannot get away when we want to; we never know what + may happen if we are out of the house for five minutes; but tell her + that I will surely come some fine Sunday. Now then go, and give my + message." +</p> +<p> + Sally ran with a joyous heart, first through the garden, then away over + the meadow and down the hill as far as the fir wood, where the dry road + lay for a long stretch in the shade. Here Sally slackened her pace a + little. It was so beautiful to walk along in shade of the trees, where + above in their tops the wind rustled so delightfully and all the birds + sang in confusion. She also had to consider how she would arrange her + calls, whether she would go first to Kaetheli or to Marianne; but this + time old Marianne had a stronger attraction than Kaetheli and Sally felt + that she must go there first and give her message. Now her thoughts fell + on the strange people and she had to imagine how they looked and what + she was going to say, and what they would say when she knocked and asked + for Marianne. Thus she thought everything well out, for Sally had a + great power of imagining things. +</p> +<p> + In this way she came to the first houses of Middle Lot. She turned away + from the road and went toward Marianne's house, which stood a little way + from the road and lay almost hidden behind a hedge. As Sally had been + accustomed to do, she now ran right into the house, although the house + door was also the kitchen door. After entering the front door she stood + in the small kitchen and was at once before another door which led into + the living-room. This door stood wide open and Sally found herself + suddenly in the presence of a lady dressed in black, who sat in that + room sewing and who lifted her head at Sally's noisy entrance, and with + large sad eyes she looked at the child in silence. +</p> +<p> + Sally grew as red as fire and in her embarrassment remained standing + near the door like one rooted to the floor. +</p> +<p> + Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here, + dear child, what brings you to me?" +</p> +<p> + Sally was quite confused. She did not remember why she had come, for she + had really not come to see Marianne. She had invented that—to get into + the house where she had arrived now so unexpectedly. She approached the + lady and wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Sally grew + crimson and stood there more helpless than ever before in her life. +</p> +<p> + The lady took the child's hand and stroked her glowing cheeks. +</p> +<p> + "Come, sit down beside me, dear child," she then said, with a voice so + sweet that it went deep into Sally's heart. "Come, we shall come + gradually to know each other a little." +</p> +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="images/001t.jpg" width="150" alt= + "Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone,'Come here, dear child,'..."></a></p> +<h4><i>"Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, + 'Come here, dear child,'..."</i></h4> +<p> </p> +<p> + Now there came from out of a corner a quick noise of moving; Sally did + not know what it was, for until now she had not dared to look around the + room, but now she looked up. +</p> +<p> + A boy, a little taller than she, was carrying a small easy chair and + placed it before Sally. He looked at her with such a merry face as the + restrained laughter came so visibly out of his eyes, that the sight + brought a complete reversion in Sally's feelings, and she, all at once, + laughed right out; upon which, the boy too, relieved his feelings by a + bright peal of laughter, for the rushing in and then the confusion of + the unexpected guest had long since tempted him to laugh; but he was too + well trained to dare to break out. +</p> +<p> + "Well, my child," said the mother with that winning voice, "and what has + brought you to me?" +</p> +<p> + "I have—I ought to—I wanted," Sally began hesitatingly, "I wanted to + give a message to Marianne—" Sally could not stop at half the truth. + The sad, friendly eyes of the lady were penetratingly resting on hers, + so everything had to come out as it was. +</p> +<p> + "That is lovely and friendly of you, that you want to see us, dear + little girl. How did you hear of us?" asked the lady, and took off + Sally's straw hat, while she put the question to the child. She placed + the hat on the table and smoothed her hair with a mother's touch. +</p> +<p> + Now Sally related all in full confidence how it had happened, and that + she and her two brothers had wanted to come yesterday to find out who + was coming to live with Marianne, and to find out how the piano and all + the other things could find room in the little house. Sally now, for the + first time, looked around the room and she had to wonder a little, for + she saw only the piano and four bare walls, and then there were the two + easy chairs on which she and the lady were sitting, and the small table. + She knew that besides this room there was a very small bedroom, where + two beds could hardly find room. Sally could not set herself to rights; + all was so different from what she had imagined. She had expected to see + strange and foreign things standing about everywhere and now she saw + nothing besides an old piano. And yet the lady who sat before her in a + black silken dress looked more aristocratic than Sally could ever have + imagined; and the boy in his velvet suit looked quite like the old + knights in Edi's beautiful picture book, and he had brought her a seat + without anyone telling him, and was more refined and courteous than she + had ever before seen a boy. +</p> +<p> + When Sally turned her surprised eyes again to the lady, she saw such a + painful expression in her face that it came involuntarily into her mind + how the mother had said, that of course "she would not go there for the + sake of staring at the people," and she felt that she was doing + something very much like it. Sally rose. All at once she remembered to + whom she really wanted to go, so she said hastily: "I must go to + Kaetheli; she may be sick." With these words she quickly offered her + hand to the lady. +</p> +<p> + The lady, too, had risen; she took the proffered hand, held it between + both of hers, and looked once more so lovingly into the child's eyes, + that her little heart was moved. Then she kissed her forehead and said: + "You dear child, you were a friendly picture in our quiet room." +</p> +<p> + Then she let go of her hand, and Sally went through the open door into + the small kitchen. The boy, meanwhile, had opened the house door and now + he stood outside quite courteously, like a doorkeeper, to bid Sally + good-bye. +</p> +<p> + "Are you not coming to school tomorrow?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed," was the answer. +</p> +<p> + That pleased Sally very much and she at once decided that he must become + Edi's friend, for she had taken a great liking to the boy and when he + was Edi's friend then he would be hers too, and he must come every + Sunday afternoon and spend it with them and they would teach him all + kinds of games; and many undertakings passed through her brain, for with + this friend everything could be carried out; he was so entirely + different from other boys and girls in the school. "Then you are coming + to-morrow?" she asked with happy expectation. +</p> +<p> + "Where shall I come?" he questioned in return. +</p> +<p> + "To school, of course." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed, I'll come to school." +</p> +<p> + "Well, then, good-bye," said Sally, giving her hand, "but I do not know + your name." +</p> +<p> + "Erick—and yours?" +</p> +<p> + "Sally." +</p> +<p> + Now they shook hands, and Erick remained standing in the doorway until + Sally had turned round the hedge, then he shut the door and Sally ran + toward the house of the Justice of Peace. Before she reached it, old + Marianne met her, panting under the large bundle of horsehair which she + was carrying on her head. Sally was delighted to see her, for she had + just remembered that she had not given 'Lizebeth's message. She rushed + so quickly toward the old woman and with such force, that the latter + went back some steps and almost lost her balance, and Sally cried out: + "Marianne, you have such nice people in your rooms. Do you talk much + with them? Do you cook for them? Do you buy the things they need? Have + they no maid? Do you make their beds?" +</p> +<p> + "Gently, gently," said Marianne, who had recovered her balance, "else I + lose my breath. But tell me, how did you get into the people's room? I + hope you know how I am to be found." +</p> +<p> + Sally told her that she, for the shorter way, had not gone round the + house, where, in the woodshed, a narrow stair went up to Marianne's + small room; but that she had wanted to run in the front way, through the + kitchen, and out the back door; but that she had stood suddenly before + the open door of the room and under the eyes of the lady. +</p> +<p> + "You must never do that again," Marianne interrupted Sally, raising her + finger warningly. "Do you hear that, Sally? Never do that again. They + are not people into whose home you can rush, as if they were living on + the highway." +</p> +<p> + "But the lady was quite friendly, Marianne," soothed Sally, "she was not + at all offended." +</p> +<p> + "That makes no difference, she is always so, she could not be otherwise, + and just on that account, and on account of many other things, do you + hear, Sally? Promise that you never again go that way when you want to + come to me. Will you promise?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed I will. I do not intend to do it again. Good night, + Marianne! Now I have forgotten the main thing: 'Lizebeth sends her + greetings and she will come to see you on a fine Sunday." +</p> +<p> + The last words came from some distance, for Sally had already started on + a run while she gave the message, and when Marianne wanted to send her + greetings, Sally was already far away. After a few more jumps Sally + arrived at the house of the Justice of Peace, in front of which stood a + large apple tree which shaded the stone well. Here stood Kaetheli who + did not look sick at all, but splashed with two fat, red arms about the + water in which she seemed to clean some object eagerly. +</p> +<p> + "Then you are not sick. Why didn't you come to school then?" Sally + called out when she saw her. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, it is you? Good evening! I could not make out who was jumping + about, and I hadn't the time to look," Kaetheli said with some + importance. "That is also the reason why I did not go to school. I + hadn't the time, for Mother has gone away today to see sick Grandmother, + and then we got young chickens, twelve quite small ones, and that is why + I have to wash a stocking, for I have run after the chicks everywhere + and near the barn I stepped in the dirt quite deep. But come, I will + show you the chickens. Never mind if I have only one stocking on." +</p> +<p> + But Sally had only very little time left and besides, her head was full + of quite different things and she wanted to hear Kaetheli tell of + something else than the new chickens, so she said quite decisively: "No, + Kaetheli, I haven't time enough to see the chickens. I only wanted to + know whether you were ill and I want to tell you something. I have seen + the strange lady and the boy whom you know. He does look nice. Do you + know his name?" +</p> +<p> + "He?" said Kaetheli, shrugging her shoul- ders. "Of course I know. His + name is Erick and just think, he goes to school at Lower Wood; I have + seen him myself today, with his school sack, going there." +</p> +<p> + That was a blow for Sally. He went to school at Lower Wood. What was now + to come of her beautiful plans? Of all the planned Sundays which were to + be so full of joy and delight, and the whole friendship with the + prepossessing Erick? For how could Edi ever be brought to making friends + with a fellow who went to Lower Wood to school, when he just as well + might have gone to Upper Wood? Sally was very downcast, but she did not + easily give up a pleasant intention. On the way home she wanted to think + what could be done, therefore she stretched out her hand to the + astonished Kaetheli, and this time the invitation, to at least come into + the room and eat a piece of bread and butter, was not accepted; nor + would she go with Kaetheli behind the barn where they could fetch down + ripe cherries from the large cherry tree—it was all of no use. +</p> +<p> + "Another time, Kaetheli, it is already so late I must go home," and + Sally ran away. Kaetheli stood there much surprised and looked after + her, and in her bright mind she thought: "Sally has something new in her + head, else I could have brought her to the cherry tree, for she is not + always so anxious to go home; but I will find out what it is." +</p> +<p> + Meanwhile Sally ran for a long stretch, then she began to walk slower, + for she had to think over so many things and she was so lost in her + plans that she forgot when she arrived at the garden which stretched + from her home far into the meadows. Ritz stood on the low wall and + beckoned with wild gestures, for Sally had not seen him at first. +</p> +<p> + "Do come a little quicker so that you can tell something, else we will + have to go to bed, for Auntie has already looked twice at her watch. + Were you in the barn at Kaetheli's? How many cows are in it? Have you + seen the young goat?" +</p> +<p> + But Sally had different things in her head. She hastily stepped into the + house, while Ritz followed. The rest of the family were in the + living-room. Mother and Auntie were mending stockings; Father was + reading a large church paper. Edi, his head supported on both hands, sat + lost in his history book. Sally had hardly opened the door when she + cried out with much excitement: "Oh, Mother, you ought to have seen how + friendly the lady was, and she is so beautiful and so gentle and so + good, and quite an aristocratic lady; and Erick in his velvet suit is + like a knight, and so fine and polite. Edi could not find a nicer + friend." +</p> +<p> + They all looked surprised at Sally, and a pause followed this outburst. + Sally had quite forgotten that she was not to go to the strange people, + and that she had given, as the object of her walk, the call on Kaetheli. + She now remembered everything and she grew very red. +</p> +<p> + "But, dear child," said the mother, "did you really, in spite of + opposition from me, press into the home of the strange people? How could + you enter the house without an excuse?" +</p> +<p> + "Not without an excuse, Mamma," said Sally, somewhat embarrassed. + "'Lizebeth had given me a message for old Marianne." +</p> +<p> + "Which the inquisitive Sally fetched in the kitchen for the purpose of + carrying out her plan, that is clear," remarked Auntie. When the whole + truth lay open to the light of day, Sally felt relieved and she returned + with new zeal to her communication. She had much to describe: the empty + room and the silk dress of the lady, and her sad glances, and then the + knightly Erick with his joyous laughter and the merry eyes; but she + could not describe it all so attractively as it seemed to her. +</p> +<p> + "So," said Edi, looking up from his book, "now you have another friend. + It will go, no doubt, with him as with little Leopold!" After giving her + this fling he bent again over his book and read on, taking no notice of + anything. +</p> +<p> + Sally did not find the desired sympathy. She was so full of her + impressions that she felt Mother and Aunt should be all afire and aflame + for her new friendship. Instead of that, the two kept on mending the + stockings; Father did not even look up from his paper and Edi had only a + satirical remark for sympathy. Sally had rather a bad reputation for + making friendships. Almost every week she saw some one who appealed to + her so much, that she must make a friendship at once; but the + friendships were mostly of short duration, for she had imagined + something else than she often found on looking closer. This made her + quite unhappy at the time, but the next week she had already found some + one else who filled her thoughts. +</p> +<p> + The last unfortunate friendship had brought forth Edi's satire to a + greater degree. The tailor of Upper Wood had three sons, and since the + father on his wanderings had spent some time in Vienna he gave his sons, + in remembrance of the beautiful days which he spent there, the names of + three Austrian grand dukes. It was this strange name that had first + attracted Sally; to that was added that Leopold, the oldest of the sons, + who had lived with his grandfather until now, but had come recently to + Upper Wood, always wore elegant jackets and pants after the latest cut. + Leopold had entered Sally's class and his appearance had at once + inspired her. But he was so small and dainty that he received the name + Leopoldy from the whole school. The rumor had preceded Leopold, that he + had staid three years in the same class in the town where his + grandfather lived. So Edi looked down on Leopoldy from an elevation of a + fourth class boy and noticed with scorn how Sally found pleasure in the + little fellow and befriended him. But that did not last long for, after + a trial of a week, Leopoldy was set back two classes, since he had been + put in the fifth class on account of his years, but not his deserts. In + these eight days Sally had discovered, with sorrow, that Leopoldy was + unusually silly, and Sally was glad that the enormous gap that lies + between the fifth and third class, made easier the rupture of this + friendship which could not continue, for nothing could be done with + Leopoldy. So it happened that no one listened with sympathy to the + enthusiastic description which Sally gave of her new friends, for each + one remembered Leopoldy, and that was not inspiring. +</p> +<p> + This general coolness angered Sally very much. She knew her new friends + if they would only believe her. All ought to be so interested in this + mother and her Erick, that they would want to know everything possible + about them, and now no one asked a question and they hardly listened to + her communication. That was too much; Sally had to relieve her tension. + She suddenly broke forth to Edi, who was entirely lost in his book: + "Although you read a thousand books one after the other, and act as if + one did not tell anything, and you think that one must have no + friendship with any human being on this earth but only for the + thousand-thousand-year-old Egyptians, yet you might be glad to have a + friend like Erick." +</p> +<p> + Edi must have just read something that made him solemn, for he looked + quite restrainedly up from his book and said quite seriously: "You see, + Sally, you do not at all know what friendship is, for you believe that + one can have a new friend every week. But one ought to have only one + friend for the whole life, and one must drag his enemy three times + around the walls of Troy." +</p> +<p> + "Then he will have to make a nice journey if he comes from Upper Wood," + remarked Sally quickly. +</p> +<p> + The mother meanwhile had left the room, and Aunt rose from her work. +</p> +<p> + "You will get quite barbaric from pure historical research," she said, + turning to Edi, "but now it is high time to go to bed, quick! But where + is Ritz?" +</p> +<p> + Ritz had withdrawn behind the stove a full hour ago in the hope of there + escaping his fate for some time. But sleep had overcome him in the dark + corner. +</p> +<p> + "Now we have the trouble," the aunt cried, when the sleeper had been + discovered, and only with the greatest difficulty she woke him. +</p> +<p> + While Auntie was pushing and shaking the sleepy Ritz, Edi had tried + several times to get near her, but she had always escaped him. Now a + quiet moment came. Ritz was at last awake. Edi quickly stepped up to his + aunt and said: "I did not mean alive, only after his death, like + Achilles did." +</p> +<p> + "Now he too is talking in his sleep and says all kinds of nonsense," the + aunt cried quite excitedly, for she had long since forgotten Edi's + judgment on the enemy and she did not know what he was talking about. + "No, no, it cannot go on like this, children must go to bed in good + time, else the whole household gets out of joint." +</p> +<p> + Edi wanted to explain once more, only to make it clear to her, and not + to have to go to bed misunderstood, so he had followed her about, and + now a greater misunderstanding had arisen. There was no more chance for + explanation. Ritz and Edi were shoved into their room, the light put on + the table, the door was closed, and away went Auntie. +</p> +<p> + "I am sure Mother will come to us. I must explain everything to her," + Edi said to himself, for to be so misunderstood disquieted the thinking + Edi exceedingly. And the mother came as she did every evening, and she + promised to make everything clear to Auntie, so he could be pacified and + find the sleep which Ritz long since had found again. +</p> +<a name="2HCH3"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>'Lizebeth on the Warpath</i></p> +<p> + On the following morning 'Lizebeth stood full of expectation at the + kitchen door, and made all kinds of signs when Sally came rushing into + the living-room from breakfast. The signs were indeed understood by the + child but she had no time to go to the kitchen. She waved her school-bag + and shouted in rushing by 'Lizebeth: "When I come from school; it is too + late now!" Followed by Edi and Ritz she continued her run. +</p> +<p> + Something very particular must be in preparation, for after school all + the scholars were standing again in a dense circle, beating their hands + in the air and shouting as loud as they could, to have their views + heard. Sally, who had waited a few moments for her brothers, went on + home for she knew how long such meetings were apt to last and that her + brothers would only arrive home when the soup was being served. Sally + stepped into the house and with her school-bag in her hand she went + straight to the kitchen. +</p> +<p> + "Now I will tell you everything that happened yesterday, 'Lizebeth," she + said. +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth nodded encouragingly and Sally began, and became more and more + excited the longer she talked. She was most excited when she came to + telling about the lady and her little boy, describing the way she + talked, how she and the boy were dressed, and her aristocratic way. But + all at once 'Lizebeth jumped as if a wasp had stung her and she called + out, "What do you say, Sally? This woman wears a silk dress in the + middle of the week? Silk? And she lives at Marianne's? And the boy wears + velvet pants and a jacket all of velvet? Well, well! I have lived ten + years with your great-grandfather and thirty with your grandfather and + twelve with your father, and I have seen your father grow up from the + first day of his life and your little brothers. And I have known them + since they were babies and none of them ever had velvet pants on their + body, and yet they were all ministers, your great-grandfather, your + grandfather, your father, and the little ones will be ministers too, and + none of them ever had even a piece of velvet on them and this woman in + the middle of the week walks about in silk, yes indeed! And then taking + rooms at Marianne's and living where the basket mender has lived, I tell + you, Sally, there is something behind that! But it has to come out, and + if Marianne wants to help a hundred times to cover it up, I tell you, + Sally, I will bring out what is behind it all. Yes, indeed, velvet + pants? I wonder what we shall hear next!" +</p> +<p> + Sally stood quite astounded before the anger-spouting 'Lizebeth, and + could not understand the cause of this outbreak. But she had enough of + it, so she turned round and hastened into the sitting-room, where, + according to her expectations, at the very last moment, just when + 'Lizebeth came into the room with the soup tureen, the brothers + appeared, in a peculiar way. At each side of 'Lizebeth one crawled into + the room, then shot straight across the room, like the birds before a + storm shoot through the air so that one fears they will run their heads + against something. Fortunately the two boys did not run their heads + against anything, but each landed quite safely on his chair, and at once + 'Lizebeth placed the soup on the table; but so decidedly and with such + an angry face, as if she wanted to say: "There! If you had to put up + with what I have to, then you would not trouble about your soup." +</p> +<p> + When she was again out of the room the father said, looking at his wife: + "There will be a thunder storm, sure signs are visible." Then turning to + his sons he continued: "But what do boys deserve, who come so late to + table and from pure bad conscience almost knock it over?" +</p> +<p> + Ritz looked crestfallen into his plate, and from there in a somewhat + roundabout way past his mother's plate, slyly across to his aunt, to see + whether it looked like an order to go to bed at once. And it was so + beautiful today, how beautiful the running about this evening after + school would be! +</p> +<p> + There was no order, for the general attention was claimed by 'Lizebeth, + who with the same signs of snorting anger threw more than placed the + rest of the meal on the table and then grumbled herself out again. +</p> +<p> + As soon as dinner was over the father put on his little velvet cap and + went in perfect silence out into the garden. For the storms in the house + were more unpleasant to him than those that come from the sky. As soon + as he had left the room 'Lizebeth stood in the doorway, both arms akimbo + and looking quite warlike; she said: "I should think it would make no + difference if I were to make a call on Marianne. I should think it is + fully four years since I went to see her in the Middle Lot." +</p> +<p> + The pastor's wife had listened with astonishment to this speech, which + sounded very reproachful. Now she said soothingly: "But, 'Lizebeth, I + should hope that you do not think that I would oppose your going to + Marianne or anywhere else; or that I ever have done so. Do go as soon as + you feel like it." +</p> +<p> + "Just as if nothing had to be done, and as if I were and had been on a + visit in the parsonage at Upper Wood for fifty years and more," was the + answer. "No, no, I know what has to be done if no one else does. I can + wait until Sunday afternoon; that is a time when the likes of me may go + out, and if it suits the lady then, then I go, and shall not stay away + very long. Why? I know why if no one else knows it." +</p> +<p> + "Of course that suits me, too," the lady pacified again, "do just what + you think best." She did not say more for she had already noticed that a + fire of anger was kindled in 'Lizebeth which would blaze up if another + word fell in it. She could not imagine what had struck 'Lizebeth, but + she found it more advisable not to touch on it. So 'Lizebeth grumbled + for a little while, then she went away, since no further chance for + outbreaks was offered. But there was no peace during the whole week; all + noticed that, and each went carefully by 'Lizebeth as if she were a + powder magazine which, at a careless touch, might fly up in the air at + any moment. At last Sunday came. 'Lizebeth, after dinner, rushed about + the kitchen with such a great noise, one could notice that many thoughts + were working in her which she tried to give vent to. But she went into + her room only after everything was bright and in its place. +</p> +<p> + She dressed herself in her Sunday-best and entered the sitting-room to + take leave, just as though she was going on a long journey, for it was + an event for 'Lizebeth to leave the parsonage for several hours. Now she + wandered with slow steps along the road and looked to the right and left + on the way to see what was growing in the field belonging to this or + that neighbor. But her thoughts began again to work in her; one could + see that, for she began to walk quicker and quicker and to talk half + aloud to herself. Now she had arrived. Marianne had seen her from her + little window and was surprised that this time 'Lizebeth was so soon + keeping her promise. For years she had promised, had sent the messages + that she would soon come; but she had never come and now she was there + after the message had been brought only three days ago. Marianne went to + meet her friend with a pleasant smile and welcomed her near the hedge + before the cottage; then she conducted her guest around the cottage and + up the narrow, wooden stairs. 'Lizebeth did not like this way and before + she had reached the top of the stairs she had to speak out. +</p> +<p> + "Listen, Marianne," she said, "formerly one dared to come in the front + door and through the kitchen, but now your oldest friends have to come + by the back way, which, no doubt, is on account of the strange people + whom you have taken into your house. I have heard much of them and now I + see for myself that they, from pure pride, do not know what to order + next, that you dare not go through your own house." +</p> +<p> + "Dear me, 'Lizebeth, what queer thoughts you do have," said Marianne, + quite frightened. "That is not true, no one has forbidden me anything. + And the people are so good and not a bit proud, and so friendly, and so + kind and humble." +</p> +<p> + "Catch your breath, Marianne," 'Lizebeth interrupted her; "with all your + excitement you cannot prove that white is black, and when such people + come along, no one knows whence, and take a living-room and a bedroom in + such a hut, so hidden as yours is, Marianne, where they pay next to + nothing, and the woman struts about in a silk skirt and her little son + in velvet; then there is something behind it all, and if she has silk + skirts then she must have other things too, and she must know why she + hides all these things in a hut which really does not look larger than a + large henhouse. I wanted only to warn you, Marianne; you surely will be + the loser with such a crowd." +</p> +<p> + "'Lizebeth," Marianne said now more emphatically than she had ever been + known to speak, "it would be well, if all people were as this woman is, + and you and I could thank God if we were like her. I have never in this + world seen a better and a more patient and a more amiable human being. + And in regard to the silk skirt, please be still and do not talk about + it, 'Lizebeth; many a thing looks different to what it really is, and it + would be better for you, if you would not load your conscience with + wrong against a suffering woman on whom God has His eye." +</p> +<p> + Marianne did not wish to tell what she knew, that the lady had only the + one skirt and no other whatsoever, and so, of course, was obliged to + wear it. She did not want to tell that to 'Lizebeth now she heard how + the latter judged. +</p> +<p> + "I do not think of loading my conscience with anything," 'Lizebeth + continued, "and that much is not as it looks, that I know; but when a + little boy of whom no one knows from where he came, wears velvet pants + on bright week-days and even a velvet jacket, then they are velvet pants + and do not only look so, that is certain. There is something behind that + and it will come out and it will not look the best. Yes indeed, wearing + velvet pants, such a little tramp of whom no one knows from where he + comes, yes indeed." +</p> +<p> + "Do not sin against the dear boy," Marianne said seriously. "Look at him + and you will see that he looks like a little angel, and he is one." +</p> +<p> + "So, that too," 'Lizebeth continued, "and pray when did you see an + angel, Marianne, that you know he looks just like them? I should like to + know! But I have served over fifty years in a respectable house, and I + have helped to bring up the old parson, and the present one and his two + sons; but we have never known anything of velvet pants, no, never, and + we were, I should think, different people from these. That is what I + wanted to tell you, Marianne, and that is the main reason why I came to + you, so that you should know what one is forced to think. And with + regard to the angels, I can tell you that we have a little boy that + looks exactly like the angels that blow the trumpets in the picture; + such fat, firm, red cheeks has our Moritzli, like painted, and such + round arms and legs." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, it is true, little Ritz was always a splendid little fellow, I + should like to see him again," Marianne answered good-naturedly. +</p> +<p> + This reconciled 'Lizebeth a little; in a much friendlier tone she said: + "Then come again to Upper Wood, you will have time, more than I. Then + you can look at the other, too, and can see what a pretty, straight nose + he has, that no angel could have a prettier one, and in the whole school + he is by far the brightest,—that the teacher himself says of Eduardi." +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth always called the boys by their full names, for the shortening + of the names, Ritz and Edi, seemed to her a degrading of their names and + an injustice to her favorites. +</p> +<p> + "Yes, yes, I believe you. What a delight it must be to see such a + well-ordered household and all so happy together and so joyous," + Marianne said with a sigh, and she threw a glance at the room of the + stranger, and now 'Lizebeth was completely pacified, for she felt the + parsonage again on the top. +</p> +<p> + "What is the matter with the people?" she asked with compassion. +</p> +<p> + "I do not know what to say," was the answer, "I do not understand it all + myself." +</p> +<p> + "I thought as much, with such strangers one is never secure." +</p> +<p> + "No, no, I did not mean anything like that," Marianne opposed. "I tell + you they are the best people one could find. I would do anything for the + woman." +</p> +<p> + Marianne did not like to tell her friend what she knew and to consult + with her about things she could not comprehend, for 'Lizebeth had + evidently no love for the two and was full of distrust, and Marianne had + taken them both into her heart so that she could not bear sharp remarks + about them even from her good friend. She therefore was silent and + 'Lizebeth could get nothing more out of her concerning her lodgers. +</p> +<p> + During this long talk a good deal of time had passed. 'Lizebeth rose + from the wooden bench behind the table where she and Marianne had been + sitting and was about to bid good-bye. But Marianne would not allow + that, for the friend must first drink a cup of coffee; then she was + going to walk with her. So they did, and as the two friends wandered + together through the evening, they had much to tell each other and were + very talkative; only when 'Lizebeth began to talk about the strangers in + Marianne's house, was the latter silent and hardly spoke. Where the road + went into the woods, they parted, and Marianne had to promise to return + the call as soon as possible. Then 'Lizebeth stepped out vigorously and + arrived at home in such good spirits that the parson's wife resolved to + send her often to Marianne on a visit. +</p> +<p> + When Marianne on her return came near her cottage, she heard lovely + singing; she well knew the song. Every evening at twilight the stranger + sat down at the piano and sang, and she sang so beautifully and with a + voice that came from such depths that it touched Marianne's heart so + that she could not tear herself away when she heard the song, until it + was ended. But there was one song in particular which Marianne loved to + hear and which the woman sang every day, either at the beginning or the + end of her songs. It always seemed as if a great joy came into her voice + and as if she wanted to make this joy appeal to all who listened. And + yet this song touched Marianne's heart so deeply that she wept every + time she heard it. So it happened this evening. There was a log lying + before the house-door which served her for a resting-place when, in the + evening, she wanted to get a little fresh air. She rolled it under the + window so that she might look for a moment into the room. There sat the + lady, and her large blue eyes looked up to the evening sky so seriously + and sorrowfully, and yet there was something which sounded again like a + great joy in the beautiful song she was singing. The little boy sat on a + footstool beside her and looked at his mother with his joyful, bright + eyes, and listened to the singing. +</p> +<p> + Marianne could not look long. A strange feeling came over her, and she + stepped down from the log, put her apron to her eyes and wept and wept, + until the singing had died away. +</p> +<a name="2HCH4"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>The Same Night in Two Houses</i></p> +<p> + When on this evening Edi and Ritz were lying in their bed and Mother had + finished saying evening prayer with them and had closed the door after + her, Edi began: "Have you noticed, Ritz, that Father is almost like God? + He already knows the thing before one has told half of it." +</p> +<p> + "No, I have never noticed that," Ritz replied. "But it is all right, for + then he can do everything he wants to and also make fine weather." +</p> +<p> + "Oh, Ritz, you only look at the profit! but just look at the other + side." Here Edi rose up in bed from pure zeal and continued: "Do you + remember, not long ago I recited our songs, which we made about the + others, to Papa; then he knew at once that we were preparing a big fight + and has forbidden us to take part in it. And this evening they all have + talked it over that I should lead the boys of Upper Wood into battle, + and I have thought it all over and prepared ahead. Then I would be + Fabius Cunctator, and would lead my troops above on the hill round and + round it and would not attack, for you must know that is much safer, and + so Hannibal could do nothing and could not attack me." +</p> +<p> + "Is Hannibal still living then?" asked Ritz serenely. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, Ritz, how indescribably ignorant you are!" Edi remarked + compassionately. "He died more than a thousand years ago. But big Churi, + the leader of the Middle Lotters, our enemies, is Hannibal. But you see, + I just remember something: Churi is not a real Hannibal, for he was a + great and noble general, and Churi cannot represent him; but do you know + what, we can take the strange boy Erick, for Hannibal!—he looks quite + different from Churi,—shall we?" +</p> +<p> + "That is all the same to me since we cannot be in the fight," remarked + Ritz. +</p> +<p> + "That is true, we dare not, I had quite forgotten that," lamented Edi. + "If I only knew what we could do to be in this fight and yet not do + anything that is forbidden." +</p> +<p> + "Don't you know an example in the world's history?" asked Ritz, to whom + his brother presented so often, in cases of need, examples out of this + rich fountain. +</p> +<p> + "No. If we only lived like the old Greeks," Edi answered with a deep + sigh. "When they wanted to know anything of which no one knew the + answer, they quickly drove to Delphi to the oracle and asked advice. + Then there was an answer at once and they knew what was to be done. But + now there are no more oracles, not even in Greece. Isn't that too bad?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, that is too bad," said Ritz rather sleepily, "but I am sure you + will think of another example." +</p> +<p> + Edi began at once to think, but however much he thought, and groped in + his memory and upheaved what he had stored away in his brain, he could + not find in the whole history of the world one single case where some + one had carried out something that the father had forbidden, and yet + stood afterwards with honor before him. For that was what Edi was trying + to find; and he was sitting straight up in his bed in the dark, and in + spite of all his endeavors he could find no way out. And when he now + heard the deep breathing of the sweetly sleeping Ritz, he became too + discouraged to try any more. He lay down on his pillow and was soon + dreaming about the uniform of Fabius Cunctator. +</p> +<p> + Soon after this Marianne too lay down on her couch, but for a long time + sleep would not come. The singing of the lady downstairs had made her + very, very sad; this voice had never before touched her so deeply as it + had done this evening, and she still heard the sound of weeping and + rejoicing in confusion. So Marianne heard the old clock on the wall + strike eleven, then twelve, and yet she could not go to sleep. Now it + seemed to her as if she heard a gentle knocking below in the house. Who + could want anything of her so late in the night? She must be mistaken, + she said to herself. But no, she now heard it quite plainly, somebody + was knocking somewhere. She quickly dressed herself and hastened down to + the kitchen. She opened the front door—no one was there. But the + knocking came again and now Marianne thought that it came from the + sleeping room of her boarders. Softly she opened the door of the room. + Within the pale lady sat on her bed, but she was much paler than usual, + so that Marianne stepped quickly into the room, and much frightened, she + exclaimed: "Dear me! What is the matter? Oh how bad you do look!" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I feel very ill, my good Marianne," the lady answered with her + friendly voice. "I am so sorry that I frightened you so in the middle of + the night; but I had no rest, I was obliged to call you. I have a few + things to tell you and it might have been too late." +</p> +<p> + "Dear, dear! what do you mean?" lamented Marianne. "I will get the + doctor at once from Lower Wood,—he is the nearest." +</p> +<p> + "No, Marianne, I thank you, I know my condition," said the sick woman + soothingly, "it is a cramp in my heart, which often comes and this time + more terribly than usual, and so, my good Marianne, I wanted to tell you + that if I am no longer here tomorrow, will you give this," (and she gave + a small paper to Marianne), "to him who has to prepare for my last + resting-place. It is the only thing that I leave, and which I have saved + for a long time, so that I need not be buried in a pauper's grave. That + must not be, for my father's sake," she added, very softly. +</p> +<p> + "Dear, dear Lord!" Marianne lamented, "grant that it may not be that! Do + think of the dear little boy! Dear Mrs. Dorn, do not take it amiss, I + have never before asked anything at all, but if you leave nothing, what + have I to do with the dear boy? Has he no relatives? Has he no father?" +</p> +<p> + The mother looked at the sleeping Erick, who, with his golden curls + encircling his rosy face, lay there so peacefully and so carefree. She + put her hand on his forehead—for his narrow bed stood quite close to + hers—and said softly: "On earth you have no father any more, my child, + but above in heaven there lives a Father who will not forsake you. I + have given you long since to Him. I know He will care for you and + protect you, so I can go quietly and joyfully. Yes, my good Marianne," + she turned again to the latter, "I have done a great wrong; I have hurt + deeply the best of fathers through disobedience and selfishness. For + that I have suffered much; but in my suffering it was permitted me to + learn how great the love and compassion of our Father in heaven is for + His children, and since then a song of deepest gratitude sounds ever and + ever in my heart: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'I lay in heaviest fetters,</p> + <p>Thou com'st and set'st me free;</p> + <p>I stood in shame and sorrow,</p> + <p>Thou callest me to Thee;</p> + <p>And lift'st me up to honor</p> + <p>And giv'st me heavenly joys</p> + <p>Which cannot be diminished</p> + <p>By earthly scorn and noise.'"</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + The sick woman had folded her hands while she spoke, and in her eyes + there was a wonderful light; but now she sank back on her pillows, + exhausted and pale. Marianne stood there quietly and now and then had to + wipe her eyes. +</p> +<p> + "But now I must run to the doctor,—it is high time," she said, + frightened. "Mrs. Dorn, can I give you anything?" +</p> +<p> + "No, I thank you," the sick woman answered softly. "I thank you for + everything, my good Marianne." +</p> +<p> + The latter now hastily left the house and ran as fast as she could + through the silent night toward Lower Wood. From time to time she had to + stop to get her breath. Then she looked up to the bright star-covered + sky and prayed: "Dear God, help us all." She had great difficulty in + awakening the doctor in Lower Wood at two o'clock in the night; but at + last he heard her knocking and followed her soon after on the road to + her house. When they entered together the room of the sick woman, the + light had burned down and threw a faint light on the quiet, pale face. + The mother had stretched out her arm upon the bed of her child. The boy + had encircled her slender, white hand with both his plump hands, and + held it firmly. The doctor approached and looked closer at the sleeper; + he bent over her for some moments. +</p> +<p> + "Marianne," he said, "loosen the hand out of the little boy's. The woman + is sleeping her eternal sleep, she will nevermore awaken on this earth. + She must have died suddenly from heart failure, while you were away to + fetch me." +</p> +<p> + The doctor left the quiet house at once, and Marianne did as he had told + her. She folded the hands of the departed one on her breast, then she + sat down on Erick's bed, looking now at the serious face of the dead + mother, now at the care-free sleeping boy, and wept quietly, until the + rays of the morning sun fell into the quiet room and roused Marianne to + the consciousness that a new, sad day had begun—a day on which Erick + had to be told that he never again on this earth could take hold of the + loving hand of his mother. +</p> +<a name="2HCH5"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>Disturbance in School and Home</i></p> +<p> + Never before had the schoolmaster of Upper Wood had such hard work with + his schoolchildren as on the morning after this night. Of course there + were times that some were more restless and more dense than usual; but + there were usually a good many with whom he could work successfully. But + today it seemed as though a crowd of excited spirits had taken + possession of the children. All the boys cast uncanny, warlike glances + at each other, even suppressed threatenings were thrust hither and + thither, and when the teacher turned his back such threatening gestures + were made to those who faced him, that they, one and all, rolled their + eyes with wrath and gave the most ridiculous answers. They all were so + eager for the battle, that they could no longer distinguish between + friend and foe, and each shook his clenched fist at the other. +</p> +<p> + Sally and Kaetheli, those model scholars, kept putting their heads + together and whispered continuously like the ripple of a brook. Yes, + indeed, Kaetheli was so brim full of news that she even kept on + whispering to Sally while the latter had to answer questions in + arithmetic and of course got into the most inexplicable confusion. Even + Edi, the very best scholar, forgot his studies and was staring sadly + before him. For just now had come before his mind's eye, during the + rest-period, the great bravery of his troops who, from want of a real + enemy, had put each other in a sorry shape. And he was not allowed to + lead these courageous soldiers against the boasting Churi, and to show + this fellow how a great general does his work! The teacher was just + standing before him and called on him, continuing in the geography + lesson: "Edi, will you tell me the most important productions of Upper + Italy?" +</p> +<p> + Italy! At the sound of that name, the whole war operation stood before + Edi's eyes, for he had studied the minutest details of that region where + the Romans had met their enemies, and Churi, as Hannibal, stood + triumphant before him. Edi, heaving a deep sigh, answered nothing for + the present. +</p> +<p> + "Edi," the master said when no answer came, "I cannot understand what + sadness can be found in our topic, nor what can burden your mind, but + one thing I can see, that today you all are like a herd of thoughtless + sheep with whom nothing can be done. Kaetheli, you magpie, can you stop + a moment and listen to what I am saying? You all are going home. I have + had enough, and everyone—do you understand?—everyone takes home some + home-work for punishment. As you go out, come to my desk, one after the + other, and each will receive his special task." +</p> +<p> + So it was done, and at once the whole crowd rushed with joyous hearts + into the open. For the home-work did not at all suppress the joy that + school had closed a whole half-hour early. Outside on the playground, + the groups who had common interests at once crowded together. The + largest throng pressed around Edi, to listen with much shouting and + noise to his battle plans. +</p> +<p> + At once after leaving the schoolroom Kaetheli took Sally by the hand and + said: "I will go with you for a while, then I can finish telling you + what Marianne told Mother this morning." With this Kaetheli continued + her story, which she had begun in school, and told Sally everything that + had happened last night in Marianne's cottage. Sally listened very + quietly and never said a word. When they arrived at the garden, Kaetheli + had just finished her sad tale; she stood still for a moment and was + surprised that Sally did not say anything; then she said, "Good-bye!" + and ran away. +</p> +<p> + At the noon meal Ritz related faithfully all that had happened in + school: for now, since Sally and even Edi had received home-tasks, he + found that to be more remarkable than sorrowful. Edi seemed somewhat + dejected. When now the small, golden, roasted apples were placed on the + table, Ritz stopped his report and applied himself thoroughly to the + work of eating them. When he had cleared his plate, which was done very + quickly, he looked slyly at the plates of his brother and sister, for he + knew that the second supply of the things on the table came only after + all three had finished their first. When he looked at Sally, his eyes + stayed on her, and after he had watched her attentively for some time, + he said: "Sally, you keep on swallowing as much as you can, but you see, + nothing can go down, because you have put nothing into your mouth, and + your plate stays filled." +</p> +<p> + Now Sally could not restrain her tears longer, for she had with great + difficulty swallowed them, and had been very quiet. Now she burst out + into loud sobbing and said through her tears: "Poor Erick, too, cannot + eat today. Now he has neither father nor mother and is all alone in the + world." +</p> +<p> + Sally's weeping grew louder and louder, for she could not stop, since + she had restrained herself so long. Ritz looked, surprised and startled, + from one to the other; he did not quite understand whether he was to + blame for this. The mother rose, took Sally by the hand, and led her out + of the room. +</p> +<p> + This incident caused a great disturbance at the midday meal. The father + was annoyed and sat without saying a word. The aunt, with great + animation, tried to point out to him with this proof, how excitable + children become when they do not go to bed in good time. Edi, too, sat + quite ill-humoredly before his plate, as if he had to swallow sorrel + instead of little golden apples; for he felt much troubled that his + father had heard of his inattention in the school. Ritz had expected a + kind of admonishing speech from him, because the outburst had taken + place right after he had spoken to Sally. Since it did not come and no + one seemed to trouble about him, he settled himself firmly in his seat + and ate everything that was on Sally's and his mother's plates. +</p> +<p> + When the father went out in the garden soon after, the mother followed + him and led him to the small bench under the apple tree. Seated there + she told him what Sally, continuously interrupted by loud sobbing, had + told her: what had happened during the past night in Marianne's cottage. + And she now asked her husband whether he did not think that some + enquiries ought to be made about these strangers, and whether one ought + not to do something for the little boy who, as it seemed, was standing + all alone in the world. But the pastor was not of her opinion, and said + that these people had turned to Lower Wood for school and church, + therefore he could not interfere at present. His colleague in Lower Wood + would no doubt take everything in hand and see what could be done with + the boy. He was sure that the pastor in Lower Wood would find some + relations of the boy, and he perhaps knew already more about the + strangers, than was suspected. The woman, no doubt, had confided in his + colleague about herself, since she would have had to do that as she had + sent her boy to Lower Wood to school, and perhaps also to Sunday school. + One could not possibly give in to Sally in all her manifold emotions and + pay attention to them. The child had too vivid an imagination and was + yet too young to have the gift of discrimination, and if one should give + in to her fancies one soon would fill the house with Leopoldys and other + creatures, who soon would be turned out of the house or, at least, be + pushed aside by the same Sally, as soon as she saw that the good people + were not as she had imagined them. +</p> +<p> + "I have to take Sally's part somewhat, dear husband," said the mother. + "You are right, she feels very strongly, and she shows these feelings to + everyone whom she meets; but I do not find that wrong, for, wherever she + meets with a response, there she remains faithful to her feelings, and + she loves her friends warmly and constantly. With what devotion has she + adhered to Kaetheli from babyhood! And I much prefer that she go through + life with her warm heart, and expect to find a friend in every human + being, than that she should pass people indifferently, and have no + conception of friendship, although she may meet with many a + disappointment and many a condemnation through this trait." +</p> +<p> + "Both will be her share, in plenty," said the father. "In this direction + we therefore will do our share in saving her from these things as much + as she can be saved." +</p> +<p> + So the mother saw that the best that could be done was to pacify Sally + and to explain to her that nothing could be done at present but + something would be done later from another source. +</p> +<p> + When it became known that the strange woman had died, there was a great + deal of talk, especially among the Middle Lotters, in whose midst the + woman had lived, but had never been seen—a fact which had always caused + suspicion. Since no one knew anything about her past life, then everyone + had the more to say about who she might have been. At any rate, nothing + very good, in that they all agreed, else she would have been friendly + with them and would not have kept herself so apart. When now no + relations appeared and she had to be buried without any mourners, then a + number of stories began to circulate which became more and more + mysterious. For the official of the community had said that, no doubt, + she had been an exile, and the Justice of Peace had added that then she + must have committed very great political crimes. 'Lizebeth was not loath + to bring these stories to the pastor and his wife, for she had never + been able to overcome the thought of the velvet pants. The pastor's + wife shook her head incredulously and forbade 'Lizebeth to carry the + stories further. The pastor said: "There must have been something + crooked, but the woman is now buried, and we will say nothing more about + it." +</p> +<p> + Marianne alone stood opposed to all and told them to their faces that it + was an injustice and wickedness to talk as they did; none of them had + known the woman, else they would know that there was nothing bad about + her, but that she had been an angel of goodness, gentleness and kindly + deeds. And although the lady had appeared as aristocratic as a princess, + she had been more friendly with humble folk, such as Marianne, than many + a Middle Lotter who ran about in torn stockings. But if Marianne was + asked if she had known the woman well, who she was, and why not a single + relative enquired after her, although the notice of her death was put + into all the papers; then she too could give no explanation, since she + did not know anything. +</p> +<p> + A few wicked people then said: "No doubt Marianne will have had her + profit from it." But she had not, and never had looked for it. The woman + had paid the low rent in advance for the month, which had just ended; it + had been the month of August. When now, immediately after the funeral of + the poor woman, the officials came and looked to see what the + inheritance of the little boy would be, then it was found that there was + nothing but the piano and the black silk skirt. The officials decided to + give the latter to Marianne, since she had rendered her the last + services and put her in her last bed. +</p> +<p> + The dress had once been very beautiful, for the material was heavy and + costly, but it was much worn, and yet Marianne thought: "It is too + handsome for me. I will not wear it but it is a dear remembrance," for + she had only seen the dear woman in that one dress. While they were + still talking over what should be done with the piano, the landlord of + the Krone in Lower Wood drove up with an empty wagon and took the piano, + the beds, the table and the two easy chairs, for everything had been + hired from him; but he had been paid in advance up to this time. +</p> +<p> + So nothing was left for the little boy but the velvet suit that he wore. + Now they began to talk about what was to be done with the boy, and some + propositions were made as to how he could be cared for. At this point + Marianne stepped forth and said that she would keep the little boy until + she was leaving. In three weeks she was going to move down to Oakwood to + her cousin's, for her house was as good as sold. The officials were + greatly pleased with this offer; many things could turn up in three + weeks, and for the time being the little waif was cared for. So they + parted from one another satisfied with their work. +</p> +<a name="2HCH6"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>A Lost Hymn</i></p> +<p> + The next morning, when the mother lay still and pale on her bed, Erick + woke up; Marianne, who had watched for his wakening, came to his couch + and said: +</p> +<p> + "Dear Erick, your mother has gone, last night, to heaven, and now she + feels very happy, and looks down on you and watches to see whether you + stay good and honest so that sometime you may come to her." +</p> +<p> + First he had answered quite quietly: "Yes, I know, Mother has told me + that it would come so." But when he went to his mother and looked at her + for a long, long time and she did not open her eyes, then he sat down on + a footstool and cried quietly. As long as his mother lay there he could + not be made to leave her, and when she was carried out, then he sat down + in the spot where she always had sat, and did not go away the whole day. + But he was quite still, and although he wept, he did it so quietly that + no sound could be heard. +</p> +<p> + The day after the officials had been there and Marianne had taken Erick + from the empty room upstairs to her little home, she thought that it + would be best if he were to go to school and again come in contact with + other children, so that he might become happy again and make a little + noise with them; for this quiet weeping seemed sadder to Marianne than + if he had sobbed aloud. So she told him on that morning, that it would + be best for him if he were to go to school. In an instant Erick obeyed, + took out his books, packed them in his bag and started on his way to + school. So it went on from day to day, and gradually it seemed to + Marianne that Erick grew more and more as he used to be; but the sunny, + joyous face which he used to have had not yet returned, and something + like shyness had come to him, which never before had been noticed in + him. It seemed as if a safe, strong wall, which formerly had protected + him, had fallen down, and as though he looked for the first time on + things and people which surrounded him and which were strange to him. + The safe wall had been the great love of his mother, which had encircled + him everywhere. +</p> +<p> + Two weeks had passed since Erick had again gone to school. When lessons + were over, he had never waited until the scholars of the Middle Lot had + gathered to make a noisy journey home, but he had run away at once and + had walked the long way alone. When he came home, he found his piece of + bread and his cup of milk ready on the table if Marianne was not there + to give it to him. When she was there, she often said: "Go out a little + to play with the children, Erick, it will be good for you and you will + have time afterwards to do your lessons." Erick had always gone out, as + far as the hedge before the house, and had stopped and watched how here + and there the children were running about and playing all kinds of + games; but he had never joined them. +</p> +<p> + So also today, he stood there and looked with surprised eyes across at + the freshly mown meadow, where a crowd of Middle Lot children were + playing with much noise "Catch me if you can." Big Churi was running + after Kaetheli and as she knew what heavy blows from those big fists + would fall upon her back if she should be caught, she rushed over the + field toward the hedge and into Marianne's little garden, almost + throwing down Erick on her way. At this instant the quick-running Churi + would have caught Kaetheli; but quick as a deer, Erick rushed forth, + opened his arms wide and so stopped Churi until Kaetheli had shot around + the cottage, fleet as an arrow, and again to her goal on the meadow, + where she could get her breath without fear of being caught. +</p> +<p> + Churi grumbled: "Another time you leave me alone, or—" With this he + shook his fist at Erick and then ran away, for he hoped to catch + Kaetheli before she should reach her goal. When the latter had rested a + little she came running back again, for she indeed had felt Erick's + chivalrous service and she was very grateful to him. She therefore could + not see him standing so alone, but ran up to him and said cheeringly: + "Come and play with us, you must not always stand so alone, that is + lonesome." +</p> +<p> + "No," said Erick, "I cannot play with you. I do not want to shout so + terribly." +</p> +<p> + "You need not scream, that does not belong to the game. Come along!" + Saying this, Kaetheli took Erick's hand firmly in hers and pulled him + along. +</p> +<p> + Erick played with the rest, and now he had begun he played with all his + might. They had stopped the game of "Catch" and were playing a circle + game. The children had formed a large circle and held each other's + hands. In the middle of the circle stood the excluded child. This child + had to strike someone's hand at random and then there was a race around + the circle to see who would first get in the open space inside. This + game was played with the greatest zeal; but suddenly Erick pulled his + hands away from his neighbors' and ran away, so that great confusion + arose. +</p> +<p> + "We will not let him play any more," cried Churi, much angered. +</p> +<p> + "Indeed we will," maintained Kaetheli firmly, "perhaps a wasp has stung + him, or perhaps they play the same game where he used to live. When he + returns he can take my hand. Now we will go on." +</p> +<p> + So it was done, and soon after they were playing again with great glee, + and Erick was forgotten. +</p> +<p> + Not far from their playground stood a blind man with a barrel-organ + playing his melodies. When Erick had heard the first notes, he had freed + himself and had run away. Now he stood at a little distance from the + organ grinder and listened with strained attention to all the melodies. + When the man left, the boy went quietly toward the cottage, and when + Marianne saw him come, she said to herself: "I had hoped that the + children would make him merry again, and now it seems to me that he is + sadder than he was before." +</p> +<p> + From that time on Kaetheli looked every evening, when the games began, + to see whether Erick was standing near the hedge, and when she saw him + there she ran to get him. Erick now played every day with the children + and when he was in the spirit of the game, he looked quite happy. But + almost every evening the same thing occurred as on the first. In the + midst of the game Erick stopped, ran away and did not return. Once a + number of wandering journeymen had passed by; they had sung loud and + joyously their wander-songs, one after the other. Away was Erick, and + one could see him far away, quietly following the singing men. Once + trumpet blasts sounded across the meadow to the playing children—for + one of Middle Lot was with the players in the army and was practising + his marches—at once Erick ran away in the direction of the sounds. + Another time a boy with a harmonica had approached the playing children; + it was Erick's turn just then to seek the hiders, but threatenings and + pleadings were of no avail, he did not seek any more. He placed himself + in front of the boy and listened to him; there he remained standing and + did not stir. +</p> +<p> + Churi in his hiding-place was about to burst with anger because Erick + stopped seeking. He had hoped that Erick would exhaust himself looking + for him, for Churi had climbed up the high pear-tree which stood in the + centre of their playground, and from there he could overlook Erick's + inactivity and his stubborn resistance to being moved. Kaetheli too had + become impatient, for in the farthest corner of the goat-shed, whither + she had crawled, she felt herself secure from being found, and now, all + at once, she discovered that there was no more seeking, and she could + easily guess the cause. With a good deal of trouble she crawled out + again, with many signs of her hiding-place on her dress for she had been + obliged to sit crouched. She ran to Erick, who was still in the same + spot, near the harmonica player. +</p> +<p> + "I should like to know what is the matter with you," she called out. + "Every evening, just when we have the greatest fun, all at once you run + away like a hare, or you stand there like a statue and let everything go + as it will. But that will not do! Come and seek us. But first I must + hide again." +</p> +<p> + The tones of the harmonica had just stopped and the boy had gone. Erick + took a deep breath and said: "I cannot play any more. I must go home." +</p> +<p> + He turned away and went; but that annoyed Kaetheli. She ran after him + and talked angrily at him. "That is not nice of you, Erick; you need not + have done that. You have spoiled the game now four or five times—that + is surely not kind of you, do you think it is?" They had by this time + arrived at Marianne's cottage. Erick stopped at the hedge and turned + round. He said, quite friendly: "Do not be angry, Kaetheli, you see I + have to act so." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, but why? Tell me now, what you do and why you have to spoil + everything?" demanded Kaetheli, rather huffed, for she could not yet get + over the fact that she had crawled all for nothing into the incomparable + hiding-place in the goat-shed. +</p> +<p> + "I will tell you, Kaetheli, for you must not think that I purposely + spoil everything for you. I did not think of that," said Erick, excusing + himself. "Do you see, there is a beautiful song which my mother sang + every day, and also on the last day, and I should so much like to hear + that song again. But no one sings it, and I may listen wherever I like, + I hear only other things. Oh, if I could only hear that song again, just + once!" +</p> +<p> + Now Kaetheli saw how Erick's eyes filled with big tears, and in an + instant her anger turned into pity. "You must not be sad on that + account, for I can help you," she said readily. "I know so many songs; + tell me what the name of yours is, then I will say it to you right + away." +</p> +<p> + "I try to remember it all the time, but I cannot get the words together; + but I remember well the melody. Do you think you could guess the words, + if I sing the melody?" +</p> +<p> + "Of course I can, you just sing on," encouraged Kaetheli, with + confidence. +</p> +<p> + Erick sang a line, and then another, and still a bit, then he could not + go further. Kaetheli, surprised, shook her head. "I never have heard + that song, but perhaps we sing it, only a little differently. I am sure + I shall find it. Tell me what it is about, about people or animals?" +</p> +<p> + "At the beginning about flowers, green trees, you know, with those + beautiful branches and—" +</p> +<p> + "Stop, I know all," Kaetheli interrupted him; "now I am going to sing it + to you." And with a firm voice and full tones Kaetheli began seriously: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'Three roses in the garden,</p> + <p>Three birds are in the wood,</p> + <p>In summer it is lovely</p> + <p>In winter it is good.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "Is that it?" she now asked, full of confidence that it must be it. But + Erick shook his head decidedly, and said: +</p> +<p> + "No, no, that is not my song, there is no similarity between it and what + you sing." +</p> +<p> + Kaetheli was much surprised. "But the flowers and the trees are in the + song," she said, "or perhaps, Erick, you have forgotten the song and do + not know how it goes?" +</p> +<p> + "Indeed, indeed I know," the latter assured her. "You see, first there + is a great feast, where they all come and throw down many flowers and + wreaths because a great lord is coming and—" +</p> +<p> + "Perhaps a count," Kaetheli interposed. +</p> +<p> + "Perhaps so." +</p> +<p> + "Oh! now I know it! If you only had spoke of the count right away; now + listen!" And again Kaetheli began with full tones: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'I stood on a high mountain</p> + <p>And looked into a vale,</p> + <p>A little ship came swimming</p> + <p>Three counts did hoist the sail.'</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "Well, Erick?" +</p> +<p> + But Erick shook his head even more and said sadly: "Not at all, not a + bit like it! Perhaps the song is lost and no one knows anything about + it." +</p> +<p> + "I know something else to help you," said helpful Kaetheli, whose tender + heart was filled with compassion. "To be sure, it is a little late, but + I can still do it." +</p> +<p> + Then she ran away, and Erick looked after her with great surprise, and + wondered where she was going to look for the song. +</p> +<p> + Running all the way, Kaetheli had reached the bottom of the hill in a + quarter of an hour. On the garden wall stood Ritz. "Get Sally, Ritz, but + be quick," Kaetheli called up to him. That just suited Ritz, for he + hoped that something particular was in store, and before Kaetheli + reached the wall, Sally was brought out. +</p> +<p> + Breathlessly Kaetheli told her what she wanted and now expected, since + Sally knew so many songs that she would bring out the desired one on the + spot. But it was not accomplished so quickly and there followed a long + explanation, for Sally must know all that was to be found in the song, + whether it was joyous or sad, and then she began to guess and to try + whether it could be this one or that, but none seemed to fit according + to the descriptions, and suddenly Kaetheli jumped up and exclaimed: "The + evening bells are ringing; I have to go home. I am afraid that father + will be at supper before me and then he'll scold. I thought you would + know it much quicker, Sally, such a simple song! Think it over and bring + it to me at school, but sure, for else Erick will be sad again. Good + night!" +</p> +<p> + Kaetheli was away like a shot, and Sally went thoughtfully back to the + house. Very soon the sitting-room was lighted up, where mother and aunt + were seated at the table, and now the father also sat down. Edi had long + since waited with his book to see whether the lamp would be lighted in + the room, for his mother had forbidden him to read in the twilight. Ritz + sat down to finish, with many a sigh, a delayed arithmetic lesson. Now + Sally entered the room; under each arm she carried four or five books of + different sizes and makeup. Panting under the heavy load she threw + them on the table. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, for heaven's sake," cried Auntie, frightened, "now Sally will turn + into a historical searcheress." +</p> +<p> + "No, no," cried Sally, "only give me a little room, I am obliged to look + for something." She sat down at once behind the heap of books and began + her work in earnest. But she did not remain undisturbed for long, for + the large amount of reading material which she had brought in attracted + the eyes of all, and all at once the father, who had looked at the books + from over his paper, said: +</p> +<p> + "Sally, I see a book which is little suited for you to read. Where did + you get the Niebelungen song?" +</p> +<p> + "I was just going to ask," said the mother, "what you intended to do + with A.M. Arndt's war songs?" +</p> +<p> + Sally had taken along from all tables and book-cases what seemed to her + a collection of songs. These two books she had found in her father's + study and now she explained that she had to find Erick's lost song, and + what Kaetheli had told her about what was in it. +</p> +<p> + "Aha," said Edi, and giggled a little, "on that account you took that + book from the piano. Erick will be pleased with the words you will get + from this." +</p> +<p> + He held the book before his sister and pointed with his finger to the + title: "Songs Without Words". Sally was not as thorough in her thinking + as her brother was. She had, in the zeal of her intention, thought that + these were some particular kind of songs, and she now looked with some + confusion at the book in which only black notes were to be found. Ritz, + too, was now roused to interest in the doings. He too had taken up a + book and read rather laboriously: "Battle Sonnets" from— +</p> +<p> + "What! You have also been to my table, Sally?" the aunt interrupted the + reader. "You children are really terrible! At any rate you ought to have + been in bed long ago; it is high time, pack together." +</p> +<p> + But this time Sally showed herself unusually obstinate. She assured them + that she could not sleep, not for the whole night, if she had not found + the song. She must bring it to Kaetheli, as she had promised to do so, + and from fear that she should not find the song Sally worked herself + into such a state of excitement that the mother interfered. She + explained to the child that they were not the kind of books where such a + song could be found, and that the descriptions which Kaetheli had given + were much too uncertain to find any song. Sally herself should speak + with Erick about what he still knew of his song, and then they would + search for it together, for she too would gladly help the poor boy to + keep in memory the song his mother had loved. +</p> +<p> + These words pacified Sally and so she willingly packed together her + books and put each in its place. +</p> +<a name="2HCH7"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army</i></p> +<p> + Meanwhile the sunny September had approached and everywhere the apples + and pears were smiling down from the trees. Every morning one could see + the Mayor of Upper Wood walk toward the hillside, where he had started a + new vineyard where only reddish, sweet Alsatian grapes grew. The + hillside lay toward the valley about a half-hour's walk below Upper + Wood; but the walk was not too far for the Mayor to watch the growth of + his grapes, for they were of the most delicious kind. +</p> +<p> + The Justice of Peace, Kaetheli's father, had also a small vineyard on + that side, but of a much inferior kind, and when he sometimes went to + see whether his grapes would ripen this year, he always found the Mayor + there, and usually said, pointing to the latter's grapes: "A splendid + plant." +</p> +<p> + And the Mayor answered: "I should think so. And this year will not be + like last! Just let them come!" and with these words he held up his + finger threateningly. +</p> +<p> + "If one only could get hold of one of that crowd," remarked the Justice + of Peace, "so that one could make an example of him of what would happen + to all the wicked fellows." +</p> +<p> + "I have prepared for that, Justice of Peace," the other answered, full + of meaning. "The boldest of them will carry the reminder of the sweet + grapes for weeks about with him and will be plainly marked." +</p> +<p> + This conversation had already been repeated several times, for both men + had an especial interest in the topic. But they soon had to pass to more + important things, for in these communities all kinds of things happen. + At present all the inhabitants of the three places were in great tension + and expectation about something which caused so much talk that they + hardly found time to attend to their daily business. The Upper Wooders + had bought an organ for their church, which was to be dedicated the + following Sunday. +</p> +<p> + In the Middle Lot something was also taking place. Old Marianne was busy + packing up, for she could no longer keep her cottage. Her work was not + enough to pay the running expenses, so she was going down to Oakwood + where she had a cousin who was glad to have her live with him. Now the + question was, where the little stranger was to go, whom she had kept + with her up till now. She wanted to stay over Sunday and attend the + dedication, and on Monday she was going to lock up the house. +</p> +<p> + To the schoolchildren also the approaching festivity was an opportunity + for much loud discussion. Two parties had naturally formed themselves, + the church and the no-church party. For the one side wanted to attend + church on Organ-Sunday, as they called the day for short, and listen to + the organ; the other did not care anything about hearing the music, for + they said they could hear the organ in the afternoon when they were + obliged to go to Sunday school, and to attend church twice was too much. + The main thing was that women would be sitting about everywhere with + large baskets full of cake and unusually good cookies; these must be + secured. The Middle Lotters especially were against the morning church + service. To the surprise of all, big Churi voted for the church-going. + He had brought it about that the great, long-prepared battle day was + fixed for Organ-Sunday, although many voices voted against it, and there + were still some that did not agree with the arrangement, for they were + sure that on the feast-day much else was to be seen and heard. But Churi + grew quite wild if anyone said a word against his plan, and they did not + care to make him angry now, for no one could manage so many soldiers as + he had to look after, and only thus could the victory be won. The Middle + Lotters had naturally joined the Lower Wooders against the Upper Wooders + and so they were now a large army. The Upper Wooders therefore made a + new effort to get Edi for leader and to win the battle, for against such + a large army only a well prepared battle-plan and a general well versed + in war could save them, and Edi was the only one who knew how to do + both. +</p> +<p> + But he remained steadfast, although it almost choked him, for all the + brilliant examples of the small Greek army against the enormous hordes + of Persians stood before him, and he had to swallow them all down, for + he knew his father's aversion to such warlike doings and then—on + Organ-Sunday! +</p> +<p> + Churi had ordered that his whole army should come together on the Friday + before Organ-Sunday in the Middle Lot. So the whole crowd collected on + the evening fixed, and there was an indescribable noise. But big Churi + shouted the loudest and explained to them the arrangements of the day: + first, all would go to church, and during that time, he and his officers + would go to find out the best place for camping and for the battle. +</p> +<p> + "Ah, so, Churi!" a little fellow in the crowd shouted, "that is why you + voted for church, that you might do outside what you want to!" +</p> +<p> + Churi cried, much vexed: "That must be on account of discipline; if you + do not want to go, then don't, and the Upper Wooders will pay you for + it." This threat was effective, just as Churi wanted it to be. +</p> +<p> + The whole army should not come together until after the organ dedication + was over in the morning, and the midday meal which followed at once, was + finished; and in the morning only Churi with his officers should march + out to arrange all places and positions. So he had planned. The officers + whom he had chosen were all his good friends, the toughest Middle + Lotters that could be found. +</p> +<p> + About this time a year ago, he had, with the very same boys, broken into + the Mayor's vineyard and stolen all his very best, fine Alsatian grapes. + He intended to do this again with his confidential friends, for it had + never been found out who had stolen the grapes, although they had tried + in all the three communities to find the culprits, and this had greatly + encouraged Churi and his allies. But he knew how careful the Mayor had + been this year, and he knew very well of his daily walks and that in the + afternoon his wife also took a walk in the direction of the vineyard, + and in the evening they often took the same walk together; so that the + culprits had not any day been sure of them. But on Organ-Sunday no one + would be outside—of that Churi was convinced; therefore he had + arranged everything in view of that, for although there would be an + investigation, all the many Lower Wooders and Middle Lotters would be in + that region, and the culprits would never be found out from among such a + large crowd. +</p> +<p> + After Churi had told his army of his battle plans, they dispersed in all + directions. A number of spectators had gathered around the warriors, + every child in Middle Lot, down to the two-year-olds. Ahead of all was + Kaetheli, who was always on the spot when something was to be seen or + heard. When she left the meadow, she saw Erick standing near the hedge, + where he had stood for a long time watching the tumultuous crowd. + Kaetheli ran to him. "This will be such a fight as never before," she + called to him with admiration. "Don't you want to be in it, Erick?" +</p> +<p> + "No," he answered drily. +</p> +<p> + "Why not?" +</p> +<p> + "Because they act as I do not care to act." +</p> +<p> + "Not? You are a peculiar boy, you are always alone. Do you know where + you are going Monday when Marianne goes away from here?" +</p> +<p> + "No." +</p> +<p> + "You are going to be auctioned off. My father has said so." +</p> +<p> + "What is that?" asked Erick, who now listened more attentively to + Kaetheli. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, there are a crowd of people in the room and they bid on you, and + whoever bids the lowest gets you." +</p> +<p> + "That is stupid," said Erick. +</p> +<p> + "Why is it stupid?" +</p> +<p> + "Because they would get more money if they gave me to him who offers the + most." +</p> +<p> + "No, you did not understand. You are not going to be sold, quite the + reverse; he who gets you also gets the money—do you understand now?" +</p> +<p> + "Who gives him the money?" +</p> +<p> + "Well, that is not a person, as you think," Kaetheli explained. "Do you + see, there is a money box with money in it for the people who are poor + and miserable and homeless." +</p> +<p> + Erick grew purple. +</p> +<p> + "I am not going to be auctioned," he said defiantly. +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed, Erick, that cannot be helped. One has to obey before one + is confirmed. If you do not obey, then someone just puts you on his + shoulder and takes you to the auction room." +</p> +<p> + After Kaetheli had instructed Erick in what was coming to him, she bade + him good-night and went her way. Erick stayed on the same spot and did + not move. He had become deathly pale and his blue eyes flashed defiance + and indignation, which had never been seen in this sunny face. Thus + Erick stood on the same spot when Churi came by on his way home. +</p> +<p> + "Have they made you angry, velvet panty? I never have seen you so mad," + he exclaimed and stopped near the hedge. +</p> +<p> + He received no answer. +</p> +<p> + "You join us in the fight and strike hard; that will relieve your + feelings." +</p> +<p> + Erick shook his head. +</p> +<p> + "Don't be such a sneak, and say something. The fellow who has made you + wrathful will no doubt be there, then you can get at him." +</p> +<p> + "It is no boy," grumbled Erick. +</p> +<p> + "So, who then, perhaps Kaetheli?" +</p> +<p> + "I will not go to be auctioned," Erick burst out and his anger flashed + as never before. +</p> +<p> + "Well, well, is that all. That is nothing," Churi thought. "You just + come with us and you will forget the auction on the spot. Or are you + afraid of the thrashing, you fine velvet pants? Do you know what? I + could tell you something that would suit you?" +</p> +<p> + Churi had caught an idea: he had heard something of some danger that was + lurking among the Mayor's grapes, and the others too knew something + about it; so he reckoned that none of the others would go first and he + himself would prefer to have some other fellow first find out whether a + trap was laid somewhere, in which the first one would fall, while the + rest would be warned. For this post of inspection Erick fitted + splendidly. +</p> +<p> + "Well, will you?" he urged the silent Erick. +</p> +<p> + But the latter shook his head negatively. +</p> +<p> + "And if I help you so that you need not be auctioned, will you then?" +</p> +<p> + "How can you do that?" Erick asked doubtingly. +</p> +<p> + "As soon as I want to," boasted Churi. "Don't you know that my father is + the sergeant here? He goes into every house along the whole mountain, + far beyond Lower Wood, and he knows all the people and can place you + where he likes. You only need to say what you want to do: take care of + the cows, deliver letters, push little children along in their + carriages—whatever you like best." +</p> +<p> + Erick had never heard lying, he did not know what it was. He believed + word for word what the swaggering Churi told him. He considered a moment + and then he asked: "What shall I have to do for that?" +</p> +<p> + "Something which you yourself will find more merry than anything you + ever did. You can go with me and the officers in the morning. You are + the scout and always go first to see whether the land is clear and safe + for us and where we can best pitch our tents and give battle. But one + thing I have to tell you: you have to obey me. I am the general, and if + you do not do at once what I tell you, you suffer for it. First we go + through a vineyard—" +</p> +<p> + "One cannot give battle there, nor camp," Erick interrupted. +</p> +<p> + "That makes no difference," Churi continued, "you listen to what I tell + you. You have to go through the vineyard and not make a bit of noise, do + you hear? And not run away, else—" Churi lifted his fist threateningly. + "You must not tell anyone where we are going, do you hear?" +</p> +<p> + "I am not going," said Erick. +</p> +<p> + "Then go to the auction—that is the best thing for you; I am going now, + good night." +</p> +<p> + But Churi nevertheless remained. The blood again rushed into Erick's + cheeks. He hesitated a moment, then he asked: "If I go with you, are you + sure that I can get there, where I deliver letters?" +</p> +<p> + "Of course you can," Churi grumbled. +</p> +<p> + "Then I will go." +</p> +<p> + "Give me your hand on it!" +</p> +<p> + Churi held out his hand and Erick laid his in it. Churi kept hold of the + hand. "Promise that you will be there under the apple tree on the meadow + at seven o'clock Sunday morning." +</p> +<p> + "I promise," said Erick. +</p> +<p> + Churi let go of his hand, said "Good night," and disappeared behind the + cottage. +</p> +<p> + The news of the day spread with wonderful rapidity through the schools + of the three parishes. The next evening, the evening before + Organ-Sunday, every child in Upper and Lower Wood, and above all, in + Middle Lot, knew that the quiet Erick all at once belonged to the + rowdies; that he was not only going to fight with them in the Sunday + battle, but that he was going with the worst rowdy, with Churi and his + companions, early in the morning before church. +</p> +<p> + Sally came with swollen eyes to supper, for Kaetheli had informed her of + everything: how the fine Erick, whom she would so gladly have taken into + her home and her friendship, had fallen into the hands of the coarse and + wicked Churi and would be ruined and led to do all kinds of wicked + things by the bad boy. All this made her tender heart ache. She had + gone, in the afternoon, to the solitary bench under the apple tree and + had wept until supper time; for, in spite of deep thinking, she had not + been able to find a way by which she could snatch Erick away from the + bad companions. +</p> +<p> + Edi, too, wore a drawn face as though he lived on trouble and annoyance + only, and his inner wrath goaded him to unpleasant speeches, for he + hardly had taken his seat at table, when he looked across at Sally and + said: "You can count to-morrow the blue bumps which your friend Erick + will carry home with him, when he begins in the morning before church + and serves under Churi." +</p> +<p> + Not much was needed to make Sally break out. "Yes, I know, Edi, that you + would prefer to begin this evening and fight through the whole day + to-morrow," she cried, half sobbing, half defiant, looking across the + table, "if Papa had not forbidden it." +</p> +<p> + Edi became flushed, for it came into his mind how long he had searched + for an example after which he might take part and yet hold his own + before his father. +</p> +<p> + The latter looked earnestly at him and said: "Edi, Edi, I hope you will + try not to be a Pharisee. It is a bad sign for the boy Erick that he has + joined the fighters, moreover, and that he has made friends with the + very worst rowdy. But, dear Sally, you need not knock your potatoes so + roughly about your plate as if they were to blame for all the unpleasant + things; eat them peacefully." +</p> +<p> + But Sally could not swallow anything more. When soon after Edi lay in + his bed, he heaved a deep sigh and said: "Everything is over for me, but + I will be glad for one thing, that tomorrow comes, because to-morrow is + Sunday. You know what we get to-morrow, Ritz?" +</p> +<p> + "Sunday school." +</p> +<p> + "No, I don't mean that, I mean something nice." +</p> +<p> + "But Sunday school is nice." +</p> +<p> + "No, I don't mean that either, I mean something which one can use very + well, when no other pleasure comes along." +</p> +<p> + "An oracle," Ritz said quickly, much contented with the delightful + prospect. +</p> +<p> + "Ritz, you do guess such ridiculous things. I have told you that there + are no more oracles. There will be apple-cake, that is what I meant," + Edi said with a sigh, for now he saw again all the things for which he + had wished so much more than apple-cake. +</p> +<p> + "And do you know, Edi," said Ritz, following his own train of thought, + "to-morrow Sally will not be able to eat again because Erick gets his + bumps; then we will also get her share, and that will make three pieces + for each." With these words Ritz turned happily on his side and went to + sleep. +</p> +<a name="2HCH8"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>What Happens on Organ-Sunday</i></p> +<p> + Early in the morning, long before the nine o'clock church service, large + crowds of people were walking toward Upper Wood, for everybody wanted to + hear the new organ. It was a beautiful Sunday and everyone preferred to + go to Upper Wood to church. The women all carried a few beautiful + flowers on their hymnbooks, and when they had arrived at the open place + before the church they stopped and greeted each other and stood talking + in different groups. Gradually the men came along and did the same. +</p> +<p> + The Mayor was standing a little on one side with the Justice of Peace. + They were in deep conversation in which many threats occurred, for the + Mayor several times held up his finger and waved it threateningly in the + air. +</p> +<p> + Kaetheli stood close beside her father and pricked up her ears. Now the + church bells began to ring. Soon after the pastor's wife and Sally came + out of their house door, and behind them quiet, devout Edi and Ritz with + hymn-books under their arms. After a few steps they all stopped to wait + for the pastor. Now the old wife of the sexton ran to the pastor's wife; + she always had to report something as soon as she caught sight of her. + Kaetheli took advantage of the opportunity. Like a flash she was from + her father's side and whispered with the greatest rapidity in Sally's + ear: "Just think what I know now. Last evening Neighbor Rudi, who + belongs to Churi's officers, told me that it was not on account of the + fight that they were going away in the morning; but that they were going + into the Mayor's vineyard and were going to take his early grapes; that + Churi had persuaded Erick to come along, because he wants to send him + ahead through the vineyard, because a trap might be set there. Of course + Erick would be caught and the others could be warned and pass by, + without harm. But imagine what the Mayor has just told father: he has + had something placed in the narrow pathway which leads through the grape + vines which no one can see; but if anyone steps on it, it discharges a + shot in the face and burns it so that no one could recognize him any + more, for it would mar him so badly. Just think, Erick's curls will be + burned off and his handsome face will be so marred that we shall not + know him." +</p> +<p> + Sally had become as white as snow from fright. "Come quickly, Kaetheli," + she said urgently, "we will run after Erick and tell him everything, + come!" +</p> +<p> + "It is much too late, why, what do you think," Kaetheli said, "they + started early this morning. Erick is already burned." +</p> +<p> + Now the pastor came out. The mother turned and took Sally's hand, who + tried to stay behind. Kaetheli went toward the church, and Sally knew + that she too had to go in; but she could hardly walk from fear and + anguish, and as she sat on her bench within, she saw and heard nothing + of the whole organ festivities, for she only saw the disfigured Erick + before her, how he was sitting in the vineyard and moaning, and her + tears fell so plentifully that she could no longer look up. +</p> +<p> + Churi and his officers had assembled at the set time. Erick also had + kept his word and was there. Although the companions had started early, + they met single churchgoers on their way to Upper Wood, for these people + wanted to look around on their way to church, to see how things were in + the fields and gardens, and so they had set off in good time. +</p> +<p> + Now Churi had commanded his officers that they must each bring a basket, + for there was no time to eat the grapes in the vineyard; they must cut + them quickly and throw them into their baskets, then they would go into + the woods, to a safe place, and eat them in peace. But armed with + baskets the officers appeared somewhat suspicious; Churi himself thought + so and he now ordered, when they arrived at Upper Wood, that his + officers should hide the baskets behind a barn, until all the church- + goers had entered the church and the roads were safe. +</p> +<p> + Erick had already asked twice what the baskets were needed for on an + inspection march, but he had received no answer. As now the warriors sat + hidden behind the heap of straw and had time for questions and answers, + Erick asked again: "What are you going to put in the baskets?" +</p> +<p> + "Grapes, if you insist on knowing!" Churi shouted at him, "and you too + will find them good when you eat them." +</p> +<p> + After the bells had stopped ringing and all was quiet round about, Churi + commanded them to start. "But you will be very quiet when you pass the + church, do you hear?" he ordered; "for the doors are still open." +</p> +<p> + Full, bright organ tones came through the opened doors toward the boys + when they silently approached the church, and now, suddenly, the whole + congregation joined with the tones of the organ and sang in loud, full + chorus: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"How shall I then receive Thee?</p> + <p>And how shall I then meet Thee?</p> + <p>Oh, Thou, the world's desire</p> + <p>Who set'st my heart on fire!"</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + Like lightning Erick was away out of the midst of his companions to the + church-door and into the church. +</p> +<p> + Churi grew pale from fright; he believed nothing less than that Erick + had rushed into the church to betray publicly to the whole congregation + the intended grape-theft. Instantly he turned around and ran away like a + madman, for he firmly believed that half the congregation was on his + heels, since he heard a crowd running after him. But the runners were + his companions, who followed him in greatest haste, for since they saw + the brave Churi run like fire, they thought that there must be great + danger, and they rushed with always longer and longer leaps after him. +</p> +<p> + Erick had run into the midst of a crowd of people, who all stood in the + passage of the church because there were no more seats on the benches, + so full was the church. Now the hymn, accompanied by the organ, rushed + like a big, full stream on through the church: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"Thy Zion scatters palms</p> + <p>And greening twigs for Thee,</p> + <p>But I in glorious psalms</p> + <p>Will lift my soul to Thee!</p> + <p>My heart be overflowing</p> + <p>In constant love and praise</p> + <p>In service will be growing,</p> + <p>Will Thy dear name then grace."</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + In breathless attention Erick stood there, for it was his mother's song! + He was trembling in every limb and large tears ran down his cheeks. A + woman who sat near him noticed the trembling little fellow; she drew him + compassionately close to her and made a little room for him, so that he + could sit down. +</p> +<p> + The singing had stopped and the pastor began to preach. During the + sermon Erick recovered a little from the strong emotion which had quite + overpowered him when he suddenly heard in such powerful tones his lost + song again. +</p> +<p> + He now looked round and saw that he was firmly wedged in and could not + move, for two more women had forced themselves between the sitters, and + the whole passage the full length of the church was densely thronged + with people. So Erick sat, quiet as a mouse, and did not stir until the + sermon and prayer were at an end. Then once more the full tones of the + organ sounded and the congregation rose and sang: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"I lay in heaviest fetters,</p> + <p>Thou com'st and set'st me free;</p> + <p>I stood in shame and sorrow,</p> + <p>Thou callest me to Thee;</p> + <p>And lift'st me up to honor</p> + <p>And giv'st me heavenly joys</p> + <p>Which cannot be diminished</p> + <p>By earthly scorn and noise."</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + His mother had sung that at the very last. Erick saw her again before + him, as she had sat the last evening at the piano and had spoken to him + with words so full of love; and then, in the morning, she had lain there + so still and pale. He laid his head on the arm of the bench and sobbed + as if his heart would break. The people passed by him, and here and + there one woman said to another: "The poor little fellow, he has no one + on this earth," and then they went out. +</p> +<p> + The pastor in the pulpit had seen Erick rush into church. He now looked + again in that direction, and noticed the little chap, how he sat there + on the empty bench, so forsaken, his head resting on his arm. The pastor + now walked behind the last of the congregation toward the bench. He + stepped into the pew and put his hand on Erick's shoulder and asked + kindly: "Why are you weeping so hard, my boy?" +</p> +<p> + "Because—because—because they sang Mother's song," sobbed Erick. +</p> +<p> + "What is your name?" the pastor asked again. +</p> +<p> + "Erick Dorn," was the answer. +</p> +<p> + Now the pastor knew what to do. He took the boy's hand in his fatherly + hand, pulled him down from the high bench and said: "Come with me, my + boy!" +</p> +<p> + At the parsonage the three children stood waiting for the father's + return, as they did every Sunday. Sally had not said a word since they + had left church; now she came close to her mother and said, quite + excited: "Please, please, Mamma, may I go now at once to Kaetheli? I + have to talk over something with her, really I must." +</p> +<p> + Sally had made up her mind to go out into the vineyards to look for + Erick, but she did not know the way, so Kaetheli was to go with her. But + the mother opposed Sally's urging and said: "You know, dear, that we + have dinner at once, and father does not allow such running away on + Sunday. There he comes now. Who is the little boy whose hand he is + holding?" +</p> +<p> + Sally uttered a loud shout of joy and tore away. "Oh, Erick! you are not + burnt!" she cried, beside herself with joy, when she now saw Erick + before her with his abundant curls and bright eyes. +</p> +<p> + "Of course not," said Erick, politely lifting his little cap and + offering his hand to her, a little surprised, for he did not know when + he could have burned himself. Quickly she took his hand and so the three + met the surprised mother who, however, at the sight of Erick, guessed at + once who the fine boy in the velvet jacket was. She greeted him lovingly + and stroked his tear-stained eyes and flushed cheeks. +</p> +<p> + Sally would have liked to ask at once how all had happened, and would + have urged him to tell everything; but when she saw how he must have + wept, she shrank from enquiring and held his hand quietly. Edi and Ritz + also noticed at once the traces of tears and greeted him quite calmly. +</p> +<p> + The pastor left his family to go to his room and the mother took his + place and conducted Erick, whom Sally on the other side held firmly by + the hand, up the stairs; Ritz and Edi followed. When 'Lizebeth, who was + standing in the kitchen door, saw the procession come and noticed that + the mother held the little stranger so tenderly by his hand, as though + he were her own small Ritz, then 'Lizebeth at once shut the kitchen + door, and grumbled: "There is something wrong about this!" +</p> +<p> + Soon after, the whole family sat around the noonday table, and if Sally + could not eat yesterday from sorrow, today she could not swallow + anything from pure joy, not even the apple cake, which surprised Ritz + very much. But he was glad that the sad Erick also got some, for he + thought that that must comfort him. +</p> +<p> + In the evening of this Sunday, Erick sat in the midst of the pastor's + family around the four-cornered sitting-room table, as snugly and + familiarly as if he long since belonged there. He had been treated, the + whole afternoon, with such kindness by all, that his whole heart, which + had been accustomed to a mother's great love, opened, and he felt more + happy than he had in all the sad days since he had had to miss this + love. Sally did not know how she could do enough to give him pleasure. + Now she had brought the most beautiful picture book that she owned, and + Erick looked with her at the pictures, which she eagerly explained to + him; all the time beaming with joy that everything, she had believed + lost, had come to her; that Erick was in the midst of them at home like + a near friend, and was to stay over the night, for the father had + arranged that at once. +</p> +<p> + Edi sat over his history book and Ritz had a book of his own before him, + but looked over it at Sally and listened to her explanation. Now Edi + lifted his head—he must have come upon something very particular. +</p> +<p> + "Papa," he said, "now I know for certain what I want to be: a + sea-captain. Then I can sail around the world, for <i>sometime</i> I must see + all the lands where all these things have happened." +</p> +<p> + "So, I thought you wanted to be a professor of history," remarked the + father, not much disturbed by this piece of news. +</p> +<p> + "I want to be that, too," said Ritz, "I, too, want to sail in ships." +</p> +<p> + "No, you see, Ritz, two brothers must not be the same thing, else they + get in each other's way," instructed Edi. +</p> +<p> + "Then I will be a sea-robber, they too sail in ships," Ritz comforted + himself. +</p> +<p> + "We will not hope anything of the kind," said the father behind his + church paper. +</p> +<p> + "And do you remember, Ritz, what I once told you about Julius Caesar?" + Edi reminded him. "If I were to catch you like that, then I should be + obliged to have you killed." +</p> +<p> + "No, I do not want that! But what can one be with ships?" Ritz asked + plaintively, for if Edi expressed a thought, then it usually remained + firmly in Ritz's head. +</p> +<p> + "One can be also something very good without ships, my dear Ritz," the + mother said comfortingly, "and that is much safer; then one stays on + firm land, and I should advise you to stay. And what does our Erick want + to be? Has he too thought of that?" +</p> +<p> + "I must become an honorable man," answered Erick at once. +</p> +<p> + "That is no calling," instructed Edi. +</p> +<p> + But the father put down his book and said, nodding at the boy: "That is + right, Erick, go toward that goal: first, and above all, an honorable + man; after that, every calling is all right." +</p> +<p> + Now the mother rose, for it was time to go to bed. Edi and Ritz took + Erick between them and thus marched ahead of the mother to conduct him + to his little room which was beside their bedroom, so that the door + between could be left open, with the advantage that Erick also could be + drawn into the nightly conversation. Both Edi and Ritz were delighted + with that. +</p> +<p> + So the Organ-Sunday, which had begun so hostilely, ended quite + peacefully. +</p> +<a name="2HCH9"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>A Secret that is Kept</i></p> +<p> + When on the next morning the pastor's family was at breakfast, the + pastor arranged that Erick should not go with the other three to school, + since he belonged to the school in Lower Wood and it was now too far to + go there. When the other three had gone, then Erick should come to him + in his study. So it was decided, and when Erick came into the study the + pastor pointed to a seat and said: "Now sit down in front of me"—for he + himself sat on the large sofa—"look into my eyes, and tell me + everything from the beginning and exactly what happened yesterday before + you came into church, also what you intended to do, for I have heard all + kinds of things." +</p> +<p> + Erick looked with his large, bright blue eyes straight into the + pastor's, and told everything from the beginning: how he was going to be + auctioned and did not want to be, what Churi had promised him, how he + then had gone with them, also how the others had brought large baskets + to put grapes in, but he did not know where they were to get the grapes. + The pastor, however, now knew everything, for Sally had reported how the + Mayor was expecting his grape-thieves again and how he was going to + receive them. It was now quite plain, as one had always suspected, that + the same crowd, the Middle Lotters, under Churi's lead, had plundered + the vineyard. +</p> +<p> + "Erick," said the pastor earnestly, "you want to be an honorable man and + you mean it seriously so far as you understand the word, I have seen + that; but that is not the way which will lead you there. See, you can + understand, that you have made friends with a crowd of boys who are on + no good road; for, to run about wild on Sunday, when the bells call to + church, and to be obliged to hide behind barns from nice people,—you + did not learn that from your mother, did you, Erick?" +</p> +<p> + Erick had to lower his open eyes and answered very low: "No." +</p> +<p> + "But worse things turn up if one goes with bad boys," the pastor + continued. "Through them, one often comes where one never wanted to + come. See, if you had not been saved from it through your mother's song + which you heard, you would have been caught with the others in the + vineyard as a thief, and punished as such. Well, Erick, if your mother + should have had to hear that!" +</p> +<p> + Erick had grown dark red in the face. He was silent for some time, + visibly from fear and perplexity, then he asked timidly: "Can I no + longer grow to be an honorable man?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, indeed, Erick," said the pastor now kindly, "that you can. You + know now on what road one cannot go; think of that and keep yourself far + from bad companions. And now I will tell you how you can become a man of + honor. Do you remember how the verse in your mother's song goes, which + begins: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'Thy Zion scatters palms</p> + <p>And greening twigs for Thee,</p> + <p>But I in glorious psalms</p> + <p>Will lift my soul to Thee!'"</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + In an instant Erick continued: +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"'My heart be overflowing</p> + <p>In constant love and praise,</p> + <p>In service will be growing,</p> + <p>Will Thy dear name then grace.'"</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + "Erick, you must never forget these words. If you bring all your deeds + before the dear God and look to it before Him, whether you 'Will grace + His dear name' as well as you know, then you will become a genuinely + honorable man. Will you think on it?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I will," Erick promised gladly, as now he looked up again to the + pastor freely and openly. +</p> +<p> + "Then," the latter said after a while, "there is still something else, + Erick. Have you known your father?" +</p> +<p> + "No." +</p> +<p> + "Do you know if he is still alive, where he is?" +</p> +<p> + "Mother told me father had gone to America, to make a large fortune for + himself and for us; but he has not yet returned." +</p> +<p> + "Do you know other relatives, sisters or brothers of your mother, or + some close friends?" +</p> +<p> + "No." +</p> +<p> + "Don't you know of anyone to whom one could turn, who would look after + you?" +</p> +<p> + "No, no," said Erick, quite anxiously. +</p> +<p> + But the pastor put his hand very kindly on Erick's head and said: "You + must not be afraid, my boy, all will come out all right. You may go + now." +</p> +<p> + Erick rose; he hesitated for a moment, then he asked somewhat + falteringly: "Must I go now directly to be auctioned? I am afraid + Marianne has gone by now." +</p> +<p> + "No, no," the pastor answered quickly, "you will not go there at all, + not at all. Now you go down to Mamma, she will keep you for the + present." +</p> +<p> + Erick's eyes shone for joy. He had thought up till now that he would be + sent to the auction, away from the happy life in the parsonage, but now + this threatening bugbear was done away with forever. When Erick entered + the sitting-room he found old Marianne sitting there. They had sent + word, the evening before, that Erick would not come back for the night, + but Marianne could not have gone away without taking leave of him. With + many tears she bade him good-bye, and Erick too felt sorry that good old + Marianne was going away; but since he might stay in the parsonage, it + was indeed a different thing for him than if he had had to remain behind + alone. +</p> +<p> + The weeping Marianne had hardly left the door, when the stately Mayor + came in and went with firm steps toward the pastor's study. Early in the + morning, when he was going into the vineyard, he had met the Justice of + Peace, and heard from him all the happenings of yesterday, how Erick had + spoiled the game for the grape-thieves, and how they, the would-be + thieves, had run far beyond the next two villages before they even + became aware that it was only their allies who were chasing them. + Kaetheli had learned all that, and had reported it to her father. The + Mayor was quite satisfied with the outcome of the affair, and since he + looked on Erick as the saver of his grapes, he now came to the pastor to + talk over what could be done for the poor orphan. +</p> +<p> + The gentlemen held a long consultation, for both were anxious to find + the most suitable plan for the boy; but they could not come to an + agreement. The Mayor proposed that since the little fellow did not + appear to be very strong, it would be best to apprentice him to an easy + trade. He thought it would be best to put him to board at the tailor's, + then he would grow into the trade without much trouble, and would have + nice companions in the tailor's own boys; they were suited to each + other, for the tailor's sons were also dressed as cleanly and carefully + as he was. But the pastor had other thoughts; he had a good institute in + his mind, where Erick could be cared for at once and later be educated + for a teacher. This also suited the Mayor, and he took leave with the + assurance that he would make Erick a nice little gift, for the little + fellow had shown him a greater kindness than he could know, which the + pastor verified. +</p> +<p> + When later the pastor told his wife of their transaction, she did not + quite agree with it; she thought that she might keep the orphaned Erick + for a while with her; in fact she should prefer to keep him altogether, + for she had already taken this loving, trusting boy deep into her heart. + But the pastor convinced her that the "keeping altogether" could not be + done, since there were nearer obligations to all kinds of relatives, so + that one could not give the little stranger preference in such a way. + But he gladly granted the wish of his wife to keep Erick at least a few + weeks in their home; for, he said, one could postpone his entrance into + the institute until the beginning of the new year. +</p> +<p> + When the children were told of the decision there was great rejoicing, + for Edi had put into Ritz's head a large number of splendid + undertakings, which could be carried out only by three people, and Sally + knew of nothing in the whole world that could have given her greater joy + than that now she could be with the new friend from day to day; for he + was in every way what she could wish, and in many ways he was much nicer + than she could have imagined from the manners of her former friends. +</p> +<p> + Erick had such a happy, refined, thoughtful disposition, that it seemed + to Sally as if she lived in continuous sunshine when she was with him. + The aunt also agreed with the decision to keep the boy in the parsonage, + although at first she had seen in it a disturbance in the order of the + household, since the increasing of the number would mean that in the + evening it would take even longer to get to a settlement. But when she + noticed that Erick, on the first hint, rose at once and did what was + desired, then her fears turned to hopes that one might impress the + others a little with this ever-ready boy, which impressed her very + favorably. 'Lizebeth alone continued her dislike of the new-comer, and + whenever she met him in the house she measured him with her eyes from + his head to as far as the velvet reached. +</p> +<p> + Erick soon felt quite at home in the parsonage. He now went with the + three children to the same school, shared Edi's historical interest as + long as the latter entertained him with it, which was the case on every + walk to school, and as often as possible besides, for Edi found large + gaps in the historical knowledge of his new friend and felt himself + called upon to fill them in. Erick was a good listener and often put + questions which drove Edi to new, deep studies and which excited him so + much that he had almost no other thoughts but Rome and Carthage. +</p> +<p> + With good-natured Ritz, Erick was also on good terms. The little fellow + ran after him wherever he went, and looked delighted when he saw him + from afar; then he rushed at him and was always sure of a pleasant + reception and jocular conversation, for Erick was always friendly, + talkative and in good humor, and never buried in history books which + often made Edi unhappy. So Ritz spent all the time out of school either + with Erick, or seeking him, which however sometimes cost him a good deal + of time, for the very nearest friends, after all, were Erick and Sally. + The two could not be separated. There was a great similarity in their + temperaments, for what the one wanted the other liked also, and what the + one did not like, did not please the other, and both liked nothing + better than to go together up into the woods, where under the old + fir-tree was the small bench on which they could sit and tell each other + all they knew; or to go down to the foaming Woodbach and there, sitting + on the stones near the bank, watch the tossing waves rush down. They + never seemed to lack topics of conversation. Erick told about his + mother, and how they had lived together, and of her beautiful singing; + and Sally never grew weary of hearing again and again the same stories, + and would keep on asking questions. +</p> +<p> + So they sat on their bench under the tree on the sunny Sunday afternoon + in the first week in October, and Sally had just begun her questions. + This time she wanted to know why the mother had sent Erick to Lower Wood + to school and not to Upper Wood, where all good people from Middle Lot + came—Kaetheli, for example. Then Erick told her that his mother had + asked Marianne about the schools, and after Marianne had explained + everything to her, and that fewer children went to Lower Wood and mostly + children who were not so well-known, then his mother had at once decided + that he should go there. "For you see, Sally, we were obliged to be + alone and hide ourselves until I had become an honorable man." +</p> +<p> + "But why? I do not understand it at all," Sally said somewhat + impatiently. "And then afterwards when you had become an honorable man, + what did you want to do, if you did not know anyone?" +</p> +<p> + "I should very much like to tell it to you, Sally," Erick answered very + seriously, "but you would have to promise me that you would tell it to + no human being; never, not if it should take many, many years." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, yes, I will surely promise that," Sally said quickly, for she was + very anxious to hear the secret. +</p> +<p> + "No, Sally, you must consider it well," said Erick, and held his hands + behind his back, to let her have time, "then if you have decided that + you will tell no human being one single word, then you must promise it + to me with a firm handshake." +</p> +<p> + Sally had fully decided. "Just give me your hand, Erick," she urged. + "So, I promise you that I will tell to no one a single word of that + which you want to tell me." +</p> +<p> + Now Erick felt safe. "You see, Sally," he began, "in Denmark there is a + very large, beautiful estate, with a beautiful lawn before the house to + which one can go directly through large doors out of the halls, and in + the middle of the lawn are the beautiful flower-beds just filled with + roses; and on the other side of the house one goes across to the large, + old oaks, where the horses graze—for there are many beautiful horses. + And on the left side of the house one comes directly into the small + forest; there is a pond quite surrounded by dense trees, and a small + bench stands above and from there one descends three steps to the little + boat that has two oars, and my mother liked best to sit there and row + about the pond. For, you see, my mother lived there when she was a + child, and also later when she was grown up. And there below, where the + lawn stops, begin the large stables where the horses are when they are + not grazing; and my mother had her own little white horse. She rode + about on that with grandfather or with old John. Oh, that was so + beautiful! But once Mother was disobedient to grandfather, for she + wanted to go far away with my father, and grandfather would not have it; + but she went, and then she was not allowed to come back, and everything + was over." +</p> +<p> + Sally had listened with breathless attention. Now she burst out: "Dear, + dear, what a pity! That is exactly like Adam and Eve in Paradise! But + where did your mother go to? And who is now on that beautiful estate?" +</p> +<p> + "Mother went far away to Paris, then to many other places, and at last + we came to Middle Lot. My grandfather still lives on the estate." +</p> +<p> + "Oh, Erick, we will write a letter at once to your grandfather and ask + him whether you may now come home again?" +</p> +<p> + "Oh, no, no! I dare not do that," opposed Erick. "I must not go to my + grandfather until I have become an honorable man, so that I may say to + him: 'I will not bring shame on your name, Grandfather, but Mother would + like to make up through me for what you have suffered through her!' I + have promised that to my mother!" +</p> +<p> + "Oh, what a pity, what a pity!" lamented Sally, "you may never go to the + beautiful estate until you are a man; that will be a terrible long time. + And then you have to go away in the winter to quite strange people, to + an institute. Oh, if you only could go to the beautiful estate, to + Grandfather! Can it not be brought about, Erick? Can no one help you?" +</p> +<p> + "No, that is quite impossible," said Erick, thoroughly convinced. "But + now, since you know all, I will tell you a good deal more about the + estate, for I know much more, and Mother and I have talked so often + about it," so Erick told more and more until they reached home, where + both of them were much distracted, for both were wandering in thought + about the beautiful estate far away. The mother looked several times now + at the one, then at the other, for nothing unusual in her children ever + escaped her motherly eye; but she said nothing. When later she had + prayed with the children, and was now standing in her own bedroom, she + heard how Sally, in her little bedroom beside hers, was praying loud and + earnestly to God. +</p> +<p> + The mother wondered what could so occupy the thoughts of her little + girl, who was usually so open and communicative. What had happened this + evening, and what was urging her to such a pleading prayer, and why had + she not said a word about it? Could the child have a secret trouble? She + softly opened the door a little, and now heard how Sally several times + in succession fervently prayed: "Oh, dear God, please bring it about + that Erick may come to his grandfather on the beautiful estate." +</p> +<p> + Now the mother entered Sally's room. "My dear child," she said, "for + what did you pray just now to the dear God? Will you explain it to me?" +</p> +<p> + But Sally made such an uproar that the mother stopped with surprise. + "You did not hear it, Mother? I hope you have not understood it, Mother. + Have you? You must not know it, Mother, no one must know it. It is a + great secret." +</p> +<p> + "But, dear child, do be quiet and listen to me," said the mother kindly. + "I heard that you prayed to the dear God for something for Erick. + Perhaps we, too, could do something for him. Tell me what you know, for + it may lead to something good for him." +</p> +<p> + "No, no," cried Sally in the greatest excitement, "I will say nothing, I + have promised him, and I do not know anything else than for what I have + prayed." And Sally threw herself on her pillow and began to sob. +</p> +<p> + Now the mother ordered her to be quiet and let the thing rest. She would + not ask her any more, nor speak of it. Sally should do as she felt, and + surrender everything to the dear God. But the mother put two things + together in her mind. When Marianne had come to take leave, she had + questioned her about Erick's mother and the latter's condition; also + whether Marianne knew her maiden name. But Marianne did not know much, + only once she had seen a strange name, but had not been able to read it. + It was when Erick, at one time, had taken the cover from his mother's + little Bible; then she saw a name written with golden letters. Erick + must have the little Bible. The lady had seen the little black book in + Erick's box and had taken off the close-fitting cover and had found + written in fine gold letters the name, "Hilda von Vestentrop". She at + once assumed that this must be the maiden name of Erick's mother; but + she knew nothing further. +</p> +<p> + Now she had learned through Sally's prayer that Denmark had been her + native land, and that a father was living there. All this she told to + her husband the same evening, and proposed that he should write at once + to this gentleman in Denmark. +</p> +<p> + The pastor leaned far back in his armchair and stared at his wife with + astonishment. "Dear wife," he said at last, "do you really believe that + I could send a letter addressed 'von Vestentrop, Denmark'? This address + is no doubt enough for the dear God, but not for short-sighted human + beings." +</p> +<p> + But the wife did not give in. She reminded her husband that he knew + their countryman, the pastor of the French church in Copenhagen, and + that he perhaps could help him onto the track of von Vestentrop; the + latter must be the owner of an estate and such a gentleman could be + found. And the wife spoke so long and so impressively to her husband + that he finally sat down that very evening and wrote two letters. The + one he addressed "To Mr. von Vestentrop in Denmark". This one he + enclosed in the second and addressed that to his acquaintance, the + pastor of the French church in Copenhagen. Then he laid the heavy letter + on his writing-table so that early to-morrow morning 'Lizebeth would + find it and carry it to the post office. +</p> +<a name="2HCH10"><!-- H2 anchor --></a> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +<p class="ctr"><i>Surprising Things Happen</i></p> +<p> + Weeks had passed by since Erick had become an inhabitant of the + parsonage, but 'Lizebeth had not changed her mind. Just now she was + standing in the kitchen-door, when Erick came running up the steps, and + hastily asked: "Where are Ritz and Edi?" +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth measured him with a long look and said: "I should have thought + that a boy in velvet would utter the names in a strange house more + politely, and that he might say, 'Where are Eduardi and Moritzli?'" +</p> +<p> + Much frightened, Erick looked up to 'Lizebeth. "I did not know that I + ought to talk so in the parsonage; I have never done it and I am sorry + for it; now I will always remember to say it," he promised assuringly. +</p> +<p> + Now that did not suit 'Lizebeth. She had believed that he would answer, + "That is none of your business." For that remark she had prepared a + fitting answer. And now he answered her so nicely that she was caught, + but if he really was going to carry out his promise, then the lady of + the house might find out how she had schoolmastered him and that might + draw upon her some unpleasantness, for she knew how tenderly the former + treated the boy Erick. She therefore changed her tactics and said: + "Well, you see, I always say the names in the proper way; it is + different with you, you are their comrade, and as far as I am concerned, + you can call them as you like." +</p> +<p> + "I should like to ask something else, if I may," said Erick, and + politely waited for permission. +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth liked this mannerly way very well and said encouragingly: + "Yes, indeed, ask on, as much as you like." +</p> +<p> + "I wanted to ask whether I may say ''Lizebeth' like the others, or + whether I ought to say 'Mistress 'Lizebeth'." +</p> +<p> + Now Erick had won over 'Lizebeth's whole heart for the reason that he + wanted to know what title she ought to have by rights, and that showed + her what a fine boy he was. She patted his shoulder protectingly, and + his curly hair, and said: "You just call me ''Lizebeth', and if you want + to ask anything, then come into the kitchen, and I will tell you + everything you want to know and—wait a moment!" With these words she + turned round and chased about the kitchen, then she came to him with two + splendid, bright red apples in her hand. +</p> +<p> + "Oh, what beautiful apples! Thank you ever so much, 'Lizebeth!" he cried + delightedly, and now ran out. +</p> +<p> + 'Lizebeth looked after him with such pride as if she were his + grandmother, and said to herself: "Let anyone come now and show me three + finer little boys in the whole world than our three are." With this + challenge, and the proud consciousness that no one could accept it, she + turned to her pans and kettles. +</p> +<p> + So Erick had won over everyone, but there was still one who looked at + him from the corner of his eyes and always with a look of wrath, for a + few days after Organ-Sunday, the Mayor had ordered that Churi should + appear before him, and the bold Churi could hardly keep on his feet when + he had to appear before the judicial tribunal, for he expected to + receive the well-earned punishment from the strong hand of the Mayor. + But the latter only pinched his ear a little and said: "Churi, Churi! + this time you get off better than you deserve, for I know now who got + the grapes last year, and I also know who wanted to get them again a few + days ago. If from now on, even one single little bunch is missing, I + shall hold you responsible, and you will be surprised at what will + happen to you, think of that! Now go." +</p> +<p> + Churi did not need to be told that twice; he was gone as if his life was + at stake; but from that time on he thought of revenge on Erick, and when + he met him, he shook his fist at him and said: "You wait! I will get you + sometime." But so far he had never met Erick alone, and had never been + able to do him the slightest harm. This secretly embittered Churi still + more. +</p> +<p> + Now winter had set in. Upper Wood lay deeply buried in snow, and + everyone was busy thinking of Christmas and New Year. In these days the + pastor gave a gentle hint to his wife, that the time for Erick's change + to the institute, for which the Mayor also had offered his help, was + fast approaching. But the lady hardly let him finish his sentence for + excitement, and answered at once: "How can you even think of such a + thing! In the first place; we must wait for the answer from Denmark, + before we do anything; and secondly, the whole Christmas joy would be + spoiled completely for the children, through such news; thirdly, we + ourselves, you and I, could not separate ourselves so suddenly and + unprepared from a child who is as dear to us as one of our own—" +</p> +<p> + "Fourthly, 'Lizebeth will give notice at once," continued the pastor, + "for she now is the worst of all, from all that I see. One thing is + sure, dear wife, if the little fellow was not so guileless and had not + such an exceptionally good disposition, you women would have ruined him + so that he never could get straightened again, for you, one and all, + spoil him quite terribly." +</p> +<p> + "It is just this harmless and exceptionally well-disposed character of + the child which wins all hearts, so that one cannot help treating him + with peculiar love. No talk of sending Erick away before Easter can be + considered, and much can happen before then, my dear husband." +</p> +<p> + "Oh, yes," the latter agreed, "only do not look for an answer from + Denmark, for it would be in vain. The guilelessness in that address went + a little too far." +</p> +<p> + But the pastor's wife was contented that another respite had been + granted, and she hoped on. +</p> +<p> + The winter passed, Easter was approaching, but no answer came. This time + the pastor's wife got ahead of her husband. When shortly before Easter a + belated April frost set in, she explained to him that new winter wraps + had to be made for all the children, and before one could think of + sending Erick away, summer clothing had to be prepared for him; his good + velvet suit looked, indeed, still very fine, and would last some time + yet, but her husband knew it was his only suit, and for mid-summer + another must absolutely be procured for him, and for that, time and + leisure were needed. +</p> +<p> + The pastor gave his consent to the postponement without opposition. In + his heart he was heartily glad for the good excuse; for he, like all the + rest, had learned to love Erick so much that the thought of his + departure was very painful to him. +</p> +<p> + His wife was contented again and thought in her heart: "Who knows what + may happen before summer." +</p> +<p> + But something did happen which seemed to destroy with one blow all her + hopes. The warm June had come and on the sunny hillsides around Upper + Wood the strawberries, which grew there in plenty, were beginning to + give out most delightful fragrance, and to turn red. That was a glorious + time for all children round about. The children of the parsonage, too, + undertook daily strawberry-expeditions and every evening belated they + returned home. The order-devoted aunt, who, after a winter's absence, + had returned with the summer to the parsonage, did not leave any remedy + untried to restore at least the usual condition of things. +</p> +<p> + Below near the Woodbach the berries grew largest and most plentifully. + But to go there they had to wait till Saturday afternoon, when they had + no school, for it was too far to take the walk after afternoon school. + When Saturday came and the sun was shining brightly in the sky, then the + whole company in joyous mood left the parsonage, Sally and Erick ahead, + Ritz and Edi following. All were armed with baskets, for to-day, so they + had decided, Mother was to receive a great quantity of strawberries + instead of their eating all on the spot as usually happened. Having + arrived on the hillside over the Woodbach, the best spots were sought; + if one was found which was plentifully sprinkled over with strawberries, + then the whole company was called together and the place cleared, and + afterwards each went out again for new discoveries. +</p> +<p> + Erick was a good climber; without any trouble he swung himself down over + the steepest hillsides, and jumped up the high rocks like a squirrel. + Sally saw him, how he swung himself down a rock where he had espied on + the lowest end a spot that shone bright red in the sun, as if covered + with rubies. Were they berries or flowers which were growing there so + beautifully? Erick must see them nearer. Sally shouted after him: "Call + us if you find something, but be careful, it is steep there." +</p> +<p> + Erick answered with a yodel and disappeared. Having arrived below, he + met the Middle Lotters, who were bending in groups here and there, or + lying on the ground, eating the berries which they picked. Erick could + not find the red spot which he had seen from above; but not far away + from him stood Churi, who had seen him coming down. Churi called to him: +</p> +<p> + "Come here, velvet pants, here are berries such as you have never seen." +</p> +<p> + Erick went quite calmly to him and when he now had stepped quite close + to Churi, the latter unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that Erick + rolled down the rest of the mountain side and right into the gray waves + of the Woodbach. +</p> +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="images/002t.jpg" width="150" alt= + "'Churi....unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that + Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side....'"></a></p> +<h4><i>"Churi ... unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that + Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side...."</i></h4> +<p> </p> +<p> + When Churi saw that, he was frightened. For a moment he stared at the + gray waves; but Erick had disappeared, not a speck of him could be seen. + Then Churi softly turned round and ran away as quickly as he could, + without looking round, for his conscience bit him and drove him along, + and he dared not look anyone in the face for fear that someone could + read there what he had done. The other Middle Lotters had not paid + attention to what was going on. Perhaps once in a while one of the crowd + would ask, "What has become of Churi all of a sudden?" and another would + answer, "He can go, wherever he likes," and they would turn again to + their berries and think no more of him. +</p> +<p> + Meanwhile Sally had remained standing in the same spot and had waited + for Erick's call. When it did not come, she began to call, but received + no answer. She now called to Edi, and he came running with Ritz, and all + three called together for Erick, but in vain. The sun had long since + set, and it was beginning to grow dark. All children, even the Middle + Lotters, went past them on their homeward way, and they were always the + very last. "Show me once more, and be quite sure, the very spot where he + began to climb down," said Edi, "I will go down, in the same path." +</p> +<p> + Sally showed the exact spot, where Erick had descended over the rock, + and Edi began the descent a little timidly. But he arrived safely down + below and ran hither and thither, calling with a loud voice: "Erick! + Erick!" But only the echo from the rocks, round about, answered + mockingly: "'Rick! 'Rick!" +</p> +<p> + Now it really began to be dark, and round about not a human sound, only + the rushing of the Woodbach, sounded through the stillness. Edi began to + feel a little uncomfortable; he climbed as quickly as possible up the + rock and said hastily: "Come, we will go home. Perhaps Erick is already + at home, he may have gone by another road." +</p> +<p> + But Sally opposed this proposition with all her power, and assured him + firmly that Erick had not gone home; that he would have first come back + to her; and she was not going a step away from where he had left her, + until Erick came, for if he were to come and she was not there, then he + would wait for her again, if he had to wait the whole night, she was + sure of that. +</p> +<p> + "We must go home, you know it," declared Edi. "Come, Sally, you know we + must." +</p> +<p> + "I cannot, I cannot!" lamented Sally. "You go with Ritz and tell them at + home how it is; perhaps Erick cannot find the road again." At this + conjecture which, only now after she had uttered it, Sally saw plainly, + she began to weep and sob piteously, while Edi took Ritz by the hand and + ran toward home as quickly as possible. +</p> +<p> + Mother and Aunt were standing before the parsonage, looking in all + directions to see if the children would not make their appearance + somewhere. 'Lizebeth ran to and fro, hither and thither, and asked of + the returning children of the neighborhood, where the parsonage children + were. She received the same answer from all: the three were still below + by the Woodbach, and were waiting for Erick, who had gone alone. At last + Ritz and Edi came running through the darkness. Both panted in + confusion, one interrupting the other. They shouted: "Sally + sits—"—"Erick is over"—"Yes, Erick is over"—"But Sally still sits + and"— +</p> +<p> + "Sally sits and Erick is over!" cried the aunt. "Now let anyone make + sense of that!" But the mother drew Edi aside and said; "Come, tell me + quietly what has happened." +</p> +<p> + Then Edi told everything, how Erick had climbed over the rock and how + Sally now was sitting alone below near the Woodbach, and Erick gave no + answer to all his calling. +</p> +<p> + "For heaven's sake," the mother cried, now thoroughly frightened, "I + hope that nothing has happened to Erick! Or could he have lost his way?" + She ran into the house to ask her husband what was to be done. At once + 'Lizebeth ran to seven or eight neighbors and brought them together with + a good deal of noise, all armed with staves and lanterns, as 'Lizebeth + had ordered. Also several women hastened up, they too wanted to help in + the seeking. Now the pastor had come out and joined them, for he himself + wanted to do everything to find Erick, and at any rate to bring Sally + home. 'Lizebeth came last in the procession, with a large basket hanging + from her arm, for without a basket, 'Lizebeth could not leave the house. +</p> +<p> + Two long hours went by, while the mother walked ceaselessly to and fro, + now to the window, then to the house door, now up and down the + sitting-room; for the longer no news came the greater grew her fear. At + last the house-door was opened and in came the father, holding the + weeping Sally by the hand, for he had not been able to comfort her. They + had at that time not been able to get a trace of Erick; but the + neighbors were still seeking for him and had promised not to stop + seeking until he was found. 'Lizebeth was still with them, and she was + the most energetic of all the seekers. +</p> +<p> + Only after many comforting words from the mother, and after she had + prayed with her whole heart with the child to the dear God, that He + would protect the lost Erick and bring him home again, could Sally at + last be quieted. She fell then into a deep sleep, and slept so soundly + that she did not wake until late the next morning, and the mother was + glad to know that her daughter was sleeping, as her grief would be + awakened again, when she woke up. +</p> +<p> + Sunday morning passed quietly and sadly in the parsonage. Father and + Mother came out of church, before which the people of Upper Wood and + Lower Wood, from Middle Lot, and the whole neighborhood round about, had + assembled to talk over the calamity. +</p> +<p> + So far Ritz and Edi had kept very quiet, each busy with his own + occupation. Edi, a large book on his knees, was reading. Ritz was very + busy with breaking off the guns from all his tin soldiers, as now, + having peace in the land, they did not need them. +</p> +<p> + "So," Edi, who had looked now and then over his book, said quite + seriously: "if war breaks out again, then the whole company can stay at + home, for they have no more guns; with what are they supposed to fight?" +</p> +<p> + Ritz had not thought of that. Quickly he threw all the gunless soldiers + into the box and said: "I do not care to play any more today," no doubt + with the unexpressed hope that the guns, by the time he should open the + box again, might be somehow mended. But now he became restless and asked + to go out, and Edi, who had seen the large gathering by the church, also + decided to go out doors, for he too wanted to hear what was going on. +</p> +<p> + The aunt opposed their going out for some time, but finally gave her + consent for half an hour, to which the mother, who had just come in, + agreed. Now Sally appeared and rushed at once to her mother, to hear + about Erick, whether he had come home and how, where and when, or + whether news had come. But before the mother had time to tell her child + gently that no news had come from Erick, but that more people had gone + out, early in the morning, to seek him, the two brothers came rushing in + with unusual bluster and shouted in confusion: +</p> +<p> + "There comes a large, large"—"A very tall gentleman"—"A gentleman who + walks very straight out of a coach with two horses." +</p> +<p> + "I believe it is a general," Edi brought out finally and very + importantly. +</p> +<p> + "No doubt," laughed the aunt. "Next you will see nothing but old + Carthaginians walking about Upper Wood and the whole neighborhood." +</p> +<p> + But the mother did not laugh. "Could it not be someone who might bring + news of Erick?" she asked. She ran to the window. At the entrance of the + house was an open traveling coach, to which were harnessed two bay + horses which pawed the ground impatiently, and shook their heads so that + the bright harness rattled loudly. Ritz and Edi disappeared again. These + sounds were irresistible to them. +</p> +<p> + Now 'Lizebeth rushed in. "There is a strange gentleman below with the + master," she reported. "I have directed him to the pastor's study, so + that the table can be set here, for I must go out again to the little + boy. The gentleman has snow-white hair but he has a fresh, ruddy face + and walks straight like an army man or a commander." +</p> +<p> + "And he came alone?" asked the mistress. "Then he does not bring Erick? + Who may he be?" +</p> +<p> + Meanwhile the tall, strange gentleman had entered the pastor's study + below, with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop, of Denmark. The + gentleman will excuse me if I interrupt him." +</p> +<p> + The pastor was so surprised that for a moment he could not collect his + wits. Erick's grandfather! There stood the man bodily before him, whose + existence had been to him a mere fairy tale, and the man looked so + stately and so commanding, that everyone who beheld him must be inspired + with respect. But at the same time there was something winning in his + expression, which was familiar to the reverend gentleman from Erick's + dear face. And this gentleman had traveled so far to fetch his grandson, + and Erick had disappeared. +</p> +<p> + All this passed through the pastor's head with lightning speed; he stood + for a moment like one paralyzed. But the colonel did not give much time + to the surprised man to recover himself. He quickly took the offered + easy chair, drew the pastor down on another, looked straight into his + eyes and said: "Dear Sir, you sent through the French pastor in + Copenhagen a letter addressed to me, in which you inform me of things of + which I do not believe one single word." +</p> +<p> + The surprise of the pastor increased and was reflected in his face. +</p> +<p> + "Please understand me rightly, dear Sir," the speaker continued, "not + that I mean that you would make an incorrect statement; but you yourself + have been duped, your kindness has been shamefully misused. Because I + knew that, I did not wish to answer your letter in writing, for we would + have exchanged many letters uselessly and yet would never have come to + an understanding. Behind all this is a clever fellow, who wants to trick + you and me for the sake of gain. So I have let everything rest until I + could combine the present explanation with a journey to Switzerland. So + here I am, and I will tell you, in as few words as possible, the + unfortunate story which led to this deception. But let me look at once + at the object in question. I want to see what the boy is like, whom the + man dares to place before my eyes as my grandson." +</p> +<p> + The pastor had now to tell of the unfortunate accident of Erick's + disappearance, how they had searched so far in vain, but how everything + was being done to find the dear boy; therefore he might make his + appearance at any moment. +</p> +<p> + The colonel only smiled a little, but that smile was a little sarcastic + and he said: "My good Sir, let us stop the seeking. The boy will not + return. The fellow who has placed him in your hands has calculated + wrongly this time. He, no doubt, hoped that I, at such a distance, would + credulously accept everything that he wanted, and would do what he + wished. Now he has found out that I myself was on the way to see you; + and to bring before my eyes some foundling as my daughter's child, that + he did not dare to do. On that account the child has disappeared, + Reverend Sir; that man knows me." +</p> +<p> + However much the pastor might assure the colonel that no one had + interfered in the case, that the boy, after his mother's death, without + anyone's intercession had come into the parsonage, and that from the boy + himself, without himself knowing it, had come the suggestions about the + country and the name of the grandfather,—all explanation of the pastor + did no good, the sturdy gentleman adhered to his firm opinion that the + whole thing was the invented trick of a man who wished to make money, + and that the disappearance of the boy at the necessary moment confirmed + it. +</p> +<p> + "But how should, how could the man of whom you speak—" +</p> +<p> + The colonel did not listen to the end of the sentence. "You do not know + this man," he threw in, "you do not know his knavery, Sir! I had a + daughter, an only child; I had lost my wife soon after marriage; the + child was all in all to me. She was the sunshine of my house, beautiful + as few, always joyous, amiable to everyone and full of talents. She had + a voice which delighted everyone; it was my joy. I had her instructed in + the house, also in music. Then, a young teacher came and settled in the + town, near which my estate lies. People talked much about the young + musician, and of his artistic skill. He was engaged to teach on all our + neighboring estates. I did the same. I had him come to my house every + day and had no suspicion of misfortune. After a few months, my daughter, + who was hardly eighteen years old, told me that she wanted to marry that + man. I answered her that that never would happen; she should never again + speak of such a thing. She did not say another word, nor did she + complain—that was not her way. I thought all was past and settled, but + found it safer to stop the lessons, and I dismissed the instructor. The + same evening my daughter asked me, whether I could ever in my life + change my opinion. 'Never in my life,' I said, 'that is as sure as my + military honor'. The next morning, she had disappeared. A letter left + for me told me that she was going away with that man and would become + his wife. From that time on,—it is now twelve years ago,—I have never + heard anything from my child, till your letter came. +</p> +<p> + "That my daughter is dead, I can well believe, but that she has left a + helpless little boy, that I do not believe, for she would have sent such + a boy, of whom she had a right to dispose, to me; she knows me, she + would have known that I would give him my name, and the remembrance + would be wiped away. But this boy, who has disappeared again at the + right time, has been substituted by the music-teacher, who no doubt + lives somewhere in this neighborhood, and has done it for the purpose of + receiving a sum of money from me. And now, dear Sir, we are through. The + only thing left for me is to express my regret that, your kindness has + been misused through my name; good-bye." +</p> +<p> + With these words the colonel rose and offered his hand to the pastor. + The latter held it firmly, saying: "Only one more word, Colonel! + Consider one thing: you know your daughter's character. After she had + done you the great wrong, she might have decided not to send the boy to + you before he in some way could make good the mother's wrongdoing— + perhaps not until the time when he would do honor to your name, when he + should prove to you through his own character that he was worthy of your + name." +</p> +<p> + "You are a splendid man, who means well with me; but you have not had + the experience I have had. You know no distrust, I can see that, and + that is why you have been imposed upon. Let us part." +</p> +<p> + Saying this the colonel again shook the pastor's hand and opened the + door. There the lady of the house met him, who for some time with + impatience had been walking up and down in the garden, for she was sure + that this caller, who stayed so long, was somehow connected with the + lost Erick, and she could not understand why her husband did not call + her. Sally, from the same expectation and greater impatience, followed + her every step. When now the mother had seen from the garden, that the + strange gentleman had risen, she could bear it no longer; she must know + what was going on. When she stepped on the threshold at the moment when + the stranger opened the door, then politeness demanded that the parson + introduce his wife, and the stranger from politeness was obliged to step + back into the room when the master of the house introduced his wife to + him with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop from Denmark. You indeed + will be delighted to hear this name." +</p> +<p> + The lady stepped toward the colonel with visible delight and said + excitedly: "Is it possible? But at what a moment! But you will stay with + us, Colonel, for your dear grandchild must be found. The sweet boy + cannot be lost, he must have lost his way." +</p> +<p> + "Pardon me, my gracious lady," the colonel here interrupted her + politely, but somewhat stiffly, "I shall start at once. You are under a + delusion; I have no grandchild, and I must bid you good-bye." +</p> +<p> + At mention of the name "Vestentrop", Sally had grown very red; and she + trembled all over, during the conversation that followed. Now she + restrained herself no longer. Tears poured from her eyes, and with the + greatest agitation she sobbed: "Indeed, indeed, he is, I know it, he has + told me himself; but I dared not tell it to anyone." +</p> +<p> + "Well, the boy has found at least one good friend and defender," said + the colonel well-pleased, and wanted to pat Sally's cheeks, but she + withdrew quickly, for she first wanted to know whether the gentleman + would believe and recognize Erick, before she would let him touch her. +</p> +<p> + The mother too was struck to the core by this incredulity. Her husband + had whispered a few words to her, so she understood at once the whole + situation. +</p> +<p> + "Colonel," she now said, placing herself before him, "do not act in such + haste. Let me prevail on you to stay a few days, yes, even this one day! + The dear child must, and will be found, please God! See him first. Learn + to know the treasure which you are about to give up so lightly. If you + could know what sunshine you want to withhold from your house, you could + never be happy again. Do not think, sir, that I would give the child + away; how shall I, how shall we all be able to bear it, when the dear, + sunny face shall have disappeared forever from among our children." The + tears came into the mother's eyes also, and she could say no more. +</p> +<p> + "Well, I have to declare that the little wanderer has fallen into good + hands," said the colonel, giving his hand to the pastor's wife in an + approving way. "You will allow me now to depart." +</p> +<p> + This time the gentleman was determined to go. He went out and walked + along the long corridor with head lifted proudly, followed by the + pastor, who tried in vain to overtake him so that he could open the door + for his guest. But before the door could be opened from within, it was + pushed open with great force from outside, and like an arrow the slender + Edi shot straight into the tall colonel, who had been standing directly + behind the closed door; and at once after Edi, Ritz rushed into Edi, and + the tall gentleman received the second push, and in his ears rang + confused screamings of mixed words: "They are coming—they + come—Marianne—Erick—Marianne—they come—they come." And really! In + the house door appeared Marianne, quite broad in her Sunday best, + holding Erick, of whom she kept a firm grasp, as if he might fall from + there down again into the Woodbach. Behind both the partaking scholars + of the parishes pressed in with shouts of rejoicing. +</p> +<p> + There was no possibility for the military gentleman to get out; the + crowd pressed into the house with great force. He gave in and did what + he had never done before in his life—he retreated, step by step, until + he had arrived, backwards, over the threshold of the study, together + with the whole of the pastor's family, old and young; and at last the + fighting Sally pressed in. She had taken Erick by the hand and did not + want to let go of him, and on the other side Marianne held his hand as + in a clamp, and she herself was held back from all sides, for the + schoolfellows wanted to know first the story of how Erick was lost and + found again. +</p> +<p> + It was an indescribable uproar. Only after the efforts of Sally had + succeeded in pulling Erick and Marianne out of the human ball and into + the study, was there sufficient calm so that one could understand the + other, for the school friends had stayed respectfully before the door; + they did not dare to press into the study-room of their pastor. +</p> +<p> + Now only could the information be understood, which Erick and + Marianne—each relieving the other—gave about the whole occurrence. + Erick told how he, after a strong push, had fallen into the water and + then had known nothing more, and had wakened again when somebody was + rubbing him firmly. That had been Marianne, who now related further. She + had gone yesterday afternoon from Oakwood, where she was living now, + upward along the Woodbach, to the place where the berries grew the most + plentifully, as she knew these many years that she had sought and sold + them in the taverns of Upper and Lower Wood. As she was seeking for + berries close by the water, bending down behind the willow bush, she saw + how the bush was being shaken and how something had remained hanging to + it. She bent around the bush to find out what it might be, and saw the + black velvet jacket on the water! "Oh, dear God!" she then cried out + with unutterable horror, and never stopped crying until, under her + desperate rubbing with skirt and apron, Erick opened his eyes and looked + with surprise at Marianne. Now she quickly took the large market-basket + in which she intended to put the many small baskets, when they were + filled; threw the latter all in a heap, put the dripping Erick in it, + and carried him, as quickly as she could, toward her small cottage, far + beyond Oakwood, in which she lived together with her cousin. Here she at + once undressed the wet boy, wound him closely in a large blanket so that + nothing was to be seen of him besides a tuft of yellow, curly hair, put + him in bed with the heavy cover far above his head, for, "getting him + warm is the principal thing for the little boy," she kept on saying to + herself. Then she went into her kitchen and soon came back with a cup of + steaming hot milk, lifted Erick's head from under the covers, so that + his mouth became free, and poured the hot milk in it to make the little + fellow warm. When she now had packed him in the blanket again, and the + fright at finding the unconscious Erick and the fear of his taking cold + had passed a little, then it came into her mind that the people of the + parsonage did not know what had become of him, and that they too would + be anxious about him. She went again to the bed and tried to bring the + deeply hidden Erick up again. But Erick was already half asleep, and + when Marianne told him her thoughts, he said comfortingly: "No, no, they + will know that I will come back again, and if they are anxious, then + 'Lizebeth will come and look for me." +</p> +<p> + Of that Marianne was sure: 'Lizebeth would come and take him home. No + doubt Erick had started to come and see Marianne, his friend in Oakwood, + and on his way there had fallen into the Woodbach by accident, Marianne + thought, for in her anxiety for his welfare, she had not spoken a word + with Erick about the accident. Now he was fast asleep. +</p> +<p> + Marianne sat down beside him and lifted the cover now and then to listen + whether he was breathing properly. After she had sat thus a while and + noticed how the little fellow's cheeks began to glow like the reddest + strawberries, then she feared no longer that he would catch cold, and + she also felt sure that 'Lizebeth would not come and thought that the + people in the parsonage would assume that he was going to spend the + night at the cottage. So Marianne had peacefully locked her cottage and + gone to sleep. +</p> +<p> + The next morning Marianne first had to brush and press the velvet suit, + for she would not bring the boy back to the parsonage in disorder; she + would not have done that for the sake of his blessed mother. Then she + too must dress in her Sunday best, and so the morning had almost passed + before they both had started on their way, quite contented and without + any suspicion of the enormous fear and excitement which had been in the + parsonage and had spread over the whole of Upper Wood. At the church + they had been greeted by the assembled crowd with great noise and much + confused talking, and then they were accompanied to the parsonage by the + schoolmates, who were crazed with joy at seeing Erick. +</p> +<p> + In the general excitement and joy, the colonel had been quite forgotten. + He had sat down unnoticed on a chair, and had listened attentively to + the reports, following with his eyes the lively gestures which the + excited Erick was making in the zeal of telling his story. Now the + reports were finished and for the first time Erick's eyes beheld the + stranger in the crowd. The latter beckoned him to come to him; Erick + obeyed at once. +</p> +<p> + "Come here, my boy, hither," and the colonel placed him right before + him. "So, just look straight in my eyes. What is your name?" +</p> +<p> + Erick with his bright eyes looked directly into those of the strange + gentleman, and without hesitation he said: "Erick Dorn." +</p> +<p> + The gentleman looked at him still more directly. "After whom were you + called, boy, do you know?" +</p> +<p> + Erick hesitated a moment with the answer, but he did not divert his + glance. It seemed as if the eyes of the stranger attracted and conquered + him. "After my grandfather," he now said with a clear voice. +</p> +<p> + "My boy—your mother used to look at me just so,—I am your + grandfather—" and now big tears ran down the austere gentleman's + cheeks. Erick must have been seized by the attraction of kinship, for + without the least shyness, he threw both arms around the old gentleman's + neck and rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you? I + know you well! And I have so much to tell you from Mother, so much." +</p> +<p class="ctr"> +<a href="images/003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="images/003t.jpg" width="150" alt= + "He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and + rejoicingly exclaimed: 'Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?'"></a></p> +<h4><i>"He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and + rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?"..."</i></h4> +<p> </p> +<p> + "Have you? Have you, my boy?" But the grandfather could say no more. +</p> +<p> + When Erick noticed that his grandfather kept on wiping away the tears, + then sad thoughts gained the upper hand in him and all at once the + rejoicing expression disappeared, and he said quite sadly: "Oh, + Grandfather, I was not to come to you now, and not for a long time. Only + when I had become an honorable man, was I to step before you and say to + you: 'My mother sends me to you, that you may be proud of me, and that I + may make good the sorrow, which my mother has caused you.'" +</p> +<p> + The grandfather put his arms lovingly around Erick and said: "Now + everything is all right. It is enough that your mother has sent you to + me. She meant it well with the 'honorable man', in this I recognize my + child; and you do not disobey her, my boy, for you see, you did not come + to me, but I came to you. And an honorable man you will also become with + me." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, that I will, and I know too, how one becomes one, for the reverend + pastor has told me how." +</p> +<p> + "That is lovely of him, we will thank him for it. And now we start, this + very day, on our journey to Denmark." +</p> +<p> + "To Denmark, Grandfather, to the beautiful estate, right now?" Erick's + eyes grew larger and larger with astonishment and expectation, for he + only now comprehended, what he was going to meet: all that had stood + before his mental eyes as the highest and most splendid, ever since he + could think, and that his mother had painted for him in the bright + coloring of her childhood's remembrances, again and again, the distant, + beautiful estate, the handsome horses, the pond with the barge, the + large house with the winter-garden,—everything he was now to see, and + live there with this grandfather, for whom his mother had planted such a + love and reverence in her boy's heart, that he saw in him the highest of + what could be found on this earth,—all this over-powered Erick so much + that he was not able to comprehend his good fortune, and with a deep + breath he asked: "Are you sure, Grandfather?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, yes, my boy," the grandfather assured him, laughing. "Come, I hope + you can start at once. You will not have much to pack?" +</p> +<p> + "Oh, no," said Erick. "You see,"—and he counted on his fingers: "three + writing-books, three school-books, the pen-box and the beautiful + Christmas present that I received here in the parsonage." +</p> +<p> + "That is well, that will make a small bundle," but the old gentleman + looked at his grandson, rather surprised, and said: "I am astonished, + little waif, that you look so fine." +</p> +<p> + "Yes, I believe you, Grandfather," answered Erick. "That is good stuff + that I am wearing; it comes from you. You see, when in the old suit + which I had worn so long, the patches became holes, then Mother brought + out the beautiful velvet cloak, with the broad lace, and said: 'That is + good, that comes from Grandfather, you can wear that a long time.' And + then she cut everything apart and sewed everything together again, and + so there came out what I am now wearing. And Mother received a great + deal of money for the broad lace. But only when all was finished and I + was wearing it, she became glad again; during the cutting and the sewing + together, she was very quiet." +</p> +<p> + The grandfather too had become still, and he turned away for a while. No + doubt he too thought of the time and what happy days they were when he + had hung around his beloved child the rich mantle, and how sweetly she + stood before him, she whom he was never to see again. +</p> +<p> + "Come, my boy," he said, turning again to Erick. "What has become of + your foster-parents? It is time that we thank them." +</p> +<p> + The pastor's wife had seen at once that the grandfather had recognized + his grandson, and as the latter was standing before him, she gently + urged her husband and children, as well as Marianne, out of the room and + closed the door after her; and outside, in the long passage, she let the + interested crowd ask their loud questions, and give their loudest + answers, undisturbed. But when the colonel, holding Erick by the hand, + came out of the study, she at once made an open path for them through + the assembled people, to bring them upstairs to the quiet reception + room, where at last the family and their guest could be among + themselves. Here the beaming grandfather went first to the lady of the + house, and then to the master and then again to the lady, and every time + he took each by both their hands with indescribable heartiness and kept + on saying: "I have no words, but thanks, eternal thanks!" And all at + once he saw Sally's head peeping out from behind her mother. He suddenly + took it between his two hands and cried: "There is, I believe, the great + friend and defender of my boy. Well, now will you forgive me?" +</p> +<p> + Sally pulled one of his hands down and pressed a hearty kiss on it, and + now the colonel tenderly stroked her hair and said: "Such good friends + are worth a great deal!" +</p> +<p> + But when he expressed his intention to start at once with Erick, there + arose great opposition, and this time the mother distinguished herself + in opposition against such quick separation. The grandfather of her + Erick ought to spend at least one night beneath her roof, and give the + family the chance of learning to know him a little better and to have + Erick another day in their midst. +</p> +<p> + All the children as well as Erick supported, louder and always louder, + the mother's request, and the beleaguered grandfather had to give in. + Ritz and Edi ran with much delight and noise down the stairs to seat + themselves proudly in the coach, and thus drive to the inn, where both + must tell to the guests present, who had changed their consultation + place from the church to the inn, what they knew of the strange + gentleman. And so it came about that on the same Sunday afternoon, all + Upper and Lower Wooders, as well as the Middle Lotters, knew Erick's + family and fate, and they had to talk loud and zealously before every + door, over this change of luck that had come to Erick. +</p> +<p> + In the parsonage, too, the evening was spent with unusually animated + conversation. How much had to be told to the grandfather of the + happenings of the last and all former days, and Erick had to throw in a + question now and then, which referred to the distant estate, for his + thoughts always travelled back to that spot. +</p> +<p> + "Is Mother's white pony still alive, Grandfather?" he once suddenly + asked. +</p> +<p> + The beautiful pony had long been put away, was the answer. "But you + shall have one just like your mother's, my boy. I can now bear the sight + of it again," the grandfather said. +</p> +<p> + "Does old John still live, who made the barge and scraped the + pebble-walks so nicely?" Erick asked another time. +</p> +<p> + "What, you know of that too? Yes, indeed, he is still living, but the + joy of seeing my daughter's son whom I am bringing home will almost kill + him," said the colonel, smiling contentedly at the prospect. +</p> +<p> + When Sally and Erick told of their first meeting and Sally's call in + Marianne's cottage, and now it came out that it was the same Marianne + who had pulled Erick out of the water, and who had stuck so faithfully + to his mother, the colonel suddenly jumped up and demanded that Erick + should go with him at once to Marianne for, from pure joy, they both had + not thanked her as they ought to. But the lady had foreseen such a + request, and had not let Marianne go home. And so she was called into + the room and the colonel quickly took a chair and placed it in front of + him. Marianne had to sit down there and tell everything that she knew of + his daughter, and what she herself had heard and seen. Marianne was very + glad to do that, and she spoke with such love and reverence of the dear + one, that at the end of her story, the colonel took her hand and shook + it heartily, but he could not speak. He rose and walked a few times up + and down the room, then he beckoned to Erick, took out of his wallet two + papers and said: "Give this to the good old woman, my boy; she shall + have a few good days, she deserves it." +</p> +<p> + Erick had never before enjoyed the happiness of giving; never had he + been able to give anything to anyone, for he himself had never owned + anything. An enormous joy rose up in his heart and with bright eyes he + stepped to Marianne and said: "Marianne, here is something for you, for + which you can buy whatever you like." +</p> +<p> + But when Marianne saw that on the paper was a number and several zeros + after it, she struck her hands together from astonishment and fright, + and cried: "Dear God, I have not earned that, this is riches!" And when + she still kept her hands away from the money, Erick stuck the papers + deep into her pocket and said: +</p> +<p> + "Do you remember, Marianne, how you have said that you were growing old + and could no longer work as you used to, and therefore you had to give + up the little house and go to your old cousin? Now you can have your + cottage again, with that money, and live in it happily." +</p> +<p> + "That I can, that I can," cried Marianne, forgetting in her joy that she + did not want to take the large present. Tears of joy ran down her + cheeks, and from happiness and emotion she could not utter a word of + thanks, but kept on pressing the colonel's hand and then Erick's, and + all were glad with Marianne that she could move again into the cottage + and keep it for always. When at last they must separate for the night, + the colonel pressed the house-mother's hand once more and said: "My dear + friend, you will understand with what gratitude my heart is full, when I + tell you that this is the first happy evening which I have had for the + last twelve years." +</p> +<p> + Parting had to come the next morning. The mother took Erick in her arms + and after she pressed him to her heart, she said: "My dear Erick, never + forget your mother's song! It has already brought you once from the + wrong road into the right one; it will guide you well as long as you + live. Keep it in your heart, my Erick." +</p> +<p> + When Erick noticed tears in the mother's eyes, then his grew wet, and + when Sally noticed that, she put both hands to her face and began to + sob. Then Erick ran to his grandfather and pleadingly cried: "Oh, + Grandfather, can we not take Sally along? Don't you think we could?" +</p> +<p> + The grandfather smiled and answered: "I could not wish anything I should + like better, my boy, but we cannot rob the parsonage of all its + children, all at once. But come, perhaps we can make some arrangement. + What does the mother think about it, if we were to take our little + friend next summer and bring her back for the winter, and do so every + year?" +</p> +<p> + "Yes, yes," shouted Erick, "every, every year as long as we live! Will + you give me your word on it, Grandfather, now, right away?" +</p> +<p> + "To give you my word on it that it shall be so long as we live, that is + asking much, my boy," said the grandfather smiling. "If now you, both of + you, should wish, all at once, to have things different—what then?" +</p> +<p> + "Oh, no, we are not so stupid," said Erick, "are we, Sally? Just you + promise right away, Grandfather." +</p> +<p> + The latter held out his hand to the mother and said: "If it suits Mamma, + then we both will promise, that it shall continue, as long as it pleases + our children." +</p> +<p> + The mother gave her hand on it, and now the two hands were pressed most + heartily. +</p> +<p> + And the pastor said: "So, so! Agreements are made between the colonel + and the parson's wife behind my back, and I have nothing to do with it + but say yes. Well, then, I will say at once a firm <i>yes</i> and <i>Amen</i>." +</p> +<p> + With these words he too shook his guest's hand firmly and there remained + only to take leave from Ritz and Edi, both of whom he heartily invited + to Denmark, wherein Erick strongly supported him, adding: "And you know, + Edi, when you are in Denmark, then you can go on ships, and study there + all about them. That will be a good thing for your calling." For Erick + had not forgotten that Edi intended to sail around the whole world, and + that Ritz too wanted to be something on the sea. +</p> +<p> + The grandfather was already entering the travelling coach, when Erick + was held back by 'Lizebeth; he had pressed into her hand a valuable + paper, but she had put her apron to her eyes and had begun to sob aloud + behind it, and now she was holding Erick and said: "I think the Sir + Grandfather, he means it well as far as he sees things; but that he + takes the dear boy away from us,—to take one's little boy simply + away—" +</p> +<p> + "I will come back again, 'Lizebeth, every year when the storks return. + Therefore, good-bye, 'Lizebeth, until I come again." +</p> +<p> + Saying this, Erick quickly jumped into the carriage, and he wore the + same velvet suit in which he had come. For a long, long time he saw the + white handkerchiefs wave, and he waved his in answer, until the + carriage, down below at the foot of the hill, turned around the corner + and disappeared into the woods. But when the fleet horses, soon after, + reached the first houses of the Middle Lot, there was another halt. +</p> +<p> + From the moment that Erick had disappeared, Churi had looked like a + picture of horror. He had grown white and grayish looking, and at every + sound that he heard, he trembled, for he thought: "Now they are coming + to fetch you, to put you into prison." Churi had heard that someone who + had thrown another boy into the water had been fetched by two gendarmes + and had been put into prison, where he had been kept for twenty years in + chains. Churi saw this picture always before him and for fear, he could + no longer eat nor sleep; and he dared look at no one. And when the + report came that Erick had turned up again, then his fear increased. For + now, so he thought, it would surely come out that he had done the deed; + and now he was sure that the police would come to get him. But when on + Sunday, the story went round like lightning that Erick, in looking for + berries, had fallen into the water, then it all at once was clear to + Churi, that Erick had not told about him and that he again could go + about quite free and without fear. A great, oppressive weight fell from + Churi's heart, and he was so touched by Erick's kindness and generosity + that he did not sleep from thinking what he could possibly do for Erick + to show him his gratitude. +</p> +<p> + It had really been so. Erick had thought that Churi had not meant to + push him into the water, so he had felt sorry for him, if he should be + punished for what he did not mean to do, and so Erick had only said that + he had received a push when looking for berries, and had fallen into the + water. And they had assumed that the boys had knocked each other about + as usual, and Erick had been pushed accidentally. +</p> +<p> + Churi had thought out his reward, and had arranged the following + program. All the scholars of Middle Lot had to place themselves in a + long line along the street, and when now the carriage with Erick came + driving along, they, the scholars, all together must shout, "Hurrah for + Erick." +</p> +<p> + As they one and all now shouted with all their might, there was a + terrible noise, so that the horses jumped and shied. But the coachman + had them well in hand and brought them in a short time to stand quietly. + At this moment one of the boys shot out of the line and onto the + carriage step. It was Churi. He bent to Erick's ear and whispered: "I + will never again hurt you as long as I live, Erick, and when you come + back again, you just reckon on me; no one shall ever touch you, and you + shall have all the crabs and strawberries and hazel nuts which I can + find." +</p> +<p> + But on the other side someone else had sprung on the carriage step and + clamored for Erick's attention. He felt something under his nose from + which came various odors. It was an enormous bunch of fire-red and + yellow flowers, which Kaetheli held out to him, who with one foot on the + step was balancing over the colonel, and called to Erick: "Here, Erick, + you must take a nosegay from the garden with you, and when you come + back, be sure you come and see us, do not forget." +</p> +<p> + "Thank you, Kaetheli," Erick called back, "I shall certainly come to see + you, a year from now. Good-bye, Kaetheli, good-bye, Churi!" +</p> +<p> + Both jumped down, and the horses started. +</p> +<p> + "Look, look, Grandfather," cried Erick quickly, and pulled the + grandfather in front of him, so that he could see better. "Look, there + is Marianne's little house. Do you see the small window? There Mother + always sat and sewed, and you see, close beside it stood the piano, + where Mother sat the very last time and sang." +</p> +<p> + The grandfather looked at the little window and he frowned as though he + were in pain. +</p> +<p> + "What did your mother sing last, my boy?" he then asked. +</p> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <p>"I lay in heaviest fetters,</p> + <p>Thou com'st and set'st me free;</p> + <p>I stood in shame and sorrow,</p> + <p>Thou callest me to Thee;</p> + <p>And lift'st me up to honor</p> + <p>And giv'st me heavenly joys</p> + <p>Which cannot be diminished</p> + <p>By earthly scorn and noise."</p> + </div> +</div> +<p> + When Erick had ended, the grandfather sat for a while quiet and lost in + thought; then he said: "Your mother must have found a treasure when in + misery, which is worth more than all the good luck and possessions which + she had lost. The dear God sent that to her, and we will thank Him for + it, my boy. That, too, can make me happy again, else the sight of that + little window would crush my heart forever. But that your mother could + sing like that, and that you, my boy, come into my home with me, that + wipes away my suffering and makes me again a happy father." +</p> +<p> + The grandfather took Erick's hand lovingly in his, and so they drove + toward the distant home. +</p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full"> +<p> </p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ERICK AND SALLY***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 10436-h.txt or 10436-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/4/3/10436">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/4/3/10436</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>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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Boll + + +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: Erick and Sally + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Release Date: December 11, 2003 [eBook #10436] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ERICK AND SALLY*** + + +E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell and the Project Gutenberg Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +ERICK AND SALLY + +By the Swiss Writer + +JOHANNA SPYRI + +Author of Heidi, Chel, and many other stories + +Translated by + +HELENE H. BOLL + +1921 + + + + + + +Affectionately dedicated to + +MRS. MARTHA C. BUEHLER + + + + +PREFACE + +To our Boys and Girls: + +Years ago, in a little country called Switzerland, there lived a little +girl who was the daughter of a doctor. This doctor sometimes had to +climb up high mountains and sometimes he had to descend slowly to the +deep valleys, always on horseback, to visit the sick people who had sent +for him. Of course there were no telephones, electric lights, steam +trains or automobiles, and so often this doctor was away from home for +two or three days attending the people who needed his help. His trips +took him into little villages where there were only a few hundred poor +people who made a scant living from farming and sheep raising, but he +knew them so well that he became very fond of them, and he shared their +sorrows and joys. When he returned home he would tell his little +daughter, who was Johanna Spyri, about what he had seen and heard. She +became very much interested in the people whom her father told about, +and when she grew up she visited many of the places that he had told her +about when she was a child. + +It was not until she was quite a grown woman that she wrote any books, +but the children of Switzerland and Germany loved her stories so much, +that we have decided to translate the story of Erick and Sally for the +children of America. The author knew children and loved them, and wrote +to them and not for them. Thus, every one who reads this story will +follow the sorrows and pleasures of Erick just as if he were a personal +living friend. + +The translator understands American boys and girls, for she has been a +teacher in our schools for many years. She also has an intimate +knowledge of the country described in this story for she has often +visited the places mentioned. Through her knowledge and love of the +country about which Madame Spyri wrote, and speaking her language, the +translator, Helene H. Boll, appreciates her thoughts, and has faithfully +reproduced them in this absorbing little story. + +THE PUBLISHERS. + + + + +CONTENTS + +Chapter I In the Parsonage of Upper Wood +Chapter II A Call in the Village +Chapter III 'Lizebeth on the Warpath +Chapter IV The Same Night in Two Houses +Chapter V Disturbance in School and Home +Chapter VI A Lost Hymn +Chapter VII Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army +Chapter VIII What Happens on Organ-Sunday +Chapter IX A Secret that is Kept +Chapter X Surprising Things Happen + + + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +Portrait of Madame Spyri + +Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here, +dear child" + +Churi....unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that Erick rolled +down the rest of the mountain side + +He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and rejoicingly +exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?" + + + +CHAPTER I + +_In the Parsonage of Upper Wood_ + + +The sun was shining so brightly through the foremost windows of the old +schoolhouse in Upper Wood, that the children of the first and second +classes appeared as if covered with gold. They looked at one another, +all with beaming faces, partly because the sun made them appear so, and +partly for joy; for when the sunshine came through the last window, then +the moment approached that the closing word would be spoken, and the +children could rush out into the evening sunshine. The teacher was still +busy with the illuminated heads of the second class, and indeed with +some zeal, for several sentences had still to be completed, before the +school could be closed. The teacher was standing before a boy who looked +well-fed and quite comfortable, and who was looking up into the +teacher's face with eyes as round as two little balls. + +"Well, Ritz, hurry, you surely must have thought of something by now. +Now then! What can be made useful in a household? Do not forget to +mention the three indispensable qualities of the object." + +Ritz, the youngest son of the minister, was usually busy thinking of +that which had just happened to him. So just now it had come to his +mind, how this very morning Auntie had arrived. She was an older sister +of his mother and had no home of her own; but made a home with her +relatives. She was a frequent visitor at the parsonage for months at a +time and would help the mother in governing the household. Ritz +remembered especially, that Auntie was particularly inclined to have the +children go to bed in good time--and they had to go--and he also +remembered that they could not get the extra ten minutes from Mother, +for Auntie was always against begging Mother. In fact, Auntie talked so +much about going to bed, that Ritz felt the feared command of retiring +during the whole day. So his thoughts were occupied with these +experiences, and he said after some thinking: "One can make use of an +aunt in a household. She must--she must--she must--" + +"Well, what must she? That will be something different from a quality," +the teacher interrupted the laborious speech of the boy. + +"She must not always be reminding that it is time to go to bed," it now +came out. + +"Ritz," the teacher said now in a severe tone, "is the school the place +to joke?" + +But Ritz looked at the teacher with such unmistakable fright and +astonishment, that the latter saw that it was an honest opinion which +Ritz had made use of in his sentence. He therefore changed his mind and +said more gently: "Your sentence is unfitting and incorrect, for your +three qualities are not there. Do you understand that, Ritz? You will +have to make three sentences at home, all alike; but do not forget the +different qualities. Have you understood me?" + +"Yes, teacher," answered Ritz in deepest dejection, for he already saw +himself sitting alone in the evening thinking and thinking and gnawing +on his slate pencil, while Sally and Edi could pursue their merry +entertainments. + +Now the end of school was announced. In a short time the door was +opened, and the boys and girls hastened out toward the open place before +the schoolhouse, where suddenly all were crowded together like a huge +ball, from the midst of which came a tremendous noise and confused +shoutings. Something out of the common must have happened. + +"In the house of old Marianne"--"a tremendously rich lady"--"a piano, +four men could not get it in, the door is too narrow"--"a small +boy"--"before we went to school"--It was so confused, nothing could +really be understood. Then a voice shouted: "All come along! Perhaps +they are not through with it, come, all of you to the Middle Lot!" And +suddenly the whole ball separated, and almost the whole crowd ran in the +same direction. + +Only two boys remained on the playground and looked at each other, quite +perplexed. The one was stout little Ritz, who long since had forgotten +his great trouble and had listened intently to the exciting, although +incomprehensible story. The other was his brother Edi, a slender, tall +fellow with a high forehead and serious grey eyes beneath. He was hardly +two years older than his brother; but for his not quite nine years, he +was tall, and appeared much older than the seven-year-old Ritz. + +"We must run home quickly and ask whether we too may go; we must see +that, Ritz, so hurry up!" With these words Edi pulled his brother along, +and soon they turned round the corner and also disappeared. + +Behind the schoolhouse, near the hawthorn hedge, stood the last of the +crowd in animated conversation. It was Sally, the ten-year-old sister of +the two boys, with her friend Kaetheli, who with great excitement seemed +to describe an occurrence. + +"But Kaetheli, I do not know the beginning," said Sally. "Just you begin +at the beginning, from where you saw everything with your own eyes, will +you?" + +"Very well, I will, but this time you must pay close attention," said +Kaetheli. "You know that the old blind straw-plaiter lived with the +little girl Meili at old Marianne's? Well, Meili went to school at Lower +Wood. Two weeks ago her father died and Meili had to go to Lower Wood to +her uncle. Then Marianne cleaned the bedroom and the sitting-room +terribly clean, opened all the windows, and afterwards closed them all +again and put on the shutters. She herself lives in the little room +above. But this morning everything was open, and yet Marianne had said +nothing about it to anyone and all people in Middle Lot were surprised +at that. At half-past eleven, just when we were coming out of school, we +saw a wagon coming up the hill from Lower Wood, and the horse could +hardly pull the load, for there was a large piano on the wagon, a bed, +and lots of other things, a table and a little box, and I think that was +all. Now the wagon stopped at old Marianne's cottage, and all at once +there came out of the cottage old Marianne and a woman, who was quite +white in the face, and behind them came a little boy, and no one had +seen them come up. Then four men of Middle Lot wanted to carry the piano +into the cottage but it would not go through the door because the door +was too narrow and the piano too wide. And all who stood around to look +said she must be a very rich woman, because she had such a large piano. +But no one knew from where she came, and when anyone asked old Marianne +she snarled and said: 'I haven't any time.' + +"All the people around are surprised that a rich lady should come to old +Marianne in the wooden cottage; my father has said long since that the +cottage would tumble over one of these days. And Sally! I wish you could +see the woman, you too would be surprised that she should make her home +there. Just think, she wears a black silk skirt on week-days!" + +"And what about the boy, how does he look?" asked Sally, who had +followed her friend's story with close attention. + +"I had almost forgotten him," continued Kaetheli. "Just think, he wears +velvet pants, quite short black velvet pants and a velvet jacket and a +cap to match. Just imagine a boy with velvet pants!" + +"I should think that would be quite pretty," observed Sally, "but what +does he look like otherwise?" + +"I have forgotten that, I had to watch the moving of the piano. He is +nothing particular to look at." + +"Kaetheli, do you know what?" Sally said, "you go home with me. I want +to ask whether I may go home with you for a little while. I should like +to see that too, and then afterwards we will both go to old Marianne's +to call, will you?" + +Kaetheli was ready at once to carry out the plan, and the children ran +together toward the parsonage. + +It was only a little while before, that Edi and Ritz had arrived home +panting for breath. In the garden on the bench under the large +apple-tree, Mother and Auntie were sitting mending and conversing over +the bringing-up of the children; for Auntie knew many a good advice, +quite new and not worn out. Now they heard hasty running, and Edi and +Ritz came rushing along. + +"May we--in the Middle Lot--to the Middle Lot--people have arrived--a +wagon and a piano--a terribly rich woman and a--" + +Both shouted in confusion, breathlessly and incomprehensibly. + +"Now," the aunt cried into the noise, "if you behave like two canary +birds who suddenly have become crazy, no human being can understand a +word. One is to be silent and the other may talk, or still better both +be silent." + +But Ritz and Edi could do neither. If Edi began to report, then Ritz had +to follow. It always had been so, and to be silent at this moment of +excitement, that could not be expected; therefore both began afresh and +would no doubt have continued thus for some time if Sally and Kaetheli +had not arrived on the scene. They made everything clear in a short +time. + +But the mother did not like to have her children run to the Middle Lot +for the sake of staring at strange people who had arrived there, and to +increase the gaping crowd who, no doubt, were standing in front of +Marianne's cottage. She did not give the longed-for permission, but she +invited Kaetheli to stay at the parsonage and take afternoon coffee with +the children and afterwards play in the garden. + +That was at least something; Sally and Ritz were satisfied, and they ran +at once with Kaetheli into the house. But Edi showed a dissatisfied +face, for wherever something strange could be seen or found, he had to +be there. + +He stood there without saying a word. He was thinking whether he dared +to work on his mother to get the desired permission. He feared, however, +the auxiliary troops which his aunt would lead into battle to help his +mother. But before he had weighed all sides his aunt said: "Well, Edi, +have you not yet swallowed the defeat? Isn't there some old Roman, or +Egyptian, who also could not always do what he wanted? Just you think +that over and you will see that it will help you." + +That helped, indeed, for Edi was a great searcher in history, and when +he happened in that field, then all other interests were pushed into the +background. He at once remembered that he had not finished reading about +his old Egyptian, and with a smoothed brow he ran into the house. + +The sun had set and it was growing dark among the bushes in the garden, +where the children, with red cheeks, were seeking each other and hiding +again. All of a sudden there came a loud, penetrating call: "To bed, to +bed!" Ritz had just found a fine hiding-place in the henhouse, where he +had comfortably settled, secure from being discovered, when this +terrible call reached him. It struck him like a thunderbolt. Yes, it +took his breath away so that he turned white and hadn't the strength to +rise; for, with the call came the remembrance of the three sentences +which he had to write: three whole sentences and nine different +qualities, and he had forgotten everything, and now all the time had +gone and he had to go to bed. + +"Where are you, Ritz?" It sounded into his hiding-place. "Come, crawl +out. I know you are in there and will be covered with feathers from head +to foot." + +The aunt stood before the henhouse, and Sally and Kaetheli beside her +full of expectation, for they had sought Ritz for a long time in vain. +But Auntie had experience in such things. Ritz actually came crawling +out of the henhouse and stood now in a lamentable condition before his +aunt. + +"How you do look! You ought to have been in bed an hour ago, you haven't +a drop of blood in your cheeks," the aunt exclaimed. "What is the matter +with you, Ritz?" + +"Where is Mamma?" asked Ritz in his fright. + +"She is upstairs; come, she will put you to bed at once when I have got +you finally together. Come, Sally, and you, Kaetheli, go home now." + +With these words she took Ritz by the hand, and drew him up the stone +steps into the house, and wanted to bring him up the stairs to the +bedroom. Then everything was over and no rescue from going to bed at +once. Now Ritz stopped his aunt and groaned: "I must--I must--I have to +write three sentences for punishment." + +"There we have it." But Ritz looked so miserable that Auntie felt great +pity for him. "Come in here," she said, and shoved him into the +living-room, "and take out your things." + +Now she sat down beside him and the whole affair proceeded finely. Not +that Auntie formed the sentences, no indeed, she was not going to cheat +the teacher; but she knew well what was needed to form a sentence and +she pushed and spurred Ritz and brought so many things before him, and +reminded him how they looked, that he had his three sentences and his +nine qualities together in no time. Now there came a feeling to Ritz +that he had not acted right, when he said that an aunt must not always +be reminding people, and when now Auntie asked: "Ritz, why had you to +write the sentences?" then the feeling grew stronger in him, for he felt +that he could not tell the cause of his punishment without making his +aunt angry. He stuttered, "I have--I have--the teacher has said, that I +made an unfitting sentence." + +"Yes, I can imagine that," said Auntie. "Now quickly to bed." + +Edi and Ritz slept in the same room and that was the place where the two +boys, every evening after the mother had said evening prayer with them, +and they were alone, exchanged their deepest thoughts and experiences +with one another and talked them over. Ritz had the greatest respect for +Edi, for although the latter was only a little older, yet he was already +in the fourth class, and he himself was only in the second, and in +history Edi knew more than the scholars in the fifth and some in the +sixth class. When now the two were well tucked in their beds, Ritz said: +"Edi, was it a sin that I said Auntie must not always remind?" Edi +thought a bit, such a case had never come to him. After a while he said: +"You see, Ritz, it goes thus: if you have done something that is a sin, +then you must go at once to Daddy and confess, there is no help for it; +but if you do that, then everything comes again in order and you feel +happy again, and afterwards you look out not to do the sinful thing +again. I can tell you that, Ritz. But if you do not confess, then you +are always full of fear when a door is slammed or a letter-carrier +unexpectedly brings a letter, then you think at once: 'There now, +everything will come out.' And so you are never sure nor safe and you +feel a pressure in the chest. But there is another thing that presses so +hard that you can think of nothing else, for example, if you have given +away a rabbit, you regret it afterwards. But there is a remedy and I +have tried it many a time, and it helps. You must think of something +dreadful, like a large fire, when everything is burnt up, the fortress +and the soldiers in it and all historical books, and--all at once you +think everything backwards and you have everything; then you are so glad +that you think: what difference does a rabbit make? You still have +everything else. Now Ritz, try that and see if it helps you, then you +can find out whether everything passes away or whether you have to tell +Daddy tomorrow." + +"Yes, I will try it," said Ritz somewhat indistinctly, and soon after he +took such deep breaths that Edi knew what was going on. He heaved a sigh +and said: "Oh, Ritz, you are asleep and I wanted to tell you so much +about the old Egyptian." + +A little while afterwards the whole peaceful parsonage of Upper Wood lay +in deep sleep; only old 'Lizebeth went about the passage calling: "Bs, +bs, bs." She wanted to get the old grey cat into the kitchen to catch +the mice during the night. 'Lizebeth had been in the parsonage of Upper +Wood as long as one could remember, for there had always been a son, and +when the time had come, then he had become parson in Upper Wood. First +'Lizebeth had served the grandfather, then the father and now the son, +and she had long since elected Edi as the future minister, and intended +to look after his house when he should be the master here. + + + +CHAPTER II + +_A Call in the Village_ + + +The friendly village Upper Wood lay on the top of the hill close by the +fir wood; it had a beautiful white church with a high, slender tower. At +a distance of three-quarters of an hour's walk, down in the valley, lay +Lower Wood, a small community which, however, did not wish to be +considered smaller. They had a new schoolhouse and a church of their +own, but the church had no tower, only a little red dome. Therefore the +people of Upper Wood were a little proud, because their church was much +prettier and also because they learned much more in the old schoolhouse +in Upper Wood than in the new one of Lower Wood; but that was the +children's fault, not the teacher's. In the middle, between the two +villages lay a hamlet consisting of a few farms and some small houses of +little pretense. It was called the Middle Lot, and its people the Middle +Lotters. They had the choice to what church and school they wished to +belong, whether to Lower Wood or Upper Wood, and according to their +choice they were judged by the people of Upper Wood; for whoever wanted +to learn much and be decent, he must, according to the Upper Wooders, +strive to belong to them. This was a fixed and general idea of the +people on the top of the hill. In the Middle Lot there lived only two +families who were generally respected; the Justice of Peace, who was +obliged to live there because otherwise he would have to be called +there, and that would have been inconvenient. This peace-making man was +Kaetheli's father. And the other was old Marianne, who lived in her own +house and pulled horse-hair for a living, and never did harm to anyone. + +When on the next morning the three children of the parsonage passed +Marianne's house on their way to school, Sally said: "It is fun to go to +school to-day for the strange boy of yesterday will come too; if we only +knew his name. Kaetheli described him to me; he wears velvet pants. Of +course he will come to Upper Wood to school." + +"Of course," said Edi with a dignified air; "who would think of going to +Lower Wood to School?" + +"Of course, who would go there to school?" observed Ritz. + +Then the three in perfect harmony entered the schoolhouse. But no +strange face was to be seen in the whole schoolroom; everything went on +in the usual way to the end of the morning. Then everyone hurried away +in different directions. Sally was standing there, somewhat undecided; +she would like to have heard something new of the strange boy and his +mother, for she loved to hear news, and now not even Kaetheli, with whom +she talked things over, had been in school. But now she saw Edi soaring +along like an arrow into the midst of a crowd of boys, and they all +acted so strangely and they shouted so strangely that Sally thought that +something particular must be in preparation there, and no doubt +concerned the new-comers. Then she could hear something from Edi. She +went slowly on and kept on turning round, but Edi did not come, and only +after Sally had long since greeted the mother and was about to call her +father out of his study for dinner, did the two brothers come running +along, their faces red as fire, and breathless, for they had lingered to +the last moment. The father was just leaving his study when both rushed +toward him and now it began: "We have--the Middle Lotters--with the +Lower Wooders--" + +"Hush, hush," said the father. "First get your breath, then relate, one +after the other; but before anything, first the soup." With these words +the father took Ritz's hand, and Sally and Edi followed them into the +dining-room. Sally pulled Edi a little back and whispered: + +"Tell me quickly, what did they tell about the strange boy?" + +"About him?" returned Edi in a somewhat scornful tone. "I had forgotten +all about him! We have something else to do than to talk about a strange +boy, of whom one does not even know whether he will come to Upper Wood +to school." + +This answer was somewhat unexpected to Sally and had a saddening effect; +but she always could find a way out of an unpleasant situation. So she +sat as still as a mouse during the whole time the soup was eaten, and +her thoughts were hard at work. + +Now the father turned to Edi and said: "Now you can relate your +adventure, while Ritz remains quiet, and afterwards his turn will come." +Ritz looked quite obedient for he had two large noodles on his plate to +work with. + +But Edi, in a moment, put down knife and fork and quickly began: "Just +think, Papa, we have made three songs, one for each parish. First, the +Lower Wooders began. The sixth class were angry because we laughed at +them, that they only now have to _make_ sentences, and we in the fourth +class have begun to _write_ them already. They made a song about us +which runs: + + "'Of Upper Wood the boys + They in their minds rejoice + Because they think that they the cleverest are, + But if ever they must fight + They are in sorry plight + And they turn round and run for ever so far.' + +"How do you like that song, Papa?" + +"Well, that is such as Lower Wooders would make," said the father. + +"And then," Edi continued, "we have made a song for an answer, that goes +thus: + + "'And of Lower Wood the crowd + They always yell so loud + That they never, never stay within their den, + For all dispute and strife + They are much alive + For they use their fists when they ought to use their pen.' + +"How do you like this one, Papa?" + +"Just about the same. And who has sung about the Middle Lot?" asked the +father. + +"The Lower Wooders and we together; they too had to have a song, but the +shortest, as it ought to be. It runs so: + + "'And they of Middle Lot + They all together plot + That they are striving zealously for peace, + But with quarrelling they never cease.' + +"And how do you like that, Papa?" + +"They are, all three of them, kind of fighting songs, Edi," answered the +father, "and I should prefer that you keep busy with your history +studies, instead of taking sides in these party-fights. One never knows +where one comes out, and such poetry usually ends with lumps on the +heads." + +Edi seemed much disappointed as he attacked his noodles with a visibly +spoiled appetite. + +"And what has been your experience, Sally? Why are you so pensive?" the +father continued. + +"Kaetheli was not at school," reported Sally, "and I had so much to talk +over with her. Perhaps she is sick; may I go to see her this afternoon? +We have no school, you know." + +"Aha, Sally wants to see the strange boy," the sharp-witted Edi +remarked. + +"You may go, Sally," the mother said, answering a questioning look from +the father. "But you will not go into any house where you have no +business, just to look at strangers. I know you are capable of doing +such things. You can start soon after dinner." + +Sally was very happy. She quickly fetched her straw hat and took leave. +But outside she did not run straight through the passage-way as she +usually did in similar cases, but went to the kitchen door and peeped +in, and when she saw 'Lizebeth at the sink, where the latter was +scraping her pans, she went in very close to the old woman and said +somewhat mysteriously: "'Lizebeth, does Edi or Ritz perhaps have a torn +mattress on their bed?" + +'Lizebeth stopped scraping and turned round. She looked at Sally from +head to foot, put her hands on her hips and said very slowly and +importantly: "May I ask what you mean by that question, Sally? Do you +think this household is so carried on that one lies about on ragged +mattresses and sleeps, until a little one, who is far from old enough to +turn a mattress, thinks of coming to ask 'does not this one or that one +have a ragged mattress' on his bed? Yes, Sally, what cobwebs you do have +in your head." + +"I do not care about the mattress, it is on account of Marianne that I +ask," Sally explained. "Do you know, she now has some new people in her +house and I should so much like to see them, and therefore I wanted so +much to know whether you could not sacrifice a mattress so that Marianne +could pull the horsehair for a mattress, for Mother will not let me go +into the house without a good excuse." + +"Oh, so! that is different," said 'Lizebeth quite mildly, for she had +also been wondering what kind of people her old friend had taken into +her home, and now, perhaps, she could learn something about them through +Sally. + +"I can help you, Sally," she said. "You go to Marianne and tell her that +I send my greetings, and I have long since intended to come and see her, +but the likes of us cannot get away when we want to; we never know what +may happen if we are out of the house for five minutes; but tell her +that I will surely come some fine Sunday. Now then go, and give my +message." + +Sally ran with a joyous heart, first through the garden, then away over +the meadow and down the hill as far as the fir wood, where the dry road +lay for a long stretch in the shade. Here Sally slackened her pace a +little. It was so beautiful to walk along in shade of the trees, where +above in their tops the wind rustled so delightfully and all the birds +sang in confusion. She also had to consider how she would arrange her +calls, whether she would go first to Kaetheli or to Marianne; but this +time old Marianne had a stronger attraction than Kaetheli and Sally felt +that she must go there first and give her message. Now her thoughts fell +on the strange people and she had to imagine how they looked and what +she was going to say, and what they would say when she knocked and asked +for Marianne. Thus she thought everything well out, for Sally had a +great power of imagining things. + +In this way she came to the first houses of Middle Lot. She turned away +from the road and went toward Marianne's house, which stood a little way +from the road and lay almost hidden behind a hedge. As Sally had been +accustomed to do, she now ran right into the house, although the house +door was also the kitchen door. After entering the front door she stood +in the small kitchen and was at once before another door which led into +the living-room. This door stood wide open and Sally found herself +suddenly in the presence of a lady dressed in black, who sat in that +room sewing and who lifted her head at Sally's noisy entrance, and with +large sad eyes she looked at the child in silence. + +Sally grew as red as fire and in her embarrassment remained standing +near the door like one rooted to the floor. + +Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly tone, "Come here, +dear child, what brings you to me?" + +Sally was quite confused. She did not remember why she had come, for she +had really not come to see Marianne. She had invented that--to get into +the house where she had arrived now so unexpectedly. She approached the +lady and wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Sally grew +crimson and stood there more helpless than ever before in her life. + +The lady took the child's hand and stroked her glowing cheeks. + +"Come, sit down beside me, dear child," she then said, with a voice so +sweet that it went deep into Sally's heart. "Come, we shall come +gradually to know each other a little." + + +[Illustration: _Now the lady held out her hand and said in a friendly +tone, "Come here, dear child."..._] + + +Now there came from out of a corner a quick noise of moving; Sally did +not know what it was, for until now she had not dared to look around the +room, but now she looked up. + +A boy, a little taller than she, was carrying a small easy chair and +placed it before Sally. He looked at her with such a merry face as the +restrained laughter came so visibly out of his eyes, that the sight +brought a complete reversion in Sally's feelings, and she, all at once, +laughed right out; upon which, the boy too, relieved his feelings by a +bright peal of laughter, for the rushing in and then the confusion of +the unexpected guest had long since tempted him to laugh; but he was too +well trained to dare to break out. + +"Well, my child," said the mother with that winning voice, "and what has +brought you to me?" + +"I have--I ought to--I wanted," Sally began hesitatingly, "I wanted to +give a message to Marianne--" Sally could not stop at half the truth. +The sad, friendly eyes of the lady were penetratingly resting on hers, +so everything had to come out as it was. + +"That is lovely and friendly of you, that you want to see us, dear +little girl. How did you hear of us?" asked the lady, and took off +Sally's straw hat, while she put the question to the child. She placed +the hat on the table and smoothed her hair with a mother's touch. + +Now Sally related all in full confidence how it had happened, and that +she and her two brothers had wanted to come yesterday to find out who +was coming to live with Marianne, and to find out how the piano and all +the other things could find room in the little house. Sally now, for the +first time, looked around the room and she had to wonder a little, for +she saw only the piano and four bare walls, and then there were the two +easy chairs on which she and the lady were sitting, and the small table. +She knew that besides this room there was a very small bedroom, where +two beds could hardly find room. Sally could not set herself to rights; +all was so different from what she had imagined. She had expected to see +strange and foreign things standing about everywhere and now she saw +nothing besides an old piano. And yet the lady who sat before her in a +black silken dress looked more aristocratic than Sally could ever have +imagined; and the boy in his velvet suit looked quite like the old +knights in Edi's beautiful picture book, and he had brought her a seat +without anyone telling him, and was more refined and courteous than she +had ever before seen a boy. + +When Sally turned her surprised eyes again to the lady, she saw such a +painful expression in her face that it came involuntarily into her mind +how the mother had said, that of course "she would not go there for the +sake of staring at the people," and she felt that she was doing +something very much like it. Sally rose. All at once she remembered to +whom she really wanted to go, so she said hastily: "I must go to +Kaetheli; she may be sick." With these words she quickly offered her +hand to the lady. + +The lady, too, had risen; she took the proffered hand, held it between +both of hers, and looked once more so lovingly into the child's eyes, +that her little heart was moved. Then she kissed her forehead and said: +"You dear child, you were a friendly picture in our quiet room." + +Then she let go of her hand, and Sally went through the open door into +the small kitchen. The boy, meanwhile, had opened the house door and now +he stood outside quite courteously, like a doorkeeper, to bid Sally +good-bye. + +"Are you not coming to school tomorrow?" + +"Yes, indeed," was the answer. + +That pleased Sally very much and she at once decided that he must become +Edi's friend, for she had taken a great liking to the boy and when he +was Edi's friend then he would be hers too, and he must come every +Sunday afternoon and spend it with them and they would teach him all +kinds of games; and many undertakings passed through her brain, for with +this friend everything could be carried out; he was so entirely +different from other boys and girls in the school. "Then you are coming +to-morrow?" she asked with happy expectation. + +"Where shall I come?" he questioned in return. + +"To school, of course." + +"Yes, indeed, I'll come to school." + +"Well, then, good-bye," said Sally, giving her hand, "but I do not know +your name." + +"Erick--and yours?" + +"Sally." + +Now they shook hands, and Erick remained standing in the doorway until +Sally had turned round the hedge, then he shut the door and Sally ran +toward the house of the Justice of Peace. Before she reached it, old +Marianne met her, panting under the large bundle of horsehair which she +was carrying on her head. Sally was delighted to see her, for she had +just remembered that she had not given 'Lizebeth's message. She rushed +so quickly toward the old woman and with such force, that the latter +went back some steps and almost lost her balance, and Sally cried out: +"Marianne, you have such nice people in your rooms. Do you talk much +with them? Do you cook for them? Do you buy the things they need? Have +they no maid? Do you make their beds?" + +"Gently, gently," said Marianne, who had recovered her balance, "else I +lose my breath. But tell me, how did you get into the people's room? I +hope you know how I am to be found." + +Sally told her that she, for the shorter way, had not gone round the +house, where, in the woodshed, a narrow stair went up to Marianne's +small room; but that she had wanted to run in the front way, through the +kitchen, and out the back door; but that she had stood suddenly before +the open door of the room and under the eyes of the lady. + +"You must never do that again," Marianne interrupted Sally, raising her +finger warningly. "Do you hear that, Sally? Never do that again. They +are not people into whose home you can rush, as if they were living on +the highway." + +"But the lady was quite friendly, Marianne," soothed Sally, "she was not +at all offended." + +"That makes no difference, she is always so, she could not be otherwise, +and just on that account, and on account of many other things, do you +hear, Sally? Promise that you never again go that way when you want to +come to me. Will you promise?" + +"Yes, indeed I will. I do not intend to do it again. Good night, +Marianne! Now I have forgotten the main thing: 'Lizebeth sends her +greetings and she will come to see you on a fine Sunday." + +The last words came from some distance, for Sally had already started on +a run while she gave the message, and when Marianne wanted to send her +greetings, Sally was already far away. After a few more jumps Sally +arrived at the house of the Justice of Peace, in front of which stood a +large apple tree which shaded the stone well. Here stood Kaetheli who +did not look sick at all, but splashed with two fat, red arms about the +water in which she seemed to clean some object eagerly. + +"Then you are not sick. Why didn't you come to school then?" Sally +called out when she saw her. + +"Oh, it is you? Good evening! I could not make out who was jumping +about, and I hadn't the time to look," Kaetheli said with some +importance. "That is also the reason why I did not go to school. I +hadn't the time, for Mother has gone away today to see sick Grandmother, +and then we got young chickens, twelve quite small ones, and that is why +I have to wash a stocking, for I have run after the chicks everywhere +and near the barn I stepped in the dirt quite deep. But come, I will +show you the chickens. Never mind if I have only one stocking on." + +But Sally had only very little time left and besides, her head was full +of quite different things and she wanted to hear Kaetheli tell of +something else than the new chickens, so she said quite decisively: "No, +Kaetheli, I haven't time enough to see the chickens. I only wanted to +know whether you were ill and I want to tell you something. I have seen +the strange lady and the boy whom you know. He does look nice. Do you +know his name?" + +"He?" said Kaetheli, shrugging her shoulders. "Of course I know. His +name is Erick and just think, he goes to school at Lower Wood; I have +seen him myself today, with his school sack, going there." + +That was a blow for Sally. He went to school at Lower Wood. What was now +to come of her beautiful plans? Of all the planned Sundays which were to +be so full of joy and delight, and the whole friendship with the +prepossessing Erick? For how could Edi ever be brought to making friends +with a fellow who went to Lower Wood to school, when he just as well +might have gone to Upper Wood? Sally was very downcast, but she did not +easily give up a pleasant intention. On the way home she wanted to think +what could be done, therefore she stretched out her hand to the +astonished Kaetheli, and this time the invitation, to at least come into +the room and eat a piece of bread and butter, was not accepted; nor +would she go with Kaetheli behind the barn where they could fetch down +ripe cherries from the large cherry tree--it was all of no use. + +"Another time, Kaetheli, it is already so late I must go home," and +Sally ran away. Kaetheli stood there much surprised and looked after +her, and in her bright mind she thought: "Sally has something new in her +head, else I could have brought her to the cherry tree, for she is not +always so anxious to go home; but I will find out what it is." + +Meanwhile Sally ran for a long stretch, then she began to walk slower, +for she had to think over so many things and she was so lost in her +plans that she forgot when she arrived at the garden which stretched +from her home far into the meadows. Ritz stood on the low wall and +beckoned with wild gestures, for Sally had not seen him at first. + +"Do come a little quicker so that you can tell something, else we will +have to go to bed, for Auntie has already looked twice at her watch. +Were you in the barn at Kaetheli's? How many cows are in it? Have you +seen the young goat?" + +But Sally had different things in her head. She hastily stepped into the +house, while Ritz followed. The rest of the family were in the +living-room. Mother and Auntie were mending stockings; Father was +reading a large church paper. Edi, his head supported on both hands, sat +lost in his history book. Sally had hardly opened the door when she +cried out with much excitement: "Oh, Mother, you ought to have seen how +friendly the lady was, and she is so beautiful and so gentle and so +good, and quite an aristocratic lady; and Erick in his velvet suit is +like a knight, and so fine and polite. Edi could not find a nicer +friend." + +They all looked surprised at Sally, and a pause followed this outburst. +Sally had quite forgotten that she was not to go to the strange people, +and that she had given, as the object of her walk, the call on Kaetheli. +She now remembered everything and she grew very red. + +"But, dear child," said the mother, "did you really, in spite of +opposition from me, press into the home of the strange people? How could +you enter the house without an excuse?" + +"Not without an excuse, Mamma," said Sally, somewhat embarrassed. +"'Lizebeth had given me a message for old Marianne." + +"Which the inquisitive Sally fetched in the kitchen for the purpose of +carrying out her plan, that is clear," remarked Auntie. When the whole +truth lay open to the light of day, Sally felt relieved and she returned +with new zeal to her communication. She had much to describe: the empty +room and the silk dress of the lady, and her sad glances, and then the +knightly Erick with his joyous laughter and the merry eyes; but she +could not describe it all so attractively as it seemed to her. + +"So," said Edi, looking up from his book, "now you have another friend. +It will go, no doubt, with him as with little Leopold!" After giving her +this fling he bent again over his book and read on, taking no notice of +anything. + +Sally did not find the desired sympathy. She was so full of her +impressions that she felt Mother and Aunt should be all afire and aflame +for her new friendship. Instead of that, the two kept on mending the +stockings; Father did not even look up from his paper and Edi had only a +satirical remark for sympathy. Sally had rather a bad reputation for +making friendships. Almost every week she saw some one who appealed to +her so much, that she must make a friendship at once; but the +friendships were mostly of short duration, for she had imagined +something else than she often found on looking closer. This made her +quite unhappy at the time, but the next week she had already found some +one else who filled her thoughts. + +The last unfortunate friendship had brought forth Edi's satire to a +greater degree. The tailor of Upper Wood had three sons, and since the +father on his wanderings had spent some time in Vienna he gave his sons, +in remembrance of the beautiful days which he spent there, the names of +three Austrian grand dukes. It was this strange name that had first +attracted Sally; to that was added that Leopold, the oldest of the sons, +who had lived with his grandfather until now, but had come recently to +Upper Wood, always wore elegant jackets and pants after the latest cut. +Leopold had entered Sally's class and his appearance had at once +inspired her. But he was so small and dainty that he received the name +Leopoldy from the whole school. The rumor had preceded Leopold, that he +had staid three years in the same class in the town where his +grandfather lived. So Edi looked down on Leopoldy from an elevation of a +fourth class boy and noticed with scorn how Sally found pleasure in the +little fellow and befriended him. But that did not last long for, after +a trial of a week, Leopoldy was set back two classes, since he had been +put in the fifth class on account of his years, but not his deserts. In +these eight days Sally had discovered, with sorrow, that Leopoldy was +unusually silly, and Sally was glad that the enormous gap that lies +between the fifth and third class, made easier the rupture of this +friendship which could not continue, for nothing could be done with +Leopoldy. So it happened that no one listened with sympathy to the +enthusiastic description which Sally gave of her new friends, for each +one remembered Leopoldy, and that was not inspiring. + +This general coolness angered Sally very much. She knew her new friends +if they would only believe her. All ought to be so interested in this +mother and her Erick, that they would want to know everything possible +about them, and now no one asked a question and they hardly listened to +her communication. That was too much; Sally had to relieve her tension. +She suddenly broke forth to Edi, who was entirely lost in his book: +"Although you read a thousand books one after the other, and act as if +one did not tell anything, and you think that one must have no +friendship with any human being on this earth but only for the +thousand-thousand-year-old Egyptians, yet you might be glad to have a +friend like Erick." + +Edi must have just read something that made him solemn, for he looked +quite restrainedly up from his book and said quite seriously: "You see, +Sally, you do not at all know what friendship is, for you believe that +one can have a new friend every week. But one ought to have only one +friend for the whole life, and one must drag his enemy three times +around the walls of Troy." + +"Then he will have to make a nice journey if he comes from Upper Wood," +remarked Sally quickly. + +The mother meanwhile had left the room, and Aunt rose from her work. + +"You will get quite barbaric from pure historical research," she said, +turning to Edi, "but now it is high time to go to bed, quick! But where +is Ritz?" + +Ritz had withdrawn behind the stove a full hour ago in the hope of there +escaping his fate for some time. But sleep had overcome him in the dark +corner. + +"Now we have the trouble," the aunt cried, when the sleeper had been +discovered, and only with the greatest difficulty she woke him. + +While Auntie was pushing and shaking the sleepy Ritz, Edi had tried +several times to get near her, but she had always escaped him. Now a +quiet moment came. Ritz was at last awake. Edi quickly stepped up to his +aunt and said: "I did not mean alive, only after his death, like +Achilles did." + +"Now he too is talking in his sleep and says all kinds of nonsense," the +aunt cried quite excitedly, for she had long since forgotten Edi's +judgment on the enemy and she did not know what he was talking about. +"No, no, it cannot go on like this, children must go to bed in good +time, else the whole household gets out of joint." + +Edi wanted to explain once more, only to make it clear to her, and not +to have to go to bed misunderstood, so he had followed her about, and +now a greater misunderstanding had arisen. There was no more chance for +explanation. Ritz and Edi were shoved into their room, the light put on +the table, the door was closed, and away went Auntie. + +"I am sure Mother will come to us. I must explain everything to her," +Edi said to himself, for to be so misunderstood disquieted the thinking +Edi exceedingly. And the mother came as she did every evening, and she +promised to make everything clear to Auntie, so he could be pacified and +find the sleep which Ritz long since had found again. + + + +CHAPTER III + +'Lizebeth on the Warpath + + +On the following morning 'Lizebeth stood full of expectation at the +kitchen door, and made all kinds of signs when Sally came rushing into +the living-room from breakfast. The signs were indeed understood by the +child but she had no time to go to the kitchen. She waved her school-bag +and shouted in rushing by 'Lizebeth: "When I come from school; it is too +late now!" Followed by Edi and Ritz she continued her run. + +Something very particular must be in preparation, for after school all +the scholars were standing again in a dense circle, beating their hands +in the air and shouting as loud as they could, to have their views +heard. Sally, who had waited a few moments for her brothers, went on +home for she knew how long such meetings were apt to last and that her +brothers would only arrive home when the soup was being served. Sally +stepped into the house and with her school-bag in her hand she went +straight to the kitchen. + +"Now I will tell you everything that happened yesterday, 'Lizebeth," she +said. + +'Lizebeth nodded encouragingly and Sally began, and became more and more +excited the longer she talked. She was most excited when she came to +telling about the lady and her little boy, describing the way she +talked, how she and the boy were dressed, and her aristocratic way. But +all at once 'Lizebeth jumped as if a wasp had stung her and she called +out, "What do you say, Sally? This woman wears a silk dress in the +middle of the week? Silk? And she lives at Marianne's? And the boy wears +velvet pants and a jacket all of velvet? Well, well! I have lived ten +years with your great-grandfather and thirty with your grandfather and +twelve with your father, and I have seen your father grow up from the +first day of his life and your little brothers. And I have known them +since they were babies and none of them ever had velvet pants on their +body, and yet they were all ministers, your great-grandfather, your +grandfather, your father, and the little ones will be ministers too, and +none of them ever had even a piece of velvet on them and this woman in +the middle of the week walks about in silk, yes indeed! And then taking +rooms at Marianne's and living where the basket mender has lived, I tell +you, Sally, there is something behind that! But it has to come out, and +if Marianne wants to help a hundred times to cover it up, I tell you, +Sally, I will bring out what is behind it all. Yes, indeed, velvet +pants? I wonder what we shall hear next!" + +Sally stood quite astounded before the anger-spouting 'Lizebeth, and +could not understand the cause of this outbreak. But she had enough of +it, so she turned round and hastened into the sitting-room, where, +according to her expectations, at the very last moment, just when +'Lizebeth came into the room with the soup tureen, the brothers +appeared, in a peculiar way. At each side of 'Lizebeth one crawled into +the room, then shot straight across the room, like the birds before a +storm shoot through the air so that one fears they will run their heads +against something. Fortunately the two boys did not run their heads +against anything, but each landed quite safely on his chair, and at once +'Lizebeth placed the soup on the table; but so decidedly and with such +an angry face, as if she wanted to say: "There! If you had to put up +with what I have to, then you would not trouble about your soup." + +When she was again out of the room the father said, looking at his wife: +"There will be a thunder storm, sure signs are visible." Then turning to +his sons he continued: "But what do boys deserve, who come so late to +table and from pure bad conscience almost knock it over?" + +Ritz looked crestfallen into his plate, and from there in a somewhat +roundabout way past his mother's plate, slyly across to his aunt, to see +whether it looked like an order to go to bed at once. And it was so +beautiful today, how beautiful the running about this evening after +school would be! + +There was no order, for the general attention was claimed by 'Lizebeth, +who with the same signs of snorting anger threw more than placed the +rest of the meal on the table and then grumbled herself out again. + +As soon as dinner was over the father put on his little velvet cap and +went in perfect silence out into the garden. For the storms in the house +were more unpleasant to him than those that come from the sky. As soon +as he had left the room 'Lizebeth stood in the doorway, both arms akimbo +and looking quite warlike; she said: "I should think it would make no +difference if I were to make a call on Marianne. I should think it is +fully four years since I went to see her in the Middle Lot." + +The pastor's wife had listened with astonishment to this speech, which +sounded very reproachful. Now she said soothingly: "But, 'Lizebeth, I +should hope that you do not think that I would oppose your going to +Marianne or anywhere else; or that I ever have done so. Do go as soon as +you feel like it." + +"Just as if nothing had to be done, and as if I were and had been on a +visit in the parsonage at Upper Wood for fifty years and more," was the +answer. "No, no, I know what has to be done if no one else does. I can +wait until Sunday afternoon; that is a time when the likes of me may go +out, and if it suits the lady then, then I go, and shall not stay away +very long. Why? I know why if no one else knows it." + +"Of course that suits me, too," the lady pacified again, "do just what +you think best." She did not say more for she had already noticed that a +fire of anger was kindled in 'Lizebeth which would blaze up if another +word fell in it. She could not imagine what had struck 'Lizebeth, but +she found it more advisable not to touch on it. So 'Lizebeth grumbled +for a little while, then she went away, since no further chance for +outbreaks was offered. But there was no peace during the whole week; all +noticed that, and each went carefully by 'Lizebeth as if she were a +powder magazine which, at a careless touch, might fly up in the air at +any moment. At last Sunday came. 'Lizebeth, after dinner, rushed about +the kitchen with such a great noise, one could notice that many thoughts +were working in her which she tried to give vent to. But she went into +her room only after everything was bright and in its place. + +She dressed herself in her Sunday-best and entered the sitting-room to +take leave, just as though she was going on a long journey, for it was +an event for 'Lizebeth to leave the parsonage for several hours. Now she +wandered with slow steps along the road and looked to the right and left +on the way to see what was growing in the field belonging to this or +that neighbor. But her thoughts began again to work in her; one could +see that, for she began to walk quicker and quicker and to talk half +aloud to herself. Now she had arrived. Marianne had seen her from her +little window and was surprised that this time 'Lizebeth was so soon +keeping her promise. For years she had promised, had sent the messages +that she would soon come; but she had never come and now she was there +after the message had been brought only three days ago. Marianne went to +meet her friend with a pleasant smile and welcomed her near the hedge +before the cottage; then she conducted her guest around the cottage and +up the narrow, wooden stairs. 'Lizebeth did not like this way and before +she had reached the top of the stairs she had to speak out. + +"Listen, Marianne," she said, "formerly one dared to come in the front +door and through the kitchen, but now your oldest friends have to come +by the back way, which, no doubt, is on account of the strange people +whom you have taken into your house. I have heard much of them and now I +see for myself that they, from pure pride, do not know what to order +next, that you dare not go through your own house." + +"Dear me, 'Lizebeth, what queer thoughts you do have," said Marianne, +quite frightened. "That is not true, no one has forbidden me anything. +And the people are so good and not a bit proud, and so friendly, and so +kind and humble." + +"Catch your breath, Marianne," 'Lizebeth interrupted her; "with all your +excitement you cannot prove that white is black, and when such people +come along, no one knows whence, and take a living-room and a bedroom in +such a hut, so hidden as yours is, Marianne, where they pay next to +nothing, and the woman struts about in a silk skirt and her little son +in velvet; then there is something behind it all, and if she has silk +skirts then she must have other things too, and she must know why she +hides all these things in a hut which really does not look larger than a +large henhouse. I wanted only to warn you, Marianne; you surely will be +the loser with such a crowd." + +"'Lizebeth," Marianne said now more emphatically than she had ever been +known to speak, "it would be well, if all people were as this woman is, +and you and I could thank God if we were like her. I have never in this +world seen a better and a more patient and a more amiable human being. +And in regard to the silk skirt, please be still and do not talk about +it, 'Lizebeth; many a thing looks different to what it really is, and it +would be better for you, if you would not load your conscience with +wrong against a suffering woman on whom God has His eye." + +Marianne did not wish to tell what she knew, that the lady had only the +one skirt and no other whatsoever, and so, of course, was obliged to +wear it. She did not want to tell that to 'Lizebeth now she heard how +the latter judged. + +"I do not think of loading my conscience with anything," 'Lizebeth +continued, "and that much is not as it looks, that I know; but when a +little boy of whom no one knows from where he came, wears velvet pants +on bright week-days and even a velvet jacket, then they are velvet pants +and do not only look so, that is certain. There is something behind that +and it will come out and it will not look the best. Yes indeed, wearing +velvet pants, such a little tramp of whom no one knows from where he +comes, yes indeed." + +"Do not sin against the dear boy," Marianne said seriously. "Look at him +and you will see that he looks like a little angel, and he is one." + +"So, that too," 'Lizebeth continued, "and pray when did you see an +angel, Marianne, that you know he looks just like them? I should like to +know! But I have served over fifty years in a respectable house, and I +have helped to bring up the old parson, and the present one and his two +sons; but we have never known anything of velvet pants, no, never, and +we were, I should think, different people from these. That is what I +wanted to tell you, Marianne, and that is the main reason why I came to +you, so that you should know what one is forced to think. And with +regard to the angels, I can tell you that we have a little boy that +looks exactly like the angels that blow the trumpets in the picture; +such fat, firm, red cheeks has our Moritzli, like painted, and such +round arms and legs." + +"Yes, it is true, little Ritz was always a splendid little fellow, I +should like to see him again," Marianne answered good-naturedly. + +This reconciled 'Lizebeth a little; in a much friendlier tone she said: +"Then come again to Upper Wood, you will have time, more than I. Then +you can look at the other, too, and can see what a pretty, straight nose +he has, that no angel could have a prettier one, and in the whole school +he is by far the brightest,--that the teacher himself says of Eduardi." + +'Lizebeth always called the boys by their full names, for the shortening +of the names, Ritz and Edi, seemed to her a degrading of their names and +an injustice to her favorites. + +"Yes, yes, I believe you. What a delight it must be to see such a +well-ordered household and all so happy together and so joyous," +Marianne said with a sigh, and she threw a glance at the room of the +stranger, and now 'Lizebeth was completely pacified, for she felt the +parsonage again on the top. + +"What is the matter with the people?" she asked with compassion. + +"I do not know what to say," was the answer, "I do not understand it all +myself." + +"I thought as much, with such strangers one is never secure." + +"No, no, I did not mean anything like that," Marianne opposed. "I tell +you they are the best people one could find. I would do anything for the +woman." + +Marianne did not like to tell her friend what she knew and to consult +with her about things she could not comprehend, for 'Lizebeth had +evidently no love for the two and was full of distrust, and Marianne had +taken them both into her heart so that she could not bear sharp remarks +about them even from her good friend. She therefore was silent and +'Lizebeth could get nothing more out of her concerning her lodgers. + +During this long talk a good deal of time had passed. 'Lizebeth rose +from the wooden bench behind the table where she and Marianne had been +sitting and was about to bid good-bye. But Marianne would not allow +that, for the friend must first drink a cup of coffee; then she was +going to walk with her. So they did, and as the two friends wandered +together through the evening, they had much to tell each other and were +very talkative; only when 'Lizebeth began to talk about the strangers in +Marianne's house, was the latter silent and hardly spoke. Where the road +went into the woods, they parted, and Marianne had to promise to return +the call as soon as possible. Then 'Lizebeth stepped out vigorously and +arrived at home in such good spirits that the parson's wife resolved to +send her often to Marianne on a visit. + +When Marianne on her return came near her cottage, she heard lovely +singing; she well knew the song. Every evening at twilight the stranger +sat down at the piano and sang, and she sang so beautifully and with a +voice that came from such depths that it touched Marianne's heart so +that she could not tear herself away when she heard the song, until it +was ended. But there was one song in particular which Marianne loved to +hear and which the woman sang every day, either at the beginning or the +end of her songs. It always seemed as if a great joy came into her voice +and as if she wanted to make this joy appeal to all who listened. And +yet this song touched Marianne's heart so deeply that she wept every +time she heard it. So it happened this evening. There was a log lying +before the house-door which served her for a resting-place when, in the +evening, she wanted to get a little fresh air. She rolled it under the +window so that she might look for a moment into the room. There sat the +lady, and her large blue eyes looked up to the evening sky so seriously +and sorrowfully, and yet there was something which sounded again like a +great joy in the beautiful song she was singing. The little boy sat on a +footstool beside her and looked at his mother with his joyful, bright +eyes, and listened to the singing. + +Marianne could not look long. A strange feeling came over her, and she +stepped down from the log, put her apron to her eyes and wept and wept, +until the singing had died away. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +The Same Night in Two Houses + + +When on this evening Edi and Ritz were lying in their bed and Mother had +finished saying evening prayer with them and had closed the door after +her, Edi began: "Have you noticed, Ritz, that Father is almost like God? +He already knows the thing before one has told half of it." + +"No, I have never noticed that," Ritz replied. "But it is all right, for +then he can do everything he wants to and also make fine weather." + +"Oh, Ritz, you only look at the profit! but just look at the other +side." Here Edi rose up in bed from pure zeal and continued: "Do you +remember, not long ago I recited our songs, which we made about the +others, to Papa; then he knew at once that we were preparing a big fight +and has forbidden us to take part in it. And this evening they all have +talked it over that I should lead the boys of Upper Wood into battle, +and I have thought it all over and prepared ahead. Then I would be +Fabius Cunctator, and would lead my troops above on the hill round and +round it and would not attack, for you must know that is much safer, and +so Hannibal could do nothing and could not attack me." + +"Is Hannibal still living then?" asked Ritz serenely. + +"Oh, Ritz, how indescribably ignorant you are!" Edi remarked +compassionately. "He died more than a thousand years ago. But big Churi, +the leader of the Middle Lotters, our enemies, is Hannibal. But you see, +I just remember something: Churi is not a real Hannibal, for he was a +great and noble general, and Churi cannot represent him; but do you know +what, we can take the strange boy Erick, for Hannibal!--he looks quite +different from Churi,--shall we?" + +"That is all the same to me since we cannot be in the fight," remarked +Ritz. + +"That is true, we dare not, I had quite forgotten that," lamented Edi. +"If I only knew what we could do to be in this fight and yet not do +anything that is forbidden." + +"Don't you know an example in the world's history?" asked Ritz, to whom +his brother presented so often, in cases of need, examples out of this +rich fountain. + +"No. If we only lived like the old Greeks," Edi answered with a deep +sigh. "When they wanted to know anything of which no one knew the +answer, they quickly drove to Delphi to the oracle and asked advice. +Then there was an answer at once and they knew what was to be done. But +now there are no more oracles, not even in Greece. Isn't that too bad?" + +"Yes, that is too bad," said Ritz rather sleepily, "but I am sure you +will think of another example." + +Edi began at once to think, but however much he thought, and groped in +his memory and upheaved what he had stored away in his brain, he could +not find in the whole history of the world one single case where some +one had carried out something that the father had forbidden, and yet +stood afterwards with honor before him. For that was what Edi was trying +to find; and he was sitting straight up in his bed in the dark, and in +spite of all his endeavors he could find no way out. And when he now +heard the deep breathing of the sweetly sleeping Ritz, he became too +discouraged to try any more. He lay down on his pillow and was soon +dreaming about the uniform of Fabius Cunctator. + +Soon after this Marianne too lay down on her couch, but for a long time +sleep would not come. The singing of the lady downstairs had made her +very, very sad; this voice had never before touched her so deeply as it +had done this evening, and she still heard the sound of weeping and +rejoicing in confusion. So Marianne heard the old clock on the wall +strike eleven, then twelve, and yet she could not go to sleep. Now it +seemed to her as if she heard a gentle knocking below in the house. Who +could want anything of her so late in the night? She must be mistaken, +she said to herself. But no, she now heard it quite plainly, somebody +was knocking somewhere. She quickly dressed herself and hastened down to +the kitchen. She opened the front door--no one was there. But the +knocking came again and now Marianne thought that it came from the +sleeping room of her boarders. Softly she opened the door of the room. +Within the pale lady sat on her bed, but she was much paler than usual, +so that Marianne stepped quickly into the room, and much frightened, she +exclaimed: "Dear me! What is the matter? Oh how bad you do look!" + +"Yes, I feel very ill, my good Marianne," the lady answered with her +friendly voice. "I am so sorry that I frightened you so in the middle of +the night; but I had no rest, I was obliged to call you. I have a few +things to tell you and it might have been too late." + +"Dear, dear! what do you mean?" lamented Marianne. "I will get the +doctor at once from Lower Wood,--he is the nearest." + +"No, Marianne, I thank you, I know my condition," said the sick woman +soothingly, "it is a cramp in my heart, which often comes and this time +more terribly than usual, and so, my good Marianne, I wanted to tell you +that if I am no longer here tomorrow, will you give this," (and she gave +a small paper to Marianne), "to him who has to prepare for my last +resting-place. It is the only thing that I leave, and which I have saved +for a long time, so that I need not be buried in a pauper's grave. That +must not be, for my father's sake," she added, very softly. + +"Dear, dear Lord!" Marianne lamented, "grant that it may not be that! Do +think of the dear little boy! Dear Mrs. Dorn, do not take it amiss, I +have never before asked anything at all, but if you leave nothing, what +have I to do with the dear boy? Has he no relatives? Has he no father?" + +The mother looked at the sleeping Erick, who, with his golden curls +encircling his rosy face, lay there so peacefully and so carefree. She +put her hand on his forehead--for his narrow bed stood quite close to +hers--and said softly: "On earth you have no father any more, my child, +but above in heaven there lives a Father who will not forsake you. I +have given you long since to Him. I know He will care for you and +protect you, so I can go quietly and joyfully. Yes, my good Marianne," +she turned again to the latter, "I have done a great wrong; I have hurt +deeply the best of fathers through disobedience and selfishness. For +that I have suffered much; but in my suffering it was permitted me to +learn how great the love and compassion of our Father in heaven is for +His children, and since then a song of deepest gratitude sounds ever and +ever in my heart: + + "'I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise.'" + +The sick woman had folded her hands while she spoke, and in her eyes +there was a wonderful light; but now she sank back on her pillows, +exhausted and pale. Marianne stood there quietly and now and then had to +wipe her eyes. + +"But now I must run to the doctor,--it is high time," she said, +frightened. "Mrs. Dorn, can I give you anything?" + +"No, I thank you," the sick woman answered softly. "I thank you for +everything, my good Marianne." + +The latter now hastily left the house and ran as fast as she could +through the silent night toward Lower Wood. From time to time she had to +stop to get her breath. Then she looked up to the bright star-covered +sky and prayed: "Dear God, help us all." She had great difficulty in +awakening the doctor in Lower Wood at two o'clock in the night; but at +last he heard her knocking and followed her soon after on the road to +her house. When they entered together the room of the sick woman, the +light had burned down and threw a faint light on the quiet, pale face. +The mother had stretched out her arm upon the bed of her child. The boy +had encircled her slender, white hand with both his plump hands, and +held it firmly. The doctor approached and looked closer at the sleeper; +he bent over her for some moments. + +"Marianne," he said, "loosen the hand out of the little boy's. The woman +is sleeping her eternal sleep, she will nevermore awaken on this earth. +She must have died suddenly from heart failure, while you were away to +fetch me." + +The doctor left the quiet house at once, and Marianne did as he had told +her. She folded the hands of the departed one on her breast, then she +sat down on Erick's bed, looking now at the serious face of the dead +mother, now at the care-free sleeping boy, and wept quietly, until the +rays of the morning sun fell into the quiet room and roused Marianne to +the consciousness that a new, sad day had begun--a day on which Erick +had to be told that he never again on this earth could take hold of the +loving hand of his mother. + + + +CHAPTER V + +Disturbance in School and Home + + +Never before had the schoolmaster of Upper Wood had such hard work with +his schoolchildren as on the morning after this night. Of course there +were times that some were more restless and more dense than usual; but +there were usually a good many with whom he could work successfully. But +today it seemed as though a crowd of excited spirits had taken +possession of the children. All the boys cast uncanny, warlike glances +at each other, even suppressed threatenings were thrust hither and +thither, and when the teacher turned his back such threatening gestures +were made to those who faced him, that they, one and all, rolled their +eyes with wrath and gave the most ridiculous answers. They all were so +eager for the battle, that they could no longer distinguish between +friend and foe, and each shook his clenched fist at the other. + +Sally and Kaetheli, those model scholars, kept putting their heads +together and whispered continuously like the ripple of a brook. Yes, +indeed, Kaetheli was so brim full of news that she even kept on +whispering to Sally while the latter had to answer questions in +arithmetic and of course got into the most inexplicable confusion. Even +Edi, the very best scholar, forgot his studies and was staring sadly +before him. For just now had come before his mind's eye, during the +rest-period, the great bravery of his troops who, from want of a real +enemy, had put each other in a sorry shape. And he was not allowed to +lead these courageous soldiers against the boasting Churi, and to show +this fellow how a great general does his work! The teacher was just +standing before him and called on him, continuing in the geography +lesson: "Edi, will you tell me the most important productions of Upper +Italy?" + +Italy! At the sound of that name, the whole war operation stood before +Edi's eyes, for he had studied the minutest details of that region where +the Romans had met their enemies, and Churi, as Hannibal, stood +triumphant before him. Edi, heaving a deep sigh, answered nothing for +the present. + +"Edi," the master said when no answer came, "I cannot understand what +sadness can be found in our topic, nor what can burden your mind, but +one thing I can see, that today you all are like a herd of thoughtless +sheep with whom nothing can be done. Kaetheli, you magpie, can you stop +a moment and listen to what I am saying? You all are going home. I have +had enough, and everyone--do you understand?--everyone takes home some +home-work for punishment. As you go out, come to my desk, one after the +other, and each will receive his special task." + +So it was done, and at once the whole crowd rushed with joyous hearts +into the open. For the home-work did not at all suppress the joy that +school had closed a whole half-hour early. Outside on the playground, +the groups who had common interests at once crowded together. The +largest throng pressed around Edi, to listen with much shouting and +noise to his battle plans. + +At once after leaving the schoolroom Kaetheli took Sally by the hand and +said: "I will go with you for a while, then I can finish telling you +what Marianne told Mother this morning." With this Kaetheli continued +her story, which she had begun in school, and told Sally everything that +had happened last night in Marianne's cottage. Sally listened very +quietly and never said a word. When they arrived at the garden, Kaetheli +had just finished her sad tale; she stood still for a moment and was +surprised that Sally did not say anything; then she said, "Good-bye!" +and ran away. + +At the noon meal Ritz related faithfully all that had happened in +school: for now, since Sally and even Edi had received home-tasks, he +found that to be more remarkable than sorrowful. Edi seemed somewhat +dejected. When now the small, golden, roasted apples were placed on the +table, Ritz stopped his report and applied himself thoroughly to the +work of eating them. When he had cleared his plate, which was done very +quickly, he looked slyly at the plates of his brother and sister, for he +knew that the second supply of the things on the table came only after +all three had finished their first. When he looked at Sally, his eyes +stayed on her, and after he had watched her attentively for some time, +he said: "Sally, you keep on swallowing as much as you can, but you see, +nothing can go down, because you have put nothing into your mouth, and +your plate stays filled." + +Now Sally could not restrain her tears longer, for she had with great +difficulty swallowed them, and had been very quiet. Now she burst out +into loud sobbing and said through her tears: "Poor Erick, too, cannot +eat today. Now he has neither father nor mother and is all alone in the +world." + +Sally's weeping grew louder and louder, for she could not stop, since +she had restrained herself so long. Ritz looked, surprised and startled, +from one to the other; he did not quite understand whether he was to +blame for this. The mother rose, took Sally by the hand, and led her out +of the room. + +This incident caused a great disturbance at the midday meal. The father +was annoyed and sat without saying a word. The aunt, with great +animation, tried to point out to him with this proof, how excitable +children become when they do not go to bed in good time. Edi, too, sat +quite ill-humoredly before his plate, as if he had to swallow sorrel +instead of little golden apples; for he felt much troubled that his +father had heard of his inattention in the school. Ritz had expected a +kind of admonishing speech from him, because the outburst had taken +place right after he had spoken to Sally. Since it did not come and no +one seemed to trouble about him, he settled himself firmly in his seat +and ate everything that was on Sally's and his mother's plates. + +When the father went out in the garden soon after, the mother followed +him and led him to the small bench under the apple tree. Seated there +she told him what Sally, continuously interrupted by loud sobbing, had +told her: what had happened during the past night in Marianne's cottage. +And she now asked her husband whether he did not think that some +enquiries ought to be made about these strangers, and whether one ought +not to do something for the little boy who, as it seemed, was standing +all alone in the world. But the pastor was not of her opinion, and said +that these people had turned to Lower Wood for school and church, +therefore he could not interfere at present. His colleague in Lower Wood +would no doubt take everything in hand and see what could be done with +the boy. He was sure that the pastor in Lower Wood would find some +relations of the boy, and he perhaps knew already more about the +strangers, than was suspected. The woman, no doubt, had confided in his +colleague about herself, since she would have had to do that as she had +sent her boy to Lower Wood to school, and perhaps also to Sunday school. +One could not possibly give in to Sally in all her manifold emotions and +pay attention to them. The child had too vivid an imagination and was +yet too young to have the gift of discrimination, and if one should give +in to her fancies one soon would fill the house with Leopoldys and other +creatures, who soon would be turned out of the house or, at least, be +pushed aside by the same Sally, as soon as she saw that the good people +were not as she had imagined them. + +"I have to take Sally's part somewhat, dear husband," said the mother. +"You are right, she feels very strongly, and she shows these feelings to +everyone whom she meets; but I do not find that wrong, for, wherever she +meets with a response, there she remains faithful to her feelings, and +she loves her friends warmly and constantly. With what devotion has she +adhered to Kaetheli from babyhood! And I much prefer that she go through +life with her warm heart, and expect to find a friend in every human +being, than that she should pass people indifferently, and have no +conception of friendship, although she may meet with many a +disappointment and many a condemnation through this trait." + +"Both will be her share, in plenty," said the father. "In this direction +we therefore will do our share in saving her from these things as much +as she can be saved." + +So the mother saw that the best that could be done was to pacify Sally +and to explain to her that nothing could be done at present but +something would be done later from another source. + +When it became known that the strange woman had died, there was a great +deal of talk, especially among the Middle Lotters, in whose midst the +woman had lived, but had never been seen--a fact which had always caused +suspicion. Since no one knew anything about her past life, then everyone +had the more to say about who she might have been. At any rate, nothing +very good, in that they all agreed, else she would have been friendly +with them and would not have kept herself so apart. When now no +relations appeared and she had to be buried without any mourners, then a +number of stories began to circulate which became more and more +mysterious. For the official of the community had said that, no doubt, +she had been an exile, and the Justice of Peace had added that then she +must have committed very great political crimes. 'Lizebeth was not loath +to bring these stories to the pastor and his wife, for she had never +been able to overcome the thought of the velvet pants. The pastor's +wife shook her head incredulously and forbade 'Lizebeth to carry the +stories further. The pastor said: "There must have been something +crooked, but the woman is now buried, and we will say nothing more about +it." + +Marianne alone stood opposed to all and told them to their faces that it +was an injustice and wickedness to talk as they did; none of them had +known the woman, else they would know that there was nothing bad about +her, but that she had been an angel of goodness, gentleness and kindly +deeds. And although the lady had appeared as aristocratic as a princess, +she had been more friendly with humble folk, such as Marianne, than many +a Middle Lotter who ran about in torn stockings. But if Marianne was +asked if she had known the woman well, who she was, and why not a single +relative enquired after her, although the notice of her death was put +into all the papers; then she too could give no explanation, since she +did not know anything. + +A few wicked people then said: "No doubt Marianne will have had her +profit from it." But she had not, and never had looked for it. The woman +had paid the low rent in advance for the month, which had just ended; it +had been the month of August. When now, immediately after the funeral of +the poor woman, the officials came and looked to see what the +inheritance of the little boy would be, then it was found that there was +nothing but the piano and the black silk skirt. The officials decided to +give the latter to Marianne, since she had rendered her the last +services and put her in her last bed. + +The dress had once been very beautiful, for the material was heavy and +costly, but it was much worn, and yet Marianne thought: "It is too +handsome for me. I will not wear it but it is a dear remembrance," for +she had only seen the dear woman in that one dress. While they were +still talking over what should be done with the piano, the landlord of +the Krone in Lower Wood drove up with an empty wagon and took the piano, +the beds, the table and the two easy chairs, for everything had been +hired from him; but he had been paid in advance up to this time. + +So nothing was left for the little boy but the velvet suit that he wore. +Now they began to talk about what was to be done with the boy, and some +propositions were made as to how he could be cared for. At this point +Marianne stepped forth and said that she would keep the little boy until +she was leaving. In three weeks she was going to move down to Oakwood to +her cousin's, for her house was as good as sold. The officials were +greatly pleased with this offer; many things could turn up in three +weeks, and for the time being the little waif was cared for. So they +parted from one another satisfied with their work. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A Lost Hymn + + +The next morning, when the mother lay still and pale on her bed, Erick +woke up; Marianne, who had watched for his wakening, came to his couch +and said: + +"Dear Erick, your mother has gone, last night, to heaven, and now she +feels very happy, and looks down on you and watches to see whether you +stay good and honest so that sometime you may come to her." + +First he had answered quite quietly: "Yes, I know, Mother has told me +that it would come so." But when he went to his mother and looked at her +for a long, long time and she did not open her eyes, then he sat down on +a footstool and cried quietly. As long as his mother lay there he could +not be made to leave her, and when she was carried out, then he sat down +in the spot where she always had sat, and did not go away the whole day. +But he was quite still, and although he wept, he did it so quietly that +no sound could be heard. + +The day after the officials had been there and Marianne had taken Erick +from the empty room upstairs to her little home, she thought that it +would be best if he were to go to school and again come in contact with +other children, so that he might become happy again and make a little +noise with them; for this quiet weeping seemed sadder to Marianne than +if he had sobbed aloud. So she told him on that morning, that it would +be best for him if he were to go to school. In an instant Erick obeyed, +took out his books, packed them in his bag and started on his way to +school. So it went on from day to day, and gradually it seemed to +Marianne that Erick grew more and more as he used to be; but the sunny, +joyous face which he used to have had not yet returned, and something +like shyness had come to him, which never before had been noticed in +him. It seemed as if a safe, strong wall, which formerly had protected +him, had fallen down, and as though he looked for the first time on +things and people which surrounded him and which were strange to him. +The safe wall had been the great love of his mother, which had encircled +him everywhere. + +Two weeks had passed since Erick had again gone to school. When lessons +were over, he had never waited until the scholars of the Middle Lot had +gathered to make a noisy journey home, but he had run away at once and +had walked the long way alone. When he came home, he found his piece of +bread and his cup of milk ready on the table if Marianne was not there +to give it to him. When she was there, she often said: "Go out a little +to play with the children, Erick, it will be good for you and you will +have time afterwards to do your lessons." Erick had always gone out, as +far as the hedge before the house, and had stopped and watched how here +and there the children were running about and playing all kinds of +games; but he had never joined them. + +So also today, he stood there and looked with surprised eyes across at +the freshly mown meadow, where a crowd of Middle Lot children were +playing with much noise "Catch me if you can." Big Churi was running +after Kaetheli and as she knew what heavy blows from those big fists +would fall upon her back if she should be caught, she rushed over the +field toward the hedge and into Marianne's little garden, almost +throwing down Erick on her way. At this instant the quick-running Churi +would have caught Kaetheli; but quick as a deer, Erick rushed forth, +opened his arms wide and so stopped Churi until Kaetheli had shot around +the cottage, fleet as an arrow, and again to her goal on the meadow, +where she could get her breath without fear of being caught. + +Churi grumbled: "Another time you leave me alone, or--" With this he +shook his fist at Erick and then ran away, for he hoped to catch +Kaetheli before she should reach her goal. When the latter had rested a +little she came running back again, for she indeed had felt Erick's +chivalrous service and she was very grateful to him. She therefore could +not see him standing so alone, but ran up to him and said cheeringly: +"Come and play with us, you must not always stand so alone, that is +lonesome." + +"No," said Erick, "I cannot play with you. I do not want to shout so +terribly." + +"You need not scream, that does not belong to the game. Come along!" +Saying this, Kaetheli took Erick's hand firmly in hers and pulled him +along. + +Erick played with the rest, and now he had begun he played with all his +might. They had stopped the game of "Catch" and were playing a circle +game. The children had formed a large circle and held each other's +hands. In the middle of the circle stood the excluded child. This child +had to strike someone's hand at random and then there was a race around +the circle to see who would first get in the open space inside. This +game was played with the greatest zeal; but suddenly Erick pulled his +hands away from his neighbors' and ran away, so that great confusion +arose. + +"We will not let him play any more," cried Churi, much angered. + +"Indeed we will," maintained Kaetheli firmly, "perhaps a wasp has stung +him, or perhaps they play the same game where he used to live. When he +returns he can take my hand. Now we will go on." + +So it was done, and soon after they were playing again with great glee, +and Erick was forgotten. + +Not far from their playground stood a blind man with a barrel-organ +playing his melodies. When Erick had heard the first notes, he had freed +himself and had run away. Now he stood at a little distance from the +organ grinder and listened with strained attention to all the melodies. +When the man left, the boy went quietly toward the cottage, and when +Marianne saw him come, she said to herself: "I had hoped that the +children would make him merry again, and now it seems to me that he is +sadder than he was before." + +From that time on Kaetheli looked every evening, when the games began, +to see whether Erick was standing near the hedge, and when she saw him +there she ran to get him. Erick now played every day with the children +and when he was in the spirit of the game, he looked quite happy. But +almost every evening the same thing occurred as on the first. In the +midst of the game Erick stopped, ran away and did not return. Once a +number of wandering journeymen had passed by; they had sung loud and +joyously their wander-songs, one after the other. Away was Erick, and +one could see him far away, quietly following the singing men. Once +trumpet blasts sounded across the meadow to the playing children--for +one of Middle Lot was with the players in the army and was practising +his marches--at once Erick ran away in the direction of the sounds. +Another time a boy with a harmonica had approached the playing children; +it was Erick's turn just then to seek the hiders, but threatenings and +pleadings were of no avail, he did not seek any more. He placed himself +in front of the boy and listened to him; there he remained standing and +did not stir. + +Churi in his hiding-place was about to burst with anger because Erick +stopped seeking. He had hoped that Erick would exhaust himself looking +for him, for Churi had climbed up the high pear-tree which stood in the +centre of their playground, and from there he could overlook Erick's +inactivity and his stubborn resistance to being moved. Kaetheli too had +become impatient, for in the farthest corner of the goat-shed, whither +she had crawled, she felt herself secure from being found, and now, all +at once, she discovered that there was no more seeking, and she could +easily guess the cause. With a good deal of trouble she crawled out +again, with many signs of her hiding-place on her dress for she had been +obliged to sit crouched. She ran to Erick, who was still in the same +spot, near the harmonica player. + +"I should like to know what is the matter with you," she called out. +"Every evening, just when we have the greatest fun, all at once you run +away like a hare, or you stand there like a statue and let everything go +as it will. But that will not do! Come and seek us. But first I must +hide again." + +The tones of the harmonica had just stopped and the boy had gone. Erick +took a deep breath and said: "I cannot play any more. I must go home." + +He turned away and went; but that annoyed Kaetheli. She ran after him +and talked angrily at him. "That is not nice of you, Erick; you need not +have done that. You have spoiled the game now four or five times--that +is surely not kind of you, do you think it is?" They had by this time +arrived at Marianne's cottage. Erick stopped at the hedge and turned +round. He said, quite friendly: "Do not be angry, Kaetheli, you see I +have to act so." + +"Yes, but why? Tell me now, what you do and why you have to spoil +everything?" demanded Kaetheli, rather huffed, for she could not yet get +over the fact that she had crawled all for nothing into the incomparable +hiding-place in the goat-shed. + +"I will tell you, Kaetheli, for you must not think that I purposely +spoil everything for you. I did not think of that," said Erick, excusing +himself. "Do you see, there is a beautiful song which my mother sang +every day, and also on the last day, and I should so much like to hear +that song again. But no one sings it, and I may listen wherever I like, +I hear only other things. Oh, if I could only hear that song again, just +once!" + +Now Kaetheli saw how Erick's eyes filled with big tears, and in an +instant her anger turned into pity. "You must not be sad on that +account, for I can help you," she said readily. "I know so many songs; +tell me what the name of yours is, then I will say it to you right +away." + +"I try to remember it all the time, but I cannot get the words together; +but I remember well the melody. Do you think you could guess the words, +if I sing the melody?" + +"Of course I can, you just sing on," encouraged Kaetheli, with +confidence. + +Erick sang a line, and then another, and still a bit, then he could not +go further. Kaetheli, surprised, shook her head. "I never have heard +that song, but perhaps we sing it, only a little differently. I am sure +I shall find it. Tell me what it is about, about people or animals?" + +"At the beginning about flowers, green trees, you know, with those +beautiful branches and--" + +"Stop, I know all," Kaetheli interrupted him; "now I am going to sing it +to you." And with a firm voice and full tones Kaetheli began seriously: + + "'Three roses in the garden, + Three birds are in the wood, + In summer it is lovely + In winter it is good.' + +"Is that it?" she now asked, full of confidence that it must be it. But +Erick shook his head decidedly, and said: + +"No, no, that is not my song, there is no similarity between it and what +you sing." + +Kaetheli was much surprised. "But the flowers and the trees are in the +song," she said, "or perhaps, Erick, you have forgotten the song and do +not know how it goes?" + +"Indeed, indeed I know," the latter assured her. "You see, first there +is a great feast, where they all come and throw down many flowers and +wreaths because a great lord is coming and--" + +"Perhaps a count," Kaetheli interposed. + +"Perhaps so." + +"Oh! now I know it! If you only had spoke of the count right away; now +listen!" And again Kaetheli began with full tones: + + "'I stood on a high mountain + And looked into a vale, + A little ship came swimming + Three counts did hoist the sail.' + +"Well, Erick?" + +But Erick shook his head even more and said sadly: "Not at all, not a +bit like it! Perhaps the song is lost and no one knows anything about +it." + +"I know something else to help you," said helpful Kaetheli, whose tender +heart was filled with compassion. "To be sure, it is a little late, but +I can still do it." + +Then she ran away, and Erick looked after her with great surprise, and +wondered where she was going to look for the song. + +Running all the way, Kaetheli had reached the bottom of the hill in a +quarter of an hour. On the garden wall stood Ritz. "Get Sally, Ritz, but +be quick," Kaetheli called up to him. That just suited Ritz, for he +hoped that something particular was in store, and before Kaetheli +reached the wall, Sally was brought out. + +Breathlessly Kaetheli told her what she wanted and now expected, since +Sally knew so many songs that she would bring out the desired one on the +spot. But it was not accomplished so quickly and there followed a long +explanation, for Sally must know all that was to be found in the song, +whether it was joyous or sad, and then she began to guess and to try +whether it could be this one or that, but none seemed to fit according +to the descriptions, and suddenly Kaetheli jumped up and exclaimed: "The +evening bells are ringing; I have to go home. I am afraid that father +will be at supper before me and then he'll scold. I thought you would +know it much quicker, Sally, such a simple song! Think it over and bring +it to me at school, but sure, for else Erick will be sad again. Good +night!" + +Kaetheli was away like a shot, and Sally went thoughtfully back to the +house. Very soon the sitting-room was lighted up, where mother and aunt +were seated at the table, and now the father also sat down. Edi had long +since waited with his book to see whether the lamp would be lighted in +the room, for his mother had forbidden him to read in the twilight. Ritz +sat down to finish, with many a sigh, a delayed arithmetic lesson. Now +Sally entered the room; under each arm she carried four or five books of +different sizes and makeup. Panting under the heavy load she threw +them on the table. + +"Oh, for heaven's sake," cried Auntie, frightened, "now Sally will turn +into a historical searcheress." + +"No, no," cried Sally, "only give me a little room, I am obliged to look +for something." She sat down at once behind the heap of books and began +her work in earnest. But she did not remain undisturbed for long, for +the large amount of reading material which she had brought in attracted +the eyes of all, and all at once the father, who had looked at the books +from over his paper, said: + +"Sally, I see a book which is little suited for you to read. Where did +you get the Niebelungen song?" + +"I was just going to ask," said the mother, "what you intended to do +with A.M. Arndt's war songs?" + +Sally had taken along from all tables and book-cases what seemed to her +a collection of songs. These two books she had found in her father's +study and now she explained that she had to find Erick's lost song, and +what Kaetheli had told her about what was in it. + +"Aha," said Edi, and giggled a little, "on that account you took that +book from the piano. Erick will be pleased with the words you will get +from this." + +He held the book before his sister and pointed with his finger to the +title: "Songs Without Words". Sally was not as thorough in her thinking +as her brother was. She had, in the zeal of her intention, thought that +these were some particular kind of songs, and she now looked with some +confusion at the book in which only black notes were to be found. Ritz, +too, was now roused to interest in the doings. He too had taken up a +book and read rather laboriously: "Battle Sonnets" from-- + +"What! You have also been to my table, Sally?" the aunt interrupted the +reader. "You children are really terrible! At any rate you ought to have +been in bed long ago; it is high time, pack together." + +But this time Sally showed herself unusually obstinate. She assured them +that she could not sleep, not for the whole night, if she had not found +the song. She must bring it to Kaetheli, as she had promised to do so, +and from fear that she should not find the song Sally worked herself +into such a state of excitement that the mother interfered. She +explained to the child that they were not the kind of books where such a +song could be found, and that the descriptions which Kaetheli had given +were much too uncertain to find any song. Sally herself should speak +with Erick about what he still knew of his song, and then they would +search for it together, for she too would gladly help the poor boy to +keep in memory the song his mother had loved. + +These words pacified Sally and so she willingly packed together her +books and put each in its place. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army + + +Meanwhile the sunny September had approached and everywhere the apples +and pears were smiling down from the trees. Every morning one could see +the Mayor of Upper Wood walk toward the hillside, where he had started a +new vineyard where only reddish, sweet Alsatian grapes grew. The +hillside lay toward the valley about a half-hour's walk below Upper +Wood; but the walk was not too far for the Mayor to watch the growth of +his grapes, for they were of the most delicious kind. + +The Justice of Peace, Kaetheli's father, had also a small vineyard on +that side, but of a much inferior kind, and when he sometimes went to +see whether his grapes would ripen this year, he always found the Mayor +there, and usually said, pointing to the latter's grapes: "A splendid +plant." + +And the Mayor answered: "I should think so. And this year will not be +like last! Just let them come!" and with these words he held up his +finger threateningly. + +"If one only could get hold of one of that crowd," remarked the Justice +of Peace, "so that one could make an example of him of what would happen +to all the wicked fellows." + +"I have prepared for that, Justice of Peace," the other answered, full +of meaning. "The boldest of them will carry the reminder of the sweet +grapes for weeks about with him and will be plainly marked." + +This conversation had already been repeated several times, for both men +had an especial interest in the topic. But they soon had to pass to more +important things, for in these communities all kinds of things happen. +At present all the inhabitants of the three places were in great tension +and expectation about something which caused so much talk that they +hardly found time to attend to their daily business. The Upper Wooders +had bought an organ for their church, which was to be dedicated the +following Sunday. + +In the Middle Lot something was also taking place. Old Marianne was busy +packing up, for she could no longer keep her cottage. Her work was not +enough to pay the running expenses, so she was going down to Oakwood +where she had a cousin who was glad to have her live with him. Now the +question was, where the little stranger was to go, whom she had kept +with her up till now. She wanted to stay over Sunday and attend the +dedication, and on Monday she was going to lock up the house. + +To the schoolchildren also the approaching festivity was an opportunity +for much loud discussion. Two parties had naturally formed themselves, +the church and the no-church party. For the one side wanted to attend +church on Organ-Sunday, as they called the day for short, and listen to +the organ; the other did not care anything about hearing the music, for +they said they could hear the organ in the afternoon when they were +obliged to go to Sunday school, and to attend church twice was too much. +The main thing was that women would be sitting about everywhere with +large baskets full of cake and unusually good cookies; these must be +secured. The Middle Lotters especially were against the morning church +service. To the surprise of all, big Churi voted for the church-going. +He had brought it about that the great, long-prepared battle day was +fixed for Organ-Sunday, although many voices voted against it, and there +were still some that did not agree with the arrangement, for they were +sure that on the feast-day much else was to be seen and heard. But Churi +grew quite wild if anyone said a word against his plan, and they did not +care to make him angry now, for no one could manage so many soldiers as +he had to look after, and only thus could the victory be won. The Middle +Lotters had naturally joined the Lower Wooders against the Upper Wooders +and so they were now a large army. The Upper Wooders therefore made a +new effort to get Edi for leader and to win the battle, for against such +a large army only a well prepared battle-plan and a general well versed +in war could save them, and Edi was the only one who knew how to do +both. + +But he remained steadfast, although it almost choked him, for all the +brilliant examples of the small Greek army against the enormous hordes +of Persians stood before him, and he had to swallow them all down, for +he knew his father's aversion to such warlike doings and then--on +Organ-Sunday! + +Churi had ordered that his whole army should come together on the Friday +before Organ-Sunday in the Middle Lot. So the whole crowd collected on +the evening fixed, and there was an indescribable noise. But big Churi +shouted the loudest and explained to them the arrangements of the day: +first, all would go to church, and during that time, he and his officers +would go to find out the best place for camping and for the battle. + +"Ah, so, Churi!" a little fellow in the crowd shouted, "that is why you +voted for church, that you might do outside what you want to!" + +Churi cried, much vexed: "That must be on account of discipline; if you +do not want to go, then don't, and the Upper Wooders will pay you for +it." This threat was effective, just as Churi wanted it to be. + +The whole army should not come together until after the organ dedication +was over in the morning, and the midday meal which followed at once, was +finished; and in the morning only Churi with his officers should march +out to arrange all places and positions. So he had planned. The officers +whom he had chosen were all his good friends, the toughest Middle +Lotters that could be found. + +About this time a year ago, he had, with the very same boys, broken into +the Mayor's vineyard and stolen all his very best, fine Alsatian grapes. +He intended to do this again with his confidential friends, for it had +never been found out who had stolen the grapes, although they had tried +in all the three communities to find the culprits, and this had greatly +encouraged Churi and his allies. But he knew how careful the Mayor had +been this year, and he knew very well of his daily walks and that in the +afternoon his wife also took a walk in the direction of the vineyard, +and in the evening they often took the same walk together; so that the +culprits had not any day been sure of them. But on Organ-Sunday no one +would be outside--of that Churi was convinced; therefore he had +arranged everything in view of that, for although there would be an +investigation, all the many Lower Wooders and Middle Lotters would be in +that region, and the culprits would never be found out from among such a +large crowd. + +After Churi had told his army of his battle plans, they dispersed in all +directions. A number of spectators had gathered around the warriors, +every child in Middle Lot, down to the two-year-olds. Ahead of all was +Kaetheli, who was always on the spot when something was to be seen or +heard. When she left the meadow, she saw Erick standing near the hedge, +where he had stood for a long time watching the tumultuous crowd. +Kaetheli ran to him. "This will be such a fight as never before," she +called to him with admiration. "Don't you want to be in it, Erick?" + +"No," he answered drily. + +"Why not?" + +"Because they act as I do not care to act." + +"Not? You are a peculiar boy, you are always alone. Do you know where +you are going Monday when Marianne goes away from here?" + +"No." + +"You are going to be auctioned off. My father has said so." + +"What is that?" asked Erick, who now listened more attentively to +Kaetheli. + +"Oh, there are a crowd of people in the room and they bid on you, and +whoever bids the lowest gets you." + +"That is stupid," said Erick. + +"Why is it stupid?" + +"Because they would get more money if they gave me to him who offers the +most." + +"No, you did not understand. You are not going to be sold, quite the +reverse; he who gets you also gets the money--do you understand now?" + +"Who gives him the money?" + +"Well, that is not a person, as you think," Kaetheli explained. "Do you +see, there is a money box with money in it for the people who are poor +and miserable and homeless." + +Erick grew purple. + +"I am not going to be auctioned," he said defiantly. + +"Yes, indeed, Erick, that cannot be helped. One has to obey before one +is confirmed. If you do not obey, then someone just puts you on his +shoulder and takes you to the auction room." + +After Kaetheli had instructed Erick in what was coming to him, she bade +him good-night and went her way. Erick stayed on the same spot and did +not move. He had become deathly pale and his blue eyes flashed defiance +and indignation, which had never been seen in this sunny face. Thus +Erick stood on the same spot when Churi came by on his way home. + +"Have they made you angry, velvet panty? I never have seen you so mad," +he exclaimed and stopped near the hedge. + +He received no answer. + +"You join us in the fight and strike hard; that will relieve your +feelings." + +Erick shook his head. + +"Don't be such a sneak, and say something. The fellow who has made you +wrathful will no doubt be there, then you can get at him." + +"It is no boy," grumbled Erick. + +"So, who then, perhaps Kaetheli?" + +"I will not go to be auctioned," Erick burst out and his anger flashed +as never before. + +"Well, well, is that all. That is nothing," Churi thought. "You just +come with us and you will forget the auction on the spot. Or are you +afraid of the thrashing, you fine velvet pants? Do you know what? I +could tell you something that would suit you?" + +Churi had caught an idea: he had heard something of some danger that was +lurking among the Mayor's grapes, and the others too knew something +about it; so he reckoned that none of the others would go first and he +himself would prefer to have some other fellow first find out whether a +trap was laid somewhere, in which the first one would fall, while the +rest would be warned. For this post of inspection Erick fitted +splendidly. + +"Well, will you?" he urged the silent Erick. + +But the latter shook his head negatively. + +"And if I help you so that you need not be auctioned, will you then?" + +"How can you do that?" Erick asked doubtingly. + +"As soon as I want to," boasted Churi. "Don't you know that my father is +the sergeant here? He goes into every house along the whole mountain, +far beyond Lower Wood, and he knows all the people and can place you +where he likes. You only need to say what you want to do: take care of +the cows, deliver letters, push little children along in their +carriages--whatever you like best." + +Erick had never heard lying, he did not know what it was. He believed +word for word what the swaggering Churi told him. He considered a moment +and then he asked: "What shall I have to do for that?" + +"Something which you yourself will find more merry than anything you +ever did. You can go with me and the officers in the morning. You are +the scout and always go first to see whether the land is clear and safe +for us and where we can best pitch our tents and give battle. But one +thing I have to tell you: you have to obey me. I am the general, and if +you do not do at once what I tell you, you suffer for it. First we go +through a vineyard--" + +"One cannot give battle there, nor camp," Erick interrupted. + +"That makes no difference," Churi continued, "you listen to what I tell +you. You have to go through the vineyard and not make a bit of noise, do +you hear? And not run away, else--" Churi lifted his fist threateningly. +"You must not tell anyone where we are going, do you hear?" + +"I am not going," said Erick. + +"Then go to the auction--that is the best thing for you; I am going now, +good night." + +But Churi nevertheless remained. The blood again rushed into Erick's +cheeks. He hesitated a moment, then he asked: "If I go with you, are you +sure that I can get there, where I deliver letters?" + +"Of course you can," Churi grumbled. + +"Then I will go." + +"Give me your hand on it!" + +Churi held out his hand and Erick laid his in it. Churi kept hold of the +hand. "Promise that you will be there under the apple tree on the meadow +at seven o'clock Sunday morning." + +"I promise," said Erick. + +Churi let go of his hand, said "Good night," and disappeared behind the +cottage. + +The news of the day spread with wonderful rapidity through the schools +of the three parishes. The next evening, the evening before +Organ-Sunday, every child in Upper and Lower Wood, and above all, in +Middle Lot, knew that the quiet Erick all at once belonged to the +rowdies; that he was not only going to fight with them in the Sunday +battle, but that he was going with the worst rowdy, with Churi and his +companions, early in the morning before church. + +Sally came with swollen eyes to supper, for Kaetheli had informed her of +everything: how the fine Erick, whom she would so gladly have taken into +her home and her friendship, had fallen into the hands of the coarse and +wicked Churi and would be ruined and led to do all kinds of wicked +things by the bad boy. All this made her tender heart ache. She had +gone, in the afternoon, to the solitary bench under the apple tree and +had wept until supper time; for, in spite of deep thinking, she had not +been able to find a way by which she could snatch Erick away from the +bad companions. + +Edi, too, wore a drawn face as though he lived on trouble and annoyance +only, and his inner wrath goaded him to unpleasant speeches, for he +hardly had taken his seat at table, when he looked across at Sally and +said: "You can count to-morrow the blue bumps which your friend Erick +will carry home with him, when he begins in the morning before church +and serves under Churi." + +Not much was needed to make Sally break out. "Yes, I know, Edi, that you +would prefer to begin this evening and fight through the whole day +to-morrow," she cried, half sobbing, half defiant, looking across the +table, "if Papa had not forbidden it." + +Edi became flushed, for it came into his mind how long he had searched +for an example after which he might take part and yet hold his own +before his father. + +The latter looked earnestly at him and said: "Edi, Edi, I hope you will +try not to be a Pharisee. It is a bad sign for the boy Erick that he has +joined the fighters, moreover, and that he has made friends with the +very worst rowdy. But, dear Sally, you need not knock your potatoes so +roughly about your plate as if they were to blame for all the unpleasant +things; eat them peacefully." + +But Sally could not swallow anything more. When soon after Edi lay in +his bed, he heaved a deep sigh and said: "Everything is over for me, but +I will be glad for one thing, that tomorrow comes, because to-morrow is +Sunday. You know what we get to-morrow, Ritz?" + +"Sunday school." + +"No, I don't mean that, I mean something nice." + +"But Sunday school is nice." + +"No, I don't mean that either, I mean something which one can use very +well, when no other pleasure comes along." + +"An oracle," Ritz said quickly, much contented with the delightful +prospect. + +"Ritz, you do guess such ridiculous things. I have told you that there +are no more oracles. There will be apple-cake, that is what I meant," +Edi said with a sigh, for now he saw again all the things for which he +had wished so much more than apple-cake. + +"And do you know, Edi," said Ritz, following his own train of thought, +"to-morrow Sally will not be able to eat again because Erick gets his +bumps; then we will also get her share, and that will make three pieces +for each." With these words Ritz turned happily on his side and went to +sleep. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +What Happens on Organ-Sunday + + +Early in the morning, long before the nine o'clock church service, large +crowds of people were walking toward Upper Wood, for everybody wanted to +hear the new organ. It was a beautiful Sunday and everyone preferred to +go to Upper Wood to church. The women all carried a few beautiful +flowers on their hymnbooks, and when they had arrived at the open place +before the church they stopped and greeted each other and stood talking +in different groups. Gradually the men came along and did the same. + +The Mayor was standing a little on one side with the Justice of Peace. +They were in deep conversation in which many threats occurred, for the +Mayor several times held up his finger and waved it threateningly in the +air. + +Kaetheli stood close beside her father and pricked up her ears. Now the +church bells began to ring. Soon after the pastor's wife and Sally came +out of their house door, and behind them quiet, devout Edi and Ritz with +hymn-books under their arms. After a few steps they all stopped to wait +for the pastor. Now the old wife of the sexton ran to the pastor's wife; +she always had to report something as soon as she caught sight of her. +Kaetheli took advantage of the opportunity. Like a flash she was from +her father's side and whispered with the greatest rapidity in Sally's +ear: "Just think what I know now. Last evening Neighbor Rudi, who +belongs to Churi's officers, told me that it was not on account of the +fight that they were going away in the morning; but that they were going +into the Mayor's vineyard and were going to take his early grapes; that +Churi had persuaded Erick to come along, because he wants to send him +ahead through the vineyard, because a trap might be set there. Of course +Erick would be caught and the others could be warned and pass by, +without harm. But imagine what the Mayor has just told father: he has +had something placed in the narrow pathway which leads through the grape +vines which no one can see; but if anyone steps on it, it discharges a +shot in the face and burns it so that no one could recognize him any +more, for it would mar him so badly. Just think, Erick's curls will be +burned off and his handsome face will be so marred that we shall not +know him." + +Sally had become as white as snow from fright. "Come quickly, Kaetheli," +she said urgently, "we will run after Erick and tell him everything, +come!" + +"It is much too late, why, what do you think," Kaetheli said, "they +started early this morning. Erick is already burned." + +Now the pastor came out. The mother turned and took Sally's hand, who +tried to stay behind. Kaetheli went toward the church, and Sally knew +that she too had to go in; but she could hardly walk from fear and +anguish, and as she sat on her bench within, she saw and heard nothing +of the whole organ festivities, for she only saw the disfigured Erick +before her, how he was sitting in the vineyard and moaning, and her +tears fell so plentifully that she could no longer look up. + +Churi and his officers had assembled at the set time. Erick also had +kept his word and was there. Although the companions had started early, +they met single churchgoers on their way to Upper Wood, for these people +wanted to look around on their way to church, to see how things were in +the fields and gardens, and so they had set off in good time. + +Now Churi had commanded his officers that they must each bring a basket, +for there was no time to eat the grapes in the vineyard; they must cut +them quickly and throw them into their baskets, then they would go into +the woods, to a safe place, and eat them in peace. But armed with +baskets the officers appeared somewhat suspicious; Churi himself thought +so and he now ordered, when they arrived at Upper Wood, that his +officers should hide the baskets behind a barn, until all the church-goers +had entered the church and the roads were safe. + +Erick had already asked twice what the baskets were needed for on an +inspection march, but he had received no answer. As now the warriors sat +hidden behind the heap of straw and had time for questions and answers, +Erick asked again: "What are you going to put in the baskets?" + +"Grapes, if you insist on knowing!" Churi shouted at him, "and you too +will find them good when you eat them." + +After the bells had stopped ringing and all was quiet round about, Churi +commanded them to start. "But you will be very quiet when you pass the +church, do you hear?" he ordered; "for the doors are still open." + +Full, bright organ tones came through the opened doors toward the boys +when they silently approached the church, and now, suddenly, the whole +congregation joined with the tones of the organ and sang in loud, full +chorus: + + "How shall I then receive Thee? + And how shall I then meet Thee? + Oh, Thou, the world's desire + Who set'st my heart on fire!" + +Like lightning Erick was away out of the midst of his companions to the +church-door and into the church. + +Churi grew pale from fright; he believed nothing less than that Erick +had rushed into the church to betray publicly to the whole congregation +the intended grape-theft. Instantly he turned around and ran away like a +madman, for he firmly believed that half the congregation was on his +heels, since he heard a crowd running after him. But the runners were +his companions, who followed him in greatest haste, for since they saw +the brave Churi run like fire, they thought that there must be great +danger, and they rushed with always longer and longer leaps after him. + +Erick had run into the midst of a crowd of people, who all stood in the +passage of the church because there were no more seats on the benches, +so full was the church. Now the hymn, accompanied by the organ, rushed +like a big, full stream on through the church: + + "Thy Zion scatters palms + And greening twigs for Thee, + But I in glorious psalms + Will lift my soul to Thee! + My heart be overflowing + In constant love and praise + In service will be growing, + Will Thy dear name then grace." + +In breathless attention Erick stood there, for it was his mother's song! +He was trembling in every limb and large tears ran down his cheeks. A +woman who sat near him noticed the trembling little fellow; she drew him +compassionately close to her and made a little room for him, so that he +could sit down. + +The singing had stopped and the pastor began to preach. During the +sermon Erick recovered a little from the strong emotion which had quite +overpowered him when he suddenly heard in such powerful tones his lost +song again. + +He now looked round and saw that he was firmly wedged in and could not +move, for two more women had forced themselves between the sitters, and +the whole passage the full length of the church was densely thronged +with people. So Erick sat, quiet as a mouse, and did not stir until the +sermon and prayer were at an end. Then once more the full tones of the +organ sounded and the congregation rose and sang: + + "I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise." + +His mother had sung that at the very last. Erick saw her again before +him, as she had sat the last evening at the piano and had spoken to him +with words so full of love; and then, in the morning, she had lain there +so still and pale. He laid his head on the arm of the bench and sobbed +as if his heart would break. The people passed by him, and here and +there one woman said to another: "The poor little fellow, he has no one +on this earth," and then they went out. + +The pastor in the pulpit had seen Erick rush into church. He now looked +again in that direction, and noticed the little chap, how he sat there +on the empty bench, so forsaken, his head resting on his arm. The pastor +now walked behind the last of the congregation toward the bench. He +stepped into the pew and put his hand on Erick's shoulder and asked +kindly: "Why are you weeping so hard, my boy?" + +"Because--because--because they sang Mother's song," sobbed Erick. + +"What is your name?" the pastor asked again. + +"Erick Dorn," was the answer. + +Now the pastor knew what to do. He took the boy's hand in his fatherly +hand, pulled him down from the high bench and said: "Come with me, my +boy!" + +At the parsonage the three children stood waiting for the father's +return, as they did every Sunday. Sally had not said a word since they +had left church; now she came close to her mother and said, quite +excited: "Please, please, Mamma, may I go now at once to Kaetheli? I +have to talk over something with her, really I must." + +Sally had made up her mind to go out into the vineyards to look for +Erick, but she did not know the way, so Kaetheli was to go with her. But +the mother opposed Sally's urging and said: "You know, dear, that we +have dinner at once, and father does not allow such running away on +Sunday. There he comes now. Who is the little boy whose hand he is +holding?" + +Sally uttered a loud shout of joy and tore away. "Oh, Erick! you are not +burnt!" she cried, beside herself with joy, when she now saw Erick +before her with his abundant curls and bright eyes. + +"Of course not," said Erick, politely lifting his little cap and +offering his hand to her, a little surprised, for he did not know when +he could have burned himself. Quickly she took his hand and so the three +met the surprised mother who, however, at the sight of Erick, guessed at +once who the fine boy in the velvet jacket was. She greeted him lovingly +and stroked his tear-stained eyes and flushed cheeks. + +Sally would have liked to ask at once how all had happened, and would +have urged him to tell everything; but when she saw how he must have +wept, she shrank from enquiring and held his hand quietly. Edi and Ritz +also noticed at once the traces of tears and greeted him quite calmly. + +The pastor left his family to go to his room and the mother took his +place and conducted Erick, whom Sally on the other side held firmly by +the hand, up the stairs; Ritz and Edi followed. When 'Lizebeth, who was +standing in the kitchen door, saw the procession come and noticed that +the mother held the little stranger so tenderly by his hand, as though +he were her own small Ritz, then 'Lizebeth at once shut the kitchen +door, and grumbled: "There is something wrong about this!" + +Soon after, the whole family sat around the noonday table, and if Sally +could not eat yesterday from sorrow, today she could not swallow +anything from pure joy, not even the apple cake, which surprised Ritz +very much. But he was glad that the sad Erick also got some, for he +thought that that must comfort him. + +In the evening of this Sunday, Erick sat in the midst of the pastor's +family around the four-cornered sitting-room table, as snugly and +familiarly as if he long since belonged there. He had been treated, the +whole afternoon, with such kindness by all, that his whole heart, which +had been accustomed to a mother's great love, opened, and he felt more +happy than he had in all the sad days since he had had to miss this +love. Sally did not know how she could do enough to give him pleasure. +Now she had brought the most beautiful picture book that she owned, and +Erick looked with her at the pictures, which she eagerly explained to +him; all the time beaming with joy that everything, she had believed +lost, had come to her; that Erick was in the midst of them at home like +a near friend, and was to stay over the night, for the father had +arranged that at once. + +Edi sat over his history book and Ritz had a book of his own before him, +but looked over it at Sally and listened to her explanation. Now Edi +lifted his head--he must have come upon something very particular. + +"Papa," he said, "now I know for certain what I want to be: a +sea-captain. Then I can sail around the world, for _sometime_ I must see +all the lands where all these things have happened." + +"So, I thought you wanted to be a professor of history," remarked the +father, not much disturbed by this piece of news. + +"I want to be that, too," said Ritz, "I, too, want to sail in ships." + +"No, you see, Ritz, two brothers must not be the same thing, else they +get in each other's way," instructed Edi. + +"Then I will be a sea-robber, they too sail in ships," Ritz comforted +himself. + +"We will not hope anything of the kind," said the father behind his +church paper. + +"And do you remember, Ritz, what I once told you about Julius Caesar?" +Edi reminded him. "If I were to catch you like that, then I should be +obliged to have you killed." + +"No, I do not want that! But what can one be with ships?" Ritz asked +plaintively, for if Edi expressed a thought, then it usually remained +firmly in Ritz's head. + +"One can be also something very good without ships, my dear Ritz," the +mother said comfortingly, "and that is much safer; then one stays on +firm land, and I should advise you to stay. And what does our Erick want +to be? Has he too thought of that?" + +"I must become an honorable man," answered Erick at once. + +"That is no calling," instructed Edi. + +But the father put down his book and said, nodding at the boy: "That is +right, Erick, go toward that goal: first, and above all, an honorable +man; after that, every calling is all right." + +Now the mother rose, for it was time to go to bed. Edi and Ritz took +Erick between them and thus marched ahead of the mother to conduct him +to his little room which was beside their bedroom, so that the door +between could be left open, with the advantage that Erick also could be +drawn into the nightly conversation. Both Edi and Ritz were delighted +with that. + +So the Organ-Sunday, which had begun so hostilely, ended quite +peacefully. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A Secret that is Kept + + +When on the next morning the pastor's family was at breakfast, the +pastor arranged that Erick should not go with the other three to school, +since he belonged to the school in Lower Wood and it was now too far to +go there. When the other three had gone, then Erick should come to him +in his study. So it was decided, and when Erick came into the study the +pastor pointed to a seat and said: "Now sit down in front of me"--for he +himself sat on the large sofa--"look into my eyes, and tell me +everything from the beginning and exactly what happened yesterday before +you came into church, also what you intended to do, for I have heard all +kinds of things." + +Erick looked with his large, bright blue eyes straight into the +pastor's, and told everything from the beginning: how he was going to be +auctioned and did not want to be, what Churi had promised him, how he +then had gone with them, also how the others had brought large baskets +to put grapes in, but he did not know where they were to get the grapes. +The pastor, however, now knew everything, for Sally had reported how the +Mayor was expecting his grape-thieves again and how he was going to +receive them. It was now quite plain, as one had always suspected, that +the same crowd, the Middle Lotters, under Churi's lead, had plundered +the vineyard. + +"Erick," said the pastor earnestly, "you want to be an honorable man and +you mean it seriously so far as you understand the word, I have seen +that; but that is not the way which will lead you there. See, you can +understand, that you have made friends with a crowd of boys who are on +no good road; for, to run about wild on Sunday, when the bells call to +church, and to be obliged to hide behind barns from nice people,--you +did not learn that from your mother, did you, Erick?" + +Erick had to lower his open eyes and answered very low: "No." + +"But worse things turn up if one goes with bad boys," the pastor +continued. "Through them, one often comes where one never wanted to +come. See, if you had not been saved from it through your mother's song +which you heard, you would have been caught with the others in the +vineyard as a thief, and punished as such. Well, Erick, if your mother +should have had to hear that!" + +Erick had grown dark red in the face. He was silent for some time, +visibly from fear and perplexity, then he asked timidly: "Can I no +longer grow to be an honorable man?" + +"Yes, indeed, Erick," said the pastor now kindly, "that you can. You +know now on what road one cannot go; think of that and keep yourself far +from bad companions. And now I will tell you how you can become a man of +honor. Do you remember how the verse in your mother's song goes, which +begins: + + "'Thy Zion scatters palms + And greening twigs for Thee, + But I in glorious psalms + Will lift my soul to Thee!'" + +In an instant Erick continued: + + "'My heart be overflowing + In constant love and praise, + In service will be growing, + Will Thy dear name then grace.'" + +"Erick, you must never forget these words. If you bring all your deeds +before the dear God and look to it before Him, whether you 'Will grace +His dear name' as well as you know, then you will become a genuinely +honorable man. Will you think on it?" + +"Yes, I will," Erick promised gladly, as now he looked up again to the +pastor freely and openly. + +"Then," the latter said after a while, "there is still something else, +Erick. Have you known your father?" + +"No." + +"Do you know if he is still alive, where he is?" + +"Mother told me father had gone to America, to make a large fortune for +himself and for us; but he has not yet returned." + +"Do you know other relatives, sisters or brothers of your mother, or +some close friends?" + +"No." + +"Don't you know of anyone to whom one could turn, who would look after +you?" + +"No, no," said Erick, quite anxiously. + +But the pastor put his hand very kindly on Erick's head and said: "You +must not be afraid, my boy, all will come out all right. You may go +now." + +Erick rose; he hesitated for a moment, then he asked somewhat +falteringly: "Must I go now directly to be auctioned? I am afraid +Marianne has gone by now." + +"No, no," the pastor answered quickly, "you will not go there at all, +not at all. Now you go down to Mamma, she will keep you for the +present." + +Erick's eyes shone for joy. He had thought up till now that he would be +sent to the auction, away from the happy life in the parsonage, but now +this threatening bugbear was done away with forever. When Erick entered +the sitting-room he found old Marianne sitting there. They had sent +word, the evening before, that Erick would not come back for the night, +but Marianne could not have gone away without taking leave of him. With +many tears she bade him good-bye, and Erick too felt sorry that good old +Marianne was going away; but since he might stay in the parsonage, it +was indeed a different thing for him than if he had had to remain behind +alone. + +The weeping Marianne had hardly left the door, when the stately Mayor +came in and went with firm steps toward the pastor's study. Early in the +morning, when he was going into the vineyard, he had met the Justice of +Peace, and heard from him all the happenings of yesterday, how Erick had +spoiled the game for the grape-thieves, and how they, the would-be +thieves, had run far beyond the next two villages before they even +became aware that it was only their allies who were chasing them. +Kaetheli had learned all that, and had reported it to her father. The +Mayor was quite satisfied with the outcome of the affair, and since he +looked on Erick as the saver of his grapes, he now came to the pastor to +talk over what could be done for the poor orphan. + +The gentlemen held a long consultation, for both were anxious to find +the most suitable plan for the boy; but they could not come to an +agreement. The Mayor proposed that since the little fellow did not +appear to be very strong, it would be best to apprentice him to an easy +trade. He thought it would be best to put him to board at the tailor's, +then he would grow into the trade without much trouble, and would have +nice companions in the tailor's own boys; they were suited to each +other, for the tailor's sons were also dressed as cleanly and carefully +as he was. But the pastor had other thoughts; he had a good institute in +his mind, where Erick could be cared for at once and later be educated +for a teacher. This also suited the Mayor, and he took leave with the +assurance that he would make Erick a nice little gift, for the little +fellow had shown him a greater kindness than he could know, which the +pastor verified. + +When later the pastor told his wife of their transaction, she did not +quite agree with it; she thought that she might keep the orphaned Erick +for a while with her; in fact she should prefer to keep him altogether, +for she had already taken this loving, trusting boy deep into her heart. +But the pastor convinced her that the "keeping altogether" could not be +done, since there were nearer obligations to all kinds of relatives, so +that one could not give the little stranger preference in such a way. +But he gladly granted the wish of his wife to keep Erick at least a few +weeks in their home; for, he said, one could postpone his entrance into +the institute until the beginning of the new year. + +When the children were told of the decision there was great rejoicing, +for Edi had put into Ritz's head a large number of splendid +undertakings, which could be carried out only by three people, and Sally +knew of nothing in the whole world that could have given her greater joy +than that now she could be with the new friend from day to day; for he +was in every way what she could wish, and in many ways he was much nicer +than she could have imagined from the manners of her former friends. + +Erick had such a happy, refined, thoughtful disposition, that it seemed +to Sally as if she lived in continuous sunshine when she was with him. +The aunt also agreed with the decision to keep the boy in the parsonage, +although at first she had seen in it a disturbance in the order of the +household, since the increasing of the number would mean that in the +evening it would take even longer to get to a settlement. But when she +noticed that Erick, on the first hint, rose at once and did what was +desired, then her fears turned to hopes that one might impress the +others a little with this ever-ready boy, which impressed her very +favorably. 'Lizebeth alone continued her dislike of the new-comer, and +whenever she met him in the house she measured him with her eyes from +his head to as far as the velvet reached. + +Erick soon felt quite at home in the parsonage. He now went with the +three children to the same school, shared Edi's historical interest as +long as the latter entertained him with it, which was the case on every +walk to school, and as often as possible besides, for Edi found large +gaps in the historical knowledge of his new friend and felt himself +called upon to fill them in. Erick was a good listener and often put +questions which drove Edi to new, deep studies and which excited him so +much that he had almost no other thoughts but Rome and Carthage. + +With good-natured Ritz, Erick was also on good terms. The little fellow +ran after him wherever he went, and looked delighted when he saw him +from afar; then he rushed at him and was always sure of a pleasant +reception and jocular conversation, for Erick was always friendly, +talkative and in good humor, and never buried in history books which +often made Edi unhappy. So Ritz spent all the time out of school either +with Erick, or seeking him, which however sometimes cost him a good deal +of time, for the very nearest friends, after all, were Erick and Sally. +The two could not be separated. There was a great similarity in their +temperaments, for what the one wanted the other liked also, and what the +one did not like, did not please the other, and both liked nothing +better than to go together up into the woods, where under the old +fir-tree was the small bench on which they could sit and tell each other +all they knew; or to go down to the foaming Woodbach and there, sitting +on the stones near the bank, watch the tossing waves rush down. They +never seemed to lack topics of conversation. Erick told about his +mother, and how they had lived together, and of her beautiful singing; +and Sally never grew weary of hearing again and again the same stories, +and would keep on asking questions. + +So they sat on their bench under the tree on the sunny Sunday afternoon +in the first week in October, and Sally had just begun her questions. +This time she wanted to know why the mother had sent Erick to Lower Wood +to school and not to Upper Wood, where all good people from Middle Lot +came--Kaetheli, for example. Then Erick told her that his mother had +asked Marianne about the schools, and after Marianne had explained +everything to her, and that fewer children went to Lower Wood and mostly +children who were not so well-known, then his mother had at once decided +that he should go there. "For you see, Sally, we were obliged to be +alone and hide ourselves until I had become an honorable man." + +"But why? I do not understand it at all," Sally said somewhat +impatiently. "And then afterwards when you had become an honorable man, +what did you want to do, if you did not know anyone?" + +"I should very much like to tell it to you, Sally," Erick answered very +seriously, "but you would have to promise me that you would tell it to +no human being; never, not if it should take many, many years." + +"Yes, yes, I will surely promise that," Sally said quickly, for she was +very anxious to hear the secret. + +"No, Sally, you must consider it well," said Erick, and held his hands +behind his back, to let her have time, "then if you have decided that +you will tell no human being one single word, then you must promise it +to me with a firm handshake." + +Sally had fully decided. "Just give me your hand, Erick," she urged. +"So, I promise you that I will tell to no one a single word of that +which you want to tell me." + +Now Erick felt safe. "You see, Sally," he began, "in Denmark there is a +very large, beautiful estate, with a beautiful lawn before the house to +which one can go directly through large doors out of the halls, and in +the middle of the lawn are the beautiful flower-beds just filled with +roses; and on the other side of the house one goes across to the large, +old oaks, where the horses graze--for there are many beautiful horses. +And on the left side of the house one comes directly into the small +forest; there is a pond quite surrounded by dense trees, and a small +bench stands above and from there one descends three steps to the little +boat that has two oars, and my mother liked best to sit there and row +about the pond. For, you see, my mother lived there when she was a +child, and also later when she was grown up. And there below, where the +lawn stops, begin the large stables where the horses are when they are +not grazing; and my mother had her own little white horse. She rode +about on that with grandfather or with old John. Oh, that was so +beautiful! But once Mother was disobedient to grandfather, for she +wanted to go far away with my father, and grandfather would not have it; +but she went, and then she was not allowed to come back, and everything +was over." + +Sally had listened with breathless attention. Now she burst out: "Dear, +dear, what a pity! That is exactly like Adam and Eve in Paradise! But +where did your mother go to? And who is now on that beautiful estate?" + +"Mother went far away to Paris, then to many other places, and at last +we came to Middle Lot. My grandfather still lives on the estate." + +"Oh, Erick, we will write a letter at once to your grandfather and ask +him whether you may now come home again?" + +"Oh, no, no! I dare not do that," opposed Erick. "I must not go to my +grandfather until I have become an honorable man, so that I may say to +him: 'I will not bring shame on your name, Grandfather, but Mother would +like to make up through me for what you have suffered through her!' I +have promised that to my mother!" + +"Oh, what a pity, what a pity!" lamented Sally, "you may never go to the +beautiful estate until you are a man; that will be a terrible long time. +And then you have to go away in the winter to quite strange people, to +an institute. Oh, if you only could go to the beautiful estate, to +Grandfather! Can it not be brought about, Erick? Can no one help you?" + +"No, that is quite impossible," said Erick, thoroughly convinced. "But +now, since you know all, I will tell you a good deal more about the +estate, for I know much more, and Mother and I have talked so often +about it," so Erick told more and more until they reached home, where +both of them were much distracted, for both were wandering in thought +about the beautiful estate far away. The mother looked several times now +at the one, then at the other, for nothing unusual in her children ever +escaped her motherly eye; but she said nothing. When later she had +prayed with the children, and was now standing in her own bedroom, she +heard how Sally, in her little bedroom beside hers, was praying loud and +earnestly to God. + +The mother wondered what could so occupy the thoughts of her little +girl, who was usually so open and communicative. What had happened this +evening, and what was urging her to such a pleading prayer, and why had +she not said a word about it? Could the child have a secret trouble? She +softly opened the door a little, and now heard how Sally several times +in succession fervently prayed: "Oh, dear God, please bring it about +that Erick may come to his grandfather on the beautiful estate." + +Now the mother entered Sally's room. "My dear child," she said, "for +what did you pray just now to the dear God? Will you explain it to me?" + +But Sally made such an uproar that the mother stopped with surprise. +"You did not hear it, Mother? I hope you have not understood it, Mother. +Have you? You must not know it, Mother, no one must know it. It is a +great secret." + +"But, dear child, do be quiet and listen to me," said the mother kindly. +"I heard that you prayed to the dear God for something for Erick. +Perhaps we, too, could do something for him. Tell me what you know, for +it may lead to something good for him." + +"No, no," cried Sally in the greatest excitement, "I will say nothing, I +have promised him, and I do not know anything else than for what I have +prayed." And Sally threw herself on her pillow and began to sob. + +Now the mother ordered her to be quiet and let the thing rest. She would +not ask her any more, nor speak of it. Sally should do as she felt, and +surrender everything to the dear God. But the mother put two things +together in her mind. When Marianne had come to take leave, she had +questioned her about Erick's mother and the latter's condition; also +whether Marianne knew her maiden name. But Marianne did not know much, +only once she had seen a strange name, but had not been able to read it. +It was when Erick, at one time, had taken the cover from his mother's +little Bible; then she saw a name written with golden letters. Erick +must have the little Bible. The lady had seen the little black book in +Erick's box and had taken off the close-fitting cover and had found +written in fine gold letters the name, "Hilda von Vestentrop". She at +once assumed that this must be the maiden name of Erick's mother; but +she knew nothing further. + +Now she had learned through Sally's prayer that Denmark had been her +native land, and that a father was living there. All this she told to +her husband the same evening, and proposed that he should write at once +to this gentleman in Denmark. + +The pastor leaned far back in his armchair and stared at his wife with +astonishment. "Dear wife," he said at last, "do you really believe that +I could send a letter addressed 'von Vestentrop, Denmark'? This address +is no doubt enough for the dear God, but not for short-sighted human +beings." + +But the wife did not give in. She reminded her husband that he knew +their countryman, the pastor of the French church in Copenhagen, and +that he perhaps could help him onto the track of von Vestentrop; the +latter must be the owner of an estate and such a gentleman could be +found. And the wife spoke so long and so impressively to her husband +that he finally sat down that very evening and wrote two letters. The +one he addressed "To Mr. von Vestentrop in Denmark". This one he +enclosed in the second and addressed that to his acquaintance, the +pastor of the French church in Copenhagen. Then he laid the heavy letter +on his writing-table so that early to-morrow morning 'Lizebeth would +find it and carry it to the post office. + + + +CHAPTER X + +Surprising Things Happen + + +Weeks had passed by since Erick had become an inhabitant of the +parsonage, but 'Lizebeth had not changed her mind. Just now she was +standing in the kitchen-door, when Erick came running up the steps, and +hastily asked: "Where are Ritz and Edi?" + +'Lizebeth measured him with a long look and said: "I should have thought +that a boy in velvet would utter the names in a strange house more +politely, and that he might say, 'Where are Eduardi and Moritzli?'" + +Much frightened, Erick looked up to 'Lizebeth. "I did not know that I +ought to talk so in the parsonage; I have never done it and I am sorry +for it; now I will always remember to say it," he promised assuringly. + +Now that did not suit 'Lizebeth. She had believed that he would answer, +"That is none of your business." For that remark she had prepared a +fitting answer. And now he answered her so nicely that she was caught, +but if he really was going to carry out his promise, then the lady of +the house might find out how she had schoolmastered him and that might +draw upon her some unpleasantness, for she knew how tenderly the former +treated the boy Erick. She therefore changed her tactics and said: +"Well, you see, I always say the names in the proper way; it is +different with you, you are their comrade, and as far as I am concerned, +you can call them as you like." + +"I should like to ask something else, if I may," said Erick, and +politely waited for permission. + +'Lizebeth liked this mannerly way very well and said encouragingly: +"Yes, indeed, ask on, as much as you like." + +"I wanted to ask whether I may say ''Lizebeth' like the others, or +whether I ought to say 'Mistress 'Lizebeth'." + +Now Erick had won over 'Lizebeth's whole heart for the reason that he +wanted to know what title she ought to have by rights, and that showed +her what a fine boy he was. She patted his shoulder protectingly, and +his curly hair, and said: "You just call me ''Lizebeth', and if you want +to ask anything, then come into the kitchen, and I will tell you +everything you want to know and--wait a moment!" With these words she +turned round and chased about the kitchen, then she came to him with two +splendid, bright red apples in her hand. + +"Oh, what beautiful apples! Thank you ever so much, 'Lizebeth!" he cried +delightedly, and now ran out. + +'Lizebeth looked after him with such pride as if she were his +grandmother, and said to herself: "Let anyone come now and show me three +finer little boys in the whole world than our three are." With this +challenge, and the proud consciousness that no one could accept it, she +turned to her pans and kettles. + +So Erick had won over everyone, but there was still one who looked at +him from the corner of his eyes and always with a look of wrath, for a +few days after Organ-Sunday, the Mayor had ordered that Churi should +appear before him, and the bold Churi could hardly keep on his feet when +he had to appear before the judicial tribunal, for he expected to +receive the well-earned punishment from the strong hand of the Mayor. +But the latter only pinched his ear a little and said: "Churi, Churi! +this time you get off better than you deserve, for I know now who got +the grapes last year, and I also know who wanted to get them again a few +days ago. If from now on, even one single little bunch is missing, I +shall hold you responsible, and you will be surprised at what will +happen to you, think of that! Now go." + +Churi did not need to be told that twice; he was gone as if his life was +at stake; but from that time on he thought of revenge on Erick, and when +he met him, he shook his fist at him and said: "You wait! I will get you +sometime." But so far he had never met Erick alone, and had never been +able to do him the slightest harm. This secretly embittered Churi still +more. + +Now winter had set in. Upper Wood lay deeply buried in snow, and +everyone was busy thinking of Christmas and New Year. In these days the +pastor gave a gentle hint to his wife, that the time for Erick's change +to the institute, for which the Mayor also had offered his help, was +fast approaching. But the lady hardly let him finish his sentence for +excitement, and answered at once: "How can you even think of such a +thing! In the first place; we must wait for the answer from Denmark, +before we do anything; and secondly, the whole Christmas joy would be +spoiled completely for the children, through such news; thirdly, we +ourselves, you and I, could not separate ourselves so suddenly and +unprepared from a child who is as dear to us as one of our own--" + +"Fourthly, 'Lizebeth will give notice at once," continued the pastor, +"for she now is the worst of all, from all that I see. One thing is +sure, dear wife, if the little fellow was not so guileless and had not +such an exceptionally good disposition, you women would have ruined him +so that he never could get straightened again, for you, one and all, +spoil him quite terribly." + +"It is just this harmless and exceptionally well-disposed character of +the child which wins all hearts, so that one cannot help treating him +with peculiar love. No talk of sending Erick away before Easter can be +considered, and much can happen before then, my dear husband." + +"Oh, yes," the latter agreed, "only do not look for an answer from +Denmark, for it would be in vain. The guilelessness in that address went +a little too far." + +But the pastor's wife was contented that another respite had been +granted, and she hoped on. + +The winter passed, Easter was approaching, but no answer came. This time +the pastor's wife got ahead of her husband. When shortly before Easter a +belated April frost set in, she explained to him that new winter wraps +had to be made for all the children, and before one could think of +sending Erick away, summer clothing had to be prepared for him; his good +velvet suit looked, indeed, still very fine, and would last some time +yet, but her husband knew it was his only suit, and for mid-summer +another must absolutely be procured for him, and for that, time and +leisure were needed. + +The pastor gave his consent to the postponement without opposition. In +his heart he was heartily glad for the good excuse; for he, like all the +rest, had learned to love Erick so much that the thought of his +departure was very painful to him. + +His wife was contented again and thought in her heart: "Who knows what +may happen before summer." + +But something did happen which seemed to destroy with one blow all her +hopes. The warm June had come and on the sunny hillsides around Upper +Wood the strawberries, which grew there in plenty, were beginning to +give out most delightful fragrance, and to turn red. That was a glorious +time for all children round about. The children of the parsonage, too, +undertook daily strawberry-expeditions and every evening belated they +returned home. The order-devoted aunt, who, after a winter's absence, +had returned with the summer to the parsonage, did not leave any remedy +untried to restore at least the usual condition of things. + +Below near the Woodbach the berries grew largest and most plentifully. +But to go there they had to wait till Saturday afternoon, when they had +no school, for it was too far to take the walk after afternoon school. +When Saturday came and the sun was shining brightly in the sky, then the +whole company in joyous mood left the parsonage, Sally and Erick ahead, +Ritz and Edi following. All were armed with baskets, for to-day, so they +had decided, Mother was to receive a great quantity of strawberries +instead of their eating all on the spot as usually happened. Having +arrived on the hillside over the Woodbach, the best spots were sought; +if one was found which was plentifully sprinkled over with strawberries, +then the whole company was called together and the place cleared, and +afterwards each went out again for new discoveries. + +Erick was a good climber; without any trouble he swung himself down over +the steepest hillsides, and jumped up the high rocks like a squirrel. +Sally saw him, how he swung himself down a rock where he had espied on +the lowest end a spot that shone bright red in the sun, as if covered +with rubies. Were they berries or flowers which were growing there so +beautifully? Erick must see them nearer. Sally shouted after him: "Call +us if you find something, but be careful, it is steep there." + + +[Illustration: _Churi....unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that +Erick rolled down the rest of the mountain side...._] + + +Erick answered with a yodel and disappeared. Having arrived below, he +met the Middle Lotters, who were bending in groups here and there, or +lying on the ground, eating the berries which they picked. Erick could +not find the red spot which he had seen from above; but not far away +from him stood Churi, who had seen him coming down. Churi called to him: + +"Come here, velvet pants, here are berries such as you have never seen." + +Erick went quite calmly to him and when he now had stepped quite close +to Churi, the latter unexpectedly gave him such a severe push that Erick +rolled down the rest of the mountain side and right into the gray waves +of the Woodbach. + +When Churi saw that, he was frightened. For a moment he stared at the +gray waves; but Erick had disappeared, not a speck of him could be seen. +Then Churi softly turned round and ran away as quickly as he could, +without looking round, for his conscience bit him and drove him along, +and he dared not look anyone in the face for fear that someone could +read there what he had done. The other Middle Lotters had not paid +attention to what was going on. Perhaps once in a while one of the crowd +would ask, "What has become of Churi all of a sudden?" and another would +answer, "He can go, wherever he likes," and they would turn again to +their berries and think no more of him. + +Meanwhile Sally had remained standing in the same spot and had waited +for Erick's call. When it did not come, she began to call, but received +no answer. She now called to Edi, and he came running with Ritz, and all +three called together for Erick, but in vain. The sun had long since +set, and it was beginning to grow dark. All children, even the Middle +Lotters, went past them on their homeward way, and they were always the +very last. "Show me once more, and be quite sure, the very spot where he +began to climb down," said Edi, "I will go down, in the same path." + +Sally showed the exact spot, where Erick had descended over the rock, +and Edi began the descent a little timidly. But he arrived safely down +below and ran hither and thither, calling with a loud voice: "Erick! +Erick!" But only the echo from the rocks, round about, answered +mockingly: "'Rick! 'Rick!" + +Now it really began to be dark, and round about not a human sound, only +the rushing of the Woodbach, sounded through the stillness. Edi began to +feel a little uncomfortable; he climbed as quickly as possible up the +rock and said hastily: "Come, we will go home. Perhaps Erick is already +at home, he may have gone by another road." + +But Sally opposed this proposition with all her power, and assured him +firmly that Erick had not gone home; that he would have first come back +to her; and she was not going a step away from where he had left her, +until Erick came, for if he were to come and she was not there, then he +would wait for her again, if he had to wait the whole night, she was +sure of that. + +"We must go home, you know it," declared Edi. "Come, Sally, you know we +must." + +"I cannot, I cannot!" lamented Sally. "You go with Ritz and tell them at +home how it is; perhaps Erick cannot find the road again." At this +conjecture which, only now after she had uttered it, Sally saw plainly, +she began to weep and sob piteously, while Edi took Ritz by the hand and +ran toward home as quickly as possible. + +Mother and Aunt were standing before the parsonage, looking in all +directions to see if the children would not make their appearance +somewhere. 'Lizebeth ran to and fro, hither and thither, and asked of +the returning children of the neighborhood, where the parsonage children +were. She received the same answer from all: the three were still below +by the Woodbach, and were waiting for Erick, who had gone alone. At last +Ritz and Edi came running through the darkness. Both panted in +confusion, one interrupting the other. They shouted: "Sally +sits--"--"Erick is over"--"Yes, Erick is over"--"But Sally still sits +and"-- + +"Sally sits and Erick is over!" cried the aunt. "Now let anyone make +sense of that!" But the mother drew Edi aside and said; "Come, tell me +quietly what has happened." + +Then Edi told everything, how Erick had climbed over the rock and how +Sally now was sitting alone below near the Woodbach, and Erick gave no +answer to all his calling. + +"For heaven's sake," the mother cried, now thoroughly frightened, "I +hope that nothing has happened to Erick! Or could he have lost his way?" +She ran into the house to ask her husband what was to be done. At once +'Lizebeth ran to seven or eight neighbors and brought them together with +a good deal of noise, all armed with staves and lanterns, as 'Lizebeth +had ordered. Also several women hastened up, they too wanted to help in +the seeking. Now the pastor had come out and joined them, for he himself +wanted to do everything to find Erick, and at any rate to bring Sally +home. 'Lizebeth came last in the procession, with a large basket hanging +from her arm, for without a basket, 'Lizebeth could not leave the house. + +Two long hours went by, while the mother walked ceaselessly to and fro, +now to the window, then to the house door, now up and down the +sitting-room; for the longer no news came the greater grew her fear. At +last the house-door was opened and in came the father, holding the +weeping Sally by the hand, for he had not been able to comfort her. They +had at that time not been able to get a trace of Erick; but the +neighbors were still seeking for him and had promised not to stop +seeking until he was found. 'Lizebeth was still with them, and she was +the most energetic of all the seekers. + +Only after many comforting words from the mother, and after she had +prayed with her whole heart with the child to the dear God, that He +would protect the lost Erick and bring him home again, could Sally at +last be quieted. She fell then into a deep sleep, and slept so soundly +that she did not wake until late the next morning, and the mother was +glad to know that her daughter was sleeping, as her grief would be +awakened again, when she woke up. + +Sunday morning passed quietly and sadly in the parsonage. Father and +Mother came out of church, before which the people of Upper Wood and +Lower Wood, from Middle Lot, and the whole neighborhood round about, had +assembled to talk over the calamity. + +So far Ritz and Edi had kept very quiet, each busy with his own +occupation. Edi, a large book on his knees, was reading. Ritz was very +busy with breaking off the guns from all his tin soldiers, as now, +having peace in the land, they did not need them. + +"So," Edi, who had looked now and then over his book, said quite +seriously: "if war breaks out again, then the whole company can stay at +home, for they have no more guns; with what are they supposed to fight?" + +Ritz had not thought of that. Quickly he threw all the gunless soldiers +into the box and said: "I do not care to play any more today," no doubt +with the unexpressed hope that the guns, by the time he should open the +box again, might be somehow mended. But now he became restless and asked +to go out, and Edi, who had seen the large gathering by the church, also +decided to go out doors, for he too wanted to hear what was going on. + +The aunt opposed their going out for some time, but finally gave her +consent for half an hour, to which the mother, who had just come in, +agreed. Now Sally appeared and rushed at once to her mother, to hear +about Erick, whether he had come home and how, where and when, or +whether news had come. But before the mother had time to tell her child +gently that no news had come from Erick, but that more people had gone +out, early in the morning, to seek him, the two brothers came rushing in +with unusual bluster and shouted in confusion: + +"There comes a large, large"--"A very tall gentleman"--"A gentleman who +walks very straight out of a coach with two horses." + +"I believe it is a general," Edi brought out finally and very +importantly. + +"No doubt," laughed the aunt. "Next you will see nothing but old +Carthaginians walking about Upper Wood and the whole neighborhood." + +But the mother did not laugh. "Could it not be someone who might bring +news of Erick?" she asked. She ran to the window. At the entrance of the +house was an open traveling coach, to which were harnessed two bay +horses which pawed the ground impatiently, and shook their heads so that +the bright harness rattled loudly. Ritz and Edi disappeared again. These +sounds were irresistible to them. + +Now 'Lizebeth rushed in. "There is a strange gentleman below with the +master," she reported. "I have directed him to the pastor's study, so +that the table can be set here, for I must go out again to the little +boy. The gentleman has snow-white hair but he has a fresh, ruddy face +and walks straight like an army man or a commander." + +"And he came alone?" asked the mistress. "Then he does not bring Erick? +Who may he be?" + +Meanwhile the tall, strange gentleman had entered the pastor's study +below, with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop, of Denmark. The +gentleman will excuse me if I interrupt him." + +The pastor was so surprised that for a moment he could not collect his +wits. Erick's grandfather! There stood the man bodily before him, whose +existence had been to him a mere fairy tale, and the man looked so +stately and so commanding, that everyone who beheld him must be inspired +with respect. But at the same time there was something winning in his +expression, which was familiar to the reverend gentleman from Erick's +dear face. And this gentleman had traveled so far to fetch his grandson, +and Erick had disappeared. + +All this passed through the pastor's head with lightning speed; he stood +for a moment like one paralyzed. But the colonel did not give much time +to the surprised man to recover himself. He quickly took the offered +easy chair, drew the pastor down on another, looked straight into his +eyes and said: "Dear Sir, you sent through the French pastor in +Copenhagen a letter addressed to me, in which you inform me of things of +which I do not believe one single word." + +The surprise of the pastor increased and was reflected in his face. + +"Please understand me rightly, dear Sir," the speaker continued, "not +that I mean that you would make an incorrect statement; but you yourself +have been duped, your kindness has been shamefully misused. Because I +knew that, I did not wish to answer your letter in writing, for we would +have exchanged many letters uselessly and yet would never have come to +an understanding. Behind all this is a clever fellow, who wants to trick +you and me for the sake of gain. So I have let everything rest until I +could combine the present explanation with a journey to Switzerland. So +here I am, and I will tell you, in as few words as possible, the +unfortunate story which led to this deception. But let me look at once +at the object in question. I want to see what the boy is like, whom the +man dares to place before my eyes as my grandson." + +The pastor had now to tell of the unfortunate accident of Erick's +disappearance, how they had searched so far in vain, but how everything +was being done to find the dear boy; therefore he might make his +appearance at any moment. + +The colonel only smiled a little, but that smile was a little sarcastic +and he said: "My good Sir, let us stop the seeking. The boy will not +return. The fellow who has placed him in your hands has calculated +wrongly this time. He, no doubt, hoped that I, at such a distance, would +credulously accept everything that he wanted, and would do what he +wished. Now he has found out that I myself was on the way to see you; +and to bring before my eyes some foundling as my daughter's child, that +he did not dare to do. On that account the child has disappeared, +Reverend Sir; that man knows me." + +However much the pastor might assure the colonel that no one had +interfered in the case, that the boy, after his mother's death, without +anyone's intercession had come into the parsonage, and that from the boy +himself, without himself knowing it, had come the suggestions about the +country and the name of the grandfather,--all explanation of the pastor +did no good, the sturdy gentleman adhered to his firm opinion that the +whole thing was the invented trick of a man who wished to make money, +and that the disappearance of the boy at the necessary moment confirmed +it. + +"But how should, how could the man of whom you speak--" + +The colonel did not listen to the end of the sentence. "You do not know +this man," he threw in, "you do not know his knavery, Sir! I had a +daughter, an only child; I had lost my wife soon after marriage; the +child was all in all to me. She was the sunshine of my house, beautiful +as few, always joyous, amiable to everyone and full of talents. She had +a voice which delighted everyone; it was my joy. I had her instructed in +the house, also in music. Then, a young teacher came and settled in the +town, near which my estate lies. People talked much about the young +musician, and of his artistic skill. He was engaged to teach on all our +neighboring estates. I did the same. I had him come to my house every +day and had no suspicion of misfortune. After a few months, my daughter, +who was hardly eighteen years old, told me that she wanted to marry that +man. I answered her that that never would happen; she should never again +speak of such a thing. She did not say another word, nor did she +complain--that was not her way. I thought all was past and settled, but +found it safer to stop the lessons, and I dismissed the instructor. The +same evening my daughter asked me, whether I could ever in my life +change my opinion. 'Never in my life,' I said, 'that is as sure as my +military honor'. The next morning, she had disappeared. A letter left +for me told me that she was going away with that man and would become +his wife. From that time on,--it is now twelve years ago,--I have never +heard anything from my child, till your letter came. + +"That my daughter is dead, I can well believe, but that she has left a +helpless little boy, that I do not believe, for she would have sent such +a boy, of whom she had a right to dispose, to me; she knows me, she +would have known that I would give him my name, and the remembrance +would be wiped away. But this boy, who has disappeared again at the +right time, has been substituted by the music-teacher, who no doubt +lives somewhere in this neighborhood, and has done it for the purpose of +receiving a sum of money from me. And now, dear Sir, we are through. The +only thing left for me is to express my regret that, your kindness has +been misused through my name; good-bye." + +With these words the colonel rose and offered his hand to the pastor. +The latter held it firmly, saying: "Only one more word, Colonel! +Consider one thing: you know your daughter's character. After she had +done you the great wrong, she might have decided not to send the boy to +you before he in some way could make good the mother's wrongdoing--perhaps +not until the time when he would do honor to your name, when he should +prove to you through his own character that he was worthy of your name." + +"You are a splendid man, who means well with me; but you have not had +the experience I have had. You know no distrust, I can see that, and +that is why you have been imposed upon. Let us part." + +Saying this the colonel again shook the pastor's hand and opened the +door. There the lady of the house met him, who for some time with +impatience had been walking up and down in the garden, for she was sure +that this caller, who stayed so long, was somehow connected with the +lost Erick, and she could not understand why her husband did not call +her. Sally, from the same expectation and greater impatience, followed +her every step. When now the mother had seen from the garden, that the +strange gentleman had risen, she could bear it no longer; she must know +what was going on. When she stepped on the threshold at the moment when +the stranger opened the door, then politeness demanded that the parson +introduce his wife, and the stranger from politeness was obliged to step +back into the room when the master of the house introduced his wife to +him with the words: "Colonel von Vestentrop from Denmark. You indeed +will be delighted to hear this name." + +The lady stepped toward the colonel with visible delight and said +excitedly: "Is it possible? But at what a moment! But you will stay with +us, Colonel, for your dear grandchild must be found. The sweet boy +cannot be lost, he must have lost his way." + +"Pardon me, my gracious lady," the colonel here interrupted her politely, +but somewhat stiffly, "I shall start at once. You are under a delusion; +I have no grandchild, and I must bid you good-bye." + +At mention of the name "Vestentrop", Sally had grown very red; and she +trembled all over, during the conversation that followed. Now she +restrained herself no longer. Tears poured from her eyes, and with the +greatest agitation she sobbed: "Indeed, indeed, he is, I know it, he has +told me himself; but I dared not tell it to anyone." + +"Well, the boy has found at least one good friend and defender," said +the colonel well-pleased, and wanted to pat Sally's cheeks, but she +withdrew quickly, for she first wanted to know whether the gentleman +would believe and recognize Erick, before she would let him touch her. + +The mother too was struck to the core by this incredulity. Her husband +had whispered a few words to her, so she understood at once the whole +situation. + +"Colonel," she now said, placing herself before him, "do not act in such +haste. Let me prevail on you to stay a few days, yes, even this one day! +The dear child must, and will be found, please God! See him first. Learn +to know the treasure which you are about to give up so lightly. If you +could know what sunshine you want to withhold from your house, you could +never be happy again. Do not think, sir, that I would give the child +away; how shall I, how shall we all be able to bear it, when the dear, +sunny face shall have disappeared forever from among our children." The +tears came into the mother's eyes also, and she could say no more. + +"Well, I have to declare that the little wanderer has fallen into good +hands," said the colonel, giving his hand to the pastor's wife in an +approving way. "You will allow me now to depart." + +This time the gentleman was determined to go. He went out and walked +along the long corridor with head lifted proudly, followed by the +pastor, who tried in vain to overtake him so that he could open the door +for his guest. But before the door could be opened from within, it was +pushed open with great force from outside, and like an arrow the slender +Edi shot straight into the tall colonel, who had been standing directly +behind the closed door; and at once after Edi, Ritz rushed into Edi, and +the tall gentleman received the second push, and in his ears rang +confused screamings of mixed words: "They are coming--they +come--Marianne--Erick--Marianne--they come--they come." And really! In +the house door appeared Marianne, quite broad in her Sunday best, +holding Erick, of whom she kept a firm grasp, as if he might fall from +there down again into the Woodbach. Behind both the partaking scholars +of the parishes pressed in with shouts of rejoicing. + +There was no possibility for the military gentleman to get out; the +crowd pressed into the house with great force. He gave in and did what +he had never done before in his life--he retreated, step by step, until +he had arrived, backwards, over the threshold of the study, together +with the whole of the pastor's family, old and young; and at last the +fighting Sally pressed in. She had taken Erick by the hand and did not +want to let go of him, and on the other side Marianne held his hand as +in a clamp, and she herself was held back from all sides, for the +schoolfellows wanted to know first the story of how Erick was lost and +found again. + +It was an indescribable uproar. Only after the efforts of Sally had +succeeded in pulling Erick and Marianne out of the human ball and into +the study, was there sufficient calm so that one could understand the +other, for the school friends had stayed respectfully before the door; +they did not dare to press into the study-room of their pastor. + +Now only could the information be understood, which Erick and +Marianne--each relieving the other--gave about the whole occurrence. +Erick told how he, after a strong push, had fallen into the water and +then had known nothing more, and had wakened again when somebody was +rubbing him firmly. That had been Marianne, who now related further. She +had gone yesterday afternoon from Oakwood, where she was living now, +upward along the Woodbach, to the place where the berries grew the most +plentifully, as she knew these many years that she had sought and sold +them in the taverns of Upper and Lower Wood. As she was seeking for +berries close by the water, bending down behind the willow bush, she saw +how the bush was being shaken and how something had remained hanging to +it. She bent around the bush to find out what it might be, and saw the +black velvet jacket on the water! "Oh, dear God!" she then cried out +with unutterable horror, and never stopped crying until, under her +desperate rubbing with skirt and apron, Erick opened his eyes and looked +with surprise at Marianne. Now she quickly took the large market-basket +in which she intended to put the many small baskets, when they were +filled; threw the latter all in a heap, put the dripping Erick in it, +and carried him, as quickly as she could, toward her small cottage, far +beyond Oakwood, in which she lived together with her cousin. Here she at +once undressed the wet boy, wound him closely in a large blanket so that +nothing was to be seen of him besides a tuft of yellow, curly hair, put +him in bed with the heavy cover far above his head, for, "getting him +warm is the principal thing for the little boy," she kept on saying to +herself. Then she went into her kitchen and soon came back with a cup of +steaming hot milk, lifted Erick's head from under the covers, so that +his mouth became free, and poured the hot milk in it to make the little +fellow warm. When she now had packed him in the blanket again, and the +fright at finding the unconscious Erick and the fear of his taking cold +had passed a little, then it came into her mind that the people of the +parsonage did not know what had become of him, and that they too would +be anxious about him. She went again to the bed and tried to bring the +deeply hidden Erick up again. But Erick was already half asleep, and +when Marianne told him her thoughts, he said comfortingly: "No, no, they +will know that I will come back again, and if they are anxious, then +'Lizebeth will come and look for me." + +Of that Marianne was sure: 'Lizebeth would come and take him home. No +doubt Erick had started to come and see Marianne, his friend in Oakwood, +and on his way there had fallen into the Woodbach by accident, Marianne +thought, for in her anxiety for his welfare, she had not spoken a word +with Erick about the accident. Now he was fast asleep. + +Marianne sat down beside him and lifted the cover now and then to listen +whether he was breathing properly. After she had sat thus a while and +noticed how the little fellow's cheeks began to glow like the reddest +strawberries, then she feared no longer that he would catch cold, and +she also felt sure that 'Lizebeth would not come and thought that the +people in the parsonage would assume that he was going to spend the +night at the cottage. So Marianne had peacefully locked her cottage and +gone to sleep. + +The next morning Marianne first had to brush and press the velvet suit, +for she would not bring the boy back to the parsonage in disorder; she +would not have done that for the sake of his blessed mother. Then she +too must dress in her Sunday best, and so the morning had almost passed +before they both had started on their way, quite contented and without +any suspicion of the enormous fear and excitement which had been in the +parsonage and had spread over the whole of Upper Wood. At the church +they had been greeted by the assembled crowd with great noise and much +confused talking, and then they were accompanied to the parsonage by the +schoolmates, who were crazed with joy at seeing Erick. + +In the general excitement and joy, the colonel had been quite forgotten. +He had sat down unnoticed on a chair, and had listened attentively to +the reports, following with his eyes the lively gestures which the +excited Erick was making in the zeal of telling his story. Now the +reports were finished and for the first time Erick's eyes beheld the +stranger in the crowd. The latter beckoned him to come to him; Erick +obeyed at once. + +"Come here, my boy, hither," and the colonel placed him right before +him. "So, just look straight in my eyes. What is your name?" + +Erick with his bright eyes looked directly into those of the strange +gentleman, and without hesitation he said: "Erick Dorn." + +The gentleman looked at him still more directly. "After whom were you +called, boy, do you know?" + +Erick hesitated a moment with the answer, but he did not divert his +glance. It seemed as if the eyes of the stranger attracted and conquered +him. "After my grandfather," he now said with a clear voice. + +"My boy--your mother used to look at me just so,--I am your +grandfather--" and now big tears ran down the austere gentleman's +cheeks. Erick must have been seized by the attraction of kinship, for +without the least shyness, he threw both arms around the old gentleman's +neck and rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you? I +know you well! And I have so much to tell you from Mother, so much." + + +[Illustration: _He threw both arms around the old gentleman's neck and +rejoicingly exclaimed: "Oh, Grandfather, is it really you?"..._] + + +"Have you? Have you, my boy?" But the grandfather could say no more. + +When Erick noticed that his grandfather kept on wiping away the tears, +then sad thoughts gained the upper hand in him and all at once the +rejoicing expression disappeared, and he said quite sadly: "Oh, +Grandfather, I was not to come to you now, and not for a long time. Only +when I had become an honorable man, was I to step before you and say to +you: 'My mother sends me to you, that you may be proud of me, and that I +may make good the sorrow, which my mother has caused you.'" + +The grandfather put his arms lovingly around Erick and said: "Now +everything is all right. It is enough that your mother has sent you to +me. She meant it well with the 'honorable man', in this I recognize my +child; and you do not disobey her, my boy, for you see, you did not come +to me, but I came to you. And an honorable man you will also become with +me." + +"Yes, that I will, and I know too, how one becomes one, for the reverend +pastor has told me how." + +"That is lovely of him, we will thank him for it. And now we start, this +very day, on our journey to Denmark." + +"To Denmark, Grandfather, to the beautiful estate, right now?" Erick's +eyes grew larger and larger with astonishment and expectation, for he +only now comprehended, what he was going to meet: all that had stood +before his mental eyes as the highest and most splendid, ever since he +could think, and that his mother had painted for him in the bright +coloring of her childhood's remembrances, again and again, the distant, +beautiful estate, the handsome horses, the pond with the barge, the +large house with the winter-garden,--everything he was now to see, and +live there with this grandfather, for whom his mother had planted such a +love and reverence in her boy's heart, that he saw in him the highest of +what could be found on this earth,--all this over-powered Erick so much +that he was not able to comprehend his good fortune, and with a deep +breath he asked: "Are you sure, Grandfather?" + +"Yes, yes, my boy," the grandfather assured him, laughing. "Come, I hope +you can start at once. You will not have much to pack?" + +"Oh, no," said Erick. "You see,"--and he counted on his fingers: "three +writing-books, three school-books, the pen-box and the beautiful +Christmas present that I received here in the parsonage." + +"That is well, that will make a small bundle," but the old gentleman +looked at his grandson, rather surprised, and said: "I am astonished, +little waif, that you look so fine." + +"Yes, I believe you, Grandfather," answered Erick. "That is good stuff +that I am wearing; it comes from you. You see, when in the old suit +which I had worn so long, the patches became holes, then Mother brought +out the beautiful velvet cloak, with the broad lace, and said: 'That is +good, that comes from Grandfather, you can wear that a long time.' And +then she cut everything apart and sewed everything together again, and +so there came out what I am now wearing. And Mother received a great +deal of money for the broad lace. But only when all was finished and I +was wearing it, she became glad again; during the cutting and the sewing +together, she was very quiet." + +The grandfather too had become still, and he turned away for a while. No +doubt he too thought of the time and what happy days they were when he +had hung around his beloved child the rich mantle, and how sweetly she +stood before him, she whom he was never to see again. + +"Come, my boy," he said, turning again to Erick. "What has become of +your foster-parents? It is time that we thank them." + +The pastor's wife had seen at once that the grandfather had recognized +his grandson, and as the latter was standing before him, she gently +urged her husband and children, as well as Marianne, out of the room and +closed the door after her; and outside, in the long passage, she let the +interested crowd ask their loud questions, and give their loudest +answers, undisturbed. But when the colonel, holding Erick by the hand, +came out of the study, she at once made an open path for them through +the assembled people, to bring them upstairs to the quiet reception +room, where at last the family and their guest could be among +themselves. Here the beaming grandfather went first to the lady of the +house, and then to the master and then again to the lady, and every time +he took each by both their hands with indescribable heartiness and kept +on saying: "I have no words, but thanks, eternal thanks!" And all at +once he saw Sally's head peeping out from behind her mother. He suddenly +took it between his two hands and cried: "There is, I believe, the great +friend and defender of my boy. Well, now will you forgive me?" + +Sally pulled one of his hands down and pressed a hearty kiss on it, and +now the colonel tenderly stroked her hair and said: "Such good friends +are worth a great deal!" + +But when he expressed his intention to start at once with Erick, there +arose great opposition, and this time the mother distinguished herself +in opposition against such quick separation. The grandfather of her +Erick ought to spend at least one night beneath her roof, and give the +family the chance of learning to know him a little better and to have +Erick another day in their midst. + +All the children as well as Erick supported, louder and always louder, +the mother's request, and the beleaguered grandfather had to give in. +Ritz and Edi ran with much delight and noise down the stairs to seat +themselves proudly in the coach, and thus drive to the inn, where both +must tell to the guests present, who had changed their consultation +place from the church to the inn, what they knew of the strange +gentleman. And so it came about that on the same Sunday afternoon, all +Upper and Lower Wooders, as well as the Middle Lotters, knew Erick's +family and fate, and they had to talk loud and zealously before every +door, over this change of luck that had come to Erick. + +In the parsonage, too, the evening was spent with unusually animated +conversation. How much had to be told to the grandfather of the +happenings of the last and all former days, and Erick had to throw in a +question now and then, which referred to the distant estate, for his +thoughts always travelled back to that spot. + +"Is Mother's white pony still alive, Grandfather?" he once suddenly +asked. + +The beautiful pony had long been put away, was the answer. "But you +shall have one just like your mother's, my boy. I can now bear the sight +of it again," the grandfather said. + +"Does old John still live, who made the barge and scraped the +pebble-walks so nicely?" Erick asked another time. + +"What, you know of that too? Yes, indeed, he is still living, but the +joy of seeing my daughter's son whom I am bringing home will almost kill +him," said the colonel, smiling contentedly at the prospect. + +When Sally and Erick told of their first meeting and Sally's call in +Marianne's cottage, and now it came out that it was the same Marianne +who had pulled Erick out of the water, and who had stuck so faithfully +to his mother, the colonel suddenly jumped up and demanded that Erick +should go with him at once to Marianne for, from pure joy, they both had +not thanked her as they ought to. But the lady had foreseen such a +request, and had not let Marianne go home. And so she was called into +the room and the colonel quickly took a chair and placed it in front of +him. Marianne had to sit down there and tell everything that she knew of +his daughter, and what she herself had heard and seen. Marianne was very +glad to do that, and she spoke with such love and reverence of the dear +one, that at the end of her story, the colonel took her hand and shook +it heartily, but he could not speak. He rose and walked a few times up +and down the room, then he beckoned to Erick, took out of his wallet two +papers and said: "Give this to the good old woman, my boy; she shall +have a few good days, she deserves it." + +Erick had never before enjoyed the happiness of giving; never had he +been able to give anything to anyone, for he himself had never owned +anything. An enormous joy rose up in his heart and with bright eyes he +stepped to Marianne and said: "Marianne, here is something for you, for +which you can buy whatever you like." + +But when Marianne saw that on the paper was a number and several zeros +after it, she struck her hands together from astonishment and fright, +and cried: "Dear God, I have not earned that, this is riches!" And when +she still kept her hands away from the money, Erick stuck the papers +deep into her pocket and said: + +"Do you remember, Marianne, how you have said that you were growing old +and could no longer work as you used to, and therefore you had to give +up the little house and go to your old cousin? Now you can have your +cottage again, with that money, and live in it happily." + +"That I can, that I can," cried Marianne, forgetting in her joy that she +did not want to take the large present. Tears of joy ran down her +cheeks, and from happiness and emotion she could not utter a word of +thanks, but kept on pressing the colonel's hand and then Erick's, and +all were glad with Marianne that she could move again into the cottage +and keep it for always. When at last they must separate for the night, +the colonel pressed the house-mother's hand once more and said: "My dear +friend, you will understand with what gratitude my heart is full, when I +tell you that this is the first happy evening which I have had for the +last twelve years." + +Parting had to come the next morning. The mother took Erick in her arms +and after she pressed him to her heart, she said: "My dear Erick, never +forget your mother's song! It has already brought you once from the +wrong road into the right one; it will guide you well as long as you +live. Keep it in your heart, my Erick." + +When Erick noticed tears in the mother's eyes, then his grew wet, and +when Sally noticed that, she put both hands to her face and began to +sob. Then Erick ran to his grandfather and pleadingly cried: "Oh, +Grandfather, can we not take Sally along? Don't you think we could?" + +The grandfather smiled and answered: "I could not wish anything I should +like better, my boy, but we cannot rob the parsonage of all its +children, all at once. But come, perhaps we can make some arrangement. +What does the mother think about it, if we were to take our little +friend next summer and bring her back for the winter, and do so every +year?" + +"Yes, yes," shouted Erick, "every, every year as long as we live! Will +you give me your word on it, Grandfather, now, right away?" + +"To give you my word on it that it shall be so long as we live, that is +asking much, my boy," said the grandfather smiling. "If now you, both of +you, should wish, all at once, to have things different--what then?" + +"Oh, no, we are not so stupid," said Erick, "are we, Sally? Just you +promise right away, Grandfather." + +The latter held out his hand to the mother and said: "If it suits Mamma, +then we both will promise, that it shall continue, as long as it pleases +our children." + +The mother gave her hand on it, and now the two hands were pressed most +heartily. + +And the pastor said: "So, so! Agreements are made between the colonel +and the parson's wife behind my back, and I have nothing to do with it +but say yes. Well, then, I will say at once a firm _yes_ and _Amen_." + +With these words he too shook his guest's hand firmly and there remained +only to take leave from Ritz and Edi, both of whom he heartily invited +to Denmark, wherein Erick strongly supported him, adding: "And you know, +Edi, when you are in Denmark, then you can go on ships, and study there +all about them. That will be a good thing for your calling." For Erick +had not forgotten that Edi intended to sail around the whole world, and +that Ritz too wanted to be something on the sea. + +The grandfather was already entering the travelling coach, when Erick +was held back by 'Lizebeth; he had pressed into her hand a valuable +paper, but she had put her apron to her eyes and had begun to sob aloud +behind it, and now she was holding Erick and said: "I think the Sir +Grandfather, he means it well as far as he sees things; but that he +takes the dear boy away from us,--to take one's little boy simply +away--" + +"I will come back again, 'Lizebeth, every year when the storks return. +Therefore, good-bye, 'Lizebeth, until I come again." + +Saying this, Erick quickly jumped into the carriage, and he wore the +same velvet suit in which he had come. For a long, long time he saw the +white handkerchiefs wave, and he waved his in answer, until the +carriage, down below at the foot of the hill, turned around the corner +and disappeared into the woods. But when the fleet horses, soon after, +reached the first houses of the Middle Lot, there was another halt. + +From the moment that Erick had disappeared, Churi had looked like a +picture of horror. He had grown white and grayish looking, and at every +sound that he heard, he trembled, for he thought: "Now they are coming +to fetch you, to put you into prison." Churi had heard that someone who +had thrown another boy into the water had been fetched by two gendarmes +and had been put into prison, where he had been kept for twenty years in +chains. Churi saw this picture always before him and for fear, he could +no longer eat nor sleep; and he dared look at no one. And when the +report came that Erick had turned up again, then his fear increased. For +now, so he thought, it would surely come out that he had done the deed; +and now he was sure that the police would come to get him. But when on +Sunday, the story went round like lightning that Erick, in looking for +berries, had fallen into the water, then it all at once was clear to +Churi, that Erick had not told about him and that he again could go +about quite free and without fear. A great, oppressive weight fell from +Churi's heart, and he was so touched by Erick's kindness and generosity +that he did not sleep from thinking what he could possibly do for Erick +to show him his gratitude. + +It had really been so. Erick had thought that Churi had not meant to +push him into the water, so he had felt sorry for him, if he should be +punished for what he did not mean to do, and so Erick had only said that +he had received a push when looking for berries, and had fallen into the +water. And they had assumed that the boys had knocked each other about +as usual, and Erick had been pushed accidentally. + +Churi had thought out his reward, and had arranged the following +program. All the scholars of Middle Lot had to place themselves in a +long line along the street, and when now the carriage with Erick came +driving along, they, the scholars, all together must shout, "Hurrah for +Erick." + +As they one and all now shouted with all their might, there was a +terrible noise, so that the horses jumped and shied. But the coachman +had them well in hand and brought them in a short time to stand quietly. +At this moment one of the boys shot out of the line and onto the +carriage step. It was Churi. He bent to Erick's ear and whispered: "I +will never again hurt you as long as I live, Erick, and when you come +back again, you just reckon on me; no one shall ever touch you, and you +shall have all the crabs and strawberries and hazel nuts which I can +find." + +But on the other side someone else had sprung on the carriage step and +clamored for Erick's attention. He felt something under his nose from +which came various odors. It was an enormous bunch of fire-red and +yellow flowers, which Kaetheli held out to him, who with one foot on the +step was balancing over the colonel, and called to Erick: "Here, Erick, +you must take a nosegay from the garden with you, and when you come +back, be sure you come and see us, do not forget." + +"Thank you, Kaetheli," Erick called back, "I shall certainly come to see +you, a year from now. Good-bye, Kaetheli, good-bye, Churi!" + +Both jumped down, and the horses started. + +"Look, look, Grandfather," cried Erick quickly, and pulled the +grandfather in front of him, so that he could see better. "Look, there +is Marianne's little house. Do you see the small window? There Mother +always sat and sewed, and you see, close beside it stood the piano, +where Mother sat the very last time and sang." + +The grandfather looked at the little window and he frowned as though he +were in pain. + +"What did your mother sing last, my boy?" he then asked. + + "I lay in heaviest fetters, + Thou com'st and set'st me free; + I stood in shame and sorrow, + Thou callest me to Thee; + And lift'st me up to honor + And giv'st me heavenly joys + Which cannot be diminished + By earthly scorn and noise." + +When Erick had ended, the grandfather sat for a while quiet and lost in +thought; then he said: "Your mother must have found a treasure when in +misery, which is worth more than all the good luck and possessions which +she had lost. The dear God sent that to her, and we will thank Him for +it, my boy. That, too, can make me happy again, else the sight of that +little window would crush my heart forever. But that your mother could +sing like that, and that you, my boy, come into my home with me, that +wipes away my suffering and makes me again a happy father." + +The grandfather took Erick's hand lovingly in his, and so they drove +toward the distant home. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ERICK AND SALLY*** + + +******* This file should be named 10436.txt or 10436.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/4/3/10436 + + +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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