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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/6380-0.txt b/6380-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f13f0aa --- /dev/null +++ b/6380-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5999 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Cornelli, by Johanna Spyri + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Cornelli + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Release Date: February 9, 2011 [EBook #6380] +Release Date: August, 2004 +First Posted: December 3, 2002 +Last Updated: July 21, 2023 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CORNELLI *** + + + + +CORNELLI + +By JOHANNA SPYRI + + + + + +FOREWORD + + +Many writers have suffered injustice in being known as the author of +but one book. Robinson Crusoe was not Defoe’s only masterpiece, nor +did Bunyan confine his best powers to Pilgrim’s Progress. Not one +person in ten of those who read Lorna Doone is aware that several of +Blackmore’s other novels are almost equally charming. Such, too, has +been the fate of Johanna Spyri, the Swiss authoress, whose reputation +is mistakenly supposed to rest on her story of Heidi. + +To be sure, Heidi is a book that in its field can hardly be overpraised. +The winsome, kind-hearted little heroine in her mountain background +is a figure to be remembered from childhood to old age. Nevertheless, +Madame Spyri has shown here but one side of her narrative ability. + +If, as I believe, the present story is here first presented to readers +of English, it must be through a strange oversight, for in it we find +a deeper treatment of character, combined with equal spirit and humor +of a different kind. Cornelli, the heroine, suffers temporarily from +the unjust suspicion of her elders, a misfortune which, it is to be +feared, still occurs frequently in the case of sensitive children. How +she was restored to herself and reinstated in her father’s affection +forms a narrative of unusual interest and truth to life. Whereas in +Heidi there is only one other childish figure--if we except the droll +peasant boy Peter--we have here a lively and varied array of children. +Manly, generous Dino; Mux, the irrepressible; and the two girls form +a truly lovable group. The grown-ups, too, are contrasted with much +humor and genuine feeling. The story of Cornelli, therefore, deserves +to equal Heidi in popularity, and there can be no question that it +will delight Madame Spyri’s admirers and will do much to increase the +love which all children feel for her unique and sympathetic genius. + +CHARLES WHARTON STORK + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. BESIDE THE ROARING ILLER-STREAM + II. UP IN THE TOP STORY + III. NEW APPEARANCES IN ILLER-STREAM + IV. THE UNWISHED-FOR HAPPENS + V. A NEWCOMER IN ILLER-STREAM + VI. A FRIEND IS FOUND + VII. A NEW SORROW + VIII. A MOTHER + IX. A GREAT CHANGE + X. NEW LIFE IN ILLER-STREAM + + + + +CHAPTER I + +BESIDE THE ROARING ILLER-STREAM + + +Spring had come again on the banks of the Iller-Stream, and the young +beech trees were swaying to and fro. One moment their glossy foliage +was sparkling in the sunshine, and the next a deep shadow was cast +over the leaves. A strong south wind was blowing, driving huge clouds +across the sun. + +A little girl with glowing cheeks and blowing hair came running through +the wood. Her eyes sparkled with delight, while she was being driven +along by the wind, or had to fight her way against it. From her arm +was dangling a hat, which, as she raced along, seemed anxious to free +itself from the fluttering ribbons in order to fly away. The child now +slackened her pace and began to sing: + + The snow’s on the meadow, + The snow’s all around, + The snow lies in heaps + All over the ground. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + All over the ground. + + Oh cuckoo from the woods, + Oh flowers so bright, + Oh kindliest sun, + Come and bring us delight! + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + Come and bring us delight! + + When the swallow comes back + And the finches all sing, + I sing and I dance + For joy of the Spring. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +The woods rang with her full, young voice, and her song also roused +the birds, for they, too, now carolled loudly, ready to outdo each +other. Laughingly the child sang once more with all her might: + + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +and from all the branches sounded a many voiced chorus. + +Right on the edge of the woods stood a splendid old beech tree with +a high, firm trunk, under which the child had often sought quiet and +shelter after running about in the sun. She had reached the tree now +and was looking up at the far-spreading branches, which were rocking +up and down. + +The child, however, did not rest very long. Over where the wind struck +an open space, it blew as mightily as ever, and the roaring, high up +in the tree-tops, seemed to urge her on to new exertions. First she +began fighting her way against the wind, but soon she turned. Driven +by it, she flew down the steep incline to the path which led down to +the narrow valley. She kept on running till she had reached a small +wooden house, which looked down from a high bank to the roaring mountain +stream. A narrow stairway led up from the ground to the front door of +the little dwelling and to the porch, where on a wide railing were +some fragrant carnations. + +The lively little girl now leaped up the steps, two at a time. Soon +she reached the top, and one could see that the house was familiar to +her. + +“Martha, Martha, come out!” she called through the open door. “Have +you noticed yet how jolly the wind is to-day?” + +A small old woman with gray hair now came out to greet the child. She +was dressed in the simplest fashion, and wore a tight-fitting cap on +her head. Her clothes were so very tidy and clean, however, that it +seemed as if she might have sat on a chair all day for fear of spoiling +them. Yet her hands told another tale, for they were roughened by hard +work. + +“Oh, Martha,” the child said, “I just wish you knew how wonderful the +wind is to-day up there in the woods and on the hill. One has to fight +it with all one’s might, otherwise one might be blown down the mountain +side like a bird. It would be so hard then to get on one’s feet again, +wouldn’t it? Oh, I wish you knew what fun it is to be out in the wind +to-day.” + +“I think I would rather not know,” said Martha, shaking the child’s +hand. “It seems to me that the wind has pulled you about quite a little. +Come, we’ll straighten you up again.” + +The child’s thick dark hair was in a terrible state. What belonged on +the left side of the parting had been blown to the right, and what +belonged on the right side was thrown to the left. The little apron, +instead of being in front, hung down on the side, and from the bottom +of her skirt the braid hung loose, carrying upon it brambles and forest +leaves. First Martha combed the little girl’s hair, then she pulled +the apron into place. Finally she got a thread and needle and began +to mend the braid on the dress. + +“Stop, Martha, stop, please!” Cornelli called out suddenly, pulling +her skirt away. “You must not sew, for your finger is all pricked to +pieces. There is only half of it left with those horrible marks.” + +“That does not matter; just give me your little skirt,” replied Martha, +continuing her sewing. “This kind of work does not hurt me; but when +I sew heavy shirts for the farmers and the workmen in the iron works +the material is so rough that, as I push the needle in, I often prick +off little pieces of my finger.” + +“Why should you have to do that, Martha? They could make their own +shirts and prick their own fingers,” cried Cornelli indignantly. + +“No, no, Cornelli; do not speak like that,” replied the woman. “You +see, I am glad and grateful to be able to get work enough to earn my +living without help. I have to be thankful to our Lord for all the +good things he gives me, and especially for giving me enough strength +for my work.” + +Cornelli looked about her searchingly, in the little room. It was +modestly furnished, but most scrupulously clean. + +“I do not think that God gave you so very much, really, but you keep +everything so neat, and do it all yourself,” remarked Cornelli. + +“I have to thank our Lord, though, that I am able to do it,” returned +Martha. “You see, Cornelli, if I had not the health to do everything +the way I like it done, who could do it for me? It is a great gift to +be able to step out every morning into the sunshine and to my +carnations. Then I thank God in my heart for the joy of a new day +before me. There are many poor people who wake up only to sorrow and +tears. They have to spend all day on their sick beds and have many +troubles besides. Can you see now, Cornelli, how grateful I have to +be to our Lord because nothing prevents me from sewing, even if I have +to prick my fingers? But I believe I hear the bell in the foundry. You +know that means supper time, so run back to the house as quickly as +you can.” + +Martha knew well enough that she had to remind her little friend about +returning, for often time had been forgotten and Cornelli had had to +be sent for. But now the little girl began to run swiftly down the +incline beside the rushing stream. Soon she came to the large buildings +from which the sound of hissing fires, loud thumping and hammering +could be heard all day. The noise was so great that only the roaring +of the stream could drown it. Here were the works of the great iron +foundry, well known far and wide, since most of those who lived in the +neighborhood found employment there. + +Glancing at the large doors and seeing that they were closed, Cornelli +flew by them with great bounds. In an isolated house, well raised above +the stream, lived the proprietor of the foundry. Beautiful flower +gardens were on three sides. + +Cornelli approached the open space in front and was soon inside. +Flinging her hat into a corner, she entered the room where her father +was already sitting at table. He did not even look up, for he was +holding a large newspaper in front of him. As Cornelli’s soup was +waiting for her, she ate it quickly, and since her father made no +movement behind his paper, she helped herself to everything else that +was before her. + +While she was nibbling on an apple, her father looked up and said: “I +see that you have caught up with me, Cornelli. You even seem to be +further along than I am. Just the same you must not come late to your +meals. It is not right, even if you get through before me. Well, as +long as you have finished, you can take this letter to the post office. +There is something in it which concerns you and which will please you. +I have to go now, but I shall tell you about it to-night.” + +Cornelli was given the letter. Taking the remainder of her apple with +her, she ran outside. With leaps and bounds she followed the rushing +Iller-Stream, till the narrow path reached the wide country road. Here +stood the stately inn, which was the post office of the place. In the +open doorway stood the smiling and rotund wife of the innkeeper. + +“How far are you going at this lively pace?” she smilingly asked the +child. + +“I am only coming to you,” Cornelli replied. She was very much out of +breath, so she paused before adding: “I have to mail a letter.” + +“Is that so? Just give it to me and we’ll attend to it,” said the +woman. Holding the hand the child had offered her, she added: “You are +well off, Cornelli, are you not? You do not know what trouble is, do +you, child?” + +Cornelli shook her head. + +“Yes, of course. And why should you? It does one good to see your +bright eyes. Come to see me sometimes; I like to see a happy child +like you.” + +Cornelli replied that she would gladly come again. She really meant +to do so, for the woman always spoke kindly to her. After saying +good-bye, she ran away again, jumping and bounding as before. The +innkeeper’s wife meantime muttered to herself, while she looked after +Cornelli: “I really think there is nothing better than to be always +merry.” + +The contents of the letter, which the little girl had taken to be +mailed, were as follows: + +ILLER-STREAM, 28th of April, 18--. + +MY DEAR COUSIN: + +My trip to Vienna, which I have put off again and again, at last has +to be made. As I must leave in the near future, I am asking you the +great favor of spending the summer here to superintend my household. +I am counting greatly on your good influence on my child, who has had +practically no education, although Miss Mina, my housekeeper, has of +course done her best, with the help of our good Esther, who reigns in +the kitchen. Old Martha, a former nurse of my poor dead wife, has done +more than anybody else. Of course one can hardly call it education, +and I have to blame myself for this neglect. As I am so busy with my +affairs, I do not see much of my child. Besides, I know extremely +little about bringing up little girls. There is no greater misfortune +than the loss of a mother, especially such a mother as my Cornelia. +It was terrible for my poor child to lose her at the tender age of +three. Please bring a good friend with you, so that you won’t suffer +from solitude in this lonely place. + +Please gladden me soon by your arrival, and oblige + +Your sincere cousin, + +FREDERICK HELLMUT. + +That same evening, when Director Hellmut was sitting in the living +room with his daughter, he spoke of his hope that a cousin of his, +Miss Kitty Dorner, would come to stay in Iller-Stream while he was on +his trip to Vienna. He also told Cornelli to be glad of this prospect. + +After a few days came the following answer: + +B----, The 4th of May, 18--. + +MY DEAR COUSIN: + +To oblige you I shall spend the summer at your house. I have already +planned everything and I have asked my friend Miss Grideelen to +accompany me. I am very grateful that you realize how monotonous it +would have been for me to stay alone in your house all summer. You do +not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s +education. No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not +need the best of care at the start. They require that only when they +are ripe enough for mental influences. Such small creatures merely +vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look +after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment. Esther, who you +say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the +child as much as was necessary. The time may, however, have come now +when the child is in need of a proper influence in her education. + +We shall not arrive before the last week of this month, for it would +be inconvenient for me to come sooner. + +With best regards, + +I am your cousin, + +KITTY DORNER. + +“Your cousin is really coming, Cornelli, and I am certain that you are +happy now,” said her father. He had read the letter while they were +having supper. “Another lady is coming, too, and with their arrival +a new delightful life will begin for you.” + +Cornelli, who had never before heard anything about this relation of +her father’s, felt no joy at this news. She did not see anything +pleasing in the prospect. On the contrary, it only meant a change in +the household, which she did not in the least desire. She wanted +everything to remain as it was. She had no other wish. + +Cornelli saw her father only at meals, for he spent all the rest of +his time in his business offices and in the extensive works. But the +child never felt lonely or forsaken. She always had many plans, and +there was hardly a moment when she was not occupied. Her time between +school hours always seemed much too short and the evenings only were +half as long as she wanted them to be. It was then that she loved to +walk and roam around. Her father had barely left the room, when she +again ran outside and, as usual, down the path. + +At that moment the energetic Esther was coming from the garden with +a large basket on her arm. She had wisely picked some vegetables for +the following day. + +“Don’t go out again, Cornelli,” she said. “Just look at the gray clouds +above the mountain! I am afraid we shall have a thunderstorm.” + +“Oh, I just have to go to Martha,” replied Cornelli quickly. “I must +tell her something, and I don’t think a storm will come so soon.” + +“Of course it won’t come for a long while,” called Miss Mina. Through +the open door she had overheard the warning and had stepped outside +to say: “Just go to Martha, Cornelli; the storm won’t come for a long +time, I am sure.” + +So the child flew away while Esther passed Miss Mina, silently shrugging +her shoulders. That was always the way it happened when Cornelli wanted +anything. If Miss Mina thought that something should not be done, +Esther always arrived, saying that nothing on earth would be easier +than to do that very thing. Or, if she thought that Cornelli should +not do a thing, Miss Mina always helped to have it put through. The +reason for this was a very simple one: each of them wanted to be the +favorite with the child. + +Cornelli, arriving at Martha’s house, shot up the stairs and into the +little room. Full of excitement, she called out: “Just think, Martha, +two strange people are coming to our house. They are two ladies from +the city, and father said that I should be glad; but I am not a bit +glad, for I do not know them. Would you be glad, Martha, if two new +people suddenly came to visit you?” + +The child had to take a deep breath. She had been running fast and had +spoken terribly quickly. + +“Just sit down here with me, Cornelli, and get your breath again,” +said Martha quietly. “I am sure that somebody is coming whom your +father loves, otherwise he would not tell you to be glad. When you +know them, I am sure you will feel happy.” + +“Yes, perhaps. But what are you writing, Martha? I have never before +seen you write,” said the child, full of interest, for her thoughts +had been suddenly turned. + +“Writing is not easy for me,” answered Martha, “and you could do it +so much better than I can. It is a long time since I have written +anything.” + +“Just give it to me, Martha, and I’ll write for you if you will only +tell me what.” Cornelli readily took hold of the pen and dipped it +into the bottom of the inkstand. + +“I’ll tell you about it and then you can write it in your own way; I +am sure that you can do it better than I can,” said Martha, quite +relieved. She had been sitting for a long time with a pen in her hand, +absolutely unable to find any beginning. + +“You see, Cornelli,” she began, “I have been getting along so well +with my work lately that I have been able to buy a bed. For a long +time I have wanted to do that, for I already had a table and two chairs, +besides an old wardrobe. Now I have put them all into my little room +upstairs, so that I can take somebody in for the summer. Sometimes +delicate ladies or children come out of town to the country, and I +could take such good care of them. I am always at home and I could do +my usual work besides. You see, Cornelli, I wanted to put this in the +paper, but I do not know how to do it and how to begin.” + +“Oh, I’ll write it so plainly that somebody is sure to come right +away,” Cornelli replied, full of zeal. “But first of all, let us look +at the little room! I am awfully anxious to see it.” + +Martha was quite willing, so she led the way up a narrow stairway into +the little chamber. + +“Oh, how fine it is, how lovely!” exclaimed Cornelli, running, full +of admiration, from one corner to the other. Martha had in truth fixed +it so daintily that it looked extremely pleasing. Around the windows +she had arranged curtains of some thin white material with tiny blue +flowers, and the same material had been used to cover an old wooden +case. This she had fixed as a dainty washstand. The bed and two old +chairs were likewise covered; the whole effect was very cheerful and +inviting. + +“Oh, how pretty!” Cornelli exclaimed over and over again. “How could +you ever do it, Martha, or have so much money?” + +“Oh no, no, it was not much, but just enough for the bed and a little +piece of material. I got the stuff very cheap, because it was a remnant. +So you really do not think it is bad, child? Do you think that somebody +would like to live here?” Martha was examining every object she had +so carefully worked over. + +“Yes, of course, Martha, you can believe me,” Cornelli replied +reassuringly. “I should just love to come right away, if I did not +live here already. But now I shall write, for I know exactly what I +shall say.” Cornelli, running down stairs, dipped her pen into the ink +and began to write. + +“But do not forget to say that it is in the country, and tell the name +of the place here, so that they can find me,” said Martha, fearing she +had set Cornelli a very difficult task. + +“That is true, I have to say that, too,” remarked Cornelli. When she +had written the ending she began to read aloud: “If somebody should +want a nice room, he can have it with Martha Wolf. She will take good +care of delicate ladies or children and will see that they will be +comfortable. Everything is very neat and there are lovely new blue and +white covers on everything. It is in the country, in Iller-Stream, +beside the Iller-Stream, quite near the large iron works.” + +Martha was thoroughly pleased. “You have said everything so clearly +that one can easily understand it,” she remarked. “I could not have +said it myself, you see, for it would have seemed like boasting. Now +if I only knew where to send it for the paper. I do not know quite +what address to write on it.” + +“Oh, I know quite well what to do,” Cornelli reassured her friend, “I +shall take it quickly to the post office. Sometimes when I have taken +letters there, I have heard people say to the innkeeper: ‘This must +be put in the paper.’ Then he took it and said: ‘I’ll look after it.’ +Now I shall do the same. Just give it to me, Martha.” + +Once more the woman glanced through what had been written. It seemed +very strange to her that her name was going to appear in the newspaper, +but, of course, it was necessary. + +“No, no, my good child,” she replied, “you have done enough for me +now. You have helped me wonderfully, and I do not want you to go there +for me. But your advice is good and I shall take the paper there +myself.” + +“Oh yes, and I’ll come, too,” said Cornelli delightedly. She knew no +greater pleasure than to take a walk with her old friend, for Martha +always discovered such interesting things and could point them out to +Cornelli, telling her many, many things about them. In many places +Martha would be reminded of Cornelli’s mother; then with great +tenderness she would tell the child about her. Martha was the only one +who ever talked to Cornelli about her mother. Her father never spoke +of her; and Esther, who had been in their service for a long time, +always replied when the child wanted to talk to her about her mother: +“Do not talk, please; it only makes one sad. People shouldn’t stir up +such memories.” + +“So you are coming, too?” Martha said happily. It was her greatest joy +to take a walk with her small, merry companion. Cornelli hung on her +arm, and together they wandered forth in the beautiful evening. The +storm clouds had passed over, and towards the west the sky was flaming +like fiery gold. + +“Do you think, Martha, that my mother can see the golden sky as well +from inside as we see it from the outside?” asked the child, pointing +to the sunset. + +“Yes, I am quite sure of that, Cornelli,” Martha eagerly answered. “If +our dear Lord lets his dwelling glow so beautifully from outside, just +think how wonderful it must be inside where the blessed are in their +happiness!” + +“Why are they so glad?” Cornelli wanted to know. + +“Oh, because they are freed from all sorrow and pain. They are also +glad because they know that every pain or sorrow their loved ones on +earth have to bear is only a means to bring their prayers to Him who +alone can guide them to Heaven.” + +“Did my mother pray to Him, too?” asked Cornelli again. + +“Yes, yes, Cornelli, you can be sure of that,” Martha reassured her. +“Your mother was a good, pious lady. Everybody should pray to be able +to go where she is.” + +The two now reached the post office and gave their message to the +innkeeper and postmaster. When twilight had come and the evening bell +had long ago rung, they wandered back along the pleasant valley road +between green meadows. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +UP IN THE TOP STORY + + +One bright morning in May, a portly gentleman, leaning heavily on a +gold-headed cane, was walking up the narrow city street. The houses +here were so high that the upper windows could scarcely be seen from +below. A steep rise in the street caused the gentleman to stop from +time to time to get his breath. Scrutinizing the house numbers, he +said to himself several times: “Not yet, not yet.” Then, climbing up +still higher, he at last reached a house beside whose open door six +bells were hanging. + +The gentleman now began to study the names under the bells, meanwhile +gravely shaking his head, for he did not seem to find the name he was +seeking. + +“Oh dear, at last! and the highest one up, too,” he sighed, while he +entered the house. Now the real climbing began. At first the steps, +though rather high, were white and neat. But after a while they became +dark and narrow, and in the end the way led over worn, uneven steps +to a narrow door. The only standing room was on the last small step. + +“Is this a cage?” said the climber to himself, breathing hard and +holding fast to the railing. The thin and creaking steps seemed to him +extremely unsafe. After he had pulled the bell-rope, the door opened, +and a lady dressed in black stood before him. + +“Oh, is it you, kind guardian?” she exclaimed with astonishment. “I +am so sorry that you had to come up these winding steps,” she added, +for she noticed that the stout gentleman had to wipe his face after +the great exertion. “I should have been very glad to go down to you, +if you had let me know that you were here.” The lady meanwhile had led +the gentleman into the room and asked him to seat himself. + +“As your guardian I simply had to come once to see you,” he declared, +seating himself on an old sofa and still leaning with both hands on +the golden knob of his cane. “I have to tell you, my dear Mrs. Halm, +that I am sorry you moved to town. You should have followed my advice +and lived in a small house in the country. It would have been so much +more practical for you than to live in this garret lodging where you +have no conveniences whatever. I am quite sure that the country air +would have been much better for both you and the children.” + +“I could not think about conveniences for myself, when my husband died, +and I had to leave the parsonage, Mr. Schaller,” replied the lady, +with a faint smile. “The country air would naturally have been much +better for my children, especially for my older boy. But he had to +come to town on account of school, and I could not possibly have sent +him away from me, delicate as he is. Besides----” + +“There are boarding places in town where such boys are well taken care +of,” the visitor interrupted. “What other reasons did you have?” + +“My girls, too, are old enough to learn something which they can make +use of later on,” continued the lady. “You know that this is necessary +and that it is very hard to get such opportunities in the country. I +hope I have persuaded you that coming to town with the children was +not a foolish undertaking. I am extremely glad that you have given me +an opportunity to explain why I did not follow your advice.” + +“What are your daughters going to learn?” the gentleman asked abruptly. + +“Nika, the elder, paints quite well,” replied the lady, “and Agnes has +a decided talent for music. If both girls are earnest in their studies, +they hope later on to be able to teach; indeed, they are very anxious +to do so.” + +“These arts do not bring good returns, even after years and years of +study,” said the gentleman. “It would be much more sensible for the +sisters to busy themselves with dressmaking. They could quickly begin +a business in which they might help each other and make some money. +This would really help both you and your son a great deal. If your boy +is going to study, it will be a long time before he can be independent.” + +The parson’s widow looked sadly in front of her without saying a word. + +“Please do not misunderstand me. I am only speaking in your and your +children’s interest,” the gentleman began again. “I am very sorry not +to have met your daughters, for they would soon have agreed with me, +if they had heard my reasons. Nowadays young people understand quite +well what it means to make one’s way easily and advantageously. You +can be sure of that.” + +“My children may still be a little backward in this knowledge. They +may, through the influence of their parents, still care for the things +which you call the breadless arts,” said the lady with a sigh. “But +I shall make my children acquainted with your ideas and I shall try +to speak to them according to your views, at least as far as I am +able.” + +“How old is the eldest? She ought to be old enough to understand my +reasons,” remarked the gentleman. + +“Nika is in her fourteenth year. Her education is, of course, still +incomplete in many ways,” replied the lady. “Dino is twelve and Agnes +eleven years old. The latter must first of all complete her compulsory +school years.” + +“Still rather young people,” said Mr. Schaller, shaking his head. “I +am sure of one thing, however. The longer their education will take, +the shorter should be the ways to the goal. I am more and more convinced +that my advice is right. If you give your little daughters into the +hands of a clever dressmaker, your moving to the city will have been +of some real use.” + +In his great zeal to convince his silent listener, the visitor had not +noticed that a small boy had entered. This little fellow had at first +hidden behind his mother, but, at a sign from her, approached the +gentleman. He noticed the child only when a small fist pushed itself +forcibly into his closed right hand. + +“Please forgive the rather aggressive greeting of my small son,” begged +the mother. + +“Oh, here is another, still. I knew there was a smaller one,” exclaimed +the dismayed visitor. “Well, boy, what is your name?” + +“Mux,” was the reply. + +The gentleman looked questioningly at the mother. + +“That is the name his brother and sisters have given him and the one +which seems to have remained quite permanently,” she replied. “His +name is really Marcus and he is just five years old.” + +“Well, well, and what do you want to be when you grow up, my young +friend?” asked Mr. Schaller. + +“An army general,” unhesitatingly replied the small boy. After these +words the gentleman got up. + +“It seems to me, my dear Mrs. Halm, that all your children have pretty +high-flown ideas,” he said impressively. “I can only hope that before +long they will learn that in this world it is not possible for everybody +to do what he pleases.” + +The mother approved this good wish, but added: “I have to tell you, +though, that Mux has gotten this idea from his favorite book, where +the picture of a general on horseback interests him more than anything +else. This, of course, is a passing impression, like many others.” + +“One can never urge proper and successful work too soon nor too often; +please do not overlook that, my friend!” With these words the guardian +ended the interview and, saying good-bye, carefully descended the steep +staircase. + +Just then a child was running up the stairs so quickly that it actually +seemed as if she had no need to touch the steps at all. As the gentleman +was taking up all the room, the only space left for a passage was under +the arm with which he held the railing. Here the lithe creature tried +to slip through. + +“Stop, stop! Do you not belong to the parson’s widow, Mrs. Halm?” asked +the gentleman, making a barrier with his arm. + +“Yes, I belong to her,” was the quick answer. And stooping down still +lower, the small person again tried to pass. + +“Just hold still one moment, if you can,” the gentleman now demanded. +“You probably know that I am Mr. Schaller, your guardian. I have just +given your mother some advice, which was meant for your good. You do +not look in the least stupid, so you can help to persuade your mother. +I am sure you can understand what is good for you. Are you the elder?” + +“No, the younger one,” came quickly back for answer. + +“So much the better. Then the elder will be still more sensible. If +you take my advice you can both contribute to the prosperity of the +whole family.” With these words the gentleman gave the little girl his +hand and went away. + +Agnes flew up the rest of the stairs and into the narrow hall. Her +brother Mux was standing expectantly in the open doorway. He did this +every day at the time his brother and sisters were coming home from +school. He loved the change that their coming brought after the quiet +morning. + +“A fat gentleman was here and mother said afterward: ‘Oh God!’ and you +can’t play the piano any more,” he reported. + +Agnes ran into the next room and as quickly out again. “Where is mother? +Mother, mother!” she called, opening one door after another. + +“Here I am, Agnes, but do not be so violent,” sounded the mother’s +voice from the kitchen. + +Agnes ran to her. “Mother, what is Mux saying? Is it really true? I +know that Mr. Schaller has been here and that he can tell us what we +have to do. What did he say? Is it really true what Mux has said? Oh, +I’ll never eat again! I don’t want to sleep or do anything any more. +Everything, then, is lost!” + +Agnes was frightfully excited. Her cheeks were dark red and her eyes +seemed to shoot forth flashes of lightning. + +“But, child, you must not speak this way. Do not get so terribly +excited,” the mother calmly admonished her. “There is no time now to +discuss a subject which we have to talk over quietly. We shall do so +to-night. You know perfectly well that I have the greatest sympathy +for your wishes and ambitions, and that it means as much to me as to +you. As soon as we have a quiet hour together we can talk it all over.” + +These words quieted the child. She knew that her mother always shared +every experience with them. In coming to town, mother and daughter had +hoped to be able to carry out their most fervent wish, namely, the +completion of Agnes’ musical education. Agnes could count on her +mother’s help. It was for the happiness of both of them. So Agnes went +out to the kitchen to do her work as usual. Both the sisters always +helped to lighten their mother’s work, for their only servant was quite +a young girl, who did not do much besides run errands. + +Mux went back to his former place. He was intensely pleased with the +great effect and excitement his words had produced on Agnes. Hearing +somebody else coming upstairs, he prepared to repeat his speech. + +When Nika was near enough to hear him he said: “A fat gentleman has +been here, and when he was gone mother said: ‘Oh God!’ and you are not +to paint any more trees and flowers.” + +Nika, not having seen Mr. Schaller, did not understand these words. +Unruffled and silent, she passed Mux and went into the other room, +which disappointed Mux terribly. So when he heard Dino coming up the +stairs, he unloaded his disappointment on him. + +“We are not going to have them to-day,” he announced. + +“What do you think we will have? What am I supposed to be thinking of, +little guesser?” Dino called out. + +“Oh, I know. Whenever you think we are going to have green peas for +lunch, you run up very quickly. You can’t even wait, you love them +so,” Mux asserted. “But we won’t have any to-day, for we are going to +have cabbage instead. There, now you have it!” + +“Now come in and we’ll see who makes a worse face about it, you or I!” + +With these words Dino took his little brother’s hand, and together +they ran into the room. Very soon afterwards, the family all sat down +to their mid-day meal. On most days the children would be telling their +mother about the happenings of the morning. They would all talk at +once until it was quite hard for her to do them all justice. But to-day +it was different. It seemed as if a storm was in the air; everybody +was silent, and on all faces, except one, heavy clouds seemed to be +resting. Nika sat brooding and staring in front of her, for Agnes had +interpreted to her their little brother’s words. She swallowed very +hard on every mouthful, because she had to swallow a great deal more +besides. Agnes was frowning so that her whole forehead was like one +huge wrinkle. The mother, too, was busy with deep thoughts, as one +could see from her worried expression. + +Mux, who generally was extremely talkative, was quietly nibbling on +his dish of cabbage, with many a deep sigh. Dino alone was merry. He +glanced with great expectation from one to the other, and his lunch +did not keep him very busy. + +“I am expecting a thunderstorm,” he said, while the quiet was still +unbroken. “Nika is going to let loose the lightning which is flashing +under her lashes, and Agnes will follow with the thunder. After this +I predict a heavy rainstorm, for Mux can hardly keep back his tears +about this cabbage.” + +“But you have eaten much less cabbage than I have,” Mux cried out. + +“I do this only from moderation, my little man, so that nobody will +get too little.” + +“I would answer you about the thunder and the cabbage, Dino, if I had +time,” Agnes at last exploded. “But I have a music lesson at one o’clock +and I have enough to swallow without this horrid cabbage.” + +“I only wish you could be more moderate in other things instead of in +eating, Dino,” said the mother with a melancholy smile. “You have +hardly eaten anything, and I heard you cough all night. Your health +worries me dreadfully, Dino. Did you cough much in school this morning?” + +“Certainly, mother. But that is nothing to worry about,” Dino replied +merrily. “It always goes away again. My professor said to-day that it +would have been better for me to remain in the pastoral fields of my +native village, than to have sought the dust-laden corners of town. +But I answered: ‘Unfortunately the Latin language does not sprout from +the pastoral fields, professor.’” + +“Oh, I hope you did not answer that,” the mother said, quite frightened. + +“Oh yes, but only in my thoughts! Please, mother, don’t worry about +me,” Dino implored. + +“I am afraid that your professor is right,” the mother said with a +sigh. “But I have a plan which we shall talk over to-night. I shall +also talk over our guardian’s proposal, girls. Please try not to look +so terribly unhappy, for everything is not yet lost.” + +“Oh, it will come to that in the end,” said Nika, leaving the room. + +“Yes, and much worse, I guess,” said Agnes. Violently pushing her chair +in place, she departed, after thrusting her music into a folder. + +“What can be worse than when all is lost?” Dino called after her. “I +know what,” responded Mux knowingly, while Agnes looked back at Dino +as if to say: If I had time I certainly would give an answer to you. + +“What is it, wise little man?” asked Dino. + +“If she had to eat nothing but cabbage all the time,” replied Mux, +full of a conviction which he seemed to have acquired from his own +experience. + +Dino, too, prepared to depart. With a sorrowful look, the mother passed +her hand over the boy’s thick hair. “Please be careful, and do not run +too fast,” she begged. “It’s very bad for you to sit in the cool school +room when you are so overheated. I can scarcely ever see you go, without +anxiety.” + +“But I am surely not as sick as that, little mother,” Dino said, +tenderly embracing her. “When somebody has a cough it always goes away +again after a while. That is the way with me. Be merry and everything +will be all right in the end. But I have to go now, it is late,” he +exclaimed. + +“But do not hurry so terribly, Dino, there is time enough yet, and +remember what I told you,” she called after him. Then stepping to the +open window, she followed the running boy down the street with her +eyes. + +Dino gave Mrs. Halm great anxiety, for he seemed more delicate every +day. Her watchful eye had detected how poor his appetite had been +lately. Despite that, the boy had a very sweet disposition and was +always full of fun. He was always anxious to have everybody in a good +humor, and above all, his mother. Of all the burdens she had to bear, +the trouble about her son’s health was the hardest. One could see this +by the painful expression on her face when she left the window and sat +down beside her work table. + +Mux was just repeating a question for the third time, but his mother +did not hear him. Loudly raising his voice he said once more: “Oh, +mother, why does one have to eat what the cows get?” + +“What do you mean, Mux? What are you talking about?” she asked. + +“I saw it in my picture book. The leaves the cows get are just the +same as those in the kitchen,” he explained none too clearly, but the +mother understood him directly. She remembered how interestedly he had +looked at the cabbage leaves when the girl had brought them home from +market. She also bore in mind a picture in his favorite book, where +a stable boy was shown giving a glossy brown cow splendid green leaves +to eat. + +“So you still have the cabbage in your head, Mux?” said the mother. +“You must not be dissatisfied when there are so many poor children who +have to go hungry. While you get bread and good vegetables, they may +be suffering.” + +“Oh, can’t we send them the rest of the cabbage?” Mux quickly suggested. + +“Come and work on the embroidery I have started for you, Mux. We shall +see who can beat to-day. Perhaps that will clear away your thoughts +about the cabbage. Come and sit beside me, Mux.” + +The mother put a little chair beside hers and placed the work in the +boy’s nimble fingers. Now a race with stitches began, and in his zeal +to beat his mother he at last forgot the subject that had troubled him +so much. + +The late evening had come and the children’s work for school was done. +Mrs. Halm put the big mending basket away and took up her knitting. +The time had come, when, clustering eagerly about their mother, the +children told her all the troubles and joys of the day. + +It was the hardest hour of the day for Mux, for it was his bedtime. +His mother always took him by the hand, to lead him to bed, before she +began to talk with the three elder children. Every evening he put up +a fight, for the wily youngster always thought that by obstinate +resistance he could break the rule. His mother, however, knew well +that his success would only result in dreadful yawns and heavy eyes. + +This evening he found himself ready for bed before he had had time to +prepare for his fight. His mother seemed anxious to have him in bed +punctually that night. The boy was always reconciled to his fate when +she sat down a moment beside his bed to hear of anything that might +be troubling him. Mux, knowing that all conversation was irrevocably +closed after his prayers were said, would try every night to prolong +this period. + +After Mux had climbed into bed, he said thoughtfully: “Don’t you think, +mother, that if people planted cherries where cabbage now grows +everybody could eat cherries instead of cabbage?” + +“We simply have to stop now, Mux,” Mrs. Halm replied to his +astonishment, for he had hoped to start a long conversation. + +“Well, Mux, you don’t seem to be able to get over the cabbage to-day. +Go to sleep, for you have talked enough about it.” + +Mux knew then that nothing could be done that day, After his evening +prayer and a kiss from his mother, he lay down and was fast asleep +before his mother had even shut the door. + +Agnes had just finished her last task and was throwing her books into +a drawer, each more violently than the other. She was still terribly +excited, and as soon as her mother came back to the room, she burst +forth: “Oh, mother, if I am not allowed to study music any more, I +would rather stop learning anything. Why can’t I become a servant girl? +I could do the work well enough. As soon as I have earned enough money, +I’ll buy a harp and then I can wander from house to house, singing and +playing. I can easily live like that. Nobody needs to be a dressmaker. +People can wear petticoats and jackets. That is enough, and those can +be woven. All other children are better off than we are. They can learn +what they please and we can’t learn anything!” An outburst of tears +choked all further words. + +During her sister’s speech Nika had been quietly drawing, but she was +holding her head lower and lower over her work without once looking +up. She continued her studies, but her eyes seemed to be filling. +Pushing her work away, she held her handkerchief before her face. + +“Oh, children,” said the mother, looking sadly at them, “do not be so +desperate right away. You know that your good is my good as well, and +that I am doing and shall keep on doing everything in my power to +fulfill your ambitions. It would be my happiest joy to have your talents +developed, so that you could devote all your lives to music and +painting. If we should find it impossible, however, dear children, we +must firmly believe that it would not have been for the best, had we +succeeded, for God alone knows which way to lead us. + +“Do not lose your confidence in a kind Father in Heaven, for that is +our greatest consolation. He won’t forget us, if we do not forget Him, +and we must remember that He can see further than we can, for He knows +why and where He is leading us. We cannot look into the future, but +later we shall understand it all and realize why we had to bear our +troubles. Out of them will come the greatest blessings.” + +“Now let us be happy again and let us sing a song,” said Dino, who +loved to be gay and who liked to see everyone about him merry, too. + +“Let us sing: + + If winter’s storms are wild and long + We know that spring is coming. + To Agnes, whom I hear rebel, + This consolation I here tell.” + +“Yes, Dino, it is easy enough for you to laugh,” Agnes exclaimed. “You +would probably whistle another tune if you had to become a tailor. But +you can learn and study everything you want to.” + +“I shall certainly not study everything,” Dino informed her. “But your +singing is much nicer than your arguing, Agnes, so please begin, and +if you don’t like my song, you can start another.” + +“We shall all sing together later on, children,” said the mother. “I +have to speak to you, too, Dino. I am troubled about your cough and +your health. I have looked about for quite a while to find a suitable +place in the country where I could send you. Of course, there are +plenty of places, but I want you to go into some modest house where +you can be looked after. I found a notice in the paper to-day which +might be just what I am looking for. Read it yourself, Dino.” + +Dino began to read. “Yes, yes, mother, I must go there,” he said, +shaking with merriment. “I must go to Martha in Iller-Stream. I am +sure that it is very cosy in Martha Wolf’s house, where everything is +so neat and the covers are so fresh.” + +The sisters now wanted also to see the notice that made Dino laugh so +heartily. He read the paragraph aloud about Martha Wolf in Iller-Stream +and they all agreed that it would be pleasant there. The mother decided +to write to the woman at once and to take Dino there as soon as +possible. + +“Now we shall sing a song to end the day,” she said, sitting down at +the old piano. Every day the children sang an evening song to her +accompaniment. Opening the book she herself started and the three +children took up the song with their pure, fresh voices: + + When bowed with grief, + Go seek relief + Of God, our Lord above. + + +UP IN THE TOP STORY + + Thy need has grown, + When left alone, + For great and helping love. + Before thou’st said, + Before thou’st prayed, + He knows thy inmost need. + And by His care, + His love so rare, + From sorrow thou art freed. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +NEW APPEARANCES IN ILLER-STREAM + + +In the Director’s house in Iller-Stream reigned great excitement. The +day had come when the two ladies from town were expected to arrive for +their lengthy stay. To celebrate the coming of his guests, the master +of the house had ordered a festive dinner for the middle of the day. +He had been longing for this day, so was in a splendid humor. It was +very important for him to start on his journey right away, and he had +waited only to be able formally to receive his visitors. Also he had +promised his cousin to give the reins of the household into her hands +himself, after which event he had planned to start on his journey. + +To Cornelli the preparations for the arrival of the new members of the +household seemed very annoying, everything being different from usual. +She commonly very much enjoyed the prospect of company, for on such +occasions she paid frequent visits to the kitchen, where Esther was +always busy cooking. + +As soon as Cornelli appeared in the doorway, Esther would call to her: +“Come and see which you like best, Cornelli; I am sure they are not +so bad.” A small yellow apple tart and a round purple plum cake were +ready for the child to taste, for her visit had been anticipated. +Cornelli always assured the cook that the apple tarts were excellent +and the plum cakes even better. + +Then Cornelli would go into the pantry, where Miss Mina was fixing +fruit on the crystal platters. Here many a raisin and almond would +drop beside the plate, and from there find its way into Cornelli’s +pocket. It was pleasant to have a supply whenever she felt like eating. +The housekeeper dropped many nuts on purpose, for she did not want to +be less sought after than her rival in the kitchen. + +To-day Esther was flying around the kitchen violently rattling her +pots and pans, and when Cornelli appeared, to see what was going on, +the cook called to her: “Off with you! I have nothing for you here +to-day. The ladies from town must not think that they have to show me +how to cook a good dinner. I’ll show them. Go away and make room here +for me. Make room, Cornelli! I have to fix the vegetables.” + +Cornelli ran to the pantry. + +Mina was just building up a splendid pile of cookies and almond rings. +“Don’t come rushing in like that, or it will all tumble down,” she +objected. “Don’t come so near to the table; this plate is all ready +and nothing must be missing from it. I won’t have it said that one can +see there is no mistress in this house, and that nobody here knows how +to set a table.” + +“If you are all so stingy to-day, I won’t bother you any more,” said +Cornelli, and with these words she turned around and marched indignantly +out of the house. + +That moment, hearing the sound of approaching wheels, and looking down +the road through the open place in front of the house, she spied the +expected carriage with two ladies sitting in it. + +“Matthew, Matthew,” she called out, in the direction of the large +stable and the barn. These lay a little distance from the house, and +were hidden by trees. + +Matthew was the gardener who looked after the horses, and had also to +superintend all the work done by his assistant in the garden and the +stable. He was Cornelli’s special friend, whom she had known ever since +she could remember, for he had served her grandfather. + +He now came from the stable and mysteriously beckoned to her: “Come +here quickly, run fast!” he said. “We’ll still get to the carriage in +time. Only come for a moment.” + +Cornelli ran to him, and looking into the stable, saw lying on soft +fresh hay a tiny, snow-white kid. It looked like a toy, but was really +alive. + +“Oh, where did it come from, Matthew? Oh, how cunning it is! The white +fine fur is just like silk! Can it walk alone? Can it stand, too, if +it wants to? Oh, just see how friendly it is and how it is rubbing its +little head against me.” + +“Yes, but come, now; the carriage is driving up,” Matthew urged. “Come +quickly, you can see it every day. Just think! It was only born to-day.” + +The carriage had just driven into the court and Matthew was there the +moment the horses stopped. The Director was there, too; not to lose +any time and yet not be tardy, he had put a watcher at the door to let +him know when the carriage was approaching. The Director was very +polite and lifted his cousin out of the carriage, greeting her heartily. +Then he helped Miss Grideelen to dismount, thanking her warmly for +coming. He told her how glad he was that she had been willing to follow +his cousin into this solitude, for otherwise it would have worried him +to leave her alone so long. He appreciated their great sacrifice in +coming and he hoped that his trip, which was very urgent, would not +keep him away too long. + +“Where is your daughter, Frederick?” asked Miss Dorner now. + +The Director glanced about. + +“I saw her just a moment ago. Where are you, Cornelli?” he called +towards the house. + +“Here I am!” It sounded from very near, for Cornelli had hidden behind +her father, so as to inspect the new arrivals without being seen +herself. + +“Come forward and speak to your cousin and to Miss Grideelen!” ordered +Mr. Hellmut. + +Cornelli gave her hand first to her relative and then to the other +lady, saying to each: “How do you do?” + +“You can call me cousin, and this lady is called Miss Grideelen,” said +the cousin, hoping that the child would repeat her greeting and would +call her and her friend by the names she was just told to use in +speaking to them. But the child did not say another word. + +The Director now turned towards the carriage, giving Matthew +instructions for the horses. Then everybody stepped into the house and +soon the whole company sat down at the richly laden dinner table. Miss +Mina earned many praises for the deliciously planned meal. When the +afternoon came the host took the ladies around his place, for his +cousin was anxious to become acquainted with everything she had to +take care of. + +“Oh, what an abundance of fruit!” Miss Grideelen exclaimed over and +over again. “How many cherry trees and what enormous apple trees! Oh, +what a row of pear trees! You must be able to fill your bins with fruit +in the autumn, Mr. Hellmut! Where do you have room for it all?” + +“I do not know about it; my servants take care of that, for I have no +time.” + +“It is a great shame, Frederick, that you do not have half a dozen +children. They would help to look after these matters,” the cousin +remarked. “By the way, I wonder where your child is. She does not seem +to be very sociable.” + +“I do not know where she is,” replied Mr. Hellmut. “I am generally at +work about this time and Mina probably knows what she is doing. Perhaps +she is busy with her teacher. Cornelli has been alone so much that she +could not get very sociable. That is why I am so grateful to you both +for coming. I am so glad she can at last be in the environment I have +always wanted for her. But what could I do? I have twice taken +governesses into the house, to supply her with proper intercourse and +opportunity for study. The first ran away because she could not stand +the solitude. The second wanted every servant to leave who had been +here before her; Esther was to go, and even Matthew. She told me that +I had to choose between her and the ‘old house-rats,’ as she called +them. + +“I showed no desire to send either of them away, and said to her: ‘It +is better for you to go, for when the two have departed, it will +probably be my turn next, as I shall be the oldest house-rat left.’ +After that she departed and I had no more courage to go through another +experience. But I knew that it was time for Cornelli to have a lady +of refinement and culture with her. I am sure, dear cousin, that you +can give me some good advice as to her education, as soon as you have +become acquainted with her.” + +“I should like to know whom she resembles,” said Miss Dorner; “she +does not seem to resemble either you or your late wife.” + +“Do you think so?” replied the father quickly. “Do you really think +so? The child certainly does not need to resemble me, but I have always +hoped that she resembled her mother. I always hoped that this would +increase with the years and that she would grow up to be my wife’s +image. Do you not think that she has Cornelia’s eyes? I think that my +child’s rather straggly mane will in time resemble my Cornelia’s +beautiful brown hair; the child’s hair is very thick and has just the +same color.” + +The Director looked imploringly at his cousin. He seemed anxious for +her to agree with him. + +Shrugging her shoulders, she replied: “I certainly see no resemblance +between the tousled looking small savage and Cornelia. The latter +always was so lovely in her exquisite neatness. Her eyes always glowed +with happiness and seemed to smile at one from under her beautiful, +wavy brown hair. I am sorry to tell you that your child is not exactly +engaging; she resembles a wild and furious little kitten with bristling +hair. She seems to me to be always making a round back; she looks as +if she wanted to jump at one and scratch.” + +“No, no, she does not do that,” the Director assured “The child is not +in the least ill-natured, at least, I do not think so. But I am afraid +that you are right in saying that she does not resemble her mother in +the least. Her education, I mean her lack of education, may have +something to do with it. That is why I am so grateful to you both for +coming here. I am sure that with your influence the child will change +and gain much, and I do not think that it will be hard for Cornelli +to learn. + +“I can travel now with a light heart, cousin, for I know that I can +leave my child, the house and the servants in your care. You do not +know in what a difficult position I am sometimes. I ought to go away +frequently, and am not able to do so because there is nobody to take +care of the house for me. The servants have to be kept in good humor, +and the house has to be ruled with authority and judgment. I cannot +thank you enough for making this trip possible for me.” + +When they had returned from their walk they separated. Mr. Hellmut had +still plenty of preparations to make for his journey, and the ladies +retired to their rooms to get settled there. At supper everybody met +again. The ladies and their host appeared punctually and dinner was +served at once. + +“Where is your daughter? Does she not come to supper, too?” asked Miss +Dorner. + +“Yes, of course. Do you know where she is, Miss Mina?” the father +asked. + +At that moment the door opened and Cornelli, with cheeks aglow, ran +into the room. She sat down quickly at her seat. + +“Did you creep through a hedge?” the cousin asked her. + +“No, I was in the hen house,” replied Cornelli. + +“That is no reason to look the way you do. Go to your room first and +have your hair combed by Miss Mina. She will also give you some soap, +for this is quite necessary.” + +Cornelli glanced at her father. This was something new and she waited +for his approval. + +“Quickly, Cornelli! Why do you hesitate?” he admonished her. “You have +to obey your cousin absolutely, for she is taking my place now. I hope +that everybody here understands that clearly,” he added with a glance +at Miss Mina. + +The latter wanted to follow the child, but Cornelli called back: “I +can do it myself.” + +When the child came back her face and hands were washed very thoroughly, +but her hair looked most peculiar. She had combed it in such a way +that one could not tell what belonged to the left and what to the right +side, what to the front and what to the back. + +The cousin laughed and said: “Your head looks like a wind-blown hay +field. To-morrow Miss Mina will part your hair properly for you.” + +Cornelli frowned so deeply that her eyes came quite close together. +She did not look up any more from her plate. + +Next day quite early the Director departed. + +The village of Iller-Stream, where the church and the school house +were, was quite a distance from the iron works. Cornelli could not go +to school there every day because it was much too far. She therefore +had lessons at home, and the teacher her father had chosen came every +morning and taught her in all the necessary subjects. In the afternoon +she was free, except for the work which she had to do for the following +day. That took little time and till now the child had really had a +very free existence. She had always found time for a daily visit to +Martha and a long conversation with her old friend. She could also +wander freely about the lovely beech wood and along the mountain side. +Her time was never parcelled out for her. + +There were many wonderful things to find in the fields and woods, and +Cornelli never tired of them as long as the sun was shining. If rain +or snow prevented her from her strolls, she spent her afternoons in +Martha’s cosy chamber. There she had the most pleasant times, for the +old woman’s conversation and tales were for Cornelli a never ending +source of enjoyment. + +The teacher had just left the house. Owing to her father’s departure, +there had been plenty of material for sentences in her grammar lesson. +All the child’s answers to his questions had come so promptly to-day +that the teacher had ended his lesson on the stroke of the hour. He +also gave Cornelli special praise for the excellent work she had done. +Then he heartily shook her hand. + +The two were the best of friends and the teacher knew his pupil well. +Whenever she was very bright and lively, he would work very hard with +her and in a short time accomplish three times more than usual. In +order not to spoil their mutual pleasure he would let her off most +punctually. But whenever Cornelli was absent-minded and unwilling to +work, he progressed slowly and carefully, treating her as if she were +the least bit weak minded. + +He would keep up this procedure till the hand of the clock showed a +quarter, a half, or even three-quarters of an hour more than the set +time for the lessons. Then Cornelli had hardly more than a quarter of +an hour’s time before lunch to run over to the garden, the stable and +the hen house, something she always planned to do. The teacher would +finally stop and say in his most friendly manner: “I had to stay so +long to-day because we did not do half of what we should have done. +You were a little slow in understanding, Cornelli. I hope it will go +better to-morrow, otherwise your lesson might last still longer.” + +It always went much better after that, for Cornelli had no inclination +whatever to have such a tiresome performance repeated. After such a +lesson many days went by before she was lazy again. To-day Cornelli +had worked quickly and well, for she wanted to have lots of free time +before lunch. She had not had time to see the little kid since +yesterday. The lesson over, she flew to the stable. Lunch was set for +one o’clock, so there was a whole hour left. Matthew spied the +approaching child and called to her: “Come here, Cornelli! It is just +jumping around.” + +Cornelli ran into the stable, where she saw the snow-white kid, hopping +merrily over to its mother and then back again to the hay. It looked +so cunning in its gambols that Cornelli went into perfect raptures. + +“Oh, you darling little thing!” she called out, patting its spotless +fur; “I shall fetch a red ribbon for your neck and then we’ll take a +walk together.” The child accordingly ran back to the house, and hunting +about among her things, soon returned with a bright red ribbon which +she tied about the little kid’s neck. Cornelli was perfectly delighted, +for she had never in her life seen a prettier object than the little +creature with its snow-white fur and the red ribbon round its neck, +skipping lightly about. The next moment it lay down in the hay and +looked up happily at Cornelli. + +“Can I take it out for a walk, Matthew? Can I harness it to a little +wagon and drive around with it?” asked the child. She had many plans +in her head, one following on top of the other. + +“Wait, wait; we have to let it grow first,” replied Matthew +thoughtfully. “The most important thing for it is to grow, for it is +like a baby that has just learned how to walk. It has to stay near its +mother and can only run about near her. When it is bigger, it can take +walks, and when it is strong and big we can harness it and you can +drive it about with two reins in one hand and a long whip in the other.” + +Cornelli shouted with joy and patted the kid with new tenderness. She +already pictured to herself the lovely drives that they would have +together. + +“Did you hear the bell in the foundry? I am sure it must be time for +dinner. You will have to be a little careful now, Cornelli. Remember +that strange ladies are in the house,” said old Matthew with foresight. +“You can come again this afternoon.” + +Cornelli had really heard nothing, for she had been absorbed in her +new pet. She knew that she ought to appear punctually at her meals, +so she left right away. She had also noticed that the ladies were not +buried behind big newspapers, like her father. While running to the +house, she passed a hydrant. There she remembered that she had to wash +her hands, so she held them both under the pipe and rubbed them hard. +Then dipping her face in, she rubbed it, too. She had nothing to dry +herself with except a very small handkerchief. + +“Hurry up! The ladies are already at table,” she heard Esther’s voice +urging her from the kitchen window. + +Cornelli ran in and saw both ladies already seated at the table. In +front of her was a full soup plate. + +“You have to come punctually to your meals. I am sure that you can +hear the loud bell out in the garden,” said the cousin. “But how strange +you look! Half wet arms, a soaking apron and damp feet. Have you been +in the water, or what have you done?” + +“I washed my hands under the water pump and I got splashed,” Cornelli +answered. + +“Naturally,” remarked Miss Dorner. “There are arrangements in the rooms +for washing hands, which involve no splashing. Go, now, and put on +another apron. You have to be orderly and neat at mealtimes.” + +Cornelli departed. + +“The child certainly obeys you--that is something,” said Miss Grideelen. +“Since you told her to, she always comes to table properly washed.” + +“That is true. But she has the most unheard-of manners,” replied Miss +Dorner. + +“How shall one get rid of those and start the child on the right path? +I must ask you to help her in the morning, Miss Mina. Please comb her +hair smoothly and part it the way I told you to.” + +“I did it, Miss Dorner, and I do it every morning,” she answered, quite +hurt. “Cornelli’s hair is just like bristles and it is very hard to +braid. When she jumps it all gets tangled again and she jumps every +moment.” + +Cornelli now came back and ate her soup. Her seat was beside her cousin +and faced the other lady. + +“What is sticking to your dress here?” asked Miss Dorner, looking with +disgust at the little skirt. Something was really hanging from the +bottom. “Can this be hay or straw? It certainly does not look orderly. +I hope you have not come from the stable!” + +“Yes, I have,” replied Cornelli. + +“How horrid! Indeed, I can even smell it. That is too much!” she +exclaimed. “I am sure your father would not let you go there if he +knew about it.” + +“Oh, certainly; he goes himself,” Cornelli retorted. + +“Do not reply impertinently. In the case of your father it is quite +different,” explained Miss Dorner. “I want to tell you something which +you must remember. If you are allowed to go to the stable and you enjoy +doing it, you can go. But when afterwards you come to your meals, you +must first go to your room. Get properly washed there and also change +your dress. Be sure not to forget.” + +“Yes,” replied Cornelli. + +“It is very strange what queer pleasures country children have,” +remarked Miss Grideelen. “Have you no books, Cornelli? Don’t you like +reading better than wandering around and going to the stable?” + +“Oh no, I don’t like it better, but I have some books,” replied the +child. + +“What are you going to do in the afternoon, when you have no more +lessons to study?” asked Miss Dorner. + +“I always go to Martha,” was the reply. + +“Who is Martha?” inquired the cousin. + +“A woman,” said Cornelli. + +“I can guess that,” replied the cousin. “But what kind of a woman is +she?” + +“A good one,” answered Cornelli quickly. + +“What an answer!” The cousin turned now to Miss Mina: “Who is this +woman? Can the child go to see her? Does anybody here know about her?” +she questioned. + +“Oh yes, she is well known here and was here long before I came,” was +Mina’s reply. “She nursed the mistress of this house in her last +illness. She is a very good woman and always looks neat and clean. Our +master likes her well.” + +“Now I have really found out something! You must learn to give proper +answers, Cornelli, do you hear?” said the cousin. “You are like a wild +hare which does everything in leaps and bounds. You can go to see the +woman after finishing your work for your teacher. I am sure you must +have some to do for to-morrow.” + +Cornelli assented to this, and as soon as the ladies had left the room +to retire to their bedrooms for the hottest hours of the day, she sat +down at her little table in the corner. Here she wrote down a page +with lightning speed, then taking up her book she read her lesson over +and over again till she knew it by heart. Soon she was finished, and +flinging the books into the drawer, she ran out of the house. + +“Oh, Martha, I wish you knew how terrible it is at home now since Papa +has gone,” called Cornelli to her old friend, before she had even +reached the top of the stairs. “I just wish Papa was back already and +everything was again as before.” + +“What is it, Cornelli, what makes you so cross? Come, sit down here +a while and tell me about it,” said Martha kindly. She put a chair +beside her own at the table where her mending lay neatly sorted out. + +“Of course, you can’t understand it, Martha,” Cornelli continued, just +as excited as before. “Here with you everything is always the same and +nobody comes and orders everything to be changed. Now, I am not allowed +to come in any more without getting washed; now, I cannot come out of +the stable without changing my clothes. Then I must not wash my hands +at the hydrant because I get splashed, and, oh, so many new things +have to be done; so different from before.” + +“I am sure, Cornelli, that it is not at all bad that things should not +always be the way they were before,” said Martha reflectively. “I +believe that the lady who is related to you wants the same thing from +you that your mother would have wished had she lived. This is very +good for you. Of course, Miss Mina and Esther mean well, but your +relation knows much better what is to be done to make you grow up the +way your mother would have desired. Just think how happy your father +would be if you should resemble your mother and he be reminded of her +every time he looked at you. You well know what great joy that would +be to him.” + +Cornelli did know that her father would be very happy then, for he had +made many remarks which she had understood. A short time ago he had +said that his cousin found no likeness between his child and her mother, +and Cornelli had observed the sad expression of his eyes when he had +said it. + +Cornelli shook her head. “You said once that my mother was different +from anybody,” she said. “So I can’t ever be like her; you said so +yourself, Martha.” + +“Yes, yes, I have said that,” confirmed Martha. “But I have to explain +something to you, Cornelli. If you can’t become exactly like your +mother, you certainly can become more like her than anybody else, for +you are her child, and a child always has something from her mother. +I have seen you look at me just the way she did, with the same brown +eyes; but not when you frown the way you do to-day. You must try to +watch the two ladies very carefully in all they do and in the way they +speak. They are your mother’s kind, and that is why I am so glad that +you can watch their manners and can try to imitate them. You can learn +to resemble your mother in your ways, if you copy the ladies.” + +“Yes, I shall do that,” agreed Cornelli. “Just the same, I am not +terribly pleased that they are here and that everything has to be +changed. Oh dear, I have just remembered that I have to be back now +and drink some hot coffee and milk, because Miss Dorner says that the +afternoons are so frightfully long in the country they have to be +interrupted. At that time I always used to get from the garden some +apples or cherries or whatever else there was, and they always tasted +so awfully good. If I only could lengthen my afternoon, which seems +too long to them! I never can do all I plan to do. Good-bye, Martha.” + +And with these words Cornelli ran away. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE UNWISHED-FOR HAPPENS + + +Esther, the able mistress of the kitchen, was standing in the garden +picking green peas, which hung in clusters from the vines. They had +ripened quickly in the sunny June weather. + +“Come down here, Cornelli!” she called. “Just see how many peas there +are! Why do you steal about so quietly nowadays, and why don’t you run +the way you used to?” + +“I am not allowed to do anything any more,” replied Cornelli, +approaching her. “Mina is beginning to tell me that I even must not +jump, for it might tangle my hair. I wish I had not a single hair left; +then I could at least run and jump about.” + +“No, no, child; that would look too dreadful. Just imagine it! But +don’t get sad on account of that,” Esther consoled her. “Just jump +around as before! Your hair can always be put in order again. Why +haven’t you come into the kitchen lately to see if things taste right?” + +“I am not allowed to; Miss Dorner says that is bad manners,” Cornelli +informed her. + +“Oh, I see! Well, you might do worse things. However, you must obey! +Yes, you have to obey,” Esther repeated. “Don’t you go to Miss Mina +any more, either, when she fixes the dessert?” + +Cornelli shook her head. + +Miss Mina had quickly understood the new order that had begun in the +household and accordingly had suited herself to it. When she thought +the ladies would not approve of an old custom, she dropped it quickly, +and Cornelli had soon noticed her change of attitude. + +“I don’t care if I never can go to the pantry any more, I don’t care,” +Cornelli exploded now. “She can eat all the things herself which drop +beside the plate. I don’t care. I don’t want anything as long as I can +go to the little kid in the stable; it really is the most cunning +creature in the whole world. Have you seen it yet, Esther?” + +“Certainly I have, and why not?” the cook replied. “Matthew took me +out to the stable as soon as it was born. You can certainly go to see +it as long as it is in our own stable. Just go there as much as you +like! Nobody can forbid you that.” + +“My teacher is coming,” Cornelli now exclaimed, “and I have to go.” + +“Yes, child, but do keep up your spirits. There are lots of pleasant +things still left for you to enjoy. Just wait till you taste the +strawberry tarts I am going to make to-day.” + +With these words Esther smacked her lips to express the great succulence +of the promised dish. + +“I wouldn’t even care if you baked nettle tarts; I wish I didn’t have +to eat at table and could just eat berries in the garden and drink +milk in the stable.” + +Cornelli ran towards the house, for she had forgotten to walk sedately, +as she had been told to do. + +While Cornelli had her lessons upstairs in the living room, in the +jessamine arbor both ladies were sitting on a garden bench. + +“It would be so pleasant and agreeable here,” said Miss Dorner, “and +my cousin could have such a very charming life, if the child were only +a little different. Don’t you think, Betty, that she has no manners +whatever?” + +“Yes, but she has had no training at all.” remarked Miss Grideelen; +“and she may have inherited some qualities from her mother.” + +“Oh no, not a single trait! You cannot possibly imagine a greater +difference than between the mother and this child,” Miss Dorner +exclaimed. “Cornelia was full of amiability and gayety. She always +greeted and cheered everyone with her laughing brown eyes. If my cousin +could only have the happiness to see his child resemble her mother the +slightest bit! He was so fond of his wife! He deserves this joy, for +he is a splendid man.” + +“It is curious how very different children can be from their parents,” +said Miss Grideelen with regret in her voice. “But I am sure that +something can still be accomplished by educating the child. Many +qualities can be developed that hardly show themselves yet. We ought +to do our best for her, especially for her father’s sake.” + +“That is just what I am doing, Betty. Unfortunately, I have had very +little success as yet,” answered Miss Dorner. “But I just hope that +the day will come when I can write her father some pleasant news about +Cornelli, something different from what I feel obliged to send him +now.” + +The day had been exceedingly hot, and the ladies retired to their rooms +immediately after dinner, while Cornelli, according to her custom, +obediently did her lessons. Then she disappeared. In the late evening, +when the ladies sat down to supper, it was so warm that Miss Mina was +ordered to open all the windows. + +Now Cornelli entered. + +“For mercy’s sake, what are you thinking of!” the cousin accosted the +child. “We are nearly perishing with the heat and you put on a fur +dress, which you could wear without a coat in a sleigh ride in the +middle of winter. Why do you do such foolish things?” + +Cornelli was really attired very strangely. Her little dress was made +of such heavy, fur-like material that one could see it was meant for +the coldest winter weather, and for someone who disliked much outer +clothing. The child’s cheeks were glowing red, and from the insufferable +heat whole streams of perspiration trickled down her face. + +“I have no more dresses left,” she said stubbornly. + +“Can you understand it?” asked the cousin, looking at her friend. + +“I really think that this is the fifth dress in which I have seen +Cornelli to-day,” answered the friend. “In the early morning I saw her +running across the yard in a dark dress. At breakfast she wore a light +frock and for lunch a red one. I believe that she wore a blue dress +when we had our coffee this afternoon, so this must be the fifth +costume. I was beginning at lunch time to wonder about the frequent +changes.” + +“I have to change my dress every time I go to the stable,” Cornelli +said, a little more stubbornly than before. + +“How can anybody be so foolish!” exclaimed the cousin now. “I can +understand now why you have no fun and why you always wear an unhappy +face. You must be nearly perished with the heat! Finish your supper +quickly and then go to your room and take off this heavy dress. You +surely have another dress. I must forbid you to go to the stable from +now on! You can see for yourself what comes of it! If only you would +not frown like this, Cornelli. You look exactly as if you had two +little horns growing on your forehead, one on each side. There are +many other and better amusements for you than spending your life in +the stable. Are you able to embroider?” + +“No,” Cornelli answered curtly. + +“Children of your age ought to be able to, though,” said the cousin. +“But we have not come here to teach you that; have we, Betty? You +probably do not even know how to hold the needle in your hand.” + +“Why should it be necessary for Cornelli to learn embroidery just now?” +replied the friend. “She has lovely books that she can read; she has +shown us some herself. Don’t you prefer reading a pretty story to +running about in the stable, child?” + +“No, I don’t,” replied Cornelli crossly. + +“We must not pay attention to what she says,” remarked Miss Dorner. +“When Cornelli is bored, she will probably turn to her books herself. +Please, Miss Mina, keep an eye on Cornelli. Nonsense like this must +not happen any more.” + +When supper was finished, Cornelli went up to her room, and Miss Mina +followed her. + +“You certainly don’t need to do such silly things,” she said scoldingly, +as soon as they were on the stairs, where her words could not be +overheard. “I have enough to do nowadays without watching whether you +put on a new dress every few hours.” + +“It isn’t my fault,” Cornelli replied morosely. “They ordered me to do +it.” + +“They won’t always smell it when you have been to the stable,” scolded +Miss Mina. + +“Yes, but they do smell it,” Cornelli retorted, “and even if they +didn’t, I should have to obey. They told me to change every time I go +to the stable.” + +“Yes, but now you are told not to go there any more, remember that!--so +your frequent changing will have to stop,” grumbled Miss Mina, while +she was helping Cornelli to take off her hot dress. + +“Now I have to clean it, besides! You actually give more work than six +well brought up children.” Miss Mina had never before spoken so roughly +to Cornelli, for she had always been anxious to keep in the child’s +good graces. But she had suddenly ceased to care about that. + +Cornelli looked at her with astonishment. The child’s eyes were also +full of something that nobody had ever seen there before. Mina seemed +to understand: “I did not do you any harm,” she said quickly; “what +I have said is only the truth.” With that she left the room. + +“If everybody treats me that way I’ll be that way, too,” cried Cornelli +with a furious look. Suddenly taking hold of the dress she had just +taken off she threw it out of the window. After a while Mina returned, +bringing back the dress. Cornelli was sitting on the window-sill crossly +looking down at the yard. + +“Look out that the wind doesn’t blow you down, too, like your dress,” +Miss Mina said unpleasantly. + +“I don’t care,” Cornelli replied obstinately. “It did not blow down +at all, for I threw it down on purpose.” + +“Oh, is this the way you behave? Next time you can get it yourself,” +said Miss Mina, running away indignantly. + +Next morning Cornelli was walking across the courtyard, happily talking +to her teacher, whose hand she was holding. During her school hours +she had forgotten all the troubles of the day before, for Mr. Malinger +had been as kind to her as ever. He at least had not changed. + +“Could you give me a little rose?” he asked smilingly, while they were +passing the blooming rose bushes. So Cornelli quickly ran from bush +to bush till she had gathered a fine bunch of dark and light, white +and red roses. These she offered to her teacher, warning him not to +prick himself. Then the two parted most cordially. + +Cornelli, on coming back, ran swiftly toward the stable. Suddenly, +however, she stood stock still, for she remembered that she was not +allowed to go there any more. No longer could she see the darling +little kid and watch its growth. She would be unable to tell when the +moment had come for it to be hitched to a carriage to be driven about +by her. She might not be allowed even to do that! She hoped, however, +that her father might be back by that time and that then everything +would be different. Cornelli danced with joy at that thought, and her +old gaiety seemed to return. She felt like going to Esther and talking +it all over with her good old friend. The moment the child went into +the house, Miss Dorner stepped out of the living room. + +“You have just come in time,” she said, “for I have to show you +something. Where are you going?” + +“To the kitchen,” replied Cornelli. + +“You have nothing whatever to do in the kitchen and you shall not go +there. I thought you knew that you have to go upstairs before lunch +to fix your hair. But before you go up come in here. I have to tell +you something very important.” + +Cornelli followed her cousin into the room. Miss Grideelen was standing +near the window as if she had expected the return of her friend. Leading +Cornelli to the sofa, Miss Dorner pointed to it, saying: “You are sure +to know who has done this and you had better tell me right away.” + +On the dark plush coverings were visible distinct marks of dusty shoe +soles. There was no trace of a whole foot, but one could see that +somebody had trampled on the sofa. + +“I did not do it,” said Cornelli with sparkling eyes. + +“Who in all the house would have done it except you? Please ask yourself +that, Cornelli! There is no question about it at all,” said Miss Dorner. +“It is probably one of your little jokes similar to throwing your +dresses out of the window. I know all about it. Just let me tell you +this! It is the last time that you, a girl of ten years old, will show +such a terrible lack of manners. As long as I am here, you shall not +do it any more. You really should spare your good, sensitive father +such behavior.” + +“I have not done it. No, I did not do it, no, no!” Cornelli cried +aloud. + +“But Cornelli, only reflect! You are blushing and your conscience is +giving you away,” Miss Grideelen here remarked. “It would be so much +better for you to say humbly: ‘I have done it and I am sorry; I shall +never do it again!’” + +“No, no! I have not done it. No, no!” Cornelli cried out louder still. +Her cheeks were glowing red from anger and excitement. + +“Do not make such a noise,” ordered the cousin. “One might think there +was an accident. It is not worth while to lose so many words. You +should not have made things worse by denying it; if you had not, +everything would be all settled. You have misbehaved and you shall not +do so any more. Remember!” + +“No, I did not misbehave. No, no! And I shall not say yes when it is +not true,” Cornelli now cried, quite beside herself. + +“Go to your room, Cornelli, and smooth out your forehead before you +come to dinner. Your little horns are protruding quite plainly when +you act that way. Just look at yourself in the mirror and see yourself +how repulsive you look. If you think that there is anybody in the world +who can still like you when you have black horns on your forehead, you +are mistaken. Go, now, and return with another face.” + +Cornelli went. + +Reaching her room, Cornelli put her hand up to her brow. Right on her +forehead were two protruding points. Should horns be really growing +there? The child had a sudden horrible fright at this thought. She was +sure that everybody could see them already, for she could feel them +quite distinctly. She could not stand it any longer, so she ran away +to old Martha. + +“No, I did not do it, Martha. I never did it,” she called out, running +into the little room. “When I tell them no, no, they ought to believe +that I did not do it. I never, never did it. They shall know it! But +they won’t believe me even if I say it a hundred times and--” + +“Stop a little, Cornelli!” said old Martha kindly. “You see, you are +all out of breath. Sit down here on your stool and tell me quietly +what has excited you so. You know that I believe your words. I have +known you since you were small, and I know that what you say is true.” + +It was impossible for Cornelli to speak calmly about what had happened, +but it soothed her, nevertheless, to be able to pour out her heart and +to know that Martha believed her. She told of the accusation which had +been brought against her, and how she had not been believed despite +all her assurances. She was certain that both ladies would always +believe for ever and ever that she had done it and had denied it. At +this thought Cornelli again became quite red from excitement and was +on the point of breaking out again. But Martha put her hand on the +child’s shoulder, quietly restraining her. + +“No, no, Cornelli, that’s enough,” she said soothingly. “It is only +to your advantage that it is so and not as they have said. You have +been accused wrongly and cannot prove it, but God knows the truth. He +has heard everything. You can be calm and happy and look up to Him +with a clear conscience. You can say to yourself: ‘God knows it, and +I do not need to be afraid or frightened.’ If you had really done wrong +and had denied it, you would have to be afraid that the truth would +be revealed. Then you could not look up calmly to the sky, for you +would be frightened at the thought that up there was One who knew +everything and from whom nothing could be hidden. A wrong accusation +does not stay with us forever. Even if it takes ever so long, it +generally is revealed in the end, and you certainly will not need to +bear it in all eternity, because God already knows how it is.” + +Cornelli had really grown calm at the thought that there was One who +knew how it all was. When her trouble began to weigh upon her, she +could always say: “You know it all, dear Father in Heaven, You have +seen and heard everything.” + +“If He could only tell them! They would then know it, too. God could +easily do that,” Cornelli said. + +“Yes, but that is not the way things happen. We do not know better +than He what is good for us,” Martha said, shaking her head quite +seriously. “If we could rule, everything would come wrong. We never +can see ahead of the hour and we never know what is good for us because +the next moment always brings something we did not know about. Otherwise +we would always be trying to undo what we have strained to do the day +before; we should only make ourselves miserable over and over again. +But if God ordains anything that we do not understand, we must believe +firmly that something good will come out of it. We must be patient, +and if our troubles are too heavy, we must console ourselves and think: +God knows what good will come from it. But we are forgetting the time, +Cornelli. You must hurry home to your dinner, now. I am afraid it is +already late.” + +Cornelli’s black frown had disappeared during Martha’s soothing speech, +but now a deep shadow flew across her face. + +“Oh, Martha, if I only did not need to go home any more! I hate to go +back and sit at table. I would not mind dying of hunger, if I could +only stay here with you.” + +Cornelli, glancing at her home, drew together her brows as if she saw +something frightful there. + +“But, child, you must not say such things about your lovely home; it +is wrong to do that,” said Martha, kindly admonishing her. “Just think +how many children have no home at all. How grateful they would be to +God for a home like yours. Go, now, Cornelli, be grateful for all God +has given you and chase away the thoughts that make you sad. Come soon +again and we shall be glad together, for there is always something to +be glad about.” + +Cornelli went. While she had been with Martha and had heard her words, +it had really seemed to her that there was no cause for grief. As soon, +however, as she entered the garden and saw the windows of the room +where they were surely already at table, everything that had pressed +heavily on her heart rose again. After all, Martha did not know +everything. + +Cornelli was sure that she could never be happy any more. She could +not go in there and she could not eat. She felt as if she could not +swallow anything, for big stones seemed to stick in her throat. If she +would only die from it all! Cornelli thought that that would be best, +for then everything would be over. So she sat down on the lawn behind +the thick currant bushes, where she could not be seen from the house. +Meanwhile, Miss Mina had carried away the sweets and was putting the +fruit course on the table. + +“It seems to me that Cornelli does not care if she comes to table a +whole hour late,” said Miss Dorner. “Nothing is to be kept warm for +her, for she does not seem to have learned yet how to respect time and +order. She had better learn it soon.” + +Mina went out to sit down for her dinner. Esther had everything ready +and was just putting the dessert in the cupboard. + +“That is for Cornelli as soon as she comes home,” she said, sitting +down, too; “the poor child gets enough bitter things to swallow +nowadays.” + +“But why shouldn’t she come in time?” asked Mina crossly. “Besides, +she couldn’t possibly eat the whole dessert. We can take our share and +there will be enough left, surely as much as is good for her.” + +“I won’t let you have it,” said Esther, firmly pressing her arm to the +table as a sign that she would stay there. “The child must have +something that will help her to swallow all the cross words she hears +all day,” she continued. “What was wrong again this morning, when there +was such a scene in the living room?” + +“It was nothing,” replied Mina. “There were a few marks of dust on the +sofa, and the ladies thought that Cornelli had been standing on it. +The child would not admit it and so the ladies kept on accusing her +till Cornelli set up a senseless row.” + +“I really think, Miss Mina, that you could have given an explanation,” +said Esther with a sly smile. “If one has to wind up the clock, it is +quicker to jump up on the sofa than to push the heavy thing away. When +one wears tight lace boots in the early morning, one can’t take them +off easily, eh, Miss Mina?” With these words Esther glanced at the +neat little boots that Mina was stretching out comfortably under the +table. + +“Well, what was there so terrible about that?” retorted Mina pertly. +“The sofa won’t be spoiled on account of that, and besides, I have to +clean it myself.” + +“I only think you could have said a word, before the ladies accused +the child of having lied to them and before she nearly had a fit over +the injustice. She made such a noise that one could hear it all over +the house! It went right through me.” + +“Oh, pooh! it was not as bad as that,” asserted Mina; “the child has +long since forgotten the whole thing. That is the way with children. +One moment they make a horrible noise and the next they go out of the +door and forget about it. Why should one bother?” + +“It used to be different,” said Esther smilingly, “Miss Mina could not +be obliging enough to the child then. Things are all done for other +people now and not for those of the house.” + +“Those of the house!” repeated Mina mockingly. “It won’t be long before +you, too, will be singing another tune. When the new lady of the house +gives orders in the kitchen you will have to obey, too.” + +Esther dropped her spoon. “For goodness sake, what are you saying?” +she exclaimed. “Who should have thought of such a thing? Whom do you +mean, the cousin or the other one?” + +“Well, I can’t tell that exactly,” replied the maid. “Our master has +not discussed that with me, but one must be dumb not to see what is +going on and why the ladies came here. After all, one wants to know +what one is going to do. That two have come, is the surest sign of +all, for we shall be supposed not to suspect.” + +“For goodness sake,” said Esther again, “what a discovery! I am sure +it must be the relation, for she already rules the house. I tell you +one thing, though, Miss Mina, that I shall keep on singing the same +tune I have been singing for the last twelve years in this house, and +I don’t care who is going to rule. You can believe me.” + +“Oh, we shall see about that, Esther,” said Mina with a superior air. +She got up, now, to see if the ladies needed anything. + +Waking up from a sound sleep, Cornelli did not remember where she was. +She was lying on the lawn behind the currant bushes. She remembered +at last how she had come back at lunch time from Martha’s cottage and +how she had suddenly felt weary and sleepy. She must have dropped down +and gone to sleep. + +It was evening and there was no more sunshine on the grass, but the +sky was still light, although it was beginning to grow dark. Cornelli +suddenly had a longing she had never known before. She felt as if she +had to eat and taste everything about her, the bushes and the leaves, +the flowers, and especially the unripe plums on the tree above her. +Oh, if she only had a piece of bread! Cornelli got up quickly and ran +towards the house. + +“Come quickly, Cornelli,” Esther called to her through the open kitchen +window; “they are just sitting down to supper; you have come just in +time.” + +Cornelli flew to her room and, pulling out a thick shawl from among +her things, tied it around her head. Then, running to the dining room, +she sat down at her accustomed seat. + +“So you have come again,” said Miss Dorner, who had just settled down, +too. “A well brought up child should at least say good evening when +she enters the room after a long absence.” + +“Good evening,” said Cornelli, after which she finished her soup with +unusual haste. + +“Where do you come from after all this time?” asked the cousin. + +“From the garden,” was the reply. + +“That is quite possible, but where were you before that?” + +“With Martha,” Cornelli answered. + +“If you could only learn to answer more pleasantly!” remarked Miss +Dorner, “it would be to your own advantage, for you do not have many +pleasing things about you; it would only make you more attractive, and +you really should strive to become so. + +“Next time you want to stay so long at this woman’s house you have to +ask my permission. I absolutely forbid you to stay away so long without +asking me, do you hear? You deserve to be scolded for your long absence +to-day, but I shall not say anything further. But why do you look so +pitiful! What is the matter? Have you a toothache?” + +“No,” Cornelli quickly gave forth. + +“Have you a headache?” + +“No.” + +“What is the matter with you?” + +“Nothing.” + +“You shall never again set up such a masquerade when there is nothing +the matter with you, Cornelli,” said the cousin scoldingly. “Why do +you put this shawl around your head? Are you trying to look like an +untidy gypsy? Don’t ever come to table that way again! Betty, have you +ever seen the like? Can you understand this behavior from a sensible +child?” + +The friend just shook her head. + +“Perhaps Cornelli does it because she does not know what else to do. +She does not seem to desire a proper occupation,” she replied. + +When Cornelli came down to breakfast next day, she had taken off the +shawl, but she still looked very odd. + +“You look exactly like a savage from New Zealand,” said the cousin. +“Do you think you are improving your appearance by plastering your +hair all over your face?” + +“No,” said Cornelli fiercely. + +“Neither do I,” said the cousin. “I cannot make you out at all. What +will you put on next, I wonder, when your hair is brushed away?” + +“My fur cap,” replied Cornelli, according to the truth. + +“I never heard such nonsense,” exclaimed Miss Dorner. “I really think +that the child is capable of doing that. She will probably pull it +down over her head to her nose when the temperature is eighty. I have +never seen such a child. What shall I do with her?” + +Cornelli really looked as if she did not know how well brought up +European girls usually wore their hair. From the middle of her head +thick uneven strands of dark hair hung down over her forehead and deep +into her eyes. The hair was not hanging loose, but was firmly glued +to her skin. Her intention seemed to be to keep it there to prevent +it from being blown away. + +“You look positively repulsive and no person on earth will want to +look at you if you go around like that. This may teach you to give up +your terrible obstinacy! Nothing else can be done with you.” + +With these words the cousin rose and left the room. Miss Grideelen +promptly followed. + +That evening a letter was sent to Cornelli’s father: + + ILLER-STREAM, + July 20th, 18--. + + MY DEAR COUSIN: + + Your affairs are going brilliantly, for your manager is splendid. I + can also inform you that perfect order reigns in your house, your + garden and the stable. Your place is perfectly magnificent; it abounds + in fruit and vegetables and lovely flowers. I should never have + imagined this possible years ago, when I wandered about here with my + friend Cornelia. + + I am coming now to the principal subject of this letter, which is less + pleasant. I do not understand how your daughter has gotten her + disposition. She does not either resemble you, with your fresh and + open manner, or Cornelia, with her merry, pliant disposition, which + won every one’s heart. The child has a dull and sullen nature, a + roughness of manner and an unheard-of stubbornness. I can do nothing + for her, at least not by anything I say. But I have decided to leave + physical or other punishment to you. I shall do all I can by good + example and admonishment as long as I am here. My friend is supporting + me faithfully. I do not dare raise in you the hope that the child will + ever make you happy. A rebellious nature like hers is sure to get + worse from year to year. I hope, however, that the success of all your + ventures will give you the satisfaction that your home life cannot + give you. + + Your faithful cousin, + + KITTY DORNER. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A NEWCOMER IN ILLER-STREAM + + +Old Matthew was raking the gravel paths in the garden when Cornelli +stepped out of the house and slowly approached. She held a book in her +hand and now sat down on the bench under the hazel bush. Laying the +book on her lap, she watched Matthew while he cleaned up the paths. +Looking up he said: “Come with me, Cornelli, and let us go over to the +stable together, for you have not been there for a long time. You +should see how the little kid is growing.” + +Cornelli merely shook her head and gave no answer. Matthew looked over +at the child a few more times, but said no more. + +Esther, carrying a large basket, now arrived. As she was going to the +vegetable garden she called over to the child: “You must have a +specially nice book to be sitting there so quietly, Cornelli.” + +Cornelli shook her head. + +“No?” laughed Esther. “All right, then, come with me and I’ll show you +how many yellow plums there are going to be this year; the whole tree +is full and they are already beginning to ripen.” + +“I don’t care,” said Cornelli. + +“No?” laughed Esther. “All right, then, plums,” Esther exclaimed. “And +our large juicy pears are beginning to get ripe, too. Don’t you want +to come and see how long it will be before they are ripe?” + +“No,” was the reply. + +Esther now went her ways. A short time after that Matthew joined her. +“What is the matter with the child, Esther,” he asked. “She is so +changed! One can hardly recognize any more our gay and friendly +Cornelli. And why does she have her hair hanging into her face that +way? One absolutely does not know her any more.” + +“That is just what I say,” Esther replied. “I really can’t understand +it. One hardly ever sees the child, and if one does meet her somewhere, +she scarcely says a word. She never sings or laughs the way she used +to, and she always wears such a terribly unhappy expression that it +fairly makes one’s heart ache. How happy the child used to be! + +“They say that she needs to be educated, and it may be so; but since +she is getting an education she is absolutely changed, and not for the +better. However, things may go well again when her education is +finished.” + +“She misses her mother,” said Matthew. “It is awfully hard on a little +one to grow up without a mother, for she needs her at every step. It +is so easy when you have a mother to whom you can tell your joys and +troubles.” + +“One might think that you still run to your mother whenever anyone +does you harm, Matthew,” said Esther, a little mockingly. + +“I should love to,” Matthew assured her. “I know what my mother meant +to me and so I am always sorry for every child that has none. One can +see how it is with our master’s child; nothing is of any good to her +as long as she has no mother.” + +Matthew went away, looking once more with pity at Cornelli, who was +sitting quite motionless on the bench. The book by now was lying on +the ground. + +Soon afterwards Mr. Maelinger entered the garden and neared the house, +but Cornelli intercepted him. + +“I could not come at 9 o’clock to-day,” he said, “but I think one hour +is better than none, so am here now, at 11 o’clock. I hope you have +spent a pleasant, useful morning.” + +“No, I haven’t,” said Cornelli drily. + +“But you have a fine book in your hand. It is sure to have something +nice in it. What is it all about?” + +“I do not know,” replied Cornelli. + +“Let us go to our work now. Your reading does not seem to have impressed +you much, so let us hope for a better result from our lesson.” + +The teacher entered the house with his pupil, and they were just getting +settled in their accustomed places when he said: “It seems to me, +Cornelli, that your hair hangs a little too much over your face. It +must be very uncomfortable. Could not this be changed?” + +“No, I can never change that, never, never,” Cornelli said passionately, +tightly pressing down the hair on her forehead. “Oh, really! But this +is no affair of mine,” said the teacher calmly. “Only it seems to me +a rather disfiguring manner of wearing the hair. You would feel much +more comfortable without these weeping-willow-like hangings in front +of your eyes.” + +Cornelli was still pressing both her hands against her forehead, as +if the teacher might try by force to straighten up her hair. But he +now began the lesson quite peacefully. + +When the ladies were leaving the room after lunch, the cousin said to +the child: “You are not going to run off again immediately, Cornelli. +You must begin a proper and orderly existence. When your work is done +you can read one of your many lovely books. You have enough time after +our coffee hour to take walks and to pay visits.” + +As usual the work was soon finished. Afterwards Cornelli sat down on +the garden bench. Just as before, she put the book in her lap, and it +soon fell to the ground. Cornelli peeped about her, at the trees and +at the ground, but she did not really seem to see them. + +At coffee time Cornelli punctually appeared at table and quickly gulped +down everything that was poured out for her, as if it were a medicine +that simply had to be swallowed. Afterwards she sat there frowning, +for she had to remain at her seat till the ladies got up; she had +learned this custom from her cousin. + +“Don’t always frown and make such horns! One can see them quite plainly +even through your curtains,” said Miss Dorner. “It won’t be long before +you can go away.” + +At last the ladies got up to go into the garden. Cornelli sneaked out +behind them, turned unseen around the corner of the house, and walked +across the meadow to the path. + +“To sit here under the hazel bush and read a fine book is really a +pleasure not many children have,” said Miss Dorner, sitting down on +the bench. “For this alone you should be grateful, instead of frowning +and sulking all day, Cornelli--yes! But where has she gone again?” the +lady interrupted herself, glancing around. + +“She disappeared as soon as we came out,” her friend answered. “Isn’t +Cornelli really peculiar? She never says a friendly word and never +gives a single sign of childish love. She always runs away as soon as +she possibly can.” + +“I am so sorry for her father, who must long for a pleasant family +life,” Miss Dorner continued. “He will never have this by the side of +his only daughter, who seems to become more unfriendly and stubborn +every day. Others in the house have noticed it, too, so Mina tells me. +Oh, what a life it will be here in two or three years. My poor cousin +with his beautiful estate! What good is that to him?” + +“Many things can happen in two years that can’t be foretold, Kitty, +and that can change a household entirely,” replied the other lady. +“For the benefit of your cousin let us hope that this may come true.” + +Cornelli was not leaping or running, but was quietly creeping along +the edge of the path. She was staring at the ground, without once +looking up at the merry birds which were whistling above her. Not once +did she glance to right or left in the meadows, though they were full +of red daisies and blue forget-me-nots which Cornelli ordinarily loved +to pick. + +Martha saw the approaching child. She came out with a worried face and +full of sympathy asked: “What is wrong with you, Cornelli? Can you +never again be merry?” + +“No, not any more,” replied Cornelli, entering Martha’s little chamber +and sitting down on the stool which her old friend had put for her in +the usual place. Cornelli’s words did not come rapidly and angrily any +more, as they had done before. With a deep sigh she added: “I only +wish I had never learned to read.” + +“What! But child, what an idea,” exclaimed Martha, “what a foolish +wish! You should realize what it means to want to find out something +and not be able to. One has to begin over and over again, and nothing +helps one. That is what happened to me to-day. If you don’t help me +I won’t ever understand it. I often wish I could read and write as +fast as our Cornelli does. It is a great gift to be able to read and +write easily, and everybody who can’t do it knows that well. Don’t you +like the pretty books your father has given you?” + +“No, I don’t. They are pretty, but awfully tiresome, Martha,” Cornelli +assured her. “There are all kinds of stories and descriptions in them +of famous people and discoveries. Father said that he used to love +them when he was young, but he was probably different from me. Now I +can’t run to the stable any more, nor into the woods as I feel like +doing; now I have to sit around all the time and read a book. Oh, I +wish nobody had written any books, then nobody would have to read +them.” + +“But Cornelli, I do not think that this would suit everybody,” Martha +said. “Please help me to read a letter I got to-day, and then you will +see what an advantage it is to be able to read. I need your help, for +I do not understand what is wanted of me.” + +Cornelli, taking up the letter, was quite willing to help her dear old +friend. + +“Who wrote it?” asked the child. + +“That is just the thing I cannot read,” Martha answered. “I only know +that it comes from town, but I cannot guess who could possibly write +to me from there.” + +Cornelli began to read the letter aloud. It was an inquiry as to whether +the spare room had yet been taken, and if Mrs. Wolf could take care +of a boy of twelve years for a few weeks. He did not need special care, +as he was not exactly ill; but the boy undoubtedly was not very strong. +Good air and fresh milk were the chief things he needed. If no refusal +came, the boy would arrive in the middle of July. It was signed: Nika +Halm, rector’s widow. + +“Oh, how easily you read. It seems to go all of itself,” said Martha +admiringly, when Cornelli had finished. “I never could have made it +out so well. Just think how proud I can be that a rector’s wife will +bring her son to me. Oh, I’ll take the best care of him, and I must +ask Matthew to let him have some milk from the cows every morning and +evening. Isn’t it too bad it is not a girl; then you would have a +playmate. But you will entertain each other just the same. Are you not +a little bit glad that he is coming?” + +“No, not a bit,” Cornelli returned curtly. “I know quite well that he +won’t have anything to do with me, and I know why, too. I do not care +whether it is a boy or a girl. I don’t want him.” + +“But Cornelli, you never used to be that way. You used to be so friendly +and bright with everybody. What has happened to you?” asked Martha, +quite grieved. “You do not look about you with bright eyes and your +hair hangs too low on your face. Can’t I push it back a little?” + +Martha, fetching a comb, was going to touch Cornelli’s hair, when +Cornelli hindered her by crying out: “No, Martha, leave it! It has to +stay that way all my life.” + +“Oh, no, I won’t believe that. Why should your face be half covered +up? One can hardly recognize you,” Martha said regretfully. “What do +the ladies say about it?” + +“Miss Dorner says that I am the most obstinate being in the whole +world, and that no one can ever set me right,” was Cornelli’s truthful +information. Then she added: “She says that no child on earth looks +as ugly as I do and that nobody in the world will ever like me. I know +that it is true, and I only wish nobody were coming to you; then I +could always be alone with you.” + +“Cornelli, I am quite sure that you would do right in obeying the +ladies,” said Martha. “If you did what they say, they would love you +as well as everybody else does.” + +“No, no, Martha, you don’t know how it is,” Cornelli said, quite +frightened. “I’ll do everything they say, but I can never push my hair +away, for then it would be worse still and everybody could see it.” + +Martha shook her head. + +“I do not know what you mean, Cornelli. Please come to me just as often +as you can. I shall always love you more than anybody who might ever +come here. If you did not come, it would hurt me dreadfully. Then I +would rather not have the rector’s son here, glad as I am now that he +is coming.” + +“All right, Martha, then I shall come,” Cornelli promised. “We can +easily be alone together in the kitchen, for I want to see you alone. +I shall not come on Monday, for that is the day they arrive. On Tuesday, +though, I’ll come. Then we’ll go together to the kitchen.” + +Martha promised this and Cornelli went home in the same way as she had +come. Not once did she run to the meadow to pick forget-me-nots or +other flowers that were sparkling there. + +When Monday came, she was wondering if a carriage would arrive with +a proud city boy and a lady with a high feather hat, both of whom would +look down on her with disdain. Cornelli settled down beside the garden +fence, for from there she could conveniently survey the road. But she +saw no carriage, though she watched through both the morning and the +afternoon. She really was very glad, for she was quite sure that nobody +had arrived. Next day when the time came for her to be free, she walked +over to Martha’s little house. + +“Oh, I am so glad that nobody has come. Now I can be alone with you +and don’t have to go to the kitchen--” + +Cornelli had said these words on entering, but she suddenly stopped. +A boy she had never seen sat at the table in the room and Martha was +just clearing away the supper things. So he had come after all and had +even heard what she had said. Oh, it was dreadful! But the boy was +laughing. + +Cornelli wanted to withdraw quickly, but the boy called out: “Please +come in and let us get acquainted. Mrs. Martha has already told me +about you. Just come in,” he continued, when he saw that Cornelli still +hesitated. “If you want to be alone with Mrs. Wolf I can easily go to +my own room.” + +Cornelli felt that it was very nice of the boy not to resent her words +and to be willing to give place to her. She therefore entered. Martha +had already put a chair in readiness for her and greeted her heartily. + +“I expected you, Cornelli,” she said. “Just sit down here a little +with our guest. His name is Dino Halm and he already knows your name. +I am sure you will have a good time together. I’ll go up in the meantime +and if you need me you can find me in the room upstairs.” + +Martha, thinking that the children could get acquainted better if they +were left alone, had planned to unpack her new arrival’s things while +they were together. She put his belongings neatly away in the wardrobe +and the drawers in order to make him feel at home in his tidy little +chamber. + +“Why did you think that we did not come?” asked Dino as soon as Martha +had left the room and Cornelli was sitting beside him silently. + +“Because I did not see the carriage,” she replied. + +“The carriage? Well, I can believe you,” said Dino. “We walked more +than an hour, in fact, nearly two, before we got here from the station. +Do you just hop into a carriage when you go to the station?” + +“Yes, I do; I always go there with Papa,” replied Cornelli. + +“But where do the horses always come from?” Dino wanted to know. + +“From our stable,” was the answer. + +“Have you your own carriage and two horses of your own, just to be +able to drive about?” Dino questioned, full of astonishment. + +“Yes, we have the two brown ones and six others to carry away the iron +from the foundry.” + +“Good gracious, eight horses!” Dino exclaimed. “You are lucky to be +able to sit in a carriage with your father and drive around!” + +“Can’t you do that?” asked Cornelli. + +“Never in my life,” Dino replied in a voice full of conviction. “First +of all, I do not have a father. Besides that, we do not own a stable +and horses. How lucky you are! Have you anything else in the stable?” + +“Oh yes, lots more. Six cows and a large gray stable cat,” Cornelli +informed him. “Then there is an old nanny goat and a young snow white +kid, about whose neck I tied a red ribbon. You are going to drink milk +from our cow, did you know that?” + +“Oh, I shall love to do that!” Dino exclaimed. “Do you think I’ll be +allowed to go to the stable and look at the horses?” + +“Certainly you will; Matthew will love to show them to you, and Martha +will willingly let you go. If I only could go with you!” And Cornelli +uttered a deep sigh. + +“Well, I should think you certainly could do that, when the stable +belongs to you. Who would hinder you, I’d like to know?” Dino said. +“Do you know what we’ll do? We’ll hitch the little kid to a cart. Won’t +that be lovely? It can pull you and I shall be the coachman. I once +saw such a little carriage on a promenade in town.” + +Cornelli had already had that thought herself, but she knew now that +she could never again go to the stable. It was suddenly clear to her +that she could not run about as before and that she could not be happy +any more. The chief reason for it all was clear to her, the reason +that prevented her from being carefree and bright as in the old times. +She did not answer, but gave forth a profound sigh, profounder than +the one she had uttered before. + +“Why do you sigh, as if you had to carry a mountain about with you--a +load that keeps you from going forward? Why do you do it?” asked Dino. + +“I can’t tell anyone. You couldn’t, either, if you had the trouble I +have,” replied the little girl. + +“Oh, yes, I could. There is nothing in the world I couldn’t tell,” +Dino asserted. “If you can’t confide in other people, you can always +tell your mother, for she can always smooth everything out for you. +Just go to her and tell her about it. That will relieve you and +everything will come right.” + +“Yes, and now I can say what you said to me before. You are lucky and +much luckier than I am,” said Cornelli with a trembling voice. “I never +can go to my mother because I have none. Now you see how well off I +am! I am sure you would never exchange with me, would you?” + +Dino looked quite frightened. + +“I did not know that you had no mother,” he said, full of pity. In his +mind he saw his own mother, the way she looked at him, so full of love +that it always lightened his heart whenever anything troubled him. And +poor Cornelli had to miss all that! + +Even the stable with the horses, the large garden with all the fruit, +about which Martha had told him so much, appeared to him now in a +different light. + +Full of decision he said: “No indeed, I would not change with you.” + +But a great pity for the motherless child welled up in Dino’s heart +and he longed to be her protector. He could understand now why Cornelli +looked so strange; he had even noticed it as soon as he had seen her. +There was no mother to fix everything the way it should be. + +“We’ll try to be friends, Cornelli! But you must push your hair back +from your forehead first of all; one can hardly see your eyes. Nobody +wears hair like that. I don’t see how such long hair can stay there +without blowing off. What on earth did you paste it on with?” + +“With glue,” replied Cornelli. + +“How nasty! Come, I’ll cut it all off, and then your eyes and your +forehead will be clear. You can hardly see that way.” + +Dino had seized the scissors that were lying beside Martha’s work +basket, but Cornelli, struggling against him with both hands, fairly +screamed: “Let it be. It has to be that way. Put the scissors away!” + +“I won’t hurt you. But don’t scream so loud!” said Dino quietly, putting +down the scissors again. “I only wanted to do you a favor. If my two +sisters, Agnes and Nika, could see you, they would laugh at you; they +would not like the way you pasted on those locks.” + +“I know that. But they do not need to see me at all,” said Cornelli +crossly. “Nobody needs to see me. I know that nobody likes me, but I +don’t care.” + +With these words Cornelli ran away. Dino was terribly astonished and +stood looking at the door through which Cornelli had disappeared without +even a word of farewell. + +When Martha again entered the little room and was looking at Cornelli’s +empty chair, Dino said: “What a queer child she is. I never thought +she would be so unfriendly.” + +He related how they had passed the time together and how Cornelli had +suddenly run off without even saying good-bye. He had not wanted to +offend her. + +Martha shook her head and said: “Cornelli never was that way before. +I am so worried about her, for she is absolutely changed. You must not +think that she is queer and runs away like that and suddenly gets +cross. She never was that way at all; this is something new. If I only +could hear her sing and laugh again as of old. I hoped that her old +gaiety would come back with such a good playfellow as you are. Maybe +it will; after all, this is only the first day of your acquaintance. + +“I am sure Cornelli will not come back to me,” said Dino, still quite +puzzled. “She ran away so full of anger.” + +When Cornelli had exclaimed, “I don’t care,” it probably was not true. +On reaching home she quietly stole to her room. Sitting down on a +stool, she put her head in both hands and began to cry bitterly. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A FRIEND IS FOUND + + +Cornelli had not appeared at Martha’s cottage for quite a number of +days, and so Martha was filled with grief and anxiety. There were many +reasons for this. First of all, she loved the child as if she had been +her own and missed her daily visits terribly. She also knew that there +was something the matter with Cornelli and that this was the reason +why she did not come. From the time the child was small, she had run +over to her old friend every single day and had told her everything. +Martha was also sorry for her guest’s sake that Cornelli stayed away. +She had told Dino how merry and bright the child could be and how he +would enjoy her as a daily companion. Now it had all come to nothing. + +In the meantime Dino and Martha had become firm friends, and the old +woman was very eager to make everything cosy and comfortable for her +polite and friendly housemate. After his daily walks and after he had +done his school work conscientiously, Dino loved always to sit down +beside Martha. Then she would talk to him and tell him many things +which Dino loved to hear. + +She generally told about Cornelli’s father and mother, for Martha had +known the latter as a small child. Before long, though, she would +always begin to talk about Cornelli, for she never tired of that +subject. She assured Dino that she had never known a more bright or +amusing little girl. Dino always assured her that he could not believe +this and when Martha even asserted that Cornelli was more attractive +than any child she had ever seen, Dino laughed. + +“She looks exactly like a little owl,” he always said. “One can hardly +see her eyes. I should love her to come again, though,” he added, for +he was curious to see Cornelli when she was funny and bright, as Martha +described her. + +When Dino had gone to his room that evening, Martha quickly put on a +better apron, took the big shawl from her cupboard, and putting it on +her shoulders, went quietly out of the house and over to the Director’s +residence. She looked up at the kitchen windows and saw a light there, +as well as in the room that overlooked the garden. On entering the +kitchen Martha saw Esther and Miss Mina sitting down to a plentiful +supper. The latter was just getting up to answer a bell which had rung +in the dining room, but Esther offered the empty seat to her old +acquaintance. + +“Sit down, Martha. I am sure you have earned a rest, the same as I +have,” she said, and with these words moved three platters and a bottle +over to the new arrival. “Just take it. There is a lot left and I am +glad when it is gone, for then I can plan something new for to-morrow.” + +“Thank you, Esther,” Martha replied. “I have already eaten supper. It +is very nice of you to invite me to share it with you, but I really +can’t.” + +“How can you refuse? I simply won’t have it. Anybody can eat what I +cook, even the Emperor of Russia himself. I am sure you are not yet +quite as mighty as that,” Esther proceeded eagerly, loading a plate +with macaroni and stewed plums. + +“Please, Martha, don’t make a fuss; just eat this and drink this glass +of wine. I don’t know why you shouldn’t. Why shouldn’t you eat supper +twice, if it is good?” Martha did not dare to refuse Esther’s offering +any more, so she began to eat her second supper, which was much more +abundant than the first had been. + +“What brings you here so late, Martha; what is it?” asked Esther +curiously, for this visit was quite unusual. + +“I was going to ask you something, Esther, and I thought that I would +interfere less with your work in the evening than at any other time,” +Martha answered. “Cornelli, who used to come to me every day has not +been to see me all week. I thought that the ladies might have objected +to her going to such a humble old woman as I am. I could understand +that well enough. Do you think they have?” + +“Oh no, they don’t object at all,” Esther replied. “Miss Mina has told +them that our master thinks well of you. But you have no idea how +changed the child is in all her ways. One hardly knows her any more. +Three or four times a morning she used to come running in and out of +the kitchen. She was always singing and flying about the garden like +a little bird, at all hours of the day. + +“Who picked all the fine berries and the yellow plums, the juicy, dark +red cherries from the young trees over there, so that it was a pleasure +to see her? Cornelli, of course! And now she won’t even look at +anything. All the berries are dried up by now and spoiled, and the +fine cherries, too. The yellow plums, also, are lying under the tree +by the dozen. They are only meant for children; the ladies won’t bother +about them and one can’t cook them, either. So they fall down and lie +there, and Cornelli never raises her head when she goes by them.” + +Martha was much too modest to say how she would have loved to have a +little basket full of plums for her young boarder. She never could +give him any fruit and she knew how he would enjoy some. But as long +as he was staying with her she could not do it, for that would seem +as if she were begging for herself. + +“Yes, Esther,” she said after a while, “I certainly have noticed how +changed Cornelli is. I pray to the Lord that everything will come right +in the end. Of course, it is hard for the child to get used to a new +life right away. But it surely will be good for her to have somebody +looking after her bringing-up.” + +Esther shrugged her shoulders significantly at this, but said nothing. +“Is the child still in her room or has she gone out, Esther, do you +know? I wanted to tell her to come again to see me, as long as the +ladies don’t object.” + +Esther did not need to answer. At that moment Cornelli came stealing +quietly down the hall. When she saw Martha a ray of sunshine passed +across her face and she greeted the old woman. + +“I came to see if you were ill,” said Martha. “What keeps you from +coming to see me, Cornelli? The time has passed so slowly without you, +child,” she added, holding Cornelli’s hand affectionately. + +“With me, too,” said Cornelli hoarsely. + +“Please come to-morrow and every day, the way you used to,” Martha +begged. + +“No, I won’t come,” Cornelli answered. + +“Why not, Cornelli?” Martha asked, full of dismay. + +“Because the boy is there. I don’t like him and he does not like me,” +Cornelli stated. + +Martha now eagerly told Cornelli of the falsehood of this assertion. +She told her how Dino had asked after her every day and had hoped that +she would come again. It was awfully dull for him to be alone all day +without a playmate. Martha was quite sure that it had not been Dino’s +fault that she did not like him. The boy had nothing at all against +her, for he was asking every day that she come back. + +“Tell me, Cornelli,” Martha said finally, “why don’t you like the boy? +He is so nice!” + +“I’ll come to see you to-morrow,” was Cornelli’s answer, and it +sufficed. Quite happily Martha said good-bye, making Cornelli repeat +her promise that she would spend some time next day with her old friend +and the new boarder. + +Next day Cornelli actually arrived at Martha’s cottage at the accustomed +time. Martha was standing by her carnation pots on the porch, ready +to greet the visitor who was approaching. + +“Dino is so glad that you are coming, Cornelli,” she said, offering +her hand as greeting. “He has just returned from drinking milk. Look, +here he comes!” + +Dino had heard the arrival of Martha’s expected friend and opening the +door had stepped out. “Why have you not come for so long?” he asked, +giving Cornelli his hand. “I waited for you every day.” + +Cornelli gave no answer. Entering the room together they sat down just +as they did the first day of their acquaintance. Martha went out, +because she knew that the children would get along better alone, and +she was very anxious for the two to become good friends. + +“Your small white kid is growing more cunning every day,” said Dino. +“You should see it when it bounds about so gaily.” + +“I don’t care if I see it again or not. Nothing matters at all to me,” +Cornelli returned in a most unfriendly manner. + +“No, this is not true,” said Dino, laughing kindly. “When one talks +that way it shows that one cares a great deal and that one is full of +bitter thoughts, just because one can’t have what one wants. I know +that very well; I do exactly the same thing.” + +Cornelli was so astonished by Dino’s knowledge in the matter that she +gazed at him dumfounded. + +“Oh, yes, I know how it is,” he repeated. “But you do not need to be +bitter, because you lead the finest life anyone possibly could. I +always think so each morning and evening when I go over to the stable +to drink my milk. What a wonderful garden you have! I never saw such +fruit. A whole tree full of plums and all the berries on the bushes! +And then the two fine horses that are kept separately in your stable +for you. Matthew has told me that your father drives with you every +week and that you can have everything in the house and in the garden, +for you are the only child.” + +“Oh, if only there were twelve or twenty children in the house, then +everything would be different,” Cornelli broke forth passionately. +“But I am always alone and never can say a word to anybody. And if one +is made so that everybody hates and despises one, and if no one in the +whole world can help one and everything gets worse all the time---You +do not know how it is. I only wish I could die right away--” Here +Cornelli burst into sudden tears. Putting her head on the table she +sobbed violently. + +Dino looked quite frightened; he had never intended to make Cornelli +sad and he could not understand what she had said. But he remembered +that she had no mother and so he could understand her tears, for that +was dreadfully sad. That seemed more cause for tears than that she was +an only child. + +The thought filled him with deep compassion for her, and he said softly: +“Come, Cornelli! It is terribly sad that you have no mother, but you +must not think that therefore you are all alone and nobody wants to +help you. I’ll be your friend and I’ll help you, but you must tell me +what troubles you. I do not understand from what you have said. Please +explain it all to me.” + +“No, I can’t do that, I can’t tell anyone,” Cornelli said between her +sobs. + +“Oh, yes, you can. Don’t cry any more and I’ll help you. I can surely +find a way. Please tell me.” + +Dino took Cornelli’s hand and gently pulled it away from her eyes. + +“No, no, I can’t,” she said timidly. + +“Oh, yes, you can. First of all, we’ll push your hair away. It is all +sticking to your forehead and your eyes; you can hardly see.” Dino +pushed the hair away as much as he was able; but it was still hanging +down and sticking fast. + +“Oh, now you’ll see it, and then you’ll make a great noise, I know,” +Cornelli exclaimed desperately. + +“I do not see anything except that you look a thousand times better +that way than with these thick, drooping fringes all over your face,” +said Dino. + +“No, let them be! I know exactly how it is,” cried Cornelli, making +an effort to push her hair back again. “Only you won’t say it, because +you want to be my friend. But I know it and everybody can see it and +hate me.” + +“But Cornelli, why are you crying?” said Dino, full of astonishment. +“I don’t know what you mean and I am sure you are imagining something. +You must be, for one often does.” + +“No, I’m not, and there are people who can see it. You must not think +that I imagine something, Dino; otherwise I would not be so frightened +that I often cannot go to sleep for a long, long while. I have to think +and think all the time. I know that it will get worse and worse and +that I won’t be able to cover it up in the end. Then there won’t be +a single person in the world who does not hate me when he looks at me. +You, too, will hate me then, I know.” + +“I swear to you right now that I shall not hate you, whatever should +appear,” Dino exclaimed enthusiastically. “Just tell me for once and +all what you mean. Please do it, for I might be able to help you and +give you some advice. Just tell me, for you know now that I will remain +your friend in spite of everything that might turn up.” + +Cornelli still hesitated. + +“But will you still be my friend later on, when everything is still +more changed and nobody else will be my friend?” she asked persistently. + +“Yes, I promise; and here is my hand!” said Dino, giving the little +girl a hearty handshake. “You can see that I really mean it, for what +one has promised that way, one can never take back. Now you can be +sure that I shall always be your friend.” + +Cornelli’s face lit up with joy. It was obviously a great comfort to +her to have a friend who would remain so for all time. + +“So now, I’ll tell you what it is. But you must promise not to tell +anyone in the whole, wide world about it, as long as you live.” + +Dino promised, giving his hand again for solemn assurance. + +“Look, here on both sides of my forehead,” said Cornelli now, hesitating +a little and pushing the fringes of hair out of her face, “I have two +large bumps, they grow all the time and especially when I frown. I +have to make a cross face all the time, for I cannot be jolly any more +and can never laugh again. So the bumps keep on growing and in the end +they will be just like regular horns. Then everyone will hate me, for +nobody else has horns. I can do nothing now but hide them, but in the +end they will come through and then my hair won’t hide them any more. +Then everybody can see it and people will despise me and children will +be sure to throw stones after me. Oh!” + +Cornelli again put her head on her arms and groaned in her great +trouble. Dino had listened, full of astonishment. He had never before +heard anything like that. + +“But, Cornelli,” he said, “why do you frown all the time, if the bumps +grow when you do it? It would be so much better if you would think of +funny things and would try to laugh. If you always made a pleasant +face they would perhaps go away entirely.” + +“I can’t! I can’t possibly do it,” Cornelli lamented. “I know that I +make a horrid face and that I am so ugly that nobody wants to look at +me. Whenever anybody looks at me I have to make a cross face, for I +know that everybody thinks how horrid I look. I never can be happy any +more, because I have to think all the time about that terrible thing +on my head, and that it is getting worse. And I can’t help it and can +do nothing. You don’t know how it is. As long as I live I have to be +that way, and everybody will hate me. You could not laugh any more, +either, if you were like that.” + +“You should try to think of quite different things and then you would +forget it. Later on it would probably seem quite different to you. You +keep on thinking about it all the time and so you believe in it more +and more. Get it out of your head, then it will be sure to get better,” +said Dino, who could not quite understand it. “Come, I’ll tell you a +story that will change your thoughts. Once upon a time there was an +old copper pan---See, you have laughed already!” + +“Oh, that will be a fine kind of story--about an old copper pan!” +Cornelli said. + +“It certainly is a fine story,” Dino assured her; “just listen: She +had a step-brother who was a wash boiler--you see, you have laughed +again! That’s the way! So they went together to Paris, where there was +a revolution.” + +“What is a revolution?” Cornelli asked, quite thrilled. + +“See how the story interests you!” said Dino, thoroughly pleased. “You +have no more wrinkles on your forehead, because you are listening well. +Didn’t I guess what you have to do? I’ll go on now. You call it a +revolution when nobody wants to remain in their old places and +everything goes to pieces.” + +“What do you mean by going to pieces? Do you mean it the way chairs +begin to go to pieces when the glue comes off and the legs get loose +and shaky?” + +“Just that way,” Dino assented. “When all laws and orders begin to go +to pieces like chairs, when the glue is off and everything crashes and +tumbles down; do you understand?” + +“Yes. And what happened?” Cornelli wanted to know. + +“The travellers liked that well,” Dino continued, “for they were full +of discontented thoughts. The copper pan had thought for a long time +that she wanted to be something else. She was tired of cooking greasy +food and of all the time being full of soot at the bottom; she wanted +to be something better. The wash boiler had similar thoughts. He thought +he would be much better off as a nice tea kettle. He thought how nice +it would be to stand on a fine table, so he wanted to get away from +the laundry. + +“When they came to the revolution they joined in it, too. They became +quite famous making speeches, for they both could talk very well. The +wash boiler had learned it from the washer women, and the copper pan +from the cook. So they were both asked what they wanted to become. The +copper pan wanted to become an ice box; she wanted to sparkle outside +with fine wood and inside with splendid ice. The wash boiler wanted +to become a fine tea kettle and be able to stand on a finely laid-out +table. So they both became what they had wished. + +“But the copper pan, who had been used to the cosy fire, began to shake +and freeze when the ice filled her whole inside. Her teeth were +chattering while she looked about to see if she could discover a little +fire anywhere. But nobody ever brought any burning spark near her. She +suffered the bitterest hunger besides, because she had been used to +quite different nourishment from fat morsels roasting in her insides. +Now she had to swallow little lumps of ice and nothing else. She was +not a bit pleased with shining outside and in, for she had to think +all the time: how terrible it is to starve and freeze to death. + +“The tea kettle meanwhile was standing on a beautifully set table. +Many splendidly dressed young ladies and gentlemen were sitting around +him and drinking tea out of fine china cups, and eating from lovely +gold-rimmed plates. The tea kettle felt flattered and said to himself: +‘Oh, now I can be anybody’s equal.’ But one of the ladies said: ‘I can +smell tar soap and I think it comes from this tea kettle. I wonder +what that means?’ Her neighbor laughed and said: ‘I noticed it long +ago. I hope it has not been used for washing stockings.’ So they looked +at the kettle and sniffed and turned up their noses with disdain. + +“The tea kettle lost his assurance, for he knew quite well that many +hundreds of stockings had been boiled inside of him. The poor thing +had never guessed that the smell of tar soap would stick to him in his +new shape. He felt very cramped and uncomfortable in the society he +was in, and was possessed with the thought of getting away and returning +to the place where he had been comfortable and had been held in high +esteem, for he had really been a first-rate boiler. + +“Then suddenly the revolution ceased. The lady of the house who owned +the ice box said: ‘I do not want the horrible ice box any more, which +they have exchanged for my good old ice box. All the ice that comes +out of it tastes of onion soup.’ The copper pan had always cooked this +soup better than any other. ‘Lulu, throw it out to the old iron heap,’ +said the lady. So Lulu, the butler, and Lala, the maid, took the ice +box and with terrible might threw her down on the scrap heap, where +old iron, bones and dirt lay in the back yard. + +“The ice box felt that all her limbs were giving way and that everything +was going to end badly. She lamented: ‘Oh, if only I had not joined +the revolution! If I had only stayed at home by the cosy fire! Oh, if +only---’ And with that she cracked completely. + +“On the same day the young lady on whose table the kettle was standing +said: ‘Now I have had enough of this horrid tar-soap boiler. I want +a genuine tea kettle and not an imitation. Away with this thing!’ So +the butler took the kettle and dashed him down to the heap of rubbish +in the yard. It was the same rubbish heap where his step-sister had +been thrown, and in his fall he broke his own and his step-sister’s +last bones. Then he exclaimed in bitter pain: ‘Oh, if only I had not +joined the revolution! Oh, if I were only home in the peaceful, steaming +laundry.’ Then he was completely smashed by the old muskets that were +used in the revolution and that had been thrown down on top of him. +And this is the end of the story.” + +“Yes, they were right. If only they had not joined the revolution!” +Cornelli said sympathetically. + +“Yes, and I am right, too,” Dino cried triumphantly. “Just see how +much it helped you to forget your curious bump affair. You have no +more wrinkles on your forehead and you have pushed all your hair away. +You look entirely different; I hardly know you now.” + +Cornelli in very truth had been so eager in listening to the story +that with one quick motion she had pushed the hanging curtains out of +her eyes. She had been anxious not to miss a word, and the hair had +bothered her very much. Her whole face had become bright and changed +during the thrilling tale. + +“Just look at yourself!” Dino encouraged her, taking a little mirror +from the wall and holding it in front of the little girl. + +“No, no, I do not want to see it!” she cried out. In the same moment +she had pulled her hair back again over her eyes, and on her forehead +appeared a lot of wrinkles. + +“Don’t get so excited!” said Dino, putting back the mirror. “But I am +awfully glad to know a way to help you. I shall do it every day, but +you must promise to come regularly. I am sure you’ll forget everything +else that worries you, and in the end you’ll forget about it and so +be gay again.” + +Cornelli shook her head. “No, you can’t prevent it from getting worse,” +she said, covering her forehead with more hair. However, she took +Dino’s hand as a promise to come again, for she had enjoyed her visit +very much and was looking forward to repeating it. + +From that day on, Cornelli wandered over to Martha’s little house as +she had always done. The old woman cried with joy when she heard the +child’s merry laughter after all that time, for it had been a great +grief to her to see the bright child so terribly changed. She loved +to leave the children by themselves, for then they always seemed to +enjoy themselves best. From time to time she heard their happy laughter; +it thrilled her with joy, and she never wanted to interrupt it. She +had seen how Cornelli behaved when listening to one of Dino’s stories; +the little girl was as eager as if she were experiencing it all herself. +In her burning zeal she would fling back her hair, her eyes would +sparkle as in days gone by, and a brightly laughing face would regard +the story teller. Everything else was forgotten for the time; but if +something reminded Cornelli of her own life and troubles, all sunshine +was suddenly gone from her face, her forehead clouded up, and the +horrible sticky hair was again hanging over her eyes. + +So Martha always tried to leave the children undisturbed. She had many +hopes for Cornelli on account of this daily intercourse with the +charming boy, whose clear brow was never troubled and who could so +quickly drive away the clouds from his friend’s face. + +As soon as Cornelli left the little house and was approaching her own +garden, everything changed back to the old condition. Martha, looking +after the child, could always see the fearful looking hair that so +strangely disfigured the little girl’s pretty face. Then she would +sigh deeply and would say to herself: It seems like a disease, but who +can help her? Oh, if our blessed lady had seen her child so terribly +disfigured! + +Cornelli was very much surprised when she found that Saturday evening +had come again, for the last two weeks had flown by very fast. + +She ran through the garden. Under the plum tree lay the last fully +ripened dark gold plums. Cornelli picked them up; they were really +splendid, but they had given her no pleasure that year. She took them +with her and put them on Martha’s table. + +“Oh, what fine yellow plums! I am sure they taste as sweet as honey,” +exclaimed Dino. “Are they from your garden? When the sun shines on +them in the morning, all the branches seem to sparkle with reddish +gold like a Christmas tree.” + +“Yes, they are from the tree. Do you want to eat them?” asked Cornelli. + +“With pleasure. But you must eat some, too,” said Dino. + +“No, I don’t want to,” Cornelli replied. “Just try whether they are +good. If you do not like them, you can leave them or give them to the +birds.” + +“Oh, but there is nothing that tastes as sweet and splendid as these +golden plums!” cried Dino, while he was slowly eating one after another. + +“What a shame! I wish I had known how much you like them; you really +ought to have told me,” Cornelli said. “There are none left on the +tree and they are the last that were lying on the grass. But very soon +we’ll have the best juicy pears--they are perfectly delicious, I think, +even better--and then I’ll bring you some every day.” + +“Yes, it certainly would be great to have a pear feast with you every +day,” said Dino, looking admiringly at the last reddish plum before +he ate it. “It is easy enough for you, Cornelli. You can stay right +here under the pear tree, but I have to go away. I’ll have to spend +my time behind the school house walls, regretting all that I have +lost.” + +“But you are not going away,” said Cornelli with dismay. + +It had never occurred to her that this happy companionship could ever +end. + +“Yes, I have to. If I could, I would stay here much longer with our +good friend Martha. She is better than anybody I know except my mother, +and she takes care of me as if I were a silkworm.” + +“Yes, and when you go, everything is over,” said Cornelli, speaking +as if Dino were her enemy. Her eyes glowed at him from under her hair +and she seemed to be accusing him of some bitter wrong. She now turned +away, as if to say: Now I do not want to hear of anything more. But +Dino understood her sudden anger. + +“No, Cornelli,” he said soothingly, “just the opposite will happen. +It is not over at all, because it has only just begun. I have planned +with Martha to-day that I shall come again next summer and the summer +after and every year after that, till we are both old and gray.” + +But Cornelli only saw the immediate future before her and what was going +to happen now; she could not look so far ahead. + +“Yes, but it is so long till next year, that you are sure to forget +all about me a hundred times,” she said crossly, as if she were chiding +her companion. + +“No, I won’t do that,” said Dino quietly. “I won’t forget you once, +least of all a hundred times. I’ll prove it to you, Cornelli. Let us +still have a good time together and enjoy the four remaining days that +I can stay here. Let us look forward, also, to the time when I shall +come again. Just think how much the kid will have grown by then! We +shall be able to drive together. I’ll be the coachman and you’ll be +the lady in the carriage. That will be splendid!” + +But Cornelli could no longer be really gay. She always saw the moment +before her when Dino had to say good-bye, and when all their fun would +be over. The morning really came fast enough when she had to take leave +of him in Martha’s cottage. After Dino had driven away, Cornelli buried +her head in her arms and cried piteously. Martha, too, was heavy of +heart, and sat beside her, crying quietly. + +That same evening when dinner was done and Cornelli got up from table +to leave the room, the cousin said: “You have not said a single word +to-day, Cornelli. You seem to get worse instead of better! Ought your +father find you worse on coming home than when he left?” + +“Good-night,” said Cornelli hoarsely, and left the room without once +looking up. + +“There is nothing to be done with her; you can see it for yourself, +Betty. You have thought that we could still produce a change for the +better,” said Miss Dorner, after Cornelli had shut the door behind +her. “What have we accomplished with our best efforts? We have tried +hard enough for her father’s sake. How terrible it will be for him to +live alone with her again! Instead of cheering his lonely life, she +will only cause him worry and trouble. And what a sight she is! Have +you ever seen an obstinacy equal to hers in all your life?” + +“No, never,” replied the friend. “It actually seems as if all the +helpful words we have spoken had the opposite effect with her. Whenever +we told her how terrible she looked, the disfiguring hair fringes +always seemed to get worse. I should like to know what one could do +to break her stubborn will. Maybe great severity would do it or bringing +together Cornelli and other children; they might cure her by laughing +at her.” + +“I do not believe so, for nothing seems to help,” Miss Dorner concluded. +“My cousin himself, when he comes back, shall decide what to do with +her. But I know that one thing is certain: whatever will be done, she +will never be a joy to her father.” + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A NEW SORROW + + +Autumn had come, and all the fruit trees in Mr. Hellmut’s garden were +laden with gorgeous fruit. Bright red apples and golden pears were +shining through the green branches; dark blue plums, honey sweet, fell +here and there from the deeply weighted trees. Whoever passed the +garden had to stand still and look, full of wonder, at this great +abundance, and many a person was tempted to leap over the hedge and +get one of the golden pears as a prize. + +Cornelli, staring in front of her, was sitting on the bench under the +hazel nut tree. Matthew was just approaching from the stable; he wore +his best coat, and one could see that something special was going on. + +“Do you want to come with me, Cornelli?” he asked, walking over to the +bench where she was sitting. “I am just going to harness the horses. +Your father is coming at eleven o’clock and I am going to drive down +to the lake to meet him. Come with me! Our brown fellows will be sure +to trot well, for they have had a long rest. Come along! It will be +fun, I know.” + +Cornelli shook her head. + +“No?” said Matthew with disappointment. “I was sure you would not let +slip a chance of driving gaily out into the bright morning to meet +your father. Shall I get you down some pears? No pears, either?” Matthew +went away, shaking his head. “If our master only had half a dozen boys +and as many girls, how nice it would be here on the place. Then such +splendid pears would not be hanging sad and forgotten on the trees.” +Then he added, in a murmur: “Not even to care about driving with such +horses!” + +Soon afterwards, Mr. Maelinger arrived, for it was time for Cornelli’s +lessons. Most of the time the teacher sat beside his pupil shaking his +head. He really needed all his patience to endure the total indifference +she showed in all her tasks. To-day it was again the same. + +The two hours passed, and the carriage which was bringing home her +father had just driven up in front of the house. Mr. Maelinger was +filled with astonishment, for his pupil, instead of jumping up happily +and running away to greet her father, looked shyly through the window +and did not budge. + +“You can go, Cornelli; your father is here! We have finished our work,” +he said, and with these words departed. + +Cornelli had heard her father coming into the house and had heard the +ladies’ joyful words of welcome. She crushed a tear that had begun to +trickle down her cheek and went over to the room where her father had +just entered. + +“How are you, child? Have you come at last?” the father called gaily +to her. “But how strange you look, Cornelli!” he went on with a changed +voice. “What is it?” Cornelli had silently given him her hand and was +shyly looking down. + +“What has happened to you? How odd you look! I hardly know you any +more! Push away all that gypsy-like hair from your face! Why don’t you +look at me pleasantly? Why do you keep looking away? For months I have +been looking forward to this home-coming to my little daughter, who, +I had hoped, would have gained much. So this is the way I am to find +you, Cornelli.” + +Full of sorrow and anger, the father was gazing at the little girl. +She had turned away and had not said a word. Her face, half hidden by +the horrible hair strands, seemed to be covered by a gray cloud which +threatened to break out in a violent rain. + +“We shall talk it all over later, Frederick,” said the cousin. “Let +us first enjoy and celebrate the happy hour of your return and let us +keep all troublesome thoughts away.” With these words, Miss Dorner led +her cousin to the dining room, where the table was festively set with +all the good dishes Esther knew were her master’s favorites. + +The Director’s thoughts, however, were so troubled that even the festive +meal could not dispel them. He barely touched the food that was offered, +for he could not take his eyes off his only child. She sat in front +of him with bowed head, and only now and then looked up at him, quite +shyly. The meal did not go through in a very festive spirit. It was +noticeable that Mr. Hellmut had to force himself to the few words he +spoke. His thoughts were elsewhere and were of a very disturbing nature. +He got up from the table, as soon as possible, and hurried away. + +“He is going over to the works,” said Miss Dorner to her friend, +following him with her eyes. Cornelli, too, had left the room as soon +as her father had gone. “I think it has upset him more than I thought +it would. He has to give vent to his excitement a little, and I hope +that seeing the workmen over there will help him to get over his +impression. I hope he will hear there many new and pleasant things--of +much work and good business. It is hard for him to carry on his endless +work for the sake of such a child, don’t you think so? But it can’t +be changed.” + +After a while the Director came back again. He did not look much soothed +or pleasantly surprised by what he had just heard. The ladies now sat +down again to drink a cup of coffee with him. + +“They have spoiled many things for me over there,” said the Director, +sitting down beside them. “Even if it should mean considerable loss, +I can bear it, but I cannot stand the way Cornelli has changed. What +a frightful sight she is, and how dumb and stupid she has grown. She +did not show the slightest sign of pleasure at my coming and has not +said a single word since then. She has hardly even looked at me and +only sits there as if her existence were a real misfortune--I cannot +stand it. What has happened to the child?” In his excitement Mr. Hellmut +jumped up and paced about the room. + +“Nothing has happened to the child; at least, we know of nothing, do +we, Betty?” said Miss Dorner. “We have both tried to teach her good +manners, for we found that she lacked them sadly. We did it chiefly +on your account. Sorry as I am to say it, Frederick, I have to tell +you that the child’s disposition is so terribly obstinate one can +hardly do anything with her. The more we fought against it and tried +to bring her on the right path, the worse it got and the more she would +insist on having her way. + +“What have we not said against this terrible disfigurement! And all +for nothing! The more we said, the more Cornelli would pull her hair +into her eyes. So I gave it up, for I saw that only physical punishment +would help in such a case and I wanted to leave that to you; I did not +come into your house for that. I do not even dare to decide if that +would help. I have really never in all my life seen such a stubborn +child. I shall certainly admire anybody who can bring her to rights.” + +The director had marched up and down the room with restless steps. Now +he suddenly stood still. + +“But good gracious!” he exclaimed, “there must certainly be a way to +help a child of ten years. Are there no means except chastisement to +bring up a young creature like her? What an abominable thought! I will +not believe such a thing! Can you give me no advice? What could I do? +Ladies surely know how to educate a little girl. Something simply has +to be done right away. I am to blame for my neglect and for leaving +her too long in the wrong hands. Oh, what would my Cornelia say if she +could see her child?” Mr. Hellmut threw himself down in his chair and +put his hands before his face. + +“Please calm yourself, Frederick! It is not your fault at all, for you +can’t fight against her disposition,” the cousin said soothingly. “We +have thought of a way of helping the child. You might send her to a +boarding school in town where there are a great many children and young +girls. Children often help each other by rubbing up against one another +and by noticing each other’s faults and mistakes.” + +“Do you think that this might help Cornelli?” asked the father +doubtfully. “Cornelli is not used to being rubbed against and laughed +at.” + +“For that reason it would make a still deeper impression on her,” +answered the cousin. “You can believe me when I say that this may be +the only means to break her obstinacy, and I am not sure that even +this will help. If such a school can’t break her will, nobody on earth +can reform her; you can believe me, Frederick.” + +“She is still very young to be sent away from home,” said the father, +full of pity. “But I fear that you are right. She could not get better +here, only worse, and so it will probably have to be. Do you know of +a boarding school you could recommend?” + +The cousin answered that she knew of one, and offered to take the +necessary steps as soon as she was again at home. Miss Dorner hoped +in vain that her cousin’s humor would change and that he would become +again the merry and sociable companion of old days. He tried with all +his might to be entertaining when they met at table; but he always had +to glance at his little girl, who sat at her place dumb and seemingly +afraid even to glance about her. A deep shadow always came across his +features, and one could see that it was hard for him to mingle in the +general conversation. + +Miss Dorner at last had enough of his unfriendly attitude. As a last +means to break it and to shake him up a little, she said to him on the +third day after his arrival: “It seems to me, Frederick, that you are +too much occupied even to remember your duties as a host. We are +thinking of going back to town. Are you willing?” + +“I understand your decision absolutely,” Mr. Hellmut answered politely. +“You are right in telling me that I am the most unpleasant host that +could be found, but I hope you understand that the change in Cornelli +has spoiled everything for me and has only filled me with the thought +of how to help her. I hope very much that you will visit my house again +at a pleasanter time. You can order the carriage whenever you want it.” + +The cousin had not expected this answer. “You go entirely too far, +Frederick,” she said angrily. “How can a man sacrifice everything and +change all his ideas for the sake of such a child?” + +“You seem to forget that it is my Cornelia’s and my only child,” +answered the Director. “But we shall not talk about it any more, because +we could not understand each other. I am so grateful for your goodwill +that I do not want to cause you any anger at the end.” + +Two days later the carriage stood before the door. Both ladies stepped +in and Mina stepped in after them. The latter had known so well how +to make herself liked by them that they were taking her to town, for +Mina had wished to become a maid in the city to get away from country +people. One of the ladies was to take her as chambermaid, but it had +not been settled yet which of them would do so. + +Esther was terribly indignant because Mina was leaving a good house +for no reason whatsoever. Since Esther had been managing in the +Director’s home she had always felt the honor of the house to be her +own. Full of resentment, she was standing behind her master, who was +shaking hands as a last farewell. + +Miss Mina was looking towards the other side, where Cornelli stood: +“Won’t you even give me your hand? This is not very friendly of you. +That is just the way you are,” she said to the child in a low voice. + +Now Esther broke forth: “Miss Mina,” she called out as loudly as she +could, “please be so kind as to tell the ladies on the trip who left +the dusty marks on the sofa by standing on it. They were not from a +child’s shoe.” + +Mina blushed a deep scarlet and Miss Dorner, full of astonishment, +looked at her glowing face. She expected a fitting retort, but none +came. + +“Go ahead, Matthew,” Miss Dorner ordered excitedly. She did not desire +a further explanation. + +Mr. Hellmut had moved away. + +Cornelli now took Esther’s broad hand inside both her own and pressed +it hard. A ray of joy flitted over her features, the first after a +long, long time. “Oh, I am so glad that you said that, Esther; I am +more glad than you can think,” she said eagerly. “If you had not said +that, they would have thought all their lives that I had done it and +denied it. But how does Mina know who did it?” + +“She knows, because she did it herself,” Esther replied. + +“Oh, oh! So she did it with her own feet,” Cornelli exclaimed. “It is +better that she has gone then. We’d rather be left alone here, wouldn’t +we, Esther, just you and I?” + +“Yes, indeed,” said the cook, full of satisfaction. “Just tell your +father that I do not mind double work, but that I do mind deceitful +ways.” + +Cornelli had not spoken to her father since he had come back. She was +shy before him, because she realized that the sight of her displeased +him. She was, however, quite sure that she could never change and +always had to be like that. She was also certain that he would only +abhor her more if he ever found out what was hidden under her locks +of hair. She therefore went slowly and hesitatingly towards his room +in order to give him Esther’s message. In former times she had always +run to him gaily, whenever she had something to tell him. Since then +things had changed. + +“It will never again be that way,” she said to herself. The thought +seemed to weigh so heavily on her that she suddenly stood still. At +that moment her father opened the door in front of which she stood. +“Oh, here you are, Cornelli,” he said delightedly. “Did you want to +pay me a little visit? We have really hardly seen each other. Come in +here! I was just going to get you, for I want to speak with you.” + +Cornelli entered, not saying a word and avoiding her father’s glance. + +“Come, Cornelli,” he said, leading her through the room and sitting +down beside her. “I have something to tell you that will make you very +happy. You have changed so much during my absence and so little to +your advantage that something has to be done for your education. It +is high time. I shall take you to a boarding school in town, where you +can be with many other children and young girls. You will have the +chance to learn many things from them and to make friends with many. +You will be sure to change there, then you can return to bring your +father joy. I cannot enjoy you now, for I do not know what ails you. +It may be better after you get some education. I expect to take you +away next week.” + +Cornelli’s face became snow white from sudden terror. First she uttered +no sound, but soon she burst into violent tears. + +“Oh, Papa,” she sobbed, “leave me at home! I’ll be good. Oh, don’t +send me to town to so many children! Oh, I can’t, I can’t. Oh, Papa, +don’t send me away!” + +Mr. Hellmut could not bear to see Cornelli’s tears and still less to +hear her supplications. “But for her own good it has to be,” he said +to himself to strengthen his resolution. Cornelli’s lamentations were +too much for him and he rushed away. + +Several hours later, the time had come for supper and he returned from +the iron foundry. + +Esther came to meet him: “Oh, I am glad that you have come, Director,” +she said excitedly. “When I went up to Cornelli just now she was crying. +I wanted her to taste some of the little plum cakes she usually likes +so much, but the poor child only shrieked: ‘Oh, leave me here, leave +me here!’ Oh, Mr. Hellmut, what if Cornelli should get sick and die?” + +“Nonsense, Esther,” he returned; “children do not die from obstinacy.” + +The master of the house had tried to speak harshly, but he did not +quite succeed. He ran straight upstairs to Cornelli’s room and saw the +child on her knees in front of the bed. Her head was pressed into the +pillows and she cried as if her heart was breaking. + +“Oh, don’t send me away, don’t send me away!” she cried as soon as he +entered. + +He saw that Cornelli was trembling all over from fear and excitement. +“I cannot endure this,” he said to himself, and seizing his hat ran +out of the house. + +Martha was sitting in her peaceful little chamber, busy with her mending +and thinking about Cornelli. She was wondering what would happen now +that she was again left alone with her father. She wondered if the old +days would come back, or if something new was going to be done for +Cornelli’s education. The door was suddenly flung open and Mr. Hellmut +entered. + +“Oh, Martha, I do not know what to do,” he said to her in a perturbed +manner. “You simply have to help me. You knew my wife and you know my +child and love her; and besides, she is attached to you. Tell me what +has come over her. Since when has she been so frightfully stubborn? +Was the child always that way, or has she only grown more stubborn +lately? Have you noticed how she has changed in my absence?” + +“There is nothing so very much the matter with Cornelli, Mr. Hellmut. +Cornelli is not an ill-natured child, I am sure of that. But won’t you +take a seat, Director?” Martha interrupted her speech, placing a chair +now here and now there for her visitor, who was running excitedly to +and fro. But he refused, for he was too restless to settle down. + +“It was really a very abrupt and sudden change for the child, and it +was hard for her to have everything so different all at once,” Martha +said. “Even an older child might have become shy under those conditions, +and Cornelli is still very young. It is hard for a small plant to have +too much done for it all at once and too suddenly; it has to have time +to develop, and the better the plant the more carefully it should be +tended.” + +“I hope you are not trying to insinuate that it was not good for +Cornelli to at last get into the right hands,” said Mr. Hellmut, +standing still in the middle of the room. “I have to reckon it as a +great blessing that she was thrown with ladies of culture and +refinement, who could awaken in her everything that was good, noble +and fine, and could teach her many things. My Cornelia would have done +this herself, above all others, for she was in all those things the +most striking example. The child has not a trace of her, not even in +her looks; everything is lost that used to remind me of her.” + +“Oh, Mr. Hellmut, if I might be allowed to say anything else, I would +only add one word,” Martha replied calmly. “I have always found that +a little love goes further than many good rules. I know that a young +child can be frightened by harsh words more than grown-up people +realize. Afterwards they cannot understand the cause of the shy behavior +which is the result. Cornelli has not lost her mother’s eyes, only one +cannot see them under her hanging fringes.” + +“Yes, that’s it, Martha, this horrible disfigurement, this obstinacy +which holds fast to it all. The shy, spiritless manner, the absolutely +changed ways of the child hurt and worry me so. It takes away all my +joy and all my courage and paralyzes all hope for the future. It has +absolutely spoiled my life.” + +The visitor had gotten more and more stirred up as he went on. “So I +shall help her in the only way I know of: I shall send her to a boarding +school. I just told her about it and she acted as if she were absolutely +desperate. I simply cannot look upon her terrible despair. I actually +feel as if my Cornelia could have no peace in Heaven if she heard her +child’s supplications.” + +“Oh, Director, if you could only keep Cornelli at home for a little +while, so that she could calm down,” Martha said humbly. “Cornelli has +had to go through so many new experiences lately that it would be good +for her to stay quietly at home for a while. In the meantime you could +get her more accustomed to the idea of leaving home, so that it would +not scare her so dreadfully. I promise to do all I can too, Mr. Hellmut. +I will tell her pleasant things about the school and the nice children +that she might meet there.” + +“That is a fine idea, Martha,” Mr. Hellmut said, a little more calmly. +“Please do all you possibly can to make the idea pleasant and desirable +to the child. Do not forget, Martha, that you are my only help.” + +After these words Mr. Hellmut went away. + +“Oh, the good kind Director!” said Martha, following him with her eyes. +“What help can old, stupid Martha be to him, I wonder. But I shall +certainly do whatever I can.” + +Arrived at home, Mr. Hellmut went straight up to Cornelli’s room. She +was still kneeling at her bed in the same attitude, and still crying +bitterly. + +“Get up, Cornelli, and stop crying,” he said. “I meant well with you, +but you did not understand me. You shall stay at home for the present; +later on you may feel differently about it. You can go to Martha +to-morrow. Listen well to her words, for she is your best friend.” + +Cornelli could not have heard a more consoling word. It sounded so +hopeful after all the horrible news about going away. + +“Can’t I go to Martha right away?” she said longingly. + +“Yes, you can, Cornelli,” replied her father, “but you have not eaten +anything yet.” + +“That does not matter,” said Cornelli, already running down the stairs. + +At last Cornelli was running again. She flew quickly up the little +stairs and into Martha’s room. + +“I have to go away, Martha, but not right away. Papa says that I have +to go,” the child called out on entering. “Papa told me to come to +you; I think it was because I cried all the time and he wanted me to +stop. But I won’t stop, unless you promise to help me to stay at home. +I do not want to go to all the strange children. I couldn’t stand it; +oh, no, I couldn’t! Oh, it would be dreadful. Please help me, Martha, +help me!” The terrible fear in Cornelli’s voice and the sight of her +swollen eyes went straight to Martha’s heart. + +“Come and sit down on your little stool the way you used to in the old +times, Cornelli,” she said lovingly, “and I’ll tell you something that +will help and console you. It has helped me, too, and still does when +trouble comes. You see, Cornelli, I once had to go through a terrible +sorrow just as great as yours is to-day. I had to give a child I loved +back to God. So I cried, as loudly as you are crying and even louder: +‘No, I can’t do it, I can’t!’ The more I fought against it, the more +terrible I felt, till in the end I even thought I should despair. So +I cried out in my heart: ‘Can nobody help me?’ And then I suddenly +knew who could do it. I knelt down and prayed to God: ‘Oh, give me +help, for thou alone canst do it!’” + +“Can I stay here if I pray like that, Martha? Will God help me right +away?” asked Cornelli eagerly. + +“Yes, He will surely help you the way He knows is best for you, +Cornelli. If it should be good for you to go away and you ask your +Father in Heaven for help, He will bless your life away from home, so +that it won’t be as hard as you have feared. If you pray to Him, you +will get the firm assurance that nothing will be hard for you, because +you have His help in everything you do. God is sure to ordain everything +in such a wise way that happiness will come to you in the end.” + +“Did you have to give Him your child after all?” Cornelli wanted to +know. + +“Yes, God took it to Himself,” Martha answered. + +“And could you get happy again, Martha?” + +“Yes, yes. The pain was very great, but I was consoled by the thought +of my child’s peace. I knew how many ills he had been spared. God gave +me the assurance that He meant well with both of us. With that thought +I could grow happy again.” + +“I want to go home, now,” said Cornelli, suddenly getting up. It seemed +as if something were drawing her away. + +“Yes, go now, child, and think of what I told you!” said Martha, +accompanying her. + +“Yes, I will,” said Cornelli. She ran home quickly, because the desire +to get to her room was urging her on. + +Cornelli had never prayed so earnestly and heartily as she did that +day. Kneeling beside her bed, she confided all her sorrow to her Father +in Heaven, and begged Him to make her happy once more. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A MOTHER + + +When Mr. Hellmut sat down to his coffee in the morning he always found +letters and newspapers on the breakfast table. + +“Good gracious!” he exclaimed on the morning after the ladies’ +departure, “what correspondents have you in town, Cornelli? Here is +a letter for you.” + +Cornelli, looking up from her cup, glanced incredulously at the letter. + +“It is really for you. Listen! Miss Cornelli Hellmut, Iller-Stream, +Iron Foundry,” the father read. “Here it is!” + +Cornelli opened the letter under great suspense and read: + +DEAR CORNELLI: + +Only think! I am ill and have to lie in bed. The doctor has forbidden +me to read and write, so this letter will be very short. It is very +tiresome to be sick, for my sisters are in school all day. Mama always +has a lot to attend to and Mux is still a very useless little fellow. +Could you not come here and pay me a little visit? I should love to +see you and should enjoy hearing all about Iller-Stream. You could +tell me all about good old Martha, whom I love nearly as much as a +grandmother, about your little kid and Matthew, the horses and +everything else, and especially about yourself. I always had such a +good time with you that I should be terribly pleased if you came to +visit me. Please come very, very soon! Your faithful friend, + +DINO. + +When Cornelli was folding up the letter again, her father said: “Can +I read it, too?” + +Cornelli promptly handed him her letter. + +“What friend is this that wants you to come to visit him?” the father +asked with astonishment. “I expect you to cry immediately, though, for +you might have to go to town.” + +“Oh, no, Papa, I really would love to see him,” said Cornelli. “It is +Dino, who stayed with Martha this summer.” + +The father put down his spoon from pure surprise and looked wonderingly +at his daughter. + +“How strange you are, Cornelli!” he said finally. “Now you suddenly +want to visit a strange family. You only know this boy and you do not +hesitate about it and are not even shy about appearing in your present +condition.” + +“Dino knows me well and knows that I would come to see him alone. He +will arrange everything for me so that I won’t have to see his mother +or his sisters. He knows everything,” was Cornelli’s explanation. + +“That has no sense at all,” the father said curtly, and gathering up +his papers he went away. + +Soon afterwards he entered Martha’s little house. + +“Here I am again. I wonder what you will say to me?” he called to the +surprised old woman. “Here is a letter with an invitation which came +for Cornelli to-day. It is from a boy who stayed with you. Who is he? +Who are his parents?” + +This question made Martha fairly overflow with praises of the boy. She +told Mr. Hellmut that she had never known a boy who was so polite and +friendly to simple folks as this boy had been; he had been well brought +up, had the most refined and charming manners, and was well educated, +and at the same time so simple and childishly devoted to old, plain +Martha. She had never read letters like the mother’s letter to her +son, so beautiful, affectionate and elevating. He had always read them +to her, and she had had to cry every time from sheer emotion. She had +never before seen as beautiful linen as the boy had worn, and it had +all been his two sisters’ work. + +“Martha,” the Director finally interrupted her, “according to your +account, it would be a great blessing for my daughter to spend even +a day in such a family.” + +“If you would really take her there, Director, I certainly would be +happy--ah! I would not know a greater happiness.” + +Martha had to wipe her eyes, she was so stirred. + +“You shall know it, Martha. We’ll go tomorrow, and on the same evening +you shall hear an account of all that happened.” With these words the +Director seized her hand, and after shaking it heartily, departed. + +“Get everything ready, Cornelli! We are going to town to-morrow,” he +called to his daughter, who sat on the garden bench quietly thinking. +“Esther shall call you early, at six o’clock.” + +“Indeed, I shall,” came Esther’s voice through some open window. She +was a good sentinel, for she always seemed to know what was going on +in the house and its immediate neighborhood. + +Early next morning the two shiny brown horses were trotting down the +valley. They had to go for four full hours, but that seemed a pure +pleasure to them; the longer they ran, the more spirit they seemed to +get, and Matthew had to keep them from galloping all the time. + +In her corner Cornelli meditated as to how she could tell the maid at +her arrival that she wanted to visit no one but Dino, and wanted to +be taken straight to his room. She planned also to forbid Dino to call +his sisters and his mother, for she wanted to see him alone. She would +pay Dino a long visit and then steal quietly away without being noticed. +She was also reflecting about everything she wanted to tell her friend. +First of all, she had to tell him that the news had at last come out +regarding who had been standing on the sofa. She had told him all about +this deep grief she had borne for so long. + +So they came to town much sooner than Cornelli had ever thought +possible. The carriage was already halting before the hotel where her +father usually stopped, and Cornelli jumped down. + +“Shall I come back again in four hours, Papa?” she asked. “I can find +my way alone, for Dino has described it to me.” + +“Stop, stop! That is not the way; I am coming, too,” the father said. + +Cornelli was quite sorry not to be able to start off alone, for that +had been her plan. Now everything was quite different. + +As Dino had written his exact address in his letter and the Director +knew his way about town very well, they passed quickly from street to +street till they reached a narrow little lane. Here stood the house +they had been seeking. When finally four high stairs had been climbed, +the Director stood on the highest narrow step where the door took up +half of the standing room. + +“If the inhabitants correspond to their dwelling place, we shall +probably not remain here very long,” he said, looking up doubtfully +at the inconvenient entrance. + +“Dino does not correspond,” said Cornelli quickly. She had not quite +understood her father’s words, but felt them to be an attack on her +friend. + +“Climb up there, Cornelli, and pull the bell-rope!” he commanded. “When +the door is open I’ll probably find room to stand there, too.” + +Cornelli obeyed. A slender girl a good deal taller than Cornelli opened +the door and looked with surprise at the new arrivals through a pair +of dark and serious eyes. Cornelli retreated suddenly. + +“Well, what I see is not very dreadful,” the Director said, stepping +forward. + +“How do you do, child. Is your mother at home, and can I speak to her +a moment?” + +The girl who had opened the door was Nika. With great politeness she +led the gentleman to a room and informed him that she would go at once +to fetch her mother, who was with her sick brother. + +Upon her polite invitation the Director followed her, and settled down +in an arm-chair. He looked about him with astonishment at the small +but scrupulously neat room, which was decorated with several charming +pictures. + +When Nika neared the door, Cornelli said to her in a low voice: “I +want to visit Dino.” + +“Come, I’ll show you the way,” came a small voice from behind the door. +It was Mux, who had quickly hidden there to peep with curious eyes at +the new arrivals. He came out and seizing Cornelli’s hand, pulled her +away with him. The mother had heard the stranger’s voice and at this +moment entered from an adjoining chamber. + +“She does not correspond, either, as Cornelli puts it,” the Director +said to himself with a smile. He rose and introduced himself. “Following +your son’s summons, Mrs. Halm, I have brought you my daughter,” he +said. “She can stay a few hours with her sick friend, if that suits +you, and then she can join me again at my hotel.” + +“I am so much obliged to you for the great favor of bringing her. My +son has looked forward so much to this visit. We all know and love +Cornelli already from what he has told us about her. She has been so +kind to him and has entertained him so well when he was alone in +Iller-Stream that she has earned his and my sincere thanks. Could I +not beg of you to leave Cornelli here for a few days, or at least for +all of to-day?” + +“You are very kind, Mrs. Halm,” he replied, quite astonished to hear +that his shy, unfriendly child should have furnished the boy any +entertainment. “Those are just polite words,” he said to himself, but +aloud he added: “I am afraid that it won’t be possible, for my child +would not stay. She is very shy and has all kinds of peculiar habits, +as you probably have noticed from her looks. Your daughter certainly +looks different.” + +“I shall not keep Cornelli here against her will, of course, but may +I hope to have your permission if the child should want to stay?” + +The rector’s widow had such a pleasing manner that it was hard to +refuse her anything. The Director therefore gladly assented, for it +was his wish as well as hers. + +“Certainly, Mrs. Halm, I shall joyfully give it,” he assured her. “What +could please me more than to have my daughter in surroundings like +these? But I am perfectly certain that Cornelli will desire to go back +with me. Just the same, I want to thank you sincerely for your great +kindness; it will help her to spend even a single day in your charming +household.” + +The Director said farewell and departed. At the entrance door down +stairs a school girl, carrying her schoolbag and books, ran towards +him so violently that a collision could not be avoided, so the Director +opened his arms wide and caught Agnes in them. Agnes always approached +everything like a wind storm. She could not behave otherwise. The +Director laughed heartily and so did Agnes. + +“I am sure you belong to Mrs. Halm, too,” he said, looking with pleasure +at the lively face with the wide-open, bright eyes. How nice and trim +everything was about her! + +“Yes, indeed,” she replied quickly, and ran away. + +“What a happy mother, what a happy woman!” said the Director to himself. +“And to compare my child to such children. I cannot bear it! Such +children, and mine beside them!” + +Dino had told his mother about his experiences in Iller-Stream and +especially of his acquaintance with Cornelli. He had also related to +her the child’s strange trouble, but she had had to give her promise +to keep it to herself. It did not seem wrong to Dino to tell his mother, +because she always knew everything he knew. When the invitation had +been sent to Cornelli, Mrs. Halm had seriously told the children not +to make any remarks about Cornelli’s hair in case she should come. She +had told them not to show any surprise if Cornelli wore her hair in +a rather strange fashion and not to notice it further; that was the +way the mother wished it to be. + +Little Mux was very much pleased at having a new companion. He looked +upon her as an old acquaintance, for Dino had talked so much about +her. First he took her to see the kitchen. + +“But I am sure Dino does not sleep here,” said Cornelli, surprised. + +“No, this is the kitchen; there are no beds here,” Mux asserted. “But +I shall show you first why Agnes cried one whole hour to-day, or perhaps +it was two.” And Mux led his new friend to a whole pile of apple peels +which lay in a bucket. “Isn’t Agnes stupid to cry when we get good +apple tarts afterwards.” + +“But why did she cry?” asked Cornelli, full of sympathy. She knew +exactly what it was like when one simply had to cry. + +“We don’t know,” retorted Mux. + +“But why does the maid not peel the apples?” asked Cornelli again. + +“There is no maid, except block-headed Trina,” Mux informed her. + +“Who is block-headed Trina?” Cornelli wanted to know. + +“She has to help; she is small and fat,” Mux described her. “Mama has +to show her how to cook, and she has to fetch what we need and always +brings the wrong thing. So Dino says: ‘We really must send block-headed +Trina away.’ And then Mama says: ‘Trina has to live, too.’ And then +she is not sent away after all.” + +Cornelli had great sympathy for Agnes, who apparently had a secret +trouble like her own; she did not have to be afraid of her, as she was +of the proud sister who had received her. + +“I am sure, Mux, that your other sister never cries. Are you not afraid +of her?” asked Cornelli. + +“Not the least little bit,” replied the little boy. “She often makes +a face, though, as if she wanted to cry and a thousand, thousand times +she begins to when nobody knows why. I don’t know why, either, for she +doesn’t tell me.” + +Immediately Cornelli’s great shyness of Nika changed into great pity. +If Nika could not even talk about her sorrow, she might have the deepest +sorrow of all. + +“Now we shall go to Dino,” she said, hurrying to the door which the +little boy had pointed out to her. + +“But wait! I shall first show you our big picture book. You’ll love +it,” Mux assured her. “There is something in it that looks just like +you; it is an owl that has rags over its eyes like you. But you must +not talk about it, because Mama has forbidden it.” + +“No, no, I don’t want to see the book. Please take me to Dino now,” +Cornelli urged. + +Mux pulled Cornelli away from the kitchen at last and, not far from +there, opened a door. + +“Are you coming at last, Cornelli?” Dino cried to her. He was sitting +up in bed. He glanced happily at his approaching friend, and Cornelli, +too, felt deep joy at seeing him again. The hours she had spent with +him had been the only happy ones she had had all summer. Quickly sitting +down by his bed, she began to relate to him everything that had happened +in Iller-Stream since his departure. Dino asked many questions that +Cornelli had to answer, and the time went by they knew not how. + +Mux had disappeared. As long as he could not have his new friend’s +whole attention, he preferred to find out what was being prepared for +dinner in the kitchen. + +Now the mother entered the room. + +“I have hardly seen you yet, dear child,” she said, taking Cornelli’s +hand, “but I thought I would leave you and Dino undisturbed for a +little while. You must have many things to talk over about your +experiences and friends in Iller-Stream. Dino has looked forward so +much to your visit. Please come to lunch now. Dino has to sleep a +little while afterwards, and then you can go back to him again, if you +wish.” + +A difficult moment had now come for Cornelli. She had secretly hoped +that she would be able to spend all day alone with Dino, and that +nobody else would notice her. Now she had to sit at table with Dino’s +mother and sisters. Mux, however, was her consolation; he seemed so +confiding and so friendly. She had felt immediately to her great +discomfort how different and how horrible she looked in comparison +with these charming children. When she had stood in front of Nika, who +was so very pretty, she felt sure that the elder girl must be filled +with disgust at the sight of her, even if she did not show it. Mux had +seen her peculiarity immediately and had remarked upon it. And now +Agnes would be there, too. + +That Agnes, as well as the proud-looking Nika, had a secret sorrow +made Cornelli feel as if there were a bond between them. This gave her +a little courage to follow Dino’s mother, who was waiting in the +doorway. When Cornelli entered Agnes was standing, full of expectation, +in the middle of the room. Going up to the visitor, she shook her hand. + +“I am so glad you came, Cornelli,” she said with animation. “Dino has +talked so much about you that we, too, wanted to meet you.” + +“I want to sit beside you,” said Mux, dragging his chair to Cornelli’s +side. + +“Just stay where you are! That is my seat,” Agnes cut him short. She +could not be misunderstood, for she pushed back the chair and Mux quite +vigorously. + +The mother had again gone out to the kitchen, so he could not get her +help, which made him very angry. + +“Yes, yes, you always want to order everybody around all the time,” +he cried out furiously, “and you even broke somebody on the wheel, +once.” + +Now the mother entered. + +“Oh, Mama, Mux is saying such frightful things. Shouldn’t he go to +bed?” Agnes called to her. + +Mux was just gathering up his strength to fight against this proposed +punishment, when the mother cut short their quarrel. + +“No, no,” she said kindly. “To-day Cornelli is here for the first time +and it is a feast day for us. Mux shall not go to bed, but he must sit +down quietly in his chair and say grace; then all will be well.” + +Mux was soon calmed by the soothing words and the good soup’s delicious +odor which penetrated his nostrils. So he said grace in quite a +tolerable manner. Cornelli had been very much touched by his desire +to sit beside her. She was anxious to do him a favor, too, and she +tried to think of something that might please him. + +Directly after lunch Nika and Agnes had to hurry off to school again +and the mother had to supervise Trina’s work, so Mux was entrusted +with the task of entertaining Cornelli for a little while. That suited +him exactly. + +“Now, I’ll show you that Agnes has really broken a man on the wheel,” +he said triumphantly. + +“But I don’t believe it, Mux. And why should the man have held still?” +asked Cornelli. + +“You can read it here. See, it is written there!” said Mux, placing +his picture book on Cornelli’s lap and pointing to a splendid colored +picture. “Read what is written here,” he directed. “Dino once read it +aloud to me and then I knew it.” + +Cornelli read aloud: “Agnes orders Rudolph von Warth to be bound to +the wheel.” + +“Now you see it,” Mux said complacently. + +Cornelli did not quite know what the picture was supposed to mean, so +she began to read the story that explained it. She read more eagerly +each instant, for it was described so vividly that she had to consume +one page after another. + +“Now you know it,” said Mux a little impatiently. “Now look at the goat +wagon.” + +“But Mux,” Cornelli said eagerly, “it is quite a different Agnes, it +is a queen. You must never think any more that your sister has done +such a dreadful thing.” + +“Oh, but look at the goat wagon, now,” begged Mux, a little +disappointed. + +“Why is the child here crying on the road? Just look how he is pressing +his hands up to his eyes! Oh, he is so unhappy! Do you know why?” + +Mux shook his head. + +“Then I have to read it quickly,” said Cornelli. She became so absorbed +in the story that she did not notice how Mux was pulling her and urging +her to stop reading; he even shook the book. + +The mother came into the room now and said: “Dino has shortened his +rest a little, for he is longing to see you again, Cornelli. Will you +come?” + +Cornelli immediately shut the book, for she was extremely glad to go +to her friend. She felt some regret, however, at having to leave the +story unfinished; she would have loved to know what happened further. + +“So you like the book? It was the joy of all my children from the +oldest to the youngest,” said the mother. Cornelli’s regretful glance +at it had not escaped her. “You can look at it again later on, for we +still have lots of time.” + +But Cornelli had to talk over so many things with Dino that the time +had passed before they had thought it possible, and it was not long +before Mux came running with the message that supper was ready. The +meal had to be early because Cornelli had to leave immediately after +it. + +“Oh, what a shame!” said Cornelli, jumping up because she knew her +father did not like to wait. + +“Bring mother here, Mux,” said Dino, and the little one departed. +“Wouldn’t you like to stay with us a few days, Cornelli? It would be +so nice. Wouldn’t you like to? Oh, I think you would!” said Dino +eagerly. + +Cornelli had quite a strange sensation. She hardly dared to say yes; +it seemed so incredible to her that everybody in the house should be +so friendly to her and really want her to stay. But that probably would +not last if she remained and they got to know her better. Soon the +mother came in with Mux. The little boy had heard Dino’s last words +to Cornelli and had already announced to his mother that Cornelli was +sure to stay, because Dino would not let her go. + +“Oh, I am so glad that you have settled it all between you! I am so +pleased that you are going to stay, Cornelli,” she said, full of joy. +“I was just going to propose it to you, and I am so glad that Dino has +persuaded you. Your father has already given me his permission and all +I have to do is to let him know right away. Now you can stay quietly +together, for there is no hurry about supper.” + +The mother immediately wrote to Mr. Hellmut, and soon after that, fat +little Trina was running over to the hotel. + +Cornelli had again settled down beside Dino with a mixed feeling of +wonderful delight and fear. He noticed her timidity. + +“Oh, yes, Dino, I love to stay with you and Mux,” she assured him. +“Your mother is so good to me, too, but I am afraid of your two sisters. +I have to think of poor little block-headed Trina all the time, when +she does everything wrong and does not know how to do otherwise; you +all despise her for it and she can’t help it. I know what it is like +to be so block-headed.” + +Dino had to laugh a little. + +“Why do you suddenly think of our Trina?” he asked. “Do not worry about +her, for mother is very good to her. Just be happy, Cornelli, and do +not imagine all kinds of things about block-headed Trina.” + +Cornelli did not say another word, but Dino noticed that she kept on +thinking just the same. After a while the mother came to announce that +it was time for Dino’s rest. The prospect of seeing each other again +on the following day was a great consolation to them both. + +Then Cornelli and the mother went back to the room where the sisters +were sitting at their school work. Mux was bending over his picture +book, hatching out new ideas, no doubt. Just then the half grown Trina +entered with a basket on her arm. While she was passing Nika’s chair, +her basket got caught on it. Pulling violently to free it, she turned +the chair around quite suddenly. + +“You are getting more awkward every day, Trina,” Nika said crossly. + +Cornelli blushed. She felt as if these words were meant for her as +well. She must be just as awkward in Nika’s eyes as Trina was. The +latter failed to excuse herself and from embarrassment became more +clumsy in her movements. Cornelli understood this perfectly; that was +what she always did, she knew it quite well. + +“Now we shall have supper,” said the mother, “and when the children’s +work is done we shall all sing together. Don’t you sing, too, Cornelli?” + +“I probably do not know the songs, and so I can’t sing,” she replied +shyly. + +After supper Mux fled back to Cornelli with his book. He wanted to +renew his conversation with her, but his mother had a different plan. + +“Give your book to Cornelli, for it is time for you to retire,” she +said. “You can join us again to-morrow.” + +Mux departed reluctantly. + +When his mother was firmly leading him away, he was still able to call +to Cornelli: “Be sure not to go till I come back!” + +Cornelli felt quite frightened when her confiding little friend had +gone. Now for the first time she was left alone with the two sisters. +She wondered what would happen. But nothing happened. They were both +so deeply occupied with their work that they did not even raise their +heads. Cornelli now remembered the lovely story book. She had already +begun a story and she simply had to know how it would end. So she began +to read. As soon as she finished one story, a new wonderful picture +would lead her to another story. + +Suddenly some splendid music sounded close beside her, and Cornelli +started. Agnes was sitting at the piano close to her side and playing. +Cornelli could not read any more, for Agnes played one lovely tune +after another as quickly and easily as if it did not cause her any +trouble. She knew from Dino that Agnes was not much more than a year +older than she was. She listened with admiration to the beautiful +melodies that were pouring forth from the instrument. Finally the +mother returned. She had made her nightly visit to Dino and had had +several things to say to him. + +“Mama,” Agnes called to her eagerly, “I am playing all the merry pieces +I know to-night, for I have just finished my long composition.” + +“You are right, Agnes. And how are you getting along with your painting, +Nika?” asked the mother. + +Nika replied quite sadly that she had hoped to finish it that day, but +the days were very short now and she could not paint by lamp light. +Her mother should see how little her work still lacked. + +“If I had one hour more of daylight, I could finish it,” she sighed. + +Nika placed a large painting under the bright lamp. It somewhat +resembled the beautiful pictures which decorated the walls of the room. +The colors in it were perfectly wonderful, and Cornelli had never +before seen such a lovely picture. Sparkling crimson roses were hanging +down an old wall and dense ivy was creeping up between them with shiny +green leaves. An old oak tree was stretching large gnarled branches +over the decayed wall, and below, a clear stream was peacefully flowing +out to a meadow, where glowing red and blue flowers seemed to greet +it joyfully. + +Cornelli stared at the lovely picture; she had never seen anything +like this glittering stream, the painted trees and flowers; one seemed +to hear the murmuring of the brook, far, far away through the meadow. +It was all so full of life! And to think that Nika had painted it! +Cornelli felt as if a deep, deep gulf lay between her and the two +sisters, a chasm that separated her from them forever. + +The two sisters seemed to stand before her like two splendid creatures, +full of beauty and fine gifts, while she stood there a stupid, awkward, +block-headed Trina, whom nobody on earth ever could possibly love. +Mrs. Halm gave Nika great encouragement by praising her work and urging +her to begin promptly next day. + +Then she sat down at the piano, for they always concluded their evening +with a song. + +Cornelli remained still. The rector’s wife urged her to join them, but +Cornelli had had too many impressions that day to be able to sing. She +knew quite well the old evening song that they were singing, for Martha +had taught it to her long ago, but she felt as if she could not utter +a note. + +At the end of the song Agnes suddenly exploded: “Oh, mother, that is +nothing at all. When you are hoarse and Dino is in bed, our singing +is frightful. Nika only squeaks like a little chicken with a sore +throat.” + +“Well, then one has to stop singing,” said Nika, shaking her shoulders +a little proudly. + +“No, the whole household has to sing, otherwise it is not worth +anything,” Agnes declared. “It is a shame that the most beautiful thing +in the world should be so little practiced.” + +After the song was ended the mother took Cornelli kindly by the hand +and said: “I am sure that you are tired, dear child. I am going to +take you to a tiny bedroom, for I have no larger one. Your door leads +into Agnes’ and Nika’s room,” she continued, when she was standing +with Cornelli in the little chamber. + +“You can open the door and then you are practically all three in a +single room.” + +Then she said good-night cordially and wished Cornelli a good rest. + +Nika and Agnes quickly said good-night, too, and then Cornelli was +alone in her room. + +She had no desire to open the door, for her shyness had only increased +since her arrival. How high the two stood above her! Cornelli was not +a bit sleepy and kept on thinking of all the things that had happened +to her that day. + +What did Agnes mean when she spoke about the most beautiful thing in +the world? Did she mean singing? That was not the most beautiful thing +by any means. The most wonderful of all was a painting like Nika’s, +with lovely roses and trees and the meadow with clear water. At last +Cornelli’s eyes closed, but she kept on seeing the flowers and seemed +to be looking up admiringly at Nika, who stood beside her, tall and +beautiful. Cornelli thought: If she would only say one pleasant word +to me. Then Nika turned around to her and said: “You are an awkward, +block-headed Cornelli!” All this Cornelli saw and heard in her dream. + +Agnes said to her sister in the other room: “If only Cornelli would +say something! One cannot tell what she is thinking about. How could +Dino find her so amusing, and become her friend? She sits there all +the time and never says a word.” + +“That is her least fault,” Nika returned. “But it is horrid that she +insists on looking like a wild islander. I do not understand why Mama +did not push the frightful locks out of her eyes.” + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A GREAT CHANGE + + +Next morning Mux had hardly opened his eyes when he desired to go again +straightway to Cornelli, for this had been promised him the night +before. Before he succeeded, however, he had to submit to his usual +fate in the morning. He ran into the room at last, neatly washed and +combed and with cheeks shining like two red apples. Cornelli was already +sitting in a corner of the room, listening attentively to Agnes’ +playing. He flew towards her and saw his beloved book already in her +hands. + +“Oh, now we shall read and tell stories all day long,” he called out +happily. “All the others have to go to school.” + +But Mux had forgotten that breakfast came first of all. After the meal +the two sisters departed, but Dino knocked and clamored for Cornelli +to come to him. Mux loudly protested against this and only calmed down +when Cornelli promised to keep him company during Dino’s rest hour. +He kept on objecting and murmuring to himself even after she had gone. + +Cornelli was quite thrilled and overcome by the thought that anybody +should love her so, and it did her more good than anything else. As +soon as she came to Dino’s room he asked her if she would read to him, +too, for he had found out how much she enjoyed reading to Mux out of +his picture book. + +“Have you entertaining books, too?” asked Cornelli with hesitation. +In her mind she saw her own beautiful books at home, that she had left +alone because so many things in them had been unintelligible. + +“I should say so! You just ought to see them,” said Dino. “Please take +down the book called ‘Funny Journeys.’ There are pictures in it, too. +They are not as big as in the other book and are not colored, but they +are so comical that they make one laugh all the time.” + +Cornelli got the book down, and in a little while merry peals of +laughter filled the room. The mother, who heard, was happily smiling +and saying to herself: “No, no, all is not yet lost.” + +So the week passed by. Cornelli spent most of her time reading aloud +to Dino and to Mux. She grew more eager all the time in this occupation, +and if Mux would suddenly want to play with soldiers, Cornelli would +say: “You can easily play that alone. Let me read this and later I’ll +tell you all about it.” So she had soon finished reading the whole big +book. + +Cornelli had so far scarcely become acquainted with the two girls, and +Nika had rarely spoken to her. On Saturday morning the mother entered +Dino’s room just after Cornelli had finished reading such a funny tale +that both children still laughed aloud at the remembrance. + +“Children, to-morrow Cornelli’s father is expecting to hear from me. +He will want to know if he is to come to fetch her home, or if he is +to leave her here another week. Cornelli herself shall decide, but we +all want her to stay.” + +“Don’t go, don’t go! Tell him not to come for a long while,” Mux +implored her. The little boy had slipped in behind his mother and was +keeping a tight hold on Cornelli, as if her papa might come at once +to pull her away. + +“No, no, Cornelli, you won’t go away yet,” Dino now said. “To-morrow +I am allowed to get up for the first time and you must be there to see +if I can still walk. After that you must stay here till I go to school; +won’t you, Cornelli? You don’t want to go, do you?” + +“You must not urge her too much,” said the mother. “Maybe Cornelli +would rather go home, and by your talking you might keep her from +saying so.” But being urged by the two children was such a joy to +Cornelli that she never even hesitated. + +“I should love to stay,” she said. + +“Oh, how splendid!” Dino exclaimed. “Please ask for at least two or +three weeks, Mama. It is so nice to have Cornelli with us.” + +“I shall ask Cornelli’s father to let us have his daughter a while +longer,” said the mother, “I cannot possibly settle the time, her +father will do that.” + +“Oh, yes, a while longer is just right. Then it is so easy to ask for +a little more time, for we can say that we meant that by a little +longer,” said Dino. + +The same day, later on, while Dino was resting, Cornelli was sitting +with Mux. They were both so happy over the prospect of remaining +together that Mux opened the piano and asked Cornelli to sing with +him. Cornelli could not play, so promised that she would try to sing. +She asked Mux to choose a song, but he knew none. + +“You sing one,” he proposed, “and I might know it, too.” + +Cornelli was just in the mood to sing once more. She began a song with +her bright, full voice and Mux listened admiringly. + + The snow’s on the meadow, + The snow’s all around, + The snow lies in heaps + All over the ground. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + All over the ground. + + Oh cuckoo from the woods, + Oh flowers so bright, + Oh, kindliest sun, + Come and bring us delight! + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + Come and bring us delight! + + When the swallow comes back + And the finches all sing, + I sing and I dance + For joy of the Spring. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +Suddenly the door flew open and Agnes burst into the room. + +“But why didn’t you ever say anything?” she cried out. “To think of +it! Why did you never say a word, Cornelli?” + +“But what should I have said?” Cornelli asked, very much frightened. + +“You must not be afraid,” Mux now calmed her, “I’ll help you, if she +should want to hurt you.” + +“Don’t be so unnaturally stupid, Mux!” his sister ejaculated as she +ran to the next room. Here her mother was already standing in the open +door. “Have you heard it, Mother? Come out and let Cornelli sing her +song again!” + +“Yes, indeed! I have heard it with pleasure and great wonder,” said +the mother, approaching Cornelli. “You have a voice, dear child, that +we all should love to hear again. Have you often sung before?” + +“Oh yes,” said Cornelli. “Martha has taught me many songs, but--” + +“What do you mean by but?” Agnes quickly interrupted her. “I know now +what a voice you have. I have to go quickly to my music lesson, but +you must sing a lot with me to-night. No buts will be allowed then.” + +“Oh, Cornelli, won’t you sing with us tonight?” asked the mother kindly. +“We know now how well it sounds, and I do not see why you should still +hesitate.” + +“I can’t sing properly when I am afraid, for then it does not sound +well,” Cornelli replied. + +“Why should you be afraid?” asked the mother. “You know us all so well +now.” + +“Oh, because I am not like Agnes and Nika. I can’t do anything they +do and I don’t look the way they do,” said Cornelli. With these words +she frowned again in the old way, so that one could see it through the +thick fringes of hair that covered her forehead. + +The mother said no more and went out. + +“Just stay with me, Cornelli; then you don’t have to be afraid of +anything,” Mux said protectingly. “I am afraid of nothing in the whole +world--except of the dark,” he added quickly, for he had seen Cornelli’s +penetrating eyes looking at him through her hair, and felt that he had +to tell the truth, for she was sure to find him out. “No,” he continued, +“I won’t be even afraid of that if you stay with me all the time.” + +Agnes had finished her school work sooner than ever that day. She ran +to the piano and called to Cornelli: “Come here! Mux can play alone, +for we must sing now.” + +So Cornelli went up to the piano. + +“I shall sing the first stanza of this song and then you can sing it +with me the second time,” Agnes said and began: “The beauteous moon +is risen.” + +“Oh, I have known that song a long time. Shall I sing the second voice?” +asked Cornelli. + +“What? Can you really sing second voice? Can you really do it? Oh, +that would be wonderful! Go ahead and do it!” said Agnes excitedly. + +So the two girls sang alone together, for Nika had not finished her +work, and the regular time for the evening songs had not yet come. +Agnes was radiantly happy while she was making experiments with a new +voice. + +Nika was still absorbed in her work, the mother only entered the room +now and then, and as Agnes was singing with her, Cornelli did not have +the feeling that anybody was listening. So she sang quite freely and +let her whole, full voice flow out. Agnes became more eager all the +time, and it really sounded as if a whole chorus were singing in the +room. + +At last the mother stood still, and Nika, lifting her head from her +work, listened, too. + +When the song was done, Agnes clapped her hands and said: “Oh, Cornelli, +your voice is as clear as a bell! Oh, if I only had a voice like that! +What wonderful things I could sing then! Do you know many songs, +Cornelli? Just tell me all you know.” + +Cornelli looked over the song book before her. She knew quite a number +of the songs in it, for Martha had taught her many. + +Agnes was in raptures: “Oh, now our evening songs won’t be like a +feeble chirping any more; now everything, everything will be different!” +she cried out. Suddenly struck with a new idea, she ran over to her +other music books. + +She got a book of songs for two voices, which she had only been able +to use at her music lessons and never at home, for Nika could not join +her. “Come, Cornelli, try to sing after me now. This is your part, and +when you know it, I’ll sing mine. Here are your notes,” she instructed +Cornelli, and with that she began to sing. + +Cornelli did not know the notes very well, because Mr. Maelinger had +not instructed her very deeply in that subject. Her ear, however, was +correct, and she could immediately repeat a melody. Agnes began with +the easiest songs, and it did not take Cornelli any time to learn them. +She soon knew where to pause and where to take up her part again. So +a second piece was started and soon a third. Then they repeated them +all again and before long they could sing three songs quite well. + +“Once more, once more,” Agnes urged her. It went better every time, +and in the end they sang together perfectly. Agnes jumped up from her +seat and exclaimed: “Oh, you are a wonderful Cornelli! Who would have +thought it? Please do not go home yet. Stay here, and then we can sing +together every day. Have you heard it, Mama?” + +The mother affirmed it and told them that she and Dino had both enjoyed +the singing. Dino had asked to have his door kept open, for he had +wanted to hear it all. + +“Do you know what we’ll do, Cornelli?” said Agnes. “To-morrow morning +we’ll study a festive duet. We shall greet Dino with it when he comes +back to this room again for the first time.” + +Cornelli gladly agreed. + +It was time now for their accustomed evening song, which had been put +off longer than usual that day. Agnes was of the decided opinion that +it was not suitable to end this day with a mild evening song. She +suggested a loud hymn of praise and thanks. She started it with +enthusiasm, and all the others soon joined. + +The unexpected joy and great friendliness Agnes had shown had made +Cornelli so happy and astonished that she sat a long time on her bed +in the little room. She was wondering to herself why she could never +be quite happy in spite of everybody’s goodness, but she knew soon +enough why this was so. Her old fear had not left her. She fully +realized that she looked different from other children and that her +horns would get worse, till they could not be hidden any more. Then +everybody would think what Mux had thought, even if they did not say +it. + +Next morning, when Cornelli had just gotten up, Mrs. Halm entered her +room. “Cornelli,” she said, taking the child’s hand, “you have made +us all so happy! You have done much for Dino by helping him to pass +many pleasant hours, and you have entertained my little restless Mux +so wonderfully that he can hardly live without you any more. I should +like to do something for you now; I should love to make you look festive +to-day and get rid forever of everything that disfigures you.” + +The mother had already begun to smooth out the child’s thick hair. + +“Oh no, oh no, please don’t do it!” Cornelli cried out, “then everything +will be lost. I want to go home, oh, I must go home! Oh, they will all +laugh at me and they won’t like me any more. Oh, you don’t know how +it is.” + +“I know everything, dear child,” the mother said quietly. “Dino has +told me everything. Don’t you know, child, that I love you? You know, +Cornelli, that I would not do anything that might hurt you the least +bit, or that would not help you. I want to free you from an error, +Cornelli.” + +“No, no, it is not an error, surely not,” Cornelli called out in her +great anxiety. “My cousin said it and Miss Grideelen said it, too. +They saw it, and I know it. Oh, please don’t brush my hair away.” + +“Cornelli,” the mother went on calmly, “the ladies told you they saw +little horns on your forehead, that got bigger every time you wrinkled +up your brow. You are afraid that this is really so and that it is +getting worse. You understood it in a way they did not mean. They only +wanted to tell you that when you frowned you looked as if you had horns +on your forehead, and they said it to keep you from frowning. They +meant well by you, but you misunderstood them. But you can understand +me. Just let me help you to be happy again. + +“Have you any confidence in me, Cornelli? Tell me, do you think that +I would do anything that would make you repulsive in the eyes of +everyone? Do you believe that? I know you don’t, child!” Cornelli only +groaned a little. + +With nimble hands the mother had in the meantime kept on smoothing and +combing the child’s heavy hair. It already lay beautifully parted on +both sides of her face. The brown, wavy hair framed a snow-white brow, +for not a ray of sunshine had penetrated through the hair all summer +long. The mother finished the two heavy tresses and wound them about +Cornelli’s head like a crown. Smilingly the mother looked into +Cornelli’s face. The great change had thrilled her with joy. + +“Now come with me to the children. We shall see if they can notice any +change,” she said, and taking the little girl’s hand, she led her away. +Cornelli was extremely glad to enter the room at the mother’s side, +for she would not have dared to go alone. When the door opened, she +looked shyly at the floor. + +Mux had already been waiting for his companion and now ran to meet +her. “What have you done, Cornelli?” he cried out in sudden surprise. +“Your forehead looks quite clean and neat, and you have shiny eyes +like a canary bird, and you don’t look like an owl any more.” + +“Why Cornelli! You are transformed!” Agnes exclaimed. “Just let me see +you. Make a little room, Mux! No, I don’t know you any more. It is +fortunate you did it, for it is a pleasure to look at you now.” + +“Your mother has done it,” Cornelli explained confusedly, for she was +quite overcome at all these manifestations of joy. + +Nika also glanced up at her. “You are a different child, Cornelli, and +I do not see how you could ever have gotten the way you were.” + +These words were said in such a charming manner that a deep sensation +of well-being filled Cornelli. She tried to fight against it, however, +for she did not think it possible that she should suddenly become freed +from her horrible, sickening fear. + +Agnes was very anxious to practice their song for the festive reception +of the newly risen Dino, and Cornelli, too, was filled with ardor. The +two children kept up their singing quite a while, for Agnes could not +weary of trying the songs for two voices which she had never before +been able to use. + +Dino did not come until lunch time. Though he was still very pale, he +felt extremely lively. “Hurrah, Cornelli!” he cried out as he entered +the living room. “Now you look again the way you used to in Iller-Stream +when you forgot to pull your curtains over your brow. You even look +better than that, Cornelli, you look perfectly splendid! Another hurrah +for this great joy!” + +The next moment a surprise came for Dino: the lovely festive song which +Agnes and Cornelli were singing in his honor. The voice of the latter +was full of purity and strength, and Dino kept on signalling to Nika +over and over again, saying in a low voice: “Do you hear it? Do you +see it? Do you notice it at last?” + +It was quite evident that two had not been of the same opinion about +Cornelli till that day. + +So they all had a merry feast. In Cornelli’s heart the feeling of +delicious well-being gradually began to drive away all other sensations. +Her old gaiety broke forth boundlessly and roused all the others as +well to great merriment and joy. Dino looked quite well again, and his +eyes fairly beamed with happiness. Even the mother joined in their gay +mood, and she had to glance over and over again at her two daughters, +who had seldom shown such unclouded joy. She heaved a secret sigh, +however, and asked herself: I wonder how long this happiness will last, +for we have hard times before us. + +“Wasn’t I right, after all?” Dino said to his sisters, when Cornelli +had retired and the family separated at bedtime. The sisters till now +had made disparaging remarks to him about Cornelli. “We do not see +what attracts you in her,” they had said. “We don’t understand how you +can find her entertaining,” and so on. + +When Cornelli was alone in her room that night, she felt as in a dream. +What had happened to her? Was it really true that the great sorrow +which had weighed on her and had taken all her joy away had forever +disappeared? The mother had told her firmly that it had been an error, +and the children had proved it to be so by their reception of her. So +she could be happy again as she had always been. Cornelli was filled +with joy and praise to God at this thought. + +“How wonderfully God has led me,” she said in her heart. She remembered +how anxiously she had prayed to Him to prevent her from being sent to +town. Now she had come to town, but in such a different way from what +she had feared! She had been freed from her trouble by going away. +Martha had certainly been right and she would always try to remember +this. In the future she would pray to God that she might do everything +according to His will, and she made up her mind that she would never +again try to force the fulfilment of her own wishes. She felt that she +owed the good Lord in Heaven especial praises, so she lay down to sleep +quite late, and because of her happiness, even stayed awake a long +time after her prayers were said. + +“I have to tell you something, Cornelli,” said the mother next day, +when all the family was peacefully gathered around the supper table. +“You know that I have written to your father asking him to let you +stay here a little longer. He has answered me, saying that he would +be very pleased if his little daughter could stay with us for a year +and could take all the lessons that my daughters are taking; but he +leaves you free to decide about it. So you must write to your father +to let him know the answer to his proposal. + +“Oh, you must stay here, Cornelli. Won’t you please stay?” Dino +exclaimed. “Then you can be here till summer time and we two can go +back to Iller-Stream together, for it is quite settled that I am going +again to our good old Martha.” + +“And I’ll go, too,” Mux said with conviction. “Do you know, Cornelli,” +he whispered into her ear, “I’ll stay with you all the time in your +own house and Dino can go alone to old Martha.” + +Agnes was simply enchanted with this new prospect. “Oh, how wonderful, +how wonderful!” she exclaimed over and over again. “Now we can have +singing lessons together and sing again at home. Oh, that is too +wonderful!” + +Nika also begged Cornelli to stay. “I hope you will tell your father +that you intend to remain with us, Cornelli,” she said. “We are only +just beginning to know you well.” + +Cornelli’s eyes sparkled with pleasure, for now the whole family wanted +to keep her with them. Suddenly a thought flashed through her. When +her father had threatened to send her to town for a year, she had been +terribly upset, and now the year spent in town with this family seemed +like pure pleasure. How different everything had been from what she +had thought and feared. + +“I should love to stay here!” she exclaimed with deep emotion. “Can +I write to Papa now?” That suited Mrs. Halm exactly. Sitting down +beside Cornelli, she also wrote to Mr. Hellmut, and both letters were +sent at once. + +Two days later Mr. Hellmut was sitting at the breakfast table, looking +at his mail. First of all he opened a fat envelope which had come to +him from town. There were two letters in it which caused him great +surprise. Mrs. Halm wrote that all the members of her family had +joyfully received his proposal to leave Cornelli with them for a longer +stay. She told him that they had all become so fond of Cornelli that +she would have left behind a feeling of real loss. + +Cornelli’s letter read as follows: + +DEAR PAPA: + +I should love to stay here, for the mother and all the children are +very good to me, and I love them dearly. I should also like to learn +lots and lots of things. Nika and Agnes know so much and are so clever, +and I should be so glad to learn what they know. I shall be unspeakably +happy if you will let me stay. Please give my love to Martha, Esther, +and Matthew. + + YOUR CORNELLI. + +After reading the letters, the Director shook his head. “What on earth +has happened?” he said to himself. “A few weeks have hardly passed +since they told me that this child could not be set to rights, and I +have myself seen how stubborn she was and how strangely she behaved. +And what a change already! However, I must not take literally what has +probably been written in a moment of excitement.” + +Mr. Hellmut was very glad about Cornelli’s intention to remain in town, +for thus his greatest care had been taken from him. A lovely woman, +who with her children had made a most favorable impression on him, had +promised to devote herself to his child, and he only wondered how long +the present arrangement would last. + +Mrs. Halm had soon arranged a regular course of studies for Cornelli. +Agnes was very anxious for her to start music lessons right away, for +she thought that that was the most important thing. Cornelli herself +was eager to do this, for she wanted to learn everything that Nika and +Agnes were learning. So she threw herself with fresh energy into all +the fields of study that were opened to her. + +Dino also was going to school, for he had entirely recovered. Every +morning the four children started out gaily, talking eagerly while +they walked down the street, until they finally separated for their +various schools. If they met again on their way home, they were still +more lively, for they would tell each other all their experiences. +Cornelli surpassed them all in that respect. She had the talent of +describing everything in such a funny and vivid fashion that she made +them all laugh. + +Mux alone was unhappy in these days, for he had lost his beloved +companion. Full of anger, he would meet the four laughing school +children when they were coming up the stairs and would say: “If I owned +all the schools I would certainly burn them.” + +“But I hope not all the teachers, too, Mux,” said Dino, “for then one +would have to tell an even worse tale about you than you were telling +about Agnes.” + +The door between Cornelli’s and the sisters’ room was always open now, +for they all had wished it. There was not a single evening on which +they did not make use of the last moment for talking to each other +about their mutual interests. + +Cornelli was filled with admiration for Nika and for everything she +did. She could not understand how Nika, who was so lovely and could +do such wonderful things, could have a sorrow. She had never forgotten +about it, because she had often noticed that the young girl suffered +from some grief. + +Even Agnes often stopped laughing quite suddenly. She would say: “Yes, +Cornelli, it is easy for you to be jolly. It is easy for you.” So +Cornelli knew that Agnes also carried a care about with her. When Agnes +frowned and made dreadful wrinkles, Cornelli was quite sure that then +her sorrow was hurting her. She would have loved to help her, but she +had never asked her friends about it. She knew that she had been glad +when nobody had asked her about her own trouble. + +One day it happened that Agnes came home from her music lesson quite +upset and terribly excited. “Oh, Mama,” she called from the door, “the +teacher has given us the pieces today which we have to play for our +examinations. He has given me the most difficult one, and while giving +it to me he said: ‘I shall really make something fine out of you.’” + +Agnes was throwing her music sheets away as if they were her greatest +enemies; then she ran away to her room. There she threw herself down +on a chair and began to sob loudly. Cornelli had followed her, for she +was filled with sympathy. Putting her arms about Agnes, she said: “Tell +me, Agnes, what makes you cry. I know what it is like to have to cry +like that. But why do you do it now, when your teacher has just praised +you?” + +“What good is that to me?” Agnes burst out. “How does it help me to +play ever so well? What good would it ever do me even to practice day +and night? Nika and I can only keep on one year more, and then +everything is over. Then she can’t paint any more and I can’t have any +more music lessons, for we shall have to become dressmakers. We won’t +even have time to go through the higher classes in school. I would a +thousand times rather travel through the world and sing in front of +the houses for pennies--yes, I’ll do that!” + +“Can’t your mother help you?” asked Cornelli, remembering the mother’s +help in her own case. + +“No, she can’t; and she is very unhappy herself. There is not a soul +on earth who could help us, for our guardian says that it just has to +be.” + +Cornelli was quite crushed by this explanation, for now she understood +quite well why Nika often had such sad eyes. The hopeless prospect +made Cornelli’s heart heavy, too. When Agnes had had such a passionate +outbreak, she did not regain her composure for several days. Then Nika +would not say a word, either, and the mother only looked very sadly +at her children. + +Then Dino also became silent, for he knew what tormented his mother +and his sisters. He would have loved to help them, but he knew no way. +So Cornelli could not laugh any more, either, and her friend’s great +sorrow weighed on her, too, for she had experienced a heavy grief +herself and had not forgotten what it was like. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +NEW LIFE IN ILLER-STREAM + + +Winter had come. For the inhabitants of the garret lodging the days +were filled with so much regular work that the nights were always +greeted with loud regrets and complaints. They were always sorry when +the day was done and no more time was left for their plans. Agnes was +especially angry and ready to spit fire from disgust at the arrival +of the hated bedtime which always broke up everything. + +“We lose half of our lives in sleeping,” she indignantly called out +several times. “I wish you would let us sing all night long, Mother,” +she said. “We should only be more keen for our other work next day, +if we could really devote ourselves to music for a while, instead of +always stopping off in the middle whenever we are in the mood to sing.” +The children’s mother, however, did not agree with Agnes, so the nights +had to be used for sleeping as before. + +Cornelli’s singing delighted Agnes more and more. Cornelli sang +everything as lightly and freely as a bird, and with such a clear and +resonant voice that everybody got pleasure from it. There was no other +voice in the whole school which was as sure and as full as Cornelli’s. +Even the teacher said so, and during the singing lesson he placed her +right in front of him, because she was the best leader of the chorus. + +In the middle of winter Mr. Hellmut wrote to Mrs. Halm to inform her +that he was taking a lengthy journey to foreign parts. As he felt that +Cornelli was well taken care of in her household, he was anxious to +use this opportunity for travelling. He also wrote that he had shortened +his last trip in order not to tie his kind cousin and her friend too +long to his lonely house. He told her that he was very sorry not to +be able to pay her and Cornelli a visit before leaving, for he had to +start at once. + +Never before had spring come so fast. So at least it seemed to Cornelli, +who was walking home alone one day from school. The winter had gone +by and already a mild wind was blowing through the streets, and the +melting snow was dropping from the roofs. + +From the top of a roof a little bird was whistling and singing a song +of delight to the bright blue sky above. Cornelli’s school had been +over sooner than the other children’s, so she was in no hurry and stood +still to listen. A ray of sunshine was flowing into the street, and +the bird kept on singing and whistling, on and on, a heavenly, familiar +sound. + +Suddenly the lovely beech wood at home rose before Cornelli’s eyes, +and she saw the trees in their first green leaves, the first violets +under the hedge, her beloved first violets; she saw the yellow crocuses +sparkling beside the bright red primroses in the garden. The birds at +home used to whistle above her in all the trees in just the same way +as these in the city. + +Oh, how lovely the coming of the spring had always been at home! How +wonderful it would be to see all these familiar sights again! At that +thought Cornelli ran to the house as fast as she possibly could. Sitting +down beside her ink-well she wrote as follows: + +DEAR PAPA: + +I am sure it is more beautiful at home now than anywhere else. May I +come home soon? I am sure that the violets are out and that everything +is getting green in the woods. Soon there will be lots of flowers in +the garden, and later on the roses, and then all the berries and +forget-me-nots in the meadows will come out. I know now that it is +nowhere as beautiful as at home. I should love to show the mother and +the girls everything, and I know that Mux would adore the little kid. +Dino already loves the meadows and the garden, and I hope that he will +come to Iller-Stream again. If I could only soon see it all again! + +A great many kisses, + from your daughter, + CORNELLI. + + +Cornelli did not get an answer from her father for three weeks. He +wrote to her that his journey had been lengthened beyond his +expectation. He also said how glad he was that his daughter had suddenly +realized what a beautiful home she had, but that he disapproved entirely +of her leaving her school abruptly. He told her to stay in town till +the summer holidays, for he was obliged himself to stay away till then. +He gave her permission to invite for the holidays all the family who +had been so good to her, for he and Cornelli, too, had much reason to +be grateful to Mrs. Halm. There was plenty of room for all of them in +the house, and he would like to have them with him all summer long. + +Cornelli at first was a little disappointed that it was going to be +so long before she could be home and see again the garden, the meadows +and the beech wood, for her longing for them had grown more and more. +But when she thought of the prospect of having all the family with her +all summer, including Dino and his mother, she was so happy that all +her disappointment vanished. + +Her joy was supreme when that day at lunch time she gave the family +her father’s invitation. On all sides she perceived signs of boundless +joy. Nika and Agnes had had the firm conviction that they were to spend +the summer, as usual, in the hot garret dwelling without any special +holidays. And now they could spend all summer in beautiful Iller-Stream, +about which Dino had told them so much. He had described Cornelli’s +house and garden as a perfect paradise, and now they would live there +themselves. + +Agnes screamed for joy and Nika’s face was radiant with happiness. +Mrs. Halm was greatly moved with gratitude and delight. She had been +worrying lately about Dino, for she had been uncertain whether she +would be able to send him away long enough for the boy to be properly +strengthened. She had feared that the time would have to be exceedingly +short and that the benefit therefore would be very slight. Now the +good God had suddenly taken all her anxiety from her and had changed +it into a boundless blessing. + +Dino smiled with complete satisfaction, and said again and again: “I +wish you knew how wonderful it all is. Such a garden and such trees! +Such a stable and such horses! Oh, how I love beautiful Iller-Stream!” + +Mux called out louder and louder: “Oh, Cornelli, take me along!” He +could not realize that he was really going, too. There were still many +days and even weeks before their bliss would come true, but with this +heavenly prospect before them the children performed their remaining +duties only too joyfully. + +It was different for Cornelli. Her longing for her home had grown more +violent every day. Wherever she saw a green tree or a bush, she saw +the garden at home, the meadows, and the flowers in Iller-Stream before +her mind’s eye. So her desire to return there, to see it all again, +became almost painful. She felt finally as if the day would never come +when she could again see her home. + +It came, nevertheless. A large trunk was taken away on a cart, and the +whole family followed it towards the station. Trina came last. In her +wondering eyes one could see that despite all the preparations she did +not yet believe the reality of the coming journey. Cornelli had begged +Mrs. Halm so urgently to let her go, too, that the child’s wish had +been granted. Cornelli had been willing to take the responsibility for +the unexpected guest. Mux was so excited that he kept on running in +front of everybody and hindering them all in walking. + +“Be sensible, Mux!” Dino exclaimed. “If you go on like that, we’ll +miss the train and there won’t be any trip.” + +These words disconcerted Mux to such a degree that he simply tore away +down the street. Dino had to run after him to catch him, for Mux knew +no road or way and had dashed ahead only in his fear of arriving too +late. + +At last they reached the station and entered their car. Now they were +moving out into the beautiful country. The sun was shining over the +fields and woods, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. Cornelli +was sitting beside the open window, eagerly looking out. The journey +lasted for a little more than two hours, and as soon as it was over +they got out. + +“Here he comes, here he comes!” Cornelli cried out, running towards +the road which led into the valley. Here Matthew was just stopping the +pair of horses from their lively trot. + +In a moment Cornelli was at the dismounting coachman’s side, calling +to him: “How are you, Matthew? I am coming home again. Is everything +at home still the same?” + +“Welcome, Cornelli, welcome home!” he said, radiant with joy, for his +master’s child was his greatest pride. “But how you have grown, +Cornelli! Oh, how changed our Cornelli is!” + +Matthew shook her hand with great delight and then opened the carriage +door for the family who had approached. + +“Oh, here is the young gentleman from last summer,” Matthew said again, +shaking Dino’s hand. “But you looked better when you were with us. Oh, +yes, the young gentleman looked much better then, I think.” + +“I should think so, Matthew,” said Dino. “Of course, I looked better +when I could drink such good milk from the stable, in the fine, fresh +morning air. It was different in town.” + +Mrs. Halm had entered the carriage and the two girls had followed. +Mux, gazing motionless at the shining horses, could not be taken away +in a hurry from that wonderful sight. + +“They are coming along, too,” said Matthew, who enjoyed the open +admiration the little boy was showing. “You will be able to look at +them every day, and you can ride on them to the fountain.” + +That helped the situation. Everybody was soon inside of the carriage, +and Trina sat beside Matthew on the coachman’s box. Now they galloped +gaily along into the valley. + +“Oh, mother, just look at the red daisies!” Cornelli cried out. “Oh, +look at the golden buttercups! Oh, look, look; see all the blue +forget-me-nots!” + +Cornelli had jumped up, for she could not sit still anymore, and was +looking forwards and backwards, to right and to left. The meadows had +never been so full of flowers, and every few moments Cornelli cried +out with delight. When the carriage drove into the courtyard, Cornelli +was the first to jump down. + +“Oh, Esther, how are you?” she called to her old friend. Full of dignity +and covered with a spotless white apron, the cook stood ready to receive +the guests. + +“Oh, now I am home again! Is everything still the same? Is the garden +still the way it was? And Martha and her house, too?” + +“Yes, yes, Cornelli. And how are you?” returned Esther, looking eagerly +at Cornelli. “How you have changed! In truth you have changed +wonderfully. You are not the same.” + +Cornelli was already running into the house to the living-room and to +her own wardrobe. Yes, everything had remained the same. She flew +outside again to the mother, to lead her into the house. The child’s +face fairly beamed with joy. + +Cornelli’s father was busy working in his office. Hearing the sound +of the approaching wheels, he started. “Here they are already,” he +said to himself. He hastily threw off his working coat and putting on +a good coat left the iron foundry. While he was walking across the +courtyard he sighed deeply. Freshly stamped in his memory, he saw +before him his only child as she had looked when he had returned from +his journey a year ago. Cornelli had stood before him shyly, with +averted glance, resembling a little savage, who had never been combed. + +“I wonder what the child is like now?” he muttered to himself. + +As he entered the living room Cornelli looked up at him. The Director +was quite startled at what he saw. Now Cornelli flew up to him. + +“Oh, Papa, oh, Papa! It is so wonderful to be home again! Everything +is still the way it used to be. Oh, I am so glad to be home again!” + +The father wanted to embrace his child, but before he did so he held +her at arm’s length to gaze at her once more. + +“Cornelli,” he said with tears in his eyes, “you look at me the way +your mother used to. You have grown just like your mother,” he said, +putting his arms lovingly about her. “How was it possible? How could +you change in this way? How did it happen?” + +“Mother knows about it, Papa. Mother has helped me,” said Cornelli, +going with shining eyes to the mother, for Mrs. Halm had retreated to +the back of the room. + +The Director now turned to his new guest. “Welcome to our house,” he +said heartily, greeting both her and the children. Holding Cornelli’s +hand within his own, he continued with emotion: “How different you +have brought her back to me! How did you do it? Can this be the same +child that I brought you?” + +The happy father had to look at Cornelli over and over again, for he +hardly yet realized that this was his child. Was this really Cornelli +and not a creature of his imagination? So he held the child’s hand and +looked again and again into her shining eyes; it really seemed as if +he could not believe it. + +Esther, laden with the dinner dishes, now came into the room to set +the table. She informed her master that the guest rooms were ready and +that she supposed the ladies wanted to retire before the coming meal. + +Mrs. Halm and her daughter gladly followed her, but Cornelli said: +“Oh, Papa, can I run over to Martha? I’ll be back very soon.” + +Dino also begged to go, for he longed to see old Martha again. As the +permission had readily been given, the two children started off. They +had meant to run down the path, but Cornelli could not go fast. The +meadow was so full of daisies, buttercups and especially of blue +forget-me-nots, her favorite flowers, that she felt as if she had to +gather them all, and Dino had to remind her that their time was short +and that the flowers would still be there to-morrow. + +Martha had heard that Cornelli and her guests were expected that day, +so she had several times glanced towards the garden to see if she could +discover trace of her or of Dino. Now both came flying up the steps, +and Martha ran out to meet them. Oh, yes, here was Dino, Dino whom she +knew so well, and Cornelli, too--Martha looked at the child and tried +to say something. Instead of that, however, bright tears started to +her eyes, and she was unable to speak. + +“Oh, Martha, how I have looked forward to coming home and coming to +you right away!” Cornelli exclaimed. “Are you glad, too, Martha? Oh, +I am so happy!” + +“I too, I too, Cornelli,” Martha assured her. “What memories you bring +back to me, child, for you have grown just like your mother. Oh, how +different you are now from what you were. God has blessed your life +in town. It seems like a miracle. Oh, how I have prayed for this!” + +After these words she shook Dino’s hand, looking at him rather sadly, +for her great joy at seeing him again was dimmed by his delicate +appearance. + +“Oh, Dino, how pale and thin you look,” she said. “Last year you were +so much stouter.” + +“That is why I came again to Iller-Stream,” Dino replied cheerfully. +“You must rejoice with us now, Mrs. Martha, for Cornelli and I are +tremendously pleased to be here again. It is just as lovely here as +it was last year, and now we can come to see you every day, for this +seems like home.” + +Martha was so moved that she could not speak. Here was Cornelli, looking +as fresh and bright as ever; all the unspeakably sad expression had +vanished from her face, together with the awful disfigurement of those +days. The old woman was deeply stirred by the happy look in the little +girl’s eyes. Her young mother had looked at her just that way. And +here was Dino, too, full of his old attachment, and speaking such kind +words to her. She could hardly believe this great happiness. + +“We have to go, now, Martha,” Cornelli said, “but we’ll come every day +the way we used to; you know that, Martha. I’ll run over every single +day.” + +“And I, too,” cried Dino. When the happy little couple were running +away, Martha looked after them from her little stairway. Her eyes were +moist, yet followed the two till they were lost from sight. + +Even then she still stood there with folded hands. + +“Oh, good God,” she said quietly, “my heart is full of thankfulness. +Thou hast blessed everything that was hard for the child, and hast +turned everything to good.” + +When the children entered the house, Cornelli said: “Just go in, Dino, +I’ll soon follow you.” + +Then she turned and went into the kitchen. + +“Oh, I was hoping all the time that our Cornelli could still find her +way to the kitchen,” said Esther with satisfaction. “Come and let me +have a real look at you, Cornelli!” + +Esther placed herself squarely in front of the child and said: “You +have grown a lot last year, Cornelli. And your hair is so neatly combed +and brushed! One certainly can enjoy looking at our Cornelli, now.” + +Cornelli blushed a little, for she had to remember the way she had +looked when she had gone away. She knew how it had been and how she +had shut her heart against the help Esther had often offered her. + +“Oh, Esther, I have to tell you something. Where is Trina, the maid, +who has come with them?” + +“I told her to go behind the house to look at the vegetable garden,” +said Esther. “She stood in my way all the time. I am afraid she is not +very quick.” + +“No, she isn’t; I know that. But Esther, I want to tell you something +about her. Please be good to her!” Cornelli begged. “You see, Trina +is block-headed and awkward, but she can’t help it. You don’t know how +that is, but I know. And if you are very good to her, she won’t mind +as much being that way. Won’t you do me that favor, Esther?” + +Full of surprise, Esther looked after the child, who was running towards +the dining room. + +“How does she ever think of such things,” Esther murmured to herself. +“One might think Cornelli had to begin at the bottom herself, instead +of being the Director’s daughter who can have whatever she wants.” + +Esther kept on shaking her head for quite a while, but she was anxious +to show Cornelli that she was the only daughter of the house and could +command her. She was very proud of Cornelli’s position and eager to +prove to her young mistress that she was only too happy to follow her +wishes. + +When the first merry meal was over, the children were allowed to run +out to the garden. They already knew what they were going to see there, +because Dino had described it to them with great enthusiasm. He had +told them about the flower garden with its wealth of color, the +trellises, covered with red peaches, the heavily laden pear and apple +trees. Now they could see all those wonders for themselves, including +the stable with the splendid cows and the proud and shining horses. +So the five children ran away with great eagerness. + +The Director and Mrs. Halm remained in the dining room, drinking their +coffee in each other’s company. + +“Please, Mr. Hellmut,” she said, as soon as the door had closed behind +the children, “please let me thank you for your great kindness. I want +to tell you how grateful I am.” + +“What do you mean? Why do you want to thank me, Mrs. Halm?” the Director +interrupted her. “Please let me speak first! It is I who want to thank +you. I shall never be able to repay you for what you have done. What +wonders you have accomplished for my child! How you have been able to +change and develop Cornelli! How well she looks now! I have to gaze +at her again and again, for I can hardly believe that it is the same +child. How can I thank you enough? How did you ever do it? And what +patience, care and trouble you must have taken with her. I am afraid +that it has required endless thought on your part to bring her back +like this.” + +“Oh, no, Mr. Hellmut, that was not the way at all,” said Mrs. Halm. +“Cornelli has cost me neither patience, care, nor trouble. If by a +little love I have been able to draw out the good kernel of her nature +and bring it to happy development, then that is all I have done. +Cornelli has never made my task hard for me. We have all become so +fond of her that we had to think with sorrow of the time when she would +leave us. I shall never forget what happy hours Dino had with Cornelli +during his illness and how she constantly entertained my sociable +little Mux with her constant merriment and kindness. Yes, Mr. Hellmut, +I shall never forget what she has done, and I can assure you that you +have a lovely little daughter.” + +The Director jumped up in his excitement and strode to and fro in the +room. What different enthusiasm from that of a year ago! + +“You do not know what you are saying, Mrs. Halm,” he said, standing +still before her. “You are relieving me of most dreadful anxiety. I +have suffered perfect tortures, because I was blaming myself for having +neglected my Cornelia’s child. I thought it was too late and that +Cornelli had grown hopelessly stubborn. Now you have come and brought +me back my child so that she even resembles her mother in her eyes and +her whole expression and appearance. My wife was friendly and gay, and +now you tell me that this is Cornelli’s disposition, too.” + +“I have to tell you something else, Mr. Hellmut,” Mrs. Halm continued. +“I am perfectly sure that a child’s first impressions are very +important. It is natural that Cornelli missed her mother’s guidance, +but she was not by any means a neglected child when she came to me. +From what she and Dino have told me I am perfectly sure that Martha +gave Cornelli the best one can possibly give a child on spiritual +education. I esteem old Martha very highly, for she must love and +understand children as few people do.” + +“My wife used to say the same thing, and that is why I had such +confidence in Martha. Unfortunately a time came later on when I feared +that she was wrong, and I did not realize what she meant to Cornelli. +You have reminded me of my great debt--” + +At this moment such loud laughter and rejoicing sounded from below +that both stepped to the open window. + +Mux was screaming loudly, and seemed quite beside himself. “Mama, +Mama,” he cried out, “just look at a living goat boy and a real goat! +Come down and see me!” + +Mux was sitting on the seat of a lovely wicker carriage, with two reins +in one hand and a whip in the other, while a young and slender goat +was pulling him. Agnes and Cornelli were running beside the carriage +as protectors, while Dino held the goat lightly by the reins to keep +her from running off. All the children were screaming with delight at +the wonderful ride. + +Matthew was standing beside the bushes to watch this trial trip, for +he thought that his help might be needed. He had built the carriage +for Cornelli and had already several times harnessed the goat so as +to teach her how to behave when Cornelli returned. When Matthew had +first shown the little conveyance to the children, Cornelli had said +right away that Mux had to take the first ride in order to realize the +scene he loved so much in his picture book. + +Mux simply screamed to his mother in wild joy. To see the wonderful +spectacle from near by, she came down to the garden. + +The Director also left the house, but he went another way. Not long +afterwards he went up Martha’s little stairway to the porch where the +old woman sat on her stool mending. + +“Oh, Mr. Hellmut!” she called out in her surprise. Opening the door +she led her visitor into her room, for the porch was very narrow. + +Mr. Hellmut entered. + +“Martha,” he said in a business-like tone, “I have spoiled your business +by taking your boarder away from you forever. That requires a +compensation, and so I have just bought your little cottage from the +farmer over there, besides the little piece of ground in front of it. +Now you will have more room for your carnations, and if you manage +well, you can surely have some pleasant days from the rent which you +save. Are you satisfied?” + +“Oh, Mr. Hellmut! Is this little house really my own, now, and will +I really have a garden besides? Oh, Mr. Hellmut!” + +But her benefactor would not let her say any more. After heartily +shaking her hand, he hurried away. + +The large raspberries were peeping out between the green leaves, and +the golden plums were dropping from the heavily laden branches. From +morning till night on these beautiful summer days Mux fairly swam in +uninterrupted bliss. Before he had even opened his eyes in the morning, +he would call out to his mother in his sleep: “Oh, mother, are we in +Iller-Stream still? Are we still here?” Then the hours of the day +began, each more lovely than the last, and Mux could not tell which +was the best. + +As the boy spent most of the day in the stable, the hayloft, and the +barn, his mother had been obliged to make him a special stable costume. +The little boy loved to watch the milking of the cows, and he never +tired of admiring the horses and the goat. + +Matthew had become his best friend. The gardener constantly thought +out pleasant surprises for Mux, who showed a decided taste for farming. +If Matthew had to do some important work where Mux was in his way, he +always devised a plan to keep the boy amused elsewhere: “Go down there +to the raspberry hedge, Mux!” he would say. “The berries are finest +and biggest there, because the sun has cooked them through. Go to the +plum tree afterwards and wait for me!” + +Mux would obey promptly, wandering over to the plum tree from the +raspberry bushes, which he had lightened considerably. He then would +sit thoughtfully under the plum tree, waiting till Matthew returned. +The gardener then shook the tree so mightily that a flood of golden +plums came rolling down over Mux, who could freely enjoy the wealth +about him. + +If Matthew could not be found and Cornelli and Dino were busy with +their own plans and did not need him, Mux knew another friend who +always gave him a good reception, that friend was Esther. He loved to +find her in the vegetable garden, which was also full of surprises for +him. It was like a marvel to the little boy that the green peas hung +here in abundance, whereas they were only served at home on feast days. +He became quite scared when Esther picked a basketful. But when he +warned her, saying, “Don’t take them all, for then we won’t have any +more,” she only laughed and said: “They always grow again; in a week +there will be plenty more.” + +If Mux looked a little timidly at the large cabbage heads, Esther said +to him: “Don’t be afraid of them, Mux. If I cook cabbage, everybody +else likes it so much that you won’t have to eat it at all, and you +can take the potatoes which I serve with it.” + +Mux often accompanied Esther to the kitchen, where he soon picked up +a lot of useful knowledge. There was no pastry the exact recipe of +which as well as how it tasted Mux could not tell. In this manner he +lived through heavenly days. + +They were no less heavenly for the other children. Dino and Cornelli +had started the large undertaking of laying out Martha’s garden after +their own plan. They were so busy inventing things and carrying them +out that they could hardly ever be found. + +Agnes struggled with Dino for first place in Cornelli’s affection, but +Dino was always the victor. Cornelli never forgot that he had been her +first friend, who had held fast to their friendship. For this she +remained faithful to him. + +It was a consolation to Agnes that she could play on the lovely piano +whenever she wanted to and that Cornelli was always home in the +evenings, when she could sing with her. Mr. Hellmut would sit in his +arm-chair while the two girls sang one song after another, and he could +never hear enough. Beaming with joy, he would say to Mrs. Halm from +time to time: “The child has her mother’s voice, except that her +mother’s voice was still fuller and softer.” + +Mrs. Halm’s face would beam, too, as she would say: “Just have a little +patience, Director. You are sure some day to hear Cornelli’s voice +when there will be nothing more to desire in it. Her teacher’s highest +wish is to train her voice.” For answer the father nodded and lay back +in his chair smiling contentedly. + +Nika, too, was completely changed. No shadows dimmed her eyes, for she +could wander about all day with her paint box from one lovely spot to +another, up to the beech wood or to the hill where the big oak tree +stood. There she could sit on a bench and look down, over the house +and garden, and far below into the wide, green valley. Nika was very +happy to be able to spend all her time in painting, without ever being +disturbed or called away by unwished-for duties. + +When the mother saw the happy faces of her girls and Dino’s improved +health, she felt very happy, too. Suddenly, however, the thought would +rise in her: How will it be when these lovely days are over and we +have to start living again in the narrow confines of town and in the +shadow of those coming years? + +The holidays were nearing their end, but nobody yet had time to think +of that, for the Director’s birthday was drawing near and this was to +be the great feast day for everybody. Mrs. Halm had asked each of the +children to think out some surprise for Mr. Hellmut. For Mux, however, +she wrote a beautiful birthday verse. As the little boy’s head was +filled solely with thoughts of the barn and stable, the kitchen and +the goat cart, the plums, the beetles and ants, it took a great deal +of time and trouble to fix the verse in his memory. Nika, needing no +advice, had long ago decided what to do. Every day as soon as the meals +were over, she silently disappeared. Agnes and Cornelli bolted the +door of the music room and let mysterious songs issue from behind it. +Only Dino was still undecided about his task. When he was left alone +with his mother and Mux one day, and all the others were busy with +their preparations, he said: “Tell me what I could do, mother.” + +“Draw him a picture of the beautiful goat,” Mux advised. He knew that +Dino could draw animals well, and to him there was no finer animal in +all the world than the goat. + +“What a knowing goat boy you are, Mux,” Dino exclaimed. Despite his +refusal to draw the goat, he had nevertheless gotten an idea from his +little brother. “Oh, I’ll draw the two brown horses,” he called out +joyously. “I’ll make one trotting and the other walking. Matthew must +lead them up for me.” + +So the boy ran happily to the stable, and after that day he and Matthew +had many meetings in secret. + +The birthday came at last. + +When the Director entered the dining room in the morning, such a +beautiful duet resounded from the next room that he was compelled to +draw nearer. Agnes and Cornelli were both singing a lovely song with +such deep feeling that the Director could hardly speak. When they had +ended, he patted them both on the shoulder with fatherly tenderness +and then passed into the next room. Here Mux approached him and said +his verse faultlessly in a loud, clear voice. On the table the Director +found two beautiful drawings of his brown horses, and his joy over +them was so great that he did not put them down for quite a while. But +finally he saw all at once a large picture resting in the middle of +the table. His house, with the surrounding garden, the luminous meadow +with the view toward the valley and the distant mountains beyond, was +painted in such fresh and absolutely natural colors that Mr. Hellmut +was quite overcome. This was the view he had loved so passionately +from his childhood. + +“Cornelli, come here!” the father called. “Just look at this picture! +Don’t you have a beautiful home? Do you love your home as much as your +father loves it?” + +“Oh yes, Papa, I love it so much!” said Cornelli. “And I have to think +every day that I never knew how beautiful it was before I went away. +But ever since I came home again, I know. Oh, how beautiful it looks +in the picture!” + +Agnes had been standing behind Cornelli. Suddenly she exclaimed +passionately: “Oh, Cornelli, if only you didn’t have such a beautiful +home!” + +“Agnes,” the mother said in alarm, “what unseemly words are you saying?” + +The Director looked in astonishment at Agnes, whose eyes were flashing +fire while she regarded the painting. + +“Have you had a disagreement with Cornelli? Is that the reason why you +don’t want her to have such a beautiful home?” he asked with a sly +smile. + +Agnes flushed scarlet. + +“Oh no, Mr. Hellmut, I did not mean it that way. I have never fought +with Cornelli, and I only fight with Dino because he wants to have +Cornelli all the time. If Cornelli didn’t have this beautiful home and +if she were like me and had to give up all her music lessons and had +to earn her living, we could do fine things together. She has such a +beautiful voice that we could hire a harp and could travel into strange +cities and sing before the houses. Later on we could give concerts and +begin a singing school. But I can’t do anything alone.” + +At this outbreak, which no sign from her could check, the mother became +alternately hot and cold from fright. Agnes’ eyes still flashed with +passionate excitement like burning coals. + +“I approve of the singing school, but especially of sitting down to +breakfast. I hope very much that we have the usual chocolate to drink +to-day, for it is a good old custom for birthdays which should not be +neglected. So a singing school is to be founded,” he continued, while +Mux gazed solemnly at the three huge cakes which were placed beside +the three big chocolate pots. “The wandering harp players are a little +too poetical for me, but I like the idea of a school, Agnes. As I, +too, wish to profit from it, I want it to be built on my estate. Lots +of our workmen in the foundry have small children, whose mothers are +busy with the housework and their small babies. So Agnes and Cornelli +are going to found a singing school in Iller-Stream, where all the +children will go, whose mothers have no time for singing. Upon their +arrival the children shall all be given a bowl of milk and a piece of +bread apiece to make their voices fuller. Now we have settled all about +the school. I shall also have my two teachers instructed, so that they +won’t ever be out of practice. I have also some work for Nika: she +shall fill my house with lovely pictures from top to bottom. To inspire +her with plenty of new ideas, I am going to send her to her professor +in town for lessons. Dino shall help me keep my two horses in trim by +giving them plenty of exercise, for that will be good for him and them. +I can use Mux by having him trained to become the manager of my estate. +The good beginning he has made in the knowledge of farming under +Matthew’s guidance shall be continued while the ground is covered with +green and the trees are bearing fruit. The mother shall stay here for +the protection of you all. So tell me, now, how you like my plan. Shall +it be thus?” + +Absolute silence followed. The children hardly dared to realize that +the words they had just heard were true, and the mother was filled +with deep emotion. She could not utter a word, and tears flowed from +her eyes. Could it be possible that her great sorrow and heavy cares +were suddenly lifted from her? Could it really be true? + +At that moment Mux said loudly: “Yes, we like it very much!” He had +clearly grasped that it meant for him keeping on doing what he had +enjoyed so much under Matthew’s and Esther’s care. The Director had +to laugh, and continued: “I must have the reply of the chief, my dear +Mrs. Halm, so please listen to my plan. I shall let you manage the +children in the winter, and you shall arrange whatever they are to +learn, but they must come here in the summer when I can enjoy all the +results of their studies. I shall also enjoy the great advantage of +having you manage my house when you are here. Does that suit everybody, +or am I getting more than my share?” + +At last the mother composed herself. + +“Oh, Mr. Hellmut, how can I thank you?” she said, offering him her +trembling hand. “I do not know how to express what is in my heart. How +can I be grateful enough for such boundless kindness? You cannot know +what your generosity means to us all.” + +Even the children had understood that this unheard-of bliss was true. +Nika was the first to run with beaming eyes to the Director and to +seize his hand, but she could find no words to show her gratitude. +Agnes and Dino, too, had run towards the Director, and the latter did +not know how to shake all the hands that were offered to him. Mux, who +could find no access to his benefactor, climbed up on a chair, and +putting his arms about him from behind, screamed a thousand words of +thanks right into the Director’s ears. The wild rejoicing became louder +and louder. + +“Cornelli,” said the father at last, “give thanks to your foster-mother! +She has earned them, for she has brought joy back to our house.” + +Cornelli did it with a full and willing heart, for she realized what +the children’s mother had done for her. Soon afterwards, Dino and +Cornelli ran away for they had had a simultaneous thought. They did +not want to wait another moment before bringing Martha the wonderful +news. Nobody on earth could share their boundless happiness as Martha +would. + +Martha’s heart overflowed when she heard what had been proposed. Between +freely flowing tears she said again and again: “Oh, Cornelli! Everything +has happened so wonderfully for you. God has ordained it much more +wisely than we could have wished and prayed for. From now on, we shall +leave everything entirely in His hands. We’ll do that as long as we +live, won’t we, Cornelli?” + +Cornelli nodded with understanding; she had not forgotten how she had +complained to Martha, and how Martha had told her to seek God’s help. +Martha had assured her that the help would always come, even if it +revealed itself differently from the way she expected. Now it had all +turned out so gloriously, and so much more splendidly than Cornelli +could ever have imagined! + +There had never been such rejoicing in the house as Agnes started when +she and Nika had retired to their room in the evening and Cornelli had +come to pay her accustomed little evening visit. She skipped and danced +about the room like a newly freed bird and called out: “Now our troubles +are over and no secret fears can scare us any more. Now we can sing +all we want and can live here with you every summer, Cornelli. Oh, we +are the happiest creatures in all the world, and it has all happened +through you, Cornelli; you wonderful, incomparable Cornelli!” + +Agnes, seizing her friend’s hand, jumped about with her in the room +at such a rate that Nika had to calm her. The elder sister warned Agnes +that the Director might have to repent of his kindness to them if their +lengthy stay began with such violent noise. One could see, though, +that Nika was willing enough to join the others in their antics. + +“The day on which you came to our house, Cornelli,” she said, “has +really been more blessed than any other day in the year. So we must +always celebrate it as a great feast day.” + +Nika had lately been very sweet and friendly to Cornelli, and the +younger girl had been very happy about it. But had never dreamed that +Nika would ever speak to her like this. + +When Esther heard that the Halm family was going to remain for the +present and return every year, she said: “Oh, I am glad. That is much +better than if some other people I know had to come back. It is better +for me and for Cornelli, as well as for the whole house.” + +“Oh, if I could only come again, too!” said Trina, whose face in these +days was always beaming. “Oh, one feels so happy here!” + +“That is very true,” Esther affirmed. “I do not see why you shouldn’t. +You don’t need to worry, Trina. If Cornelli and I wish you well, we’ll +see that you come here again.” + +The Director did not like the thought of losing his large new family +so soon, so he said one day to Mrs. Halm: “I am very anxious to prolong +the children’s holiday this year till late in the fall. Dino, who is +more in need of his studies than the others, is least able to go back +to town, because he ought to be thoroughly strengthened and made +absolutely well. If it should be necessary for him to study, we have +our good Mr. Maelinger, who can give him lessons.” The mother agreed, +for she also was very anxious to have Dino as well as possible, and +she was very grateful to her benefactor for making this possible. + +“There is another reason which makes a longer stay necessary,” continued +the Director. “As I fully intend to visit you and the children several +times during the winter, I have rented a more comfortable apartment +for you, because I was rather afraid of finding your tower-like dwelling +a little inconvenient for me. The apartment will be ready for you in +the late autumn, and I want you to get all the rest you can before you +move there, for it is sure to involve some additional work for you. +I hope sincerely that you do not resent my step.” + +“I can only thank you continually,” said the mother now. The children +arrived at the same moment, and all further words from her were +swallowed up in their loud and stormy manifestations of joy. Cornelli +had already told them of her father’s plan to let them all stay in +Iller-Stream till winter time. + +When all the fruit had ripened on the trees and Dino was shaking one +of them and Cornelli another, Matthew looked over from the barn door, +happily rubbing his hands. Right under the tree he saw the other +children, one biting into an apple, the other into a pear. + +“It certainly is different now from last year,” he said, smiling to +himself. “There is not a rotten plum or a lonesome pear in all the +orchard.” + +Every evening, when the last songs resounded in the house, there were +some of thanks and praise which rose up to Heaven like a loud rejoicing. + +More than once the Director said to his little daughter, when she gave +him her goodnight kiss: “Did not God mean well with us, Cornelli, when +he guided Martha to write such an inviting notice to the paper?” + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CORNELLI *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law 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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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>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Cornelli</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Johanna Spyrin</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February 9, 2011 [EBook #6380]<br> +Release Date: August, 2004<br> +First Posted: December 3, 2002<br> +Last Updated: July 21, 2023</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team.</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CORNELLI ***</div> + + +<h1>CORNELLI</h1> + +<p class="center big p2">By JOHANNA SPYRI</p> + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="FOREWORD">FOREWORD</h2> +</div> + + +<p>Many writers have suffered injustice in being known as the author of +but one book. Robinson Crusoe was not Defoe’s only masterpiece, nor +did Bunyan confine his best powers to Pilgrim’s Progress. Not one +person in ten of those who read Lorna Doone is aware that several of +Blackmore’s other novels are almost equally charming. Such, too, has +been the fate of Johanna Spyri, the Swiss authoress, whose reputation +is mistakenly supposed to rest on her story of Heidi.</p> + +<p>To be sure, Heidi is a book that in its field can hardly be overpraised. +The winsome, kind-hearted little heroine in her mountain background +is a figure to be remembered from childhood to old age. Nevertheless, +Madame Spyri has shown here but one side of her narrative ability.</p> + +<p>If, as I believe, the present story is here first presented to readers +of English, it must be through a strange oversight, for in it we find +a deeper treatment of character, combined with equal spirit and humor +of a different kind. Cornelli, the heroine, suffers temporarily from +the unjust suspicion of her elders, a misfortune which, it is to be +feared, still occurs frequently in the case of sensitive children. How +she was restored to herself and reinstated in her father’s affection +forms a narrative of unusual interest and truth to life. Whereas in +Heidi there is only one other childish figure—if we except the droll +peasant boy Peter—we have here a lively and varied array of children. +Manly, generous Dino; Mux, the irrepressible; and the two girls form +a truly lovable group. The grown-ups, too, are contrasted with much +humor and genuine feeling. The story of Cornelli, therefore, deserves +to equal Heidi in popularity, and there can be no question that it +will delight Madame Spyri’s admirers and will do much to increase the +love which all children feel for her unique and sympathetic genius.</p> + +<p class="right">CHARLES WHARTON STORK</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS</h2> +</div> + + +<table class="autotable"> +<tr><th>CHAPTER</th></tr> +<tr><td> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">I. BESIDE THE ROARING ILLER-STREAM</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II. UP IN THE TOP STORY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III. NEW APPEARANCES IN ILLER-STREAM</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV. THE UNWISHED-FOR HAPPENS</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V. A NEWCOMER IN ILLER-STREAM</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI. A FRIEND IS FOUND</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII. A NEW SORROW</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII. A MOTHER</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX. A GREAT CHANGE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X. NEW LIFE IN ILLER-STREAM</a></td></tr> +</table> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I<br><span class="small">BESIDE THE ROARING ILLER-STREAM</span></h2></div> + + +<p>Spring had come again on the banks of the Iller-Stream, and the young +beech trees were swaying to and fro. One moment their glossy foliage +was sparkling in the sunshine, and the next a deep shadow was cast +over the leaves. A strong south wind was blowing, driving huge clouds +across the sun.</p> + +<p>A little girl with glowing cheeks and blowing hair came running through +the wood. Her eyes sparkled with delight, while she was being driven +along by the wind, or had to fight her way against it. From her arm +was dangling a hat, which, as she raced along, seemed anxious to free +itself from the fluttering ribbons in order to fly away. The child now +slackened her pace and began to sing:</p> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The snow’s on the meadow,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">The snow’s all around,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The snow lies in heaps</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">All over the ground.</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">Hurrah, oh hurrah!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">All over the ground.</span><br></div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oh cuckoo from the woods,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Oh flowers so bright,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oh kindliest sun,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Come and bring us delight!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">Hurrah, oh hurrah!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Come and bring us delight!</span><br></div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the swallow comes back</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">And the finches all sing,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">I sing and I dance</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">For joy of the Spring.</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 3em;">Hurrah, oh hurrah!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">For joy of the Spring.</span><br></div> +</div></div></div> +<p>The woods rang with her full, young voice, and her song also roused +the birds, for they, too, now carolled loudly, ready to outdo each +other. Laughingly the child sang once more with all her might:</p> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hurrah, oh hurrah!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For joy of the Spring.</span><br></div> +</div></div></div> +<p class="p0">and from all the branches sounded a many voiced chorus.</p> + +<p>Right on the edge of the woods stood a splendid old beech tree with +a high, firm trunk, under which the child had often sought quiet and +shelter after running about in the sun. She had reached the tree now +and was looking up at the far-spreading branches, which were rocking +up and down.</p> + +<p>The child, however, did not rest very long. Over where the wind struck +an open space, it blew as mightily as ever, and the roaring, high up +in the tree-tops, seemed to urge her on to new exertions. First she +began fighting her way against the wind, but soon she turned. Driven +by it, she flew down the steep incline to the path which led down to +the narrow valley. She kept on running till she had reached a small +wooden house, which looked down from a high bank to the roaring mountain +stream. A narrow stairway led up from the ground to the front door of +the little dwelling and to the porch, where on a wide railing were +some fragrant carnations.</p> + +<p>The lively little girl now leaped up the steps, two at a time. Soon +she reached the top, and one could see that the house was familiar to +her.</p> + +<p>“Martha, Martha, come out!” she called through the open door. “Have +you noticed yet how jolly the wind is to-day?”</p> + +<p>A small old woman with gray hair now came out to greet the child. She +was dressed in the simplest fashion, and wore a tight-fitting cap on +her head. Her clothes were so very tidy and clean, however, that it +seemed as if she might have sat on a chair all day for fear of spoiling +them. Yet her hands told another tale, for they were roughened by hard +work.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Martha,” the child said, “I just wish you knew how wonderful the +wind is to-day up there in the woods and on the hill. One has to fight +it with all one’s might, otherwise one might be blown down the mountain +side like a bird. It would be so hard then to get on one’s feet again, +wouldn’t it? Oh, I wish you knew what fun it is to be out in the wind +to-day.”</p> + +<p>“I think I would rather not know,” said Martha, shaking the child’s +hand. “It seems to me that the wind has pulled you about quite a little. +Come, we’ll straighten you up again.”</p> + +<p>The child’s thick dark hair was in a terrible state. What belonged on +the left side of the parting had been blown to the right, and what +belonged on the right side was thrown to the left. The little apron, +instead of being in front, hung down on the side, and from the bottom +of her skirt the braid hung loose, carrying upon it brambles and forest +leaves. First Martha combed the little girl’s hair, then she pulled +the apron into place. Finally she got a thread and needle and began +to mend the braid on the dress.</p> + +<p>“Stop, Martha, stop, please!” Cornelli called out suddenly, pulling +her skirt away. “You must not sew, for your finger is all pricked to +pieces. There is only half of it left with those horrible marks.”</p> + +<p>“That does not matter; just give me your little skirt,” replied Martha, +continuing her sewing. “This kind of work does not hurt me; but when +I sew heavy shirts for the farmers and the workmen in the iron works +the material is so rough that, as I push the needle in, I often prick +off little pieces of my finger.”</p> + +<p>“Why should you have to do that, Martha? They could make their own +shirts and prick their own fingers,” cried Cornelli indignantly.</p> + +<p>“No, no, Cornelli; do not speak like that,” replied the woman. “You +see, I am glad and grateful to be able to get work enough to earn my +living without help. I have to be thankful to our Lord for all the +good things he gives me, and especially for giving me enough strength +for my work.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli looked about her searchingly, in the little room. It was +modestly furnished, but most scrupulously clean.</p> + +<p>“I do not think that God gave you so very much, really, but you keep +everything so neat, and do it all yourself,” remarked Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“I have to thank our Lord, though, that I am able to do it,” returned +Martha. “You see, Cornelli, if I had not the health to do everything +the way I like it done, who could do it for me? It is a great gift to +be able to step out every morning into the sunshine and to my +carnations. Then I thank God in my heart for the joy of a new day +before me. There are many poor people who wake up only to sorrow and +tears. They have to spend all day on their sick beds and have many +troubles besides. Can you see now, Cornelli, how grateful I have to +be to our Lord because nothing prevents me from sewing, even if I have +to prick my fingers? But I believe I hear the bell in the foundry. You +know that means supper time, so run back to the house as quickly as +you can.”</p> + +<p>Martha knew well enough that she had to remind her little friend about +returning, for often time had been forgotten and Cornelli had had to +be sent for. But now the little girl began to run swiftly down the +incline beside the rushing stream. Soon she came to the large buildings +from which the sound of hissing fires, loud thumping and hammering +could be heard all day. The noise was so great that only the roaring +of the stream could drown it. Here were the works of the great iron +foundry, well known far and wide, since most of those who lived in the +neighborhood found employment there.</p> + +<p>Glancing at the large doors and seeing that they were closed, Cornelli +flew by them with great bounds. In an isolated house, well raised above +the stream, lived the proprietor of the foundry. Beautiful flower +gardens were on three sides.</p> + +<p>Cornelli approached the open space in front and was soon inside. +Flinging her hat into a corner, she entered the room where her father +was already sitting at table. He did not even look up, for he was +holding a large newspaper in front of him. As Cornelli’s soup was +waiting for her, she ate it quickly, and since her father made no +movement behind his paper, she helped herself to everything else that +was before her.</p> + +<p>While she was nibbling on an apple, her father looked up and said: “I +see that you have caught up with me, Cornelli. You even seem to be +further along than I am. Just the same you must not come late to your +meals. It is not right, even if you get through before me. Well, as +long as you have finished, you can take this letter to the post office. +There is something in it which concerns you and which will please you. +I have to go now, but I shall tell you about it to-night.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli was given the letter. Taking the remainder of her apple with +her, she ran outside. With leaps and bounds she followed the rushing +Iller-Stream, till the narrow path reached the wide country road. Here +stood the stately inn, which was the post office of the place. In the +open doorway stood the smiling and rotund wife of the innkeeper.</p> + +<p>“How far are you going at this lively pace?” she smilingly asked the +child.</p> + +<p>“I am only coming to you,” Cornelli replied. She was very much out of +breath, so she paused before adding: “I have to mail a letter.”</p> + +<p>“Is that so? Just give it to me and we’ll attend to it,” said the +woman. Holding the hand the child had offered her, she added: “You are +well off, Cornelli, are you not? You do not know what trouble is, do +you, child?”</p> + +<p>Cornelli shook her head.</p> + +<p>“Yes, of course. And why should you? It does one good to see your +bright eyes. Come to see me sometimes; I like to see a happy child +like you.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli replied that she would gladly come again. She really meant +to do so, for the woman always spoke kindly to her. After saying +good-bye, she ran away again, jumping and bounding as before. The +innkeeper’s wife meantime muttered to herself, while she looked after +Cornelli: “I really think there is nothing better than to be always +merry.”</p> + +<p>The contents of the letter, which the little girl had taken to be +mailed, were as follows:</p> +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>ILLER-STREAM, 28th of April, 18—.</p> + +<p>MY DEAR COUSIN:</p> + +<p>My trip to Vienna, which I have put off again and again, at last has +to be made. As I must leave in the near future, I am asking you the +great favor of spending the summer here to superintend my household. +I am counting greatly on your good influence on my child, who has had +practically no education, although Miss Mina, my housekeeper, has of +course done her best, with the help of our good Esther, who reigns in +the kitchen. Old Martha, a former nurse of my poor dead wife, has done +more than anybody else. Of course one can hardly call it education, +and I have to blame myself for this neglect. As I am so busy with my +affairs, I do not see much of my child. Besides, I know extremely +little about bringing up little girls. There is no greater misfortune +than the loss of a mother, especially such a mother as my Cornelia. +It was terrible for my poor child to lose her at the tender age of +three. Please bring a good friend with you, so that you won’t suffer +from solitude in this lonely place.</p> + +<p>Please gladden me soon by your arrival, and oblige</p> + +<p class="right">Your sincere cousin,</p> + +<p class="right">FREDERICK HELLMUT.</p> +</div> +<p>That same evening, when Director Hellmut was sitting in the living +room with his daughter, he spoke of his hope that a cousin of his, +Miss Kitty Dorner, would come to stay in Iller-Stream while he was on +his trip to Vienna. He also told Cornelli to be glad of this prospect.</p> + +<p>After a few days came the following answer:</p> +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>B——, The 4th of May, 18—.</p> + +<p>MY DEAR COUSIN:</p> + +<p>To oblige you I shall spend the summer at your house. I have already +planned everything and I have asked my friend Miss Grideelen to +accompany me. I am very grateful that you realize how monotonous it +would have been for me to stay alone in your house all summer. You do +not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter’s +education. No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not +need the best of care at the start. They require that only when they +are ripe enough for mental influences. Such small creatures merely +vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look +after the child’s well-being and proper nourishment. Esther, who you +say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the +child as much as was necessary. The time may, however, have come now +when the child is in need of a proper influence in her education.</p> + +<p>We shall not arrive before the last week of this month, for it would +be inconvenient for me to come sooner.</p> + +<p class="right">With best regards,</p> + +<p class="right">I am your cousin,</p> + +<p class="right">KITTY DORNER.</p> +</div> +<p>“Your cousin is really coming, Cornelli, and I am certain that you are +happy now,” said her father. He had read the letter while they were +having supper. “Another lady is coming, too, and with their arrival +a new delightful life will begin for you.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli, who had never before heard anything about this relation of +her father’s, felt no joy at this news. She did not see anything +pleasing in the prospect. On the contrary, it only meant a change in +the household, which she did not in the least desire. She wanted +everything to remain as it was. She had no other wish.</p> + +<p>Cornelli saw her father only at meals, for he spent all the rest of +his time in his business offices and in the extensive works. But the +child never felt lonely or forsaken. She always had many plans, and +there was hardly a moment when she was not occupied. Her time between +school hours always seemed much too short and the evenings only were +half as long as she wanted them to be. It was then that she loved to +walk and roam around. Her father had barely left the room, when she +again ran outside and, as usual, down the path.</p> + +<p>At that moment the energetic Esther was coming from the garden with +a large basket on her arm. She had wisely picked some vegetables for +the following day.</p> + +<p>“Don’t go out again, Cornelli,” she said. “Just look at the gray clouds +above the mountain! I am afraid we shall have a thunderstorm.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I just have to go to Martha,” replied Cornelli quickly. “I must +tell her something, and I don’t think a storm will come so soon.”</p> + +<p>“Of course it won’t come for a long while,” called Miss Mina. Through +the open door she had overheard the warning and had stepped outside +to say: “Just go to Martha, Cornelli; the storm won’t come for a long +time, I am sure.”</p> + +<p>So the child flew away while Esther passed Miss Mina, silently shrugging +her shoulders. That was always the way it happened when Cornelli wanted +anything. If Miss Mina thought that something should not be done, +Esther always arrived, saying that nothing on earth would be easier +than to do that very thing. Or, if she thought that Cornelli should +not do a thing, Miss Mina always helped to have it put through. The +reason for this was a very simple one: each of them wanted to be the +favorite with the child.</p> + +<p>Cornelli, arriving at Martha’s house, shot up the stairs and into the +little room. Full of excitement, she called out: “Just think, Martha, +two strange people are coming to our house. They are two ladies from +the city, and father said that I should be glad; but I am not a bit +glad, for I do not know them. Would you be glad, Martha, if two new +people suddenly came to visit you?”</p> + +<p>The child had to take a deep breath. She had been running fast and had +spoken terribly quickly.</p> + +<p>“Just sit down here with me, Cornelli, and get your breath again,” +said Martha quietly. “I am sure that somebody is coming whom your +father loves, otherwise he would not tell you to be glad. When you +know them, I am sure you will feel happy.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, perhaps. But what are you writing, Martha? I have never before +seen you write,” said the child, full of interest, for her thoughts +had been suddenly turned.</p> + +<p>“Writing is not easy for me,” answered Martha, “and you could do it +so much better than I can. It is a long time since I have written +anything.”</p> + +<p>“Just give it to me, Martha, and I’ll write for you if you will only +tell me what.” Cornelli readily took hold of the pen and dipped it +into the bottom of the inkstand.</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you about it and then you can write it in your own way; I +am sure that you can do it better than I can,” said Martha, quite +relieved. She had been sitting for a long time with a pen in her hand, +absolutely unable to find any beginning.</p> + +<p>“You see, Cornelli,” she began, “I have been getting along so well +with my work lately that I have been able to buy a bed. For a long +time I have wanted to do that, for I already had a table and two chairs, +besides an old wardrobe. Now I have put them all into my little room +upstairs, so that I can take somebody in for the summer. Sometimes +delicate ladies or children come out of town to the country, and I +could take such good care of them. I am always at home and I could do +my usual work besides. You see, Cornelli, I wanted to put this in the +paper, but I do not know how to do it and how to begin.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’ll write it so plainly that somebody is sure to come right +away,” Cornelli replied, full of zeal. “But first of all, let us look +at the little room! I am awfully anxious to see it.”</p> + +<p>Martha was quite willing, so she led the way up a narrow stairway into +the little chamber.</p> + +<p>“Oh, how fine it is, how lovely!” exclaimed Cornelli, running, full +of admiration, from one corner to the other. Martha had in truth fixed +it so daintily that it looked extremely pleasing. Around the windows +she had arranged curtains of some thin white material with tiny blue +flowers, and the same material had been used to cover an old wooden +case. This she had fixed as a dainty washstand. The bed and two old +chairs were likewise covered; the whole effect was very cheerful and +inviting.</p> + +<p>“Oh, how pretty!” Cornelli exclaimed over and over again. “How could +you ever do it, Martha, or have so much money?”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, no, it was not much, but just enough for the bed and a little +piece of material. I got the stuff very cheap, because it was a remnant. +So you really do not think it is bad, child? Do you think that somebody +would like to live here?” Martha was examining every object she had +so carefully worked over.</p> + +<p>“Yes, of course, Martha, you can believe me,” Cornelli replied +reassuringly. “I should just love to come right away, if I did not +live here already. But now I shall write, for I know exactly what I +shall say.” Cornelli, running down stairs, dipped her pen into the ink +and began to write.</p> + +<p>“But do not forget to say that it is in the country, and tell the name +of the place here, so that they can find me,” said Martha, fearing she +had set Cornelli a very difficult task.</p> + +<p>“That is true, I have to say that, too,” remarked Cornelli. When she +had written the ending she began to read aloud: “If somebody should +want a nice room, he can have it with Martha Wolf. She will take good +care of delicate ladies or children and will see that they will be +comfortable. Everything is very neat and there are lovely new blue and +white covers on everything. It is in the country, in Iller-Stream, +beside the Iller-Stream, quite near the large iron works.”</p> + +<p>Martha was thoroughly pleased. “You have said everything so clearly +that one can easily understand it,” she remarked. “I could not have +said it myself, you see, for it would have seemed like boasting. Now +if I only knew where to send it for the paper. I do not know quite +what address to write on it.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I know quite well what to do,” Cornelli reassured her friend, “I +shall take it quickly to the post office. Sometimes when I have taken +letters there, I have heard people say to the innkeeper: ‘This must +be put in the paper.’ Then he took it and said: ‘I’ll look after it.’ +Now I shall do the same. Just give it to me, Martha.”</p> + +<p>Once more the woman glanced through what had been written. It seemed +very strange to her that her name was going to appear in the newspaper, +but, of course, it was necessary.</p> + +<p>“No, no, my good child,” she replied, “you have done enough for me +now. You have helped me wonderfully, and I do not want you to go there +for me. But your advice is good and I shall take the paper there +myself.”</p> + +<p>“Oh yes, and I’ll come, too,” said Cornelli delightedly. She knew no +greater pleasure than to take a walk with her old friend, for Martha +always discovered such interesting things and could point them out to +Cornelli, telling her many, many things about them. In many places +Martha would be reminded of Cornelli’s mother; then with great +tenderness she would tell the child about her. Martha was the only one +who ever talked to Cornelli about her mother. Her father never spoke +of her; and Esther, who had been in their service for a long time, +always replied when the child wanted to talk to her about her mother: +“Do not talk, please; it only makes one sad. People shouldn’t stir up +such memories.”</p> + +<p>“So you are coming, too?” Martha said happily. It was her greatest joy +to take a walk with her small, merry companion. Cornelli hung on her +arm, and together they wandered forth in the beautiful evening. The +storm clouds had passed over, and towards the west the sky was flaming +like fiery gold.</p> + +<p>“Do you think, Martha, that my mother can see the golden sky as well +from inside as we see it from the outside?” asked the child, pointing +to the sunset.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I am quite sure of that, Cornelli,” Martha eagerly answered. “If +our dear Lord lets his dwelling glow so beautifully from outside, just +think how wonderful it must be inside where the blessed are in their +happiness!”</p> + +<p>“Why are they so glad?” Cornelli wanted to know.</p> + +<p>“Oh, because they are freed from all sorrow and pain. They are also +glad because they know that every pain or sorrow their loved ones on +earth have to bear is only a means to bring their prayers to Him who +alone can guide them to Heaven.”</p> + +<p>“Did my mother pray to Him, too?” asked Cornelli again.</p> + +<p>“Yes, yes, Cornelli, you can be sure of that,” Martha reassured her. +“Your mother was a good, pious lady. Everybody should pray to be able +to go where she is.”</p> + +<p>The two now reached the post office and gave their message to the +innkeeper and postmaster. When twilight had come and the evening bell +had long ago rung, they wandered back along the pleasant valley road +between green meadows.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II<br><span class="small">UP IN THE TOP STORY</span></h2></div> + + +<p>One bright morning in May, a portly gentleman, leaning heavily on a +gold-headed cane, was walking up the narrow city street. The houses +here were so high that the upper windows could scarcely be seen from +below. A steep rise in the street caused the gentleman to stop from +time to time to get his breath. Scrutinizing the house numbers, he +said to himself several times: “Not yet, not yet.” Then, climbing up +still higher, he at last reached a house beside whose open door six +bells were hanging.</p> + +<p>The gentleman now began to study the names under the bells, meanwhile +gravely shaking his head, for he did not seem to find the name he was +seeking.</p> + +<p>“Oh dear, at last! and the highest one up, too,” he sighed, while he +entered the house. Now the real climbing began. At first the steps, +though rather high, were white and neat. But after a while they became +dark and narrow, and in the end the way led over worn, uneven steps +to a narrow door. The only standing room was on the last small step.</p> + +<p>“Is this a cage?” said the climber to himself, breathing hard and +holding fast to the railing. The thin and creaking steps seemed to him +extremely unsafe. After he had pulled the bell-rope, the door opened, +and a lady dressed in black stood before him.</p> + +<p>“Oh, is it you, kind guardian?” she exclaimed with astonishment. “I +am so sorry that you had to come up these winding steps,” she added, +for she noticed that the stout gentleman had to wipe his face after +the great exertion. “I should have been very glad to go down to you, +if you had let me know that you were here.” The lady meanwhile had led +the gentleman into the room and asked him to seat himself.</p> + +<p>“As your guardian I simply had to come once to see you,” he declared, +seating himself on an old sofa and still leaning with both hands on +the golden knob of his cane. “I have to tell you, my dear Mrs. Halm, +that I am sorry you moved to town. You should have followed my advice +and lived in a small house in the country. It would have been so much +more practical for you than to live in this garret lodging where you +have no conveniences whatever. I am quite sure that the country air +would have been much better for both you and the children.”</p> + +<p>“I could not think about conveniences for myself, when my husband died, +and I had to leave the parsonage, Mr. Schaller,” replied the lady, +with a faint smile. “The country air would naturally have been much +better for my children, especially for my older boy. But he had to +come to town on account of school, and I could not possibly have sent +him away from me, delicate as he is. Besides——”</p> + +<p>“There are boarding places in town where such boys are well taken care +of,” the visitor interrupted. “What other reasons did you have?”</p> + +<p>“My girls, too, are old enough to learn something which they can make +use of later on,” continued the lady. “You know that this is necessary +and that it is very hard to get such opportunities in the country. I +hope I have persuaded you that coming to town with the children was +not a foolish undertaking. I am extremely glad that you have given me +an opportunity to explain why I did not follow your advice.”</p> + +<p>“What are your daughters going to learn?” the gentleman asked abruptly.</p> + +<p>“Nika, the elder, paints quite well,” replied the lady, “and Agnes has +a decided talent for music. If both girls are earnest in their studies, +they hope later on to be able to teach; indeed, they are very anxious +to do so.”</p> + +<p>“These arts do not bring good returns, even after years and years of +study,” said the gentleman. “It would be much more sensible for the +sisters to busy themselves with dressmaking. They could quickly begin +a business in which they might help each other and make some money. +This would really help both you and your son a great deal. If your boy +is going to study, it will be a long time before he can be independent.”</p> + +<p>The parson’s widow looked sadly in front of her without saying a word.</p> + +<p>“Please do not misunderstand me. I am only speaking in your and your +children’s interest,” the gentleman began again. “I am very sorry not +to have met your daughters, for they would soon have agreed with me, +if they had heard my reasons. Nowadays young people understand quite +well what it means to make one’s way easily and advantageously. You +can be sure of that.”</p> + +<p>“My children may still be a little backward in this knowledge. They +may, through the influence of their parents, still care for the things +which you call the breadless arts,” said the lady with a sigh. “But +I shall make my children acquainted with your ideas and I shall try +to speak to them according to your views, at least as far as I am +able.”</p> + +<p>“How old is the eldest? She ought to be old enough to understand my +reasons,” remarked the gentleman.</p> + +<p>“Nika is in her fourteenth year. Her education is, of course, still +incomplete in many ways,” replied the lady. “Dino is twelve and Agnes +eleven years old. The latter must first of all complete her compulsory +school years.”</p> + +<p>“Still rather young people,” said Mr. Schaller, shaking his head. “I +am sure of one thing, however. The longer their education will take, +the shorter should be the ways to the goal. I am more and more convinced +that my advice is right. If you give your little daughters into the +hands of a clever dressmaker, your moving to the city will have been +of some real use.”</p> + +<p>In his great zeal to convince his silent listener, the visitor had not +noticed that a small boy had entered. This little fellow had at first +hidden behind his mother, but, at a sign from her, approached the +gentleman. He noticed the child only when a small fist pushed itself +forcibly into his closed right hand.</p> + +<p>“Please forgive the rather aggressive greeting of my small son,” begged +the mother.</p> + +<p>“Oh, here is another, still. I knew there was a smaller one,” exclaimed +the dismayed visitor. “Well, boy, what is your name?”</p> + +<p>“Mux,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>The gentleman looked questioningly at the mother.</p> + +<p>“That is the name his brother and sisters have given him and the one +which seems to have remained quite permanently,” she replied. “His +name is really Marcus and he is just five years old.”</p> + +<p>“Well, well, and what do you want to be when you grow up, my young +friend?” asked Mr. Schaller.</p> + +<p>“An army general,” unhesitatingly replied the small boy. After these +words the gentleman got up.</p> + +<p>“It seems to me, my dear Mrs. Halm, that all your children have pretty +high-flown ideas,” he said impressively. “I can only hope that before +long they will learn that in this world it is not possible for everybody +to do what he pleases.”</p> + +<p>The mother approved this good wish, but added: “I have to tell you, +though, that Mux has gotten this idea from his favorite book, where +the picture of a general on horseback interests him more than anything +else. This, of course, is a passing impression, like many others.”</p> + +<p>“One can never urge proper and successful work too soon nor too often; +please do not overlook that, my friend!” With these words the guardian +ended the interview and, saying good-bye, carefully descended the steep +staircase.</p> + +<p>Just then a child was running up the stairs so quickly that it actually +seemed as if she had no need to touch the steps at all. As the gentleman +was taking up all the room, the only space left for a passage was under +the arm with which he held the railing. Here the lithe creature tried +to slip through.</p> + +<p>“Stop, stop! Do you not belong to the parson’s widow, Mrs. Halm?” asked +the gentleman, making a barrier with his arm.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I belong to her,” was the quick answer. And stooping down still +lower, the small person again tried to pass.</p> + +<p>“Just hold still one moment, if you can,” the gentleman now demanded. +“You probably know that I am Mr. Schaller, your guardian. I have just +given your mother some advice, which was meant for your good. You do +not look in the least stupid, so you can help to persuade your mother. +I am sure you can understand what is good for you. Are you the elder?”</p> + +<p>“No, the younger one,” came quickly back for answer.</p> + +<p>“So much the better. Then the elder will be still more sensible. If +you take my advice you can both contribute to the prosperity of the +whole family.” With these words the gentleman gave the little girl his +hand and went away.</p> + +<p>Agnes flew up the rest of the stairs and into the narrow hall. Her +brother Mux was standing expectantly in the open doorway. He did this +every day at the time his brother and sisters were coming home from +school. He loved the change that their coming brought after the quiet +morning.</p> + +<p>“A fat gentleman was here and mother said afterward: ‘Oh God!’ and you +can’t play the piano any more,” he reported.</p> + +<p>Agnes ran into the next room and as quickly out again. “Where is mother? +Mother, mother!” she called, opening one door after another.</p> + +<p>“Here I am, Agnes, but do not be so violent,” sounded the mother’s +voice from the kitchen.</p> + +<p>Agnes ran to her. “Mother, what is Mux saying? Is it really true? I +know that Mr. Schaller has been here and that he can tell us what we +have to do. What did he say? Is it really true what Mux has said? Oh, +I’ll never eat again! I don’t want to sleep or do anything any more. +Everything, then, is lost!”</p> + +<p>Agnes was frightfully excited. Her cheeks were dark red and her eyes +seemed to shoot forth flashes of lightning.</p> + +<p>“But, child, you must not speak this way. Do not get so terribly +excited,” the mother calmly admonished her. “There is no time now to +discuss a subject which we have to talk over quietly. We shall do so +to-night. You know perfectly well that I have the greatest sympathy +for your wishes and ambitions, and that it means as much to me as to +you. As soon as we have a quiet hour together we can talk it all over.”</p> + +<p>These words quieted the child. She knew that her mother always shared +every experience with them. In coming to town, mother and daughter had +hoped to be able to carry out their most fervent wish, namely, the +completion of Agnes’ musical education. Agnes could count on her +mother’s help. It was for the happiness of both of them. So Agnes went +out to the kitchen to do her work as usual. Both the sisters always +helped to lighten their mother’s work, for their only servant was quite +a young girl, who did not do much besides run errands.</p> + +<p>Mux went back to his former place. He was intensely pleased with the +great effect and excitement his words had produced on Agnes. Hearing +somebody else coming upstairs, he prepared to repeat his speech.</p> + +<p>When Nika was near enough to hear him he said: “A fat gentleman has +been here, and when he was gone mother said: ‘Oh God!’ and you are not +to paint any more trees and flowers.”</p> + +<p>Nika, not having seen Mr. Schaller, did not understand these words. +Unruffled and silent, she passed Mux and went into the other room, +which disappointed Mux terribly. So when he heard Dino coming up the +stairs, he unloaded his disappointment on him.</p> + +<p>“We are not going to have them to-day,” he announced.</p> + +<p>“What do you think we will have? What am I supposed to be thinking of, +little guesser?” Dino called out.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I know. Whenever you think we are going to have green peas for +lunch, you run up very quickly. You can’t even wait, you love them +so,” Mux asserted. “But we won’t have any to-day, for we are going to +have cabbage instead. There, now you have it!”</p> + +<p>“Now come in and we’ll see who makes a worse face about it, you or I!”</p> + +<p>With these words Dino took his little brother’s hand, and together +they ran into the room. Very soon afterwards, the family all sat down +to their mid-day meal. On most days the children would be telling their +mother about the happenings of the morning. They would all talk at +once until it was quite hard for her to do them all justice. But to-day +it was different. It seemed as if a storm was in the air; everybody +was silent, and on all faces, except one, heavy clouds seemed to be +resting. Nika sat brooding and staring in front of her, for Agnes had +interpreted to her their little brother’s words. She swallowed very +hard on every mouthful, because she had to swallow a great deal more +besides. Agnes was frowning so that her whole forehead was like one +huge wrinkle. The mother, too, was busy with deep thoughts, as one +could see from her worried expression.</p> + +<p>Mux, who generally was extremely talkative, was quietly nibbling on +his dish of cabbage, with many a deep sigh. Dino alone was merry. He +glanced with great expectation from one to the other, and his lunch +did not keep him very busy.</p> + +<p>“I am expecting a thunderstorm,” he said, while the quiet was still +unbroken. “Nika is going to let loose the lightning which is flashing +under her lashes, and Agnes will follow with the thunder. After this +I predict a heavy rainstorm, for Mux can hardly keep back his tears +about this cabbage.”</p> + +<p>“But you have eaten much less cabbage than I have,” Mux cried out.</p> + +<p>“I do this only from moderation, my little man, so that nobody will +get too little.”</p> + +<p>“I would answer you about the thunder and the cabbage, Dino, if I had +time,” Agnes at last exploded. “But I have a music lesson at one o’clock +and I have enough to swallow without this horrid cabbage.”</p> + +<p>“I only wish you could be more moderate in other things instead of in +eating, Dino,” said the mother with a melancholy smile. “You have +hardly eaten anything, and I heard you cough all night. Your health +worries me dreadfully, Dino. Did you cough much in school this morning?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly, mother. But that is nothing to worry about,” Dino replied +merrily. “It always goes away again. My professor said to-day that it +would have been better for me to remain in the pastoral fields of my +native village, than to have sought the dust-laden corners of town. +But I answered: ‘Unfortunately the Latin language does not sprout from +the pastoral fields, professor.’”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I hope you did not answer that,” the mother said, quite frightened.</p> + +<p>“Oh yes, but only in my thoughts! Please, mother, don’t worry about +me,” Dino implored.</p> + +<p>“I am afraid that your professor is right,” the mother said with a +sigh. “But I have a plan which we shall talk over to-night. I shall +also talk over our guardian’s proposal, girls. Please try not to look +so terribly unhappy, for everything is not yet lost.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, it will come to that in the end,” said Nika, leaving the room.</p> + +<p>“Yes, and much worse, I guess,” said Agnes. Violently pushing her chair +in place, she departed, after thrusting her music into a folder.</p> + +<p>“What can be worse than when all is lost?” Dino called after her. “I +know what,” responded Mux knowingly, while Agnes looked back at Dino +as if to say: If I had time I certainly would give an answer to you.</p> + +<p>“What is it, wise little man?” asked Dino.</p> + +<p>“If she had to eat nothing but cabbage all the time,” replied Mux, +full of a conviction which he seemed to have acquired from his own +experience.</p> + +<p>Dino, too, prepared to depart. With a sorrowful look, the mother passed +her hand over the boy’s thick hair. “Please be careful, and do not run +too fast,” she begged. “It’s very bad for you to sit in the cool school +room when you are so overheated. I can scarcely ever see you go, without +anxiety.”</p> + +<p>“But I am surely not as sick as that, little mother,” Dino said, +tenderly embracing her. “When somebody has a cough it always goes away +again after a while. That is the way with me. Be merry and everything +will be all right in the end. But I have to go now, it is late,” he +exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“But do not hurry so terribly, Dino, there is time enough yet, and +remember what I told you,” she called after him. Then stepping to the +open window, she followed the running boy down the street with her +eyes.</p> + +<p>Dino gave Mrs. Halm great anxiety, for he seemed more delicate every +day. Her watchful eye had detected how poor his appetite had been +lately. Despite that, the boy had a very sweet disposition and was +always full of fun. He was always anxious to have everybody in a good +humor, and above all, his mother. Of all the burdens she had to bear, +the trouble about her son’s health was the hardest. One could see this +by the painful expression on her face when she left the window and sat +down beside her work table.</p> + +<p>Mux was just repeating a question for the third time, but his mother +did not hear him. Loudly raising his voice he said once more: “Oh, +mother, why does one have to eat what the cows get?”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean, Mux? What are you talking about?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“I saw it in my picture book. The leaves the cows get are just the +same as those in the kitchen,” he explained none too clearly, but the +mother understood him directly. She remembered how interestedly he had +looked at the cabbage leaves when the girl had brought them home from +market. She also bore in mind a picture in his favorite book, where +a stable boy was shown giving a glossy brown cow splendid green leaves +to eat.</p> + +<p>“So you still have the cabbage in your head, Mux?” said the mother. +“You must not be dissatisfied when there are so many poor children who +have to go hungry. While you get bread and good vegetables, they may +be suffering.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, can’t we send them the rest of the cabbage?” Mux quickly suggested.</p> + +<p>“Come and work on the embroidery I have started for you, Mux. We shall +see who can beat to-day. Perhaps that will clear away your thoughts +about the cabbage. Come and sit beside me, Mux.”</p> + +<p>The mother put a little chair beside hers and placed the work in the +boy’s nimble fingers. Now a race with stitches began, and in his zeal +to beat his mother he at last forgot the subject that had troubled him +so much.</p> + +<p>The late evening had come and the children’s work for school was done. +Mrs. Halm put the big mending basket away and took up her knitting. +The time had come, when, clustering eagerly about their mother, the +children told her all the troubles and joys of the day.</p> + +<p>It was the hardest hour of the day for Mux, for it was his bedtime. +His mother always took him by the hand, to lead him to bed, before she +began to talk with the three elder children. Every evening he put up +a fight, for the wily youngster always thought that by obstinate +resistance he could break the rule. His mother, however, knew well +that his success would only result in dreadful yawns and heavy eyes.</p> + +<p>This evening he found himself ready for bed before he had had time to +prepare for his fight. His mother seemed anxious to have him in bed +punctually that night. The boy was always reconciled to his fate when +she sat down a moment beside his bed to hear of anything that might +be troubling him. Mux, knowing that all conversation was irrevocably +closed after his prayers were said, would try every night to prolong +this period.</p> + +<p>After Mux had climbed into bed, he said thoughtfully: “Don’t you think, +mother, that if people planted cherries where cabbage now grows +everybody could eat cherries instead of cabbage?”</p> + +<p>“We simply have to stop now, Mux,” Mrs. Halm replied to his +astonishment, for he had hoped to start a long conversation.</p> + +<p>“Well, Mux, you don’t seem to be able to get over the cabbage to-day. +Go to sleep, for you have talked enough about it.”</p> + +<p>Mux knew then that nothing could be done that day, After his evening +prayer and a kiss from his mother, he lay down and was fast asleep +before his mother had even shut the door.</p> + +<p>Agnes had just finished her last task and was throwing her books into +a drawer, each more violently than the other. She was still terribly +excited, and as soon as her mother came back to the room, she burst +forth: “Oh, mother, if I am not allowed to study music any more, I +would rather stop learning anything. Why can’t I become a servant girl? +I could do the work well enough. As soon as I have earned enough money, +I’ll buy a harp and then I can wander from house to house, singing and +playing. I can easily live like that. Nobody needs to be a dressmaker. +People can wear petticoats and jackets. That is enough, and those can +be woven. All other children are better off than we are. They can learn +what they please and we can’t learn anything!” An outburst of tears +choked all further words.</p> + +<p>During her sister’s speech Nika had been quietly drawing, but she was +holding her head lower and lower over her work without once looking +up. She continued her studies, but her eyes seemed to be filling. +Pushing her work away, she held her handkerchief before her face.</p> + +<p>“Oh, children,” said the mother, looking sadly at them, “do not be so +desperate right away. You know that your good is my good as well, and +that I am doing and shall keep on doing everything in my power to +fulfill your ambitions. It would be my happiest joy to have your talents +developed, so that you could devote all your lives to music and +painting. If we should find it impossible, however, dear children, we +must firmly believe that it would not have been for the best, had we +succeeded, for God alone knows which way to lead us.</p> + +<p>“Do not lose your confidence in a kind Father in Heaven, for that is +our greatest consolation. He won’t forget us, if we do not forget Him, +and we must remember that He can see further than we can, for He knows +why and where He is leading us. We cannot look into the future, but +later we shall understand it all and realize why we had to bear our +troubles. Out of them will come the greatest blessings.”</p> + +<p>“Now let us be happy again and let us sing a song,” said Dino, who +loved to be gay and who liked to see everyone about him merry, too.</p> + +<p>“Let us sing:</p> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If winter’s storms are wild and long</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We know that spring is coming.</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To Agnes, whom I hear rebel,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">This consolation I here tell.”</span><br></div> +</div></div></div> + +<p>“Yes, Dino, it is easy enough for you to laugh,” Agnes exclaimed. “You +would probably whistle another tune if you had to become a tailor. But +you can learn and study everything you want to.”</p> + +<p>“I shall certainly not study everything,” Dino informed her. “But your +singing is much nicer than your arguing, Agnes, so please begin, and +if you don’t like my song, you can start another.”</p> + +<p>“We shall all sing together later on, children,” said the mother. “I +have to speak to you, too, Dino. I am troubled about your cough and +your health. I have looked about for quite a while to find a suitable +place in the country where I could send you. Of course, there are +plenty of places, but I want you to go into some modest house where +you can be looked after. I found a notice in the paper to-day which +might be just what I am looking for. Read it yourself, Dino.”</p> + +<p>Dino began to read. “Yes, yes, mother, I must go there,” he said, +shaking with merriment. “I must go to Martha in Iller-Stream. I am +sure that it is very cosy in Martha Wolf’s house, where everything is +so neat and the covers are so fresh.”</p> + +<p>The sisters now wanted also to see the notice that made Dino laugh so +heartily. He read the paragraph aloud about Martha Wolf in Iller-Stream +and they all agreed that it would be pleasant there. The mother decided +to write to the woman at once and to take Dino there as soon as +possible.</p> + +<p>“Now we shall sing a song to end the day,” she said, sitting down at +the old piano. Every day the children sang an evening song to her +accompaniment. Opening the book she herself started and the three +children took up the song with their pure, fresh voices:</p> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When bowed with grief,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Go seek relief</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of God, our Lord above.</span><br></div> +</div></div></div> + + +<p class="center">UP IN THE TOP STORY</p> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thy need has grown,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When left alone,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For great and helping love.</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Before thou’st said,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Before thou’st prayed,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He knows thy inmost need.</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And by His care,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His love so rare,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From sorrow thou art freed.</span><br></div> +</div></div></div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III<br><span class="small">NEW APPEARANCES IN ILLER-STREAM</span></h2></div> + + +<p>In the Director’s house in Iller-Stream reigned great excitement. The +day had come when the two ladies from town were expected to arrive for +their lengthy stay. To celebrate the coming of his guests, the master +of the house had ordered a festive dinner for the middle of the day. +He had been longing for this day, so was in a splendid humor. It was +very important for him to start on his journey right away, and he had +waited only to be able formally to receive his visitors. Also he had +promised his cousin to give the reins of the household into her hands +himself, after which event he had planned to start on his journey.</p> + +<p>To Cornelli the preparations for the arrival of the new members of the +household seemed very annoying, everything being different from usual. +She commonly very much enjoyed the prospect of company, for on such +occasions she paid frequent visits to the kitchen, where Esther was +always busy cooking.</p> + +<p>As soon as Cornelli appeared in the doorway, Esther would call to her: +“Come and see which you like best, Cornelli; I am sure they are not +so bad.” A small yellow apple tart and a round purple plum cake were +ready for the child to taste, for her visit had been anticipated. +Cornelli always assured the cook that the apple tarts were excellent +and the plum cakes even better.</p> + +<p>Then Cornelli would go into the pantry, where Miss Mina was fixing +fruit on the crystal platters. Here many a raisin and almond would +drop beside the plate, and from there find its way into Cornelli’s +pocket. It was pleasant to have a supply whenever she felt like eating. +The housekeeper dropped many nuts on purpose, for she did not want to +be less sought after than her rival in the kitchen.</p> + +<p>To-day Esther was flying around the kitchen violently rattling her +pots and pans, and when Cornelli appeared, to see what was going on, +the cook called to her: “Off with you! I have nothing for you here +to-day. The ladies from town must not think that they have to show me +how to cook a good dinner. I’ll show them. Go away and make room here +for me. Make room, Cornelli! I have to fix the vegetables.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli ran to the pantry.</p> + +<p>Mina was just building up a splendid pile of cookies and almond rings. +“Don’t come rushing in like that, or it will all tumble down,” she +objected. “Don’t come so near to the table; this plate is all ready +and nothing must be missing from it. I won’t have it said that one can +see there is no mistress in this house, and that nobody here knows how +to set a table.”</p> + +<p>“If you are all so stingy to-day, I won’t bother you any more,” said +Cornelli, and with these words she turned around and marched indignantly +out of the house.</p> + +<p>That moment, hearing the sound of approaching wheels, and looking down +the road through the open place in front of the house, she spied the +expected carriage with two ladies sitting in it.</p> + +<p>“Matthew, Matthew,” she called out, in the direction of the large +stable and the barn. These lay a little distance from the house, and +were hidden by trees.</p> + +<p>Matthew was the gardener who looked after the horses, and had also to +superintend all the work done by his assistant in the garden and the +stable. He was Cornelli’s special friend, whom she had known ever since +she could remember, for he had served her grandfather.</p> + +<p>He now came from the stable and mysteriously beckoned to her: “Come +here quickly, run fast!” he said. “We’ll still get to the carriage in +time. Only come for a moment.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli ran to him, and looking into the stable, saw lying on soft +fresh hay a tiny, snow-white kid. It looked like a toy, but was really +alive.</p> + +<p>“Oh, where did it come from, Matthew? Oh, how cunning it is! The white +fine fur is just like silk! Can it walk alone? Can it stand, too, if +it wants to? Oh, just see how friendly it is and how it is rubbing its +little head against me.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, but come, now; the carriage is driving up,” Matthew urged. “Come +quickly, you can see it every day. Just think! It was only born to-day.”</p> + +<p>The carriage had just driven into the court and Matthew was there the +moment the horses stopped. The Director was there, too; not to lose +any time and yet not be tardy, he had put a watcher at the door to let +him know when the carriage was approaching. The Director was very +polite and lifted his cousin out of the carriage, greeting her heartily. +Then he helped Miss Grideelen to dismount, thanking her warmly for +coming. He told her how glad he was that she had been willing to follow +his cousin into this solitude, for otherwise it would have worried him +to leave her alone so long. He appreciated their great sacrifice in +coming and he hoped that his trip, which was very urgent, would not +keep him away too long.</p> + +<p>“Where is your daughter, Frederick?” asked Miss Dorner now.</p> + +<p>The Director glanced about.</p> + +<p>“I saw her just a moment ago. Where are you, Cornelli?” he called +towards the house.</p> + +<p>“Here I am!” It sounded from very near, for Cornelli had hidden behind +her father, so as to inspect the new arrivals without being seen +herself.</p> + +<p>“Come forward and speak to your cousin and to Miss Grideelen!” ordered +Mr. Hellmut.</p> + +<p>Cornelli gave her hand first to her relative and then to the other +lady, saying to each: “How do you do?”</p> + +<p>“You can call me cousin, and this lady is called Miss Grideelen,” said +the cousin, hoping that the child would repeat her greeting and would +call her and her friend by the names she was just told to use in +speaking to them. But the child did not say another word.</p> + +<p>The Director now turned towards the carriage, giving Matthew +instructions for the horses. Then everybody stepped into the house and +soon the whole company sat down at the richly laden dinner table. Miss +Mina earned many praises for the deliciously planned meal. When the +afternoon came the host took the ladies around his place, for his +cousin was anxious to become acquainted with everything she had to +take care of.</p> + +<p>“Oh, what an abundance of fruit!” Miss Grideelen exclaimed over and +over again. “How many cherry trees and what enormous apple trees! Oh, +what a row of pear trees! You must be able to fill your bins with fruit +in the autumn, Mr. Hellmut! Where do you have room for it all?”</p> + +<p>“I do not know about it; my servants take care of that, for I have no +time.”</p> + +<p>“It is a great shame, Frederick, that you do not have half a dozen +children. They would help to look after these matters,” the cousin +remarked. “By the way, I wonder where your child is. She does not seem +to be very sociable.”</p> + +<p>“I do not know where she is,” replied Mr. Hellmut. “I am generally at +work about this time and Mina probably knows what she is doing. Perhaps +she is busy with her teacher. Cornelli has been alone so much that she +could not get very sociable. That is why I am so grateful to you both +for coming. I am so glad she can at last be in the environment I have +always wanted for her. But what could I do? I have twice taken +governesses into the house, to supply her with proper intercourse and +opportunity for study. The first ran away because she could not stand +the solitude. The second wanted every servant to leave who had been +here before her; Esther was to go, and even Matthew. She told me that +I had to choose between her and the ‘old house-rats,’ as she called +them.</p> + +<p>“I showed no desire to send either of them away, and said to her: ‘It +is better for you to go, for when the two have departed, it will +probably be my turn next, as I shall be the oldest house-rat left.’ +After that she departed and I had no more courage to go through another +experience. But I knew that it was time for Cornelli to have a lady +of refinement and culture with her. I am sure, dear cousin, that you +can give me some good advice as to her education, as soon as you have +become acquainted with her.”</p> + +<p>“I should like to know whom she resembles,” said Miss Dorner; “she +does not seem to resemble either you or your late wife.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think so?” replied the father quickly. “Do you really think +so? The child certainly does not need to resemble me, but I have always +hoped that she resembled her mother. I always hoped that this would +increase with the years and that she would grow up to be my wife’s +image. Do you not think that she has Cornelia’s eyes? I think that my +child’s rather straggly mane will in time resemble my Cornelia’s +beautiful brown hair; the child’s hair is very thick and has just the +same color.”</p> + +<p>The Director looked imploringly at his cousin. He seemed anxious for +her to agree with him.</p> + +<p>Shrugging her shoulders, she replied: “I certainly see no resemblance +between the tousled looking small savage and Cornelia. The latter +always was so lovely in her exquisite neatness. Her eyes always glowed +with happiness and seemed to smile at one from under her beautiful, +wavy brown hair. I am sorry to tell you that your child is not exactly +engaging; she resembles a wild and furious little kitten with bristling +hair. She seems to me to be always making a round back; she looks as +if she wanted to jump at one and scratch.”</p> + +<p>“No, no, she does not do that,” the Director assured “The child is not +in the least ill-natured, at least, I do not think so. But I am afraid +that you are right in saying that she does not resemble her mother in +the least. Her education, I mean her lack of education, may have +something to do with it. That is why I am so grateful to you both for +coming here. I am sure that with your influence the child will change +and gain much, and I do not think that it will be hard for Cornelli +to learn.</p> + +<p>“I can travel now with a light heart, cousin, for I know that I can +leave my child, the house and the servants in your care. You do not +know in what a difficult position I am sometimes. I ought to go away +frequently, and am not able to do so because there is nobody to take +care of the house for me. The servants have to be kept in good humor, +and the house has to be ruled with authority and judgment. I cannot +thank you enough for making this trip possible for me.”</p> + +<p>When they had returned from their walk they separated. Mr. Hellmut had +still plenty of preparations to make for his journey, and the ladies +retired to their rooms to get settled there. At supper everybody met +again. The ladies and their host appeared punctually and dinner was +served at once.</p> + +<p>“Where is your daughter? Does she not come to supper, too?” asked Miss +Dorner.</p> + +<p>“Yes, of course. Do you know where she is, Miss Mina?” the father +asked.</p> + +<p>At that moment the door opened and Cornelli, with cheeks aglow, ran +into the room. She sat down quickly at her seat.</p> + +<p>“Did you creep through a hedge?” the cousin asked her.</p> + +<p>“No, I was in the hen house,” replied Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“That is no reason to look the way you do. Go to your room first and +have your hair combed by Miss Mina. She will also give you some soap, +for this is quite necessary.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli glanced at her father. This was something new and she waited +for his approval.</p> + +<p>“Quickly, Cornelli! Why do you hesitate?” he admonished her. “You have +to obey your cousin absolutely, for she is taking my place now. I hope +that everybody here understands that clearly,” he added with a glance +at Miss Mina.</p> + +<p>The latter wanted to follow the child, but Cornelli called back: “I +can do it myself.”</p> + +<p>When the child came back her face and hands were washed very thoroughly, +but her hair looked most peculiar. She had combed it in such a way +that one could not tell what belonged to the left and what to the right +side, what to the front and what to the back.</p> + +<p>The cousin laughed and said: “Your head looks like a wind-blown hay +field. To-morrow Miss Mina will part your hair properly for you.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli frowned so deeply that her eyes came quite close together. +She did not look up any more from her plate.</p> + +<p>Next day quite early the Director departed.</p> + +<p>The village of Iller-Stream, where the church and the school house +were, was quite a distance from the iron works. Cornelli could not go +to school there every day because it was much too far. She therefore +had lessons at home, and the teacher her father had chosen came every +morning and taught her in all the necessary subjects. In the afternoon +she was free, except for the work which she had to do for the following +day. That took little time and till now the child had really had a +very free existence. She had always found time for a daily visit to +Martha and a long conversation with her old friend. She could also +wander freely about the lovely beech wood and along the mountain side. +Her time was never parcelled out for her.</p> + +<p>There were many wonderful things to find in the fields and woods, and +Cornelli never tired of them as long as the sun was shining. If rain +or snow prevented her from her strolls, she spent her afternoons in +Martha’s cosy chamber. There she had the most pleasant times, for the +old woman’s conversation and tales were for Cornelli a never ending +source of enjoyment.</p> + +<p>The teacher had just left the house. Owing to her father’s departure, +there had been plenty of material for sentences in her grammar lesson. +All the child’s answers to his questions had come so promptly to-day +that the teacher had ended his lesson on the stroke of the hour. He +also gave Cornelli special praise for the excellent work she had done. +Then he heartily shook her hand.</p> + +<p>The two were the best of friends and the teacher knew his pupil well. +Whenever she was very bright and lively, he would work very hard with +her and in a short time accomplish three times more than usual. In +order not to spoil their mutual pleasure he would let her off most +punctually. But whenever Cornelli was absent-minded and unwilling to +work, he progressed slowly and carefully, treating her as if she were +the least bit weak minded.</p> + +<p>He would keep up this procedure till the hand of the clock showed a +quarter, a half, or even three-quarters of an hour more than the set +time for the lessons. Then Cornelli had hardly more than a quarter of +an hour’s time before lunch to run over to the garden, the stable and +the hen house, something she always planned to do. The teacher would +finally stop and say in his most friendly manner: “I had to stay so +long to-day because we did not do half of what we should have done. +You were a little slow in understanding, Cornelli. I hope it will go +better to-morrow, otherwise your lesson might last still longer.”</p> + +<p>It always went much better after that, for Cornelli had no inclination +whatever to have such a tiresome performance repeated. After such a +lesson many days went by before she was lazy again. To-day Cornelli +had worked quickly and well, for she wanted to have lots of free time +before lunch. She had not had time to see the little kid since +yesterday. The lesson over, she flew to the stable. Lunch was set for +one o’clock, so there was a whole hour left. Matthew spied the +approaching child and called to her: “Come here, Cornelli! It is just +jumping around.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli ran into the stable, where she saw the snow-white kid, hopping +merrily over to its mother and then back again to the hay. It looked +so cunning in its gambols that Cornelli went into perfect raptures.</p> + +<p>“Oh, you darling little thing!” she called out, patting its spotless +fur; “I shall fetch a red ribbon for your neck and then we’ll take a +walk together.” The child accordingly ran back to the house, and hunting +about among her things, soon returned with a bright red ribbon which +she tied about the little kid’s neck. Cornelli was perfectly delighted, +for she had never in her life seen a prettier object than the little +creature with its snow-white fur and the red ribbon round its neck, +skipping lightly about. The next moment it lay down in the hay and +looked up happily at Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“Can I take it out for a walk, Matthew? Can I harness it to a little +wagon and drive around with it?” asked the child. She had many plans +in her head, one following on top of the other.</p> + +<p>“Wait, wait; we have to let it grow first,” replied Matthew +thoughtfully. “The most important thing for it is to grow, for it is +like a baby that has just learned how to walk. It has to stay near its +mother and can only run about near her. When it is bigger, it can take +walks, and when it is strong and big we can harness it and you can +drive it about with two reins in one hand and a long whip in the other.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli shouted with joy and patted the kid with new tenderness. She +already pictured to herself the lovely drives that they would have +together.</p> + +<p>“Did you hear the bell in the foundry? I am sure it must be time for +dinner. You will have to be a little careful now, Cornelli. Remember +that strange ladies are in the house,” said old Matthew with foresight. +“You can come again this afternoon.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli had really heard nothing, for she had been absorbed in her +new pet. She knew that she ought to appear punctually at her meals, +so she left right away. She had also noticed that the ladies were not +buried behind big newspapers, like her father. While running to the +house, she passed a hydrant. There she remembered that she had to wash +her hands, so she held them both under the pipe and rubbed them hard. +Then dipping her face in, she rubbed it, too. She had nothing to dry +herself with except a very small handkerchief.</p> + +<p>“Hurry up! The ladies are already at table,” she heard Esther’s voice +urging her from the kitchen window.</p> + +<p>Cornelli ran in and saw both ladies already seated at the table. In +front of her was a full soup plate.</p> + +<p>“You have to come punctually to your meals. I am sure that you can +hear the loud bell out in the garden,” said the cousin. “But how strange +you look! Half wet arms, a soaking apron and damp feet. Have you been +in the water, or what have you done?”</p> + +<p>“I washed my hands under the water pump and I got splashed,” Cornelli +answered.</p> + +<p>“Naturally,” remarked Miss Dorner. “There are arrangements in the rooms +for washing hands, which involve no splashing. Go, now, and put on +another apron. You have to be orderly and neat at mealtimes.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli departed.</p> + +<p>“The child certainly obeys you—that is something,” said Miss Grideelen. +“Since you told her to, she always comes to table properly washed.”</p> + +<p>“That is true. But she has the most unheard-of manners,” replied Miss +Dorner.</p> + +<p>“How shall one get rid of those and start the child on the right path? +I must ask you to help her in the morning, Miss Mina. Please comb her +hair smoothly and part it the way I told you to.”</p> + +<p>“I did it, Miss Dorner, and I do it every morning,” she answered, quite +hurt. “Cornelli’s hair is just like bristles and it is very hard to +braid. When she jumps it all gets tangled again and she jumps every +moment.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli now came back and ate her soup. Her seat was beside her cousin +and faced the other lady.</p> + +<p>“What is sticking to your dress here?” asked Miss Dorner, looking with +disgust at the little skirt. Something was really hanging from the +bottom. “Can this be hay or straw? It certainly does not look orderly. +I hope you have not come from the stable!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I have,” replied Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“How horrid! Indeed, I can even smell it. That is too much!” she +exclaimed. “I am sure your father would not let you go there if he +knew about it.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, certainly; he goes himself,” Cornelli retorted.</p> + +<p>“Do not reply impertinently. In the case of your father it is quite +different,” explained Miss Dorner. “I want to tell you something which +you must remember. If you are allowed to go to the stable and you enjoy +doing it, you can go. But when afterwards you come to your meals, you +must first go to your room. Get properly washed there and also change +your dress. Be sure not to forget.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” replied Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“It is very strange what queer pleasures country children have,” +remarked Miss Grideelen. “Have you no books, Cornelli? Don’t you like +reading better than wandering around and going to the stable?”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, I don’t like it better, but I have some books,” replied the +child.</p> + +<p>“What are you going to do in the afternoon, when you have no more +lessons to study?” asked Miss Dorner.</p> + +<p>“I always go to Martha,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Who is Martha?” inquired the cousin.</p> + +<p>“A woman,” said Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“I can guess that,” replied the cousin. “But what kind of a woman is +she?”</p> + +<p>“A good one,” answered Cornelli quickly.</p> + +<p>“What an answer!” The cousin turned now to Miss Mina: “Who is this +woman? Can the child go to see her? Does anybody here know about her?” +she questioned.</p> + +<p>“Oh yes, she is well known here and was here long before I came,” was +Mina’s reply. “She nursed the mistress of this house in her last +illness. She is a very good woman and always looks neat and clean. Our +master likes her well.”</p> + +<p>“Now I have really found out something! You must learn to give proper +answers, Cornelli, do you hear?” said the cousin. “You are like a wild +hare which does everything in leaps and bounds. You can go to see the +woman after finishing your work for your teacher. I am sure you must +have some to do for to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli assented to this, and as soon as the ladies had left the room +to retire to their bedrooms for the hottest hours of the day, she sat +down at her little table in the corner. Here she wrote down a page +with lightning speed, then taking up her book she read her lesson over +and over again till she knew it by heart. Soon she was finished, and +flinging the books into the drawer, she ran out of the house.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Martha, I wish you knew how terrible it is at home now since Papa +has gone,” called Cornelli to her old friend, before she had even +reached the top of the stairs. “I just wish Papa was back already and +everything was again as before.”</p> + +<p>“What is it, Cornelli, what makes you so cross? Come, sit down here +a while and tell me about it,” said Martha kindly. She put a chair +beside her own at the table where her mending lay neatly sorted out.</p> + +<p>“Of course, you can’t understand it, Martha,” Cornelli continued, just +as excited as before. “Here with you everything is always the same and +nobody comes and orders everything to be changed. Now, I am not allowed +to come in any more without getting washed; now, I cannot come out of +the stable without changing my clothes. Then I must not wash my hands +at the hydrant because I get splashed, and, oh, so many new things +have to be done; so different from before.”</p> + +<p>“I am sure, Cornelli, that it is not at all bad that things should not +always be the way they were before,” said Martha reflectively. “I +believe that the lady who is related to you wants the same thing from +you that your mother would have wished had she lived. This is very +good for you. Of course, Miss Mina and Esther mean well, but your +relation knows much better what is to be done to make you grow up the +way your mother would have desired. Just think how happy your father +would be if you should resemble your mother and he be reminded of her +every time he looked at you. You well know what great joy that would +be to him.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli did know that her father would be very happy then, for he had +made many remarks which she had understood. A short time ago he had +said that his cousin found no likeness between his child and her mother, +and Cornelli had observed the sad expression of his eyes when he had +said it.</p> + +<p>Cornelli shook her head. “You said once that my mother was different +from anybody,” she said. “So I can’t ever be like her; you said so +yourself, Martha.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, yes, I have said that,” confirmed Martha. “But I have to explain +something to you, Cornelli. If you can’t become exactly like your +mother, you certainly can become more like her than anybody else, for +you are her child, and a child always has something from her mother. +I have seen you look at me just the way she did, with the same brown +eyes; but not when you frown the way you do to-day. You must try to +watch the two ladies very carefully in all they do and in the way they +speak. They are your mother’s kind, and that is why I am so glad that +you can watch their manners and can try to imitate them. You can learn +to resemble your mother in your ways, if you copy the ladies.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I shall do that,” agreed Cornelli. “Just the same, I am not +terribly pleased that they are here and that everything has to be +changed. Oh dear, I have just remembered that I have to be back now +and drink some hot coffee and milk, because Miss Dorner says that the +afternoons are so frightfully long in the country they have to be +interrupted. At that time I always used to get from the garden some +apples or cherries or whatever else there was, and they always tasted +so awfully good. If I only could lengthen my afternoon, which seems +too long to them! I never can do all I plan to do. Good-bye, Martha.”</p> + +<p>And with these words Cornelli ran away.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV<br><span class="small">THE UNWISHED-FOR HAPPENS</span></h2></div> + + +<p>Esther, the able mistress of the kitchen, was standing in the garden +picking green peas, which hung in clusters from the vines. They had +ripened quickly in the sunny June weather.</p> + +<p>“Come down here, Cornelli!” she called. “Just see how many peas there +are! Why do you steal about so quietly nowadays, and why don’t you run +the way you used to?”</p> + +<p>“I am not allowed to do anything any more,” replied Cornelli, +approaching her. “Mina is beginning to tell me that I even must not +jump, for it might tangle my hair. I wish I had not a single hair left; +then I could at least run and jump about.”</p> + +<p>“No, no, child; that would look too dreadful. Just imagine it! But +don’t get sad on account of that,” Esther consoled her. “Just jump +around as before! Your hair can always be put in order again. Why +haven’t you come into the kitchen lately to see if things taste right?”</p> + +<p>“I am not allowed to; Miss Dorner says that is bad manners,” Cornelli +informed her.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I see! Well, you might do worse things. However, you must obey! +Yes, you have to obey,” Esther repeated. “Don’t you go to Miss Mina +any more, either, when she fixes the dessert?”</p> + +<p>Cornelli shook her head.</p> + +<p>Miss Mina had quickly understood the new order that had begun in the +household and accordingly had suited herself to it. When she thought +the ladies would not approve of an old custom, she dropped it quickly, +and Cornelli had soon noticed her change of attitude.</p> + +<p>“I don’t care if I never can go to the pantry any more, I don’t care,” +Cornelli exploded now. “She can eat all the things herself which drop +beside the plate. I don’t care. I don’t want anything as long as I can +go to the little kid in the stable; it really is the most cunning +creature in the whole world. Have you seen it yet, Esther?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly I have, and why not?” the cook replied. “Matthew took me +out to the stable as soon as it was born. You can certainly go to see +it as long as it is in our own stable. Just go there as much as you +like! Nobody can forbid you that.”</p> + +<p>“My teacher is coming,” Cornelli now exclaimed, “and I have to go.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, child, but do keep up your spirits. There are lots of pleasant +things still left for you to enjoy. Just wait till you taste the +strawberry tarts I am going to make to-day.”</p> + +<p>With these words Esther smacked her lips to express the great succulence +of the promised dish.</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t even care if you baked nettle tarts; I wish I didn’t have +to eat at table and could just eat berries in the garden and drink +milk in the stable.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli ran towards the house, for she had forgotten to walk sedately, +as she had been told to do.</p> + +<p>While Cornelli had her lessons upstairs in the living room, in the +jessamine arbor both ladies were sitting on a garden bench.</p> + +<p>“It would be so pleasant and agreeable here,” said Miss Dorner, “and +my cousin could have such a very charming life, if the child were only +a little different. Don’t you think, Betty, that she has no manners +whatever?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, but she has had no training at all.” remarked Miss Grideelen; +“and she may have inherited some qualities from her mother.”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, not a single trait! You cannot possibly imagine a greater +difference than between the mother and this child,” Miss Dorner +exclaimed. “Cornelia was full of amiability and gayety. She always +greeted and cheered everyone with her laughing brown eyes. If my cousin +could only have the happiness to see his child resemble her mother the +slightest bit! He was so fond of his wife! He deserves this joy, for +he is a splendid man.”</p> + +<p>“It is curious how very different children can be from their parents,” +said Miss Grideelen with regret in her voice. “But I am sure that +something can still be accomplished by educating the child. Many +qualities can be developed that hardly show themselves yet. We ought +to do our best for her, especially for her father’s sake.”</p> + +<p>“That is just what I am doing, Betty. Unfortunately, I have had very +little success as yet,” answered Miss Dorner. “But I just hope that +the day will come when I can write her father some pleasant news about +Cornelli, something different from what I feel obliged to send him +now.”</p> + +<p>The day had been exceedingly hot, and the ladies retired to their rooms +immediately after dinner, while Cornelli, according to her custom, +obediently did her lessons. Then she disappeared. In the late evening, +when the ladies sat down to supper, it was so warm that Miss Mina was +ordered to open all the windows.</p> + +<p>Now Cornelli entered.</p> + +<p>“For mercy’s sake, what are you thinking of!” the cousin accosted the +child. “We are nearly perishing with the heat and you put on a fur +dress, which you could wear without a coat in a sleigh ride in the +middle of winter. Why do you do such foolish things?”</p> + +<p>Cornelli was really attired very strangely. Her little dress was made +of such heavy, fur-like material that one could see it was meant for +the coldest winter weather, and for someone who disliked much outer +clothing. The child’s cheeks were glowing red, and from the insufferable +heat whole streams of perspiration trickled down her face.</p> + +<p>“I have no more dresses left,” she said stubbornly.</p> + +<p>“Can you understand it?” asked the cousin, looking at her friend.</p> + +<p>“I really think that this is the fifth dress in which I have seen +Cornelli to-day,” answered the friend. “In the early morning I saw her +running across the yard in a dark dress. At breakfast she wore a light +frock and for lunch a red one. I believe that she wore a blue dress +when we had our coffee this afternoon, so this must be the fifth +costume. I was beginning at lunch time to wonder about the frequent +changes.”</p> + +<p>“I have to change my dress every time I go to the stable,” Cornelli +said, a little more stubbornly than before.</p> + +<p>“How can anybody be so foolish!” exclaimed the cousin now. “I can +understand now why you have no fun and why you always wear an unhappy +face. You must be nearly perished with the heat! Finish your supper +quickly and then go to your room and take off this heavy dress. You +surely have another dress. I must forbid you to go to the stable from +now on! You can see for yourself what comes of it! If only you would +not frown like this, Cornelli. You look exactly as if you had two +little horns growing on your forehead, one on each side. There are +many other and better amusements for you than spending your life in +the stable. Are you able to embroider?”</p> + +<p>“No,” Cornelli answered curtly.</p> + +<p>“Children of your age ought to be able to, though,” said the cousin. +“But we have not come here to teach you that; have we, Betty? You +probably do not even know how to hold the needle in your hand.”</p> + +<p>“Why should it be necessary for Cornelli to learn embroidery just now?” +replied the friend. “She has lovely books that she can read; she has +shown us some herself. Don’t you prefer reading a pretty story to +running about in the stable, child?”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t,” replied Cornelli crossly.</p> + +<p>“We must not pay attention to what she says,” remarked Miss Dorner. +“When Cornelli is bored, she will probably turn to her books herself. +Please, Miss Mina, keep an eye on Cornelli. Nonsense like this must +not happen any more.”</p> + +<p>When supper was finished, Cornelli went up to her room, and Miss Mina +followed her.</p> + +<p>“You certainly don’t need to do such silly things,” she said scoldingly, +as soon as they were on the stairs, where her words could not be +overheard. “I have enough to do nowadays without watching whether you +put on a new dress every few hours.”</p> + +<p>“It isn’t my fault,” Cornelli replied morosely. “They ordered me to do +it.”</p> + +<p>“They won’t always smell it when you have been to the stable,” scolded +Miss Mina.</p> + +<p>“Yes, but they do smell it,” Cornelli retorted, “and even if they +didn’t, I should have to obey. They told me to change every time I go +to the stable.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, but now you are told not to go there any more, remember that!—so +your frequent changing will have to stop,” grumbled Miss Mina, while +she was helping Cornelli to take off her hot dress.</p> + +<p>“Now I have to clean it, besides! You actually give more work than six +well brought up children.” Miss Mina had never before spoken so roughly +to Cornelli, for she had always been anxious to keep in the child’s +good graces. But she had suddenly ceased to care about that.</p> + +<p>Cornelli looked at her with astonishment. The child’s eyes were also +full of something that nobody had ever seen there before. Mina seemed +to understand: “I did not do you any harm,” she said quickly; “what +I have said is only the truth.” With that she left the room.</p> + +<p>“If everybody treats me that way I’ll be that way, too,” cried Cornelli +with a furious look. Suddenly taking hold of the dress she had just +taken off she threw it out of the window. After a while Mina returned, +bringing back the dress. Cornelli was sitting on the window-sill crossly +looking down at the yard.</p> + +<p>“Look out that the wind doesn’t blow you down, too, like your dress,” +Miss Mina said unpleasantly.</p> + +<p>“I don’t care,” Cornelli replied obstinately. “It did not blow down +at all, for I threw it down on purpose.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, is this the way you behave? Next time you can get it yourself,” +said Miss Mina, running away indignantly.</p> + +<p>Next morning Cornelli was walking across the courtyard, happily talking +to her teacher, whose hand she was holding. During her school hours +she had forgotten all the troubles of the day before, for Mr. Malinger +had been as kind to her as ever. He at least had not changed.</p> + +<p>“Could you give me a little rose?” he asked smilingly, while they were +passing the blooming rose bushes. So Cornelli quickly ran from bush +to bush till she had gathered a fine bunch of dark and light, white +and red roses. These she offered to her teacher, warning him not to +prick himself. Then the two parted most cordially.</p> + +<p>Cornelli, on coming back, ran swiftly toward the stable. Suddenly, +however, she stood stock still, for she remembered that she was not +allowed to go there any more. No longer could she see the darling +little kid and watch its growth. She would be unable to tell when the +moment had come for it to be hitched to a carriage to be driven about +by her. She might not be allowed even to do that! She hoped, however, +that her father might be back by that time and that then everything +would be different. Cornelli danced with joy at that thought, and her +old gaiety seemed to return. She felt like going to Esther and talking +it all over with her good old friend. The moment the child went into +the house, Miss Dorner stepped out of the living room.</p> + +<p>“You have just come in time,” she said, “for I have to show you +something. Where are you going?”</p> + +<p>“To the kitchen,” replied Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“You have nothing whatever to do in the kitchen and you shall not go +there. I thought you knew that you have to go upstairs before lunch +to fix your hair. But before you go up come in here. I have to tell +you something very important.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli followed her cousin into the room. Miss Grideelen was standing +near the window as if she had expected the return of her friend. Leading +Cornelli to the sofa, Miss Dorner pointed to it, saying: “You are sure +to know who has done this and you had better tell me right away.”</p> + +<p>On the dark plush coverings were visible distinct marks of dusty shoe +soles. There was no trace of a whole foot, but one could see that +somebody had trampled on the sofa.</p> + +<p>“I did not do it,” said Cornelli with sparkling eyes.</p> + +<p>“Who in all the house would have done it except you? Please ask yourself +that, Cornelli! There is no question about it at all,” said Miss Dorner. +“It is probably one of your little jokes similar to throwing your +dresses out of the window. I know all about it. Just let me tell you +this! It is the last time that you, a girl of ten years old, will show +such a terrible lack of manners. As long as I am here, you shall not +do it any more. You really should spare your good, sensitive father +such behavior.”</p> + +<p>“I have not done it. No, I did not do it, no, no!” Cornelli cried +aloud.</p> + +<p>“But Cornelli, only reflect! You are blushing and your conscience is +giving you away,” Miss Grideelen here remarked. “It would be so much +better for you to say humbly: ‘I have done it and I am sorry; I shall +never do it again!’”</p> + +<p>“No, no! I have not done it. No, no!” Cornelli cried out louder still. +Her cheeks were glowing red from anger and excitement.</p> + +<p>“Do not make such a noise,” ordered the cousin. “One might think there +was an accident. It is not worth while to lose so many words. You +should not have made things worse by denying it; if you had not, +everything would be all settled. You have misbehaved and you shall not +do so any more. Remember!”</p> + +<p>“No, I did not misbehave. No, no! And I shall not say yes when it is +not true,” Cornelli now cried, quite beside herself.</p> + +<p>“Go to your room, Cornelli, and smooth out your forehead before you +come to dinner. Your little horns are protruding quite plainly when +you act that way. Just look at yourself in the mirror and see yourself +how repulsive you look. If you think that there is anybody in the world +who can still like you when you have black horns on your forehead, you +are mistaken. Go, now, and return with another face.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli went.</p> + +<p>Reaching her room, Cornelli put her hand up to her brow. Right on her +forehead were two protruding points. Should horns be really growing +there? The child had a sudden horrible fright at this thought. She was +sure that everybody could see them already, for she could feel them +quite distinctly. She could not stand it any longer, so she ran away +to old Martha.</p> + +<p>“No, I did not do it, Martha. I never did it,” she called out, running +into the little room. “When I tell them no, no, they ought to believe +that I did not do it. I never, never did it. They shall know it! But +they won’t believe me even if I say it a hundred times and—”</p> + +<p>“Stop a little, Cornelli!” said old Martha kindly. “You see, you are +all out of breath. Sit down here on your stool and tell me quietly +what has excited you so. You know that I believe your words. I have +known you since you were small, and I know that what you say is true.”</p> + +<p>It was impossible for Cornelli to speak calmly about what had happened, +but it soothed her, nevertheless, to be able to pour out her heart and +to know that Martha believed her. She told of the accusation which had +been brought against her, and how she had not been believed despite +all her assurances. She was certain that both ladies would always +believe for ever and ever that she had done it and had denied it. At +this thought Cornelli again became quite red from excitement and was +on the point of breaking out again. But Martha put her hand on the +child’s shoulder, quietly restraining her.</p> + +<p>“No, no, Cornelli, that’s enough,” she said soothingly. “It is only +to your advantage that it is so and not as they have said. You have +been accused wrongly and cannot prove it, but God knows the truth. He +has heard everything. You can be calm and happy and look up to Him +with a clear conscience. You can say to yourself: ‘God knows it, and +I do not need to be afraid or frightened.’ If you had really done wrong +and had denied it, you would have to be afraid that the truth would +be revealed. Then you could not look up calmly to the sky, for you +would be frightened at the thought that up there was One who knew +everything and from whom nothing could be hidden. A wrong accusation +does not stay with us forever. Even if it takes ever so long, it +generally is revealed in the end, and you certainly will not need to +bear it in all eternity, because God already knows how it is.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli had really grown calm at the thought that there was One who +knew how it all was. When her trouble began to weigh upon her, she +could always say: “You know it all, dear Father in Heaven, You have +seen and heard everything.”</p> + +<p>“If He could only tell them! They would then know it, too. God could +easily do that,” Cornelli said.</p> + +<p>“Yes, but that is not the way things happen. We do not know better +than He what is good for us,” Martha said, shaking her head quite +seriously. “If we could rule, everything would come wrong. We never +can see ahead of the hour and we never know what is good for us because +the next moment always brings something we did not know about. Otherwise +we would always be trying to undo what we have strained to do the day +before; we should only make ourselves miserable over and over again. +But if God ordains anything that we do not understand, we must believe +firmly that something good will come out of it. We must be patient, +and if our troubles are too heavy, we must console ourselves and think: +God knows what good will come from it. But we are forgetting the time, +Cornelli. You must hurry home to your dinner, now. I am afraid it is +already late.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli’s black frown had disappeared during Martha’s soothing speech, +but now a deep shadow flew across her face.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Martha, if I only did not need to go home any more! I hate to go +back and sit at table. I would not mind dying of hunger, if I could +only stay here with you.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli, glancing at her home, drew together her brows as if she saw +something frightful there.</p> + +<p>“But, child, you must not say such things about your lovely home; it +is wrong to do that,” said Martha, kindly admonishing her. “Just think +how many children have no home at all. How grateful they would be to +God for a home like yours. Go, now, Cornelli, be grateful for all God +has given you and chase away the thoughts that make you sad. Come soon +again and we shall be glad together, for there is always something to +be glad about.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli went. While she had been with Martha and had heard her words, +it had really seemed to her that there was no cause for grief. As soon, +however, as she entered the garden and saw the windows of the room +where they were surely already at table, everything that had pressed +heavily on her heart rose again. After all, Martha did not know +everything.</p> + +<p>Cornelli was sure that she could never be happy any more. She could +not go in there and she could not eat. She felt as if she could not +swallow anything, for big stones seemed to stick in her throat. If she +would only die from it all! Cornelli thought that that would be best, +for then everything would be over. So she sat down on the lawn behind +the thick currant bushes, where she could not be seen from the house. +Meanwhile, Miss Mina had carried away the sweets and was putting the +fruit course on the table.</p> + +<p>“It seems to me that Cornelli does not care if she comes to table a +whole hour late,” said Miss Dorner. “Nothing is to be kept warm for +her, for she does not seem to have learned yet how to respect time and +order. She had better learn it soon.”</p> + +<p>Mina went out to sit down for her dinner. Esther had everything ready +and was just putting the dessert in the cupboard.</p> + +<p>“That is for Cornelli as soon as she comes home,” she said, sitting +down, too; “the poor child gets enough bitter things to swallow +nowadays.”</p> + +<p>“But why shouldn’t she come in time?” asked Mina crossly. “Besides, +she couldn’t possibly eat the whole dessert. We can take our share and +there will be enough left, surely as much as is good for her.”</p> + +<p>“I won’t let you have it,” said Esther, firmly pressing her arm to the +table as a sign that she would stay there. “The child must have +something that will help her to swallow all the cross words she hears +all day,” she continued. “What was wrong again this morning, when there +was such a scene in the living room?”</p> + +<p>“It was nothing,” replied Mina. “There were a few marks of dust on the +sofa, and the ladies thought that Cornelli had been standing on it. +The child would not admit it and so the ladies kept on accusing her +till Cornelli set up a senseless row.”</p> + +<p>“I really think, Miss Mina, that you could have given an explanation,” +said Esther with a sly smile. “If one has to wind up the clock, it is +quicker to jump up on the sofa than to push the heavy thing away. When +one wears tight lace boots in the early morning, one can’t take them +off easily, eh, Miss Mina?” With these words Esther glanced at the +neat little boots that Mina was stretching out comfortably under the +table.</p> + +<p>“Well, what was there so terrible about that?” retorted Mina pertly. +“The sofa won’t be spoiled on account of that, and besides, I have to +clean it myself.”</p> + +<p>“I only think you could have said a word, before the ladies accused +the child of having lied to them and before she nearly had a fit over +the injustice. She made such a noise that one could hear it all over +the house! It went right through me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, pooh! it was not as bad as that,” asserted Mina; “the child has +long since forgotten the whole thing. That is the way with children. +One moment they make a horrible noise and the next they go out of the +door and forget about it. Why should one bother?”</p> + +<p>“It used to be different,” said Esther smilingly, “Miss Mina could not +be obliging enough to the child then. Things are all done for other +people now and not for those of the house.”</p> + +<p>“Those of the house!” repeated Mina mockingly. “It won’t be long before +you, too, will be singing another tune. When the new lady of the house +gives orders in the kitchen you will have to obey, too.”</p> + +<p>Esther dropped her spoon. “For goodness sake, what are you saying?” +she exclaimed. “Who should have thought of such a thing? Whom do you +mean, the cousin or the other one?”</p> + +<p>“Well, I can’t tell that exactly,” replied the maid. “Our master has +not discussed that with me, but one must be dumb not to see what is +going on and why the ladies came here. After all, one wants to know +what one is going to do. That two have come, is the surest sign of +all, for we shall be supposed not to suspect.”</p> + +<p>“For goodness sake,” said Esther again, “what a discovery! I am sure +it must be the relation, for she already rules the house. I tell you +one thing, though, Miss Mina, that I shall keep on singing the same +tune I have been singing for the last twelve years in this house, and +I don’t care who is going to rule. You can believe me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we shall see about that, Esther,” said Mina with a superior air. +She got up, now, to see if the ladies needed anything.</p> + +<p>Waking up from a sound sleep, Cornelli did not remember where she was. +She was lying on the lawn behind the currant bushes. She remembered +at last how she had come back at lunch time from Martha’s cottage and +how she had suddenly felt weary and sleepy. She must have dropped down +and gone to sleep.</p> + +<p>It was evening and there was no more sunshine on the grass, but the +sky was still light, although it was beginning to grow dark. Cornelli +suddenly had a longing she had never known before. She felt as if she +had to eat and taste everything about her, the bushes and the leaves, +the flowers, and especially the unripe plums on the tree above her. +Oh, if she only had a piece of bread! Cornelli got up quickly and ran +towards the house.</p> + +<p>“Come quickly, Cornelli,” Esther called to her through the open kitchen +window; “they are just sitting down to supper; you have come just in +time.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli flew to her room and, pulling out a thick shawl from among +her things, tied it around her head. Then, running to the dining room, +she sat down at her accustomed seat.</p> + +<p>“So you have come again,” said Miss Dorner, who had just settled down, +too. “A well brought up child should at least say good evening when +she enters the room after a long absence.”</p> + +<p>“Good evening,” said Cornelli, after which she finished her soup with +unusual haste.</p> + +<p>“Where do you come from after all this time?” asked the cousin.</p> + +<p>“From the garden,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“That is quite possible, but where were you before that?”</p> + +<p>“With Martha,” Cornelli answered.</p> + +<p>“If you could only learn to answer more pleasantly!” remarked Miss +Dorner, “it would be to your own advantage, for you do not have many +pleasing things about you; it would only make you more attractive, and +you really should strive to become so.</p> + +<p>“Next time you want to stay so long at this woman’s house you have to +ask my permission. I absolutely forbid you to stay away so long without +asking me, do you hear? You deserve to be scolded for your long absence +to-day, but I shall not say anything further. But why do you look so +pitiful! What is the matter? Have you a toothache?”</p> + +<p>“No,” Cornelli quickly gave forth.</p> + +<p>“Have you a headache?”</p> + +<p>“No.”</p> + +<p>“What is the matter with you?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing.”</p> + +<p>“You shall never again set up such a masquerade when there is nothing +the matter with you, Cornelli,” said the cousin scoldingly. “Why do +you put this shawl around your head? Are you trying to look like an +untidy gypsy? Don’t ever come to table that way again! Betty, have you +ever seen the like? Can you understand this behavior from a sensible +child?”</p> + +<p>The friend just shook her head.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps Cornelli does it because she does not know what else to do. +She does not seem to desire a proper occupation,” she replied.</p> + +<p>When Cornelli came down to breakfast next day, she had taken off the +shawl, but she still looked very odd.</p> + +<p>“You look exactly like a savage from New Zealand,” said the cousin. +“Do you think you are improving your appearance by plastering your +hair all over your face?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Cornelli fiercely.</p> + +<p>“Neither do I,” said the cousin. “I cannot make you out at all. What +will you put on next, I wonder, when your hair is brushed away?”</p> + +<p>“My fur cap,” replied Cornelli, according to the truth.</p> + +<p>“I never heard such nonsense,” exclaimed Miss Dorner. “I really think +that the child is capable of doing that. She will probably pull it +down over her head to her nose when the temperature is eighty. I have +never seen such a child. What shall I do with her?”</p> + +<p>Cornelli really looked as if she did not know how well brought up +European girls usually wore their hair. From the middle of her head +thick uneven strands of dark hair hung down over her forehead and deep +into her eyes. The hair was not hanging loose, but was firmly glued +to her skin. Her intention seemed to be to keep it there to prevent +it from being blown away.</p> + +<p>“You look positively repulsive and no person on earth will want to +look at you if you go around like that. This may teach you to give up +your terrible obstinacy! Nothing else can be done with you.”</p> + +<p>With these words the cousin rose and left the room. Miss Grideelen +promptly followed.</p> + +<p>That evening a letter was sent to Cornelli’s father:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p class="p0"> +ILLER-STREAM,<br> +July 20th, 18—.</p> +<p> +MY DEAR COUSIN:</p> +<p> +Your affairs are going brilliantly, for your manager is splendid. I +can also inform you that perfect order reigns in your house, your +garden and the stable. Your place is perfectly magnificent; it abounds +in fruit and vegetables and lovely flowers. I should never have +imagined this possible years ago, when I wandered about here with my +friend Cornelia.</p> +<p> +I am coming now to the principal subject of this letter, which is less +pleasant. I do not understand how your daughter has gotten her +disposition. She does not either resemble you, with your fresh and +open manner, or Cornelia, with her merry, pliant disposition, which +won every one’s heart. The child has a dull and sullen nature, a +roughness of manner and an unheard-of stubbornness. I can do nothing +for her, at least not by anything I say. But I have decided to leave +physical or other punishment to you. I shall do all I can by good +example and admonishment as long as I am here. My friend is supporting +me faithfully. I do not dare raise in you the hope that the child will +ever make you happy. A rebellious nature like hers is sure to get +worse from year to year. I hope, however, that the success of all your +ventures will give you the satisfaction that your home life cannot +give you.</p> +<p class="right"> +Your faithful cousin, +<br> +KITTY DORNER.</p></div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V<br><span class="small">A NEWCOMER IN ILLER-STREAM</span></h2></div> + + +<p>Old Matthew was raking the gravel paths in the garden when Cornelli +stepped out of the house and slowly approached. She held a book in her +hand and now sat down on the bench under the hazel bush. Laying the +book on her lap, she watched Matthew while he cleaned up the paths. +Looking up he said: “Come with me, Cornelli, and let us go over to the +stable together, for you have not been there for a long time. You +should see how the little kid is growing.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli merely shook her head and gave no answer. Matthew looked over +at the child a few more times, but said no more.</p> + +<p>Esther, carrying a large basket, now arrived. As she was going to the +vegetable garden she called over to the child: “You must have a +specially nice book to be sitting there so quietly, Cornelli.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli shook her head.</p> + +<p>“No?” laughed Esther. “All right, then, come with me and I’ll show you +how many yellow plums there are going to be this year; the whole tree +is full and they are already beginning to ripen.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t care,” said Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“No?” laughed Esther. “All right, then, plums,” Esther exclaimed. “And +our large juicy pears are beginning to get ripe, too. Don’t you want +to come and see how long it will be before they are ripe?”</p> + +<p>“No,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>Esther now went her ways. A short time after that Matthew joined her. +“What is the matter with the child, Esther,” he asked. “She is so +changed! One can hardly recognize any more our gay and friendly +Cornelli. And why does she have her hair hanging into her face that +way? One absolutely does not know her any more.”</p> + +<p>“That is just what I say,” Esther replied. “I really can’t understand +it. One hardly ever sees the child, and if one does meet her somewhere, +she scarcely says a word. She never sings or laughs the way she used +to, and she always wears such a terribly unhappy expression that it +fairly makes one’s heart ache. How happy the child used to be!</p> + +<p>“They say that she needs to be educated, and it may be so; but since +she is getting an education she is absolutely changed, and not for the +better. However, things may go well again when her education is +finished.”</p> + +<p>“She misses her mother,” said Matthew. “It is awfully hard on a little +one to grow up without a mother, for she needs her at every step. It +is so easy when you have a mother to whom you can tell your joys and +troubles.”</p> + +<p>“One might think that you still run to your mother whenever anyone +does you harm, Matthew,” said Esther, a little mockingly.</p> + +<p>“I should love to,” Matthew assured her. “I know what my mother meant +to me and so I am always sorry for every child that has none. One can +see how it is with our master’s child; nothing is of any good to her +as long as she has no mother.”</p> + +<p>Matthew went away, looking once more with pity at Cornelli, who was +sitting quite motionless on the bench. The book by now was lying on +the ground.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards Mr. Maelinger entered the garden and neared the house, +but Cornelli intercepted him.</p> + +<p>“I could not come at 9 o’clock to-day,” he said, “but I think one hour +is better than none, so am here now, at 11 o’clock. I hope you have +spent a pleasant, useful morning.”</p> + +<p>“No, I haven’t,” said Cornelli drily.</p> + +<p>“But you have a fine book in your hand. It is sure to have something +nice in it. What is it all about?”</p> + +<p>“I do not know,” replied Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“Let us go to our work now. Your reading does not seem to have impressed +you much, so let us hope for a better result from our lesson.”</p> + +<p>The teacher entered the house with his pupil, and they were just getting +settled in their accustomed places when he said: “It seems to me, +Cornelli, that your hair hangs a little too much over your face. It +must be very uncomfortable. Could not this be changed?”</p> + +<p>“No, I can never change that, never, never,” Cornelli said passionately, +tightly pressing down the hair on her forehead. “Oh, really! But this +is no affair of mine,” said the teacher calmly. “Only it seems to me +a rather disfiguring manner of wearing the hair. You would feel much +more comfortable without these weeping-willow-like hangings in front +of your eyes.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli was still pressing both her hands against her forehead, as +if the teacher might try by force to straighten up her hair. But he +now began the lesson quite peacefully.</p> + +<p>When the ladies were leaving the room after lunch, the cousin said to +the child: “You are not going to run off again immediately, Cornelli. +You must begin a proper and orderly existence. When your work is done +you can read one of your many lovely books. You have enough time after +our coffee hour to take walks and to pay visits.”</p> + +<p>As usual the work was soon finished. Afterwards Cornelli sat down on +the garden bench. Just as before, she put the book in her lap, and it +soon fell to the ground. Cornelli peeped about her, at the trees and +at the ground, but she did not really seem to see them.</p> + +<p>At coffee time Cornelli punctually appeared at table and quickly gulped +down everything that was poured out for her, as if it were a medicine +that simply had to be swallowed. Afterwards she sat there frowning, +for she had to remain at her seat till the ladies got up; she had +learned this custom from her cousin.</p> + +<p>“Don’t always frown and make such horns! One can see them quite plainly +even through your curtains,” said Miss Dorner. “It won’t be long before +you can go away.”</p> + +<p>At last the ladies got up to go into the garden. Cornelli sneaked out +behind them, turned unseen around the corner of the house, and walked +across the meadow to the path.</p> + +<p>“To sit here under the hazel bush and read a fine book is really a +pleasure not many children have,” said Miss Dorner, sitting down on +the bench. “For this alone you should be grateful, instead of frowning +and sulking all day, Cornelli—yes! But where has she gone again?” the +lady interrupted herself, glancing around.</p> + +<p>“She disappeared as soon as we came out,” her friend answered. “Isn’t +Cornelli really peculiar? She never says a friendly word and never +gives a single sign of childish love. She always runs away as soon as +she possibly can.”</p> + +<p>“I am so sorry for her father, who must long for a pleasant family +life,” Miss Dorner continued. “He will never have this by the side of +his only daughter, who seems to become more unfriendly and stubborn +every day. Others in the house have noticed it, too, so Mina tells me. +Oh, what a life it will be here in two or three years. My poor cousin +with his beautiful estate! What good is that to him?”</p> + +<p>“Many things can happen in two years that can’t be foretold, Kitty, +and that can change a household entirely,” replied the other lady. +“For the benefit of your cousin let us hope that this may come true.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli was not leaping or running, but was quietly creeping along +the edge of the path. She was staring at the ground, without once +looking up at the merry birds which were whistling above her. Not once +did she glance to right or left in the meadows, though they were full +of red daisies and blue forget-me-nots which Cornelli ordinarily loved +to pick.</p> + +<p>Martha saw the approaching child. She came out with a worried face and +full of sympathy asked: “What is wrong with you, Cornelli? Can you +never again be merry?”</p> + +<p>“No, not any more,” replied Cornelli, entering Martha’s little chamber +and sitting down on the stool which her old friend had put for her in +the usual place. Cornelli’s words did not come rapidly and angrily any +more, as they had done before. With a deep sigh she added: “I only +wish I had never learned to read.”</p> + +<p>“What! But child, what an idea,” exclaimed Martha, “what a foolish +wish! You should realize what it means to want to find out something +and not be able to. One has to begin over and over again, and nothing +helps one. That is what happened to me to-day. If you don’t help me +I won’t ever understand it. I often wish I could read and write as +fast as our Cornelli does. It is a great gift to be able to read and +write easily, and everybody who can’t do it knows that well. Don’t you +like the pretty books your father has given you?”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t. They are pretty, but awfully tiresome, Martha,” Cornelli +assured her. “There are all kinds of stories and descriptions in them +of famous people and discoveries. Father said that he used to love +them when he was young, but he was probably different from me. Now I +can’t run to the stable any more, nor into the woods as I feel like +doing; now I have to sit around all the time and read a book. Oh, I +wish nobody had written any books, then nobody would have to read +them.”</p> + +<p>“But Cornelli, I do not think that this would suit everybody,” Martha +said. “Please help me to read a letter I got to-day, and then you will +see what an advantage it is to be able to read. I need your help, for +I do not understand what is wanted of me.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli, taking up the letter, was quite willing to help her dear old +friend.</p> + +<p>“Who wrote it?” asked the child.</p> + +<p>“That is just the thing I cannot read,” Martha answered. “I only know +that it comes from town, but I cannot guess who could possibly write +to me from there.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli began to read the letter aloud. It was an inquiry as to whether +the spare room had yet been taken, and if Mrs. Wolf could take care +of a boy of twelve years for a few weeks. He did not need special care, +as he was not exactly ill; but the boy undoubtedly was not very strong. +Good air and fresh milk were the chief things he needed. If no refusal +came, the boy would arrive in the middle of July. It was signed: Nika +Halm, rector’s widow.</p> + +<p>“Oh, how easily you read. It seems to go all of itself,” said Martha +admiringly, when Cornelli had finished. “I never could have made it +out so well. Just think how proud I can be that a rector’s wife will +bring her son to me. Oh, I’ll take the best care of him, and I must +ask Matthew to let him have some milk from the cows every morning and +evening. Isn’t it too bad it is not a girl; then you would have a +playmate. But you will entertain each other just the same. Are you not +a little bit glad that he is coming?”</p> + +<p>“No, not a bit,” Cornelli returned curtly. “I know quite well that he +won’t have anything to do with me, and I know why, too. I do not care +whether it is a boy or a girl. I don’t want him.”</p> + +<p>“But Cornelli, you never used to be that way. You used to be so friendly +and bright with everybody. What has happened to you?” asked Martha, +quite grieved. “You do not look about you with bright eyes and your +hair hangs too low on your face. Can’t I push it back a little?”</p> + +<p>Martha, fetching a comb, was going to touch Cornelli’s hair, when +Cornelli hindered her by crying out: “No, Martha, leave it! It has to +stay that way all my life.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, I won’t believe that. Why should your face be half covered +up? One can hardly recognize you,” Martha said regretfully. “What do +the ladies say about it?”</p> + +<p>“Miss Dorner says that I am the most obstinate being in the whole +world, and that no one can ever set me right,” was Cornelli’s truthful +information. Then she added: “She says that no child on earth looks +as ugly as I do and that nobody in the world will ever like me. I know +that it is true, and I only wish nobody were coming to you; then I +could always be alone with you.”</p> + +<p>“Cornelli, I am quite sure that you would do right in obeying the +ladies,” said Martha. “If you did what they say, they would love you +as well as everybody else does.”</p> + +<p>“No, no, Martha, you don’t know how it is,” Cornelli said, quite +frightened. “I’ll do everything they say, but I can never push my hair +away, for then it would be worse still and everybody could see it.”</p> + +<p>Martha shook her head.</p> + +<p>“I do not know what you mean, Cornelli. Please come to me just as often +as you can. I shall always love you more than anybody who might ever +come here. If you did not come, it would hurt me dreadfully. Then I +would rather not have the rector’s son here, glad as I am now that he +is coming.”</p> + +<p>“All right, Martha, then I shall come,” Cornelli promised. “We can +easily be alone together in the kitchen, for I want to see you alone. +I shall not come on Monday, for that is the day they arrive. On Tuesday, +though, I’ll come. Then we’ll go together to the kitchen.”</p> + +<p>Martha promised this and Cornelli went home in the same way as she had +come. Not once did she run to the meadow to pick forget-me-nots or +other flowers that were sparkling there.</p> + +<p>When Monday came, she was wondering if a carriage would arrive with +a proud city boy and a lady with a high feather hat, both of whom would +look down on her with disdain. Cornelli settled down beside the garden +fence, for from there she could conveniently survey the road. But she +saw no carriage, though she watched through both the morning and the +afternoon. She really was very glad, for she was quite sure that nobody +had arrived. Next day when the time came for her to be free, she walked +over to Martha’s little house.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I am so glad that nobody has come. Now I can be alone with you +and don’t have to go to the kitchen—”</p> + +<p>Cornelli had said these words on entering, but she suddenly stopped. +A boy she had never seen sat at the table in the room and Martha was +just clearing away the supper things. So he had come after all and had +even heard what she had said. Oh, it was dreadful! But the boy was +laughing.</p> + +<p>Cornelli wanted to withdraw quickly, but the boy called out: “Please +come in and let us get acquainted. Mrs. Martha has already told me +about you. Just come in,” he continued, when he saw that Cornelli still +hesitated. “If you want to be alone with Mrs. Wolf I can easily go to +my own room.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli felt that it was very nice of the boy not to resent her words +and to be willing to give place to her. She therefore entered. Martha +had already put a chair in readiness for her and greeted her heartily.</p> + +<p>“I expected you, Cornelli,” she said. “Just sit down here a little +with our guest. His name is Dino Halm and he already knows your name. +I am sure you will have a good time together. I’ll go up in the meantime +and if you need me you can find me in the room upstairs.”</p> + +<p>Martha, thinking that the children could get acquainted better if they +were left alone, had planned to unpack her new arrival’s things while +they were together. She put his belongings neatly away in the wardrobe +and the drawers in order to make him feel at home in his tidy little +chamber.</p> + +<p>“Why did you think that we did not come?” asked Dino as soon as Martha +had left the room and Cornelli was sitting beside him silently.</p> + +<p>“Because I did not see the carriage,” she replied.</p> + +<p>“The carriage? Well, I can believe you,” said Dino. “We walked more +than an hour, in fact, nearly two, before we got here from the station. +Do you just hop into a carriage when you go to the station?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I do; I always go there with Papa,” replied Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“But where do the horses always come from?” Dino wanted to know.</p> + +<p>“From our stable,” was the answer.</p> + +<p>“Have you your own carriage and two horses of your own, just to be +able to drive about?” Dino questioned, full of astonishment.</p> + +<p>“Yes, we have the two brown ones and six others to carry away the iron +from the foundry.”</p> + +<p>“Good gracious, eight horses!” Dino exclaimed. “You are lucky to be +able to sit in a carriage with your father and drive around!”</p> + +<p>“Can’t you do that?” asked Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“Never in my life,” Dino replied in a voice full of conviction. “First +of all, I do not have a father. Besides that, we do not own a stable +and horses. How lucky you are! Have you anything else in the stable?”</p> + +<p>“Oh yes, lots more. Six cows and a large gray stable cat,” Cornelli +informed him. “Then there is an old nanny goat and a young snow white +kid, about whose neck I tied a red ribbon. You are going to drink milk +from our cow, did you know that?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I shall love to do that!” Dino exclaimed. “Do you think I’ll be +allowed to go to the stable and look at the horses?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly you will; Matthew will love to show them to you, and Martha +will willingly let you go. If I only could go with you!” And Cornelli +uttered a deep sigh.</p> + +<p>“Well, I should think you certainly could do that, when the stable +belongs to you. Who would hinder you, I’d like to know?” Dino said. +“Do you know what we’ll do? We’ll hitch the little kid to a cart. Won’t +that be lovely? It can pull you and I shall be the coachman. I once +saw such a little carriage on a promenade in town.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli had already had that thought herself, but she knew now that +she could never again go to the stable. It was suddenly clear to her +that she could not run about as before and that she could not be happy +any more. The chief reason for it all was clear to her, the reason +that prevented her from being carefree and bright as in the old times. +She did not answer, but gave forth a profound sigh, profounder than +the one she had uttered before.</p> + +<p>“Why do you sigh, as if you had to carry a mountain about with you—a +load that keeps you from going forward? Why do you do it?” asked Dino.</p> + +<p>“I can’t tell anyone. You couldn’t, either, if you had the trouble I +have,” replied the little girl.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, I could. There is nothing in the world I couldn’t tell,” +Dino asserted. “If you can’t confide in other people, you can always +tell your mother, for she can always smooth everything out for you. +Just go to her and tell her about it. That will relieve you and +everything will come right.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and now I can say what you said to me before. You are lucky and +much luckier than I am,” said Cornelli with a trembling voice. “I never +can go to my mother because I have none. Now you see how well off I +am! I am sure you would never exchange with me, would you?”</p> + +<p>Dino looked quite frightened.</p> + +<p>“I did not know that you had no mother,” he said, full of pity. In his +mind he saw his own mother, the way she looked at him, so full of love +that it always lightened his heart whenever anything troubled him. And +poor Cornelli had to miss all that!</p> + +<p>Even the stable with the horses, the large garden with all the fruit, +about which Martha had told him so much, appeared to him now in a +different light.</p> + +<p>Full of decision he said: “No indeed, I would not change with you.”</p> + +<p>But a great pity for the motherless child welled up in Dino’s heart +and he longed to be her protector. He could understand now why Cornelli +looked so strange; he had even noticed it as soon as he had seen her. +There was no mother to fix everything the way it should be.</p> + +<p>“We’ll try to be friends, Cornelli! But you must push your hair back +from your forehead first of all; one can hardly see your eyes. Nobody +wears hair like that. I don’t see how such long hair can stay there +without blowing off. What on earth did you paste it on with?”</p> + +<p>“With glue,” replied Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“How nasty! Come, I’ll cut it all off, and then your eyes and your +forehead will be clear. You can hardly see that way.”</p> + +<p>Dino had seized the scissors that were lying beside Martha’s work +basket, but Cornelli, struggling against him with both hands, fairly +screamed: “Let it be. It has to be that way. Put the scissors away!”</p> + +<p>“I won’t hurt you. But don’t scream so loud!” said Dino quietly, putting +down the scissors again. “I only wanted to do you a favor. If my two +sisters, Agnes and Nika, could see you, they would laugh at you; they +would not like the way you pasted on those locks.”</p> + +<p>“I know that. But they do not need to see me at all,” said Cornelli +crossly. “Nobody needs to see me. I know that nobody likes me, but I +don’t care.”</p> + +<p>With these words Cornelli ran away. Dino was terribly astonished and +stood looking at the door through which Cornelli had disappeared without +even a word of farewell.</p> + +<p>When Martha again entered the little room and was looking at Cornelli’s +empty chair, Dino said: “What a queer child she is. I never thought +she would be so unfriendly.”</p> + +<p>He related how they had passed the time together and how Cornelli had +suddenly run off without even saying good-bye. He had not wanted to +offend her.</p> + +<p>Martha shook her head and said: “Cornelli never was that way before. +I am so worried about her, for she is absolutely changed. You must not +think that she is queer and runs away like that and suddenly gets +cross. She never was that way at all; this is something new. If I only +could hear her sing and laugh again as of old. I hoped that her old +gaiety would come back with such a good playfellow as you are. Maybe +it will; after all, this is only the first day of your acquaintance.</p> + +<p>“I am sure Cornelli will not come back to me,” said Dino, still quite +puzzled. “She ran away so full of anger.”</p> + +<p>When Cornelli had exclaimed, “I don’t care,” it probably was not true. +On reaching home she quietly stole to her room. Sitting down on a +stool, she put her head in both hands and began to cry bitterly.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI<br><span class="small">A FRIEND IS FOUND</span></h2></div> + + +<p>Cornelli had not appeared at Martha’s cottage for quite a number of +days, and so Martha was filled with grief and anxiety. There were many +reasons for this. First of all, she loved the child as if she had been +her own and missed her daily visits terribly. She also knew that there +was something the matter with Cornelli and that this was the reason +why she did not come. From the time the child was small, she had run +over to her old friend every single day and had told her everything. +Martha was also sorry for her guest’s sake that Cornelli stayed away. +She had told Dino how merry and bright the child could be and how he +would enjoy her as a daily companion. Now it had all come to nothing.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Dino and Martha had become firm friends, and the old +woman was very eager to make everything cosy and comfortable for her +polite and friendly housemate. After his daily walks and after he had +done his school work conscientiously, Dino loved always to sit down +beside Martha. Then she would talk to him and tell him many things +which Dino loved to hear.</p> + +<p>She generally told about Cornelli’s father and mother, for Martha had +known the latter as a small child. Before long, though, she would +always begin to talk about Cornelli, for she never tired of that +subject. She assured Dino that she had never known a more bright or +amusing little girl. Dino always assured her that he could not believe +this and when Martha even asserted that Cornelli was more attractive +than any child she had ever seen, Dino laughed.</p> + +<p>“She looks exactly like a little owl,” he always said. “One can hardly +see her eyes. I should love her to come again, though,” he added, for +he was curious to see Cornelli when she was funny and bright, as Martha +described her.</p> + +<p>When Dino had gone to his room that evening, Martha quickly put on a +better apron, took the big shawl from her cupboard, and putting it on +her shoulders, went quietly out of the house and over to the Director’s +residence. She looked up at the kitchen windows and saw a light there, +as well as in the room that overlooked the garden. On entering the +kitchen Martha saw Esther and Miss Mina sitting down to a plentiful +supper. The latter was just getting up to answer a bell which had rung +in the dining room, but Esther offered the empty seat to her old +acquaintance.</p> + +<p>“Sit down, Martha. I am sure you have earned a rest, the same as I +have,” she said, and with these words moved three platters and a bottle +over to the new arrival. “Just take it. There is a lot left and I am +glad when it is gone, for then I can plan something new for to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, Esther,” Martha replied. “I have already eaten supper. It +is very nice of you to invite me to share it with you, but I really +can’t.”</p> + +<p>“How can you refuse? I simply won’t have it. Anybody can eat what I +cook, even the Emperor of Russia himself. I am sure you are not yet +quite as mighty as that,” Esther proceeded eagerly, loading a plate +with macaroni and stewed plums.</p> + +<p>“Please, Martha, don’t make a fuss; just eat this and drink this glass +of wine. I don’t know why you shouldn’t. Why shouldn’t you eat supper +twice, if it is good?” Martha did not dare to refuse Esther’s offering +any more, so she began to eat her second supper, which was much more +abundant than the first had been.</p> + +<p>“What brings you here so late, Martha; what is it?” asked Esther +curiously, for this visit was quite unusual.</p> + +<p>“I was going to ask you something, Esther, and I thought that I would +interfere less with your work in the evening than at any other time,” +Martha answered. “Cornelli, who used to come to me every day has not +been to see me all week. I thought that the ladies might have objected +to her going to such a humble old woman as I am. I could understand +that well enough. Do you think they have?”</p> + +<p>“Oh no, they don’t object at all,” Esther replied. “Miss Mina has told +them that our master thinks well of you. But you have no idea how +changed the child is in all her ways. One hardly knows her any more. +Three or four times a morning she used to come running in and out of +the kitchen. She was always singing and flying about the garden like +a little bird, at all hours of the day.</p> + +<p>“Who picked all the fine berries and the yellow plums, the juicy, dark +red cherries from the young trees over there, so that it was a pleasure +to see her? Cornelli, of course! And now she won’t even look at +anything. All the berries are dried up by now and spoiled, and the +fine cherries, too. The yellow plums, also, are lying under the tree +by the dozen. They are only meant for children; the ladies won’t bother +about them and one can’t cook them, either. So they fall down and lie +there, and Cornelli never raises her head when she goes by them.”</p> + +<p>Martha was much too modest to say how she would have loved to have a +little basket full of plums for her young boarder. She never could +give him any fruit and she knew how he would enjoy some. But as long +as he was staying with her she could not do it, for that would seem +as if she were begging for herself.</p> + +<p>“Yes, Esther,” she said after a while, “I certainly have noticed how +changed Cornelli is. I pray to the Lord that everything will come right +in the end. Of course, it is hard for the child to get used to a new +life right away. But it surely will be good for her to have somebody +looking after her bringing-up.”</p> + +<p>Esther shrugged her shoulders significantly at this, but said nothing. +“Is the child still in her room or has she gone out, Esther, do you +know? I wanted to tell her to come again to see me, as long as the +ladies don’t object.”</p> + +<p>Esther did not need to answer. At that moment Cornelli came stealing +quietly down the hall. When she saw Martha a ray of sunshine passed +across her face and she greeted the old woman.</p> + +<p>“I came to see if you were ill,” said Martha. “What keeps you from +coming to see me, Cornelli? The time has passed so slowly without you, +child,” she added, holding Cornelli’s hand affectionately.</p> + +<p>“With me, too,” said Cornelli hoarsely.</p> + +<p>“Please come to-morrow and every day, the way you used to,” Martha +begged.</p> + +<p>“No, I won’t come,” Cornelli answered.</p> + +<p>“Why not, Cornelli?” Martha asked, full of dismay.</p> + +<p>“Because the boy is there. I don’t like him and he does not like me,” +Cornelli stated.</p> + +<p>Martha now eagerly told Cornelli of the falsehood of this assertion. +She told her how Dino had asked after her every day and had hoped that +she would come again. It was awfully dull for him to be alone all day +without a playmate. Martha was quite sure that it had not been Dino’s +fault that she did not like him. The boy had nothing at all against +her, for he was asking every day that she come back.</p> + +<p>“Tell me, Cornelli,” Martha said finally, “why don’t you like the boy? +He is so nice!”</p> + +<p>“I’ll come to see you to-morrow,” was Cornelli’s answer, and it +sufficed. Quite happily Martha said good-bye, making Cornelli repeat +her promise that she would spend some time next day with her old friend +and the new boarder.</p> + +<p>Next day Cornelli actually arrived at Martha’s cottage at the accustomed +time. Martha was standing by her carnation pots on the porch, ready +to greet the visitor who was approaching.</p> + +<p>“Dino is so glad that you are coming, Cornelli,” she said, offering +her hand as greeting. “He has just returned from drinking milk. Look, +here he comes!”</p> + +<p>Dino had heard the arrival of Martha’s expected friend and opening the +door had stepped out. “Why have you not come for so long?” he asked, +giving Cornelli his hand. “I waited for you every day.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli gave no answer. Entering the room together they sat down just +as they did the first day of their acquaintance. Martha went out, +because she knew that the children would get along better alone, and +she was very anxious for the two to become good friends.</p> + +<p>“Your small white kid is growing more cunning every day,” said Dino. +“You should see it when it bounds about so gaily.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t care if I see it again or not. Nothing matters at all to me,” +Cornelli returned in a most unfriendly manner.</p> + +<p>“No, this is not true,” said Dino, laughing kindly. “When one talks +that way it shows that one cares a great deal and that one is full of +bitter thoughts, just because one can’t have what one wants. I know +that very well; I do exactly the same thing.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli was so astonished by Dino’s knowledge in the matter that she +gazed at him dumfounded.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, I know how it is,” he repeated. “But you do not need to be +bitter, because you lead the finest life anyone possibly could. I +always think so each morning and evening when I go over to the stable +to drink my milk. What a wonderful garden you have! I never saw such +fruit. A whole tree full of plums and all the berries on the bushes! +And then the two fine horses that are kept separately in your stable +for you. Matthew has told me that your father drives with you every +week and that you can have everything in the house and in the garden, +for you are the only child.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, if only there were twelve or twenty children in the house, then +everything would be different,” Cornelli broke forth passionately. +“But I am always alone and never can say a word to anybody. And if one +is made so that everybody hates and despises one, and if no one in the +whole world can help one and everything gets worse all the time—-You +do not know how it is. I only wish I could die right away—” Here +Cornelli burst into sudden tears. Putting her head on the table she +sobbed violently.</p> + +<p>Dino looked quite frightened; he had never intended to make Cornelli +sad and he could not understand what she had said. But he remembered +that she had no mother and so he could understand her tears, for that +was dreadfully sad. That seemed more cause for tears than that she was +an only child.</p> + +<p>The thought filled him with deep compassion for her, and he said softly: +“Come, Cornelli! It is terribly sad that you have no mother, but you +must not think that therefore you are all alone and nobody wants to +help you. I’ll be your friend and I’ll help you, but you must tell me +what troubles you. I do not understand from what you have said. Please +explain it all to me.”</p> + +<p>“No, I can’t do that, I can’t tell anyone,” Cornelli said between her +sobs.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, you can. Don’t cry any more and I’ll help you. I can surely +find a way. Please tell me.”</p> + +<p>Dino took Cornelli’s hand and gently pulled it away from her eyes.</p> + +<p>“No, no, I can’t,” she said timidly.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, you can. First of all, we’ll push your hair away. It is all +sticking to your forehead and your eyes; you can hardly see.” Dino +pushed the hair away as much as he was able; but it was still hanging +down and sticking fast.</p> + +<p>“Oh, now you’ll see it, and then you’ll make a great noise, I know,” +Cornelli exclaimed desperately.</p> + +<p>“I do not see anything except that you look a thousand times better +that way than with these thick, drooping fringes all over your face,” +said Dino.</p> + +<p>“No, let them be! I know exactly how it is,” cried Cornelli, making +an effort to push her hair back again. “Only you won’t say it, because +you want to be my friend. But I know it and everybody can see it and +hate me.”</p> + +<p>“But Cornelli, why are you crying?” said Dino, full of astonishment. +“I don’t know what you mean and I am sure you are imagining something. +You must be, for one often does.”</p> + +<p>“No, I’m not, and there are people who can see it. You must not think +that I imagine something, Dino; otherwise I would not be so frightened +that I often cannot go to sleep for a long, long while. I have to think +and think all the time. I know that it will get worse and worse and +that I won’t be able to cover it up in the end. Then there won’t be +a single person in the world who does not hate me when he looks at me. +You, too, will hate me then, I know.”</p> + +<p>“I swear to you right now that I shall not hate you, whatever should +appear,” Dino exclaimed enthusiastically. “Just tell me for once and +all what you mean. Please do it, for I might be able to help you and +give you some advice. Just tell me, for you know now that I will remain +your friend in spite of everything that might turn up.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli still hesitated.</p> + +<p>“But will you still be my friend later on, when everything is still +more changed and nobody else will be my friend?” she asked persistently.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I promise; and here is my hand!” said Dino, giving the little +girl a hearty handshake. “You can see that I really mean it, for what +one has promised that way, one can never take back. Now you can be +sure that I shall always be your friend.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli’s face lit up with joy. It was obviously a great comfort to +her to have a friend who would remain so for all time.</p> + +<p>“So now, I’ll tell you what it is. But you must promise not to tell +anyone in the whole, wide world about it, as long as you live.”</p> + +<p>Dino promised, giving his hand again for solemn assurance.</p> + +<p>“Look, here on both sides of my forehead,” said Cornelli now, hesitating +a little and pushing the fringes of hair out of her face, “I have two +large bumps, they grow all the time and especially when I frown. I +have to make a cross face all the time, for I cannot be jolly any more +and can never laugh again. So the bumps keep on growing and in the end +they will be just like regular horns. Then everyone will hate me, for +nobody else has horns. I can do nothing now but hide them, but in the +end they will come through and then my hair won’t hide them any more. +Then everybody can see it and people will despise me and children will +be sure to throw stones after me. Oh!”</p> + +<p>Cornelli again put her head on her arms and groaned in her great +trouble. Dino had listened, full of astonishment. He had never before +heard anything like that.</p> + +<p>“But, Cornelli,” he said, “why do you frown all the time, if the bumps +grow when you do it? It would be so much better if you would think of +funny things and would try to laugh. If you always made a pleasant +face they would perhaps go away entirely.”</p> + +<p>“I can’t! I can’t possibly do it,” Cornelli lamented. “I know that I +make a horrid face and that I am so ugly that nobody wants to look at +me. Whenever anybody looks at me I have to make a cross face, for I +know that everybody thinks how horrid I look. I never can be happy any +more, because I have to think all the time about that terrible thing +on my head, and that it is getting worse. And I can’t help it and can +do nothing. You don’t know how it is. As long as I live I have to be +that way, and everybody will hate me. You could not laugh any more, +either, if you were like that.”</p> + +<p>“You should try to think of quite different things and then you would +forget it. Later on it would probably seem quite different to you. You +keep on thinking about it all the time and so you believe in it more +and more. Get it out of your head, then it will be sure to get better,” +said Dino, who could not quite understand it. “Come, I’ll tell you a +story that will change your thoughts. Once upon a time there was an +old copper pan—-See, you have laughed already!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that will be a fine kind of story—about an old copper pan!” +Cornelli said.</p> + +<p>“It certainly is a fine story,” Dino assured her; “just listen: She +had a step-brother who was a wash boiler—you see, you have laughed +again! That’s the way! So they went together to Paris, where there was +a revolution.”</p> + +<p>“What is a revolution?” Cornelli asked, quite thrilled.</p> + +<p>“See how the story interests you!” said Dino, thoroughly pleased. “You +have no more wrinkles on your forehead, because you are listening well. +Didn’t I guess what you have to do? I’ll go on now. You call it a +revolution when nobody wants to remain in their old places and +everything goes to pieces.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by going to pieces? Do you mean it the way chairs +begin to go to pieces when the glue comes off and the legs get loose +and shaky?”</p> + +<p>“Just that way,” Dino assented. “When all laws and orders begin to go +to pieces like chairs, when the glue is off and everything crashes and +tumbles down; do you understand?”</p> + +<p>“Yes. And what happened?” Cornelli wanted to know.</p> + +<p>“The travellers liked that well,” Dino continued, “for they were full +of discontented thoughts. The copper pan had thought for a long time +that she wanted to be something else. She was tired of cooking greasy +food and of all the time being full of soot at the bottom; she wanted +to be something better. The wash boiler had similar thoughts. He thought +he would be much better off as a nice tea kettle. He thought how nice +it would be to stand on a fine table, so he wanted to get away from +the laundry.</p> + +<p>“When they came to the revolution they joined in it, too. They became +quite famous making speeches, for they both could talk very well. The +wash boiler had learned it from the washer women, and the copper pan +from the cook. So they were both asked what they wanted to become. The +copper pan wanted to become an ice box; she wanted to sparkle outside +with fine wood and inside with splendid ice. The wash boiler wanted +to become a fine tea kettle and be able to stand on a finely laid-out +table. So they both became what they had wished.</p> + +<p>“But the copper pan, who had been used to the cosy fire, began to shake +and freeze when the ice filled her whole inside. Her teeth were +chattering while she looked about to see if she could discover a little +fire anywhere. But nobody ever brought any burning spark near her. She +suffered the bitterest hunger besides, because she had been used to +quite different nourishment from fat morsels roasting in her insides. +Now she had to swallow little lumps of ice and nothing else. She was +not a bit pleased with shining outside and in, for she had to think +all the time: how terrible it is to starve and freeze to death.</p> + +<p>“The tea kettle meanwhile was standing on a beautifully set table. +Many splendidly dressed young ladies and gentlemen were sitting around +him and drinking tea out of fine china cups, and eating from lovely +gold-rimmed plates. The tea kettle felt flattered and said to himself: +‘Oh, now I can be anybody’s equal.’ But one of the ladies said: ‘I can +smell tar soap and I think it comes from this tea kettle. I wonder +what that means?’ Her neighbor laughed and said: ‘I noticed it long +ago. I hope it has not been used for washing stockings.’ So they looked +at the kettle and sniffed and turned up their noses with disdain.</p> + +<p>“The tea kettle lost his assurance, for he knew quite well that many +hundreds of stockings had been boiled inside of him. The poor thing +had never guessed that the smell of tar soap would stick to him in his +new shape. He felt very cramped and uncomfortable in the society he +was in, and was possessed with the thought of getting away and returning +to the place where he had been comfortable and had been held in high +esteem, for he had really been a first-rate boiler.</p> + +<p>“Then suddenly the revolution ceased. The lady of the house who owned +the ice box said: ‘I do not want the horrible ice box any more, which +they have exchanged for my good old ice box. All the ice that comes +out of it tastes of onion soup.’ The copper pan had always cooked this +soup better than any other. ‘Lulu, throw it out to the old iron heap,’ +said the lady. So Lulu, the butler, and Lala, the maid, took the ice +box and with terrible might threw her down on the scrap heap, where +old iron, bones and dirt lay in the back yard.</p> + +<p>“The ice box felt that all her limbs were giving way and that everything +was going to end badly. She lamented: ‘Oh, if only I had not joined +the revolution! If I had only stayed at home by the cosy fire! Oh, if +only—-’ And with that she cracked completely.</p> + +<p>“On the same day the young lady on whose table the kettle was standing +said: ‘Now I have had enough of this horrid tar-soap boiler. I want +a genuine tea kettle and not an imitation. Away with this thing!’ So +the butler took the kettle and dashed him down to the heap of rubbish +in the yard. It was the same rubbish heap where his step-sister had +been thrown, and in his fall he broke his own and his step-sister’s +last bones. Then he exclaimed in bitter pain: ‘Oh, if only I had not +joined the revolution! Oh, if I were only home in the peaceful, steaming +laundry.’ Then he was completely smashed by the old muskets that were +used in the revolution and that had been thrown down on top of him. +And this is the end of the story.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, they were right. If only they had not joined the revolution!” +Cornelli said sympathetically.</p> + +<p>“Yes, and I am right, too,” Dino cried triumphantly. “Just see how +much it helped you to forget your curious bump affair. You have no +more wrinkles on your forehead and you have pushed all your hair away. +You look entirely different; I hardly know you now.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli in very truth had been so eager in listening to the story +that with one quick motion she had pushed the hanging curtains out of +her eyes. She had been anxious not to miss a word, and the hair had +bothered her very much. Her whole face had become bright and changed +during the thrilling tale.</p> + +<p>“Just look at yourself!” Dino encouraged her, taking a little mirror +from the wall and holding it in front of the little girl.</p> + +<p>“No, no, I do not want to see it!” she cried out. In the same moment +she had pulled her hair back again over her eyes, and on her forehead +appeared a lot of wrinkles.</p> + +<p>“Don’t get so excited!” said Dino, putting back the mirror. “But I am +awfully glad to know a way to help you. I shall do it every day, but +you must promise to come regularly. I am sure you’ll forget everything +else that worries you, and in the end you’ll forget about it and so +be gay again.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli shook her head. “No, you can’t prevent it from getting worse,” +she said, covering her forehead with more hair. However, she took +Dino’s hand as a promise to come again, for she had enjoyed her visit +very much and was looking forward to repeating it.</p> + +<p>From that day on, Cornelli wandered over to Martha’s little house as +she had always done. The old woman cried with joy when she heard the +child’s merry laughter after all that time, for it had been a great +grief to her to see the bright child so terribly changed. She loved +to leave the children by themselves, for then they always seemed to +enjoy themselves best. From time to time she heard their happy laughter; +it thrilled her with joy, and she never wanted to interrupt it. She +had seen how Cornelli behaved when listening to one of Dino’s stories; +the little girl was as eager as if she were experiencing it all herself. +In her burning zeal she would fling back her hair, her eyes would +sparkle as in days gone by, and a brightly laughing face would regard +the story teller. Everything else was forgotten for the time; but if +something reminded Cornelli of her own life and troubles, all sunshine +was suddenly gone from her face, her forehead clouded up, and the +horrible sticky hair was again hanging over her eyes.</p> + +<p>So Martha always tried to leave the children undisturbed. She had many +hopes for Cornelli on account of this daily intercourse with the +charming boy, whose clear brow was never troubled and who could so +quickly drive away the clouds from his friend’s face.</p> + +<p>As soon as Cornelli left the little house and was approaching her own +garden, everything changed back to the old condition. Martha, looking +after the child, could always see the fearful looking hair that so +strangely disfigured the little girl’s pretty face. Then she would +sigh deeply and would say to herself: It seems like a disease, but who +can help her? Oh, if our blessed lady had seen her child so terribly +disfigured!</p> + +<p>Cornelli was very much surprised when she found that Saturday evening +had come again, for the last two weeks had flown by very fast.</p> + +<p>She ran through the garden. Under the plum tree lay the last fully +ripened dark gold plums. Cornelli picked them up; they were really +splendid, but they had given her no pleasure that year. She took them +with her and put them on Martha’s table.</p> + +<p>“Oh, what fine yellow plums! I am sure they taste as sweet as honey,” +exclaimed Dino. “Are they from your garden? When the sun shines on +them in the morning, all the branches seem to sparkle with reddish +gold like a Christmas tree.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, they are from the tree. Do you want to eat them?” asked Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“With pleasure. But you must eat some, too,” said Dino.</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t want to,” Cornelli replied. “Just try whether they are +good. If you do not like them, you can leave them or give them to the +birds.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but there is nothing that tastes as sweet and splendid as these +golden plums!” cried Dino, while he was slowly eating one after another.</p> + +<p>“What a shame! I wish I had known how much you like them; you really +ought to have told me,” Cornelli said. “There are none left on the +tree and they are the last that were lying on the grass. But very soon +we’ll have the best juicy pears—they are perfectly delicious, I think, +even better—and then I’ll bring you some every day.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, it certainly would be great to have a pear feast with you every +day,” said Dino, looking admiringly at the last reddish plum before +he ate it. “It is easy enough for you, Cornelli. You can stay right +here under the pear tree, but I have to go away. I’ll have to spend +my time behind the school house walls, regretting all that I have +lost.”</p> + +<p>“But you are not going away,” said Cornelli with dismay.</p> + +<p>It had never occurred to her that this happy companionship could ever +end.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I have to. If I could, I would stay here much longer with our +good friend Martha. She is better than anybody I know except my mother, +and she takes care of me as if I were a silkworm.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and when you go, everything is over,” said Cornelli, speaking +as if Dino were her enemy. Her eyes glowed at him from under her hair +and she seemed to be accusing him of some bitter wrong. She now turned +away, as if to say: Now I do not want to hear of anything more. But +Dino understood her sudden anger.</p> + +<p>“No, Cornelli,” he said soothingly, “just the opposite will happen. +It is not over at all, because it has only just begun. I have planned +with Martha to-day that I shall come again next summer and the summer +after and every year after that, till we are both old and gray.”</p> + +<p>But Cornelli only saw the immediate future before her and what was going +to happen now; she could not look so far ahead.</p> + +<p>“Yes, but it is so long till next year, that you are sure to forget +all about me a hundred times,” she said crossly, as if she were chiding +her companion.</p> + +<p>“No, I won’t do that,” said Dino quietly. “I won’t forget you once, +least of all a hundred times. I’ll prove it to you, Cornelli. Let us +still have a good time together and enjoy the four remaining days that +I can stay here. Let us look forward, also, to the time when I shall +come again. Just think how much the kid will have grown by then! We +shall be able to drive together. I’ll be the coachman and you’ll be +the lady in the carriage. That will be splendid!”</p> + +<p>But Cornelli could no longer be really gay. She always saw the moment +before her when Dino had to say good-bye, and when all their fun would +be over. The morning really came fast enough when she had to take leave +of him in Martha’s cottage. After Dino had driven away, Cornelli buried +her head in her arms and cried piteously. Martha, too, was heavy of +heart, and sat beside her, crying quietly.</p> + +<p>That same evening when dinner was done and Cornelli got up from table +to leave the room, the cousin said: “You have not said a single word +to-day, Cornelli. You seem to get worse instead of better! Ought your +father find you worse on coming home than when he left?”</p> + +<p>“Good-night,” said Cornelli hoarsely, and left the room without once +looking up.</p> + +<p>“There is nothing to be done with her; you can see it for yourself, +Betty. You have thought that we could still produce a change for the +better,” said Miss Dorner, after Cornelli had shut the door behind +her. “What have we accomplished with our best efforts? We have tried +hard enough for her father’s sake. How terrible it will be for him to +live alone with her again! Instead of cheering his lonely life, she +will only cause him worry and trouble. And what a sight she is! Have +you ever seen an obstinacy equal to hers in all your life?”</p> + +<p>“No, never,” replied the friend. “It actually seems as if all the +helpful words we have spoken had the opposite effect with her. Whenever +we told her how terrible she looked, the disfiguring hair fringes +always seemed to get worse. I should like to know what one could do +to break her stubborn will. Maybe great severity would do it or bringing +together Cornelli and other children; they might cure her by laughing +at her.”</p> + +<p>“I do not believe so, for nothing seems to help,” Miss Dorner concluded. +“My cousin himself, when he comes back, shall decide what to do with +her. But I know that one thing is certain: whatever will be done, she +will never be a joy to her father.”</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII<br><span class="small">A NEW SORROW</span></h2></div> + + +<p>Autumn had come, and all the fruit trees in Mr. Hellmut’s garden were +laden with gorgeous fruit. Bright red apples and golden pears were +shining through the green branches; dark blue plums, honey sweet, fell +here and there from the deeply weighted trees. Whoever passed the +garden had to stand still and look, full of wonder, at this great +abundance, and many a person was tempted to leap over the hedge and +get one of the golden pears as a prize.</p> + +<p>Cornelli, staring in front of her, was sitting on the bench under the +hazel nut tree. Matthew was just approaching from the stable; he wore +his best coat, and one could see that something special was going on.</p> + +<p>“Do you want to come with me, Cornelli?” he asked, walking over to the +bench where she was sitting. “I am just going to harness the horses. +Your father is coming at eleven o’clock and I am going to drive down +to the lake to meet him. Come with me! Our brown fellows will be sure +to trot well, for they have had a long rest. Come along! It will be +fun, I know.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli shook her head.</p> + +<p>“No?” said Matthew with disappointment. “I was sure you would not let +slip a chance of driving gaily out into the bright morning to meet +your father. Shall I get you down some pears? No pears, either?” Matthew +went away, shaking his head. “If our master only had half a dozen boys +and as many girls, how nice it would be here on the place. Then such +splendid pears would not be hanging sad and forgotten on the trees.” +Then he added, in a murmur: “Not even to care about driving with such +horses!”</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards, Mr. Maelinger arrived, for it was time for Cornelli’s +lessons. Most of the time the teacher sat beside his pupil shaking his +head. He really needed all his patience to endure the total indifference +she showed in all her tasks. To-day it was again the same.</p> + +<p>The two hours passed, and the carriage which was bringing home her +father had just driven up in front of the house. Mr. Maelinger was +filled with astonishment, for his pupil, instead of jumping up happily +and running away to greet her father, looked shyly through the window +and did not budge.</p> + +<p>“You can go, Cornelli; your father is here! We have finished our work,” +he said, and with these words departed.</p> + +<p>Cornelli had heard her father coming into the house and had heard the +ladies’ joyful words of welcome. She crushed a tear that had begun to +trickle down her cheek and went over to the room where her father had +just entered.</p> + +<p>“How are you, child? Have you come at last?” the father called gaily +to her. “But how strange you look, Cornelli!” he went on with a changed +voice. “What is it?” Cornelli had silently given him her hand and was +shyly looking down.</p> + +<p>“What has happened to you? How odd you look! I hardly know you any +more! Push away all that gypsy-like hair from your face! Why don’t you +look at me pleasantly? Why do you keep looking away? For months I have +been looking forward to this home-coming to my little daughter, who, +I had hoped, would have gained much. So this is the way I am to find +you, Cornelli.”</p> + +<p>Full of sorrow and anger, the father was gazing at the little girl. +She had turned away and had not said a word. Her face, half hidden by +the horrible hair strands, seemed to be covered by a gray cloud which +threatened to break out in a violent rain.</p> + +<p>“We shall talk it all over later, Frederick,” said the cousin. “Let +us first enjoy and celebrate the happy hour of your return and let us +keep all troublesome thoughts away.” With these words, Miss Dorner led +her cousin to the dining room, where the table was festively set with +all the good dishes Esther knew were her master’s favorites.</p> + +<p>The Director’s thoughts, however, were so troubled that even the festive +meal could not dispel them. He barely touched the food that was offered, +for he could not take his eyes off his only child. She sat in front +of him with bowed head, and only now and then looked up at him, quite +shyly. The meal did not go through in a very festive spirit. It was +noticeable that Mr. Hellmut had to force himself to the few words he +spoke. His thoughts were elsewhere and were of a very disturbing nature. +He got up from the table, as soon as possible, and hurried away.</p> + +<p>“He is going over to the works,” said Miss Dorner to her friend, +following him with her eyes. Cornelli, too, had left the room as soon +as her father had gone. “I think it has upset him more than I thought +it would. He has to give vent to his excitement a little, and I hope +that seeing the workmen over there will help him to get over his +impression. I hope he will hear there many new and pleasant things—of +much work and good business. It is hard for him to carry on his endless +work for the sake of such a child, don’t you think so? But it can’t +be changed.”</p> + +<p>After a while the Director came back again. He did not look much soothed +or pleasantly surprised by what he had just heard. The ladies now sat +down again to drink a cup of coffee with him.</p> + +<p>“They have spoiled many things for me over there,” said the Director, +sitting down beside them. “Even if it should mean considerable loss, +I can bear it, but I cannot stand the way Cornelli has changed. What +a frightful sight she is, and how dumb and stupid she has grown. She +did not show the slightest sign of pleasure at my coming and has not +said a single word since then. She has hardly even looked at me and +only sits there as if her existence were a real misfortune—I cannot +stand it. What has happened to the child?” In his excitement Mr. Hellmut +jumped up and paced about the room.</p> + +<p>“Nothing has happened to the child; at least, we know of nothing, do +we, Betty?” said Miss Dorner. “We have both tried to teach her good +manners, for we found that she lacked them sadly. We did it chiefly +on your account. Sorry as I am to say it, Frederick, I have to tell +you that the child’s disposition is so terribly obstinate one can +hardly do anything with her. The more we fought against it and tried +to bring her on the right path, the worse it got and the more she would +insist on having her way.</p> + +<p>“What have we not said against this terrible disfigurement! And all +for nothing! The more we said, the more Cornelli would pull her hair +into her eyes. So I gave it up, for I saw that only physical punishment +would help in such a case and I wanted to leave that to you; I did not +come into your house for that. I do not even dare to decide if that +would help. I have really never in all my life seen such a stubborn +child. I shall certainly admire anybody who can bring her to rights.”</p> + +<p>The director had marched up and down the room with restless steps. Now +he suddenly stood still.</p> + +<p>“But good gracious!” he exclaimed, “there must certainly be a way to +help a child of ten years. Are there no means except chastisement to +bring up a young creature like her? What an abominable thought! I will +not believe such a thing! Can you give me no advice? What could I do? +Ladies surely know how to educate a little girl. Something simply has +to be done right away. I am to blame for my neglect and for leaving +her too long in the wrong hands. Oh, what would my Cornelia say if she +could see her child?” Mr. Hellmut threw himself down in his chair and +put his hands before his face.</p> + +<p>“Please calm yourself, Frederick! It is not your fault at all, for you +can’t fight against her disposition,” the cousin said soothingly. “We +have thought of a way of helping the child. You might send her to a +boarding school in town where there are a great many children and young +girls. Children often help each other by rubbing up against one another +and by noticing each other’s faults and mistakes.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think that this might help Cornelli?” asked the father +doubtfully. “Cornelli is not used to being rubbed against and laughed +at.”</p> + +<p>“For that reason it would make a still deeper impression on her,” +answered the cousin. “You can believe me when I say that this may be +the only means to break her obstinacy, and I am not sure that even +this will help. If such a school can’t break her will, nobody on earth +can reform her; you can believe me, Frederick.”</p> + +<p>“She is still very young to be sent away from home,” said the father, +full of pity. “But I fear that you are right. She could not get better +here, only worse, and so it will probably have to be. Do you know of +a boarding school you could recommend?”</p> + +<p>The cousin answered that she knew of one, and offered to take the +necessary steps as soon as she was again at home. Miss Dorner hoped +in vain that her cousin’s humor would change and that he would become +again the merry and sociable companion of old days. He tried with all +his might to be entertaining when they met at table; but he always had +to glance at his little girl, who sat at her place dumb and seemingly +afraid even to glance about her. A deep shadow always came across his +features, and one could see that it was hard for him to mingle in the +general conversation.</p> + +<p>Miss Dorner at last had enough of his unfriendly attitude. As a last +means to break it and to shake him up a little, she said to him on the +third day after his arrival: “It seems to me, Frederick, that you are +too much occupied even to remember your duties as a host. We are +thinking of going back to town. Are you willing?”</p> + +<p>“I understand your decision absolutely,” Mr. Hellmut answered politely. +“You are right in telling me that I am the most unpleasant host that +could be found, but I hope you understand that the change in Cornelli +has spoiled everything for me and has only filled me with the thought +of how to help her. I hope very much that you will visit my house again +at a pleasanter time. You can order the carriage whenever you want it.”</p> + +<p>The cousin had not expected this answer. “You go entirely too far, +Frederick,” she said angrily. “How can a man sacrifice everything and +change all his ideas for the sake of such a child?”</p> + +<p>“You seem to forget that it is my Cornelia’s and my only child,” +answered the Director. “But we shall not talk about it any more, because +we could not understand each other. I am so grateful for your goodwill +that I do not want to cause you any anger at the end.”</p> + +<p>Two days later the carriage stood before the door. Both ladies stepped +in and Mina stepped in after them. The latter had known so well how +to make herself liked by them that they were taking her to town, for +Mina had wished to become a maid in the city to get away from country +people. One of the ladies was to take her as chambermaid, but it had +not been settled yet which of them would do so.</p> + +<p>Esther was terribly indignant because Mina was leaving a good house +for no reason whatsoever. Since Esther had been managing in the +Director’s home she had always felt the honor of the house to be her +own. Full of resentment, she was standing behind her master, who was +shaking hands as a last farewell.</p> + +<p>Miss Mina was looking towards the other side, where Cornelli stood: +“Won’t you even give me your hand? This is not very friendly of you. +That is just the way you are,” she said to the child in a low voice.</p> + +<p>Now Esther broke forth: “Miss Mina,” she called out as loudly as she +could, “please be so kind as to tell the ladies on the trip who left +the dusty marks on the sofa by standing on it. They were not from a +child’s shoe.”</p> + +<p>Mina blushed a deep scarlet and Miss Dorner, full of astonishment, +looked at her glowing face. She expected a fitting retort, but none +came.</p> + +<p>“Go ahead, Matthew,” Miss Dorner ordered excitedly. She did not desire +a further explanation.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hellmut had moved away.</p> + +<p>Cornelli now took Esther’s broad hand inside both her own and pressed +it hard. A ray of joy flitted over her features, the first after a +long, long time. “Oh, I am so glad that you said that, Esther; I am +more glad than you can think,” she said eagerly. “If you had not said +that, they would have thought all their lives that I had done it and +denied it. But how does Mina know who did it?”</p> + +<p>“She knows, because she did it herself,” Esther replied.</p> + +<p>“Oh, oh! So she did it with her own feet,” Cornelli exclaimed. “It is +better that she has gone then. We’d rather be left alone here, wouldn’t +we, Esther, just you and I?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, indeed,” said the cook, full of satisfaction. “Just tell your +father that I do not mind double work, but that I do mind deceitful +ways.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli had not spoken to her father since he had come back. She was +shy before him, because she realized that the sight of her displeased +him. She was, however, quite sure that she could never change and +always had to be like that. She was also certain that he would only +abhor her more if he ever found out what was hidden under her locks +of hair. She therefore went slowly and hesitatingly towards his room +in order to give him Esther’s message. In former times she had always +run to him gaily, whenever she had something to tell him. Since then +things had changed.</p> + +<p>“It will never again be that way,” she said to herself. The thought +seemed to weigh so heavily on her that she suddenly stood still. At +that moment her father opened the door in front of which she stood. +“Oh, here you are, Cornelli,” he said delightedly. “Did you want to +pay me a little visit? We have really hardly seen each other. Come in +here! I was just going to get you, for I want to speak with you.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli entered, not saying a word and avoiding her father’s glance.</p> + +<p>“Come, Cornelli,” he said, leading her through the room and sitting +down beside her. “I have something to tell you that will make you very +happy. You have changed so much during my absence and so little to +your advantage that something has to be done for your education. It +is high time. I shall take you to a boarding school in town, where you +can be with many other children and young girls. You will have the +chance to learn many things from them and to make friends with many. +You will be sure to change there, then you can return to bring your +father joy. I cannot enjoy you now, for I do not know what ails you. +It may be better after you get some education. I expect to take you +away next week.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli’s face became snow white from sudden terror. First she uttered +no sound, but soon she burst into violent tears.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Papa,” she sobbed, “leave me at home! I’ll be good. Oh, don’t +send me to town to so many children! Oh, I can’t, I can’t. Oh, Papa, +don’t send me away!”</p> + +<p>Mr. Hellmut could not bear to see Cornelli’s tears and still less to +hear her supplications. “But for her own good it has to be,” he said +to himself to strengthen his resolution. Cornelli’s lamentations were +too much for him and he rushed away.</p> + +<p>Several hours later, the time had come for supper and he returned from +the iron foundry.</p> + +<p>Esther came to meet him: “Oh, I am glad that you have come, Director,” +she said excitedly. “When I went up to Cornelli just now she was crying. +I wanted her to taste some of the little plum cakes she usually likes +so much, but the poor child only shrieked: ‘Oh, leave me here, leave +me here!’ Oh, Mr. Hellmut, what if Cornelli should get sick and die?”</p> + +<p>“Nonsense, Esther,” he returned; “children do not die from obstinacy.”</p> + +<p>The master of the house had tried to speak harshly, but he did not +quite succeed. He ran straight upstairs to Cornelli’s room and saw the +child on her knees in front of the bed. Her head was pressed into the +pillows and she cried as if her heart was breaking.</p> + +<p>“Oh, don’t send me away, don’t send me away!” she cried as soon as he +entered.</p> + +<p>He saw that Cornelli was trembling all over from fear and excitement. +“I cannot endure this,” he said to himself, and seizing his hat ran +out of the house.</p> + +<p>Martha was sitting in her peaceful little chamber, busy with her mending +and thinking about Cornelli. She was wondering what would happen now +that she was again left alone with her father. She wondered if the old +days would come back, or if something new was going to be done for +Cornelli’s education. The door was suddenly flung open and Mr. Hellmut +entered.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Martha, I do not know what to do,” he said to her in a perturbed +manner. “You simply have to help me. You knew my wife and you know my +child and love her; and besides, she is attached to you. Tell me what +has come over her. Since when has she been so frightfully stubborn? +Was the child always that way, or has she only grown more stubborn +lately? Have you noticed how she has changed in my absence?”</p> + +<p>“There is nothing so very much the matter with Cornelli, Mr. Hellmut. +Cornelli is not an ill-natured child, I am sure of that. But won’t you +take a seat, Director?” Martha interrupted her speech, placing a chair +now here and now there for her visitor, who was running excitedly to +and fro. But he refused, for he was too restless to settle down.</p> + +<p>“It was really a very abrupt and sudden change for the child, and it +was hard for her to have everything so different all at once,” Martha +said. “Even an older child might have become shy under those conditions, +and Cornelli is still very young. It is hard for a small plant to have +too much done for it all at once and too suddenly; it has to have time +to develop, and the better the plant the more carefully it should be +tended.”</p> + +<p>“I hope you are not trying to insinuate that it was not good for +Cornelli to at last get into the right hands,” said Mr. Hellmut, +standing still in the middle of the room. “I have to reckon it as a +great blessing that she was thrown with ladies of culture and +refinement, who could awaken in her everything that was good, noble +and fine, and could teach her many things. My Cornelia would have done +this herself, above all others, for she was in all those things the +most striking example. The child has not a trace of her, not even in +her looks; everything is lost that used to remind me of her.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Mr. Hellmut, if I might be allowed to say anything else, I would +only add one word,” Martha replied calmly. “I have always found that +a little love goes further than many good rules. I know that a young +child can be frightened by harsh words more than grown-up people +realize. Afterwards they cannot understand the cause of the shy behavior +which is the result. Cornelli has not lost her mother’s eyes, only one +cannot see them under her hanging fringes.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, that’s it, Martha, this horrible disfigurement, this obstinacy +which holds fast to it all. The shy, spiritless manner, the absolutely +changed ways of the child hurt and worry me so. It takes away all my +joy and all my courage and paralyzes all hope for the future. It has +absolutely spoiled my life.”</p> + +<p>The visitor had gotten more and more stirred up as he went on. “So I +shall help her in the only way I know of: I shall send her to a boarding +school. I just told her about it and she acted as if she were absolutely +desperate. I simply cannot look upon her terrible despair. I actually +feel as if my Cornelia could have no peace in Heaven if she heard her +child’s supplications.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Director, if you could only keep Cornelli at home for a little +while, so that she could calm down,” Martha said humbly. “Cornelli has +had to go through so many new experiences lately that it would be good +for her to stay quietly at home for a while. In the meantime you could +get her more accustomed to the idea of leaving home, so that it would +not scare her so dreadfully. I promise to do all I can too, Mr. Hellmut. +I will tell her pleasant things about the school and the nice children +that she might meet there.”</p> + +<p>“That is a fine idea, Martha,” Mr. Hellmut said, a little more calmly. +“Please do all you possibly can to make the idea pleasant and desirable +to the child. Do not forget, Martha, that you are my only help.”</p> + +<p>After these words Mr. Hellmut went away.</p> + +<p>“Oh, the good kind Director!” said Martha, following him with her eyes. +“What help can old, stupid Martha be to him, I wonder. But I shall +certainly do whatever I can.”</p> + +<p>Arrived at home, Mr. Hellmut went straight up to Cornelli’s room. She +was still kneeling at her bed in the same attitude, and still crying +bitterly.</p> + +<p>“Get up, Cornelli, and stop crying,” he said. “I meant well with you, +but you did not understand me. You shall stay at home for the present; +later on you may feel differently about it. You can go to Martha +to-morrow. Listen well to her words, for she is your best friend.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli could not have heard a more consoling word. It sounded so +hopeful after all the horrible news about going away.</p> + +<p>“Can’t I go to Martha right away?” she said longingly.</p> + +<p>“Yes, you can, Cornelli,” replied her father, “but you have not eaten +anything yet.”</p> + +<p>“That does not matter,” said Cornelli, already running down the stairs.</p> + +<p>At last Cornelli was running again. She flew quickly up the little +stairs and into Martha’s room.</p> + +<p>“I have to go away, Martha, but not right away. Papa says that I have +to go,” the child called out on entering. “Papa told me to come to +you; I think it was because I cried all the time and he wanted me to +stop. But I won’t stop, unless you promise to help me to stay at home. +I do not want to go to all the strange children. I couldn’t stand it; +oh, no, I couldn’t! Oh, it would be dreadful. Please help me, Martha, +help me!” The terrible fear in Cornelli’s voice and the sight of her +swollen eyes went straight to Martha’s heart.</p> + +<p>“Come and sit down on your little stool the way you used to in the old +times, Cornelli,” she said lovingly, “and I’ll tell you something that +will help and console you. It has helped me, too, and still does when +trouble comes. You see, Cornelli, I once had to go through a terrible +sorrow just as great as yours is to-day. I had to give a child I loved +back to God. So I cried, as loudly as you are crying and even louder: +‘No, I can’t do it, I can’t!’ The more I fought against it, the more +terrible I felt, till in the end I even thought I should despair. So +I cried out in my heart: ‘Can nobody help me?’ And then I suddenly +knew who could do it. I knelt down and prayed to God: ‘Oh, give me +help, for thou alone canst do it!’”</p> + +<p>“Can I stay here if I pray like that, Martha? Will God help me right +away?” asked Cornelli eagerly.</p> + +<p>“Yes, He will surely help you the way He knows is best for you, +Cornelli. If it should be good for you to go away and you ask your +Father in Heaven for help, He will bless your life away from home, so +that it won’t be as hard as you have feared. If you pray to Him, you +will get the firm assurance that nothing will be hard for you, because +you have His help in everything you do. God is sure to ordain everything +in such a wise way that happiness will come to you in the end.”</p> + +<p>“Did you have to give Him your child after all?” Cornelli wanted to +know.</p> + +<p>“Yes, God took it to Himself,” Martha answered.</p> + +<p>“And could you get happy again, Martha?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, yes. The pain was very great, but I was consoled by the thought +of my child’s peace. I knew how many ills he had been spared. God gave +me the assurance that He meant well with both of us. With that thought +I could grow happy again.”</p> + +<p>“I want to go home, now,” said Cornelli, suddenly getting up. It seemed +as if something were drawing her away.</p> + +<p>“Yes, go now, child, and think of what I told you!” said Martha, +accompanying her.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I will,” said Cornelli. She ran home quickly, because the desire +to get to her room was urging her on.</p> + +<p>Cornelli had never prayed so earnestly and heartily as she did that +day. Kneeling beside her bed, she confided all her sorrow to her Father +in Heaven, and begged Him to make her happy once more.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII<br><span class="small">A MOTHER</span></h2></div> + + +<p>When Mr. Hellmut sat down to his coffee in the morning he always found +letters and newspapers on the breakfast table.</p> + +<p>“Good gracious!” he exclaimed on the morning after the ladies’ +departure, “what correspondents have you in town, Cornelli? Here is +a letter for you.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli, looking up from her cup, glanced incredulously at the letter.</p> + +<p>“It is really for you. Listen! Miss Cornelli Hellmut, Iller-Stream, +Iron Foundry,” the father read. “Here it is!”</p> + +<p>Cornelli opened the letter under great suspense and read:</p> +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>DEAR CORNELLI:</p> + +<p>Only think! I am ill and have to lie in bed. The doctor has forbidden +me to read and write, so this letter will be very short. It is very +tiresome to be sick, for my sisters are in school all day. Mama always +has a lot to attend to and Mux is still a very useless little fellow. +Could you not come here and pay me a little visit? I should love to +see you and should enjoy hearing all about Iller-Stream. You could +tell me all about good old Martha, whom I love nearly as much as a +grandmother, about your little kid and Matthew, the horses and +everything else, and especially about yourself. I always had such a +good time with you that I should be terribly pleased if you came to +visit me. Please come very, very soon! Your faithful friend,</p> + +<p class="right">DINO.</p> +</div> +<p>When Cornelli was folding up the letter again, her father said: “Can +I read it, too?”</p> + +<p>Cornelli promptly handed him her letter.</p> + +<p>“What friend is this that wants you to come to visit him?” the father +asked with astonishment. “I expect you to cry immediately, though, for +you might have to go to town.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, Papa, I really would love to see him,” said Cornelli. “It is +Dino, who stayed with Martha this summer.”</p> + +<p>The father put down his spoon from pure surprise and looked wonderingly +at his daughter.</p> + +<p>“How strange you are, Cornelli!” he said finally. “Now you suddenly +want to visit a strange family. You only know this boy and you do not +hesitate about it and are not even shy about appearing in your present +condition.”</p> + +<p>“Dino knows me well and knows that I would come to see him alone. He +will arrange everything for me so that I won’t have to see his mother +or his sisters. He knows everything,” was Cornelli’s explanation.</p> + +<p>“That has no sense at all,” the father said curtly, and gathering up +his papers he went away.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards he entered Martha’s little house.</p> + +<p>“Here I am again. I wonder what you will say to me?” he called to the +surprised old woman. “Here is a letter with an invitation which came +for Cornelli to-day. It is from a boy who stayed with you. Who is he? +Who are his parents?”</p> + +<p>This question made Martha fairly overflow with praises of the boy. She +told Mr. Hellmut that she had never known a boy who was so polite and +friendly to simple folks as this boy had been; he had been well brought +up, had the most refined and charming manners, and was well educated, +and at the same time so simple and childishly devoted to old, plain +Martha. She had never read letters like the mother’s letter to her +son, so beautiful, affectionate and elevating. He had always read them +to her, and she had had to cry every time from sheer emotion. She had +never before seen as beautiful linen as the boy had worn, and it had +all been his two sisters’ work.</p> + +<p>“Martha,” the Director finally interrupted her, “according to your +account, it would be a great blessing for my daughter to spend even +a day in such a family.”</p> + +<p>“If you would really take her there, Director, I certainly would be +happy—ah! I would not know a greater happiness.”</p> + +<p>Martha had to wipe her eyes, she was so stirred.</p> + +<p>“You shall know it, Martha. We’ll go tomorrow, and on the same evening +you shall hear an account of all that happened.” With these words the +Director seized her hand, and after shaking it heartily, departed.</p> + +<p>“Get everything ready, Cornelli! We are going to town to-morrow,” he +called to his daughter, who sat on the garden bench quietly thinking. +“Esther shall call you early, at six o’clock.”</p> + +<p>“Indeed, I shall,” came Esther’s voice through some open window. She +was a good sentinel, for she always seemed to know what was going on +in the house and its immediate neighborhood.</p> + +<p>Early next morning the two shiny brown horses were trotting down the +valley. They had to go for four full hours, but that seemed a pure +pleasure to them; the longer they ran, the more spirit they seemed to +get, and Matthew had to keep them from galloping all the time.</p> + +<p>In her corner Cornelli meditated as to how she could tell the maid at +her arrival that she wanted to visit no one but Dino, and wanted to +be taken straight to his room. She planned also to forbid Dino to call +his sisters and his mother, for she wanted to see him alone. She would +pay Dino a long visit and then steal quietly away without being noticed. +She was also reflecting about everything she wanted to tell her friend. +First of all, she had to tell him that the news had at last come out +regarding who had been standing on the sofa. She had told him all about +this deep grief she had borne for so long.</p> + +<p>So they came to town much sooner than Cornelli had ever thought +possible. The carriage was already halting before the hotel where her +father usually stopped, and Cornelli jumped down.</p> + +<p>“Shall I come back again in four hours, Papa?” she asked. “I can find +my way alone, for Dino has described it to me.”</p> + +<p>“Stop, stop! That is not the way; I am coming, too,” the father said.</p> + +<p>Cornelli was quite sorry not to be able to start off alone, for that +had been her plan. Now everything was quite different.</p> + +<p>As Dino had written his exact address in his letter and the Director +knew his way about town very well, they passed quickly from street to +street till they reached a narrow little lane. Here stood the house +they had been seeking. When finally four high stairs had been climbed, +the Director stood on the highest narrow step where the door took up +half of the standing room.</p> + +<p>“If the inhabitants correspond to their dwelling place, we shall +probably not remain here very long,” he said, looking up doubtfully +at the inconvenient entrance.</p> + +<p>“Dino does not correspond,” said Cornelli quickly. She had not quite +understood her father’s words, but felt them to be an attack on her +friend.</p> + +<p>“Climb up there, Cornelli, and pull the bell-rope!” he commanded. “When +the door is open I’ll probably find room to stand there, too.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli obeyed. A slender girl a good deal taller than Cornelli opened +the door and looked with surprise at the new arrivals through a pair +of dark and serious eyes. Cornelli retreated suddenly.</p> + +<p>“Well, what I see is not very dreadful,” the Director said, stepping +forward.</p> + +<p>“How do you do, child. Is your mother at home, and can I speak to her +a moment?”</p> + +<p>The girl who had opened the door was Nika. With great politeness she +led the gentleman to a room and informed him that she would go at once +to fetch her mother, who was with her sick brother.</p> + +<p>Upon her polite invitation the Director followed her, and settled down +in an arm-chair. He looked about him with astonishment at the small +but scrupulously neat room, which was decorated with several charming +pictures.</p> + +<p>When Nika neared the door, Cornelli said to her in a low voice: “I +want to visit Dino.”</p> + +<p>“Come, I’ll show you the way,” came a small voice from behind the door. +It was Mux, who had quickly hidden there to peep with curious eyes at +the new arrivals. He came out and seizing Cornelli’s hand, pulled her +away with him. The mother had heard the stranger’s voice and at this +moment entered from an adjoining chamber.</p> + +<p>“She does not correspond, either, as Cornelli puts it,” the Director +said to himself with a smile. He rose and introduced himself. “Following +your son’s summons, Mrs. Halm, I have brought you my daughter,” he +said. “She can stay a few hours with her sick friend, if that suits +you, and then she can join me again at my hotel.”</p> + +<p>“I am so much obliged to you for the great favor of bringing her. My +son has looked forward so much to this visit. We all know and love +Cornelli already from what he has told us about her. She has been so +kind to him and has entertained him so well when he was alone in +Iller-Stream that she has earned his and my sincere thanks. Could I +not beg of you to leave Cornelli here for a few days, or at least for +all of to-day?”</p> + +<p>“You are very kind, Mrs. Halm,” he replied, quite astonished to hear +that his shy, unfriendly child should have furnished the boy any +entertainment. “Those are just polite words,” he said to himself, but +aloud he added: “I am afraid that it won’t be possible, for my child +would not stay. She is very shy and has all kinds of peculiar habits, +as you probably have noticed from her looks. Your daughter certainly +looks different.”</p> + +<p>“I shall not keep Cornelli here against her will, of course, but may +I hope to have your permission if the child should want to stay?”</p> + +<p>The rector’s widow had such a pleasing manner that it was hard to +refuse her anything. The Director therefore gladly assented, for it +was his wish as well as hers.</p> + +<p>“Certainly, Mrs. Halm, I shall joyfully give it,” he assured her. “What +could please me more than to have my daughter in surroundings like +these? But I am perfectly certain that Cornelli will desire to go back +with me. Just the same, I want to thank you sincerely for your great +kindness; it will help her to spend even a single day in your charming +household.”</p> + +<p>The Director said farewell and departed. At the entrance door down +stairs a school girl, carrying her schoolbag and books, ran towards +him so violently that a collision could not be avoided, so the Director +opened his arms wide and caught Agnes in them. Agnes always approached +everything like a wind storm. She could not behave otherwise. The +Director laughed heartily and so did Agnes.</p> + +<p>“I am sure you belong to Mrs. Halm, too,” he said, looking with pleasure +at the lively face with the wide-open, bright eyes. How nice and trim +everything was about her!</p> + +<p>“Yes, indeed,” she replied quickly, and ran away.</p> + +<p>“What a happy mother, what a happy woman!” said the Director to himself. +“And to compare my child to such children. I cannot bear it! Such +children, and mine beside them!”</p> + +<p>Dino had told his mother about his experiences in Iller-Stream and +especially of his acquaintance with Cornelli. He had also related to +her the child’s strange trouble, but she had had to give her promise +to keep it to herself. It did not seem wrong to Dino to tell his mother, +because she always knew everything he knew. When the invitation had +been sent to Cornelli, Mrs. Halm had seriously told the children not +to make any remarks about Cornelli’s hair in case she should come. She +had told them not to show any surprise if Cornelli wore her hair in +a rather strange fashion and not to notice it further; that was the +way the mother wished it to be.</p> + +<p>Little Mux was very much pleased at having a new companion. He looked +upon her as an old acquaintance, for Dino had talked so much about +her. First he took her to see the kitchen.</p> + +<p>“But I am sure Dino does not sleep here,” said Cornelli, surprised.</p> + +<p>“No, this is the kitchen; there are no beds here,” Mux asserted. “But +I shall show you first why Agnes cried one whole hour to-day, or perhaps +it was two.” And Mux led his new friend to a whole pile of apple peels +which lay in a bucket. “Isn’t Agnes stupid to cry when we get good +apple tarts afterwards.”</p> + +<p>“But why did she cry?” asked Cornelli, full of sympathy. She knew +exactly what it was like when one simply had to cry.</p> + +<p>“We don’t know,” retorted Mux.</p> + +<p>“But why does the maid not peel the apples?” asked Cornelli again.</p> + +<p>“There is no maid, except block-headed Trina,” Mux informed her.</p> + +<p>“Who is block-headed Trina?” Cornelli wanted to know.</p> + +<p>“She has to help; she is small and fat,” Mux described her. “Mama has +to show her how to cook, and she has to fetch what we need and always +brings the wrong thing. So Dino says: ‘We really must send block-headed +Trina away.’ And then Mama says: ‘Trina has to live, too.’ And then +she is not sent away after all.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli had great sympathy for Agnes, who apparently had a secret +trouble like her own; she did not have to be afraid of her, as she was +of the proud sister who had received her.</p> + +<p>“I am sure, Mux, that your other sister never cries. Are you not afraid +of her?” asked Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“Not the least little bit,” replied the little boy. “She often makes +a face, though, as if she wanted to cry and a thousand, thousand times +she begins to when nobody knows why. I don’t know why, either, for she +doesn’t tell me.”</p> + +<p>Immediately Cornelli’s great shyness of Nika changed into great pity. +If Nika could not even talk about her sorrow, she might have the deepest +sorrow of all.</p> + +<p>“Now we shall go to Dino,” she said, hurrying to the door which the +little boy had pointed out to her.</p> + +<p>“But wait! I shall first show you our big picture book. You’ll love +it,” Mux assured her. “There is something in it that looks just like +you; it is an owl that has rags over its eyes like you. But you must +not talk about it, because Mama has forbidden it.”</p> + +<p>“No, no, I don’t want to see the book. Please take me to Dino now,” +Cornelli urged.</p> + +<p>Mux pulled Cornelli away from the kitchen at last and, not far from +there, opened a door.</p> + +<p>“Are you coming at last, Cornelli?” Dino cried to her. He was sitting +up in bed. He glanced happily at his approaching friend, and Cornelli, +too, felt deep joy at seeing him again. The hours she had spent with +him had been the only happy ones she had had all summer. Quickly sitting +down by his bed, she began to relate to him everything that had happened +in Iller-Stream since his departure. Dino asked many questions that +Cornelli had to answer, and the time went by they knew not how.</p> + +<p>Mux had disappeared. As long as he could not have his new friend’s +whole attention, he preferred to find out what was being prepared for +dinner in the kitchen.</p> + +<p>Now the mother entered the room.</p> + +<p>“I have hardly seen you yet, dear child,” she said, taking Cornelli’s +hand, “but I thought I would leave you and Dino undisturbed for a +little while. You must have many things to talk over about your +experiences and friends in Iller-Stream. Dino has looked forward so +much to your visit. Please come to lunch now. Dino has to sleep a +little while afterwards, and then you can go back to him again, if you +wish.”</p> + +<p>A difficult moment had now come for Cornelli. She had secretly hoped +that she would be able to spend all day alone with Dino, and that +nobody else would notice her. Now she had to sit at table with Dino’s +mother and sisters. Mux, however, was her consolation; he seemed so +confiding and so friendly. She had felt immediately to her great +discomfort how different and how horrible she looked in comparison +with these charming children. When she had stood in front of Nika, who +was so very pretty, she felt sure that the elder girl must be filled +with disgust at the sight of her, even if she did not show it. Mux had +seen her peculiarity immediately and had remarked upon it. And now +Agnes would be there, too.</p> + +<p>That Agnes, as well as the proud-looking Nika, had a secret sorrow +made Cornelli feel as if there were a bond between them. This gave her +a little courage to follow Dino’s mother, who was waiting in the +doorway. When Cornelli entered Agnes was standing, full of expectation, +in the middle of the room. Going up to the visitor, she shook her hand.</p> + +<p>“I am so glad you came, Cornelli,” she said with animation. “Dino has +talked so much about you that we, too, wanted to meet you.”</p> + +<p>“I want to sit beside you,” said Mux, dragging his chair to Cornelli’s +side.</p> + +<p>“Just stay where you are! That is my seat,” Agnes cut him short. She +could not be misunderstood, for she pushed back the chair and Mux quite +vigorously.</p> + +<p>The mother had again gone out to the kitchen, so he could not get her +help, which made him very angry.</p> + +<p>“Yes, yes, you always want to order everybody around all the time,” +he cried out furiously, “and you even broke somebody on the wheel, +once.”</p> + +<p>Now the mother entered.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Mama, Mux is saying such frightful things. Shouldn’t he go to +bed?” Agnes called to her.</p> + +<p>Mux was just gathering up his strength to fight against this proposed +punishment, when the mother cut short their quarrel.</p> + +<p>“No, no,” she said kindly. “To-day Cornelli is here for the first time +and it is a feast day for us. Mux shall not go to bed, but he must sit +down quietly in his chair and say grace; then all will be well.”</p> + +<p>Mux was soon calmed by the soothing words and the good soup’s delicious +odor which penetrated his nostrils. So he said grace in quite a +tolerable manner. Cornelli had been very much touched by his desire +to sit beside her. She was anxious to do him a favor, too, and she +tried to think of something that might please him.</p> + +<p>Directly after lunch Nika and Agnes had to hurry off to school again +and the mother had to supervise Trina’s work, so Mux was entrusted +with the task of entertaining Cornelli for a little while. That suited +him exactly.</p> + +<p>“Now, I’ll show you that Agnes has really broken a man on the wheel,” +he said triumphantly.</p> + +<p>“But I don’t believe it, Mux. And why should the man have held still?” +asked Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“You can read it here. See, it is written there!” said Mux, placing +his picture book on Cornelli’s lap and pointing to a splendid colored +picture. “Read what is written here,” he directed. “Dino once read it +aloud to me and then I knew it.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli read aloud: “Agnes orders Rudolph von Warth to be bound to +the wheel.”</p> + +<p>“Now you see it,” Mux said complacently.</p> + +<p>Cornelli did not quite know what the picture was supposed to mean, so +she began to read the story that explained it. She read more eagerly +each instant, for it was described so vividly that she had to consume +one page after another.</p> + +<p>“Now you know it,” said Mux a little impatiently. “Now look at the goat +wagon.”</p> + +<p>“But Mux,” Cornelli said eagerly, “it is quite a different Agnes, it +is a queen. You must never think any more that your sister has done +such a dreadful thing.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but look at the goat wagon, now,” begged Mux, a little +disappointed.</p> + +<p>“Why is the child here crying on the road? Just look how he is pressing +his hands up to his eyes! Oh, he is so unhappy! Do you know why?”</p> + +<p>Mux shook his head.</p> + +<p>“Then I have to read it quickly,” said Cornelli. She became so absorbed +in the story that she did not notice how Mux was pulling her and urging +her to stop reading; he even shook the book.</p> + +<p>The mother came into the room now and said: “Dino has shortened his +rest a little, for he is longing to see you again, Cornelli. Will you +come?”</p> + +<p>Cornelli immediately shut the book, for she was extremely glad to go +to her friend. She felt some regret, however, at having to leave the +story unfinished; she would have loved to know what happened further.</p> + +<p>“So you like the book? It was the joy of all my children from the +oldest to the youngest,” said the mother. Cornelli’s regretful glance +at it had not escaped her. “You can look at it again later on, for we +still have lots of time.”</p> + +<p>But Cornelli had to talk over so many things with Dino that the time +had passed before they had thought it possible, and it was not long +before Mux came running with the message that supper was ready. The +meal had to be early because Cornelli had to leave immediately after +it.</p> + +<p>“Oh, what a shame!” said Cornelli, jumping up because she knew her +father did not like to wait.</p> + +<p>“Bring mother here, Mux,” said Dino, and the little one departed. +“Wouldn’t you like to stay with us a few days, Cornelli? It would be +so nice. Wouldn’t you like to? Oh, I think you would!” said Dino +eagerly.</p> + +<p>Cornelli had quite a strange sensation. She hardly dared to say yes; +it seemed so incredible to her that everybody in the house should be +so friendly to her and really want her to stay. But that probably would +not last if she remained and they got to know her better. Soon the +mother came in with Mux. The little boy had heard Dino’s last words +to Cornelli and had already announced to his mother that Cornelli was +sure to stay, because Dino would not let her go.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I am so glad that you have settled it all between you! I am so +pleased that you are going to stay, Cornelli,” she said, full of joy. +“I was just going to propose it to you, and I am so glad that Dino has +persuaded you. Your father has already given me his permission and all +I have to do is to let him know right away. Now you can stay quietly +together, for there is no hurry about supper.”</p> + +<p>The mother immediately wrote to Mr. Hellmut, and soon after that, fat +little Trina was running over to the hotel.</p> + +<p>Cornelli had again settled down beside Dino with a mixed feeling of +wonderful delight and fear. He noticed her timidity.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, Dino, I love to stay with you and Mux,” she assured him. +“Your mother is so good to me, too, but I am afraid of your two sisters. +I have to think of poor little block-headed Trina all the time, when +she does everything wrong and does not know how to do otherwise; you +all despise her for it and she can’t help it. I know what it is like +to be so block-headed.”</p> + +<p>Dino had to laugh a little.</p> + +<p>“Why do you suddenly think of our Trina?” he asked. “Do not worry about +her, for mother is very good to her. Just be happy, Cornelli, and do +not imagine all kinds of things about block-headed Trina.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli did not say another word, but Dino noticed that she kept on +thinking just the same. After a while the mother came to announce that +it was time for Dino’s rest. The prospect of seeing each other again +on the following day was a great consolation to them both.</p> + +<p>Then Cornelli and the mother went back to the room where the sisters +were sitting at their school work. Mux was bending over his picture +book, hatching out new ideas, no doubt. Just then the half grown Trina +entered with a basket on her arm. While she was passing Nika’s chair, +her basket got caught on it. Pulling violently to free it, she turned +the chair around quite suddenly.</p> + +<p>“You are getting more awkward every day, Trina,” Nika said crossly.</p> + +<p>Cornelli blushed. She felt as if these words were meant for her as +well. She must be just as awkward in Nika’s eyes as Trina was. The +latter failed to excuse herself and from embarrassment became more +clumsy in her movements. Cornelli understood this perfectly; that was +what she always did, she knew it quite well.</p> + +<p>“Now we shall have supper,” said the mother, “and when the children’s +work is done we shall all sing together. Don’t you sing, too, Cornelli?”</p> + +<p>“I probably do not know the songs, and so I can’t sing,” she replied +shyly.</p> + +<p>After supper Mux fled back to Cornelli with his book. He wanted to +renew his conversation with her, but his mother had a different plan.</p> + +<p>“Give your book to Cornelli, for it is time for you to retire,” she +said. “You can join us again to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>Mux departed reluctantly.</p> + +<p>When his mother was firmly leading him away, he was still able to call +to Cornelli: “Be sure not to go till I come back!”</p> + +<p>Cornelli felt quite frightened when her confiding little friend had +gone. Now for the first time she was left alone with the two sisters. +She wondered what would happen. But nothing happened. They were both +so deeply occupied with their work that they did not even raise their +heads. Cornelli now remembered the lovely story book. She had already +begun a story and she simply had to know how it would end. So she began +to read. As soon as she finished one story, a new wonderful picture +would lead her to another story.</p> + +<p>Suddenly some splendid music sounded close beside her, and Cornelli +started. Agnes was sitting at the piano close to her side and playing. +Cornelli could not read any more, for Agnes played one lovely tune +after another as quickly and easily as if it did not cause her any +trouble. She knew from Dino that Agnes was not much more than a year +older than she was. She listened with admiration to the beautiful +melodies that were pouring forth from the instrument. Finally the +mother returned. She had made her nightly visit to Dino and had had +several things to say to him.</p> + +<p>“Mama,” Agnes called to her eagerly, “I am playing all the merry pieces +I know to-night, for I have just finished my long composition.”</p> + +<p>“You are right, Agnes. And how are you getting along with your painting, +Nika?” asked the mother.</p> + +<p>Nika replied quite sadly that she had hoped to finish it that day, but +the days were very short now and she could not paint by lamp light. +Her mother should see how little her work still lacked.</p> + +<p>“If I had one hour more of daylight, I could finish it,” she sighed.</p> + +<p>Nika placed a large painting under the bright lamp. It somewhat +resembled the beautiful pictures which decorated the walls of the room. +The colors in it were perfectly wonderful, and Cornelli had never +before seen such a lovely picture. Sparkling crimson roses were hanging +down an old wall and dense ivy was creeping up between them with shiny +green leaves. An old oak tree was stretching large gnarled branches +over the decayed wall, and below, a clear stream was peacefully flowing +out to a meadow, where glowing red and blue flowers seemed to greet +it joyfully.</p> + +<p>Cornelli stared at the lovely picture; she had never seen anything +like this glittering stream, the painted trees and flowers; one seemed +to hear the murmuring of the brook, far, far away through the meadow. +It was all so full of life! And to think that Nika had painted it! +Cornelli felt as if a deep, deep gulf lay between her and the two +sisters, a chasm that separated her from them forever.</p> + +<p>The two sisters seemed to stand before her like two splendid creatures, +full of beauty and fine gifts, while she stood there a stupid, awkward, +block-headed Trina, whom nobody on earth ever could possibly love. +Mrs. Halm gave Nika great encouragement by praising her work and urging +her to begin promptly next day.</p> + +<p>Then she sat down at the piano, for they always concluded their evening +with a song.</p> + +<p>Cornelli remained still. The rector’s wife urged her to join them, but +Cornelli had had too many impressions that day to be able to sing. She +knew quite well the old evening song that they were singing, for Martha +had taught it to her long ago, but she felt as if she could not utter +a note.</p> + +<p>At the end of the song Agnes suddenly exploded: “Oh, mother, that is +nothing at all. When you are hoarse and Dino is in bed, our singing +is frightful. Nika only squeaks like a little chicken with a sore +throat.”</p> + +<p>“Well, then one has to stop singing,” said Nika, shaking her shoulders +a little proudly.</p> + +<p>“No, the whole household has to sing, otherwise it is not worth +anything,” Agnes declared. “It is a shame that the most beautiful thing +in the world should be so little practiced.”</p> + +<p>After the song was ended the mother took Cornelli kindly by the hand +and said: “I am sure that you are tired, dear child. I am going to +take you to a tiny bedroom, for I have no larger one. Your door leads +into Agnes’ and Nika’s room,” she continued, when she was standing +with Cornelli in the little chamber.</p> + +<p>“You can open the door and then you are practically all three in a +single room.”</p> + +<p>Then she said good-night cordially and wished Cornelli a good rest.</p> + +<p>Nika and Agnes quickly said good-night, too, and then Cornelli was +alone in her room.</p> + +<p>She had no desire to open the door, for her shyness had only increased +since her arrival. How high the two stood above her! Cornelli was not +a bit sleepy and kept on thinking of all the things that had happened +to her that day.</p> + +<p>What did Agnes mean when she spoke about the most beautiful thing in +the world? Did she mean singing? That was not the most beautiful thing +by any means. The most wonderful of all was a painting like Nika’s, +with lovely roses and trees and the meadow with clear water. At last +Cornelli’s eyes closed, but she kept on seeing the flowers and seemed +to be looking up admiringly at Nika, who stood beside her, tall and +beautiful. Cornelli thought: If she would only say one pleasant word +to me. Then Nika turned around to her and said: “You are an awkward, +block-headed Cornelli!” All this Cornelli saw and heard in her dream.</p> + +<p>Agnes said to her sister in the other room: “If only Cornelli would +say something! One cannot tell what she is thinking about. How could +Dino find her so amusing, and become her friend? She sits there all +the time and never says a word.”</p> + +<p>“That is her least fault,” Nika returned. “But it is horrid that she +insists on looking like a wild islander. I do not understand why Mama +did not push the frightful locks out of her eyes.”</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX<br><span class="small">A GREAT CHANGE</span></h2></div> + + +<p>Next morning Mux had hardly opened his eyes when he desired to go again +straightway to Cornelli, for this had been promised him the night +before. Before he succeeded, however, he had to submit to his usual +fate in the morning. He ran into the room at last, neatly washed and +combed and with cheeks shining like two red apples. Cornelli was already +sitting in a corner of the room, listening attentively to Agnes’ +playing. He flew towards her and saw his beloved book already in her +hands.</p> + +<p>“Oh, now we shall read and tell stories all day long,” he called out +happily. “All the others have to go to school.”</p> + +<p>But Mux had forgotten that breakfast came first of all. After the meal +the two sisters departed, but Dino knocked and clamored for Cornelli +to come to him. Mux loudly protested against this and only calmed down +when Cornelli promised to keep him company during Dino’s rest hour. +He kept on objecting and murmuring to himself even after she had gone.</p> + +<p>Cornelli was quite thrilled and overcome by the thought that anybody +should love her so, and it did her more good than anything else. As +soon as she came to Dino’s room he asked her if she would read to him, +too, for he had found out how much she enjoyed reading to Mux out of +his picture book.</p> + +<p>“Have you entertaining books, too?” asked Cornelli with hesitation. +In her mind she saw her own beautiful books at home, that she had left +alone because so many things in them had been unintelligible.</p> + +<p>“I should say so! You just ought to see them,” said Dino. “Please take +down the book called ‘Funny Journeys.’ There are pictures in it, too. +They are not as big as in the other book and are not colored, but they +are so comical that they make one laugh all the time.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli got the book down, and in a little while merry peals of +laughter filled the room. The mother, who heard, was happily smiling +and saying to herself: “No, no, all is not yet lost.”</p> + +<p>So the week passed by. Cornelli spent most of her time reading aloud +to Dino and to Mux. She grew more eager all the time in this occupation, +and if Mux would suddenly want to play with soldiers, Cornelli would +say: “You can easily play that alone. Let me read this and later I’ll +tell you all about it.” So she had soon finished reading the whole big +book.</p> + +<p>Cornelli had so far scarcely become acquainted with the two girls, and +Nika had rarely spoken to her. On Saturday morning the mother entered +Dino’s room just after Cornelli had finished reading such a funny tale +that both children still laughed aloud at the remembrance.</p> + +<p>“Children, to-morrow Cornelli’s father is expecting to hear from me. +He will want to know if he is to come to fetch her home, or if he is +to leave her here another week. Cornelli herself shall decide, but we +all want her to stay.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t go, don’t go! Tell him not to come for a long while,” Mux +implored her. The little boy had slipped in behind his mother and was +keeping a tight hold on Cornelli, as if her papa might come at once +to pull her away.</p> + +<p>“No, no, Cornelli, you won’t go away yet,” Dino now said. “To-morrow +I am allowed to get up for the first time and you must be there to see +if I can still walk. After that you must stay here till I go to school; +won’t you, Cornelli? You don’t want to go, do you?”</p> + +<p>“You must not urge her too much,” said the mother. “Maybe Cornelli +would rather go home, and by your talking you might keep her from +saying so.” But being urged by the two children was such a joy to +Cornelli that she never even hesitated.</p> + +<p>“I should love to stay,” she said.</p> + +<p>“Oh, how splendid!” Dino exclaimed. “Please ask for at least two or +three weeks, Mama. It is so nice to have Cornelli with us.”</p> + +<p>“I shall ask Cornelli’s father to let us have his daughter a while +longer,” said the mother, “I cannot possibly settle the time, her +father will do that.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, a while longer is just right. Then it is so easy to ask for +a little more time, for we can say that we meant that by a little +longer,” said Dino.</p> + +<p>The same day, later on, while Dino was resting, Cornelli was sitting +with Mux. They were both so happy over the prospect of remaining +together that Mux opened the piano and asked Cornelli to sing with +him. Cornelli could not play, so promised that she would try to sing. +She asked Mux to choose a song, but he knew none.</p> + +<p>“You sing one,” he proposed, “and I might know it, too.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli was just in the mood to sing once more. She began a song with +her bright, full voice and Mux listened admiringly.</p> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The snow’s on the meadow,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The snow’s all around,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The snow lies in heaps</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">All over the ground.</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Hurrah, oh hurrah!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">All over the ground.</span><br></div></div> +<div class="stanza"><div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oh cuckoo from the woods,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Oh flowers so bright,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oh, kindliest sun,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Come and bring us delight!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Hurrah, oh hurrah!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Come and bring us delight!</span><br></div></div> +<div class="stanza"><div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the swallow comes back</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And the finches all sing,</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I sing and I dance</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">For joy of the Spring.</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Hurrah, oh hurrah!</span><br></div> +<div class="verse"> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For joy of the Spring.</span><br></div> +</div></div></div> +<p>Suddenly the door flew open and Agnes burst into the room.</p> + +<p>“But why didn’t you ever say anything?” she cried out. “To think of +it! Why did you never say a word, Cornelli?”</p> + +<p>“But what should I have said?” Cornelli asked, very much frightened.</p> + +<p>“You must not be afraid,” Mux now calmed her, “I’ll help you, if she +should want to hurt you.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t be so unnaturally stupid, Mux!” his sister ejaculated as she +ran to the next room. Here her mother was already standing in the open +door. “Have you heard it, Mother? Come out and let Cornelli sing her +song again!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, indeed! I have heard it with pleasure and great wonder,” said +the mother, approaching Cornelli. “You have a voice, dear child, that +we all should love to hear again. Have you often sung before?”</p> + +<p>“Oh yes,” said Cornelli. “Martha has taught me many songs, but—”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by but?” Agnes quickly interrupted her. “I know now +what a voice you have. I have to go quickly to my music lesson, but +you must sing a lot with me to-night. No buts will be allowed then.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Cornelli, won’t you sing with us tonight?” asked the mother kindly. +“We know now how well it sounds, and I do not see why you should still +hesitate.”</p> + +<p>“I can’t sing properly when I am afraid, for then it does not sound +well,” Cornelli replied.</p> + +<p>“Why should you be afraid?” asked the mother. “You know us all so well +now.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, because I am not like Agnes and Nika. I can’t do anything they +do and I don’t look the way they do,” said Cornelli. With these words +she frowned again in the old way, so that one could see it through the +thick fringes of hair that covered her forehead.</p> + +<p>The mother said no more and went out.</p> + +<p>“Just stay with me, Cornelli; then you don’t have to be afraid of +anything,” Mux said protectingly. “I am afraid of nothing in the whole +world—except of the dark,” he added quickly, for he had seen Cornelli’s +penetrating eyes looking at him through her hair, and felt that he had +to tell the truth, for she was sure to find him out. “No,” he continued, +“I won’t be even afraid of that if you stay with me all the time.”</p> + +<p>Agnes had finished her school work sooner than ever that day. She ran +to the piano and called to Cornelli: “Come here! Mux can play alone, +for we must sing now.”</p> + +<p>So Cornelli went up to the piano.</p> + +<p>“I shall sing the first stanza of this song and then you can sing it +with me the second time,” Agnes said and began: “The beauteous moon +is risen.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I have known that song a long time. Shall I sing the second voice?” +asked Cornelli.</p> + +<p>“What? Can you really sing second voice? Can you really do it? Oh, +that would be wonderful! Go ahead and do it!” said Agnes excitedly.</p> + +<p>So the two girls sang alone together, for Nika had not finished her +work, and the regular time for the evening songs had not yet come. +Agnes was radiantly happy while she was making experiments with a new +voice.</p> + +<p>Nika was still absorbed in her work, the mother only entered the room +now and then, and as Agnes was singing with her, Cornelli did not have +the feeling that anybody was listening. So she sang quite freely and +let her whole, full voice flow out. Agnes became more eager all the +time, and it really sounded as if a whole chorus were singing in the +room.</p> + +<p>At last the mother stood still, and Nika, lifting her head from her +work, listened, too.</p> + +<p>When the song was done, Agnes clapped her hands and said: “Oh, Cornelli, +your voice is as clear as a bell! Oh, if I only had a voice like that! +What wonderful things I could sing then! Do you know many songs, +Cornelli? Just tell me all you know.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli looked over the song book before her. She knew quite a number +of the songs in it, for Martha had taught her many.</p> + +<p>Agnes was in raptures: “Oh, now our evening songs won’t be like a +feeble chirping any more; now everything, everything will be different!” +she cried out. Suddenly struck with a new idea, she ran over to her +other music books.</p> + +<p>She got a book of songs for two voices, which she had only been able +to use at her music lessons and never at home, for Nika could not join +her. “Come, Cornelli, try to sing after me now. This is your part, and +when you know it, I’ll sing mine. Here are your notes,” she instructed +Cornelli, and with that she began to sing.</p> + +<p>Cornelli did not know the notes very well, because Mr. Maelinger had +not instructed her very deeply in that subject. Her ear, however, was +correct, and she could immediately repeat a melody. Agnes began with +the easiest songs, and it did not take Cornelli any time to learn them. +She soon knew where to pause and where to take up her part again. So +a second piece was started and soon a third. Then they repeated them +all again and before long they could sing three songs quite well.</p> + +<p>“Once more, once more,” Agnes urged her. It went better every time, +and in the end they sang together perfectly. Agnes jumped up from her +seat and exclaimed: “Oh, you are a wonderful Cornelli! Who would have +thought it? Please do not go home yet. Stay here, and then we can sing +together every day. Have you heard it, Mama?”</p> + +<p>The mother affirmed it and told them that she and Dino had both enjoyed +the singing. Dino had asked to have his door kept open, for he had +wanted to hear it all.</p> + +<p>“Do you know what we’ll do, Cornelli?” said Agnes. “To-morrow morning +we’ll study a festive duet. We shall greet Dino with it when he comes +back to this room again for the first time.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli gladly agreed.</p> + +<p>It was time now for their accustomed evening song, which had been put +off longer than usual that day. Agnes was of the decided opinion that +it was not suitable to end this day with a mild evening song. She +suggested a loud hymn of praise and thanks. She started it with +enthusiasm, and all the others soon joined.</p> + +<p>The unexpected joy and great friendliness Agnes had shown had made +Cornelli so happy and astonished that she sat a long time on her bed +in the little room. She was wondering to herself why she could never +be quite happy in spite of everybody’s goodness, but she knew soon +enough why this was so. Her old fear had not left her. She fully +realized that she looked different from other children and that her +horns would get worse, till they could not be hidden any more. Then +everybody would think what Mux had thought, even if they did not say +it.</p> + +<p>Next morning, when Cornelli had just gotten up, Mrs. Halm entered her +room. “Cornelli,” she said, taking the child’s hand, “you have made +us all so happy! You have done much for Dino by helping him to pass +many pleasant hours, and you have entertained my little restless Mux +so wonderfully that he can hardly live without you any more. I should +like to do something for you now; I should love to make you look festive +to-day and get rid forever of everything that disfigures you.”</p> + +<p>The mother had already begun to smooth out the child’s thick hair.</p> + +<p>“Oh no, oh no, please don’t do it!” Cornelli cried out, “then everything +will be lost. I want to go home, oh, I must go home! Oh, they will all +laugh at me and they won’t like me any more. Oh, you don’t know how +it is.”</p> + +<p>“I know everything, dear child,” the mother said quietly. “Dino has +told me everything. Don’t you know, child, that I love you? You know, +Cornelli, that I would not do anything that might hurt you the least +bit, or that would not help you. I want to free you from an error, +Cornelli.”</p> + +<p>“No, no, it is not an error, surely not,” Cornelli called out in her +great anxiety. “My cousin said it and Miss Grideelen said it, too. +They saw it, and I know it. Oh, please don’t brush my hair away.”</p> + +<p>“Cornelli,” the mother went on calmly, “the ladies told you they saw +little horns on your forehead, that got bigger every time you wrinkled +up your brow. You are afraid that this is really so and that it is +getting worse. You understood it in a way they did not mean. They only +wanted to tell you that when you frowned you looked as if you had horns +on your forehead, and they said it to keep you from frowning. They +meant well by you, but you misunderstood them. But you can understand +me. Just let me help you to be happy again.</p> + +<p>“Have you any confidence in me, Cornelli? Tell me, do you think that +I would do anything that would make you repulsive in the eyes of +everyone? Do you believe that? I know you don’t, child!” Cornelli only +groaned a little.</p> + +<p>With nimble hands the mother had in the meantime kept on smoothing and +combing the child’s heavy hair. It already lay beautifully parted on +both sides of her face. The brown, wavy hair framed a snow-white brow, +for not a ray of sunshine had penetrated through the hair all summer +long. The mother finished the two heavy tresses and wound them about +Cornelli’s head like a crown. Smilingly the mother looked into +Cornelli’s face. The great change had thrilled her with joy.</p> + +<p>“Now come with me to the children. We shall see if they can notice any +change,” she said, and taking the little girl’s hand, she led her away. +Cornelli was extremely glad to enter the room at the mother’s side, +for she would not have dared to go alone. When the door opened, she +looked shyly at the floor.</p> + +<p>Mux had already been waiting for his companion and now ran to meet +her. “What have you done, Cornelli?” he cried out in sudden surprise. +“Your forehead looks quite clean and neat, and you have shiny eyes +like a canary bird, and you don’t look like an owl any more.”</p> + +<p>“Why Cornelli! You are transformed!” Agnes exclaimed. “Just let me see +you. Make a little room, Mux! No, I don’t know you any more. It is +fortunate you did it, for it is a pleasure to look at you now.”</p> + +<p>“Your mother has done it,” Cornelli explained confusedly, for she was +quite overcome at all these manifestations of joy.</p> + +<p>Nika also glanced up at her. “You are a different child, Cornelli, and +I do not see how you could ever have gotten the way you were.”</p> + +<p>These words were said in such a charming manner that a deep sensation +of well-being filled Cornelli. She tried to fight against it, however, +for she did not think it possible that she should suddenly become freed +from her horrible, sickening fear.</p> + +<p>Agnes was very anxious to practice their song for the festive reception +of the newly risen Dino, and Cornelli, too, was filled with ardor. The +two children kept up their singing quite a while, for Agnes could not +weary of trying the songs for two voices which she had never before +been able to use.</p> + +<p>Dino did not come until lunch time. Though he was still very pale, he +felt extremely lively. “Hurrah, Cornelli!” he cried out as he entered +the living room. “Now you look again the way you used to in Iller-Stream +when you forgot to pull your curtains over your brow. You even look +better than that, Cornelli, you look perfectly splendid! Another hurrah +for this great joy!”</p> + +<p>The next moment a surprise came for Dino: the lovely festive song which +Agnes and Cornelli were singing in his honor. The voice of the latter +was full of purity and strength, and Dino kept on signalling to Nika +over and over again, saying in a low voice: “Do you hear it? Do you +see it? Do you notice it at last?”</p> + +<p>It was quite evident that two had not been of the same opinion about +Cornelli till that day.</p> + +<p>So they all had a merry feast. In Cornelli’s heart the feeling of +delicious well-being gradually began to drive away all other sensations. +Her old gaiety broke forth boundlessly and roused all the others as +well to great merriment and joy. Dino looked quite well again, and his +eyes fairly beamed with happiness. Even the mother joined in their gay +mood, and she had to glance over and over again at her two daughters, +who had seldom shown such unclouded joy. She heaved a secret sigh, +however, and asked herself: I wonder how long this happiness will last, +for we have hard times before us.</p> + +<p>“Wasn’t I right, after all?” Dino said to his sisters, when Cornelli +had retired and the family separated at bedtime. The sisters till now +had made disparaging remarks to him about Cornelli. “We do not see +what attracts you in her,” they had said. “We don’t understand how you +can find her entertaining,” and so on.</p> + +<p>When Cornelli was alone in her room that night, she felt as in a dream. +What had happened to her? Was it really true that the great sorrow +which had weighed on her and had taken all her joy away had forever +disappeared? The mother had told her firmly that it had been an error, +and the children had proved it to be so by their reception of her. So +she could be happy again as she had always been. Cornelli was filled +with joy and praise to God at this thought.</p> + +<p>“How wonderfully God has led me,” she said in her heart. She remembered +how anxiously she had prayed to Him to prevent her from being sent to +town. Now she had come to town, but in such a different way from what +she had feared! She had been freed from her trouble by going away. +Martha had certainly been right and she would always try to remember +this. In the future she would pray to God that she might do everything +according to His will, and she made up her mind that she would never +again try to force the fulfilment of her own wishes. She felt that she +owed the good Lord in Heaven especial praises, so she lay down to sleep +quite late, and because of her happiness, even stayed awake a long +time after her prayers were said.</p> + +<p>“I have to tell you something, Cornelli,” said the mother next day, +when all the family was peacefully gathered around the supper table. +“You know that I have written to your father asking him to let you +stay here a little longer. He has answered me, saying that he would +be very pleased if his little daughter could stay with us for a year +and could take all the lessons that my daughters are taking; but he +leaves you free to decide about it. So you must write to your father +to let him know the answer to his proposal.</p> + +<p>“Oh, you must stay here, Cornelli. Won’t you please stay?” Dino +exclaimed. “Then you can be here till summer time and we two can go +back to Iller-Stream together, for it is quite settled that I am going +again to our good old Martha.”</p> + +<p>“And I’ll go, too,” Mux said with conviction. “Do you know, Cornelli,” +he whispered into her ear, “I’ll stay with you all the time in your +own house and Dino can go alone to old Martha.”</p> + +<p>Agnes was simply enchanted with this new prospect. “Oh, how wonderful, +how wonderful!” she exclaimed over and over again. “Now we can have +singing lessons together and sing again at home. Oh, that is too +wonderful!”</p> + +<p>Nika also begged Cornelli to stay. “I hope you will tell your father +that you intend to remain with us, Cornelli,” she said. “We are only +just beginning to know you well.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli’s eyes sparkled with pleasure, for now the whole family wanted +to keep her with them. Suddenly a thought flashed through her. When +her father had threatened to send her to town for a year, she had been +terribly upset, and now the year spent in town with this family seemed +like pure pleasure. How different everything had been from what she +had thought and feared.</p> + +<p>“I should love to stay here!” she exclaimed with deep emotion. “Can +I write to Papa now?” That suited Mrs. Halm exactly. Sitting down +beside Cornelli, she also wrote to Mr. Hellmut, and both letters were +sent at once.</p> + +<p>Two days later Mr. Hellmut was sitting at the breakfast table, looking +at his mail. First of all he opened a fat envelope which had come to +him from town. There were two letters in it which caused him great +surprise. Mrs. Halm wrote that all the members of her family had +joyfully received his proposal to leave Cornelli with them for a longer +stay. She told him that they had all become so fond of Cornelli that +she would have left behind a feeling of real loss.</p> + +<p>Cornelli’s letter read as follows:</p> +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>DEAR PAPA:</p> + +<p>I should love to stay here, for the mother and all the children are +very good to me, and I love them dearly. I should also like to learn +lots and lots of things. Nika and Agnes know so much and are so clever, +and I should be so glad to learn what they know. I shall be unspeakably +happy if you will let me stay. Please give my love to Martha, Esther, +and Matthew.</p> + +<p class="right">YOUR CORNELLI.</p> +</div> +<p>After reading the letters, the Director shook his head. “What on earth +has happened?” he said to himself. “A few weeks have hardly passed +since they told me that this child could not be set to rights, and I +have myself seen how stubborn she was and how strangely she behaved. +And what a change already! However, I must not take literally what has +probably been written in a moment of excitement.”</p> + +<p>Mr. Hellmut was very glad about Cornelli’s intention to remain in town, +for thus his greatest care had been taken from him. A lovely woman, +who with her children had made a most favorable impression on him, had +promised to devote herself to his child, and he only wondered how long +the present arrangement would last.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Halm had soon arranged a regular course of studies for Cornelli. +Agnes was very anxious for her to start music lessons right away, for +she thought that that was the most important thing. Cornelli herself +was eager to do this, for she wanted to learn everything that Nika and +Agnes were learning. So she threw herself with fresh energy into all +the fields of study that were opened to her.</p> + +<p>Dino also was going to school, for he had entirely recovered. Every +morning the four children started out gaily, talking eagerly while +they walked down the street, until they finally separated for their +various schools. If they met again on their way home, they were still +more lively, for they would tell each other all their experiences. +Cornelli surpassed them all in that respect. She had the talent of +describing everything in such a funny and vivid fashion that she made +them all laugh.</p> + +<p>Mux alone was unhappy in these days, for he had lost his beloved +companion. Full of anger, he would meet the four laughing school +children when they were coming up the stairs and would say: “If I owned +all the schools I would certainly burn them.”</p> + +<p>“But I hope not all the teachers, too, Mux,” said Dino, “for then one +would have to tell an even worse tale about you than you were telling +about Agnes.”</p> + +<p>The door between Cornelli’s and the sisters’ room was always open now, +for they all had wished it. There was not a single evening on which +they did not make use of the last moment for talking to each other +about their mutual interests.</p> + +<p>Cornelli was filled with admiration for Nika and for everything she +did. She could not understand how Nika, who was so lovely and could +do such wonderful things, could have a sorrow. She had never forgotten +about it, because she had often noticed that the young girl suffered +from some grief.</p> + +<p>Even Agnes often stopped laughing quite suddenly. She would say: “Yes, +Cornelli, it is easy for you to be jolly. It is easy for you.” So +Cornelli knew that Agnes also carried a care about with her. When Agnes +frowned and made dreadful wrinkles, Cornelli was quite sure that then +her sorrow was hurting her. She would have loved to help her, but she +had never asked her friends about it. She knew that she had been glad +when nobody had asked her about her own trouble.</p> + +<p>One day it happened that Agnes came home from her music lesson quite +upset and terribly excited. “Oh, Mama,” she called from the door, “the +teacher has given us the pieces today which we have to play for our +examinations. He has given me the most difficult one, and while giving +it to me he said: ‘I shall really make something fine out of you.’”</p> + +<p>Agnes was throwing her music sheets away as if they were her greatest +enemies; then she ran away to her room. There she threw herself down +on a chair and began to sob loudly. Cornelli had followed her, for she +was filled with sympathy. Putting her arms about Agnes, she said: “Tell +me, Agnes, what makes you cry. I know what it is like to have to cry +like that. But why do you do it now, when your teacher has just praised +you?”</p> + +<p>“What good is that to me?” Agnes burst out. “How does it help me to +play ever so well? What good would it ever do me even to practice day +and night? Nika and I can only keep on one year more, and then +everything is over. Then she can’t paint any more and I can’t have any +more music lessons, for we shall have to become dressmakers. We won’t +even have time to go through the higher classes in school. I would a +thousand times rather travel through the world and sing in front of +the houses for pennies—yes, I’ll do that!”</p> + +<p>“Can’t your mother help you?” asked Cornelli, remembering the mother’s +help in her own case.</p> + +<p>“No, she can’t; and she is very unhappy herself. There is not a soul +on earth who could help us, for our guardian says that it just has to +be.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli was quite crushed by this explanation, for now she understood +quite well why Nika often had such sad eyes. The hopeless prospect +made Cornelli’s heart heavy, too. When Agnes had had such a passionate +outbreak, she did not regain her composure for several days. Then Nika +would not say a word, either, and the mother only looked very sadly +at her children.</p> + +<p>Then Dino also became silent, for he knew what tormented his mother +and his sisters. He would have loved to help them, but he knew no way. +So Cornelli could not laugh any more, either, and her friend’s great +sorrow weighed on her, too, for she had experienced a heavy grief +herself and had not forgotten what it was like.</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X<br><span class="small">NEW LIFE IN ILLER-STREAM</span></h2></div> + + +<p>Winter had come. For the inhabitants of the garret lodging the days +were filled with so much regular work that the nights were always +greeted with loud regrets and complaints. They were always sorry when +the day was done and no more time was left for their plans. Agnes was +especially angry and ready to spit fire from disgust at the arrival +of the hated bedtime which always broke up everything.</p> + +<p>“We lose half of our lives in sleeping,” she indignantly called out +several times. “I wish you would let us sing all night long, Mother,” +she said. “We should only be more keen for our other work next day, +if we could really devote ourselves to music for a while, instead of +always stopping off in the middle whenever we are in the mood to sing.” +The children’s mother, however, did not agree with Agnes, so the nights +had to be used for sleeping as before.</p> + +<p>Cornelli’s singing delighted Agnes more and more. Cornelli sang +everything as lightly and freely as a bird, and with such a clear and +resonant voice that everybody got pleasure from it. There was no other +voice in the whole school which was as sure and as full as Cornelli’s. +Even the teacher said so, and during the singing lesson he placed her +right in front of him, because she was the best leader of the chorus.</p> + +<p>In the middle of winter Mr. Hellmut wrote to Mrs. Halm to inform her +that he was taking a lengthy journey to foreign parts. As he felt that +Cornelli was well taken care of in her household, he was anxious to +use this opportunity for travelling. He also wrote that he had shortened +his last trip in order not to tie his kind cousin and her friend too +long to his lonely house. He told her that he was very sorry not to +be able to pay her and Cornelli a visit before leaving, for he had to +start at once.</p> + +<p>Never before had spring come so fast. So at least it seemed to Cornelli, +who was walking home alone one day from school. The winter had gone +by and already a mild wind was blowing through the streets, and the +melting snow was dropping from the roofs.</p> + +<p>From the top of a roof a little bird was whistling and singing a song +of delight to the bright blue sky above. Cornelli’s school had been +over sooner than the other children’s, so she was in no hurry and stood +still to listen. A ray of sunshine was flowing into the street, and +the bird kept on singing and whistling, on and on, a heavenly, familiar +sound.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the lovely beech wood at home rose before Cornelli’s eyes, +and she saw the trees in their first green leaves, the first violets +under the hedge, her beloved first violets; she saw the yellow crocuses +sparkling beside the bright red primroses in the garden. The birds at +home used to whistle above her in all the trees in just the same way +as these in the city.</p> + +<p>Oh, how lovely the coming of the spring had always been at home! How +wonderful it would be to see all these familiar sights again! At that +thought Cornelli ran to the house as fast as she possibly could. Sitting +down beside her ink-well she wrote as follows:</p> +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>DEAR PAPA:</p> + +<p>I am sure it is more beautiful at home now than anywhere else. May I +come home soon? I am sure that the violets are out and that everything +is getting green in the woods. Soon there will be lots of flowers in +the garden, and later on the roses, and then all the berries and +forget-me-nots in the meadows will come out. I know now that it is +nowhere as beautiful as at home. I should love to show the mother and +the girls everything, and I know that Mux would adore the little kid. +Dino already loves the meadows and the garden, and I hope that he will +come to Iller-Stream again. If I could only soon see it all again!</p> + +<p class="right">A great many kisses,<br> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">from your daughter,</span><br> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">CORNELLI.</span><br> +</p></div> + +<p>Cornelli did not get an answer from her father for three weeks. He +wrote to her that his journey had been lengthened beyond his +expectation. He also said how glad he was that his daughter had suddenly +realized what a beautiful home she had, but that he disapproved entirely +of her leaving her school abruptly. He told her to stay in town till +the summer holidays, for he was obliged himself to stay away till then. +He gave her permission to invite for the holidays all the family who +had been so good to her, for he and Cornelli, too, had much reason to +be grateful to Mrs. Halm. There was plenty of room for all of them in +the house, and he would like to have them with him all summer long.</p> + +<p>Cornelli at first was a little disappointed that it was going to be +so long before she could be home and see again the garden, the meadows +and the beech wood, for her longing for them had grown more and more. +But when she thought of the prospect of having all the family with her +all summer, including Dino and his mother, she was so happy that all +her disappointment vanished.</p> + +<p>Her joy was supreme when that day at lunch time she gave the family +her father’s invitation. On all sides she perceived signs of boundless +joy. Nika and Agnes had had the firm conviction that they were to spend +the summer, as usual, in the hot garret dwelling without any special +holidays. And now they could spend all summer in beautiful Iller-Stream, +about which Dino had told them so much. He had described Cornelli’s +house and garden as a perfect paradise, and now they would live there +themselves.</p> + +<p>Agnes screamed for joy and Nika’s face was radiant with happiness. +Mrs. Halm was greatly moved with gratitude and delight. She had been +worrying lately about Dino, for she had been uncertain whether she +would be able to send him away long enough for the boy to be properly +strengthened. She had feared that the time would have to be exceedingly +short and that the benefit therefore would be very slight. Now the +good God had suddenly taken all her anxiety from her and had changed +it into a boundless blessing.</p> + +<p>Dino smiled with complete satisfaction, and said again and again: “I +wish you knew how wonderful it all is. Such a garden and such trees! +Such a stable and such horses! Oh, how I love beautiful Iller-Stream!”</p> + +<p>Mux called out louder and louder: “Oh, Cornelli, take me along!” He +could not realize that he was really going, too. There were still many +days and even weeks before their bliss would come true, but with this +heavenly prospect before them the children performed their remaining +duties only too joyfully.</p> + +<p>It was different for Cornelli. Her longing for her home had grown more +violent every day. Wherever she saw a green tree or a bush, she saw +the garden at home, the meadows, and the flowers in Iller-Stream before +her mind’s eye. So her desire to return there, to see it all again, +became almost painful. She felt finally as if the day would never come +when she could again see her home.</p> + +<p>It came, nevertheless. A large trunk was taken away on a cart, and the +whole family followed it towards the station. Trina came last. In her +wondering eyes one could see that despite all the preparations she did +not yet believe the reality of the coming journey. Cornelli had begged +Mrs. Halm so urgently to let her go, too, that the child’s wish had +been granted. Cornelli had been willing to take the responsibility for +the unexpected guest. Mux was so excited that he kept on running in +front of everybody and hindering them all in walking.</p> + +<p>“Be sensible, Mux!” Dino exclaimed. “If you go on like that, we’ll +miss the train and there won’t be any trip.”</p> + +<p>These words disconcerted Mux to such a degree that he simply tore away +down the street. Dino had to run after him to catch him, for Mux knew +no road or way and had dashed ahead only in his fear of arriving too +late.</p> + +<p>At last they reached the station and entered their car. Now they were +moving out into the beautiful country. The sun was shining over the +fields and woods, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. Cornelli +was sitting beside the open window, eagerly looking out. The journey +lasted for a little more than two hours, and as soon as it was over +they got out.</p> + +<p>“Here he comes, here he comes!” Cornelli cried out, running towards +the road which led into the valley. Here Matthew was just stopping the +pair of horses from their lively trot.</p> + +<p>In a moment Cornelli was at the dismounting coachman’s side, calling +to him: “How are you, Matthew? I am coming home again. Is everything +at home still the same?”</p> + +<p>“Welcome, Cornelli, welcome home!” he said, radiant with joy, for his +master’s child was his greatest pride. “But how you have grown, +Cornelli! Oh, how changed our Cornelli is!”</p> + +<p>Matthew shook her hand with great delight and then opened the carriage +door for the family who had approached.</p> + +<p>“Oh, here is the young gentleman from last summer,” Matthew said again, +shaking Dino’s hand. “But you looked better when you were with us. Oh, +yes, the young gentleman looked much better then, I think.”</p> + +<p>“I should think so, Matthew,” said Dino. “Of course, I looked better +when I could drink such good milk from the stable, in the fine, fresh +morning air. It was different in town.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Halm had entered the carriage and the two girls had followed. +Mux, gazing motionless at the shining horses, could not be taken away +in a hurry from that wonderful sight.</p> + +<p>“They are coming along, too,” said Matthew, who enjoyed the open +admiration the little boy was showing. “You will be able to look at +them every day, and you can ride on them to the fountain.”</p> + +<p>That helped the situation. Everybody was soon inside of the carriage, +and Trina sat beside Matthew on the coachman’s box. Now they galloped +gaily along into the valley.</p> + +<p>“Oh, mother, just look at the red daisies!” Cornelli cried out. “Oh, +look at the golden buttercups! Oh, look, look; see all the blue +forget-me-nots!”</p> + +<p>Cornelli had jumped up, for she could not sit still anymore, and was +looking forwards and backwards, to right and to left. The meadows had +never been so full of flowers, and every few moments Cornelli cried +out with delight. When the carriage drove into the courtyard, Cornelli +was the first to jump down.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Esther, how are you?” she called to her old friend. Full of dignity +and covered with a spotless white apron, the cook stood ready to receive +the guests.</p> + +<p>“Oh, now I am home again! Is everything still the same? Is the garden +still the way it was? And Martha and her house, too?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, yes, Cornelli. And how are you?” returned Esther, looking eagerly +at Cornelli. “How you have changed! In truth you have changed +wonderfully. You are not the same.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli was already running into the house to the living-room and to +her own wardrobe. Yes, everything had remained the same. She flew +outside again to the mother, to lead her into the house. The child’s +face fairly beamed with joy.</p> + +<p>Cornelli’s father was busy working in his office. Hearing the sound +of the approaching wheels, he started. “Here they are already,” he +said to himself. He hastily threw off his working coat and putting on +a good coat left the iron foundry. While he was walking across the +courtyard he sighed deeply. Freshly stamped in his memory, he saw +before him his only child as she had looked when he had returned from +his journey a year ago. Cornelli had stood before him shyly, with +averted glance, resembling a little savage, who had never been combed.</p> + +<p>“I wonder what the child is like now?” he muttered to himself.</p> + +<p>As he entered the living room Cornelli looked up at him. The Director +was quite startled at what he saw. Now Cornelli flew up to him.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Papa, oh, Papa! It is so wonderful to be home again! Everything +is still the way it used to be. Oh, I am so glad to be home again!”</p> + +<p>The father wanted to embrace his child, but before he did so he held +her at arm’s length to gaze at her once more.</p> + +<p>“Cornelli,” he said with tears in his eyes, “you look at me the way +your mother used to. You have grown just like your mother,” he said, +putting his arms lovingly about her. “How was it possible? How could +you change in this way? How did it happen?”</p> + +<p>“Mother knows about it, Papa. Mother has helped me,” said Cornelli, +going with shining eyes to the mother, for Mrs. Halm had retreated to +the back of the room.</p> + +<p>The Director now turned to his new guest. “Welcome to our house,” he +said heartily, greeting both her and the children. Holding Cornelli’s +hand within his own, he continued with emotion: “How different you +have brought her back to me! How did you do it? Can this be the same +child that I brought you?”</p> + +<p>The happy father had to look at Cornelli over and over again, for he +hardly yet realized that this was his child. Was this really Cornelli +and not a creature of his imagination? So he held the child’s hand and +looked again and again into her shining eyes; it really seemed as if +he could not believe it.</p> + +<p>Esther, laden with the dinner dishes, now came into the room to set +the table. She informed her master that the guest rooms were ready and +that she supposed the ladies wanted to retire before the coming meal.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Halm and her daughter gladly followed her, but Cornelli said: +“Oh, Papa, can I run over to Martha? I’ll be back very soon.”</p> + +<p>Dino also begged to go, for he longed to see old Martha again. As the +permission had readily been given, the two children started off. They +had meant to run down the path, but Cornelli could not go fast. The +meadow was so full of daisies, buttercups and especially of blue +forget-me-nots, her favorite flowers, that she felt as if she had to +gather them all, and Dino had to remind her that their time was short +and that the flowers would still be there to-morrow.</p> + +<p>Martha had heard that Cornelli and her guests were expected that day, +so she had several times glanced towards the garden to see if she could +discover trace of her or of Dino. Now both came flying up the steps, +and Martha ran out to meet them. Oh, yes, here was Dino, Dino whom she +knew so well, and Cornelli, too—Martha looked at the child and tried +to say something. Instead of that, however, bright tears started to +her eyes, and she was unable to speak.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Martha, how I have looked forward to coming home and coming to +you right away!” Cornelli exclaimed. “Are you glad, too, Martha? Oh, +I am so happy!”</p> + +<p>“I too, I too, Cornelli,” Martha assured her. “What memories you bring +back to me, child, for you have grown just like your mother. Oh, how +different you are now from what you were. God has blessed your life +in town. It seems like a miracle. Oh, how I have prayed for this!”</p> + +<p>After these words she shook Dino’s hand, looking at him rather sadly, +for her great joy at seeing him again was dimmed by his delicate +appearance.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Dino, how pale and thin you look,” she said. “Last year you were +so much stouter.”</p> + +<p>“That is why I came again to Iller-Stream,” Dino replied cheerfully. +“You must rejoice with us now, Mrs. Martha, for Cornelli and I are +tremendously pleased to be here again. It is just as lovely here as +it was last year, and now we can come to see you every day, for this +seems like home.”</p> + +<p>Martha was so moved that she could not speak. Here was Cornelli, looking +as fresh and bright as ever; all the unspeakably sad expression had +vanished from her face, together with the awful disfigurement of those +days. The old woman was deeply stirred by the happy look in the little +girl’s eyes. Her young mother had looked at her just that way. And +here was Dino, too, full of his old attachment, and speaking such kind +words to her. She could hardly believe this great happiness.</p> + +<p>“We have to go, now, Martha,” Cornelli said, “but we’ll come every day +the way we used to; you know that, Martha. I’ll run over every single +day.”</p> + +<p>“And I, too,” cried Dino. When the happy little couple were running +away, Martha looked after them from her little stairway. Her eyes were +moist, yet followed the two till they were lost from sight.</p> + +<p>Even then she still stood there with folded hands.</p> + +<p>“Oh, good God,” she said quietly, “my heart is full of thankfulness. +Thou hast blessed everything that was hard for the child, and hast +turned everything to good.”</p> + +<p>When the children entered the house, Cornelli said: “Just go in, Dino, +I’ll soon follow you.”</p> + +<p>Then she turned and went into the kitchen.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I was hoping all the time that our Cornelli could still find her +way to the kitchen,” said Esther with satisfaction. “Come and let me +have a real look at you, Cornelli!”</p> + +<p>Esther placed herself squarely in front of the child and said: “You +have grown a lot last year, Cornelli. And your hair is so neatly combed +and brushed! One certainly can enjoy looking at our Cornelli, now.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli blushed a little, for she had to remember the way she had +looked when she had gone away. She knew how it had been and how she +had shut her heart against the help Esther had often offered her.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Esther, I have to tell you something. Where is Trina, the maid, +who has come with them?”</p> + +<p>“I told her to go behind the house to look at the vegetable garden,” +said Esther. “She stood in my way all the time. I am afraid she is not +very quick.”</p> + +<p>“No, she isn’t; I know that. But Esther, I want to tell you something +about her. Please be good to her!” Cornelli begged. “You see, Trina +is block-headed and awkward, but she can’t help it. You don’t know how +that is, but I know. And if you are very good to her, she won’t mind +as much being that way. Won’t you do me that favor, Esther?”</p> + +<p>Full of surprise, Esther looked after the child, who was running towards +the dining room.</p> + +<p>“How does she ever think of such things,” Esther murmured to herself. +“One might think Cornelli had to begin at the bottom herself, instead +of being the Director’s daughter who can have whatever she wants.”</p> + +<p>Esther kept on shaking her head for quite a while, but she was anxious +to show Cornelli that she was the only daughter of the house and could +command her. She was very proud of Cornelli’s position and eager to +prove to her young mistress that she was only too happy to follow her +wishes.</p> + +<p>When the first merry meal was over, the children were allowed to run +out to the garden. They already knew what they were going to see there, +because Dino had described it to them with great enthusiasm. He had +told them about the flower garden with its wealth of color, the +trellises, covered with red peaches, the heavily laden pear and apple +trees. Now they could see all those wonders for themselves, including +the stable with the splendid cows and the proud and shining horses. +So the five children ran away with great eagerness.</p> + +<p>The Director and Mrs. Halm remained in the dining room, drinking their +coffee in each other’s company.</p> + +<p>“Please, Mr. Hellmut,” she said, as soon as the door had closed behind +the children, “please let me thank you for your great kindness. I want +to tell you how grateful I am.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean? Why do you want to thank me, Mrs. Halm?” the Director +interrupted her. “Please let me speak first! It is I who want to thank +you. I shall never be able to repay you for what you have done. What +wonders you have accomplished for my child! How you have been able to +change and develop Cornelli! How well she looks now! I have to gaze +at her again and again, for I can hardly believe that it is the same +child. How can I thank you enough? How did you ever do it? And what +patience, care and trouble you must have taken with her. I am afraid +that it has required endless thought on your part to bring her back +like this.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, Mr. Hellmut, that was not the way at all,” said Mrs. Halm. +“Cornelli has cost me neither patience, care, nor trouble. If by a +little love I have been able to draw out the good kernel of her nature +and bring it to happy development, then that is all I have done. +Cornelli has never made my task hard for me. We have all become so +fond of her that we had to think with sorrow of the time when she would +leave us. I shall never forget what happy hours Dino had with Cornelli +during his illness and how she constantly entertained my sociable +little Mux with her constant merriment and kindness. Yes, Mr. Hellmut, +I shall never forget what she has done, and I can assure you that you +have a lovely little daughter.”</p> + +<p>The Director jumped up in his excitement and strode to and fro in the +room. What different enthusiasm from that of a year ago!</p> + +<p>“You do not know what you are saying, Mrs. Halm,” he said, standing +still before her. “You are relieving me of most dreadful anxiety. I +have suffered perfect tortures, because I was blaming myself for having +neglected my Cornelia’s child. I thought it was too late and that +Cornelli had grown hopelessly stubborn. Now you have come and brought +me back my child so that she even resembles her mother in her eyes and +her whole expression and appearance. My wife was friendly and gay, and +now you tell me that this is Cornelli’s disposition, too.”</p> + +<p>“I have to tell you something else, Mr. Hellmut,” Mrs. Halm continued. +“I am perfectly sure that a child’s first impressions are very +important. It is natural that Cornelli missed her mother’s guidance, +but she was not by any means a neglected child when she came to me. +From what she and Dino have told me I am perfectly sure that Martha +gave Cornelli the best one can possibly give a child on spiritual +education. I esteem old Martha very highly, for she must love and +understand children as few people do.”</p> + +<p>“My wife used to say the same thing, and that is why I had such +confidence in Martha. Unfortunately a time came later on when I feared +that she was wrong, and I did not realize what she meant to Cornelli. +You have reminded me of my great debt—”</p> + +<p>At this moment such loud laughter and rejoicing sounded from below +that both stepped to the open window.</p> + +<p>Mux was screaming loudly, and seemed quite beside himself. “Mama, +Mama,” he cried out, “just look at a living goat boy and a real goat! +Come down and see me!”</p> + +<p>Mux was sitting on the seat of a lovely wicker carriage, with two reins +in one hand and a whip in the other, while a young and slender goat +was pulling him. Agnes and Cornelli were running beside the carriage +as protectors, while Dino held the goat lightly by the reins to keep +her from running off. All the children were screaming with delight at +the wonderful ride.</p> + +<p>Matthew was standing beside the bushes to watch this trial trip, for +he thought that his help might be needed. He had built the carriage +for Cornelli and had already several times harnessed the goat so as +to teach her how to behave when Cornelli returned. When Matthew had +first shown the little conveyance to the children, Cornelli had said +right away that Mux had to take the first ride in order to realize the +scene he loved so much in his picture book.</p> + +<p>Mux simply screamed to his mother in wild joy. To see the wonderful +spectacle from near by, she came down to the garden.</p> + +<p>The Director also left the house, but he went another way. Not long +afterwards he went up Martha’s little stairway to the porch where the +old woman sat on her stool mending.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Mr. Hellmut!” she called out in her surprise. Opening the door +she led her visitor into her room, for the porch was very narrow.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hellmut entered.</p> + +<p>“Martha,” he said in a business-like tone, “I have spoiled your business +by taking your boarder away from you forever. That requires a +compensation, and so I have just bought your little cottage from the +farmer over there, besides the little piece of ground in front of it. +Now you will have more room for your carnations, and if you manage +well, you can surely have some pleasant days from the rent which you +save. Are you satisfied?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Mr. Hellmut! Is this little house really my own, now, and will +I really have a garden besides? Oh, Mr. Hellmut!”</p> + +<p>But her benefactor would not let her say any more. After heartily +shaking her hand, he hurried away.</p> + +<p>The large raspberries were peeping out between the green leaves, and +the golden plums were dropping from the heavily laden branches. From +morning till night on these beautiful summer days Mux fairly swam in +uninterrupted bliss. Before he had even opened his eyes in the morning, +he would call out to his mother in his sleep: “Oh, mother, are we in +Iller-Stream still? Are we still here?” Then the hours of the day +began, each more lovely than the last, and Mux could not tell which +was the best.</p> + +<p>As the boy spent most of the day in the stable, the hayloft, and the +barn, his mother had been obliged to make him a special stable costume. +The little boy loved to watch the milking of the cows, and he never +tired of admiring the horses and the goat.</p> + +<p>Matthew had become his best friend. The gardener constantly thought +out pleasant surprises for Mux, who showed a decided taste for farming. +If Matthew had to do some important work where Mux was in his way, he +always devised a plan to keep the boy amused elsewhere: “Go down there +to the raspberry hedge, Mux!” he would say. “The berries are finest +and biggest there, because the sun has cooked them through. Go to the +plum tree afterwards and wait for me!”</p> + +<p>Mux would obey promptly, wandering over to the plum tree from the +raspberry bushes, which he had lightened considerably. He then would +sit thoughtfully under the plum tree, waiting till Matthew returned. +The gardener then shook the tree so mightily that a flood of golden +plums came rolling down over Mux, who could freely enjoy the wealth +about him.</p> + +<p>If Matthew could not be found and Cornelli and Dino were busy with +their own plans and did not need him, Mux knew another friend who +always gave him a good reception, that friend was Esther. He loved to +find her in the vegetable garden, which was also full of surprises for +him. It was like a marvel to the little boy that the green peas hung +here in abundance, whereas they were only served at home on feast days. +He became quite scared when Esther picked a basketful. But when he +warned her, saying, “Don’t take them all, for then we won’t have any +more,” she only laughed and said: “They always grow again; in a week +there will be plenty more.”</p> + +<p>If Mux looked a little timidly at the large cabbage heads, Esther said +to him: “Don’t be afraid of them, Mux. If I cook cabbage, everybody +else likes it so much that you won’t have to eat it at all, and you +can take the potatoes which I serve with it.”</p> + +<p>Mux often accompanied Esther to the kitchen, where he soon picked up +a lot of useful knowledge. There was no pastry the exact recipe of +which as well as how it tasted Mux could not tell. In this manner he +lived through heavenly days.</p> + +<p>They were no less heavenly for the other children. Dino and Cornelli +had started the large undertaking of laying out Martha’s garden after +their own plan. They were so busy inventing things and carrying them +out that they could hardly ever be found.</p> + +<p>Agnes struggled with Dino for first place in Cornelli’s affection, but +Dino was always the victor. Cornelli never forgot that he had been her +first friend, who had held fast to their friendship. For this she +remained faithful to him.</p> + +<p>It was a consolation to Agnes that she could play on the lovely piano +whenever she wanted to and that Cornelli was always home in the +evenings, when she could sing with her. Mr. Hellmut would sit in his +arm-chair while the two girls sang one song after another, and he could +never hear enough. Beaming with joy, he would say to Mrs. Halm from +time to time: “The child has her mother’s voice, except that her +mother’s voice was still fuller and softer.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Halm’s face would beam, too, as she would say: “Just have a little +patience, Director. You are sure some day to hear Cornelli’s voice +when there will be nothing more to desire in it. Her teacher’s highest +wish is to train her voice.” For answer the father nodded and lay back +in his chair smiling contentedly.</p> + +<p>Nika, too, was completely changed. No shadows dimmed her eyes, for she +could wander about all day with her paint box from one lovely spot to +another, up to the beech wood or to the hill where the big oak tree +stood. There she could sit on a bench and look down, over the house +and garden, and far below into the wide, green valley. Nika was very +happy to be able to spend all her time in painting, without ever being +disturbed or called away by unwished-for duties.</p> + +<p>When the mother saw the happy faces of her girls and Dino’s improved +health, she felt very happy, too. Suddenly, however, the thought would +rise in her: How will it be when these lovely days are over and we +have to start living again in the narrow confines of town and in the +shadow of those coming years?</p> + +<p>The holidays were nearing their end, but nobody yet had time to think +of that, for the Director’s birthday was drawing near and this was to +be the great feast day for everybody. Mrs. Halm had asked each of the +children to think out some surprise for Mr. Hellmut. For Mux, however, +she wrote a beautiful birthday verse. As the little boy’s head was +filled solely with thoughts of the barn and stable, the kitchen and +the goat cart, the plums, the beetles and ants, it took a great deal +of time and trouble to fix the verse in his memory. Nika, needing no +advice, had long ago decided what to do. Every day as soon as the meals +were over, she silently disappeared. Agnes and Cornelli bolted the +door of the music room and let mysterious songs issue from behind it. +Only Dino was still undecided about his task. When he was left alone +with his mother and Mux one day, and all the others were busy with +their preparations, he said: “Tell me what I could do, mother.”</p> + +<p>“Draw him a picture of the beautiful goat,” Mux advised. He knew that +Dino could draw animals well, and to him there was no finer animal in +all the world than the goat.</p> + +<p>“What a knowing goat boy you are, Mux,” Dino exclaimed. Despite his +refusal to draw the goat, he had nevertheless gotten an idea from his +little brother. “Oh, I’ll draw the two brown horses,” he called out +joyously. “I’ll make one trotting and the other walking. Matthew must +lead them up for me.”</p> + +<p>So the boy ran happily to the stable, and after that day he and Matthew +had many meetings in secret.</p> + +<p>The birthday came at last.</p> + +<p>When the Director entered the dining room in the morning, such a +beautiful duet resounded from the next room that he was compelled to +draw nearer. Agnes and Cornelli were both singing a lovely song with +such deep feeling that the Director could hardly speak. When they had +ended, he patted them both on the shoulder with fatherly tenderness +and then passed into the next room. Here Mux approached him and said +his verse faultlessly in a loud, clear voice. On the table the Director +found two beautiful drawings of his brown horses, and his joy over +them was so great that he did not put them down for quite a while. But +finally he saw all at once a large picture resting in the middle of +the table. His house, with the surrounding garden, the luminous meadow +with the view toward the valley and the distant mountains beyond, was +painted in such fresh and absolutely natural colors that Mr. Hellmut +was quite overcome. This was the view he had loved so passionately +from his childhood.</p> + +<p>“Cornelli, come here!” the father called. “Just look at this picture! +Don’t you have a beautiful home? Do you love your home as much as your +father loves it?”</p> + +<p>“Oh yes, Papa, I love it so much!” said Cornelli. “And I have to think +every day that I never knew how beautiful it was before I went away. +But ever since I came home again, I know. Oh, how beautiful it looks +in the picture!”</p> + +<p>Agnes had been standing behind Cornelli. Suddenly she exclaimed +passionately: “Oh, Cornelli, if only you didn’t have such a beautiful +home!”</p> + +<p>“Agnes,” the mother said in alarm, “what unseemly words are you saying?”</p> + +<p>The Director looked in astonishment at Agnes, whose eyes were flashing +fire while she regarded the painting.</p> + +<p>“Have you had a disagreement with Cornelli? Is that the reason why you +don’t want her to have such a beautiful home?” he asked with a sly +smile.</p> + +<p>Agnes flushed scarlet.</p> + +<p>“Oh no, Mr. Hellmut, I did not mean it that way. I have never fought +with Cornelli, and I only fight with Dino because he wants to have +Cornelli all the time. If Cornelli didn’t have this beautiful home and +if she were like me and had to give up all her music lessons and had +to earn her living, we could do fine things together. She has such a +beautiful voice that we could hire a harp and could travel into strange +cities and sing before the houses. Later on we could give concerts and +begin a singing school. But I can’t do anything alone.”</p> + +<p>At this outbreak, which no sign from her could check, the mother became +alternately hot and cold from fright. Agnes’ eyes still flashed with +passionate excitement like burning coals.</p> + +<p>“I approve of the singing school, but especially of sitting down to +breakfast. I hope very much that we have the usual chocolate to drink +to-day, for it is a good old custom for birthdays which should not be +neglected. So a singing school is to be founded,” he continued, while +Mux gazed solemnly at the three huge cakes which were placed beside +the three big chocolate pots. “The wandering harp players are a little +too poetical for me, but I like the idea of a school, Agnes. As I, +too, wish to profit from it, I want it to be built on my estate. Lots +of our workmen in the foundry have small children, whose mothers are +busy with the housework and their small babies. So Agnes and Cornelli +are going to found a singing school in Iller-Stream, where all the +children will go, whose mothers have no time for singing. Upon their +arrival the children shall all be given a bowl of milk and a piece of +bread apiece to make their voices fuller. Now we have settled all about +the school. I shall also have my two teachers instructed, so that they +won’t ever be out of practice. I have also some work for Nika: she +shall fill my house with lovely pictures from top to bottom. To inspire +her with plenty of new ideas, I am going to send her to her professor +in town for lessons. Dino shall help me keep my two horses in trim by +giving them plenty of exercise, for that will be good for him and them. +I can use Mux by having him trained to become the manager of my estate. +The good beginning he has made in the knowledge of farming under +Matthew’s guidance shall be continued while the ground is covered with +green and the trees are bearing fruit. The mother shall stay here for +the protection of you all. So tell me, now, how you like my plan. Shall +it be thus?”</p> + +<p>Absolute silence followed. The children hardly dared to realize that +the words they had just heard were true, and the mother was filled +with deep emotion. She could not utter a word, and tears flowed from +her eyes. Could it be possible that her great sorrow and heavy cares +were suddenly lifted from her? Could it really be true?</p> + +<p>At that moment Mux said loudly: “Yes, we like it very much!” He had +clearly grasped that it meant for him keeping on doing what he had +enjoyed so much under Matthew’s and Esther’s care. The Director had +to laugh, and continued: “I must have the reply of the chief, my dear +Mrs. Halm, so please listen to my plan. I shall let you manage the +children in the winter, and you shall arrange whatever they are to +learn, but they must come here in the summer when I can enjoy all the +results of their studies. I shall also enjoy the great advantage of +having you manage my house when you are here. Does that suit everybody, +or am I getting more than my share?”</p> + +<p>At last the mother composed herself.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Mr. Hellmut, how can I thank you?” she said, offering him her +trembling hand. “I do not know how to express what is in my heart. How +can I be grateful enough for such boundless kindness? You cannot know +what your generosity means to us all.”</p> + +<p>Even the children had understood that this unheard-of bliss was true. +Nika was the first to run with beaming eyes to the Director and to +seize his hand, but she could find no words to show her gratitude. +Agnes and Dino, too, had run towards the Director, and the latter did +not know how to shake all the hands that were offered to him. Mux, who +could find no access to his benefactor, climbed up on a chair, and +putting his arms about him from behind, screamed a thousand words of +thanks right into the Director’s ears. The wild rejoicing became louder +and louder.</p> + +<p>“Cornelli,” said the father at last, “give thanks to your foster-mother! +She has earned them, for she has brought joy back to our house.”</p> + +<p>Cornelli did it with a full and willing heart, for she realized what +the children’s mother had done for her. Soon afterwards, Dino and +Cornelli ran away for they had had a simultaneous thought. They did +not want to wait another moment before bringing Martha the wonderful +news. Nobody on earth could share their boundless happiness as Martha +would.</p> + +<p>Martha’s heart overflowed when she heard what had been proposed. Between +freely flowing tears she said again and again: “Oh, Cornelli! Everything +has happened so wonderfully for you. God has ordained it much more +wisely than we could have wished and prayed for. From now on, we shall +leave everything entirely in His hands. We’ll do that as long as we +live, won’t we, Cornelli?”</p> + +<p>Cornelli nodded with understanding; she had not forgotten how she had +complained to Martha, and how Martha had told her to seek God’s help. +Martha had assured her that the help would always come, even if it +revealed itself differently from the way she expected. Now it had all +turned out so gloriously, and so much more splendidly than Cornelli +could ever have imagined!</p> + +<p>There had never been such rejoicing in the house as Agnes started when +she and Nika had retired to their room in the evening and Cornelli had +come to pay her accustomed little evening visit. She skipped and danced +about the room like a newly freed bird and called out: “Now our troubles +are over and no secret fears can scare us any more. Now we can sing +all we want and can live here with you every summer, Cornelli. Oh, we +are the happiest creatures in all the world, and it has all happened +through you, Cornelli; you wonderful, incomparable Cornelli!”</p> + +<p>Agnes, seizing her friend’s hand, jumped about with her in the room +at such a rate that Nika had to calm her. The elder sister warned Agnes +that the Director might have to repent of his kindness to them if their +lengthy stay began with such violent noise. One could see, though, +that Nika was willing enough to join the others in their antics.</p> + +<p>“The day on which you came to our house, Cornelli,” she said, “has +really been more blessed than any other day in the year. So we must +always celebrate it as a great feast day.”</p> + +<p>Nika had lately been very sweet and friendly to Cornelli, and the +younger girl had been very happy about it. But had never dreamed that +Nika would ever speak to her like this.</p> + +<p>When Esther heard that the Halm family was going to remain for the +present and return every year, she said: “Oh, I am glad. That is much +better than if some other people I know had to come back. It is better +for me and for Cornelli, as well as for the whole house.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, if I could only come again, too!” said Trina, whose face in these +days was always beaming. “Oh, one feels so happy here!”</p> + +<p>“That is very true,” Esther affirmed. “I do not see why you shouldn’t. +You don’t need to worry, Trina. If Cornelli and I wish you well, we’ll +see that you come here again.”</p> + +<p>The Director did not like the thought of losing his large new family +so soon, so he said one day to Mrs. Halm: “I am very anxious to prolong +the children’s holiday this year till late in the fall. Dino, who is +more in need of his studies than the others, is least able to go back +to town, because he ought to be thoroughly strengthened and made +absolutely well. If it should be necessary for him to study, we have +our good Mr. Maelinger, who can give him lessons.” The mother agreed, +for she also was very anxious to have Dino as well as possible, and +she was very grateful to her benefactor for making this possible.</p> + +<p>“There is another reason which makes a longer stay necessary,” continued +the Director. “As I fully intend to visit you and the children several +times during the winter, I have rented a more comfortable apartment +for you, because I was rather afraid of finding your tower-like dwelling +a little inconvenient for me. The apartment will be ready for you in +the late autumn, and I want you to get all the rest you can before you +move there, for it is sure to involve some additional work for you. +I hope sincerely that you do not resent my step.”</p> + +<p>“I can only thank you continually,” said the mother now. The children +arrived at the same moment, and all further words from her were +swallowed up in their loud and stormy manifestations of joy. Cornelli +had already told them of her father’s plan to let them all stay in +Iller-Stream till winter time.</p> + +<p>When all the fruit had ripened on the trees and Dino was shaking one +of them and Cornelli another, Matthew looked over from the barn door, +happily rubbing his hands. Right under the tree he saw the other +children, one biting into an apple, the other into a pear.</p> + +<p>“It certainly is different now from last year,” he said, smiling to +himself. “There is not a rotten plum or a lonesome pear in all the +orchard.”</p> + +<p>Every evening, when the last songs resounded in the house, there were +some of thanks and praise which rose up to Heaven like a loud rejoicing.</p> + +<p>More than once the Director said to his little daughter, when she gave +him her goodnight kiss: “Did not God mean well with us, Cornelli, when +he guided Martha to write such an inviting notice to the paper?”</p> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CORNELLI ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law 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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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..babd925 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #6380 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6380) diff --git a/old/6380.txt b/old/6380.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dbf1419 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/6380.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6038 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Cornelli, by Johanna Spyri + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Cornelli + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Posting Date: February 9, 2011 [EBook #6380] +Release Date: August, 2004 +First Posted: December 3, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CORNELLI *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + + +CORNELLI + +By JOHANNA SPYRI + + + + + +FOREWORD + + + +Many writers have suffered injustice in being known as the author of +but one book. Robinson Crusoe was not Defoe's only masterpiece, nor +did Bunyan confine his best powers to Pilgrim's Progress. Not one +person in ten of those who read Lorna Doone is aware that several of +Blackmore's other novels are almost equally charming. Such, too, has +been the fate of Johanna Spyri, the Swiss authoress, whose reputation +is mistakenly supposed to rest on her story of Heidi. + +To be sure, Heidi is a book that in its field can hardly be overpraised. +The winsome, kind-hearted little heroine in her mountain background +is a figure to be remembered from childhood to old age. Nevertheless, +Madame Spyri has shown here but one side of her narrative ability. + +If, as I believe, the present story is here first presented to readers +of English, it must be through a strange oversight, for in it we find +a deeper treatment of character, combined with equal spirit and humor +of a different kind. Cornelli, the heroine, suffers temporarily from +the unjust suspicion of her elders, a misfortune which, it is to be +feared, still occurs frequently in the case of sensitive children. How +she was restored to herself and reinstated in her father's affection +forms a narrative of unusual interest and truth to life. Whereas in +Heidi there is only one other childish figure--if we except the droll +peasant boy Peter--we have here a lively and varied array of children. +Manly, generous Dino; Mux, the irrepressible; and the two girls form +a truly lovable group. The grown-ups, too, are contrasted with much +humor and genuine feeling. The story of Cornelli, therefore, deserves +to equal Heidi in popularity, and there can be no question that it +will delight Madame Spyri's admirers and will do much to increase the +love which all children feel for her unique and sympathetic genius. + +CHARLES WHARTON STORK + + + + +CONTENTS + + + +CHAPTER + + I. BESIDE THE ROARING ILLER-STREAM + II. UP IN THE TOP STORY + III. NEW APPEARANCES IN ILLER-STREAM + IV. THE UNWISHED-FOR HAPPENS + V. A NEWCOMER IN ILLER-STREAM + VI. A FRIEND IS FOUND + VII. A NEW SORROW + VIII. A MOTHER + IX. A GREAT CHANGE + X. NEW LIFE IN ILLER-STREAM + + + + +CHAPTER I + +BESIDE THE ROARING ILLER-STREAM + + + +Spring had come again on the banks of the Iller-Stream, and the young +beech trees were swaying to and fro. One moment their glossy foliage +was sparkling in the sunshine, and the next a deep shadow was cast +over the leaves. A strong south wind was blowing, driving huge clouds +across the sun. + +A little girl with glowing cheeks and blowing hair came running through +the wood. Her eyes sparkled with delight, while she was being driven +along by the wind, or had to fight her way against it. From her arm +was dangling a hat, which, as she raced along, seemed anxious to free +itself from the fluttering ribbons in order to fly away. The child now +slackened her pace and began to sing: + + The snow's on the meadow, + The snow's all around, + The snow lies in heaps + All over the ground. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + All over the ground. + + Oh cuckoo from the woods, + Oh flowers so bright, + Oh kindliest sun, + Come and bring us delight! + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + Come and bring us delight! + + When the swallow comes back + And the finches all sing, + I sing and I dance + For joy of the Spring. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +The woods rang with her full, young voice, and her song also roused +the birds, for they, too, now carolled loudly, ready to outdo each +other. Laughingly the child sang once more with all her might: + + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +and from all the branches sounded a many voiced chorus. + +Right on the edge of the woods stood a splendid old beech tree with +a high, firm trunk, under which the child had often sought quiet and +shelter after running about in the sun. She had reached the tree now +and was looking up at the far-spreading branches, which were rocking +up and down. + +The child, however, did not rest very long. Over where the wind struck +an open space, it blew as mightily as ever, and the roaring, high up +in the tree-tops, seemed to urge her on to new exertions. First she +began fighting her way against the wind, but soon she turned. Driven +by it, she flew down the steep incline to the path which led down to +the narrow valley. She kept on running till she had reached a small +wooden house, which looked down from a high bank to the roaring mountain +stream. A narrow stairway led up from the ground to the front door of +the little dwelling and to the porch, where on a wide railing were +some fragrant carnations. + +The lively little girl now leaped up the steps, two at a time. Soon +she reached the top, and one could see that the house was familiar to +her. + +"Martha, Martha, come out!" she called through the open door. "Have +you noticed yet how jolly the wind is to-day?" + +A small old woman with gray hair now came out to greet the child. She +was dressed in the simplest fashion, and wore a tight-fitting cap on +her head. Her clothes were so very tidy and clean, however, that it +seemed as if she might have sat on a chair all day for fear of spoiling +them. Yet her hands told another tale, for they were roughened by hard +work. + +"Oh, Martha," the child said, "I just wish you knew how wonderful the +wind is to-day up there in the woods and on the hill. One has to fight +it with all one's might, otherwise one might be blown down the mountain +side like a bird. It would be so hard then to get on one's feet again, +wouldn't it? Oh, I wish you knew what fun it is to be out in the wind +to-day." + +"I think I would rather not know," said Martha, shaking the child's +hand. "It seems to me that the wind has pulled you about quite a little. +Come, we'll straighten you up again." + +The child's thick dark hair was in a terrible state. What belonged on +the left side of the parting had been blown to the right, and what +belonged on the right side was thrown to the left. The little apron, +instead of being in front, hung down on the side, and from the bottom +of her skirt the braid hung loose, carrying upon it brambles and forest +leaves. First Martha combed the little girl's hair, then she pulled +the apron into place. Finally she got a thread and needle and began +to mend the braid on the dress. + +"Stop, Martha, stop, please!" Cornelli called out suddenly, pulling +her skirt away. "You must not sew, for your finger is all pricked to +pieces. There is only half of it left with those horrible marks." + +"That does not matter; just give me your little skirt," replied Martha, +continuing her sewing. "This kind of work does not hurt me; but when +I sew heavy shirts for the farmers and the workmen in the iron works +the material is so rough that, as I push the needle in, I often prick +off little pieces of my finger." + +"Why should you have to do that, Martha? They could make their own +shirts and prick their own fingers," cried Cornelli indignantly. + +"No, no, Cornelli; do not speak like that," replied the woman. "You +see, I am glad and grateful to be able to get work enough to earn my +living without help. I have to be thankful to our Lord for all the +good things he gives me, and especially for giving me enough strength +for my work." + +Cornelli looked about her searchingly, in the little room. It was +modestly furnished, but most scrupulously clean. + +"I do not think that God gave you so very much, really, but you keep +everything so neat, and do it all yourself," remarked Cornelli. + +"I have to thank our Lord, though, that I am able to do it," returned +Martha. "You see, Cornelli, if I had not the health to do everything +the way I like it done, who could do it for me? It is a great gift to +be able to step out every morning into the sunshine and to my +carnations. Then I thank God in my heart for the joy of a new day +before me. There are many poor people who wake up only to sorrow and +tears. They have to spend all day on their sick beds and have many +troubles besides. Can you see now, Cornelli, how grateful I have to +be to our Lord because nothing prevents me from sewing, even if I have +to prick my fingers? But I believe I hear the bell in the foundry. You +know that means supper time, so run back to the house as quickly as +you can." + +Martha knew well enough that she had to remind her little friend about +returning, for often time had been forgotten and Cornelli had had to +be sent for. But now the little girl began to run swiftly down the +incline beside the rushing stream. Soon she came to the large buildings +from which the sound of hissing fires, loud thumping and hammering +could be heard all day. The noise was so great that only the roaring +of the stream could drown it. Here were the works of the great iron +foundry, well known far and wide, since most of those who lived in the +neighborhood found employment there. + +Glancing at the large doors and seeing that they were closed, Cornelli +flew by them with great bounds. In an isolated house, well raised above +the stream, lived the proprietor of the foundry. Beautiful flower +gardens were on three sides. + +Cornelli approached the open space in front and was soon inside. +Flinging her hat into a corner, she entered the room where her father +was already sitting at table. He did not even look up, for he was +holding a large newspaper in front of him. As Cornelli's soup was +waiting for her, she ate it quickly, and since her father made no +movement behind his paper, she helped herself to everything else that +was before her. + +While she was nibbling on an apple, her father looked up and said: "I +see that you have caught up with me, Cornelli. You even seem to be +further along than I am. Just the same you must not come late to your +meals. It is not right, even if you get through before me. Well, as +long as you have finished, you can take this letter to the post office. +There is something in it which concerns you and which will please you. +I have to go now, but I shall tell you about it to-night." + +Cornelli was given the letter. Taking the remainder of her apple with +her, she ran outside. With leaps and bounds she followed the rushing +Iller-Stream, till the narrow path reached the wide country road. Here +stood the stately inn, which was the post office of the place. In the +open doorway stood the smiling and rotund wife of the innkeeper. + +"How far are you going at this lively pace?" she smilingly asked the +child. + +"I am only coming to you," Cornelli replied. She was very much out of +breath, so she paused before adding: "I have to mail a letter." + +"Is that so? Just give it to me and we'll attend to it," said the +woman. Holding the hand the child had offered her, she added: "You are +well off, Cornelli, are you not? You do not know what trouble is, do +you, child?" + +Cornelli shook her head. + +"Yes, of course. And why should you? It does one good to see your +bright eyes. Come to see me sometimes; I like to see a happy child +like you." + +Cornelli replied that she would gladly come again. She really meant +to do so, for the woman always spoke kindly to her. After saying +good-bye, she ran away again, jumping and bounding as before. The +innkeeper's wife meantime muttered to herself, while she looked after +Cornelli: "I really think there is nothing better than to be always +merry." + +The contents of the letter, which the little girl had taken to be +mailed, were as follows: + +ILLER-STREAM, 28th of April, 18--. + +MY DEAR COUSIN: + +My trip to Vienna, which I have put off again and again, at last has +to be made. As I must leave in the near future, I am asking you the +great favor of spending the summer here to superintend my household. +I am counting greatly on your good influence on my child, who has had +practically no education, although Miss Mina, my housekeeper, has of +course done her best, with the help of our good Esther, who reigns in +the kitchen. Old Martha, a former nurse of my poor dead wife, has done +more than anybody else. Of course one can hardly call it education, +and I have to blame myself for this neglect. As I am so busy with my +affairs, I do not see much of my child. Besides, I know extremely +little about bringing up little girls. There is no greater misfortune +than the loss of a mother, especially such a mother as my Cornelia. +It was terrible for my poor child to lose her at the tender age of +three. Please bring a good friend with you, so that you won't suffer +from solitude in this lonely place. + +Please gladden me soon by your arrival, and oblige + +Your sincere cousin, + +FREDERICK HELLMUT. + +That same evening, when Director Hellmut was sitting in the living +room with his daughter, he spoke of his hope that a cousin of his, +Miss Kitty Dorner, would come to stay in Iller-Stream while he was on +his trip to Vienna. He also told Cornelli to be glad of this prospect. + +After a few days came the following answer: + +B----, The 4th of May, 18--. + +MY DEAR COUSIN: + +To oblige you I shall spend the summer at your house. I have already +planned everything and I have asked my friend Miss Grideelen to +accompany me. I am very grateful that you realize how monotonous it +would have been for me to stay alone in your house all summer. You do +not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter's +education. No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not +need the best of care at the start. They require that only when they +are ripe enough for mental influences. Such small creatures merely +vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look +after the child's well-being and proper nourishment. Esther, who you +say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the +child as much as was necessary. The time may, however, have come now +when the child is in need of a proper influence in her education. + +We shall not arrive before the last week of this month, for it would +be inconvenient for me to come sooner. + +With best regards, + +I am your cousin, + +KITTY DORNER. + +"Your cousin is really coming, Cornelli, and I am certain that you are +happy now," said her father. He had read the letter while they were +having supper. "Another lady is coming, too, and with their arrival +a new delightful life will begin for you." + +Cornelli, who had never before heard anything about this relation of +her father's, felt no joy at this news. She did not see anything +pleasing in the prospect. On the contrary, it only meant a change in +the household, which she did not in the least desire. She wanted +everything to remain as it was. She had no other wish. + +Cornelli saw her father only at meals, for he spent all the rest of +his time in his business offices and in the extensive works. But the +child never felt lonely or forsaken. She always had many plans, and +there was hardly a moment when she was not occupied. Her time between +school hours always seemed much too short and the evenings only were +half as long as she wanted them to be. It was then that she loved to +walk and roam around. Her father had barely left the room, when she +again ran outside and, as usual, down the path. + +At that moment the energetic Esther was coming from the garden with +a large basket on her arm. She had wisely picked some vegetables for +the following day. + +"Don't go out again, Cornelli," she said. "Just look at the gray clouds +above the mountain! I am afraid we shall have a thunderstorm." + +"Oh, I just have to go to Martha," replied Cornelli quickly. "I must +tell her something, and I don't think a storm will come so soon." + +"Of course it won't come for a long while," called Miss Mina. Through +the open door she had overheard the warning and had stepped outside +to say: "Just go to Martha, Cornelli; the storm won't come for a long +time, I am sure." + +So the child flew away while Esther passed Miss Mina, silently shrugging +her shoulders. That was always the way it happened when Cornelli wanted +anything. If Miss Mina thought that something should not be done, +Esther always arrived, saying that nothing on earth would be easier +than to do that very thing. Or, if she thought that Cornelli should +not do a thing, Miss Mina always helped to have it put through. The +reason for this was a very simple one: each of them wanted to be the +favorite with the child. + +Cornelli, arriving at Martha's house, shot up the stairs and into the +little room. Full of excitement, she called out: "Just think, Martha, +two strange people are coming to our house. They are two ladies from +the city, and father said that I should be glad; but I am not a bit +glad, for I do not know them. Would you be glad, Martha, if two new +people suddenly came to visit you?" + +The child had to take a deep breath. She had been running fast and had +spoken terribly quickly. + +"Just sit down here with me, Cornelli, and get your breath again," +said Martha quietly. "I am sure that somebody is coming whom your +father loves, otherwise he would not tell you to be glad. When you +know them, I am sure you will feel happy." + +"Yes, perhaps. But what are you writing, Martha? I have never before +seen you write," said the child, full of interest, for her thoughts +had been suddenly turned. + +"Writing is not easy for me," answered Martha, "and you could do it +so much better than I can. It is a long time since I have written +anything." + +"Just give it to me, Martha, and I'll write for you if you will only +tell me what." Cornelli readily took hold of the pen and dipped it +into the bottom of the inkstand. + +"I'll tell you about it and then you can write it in your own way; I +am sure that you can do it better than I can," said Martha, quite +relieved. She had been sitting for a long time with a pen in her hand, +absolutely unable to find any beginning. + +"You see, Cornelli," she began, "I have been getting along so well +with my work lately that I have been able to buy a bed. For a long +time I have wanted to do that, for I already had a table and two chairs, +besides an old wardrobe. Now I have put them all into my little room +upstairs, so that I can take somebody in for the summer. Sometimes +delicate ladies or children come out of town to the country, and I +could take such good care of them. I am always at home and I could do +my usual work besides. You see, Cornelli, I wanted to put this in the +paper, but I do not know how to do it and how to begin." + +"Oh, I'll write it so plainly that somebody is sure to come right +away," Cornelli replied, full of zeal. "But first of all, let us look +at the little room! I am awfully anxious to see it." + +Martha was quite willing, so she led the way up a narrow stairway into +the little chamber. + +"Oh, how fine it is, how lovely!" exclaimed Cornelli, running, full +of admiration, from one corner to the other. Martha had in truth fixed +it so daintily that it looked extremely pleasing. Around the windows +she had arranged curtains of some thin white material with tiny blue +flowers, and the same material had been used to cover an old wooden +case. This she had fixed as a dainty washstand. The bed and two old +chairs were likewise covered; the whole effect was very cheerful and +inviting. + +"Oh, how pretty!" Cornelli exclaimed over and over again. "How could +you ever do it, Martha, or have so much money?" + +"Oh no, no, it was not much, but just enough for the bed and a little +piece of material. I got the stuff very cheap, because it was a remnant. +So you really do not think it is bad, child? Do you think that somebody +would like to live here?" Martha was examining every object she had +so carefully worked over. + +"Yes, of course, Martha, you can believe me," Cornelli replied +reassuringly. "I should just love to come right away, if I did not +live here already. But now I shall write, for I know exactly what I +shall say." Cornelli, running down stairs, dipped her pen into the ink +and began to write. + +"But do not forget to say that it is in the country, and tell the name +of the place here, so that they can find me," said Martha, fearing she +had set Cornelli a very difficult task. + +"That is true, I have to say that, too," remarked Cornelli. When she +had written the ending she began to read aloud: "If somebody should +want a nice room, he can have it with Martha Wolf. She will take good +care of delicate ladies or children and will see that they will be +comfortable. Everything is very neat and there are lovely new blue and +white covers on everything. It is in the country, in Iller-Stream, +beside the Iller-Stream, quite near the large iron works." + +Martha was thoroughly pleased. "You have said everything so clearly +that one can easily understand it," she remarked. "I could not have +said it myself, you see, for it would have seemed like boasting. Now +if I only knew where to send it for the paper. I do not know quite +what address to write on it." + +"Oh, I know quite well what to do," Cornelli reassured her friend, "I +shall take it quickly to the post office. Sometimes when I have taken +letters there, I have heard people say to the innkeeper: 'This must +be put in the paper.' Then he took it and said: 'I'll look after it.' +Now I shall do the same. Just give it to me, Martha." + +Once more the woman glanced through what had been written. It seemed +very strange to her that her name was going to appear in the newspaper, +but, of course, it was necessary. + +"No, no, my good child," she replied, "you have done enough for me +now. You have helped me wonderfully, and I do not want you to go there +for me. But your advice is good and I shall take the paper there +myself." + +"Oh yes, and I'll come, too," said Cornelli delightedly. She knew no +greater pleasure than to take a walk with her old friend, for Martha +always discovered such interesting things and could point them out to +Cornelli, telling her many, many things about them. In many places +Martha would be reminded of Cornelli's mother; then with great +tenderness she would tell the child about her. Martha was the only one +who ever talked to Cornelli about her mother. Her father never spoke +of her; and Esther, who had been in their service for a long time, +always replied when the child wanted to talk to her about her mother: +"Do not talk, please; it only makes one sad. People shouldn't stir up +such memories." + +"So you are coming, too?" Martha said happily. It was her greatest joy +to take a walk with her small, merry companion. Cornelli hung on her +arm, and together they wandered forth in the beautiful evening. The +storm clouds had passed over, and towards the west the sky was flaming +like fiery gold. + +"Do you think, Martha, that my mother can see the golden sky as well +from inside as we see it from the outside?" asked the child, pointing +to the sunset. + +"Yes, I am quite sure of that, Cornelli," Martha eagerly answered. "If +our dear Lord lets his dwelling glow so beautifully from outside, just +think how wonderful it must be inside where the blessed are in their +happiness!" + +"Why are they so glad?" Cornelli wanted to know. + +"Oh, because they are freed from all sorrow and pain. They are also +glad because they know that every pain or sorrow their loved ones on +earth have to bear is only a means to bring their prayers to Him who +alone can guide them to Heaven." + +"Did my mother pray to Him, too?" asked Cornelli again. + +"Yes, yes, Cornelli, you can be sure of that," Martha reassured her. +"Your mother was a good, pious lady. Everybody should pray to be able +to go where she is." + +The two now reached the post office and gave their message to the +innkeeper and postmaster. When twilight had come and the evening bell +had long ago rung, they wandered back along the pleasant valley road +between green meadows. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +UP IN THE TOP STORY + + + +One bright morning in May, a portly gentleman, leaning heavily on a +gold-headed cane, was walking up the narrow city street. The houses +here were so high that the upper windows could scarcely be seen from +below. A steep rise in the street caused the gentleman to stop from +time to time to get his breath. Scrutinizing the house numbers, he +said to himself several times: "Not yet, not yet." Then, climbing up +still higher, he at last reached a house beside whose open door six +bells were hanging. + +The gentleman now began to study the names under the bells, meanwhile +gravely shaking his head, for he did not seem to find the name he was +seeking. + +"Oh dear, at last! and the highest one up, too," he sighed, while he +entered the house. Now the real climbing began. At first the steps, +though rather high, were white and neat. But after a while they became +dark and narrow, and in the end the way led over worn, uneven steps +to a narrow door. The only standing room was on the last small step. + +"Is this a cage?" said the climber to himself, breathing hard and +holding fast to the railing. The thin and creaking steps seemed to him +extremely unsafe. After he had pulled the bell-rope, the door opened, +and a lady dressed in black stood before him. + +"Oh, is it you, kind guardian?" she exclaimed with astonishment. "I +am so sorry that you had to come up these winding steps," she added, +for she noticed that the stout gentleman had to wipe his face after +the great exertion. "I should have been very glad to go down to you, +if you had let me know that you were here." The lady meanwhile had led +the gentleman into the room and asked him to seat himself. + +"As your guardian I simply had to come once to see you," he declared, +seating himself on an old sofa and still leaning with both hands on +the golden knob of his cane. "I have to tell you, my dear Mrs. Halm, +that I am sorry you moved to town. You should have followed my advice +and lived in a small house in the country. It would have been so much +more practical for you than to live in this garret lodging where you +have no conveniences whatever. I am quite sure that the country air +would have been much better for both you and the children." + +"I could not think about conveniences for myself, when my husband died, +and I had to leave the parsonage, Mr. Schaller," replied the lady, +with a faint smile. "The country air would naturally have been much +better for my children, especially for my older boy. But he had to +come to town on account of school, and I could not possibly have sent +him away from me, delicate as he is. Besides----" + +"There are boarding places in town where such boys are well taken care +of," the visitor interrupted. "What other reasons did you have?" + +"My girls, too, are old enough to learn something which they can make +use of later on," continued the lady. "You know that this is necessary +and that it is very hard to get such opportunities in the country. I +hope I have persuaded you that coming to town with the children was +not a foolish undertaking. I am extremely glad that you have given me +an opportunity to explain why I did not follow your advice." + +"What are your daughters going to learn?" the gentleman asked abruptly. + +"Nika, the elder, paints quite well," replied the lady, "and Agnes has +a decided talent for music. If both girls are earnest in their studies, +they hope later on to be able to teach; indeed, they are very anxious +to do so." + +"These arts do not bring good returns, even after years and years of +study," said the gentleman. "It would be much more sensible for the +sisters to busy themselves with dressmaking. They could quickly begin +a business in which they might help each other and make some money. +This would really help both you and your son a great deal. If your boy +is going to study, it will be a long time before he can be independent." + +The parson's widow looked sadly in front of her without saying a word. + +"Please do not misunderstand me. I am only speaking in your and your +children's interest," the gentleman began again. "I am very sorry not +to have met your daughters, for they would soon have agreed with me, +if they had heard my reasons. Nowadays young people understand quite +well what it means to make one's way easily and advantageously. You +can be sure of that." + +"My children may still be a little backward in this knowledge. They +may, through the influence of their parents, still care for the things +which you call the breadless arts," said the lady with a sigh. "But +I shall make my children acquainted with your ideas and I shall try +to speak to them according to your views, at least as far as I am +able." + +"How old is the eldest? She ought to be old enough to understand my +reasons," remarked the gentleman. + +"Nika is in her fourteenth year. Her education is, of course, still +incomplete in many ways," replied the lady. "Dino is twelve and Agnes +eleven years old. The latter must first of all complete her compulsory +school years." + +"Still rather young people," said Mr. Schaller, shaking his head. "I +am sure of one thing, however. The longer their education will take, +the shorter should be the ways to the goal. I am more and more convinced +that my advice is right. If you give your little daughters into the +hands of a clever dressmaker, your moving to the city will have been +of some real use." + +In his great zeal to convince his silent listener, the visitor had not +noticed that a small boy had entered. This little fellow had at first +hidden behind his mother, but, at a sign from her, approached the +gentleman. He noticed the child only when a small fist pushed itself +forcibly into his closed right hand. + +"Please forgive the rather aggressive greeting of my small son," begged +the mother. + +"Oh, here is another, still. I knew there was a smaller one," exclaimed +the dismayed visitor. "Well, boy, what is your name?" + +"Mux," was the reply. + +The gentleman looked questioningly at the mother. + +"That is the name his brother and sisters have given him and the one +which seems to have remained quite permanently," she replied. "His +name is really Marcus and he is just five years old." + +"Well, well, and what do you want to be when you grow up, my young +friend?" asked Mr. Schaller. + +"An army general," unhesitatingly replied the small boy. After these +words the gentleman got up. + +"It seems to me, my dear Mrs. Halm, that all your children have pretty +high-flown ideas," he said impressively. "I can only hope that before +long they will learn that in this world it is not possible for everybody +to do what he pleases." + +The mother approved this good wish, but added: "I have to tell you, +though, that Mux has gotten this idea from his favorite book, where +the picture of a general on horseback interests him more than anything +else. This, of course, is a passing impression, like many others." + +"One can never urge proper and successful work too soon nor too often; +please do not overlook that, my friend!" With these words the guardian +ended the interview and, saying good-bye, carefully descended the steep +staircase. + +Just then a child was running up the stairs so quickly that it actually +seemed as if she had no need to touch the steps at all. As the gentleman +was taking up all the room, the only space left for a passage was under +the arm with which he held the railing. Here the lithe creature tried +to slip through. + +"Stop, stop! Do you not belong to the parson's widow, Mrs. Halm?" asked +the gentleman, making a barrier with his arm. + +"Yes, I belong to her," was the quick answer. And stooping down still +lower, the small person again tried to pass. + +"Just hold still one moment, if you can," the gentleman now demanded. +"You probably know that I am Mr. Schaller, your guardian. I have just +given your mother some advice, which was meant for your good. You do +not look in the least stupid, so you can help to persuade your mother. +I am sure you can understand what is good for you. Are you the elder?" + +"No, the younger one," came quickly back for answer. + +"So much the better. Then the elder will be still more sensible. If +you take my advice you can both contribute to the prosperity of the +whole family." With these words the gentleman gave the little girl his +hand and went away. + +Agnes flew up the rest of the stairs and into the narrow hall. Her +brother Mux was standing expectantly in the open doorway. He did this +every day at the time his brother and sisters were coming home from +school. He loved the change that their coming brought after the quiet +morning. + +"A fat gentleman was here and mother said afterward: 'Oh God!' and you +can't play the piano any more," he reported. + +Agnes ran into the next room and as quickly out again. "Where is mother? +Mother, mother!" she called, opening one door after another. + +"Here I am, Agnes, but do not be so violent," sounded the mother's +voice from the kitchen. + +Agnes ran to her. "Mother, what is Mux saying? Is it really true? I +know that Mr. Schaller has been here and that he can tell us what we +have to do. What did he say? Is it really true what Mux has said? Oh, +I'll never eat again! I don't want to sleep or do anything any more. +Everything, then, is lost!" + +Agnes was frightfully excited. Her cheeks were dark red and her eyes +seemed to shoot forth flashes of lightning. + +"But, child, you must not speak this way. Do not get so terribly +excited," the mother calmly admonished her. "There is no time now to +discuss a subject which we have to talk over quietly. We shall do so +to-night. You know perfectly well that I have the greatest sympathy +for your wishes and ambitions, and that it means as much to me as to +you. As soon as we have a quiet hour together we can talk it all over." + +These words quieted the child. She knew that her mother always shared +every experience with them. In coming to town, mother and daughter had +hoped to be able to carry out their most fervent wish, namely, the +completion of Agnes' musical education. Agnes could count on her +mother's help. It was for the happiness of both of them. So Agnes went +out to the kitchen to do her work as usual. Both the sisters always +helped to lighten their mother's work, for their only servant was quite +a young girl, who did not do much besides run errands. + +Mux went back to his former place. He was intensely pleased with the +great effect and excitement his words had produced on Agnes. Hearing +somebody else coming upstairs, he prepared to repeat his speech. + +When Nika was near enough to hear him he said: "A fat gentleman has +been here, and when he was gone mother said: 'Oh God!' and you are not +to paint any more trees and flowers." + +Nika, not having seen Mr. Schaller, did not understand these words. +Unruffled and silent, she passed Mux and went into the other room, +which disappointed Mux terribly. So when he heard Dino coming up the +stairs, he unloaded his disappointment on him. + +"We are not going to have them to-day," he announced. + +"What do you think we will have? What am I supposed to be thinking of, +little guesser?" Dino called out. + +"Oh, I know. Whenever you think we are going to have green peas for +lunch, you run up very quickly. You can't even wait, you love them +so," Mux asserted. "But we won't have any to-day, for we are going to +have cabbage instead. There, now you have it!" + +"Now come in and we'll see who makes a worse face about it, you or I!" + +With these words Dino took his little brother's hand, and together +they ran into the room. Very soon afterwards, the family all sat down +to their mid-day meal. On most days the children would be telling their +mother about the happenings of the morning. They would all talk at +once until it was quite hard for her to do them all justice. But to-day +it was different. It seemed as if a storm was in the air; everybody +was silent, and on all faces, except one, heavy clouds seemed to be +resting. Nika sat brooding and staring in front of her, for Agnes had +interpreted to her their little brother's words. She swallowed very +hard on every mouthful, because she had to swallow a great deal more +besides. Agnes was frowning so that her whole forehead was like one +huge wrinkle. The mother, too, was busy with deep thoughts, as one +could see from her worried expression. + +Mux, who generally was extremely talkative, was quietly nibbling on +his dish of cabbage, with many a deep sigh. Dino alone was merry. He +glanced with great expectation from one to the other, and his lunch +did not keep him very busy. + +"I am expecting a thunderstorm," he said, while the quiet was still +unbroken. "Nika is going to let loose the lightning which is flashing +under her lashes, and Agnes will follow with the thunder. After this +I predict a heavy rainstorm, for Mux can hardly keep back his tears +about this cabbage." + +"But you have eaten much less cabbage than I have," Mux cried out. + +"I do this only from moderation, my little man, so that nobody will +get too little." + +"I would answer you about the thunder and the cabbage, Dino, if I had +time," Agnes at last exploded. "But I have a music lesson at one o'clock +and I have enough to swallow without this horrid cabbage." + +"I only wish you could be more moderate in other things instead of in +eating, Dino," said the mother with a melancholy smile. "You have +hardly eaten anything, and I heard you cough all night. Your health +worries me dreadfully, Dino. Did you cough much in school this morning?" + +"Certainly, mother. But that is nothing to worry about," Dino replied +merrily. "It always goes away again. My professor said to-day that it +would have been better for me to remain in the pastoral fields of my +native village, than to have sought the dust-laden corners of town. +But I answered: 'Unfortunately the Latin language does not sprout from +the pastoral fields, professor.'" + +"Oh, I hope you did not answer that," the mother said, quite frightened. + +"Oh yes, but only in my thoughts! Please, mother, don't worry about +me," Dino implored. + +"I am afraid that your professor is right," the mother said with a +sigh. "But I have a plan which we shall talk over to-night. I shall +also talk over our guardian's proposal, girls. Please try not to look +so terribly unhappy, for everything is not yet lost." + +"Oh, it will come to that in the end," said Nika, leaving the room. + +"Yes, and much worse, I guess," said Agnes. Violently pushing her chair +in place, she departed, after thrusting her music into a folder. + +"What can be worse than when all is lost?" Dino called after her. "I +know what," responded Mux knowingly, while Agnes looked back at Dino +as if to say: If I had time I certainly would give an answer to you. + +"What is it, wise little man?" asked Dino. + +"If she had to eat nothing but cabbage all the time," replied Mux, +full of a conviction which he seemed to have acquired from his own +experience. + +Dino, too, prepared to depart. With a sorrowful look, the mother passed +her hand over the boy's thick hair. "Please be careful, and do not run +too fast," she begged. "It's very bad for you to sit in the cool school +room when you are so overheated. I can scarcely ever see you go, without +anxiety." + +"But I am surely not as sick as that, little mother," Dino said, +tenderly embracing her. "When somebody has a cough it always goes away +again after a while. That is the way with me. Be merry and everything +will be all right in the end. But I have to go now, it is late," he +exclaimed. + +"But do not hurry so terribly, Dino, there is time enough yet, and +remember what I told you," she called after him. Then stepping to the +open window, she followed the running boy down the street with her +eyes. + +Dino gave Mrs. Halm great anxiety, for he seemed more delicate every +day. Her watchful eye had detected how poor his appetite had been +lately. Despite that, the boy had a very sweet disposition and was +always full of fun. He was always anxious to have everybody in a good +humor, and above all, his mother. Of all the burdens she had to bear, +the trouble about her son's health was the hardest. One could see this +by the painful expression on her face when she left the window and sat +down beside her work table. + +Mux was just repeating a question for the third time, but his mother +did not hear him. Loudly raising his voice he said once more: "Oh, +mother, why does one have to eat what the cows get?" + +"What do you mean, Mux? What are you talking about?" she asked. + +"I saw it in my picture book. The leaves the cows get are just the +same as those in the kitchen," he explained none too clearly, but the +mother understood him directly. She remembered how interestedly he had +looked at the cabbage leaves when the girl had brought them home from +market. She also bore in mind a picture in his favorite book, where +a stable boy was shown giving a glossy brown cow splendid green leaves +to eat. + +"So you still have the cabbage in your head, Mux?" said the mother. +"You must not be dissatisfied when there are so many poor children who +have to go hungry. While you get bread and good vegetables, they may +be suffering." + +"Oh, can't we send them the rest of the cabbage?" Mux quickly suggested. + +"Come and work on the embroidery I have started for you, Mux. We shall +see who can beat to-day. Perhaps that will clear away your thoughts +about the cabbage. Come and sit beside me, Mux." + +The mother put a little chair beside hers and placed the work in the +boy's nimble fingers. Now a race with stitches began, and in his zeal +to beat his mother he at last forgot the subject that had troubled him +so much. + +The late evening had come and the children's work for school was done. +Mrs. Halm put the big mending basket away and took up her knitting. +The time had come, when, clustering eagerly about their mother, the +children told her all the troubles and joys of the day. + +It was the hardest hour of the day for Mux, for it was his bedtime. +His mother always took him by the hand, to lead him to bed, before she +began to talk with the three elder children. Every evening he put up +a fight, for the wily youngster always thought that by obstinate +resistance he could break the rule. His mother, however, knew well +that his success would only result in dreadful yawns and heavy eyes. + +This evening he found himself ready for bed before he had had time to +prepare for his fight. His mother seemed anxious to have him in bed +punctually that night. The boy was always reconciled to his fate when +she sat down a moment beside his bed to hear of anything that might +be troubling him. Mux, knowing that all conversation was irrevocably +closed after his prayers were said, would try every night to prolong +this period. + +After Mux had climbed into bed, he said thoughtfully: "Don't you think, +mother, that if people planted cherries where cabbage now grows +everybody could eat cherries instead of cabbage?" + +"We simply have to stop now, Mux," Mrs. Halm replied to his +astonishment, for he had hoped to start a long conversation. + +"Well, Mux, you don't seem to be able to get over the cabbage to-day. +Go to sleep, for you have talked enough about it." + +Mux knew then that nothing could be done that day, After his evening +prayer and a kiss from his mother, he lay down and was fast asleep +before his mother had even shut the door. + +Agnes had just finished her last task and was throwing her books into +a drawer, each more violently than the other. She was still terribly +excited, and as soon as her mother came back to the room, she burst +forth: "Oh, mother, if I am not allowed to study music any more, I +would rather stop learning anything. Why can't I become a servant girl? +I could do the work well enough. As soon as I have earned enough money, +I'll buy a harp and then I can wander from house to house, singing and +playing. I can easily live like that. Nobody needs to be a dressmaker. +People can wear petticoats and jackets. That is enough, and those can +be woven. All other children are better off than we are. They can learn +what they please and we can't learn anything!" An outburst of tears +choked all further words. + +During her sister's speech Nika had been quietly drawing, but she was +holding her head lower and lower over her work without once looking +up. She continued her studies, but her eyes seemed to be filling. +Pushing her work away, she held her handkerchief before her face. + +"Oh, children," said the mother, looking sadly at them, "do not be so +desperate right away. You know that your good is my good as well, and +that I am doing and shall keep on doing everything in my power to +fulfill your ambitions. It would be my happiest joy to have your talents +developed, so that you could devote all your lives to music and +painting. If we should find it impossible, however, dear children, we +must firmly believe that it would not have been for the best, had we +succeeded, for God alone knows which way to lead us. + +"Do not lose your confidence in a kind Father in Heaven, for that is +our greatest consolation. He won't forget us, if we do not forget Him, +and we must remember that He can see further than we can, for He knows +why and where He is leading us. We cannot look into the future, but +later we shall understand it all and realize why we had to bear our +troubles. Out of them will come the greatest blessings." + +"Now let us be happy again and let us sing a song," said Dino, who +loved to be gay and who liked to see everyone about him merry, too. + +"Let us sing: + + If winter's storms are wild and long + We know that spring is coming. + To Agnes, whom I hear rebel, + This consolation I here tell." + +"Yes, Dino, it is easy enough for you to laugh," Agnes exclaimed. "You +would probably whistle another tune if you had to become a tailor. But +you can learn and study everything you want to." + +"I shall certainly not study everything," Dino informed her. "But your +singing is much nicer than your arguing, Agnes, so please begin, and +if you don't like my song, you can start another." + +"We shall all sing together later on, children," said the mother. "I +have to speak to you, too, Dino. I am troubled about your cough and +your health. I have looked about for quite a while to find a suitable +place in the country where I could send you. Of course, there are +plenty of places, but I want you to go into some modest house where +you can be looked after. I found a notice in the paper to-day which +might be just what I am looking for. Read it yourself, Dino." + +Dino began to read. "Yes, yes, mother, I must go there," he said, +shaking with merriment. "I must go to Martha in Iller-Stream. I am +sure that it is very cosy in Martha Wolf's house, where everything is +so neat and the covers are so fresh." + +The sisters now wanted also to see the notice that made Dino laugh so +heartily. He read the paragraph aloud about Martha Wolf in Iller-Stream +and they all agreed that it would be pleasant there. The mother decided +to write to the woman at once and to take Dino there as soon as +possible. + +"Now we shall sing a song to end the day," she said, sitting down at +the old piano. Every day the children sang an evening song to her +accompaniment. Opening the book she herself started and the three +children took up the song with their pure, fresh voices: + + When bowed with grief, + Go seek relief + Of God, our Lord above. + + +UP IN THE TOP STORY + + Thy need has grown, + When left alone, + For great and helping love. + Before thou'st said, + Before thou'st prayed, + He knows thy inmost need. + And by His care, + His love so rare, + From sorrow thou art freed. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +NEW APPEARANCES IN ILLER-STREAM + + + +In the Director's house in Iller-Stream reigned great excitement. The +day had come when the two ladies from town were expected to arrive for +their lengthy stay. To celebrate the coming of his guests, the master +of the house had ordered a festive dinner for the middle of the day. +He had been longing for this day, so was in a splendid humor. It was +very important for him to start on his journey right away, and he had +waited only to be able formally to receive his visitors. Also he had +promised his cousin to give the reins of the household into her hands +himself, after which event he had planned to start on his journey. + +To Cornelli the preparations for the arrival of the new members of the +household seemed very annoying, everything being different from usual. +She commonly very much enjoyed the prospect of company, for on such +occasions she paid frequent visits to the kitchen, where Esther was +always busy cooking. + +As soon as Cornelli appeared in the doorway, Esther would call to her: +"Come and see which you like best, Cornelli; I am sure they are not +so bad." A small yellow apple tart and a round purple plum cake were +ready for the child to taste, for her visit had been anticipated. +Cornelli always assured the cook that the apple tarts were excellent +and the plum cakes even better. + +Then Cornelli would go into the pantry, where Miss Mina was fixing +fruit on the crystal platters. Here many a raisin and almond would +drop beside the plate, and from there find its way into Cornelli's +pocket. It was pleasant to have a supply whenever she felt like eating. +The housekeeper dropped many nuts on purpose, for she did not want to +be less sought after than her rival in the kitchen. + +To-day Esther was flying around the kitchen violently rattling her +pots and pans, and when Cornelli appeared, to see what was going on, +the cook called to her: "Off with you! I have nothing for you here +to-day. The ladies from town must not think that they have to show me +how to cook a good dinner. I'll show them. Go away and make room here +for me. Make room, Cornelli! I have to fix the vegetables." + +Cornelli ran to the pantry. + +Mina was just building up a splendid pile of cookies and almond rings. +"Don't come rushing in like that, or it will all tumble down," she +objected. "Don't come so near to the table; this plate is all ready +and nothing must be missing from it. I won't have it said that one can +see there is no mistress in this house, and that nobody here knows how +to set a table." + +"If you are all so stingy to-day, I won't bother you any more," said +Cornelli, and with these words she turned around and marched indignantly +out of the house. + +That moment, hearing the sound of approaching wheels, and looking down +the road through the open place in front of the house, she spied the +expected carriage with two ladies sitting in it. + +"Matthew, Matthew," she called out, in the direction of the large +stable and the barn. These lay a little distance from the house, and +were hidden by trees. + +Matthew was the gardener who looked after the horses, and had also to +superintend all the work done by his assistant in the garden and the +stable. He was Cornelli's special friend, whom she had known ever since +she could remember, for he had served her grandfather. + +He now came from the stable and mysteriously beckoned to her: "Come +here quickly, run fast!" he said. "We'll still get to the carriage in +time. Only come for a moment." + +Cornelli ran to him, and looking into the stable, saw lying on soft +fresh hay a tiny, snow-white kid. It looked like a toy, but was really +alive. + +"Oh, where did it come from, Matthew? Oh, how cunning it is! The white +fine fur is just like silk! Can it walk alone? Can it stand, too, if +it wants to? Oh, just see how friendly it is and how it is rubbing its +little head against me." + +"Yes, but come, now; the carriage is driving up," Matthew urged. "Come +quickly, you can see it every day. Just think! It was only born to-day." + +The carriage had just driven into the court and Matthew was there the +moment the horses stopped. The Director was there, too; not to lose +any time and yet not be tardy, he had put a watcher at the door to let +him know when the carriage was approaching. The Director was very +polite and lifted his cousin out of the carriage, greeting her heartily. +Then he helped Miss Grideelen to dismount, thanking her warmly for +coming. He told her how glad he was that she had been willing to follow +his cousin into this solitude, for otherwise it would have worried him +to leave her alone so long. He appreciated their great sacrifice in +coming and he hoped that his trip, which was very urgent, would not +keep him away too long. + +"Where is your daughter, Frederick?" asked Miss Dorner now. + +The Director glanced about. + +"I saw her just a moment ago. Where are you, Cornelli?" he called +towards the house. + +"Here I am!" It sounded from very near, for Cornelli had hidden behind +her father, so as to inspect the new arrivals without being seen +herself. + +"Come forward and speak to your cousin and to Miss Grideelen!" ordered +Mr. Hellmut. + +Cornelli gave her hand first to her relative and then to the other +lady, saying to each: "How do you do?" + +"You can call me cousin, and this lady is called Miss Grideelen," said +the cousin, hoping that the child would repeat her greeting and would +call her and her friend by the names she was just told to use in +speaking to them. But the child did not say another word. + +The Director now turned towards the carriage, giving Matthew +instructions for the horses. Then everybody stepped into the house and +soon the whole company sat down at the richly laden dinner table. Miss +Mina earned many praises for the deliciously planned meal. When the +afternoon came the host took the ladies around his place, for his +cousin was anxious to become acquainted with everything she had to +take care of. + +"Oh, what an abundance of fruit!" Miss Grideelen exclaimed over and +over again. "How many cherry trees and what enormous apple trees! Oh, +what a row of pear trees! You must be able to fill your bins with fruit +in the autumn, Mr. Hellmut! Where do you have room for it all?" + +"I do not know about it; my servants take care of that, for I have no +time." + +"It is a great shame, Frederick, that you do not have half a dozen +children. They would help to look after these matters," the cousin +remarked. "By the way, I wonder where your child is. She does not seem +to be very sociable." + +"I do not know where she is," replied Mr. Hellmut. "I am generally at +work about this time and Mina probably knows what she is doing. Perhaps +she is busy with her teacher. Cornelli has been alone so much that she +could not get very sociable. That is why I am so grateful to you both +for coming. I am so glad she can at last be in the environment I have +always wanted for her. But what could I do? I have twice taken +governesses into the house, to supply her with proper intercourse and +opportunity for study. The first ran away because she could not stand +the solitude. The second wanted every servant to leave who had been +here before her; Esther was to go, and even Matthew. She told me that +I had to choose between her and the 'old house-rats,' as she called +them. + +"I showed no desire to send either of them away, and said to her: 'It +is better for you to go, for when the two have departed, it will +probably be my turn next, as I shall be the oldest house-rat left.' +After that she departed and I had no more courage to go through another +experience. But I knew that it was time for Cornelli to have a lady +of refinement and culture with her. I am sure, dear cousin, that you +can give me some good advice as to her education, as soon as you have +become acquainted with her." + +"I should like to know whom she resembles," said Miss Dorner; "she +does not seem to resemble either you or your late wife." + +"Do you think so?" replied the father quickly. "Do you really think +so? The child certainly does not need to resemble me, but I have always +hoped that she resembled her mother. I always hoped that this would +increase with the years and that she would grow up to be my wife's +image. Do you not think that she has Cornelia's eyes? I think that my +child's rather straggly mane will in time resemble my Cornelia's +beautiful brown hair; the child's hair is very thick and has just the +same color." + +The Director looked imploringly at his cousin. He seemed anxious for +her to agree with him. + +Shrugging her shoulders, she replied: "I certainly see no resemblance +between the tousled looking small savage and Cornelia. The latter +always was so lovely in her exquisite neatness. Her eyes always glowed +with happiness and seemed to smile at one from under her beautiful, +wavy brown hair. I am sorry to tell you that your child is not exactly +engaging; she resembles a wild and furious little kitten with bristling +hair. She seems to me to be always making a round back; she looks as +if she wanted to jump at one and scratch." + +"No, no, she does not do that," the Director assured "The child is not +in the least ill-natured, at least, I do not think so. But I am afraid +that you are right in saying that she does not resemble her mother in +the least. Her education, I mean her lack of education, may have +something to do with it. That is why I am so grateful to you both for +coming here. I am sure that with your influence the child will change +and gain much, and I do not think that it will be hard for Cornelli +to learn. + +"I can travel now with a light heart, cousin, for I know that I can +leave my child, the house and the servants in your care. You do not +know in what a difficult position I am sometimes. I ought to go away +frequently, and am not able to do so because there is nobody to take +care of the house for me. The servants have to be kept in good humor, +and the house has to be ruled with authority and judgment. I cannot +thank you enough for making this trip possible for me." + +When they had returned from their walk they separated. Mr. Hellmut had +still plenty of preparations to make for his journey, and the ladies +retired to their rooms to get settled there. At supper everybody met +again. The ladies and their host appeared punctually and dinner was +served at once. + +"Where is your daughter? Does she not come to supper, too?" asked Miss +Dorner. + +"Yes, of course. Do you know where she is, Miss Mina?" the father +asked. + +At that moment the door opened and Cornelli, with cheeks aglow, ran +into the room. She sat down quickly at her seat. + +"Did you creep through a hedge?" the cousin asked her. + +"No, I was in the hen house," replied Cornelli. + +"That is no reason to look the way you do. Go to your room first and +have your hair combed by Miss Mina. She will also give you some soap, +for this is quite necessary." + +Cornelli glanced at her father. This was something new and she waited +for his approval. + +"Quickly, Cornelli! Why do you hesitate?" he admonished her. "You have +to obey your cousin absolutely, for she is taking my place now. I hope +that everybody here understands that clearly," he added with a glance +at Miss Mina. + +The latter wanted to follow the child, but Cornelli called back: "I +can do it myself." + +When the child came back her face and hands were washed very thoroughly, +but her hair looked most peculiar. She had combed it in such a way +that one could not tell what belonged to the left and what to the right +side, what to the front and what to the back. + +The cousin laughed and said: "Your head looks like a wind-blown hay +field. To-morrow Miss Mina will part your hair properly for you." + +Cornelli frowned so deeply that her eyes came quite close together. +She did not look up any more from her plate. + +Next day quite early the Director departed. + +The village of Iller-Stream, where the church and the school house +were, was quite a distance from the iron works. Cornelli could not go +to school there every day because it was much too far. She therefore +had lessons at home, and the teacher her father had chosen came every +morning and taught her in all the necessary subjects. In the afternoon +she was free, except for the work which she had to do for the following +day. That took little time and till now the child had really had a +very free existence. She had always found time for a daily visit to +Martha and a long conversation with her old friend. She could also +wander freely about the lovely beech wood and along the mountain side. +Her time was never parcelled out for her. + +There were many wonderful things to find in the fields and woods, and +Cornelli never tired of them as long as the sun was shining. If rain +or snow prevented her from her strolls, she spent her afternoons in +Martha's cosy chamber. There she had the most pleasant times, for the +old woman's conversation and tales were for Cornelli a never ending +source of enjoyment. + +The teacher had just left the house. Owing to her father's departure, +there had been plenty of material for sentences in her grammar lesson. +All the child's answers to his questions had come so promptly to-day +that the teacher had ended his lesson on the stroke of the hour. He +also gave Cornelli special praise for the excellent work she had done. +Then he heartily shook her hand. + +The two were the best of friends and the teacher knew his pupil well. +Whenever she was very bright and lively, he would work very hard with +her and in a short time accomplish three times more than usual. In +order not to spoil their mutual pleasure he would let her off most +punctually. But whenever Cornelli was absent-minded and unwilling to +work, he progressed slowly and carefully, treating her as if she were +the least bit weak minded. + +He would keep up this procedure till the hand of the clock showed a +quarter, a half, or even three-quarters of an hour more than the set +time for the lessons. Then Cornelli had hardly more than a quarter of +an hour's time before lunch to run over to the garden, the stable and +the hen house, something she always planned to do. The teacher would +finally stop and say in his most friendly manner: "I had to stay so +long to-day because we did not do half of what we should have done. +You were a little slow in understanding, Cornelli. I hope it will go +better to-morrow, otherwise your lesson might last still longer." + +It always went much better after that, for Cornelli had no inclination +whatever to have such a tiresome performance repeated. After such a +lesson many days went by before she was lazy again. To-day Cornelli +had worked quickly and well, for she wanted to have lots of free time +before lunch. She had not had time to see the little kid since +yesterday. The lesson over, she flew to the stable. Lunch was set for +one o'clock, so there was a whole hour left. Matthew spied the +approaching child and called to her: "Come here, Cornelli! It is just +jumping around." + +Cornelli ran into the stable, where she saw the snow-white kid, hopping +merrily over to its mother and then back again to the hay. It looked +so cunning in its gambols that Cornelli went into perfect raptures. + +"Oh, you darling little thing!" she called out, patting its spotless +fur; "I shall fetch a red ribbon for your neck and then we'll take a +walk together." The child accordingly ran back to the house, and hunting +about among her things, soon returned with a bright red ribbon which +she tied about the little kid's neck. Cornelli was perfectly delighted, +for she had never in her life seen a prettier object than the little +creature with its snow-white fur and the red ribbon round its neck, +skipping lightly about. The next moment it lay down in the hay and +looked up happily at Cornelli. + +"Can I take it out for a walk, Matthew? Can I harness it to a little +wagon and drive around with it?" asked the child. She had many plans +in her head, one following on top of the other. + +"Wait, wait; we have to let it grow first," replied Matthew +thoughtfully. "The most important thing for it is to grow, for it is +like a baby that has just learned how to walk. It has to stay near its +mother and can only run about near her. When it is bigger, it can take +walks, and when it is strong and big we can harness it and you can +drive it about with two reins in one hand and a long whip in the other." + +Cornelli shouted with joy and patted the kid with new tenderness. She +already pictured to herself the lovely drives that they would have +together. + +"Did you hear the bell in the foundry? I am sure it must be time for +dinner. You will have to be a little careful now, Cornelli. Remember +that strange ladies are in the house," said old Matthew with foresight. +"You can come again this afternoon." + +Cornelli had really heard nothing, for she had been absorbed in her +new pet. She knew that she ought to appear punctually at her meals, +so she left right away. She had also noticed that the ladies were not +buried behind big newspapers, like her father. While running to the +house, she passed a hydrant. There she remembered that she had to wash +her hands, so she held them both under the pipe and rubbed them hard. +Then dipping her face in, she rubbed it, too. She had nothing to dry +herself with except a very small handkerchief. + +"Hurry up! The ladies are already at table," she heard Esther's voice +urging her from the kitchen window. + +Cornelli ran in and saw both ladies already seated at the table. In +front of her was a full soup plate. + +"You have to come punctually to your meals. I am sure that you can +hear the loud bell out in the garden," said the cousin. "But how strange +you look! Half wet arms, a soaking apron and damp feet. Have you been +in the water, or what have you done?" + +"I washed my hands under the water pump and I got splashed," Cornelli +answered. + +"Naturally," remarked Miss Dorner. "There are arrangements in the rooms +for washing hands, which involve no splashing. Go, now, and put on +another apron. You have to be orderly and neat at mealtimes." + +Cornelli departed. + +"The child certainly obeys you--that is something," said Miss Grideelen. +"Since you told her to, she always comes to table properly washed." + +"That is true. But she has the most unheard-of manners," replied Miss +Dorner. + +"How shall one get rid of those and start the child on the right path? +I must ask you to help her in the morning, Miss Mina. Please comb her +hair smoothly and part it the way I told you to." + +"I did it, Miss Dorner, and I do it every morning," she answered, quite +hurt. "Cornelli's hair is just like bristles and it is very hard to +braid. When she jumps it all gets tangled again and she jumps every +moment." + +Cornelli now came back and ate her soup. Her seat was beside her cousin +and faced the other lady. + +"What is sticking to your dress here?" asked Miss Dorner, looking with +disgust at the little skirt. Something was really hanging from the +bottom. "Can this be hay or straw? It certainly does not look orderly. +I hope you have not come from the stable!" + +"Yes, I have," replied Cornelli. + +"How horrid! Indeed, I can even smell it. That is too much!" she +exclaimed. "I am sure your father would not let you go there if he +knew about it." + +"Oh, certainly; he goes himself," Cornelli retorted. + +"Do not reply impertinently. In the case of your father it is quite +different," explained Miss Dorner. "I want to tell you something which +you must remember. If you are allowed to go to the stable and you enjoy +doing it, you can go. But when afterwards you come to your meals, you +must first go to your room. Get properly washed there and also change +your dress. Be sure not to forget." + +"Yes," replied Cornelli. + +"It is very strange what queer pleasures country children have," +remarked Miss Grideelen. "Have you no books, Cornelli? Don't you like +reading better than wandering around and going to the stable?" + +"Oh no, I don't like it better, but I have some books," replied the +child. + +"What are you going to do in the afternoon, when you have no more +lessons to study?" asked Miss Dorner. + +"I always go to Martha," was the reply. + +"Who is Martha?" inquired the cousin. + +"A woman," said Cornelli. + +"I can guess that," replied the cousin. "But what kind of a woman is +she?" + +"A good one," answered Cornelli quickly. + +"What an answer!" The cousin turned now to Miss Mina: "Who is this +woman? Can the child go to see her? Does anybody here know about her?" +she questioned. + +"Oh yes, she is well known here and was here long before I came," was +Mina's reply. "She nursed the mistress of this house in her last +illness. She is a very good woman and always looks neat and clean. Our +master likes her well." + +"Now I have really found out something! You must learn to give proper +answers, Cornelli, do you hear?" said the cousin. "You are like a wild +hare which does everything in leaps and bounds. You can go to see the +woman after finishing your work for your teacher. I am sure you must +have some to do for to-morrow." + +Cornelli assented to this, and as soon as the ladies had left the room +to retire to their bedrooms for the hottest hours of the day, she sat +down at her little table in the corner. Here she wrote down a page +with lightning speed, then taking up her book she read her lesson over +and over again till she knew it by heart. Soon she was finished, and +flinging the books into the drawer, she ran out of the house. + +"Oh, Martha, I wish you knew how terrible it is at home now since Papa +has gone," called Cornelli to her old friend, before she had even +reached the top of the stairs. "I just wish Papa was back already and +everything was again as before." + +"What is it, Cornelli, what makes you so cross? Come, sit down here +a while and tell me about it," said Martha kindly. She put a chair +beside her own at the table where her mending lay neatly sorted out. + +"Of course, you can't understand it, Martha," Cornelli continued, just +as excited as before. "Here with you everything is always the same and +nobody comes and orders everything to be changed. Now, I am not allowed +to come in any more without getting washed; now, I cannot come out of +the stable without changing my clothes. Then I must not wash my hands +at the hydrant because I get splashed, and, oh, so many new things +have to be done; so different from before." + +"I am sure, Cornelli, that it is not at all bad that things should not +always be the way they were before," said Martha reflectively. "I +believe that the lady who is related to you wants the same thing from +you that your mother would have wished had she lived. This is very +good for you. Of course, Miss Mina and Esther mean well, but your +relation knows much better what is to be done to make you grow up the +way your mother would have desired. Just think how happy your father +would be if you should resemble your mother and he be reminded of her +every time he looked at you. You well know what great joy that would +be to him." + +Cornelli did know that her father would be very happy then, for he had +made many remarks which she had understood. A short time ago he had +said that his cousin found no likeness between his child and her mother, +and Cornelli had observed the sad expression of his eyes when he had +said it. + +Cornelli shook her head. "You said once that my mother was different +from anybody," she said. "So I can't ever be like her; you said so +yourself, Martha." + +"Yes, yes, I have said that," confirmed Martha. "But I have to explain +something to you, Cornelli. If you can't become exactly like your +mother, you certainly can become more like her than anybody else, for +you are her child, and a child always has something from her mother. +I have seen you look at me just the way she did, with the same brown +eyes; but not when you frown the way you do to-day. You must try to +watch the two ladies very carefully in all they do and in the way they +speak. They are your mother's kind, and that is why I am so glad that +you can watch their manners and can try to imitate them. You can learn +to resemble your mother in your ways, if you copy the ladies." + +"Yes, I shall do that," agreed Cornelli. "Just the same, I am not +terribly pleased that they are here and that everything has to be +changed. Oh dear, I have just remembered that I have to be back now +and drink some hot coffee and milk, because Miss Dorner says that the +afternoons are so frightfully long in the country they have to be +interrupted. At that time I always used to get from the garden some +apples or cherries or whatever else there was, and they always tasted +so awfully good. If I only could lengthen my afternoon, which seems +too long to them! I never can do all I plan to do. Good-bye, Martha." + +And with these words Cornelli ran away. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE UNWISHED-FOR HAPPENS + + + +Esther, the able mistress of the kitchen, was standing in the garden +picking green peas, which hung in clusters from the vines. They had +ripened quickly in the sunny June weather. + +"Come down here, Cornelli!" she called. "Just see how many peas there +are! Why do you steal about so quietly nowadays, and why don't you run +the way you used to?" + +"I am not allowed to do anything any more," replied Cornelli, +approaching her. "Mina is beginning to tell me that I even must not +jump, for it might tangle my hair. I wish I had not a single hair left; +then I could at least run and jump about." + +"No, no, child; that would look too dreadful. Just imagine it! But +don't get sad on account of that," Esther consoled her. "Just jump +around as before! Your hair can always be put in order again. Why +haven't you come into the kitchen lately to see if things taste right?" + +"I am not allowed to; Miss Dorner says that is bad manners," Cornelli +informed her. + +"Oh, I see! Well, you might do worse things. However, you must obey! +Yes, you have to obey," Esther repeated. "Don't you go to Miss Mina +any more, either, when she fixes the dessert?" + +Cornelli shook her head. + +Miss Mina had quickly understood the new order that had begun in the +household and accordingly had suited herself to it. When she thought +the ladies would not approve of an old custom, she dropped it quickly, +and Cornelli had soon noticed her change of attitude. + +"I don't care if I never can go to the pantry any more, I don't care," +Cornelli exploded now. "She can eat all the things herself which drop +beside the plate. I don't care. I don't want anything as long as I can +go to the little kid in the stable; it really is the most cunning +creature in the whole world. Have you seen it yet, Esther?" + +"Certainly I have, and why not?" the cook replied. "Matthew took me +out to the stable as soon as it was born. You can certainly go to see +it as long as it is in our own stable. Just go there as much as you +like! Nobody can forbid you that." + +"My teacher is coming," Cornelli now exclaimed, "and I have to go." + +"Yes, child, but do keep up your spirits. There are lots of pleasant +things still left for you to enjoy. Just wait till you taste the +strawberry tarts I am going to make to-day." + +With these words Esther smacked her lips to express the great succulence +of the promised dish. + +"I wouldn't even care if you baked nettle tarts; I wish I didn't have +to eat at table and could just eat berries in the garden and drink +milk in the stable." + +Cornelli ran towards the house, for she had forgotten to walk sedately, +as she had been told to do. + +While Cornelli had her lessons upstairs in the living room, in the +jessamine arbor both ladies were sitting on a garden bench. + +"It would be so pleasant and agreeable here," said Miss Dorner, "and +my cousin could have such a very charming life, if the child were only +a little different. Don't you think, Betty, that she has no manners +whatever?" + +"Yes, but she has had no training at all." remarked Miss Grideelen; +"and she may have inherited some qualities from her mother." + +"Oh no, not a single trait! You cannot possibly imagine a greater +difference than between the mother and this child," Miss Dorner +exclaimed. "Cornelia was full of amiability and gayety. She always +greeted and cheered everyone with her laughing brown eyes. If my cousin +could only have the happiness to see his child resemble her mother the +slightest bit! He was so fond of his wife! He deserves this joy, for +he is a splendid man." + +"It is curious how very different children can be from their parents," +said Miss Grideelen with regret in her voice. "But I am sure that +something can still be accomplished by educating the child. Many +qualities can be developed that hardly show themselves yet. We ought +to do our best for her, especially for her father's sake." + +"That is just what I am doing, Betty. Unfortunately, I have had very +little success as yet," answered Miss Dorner. "But I just hope that +the day will come when I can write her father some pleasant news about +Cornelli, something different from what I feel obliged to send him +now." + +The day had been exceedingly hot, and the ladies retired to their rooms +immediately after dinner, while Cornelli, according to her custom, +obediently did her lessons. Then she disappeared. In the late evening, +when the ladies sat down to supper, it was so warm that Miss Mina was +ordered to open all the windows. + +Now Cornelli entered. + +"For mercy's sake, what are you thinking of!" the cousin accosted the +child. "We are nearly perishing with the heat and you put on a fur +dress, which you could wear without a coat in a sleigh ride in the +middle of winter. Why do you do such foolish things?" + +Cornelli was really attired very strangely. Her little dress was made +of such heavy, fur-like material that one could see it was meant for +the coldest winter weather, and for someone who disliked much outer +clothing. The child's cheeks were glowing red, and from the insufferable +heat whole streams of perspiration trickled down her face. + +"I have no more dresses left," she said stubbornly. + +"Can you understand it?" asked the cousin, looking at her friend. + +"I really think that this is the fifth dress in which I have seen +Cornelli to-day," answered the friend. "In the early morning I saw her +running across the yard in a dark dress. At breakfast she wore a light +frock and for lunch a red one. I believe that she wore a blue dress +when we had our coffee this afternoon, so this must be the fifth +costume. I was beginning at lunch time to wonder about the frequent +changes." + +"I have to change my dress every time I go to the stable," Cornelli +said, a little more stubbornly than before. + +"How can anybody be so foolish!" exclaimed the cousin now. "I can +understand now why you have no fun and why you always wear an unhappy +face. You must be nearly perished with the heat! Finish your supper +quickly and then go to your room and take off this heavy dress. You +surely have another dress. I must forbid you to go to the stable from +now on! You can see for yourself what comes of it! If only you would +not frown like this, Cornelli. You look exactly as if you had two +little horns growing on your forehead, one on each side. There are +many other and better amusements for you than spending your life in +the stable. Are you able to embroider?" + +"No," Cornelli answered curtly. + +"Children of your age ought to be able to, though," said the cousin. +"But we have not come here to teach you that; have we, Betty? You +probably do not even know how to hold the needle in your hand." + +"Why should it be necessary for Cornelli to learn embroidery just now?" +replied the friend. "She has lovely books that she can read; she has +shown us some herself. Don't you prefer reading a pretty story to +running about in the stable, child?" + +"No, I don't," replied Cornelli crossly. + +"We must not pay attention to what she says," remarked Miss Dorner. +"When Cornelli is bored, she will probably turn to her books herself. +Please, Miss Mina, keep an eye on Cornelli. Nonsense like this must +not happen any more." + +When supper was finished, Cornelli went up to her room, and Miss Mina +followed her. + +"You certainly don't need to do such silly things," she said scoldingly, +as soon as they were on the stairs, where her words could not be +overheard. "I have enough to do nowadays without watching whether you +put on a new dress every few hours." + +"It isn't my fault," Cornelli replied morosely. "They ordered me to do +it." + +"They won't always smell it when you have been to the stable," scolded +Miss Mina. + +"Yes, but they do smell it," Cornelli retorted, "and even if they +didn't, I should have to obey. They told me to change every time I go +to the stable." + +"Yes, but now you are told not to go there any more, remember that!--so +your frequent changing will have to stop," grumbled Miss Mina, while +she was helping Cornelli to take off her hot dress. + +"Now I have to clean it, besides! You actually give more work than six +well brought up children." Miss Mina had never before spoken so roughly +to Cornelli, for she had always been anxious to keep in the child's +good graces. But she had suddenly ceased to care about that. + +Cornelli looked at her with astonishment. The child's eyes were also +full of something that nobody had ever seen there before. Mina seemed +to understand: "I did not do you any harm," she said quickly; "what +I have said is only the truth." With that she left the room. + +"If everybody treats me that way I'll be that way, too," cried Cornelli +with a furious look. Suddenly taking hold of the dress she had just +taken off she threw it out of the window. After a while Mina returned, +bringing back the dress. Cornelli was sitting on the window-sill crossly +looking down at the yard. + +"Look out that the wind doesn't blow you down, too, like your dress," +Miss Mina said unpleasantly. + +"I don't care," Cornelli replied obstinately. "It did not blow down +at all, for I threw it down on purpose." + +"Oh, is this the way you behave? Next time you can get it yourself," +said Miss Mina, running away indignantly. + +Next morning Cornelli was walking across the courtyard, happily talking +to her teacher, whose hand she was holding. During her school hours +she had forgotten all the troubles of the day before, for Mr. Malinger +had been as kind to her as ever. He at least had not changed. + +"Could you give me a little rose?" he asked smilingly, while they were +passing the blooming rose bushes. So Cornelli quickly ran from bush +to bush till she had gathered a fine bunch of dark and light, white +and red roses. These she offered to her teacher, warning him not to +prick himself. Then the two parted most cordially. + +Cornelli, on coming back, ran swiftly toward the stable. Suddenly, +however, she stood stock still, for she remembered that she was not +allowed to go there any more. No longer could she see the darling +little kid and watch its growth. She would be unable to tell when the +moment had come for it to be hitched to a carriage to be driven about +by her. She might not be allowed even to do that! She hoped, however, +that her father might be back by that time and that then everything +would be different. Cornelli danced with joy at that thought, and her +old gaiety seemed to return. She felt like going to Esther and talking +it all over with her good old friend. The moment the child went into +the house, Miss Dorner stepped out of the living room. + +"You have just come in time," she said, "for I have to show you +something. Where are you going?" + +"To the kitchen," replied Cornelli. + +"You have nothing whatever to do in the kitchen and you shall not go +there. I thought you knew that you have to go upstairs before lunch +to fix your hair. But before you go up come in here. I have to tell +you something very important." + +Cornelli followed her cousin into the room. Miss Grideelen was standing +near the window as if she had expected the return of her friend. Leading +Cornelli to the sofa, Miss Dorner pointed to it, saying: "You are sure +to know who has done this and you had better tell me right away." + +On the dark plush coverings were visible distinct marks of dusty shoe +soles. There was no trace of a whole foot, but one could see that +somebody had trampled on the sofa. + +"I did not do it," said Cornelli with sparkling eyes. + +"Who in all the house would have done it except you? Please ask yourself +that, Cornelli! There is no question about it at all," said Miss Dorner. +"It is probably one of your little jokes similar to throwing your +dresses out of the window. I know all about it. Just let me tell you +this! It is the last time that you, a girl of ten years old, will show +such a terrible lack of manners. As long as I am here, you shall not +do it any more. You really should spare your good, sensitive father +such behavior." + +"I have not done it. No, I did not do it, no, no!" Cornelli cried +aloud. + +"But Cornelli, only reflect! You are blushing and your conscience is +giving you away," Miss Grideelen here remarked. "It would be so much +better for you to say humbly: 'I have done it and I am sorry; I shall +never do it again!'" + +"No, no! I have not done it. No, no!" Cornelli cried out louder still. +Her cheeks were glowing red from anger and excitement. + +"Do not make such a noise," ordered the cousin. "One might think there +was an accident. It is not worth while to lose so many words. You +should not have made things worse by denying it; if you had not, +everything would be all settled. You have misbehaved and you shall not +do so any more. Remember!" + +"No, I did not misbehave. No, no! And I shall not say yes when it is +not true," Cornelli now cried, quite beside herself. + +"Go to your room, Cornelli, and smooth out your forehead before you +come to dinner. Your little horns are protruding quite plainly when +you act that way. Just look at yourself in the mirror and see yourself +how repulsive you look. If you think that there is anybody in the world +who can still like you when you have black horns on your forehead, you +are mistaken. Go, now, and return with another face." + +Cornelli went. + +Reaching her room, Cornelli put her hand up to her brow. Right on her +forehead were two protruding points. Should horns be really growing +there? The child had a sudden horrible fright at this thought. She was +sure that everybody could see them already, for she could feel them +quite distinctly. She could not stand it any longer, so she ran away +to old Martha. + +"No, I did not do it, Martha. I never did it," she called out, running +into the little room. "When I tell them no, no, they ought to believe +that I did not do it. I never, never did it. They shall know it! But +they won't believe me even if I say it a hundred times and--" + +"Stop a little, Cornelli!" said old Martha kindly. "You see, you are +all out of breath. Sit down here on your stool and tell me quietly +what has excited you so. You know that I believe your words. I have +known you since you were small, and I know that what you say is true." + +It was impossible for Cornelli to speak calmly about what had happened, +but it soothed her, nevertheless, to be able to pour out her heart and +to know that Martha believed her. She told of the accusation which had +been brought against her, and how she had not been believed despite +all her assurances. She was certain that both ladies would always +believe for ever and ever that she had done it and had denied it. At +this thought Cornelli again became quite red from excitement and was +on the point of breaking out again. But Martha put her hand on the +child's shoulder, quietly restraining her. + +"No, no, Cornelli, that's enough," she said soothingly. "It is only +to your advantage that it is so and not as they have said. You have +been accused wrongly and cannot prove it, but God knows the truth. He +has heard everything. You can be calm and happy and look up to Him +with a clear conscience. You can say to yourself: 'God knows it, and +I do not need to be afraid or frightened.' If you had really done wrong +and had denied it, you would have to be afraid that the truth would +be revealed. Then you could not look up calmly to the sky, for you +would be frightened at the thought that up there was One who knew +everything and from whom nothing could be hidden. A wrong accusation +does not stay with us forever. Even if it takes ever so long, it +generally is revealed in the end, and you certainly will not need to +bear it in all eternity, because God already knows how it is." + +Cornelli had really grown calm at the thought that there was One who +knew how it all was. When her trouble began to weigh upon her, she +could always say: "You know it all, dear Father in Heaven, You have +seen and heard everything." + +"If He could only tell them! They would then know it, too. God could +easily do that," Cornelli said. + +"Yes, but that is not the way things happen. We do not know better +than He what is good for us," Martha said, shaking her head quite +seriously. "If we could rule, everything would come wrong. We never +can see ahead of the hour and we never know what is good for us because +the next moment always brings something we did not know about. Otherwise +we would always be trying to undo what we have strained to do the day +before; we should only make ourselves miserable over and over again. +But if God ordains anything that we do not understand, we must believe +firmly that something good will come out of it. We must be patient, +and if our troubles are too heavy, we must console ourselves and think: +God knows what good will come from it. But we are forgetting the time, +Cornelli. You must hurry home to your dinner, now. I am afraid it is +already late." + +Cornelli's black frown had disappeared during Martha's soothing speech, +but now a deep shadow flew across her face. + +"Oh, Martha, if I only did not need to go home any more! I hate to go +back and sit at table. I would not mind dying of hunger, if I could +only stay here with you." + +Cornelli, glancing at her home, drew together her brows as if she saw +something frightful there. + +"But, child, you must not say such things about your lovely home; it +is wrong to do that," said Martha, kindly admonishing her. "Just think +how many children have no home at all. How grateful they would be to +God for a home like yours. Go, now, Cornelli, be grateful for all God +has given you and chase away the thoughts that make you sad. Come soon +again and we shall be glad together, for there is always something to +be glad about." + +Cornelli went. While she had been with Martha and had heard her words, +it had really seemed to her that there was no cause for grief. As soon, +however, as she entered the garden and saw the windows of the room +where they were surely already at table, everything that had pressed +heavily on her heart rose again. After all, Martha did not know +everything. + +Cornelli was sure that she could never be happy any more. She could +not go in there and she could not eat. She felt as if she could not +swallow anything, for big stones seemed to stick in her throat. If she +would only die from it all! Cornelli thought that that would be best, +for then everything would be over. So she sat down on the lawn behind +the thick currant bushes, where she could not be seen from the house. +Meanwhile, Miss Mina had carried away the sweets and was putting the +fruit course on the table. + +"It seems to me that Cornelli does not care if she comes to table a +whole hour late," said Miss Dorner. "Nothing is to be kept warm for +her, for she does not seem to have learned yet how to respect time and +order. She had better learn it soon." + +Mina went out to sit down for her dinner. Esther had everything ready +and was just putting the dessert in the cupboard. + +"That is for Cornelli as soon as she comes home," she said, sitting +down, too; "the poor child gets enough bitter things to swallow +nowadays." + +"But why shouldn't she come in time?" asked Mina crossly. "Besides, +she couldn't possibly eat the whole dessert. We can take our share and +there will be enough left, surely as much as is good for her." + +"I won't let you have it," said Esther, firmly pressing her arm to the +table as a sign that she would stay there. "The child must have +something that will help her to swallow all the cross words she hears +all day," she continued. "What was wrong again this morning, when there +was such a scene in the living room?" + +"It was nothing," replied Mina. "There were a few marks of dust on the +sofa, and the ladies thought that Cornelli had been standing on it. +The child would not admit it and so the ladies kept on accusing her +till Cornelli set up a senseless row." + +"I really think, Miss Mina, that you could have given an explanation," +said Esther with a sly smile. "If one has to wind up the clock, it is +quicker to jump up on the sofa than to push the heavy thing away. When +one wears tight lace boots in the early morning, one can't take them +off easily, eh, Miss Mina?" With these words Esther glanced at the +neat little boots that Mina was stretching out comfortably under the +table. + +"Well, what was there so terrible about that?" retorted Mina pertly. +"The sofa won't be spoiled on account of that, and besides, I have to +clean it myself." + +"I only think you could have said a word, before the ladies accused +the child of having lied to them and before she nearly had a fit over +the injustice. She made such a noise that one could hear it all over +the house! It went right through me." + +"Oh, pooh! it was not as bad as that," asserted Mina; "the child has +long since forgotten the whole thing. That is the way with children. +One moment they make a horrible noise and the next they go out of the +door and forget about it. Why should one bother?" + +"It used to be different," said Esther smilingly, "Miss Mina could not +be obliging enough to the child then. Things are all done for other +people now and not for those of the house." + +"Those of the house!" repeated Mina mockingly. "It won't be long before +you, too, will be singing another tune. When the new lady of the house +gives orders in the kitchen you will have to obey, too." + +Esther dropped her spoon. "For goodness sake, what are you saying?" +she exclaimed. "Who should have thought of such a thing? Whom do you +mean, the cousin or the other one?" + +"Well, I can't tell that exactly," replied the maid. "Our master has +not discussed that with me, but one must be dumb not to see what is +going on and why the ladies came here. After all, one wants to know +what one is going to do. That two have come, is the surest sign of +all, for we shall be supposed not to suspect." + +"For goodness sake," said Esther again, "what a discovery! I am sure +it must be the relation, for she already rules the house. I tell you +one thing, though, Miss Mina, that I shall keep on singing the same +tune I have been singing for the last twelve years in this house, and +I don't care who is going to rule. You can believe me." + +"Oh, we shall see about that, Esther," said Mina with a superior air. +She got up, now, to see if the ladies needed anything. + +Waking up from a sound sleep, Cornelli did not remember where she was. +She was lying on the lawn behind the currant bushes. She remembered +at last how she had come back at lunch time from Martha's cottage and +how she had suddenly felt weary and sleepy. She must have dropped down +and gone to sleep. + +It was evening and there was no more sunshine on the grass, but the +sky was still light, although it was beginning to grow dark. Cornelli +suddenly had a longing she had never known before. She felt as if she +had to eat and taste everything about her, the bushes and the leaves, +the flowers, and especially the unripe plums on the tree above her. +Oh, if she only had a piece of bread! Cornelli got up quickly and ran +towards the house. + +"Come quickly, Cornelli," Esther called to her through the open kitchen +window; "they are just sitting down to supper; you have come just in +time." + +Cornelli flew to her room and, pulling out a thick shawl from among +her things, tied it around her head. Then, running to the dining room, +she sat down at her accustomed seat. + +"So you have come again," said Miss Dorner, who had just settled down, +too. "A well brought up child should at least say good evening when +she enters the room after a long absence." + +"Good evening," said Cornelli, after which she finished her soup with +unusual haste. + +"Where do you come from after all this time?" asked the cousin. + +"From the garden," was the reply. + +"That is quite possible, but where were you before that?" + +"With Martha," Cornelli answered. + +"If you could only learn to answer more pleasantly!" remarked Miss +Dorner, "it would be to your own advantage, for you do not have many +pleasing things about you; it would only make you more attractive, and +you really should strive to become so. + +"Next time you want to stay so long at this woman's house you have to +ask my permission. I absolutely forbid you to stay away so long without +asking me, do you hear? You deserve to be scolded for your long absence +to-day, but I shall not say anything further. But why do you look so +pitiful! What is the matter? Have you a toothache?" + +"No," Cornelli quickly gave forth. + +"Have you a headache?" + +"No." + +"What is the matter with you?" + +"Nothing." + +"You shall never again set up such a masquerade when there is nothing +the matter with you, Cornelli," said the cousin scoldingly. "Why do +you put this shawl around your head? Are you trying to look like an +untidy gypsy? Don't ever come to table that way again! Betty, have you +ever seen the like? Can you understand this behavior from a sensible +child?" + +The friend just shook her head. + +"Perhaps Cornelli does it because she does not know what else to do. +She does not seem to desire a proper occupation," she replied. + +When Cornelli came down to breakfast next day, she had taken off the +shawl, but she still looked very odd. + +"You look exactly like a savage from New Zealand," said the cousin. +"Do you think you are improving your appearance by plastering your +hair all over your face?" + +"No," said Cornelli fiercely. + +"Neither do I," said the cousin. "I cannot make you out at all. What +will you put on next, I wonder, when your hair is brushed away?" + +"My fur cap," replied Cornell, according to the truth. + +"I never heard such nonsense," exclaimed Miss Dorner. "I really think +that the child is capable of doing that. She will probably pull it +down over her head to her nose when the temperature is eighty. I have +never seen such a child. What shall I do with her?" + +Cornelli really looked as if she did not know how well brought up +European girls usually wore their hair. From the middle of her head +thick uneven strands of dark hair hung down over her forehead and deep +into her eyes. The hair was not hanging loose, but was firmly glued +to her skin. Her intention seemed to be to keep it there to prevent +it from being blown away. + +"You look positively repulsive and no person on earth will want to +look at you if you go around like that. This may teach you to give up +your terrible obstinacy! Nothing else can be done with you." + +With these words the cousin rose and left the room. Miss Grideelen +promptly followed. + +That evening a letter was sent to Cornelli's father: + +ILLER-STREAM, +July 20th, 18--. + +MY DEAR COUSIN: + +Your affairs are going brilliantly, for your manager is splendid. I +can also inform you that perfect order reigns in your house, your +garden and the stable. Your place is perfectly magnificent; it abounds +in fruit and vegetables and lovely flowers. I should never have imagined +this possible years ago, when I wandered about here with my friend +Cornelia. + +I am coming now to the principal subject of this letter, which is less +pleasant. I do not understand how your daughter has gotten her +disposition. She does not either resemble you, with your fresh and +open manner, or Cornelia, with her merry, pliant disposition, which +won every one's heart. The child has a dull and sullen nature, a +roughness of manner and an unheard-of stubbornness. I can do nothing +for her, at least not by anything I say. But I have decided to leave +physical or other punishment to you. I shall do all I can by good +example and admonishment as long as I am here. My friend is supporting +me faithfully. I do not dare raise in you the hope that the child will +ever make you happy. A rebellious nature like hers is sure to get worse +from year to year. I hope, however, that the success of all your +ventures will give you the satisfaction that your home life cannot +give you. + +Your faithful cousin, + +KITTY DORNER. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A NEWCOMER IN ILLER-STREAM + + + +Old Matthew was raking the gravel paths in the garden when Cornelli +stepped out of the house and slowly approached. She held a book in her +hand and now sat down on the bench under the hazel bush. Laying the +book on her lap, she watched Matthew while he cleaned up the paths. +Looking up he said: "Come with me, Cornelli, and let us go over to the +stable together, for you have not been there for a long time. You +should see how the little kid is growing." + +Cornelli merely shook her head and gave no answer. Matthew looked over +at the child a few more times, but said no more. + +Esther, carrying a large basket, now arrived. As she was going to the +vegetable garden she called over to the child: "You must have a +specially nice book to be sitting there so quietly, Cornelli." + +Cornelli shook her head. + +"No?" laughed Esther. "All right, then, come with me and I'll show you +how many yellow plums there are going to be this year; the whole tree +is full and they are already beginning to ripen." + +"I don't care," said Cornelli. + +"No?" laughed Esther. "All right, then, plums," Esther exclaimed. "And +our large juicy pears are beginning to get ripe, too. Don't you want +to come and see how long it will be before they are ripe?" + +"No," was the reply. + +Esther now went her ways. A short time after that Matthew joined her. +"What is the matter with the child, Esther," he asked. "She is so +changed! One can hardly recognize any more our gay and friendly +Cornelli. And why does she have her hair hanging into her face that +way? One absolutely does not know her any more." + +"That is just what I say," Esther replied. "I really can't understand +it. One hardly ever sees the child, and if one does meet her somewhere, +she scarcely says a word. She never sings or laughs the way she used +to, and she always wears such a terribly unhappy expression that it +fairly makes one's heart ache. How happy the child used to be! + +"They say that she needs to be educated, and it may be so; but since +she is getting an education she is absolutely changed, and not for the +better. However, things may go well again when her education is +finished." + +"She misses her mother," said Matthew. "It is awfully hard on a little +one to grow up without a mother, for she needs her at every step. It +is so easy when you have a mother to whom you can tell your joys and +troubles." + +"One might think that you still run to your mother whenever anyone +does you harm, Matthew," said Esther, a little mockingly. + +"I should love to," Matthew assured her. "I know what my mother meant +to me and so I am always sorry for every child that has none. One can +see how it is with our master's child; nothing is of any good to her +as long as she has no mother." + +Matthew went away, looking once more with pity at Cornelli, who was +sitting quite motionless on the bench. The book by now was lying on +the ground. + +Soon afterwards Mr. Maelinger entered the garden and neared the house, +but Cornelli intercepted him. + +"I could not come at 9 o'clock to-day," he said, "but I think one hour +is better than none, so am here now, at 11 o'clock. I hope you have +spent a pleasant, useful morning." + +"No, I haven't," said Cornelli drily. + +"But you have a fine book in your hand. It is sure to have something +nice in it. What is it all about?" + +"I do not know," replied Cornelli. + +"Let us go to our work now. Your reading does not seem to have impressed +you much, so let us hope for a better result from our lesson." + +The teacher entered the house with his pupil, and they were just getting +settled in their accustomed places when he said: "It seems to me, +Cornelli, that your hair hangs a little too much over your face. It +must be very uncomfortable. Could not this be changed?" + +"No, I can never change that, never, never," Cornelli said passionately, +tightly pressing down the hair on her forehead. "Oh, really! But this +is no affair of mine," said the teacher calmly. "Only it seems to me +a rather disfiguring manner of wearing the hair. You would feel much +more comfortable without these weeping-willow-like hangings in front +of your eyes." + +Cornelli was still pressing both her hands against her forehead, as +if the teacher might try by force to straighten up her hair. But he +now began the lesson quite peacefully. + +When the ladies were leaving the room after lunch, the cousin said to +the child: "You are not going to run off again immediately, Cornelli. +You must begin a proper and orderly existence. When your work is done +you can read one of your many lovely books. You have enough time after +our coffee hour to take walks and to pay visits." + +As usual the work was soon finished. Afterwards Cornelli sat down on +the garden bench. Just as before, she put the book in her lap, and it +soon fell to the ground. Cornelli peeped about her, at the trees and +at the ground, but she did not really seem to see them. + +At coffee time Cornelli punctually appeared at table and quickly gulped +down everything that was poured out for her, as if it were a medicine +that simply had to be swallowed. Afterwards she sat there frowning, +for she had to remain at her seat till the ladies got up; she had +learned this custom from her cousin. + +"Don't always frown and make such horns! One can see them quite plainly +even through your curtains," said Miss Dorner. "It won't be long before +you can go away." + +At last the ladies got up to go into the garden. Cornelli sneaked out +behind them, turned unseen around the corner of the house, and walked +across the meadow to the path. + +"To sit here under the hazel bush and read a fine book is really a +pleasure not many children have," said Miss Dorner, sitting down on +the bench. "For this alone you should be grateful, instead of frowning +and sulking all day, Cornelli--yes! But where has she gone again?" the +lady interrupted herself, glancing around. + +"She disappeared as soon as we came out," her friend answered. "Isn't +Cornelli really peculiar? She never says a friendly word and never +gives a single sign of childish love. She always runs away as soon as +she possibly can." + +"I am so sorry for her father, who must long for a pleasant family +life," Miss Dorner continued. "He will never have this by the side of +his only daughter, who seems to become more unfriendly and stubborn +every day. Others in the house have noticed it, too, so Mina tells me. +Oh, what a life it will be here in two or three years. My poor cousin +with his beautiful estate! What good is that to him?" + +"Many things can happen in two years that can't be foretold, Kitty, +and that can change a household entirely," replied the other lady. +"For the benefit of your cousin let us hope that this may come true." + +Cornelli was not leaping or running, but was quietly creeping along +the edge of the path. She was staring at the ground, without once +looking up at the merry birds which were whistling above her. Not once +did she glance to right or left in the meadows, though they were full +of red daisies and blue forget-me-nots which Cornelli ordinarily loved +to pick. + +Martha saw the approaching child. She came out with a worried face and +full of sympathy asked: "What is wrong with you, Cornelli? Can you +never again be merry?" + +"No, not any more," replied Cornelli, entering Martha's little chamber +and sitting down on the stool which her old friend had put for her in +the usual place. Cornelli's words did not come rapidly and angrily any +more, as they had done before. With a deep sigh she added: "I only +wish I had never learned to read." + +"What! But child, what an idea," exclaimed Martha, "what a foolish +wish! You should realize what it means to want to find out something +and not be able to. One has to begin over and over again, and nothing +helps one. That is what happened to me to-day. If you don't help me +I won't ever understand it. I often wish I could read and write as +fast as our Cornelli does. It is a great gift to be able to read and +write easily, and everybody who can't do it knows that well. Don't you +like the pretty books your father has given you?" + +"No, I don't. They are pretty, but awfully tiresome, Martha," Cornelli +assured her. "There are all kinds of stories and descriptions in them +of famous people and discoveries. Father said that he used to love +them when he was young, but he was probably different from me. Now I +can't run to the stable any more, nor into the woods as I feel like +doing; now I have to sit around all the time and read a book. Oh, I +wish nobody had written any books, then nobody would have to read +them." + +"But Cornelli, I do not think that this would suit everybody," Martha +said. "Please help me to read a letter I got to-day, and then you will +see what an advantage it is to be able to read. I need your help, for +I do not understand what is wanted of me." + +Cornelli, taking up the letter, was quite willing to help her dear old +friend. + +"Who wrote it?" asked the child. + +"That is just the thing I cannot read," Martha answered. "I only know +that it comes from town, but I cannot guess who could possibly write +to me from there." + +Cornelli began to read the letter aloud. It was an inquiry as to whether +the spare room had yet been taken, and if Mrs. Wolf could take care +of a boy of twelve years for a few weeks. He did not need special care, +as he was not exactly ill; but the boy undoubtedly was not very strong. +Good air and fresh milk were the chief things he needed. If no refusal +came, the boy would arrive in the middle of July. It was signed: Nika +Halm, rector's widow. + +"Oh, how easily you read. It seems to go all of itself," said Martha +admiringly, when Cornelli had finished. "I never could have made it +out so well. Just think how proud I can be that a rector's wife will +bring her son to me. Oh, I'll take the best care of him, and I must +ask Matthew to let him have some milk from the cows every morning and +evening. Isn't it too bad it is not a girl; then you would have a +playmate. But you will entertain each other just the same. Are you not +a little bit glad that he is coming?" + +"No, not a bit," Cornelli returned curtly. "I know quite well that he +won't have anything to do with me, and I know why, too. I do not care +whether it is a boy or a girl. I don't want him." + +"But Cornelli, you never used to be that way. You used to be so friendly +and bright with everybody. What has happened to you?" asked Martha, +quite grieved. "You do not look about you with bright eyes and your +hair hangs too low on your face. Can't I push it back a little?" + +Martha, fetching a comb, was going to touch Cornelli's hair, when +Cornelli hindered her by crying out: "No, Martha, leave it! It has to +stay that way all my life." + +"Oh, no, I won't believe that. Why should your face be half covered +up? One can hardly recognize you," Martha said regretfully. "What do +the ladies say about it?" + +"Miss Dorner says that I am the most obstinate being in the whole +world, and that no one can ever set me right," was Cornelli's truthful +information. Then she added: "She says that no child on earth looks +as ugly as I do and that nobody in the world will ever like me. I know +that it is true, and I only wish nobody were coming to you; then I +could always be alone with you." + +"Cornelli, I am quite sure that you would do right in obeying the +ladies," said Martha. "If you did what they say, they would love you +as well as everybody else does." + +"No, no, Martha, you don't know how it is," Cornelli said, quite +frightened. "I'll do everything they say, but I can never push my hair +away, for then it would be worse still and everybody could see it." + +Martha shook her head. + +"I do not know what you mean, Cornelli. Please come to me just as often +as you can. I shall always love you more than anybody who might ever +come here. If you did not come, it would hurt me dreadfully. Then I +would rather not have the rector's son here, glad as I am now that he +is coming." + +"All right, Martha, then I shall come," Cornelli promised. "We can +easily be alone together in the kitchen, for I want to see you alone. +I shall not come on Monday, for that is the day they arrive. On Tuesday, +though, I'll come. Then we'll go together to the kitchen." + +Martha promised this and Cornelli went home in the same way as she had +come. Not once did she run to the meadow to pick forget-me-nots or +other flowers that were sparkling there. + +When Monday came, she was wondering if a carriage would arrive with +a proud city boy and a lady with a high feather hat, both of whom would +look down on her with disdain. Cornelli settled down beside the garden +fence, for from there she could conveniently survey the road. But she +saw no carriage, though she watched through both the morning and the +afternoon. She really was very glad, for she was quite sure that nobody +had arrived. Next day when the time came for her to be free, she walked +over to Martha's little house. + +"Oh, I am so glad that nobody has come. Now I can be alone with you +and don't have to go to the kitchen--" + +Cornelli had said these words on entering, but she suddenly stopped. +A boy she had never seen sat at the table in the room and Martha was +just clearing away the supper things. So he had come after all and had +even heard what she had said. Oh, it was dreadful! But the boy was +laughing. + +Cornelli wanted to withdraw quickly, but the boy called out: "Please +come in and let us get acquainted. Mrs. Martha has already told me +about you. Just come in," he continued, when he saw that Cornelli still +hesitated. "If you want to be alone with Mrs. Wolf I can easily go to +my own room." + +Cornelli felt that it was very nice of the boy not to resent her words +and to be willing to give place to her. She therefore entered. Martha +had already put a chair in readiness for her and greeted her heartily. + +"I expected you, Cornelli," she said. "Just sit down here a little +with our guest. His name is Dino Halm and he already knows your name. +I am sure you will have a good time together. I'll go up in the meantime +and if you need me you can find me in the room upstairs." + +Martha, thinking that the children could get acquainted better if they +were left alone, had planned to unpack her new arrival's things while +they were together. She put his belongings neatly away in the wardrobe +and the drawers in order to make him feel at home in his tidy little +chamber. + +"Why did you think that we did not come?" asked Dino as soon as Martha +had left the room and Cornelli was sitting beside him silently. + +"Because I did not see the carriage," she replied. + +"The carriage? Well, I can believe you," said Dino. "We walked more +than an hour, in fact, nearly two, before we got here from the station. +Do you just hop into a carriage when you go to the station?" + +"Yes, I do; I always go there with Papa," replied Cornelli. + +"But where do the horses always come from?" Dino wanted to know. + +"From our stable," was the answer. + +"Have you your own carriage and two horses of your own, just to be +able to drive about?" Dino questioned, full of astonishment. + +"Yes, we have the two brown ones and six others to carry away the iron +from the foundry." + +"Good gracious, eight horses!" Dino exclaimed. "You are lucky to be +able to sit in a carriage with your father and drive around!" + +"Can't you do that?" asked Cornelli. + +"Never in my life," Dino replied in a voice full of conviction. "First +of all, I do not have a father. Besides that, we do not own a stable +and horses. How lucky you are! Have you anything else in the stable?" + +"Oh yes, lots more. Six cows and a large gray stable cat," Cornelli +informed him. "Then there is an old nanny goat and a young snow white +kid, about whose neck I tied a red ribbon. You are going to drink milk +from our cow, did you know that?" + +"Oh, I shall love to do that!" Dino exclaimed. "Do you think I'll be +allowed to go to the stable and look at the horses?" + +"Certainly you will; Matthew will love to show them to you, and Martha +will willingly let you go. If I only could go with you!" And Cornelli +uttered a deep sigh. + +"Well, I should think you certainly could do that, when the stable +belongs to you. Who would hinder you, I'd like to know?" Dino said. +"Do you know what we'll do? We'll hitch the little kid to a cart. Won't +that be lovely? It can pull you and I shall be the coachman. I once +saw such a little carriage on a promenade in town." + +Cornelli had already had that thought herself, but she knew now that +she could never again go to the stable. It was suddenly clear to her +that she could not run about as before and that she could not be happy +any more. The chief reason for it all was clear to her, the reason +that prevented her from being carefree and bright as in the old times. +She did not answer, but gave forth a profound sigh, profounder than +the one she had uttered before. + +"Why do you sigh, as if you had to carry a mountain about with you--a +load that keeps you from going forward? Why do you do it?" asked Dino. + +"I can't tell anyone. You couldn't, either, if you had the trouble I +have," replied the little girl. + +"Oh, yes, I could. There is nothing in the world I couldn't tell," +Dino asserted. "If you can't confide in other people, you can always +tell your mother, for she can always smooth everything out for you. +Just go to her and tell her about it. That will relieve you and +everything will come right." + +"Yes, and now I can say what you said to me before. You are lucky and +much luckier than I am," said Cornelli with a trembling voice. "I never +can go to my mother because I have none. Now you see how well off I +am! I am sure you would never exchange with me, would you?" + +Dino looked quite frightened. + +"I did not know that you had no mother," he said, full of pity. In his +mind he saw his own mother, the way she looked at him, so full of love +that it always lightened his heart whenever anything troubled him. And +poor Cornelli had to miss all that! + +Even the stable with the horses, the large garden with all the fruit, +about which Martha had told him so much, appeared to him now in a +different light. + +Full of decision he said: "No indeed, I would not change with you." + +But a great pity for the motherless child welled up in Dino's heart +and he longed to be her protector. He could understand now why Cornelli +looked so strange; he had even noticed it as soon as he had seen her. +There was no mother to fix everything the way it should be. + +"We'll try to be friends, Cornelli! But you must push your hair back +from your forehead first of all; one can hardly see your eyes. Nobody +wears hair like that. I don't see how such long hair can stay there +without blowing off. What on earth did you paste it on with?" + +"With glue," replied Cornelli. + +"How nasty! Come, I'll cut it all off, and then your eyes and your +forehead will be clear. You can hardly see that way." + +Dino had seized the scissors that were lying beside Martha's work +basket, but Cornelli, struggling against him with both hands, fairly +screamed: "Let it be. It has to be that way. Put the scissors away!" + +"I won't hurt you. But don't scream so loud!" said Dino quietly, putting +down the scissors again. "I only wanted to do you a favor. If my two +sisters, Agnes and Nika, could see you, they would laugh at you; they +would not like the way you pasted on those locks." + +"I know that. But they do not need to see me at all," said Cornelli +crossly. "Nobody needs to see me. I know that nobody likes me, but I +don't care." + +With these words Cornelli ran away. Dino was terribly astonished and +stood looking at the door through which Cornelli had disappeared without +even a word of farewell. + +When Martha again entered the little room and was looking at Cornelli's +empty chair, Dino said: "What a queer child she is. I never thought +she would be so unfriendly." + +He related how they had passed the time together and how Cornelli had +suddenly run off without even saying good-bye. He had not wanted to +offend her. + +Martha shook her head and said: "Cornelli never was that way before. +I am so worried about her, for she is absolutely changed. You must not +think that she is queer and runs away like that and suddenly gets +cross. She never was that way at all; this is something new. If I only +could hear her sing and laugh again as of old. I hoped that her old +gaiety would come back with such a good playfellow as you are. Maybe +it will; after all, this is only the first day of your acquaintance. + +"I am sure Cornelli will not come back to me," said Dino, still quite +puzzled. "She ran away so full of anger." + +When Cornelli had exclaimed, "I don't care," it probably was not true. +On reaching home she quietly stole to her room. Sitting down on a +stool, she put her head in both hands and began to cry bitterly. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A FRIEND IS FOUND + + + +Cornelli had not appeared at Martha's cottage for quite a number of +days, and so Martha was filled with grief and anxiety. There were many +reasons for this. First of all, she loved the child as if she had been +her own and missed her daily visits terribly. She also knew that there +was something the matter with Cornelli and that this was the reason +why she did not come. From the time the child was small, she had run +over to her old friend every single day and had told her everything. +Martha was also sorry for her guest's sake that Cornelli stayed away. +She had told Dino how merry and bright the child could be and how he +would enjoy her as a daily companion. Now it had all come to nothing. + +In the meantime Dino and Martha had become firm friends, and the old +woman was very eager to make everything cosy and comfortable for her +polite and friendly housemate. After his daily walks and after he had +done his school work conscientiously, Dino loved always to sit down +beside Martha. Then she would talk to him and tell him many things +which Dino loved to hear. + +She generally told about Cornelli's father and mother, for Martha had +known the latter as a small child. Before long, though, she would +always begin to talk about Cornelli, for she never tired of that +subject. She assured Dino that she had never known a more bright or +amusing little girl. Dino always assured her that he could not believe +this and when Martha even asserted that Cornelli was more attractive +than any child she had ever seen, Dino laughed. + +"She looks exactly like a little owl," he always said. "One can hardly +see her eyes. I should love her to come again, though," he added, for +he was curious to see Cornelli when she was funny and bright, as Martha +described her. + +When Dino had gone to his room that evening, Martha quickly put on a +better apron, took the big shawl from her cupboard, and putting it on +her shoulders, went quietly out of the house and over to the Director's +residence. She looked up at the kitchen windows and saw a light there, +as well as in the room that overlooked the garden. On entering the +kitchen Martha saw Esther and Miss Mina sitting down to a plentiful +supper. The latter was just getting up to answer a bell which had rung +in the dining room, but Esther offered the empty seat to her old +acquaintance. + +"Sit down, Martha. I am sure you have earned a rest, the same as I +have," she said, and with these words moved three platters and a bottle +over to the new arrival. "Just take it. There is a lot left and I am +glad when it is gone, for then I can plan something new for to-morrow." + +"Thank you, Esther," Martha replied. "I have already eaten supper. It +is very nice of you to invite me to share it with you, but I really +can't." + +"How can you refuse? I simply won't have it. Anybody can eat what I +cook, even the Emperor of Russia himself. I am sure you are not yet +quite as mighty as that," Esther proceeded eagerly, loading a plate +with macaroni and stewed plums. + +"Please, Martha, don't make a fuss; just eat this and drink this glass +of wine. I don't know why you shouldn't. Why shouldn't you eat supper +twice, if it is good?" Martha did not dare to refuse Esther's offering +any more, so she began to eat her second supper, which was much more +abundant than the first had been. + +"What brings you here so late, Martha; what is it?" asked Esther +curiously, for this visit was quite unusual. + +"I was going to ask you something, Esther, and I thought that I would +interfere less with your work in the evening than at any other time," +Martha answered. "Cornelli, who used to come to me every day has not +been to see me all week. I thought that the ladies might have objected +to her going to such a humble old woman as I am. I could understand +that well enough. Do you think they have?" + +"Oh no, they don't object at all," Esther replied. "Miss Mina has told +them that our master thinks well of you. But you have no idea how +changed the child is in all her ways. One hardly knows her any more. +Three or four times a morning she used to come running in and out of +the kitchen. She was always singing and flying about the garden like +a little bird, at all hours of the day. + +"Who picked all the fine berries and the yellow plums, the juicy, dark +red cherries from the young trees over there, so that it was a pleasure +to see her? Cornelli, of course! And now she won't even look at +anything. All the berries are dried up by now and spoiled, and the +fine cherries, too. The yellow plums, also, are lying under the tree +by the dozen. They are only meant for children; the ladies won't bother +about them and one can't cook them, either. So they fall down and lie +there, and Cornelli never raises her head when she goes by them." + +Martha was much too modest to say how she would have loved to have a +little basket full of plums for her young boarder. She never could +give him any fruit and she knew how he would enjoy some. But as long +as he was staying with her she could not do it, for that would seem +as if she were begging for herself. + +"Yes, Esther," she said after a while, "I certainly have noticed how +changed Cornelli is. I pray to the Lord that everything will come right +in the end. Of course, it is hard for the child to get used to a new +life right away. But it surely will be good for her to have somebody +looking after her bringing-up." + +Esther shrugged her shoulders significantly at this, but said nothing. +"Is the child still in her room or has she gone out, Esther, do you +know? I wanted to tell her to come again to see me, as long as the +ladies don't object." + +Esther did not need to answer. At that moment Cornelli came stealing +quietly down the hall. When she saw Martha a ray of sunshine passed +across her face and she greeted the old woman. + +"I came to see if you were ill," said Martha. "What keeps you from +coming to see me, Cornelli? The time has passed so slowly without you, +child," she added, holding Cornelli's hand affectionately. + +"With me, too," said Cornelli hoarsely. + +"Please come to-morrow and every day, the way you used to," Martha +begged. + +"No, I won't come," Cornelli answered. + +"Why not, Cornelli?" Martha asked, full of dismay. + +"Because the boy is there. I don't like him and he does not like me," +Cornelli stated. + +Martha now eagerly told Cornelli of the falsehood of this assertion. +She told her how Dino had asked after her every day and had hoped that +she would come again. It was awfully dull for him to be alone all day +without a playmate. Martha was quite sure that it had not been Dino's +fault that she did not like him. The boy had nothing at all against +her, for he was asking every day that she come back. + +"Tell me, Cornelli," Martha said finally, "why don't you like the boy? +He is so nice!" + +"I'll come to see you to-morrow," was Cornelli's answer, and it +sufficed. Quite happily Martha said good-bye, making Cornelli repeat +her promise that she would spend some time next day with her old friend +and the new boarder. + +Next day Cornelli actually arrived at Martha's cottage at the accustomed +time. Martha was standing by her carnation pots on the porch, ready +to greet the visitor who was approaching. + +"Dino is so glad that you are coming, Cornelli," she said, offering +her hand as greeting. "He has just returned from drinking milk. Look, +here he comes!" + +Dino had heard the arrival of Martha's expected friend and opening the +door had stepped out. "Why have you not come for so long?" he asked, +giving Cornelli his hand. "I waited for you every day." + +Cornelli gave no answer. Entering the room together they sat down just +as they did the first day of their acquaintance. Martha went out, +because she knew that the children would get along better alone, and +she was very anxious for the two to become good friends. + +"Your small white kid is growing more cunning every day," said Dino. +"You should see it when it bounds about so gaily." + +"I don't care if I see it again or not. Nothing matters at all to me," +Cornelli returned in a most unfriendly manner. + +"No, this is not true," said Dino, laughing kindly. "When one talks +that way it shows that one cares a great deal and that one is full of +bitter thoughts, just because one can't have what one wants. I know +that very well; I do exactly the same thing." + +Cornelli was so astonished by Dino's knowledge in the matter that she +gazed at him dumfounded. + +"Oh, yes, I know how it is," he repeated. "But you do not need to be +bitter, because you lead the finest life anyone possibly could. I +always think so each morning and evening when I go over to the stable +to drink my milk. What a wonderful garden you have! I never saw such +fruit. A whole tree full of plums and all the berries on the bushes! +And then the two fine horses that are kept separately in your stable +for you. Matthew has told me that your father drives with you every +week and that you can have everything in the house and in the garden, +for you are the only child." + +"Oh, if only there were twelve or twenty children in the house, then +everything would be different," Cornelli broke forth passionately. +"But I am always alone and never can say a word to anybody. And if one +is made so that everybody hates and despises one, and if no one in the +whole world can help one and everything gets worse all the time---You +do not know how it is. I only wish I could die right away--" Here +Cornelli burst into sudden tears. Putting her head on the table she +sobbed violently. + +Dino looked quite frightened; he had never intended to make Cornelli +sad and he could not understand what she had said. But he remembered +that she had no mother and so he could understand her tears, for that +was dreadfully sad. That seemed more cause for tears than that she was +an only child. + +The thought filled him with deep compassion for her, and he said softly: +"Come, Cornelli! It is terribly sad that you have no mother, but you +must not think that therefore you are all alone and nobody wants to +help you. I'll be your friend and I'll help you, but you must tell me +what troubles you. I do not understand from what you have said. Please +explain it all to me." + +"No, I can't do that, I can't tell anyone," Cornelli said between her +sobs. + +"Oh, yes, you can. Don't cry any more and I'll help you. I can surely +find a way. Please tell me." + +Dino took Cornelli's hand and gently pulled it away from her eyes. + +"No, no, I can't," she said timidly. + +"Oh, yes, you can. First of all, we'll push your hair away. It is all +sticking to your forehead and your eyes; you can hardly see." Dino +pushed the hair away as much as he was able; but it was still hanging +down and sticking fast. + +"Oh, now you'll see it, and then you'll make a great noise, I know," +Cornelli exclaimed desperately. + +"I do not see anything except that you look a thousand times better +that way than with these thick, drooping fringes all over your face," +said Dino. + +"No, let them be! I know exactly how it is," cried Cornelli, making +an effort to push her hair back again. "Only you won't say it, because +you want to be my friend. But I know it and everybody can see it and +hate me." + +"But Cornelli, why are you crying?" said Dino, full of astonishment. +"I don't know what you mean and I am sure you are imagining something. +You must be, for one often does." + +"No, I'm not, and there are people who can see it. You must not think +that I imagine something, Dino; otherwise I would not be so frightened +that I often cannot go to sleep for a long, long while. I have to think +and think all the time. I know that it will get worse and worse and +that I won't be able to cover it up in the end. Then there won't be +a single person in the world who does not hate me when he looks at me. +You, too, will hate me then, I know." + +"I swear to you right now that I shall not hate you, whatever should +appear," Dino exclaimed enthusiastically. "Just tell me for once and +all what you mean. Please do it, for I might be able to help you and +give you some advice. Just tell me, for you know now that I will remain +your friend in spite of everything that might turn up." + +Cornelli still hesitated. + +"But will you still be my friend later on, when everything is still +more changed and nobody else will be my friend?" she asked persistently. + +"Yes, I promise; and here is my hand!" said Dino, giving the little +girl a hearty handshake. "You can see that I really mean it, for what +one has promised that way, one can never take back. Now you can be +sure that I shall always be your friend." + +Cornelli's face lit up with joy. It was obviously a great comfort to +her to have a friend who would remain so for all time. + +"So now, I'll tell you what it is. But you must promise not to tell +anyone in the whole, wide world about it, as long as you live." + +Dino promised, giving his hand again for solemn assurance. + +"Look, here on both sides of my forehead," said Cornelli now, hesitating +a little and pushing the fringes of hair out of her face, "I have two +large bumps, they grow all the time and especially when I frown. I +have to make a cross face all the time, for I cannot be jolly any more +and can never laugh again. So the bumps keep on growing and in the end +they will be just like regular horns. Then everyone will hate me, for +nobody else has horns. I can do nothing now but hide them, but in the +end they will come through and then my hair won't hide them any more. +Then everybody can see it and people will despise me and children will +be sure to throw stones after me. Oh!" + +Cornelli again put her head on her arms and groaned in her great +trouble. Dino had listened, full of astonishment. He had never before +heard anything like that. + +"But, Cornelli," he said, "why do you frown all the time, if the bumps +grow when you do it? It would be so much better if you would think of +funny things and would try to laugh. If you always made a pleasant +face they would perhaps go away entirely." + +"I can't! I can't possibly do it," Cornelli lamented. "I know that I +make a horrid face and that I am so ugly that nobody wants to look at +me. Whenever anybody looks at me I have to make a cross face, for I +know that everybody thinks how horrid I look. I never can be happy any +more, because I have to think all the time about that terrible thing +on my head, and that it is getting worse. And I can't help it and can +do nothing. You don't know how it is. As long as I live I have to be +that way, and everybody will hate me. You could not laugh any more, +either, if you were like that." + +"You should try to think of quite different things and then you would +forget it. Later on it would probably seem quite different to you. You +keep on thinking about it all the time and so you believe in it more +and more. Get it out of your head, then it will be sure to get better," +said Dino, who could not quite understand it. "Come, I'll tell you a +story that will change your thoughts. Once upon a time there was an +old copper pan---See, you have laughed already!" + +"Oh, that will be a fine kind of story--about an old copper pan!" +Cornelli said. + +"It certainly is a fine story," Dino assured her; "just listen: She +had a step-brother who was a wash boiler--you see, you have laughed +again! That's the way! So they went together to Paris, where there was +a revolution." + +"What is a revolution?" Cornelli asked, quite thrilled. + +"See how the story interests you!" said Dino, thoroughly pleased. "You +have no more wrinkles on your forehead, because you are listening well. +Didn't I guess what you have to do? I'll go on now. You call it a +revolution when nobody wants to remain in their old places and +everything goes to pieces." + +"What do you mean by going to pieces? Do you mean it the way chairs +begin to go to pieces when the glue comes off and the legs get loose +and shaky?" + +"Just that way," Dino assented. "When all laws and orders begin to go +to pieces like chairs, when the glue is off and everything crashes and +tumbles down; do you understand?" + +"Yes. And what happened?" Cornelli wanted to know. + +"The travellers liked that well," Dino continued, "for they were full +of discontented thoughts. The copper pan had thought for a long time +that she wanted to be something else. She was tired of cooking greasy +food and of all the time being full of soot at the bottom; she wanted +to be something better. The wash boiler had similar thoughts. He thought +he would be much better off as a nice tea kettle. He thought how nice +it would be to stand on a fine table, so he wanted to get away from +the laundry. + +"When they came to the revolution they joined in it, too. They became +quite famous making speeches, for they both could talk very well. The +wash boiler had learned it from the washer women, and the copper pan +from the cook. So they were both asked what they wanted to become. The +copper pan wanted to become an ice box; she wanted to sparkle outside +with fine wood and inside with splendid ice. The wash boiler wanted +to become a fine tea kettle and be able to stand on a finely laid-out +table. So they both became what they had wished. + +"But the copper pan, who had been used to the cosy fire, began to shake +and freeze when the ice filled her whole inside. Her teeth were +chattering while she looked about to see if she could discover a little +fire anywhere. But nobody ever brought any burning spark near her. She +suffered the bitterest hunger besides, because she had been used to +quite different nourishment from fat morsels roasting in her insides. +Now she had to swallow little lumps of ice and nothing else. She was +not a bit pleased with shining outside and in, for she had to think +all the time: how terrible it is to starve and freeze to death. + +"The tea kettle meanwhile was standing on a beautifully set table. +Many splendidly dressed young ladies and gentlemen were sitting around +him and drinking tea out of fine china cups, and eating from lovely +gold-rimmed plates. The tea kettle felt flattered and said to himself: +'Oh, now I can be anybody's equal.' But one of the ladies said: 'I can +smell tar soap and I think it comes from this tea kettle. I wonder +what that means?' Her neighbor laughed and said: 'I noticed it long +ago. I hope it has not been used for washing stockings.' So they looked +at the kettle and sniffed and turned up their noses with disdain. + +"The tea kettle lost his assurance, for he knew quite well that many +hundreds of stockings had been boiled inside of him. The poor thing +had never guessed that the smell of tar soap would stick to him in his +new shape. He felt very cramped and uncomfortable in the society he +was in, and was possessed with the thought of getting away and returning +to the place where he had been comfortable and had been held in high +esteem, for he had really been a first-rate boiler. + +"Then suddenly the revolution ceased. The lady of the house who owned +the ice box said: 'I do not want the horrible ice box any more, which +they have exchanged for my good old ice box. All the ice that comes +out of it tastes of onion soup.' The copper pan had always cooked this +soup better than any other. 'Lulu, throw it out to the old iron heap,' +said the lady. So Lulu, the butler, and Lala, the maid, took the ice +box and with terrible might threw her down on the scrap heap, where +old iron, bones and dirt lay in the back yard. + +"The ice box felt that all her limbs were giving way and that everything +was going to end badly. She lamented: 'Oh, if only I had not joined +the revolution! If I had only stayed at home by the cosy fire! Oh, if +only---' And with that she cracked completely. + +"On the same day the young lady on whose table the kettle was standing +said: 'Now I have had enough of this horrid tar-soap boiler. I want +a genuine tea kettle and not an imitation. Away with this thing!' So +the butler took the kettle and dashed him down to the heap of rubbish +in the yard. It was the same rubbish heap where his step-sister had +been thrown, and in his fall he broke his own and his step-sister's +last bones. Then he exclaimed in bitter pain: 'Oh, if only I had not +joined the revolution! Oh, if I were only home in the peaceful, steaming +laundry.' Then he was completely smashed by the old muskets that were +used in the revolution and that had been thrown down on top of him. +And this is the end of the story." + +"Yes, they were right. If only they had not joined the revolution!" +Cornelli said sympathetically. + +"Yes, and I am right, too," Dino cried triumphantly. "Just see how +much it helped you to forget your curious bump affair. You have no +more wrinkles on your forehead and you have pushed all your hair away. +You look entirely different; I hardly know you now." + +Cornelli in very truth had been so eager in listening to the story +that with one quick motion she had pushed the hanging curtains out of +her eyes. She had been anxious not to miss a word, and the hair had +bothered her very much. Her whole face had become bright and changed +during the thrilling tale. + +"Just look at yourself!" Dino encouraged her, taking a little mirror +from the wall and holding it in front of the little girl. + +"No, no, I do not want to see it!" she cried out. In the same moment +she had pulled her hair back again over her eyes, and on her forehead +appeared a lot of wrinkles. + +"Don't get so excited!" said Dino, putting back the mirror. "But I am +awfully glad to know a way to help you. I shall do it every day, but +you must promise to come regularly. I am sure you'll forget everything +else that worries you, and in the end you'll forget about it and so +be gay again." + +Cornelli shook her head. "No, you can't prevent it from getting worse," +she said, covering her forehead with more hair. However, she took +Dino's hand as a promise to come again, for she had enjoyed her visit +very much and was looking forward to repeating it. + +From that day on, Cornelli wandered over to Martha's little house as +she had always done. The old woman cried with joy when she heard the +child's merry laughter after all that time, for it had been a great +grief to her to see the bright child so terribly changed. She loved +to leave the children by themselves, for then they always seemed to +enjoy themselves best. From time to time she heard their happy laughter; +it thrilled her with joy, and she never wanted to interrupt it. She +had seen how Cornelli behaved when listening to one of Dino's stories; +the little girl was as eager as if she were experiencing it all herself. +In her burning zeal she would fling back her hair, her eyes would +sparkle as in days gone by, and a brightly laughing face would regard +the story teller. Everything else was forgotten for the time; but if +something reminded Cornelli of her own life and troubles, all sunshine +was suddenly gone from her face, her forehead clouded up, and the +horrible sticky hair was again hanging over her eyes. + +So Martha always tried to leave the children undisturbed. She had many +hopes for Cornelli on account of this daily intercourse with the +charming boy, whose clear brow was never troubled and who could so +quickly drive away the clouds from his friend's face. + +As soon as Cornelli left the little house and was approaching her own +garden, everything changed back to the old condition. Martha, looking +after the child, could always see the fearful looking hair that so +strangely disfigured the little girl's pretty face. Then she would +sigh deeply and would say to herself: It seems like a disease, but who +can help her? Oh, if our blessed lady had seen her child so terribly +disfigured! + +Cornelli was very much surprised when she found that Saturday evening +had come again, for the last two weeks had flown by very fast. + +She ran through the garden. Under the plum tree lay the last fully +ripened dark gold plums. Cornelli picked them up; they were really +splendid, but they had given her no pleasure that year. She took them +with her and put them on Martha's table. + +"Oh, what fine yellow plums! I am sure they taste as sweet as honey," +exclaimed Dino. "Are they from your garden? When the sun shines on +them in the morning, all the branches seem to sparkle with reddish +gold like a Christmas tree." + +"Yes, they are from the tree. Do you want to eat them?" asked Cornelli. + +"With pleasure. But you must eat some, too," said Dino. + +"No, I don't want to," Cornelli replied. "Just try whether they are +good. If you do not like them, you can leave them or give them to the +birds." + +"Oh, but there is nothing that tastes as sweet and splendid as these +golden plums!" cried Dino, while he was slowly eating one after another. + +"What a shame! I wish I had known how much you like them; you really +ought to have told me," Cornelli said. "There are none left on the +tree and they are the last that were lying on the grass. But very soon +we'll have the best juicy pears--they are perfectly delicious, I think, +even better--and then I'll bring you some every day." + +"Yes, it certainly would be great to have a pear feast with you every +day," said Dino, looking admiringly at the last reddish plum before +he ate it. "It is easy enough for you, Cornelli. You can stay right +here under the pear tree, but I have to go away. I'll have to spend +my time behind the school house walls, regretting all that I have +lost." + +"But you are not going away," said Cornelli with dismay. + +It had never occurred to her that this happy companionship could ever +end. + +"Yes, I have to. If I could, I would stay here much longer with our +good friend Martha. She is better than anybody I know except my mother, +and she takes care of me as if I were a silkworm." + +"Yes, and when you go, everything is over," said Cornelli, speaking +as if Dino were her enemy. Her eyes glowed at him from under her hair +and she seemed to be accusing him of some bitter wrong. She now turned +away, as if to say: Now I do not want to hear of anything more. But +Dino understood her sudden anger. + +"No, Cornelli," he said soothingly, "just the opposite will happen. +It is not over at all, because it has only just begun. I have planned +with Martha to-day that I shall come again next summer and the summer +after and every year after that, till we are both old and gray." + +But Cornelli only saw the immediate future before her and what was going +to happen now; she could not look so far ahead. + +"Yes, but it is so long till next year, that you are sure to forget +all about me a hundred times," she said crossly, as if she were chiding +her companion. + +"No, I won't do that," said Dino quietly. "I won't forget you once, +least of all a hundred times. I'll prove it to you, Cornelli. Let us +still have a good time together and enjoy the four remaining days that +I can stay here. Let us look forward, also, to the time when I shall +come again. Just think how much the kid will have grown by then! We +shall be able to drive together. I'll be the coachman and you'll be +the lady in the carriage. That will be splendid!" + +But Cornelli could no longer be really gay. She always saw the moment +before her when Dino had to say good-bye, and when all their fun would +be over. The morning really came fast enough when she had to take leave +of him in Martha's cottage. After Dino had driven away, Cornelli buried +her head in her arms and cried piteously. Martha, too, was heavy of +heart, and sat beside her, crying quietly. + +That same evening when dinner was done and Cornelli got up from table +to leave the room, the cousin said: "You have not said a single word +to-day, Cornelli. You seem to get worse instead of better! Ought your +father find you worse on coming home than when he left?" + +"Good-night," said Cornelli hoarsely, and left the room without once +looking up. + +"There is nothing to be done with her; you can see it for yourself, +Betty. You have thought that we could still produce a change for the +better," said Miss Dorner, after Cornelli had shut the door behind +her. "What have we accomplished with our best efforts? We have tried +hard enough for her father's sake. How terrible it will be for him to +live alone with her again! Instead of cheering his lonely life, she +will only cause him worry and trouble. And what a sight she is! Have +you ever seen an obstinacy equal to hers in all your life?" + +"No, never," replied the friend. "It actually seems as if all the +helpful words we have spoken had the opposite effect with her. Whenever +we told her how terrible she looked, the disfiguring hair fringes +always seemed to get worse. I should like to know what one could do +to break her stubborn will. Maybe great severity would do it or bringing +together Cornelli and other children; they might cure her by laughing +at her." + +"I do not believe so, for nothing seems to help," Miss Dorner concluded. +"My cousin himself, when he comes back, shall decide what to do with +her. But I know that one thing is certain: whatever will be done, she +will never be a joy to her father." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A NEW SORROW + + + +Autumn had come, and all the fruit trees in Mr. Hellmut's garden were +laden with gorgeous fruit. Bright red apples and golden pears were +shining through the green branches; dark blue plums, honey sweet, fell +here and there from the deeply weighted trees. Whoever passed the +garden had to stand still and look, full of wonder, at this great +abundance, and many a person was tempted to leap over the hedge and +get one of the golden pears as a prize. + +Cornelli, staring in front of her, was sitting on the bench under the +hazel nut tree. Matthew was just approaching from the stable; he wore +his best coat, and one could see that something special was going on. + +"Do you want to come with me, Cornelli?" he asked, walking over to the +bench where she was sitting. "I am just going to harness the horses. +Your father is coming at eleven o'clock and I am going to drive down +to the lake to meet him. Come with me! Our brown fellows will be sure +to trot well, for they have had a long rest. Come along! It will be +fun, I know." + +Cornelli shook her head. + +"No?" said Matthew with disappointment. "I was sure you would not let +slip a chance of driving gaily out into the bright morning to meet +your father. Shall I get you down some pears? No pears, either?" Matthew +went away, shaking his head. "If our master only had half a dozen boys +and as many girls, how nice it would be here on the place. Then such +splendid pears would not be hanging sad and forgotten on the trees." +Then he added, in a murmur: "Not even to care about driving with such +horses!" + +Soon afterwards, Mr. Maelinger arrived, for it was time for Cornelli's +lessons. Most of the time the teacher sat beside his pupil shaking his +head. He really needed all his patience to endure the total indifference +she showed in all her tasks. To-day it was again the same. + +The two hours passed, and the carriage which was bringing home her +father had just driven up in front of the house. Mr. Maelinger was +filled with astonishment, for his pupil, instead of jumping up happily +and running away to greet her father, looked shyly through the window +and did not budge. + +"You can go, Cornelli; your father is here! We have finished our work," +he said, and with these words departed. + +Cornelli had heard her father coming into the house and had heard the +ladies' joyful words of welcome. She crushed a tear that had begun to +trickle down her cheek and went over to the room where her father had +just entered. + +"How are you, child? Have you come at last?" the father called gaily +to her. "But how strange you look, Cornelli!" he went on with a changed +voice. "What is it?" Cornelli had silently given him her hand and was +shyly looking down. + +"What has happened to you? How odd you look! I hardly know you any +more! Push away all that gypsy-like hair from your face! Why don't you +look at me pleasantly? Why do you keep looking away? For months I have +been looking forward to this home-coming to my little daughter, who, +I had hoped, would have gained much. So this is the way I am to find +you, Cornelli." + +Full of sorrow and anger, the father was gazing at the little girl. +She had turned away and had not said a word. Her face, half hidden by +the horrible hair strands, seemed to be covered by a gray cloud which +threatened to break out in a violent rain. + +"We shall talk it all over later, Frederick," said the cousin. "Let +us first enjoy and celebrate the happy hour of your return and let us +keep all troublesome thoughts away." With these words, Miss Dorner led +her cousin to the dining room, where the table was festively set with +all the good dishes Esther knew were her master's favorites. + +The Director's thoughts, however, were so troubled that even the festive +meal could not dispel them. He barely touched the food that was offered, +for he could not take his eyes off his only child. She sat in front +of him with bowed head, and only now and then looked up at him, quite +shyly. The meal did not go through in a very festive spirit. It was +noticeable that Mr. Hellmut had to force himself to the few words he +spoke. His thoughts were elsewhere and were of a very disturbing nature. +He got up from the table, as soon as possible, and hurried away. + +"He is going over to the works," said Miss Dorner to her friend, +following him with her eyes. Cornelli, too, had left the room as soon +as her father had gone. "I think it has upset him more than I thought +it would. He has to give vent to his excitement a little, and I hope +that seeing the workmen over there will help him to get over his +impression. I hope he will hear there many new and pleasant things--of +much work and good business. It is hard for him to carry on his endless +work for the sake of such a child, don't you think so? But it can't +be changed." + +After a while the Director came back again. He did not look much soothed +or pleasantly surprised by what he had just heard. The ladies now sat +down again to drink a cup of coffee with him. + +"They have spoiled many things for me over there," said the Director, +sitting down beside them. "Even if it should mean considerable loss, +I can bear it, but I cannot stand the way Cornelli has changed. What +a frightful sight she is, and how dumb and stupid she has grown. She +did not show the slightest sign of pleasure at my coming and has not +said a single word since then. She has hardly even looked at me and +only sits there as if her existence were a real misfortune--I cannot +stand it. What has happened to the child?" In his excitement Mr. Hellmut +jumped up and paced about the room. + +"Nothing has happened to the child; at least, we know of nothing, do +we, Betty?" said Miss Dorner. "We have both tried to teach her good +manners, for we found that she lacked them sadly. We did it chiefly +on your account. Sorry as I am to say it, Frederick, I have to tell +you that the child's disposition is so terribly obstinate one can +hardly do anything with her. The more we fought against it and tried +to bring her on the right path, the worse it got and the more she would +insist on having her way. + +"What have we not said against this terrible disfigurement! And all +for nothing! The more we said, the more Cornelli would pull her hair +into her eyes. So I gave it up, for I saw that only physical punishment +would help in such a case and I wanted to leave that to you; I did not +come into your house for that. I do not even dare to decide if that +would help. I have really never in all my life seen such a stubborn +child. I shall certainly admire anybody who can bring her to rights." + +The director had marched up and down the room with restless steps. Now +he suddenly stood still. + +"But good gracious!" he exclaimed, "there must certainly be a way to +help a child of ten years. Are there no means except chastisement to +bring up a young creature like her? What an abominable thought! I will +not believe such a thing! Can you give me no advice? What could I do? +Ladies surely know how to educate a little girl. Something simply has +to be done right away. I am to blame for my neglect and for leaving +her too long in the wrong hands. Oh, what would my Cornelia say if she +could see her child?" Mr. Hellmut threw himself down in his chair and +put his hands before his face. + +"Please calm yourself, Frederick! It is not your fault at all, for you +can't fight against her disposition," the cousin said soothingly. "We +have thought of a way of helping the child. You might send her to a +boarding school in town where there are a great many children and young +girls. Children often help each other by rubbing up against one another +and by noticing each other's faults and mistakes." + +"Do you think that this might help Cornelli?" asked the father +doubtfully. "Cornelli is not used to being rubbed against and laughed +at." + +"For that reason it would make a still deeper impression on her," +answered the cousin. "You can believe me when I say that this may be +the only means to break her obstinacy, and I am not sure that even +this will help. If such a school can't break her will, nobody on earth +can reform her; you can believe me, Frederick." + +"She is still very young to be sent away from home," said the father, +full of pity. "But I fear that you are right. She could not get better +here, only worse, and so it will probably have to be. Do you know of +a boarding school you could recommend?" + +The cousin answered that she knew of one, and offered to take the +necessary steps as soon as she was again at home. Miss Dorner hoped +in vain that her cousin's humor would change and that he would become +again the merry and sociable companion of old days. He tried with all +his might to be entertaining when they met at table; but he always had +to glance at his little girl, who sat at her place dumb and seemingly +afraid even to glance about her. A deep shadow always came across his +features, and one could see that it was hard for him to mingle in the +general conversation. + +Miss Dorner at last had enough of his unfriendly attitude. As a last +means to break it and to shake him up a little, she said to him on the +third day after his arrival: "It seems to me, Frederick, that you are +too much occupied even to remember your duties as a host. We are +thinking of going back to town. Are you willing?" + +"I understand your decision absolutely," Mr. Hellmut answered politely. +"You are right in telling me that I am the most unpleasant host that +could be found, but I hope you understand that the change in Cornelli +has spoiled everything for me and has only filled me with the thought +of how to help her. I hope very much that you will visit my house again +at a pleasanter time. You can order the carriage whenever you want it." + +The cousin had not expected this answer. "You go entirely too far, +Frederick," she said angrily. "How can a man sacrifice everything and +change all his ideas for the sake of such a child?" + +"You seem to forget that it is my Cornelia's and my only child," +answered the Director. "But we shall not talk about it any more, because +we could not understand each other. I am so grateful for your goodwill +that I do not want to cause you any anger at the end." + +Two days later the carriage stood before the door. Both ladies stepped +in and Mina stepped in after them. The latter had known so well how +to make herself liked by them that they were taking her to town, for +Mina had wished to become a maid in the city to get away from country +people. One of the ladies was to take her as chambermaid, but it had +not been settled yet which of them would do so. + +Esther was terribly indignant because Mina was leaving a good house +for no reason whatsoever. Since Esther had been managing in the +Director's home she had always felt the honor of the house to be her +own. Full of resentment, she was standing behind her master, who was +shaking hands as a last farewell. + +Miss Mina was looking towards the other side, where Cornelli stood: +"Won't you even give me your hand? This is not very friendly of you. +That is just the way you are," she said to the child in a low voice. + +Now Esther broke forth: "Miss Mina," she called out as loudly as she +could, "please be so kind as to tell the ladies on the trip who left +the dusty marks on the sofa by standing on it. They were not from a +child's shoe." + +Mina blushed a deep scarlet and Miss Dorner, full of astonishment, +looked at her glowing face. She expected a fitting retort, but none +came. + +"Go ahead, Matthew," Miss Dorner ordered excitedly. She did not desire +a further explanation. + +Mr. Hellmut had moved away. + +Cornelli now took Esther's broad hand inside both her own and pressed +it hard. A ray of joy flitted over her features, the first after a +long, long time. "Oh, I am so glad that you said that, Esther; I am +more glad than you can think," she said eagerly. "If you had not said +that, they would have thought all their lives that I had done it and +denied it. But how does Mina know who did it?" + +"She knows, because she did it herself," Esther replied. + +"Oh, oh! So she did it with her own feet," Cornelli exclaimed. "It is +better that she has gone then. We'd rather be left alone here, wouldn't +we, Esther, just you and I?" + +"Yes, indeed," said the cook, full of satisfaction. "Just tell your +father that I do not mind double work, but that I do mind deceitful +ways." + +Cornelli had not spoken to her father since he had come back. She was +shy before him, because she realized that the sight of her displeased +him. She was, however, quite sure that she could never change and +always had to be like that. She was also certain that he would only +abhor her more if he ever found out what was hidden under her locks +of hair. She therefore went slowly and hesitatingly towards his room +in order to give him Esther's message. In former times she had always +run to him gaily, whenever she had something to tell him. Since then +things had changed. + +"It will never again be that way," she said to herself. The thought +seemed to weigh so heavily on her that she suddenly stood still. At +that moment her father opened the door in front of which she stood. +"Oh, here you are, Cornelli," he said delightedly. "Did you want to +pay me a little visit? We have really hardly seen each other. Come in +here! I was just going to get you, for I want to speak with you." + +Cornelli entered, not saying a word and avoiding her father's glance. + +"Come, Cornelli," he said, leading her through the room and sitting +down beside her. "I have something to tell you that will make you very +happy. You have changed so much during my absence and so little to +your advantage that something has to be done for your education. It +is high time. I shall take you to a boarding school in town, where you +can be with many other children and young girls. You will have the +chance to learn many things from them and to make friends with many. +You will be sure to change there, then you can return to bring your +father joy. I cannot enjoy you now, for I do not know what ails you. +It may be better after you get some education. I expect to take you +away next week." + +Cornelli's face became snow white from sudden terror. First she uttered +no sound, but soon she burst into violent tears. + +"Oh, Papa," she sobbed, "leave me at home! I'll be good. Oh, don't +send me to town to so many children! Oh, I can't, I can't. Oh, Papa, +don't send me away!" + +Mr. Hellmut could not bear to see Cornelli's tears and still less to +hear her supplications. "But for her own good it has to be," he said +to himself to strengthen his resolution. Cornelli's lamentations were +too much for him and he rushed away. + +Several hours later, the time had come for supper and he returned from +the iron foundry. + +Esther came to meet him: "Oh, I am glad that you have come, Director," +she said excitedly. "When I went up to Cornelli just now she was crying. +I wanted her to taste some of the little plum cakes she usually likes +so much, but the poor child only shrieked: 'Oh, leave me here, leave +me here!' Oh, Mr. Hellmut, what if Cornelli should get sick and die?" + +"Nonsense, Esther," he returned; "children do not die from obstinacy." + +The master of the house had tried to speak harshly, but he did not +quite succeed. He ran straight upstairs to Cornelli's room and saw the +child on her knees in front of the bed. Her head was pressed into the +pillows and she cried as if her heart was breaking. + +"Oh, don't send me away, don't send me away!" she cried as soon as he +entered. + +He saw that Cornelli was trembling all over from fear and excitement. +"I cannot endure this," he said to himself, and seizing his hat ran +out of the house. + +Martha was sitting in her peaceful little chamber, busy with her mending +and thinking about Cornelli. She was wondering what would happen now +that she was again left alone with her father. She wondered if the old +days would come back, or if something new was going to be done for +Cornelli's education. The door was suddenly flung open and Mr. Hellmut +entered. + +"Oh, Martha, I do not know what to do," he said to her in a perturbed +manner. "You simply have to help me. You knew my wife and you know my +child and love her; and besides, she is attached to you. Tell me what +has come over her. Since when has she been so frightfully stubborn? +Was the child always that way, or has she only grown more stubborn +lately? Have you noticed how she has changed in my absence?" + +"There is nothing so very much the matter with Cornelli, Mr. Hellmut. +Cornelli is not an ill-natured child, I am sure of that. But won't you +take a seat, Director?" Martha interrupted her speech, placing a chair +now here and now there for her visitor, who was running excitedly to +and fro. But he refused, for he was too restless to settle down. + +"It was really a very abrupt and sudden change for the child, and it +was hard for her to have everything so different all at once," Martha +said. "Even an older child might have become shy under those conditions, +and Cornelli is still very young. It is hard for a small plant to have +too much done for it all at once and too suddenly; it has to have time +to develop, and the better the plant the more carefully it should be +tended." + +"I hope you are not trying to insinuate that it was not good for +Cornelli to at last get into the right hands," said Mr. Hellmut, +standing still in the middle of the room. "I have to reckon it as a +great blessing that she was thrown with ladies of culture and +refinement, who could awaken in her everything that was good, noble +and fine, and could teach her many things. My Cornelia would have done +this herself, above all others, for she was in all those things the +most striking example. The child has not a trace of her, not even in +her looks; everything is lost that used to remind me of her." + +"Oh, Mr. Hellmut, if I might be allowed to say anything else, I would +only add one word," Martha replied calmly. "I have always found that +a little love goes further than many good rules. I know that a young +child can be frightened by harsh words more than grown-up people +realize. Afterwards they cannot understand the cause of the shy behavior +which is the result. Cornelli has not lost her mother's eyes, only one +cannot see them under her hanging fringes." + +"Yes, that's it, Martha, this horrible disfigurement, this obstinacy +which holds fast to it all. The shy, spiritless manner, the absolutely +changed ways of the child hurt and worry me so. It takes away all my +joy and all my courage and paralyzes all hope for the future. It has +absolutely spoiled my life." + +The visitor had gotten more and more stirred up as he went on. "So I +shall help her in the only way I know of: I shall send her to a boarding +school. I just told her about it and she acted as if she were absolutely +desperate. I simply cannot look upon her terrible despair. I actually +feel as if my Cornelia could have no peace in Heaven if she heard her +child's supplications." + +"Oh, Director, if you could only keep Cornelli at home for a little +while, so that she could calm down," Martha said humbly. "Cornelli has +had to go through so many new experiences lately that it would be good +for her to stay quietly at home for a while. In the meantime you could +get her more accustomed to the idea of leaving home, so that it would +not scare her so dreadfully. I promise to do all I can too, Mr. Hellmut. +I will tell her pleasant things about the school and the nice children +that she might meet there." + +"That is a fine idea, Martha," Mr. Hellmut said, a little more calmly. +"Please do all you possibly can to make the idea pleasant and desirable +to the child. Do not forget, Martha, that you are my only help." + +After these words Mr. Hellmut went away. + +"Oh, the good kind Director!" said Martha, following him with her eyes. +"What help can old, stupid Martha be to him, I wonder. But I shall +certainly do whatever I can." + +Arrived at home, Mr. Hellmut went straight up to Cornelli's room. She +was still kneeling at her bed in the same attitude, and still crying +bitterly. + +"Get up, Cornelli, and stop crying," he said. "I meant well with you, +but you did not understand me. You shall stay at home for the present; +later on you may feel differently about it. You can go to Martha +to-morrow. Listen well to her words, for she is your best friend." + +Cornelli could not have heard a more consoling word. It sounded so +hopeful after all the horrible news about going away. + +"Can't I go to Martha right away?" she said longingly. + +"Yes, you can, Cornelli," replied her father, "but you have not eaten +anything yet." + +"That does not matter," said Cornelli, already running down the stairs. + +At last Cornelli was running again. She flew quickly up the little +stairs and into Martha's room. + +"I have to go away, Martha, but not right away. Papa says that I have +to go," the child called out on entering. "Papa told me to come to +you; I think it was because I cried all the time and he wanted me to +stop. But I won't stop, unless you promise to help me to stay at home. +I do not want to go to all the strange children. I couldn't stand it; +oh, no, I couldn't! Oh, it would be dreadful. Please help me, Martha, +help me!" The terrible fear in Cornelli's voice and the sight of her +swollen eyes went straight to Martha's heart. + +"Come and sit down on your little stool the way you used to in the old +times, Cornelli," she said lovingly, "and I'll tell you something that +will help and console you. It has helped me, too, and still does when +trouble comes. You see, Cornelli, I once had to go through a terrible +sorrow just as great as yours is to-day. I had to give a child I loved +back to God. So I cried, as loudly as you are crying and even louder: +'No, I can't do it, I can't!' The more I fought against it, the more +terrible I felt, till in the end I even thought I should despair. So +I cried out in my heart: 'Can nobody help me?' And then I suddenly +knew who could do it. I knelt down and prayed to God: 'Oh, give me +help, for thou alone canst do it!'" + +"Can I stay here if I pray like that, Martha? Will God help me right +away?" asked Cornelli eagerly. + +"Yes, He will surely help you the way He knows is best for you, +Cornelli. If it should be good for you to go away and you ask your +Father in Heaven for help, He will bless your life away from home, so +that it won't be as hard as you have feared. If you pray to Him, you +will get the firm assurance that nothing will be hard for you, because +you have His help in everything you do. God is sure to ordain everything +in such a wise way that happiness will come to you in the end." + +"Did you have to give Him your child after all?" Cornelli wanted to +know. + +"Yes, God took it to Himself," Martha answered. + +"And could you get happy again, Martha?" + +"Yes, yes. The pain was very great, but I was consoled by the thought +of my child's peace. I knew how many ills he had been spared. God gave +me the assurance that He meant well with both of us. With that thought +I could grow happy again." + +"I want to go home, now," said Cornelli, suddenly getting up. It seemed +as if something were drawing her away. + +"Yes, go now, child, and think of what I told you!" said Martha, +accompanying her. + +"Yes, I will," said Cornelli. She ran home quickly, because the desire +to get to her room was urging her on. + +Cornelli had never prayed so earnestly and heartily as she did that +day. Kneeling beside her bed, she confided all her sorrow to her Father +in Heaven, and begged Him to make her happy once more. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A MOTHER + + + +When Mr. Hellmut sat down to his coffee in the morning he always found +letters and newspapers on the breakfast table. + +"Good gracious!" he exclaimed on the morning after the ladies' +departure, "what correspondents have you in town, Cornelli? Here is +a letter for you." + +Cornelli, looking up from her cup, glanced incredulously at the letter. + +"It is really for you. Listen! Miss Cornelli Hellmut, Iller-Stream, +Iron Foundry," the father read. "Here it is!" + +Cornelli opened the letter under great suspense and read: + +DEAR CORNELLI: + +Only think! I am ill and have to lie in bed. The doctor has forbidden +me to read and write, so this letter will be very short. It is very +tiresome to be sick, for my sisters are in school all day. Mama always +has a lot to attend to and Mux is still a very useless little fellow. +Could you not come here and pay me a little visit? I should love to +see you and should enjoy hearing all about Iller-Stream. You could +tell me all about good old Martha, whom I love nearly as much as a +grandmother, about your little kid and Matthew, the horses and +everything else, and especially about yourself. I always had such a +good time with you that I should be terribly pleased if you came to +visit me. Please come very, very soon! Your faithful friend, + +DINO. + +When Cornelli was folding up the letter again, her father said: "Can +I read it, too?" + +Cornelli promptly handed him her letter. + +"What friend is this that wants you to come to visit him?" the father +asked with astonishment. "I expect you to cry immediately, though, for +you might have to go to town." + +"Oh, no, Papa, I really would love to see him," said Cornelli. "It is +Dino, who stayed with Martha this summer." + +The father put down his spoon from pure surprise and looked wonderingly +at his daughter. + +"How strange you are, Cornelli!" he said finally. "Now you suddenly +want to visit a strange family. You only know this boy and you do not +hesitate about it and are not even shy about appearing in your present +condition." + +"Dino knows me well and knows that I would come to see him alone. He +will arrange everything for me so that I won't have to see his mother +or his sisters. He knows everything," was Cornelli's explanation. + +"That has no sense at all," the father said curtly, and gathering up +his papers he went away. + +Soon afterwards he entered Martha's little house. + +"Here I am again. I wonder what you will say to me?" he called to the +surprised old woman. "Here is a letter with an invitation which came +for Cornelli to-day. It is from a boy who stayed with you. Who is he? +Who are his parents?" + +This question made Martha fairly overflow with praises of the boy. She +told Mr. Hellmut that she had never known a boy who was so polite and +friendly to simple folks as this boy had been; he had been well brought +up, had the most refined and charming manners, and was well educated, +and at the same time so simple and childishly devoted to old, plain +Martha. She had never read letters like the mother's letter to her +son, so beautiful, affectionate and elevating. He had always read them +to her, and she had had to cry every time from sheer emotion. She had +never before seen as beautiful linen as the boy had worn, and it had +all been his two sisters' work. + +"Martha," the Director finally interrupted her, "according to your +account, it would be a great blessing for my daughter to spend even +a day in such a family." + +"If you would really take her there, Director, I certainly would be +happy--ah! I would not know a greater happiness." + +Martha had to wipe her eyes, she was so stirred. + +"You shall know it, Martha. We'll go tomorrow, and on the same evening +you shall hear an account of all that happened." With these words the +Director seized her hand, and after shaking it heartily, departed. + +"Get everything ready, Cornelli! We are going to town to-morrow," he +called to his daughter, who sat on the garden bench quietly thinking. +"Esther shall call you early, at six o'clock." + +"Indeed, I shall," came Esther's voice through some open window. She +was a good sentinel, for she always seemed to know what was going on +in the house and its immediate neighborhood. + +Early next morning the two shiny brown horses were trotting down the +valley. They had to go for four full hours, but that seemed a pure +pleasure to them; the longer they ran, the more spirit they seemed to +get, and Matthew had to keep them from galloping all the time. + +In her corner Cornelli meditated as to how she could tell the maid at +her arrival that she wanted to visit no one but Dino, and wanted to +be taken straight to his room. She planned also to forbid Dino to call +his sisters and his mother, for she wanted to see him alone. She would +pay Dino a long visit and then steal quietly away without being noticed. +She was also reflecting about everything she wanted to tell her friend. +First of all, she had to tell him that the news had at last come out +regarding who had been standing on the sofa. She had told him all about +this deep grief she had borne for so long. + +So they came to town much sooner than Cornelli had ever thought +possible. The carriage was already halting before the hotel where her +father usually stopped, and Cornelli jumped down. + +"Shall I come back again in four hours, Papa?" she asked. "I can find +my way alone, for Dino has described it to me." + +"Stop, stop! That is not the way; I am coming, too," the father said. + +Cornelli was quite sorry not to be able to start off alone, for that +had been her plan. Now everything was quite different. + +As Dino had written his exact address in his letter and the Director +knew his way about town very well, they passed quickly from street to +street till they reached a narrow little lane. Here stood the house +they had been seeking. When finally four high stairs had been climbed, +the Director stood on the highest narrow step where the door took up +half of the standing room. + +"If the inhabitants correspond to their dwelling place, we shall +probably not remain here very long," he said, looking up doubtfully +at the inconvenient entrance. + +"Dino does not correspond," said Cornelli quickly. She had not quite +understood her father's words, but felt them to be an attack on her +friend. + +"Climb up there, Cornelli, and pull the bell-rope!" he commanded. "When +the door is open I'll probably find room to stand there, too." + +Cornelli obeyed. A slender girl a good deal taller than Cornelli opened +the door and looked with surprise at the new arrivals through a pair +of dark and serious eyes. Cornelli retreated suddenly. + +"Well, what I see is not very dreadful," the Director said, stepping +forward. + +"How do you do, child. Is your mother at home, and can I speak to her +a moment?" + +The girl who had opened the door was Nika. With great politeness she +led the gentleman to a room and informed him that she would go at once +to fetch her mother, who was with her sick brother. + +Upon her polite invitation the Director followed her, and settled down +in an arm-chair. He looked about him with astonishment at the small +but scrupulously neat room, which was decorated with several charming +pictures. + +When Nika neared the door, Cornelli said to her in a low voice: "I +want to visit Dino." + +"Come, I'll show you the way," came a small voice from behind the door. +It was Mux, who had quickly hidden there to peep with curious eyes at +the new arrivals. He came out and seizing Cornelli's hand, pulled her +away with him. The mother had heard the stranger's voice and at this +moment entered from an adjoining chamber. + +"She does not correspond, either, as Cornelli puts it," the Director +said to himself with a smile. He rose and introduced himself. "Following +your son's summons, Mrs. Halm, I have brought you my daughter," he +said. "She can stay a few hours with her sick friend, if that suits +you, and then she can join me again at my hotel." + +"I am so much obliged to you for the great favor of bringing her. My +son has looked forward so much to this visit. We all know and love +Cornelli already from what he has told us about her. She has been so +kind to him and has entertained him so well when he was alone in +Iller-Stream that she has earned his and my sincere thanks. Could I +not beg of you to leave Cornelli here for a few days, or at least for +all of to-day?" + +"You are very kind, Mrs. Halm," he replied, quite astonished to hear +that his shy, unfriendly child should have furnished the boy any +entertainment. "Those are just polite words," he said to himself, but +aloud he added: "I am afraid that it won't be possible, for my child +would not stay. She is very shy and has all kinds of peculiar habits, +as you probably have noticed from her looks. Your daughter certainly +looks different." + +"I shall not keep Cornelli here against her will, of course, but may +I hope to have your permission if the child should want to stay?" + +The rector's widow had such a pleasing manner that it was hard to +refuse her anything. The Director therefore gladly assented, for it +was his wish as well as hers. + +"Certainly, Mrs. Halm, I shall joyfully give it," he assured her. "What +could please me more than to have my daughter in surroundings like +these? But I am perfectly certain that Cornelli will desire to go back +with me. Just the same, I want to thank you sincerely for your great +kindness; it will help her to spend even a single day in your charming +household." + +The Director said farewell and departed. At the entrance door down +stairs a school girl, carrying her schoolbag and books, ran towards +him so violently that a collision could not be avoided, so the Director +opened his arms wide and caught Agnes in them. Agnes always approached +everything like a wind storm. She could not behave otherwise. The +Director laughed heartily and so did Agnes. + +"I am sure you belong to Mrs. Halm, too," he said, looking with pleasure +at the lively face with the wide-open, bright eyes. How nice and trim +everything was about her! + +"Yes, indeed," she replied quickly, and ran away. + +"What a happy mother, what a happy woman!" said the Director to himself. +"And to compare my child to such children. I cannot bear it! Such +children, and mine beside them!" + +Dino had told his mother about his experiences in Iller-Stream and +especially of his acquaintance with Cornelli. He had also related to +her the child's strange trouble, but she had had to give her promise +to keep it to herself. It did not seem wrong to Dino to tell his mother, +because she always knew everything he knew. When the invitation had +been sent to Cornelli, Mrs. Halm had seriously told the children not +to make any remarks about Cornelli's hair in case she should come. She +had told them not to show any surprise if Cornelli wore her hair in +a rather strange fashion and not to notice it further; that was the +way the mother wished it to be. + +Little Mux was very much pleased at having a new companion. He looked +upon her as an old acquaintance, for Dino had talked so much about +her. First he took her to see the kitchen. + +"But I am sure Dino does not sleep here," said Cornelli, surprised. + +"No, this is the kitchen; there are no beds here," Mux asserted. "But +I shall show you first why Agnes cried one whole hour to-day, or perhaps +it was two." And Mux led his new friend to a whole pile of apple peels +which lay in a bucket. "Isn't Agnes stupid to cry when we get good +apple tarts afterwards." + +"But why did she cry?" asked Cornelli, full of sympathy. She knew +exactly what it was like when one simply had to cry. + +"We don't know," retorted Mux. + +"But why does the maid not peel the apples?" asked Cornelli again. + +"There is no maid, except block-headed Trina," Mux informed her. + +"Who is block-headed Trina?" Cornelli wanted to know. + +"She has to help; she is small and fat," Mux described her. "Mama has +to show her how to cook, and she has to fetch what we need and always +brings the wrong thing. So Dino says: 'We really must send block-headed +Trina away.' And then Mama says: 'Trina has to live, too.' And then +she is not sent away after all." + +Cornelli had great sympathy for Agnes, who apparently had a secret +trouble like her own; she did not have to be afraid of her, as she was +of the proud sister who had received her. + +"I am sure, Mux, that your other sister never cries. Are you not afraid +of her?" asked Cornelli. + +"Not the least little bit," replied the little boy. "She often makes +a face, though, as if she wanted to cry and a thousand, thousand times +she begins to when nobody knows why. I don't know why, either, for she +doesn't tell me." + +Immediately Cornelli's great shyness of Nika changed into great pity. +If Nika could not even talk about her sorrow, she might have the deepest +sorrow of all. + +"Now we shall go to Dino," she said, hurrying to the door which the +little boy had pointed out to her. + +"But wait! I shall first show you our big picture book. You'll love +it," Mux assured her. "There is something in it that looks just like +you; it is an owl that has rags over its eyes like you. But you must +not talk about it, because Mama has forbidden it." + +"No, no, I don't want to see the book. Please take me to Dino now," +Cornelli urged. + +Mux pulled Cornelli away from the kitchen at last and, not far from +there, opened a door. + +"Are you coming at last, Cornelli?" Dino cried to her. He was sitting +up in bed. He glanced happily at his approaching friend, and Cornelli, +too, felt deep joy at seeing him again. The hours she had spent with +him had been the only happy ones she had had all summer. Quickly sitting +down by his bed, she began to relate to him everything that had happened +in Iller-Stream since his departure. Dino asked many questions that +Cornelli had to answer, and the time went by they knew not how. + +Mux had disappeared. As long as he could not have his new friend's +whole attention, he preferred to find out what was being prepared for +dinner in the kitchen. + +Now the mother entered the room. + +"I have hardly seen you yet, dear child," she said, taking Cornelli's +hand, "but I thought I would leave you and Dino undisturbed for a +little while. You must have many things to talk over about your +experiences and friends in Iller-Stream. Dino has looked forward so +much to your visit. Please come to lunch now. Dino has to sleep a +little while afterwards, and then you can go back to him again, if you +wish." + +A difficult moment had now come for Cornelli. She had secretly hoped +that she would be able to spend all day alone with Dino, and that +nobody else would notice her. Now she had to sit at table with Dino's +mother and sisters. Mux, however, was her consolation; he seemed so +confiding and so friendly. She had felt immediately to her great +discomfort how different and how horrible she looked in comparison +with these charming children. When she had stood in front of Nika, who +was so very pretty, she felt sure that the elder girl must be filled +with disgust at the sight of her, even if she did not show it. Mux had +seen her peculiarity immediately and had remarked upon it. And now +Agnes would be there, too. + +That Agnes, as well as the proud-looking Nika, had a secret sorrow +made Cornelli feel as if there were a bond between them. This gave her +a little courage to follow Dino's mother, who was waiting in the +doorway. When Cornelli entered Agnes was standing, full of expectation, +in the middle of the room. Going up to the visitor, she shook her hand. + +"I am so glad you came, Cornelli," she said with animation. "Dino has +talked so much about you that we, too, wanted to meet you." + +"I want to sit beside you," said Mux, dragging his chair to Cornelli's +side. + +"Just stay where you are! That is my seat," Agnes cut him short. She +could not be misunderstood, for she pushed back the chair and Mux quite +vigorously. + +The mother had again gone out to the kitchen, so he could not get her +help, which made him very angry. + +"Yes, yes, you always want to order everybody around all the time," +he cried out furiously, "and you even broke somebody on the wheel, +once." + +Now the mother entered. + +"Oh, Mama, Mux is saying such frightful things. Shouldn't he go to +bed?" Agnes called to her. + +Mux was just gathering up his strength to fight against this proposed +punishment, when the mother cut short their quarrel. + +"No, no," she said kindly. "To-day Cornelli is here for the first time +and it is a feast day for us. Mux shall not go to bed, but he must sit +down quietly in his chair and say grace; then all will be well." + +Mux was soon calmed by the soothing words and the good soup's delicious +odor which penetrated his nostrils. So he said grace in quite a +tolerable manner. Cornelli had been very much touched by his desire +to sit beside her. She was anxious to do him a favor, too, and she +tried to think of something that might please him. + +Directly after lunch Nika and Agnes had to hurry off to school again +and the mother had to supervise Trina's work, so Mux was entrusted +with the task of entertaining Cornelli for a little while. That suited +him exactly. + +"Now, I'll show you that Agnes has really broken a man on the wheel," +he said triumphantly. + +"But I don't believe it, Mux. And why should the man have held still?" +asked Cornelli. + +"You can read it here. See, it is written there!" said Mux, placing +his picture book on Cornelli's lap and pointing to a splendid colored +picture. "Read what is written here," he directed. "Dino once read it +aloud to me and then I knew it." + +Cornelli read aloud: "Agnes orders Rudolph von Warth to be bound to +the wheel." + +"Now you see it," Mux said complacently. + +Cornelli did not quite know what the picture was supposed to mean, so +she began to read the story that explained it. She read more eagerly +each instant, for it was described so vividly that she had to consume +one page after another. + +"Now you know it," said Mux a little impatiently. "Now look at the goat +wagon." + +"But Mux," Cornelli said eagerly, "it is quite a different Agnes, it +is a queen. You must never think any more that your sister has done +such a dreadful thing." + +"Oh, but look at the goat wagon, now," begged Mux, a little +disappointed. + +"Why is the child here crying on the road? Just look how he is pressing +his hands up to his eyes! Oh, he is so unhappy! Do you know why?" + +Mux shook his head. + +"Then I have to read it quickly," said Cornelli. She became so absorbed +in the story that she did not notice how Mux was pulling her and urging +her to stop reading; he even shook the book. + +The mother came into the room now and said: "Dino has shortened his +rest a little, for he is longing to see you again, Cornelli. Will you +come?" + +Cornelli immediately shut the book, for she was extremely glad to go +to her friend. She felt some regret, however, at having to leave the +story unfinished; she would have loved to know what happened further. + +"So you like the book? It was the joy of all my children from the +oldest to the youngest," said the mother. Cornelli's regretful glance +at it had not escaped her. "You can look at it again later on, for we +still have lots of time." + +But Cornelli had to talk over so many things with Dino that the time +had passed before they had thought it possible, and it was not long +before Mux came running with the message that supper was ready. The +meal had to be early because Cornelli had to leave immediately after +it. + +"Oh, what a shame!" said Cornelli, jumping up because she knew her +father did not like to wait. + +"Bring mother here, Mux," said Dino, and the little one departed. +"Wouldn't you like to stay with us a few days, Cornelli? It would be +so nice. Wouldn't you like to? Oh, I think you would!" said Dino +eagerly. + +Cornelli had quite a strange sensation. She hardly dared to say yes; +it seemed so incredible to her that everybody in the house should be +so friendly to her and really want her to stay. But that probably would +not last if she remained and they got to know her better. Soon the +mother came in with Mux. The little boy had heard Dino's last words +to Cornelli and had already announced to his mother that Cornelli was +sure to stay, because Dino would not let her go. + +"Oh, I am so glad that you have settled it all between you! I am so +pleased that you are going to stay, Cornelli," she said, full of joy. +"I was just going to propose it to you, and I am so glad that Dino has +persuaded you. Your father has already given me his permission and all +I have to do is to let him know right away. Now you can stay quietly +together, for there is no hurry about supper." + +The mother immediately wrote to Mr. Hellmut, and soon after that, fat +little Trina was running over to the hotel. + +Cornelli had again settled down beside Dino with a mixed feeling of +wonderful delight and fear. He noticed her timidity. + +"Oh, yes, Dino, I love to stay with you and Mux," she assured him. +"Your mother is so good to me, too, but I am afraid of your two sisters. +I have to think of poor little block-headed Trina all the time, when +she does everything wrong and does not know how to do otherwise; you +all despise her for it and she can't help it. I know what it is like +to be so block-headed." + +Dino had to laugh a little. + +"Why do you suddenly think of our Trina?" he asked. "Do not worry about +her, for mother is very good to her. Just be happy, Cornelli, and do +not imagine all kinds of things about block-headed Trina." + +Cornelli did not say another word, but Dino noticed that she kept on +thinking just the same. After a while the mother came to announce that +it was time for Dino's rest. The prospect of seeing each other again +on the following day was a great consolation to them both. + +Then Cornelli and the mother went back to the room where the sisters +were sitting at their school work. Mux was bending over his picture +book, hatching out new ideas, no doubt. Just then the half grown Trina +entered with a basket on her arm. While she was passing Nika's chair, +her basket got caught on it. Pulling violently to free it, she turned +the chair around quite suddenly. + +"You are getting more awkward every day, Trina," Nika said crossly. + +Cornelli blushed. She felt as if these words were meant for her as +well. She must be just as awkward in Nika's eyes as Trina was. The +latter failed to excuse herself and from embarrassment became more +clumsy in her movements. Cornelli understood this perfectly; that was +what she always did, she knew it quite well. + +"Now we shall have supper," said the mother, "and when the children's +work is done we shall all sing together. Don't you sing, too, Cornelli?" + +"I probably do not know the songs, and so I can't sing," she replied +shyly. + +After supper Mux fled back to Cornelli with his book. He wanted to +renew his conversation with her, but his mother had a different plan. + +"Give your book to Cornelli, for it is time for you to retire," she +said. "You can join us again to-morrow." + +Mux departed reluctantly. + +When his mother was firmly leading him away, he was still able to call +to Cornelli: "Be sure not to go till I come back!" + +Cornelli felt quite frightened when her confiding little friend had +gone. Now for the first time she was left alone with the two sisters. +She wondered what would happen. But nothing happened. They were both +so deeply occupied with their work that they did not even raise their +heads. Cornelli now remembered the lovely story book. She had already +begun a story and she simply had to know how it would end. So she began +to read. As soon as she finished one story, a new wonderful picture +would lead her to another story. + +Suddenly some splendid music sounded close beside her, and Cornelli +started. Agnes was sitting at the piano close to her side and playing. +Cornelli could not read any more, for Agnes played one lovely tune +after another as quickly and easily as if it did not cause her any +trouble. She knew from Dino that Agnes was not much more than a year +older than she was. She listened with admiration to the beautiful +melodies that were pouring forth from the instrument. Finally the +mother returned. She had made her nightly visit to Dino and had had +several things to say to him. + +"Mama," Agnes called to her eagerly, "I am playing all the merry pieces +I know to-night, for I have just finished my long composition." + +"You are right, Agnes. And how are you getting along with your painting, +Nika?" asked the mother. + +Nika replied quite sadly that she had hoped to finish it that day, but +the days were very short now and she could not paint by lamp light. +Her mother should see how little her work still lacked. + +"If I had one hour more of daylight, I could finish it," she sighed. + +Nika placed a large painting under the bright lamp. It somewhat +resembled the beautiful pictures which decorated the walls of the room. +The colors in it were perfectly wonderful, and Cornelli had never +before seen such a lovely picture. Sparkling crimson roses were hanging +down an old wall and dense ivy was creeping up between them with shiny +green leaves. An old oak tree was stretching large gnarled branches +over the decayed wall, and below, a clear stream was peacefully flowing +out to a meadow, where glowing red and blue flowers seemed to greet +it joyfully. + +Cornelli stared at the lovely picture; she had never seen anything +like this glittering stream, the painted trees and flowers; one seemed +to hear the murmuring of the brook, far, far away through the meadow. +It was all so full of life! And to think that Nika had painted it! +Cornelli felt as if a deep, deep gulf lay between her and the two +sisters, a chasm that separated her from them forever. + +The two sisters seemed to stand before her like two splendid creatures, +full of beauty and fine gifts, while she stood there a stupid, awkward, +block-headed Trina, whom nobody on earth ever could possibly love. +Mrs. Halm gave Nika great encouragement by praising her work and urging +her to begin promptly next day. + +Then she sat down at the piano, for they always concluded their evening +with a song. + +Cornelli remained still. The rector's wife urged her to join them, but +Cornelli had had too many impressions that day to be able to sing. She +knew quite well the old evening song that they were singing, for Martha +had taught it to her long ago, but she felt as if she could not utter +a note. + +At the end of the song Agnes suddenly exploded: "Oh, mother, that is +nothing at all. When you are hoarse and Dino is in bed, our singing +is frightful. Nika only squeaks like a little chicken with a sore +throat." + +"Well, then one has to stop singing," said Nika, shaking her shoulders +a little proudly. + +"No, the whole household has to sing, otherwise it is not worth +anything," Agnes declared. "It is a shame that the most beautiful thing +in the world should be so little practiced." + +After the song was ended the mother took Cornelli kindly by the hand +and said: "I am sure that you are tired, dear child. I am going to +take you to a tiny bedroom, for I have no larger one. Your door leads +into Agnes' and Nika's room," she continued, when she was standing +with Cornelli in the little chamber. + +"You can open the door and then you are practically all three in a +single room." + +Then she said good-night cordially and wished Cornelli a good rest. + +Nika and Agnes quickly said good-night, too, and then Cornelli was +alone in her room. + +She had no desire to open the door, for her shyness had only increased +since her arrival. How high the two stood above her! Cornelli was not +a bit sleepy and kept on thinking of all the things that had happened +to her that day. + +What did Agnes mean when she spoke about the most beautiful thing in +the world? Did she mean singing? That was not the most beautiful thing +by any means. The most wonderful of all was a painting like Nika's, +with lovely roses and trees and the meadow with clear water. At last +Cornelli's eyes closed, but she kept on seeing the flowers and seemed +to be looking up admiringly at Nika, who stood beside her, tall and +beautiful. Cornelli thought: If she would only say one pleasant word +to me. Then Nika turned around to her and said: "You are an awkward, +block-headed Cornelli!" All this Cornelli saw and heard in her dream. + +Agnes said to her sister in the other room: "If only Cornelli would +say something! One cannot tell what she is thinking about. How could +Dino find her so amusing, and become her friend? She sits there all +the time and never says a word." + +"That is her least fault," Nika returned. "But it is horrid that she +insists on looking like a wild islander. I do not understand why Mama +did not push the frightful locks out of her eyes." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A GREAT CHANGE + + + +Next morning Mux had hardly opened his eyes when he desired to go again +straightway to Cornelli, for this had been promised him the night +before. Before he succeeded, however, he had to submit to his usual +fate in the morning. He ran into the room at last, neatly washed and +combed and with cheeks shining like two red apples. Cornelli was already +sitting in a corner of the room, listening attentively to Agnes' +playing. He flew towards her and saw his beloved book already in her +hands. + +"Oh, now we shall read and tell stories all day long," he called out +happily. "All the others have to go to school." + +But Mux had forgotten that breakfast came first of all. After the meal +the two sisters departed, but Dino knocked and clamored for Cornelli +to come to him. Mux loudly protested against this and only calmed down +when Cornelli promised to keep him company during Dino's rest hour. +He kept on objecting and murmuring to himself even after she had gone. + +Cornelli was quite thrilled and overcome by the thought that anybody +should love her so, and it did her more good than anything else. As +soon as she came to Dino's room he asked her if she would read to him, +too, for he had found out how much she enjoyed reading to Mux out of +his picture book. + +"Have you entertaining books, too?" asked Cornelli with hesitation. +In her mind she saw her own beautiful books at home, that she had left +alone because so many things in them had been unintelligible. + +"I should say so! You just ought to see them," said Dino. "Please take +down the book called 'Funny Journeys.' There are pictures in it, too. +They are not as big as in the other book and are not colored, but they +are so comical that they make one laugh all the time." + +Cornelli got the book down, and in a little while merry peals of +laughter filled the room. The mother, who heard, was happily smiling +and saying to herself: "No, no, all is not yet lost." + +So the week passed by. Cornelli spent most of her time reading aloud +to Dino and to Mux. She grew more eager all the time in this occupation, +and if Mux would suddenly want to play with soldiers, Cornelli would +say: "You can easily play that alone. Let me read this and later I'll +tell you all about it." So she had soon finished reading the whole big +book. + +Cornelli had so far scarcely become acquainted with the two girls, and +Nika had rarely spoken to her. On Saturday morning the mother entered +Dino's room just after Cornelli had finished reading such a funny tale +that both children still laughed aloud at the remembrance. + +"Children, to-morrow Cornelli's father is expecting to hear from me. +He will want to know if he is to come to fetch her home, or if he is +to leave her here another week. Cornelli herself shall decide, but we +all want her to stay." + +"Don't go, don't go! Tell him not to come for a long while," Mux +implored her. The little boy had slipped in behind his mother and was +keeping a tight hold on Cornelli, as if her papa might come at once +to pull her away. + +"No, no, Cornelli, you won't go away yet," Dino now said. "To-morrow +I am allowed to get up for the first time and you must be there to see +if I can still walk. After that you must stay here till I go to school; +won't you, Cornelli? You don't want to go, do you?" + +"You must not urge her too much," said the mother. "Maybe Cornelli +would rather go home, and by your talking you might keep her from +saying so." But being urged by the two children was such a joy to +Cornelli that she never even hesitated. + +"I should love to stay," she said. + +"Oh, how splendid!" Dino exclaimed. "Please ask for at least two or +three weeks, Mama. It is so nice to have Cornelli with us." + +"I shall ask Cornelli's father to let us have his daughter a while +longer," said the mother, "I cannot possibly settle the time, her +father will do that." + +"Oh, yes, a while longer is just right. Then it is so easy to ask for +a little more time, for we can say that we meant that by a little +longer," said Dino. + +The same day, later on, while Dino was resting, Cornelli was sitting +with Mux. They were both so happy over the prospect of remaining +together that Mux opened the piano and asked Cornelli to sing with +him. Cornelli could not play, so promised that she would try to sing. +She asked Mux to choose a song, but he knew none. + +"You sing one," he proposed, "and I might know it, too." + +Cornelli was just in the mood to sing once more. She began a song with +her bright, full voice and Mux listened admiringly. + + The snow's on the meadow, + The snow's all around, + The snow lies in heaps + All over the ground. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + All over the ground. + + Oh cuckoo from the woods, + Oh flowers so bright, + Oh, kindliest sun, + Come and bring us delight! + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + Come and bring us delight! + + When the swallow comes back + And the finches all sing, + I sing and I dance + For joy of the Spring. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +Suddenly the door flew open and Agnes burst into the room. + +"But why didn't you ever say anything?" she cried out. "To think of +it! Why did you never say a word, Cornelli?" + +"But what should I have said?" Cornelli asked, very much frightened. + +"You must not be afraid," Mux now calmed her, "I'll help you, if she +should want to hurt you." + +"Don't be so unnaturally stupid, Mux!" his sister ejaculated as she +ran to the next room. Here her mother was already standing in the open +door. "Have you heard it, Mother? Come out and let Cornelli sing her +song again!" + +"Yes, indeed! I have heard it with pleasure and great wonder," said +the mother, approaching Cornelli. "You have a voice, dear child, that +we all should love to hear again. Have you often sung before?" + +"Oh yes," said Cornelli. "Martha has taught me many songs, but--" + +"What do you mean by but?" Agnes quickly interrupted her. "I know now +what a voice you have. I have to go quickly to my music lesson, but +you must sing a lot with me to-night. No buts will be allowed then." + +"Oh, Cornelli, won't you sing with us tonight?" asked the mother kindly. +"We know now how well it sounds, and I do not see why you should still +hesitate." + +"I can't sing properly when I am afraid, for then it does not sound +well," Cornelli replied. + +"Why should you be afraid?" asked the mother. "You know us all so well +now." + +"Oh, because I am not like Agnes and Nika. I can't do anything they +do and I don't look the way they do," said Cornelli. With these words +she frowned again in the old way, so that one could see it through the +thick fringes of hair that covered her forehead. + +The mother said no more and went out. + +"Just stay with me, Cornelli; then you don't have to be afraid of +anything," Mux said protectingly. "I am afraid of nothing in the whole +world--except of the dark," he added quickly, for he had seen Cornelli's +penetrating eyes looking at him through her hair, and felt that he had +to tell the truth, for she was sure to find him out. "No," he continued, +"I won't be even afraid of that if you stay with me all the time." + +Agnes had finished her school work sooner than ever that day. She ran +to the piano and called to Cornelli: "Come here! Mux can play alone, +for we must sing now." + +So Cornelli went up to the piano. + +"I shall sing the first stanza of this song and then you can sing it +with me the second time," Agnes said and began: "The beauteous moon +is risen." + +"Oh, I have known that song a long time. Shall I sing the second voice?" +asked Cornelli. + +"What? Can you really sing second voice? Can you really do it? Oh, +that would be wonderful! Go ahead and do it!" said Agnes excitedly. + +So the two girls sang alone together, for Nika had not finished her +work, and the regular time for the evening songs had not yet come. +Agnes was radiantly happy while she was making experiments with a new +voice. + +Nika was still absorbed in her work, the mother only entered the room +now and then, and as Agnes was singing with her, Cornelli did not have +the feeling that anybody was listening. So she sang quite freely and +let her whole, full voice flow out. Agnes became more eager all the +time, and it really sounded as if a whole chorus were singing in the +room. + +At last the mother stood still, and Nika, lifting her head from her +work, listened, too. + +When the song was done, Agnes clapped her hands and said: "Oh, Cornelli, +your voice is as clear as a bell! Oh, if I only had a voice like that! +What wonderful things I could sing then! Do you know many songs, +Cornelli? Just tell me all you know." + +Cornelli looked over the song book before her. She knew quite a number +of the songs in it, for Martha had taught her many. + +Agnes was in raptures: "Oh, now our evening songs won't be like a +feeble chirping any more; now everything, everything will be different!" +she cried out. Suddenly struck with a new idea, she ran over to her +other music books. + +She got a book of songs for two voices, which she had only been able +to use at her music lessons and never at home, for Nika could not join +her. "Come, Cornelli, try to sing after me now. This is your part, and +when you know it, I'll sing mine. Here are your notes," she instructed +Cornelli, and with that she began to sing. + +Cornelli did not know the notes very well, because Mr. Maelinger had +not instructed her very deeply in that subject. Her ear, however, was +correct, and she could immediately repeat a melody. Agnes began with +the easiest songs, and it did not take Cornelli any time to learn them. +She soon knew where to pause and where to take up her part again. So +a second piece was started and soon a third. Then they repeated them +all again and before long they could sing three songs quite well. + +"Once more, once more," Agnes urged her. It went better every time, +and in the end they sang together perfectly. Agnes jumped up from her +seat and exclaimed: "Oh, you are a wonderful Cornelli! Who would have +thought it? Please do not go home yet. Stay here, and then we can sing +together every day. Have you heard it, Mama?" + +The mother affirmed it and told them that she and Dino had both enjoyed +the singing. Dino had asked to have his door kept open, for he had +wanted to hear it all. + +"Do you know what we'll do, Cornelli?" said Agnes. "To-morrow morning +we'll study a festive duet. We shall greet Dino with it when he comes +back to this room again for the first time." + +Cornelli gladly agreed. + +It was time now for their accustomed evening song, which had been put +off longer than usual that day. Agnes was of the decided opinion that +it was not suitable to end this day with a mild evening song. She +suggested a loud hymn of praise and thanks. She started it with +enthusiasm, and all the others soon joined. + +The unexpected joy and great friendliness Agnes had shown had made +Cornelli so happy and astonished that she sat a long time on her bed +in the little room. She was wondering to herself why she could never +be quite happy in spite of everybody's goodness, but she knew soon +enough why this was so. Her old fear had not left her. She fully +realized that she looked different from other children and that her +horns would get worse, till they could not be hidden any more. Then +everybody would think what Mux had thought, even if they did not say +it. + +Next morning, when Cornelli had just gotten up, Mrs. Halm entered her +room. "Cornelli," she said, taking the child's hand, "you have made +us all so happy! You have done much for Dino by helping him to pass +many pleasant hours, and you have entertained my little restless Mux +so wonderfully that he can hardly live without you any more. I should +like to do something for you now; I should love to make you look festive +to-day and get rid forever of everything that disfigures you." + +The mother had already begun to smooth out the child's thick hair. + +"Oh no, oh no, please don't do it!" Cornelli cried out, "then everything +will be lost. I want to go home, oh, I must go home! Oh, they will all +laugh at me and they won't like me any more. Oh, you don't know how +it is." + +"I know everything, dear child," the mother said quietly. "Dino has +told me everything. Don't you know, child, that I love you? You know, +Cornelli, that I would not do anything that might hurt you the least +bit, or that would not help you. I want to free you from an error, +Cornelli." + +"No, no, it is not an error, surely not," Cornelli called out in her +great anxiety. "My cousin said it and Miss Grideelen said it, too. +They saw it, and I know it. Oh, please don't brush my hair away." + +"Cornelli," the mother went on calmly, "the ladies told you they saw +little horns on your forehead, that got bigger every time you wrinkled +up your brow. You are afraid that this is really so and that it is +getting worse. You understood it in a way they did not mean. They only +wanted to tell you that when you frowned you looked as if you had horns +on your forehead, and they said it to keep you from frowning. They +meant well by you, but you misunderstood them. But you can understand +me. Just let me help you to be happy again. + +"Have you any confidence in me, Cornelli? Tell me, do you think that +I would do anything that would make you repulsive in the eyes of +everyone? Do you believe that? I know you don't, child!" Cornelli only +groaned a little. + +With nimble hands the mother had in the meantime kept on smoothing and +combing the child's heavy hair. It already lay beautifully parted on +both sides of her face. The brown, wavy hair framed a snow-white brow, +for not a ray of sunshine had penetrated through the hair all summer +long. The mother finished the two heavy tresses and wound them about +Cornelli's head like a crown. Smilingly the mother looked into +Cornelli's face. The great change had thrilled her with joy. + +"Now come with me to the children. We shall see if they can notice any +change," she said, and taking the little girl's hand, she led her away. +Cornelli was extremely glad to enter the room at the mother's side, +for she would not have dared to go alone. When the door opened, she +looked shyly at the floor. + +Mux had already been waiting for his companion and now ran to meet +her. "What have you done, Cornelli?" he cried out in sudden surprise. +"Your forehead looks quite clean and neat, and you have shiny eyes +like a canary bird, and you don't look like an owl any more." + +"Why Cornelli! You are transformed!" Agnes exclaimed. "Just let me see +you. Make a little room, Mux! No, I don't know you any more. It is +fortunate you did it, for it is a pleasure to look at you now." + +"Your mother has done it," Cornelli explained confusedly, for she was +quite overcome at all these manifestations of joy. + +Nika also glanced up at her. "You are a different child, Cornelli, and +I do not see how you could ever have gotten the way you were." + +These words were said in such a charming manner that a deep sensation +of well-being filled Cornelli. She tried to fight against it, however, +for she did not think it possible that she should suddenly become freed +from her horrible, sickening fear. + +Agnes was very anxious to practice their song for the festive reception +of the newly risen Dino, and Cornelli, too, was filled with ardor. The +two children kept up their singing quite a while, for Agnes could not +weary of trying the songs for two voices which she had never before +been able to use. + +Dino did not come until lunch time. Though he was still very pale, he +felt extremely lively. "Hurrah, Cornelli!" he cried out as he entered +the living room. "Now you look again the way you used to in Iller-Stream +when you forgot to pull your curtains over your brow. You even look +better than that, Cornelli, you look perfectly splendid! Another hurrah +for this great joy!" + +The next moment a surprise came for Dino: the lovely festive song which +Agnes and Cornelli were singing in his honor. The voice of the latter +was full of purity and strength, and Dino kept on signalling to Nika +over and over again, saying in a low voice: "Do you hear it? Do you +see it? Do you notice it at last?" + +It was quite evident that two had not been of the same opinion about +Cornelli till that day. + +So they all had a merry feast. In Cornelli's heart the feeling of +delicious well-being gradually began to drive away all other sensations. +Her old gaiety broke forth boundlessly and roused all the others as +well to great merriment and joy. Dino looked quite well again, and his +eyes fairly beamed with happiness. Even the mother joined in their gay +mood, and she had to glance over and over again at her two daughters, +who had seldom shown such unclouded joy. She heaved a secret sigh, +however, and asked herself: I wonder how long this happiness will last, +for we have hard times before us. + +"Wasn't I right, after all?" Dino said to his sisters, when Cornelli +had retired and the family separated at bedtime. The sisters till now +had made disparaging remarks to him about Cornelli. "We do not see +what attracts you in her," they had said. "We don't understand how you +can find her entertaining," and so on. + +When Cornelli was alone in her room that night, she felt as in a dream. +What had happened to her? Was it really true that the great sorrow +which had weighed on her and had taken all her joy away had forever +disappeared? The mother had told her firmly that it had been an error, +and the children had proved it to be so by their reception of her. So +she could be happy again as she had always been. Cornelli was filled +with joy and praise to God at this thought. + +"How wonderfully God has led me," she said in her heart. She remembered +how anxiously she had prayed to Him to prevent her from being sent to +town. Now she had come to town, but in such a different way from what +she had feared! She had been freed from her trouble by going away. +Martha had certainly been right and she would always try to remember +this. In the future she would pray to God that she might do everything +according to His will, and she made up her mind that she would never +again try to force the fulfilment of her own wishes. She felt that she +owed the good Lord in Heaven especial praises, so she lay down to sleep +quite late, and because of her happiness, even stayed awake a long +time after her prayers were said. + +"I have to tell you something, Cornelli," said the mother next day, +when all the family was peacefully gathered around the supper table. +"You know that I have written to your father asking him to let you +stay here a little longer. He has answered me, saying that he would +be very pleased if his little daughter could stay with us for a year +and could take all the lessons that my daughters are taking; but he +leaves you free to decide about it. So you must write to your father +to let him know the answer to his proposal. + +"Oh, you must stay here, Cornelli. Won't you please stay?" Dino +exclaimed. "Then you can be here till summer time and we two can go +back to Iller-Stream together, for it is quite settled that I am going +again to our good old Martha." + +"And I'll go, too," Mux said with conviction. "Do you know, Cornelli," +he whispered into her ear, "I'll stay with you all the time in your +own house and Dino can go alone to old Martha." + +Agnes was simply enchanted with this new prospect. "Oh, how wonderful, +how wonderful!" she exclaimed over and over again. "Now we can have +singing lessons together and sing again at home. Oh, that is too +wonderful!" + +Nika also begged Cornelli to stay. "I hope you will tell your father +that you intend to remain with us, Cornelli," she said. "We are only +just beginning to know you well." + +Cornelli's eyes sparkled with pleasure, for now the whole family wanted +to keep her with them. Suddenly a thought flashed through her. When +her father had threatened to send her to town for a year, she had been +terribly upset, and now the year spent in town with this family seemed +like pure pleasure. How different everything had been from what she +had thought and feared. + +"I should love to stay here!" she exclaimed with deep emotion. "Can +I write to Papa now?" That suited Mrs. Halm exactly. Sitting down +beside Cornelli, she also wrote to Mr. Hellmut, and both letters were +sent at once. + +Two days later Mr. Hellmut was sitting at the breakfast table, looking +at his mail. First of all he opened a fat envelope which had come to +him from town. There were two letters in it which caused him great +surprise. Mrs. Halm wrote that all the members of her family had +joyfully received his proposal to leave Cornelli with them for a longer +stay. She told him that they had all become so fond of Cornelli that +she would have left behind a feeling of real loss. + +Cornelli's letter read as follows: + +DEAR PAPA: + +I should love to stay here, for the mother and all the children are +very good to me, and I love them dearly. I should also like to learn +lots and lots of things. Nika and Agnes know so much and are so clever, +and I should be so glad to learn what they know. I shall be unspeakably +happy if you will let me stay. Please give my love to Martha, Esther, +and Matthew. + + YOUR CORNELLI. + +After reading the letters, the Director shook his head. "What on earth +has happened?" he said to himself. "A few weeks have hardly passed +since they told me that this child could not be set to rights, and I +have myself seen how stubborn she was and how strangely she behaved. +And what a change already! However, I must not take literally what has +probably been written in a moment of excitement." + +Mr. Hellmut was very glad about Cornelli's intention to remain in town, +for thus his greatest care had been taken from him. A lovely woman, +who with her children had made a most favorable impression on him, had +promised to devote herself to his child, and he only wondered how long +the present arrangement would last. + +Mrs. Halm had soon arranged a regular course of studies for Cornelli. +Agnes was very anxious for her to start music lessons right away, for +she thought that that was the most important thing. Cornelli herself +was eager to do this, for she wanted to learn everything that Nika and +Agnes were learning. So she threw herself with fresh energy into all +the fields of study that were opened to her. + +Dino also was going to school, for he had entirely recovered. Every +morning the four children started out gaily, talking eagerly while +they walked down the street, until they finally separated for their +various schools. If they met again on their way home, they were still +more lively, for they would tell each other all their experiences. +Cornelli surpassed them all in that respect. She had the talent of +describing everything in such a funny and vivid fashion that she made +them all laugh. + +Mux alone was unhappy in these days, for he had lost his beloved +companion. Full of anger, he would meet the four laughing school +children when they were coming up the stairs and would say: "If I owned +all the schools I would certainly burn them." + +"But I hope not all the teachers, too, Mux," said Dino, "for then one +would have to tell an even worse tale about you than you were telling +about Agnes." + +The door between Cornelli's and the sisters' room was always open now, +for they all had wished it. There was not a single evening on which +they did not make use of the last moment for talking to each other +about their mutual interests. + +Cornelli was filled with admiration for Nika and for everything she +did. She could not understand how Nika, who was so lovely and could +do such wonderful things, could have a sorrow. She had never forgotten +about it, because she had often noticed that the young girl suffered +from some grief. + +Even Agnes often stopped laughing quite suddenly. She would say: "Yes, +Cornelli, it is easy for you to be jolly. It is easy for you." So +Cornelli knew that Agnes also carried a care about with her. When Agnes +frowned and made dreadful wrinkles, Cornelli was quite sure that then +her sorrow was hurting her. She would have loved to help her, but she +had never asked her friends about it. She knew that she had been glad +when nobody had asked her about her own trouble. + +One day it happened that Agnes came home from her music lesson quite +upset and terribly excited. "Oh, Mama," she called from the door, "the +teacher has given us the pieces today which we have to play for our +examinations. He has given me the most difficult one, and while giving +it to me he said: 'I shall really make something fine out of you.'" + +Agnes was throwing her music sheets away as if they were her greatest +enemies; then she ran away to her room. There she threw herself down +on a chair and began to sob loudly. Cornelli had followed her, for she +was filled with sympathy. Putting her arms about Agnes, she said: "Tell +me, Agnes, what makes you cry. I know what it is like to have to cry +like that. But why do you do it now, when your teacher has just praised +you?" + +"What good is that to me?" Agnes burst out. "How does it help me to +play ever so well? What good would it ever do me even to practice day +and night? Nika and I can only keep on one year more, and then +everything is over. Then she can't paint any more and I can't have any +more music lessons, for we shall have to become dressmakers. We won't +even have time to go through the higher classes in school. I would a +thousand times rather travel through the world and sing in front of +the houses for pennies--yes, I'll do that!" + +"Can't your mother help you?" asked Cornelli, remembering the mother's +help in her own case. + +"No, she can't; and she is very unhappy herself. There is not a soul +on earth who could help us, for our guardian says that it just has to +be." + +Cornelli was quite crushed by this explanation, for now she understood +quite well why Nika often had such sad eyes. The hopeless prospect +made Cornelli's heart heavy, too. When Agnes had had such a passionate +outbreak, she did not regain her composure for several days. Then Nika +would not say a word, either, and the mother only looked very sadly +at her children. + +Then Dino also became silent, for he knew what tormented his mother +and his sisters. He would have loved to help them, but he knew no way. +So Cornelli could not laugh any more, either, and her friend's great +sorrow weighed on her, too, for she had experienced a heavy grief +herself and had not forgotten what it was like. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +NEW LIFE IN ILLER-STREAM + + + +Winter had come. For the inhabitants of the garret lodging the days +were filled with so much regular work that the nights were always +greeted with loud regrets and complaints. They were always sorry when +the day was done and no more time was left for their plans. Agnes was +especially angry and ready to spit fire from disgust at the arrival +of the hated bedtime which always broke up everything. + +"We lose half of our lives in sleeping," she indignantly called out +several times. "I wish you would let us sing all night long, Mother," +she said. "We should only be more keen for our other work next day, +if we could really devote ourselves to music for a while, instead of +always stopping off in the middle whenever we are in the mood to sing." +The children's mother, however, did not agree with Agnes, so the nights +had to be used for sleeping as before. + +Cornelli's singing delighted Agnes more and more. Cornelli sang +everything as lightly and freely as a bird, and with such a clear and +resonant voice that everybody got pleasure from it. There was no other +voice in the whole school which was as sure and as full as Cornelli's. +Even the teacher said so, and during the singing lesson he placed her +right in front of him, because she was the best leader of the chorus. + +In the middle of winter Mr. Hellmut wrote to Mrs. Halm to inform her +that he was taking a lengthy journey to foreign parts. As he felt that +Cornelli was well taken care of in her household, he was anxious to +use this opportunity for travelling. He also wrote that he had shortened +his last trip in order not to tie his kind cousin and her friend too +long to his lonely house. He told her that he was very sorry not to +be able to pay her and Cornelli a visit before leaving, for he had to +start at once. + +Never before had spring come so fast. So at least it seemed to Cornelli, +who was walking home alone one day from school. The winter had gone +by and already a mild wind was blowing through the streets, and the +melting snow was dropping from the roofs. + +From the top of a roof a little bird was whistling and singing a song +of delight to the bright blue sky above. Cornelli's school had been +over sooner than the other children's, so she was in no hurry and stood +still to listen. A ray of sunshine was flowing into the street, and +the bird kept on singing and whistling, on and on, a heavenly, familiar +sound. + +Suddenly the lovely beech wood at home rose before Cornelli's eyes, +and she saw the trees in their first green leaves, the first violets +under the hedge, her beloved first violets; she saw the yellow crocuses +sparkling beside the bright red primroses in the garden. The birds at +home used to whistle above her in all the trees in just the same way +as these in the city. + +Oh, how lovely the coming of the spring had always been at home! How +wonderful it would be to see all these familiar sights again! At that +thought Cornelli ran to the house as fast as she possibly could. Sitting +down beside her ink-well she wrote as follows: + +DEAR PAPA: + +I am sure it is more beautiful at home now than anywhere else. May I +come home soon? I am sure that the violets are out and that everything +is getting green in the woods. Soon there will be lots of flowers in +the garden, and later on the roses, and then all the berries and +forget-me-nots in the meadows will come out. I know now that it is +nowhere as beautiful as at home. I should love to show the mother and +the girls everything, and I know that Mux would adore the little kid. +Dino already loves the meadows and the garden, and I hope that he will +come to Iller-Stream again. If I could only soon see it all again! + +A great many kisses, + from your daughter, + CORNELLI. + + +Cornelli did not get an answer from her father for three weeks. He +wrote to her that his journey had been lengthened beyond his +expectation. He also said how glad he was that his daughter had suddenly +realized what a beautiful home she had, but that he disapproved entirely +of her leaving her school abruptly. He told her to stay in town till +the summer holidays, for he was obliged himself to stay away till then. +He gave her permission to invite for the holidays all the family who +had been so good to her, for he and Cornelli, too, had much reason to +be grateful to Mrs. Halm. There was plenty of room for all of them in +the house, and he would like to have them with him all summer long. + +Cornelli at first was a little disappointed that it was going to be +so long before she could be home and see again the garden, the meadows +and the beech wood, for her longing for them had grown more and more. +But when she thought of the prospect of having all the family with her +all summer, including Dino and his mother, she was so happy that all +her disappointment vanished. + +Her joy was supreme when that day at lunch time she gave the family +her father's invitation. On all sides she perceived signs of boundless +joy. Nika and Agnes had had the firm conviction that they were to spend +the summer, as usual, in the hot garret dwelling without any special +holidays. And now they could spend all summer in beautiful Iller-Stream, +about which Dino had told them so much. He had described Cornelli's +house and garden as a perfect paradise, and now they would live there +themselves. + +Agnes screamed for joy and Nika's face was radiant with happiness. +Mrs. Halm was greatly moved with gratitude and delight. She had been +worrying lately about Dino, for she had been uncertain whether she +would be able to send him away long enough for the boy to be properly +strengthened. She had feared that the time would have to be exceedingly +short and that the benefit therefore would be very slight. Now the +good God had suddenly taken all her anxiety from her and had changed +it into a boundless blessing. + +Dino smiled with complete satisfaction, and said again and again: "I +wish you knew how wonderful it all is. Such a garden and such trees! +Such a stable and such horses! Oh, how I love beautiful Iller-Stream!" + +Mux called out louder and louder: "Oh, Cornelli, take me along!" He +could not realize that he was really going, too. There were still many +days and even weeks before their bliss would come true, but with this +heavenly prospect before them the children performed their remaining +duties only too joyfully. + +It was different for Cornelli. Her longing for her home had grown more +violent every day. Wherever she saw a green tree or a bush, she saw +the garden at home, the meadows, and the flowers in Iller-Stream before +her mind's eye. So her desire to return there, to see it all again, +became almost painful. She felt finally as if the day would never come +when she could again see her home. + +It came, nevertheless. A large trunk was taken away on a cart, and the +whole family followed it towards the station. Trina came last. In her +wondering eyes one could see that despite all the preparations she did +not yet believe the reality of the coming journey. Cornelli had begged +Mrs. Halm so urgently to let her go, too, that the child's wish had +been granted. Cornelli had been willing to take the responsibility for +the unexpected guest. Mux was so excited that he kept on running in +front of everybody and hindering them all in walking. + +"Be sensible, Mux!" Dino exclaimed. "If you go on like that, we'll +miss the train and there won't be any trip." + +These words disconcerted Mux to such a degree that he simply tore away +down the street. Dino had to run after him to catch him, for Mux knew +no road or way and had dashed ahead only in his fear of arriving too +late. + +At last they reached the station and entered their car. Now they were +moving out into the beautiful country. The sun was shining over the +fields and woods, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. Cornelli +was sitting beside the open window, eagerly looking out. The journey +lasted for a little more than two hours, and as soon as it was over +they got out. + +"Here he comes, here he comes!" Cornelli cried out, running towards +the road which led into the valley. Here Matthew was just stopping the +pair of horses from their lively trot. + +In a moment Cornelli was at the dismounting coachman's side, calling +to him: "How are you, Matthew? I am coming home again. Is everything +at home still the same?" + +"Welcome, Cornelli, welcome home!" he said, radiant with joy, for his +master's child was his greatest pride. "But how you have grown, +Cornelli! Oh, how changed our Cornelli is!" + +Matthew shook her hand with great delight and then opened the carriage +door for the family who had approached. + +"Oh, here is the young gentleman from last summer," Matthew said again, +shaking Dino's hand. "But you looked better when you were with us. Oh, +yes, the young gentleman looked much better then, I think." + +"I should think so, Matthew," said Dino. "Of course, I looked better +when I could drink such good milk from the stable, in the fine, fresh +morning air. It was different in town." + +Mrs. Halm had entered the carriage and the two girls had followed. +Mux, gazing motionless at the shining horses, could not be taken away +in a hurry from that wonderful sight. + +"They are coming along, too," said Matthew, who enjoyed the open +admiration the little boy was showing. "You will be able to look at +them every day, and you can ride on them to the fountain." + +That helped the situation. Everybody was soon inside of the carriage, +and Trina sat beside Matthew on the coachman's box. Now they galloped +gaily along into the valley. + +"Oh, mother, just look at the red daisies!" Cornelli cried out. "Oh, +look at the golden buttercups! Oh, look, look; see all the blue +forget-me-nots!" + +Cornelli had jumped up, for she could not sit still anymore, and was +looking forwards and backwards, to right and to left. The meadows had +never been so full of flowers, and every few moments Cornelli cried +out with delight. When the carriage drove into the courtyard, Cornelli +was the first to jump down. + +"Oh, Esther, how are you?" she called to her old friend. Full of dignity +and covered with a spotless white apron, the cook stood ready to receive +the guests. + +"Oh, now I am home again! Is everything still the same? Is the garden +still the way it was? And Martha and her house, too?" + +"Yes, yes, Cornelli. And how are you?" returned Esther, looking eagerly +at Cornelli. "How you have changed! In truth you have changed +wonderfully. You are not the same." + +Cornelli was already running into the house to the living-room and to +her own wardrobe. Yes, everything had remained the same. She flew +outside again to the mother, to lead her into the house. The child's +face fairly beamed with joy. + +Cornelli's father was busy working in his office. Hearing the sound +of the approaching wheels, he started. "Here they are already," he +said to himself. He hastily threw off his working coat and putting on +a good coat left the iron foundry. While he was walking across the +courtyard he sighed deeply. Freshly stamped in his memory, he saw +before him his only child as she had looked when he had returned from +his journey a year ago. Cornelli had stood before him shyly, with +averted glance, resembling a little savage, who had never been combed. + +"I wonder what the child is like now?" he muttered to himself. + +As he entered the living room Cornelli looked up at him. The Director +was quite startled at what he saw. Now Cornelli flew up to him. + +"Oh, Papa, oh, Papa! It is so wonderful to be home again! Everything +is still the way it used to be. Oh, I am so glad to be home again!" + +The father wanted to embrace his child, but before he did so he held +her at arm's length to gaze at her once more. + +"Cornelli," he said with tears in his eyes, "you look at me the way +your mother used to. You have grown just like your mother," he said, +putting his arms lovingly about her. "How was it possible? How could +you change in this way? How did it happen?" + +"Mother knows about it, Papa. Mother has helped me," said Cornelli, +going with shining eyes to the mother, for Mrs. Halm had retreated to +the back of the room. + +The Director now turned to his new guest. "Welcome to our house," he +said heartily, greeting both her and the children. Holding Cornelli's +hand within his own, he continued with emotion: "How different you +have brought her back to me! How did you do it? Can this be the same +child that I brought you?" + +The happy father had to look at Cornelli over and over again, for he +hardly yet realized that this was his child. Was this really Cornelli +and not a creature of his imagination? So he held the child's hand and +looked again and again into her shining eyes; it really seemed as if +he could not believe it. + +Esther, laden with the dinner dishes, now came into the room to set +the table. She informed her master that the guest rooms were ready and +that she supposed the ladies wanted to retire before the coming meal. + +Mrs. Halm and her daughter gladly followed her, but Cornelli said: +"Oh, Papa, can I run over to Martha? I'll be back very soon." + +Dino also begged to go, for he longed to see old Martha again. As the +permission had readily been given, the two children started off. They +had meant to run down the path, but Cornelli could not go fast. The +meadow was so full of daisies, buttercups and especially of blue +forget-me-nots, her favorite flowers, that she felt as if she had to +gather them all, and Dino had to remind her that their time was short +and that the flowers would still be there to-morrow. + +Martha had heard that Cornelli and her guests were expected that day, +so she had several times glanced towards the garden to see if she could +discover trace of her or of Dino. Now both came flying up the steps, +and Martha ran out to meet them. Oh, yes, here was Dino, Dino whom she +knew so well, and Cornelli, too--Martha looked at the child and tried +to say something. Instead of that, however, bright tears started to +her eyes, and she was unable to speak. + +"Oh, Martha, how I have looked forward to coming home and coming to +you right away!" Cornelli exclaimed. "Are you glad, too, Martha? Oh, +I am so happy!" + +"I too, I too, Cornelli," Martha assured her. "What memories you bring +back to me, child, for you have grown just like your mother. Oh, how +different you are now from what you were. God has blessed your life +in town. It seems like a miracle. Oh, how I have prayed for this!" + +After these words she shook Dino's hand, looking at him rather sadly, +for her great joy at seeing him again was dimmed by his delicate +appearance. + +"Oh, Dino, how pale and thin you look," she said. "Last year you were +so much stouter." + +"That is why I came again to Iller-Stream," Dino replied cheerfully. +"You must rejoice with us now, Mrs. Martha, for Cornelli and I are +tremendously pleased to be here again. It is just as lovely here as +it was last year, and now we can come to see you every day, for this +seems like home." + +Martha was so moved that she could not speak. Here was Cornelli, looking +as fresh and bright as ever; all the unspeakably sad expression had +vanished from her face, together with the awful disfigurement of those +days. The old woman was deeply stirred by the happy look in the little +girl's eyes. Her young mother had looked at her just that way. And +here was Dino, too, full of his old attachment, and speaking such kind +words to her. She could hardly believe this great happiness. + +"We have to go, now, Martha," Cornelli said, "but we'll come every day +the way we used to; you know that, Martha. I'll run over every single +day." + +"And I, too," cried Dino. When the happy little couple were running +away, Martha looked after them from her little stairway. Her eyes were +moist, yet followed the two till they were lost from sight. + +Even then she still stood there with folded hands. + +"Oh, good God," she said quietly, "my heart is full of thankfulness. +Thou hast blessed everything that was hard for the child, and hast +turned everything to good." + +When the children entered the house, Cornelli said: "Just go in, Dino, +I'll soon follow you." + +Then she turned and went into the kitchen. + +"Oh, I was hoping all the time that our Cornelli could still find her +way to the kitchen," said Esther with satisfaction. "Come and let me +have a real look at you, Cornelli!" + +Esther placed herself squarely in front of the child and said: "You +have grown a lot last year, Cornelli. And your hair is so neatly combed +and brushed! One certainly can enjoy looking at our Cornelli, now." + +Cornelli blushed a little, for she had to remember the way she had +looked when she had gone away. She knew how it had been and how she +had shut her heart against the help Esther had often offered her. + +"Oh, Esther, I have to tell you something. Where is Trina, the maid, +who has come with them?" + +"I told her to go behind the house to look at the vegetable garden," +said Esther. "She stood in my way all the time. I am afraid she is not +very quick." + +"No, she isn't; I know that. But Esther, I want to tell you something +about her. Please be good to her!" Cornelli begged. "You see, Trina +is block-headed and awkward, but she can't help it. You don't know how +that is, but I know. And if you are very good to her, she won't mind +as much being that way. Won't you do me that favor, Esther?" + +Full of surprise, Esther looked after the child, who was running towards +the dining room. + +"How does she ever think of such things," Esther murmured to herself. +"One might think Cornelli had to begin at the bottom herself, instead +of being the Director's daughter who can have whatever she wants." + +Esther kept on shaking her head for quite a while, but she was anxious +to show Cornelli that she was the only daughter of the house and could +command her. She was very proud of Cornelli's position and eager to +prove to her young mistress that she was only too happy to follow her +wishes. + +When the first merry meal was over, the children were allowed to run +out to the garden. They already knew what they were going to see there, +because Dino had described it to them with great enthusiasm. He had +told them about the flower garden with its wealth of color, the +trellises, covered with red peaches, the heavily laden pear and apple +trees. Now they could see all those wonders for themselves, including +the stable with the splendid cows and the proud and shining horses. +So the five children ran away with great eagerness. + +The Director and Mrs. Halm remained in the dining room, drinking their +coffee in each other's company. + +"Please, Mr. Hellmut," she said, as soon as the door had closed behind +the children, "please let me thank you for your great kindness. I want +to tell you how grateful I am." + +"What do you mean? Why do you want to thank me, Mrs. Halm?" the Director +interrupted her. "Please let me speak first! It is I who want to thank +you. I shall never be able to repay you for what you have done. What +wonders you have accomplished for my child! How you have been able to +change and develop Cornelli! How well she looks now! I have to gaze +at her again and again, for I can hardly believe that it is the same +child. How can I thank you enough? How did you ever do it? And what +patience, care and trouble you must have taken with her. I am afraid +that it has required endless thought on your part to bring her back +like this." + +"Oh, no, Mr. Hellmut, that was not the way at all," said Mrs. Halm. +"Cornelli has cost me neither patience, care, nor trouble. If by a +little love I have been able to draw out the good kernel of her nature +and bring it to happy development, then that is all I have done. +Cornelli has never made my task hard for me. We have all become so +fond of her that we had to think with sorrow of the time when she would +leave us. I shall never forget what happy hours Dino had with Cornelli +during his illness and how she constantly entertained my sociable +little Mux with her constant merriment and kindness. Yes, Mr. Hellmut, +I shall never forget what she has done, and I can assure you that you +have a lovely little daughter." + +The Director jumped up in his excitement and strode to and fro in the +room. What different enthusiasm from that of a year ago! + +"You do not know what you are saying, Mrs. Halm," he said, standing +still before her. "You are relieving me of most dreadful anxiety. I +have suffered perfect tortures, because I was blaming myself for having +neglected my Cornelia's child. I thought it was too late and that +Cornelli had grown hopelessly stubborn. Now you have come and brought +me back my child so that she even resembles her mother in her eyes and +her whole expression and appearance. My wife was friendly and gay, and +now you tell me that this is Cornelli's disposition, too." + +"I have to tell you something else, Mr. Hellmut," Mrs. Halm continued. +"I am perfectly sure that a child's first impressions are very +important. It is natural that Cornelli missed her mother's guidance, +but she was not by any means a neglected child when she came to me. +From what she and Dino have told me I am perfectly sure that Martha +gave Cornelli the best one can possibly give a child on spiritual +education. I esteem old Martha very highly, for she must love and +understand children as few people do." + +"My wife used to say the same thing, and that is why I had such +confidence in Martha. Unfortunately a time came later on when I feared +that she was wrong, and I did not realize what she meant to Cornelli. +You have reminded me of my great debt--" + +At this moment such loud laughter and rejoicing sounded from below +that both stepped to the open window. + +Mux was screaming loudly, and seemed quite beside himself. "Mama, +Mama," he cried out, "just look at a living goat boy and a real goat! +Come down and see me!" + +Mux was sitting on the seat of a lovely wicker carriage, with two reins +in one hand and a whip in the other, while a young and slender goat +was pulling him. Agnes and Cornelli were running beside the carriage +as protectors, while Dino held the goat lightly by the reins to keep +her from running off. All the children were screaming with delight at +the wonderful ride. + +Matthew was standing beside the bushes to watch this trial trip, for +he thought that his help might be needed. He had built the carriage +for Cornelli and had already several times harnessed the goat so as +to teach her how to behave when Cornelli returned. When Matthew had +first shown the little conveyance to the children, Cornelli had said +right away that Mux had to take the first ride in order to realize the +scene he loved so much in his picture book. + +Mux simply screamed to his mother in wild joy. To see the wonderful +spectacle from near by, she came down to the garden. + +The Director also left the house, but he went another way. Not long +afterwards he went up Martha's little stairway to the porch where the +old woman sat on her stool mending. + +"Oh, Mr. Hellmut!" she called out in her surprise. Opening the door +she led her visitor into her room, for the porch was very narrow. + +Mr. Hellmut entered. + +"Martha," he said in a business-like tone, "I have spoiled your business +by taking your boarder away from you forever. That requires a +compensation, and so I have just bought your little cottage from the +farmer over there, besides the little piece of ground in front of it. +Now you will have more room for your carnations, and if you manage +well, you can surely have some pleasant days from the rent which you +save. Are you satisfied?" + +"Oh, Mr. Hellmut! Is this little house really my own, now, and will +I really have a garden besides? Oh, Mr. Hellmut!" + +But her benefactor would not let her say any more. After heartily +shaking her hand, he hurried away. + +The large raspberries were peeping out between the green leaves, and +the golden plums were dropping from the heavily laden branches. From +morning till night on these beautiful summer days Mux fairly swam in +uninterrupted bliss. Before he had even opened his eyes in the morning, +he would call out to his mother in his sleep: "Oh, mother, are we in +Iller-Stream still? Are we still here?" Then the hours of the day +began, each more lovely than the last, and Mux could not tell which +was the best. + +As the boy spent most of the day in the stable, the hayloft, and the +barn, his mother had been obliged to make him a special stable costume. +The little boy loved to watch the milking of the cows, and he never +tired of admiring the horses and the goat. + +Matthew had become his best friend. The gardener constantly thought +out pleasant surprises for Mux, who showed a decided taste for farming. +If Matthew had to do some important work where Mux was in his way, he +always devised a plan to keep the boy amused elsewhere: "Go down there +to the raspberry hedge, Mux!" he would say. "The berries are finest +and biggest there, because the sun has cooked them through. Go to the +plum tree afterwards and wait for me!" + +Mux would obey promptly, wandering over to the plum tree from the +raspberry bushes, which he had lightened considerably. He then would +sit thoughtfully under the plum tree, waiting till Matthew returned. +The gardener then shook the tree so mightily that a flood of golden +plums came rolling down over Mux, who could freely enjoy the wealth +about him. + +If Matthew could not be found and Cornelli and Dino were busy with +their own plans and did not need him, Mux knew another friend who +always gave him a good reception, that friend was Esther. He loved to +find her in the vegetable garden, which was also full of surprises for +him. It was like a marvel to the little boy that the green peas hung +here in abundance, whereas they were only served at home on feast days. +He became quite scared when Esther picked a basketful. But when he +warned her, saying, "Don't take them all, for then we won't have any +more," she only laughed and said: "They always grow again; in a week +there will be plenty more." + +If Mux looked a little timidly at the large cabbage heads, Esther said +to him: "Don't be afraid of them, Mux. If I cook cabbage, everybody +else likes it so much that you won't have to eat it at all, and you +can take the potatoes which I serve with it." + +Mux often accompanied Esther to the kitchen, where he soon picked up +a lot of useful knowledge. There was no pastry the exact recipe of +which as well as how it tasted Mux could not tell. In this manner he +lived through heavenly days. + +They were no less heavenly for the other children. Dino and Cornelli +had started the large undertaking of laying out Martha's garden after +their own plan. They were so busy inventing things and carrying them +out that they could hardly ever be found. + +Agnes struggled with Dino for first place in Cornelli's affection, but +Dino was always the victor. Cornelli never forgot that he had been her +first friend, who had held fast to their friendship. For this she +remained faithful to him. + +It was a consolation to Agnes that she could play on the lovely piano +whenever she wanted to and that Cornelli was always home in the +evenings, when she could sing with her. Mr. Hellmut would sit in his +arm-chair while the two girls sang one song after another, and he could +never hear enough. Beaming with joy, he would say to Mrs. Halm from +time to time: "The child has her mother's voice, except that her +mother's voice was still fuller and softer." + +Mrs. Halm's face would beam, too, as she would say: "Just have a little +patience, Director. You are sure some day to hear Cornelli's voice +when there will be nothing more to desire in it. Her teacher's highest +wish is to train her voice." For answer the father nodded and lay back +in his chair smiling contentedly. + +Nika, too, was completely changed. No shadows dimmed her eyes, for she +could wander about all day with her paint box from one lovely spot to +another, up to the beech wood or to the hill where the big oak tree +stood. There she could sit on a bench and look down, over the house +and garden, and far below into the wide, green valley. Nika was very +happy to be able to spend all her time in painting, without ever being +disturbed or called away by unwished-for duties. + +When the mother saw the happy faces of her girls and Dino's improved +health, she felt very happy, too. Suddenly, however, the thought would +rise in her: How will it be when these lovely days are over and we +have to start living again in the narrow confines of town and in the +shadow of those coming years? + +The holidays were nearing their end, but nobody yet had time to think +of that, for the Director's birthday was drawing near and this was to +be the great feast day for everybody. Mrs. Halm had asked each of the +children to think out some surprise for Mr. Hellmut. For Mux, however, +she wrote a beautiful birthday verse. As the little boy's head was +filled solely with thoughts of the barn and stable, the kitchen and +the goat cart, the plums, the beetles and ants, it took a great deal +of time and trouble to fix the verse in his memory. Nika, needing no +advice, had long ago decided what to do. Every day as soon as the meals +were over, she silently disappeared. Agnes and Cornelli bolted the +door of the music room and let mysterious songs issue from behind it. +Only Dino was still undecided about his task. When he was left alone +with his mother and Mux one day, and all the others were busy with +their preparations, he said: "Tell me what I could do, mother." + +"Draw him a picture of the beautiful goat," Mux advised. He knew that +Dino could draw animals well, and to him there was no finer animal in +all the world than the goat. + +"What a knowing goat boy you are, Mux," Dino exclaimed. Despite his +refusal to draw the goat, he had nevertheless gotten an idea from his +little brother. "Oh, I'll draw the two brown horses," he called out +joyously. "I'll make one trotting and the other walking. Matthew must +lead them up for me." + +So the boy ran happily to the stable, and after that day he and Matthew +had many meetings in secret. + +The birthday came at last. + +When the Director entered the dining room in the morning, such a +beautiful duet resounded from the next room that he was compelled to +draw nearer. Agnes and Cornelli were both singing a lovely song with +such deep feeling that the Director could hardly speak. When they had +ended, he patted them both on the shoulder with fatherly tenderness +and then passed into the next room. Here Mux approached him and said +his verse faultlessly in a loud, clear voice. On the table the Director +found two beautiful drawings of his brown horses, and his joy over +them was so great that he did not put them down for quite a while. But +finally he saw all at once a large picture resting in the middle of +the table. His house, with the surrounding garden, the luminous meadow +with the view toward the valley and the distant mountains beyond, was +painted in such fresh and absolutely natural colors that Mr. Hellmut +was quite overcome. This was the view he had loved so passionately +from his childhood. + +"Cornelli, come here!" the father called. "Just look at this picture! +Don't you have a beautiful home? Do you love your home as much as your +father loves it?" + +"Oh yes, Papa, I love it so much!" said Cornelli. "And I have to think +every day that I never knew how beautiful it was before I went away. +But ever since I came home again, I know. Oh, how beautiful it looks +in the picture!" + +Agnes had been standing behind Cornelli. Suddenly she exclaimed +passionately: "Oh, Cornelli, if only you didn't have such a beautiful +home!" + +"Agnes," the mother said in alarm, "what unseemly words are you saying?" + +The Director looked in astonishment at Agnes, whose eyes were flashing +fire while she regarded the painting. + +"Have you had a disagreement with Cornelli? Is that the reason why you +don't want her to have such a beautiful home?" he asked with a sly +smile. + +Agnes flushed scarlet. + +"Oh no, Mr. Hellmut, I did not mean it that way. I have never fought +with Cornelli, and I only fight with Dino because he wants to have +Cornelli all the time. If Cornelli didn't have this beautiful home and +if she were like me and had to give up all her music lessons and had +to earn her living, we could do fine things together. She has such a +beautiful voice that we could hire a harp and could travel into strange +cities and sing before the houses. Later on we could give concerts and +begin a singing school. But I can't do anything alone." + +At this outbreak, which no sign from her could check, the mother became +alternately hot and cold from fright. Agnes' eyes still flashed with +passionate excitement like burning coals. + +"I approve of the singing school, but especially of sitting down to +breakfast. I hope very much that we have the usual chocolate to drink +to-day, for it is a good old custom for birthdays which should not be +neglected. So a singing school is to be founded," he continued, while +Mux gazed solemnly at the three huge cakes which were placed beside +the three big chocolate pots. "The wandering harp players are a little +too poetical for me, but I like the idea of a school, Agnes. As I, +too, wish to profit from it, I want it to be built on my estate. Lots +of our workmen in the foundry have small children, whose mothers are +busy with the housework and their small babies. So Agnes and Cornelli +are going to found a singing school in Iller-Stream, where all the +children will go, whose mothers have no time for singing. Upon their +arrival the children shall all be given a bowl of milk and a piece of +bread apiece to make their voices fuller. Now we have settled all about +the school. I shall also have my two teachers instructed, so that they +won't ever be out of practice. I have also some work for Nika: she +shall fill my house with lovely pictures from top to bottom. To inspire +her with plenty of new ideas, I am going to send her to her professor +in town for lessons. Dino shall help me keep my two horses in trim by +giving them plenty of exercise, for that will be good for him and them. +I can use Mux by having him trained to become the manager of my estate. +The good beginning he has made in the knowledge of farming under +Matthew's guidance shall be continued while the ground is covered with +green and the trees are bearing fruit. The mother shall stay here for +the protection of you all. So tell me, now, how you like my plan. Shall +it be thus?" + +Absolute silence followed. The children hardly dared to realize that +the words they had just heard were true, and the mother was filled +with deep emotion. She could not utter a word, and tears flowed from +her eyes. Could it be possible that her great sorrow and heavy cares +were suddenly lifted from her? Could it really be true? + +At that moment Mux said loudly: "Yes, we like it very much!" He had +clearly grasped that it meant for him keeping on doing what he had +enjoyed so much under Matthew's and Esther's care. The Director had +to laugh, and continued: "I must have the reply of the chief, my dear +Mrs. Halm, so please listen to my plan. I shall let you manage the +children in the winter, and you shall arrange whatever they are to +learn, but they must come here in the summer when I can enjoy all the +results of their studies. I shall also enjoy the great advantage of +having you manage my house when you are here. Does that suit everybody, +or am I getting more than my share?" + +At last the mother composed herself. + +"Oh, Mr. Hellmut, how can I thank you?" she said, offering him her +trembling hand. "I do not know how to express what is in my heart. How +can I be grateful enough for such boundless kindness? You cannot know +what your generosity means to us all." + +Even the children had understood that this unheard-of bliss was true. +Nika was the first to run with beaming eyes to the Director and to +seize his hand, but she could find no words to show her gratitude. +Agnes and Dino, too, had run towards the Director, and the latter did +not know how to shake all the hands that were offered to him. Mux, who +could find no access to his benefactor, climbed up on a chair, and +putting his arms about him from behind, screamed a thousand words of +thanks right into the Director's ears. The wild rejoicing became louder +and louder. + +"Cornelli," said the father at last, "give thanks to your foster-mother! +She has earned them, for she has brought joy back to our house." + +Cornelli did it with a full and willing heart, for she realized what +the children's mother had done for her. Soon afterwards, Dino and +Cornelli ran away for they had had a simultaneous thought. They did +not want to wait another moment before bringing Martha the wonderful +news. Nobody on earth could share their boundless happiness as Martha +would. + +Martha's heart overflowed when she heard what had been proposed. Between +freely flowing tears she said again and again: "Oh, Cornelli! Everything +has happened so wonderfully for you. God has ordained it much more +wisely than we could have wished and prayed for. From now on, we shall +leave everything entirely in His hands. We'll do that as long as we +live, won't we, Cornelli?" + +Cornelli nodded with understanding; she had not forgotten how she had +complained to Martha, and how Martha had told her to seek God's help. +Martha had assured her that the help would always come, even if it +revealed itself differently from the way she expected. Now it had all +turned out so gloriously, and so much more splendidly than Cornelli +could ever have imagined! + +There had never been such rejoicing in the house as Agnes started when +she and Nika had retired to their room in the evening and Cornelli had +come to pay her accustomed little evening visit. She skipped and danced +about the room like a newly freed bird and called out: "Now our troubles +are over and no secret fears can scare us any more. Now we can sing +all we want and can live here with you every summer, Cornelli. Oh, we +are the happiest creatures in all the world, and it has all happened +through you, Cornelli; you wonderful, incomparable Cornelli!" + +Agnes, seizing her friend's hand, jumped about with her in the room +at such a rate that Nika had to calm her. The elder sister warned Agnes +that the Director might have to repent of his kindness to them if their +lengthy stay began with such violent noise. One could see, though, +that Nika was willing enough to join the others in their antics. + +"The day on which you came to our house, Cornelli," she said, "has +really been more blessed than any other day in the year. So we must +always celebrate it as a great feast day." + +Nika had lately been very sweet and friendly to Cornelli, and the +younger girl had been very happy about it. But had never dreamed that +Nika would ever speak to her like this. + +When Esther heard that the Halm family was going to remain for the +present and return every year, she said: "Oh, I am glad. That is much +better than if some other people I know had to come back. It is better +for me and for Cornelli, as well as for the whole house." + +"Oh, if I could only come again, too!" said Trina, whose face in these +days was always beaming. "Oh, one feels so happy here!" + +"That is very true," Esther affirmed. "I do not see why you shouldn't. +You don't need to worry, Trina. If Cornelli and I wish you well, we'll +see that you come here again." + +The Director did not like the thought of losing his large new family +so soon, so he said one day to Mrs. Halm: "I am very anxious to prolong +the children's holiday this year till late in the fall. Dino, who is +more in need of his studies than the others, is least able to go back +to town, because he ought to be thoroughly strengthened and made +absolutely well. If it should be necessary for him to study, we have +our good Mr. Maelinger, who can give him lessons." The mother agreed, +for she also was very anxious to have Dino as well as possible, and +she was very grateful to her benefactor for making this possible. + +"There is another reason which makes a longer stay necessary," continued +the Director. "As I fully intend to visit you and the children several +times during the winter, I have rented a more comfortable apartment +for you, because I was rather afraid of finding your tower-like dwelling +a little inconvenient for me. The apartment will be ready for you in +the late autumn, and I want you to get all the rest you can before you +move there, for it is sure to involve some additional work for you. +I hope sincerely that you do not resent my step." + +"I can only thank you continually," said the mother now. The children +arrived at the same moment, and all further words from her were +swallowed up in their loud and stormy manifestations of joy. Cornelli +had already told them of her father's plan to let them all stay in +Iller-Stream till winter time. + +When all the fruit had ripened on the trees and Dino was shaking one +of them and Cornelli another, Matthew looked over from the barn door, +happily rubbing his hands. Right under the tree he saw the other +children, one biting into an apple, the other into a pear. + +"It certainly is different now from last year," he said, smiling to +himself. "There is not a rotten plum or a lonesome pear in all the +orchard." + +Every evening, when the last songs resounded in the house, there were +some of thanks and praise which rose up to Heaven like a loud rejoicing. + +More than once the Director said to his little daughter, when she gave +him her goodnight kiss: "Did not God mean well with us, Cornelli, when +he guided Martha to write such an inviting notice to the paper?" + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Cornelli, by Johanna Spyri + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CORNELLI *** + +***** This file should be named 6380.txt or 6380.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/6/3/8/6380/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Cornelli + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Release Date: August, 2004 [EBook #6380] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on December 3, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, CORNELLI *** + + + + +Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team. + + + +CORNELLI + +By JOHANNA SPYRI + + + + + +FOREWORD + + + +Many writers have suffered injustice in being known as the author of +but one book. Robinson Crusoe was not Defoe's only masterpiece, nor +did Bunyan confine his best powers to Pilgrim's Progress. Not one +person in ten of those who read Lorna Doone is aware that several of +Blackmore's other novels are almost equally charming. Such, too, has +been the fate of Johanna Spyri, the Swiss authoress, whose reputation +is mistakenly supposed to rest on her story of Heidi. + +To be sure, Heidi is a book that in its field can hardly be overpraised. +The winsome, kind-hearted little heroine in her mountain background +is a figure to be remembered from childhood to old age. Nevertheless, +Madame Spyri has shown here but one side of her narrative ability. + +If, as I believe, the present story is here first presented to readers +of English, it must be through a strange oversight, for in it we find +a deeper treatment of character, combined with equal spirit and humor +of a different kind. Cornelli, the heroine, suffers temporarily from +the unjust suspicion of her elders, a misfortune which, it is to be +feared, still occurs frequently in the case of sensitive children. How +she was restored to herself and reinstated in her father's affection +forms a narrative of unusual interest and truth to life. Whereas in +Heidi there is only one other childish figure--if we except the droll +peasant boy Peter--we have here a lively and varied array of children. +Manly, generous Dino; Mux, the irrepressible; and the two girls form +a truly lovable group. The grown-ups, too, are contrasted with much +humor and genuine feeling. The story of Cornelli, therefore, deserves +to equal Heidi in popularity, and there can be no question that it +will delight Madame Spyri's admirers and will do much to increase the +love which all children feel for her unique and sympathetic genius. + +CHARLES WHARTON STORK + + + + +CONTENTS + + + +CHAPTER + + I. BESIDE THE ROARING ILLER-STREAM + II. UP IN THE TOP STORY + III. NEW APPEARANCES IN ILLER-STREAM + IV. THE UNWISHED-FOR HAPPENS + V. A NEWCOMER IN ILLER-STREAM + VI. A FRIEND IS FOUND + VII. A NEW SORROW + VIII. A MOTHER + IX. A GREAT CHANGE + X. NEW LIFE IN ILLER-STREAM + + + + +CHAPTER I + +BESIDE THE ROARING ILLER-STREAM + + + +Spring had come again on the banks of the Iller-Stream, and the young +beech trees were swaying to and fro. One moment their glossy foliage +was sparkling in the sunshine, and the next a deep shadow was cast +over the leaves. A strong south wind was blowing, driving huge clouds +across the sun. + +A little girl with glowing cheeks and blowing hair came running through +the wood. Her eyes sparkled with delight, while she was being driven +along by the wind, or had to fight her way against it. From her arm +was dangling a hat, which, as she raced along, seemed anxious to free +itself from the fluttering ribbons in order to fly away. The child now +slackened her pace and began to sing: + + The snow's on the meadow, + The snow's all around, + The snow lies in heaps + All over the ground. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + All over the ground. + + Oh cuckoo from the woods, + Oh flowers so bright, + Oh kindliest sun, + Come and bring us delight! + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + Come and bring us delight! + + When the swallow comes back + And the finches all sing, + I sing and I dance + For joy of the Spring. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +The woods rang with her full, young voice, and her song also roused +the birds, for they, too, now carolled loudly, ready to outdo each +other. Laughingly the child sang once more with all her might: + + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +and from all the branches sounded a many voiced chorus. + +Right on the edge of the woods stood a splendid old beech tree with +a high, firm trunk, under which the child had often sought quiet and +shelter after running about in the sun. She had reached the tree now +and was looking up at the far-spreading branches, which were rocking +up and down. + +The child, however, did not rest very long. Over where the wind struck +an open space, it blew as mightily as ever, and the roaring, high up +in the tree-tops, seemed to urge her on to new exertions. First she +began fighting her way against the wind, but soon she turned. Driven +by it, she flew down the steep incline to the path which led down to +the narrow valley. She kept on running till she had reached a small +wooden house, which looked down from a high bank to the roaring mountain +stream. A narrow stairway led up from the ground to the front door of +the little dwelling and to the porch, where on a wide railing were +some fragrant carnations. + +The lively little girl now leaped up the steps, two at a time. Soon +she reached the top, and one could see that the house was familiar to +her. + +"Martha, Martha, come out!" she called through the open door. "Have +you noticed yet how jolly the wind is to-day?" + +A small old woman with gray hair now came out to greet the child. She +was dressed in the simplest fashion, and wore a tight-fitting cap on +her head. Her clothes were so very tidy and clean, however, that it +seemed as if she might have sat on a chair all day for fear of spoiling +them. Yet her hands told another tale, for they were roughened by hard +work. + +"Oh, Martha," the child said, "I just wish you knew how wonderful the +wind is to-day up there in the woods and on the hill. One has to fight +it with all one's might, otherwise one might be blown down the mountain +side like a bird. It would be so hard then to get on one's feet again, +wouldn't it? Oh, I wish you knew what fun it is to be out in the wind +to-day." + +"I think I would rather not know," said Martha, shaking the child's +hand. "It seems to me that the wind has pulled you about quite a little. +Come, we'll straighten you up again." + +The child's thick dark hair was in a terrible state. What belonged on +the left side of the parting had been blown to the right, and what +belonged on the right side was thrown to the left. The little apron, +instead of being in front, hung down on the side, and from the bottom +of her skirt the braid hung loose, carrying upon it brambles and forest +leaves. First Martha combed the little girl's hair, then she pulled +the apron into place. Finally she got a thread and needle and began +to mend the braid on the dress. + +"Stop, Martha, stop, please!" Cornelli called out suddenly, pulling +her skirt away. "You must not sew, for your finger is all pricked to +pieces. There is only half of it left with those horrible marks." + +"That does not matter; just give me your little skirt," replied Martha, +continuing her sewing. "This kind of work does not hurt me; but when +I sew heavy shirts for the farmers and the workmen in the iron works +the material is so rough that, as I push the needle in, I often prick +off little pieces of my finger." + +"Why should you have to do that, Martha? They could make their own +shirts and prick their own fingers," cried Cornelli indignantly. + +"No, no, Cornelli; do not speak like that," replied the woman. "You +see, I am glad and grateful to be able to get work enough to earn my +living without help. I have to be thankful to our Lord for all the +good things he gives me, and especially for giving me enough strength +for my work." + +Cornelli looked about her searchingly, in the little room. It was +modestly furnished, but most scrupulously clean. + +"I do not think that God gave you so very much, really, but you keep +everything so neat, and do it all yourself," remarked Cornelli. + +"I have to thank our Lord, though, that I am able to do it," returned +Martha. "You see, Cornelli, if I had not the health to do everything +the way I like it done, who could do it for me? It is a great gift to +be able to step out every morning into the sunshine and to my +carnations. Then I thank God in my heart for the joy of a new day +before me. There are many poor people who wake up only to sorrow and +tears. They have to spend all day on their sick beds and have many +troubles besides. Can you see now, Cornelli, how grateful I have to +be to our Lord because nothing prevents me from sewing, even if I have +to prick my fingers? But I believe I hear the bell in the foundry. You +know that means supper time, so run back to the house as quickly as +you can." + +Martha knew well enough that she had to remind her little friend about +returning, for often time had been forgotten and Cornelli had had to +be sent for. But now the little girl began to run swiftly down the +incline beside the rushing stream. Soon she came to the large buildings +from which the sound of hissing fires, loud thumping and hammering +could be heard all day. The noise was so great that only the roaring +of the stream could drown it. Here were the works of the great iron +foundry, well known far and wide, since most of those who lived in the +neighborhood found employment there. + +Glancing at the large doors and seeing that they were closed, Cornelli +flew by them with great bounds. In an isolated house, well raised above +the stream, lived the proprietor of the foundry. Beautiful flower +gardens were on three sides. + +Cornelli approached the open space in front and was soon inside. +Flinging her hat into a corner, she entered the room where her father +was already sitting at table. He did not even look up, for he was +holding a large newspaper in front of him. As Cornelli's soup was +waiting for her, she ate it quickly, and since her father made no +movement behind his paper, she helped herself to everything else that +was before her. + +While she was nibbling on an apple, her father looked up and said: "I +see that you have caught up with me, Cornelli. You even seem to be +further along than I am. Just the same you must not come late to your +meals. It is not right, even if you get through before me. Well, as +long as you have finished, you can take this letter to the post office. +There is something in it which concerns you and which will please you. +I have to go now, but I shall tell you about it to-night." + +Cornelli was given the letter. Taking the remainder of her apple with +her, she ran outside. With leaps and bounds she followed the rushing +Iller-Stream, till the narrow path reached the wide country road. Here +stood the stately inn, which was the post office of the place. In the +open doorway stood the smiling and rotund wife of the innkeeper. + +"How far are you going at this lively pace?" she smilingly asked the +child. + +"I am only coming to you," Cornelli replied. She was very much out of +breath, so she paused before adding: "I have to mail a letter." + +"Is that so? Just give it to me and we'll attend to it," said the +woman. Holding the hand the child had offered her, she added: "You are +well off, Cornelli, are you not? You do not know what trouble is, do +you, child?" + +Cornelli shook her head. + +"Yes, of course. And why should you? It does one good to see your +bright eyes. Come to see me sometimes; I like to see a happy child +like you." + +Cornelli replied that she would gladly come again. She really meant +to do so, for the woman always spoke kindly to her. After saying +good-bye, she ran away again, jumping and bounding as before. The +innkeeper's wife meantime muttered to herself, while she looked after +Cornelli: "I really think there is nothing better than to be always +merry." + +The contents of the letter, which the little girl had taken to be +mailed, were as follows: + +ILLER-STREAM, 28th of April, 18--. + +MY DEAR COUSIN: + +My trip to Vienna, which I have put off again and again, at last has +to be made. As I must leave in the near future, I am asking you the +great favor of spending the summer here to superintend my household. +I am counting greatly on your good influence on my child, who has had +practically no education, although Miss Mina, my housekeeper, has of +course done her best, with the help of our good Esther, who reigns in +the kitchen. Old Martha, a former nurse of my poor dead wife, has done +more than anybody else. Of course one can hardly call it education, +and I have to blame myself for this neglect. As I am so busy with my +affairs, I do not see much of my child. Besides, I know extremely +little about bringing up little girls. There is no greater misfortune +than the loss of a mother, especially such a mother as my Cornelia. +It was terrible for my poor child to lose her at the tender age of +three. Please bring a good friend with you, so that you won't suffer +from solitude in this lonely place. + +Please gladden me soon by your arrival, and oblige + +Your sincere cousin, + +FREDERICK HELLMUT. + +That same evening, when Director Hellmut was sitting in the living +room with his daughter, he spoke of his hope that a cousin of his, +Miss Kitty Dorner, would come to stay in Iller-Stream while he was on +his trip to Vienna. He also told Cornelli to be glad of this prospect. + +After a few days came the following answer: + +B----, The 4th of May, 18--. + +MY DEAR COUSIN: + +To oblige you I shall spend the summer at your house. I have already +planned everything and I have asked my friend Miss Grideelen to +accompany me. I am very grateful that you realize how monotonous it +would have been for me to stay alone in your house all summer. You do +not need to have such disturbing thoughts about your daughter's +education. No time has yet been lost, for these small beings do not +need the best of care at the start. They require that only when they +are ripe enough for mental influences. Such small creatures merely +vegetate, and I am quite sure Miss Mina was the right person to look +after the child's well-being and proper nourishment. Esther, who you +say is very reliable, too, has probably helped in taking care of the +child as much as was necessary. The time may, however, have come now +when the child is in need of a proper influence in her education. + +We shall not arrive before the last week of this month, for it would +be inconvenient for me to come sooner. + +With best regards, + +I am your cousin, + +KITTY DORNER. + +"Your cousin is really coming, Cornelli, and I am certain that you are +happy now," said her father. He had read the letter while they were +having supper. "Another lady is coming, too, and with their arrival +a new delightful life will begin for you." + +Cornelli, who had never before heard anything about this relation of +her father's, felt no joy at this news. She did not see anything +pleasing in the prospect. On the contrary, it only meant a change in +the household, which she did not in the least desire. She wanted +everything to remain as it was. She had no other wish. + +Cornelli saw her father only at meals, for he spent all the rest of +his time in his business offices and in the extensive works. But the +child never felt lonely or forsaken. She always had many plans, and +there was hardly a moment when she was not occupied. Her time between +school hours always seemed much too short and the evenings only were +half as long as she wanted them to be. It was then that she loved to +walk and roam around. Her father had barely left the room, when she +again ran outside and, as usual, down the path. + +At that moment the energetic Esther was coming from the garden with +a large basket on her arm. She had wisely picked some vegetables for +the following day. + +"Don't go out again, Cornelli," she said. "Just look at the gray clouds +above the mountain! I am afraid we shall have a thunderstorm." + +"Oh, I just have to go to Martha," replied Cornelli quickly. "I must +tell her something, and I don't think a storm will come so soon." + +"Of course it won't come for a long while," called Miss Mina. Through +the open door she had overheard the warning and had stepped outside +to say: "Just go to Martha, Cornelli; the storm won't come for a long +time, I am sure." + +So the child flew away while Esther passed Miss Mina, silently shrugging +her shoulders. That was always the way it happened when Cornelli wanted +anything. If Miss Mina thought that something should not be done, +Esther always arrived, saying that nothing on earth would be easier +than to do that very thing. Or, if she thought that Cornelli should +not do a thing, Miss Mina always helped to have it put through. The +reason for this was a very simple one: each of them wanted to be the +favorite with the child. + +Cornelli, arriving at Martha's house, shot up the stairs and into the +little room. Full of excitement, she called out: "Just think, Martha, +two strange people are coming to our house. They are two ladies from +the city, and father said that I should be glad; but I am not a bit +glad, for I do not know them. Would you be glad, Martha, if two new +people suddenly came to visit you?" + +The child had to take a deep breath. She had been running fast and had +spoken terribly quickly. + +"Just sit down here with me, Cornelli, and get your breath again," +said Martha quietly. "I am sure that somebody is coming whom your +father loves, otherwise he would not tell you to be glad. When you +know them, I am sure you will feel happy." + +"Yes, perhaps. But what are you writing, Martha? I have never before +seen you write," said the child, full of interest, for her thoughts +had been suddenly turned. + +"Writing is not easy for me," answered Martha, "and you could do it +so much better than I can. It is a long time since I have written +anything." + +"Just give it to me, Martha, and I'll write for you if you will only +tell me what." Cornelli readily took hold of the pen and dipped it +into the bottom of the inkstand. + +"I'll tell you about it and then you can write it in your own way; I +am sure that you can do it better than I can," said Martha, quite +relieved. She had been sitting for a long time with a pen in her hand, +absolutely unable to find any beginning. + +"You see, Cornelli," she began, "I have been getting along so well +with my work lately that I have been able to buy a bed. For a long +time I have wanted to do that, for I already had a table and two chairs, +besides an old wardrobe. Now I have put them all into my little room +upstairs, so that I can take somebody in for the summer. Sometimes +delicate ladies or children come out of town to the country, and I +could take such good care of them. I am always at home and I could do +my usual work besides. You see, Cornelli, I wanted to put this in the +paper, but I do not know how to do it and how to begin." + +"Oh, I'll write it so plainly that somebody is sure to come right +away," Cornelli replied, full of zeal. "But first of all, let us look +at the little room! I am awfully anxious to see it." + +Martha was quite willing, so she led the way up a narrow stairway into +the little chamber. + +"Oh, how fine it is, how lovely!" exclaimed Cornelli, running, full +of admiration, from one corner to the other. Martha had in truth fixed +it so daintily that it looked extremely pleasing. Around the windows +she had arranged curtains of some thin white material with tiny blue +flowers, and the same material had been used to cover an old wooden +case. This she had fixed as a dainty washstand. The bed and two old +chairs were likewise covered; the whole effect was very cheerful and +inviting. + +"Oh, how pretty!" Cornelli exclaimed over and over again. "How could +you ever do it, Martha, or have so much money?" + +"Oh no, no, it was not much, but just enough for the bed and a little +piece of material. I got the stuff very cheap, because it was a remnant. +So you really do not think it is bad, child? Do you think that somebody +would like to live here?" Martha was examining every object she had +so carefully worked over. + +"Yes, of course, Martha, you can believe me," Cornelli replied +reassuringly. "I should just love to come right away, if I did not +live here already. But now I shall write, for I know exactly what I +shall say." Cornelli, running down stairs, dipped her pen into the ink +and began to write. + +"But do not forget to say that it is in the country, and tell the name +of the place here, so that they can find me," said Martha, fearing she +had set Cornelli a very difficult task. + +"That is true, I have to say that, too," remarked Cornelli. When she +had written the ending she began to read aloud: "If somebody should +want a nice room, he can have it with Martha Wolf. She will take good +care of delicate ladies or children and will see that they will be +comfortable. Everything is very neat and there are lovely new blue and +white covers on everything. It is in the country, in Iller-Stream, +beside the Iller-Stream, quite near the large iron works." + +Martha was thoroughly pleased. "You have said everything so clearly +that one can easily understand it," she remarked. "I could not have +said it myself, you see, for it would have seemed like boasting. Now +if I only knew where to send it for the paper. I do not know quite +what address to write on it." + +"Oh, I know quite well what to do," Cornelli reassured her friend, "I +shall take it quickly to the post office. Sometimes when I have taken +letters there, I have heard people say to the innkeeper: 'This must +be put in the paper.' Then he took it and said: 'I'll look after it.' +Now I shall do the same. Just give it to me, Martha." + +Once more the woman glanced through what had been written. It seemed +very strange to her that her name was going to appear in the newspaper, +but, of course, it was necessary. + +"No, no, my good child," she replied, "you have done enough for me +now. You have helped me wonderfully, and I do not want you to go there +for me. But your advice is good and I shall take the paper there +myself." + +"Oh yes, and I'll come, too," said Cornelli delightedly. She knew no +greater pleasure than to take a walk with her old friend, for Martha +always discovered such interesting things and could point them out to +Cornelli, telling her many, many things about them. In many places +Martha would be reminded of Cornelli's mother; then with great +tenderness she would tell the child about her. Martha was the only one +who ever talked to Cornelli about her mother. Her father never spoke +of her; and Esther, who had been in their service for a long time, +always replied when the child wanted to talk to her about her mother: +"Do not talk, please; it only makes one sad. People shouldn't stir up +such memories." + +"So you are coming, too?" Martha said happily. It was her greatest joy +to take a walk with her small, merry companion. Cornelli hung on her +arm, and together they wandered forth in the beautiful evening. The +storm clouds had passed over, and towards the west the sky was flaming +like fiery gold. + +"Do you think, Martha, that my mother can see the golden sky as well +from inside as we see it from the outside?" asked the child, pointing +to the sunset. + +"Yes, I am quite sure of that, Cornelli," Martha eagerly answered. "If +our dear Lord lets his dwelling glow so beautifully from outside, just +think how wonderful it must be inside where the blessed are in their +happiness!" + +"Why are they so glad?" Cornelli wanted to know. + +"Oh, because they are freed from all sorrow and pain. They are also +glad because they know that every pain or sorrow their loved ones on +earth have to bear is only a means to bring their prayers to Him who +alone can guide them to Heaven." + +"Did my mother pray to Him, too?" asked Cornelli again. + +"Yes, yes, Cornelli, you can be sure of that," Martha reassured her. +"Your mother was a good, pious lady. Everybody should pray to be able +to go where she is." + +The two now reached the post office and gave their message to the +innkeeper and postmaster. When twilight had come and the evening bell +had long ago rung, they wandered back along the pleasant valley road +between green meadows. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +UP IN THE TOP STORY + + + +One bright morning in May, a portly gentleman, leaning heavily on a +gold-headed cane, was walking up the narrow city street. The houses +here were so high that the upper windows could scarcely be seen from +below. A steep rise in the street caused the gentleman to stop from +time to time to get his breath. Scrutinizing the house numbers, he +said to himself several times: "Not yet, not yet." Then, climbing up +still higher, he at last reached a house beside whose open door six +bells were hanging. + +The gentleman now began to study the names under the bells, meanwhile +gravely shaking his head, for he did not seem to find the name he was +seeking. + +"Oh dear, at last! and the highest one up, too," he sighed, while he +entered the house. Now the real climbing began. At first the steps, +though rather high, were white and neat. But after a while they became +dark and narrow, and in the end the way led over worn, uneven steps +to a narrow door. The only standing room was on the last small step. + +"Is this a cage?" said the climber to himself, breathing hard and +holding fast to the railing. The thin and creaking steps seemed to him +extremely unsafe. After he had pulled the bell-rope, the door opened, +and a lady dressed in black stood before him. + +"Oh, is it you, kind guardian?" she exclaimed with astonishment. "I +am so sorry that you had to come up these winding steps," she added, +for she noticed that the stout gentleman had to wipe his face after +the great exertion. "I should have been very glad to go down to you, +if you had let me know that you were here." The lady meanwhile had led +the gentleman into the room and asked him to seat himself. + +"As your guardian I simply had to come once to see you," he declared, +seating himself on an old sofa and still leaning with both hands on +the golden knob of his cane. "I have to tell you, my dear Mrs. Halm, +that I am sorry you moved to town. You should have followed my advice +and lived in a small house in the country. It would have been so much +more practical for you than to live in this garret lodging where you +have no conveniences whatever. I am quite sure that the country air +would have been much better for both you and the children." + +"I could not think about conveniences for myself, when my husband died, +and I had to leave the parsonage, Mr. Schaller," replied the lady, +with a faint smile. "The country air would naturally have been much +better for my children, especially for my older boy. But he had to +come to town on account of school, and I could not possibly have sent +him away from me, delicate as he is. Besides----" + +"There are boarding places in town where such boys are well taken care +of," the visitor interrupted. "What other reasons did you have?" + +"My girls, too, are old enough to learn something which they can make +use of later on," continued the lady. "You know that this is necessary +and that it is very hard to get such opportunities in the country. I +hope I have persuaded you that coming to town with the children was +not a foolish undertaking. I am extremely glad that you have given me +an opportunity to explain why I did not follow your advice." + +"What are your daughters going to learn?" the gentleman asked abruptly. + +"Nika, the elder, paints quite well," replied the lady, "and Agnes has +a decided talent for music. If both girls are earnest in their studies, +they hope later on to be able to teach; indeed, they are very anxious +to do so." + +"These arts do not bring good returns, even after years and years of +study," said the gentleman. "It would be much more sensible for the +sisters to busy themselves with dressmaking. They could quickly begin +a business in which they might help each other and make some money. +This would really help both you and your son a great deal. If your boy +is going to study, it will be a long time before he can be independent." + +The parson's widow looked sadly in front of her without saying a word. + +"Please do not misunderstand me. I am only speaking in your and your +children's interest," the gentleman began again. "I am very sorry not +to have met your daughters, for they would soon have agreed with me, +if they had heard my reasons. Nowadays young people understand quite +well what it means to make one's way easily and advantageously. You +can be sure of that." + +"My children may still be a little backward in this knowledge. They +may, through the influence of their parents, still care for the things +which you call the breadless arts," said the lady with a sigh. "But +I shall make my children acquainted with your ideas and I shall try +to speak to them according to your views, at least as far as I am +able." + +"How old is the eldest? She ought to be old enough to understand my +reasons," remarked the gentleman. + +"Nika is in her fourteenth year. Her education is, of course, still +incomplete in many ways," replied the lady. "Dino is twelve and Agnes +eleven years old. The latter must first of all complete her compulsory +school years." + +"Still rather young people," said Mr. Schaller, shaking his head. "I +am sure of one thing, however. The longer their education will take, +the shorter should be the ways to the goal. I am more and more convinced +that my advice is right. If you give your little daughters into the +hands of a clever dressmaker, your moving to the city will have been +of some real use." + +In his great zeal to convince his silent listener, the visitor had not +noticed that a small boy had entered. This little fellow had at first +hidden behind his mother, but, at a sign from her, approached the +gentleman. He noticed the child only when a small fist pushed itself +forcibly into his closed right hand. + +"Please forgive the rather aggressive greeting of my small son," begged +the mother. + +"Oh, here is another, still. I knew there was a smaller one," exclaimed +the dismayed visitor. "Well, boy, what is your name?" + +"Mux," was the reply. + +The gentleman looked questioningly at the mother. + +"That is the name his brother and sisters have given him and the one +which seems to have remained quite permanently," she replied. "His +name is really Marcus and he is just five years old." + +"Well, well, and what do you want to be when you grow up, my young +friend?" asked Mr. Schaller. + +"An army general," unhesitatingly replied the small boy. After these +words the gentleman got up. + +"It seems to me, my dear Mrs. Halm, that all your children have pretty +high-flown ideas," he said impressively. "I can only hope that before +long they will learn that in this world it is not possible for everybody +to do what he pleases." + +The mother approved this good wish, but added: "I have to tell you, +though, that Mux has gotten this idea from his favorite book, where +the picture of a general on horseback interests him more than anything +else. This, of course, is a passing impression, like many others." + +"One can never urge proper and successful work too soon nor too often; +please do not overlook that, my friend!" With these words the guardian +ended the interview and, saying good-bye, carefully descended the steep +staircase. + +Just then a child was running up the stairs so quickly that it actually +seemed as if she had no need to touch the steps at all. As the gentleman +was taking up all the room, the only space left for a passage was under +the arm with which he held the railing. Here the lithe creature tried +to slip through. + +"Stop, stop! Do you not belong to the parson's widow, Mrs. Halm?" asked +the gentleman, making a barrier with his arm. + +"Yes, I belong to her," was the quick answer. And stooping down still +lower, the small person again tried to pass. + +"Just hold still one moment, if you can," the gentleman now demanded. +"You probably know that I am Mr. Schaller, your guardian. I have just +given your mother some advice, which was meant for your good. You do +not look in the least stupid, so you can help to persuade your mother. +I am sure you can understand what is good for you. Are you the elder?" + +"No, the younger one," came quickly back for answer. + +"So much the better. Then the elder will be still more sensible. If +you take my advice you can both contribute to the prosperity of the +whole family." With these words the gentleman gave the little girl his +hand and went away. + +Agnes flew up the rest of the stairs and into the narrow hall. Her +brother Mux was standing expectantly in the open doorway. He did this +every day at the time his brother and sisters were coming home from +school. He loved the change that their coming brought after the quiet +morning. + +"A fat gentleman was here and mother said afterward: 'Oh God!' and you +can't play the piano any more," he reported. + +Agnes ran into the next room and as quickly out again. "Where is mother? +Mother, mother!" she called, opening one door after another. + +"Here I am, Agnes, but do not be so violent," sounded the mother's +voice from the kitchen. + +Agnes ran to her. "Mother, what is Mux saying? Is it really true? I +know that Mr. Schaller has been here and that he can tell us what we +have to do. What did he say? Is it really true what Mux has said? Oh, +I'll never eat again! I don't want to sleep or do anything any more. +Everything, then, is lost!" + +Agnes was frightfully excited. Her cheeks were dark red and her eyes +seemed to shoot forth flashes of lightning. + +"But, child, you must not speak this way. Do not get so terribly +excited," the mother calmly admonished her. "There is no time now to +discuss a subject which we have to talk over quietly. We shall do so +to-night. You know perfectly well that I have the greatest sympathy +for your wishes and ambitions, and that it means as much to me as to +you. As soon as we have a quiet hour together we can talk it all over." + +These words quieted the child. She knew that her mother always shared +every experience with them. In coming to town, mother and daughter had +hoped to be able to carry out their most fervent wish, namely, the +completion of Agnes' musical education. Agnes could count on her +mother's help. It was for the happiness of both of them. So Agnes went +out to the kitchen to do her work as usual. Both the sisters always +helped to lighten their mother's work, for their only servant was quite +a young girl, who did not do much besides run errands. + +Mux went back to his former place. He was intensely pleased with the +great effect and excitement his words had produced on Agnes. Hearing +somebody else coming upstairs, he prepared to repeat his speech. + +When Nika was near enough to hear him he said: "A fat gentleman has +been here, and when he was gone mother said: 'Oh God!' and you are not +to paint any more trees and flowers." + +Nika, not having seen Mr. Schaller, did not understand these words. +Unruffled and silent, she passed Mux and went into the other room, +which disappointed Mux terribly. So when he heard Dino coming up the +stairs, he unloaded his disappointment on him. + +"We are not going to have them to-day," he announced. + +"What do you think we will have? What am I supposed to be thinking of, +little guesser?" Dino called out. + +"Oh, I know. Whenever you think we are going to have green peas for +lunch, you run up very quickly. You can't even wait, you love them +so," Mux asserted. "But we won't have any to-day, for we are going to +have cabbage instead. There, now you have it!" + +"Now come in and we'll see who makes a worse face about it, you or I!" + +With these words Dino took his little brother's hand, and together +they ran into the room. Very soon afterwards, the family all sat down +to their mid-day meal. On most days the children would be telling their +mother about the happenings of the morning. They would all talk at +once until it was quite hard for her to do them all justice. But to-day +it was different. It seemed as if a storm was in the air; everybody +was silent, and on all faces, except one, heavy clouds seemed to be +resting. Nika sat brooding and staring in front of her, for Agnes had +interpreted to her their little brother's words. She swallowed very +hard on every mouthful, because she had to swallow a great deal more +besides. Agnes was frowning so that her whole forehead was like one +huge wrinkle. The mother, too, was busy with deep thoughts, as one +could see from her worried expression. + +Mux, who generally was extremely talkative, was quietly nibbling on +his dish of cabbage, with many a deep sigh. Dino alone was merry. He +glanced with great expectation from one to the other, and his lunch +did not keep him very busy. + +"I am expecting a thunderstorm," he said, while the quiet was still +unbroken. "Nika is going to let loose the lightning which is flashing +under her lashes, and Agnes will follow with the thunder. After this +I predict a heavy rainstorm, for Mux can hardly keep back his tears +about this cabbage." + +"But you have eaten much less cabbage than I have," Mux cried out. + +"I do this only from moderation, my little man, so that nobody will +get too little." + +"I would answer you about the thunder and the cabbage, Dino, if I had +time," Agnes at last exploded. "But I have a music lesson at one o'clock +and I have enough to swallow without this horrid cabbage." + +"I only wish you could be more moderate in other things instead of in +eating, Dino," said the mother with a melancholy smile. "You have +hardly eaten anything, and I heard you cough all night. Your health +worries me dreadfully, Dino. Did you cough much in school this morning?" + +"Certainly, mother. But that is nothing to worry about," Dino replied +merrily. "It always goes away again. My professor said to-day that it +would have been better for me to remain in the pastoral fields of my +native village, than to have sought the dust-laden corners of town. +But I answered: 'Unfortunately the Latin language does not sprout from +the pastoral fields, professor.'" + +"Oh, I hope you did not answer that," the mother said, quite frightened. + +"Oh yes, but only in my thoughts! Please, mother, don't worry about +me," Dino implored. + +"I am afraid that your professor is right," the mother said with a +sigh. "But I have a plan which we shall talk over to-night. I shall +also talk over our guardian's proposal, girls. Please try not to look +so terribly unhappy, for everything is not yet lost." + +"Oh, it will come to that in the end," said Nika, leaving the room. + +"Yes, and much worse, I guess," said Agnes. Violently pushing her chair +in place, she departed, after thrusting her music into a folder. + +"What can be worse than when all is lost?" Dino called after her. "I +know what," responded Mux knowingly, while Agnes looked back at Dino +as if to say: If I had time I certainly would give an answer to you. + +"What is it, wise little man?" asked Dino. + +"If she had to eat nothing but cabbage all the time," replied Mux, +full of a conviction which he seemed to have acquired from his own +experience. + +Dino, too, prepared to depart. With a sorrowful look, the mother passed +her hand over the boy's thick hair. "Please be careful, and do not run +too fast," she begged. "It's very bad for you to sit in the cool school +room when you are so overheated. I can scarcely ever see you go, without +anxiety." + +"But I am surely not as sick as that, little mother," Dino said, +tenderly embracing her. "When somebody has a cough it always goes away +again after a while. That is the way with me. Be merry and everything +will be all right in the end. But I have to go now, it is late," he +exclaimed. + +"But do not hurry so terribly, Dino, there is time enough yet, and +remember what I told you," she called after him. Then stepping to the +open window, she followed the running boy down the street with her +eyes. + +Dino gave Mrs. Halm great anxiety, for he seemed more delicate every +day. Her watchful eye had detected how poor his appetite had been +lately. Despite that, the boy had a very sweet disposition and was +always full of fun. He was always anxious to have everybody in a good +humor, and above all, his mother. Of all the burdens she had to bear, +the trouble about her son's health was the hardest. One could see this +by the painful expression on her face when she left the window and sat +down beside her work table. + +Mux was just repeating a question for the third time, but his mother +did not hear him. Loudly raising his voice he said once more: "Oh, +mother, why does one have to eat what the cows get?" + +"What do you mean, Mux? What are you talking about?" she asked. + +"I saw it in my picture book. The leaves the cows get are just the +same as those in the kitchen," he explained none too clearly, but the +mother understood him directly. She remembered how interestedly he had +looked at the cabbage leaves when the girl had brought them home from +market. She also bore in mind a picture in his favorite book, where +a stable boy was shown giving a glossy brown cow splendid green leaves +to eat. + +"So you still have the cabbage in your head, Mux?" said the mother. +"You must not be dissatisfied when there are so many poor children who +have to go hungry. While you get bread and good vegetables, they may +be suffering." + +"Oh, can't we send them the rest of the cabbage?" Mux quickly suggested. + +"Come and work on the embroidery I have started for you, Mux. We shall +see who can beat to-day. Perhaps that will clear away your thoughts +about the cabbage. Come and sit beside me, Mux." + +The mother put a little chair beside hers and placed the work in the +boy's nimble fingers. Now a race with stitches began, and in his zeal +to beat his mother he at last forgot the subject that had troubled him +so much. + +The late evening had come and the children's work for school was done. +Mrs. Halm put the big mending basket away and took up her knitting. +The time had come, when, clustering eagerly about their mother, the +children told her all the troubles and joys of the day. + +It was the hardest hour of the day for Mux, for it was his bedtime. +His mother always took him by the hand, to lead him to bed, before she +began to talk with the three elder children. Every evening he put up +a fight, for the wily youngster always thought that by obstinate +resistance he could break the rule. His mother, however, knew well +that his success would only result in dreadful yawns and heavy eyes. + +This evening he found himself ready for bed before he had had time to +prepare for his fight. His mother seemed anxious to have him in bed +punctually that night. The boy was always reconciled to his fate when +she sat down a moment beside his bed to hear of anything that might +be troubling him. Mux, knowing that all conversation was irrevocably +closed after his prayers were said, would try every night to prolong +this period. + +After Mux had climbed into bed, he said thoughtfully: "Don't you think, +mother, that if people planted cherries where cabbage now grows +everybody could eat cherries instead of cabbage?" + +"We simply have to stop now, Mux," Mrs. Halm replied to his +astonishment, for he had hoped to start a long conversation. + +"Well, Mux, you don't seem to be able to get over the cabbage to-day. +Go to sleep, for you have talked enough about it." + +Mux knew then that nothing could be done that day, After his evening +prayer and a kiss from his mother, he lay down and was fast asleep +before his mother had even shut the door. + +Agnes had just finished her last task and was throwing her books into +a drawer, each more violently than the other. She was still terribly +excited, and as soon as her mother came back to the room, she burst +forth: "Oh, mother, if I am not allowed to study music any more, I +would rather stop learning anything. Why can't I become a servant girl? +I could do the work well enough. As soon as I have earned enough money, +I'll buy a harp and then I can wander from house to house, singing and +playing. I can easily live like that. Nobody needs to be a dressmaker. +People can wear petticoats and jackets. That is enough, and those can +be woven. All other children are better off than we are. They can learn +what they please and we can't learn anything!" An outburst of tears +choked all further words. + +During her sister's speech Nika had been quietly drawing, but she was +holding her head lower and lower over her work without once looking +up. She continued her studies, but her eyes seemed to be filling. +Pushing her work away, she held her handkerchief before her face. + +"Oh, children," said the mother, looking sadly at them, "do not be so +desperate right away. You know that your good is my good as well, and +that I am doing and shall keep on doing everything in my power to +fulfill your ambitions. It would be my happiest joy to have your talents +developed, so that you could devote all your lives to music and +painting. If we should find it impossible, however, dear children, we +must firmly believe that it would not have been for the best, had we +succeeded, for God alone knows which way to lead us. + +"Do not lose your confidence in a kind Father in Heaven, for that is +our greatest consolation. He won't forget us, if we do not forget Him, +and we must remember that He can see further than we can, for He knows +why and where He is leading us. We cannot look into the future, but +later we shall understand it all and realize why we had to bear our +troubles. Out of them will come the greatest blessings." + +"Now let us be happy again and let us sing a song," said Dino, who +loved to be gay and who liked to see everyone about him merry, too. + +"Let us sing: + + If winter's storms are wild and long + We know that spring is coming. + To Agnes, whom I hear rebel, + This consolation I here tell." + +"Yes, Dino, it is easy enough for you to laugh," Agnes exclaimed. "You +would probably whistle another tune if you had to become a tailor. But +you can learn and study everything you want to." + +"I shall certainly not study everything," Dino informed her. "But your +singing is much nicer than your arguing, Agnes, so please begin, and +if you don't like my song, you can start another." + +"We shall all sing together later on, children," said the mother. "I +have to speak to you, too, Dino. I am troubled about your cough and +your health. I have looked about for quite a while to find a suitable +place in the country where I could send you. Of course, there are +plenty of places, but I want you to go into some modest house where +you can be looked after. I found a notice in the paper to-day which +might be just what I am looking for. Read it yourself, Dino." + +Dino began to read. "Yes, yes, mother, I must go there," he said, +shaking with merriment. "I must go to Martha in Iller-Stream. I am +sure that it is very cosy in Martha Wolf's house, where everything is +so neat and the covers are so fresh." + +The sisters now wanted also to see the notice that made Dino laugh so +heartily. He read the paragraph aloud about Martha Wolf in Iller-Stream +and they all agreed that it would be pleasant there. The mother decided +to write to the woman at once and to take Dino there as soon as +possible. + +"Now we shall sing a song to end the day," she said, sitting down at +the old piano. Every day the children sang an evening song to her +accompaniment. Opening the book she herself started and the three +children took up the song with their pure, fresh voices: + + When bowed with grief, + Go seek relief + Of God, our Lord above. + + +UP IN THE TOP STORY + + Thy need has grown, + When left alone, + For great and helping love. + Before thou'st said, + Before thou'st prayed, + He knows thy inmost need. + And by His care, + His love so rare, + From sorrow thou art freed. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +NEW APPEARANCES IN ILLER-STREAM + + + +In the Director's house in Iller-Stream reigned great excitement. The +day had come when the two ladies from town were expected to arrive for +their lengthy stay. To celebrate the coming of his guests, the master +of the house had ordered a festive dinner for the middle of the day. +He had been longing for this day, so was in a splendid humor. It was +very important for him to start on his journey right away, and he had +waited only to be able formally to receive his visitors. Also he had +promised his cousin to give the reins of the household into her hands +himself, after which event he had planned to start on his journey. + +To Cornelli the preparations for the arrival of the new members of the +household seemed very annoying, everything being different from usual. +She commonly very much enjoyed the prospect of company, for on such +occasions she paid frequent visits to the kitchen, where Esther was +always busy cooking. + +As soon as Cornelli appeared in the doorway, Esther would call to her: +"Come and see which you like best, Cornelli; I am sure they are not +so bad." A small yellow apple tart and a round purple plum cake were +ready for the child to taste, for her visit had been anticipated. +Cornelli always assured the cook that the apple tarts were excellent +and the plum cakes even better. + +Then Cornelli would go into the pantry, where Miss Mina was fixing +fruit on the crystal platters. Here many a raisin and almond would +drop beside the plate, and from there find its way into Cornelli's +pocket. It was pleasant to have a supply whenever she felt like eating. +The housekeeper dropped many nuts on purpose, for she did not want to +be less sought after than her rival in the kitchen. + +To-day Esther was flying around the kitchen violently rattling her +pots and pans, and when Cornelli appeared, to see what was going on, +the cook called to her: "Off with you! I have nothing for you here +to-day. The ladies from town must not think that they have to show me +how to cook a good dinner. I'll show them. Go away and make room here +for me. Make room, Cornelli! I have to fix the vegetables." + +Cornelli ran to the pantry. + +Mina was just building up a splendid pile of cookies and almond rings. +"Don't come rushing in like that, or it will all tumble down," she +objected. "Don't come so near to the table; this plate is all ready +and nothing must be missing from it. I won't have it said that one can +see there is no mistress in this house, and that nobody here knows how +to set a table." + +"If you are all so stingy to-day, I won't bother you any more," said +Cornelli, and with these words she turned around and marched indignantly +out of the house. + +That moment, hearing the sound of approaching wheels, and looking down +the road through the open place in front of the house, she spied the +expected carriage with two ladies sitting in it. + +"Matthew, Matthew," she called out, in the direction of the large +stable and the barn. These lay a little distance from the house, and +were hidden by trees. + +Matthew was the gardener who looked after the horses, and had also to +superintend all the work done by his assistant in the garden and the +stable. He was Cornelli's special friend, whom she had known ever since +she could remember, for he had served her grandfather. + +He now came from the stable and mysteriously beckoned to her: "Come +here quickly, run fast!" he said. "We'll still get to the carriage in +time. Only come for a moment." + +Cornelli ran to him, and looking into the stable, saw lying on soft +fresh hay a tiny, snow-white kid. It looked like a toy, but was really +alive. + +"Oh, where did it come from, Matthew? Oh, how cunning it is! The white +fine fur is just like silk! Can it walk alone? Can it stand, too, if +it wants to? Oh, just see how friendly it is and how it is rubbing its +little head against me." + +"Yes, but come, now; the carriage is driving up," Matthew urged. "Come +quickly, you can see it every day. Just think! It was only born to-day." + +The carriage had just driven into the court and Matthew was there the +moment the horses stopped. The Director was there, too; not to lose +any time and yet not be tardy, he had put a watcher at the door to let +him know when the carriage was approaching. The Director was very +polite and lifted his cousin out of the carriage, greeting her heartily. +Then he helped Miss Grideelen to dismount, thanking her warmly for +coming. He told her how glad he was that she had been willing to follow +his cousin into this solitude, for otherwise it would have worried him +to leave her alone so long. He appreciated their great sacrifice in +coming and he hoped that his trip, which was very urgent, would not +keep him away too long. + +"Where is your daughter, Frederick?" asked Miss Dorner now. + +The Director glanced about. + +"I saw her just a moment ago. Where are you, Cornelli?" he called +towards the house. + +"Here I am!" It sounded from very near, for Cornelli had hidden behind +her father, so as to inspect the new arrivals without being seen +herself. + +"Come forward and speak to your cousin and to Miss Grideelen!" ordered +Mr. Hellmut. + +Cornelli gave her hand first to her relative and then to the other +lady, saying to each: "How do you do?" + +"You can call me cousin, and this lady is called Miss Grideelen," said +the cousin, hoping that the child would repeat her greeting and would +call her and her friend by the names she was just told to use in +speaking to them. But the child did not say another word. + +The Director now turned towards the carriage, giving Matthew +instructions for the horses. Then everybody stepped into the house and +soon the whole company sat down at the richly laden dinner table. Miss +Mina earned many praises for the deliciously planned meal. When the +afternoon came the host took the ladies around his place, for his +cousin was anxious to become acquainted with everything she had to +take care of. + +"Oh, what an abundance of fruit!" Miss Grideelen exclaimed over and +over again. "How many cherry trees and what enormous apple trees! Oh, +what a row of pear trees! You must be able to fill your bins with fruit +in the autumn, Mr. Hellmut! Where do you have room for it all?" + +"I do not know about it; my servants take care of that, for I have no +time." + +"It is a great shame, Frederick, that you do not have half a dozen +children. They would help to look after these matters," the cousin +remarked. "By the way, I wonder where your child is. She does not seem +to be very sociable." + +"I do not know where she is," replied Mr. Hellmut. "I am generally at +work about this time and Mina probably knows what she is doing. Perhaps +she is busy with her teacher. Cornelli has been alone so much that she +could not get very sociable. That is why I am so grateful to you both +for coming. I am so glad she can at last be in the environment I have +always wanted for her. But what could I do? I have twice taken +governesses into the house, to supply her with proper intercourse and +opportunity for study. The first ran away because she could not stand +the solitude. The second wanted every servant to leave who had been +here before her; Esther was to go, and even Matthew. She told me that +I had to choose between her and the 'old house-rats,' as she called +them. + +"I showed no desire to send either of them away, and said to her: 'It +is better for you to go, for when the two have departed, it will +probably be my turn next, as I shall be the oldest house-rat left.' +After that she departed and I had no more courage to go through another +experience. But I knew that it was time for Cornelli to have a lady +of refinement and culture with her. I am sure, dear cousin, that you +can give me some good advice as to her education, as soon as you have +become acquainted with her." + +"I should like to know whom she resembles," said Miss Dorner; "she +does not seem to resemble either you or your late wife." + +"Do you think so?" replied the father quickly. "Do you really think +so? The child certainly does not need to resemble me, but I have always +hoped that she resembled her mother. I always hoped that this would +increase with the years and that she would grow up to be my wife's +image. Do you not think that she has Cornelia's eyes? I think that my +child's rather straggly mane will in time resemble my Cornelia's +beautiful brown hair; the child's hair is very thick and has just the +same color." + +The Director looked imploringly at his cousin. He seemed anxious for +her to agree with him. + +Shrugging her shoulders, she replied: "I certainly see no resemblance +between the tousled looking small savage and Cornelia. The latter +always was so lovely in her exquisite neatness. Her eyes always glowed +with happiness and seemed to smile at one from under her beautiful, +wavy brown hair. I am sorry to tell you that your child is not exactly +engaging; she resembles a wild and furious little kitten with bristling +hair. She seems to me to be always making a round back; she looks as +if she wanted to jump at one and scratch." + +"No, no, she does not do that," the Director assured "The child is not +in the least ill-natured, at least, I do not think so. But I am afraid +that you are right in saying that she does not resemble her mother in +the least. Her education, I mean her lack of education, may have +something to do with it. That is why I am so grateful to you both for +coming here. I am sure that with your influence the child will change +and gain much, and I do not think that it will be hard for Cornelli +to learn. + +"I can travel now with a light heart, cousin, for I know that I can +leave my child, the house and the servants in your care. You do not +know in what a difficult position I am sometimes. I ought to go away +frequently, and am not able to do so because there is nobody to take +care of the house for me. The servants have to be kept in good humor, +and the house has to be ruled with authority and judgment. I cannot +thank you enough for making this trip possible for me." + +When they had returned from their walk they separated. Mr. Hellmut had +still plenty of preparations to make for his journey, and the ladies +retired to their rooms to get settled there. At supper everybody met +again. The ladies and their host appeared punctually and dinner was +served at once. + +"Where is your daughter? Does she not come to supper, too?" asked Miss +Dorner. + +"Yes, of course. Do you know where she is, Miss Mina?" the father +asked. + +At that moment the door opened and Cornelli, with cheeks aglow, ran +into the room. She sat down quickly at her seat. + +"Did you creep through a hedge?" the cousin asked her. + +"No, I was in the hen house," replied Cornelli. + +"That is no reason to look the way you do. Go to your room first and +have your hair combed by Miss Mina. She will also give you some soap, +for this is quite necessary." + +Cornelli glanced at her father. This was something new and she waited +for his approval. + +"Quickly, Cornelli! Why do you hesitate?" he admonished her. "You have +to obey your cousin absolutely, for she is taking my place now. I hope +that everybody here understands that clearly," he added with a glance +at Miss Mina. + +The latter wanted to follow the child, but Cornelli called back: "I +can do it myself." + +When the child came back her face and hands were washed very thoroughly, +but her hair looked most peculiar. She had combed it in such a way +that one could not tell what belonged to the left and what to the right +side, what to the front and what to the back. + +The cousin laughed and said: "Your head looks like a wind-blown hay +field. To-morrow Miss Mina will part your hair properly for you." + +Cornelli frowned so deeply that her eyes came quite close together. +She did not look up any more from her plate. + +Next day quite early the Director departed. + +The village of Iller-Stream, where the church and the school house +were, was quite a distance from the iron works. Cornelli could not go +to school there every day because it was much too far. She therefore +had lessons at home, and the teacher her father had chosen came every +morning and taught her in all the necessary subjects. In the afternoon +she was free, except for the work which she had to do for the following +day. That took little time and till now the child had really had a +very free existence. She had always found time for a daily visit to +Martha and a long conversation with her old friend. She could also +wander freely about the lovely beech wood and along the mountain side. +Her time was never parcelled out for her. + +There were many wonderful things to find in the fields and woods, and +Cornelli never tired of them as long as the sun was shining. If rain +or snow prevented her from her strolls, she spent her afternoons in +Martha's cosy chamber. There she had the most pleasant times, for the +old woman's conversation and tales were for Cornelli a never ending +source of enjoyment. + +The teacher had just left the house. Owing to her father's departure, +there had been plenty of material for sentences in her grammar lesson. +All the child's answers to his questions had come so promptly to-day +that the teacher had ended his lesson on the stroke of the hour. He +also gave Cornelli special praise for the excellent work she had done. +Then he heartily shook her hand. + +The two were the best of friends and the teacher knew his pupil well. +Whenever she was very bright and lively, he would work very hard with +her and in a short time accomplish three times more than usual. In +order not to spoil their mutual pleasure he would let her off most +punctually. But whenever Cornelli was absent-minded and unwilling to +work, he progressed slowly and carefully, treating her as if she were +the least bit weak minded. + +He would keep up this procedure till the hand of the clock showed a +quarter, a half, or even three-quarters of an hour more than the set +time for the lessons. Then Cornelli had hardly more than a quarter of +an hour's time before lunch to run over to the garden, the stable and +the hen house, something she always planned to do. The teacher would +finally stop and say in his most friendly manner: "I had to stay so +long to-day because we did not do half of what we should have done. +You were a little slow in understanding, Cornelli. I hope it will go +better to-morrow, otherwise your lesson might last still longer." + +It always went much better after that, for Cornelli had no inclination +whatever to have such a tiresome performance repeated. After such a +lesson many days went by before she was lazy again. To-day Cornelli +had worked quickly and well, for she wanted to have lots of free time +before lunch. She had not had time to see the little kid since +yesterday. The lesson over, she flew to the stable. Lunch was set for +one o'clock, so there was a whole hour left. Matthew spied the +approaching child and called to her: "Come here, Cornelli! It is just +jumping around." + +Cornelli ran into the stable, where she saw the snow-white kid, hopping +merrily over to its mother and then back again to the hay. It looked +so cunning in its gambols that Cornelli went into perfect raptures. + +"Oh, you darling little thing!" she called out, patting its spotless +fur; "I shall fetch a red ribbon for your neck and then we'll take a +walk together." The child accordingly ran back to the house, and hunting +about among her things, soon returned with a bright red ribbon which +she tied about the little kid's neck. Cornelli was perfectly delighted, +for she had never in her life seen a prettier object than the little +creature with its snow-white fur and the red ribbon round its neck, +skipping lightly about. The next moment it lay down in the hay and +looked up happily at Cornelli. + +"Can I take it out for a walk, Matthew? Can I harness it to a little +wagon and drive around with it?" asked the child. She had many plans +in her head, one following on top of the other. + +"Wait, wait; we have to let it grow first," replied Matthew +thoughtfully. "The most important thing for it is to grow, for it is +like a baby that has just learned how to walk. It has to stay near its +mother and can only run about near her. When it is bigger, it can take +walks, and when it is strong and big we can harness it and you can +drive it about with two reins in one hand and a long whip in the other." + +Cornelli shouted with joy and patted the kid with new tenderness. She +already pictured to herself the lovely drives that they would have +together. + +"Did you hear the bell in the foundry? I am sure it must be time for +dinner. You will have to be a little careful now, Cornelli. Remember +that strange ladies are in the house," said old Matthew with foresight." +You can come again this afternoon." + +Cornelli had really heard nothing, for she had been absorbed in her +new pet. She knew that she ought to appear punctually at her meals, +so she left right away. She had also noticed that the ladies were not +buried behind big newspapers, like her father. While running to the +house, she passed a hydrant. There she remembered that she had to wash +her hands, so she held them both under the pipe and rubbed them hard. +Then dipping her face in, she rubbed it, too. She had nothing to dry +herself with except a very small handkerchief. + +"Hurry up! The ladies are already at table," she heard Esther's voice +urging her from the kitchen window. + +Cornelli ran in and saw both ladies already seated at the table. In +front of her was a full soup plate. + +"You have to come punctually to your meals. I am sure that you can +hear the loud bell out in the garden," said the cousin. "But how strange +you look! Half wet arms, a soaking apron and damp feet. Have you been +in the water, or what have you done?" + +"I washed my hands under the water pump and I got splashed," Cornelli +answered. + +"Naturally," remarked Miss Dorner. "There are arrangements in the rooms +for washing hands, which involve no splashing. Go, now, and put on +another apron. You have to be orderly and neat at mealtimes." + +Cornelli departed. + +"The child certainly obeys you--that is something," said Miss Grideelen. +"Since you told her to, she always comes to table properly washed." + +"That is true. But she has the most unheard-of manners," replied Miss +Dorner. + +"How shall one get rid of those and start the child on the right path? +I must ask you to help her in the morning, Miss Mina. Please comb her +hair smoothly and part it the way I told you to." + +"I did it, Miss Dorner, and I do it every morning," she answered, quite +hurt. "Cornelli's hair is just like bristles and it is very hard to +braid. When she jumps it all gets tangled again and she jumps every +moment." + +Cornelli now came back and ate her soup. Her seat was beside her cousin +and faced the other lady. + +"What is sticking to your dress here?" asked Miss Dorner, looking with +disgust at the little skirt. Something was really hanging from the +bottom. "Can this be hay or straw? It certainly does not look orderly. +I hope you have not come from the stable!" + +"Yes, I have," replied Cornelli. + +"How horrid! Indeed, I can even smell it. That is too much!" she +exclaimed. "I am sure your father would not let you go there if he +knew about it." + +"Oh, certainly; he goes himself," Cornelli retorted. + +"Do not reply impertinently. In the case of your father it is quite +different," explained Miss Dorner. "I want to tell you something which +you must remember. If you are allowed to go to the stable and you enjoy +doing it, you can go. But when afterwards you come to your meals, you +must first go to your room. Get properly washed there and also change +your dress. Be sure not to forget." + +"Yes," replied Cornelli. + +"It is very strange what queer pleasures country children have," +remarked Miss Grideelen. "Have you no books, Cornelli? Don't you like +reading better than wandering around and going to the stable?" + +"Oh no, I don't like it better, but I have some books," replied the +child. + +"What are you going to do in the afternoon, when you have no more +lessons to study?" asked Miss Dorner. + +"I always go to Martha," was the reply. + +"Who is Martha?" inquired the cousin. + +"A woman," said Cornelli. + +"I can guess that," replied the cousin. "But what kind of a woman is +she?" + +"A good one," answered Cornelli quickly. + +"What an answer!" The cousin turned now to Miss Mina: "Who is this +woman? Can the child go to see her? Does anybody here know about her?" +she questioned. + +"Oh yes, she is well known here and was here long before I came," was +Mina's reply. "She nursed the mistress of this house in her last +illness. She is a very good woman and always looks neat and clean. Our +master likes her well." + +"Now I have really found out something! You must learn to give proper +answers, Cornelli, do you hear?" said the cousin. "You are like a wild +hare which does everything in leaps and bounds. You can go to see the +woman after finishing your work for your teacher. I am sure you must +have some to do for to-morrow." + +Cornelli assented to this, and as soon as the ladies had left the room +to retire to their bedrooms for the hottest hours of the day, she sat +down at her little table in the corner. Here she wrote down a page +with lightning speed, then taking up her book she read her lesson over +and over again till she knew it by heart. Soon she was finished, and +flinging the books into the drawer, she ran out of the house. + +"Oh, Martha, I wish you knew how terrible it is at home now since Papa +has gone," called Cornelli to her old friend, before she had even +reached the top of the stairs. "I just wish Papa was back already and +everything was again as before." + +"What is it, Cornelli, what makes you so cross? Come, sit down here +a while and tell me about it," said Martha kindly. She put a chair +beside her own at the table where her mending lay neatly sorted out. + +"Of course, you can't understand it, Martha," Cornelli continued, just +as excited as before. "Here with you everything is always the same and +nobody comes and orders everything to be changed. Now, I am not allowed +to come in any more without getting washed; now, I cannot come out of +the stable without changing my clothes. Then I must not wash my hands +at the hydrant because I get splashed, and, oh, so many new things +have to be done; so different from before." + +"I am sure, Cornelli, that it is not at all bad that things should not +always be the way they were before," said Martha reflectively. "I +believe that the lady who is related to you wants the same thing from +you that your mother would have wished had she lived. This is very +good for you. Of course, Miss Mina and Esther mean well, but your +relation knows much better what is to be done to make you grow up the +way your mother would have desired. Just think how happy your father +would be if you should resemble your mother and he be reminded of her +every time he looked at you. You well know what great joy that would +be to him." + +Cornelli did know that her father would be very happy then, for he had +made many remarks which she had understood. A short time ago he had +said that his cousin found no likeness between his child and her mother, +and Cornelli had observed the sad expression of his eyes when he had +said it. + +Cornelli shook her head. "You said once that my mother was different +from anybody," she said. "So I can't ever be like her; you said so +yourself, Martha." + +"Yes, yes, I have said that," confirmed Martha. "But I have to explain +something to you, Cornelli. If you can't become exactly like your +mother, you certainly can become more like her than anybody else, for +you are her child, and a child always has something from her mother. +I have seen you look at me just the way she did, with the same brown +eyes; but not when you frown the way you do to-day. You must try to +watch the two ladies very carefully in all they do and in the way they +speak. They are your mother's kind, and that is why I am so glad that +you can watch their manners and can try to imitate them. You can learn +to resemble your mother in your ways, if you copy the ladies." + +"Yes, I shall do that," agreed Cornelli. "Just the same, I am not +terribly pleased that they are here and that everything has to be +changed. Oh dear, I have just remembered that I have to be back now +and drink some hot coffee and milk, because Miss Dorner says that the +afternoons are so frightfully long in the country they have to be +interrupted. At that time I always used to get from the garden some +apples or cherries or whatever else there was, and they always tasted +so awfully good. If I only could lengthen my afternoon, which seems +too long to them! I never can do all I plan to do. Good-bye, Martha." + +And with these words Cornelli ran away. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE UNWISHED-FOR HAPPENS + + + +Esther, the able mistress of the kitchen, was standing in the garden +picking green peas, which hung in clusters from the vines. They had +ripened quickly in the sunny June weather. + +"Come down here, Cornelli!" she called. "Just see how many peas there +are! Why do you steal about so quietly nowadays, and why don't you run +the way you used to?" + +"I am not allowed to do anything any more," replied Cornelli, +approaching her. "Mina is beginning to tell me that I even must not +jump, for it might tangle my hair. I wish I had not a single hair left; +then I could at least run and jump about." + +"No, no, child; that would look too dreadful. Just imagine it! But +don't get sad on account of that," Esther consoled her. "Just jump +around as before! Your hair can always be put in order again. Why +haven't you come into the kitchen lately to see if things taste right?" + +"I am not allowed to; Miss Dorner says that is bad manners," Cornelli +informed her. + +"Oh, I see! Well, you might do worse things. However, you must obey! +Yes, you have to obey," Esther repeated. "Don't you go to Miss Mina +any more, either, when she fixes the dessert?" + +Cornelli shook her head. + +Miss Mina had quickly understood the new order that had begun in the +household and accordingly had suited herself to it. When she thought +the ladies would not approve of an old custom, she dropped it quickly, +and Cornelli had soon noticed her change of attitude. + +"I don't care if I never can go to the pantry any more, I don't care," +Cornelli exploded now. "She can eat all the things herself which drop +beside the plate. I don't care. I don't want anything as long as I can +go to the little kid in the stable; it really is the most cunning +creature in the whole world. Have you seen it yet, Esther?" + +"Certainly I have, and why not?" the cook replied. "Matthew took me +out to the stable as soon as it was born. You can certainly go to see +it as long as it is in our own stable. Just go there as much as you +like! Nobody can forbid you that." + +"My teacher is coming," Cornelli now exclaimed, "and I have to go." + +"Yes, child, but do keep up your spirits. There are lots of pleasant +things still left for you to enjoy. Just wait till you taste the +strawberry tarts I am going to make to-day." + +With these words Esther smacked her lips to express the great succulence +of the promised dish. + +"I wouldn't even care if you baked nettle tarts; I wish I didn't have +to eat at table and could just eat berries in the garden and drink +milk in the stable." + +Cornelli ran towards the house, for she had forgotten to walk sedately, +as she had been told to do. + +While Cornelli had her lessons upstairs in the living room, in the +jessamine arbor both ladies were sitting on a garden bench. + +"It would be so pleasant and agreeable here," said Miss Dorner, "and +my cousin could have such a very charming life, if the child were only +a little different. Don't you think, Betty, that she has no manners +whatever?" + +"Yes, but she has had no training at all." remarked Miss Grideelen; +"and she may have inherited some qualities from her mother." + +"Oh no, not a single trait! You cannot possibly imagine a greater +difference than between the mother and this child," Miss Dorner +exclaimed. "Cornelia was full of amiability and gayety. She always +greeted and cheered everyone with her laughing brown eyes. If my cousin +could only have the happiness to see his child resemble her mother the +slightest bit! He was so fond of his wife! He deserves this joy, for +he is a splendid man." + +"It is curious how very different children can be from their parents," +said Miss Grideelen with regret in her voice. "But I am sure that +something can still be accomplished by educating the child. Many +qualities can be developed that hardly show themselves yet. We ought +to do our best for her, especially for her father's sake." + +"That is just what I am doing, Betty. Unfortunately, I have had very +little success as yet," answered Miss Dorner. "But I just hope that +the day will come when I can write her father some pleasant news about +Cornelli, something different from what I feel obliged to send him +now." + +The day had been exceedingly hot, and the ladies retired to their rooms +immediately after dinner, while Cornelli, according to her custom, +obediently did her lessons. Then she disappeared. In the late evening, +when the ladies sat down to supper, it was so warm that Miss Mina was +ordered to open all the windows. + +Now Cornelli entered. + +"For mercy's sake, what are you thinking of!" the cousin accosted the +child. "We are nearly perishing with the heat and you put on a fur +dress, which you could wear without a coat in a sleigh ride in the +middle of winter. Why do you do such foolish things?" + +Cornelli was really attired very strangely. Her little dress was made +of such heavy, fur-like material that one could see it was meant for +the coldest winter weather, and for someone who disliked much outer +clothing. The child's cheeks were glowing red, and from the insufferable +heat whole streams of perspiration trickled down her face. + +"I have no more dresses left," she said stubbornly. + +"Can you understand it?" asked the cousin, looking at her friend. + +"I really think that this is the fifth dress in which I have seen +Cornelli to-day," answered the friend. "In the early morning I saw her +running across the yard in a dark dress. At breakfast she wore a light +frock and for lunch a red one. I believe that she wore a blue dress +when we had our coffee this afternoon, so this must be the fifth +costume. I was beginning at lunch time to wonder about the frequent +changes." + +"I have to change my dress every time I go to the stable," Cornelli +said, a little more stubbornly than before. + +"How can anybody be so foolish!" exclaimed the cousin now. "I can +understand now why you have no fun and why you always wear an unhappy +face. You must be nearly perished with the heat! Finish your supper +quickly and then go to your room and take off this heavy dress. You +surely have another dress. I must forbid you to go to the stable from +now on! You can see for yourself what comes of it! If only you would +not frown like this, Cornelli. You look exactly as if you had two +little horns growing on your forehead, one on each side. There are +many other and better amusements for you than spending your life in +the stable. Are you able to embroider?" + +"No," Cornelli answered curtly. + +"Children of your age ought to be able to, though," said the cousin. +"But we have not come here to teach you that; have we, Betty? You +probably do not even know how to hold the needle in your hand." + +"Why should it be necessary for Cornelli to learn embroidery just now?" +replied the friend. "She has lovely books that she can read; she has +shown us some herself. Don't you prefer reading a pretty story to +running about in the stable, child?" + +"No, I don't," replied Cornelli crossly. + +"We must not pay attention to what she says," remarked Miss Dorner. +"When Cornelli is bored, she will probably turn to her books herself. +Please, Miss Mina, keep an eye on Cornelli. Nonsense like this must +not happen any more." + +When supper was finished, Cornelli went up to her room, and Miss Mina +followed her. + +"You certainly don't need to do such silly things," she said scoldingly, +as soon as they were on the stairs, where her words could not be +overheard. "I have enough to do nowadays without watching whether you +put on a new dress every few hours." + +"It isn't my fault," Cornelli replied morosely. "They ordered me to do +it." + +"They won't always smell it when you have been to the stable," scolded +Miss Mina. + +"Yes, but they do smell it," Cornelli retorted, "and even if they +didn't, I should have to obey. They told me to change every time I go +to the stable." + +"Yes, but now you are told not to go there any more, remember that!--so +your frequent changing will have to stop," grumbled Miss Mina, while +she was helping Cornelli to take off her hot dress. + +"Now I have to clean it, besides! You actually give more work than six +well brought up children." Miss Mina had never before spoken so roughly +to Cornelli, for she had always been anxious to keep in the child's +good graces. But she had suddenly ceased to care about that. + +Cornelli looked at her with astonishment. The child's eyes were also +full of something that nobody had ever seen there before. Mina seemed +to understand: "I did not do you any harm," she said quickly; "what +I have said is only the truth." With that she left the room. + +"If everybody treats me that way I'll be that way, too," cried Cornelli +with a furious look. Suddenly taking hold of the dress she had just +taken off she threw it out of the window. After a while Mina returned, +bringing back the dress. Cornelli was sitting on the window-sill crossly +looking down at the yard. + +"Look out that the wind doesn't blow you down, too, like your dress," +Miss Mina said unpleasantly. + +"I don't care," Cornelli replied obstinately. "It did not blow down +at all, for I threw it down on purpose." + +"Oh, is this the way you behave? Next time you can get it yourself," +said Miss Mina, running away indignantly. + +Next morning Cornelli was walking across the courtyard, happily talking +to her teacher, whose hand she was holding. During her school hours +she had forgotten all the troubles of the day before, for Mr. Malinger +had been as kind to her as ever. He at least had not changed. + +"Could you give me a little rose?" he asked smilingly, while they were +passing the blooming rose bushes. So Cornelli quickly ran from bush +to bush till she had gathered a fine bunch of dark and light, white +and red roses. These she offered to her teacher, warning him not to +prick himself. Then the two parted most cordially. + +Cornelli, on coming back, ran swiftly toward the stable. Suddenly, +however, she stood stock still, for she remembered that she was not +allowed to go there any more. No longer could she see the darling +little kid and watch its growth. She would be unable to tell when the +moment had come for it to be hitched to a carriage to be driven about +by her. She might not be allowed even to do that! She hoped, however, +that her father might be back by that time and that then everything +would be different. Cornelli danced with joy at that thought, and her +old gaiety seemed to return. She felt like going to Esther and talking +it all over with her good old friend. The moment the child went into +the house, Miss Dorner stepped out of the living room. + +"You have just come in time," she said, "for I have to show you +something. Where are you going?" + +"To the kitchen," replied Cornelli. + +"You have nothing whatever to do in the kitchen and you shall not go +there. I thought you knew that you have to go upstairs before lunch +to fix your hair. But before you go up come in here. I have to tell +you something very important." + +Cornelli followed her cousin into the room. Miss Grideelen was standing +near the window as if she had expected the return of her friend. Leading +Cornelli to the sofa, Miss Dorner pointed to it, saying: "You are sure +to know who has done this and you had better tell me right away." + +On the dark plush coverings were visible distinct marks of dusty shoe +soles. There was no trace of a whole foot, but one could see that +somebody had trampled on the sofa. + +"I did not do it," said Cornelli with sparkling eyes. + +"Who in all the house would have done it except you? Please ask yourself +that, Cornelli! There is no question about it at all," said Miss Dorner. +"It is probably one of your little jokes similar to throwing your +dresses out of the window. I know all about it. Just let me tell you +this! It is the last time that you, a girl of ten years old, will show +such a terrible lack of manners. As long as I am here, you shall not +do it any more. You really should spare your good, sensitive father +such behavior." + +"I have not done it. No, I did not do it, no, no!" Cornelli cried +aloud. + +"But Cornelli, only reflect! You are blushing and your conscience is +giving you away," Miss Grideelen here remarked. "It would be so much +better for you to say humbly: 'I have done it and I am sorry; I shall +never do it again!'" + +"No, no! I have not done it. No, no!" Cornelli cried out louder still. +Her cheeks were glowing red from anger and excitement. + +"Do not make such a noise," ordered the cousin. "One might think there +was an accident. It is not worth while to lose so many words. You +should not have made things worse by denying it; if you had not, +everything would be all settled. You have misbehaved and you shall not +do so any more. Remember!" + +"No, I did not misbehave. No, no! And I shall not say yes when it is +not true," Cornelli now cried, quite beside herself. + +"Go to your room, Cornelli, and smooth out your forehead before you +come to dinner. Your little horns are protruding quite plainly when +you act that way. Just look at yourself in the mirror and see yourself +how repulsive you look. If you think that there is anybody in the world +who can still like you when you have black horns on your forehead, you +are mistaken. Go, now, and return with another face." + +Cornelli went. + +Reaching her room, Cornelli put her hand up to her brow. Right on her +forehead were two protruding points. Should horns be really growing +there? The child had a sudden horrible fright at this thought. She was +sure that everybody could see them already, for she could feel them +quite distinctly. She could not stand it any longer, so she ran away +to old Martha. + +"No, I did not do it, Martha. I never did it," she called out, running +into the little room. "When I tell them no, no, they ought to believe +that I did not do it. I never, never did it. They shall know it! But +they won't believe me even if I say it a hundred times and--" + +"Stop a little, Cornelli!" said old Martha kindly. "You see, you are +all out of breath. Sit down here on your stool and tell me quietly +what has excited you so. You know that I believe your words. I have +known you since you were small, and I know that what you say is true." + +It was impossible for Cornelli to speak calmly about what had happened, +but it soothed her, nevertheless, to be able to pour out her heart and +to know that Martha believed her. She told of the accusation which had +been brought against her, and how she had not been believed despite +all her assurances. She was certain that both ladies would always +believe for ever and ever that she had done it and had denied it. At +this thought Cornelli again became quite red from excitement and was +on the point of breaking out again. But Martha put her hand on the +child's shoulder, quietly restraining her. + +"No, no, Cornelli, that's enough," she said soothingly. "It is only +to your advantage that it is so and not as they have said. You have +been accused wrongly and cannot prove it, but God knows the truth. He +has heard everything. You can be calm and happy and look up to Him +with a clear conscience. You can say to yourself: 'God knows it, and +I do not need to be afraid or frightened.' If you had really done wrong +and had denied it, you would have to be afraid that the truth would +be revealed. Then you could not look up calmly to the sky, for you +would be frightened at the thought that up there was One who knew +everything and from whom nothing could be hidden. A wrong accusation +does not stay with us forever. Even if it takes ever so long, it +generally is revealed in the end, and you certainly will not need to +bear it in all eternity, because God already knows how it is." + +Cornelli had really grown calm at the thought that there was One who +knew how it all was. When her trouble began to weigh upon her, she +could always say: "You know it all, dear Father in Heaven, You have +seen and heard everything." + +"If He could only tell them! They would then know it, too. God could +easily do that," Cornelli said. + +"Yes, but that is not the way things happen. We do not know better +than He what is good for us," Martha said, shaking her head quite +seriously. "If we could rule, everything would come wrong. We never +can see ahead of the hour and we never know what is good for us because +the next moment always brings something we did not know about. Otherwise +we would always be trying to undo what we have strained to do the day +before; we should only make ourselves miserable over and over again. +But if God ordains anything that we do not understand, we must believe +firmly that something good will come out of it. We must be patient, +and if our troubles are too heavy, we must console ourselves and think: +God knows what good will come from it. But we are forgetting the time, +Cornelli. You must hurry home to your dinner, now. I am afraid it is +already late." + +Cornelli's black frown had disappeared during Martha's soothing speech, +but now a deep shadow flew across her face. + +"Oh, Martha, if I only did not need to go home any more! I hate to go +back and sit at table. I would not mind dying of hunger, if I could +only stay here with you." + +Cornelli, glancing at her home, drew together her brows as if she saw +something frightful there. + +"But, child, you must not say such things about your lovely home; it +is wrong to do that," said Martha, kindly admonishing her. "Just think +how many children have no home at all. How grateful they would be to +God for a home like yours. Go, now, Cornelli, be grateful for all God +has given you and chase away the thoughts that make you sad. Come soon +again and we shall be glad together, for there is always something to +be glad about." + +Cornelli went. While she had been with Martha and had heard her words, +it had really seemed to her that there was no cause for grief. As soon, +however, as she entered the garden and saw the windows of the room +where they were surely already at table, everything that had pressed +heavily on her heart rose again. After all, Martha did not know +everything. + +Cornelli was sure that she could never be happy any more. She could +not go in there and she could not eat. She felt as if she could not +swallow anything, for big stones seemed to stick in her throat. If she +would only die from it all! Cornelli thought that that would be best, +for then everything would be over. So she sat down on the lawn behind +the thick currant bushes, where she could not be seen from the house. +Meanwhile, Miss Mina had carried away the sweets and was putting the +fruit course on the table. + +"It seems to me that Cornelli does not care if she comes to table a +whole hour late," said Miss Dorner. "Nothing is to be kept warm for +her, for she does not seem to have learned yet how to respect time and +order. She had better learn it soon." + +Mina went out to sit down for her dinner. Esther had everything ready +and was just putting the dessert in the cupboard. + +"That is for Cornelli as soon as she comes home," she said, sitting +down, too; "the poor child gets enough bitter things to swallow +nowadays." + +"But why shouldn't she come in time?" asked Mina crossly. "Besides, +she couldn't possibly eat the whole dessert. We can take our share and +there will be enough left, surely as much as is good for her." + +"I won't let you have it," said Esther, firmly pressing her arm to the +table as a sign that she would stay there. "The child must have +something that will help her to swallow all the cross words she hears +all day," she continued. "What was wrong again this morning, when there +was such a scene in the living room?" + +"It was nothing," replied Mina. "There were a few marks of dust on the +sofa, and the ladies thought that Cornelli had been standing on it. +The child would not admit it and so the ladies kept on accusing her +till Cornelli set up a senseless row." + +"I really think, Miss Mina, that you could have given an explanation," +said Esther with a sly smile. "If one has to wind up the clock, it is +quicker to jump up on the sofa than to push the heavy thing away. When +one wears tight lace boots in the early morning, one can't take them +off easily, eh, Miss Mina?" With these words Esther glanced at the +neat little boots that Mina was stretching out comfortably under the +table. + +"Well, what was there so terrible about that?" retorted Mina pertly. +"The sofa won't be spoiled on account of that, and besides, I have to +clean it myself." + +"I only think you could have said a word, before the ladies accused +the child of having lied to them and before she nearly had a fit over +the injustice. She made such a noise that one could hear it all over +the house! It went right through me." + +"Oh, pooh! it was not as bad as that," asserted Mina; "the child has +long since forgotten the whole thing. That is the way with children. +One moment they make a horrible noise and the next they go out of the +door and forget about it. Why should one bother?" + +"It used to be different," said Esther smilingly, "Miss Mina could not +be obliging enough to the child then. Things are all done for other +people now and not for those of the house." + +"Those of the house!" repeated Mina mockingly. "It won't be long before +you, too, will be singing another tune. When the new lady of the house +gives orders in the kitchen you will have to obey, too." + +Esther dropped her spoon. "For goodness sake, what are you saying?" +she exclaimed. "Who should have thought of such a thing? Whom do you +mean, the cousin or the other one?" + +"Well, I can't tell that exactly," replied the maid. "Our master has +not discussed that with me, but one must be dumb not to see what is +going on and why the ladies came here. After all, one wants to know +what one is going to do. That two have come, is the surest sign of +all, for we shall be supposed not to suspect." + +"For goodness sake," said Esther again, "what a discovery! I am sure +it must be the relation, for she already rules the house. I tell you +one thing, though, Miss Mina, that I shall keep on singing the same +tune I have been singing for the last twelve years in this house, and +I don't care who is going to rule. You can believe me." + +"Oh, we shall see about that, Esther," said Mina with a superior air. +She got up, now, to see if the ladies needed anything. + +Waking up from a sound sleep, Cornelli did not remember where she was. +She was lying on the lawn behind the currant bushes. She remembered +at last how she had come back at lunch time from Martha's cottage and +how she had suddenly felt weary and sleepy. She must have dropped down +and gone to sleep. + +It was evening and there was no more sunshine on the grass, but the +sky was still light, although it was beginning to grow dark. Cornelli +suddenly had a longing she had never known before. She felt as if she +had to eat and taste everything about her, the bushes and the leaves, +the flowers, and especially the unripe plums on the tree above her. +Oh, if she only had a piece of bread! Cornelli got up quickly and ran +towards the house. + +"Come quickly, Cornelli," Esther called to her through the open kitchen +window; "they are just sitting down to supper; you have come just in +time." + +Cornelli flew to her room and, pulling out a thick shawl from among +her things, tied it around her head. Then, running to the dining room, +she sat down at her accustomed seat. + +"So you have come again," said Miss Dorner, who had just settled down, +too. "A well brought up child should at least say good evening when +she enters the room after a long absence." + +"Good evening," said Cornelli, after which she finished her soup with +unusual haste. + +"Where do you come from after all this time?" asked the cousin. + +"From the garden," was the reply. + +"That is quite possible, but where were you before that?" + +"With Martha," Cornelli answered. + +"If you could only learn to answer more pleasantly!" remarked Miss +Dorner, "it would be to your own advantage, for you do not have many +pleasing things about you; it would only make you more attractive, and +you really should strive to become so. + +"Next time you want to stay so long at this woman's house you have to +ask my permission. I absolutely forbid you to stay away so long without +asking me, do you hear? You deserve to be scolded for your long absence +to-day, but I shall not say anything further. But why do you look so +pitiful! What is the matter? Have you a toothache?" + +"No," Cornelli quickly gave forth. + +"Have you a headache?" + +"No." + +"What is the matter with you?" + +"Nothing." + +"You shall never again set up such a masquerade when there is nothing +the matter with you, Cornelli," said the cousin scoldingly. "Why do +you put this shawl around your head? Are you trying to look like an +untidy gypsy? Don't ever come to table that way again! Betty, have you +ever seen the like? Can you understand this behavior from a sensible +child?" + +The friend just shook her head. + +"Perhaps Cornelli does it because she does not know what else to do. +She does not seem to desire a proper occupation," she replied. + +When Cornelli came down to breakfast next day, she had taken off the +shawl, but she still looked very odd. + +"You look exactly like a savage from New Zealand," said the cousin. +"Do you think you are improving your appearance by plastering your +hair all over your face?" + +"No," said Cornelli fiercely. + +"Neither do I," said the cousin. "I cannot make you out at all. What +will you put on next, I wonder, when your hair is brushed away?" + +"My fur cap," replied Cornell, according to the truth. + +"I never heard such nonsense," exclaimed Miss Dorner. "I really think +that the child is capable of doing that. She will probably pull it +down over her head to her nose when the temperature is eighty. I have +never seen such a child. What shall I do with her?" + +Cornelli really looked as if she did not know how well brought up +European girls usually wore their hair. From the middle of her head +thick uneven strands of dark hair hung down over her forehead and deep +into her eyes. The hair was not hanging loose, but was firmly glued +to her skin. Her intention seemed to be to keep it there to prevent +it from being blown away. + +"You look positively repulsive and no person on earth will want to +look at you if you go around like that. This may teach you to give up +your terrible obstinacy! Nothing else can be done with you." + +With these words the cousin rose and left the room. Miss Grideelen +promptly followed. + +That evening a letter was sent to Cornelli's father: + +ILLER-STREAM, +July 20th, 18--. + +MY DEAR COUSIN: + +Your affairs are going brilliantly, for your manager is splendid. I +can also inform you that perfect order reigns in your house, your +garden and the stable. Your place is perfectly magnificent; it abounds +in fruit and vegetables and lovely flowers. I should never have imagined +this possible years ago, when I wandered about here with my friend +Cornelia. + +I am coming now to the principal subject of this letter, which is less +pleasant. I do not understand how your daughter has gotten her +disposition. She does not either resemble you, with your fresh and +open manner, or Cornelia, with her merry, pliant disposition, which +won every one's heart. The child has a dull and sullen nature, a +roughness of manner and an unheard-of stubbornness. I can do nothing +for her, at least not by anything I say. But I have decided to leave +physical or other punishment to you. I shall do all I can by good +example and admonishment as long as I am here. My friend is supporting +me faithfully. I do not dare raise in you the hope that the child will +ever make you happy. A rebellious nature like hers is sure to get worse +from year to year. I hope, however, that the success of all your +ventures will give you the satisfaction that your home life cannot +give you. + +Your faithful cousin, + +KITTY DORNER. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A NEWCOMER IN ILLER-STREAM + + + +Old Matthew was raking the gravel paths in the garden when Cornelli +stepped out of the house and slowly approached. She held a book in her +hand and now sat down on the bench under the hazel bush. Laying the +book on her lap, she watched Matthew while he cleaned up the paths. +Looking up he said: "Come with me, Cornelli, and let us go over to the +stable together, for you have not been there for a long time. You +should see how the little kid is growing." + +Cornelli merely shook her head and gave no answer. Matthew looked over +at the child a few more times, but said no more. + +Esther, carrying a large basket, now arrived. As she was going to the +vegetable garden she called over to the child: "You must have a +specially nice book to be sitting there so quietly, Cornelli." + +Cornelli shook her head. + +"No?" laughed Esther. "All right, then, come with me and I'll show you +how many yellow plums there are going to be this year; the whole tree +is full and they are already beginning to ripen." + +"I don't care," said Cornelli. + +"No?" laughed Esther. "All right, then, plums," Esther exclaimed. "And +our large juicy pears are beginning to get ripe, too. Don't you want +to come and see how long it will be before they are ripe?" + +"No," was the reply. + +Esther now went her ways. A short time after that Matthew joined her. +"What is the matter with the child, Esther," he asked. "She is so +changed! One can hardly recognize any more our gay and friendly +Cornelli. And why does she have her hair hanging into her face that +way? One absolutely does not know her any more." + +"That is just what I say," Esther replied. "I really can't understand +it. One hardly ever sees the child, and if one does meet her somewhere, +she scarcely says a word. She never sings or laughs the way she used +to, and she always wears such a terribly unhappy expression that it +fairly makes one's heart ache. How happy the child used to be! + +"They say that she needs to be educated, and it may be so; but since +she is getting an education she is absolutely changed, and not for the +better. However, things may go well again when her education is +finished." + +"She misses her mother," said Matthew. "It is awfully hard on a little +one to grow up without a mother, for she needs her at every step. It +is so easy when you have a mother to whom you can tell your joys and +troubles." + +"One might think that you still run to your mother whenever anyone +does you harm, Matthew," said Esther, a little mockingly. + +"I should love to," Matthew assured her. "I know what my mother meant +to me and so I am always sorry for every child that has none. One can +see how it is with our master's child; nothing is of any good to her +as long as she has no mother." + +Matthew went away, looking once more with pity at Cornelli, who was +sitting quite motionless on the bench. The book by now was lying on +the ground. + +Soon afterwards Mr. Maelinger entered the garden and neared the house, +but Cornelli intercepted him. + +"I could not come at 9 o'clock to-day," he said, "but I think one hour +is better than none, so am here now, at 11 o'clock. I hope you have +spent a pleasant, useful morning." + +"No, I haven't," said Cornelli drily. + +"But you have a fine book in your hand. It is sure to have something +nice in it. What is it all about?" + +"I do not know," replied Cornelli. + +"Let us go to our work now. Your reading does not seem to have impressed +you much, so let us hope for a better result from our lesson." + +The teacher entered the house with his pupil, and they were just getting +settled in their accustomed places when he said: "It seems to me, +Cornelli, that your hair hangs a little too much over your face. It +must be very uncomfortable. Could not this be changed?" + +"No, I can never change that, never, never," Cornelli said passionately, +tightly pressing down the hair on her forehead. "Oh, really! But this +is no affair of mine," said the teacher calmly. "Only it seems to me +a rather disfiguring manner of wearing the hair. You would feel much +more comfortable without these weeping-willow-like hangings in front +of your eyes." + +Cornelli was still pressing both her hands against her forehead, as +if the teacher might try by force to straighten up her hair. But he +now began the lesson quite peacefully. + +When the ladies were leaving the room after lunch, the cousin said to +the child: "You are not going to run off again immediately, Cornelli. +You must begin a proper and orderly existence. When your work is done +you can read one of your many lovely books. You have enough time after +our coffee hour to take walks and to pay visits." + +As usual the work was soon finished. Afterwards Cornelli sat down on +the garden bench. Just as before, she put the book in her lap, and it +soon fell to the ground. Cornelli peeped about her, at the trees and +at the ground, but she did not really seem to see them. + +At coffee time Cornelli punctually appeared at table and quickly gulped +down everything that was poured out for her, as if it were a medicine +that simply had to be swallowed. Afterwards she sat there frowning, +for she had to remain at her seat till the ladies got up; she had +learned this custom from her cousin. + +"Don't always frown and make such horns! One can see them quite plainly +even through your curtains," said Miss Dorner. "It won't be long before +you can go away." + +At last the ladies got up to go into the garden. Cornelli sneaked out +behind them, turned unseen around the corner of the house, and walked +across the meadow to the path. + +"To sit here under the hazel bush and read a fine book is really a +pleasure not many children have," said Miss Dorner, sitting down on +the bench. "For this alone you should be grateful, instead of frowning +and sulking all day, Cornelli--yes! But where has she gone again?" the +lady interrupted herself, glancing around. + +"She disappeared as soon as we came out," her friend answered. "Isn't +Cornelli really peculiar? She never says a friendly word and never +gives a single sign of childish love. She always runs away as soon as +she possibly can." + +"I am so sorry for her father, who must long for a pleasant family +life," Miss Dorner continued. "He will never have this by the side of +his only daughter, who seems to become more unfriendly and stubborn +every day. Others in the house have noticed it, too, so Mina tells me. +Oh, what a life it will be here in two or three years. My poor cousin +with his beautiful estate! What good is that to him?" + +"Many things can happen in two years that can't be foretold, Kitty, +and that can change a household entirely," replied the other lady. +"For the benefit of your cousin let us hope that this may come true." + +Cornelli was not leaping or running, but was quietly creeping along +the edge of the path. She was staring at the ground, without once +looking up at the merry birds which were whistling above her. Not once +did she glance to right or left in the meadows, though they were full +of red daisies and blue forget-me-nots which Cornelli ordinarily loved +to pick. + +Martha saw the approaching child. She came out with a worried face and +full of sympathy asked: "What is wrong with you, Cornelli? Can you +never again be merry?" + +"No, not any more," replied Cornelli, entering Martha's little chamber +and sitting down on the stool which her old friend had put for her in +the usual place. Cornelli's words did not come rapidly and angrily any +more, as they had done before. With a deep sigh she added: "I only +wish I had never learned to read." + +"What! But child, what an idea," exclaimed Martha, "what a foolish +wish! You should realize what it means to want to find out something +and not be able to. One has to begin over and over again, and nothing +helps one. That is what happened to me to-day. If you don't help me +I won't ever understand it. I often wish I could read and write as +fast as our Cornelli does. It is a great gift to be able to read and +write easily, and everybody who can't do it knows that well. Don't you +like the pretty books your father has given you?" + +"No, I don't. They are pretty, but awfully tiresome, Martha," Cornelli +assured her. "There are all kinds of stories and descriptions in them +of famous people and discoveries. Father said that he used to love +them when he was young, but he was probably different from me. Now I +can't run to the stable any more, nor into the woods as I feel like +doing; now I have to sit around all the time and read a book. Oh, I +wish nobody had written any books, then nobody would have to read +them." + +"But Cornelli, I do not think that this would suit everybody," Martha +said. "Please help me to read a letter I got to-day, and then you will +see what an advantage it is to be able to read. I need your help, for +I do not understand what is wanted of me." + +Cornelli, taking up the letter, was quite willing to help her dear old +friend. + +"Who wrote it?" asked the child. + +"That is just the thing I cannot read," Martha answered. "I only know +that it comes from town, but I cannot guess who could possibly write +to me from there." + +Cornelli began to read the letter aloud. It was an inquiry as to whether +the spare room had yet been taken, and if Mrs. Wolf could take care +of a boy of twelve years for a few weeks. He did not need special care, +as he was not exactly ill; but the boy undoubtedly was not very strong. +Good air and fresh milk were the chief things he needed. If no refusal +came, the boy would arrive in the middle of July. It was signed: Nika +Halm, rector's widow. + +"Oh, how easily you read. It seems to go all of itself," said Martha +admiringly, when Cornelli had finished. "I never could have made it +out so well. Just think how proud I can be that a rector's wife will +bring her son to me. Oh, I'll take the best care of him, and I must +ask Matthew to let him have some milk from the cows every morning and +evening. Isn't it too bad it is not a girl; then you would have a +playmate. But you will entertain each other just the same. Are you not +a little bit glad that he is coming?" + +"No, not a bit," Cornelli returned curtly. "I know quite well that he +won't have anything to do with me, and I know why, too. I do not care +whether it is a boy or a girl. I don't want him." + +"But Cornelli, you never used to be that way. You used to be so friendly +and bright with everybody. What has happened to you?" asked Martha, +quite grieved. "You do not look about you with bright eyes and your +hair hangs too low on your face. Can't I push it back a little?" + +Martha, fetching a comb, was going to touch Cornelli's hair, when +Cornelli hindered her by crying out: "No, Martha, leave it! It has to +stay that way all my life." + +"Oh, no, I won't believe that. Why should your face be half covered +up? One can hardly recognize you," Martha said regretfully. "What do +the ladies say about it?" + +"Miss Dorner says that I am the most obstinate being in the whole +world, and that no one can ever set me right," was Cornelli's truthful +information. Then she added: "She says that no child on earth looks +as ugly as I do and that nobody in the world will ever like me. I know +that it is true, and I only wish nobody were coming to you; then I +could always be alone with you." + +"Cornelli, I am quite sure that you would do right in obeying the +ladies," said Martha. "If you did what they say, they would love you +as well as everybody else does." + +"No, no, Martha, you don't know how it is," Cornelli said, quite +frightened. "I'll do everything they say, but I can never push my hair +away, for then it would be worse still and everybody could see it." + +Martha shook her head. + +"I do not know what you mean, Cornelli. Please come to me just as often +as you can. I shall always love you more than anybody who might ever +come here. If you did not come, it would hurt me dreadfully. Then I +would rather not have the rector's son here, glad as I am now that he +is coming." + +"All right, Martha, then I shall come," Cornelli promised. "We can +easily be alone together in the kitchen, for I want to see you alone. +I shall not come on Monday, for that is the day they arrive. On Tuesday, +though, I'll come. Then we'll go together to the kitchen." + +Martha promised this and Cornelli went home in the same way as she had +come. Not once did she run to the meadow to pick forget-me-nots or +other flowers that were sparkling there. + +When Monday came, she was wondering if a carriage would arrive with +a proud city boy and a lady with a high feather hat, both of whom would +look down on her with disdain. Cornelli settled down beside the garden +fence, for from there she could conveniently survey the road. But she +saw no carriage, though she watched through both the morning and the +afternoon. She really was very glad, for she was quite sure that nobody +had arrived. Next day when the time came for her to be free, she walked +over to Martha's little house. + +"Oh, I am so glad that nobody has come. Now I can be alone with you +and don't have to go to the kitchen--" + +Cornelli had said these words on entering, but she suddenly stopped. +A boy she had never seen sat at the table in the room and Martha was +just clearing away the supper things. So he had come after all and had +even heard what she had said. Oh, it was dreadful! But the boy was +laughing. + +Cornelli wanted to withdraw quickly, but the boy called out: "Please +come in and let us get acquainted. Mrs. Martha has already told me +about you. Just come in," he continued, when he saw that Cornelli still +hesitated. "If you want to be alone with Mrs. Wolf I can easily go to +my own room." + +Cornelli felt that it was very nice of the boy not to resent her words +and to be willing to give place to her. She therefore entered. Martha +had already put a chair in readiness for her and greeted her heartily. + +"I expected you, Cornelli," she said. "Just sit down here a little +with our guest. His name is Dino Halm and he already knows your name. +I am sure you will have a good time together. I'll go up in the meantime +and if you need me you can find me in the room upstairs." + +Martha, thinking that the children could get acquainted better if they +were left alone, had planned to unpack her new arrival's things while +they were together. She put his belongings neatly away in the wardrobe +and the drawers in order to make him feel at home in his tidy little +chamber. + +"Why did you think that we did not come?" asked Dino as soon as Martha +had left the room and Cornelli was sitting beside him silently. + +"Because I did not see the carriage," she replied. + +"The carriage? Well, I can believe you," said Dino. "We walked more +than an hour, in fact, nearly two, before we got here from the station. +Do you just hop into a carriage when you go to the station?" + +"Yes, I do; I always go there with Papa," replied Cornelli. + +"But where do the horses always come from?" Dino wanted to know. + +"From our stable," was the answer. + +"Have you your own carriage and two horses of your own, just to be +able to drive about?" Dino questioned, full of astonishment. + +"Yes, we have the two brown ones and six others to carry away the iron +from the foundry." + +"Good gracious, eight horses!" Dino exclaimed. "You are lucky to be +able to sit in a carriage with your father and drive around!" + +"Can't you do that?" asked Cornelli. + +"Never in my life," Dino replied in a voice full of conviction. "First +of all, I do not have a father. Besides that, we do not own a stable +and horses. How lucky you are! Have you anything else in the stable?" + +"Oh yes, lots more. Six cows and a large gray stable cat," Cornelli +informed him. "Then there is an old nanny goat and a young snow white +kid, about whose neck I tied a red ribbon. You are going to drink milk +from our cow, did you know that?" + +"Oh, I shall love to do that!" Dino exclaimed. "Do you think I'll be +allowed to go to the stable and look at the horses?" + +"Certainly you will; Matthew will love to show them to you, and Martha +will willingly let you go. If I only could go with you!" And Cornelli +uttered a deep sigh. + +"Well, I should think you certainly could do that, when the stable +belongs to you. Who would hinder you, I'd like to know?" Dino said. +"Do you know what we'll do? We'll hitch the little kid to a cart. Won't +that be lovely? It can pull you and I shall be the coachman. I once +saw such a little carriage on a promenade in town." + +Cornelli had already had that thought herself, but she knew now that +she could never again go to the stable. It was suddenly clear to her +that she could not run about as before and that she could not be happy +any more. The chief reason for it all was clear to her, the reason +that prevented her from being carefree and bright as in the old times. +She did not answer, but gave forth a profound sigh, profounder than +the one she had uttered before. + +"Why do you sigh, as if you had to carry a mountain about with you--a +load that keeps you from going forward? Why do you do it?" asked Dino. + +"I can't tell anyone. You couldn't, either, if you had the trouble I +have," replied the little girl. + +"Oh, yes, I could. There is nothing in the world I couldn't tell," +Dino asserted. "If you can't confide in other people, you can always +tell your mother, for she can always smooth everything out for you. +Just go to her and tell her about it. That will relieve you and +everything will come right." + +"Yes, and now I can say what you said to me before. You are lucky and +much luckier than I am," said Cornelli with a trembling voice. "I never +can go to my mother because I have none. Now you see how well off I +am! I am sure you would never exchange with me, would you?" + +Dino looked quite frightened. + +"I did not know that you had no mother," he said, full of pity. In his +mind he saw his own mother, the way she looked at him, so full of love +that it always lightened his heart whenever anything troubled him. And +poor Cornelli had to miss all that! + +Even the stable with the horses, the large garden with all the fruit, +about which Martha had told him so much, appeared to him now in a +different light. + +Full of decision he said: "No indeed, I would not change with you." + +But a great pity for the motherless child welled up in Dino's heart +and he longed to be her protector. He could understand now why Cornelli +looked so strange; he had even noticed it as soon as he had seen her. +There was no mother to fix everything the way it should be. + +"We'll try to be friends, Cornelli! But you must push your hair back +from your forehead first of all; one can hardly see your eyes. Nobody +wears hair like that. I don't see how such long hair can stay there +without blowing off. What on earth did you paste it on with?" + +"With glue," replied Cornelli. + +"How nasty! Come, I'll cut it all off, and then your eyes and your +forehead will be clear. You can hardly see that way." + +Dino had seized the scissors that were lying beside Martha's work +basket, but Cornelli, struggling against him with both hands, fairly +screamed: "Let it be. It has to be that way. Put the scissors away!" + +"I won't hurt you. But don't scream so loud!" said Dino quietly, putting +down the scissors again. "I only wanted to do you a favor. If my two +sisters, Agnes and Nika, could see you, they would laugh at you; they +would not like the way you pasted on those locks." + +"I know that. But they do not need to see me at all," said Cornelli +crossly. "Nobody needs to see me. I know that nobody likes me, but I +don't care." + +With these words Cornelli ran away. Dino was terribly astonished and +stood looking at the door through which Cornelli had disappeared without +even a word of farewell. + +When Martha again entered the little room and was looking at Cornelli's +empty chair, Dino said: "What a queer child she is. I never thought +she would be so unfriendly." + +He related how they had passed the time together and how Cornelli had +suddenly run off without even saying good-bye. He had not wanted to +offend her. + +Martha shook her head and said: "Cornelli never was that way before. +I am so worried about her, for she is absolutely changed. You must not +think that she is queer and runs away like that and suddenly gets +cross. She never was that way at all; this is something new. If I only +could hear her sing and laugh again as of old. I hoped that her old +gaiety would come back with such a good playfellow as you are. Maybe +it will; after all, this is only the first day of your acquaintance. + +"I am sure Cornelli will not come back to me," said Dino, still quite +puzzled. "She ran away so full of anger." + +When Cornelli had exclaimed, "I don't care," it probably was not true. +On reaching home she quietly stole to her room. Sitting down on a +stool, she put her head in both hands and began to cry bitterly. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A FRIEND IS FOUND + + + +Cornelli had not appeared at Martha's cottage for quite a number of +days, and so Martha was filled with grief and anxiety. There were many +reasons for this. First of all, she loved the child as if she had been +her own and missed her daily visits terribly. She also knew that there +was something the matter with Cornelli and that this was the reason +why she did not come. From the time the child was small, she had run +over to her old friend every single day and had told her everything. +Martha was also sorry for her guest's sake that Cornelli stayed away. +She had told Dino how merry and bright the child could be and how he +would enjoy her as a daily companion. Now it had all come to nothing. + +In the meantime Dino and Martha had become firm friends, and the old +woman was very eager to make everything cosy and comfortable for her +polite and friendly housemate. After his daily walks and after he had +done his school work conscientiously, Dino loved always to sit down +beside Martha. Then she would talk to him and tell him many things +which Dino loved to hear. + +She generally told about Cornelli's father and mother, for Martha had +known the latter as a small child. Before long, though, she would +always begin to talk about Cornelli, for she never tired of that +subject. She assured Dino that she had never known a more bright or +amusing little girl. Dino always assured her that he could not believe +this and when Martha even asserted that Cornelli was more attractive +than any child she had ever seen, Dino laughed. + +"She looks exactly like a little owl," he always said. "One can hardly +see her eyes. I should love her to come again, though," he added, for +he was curious to see Cornelli when she was funny and bright, as Martha +described her. + +When Dino had gone to his room that evening, Martha quickly put on a +better apron, took the big shawl from her cupboard, and putting it on +her shoulders, went quietly out of the house and over to the Director's +residence. She looked up at the kitchen windows and saw a light there, +as well as in the room that overlooked the garden. On entering the +kitchen Martha saw Esther and Miss Mina sitting down to a plentiful +supper. The latter was just getting up to answer a bell which had rung +in the dining room, but Esther offered the empty seat to her old +acquaintance. + +"Sit down, Martha. I am sure you have earned a rest, the same as I +have," she said, and with these words moved three platters and a bottle +over to the new arrival. "Just take it. There is a lot left and I am +glad when it is gone, for then I can plan something new for to-morrow." + +"Thank you, Esther," Martha replied. "I have already eaten supper. It +is very nice of you to invite me to share it with you, but I really +can't." + +"How can you refuse? I simply won't have it. Anybody can eat what I +cook, even the Emperor of Russia himself. I am sure you are not yet +quite as mighty as that," Esther proceeded eagerly, loading a plate +with macaroni and stewed plums. + +"Please, Martha, don't make a fuss; just eat this and drink this glass +of wine. I don't know why you shouldn't. Why shouldn't you eat supper +twice, if it is good?" Martha did not dare to refuse Esther's offering +any more, so she began to eat her second supper, which was much more +abundant than the first had been. + +"What brings you here so late, Martha; what is it?" asked Esther +curiously, for this visit was quite unusual. + +"I was going to ask you something, Esther, and I thought that I would +interfere less with your work in the evening than at any other time," +Martha answered. "Cornelli, who used to come to me every day has not +been to see me all week. I thought that the ladies might have objected +to her going to such a humble old woman as I am. I could understand +that well enough. Do you think they have?" + +"Oh no, they don't object at all," Esther replied. "Miss Mina has told +them that our master thinks well of you. But you have no idea how +changed the child is in all her ways. One hardly knows her any more. +Three or four times a morning she used to come running in and out of +the kitchen. She was always singing and flying about the garden like +a little bird, at all hours of the day. + +"Who picked all the fine berries and the yellow plums, the juicy, dark +red cherries from the young trees over there, so that it was a pleasure +to see her? Cornelli, of course! And now she won't even look at +anything. All the berries are dried up by now and spoiled, and the +fine cherries, too. The yellow plums, also, are lying under the tree +by the dozen. They are only meant for children; the ladies won't bother +about them and one can't cook them, either. So they fall down and lie +there, and Cornelli never raises her head when she goes by them." + +Martha was much too modest to say how she would have loved to have a +little basket full of plums for her young boarder. She never could +give him any fruit and she knew how he would enjoy some. But as long +as he was staying with her she could not do it, for that would seem +as if she were begging for herself. + +"Yes, Esther," she said after a while, "I certainly have noticed how +changed Cornelli is. I pray to the Lord that everything will come right +in the end. Of course, it is hard for the child to get used to a new +life right away. But it surely will be good for her to have somebody +looking after her bringing-up." + +Esther shrugged her shoulders significantly at this, but said nothing. +"Is the child still in her room or has she gone out, Esther, do you +know? I wanted to tell her to come again to see me, as long as the +ladies don't object." + +Esther did not need to answer. At that moment Cornelli came stealing +quietly down the hall. When she saw Martha a ray of sunshine passed +across her face and she greeted the old woman. + +"I came to see if you were ill," said Martha. "What keeps you from +coming to see me, Cornelli? The time has passed so slowly without you, +child," she added, holding Cornelli's hand affectionately. + +"With me, too," said Cornelli hoarsely. + +"Please come to-morrow and every day, the way you used to," Martha +begged. + +"No, I won't come," Cornelli answered. + +"Why not, Cornelli?" Martha asked, full of dismay. + +"Because the boy is there. I don't like him and he does not like me," +Cornelli stated. + +Martha now eagerly told Cornelli of the falsehood of this assertion. +She told her how Dino had asked after her every day and had hoped that +she would come again. It was awfully dull for him to be alone all day +without a playmate. Martha was quite sure that it had not been Dino's +fault that she did not like him. The boy had nothing at all against +her, for he was asking every day that she come back. + +"Tell me, Cornelli," Martha said finally, "why don't you like the boy? +He is so nice!" + +"I'll come to see you to-morrow," was Cornelli's answer, and it +sufficed. Quite happily Martha said good-bye, making Cornelli repeat +her promise that she would spend some time next day with her old friend +and the new boarder. + +Next day Cornelli actually arrived at Martha's cottage at the accustomed +time. Martha was standing by her carnation pots on the porch, ready +to greet the visitor who was approaching. + +"Dino is so glad that you are coming, Cornelli," she said, offering +her hand as greeting. "He has just returned from drinking milk. Look, +here he comes!" + +Dino had heard the arrival of Martha's expected friend and opening the +door had stepped out. "Why have you not come for so long?" he asked, +giving Cornelli his hand. "I waited for you every day." + +Cornelli gave no answer. Entering the room together they sat down just +as they did the first day of their acquaintance. Martha went out, +because she knew that the children would get along better alone, and +she was very anxious for the two to become good friends. + +"Your small white kid is growing more cunning every day," said Dino. +"You should see it when it bounds about so gaily." + +"I don't care if I see it again or not. Nothing matters at all to me," +Cornelli returned in a most unfriendly manner. + +"No, this is not true," said Dino, laughing kindly. "When one talks +that way it shows that one cares a great deal and that one is full of +bitter thoughts, just because one can't have what one wants. I know +that very well; I do exactly the same thing." + +Cornelli was so astonished by Dino's knowledge in the matter that she +gazed at him dumfounded. + +"Oh, yes, I know how it is," he repeated. "But you do not need to be +bitter, because you lead the finest life anyone possibly could. I +always think so each morning and evening when I go over to the stable +to drink my milk. What a wonderful garden you have! I never saw such +fruit. A whole tree full of plums and all the berries on the bushes! +And then the two fine horses that are kept separately in your stable +for you. Matthew has told me that your father drives with you every +week and that you can have everything in the house and in the garden, +for you are the only child." + +"Oh, if only there were twelve or twenty children in the house, then +everything would be different," Cornelli broke forth passionately. +"But I am always alone and never can say a word to anybody. And if one +is made so that everybody hates and despises one, and if no one in the +whole world can help one and everything gets worse all the time---You +do not know how it is. I only wish I could die right away--" Here +Cornelli burst into sudden tears. Putting her head on the table she +sobbed violently. + +Dino looked quite frightened; he had never intended to make Cornelli +sad and he could not understand what she had said. But he remembered +that she had no mother and so he could understand her tears, for that +was dreadfully sad. That seemed more cause for tears than that she was +an only child. + +The thought filled him with deep compassion for her, and he said softly: +"Come, Cornelli! It is terribly sad that you have no mother, but you +must not think that therefore you are all alone and nobody wants to +help you. I'll be your friend and I'll help you, but you must tell me +what troubles you. I do not understand from what you have said. Please +explain it all to me." + +"No, I can't do that, I can't tell anyone," Cornelli said between her +sobs. + +"Oh, yes, you can. Don't cry any more and I'll help you. I can surely +find a way. Please tell me." + +Dino took Cornelli's hand and gently pulled it away from her eyes. + +"No, no, I can't," she said timidly. + +"Oh, yes, you can. First of all, we'll push your hair away. It is all +sticking to your forehead and your eyes; you can hardly see." Dino +pushed the hair away as much as he was able; but it was still hanging +down and sticking fast. + +"Oh, now you'll see it, and then you'll make a great noise, I know," +Cornelli exclaimed desperately. + +"I do not see anything except that you look a thousand times better +that way than with these thick, drooping fringes all over your face," +said Dino. + +"No, let them be! I know exactly how it is," cried Cornelli, making +an effort to push her hair back again. "Only you won't say it, because +you want to be my friend. But I know it and everybody can see it and +hate me." + +"But Cornelli, why are you crying?" said Dino, full of astonishment. +"I don't know what you mean and I am sure you are imagining something. +You must be, for one often does." + +"No, I'm not, and there are people who can see it. You must not think +that I imagine something, Dino; otherwise I would not be so frightened +that I often cannot go to sleep for a long, long while. I have to think +and think all the time. I know that it will get worse and worse and +that I won't be able to cover it up in the end. Then there won't be +a single person in the world who does not hate me when he looks at me. +You, too, will hate me then, I know." + +"I swear to you right now that I shall not hate you, whatever should +appear," Dino exclaimed enthusiastically. "Just tell me for once and +all what you mean. Please do it, for I might be able to help you and +give you some advice. Just tell me, for you know now that I will remain +your friend in spite of everything that might turn up." + +Cornelli still hesitated. + +"But will you still be my friend later on, when everything is still +more changed and nobody else will be my friend?" she asked persistently. + +"Yes, I promise; and here is my hand!" said Dino, giving the little +girl a hearty handshake. "You can see that I really mean it, for what +one has promised that way, one can never take back. Now you can be +sure that I shall always be your friend." + +Cornelli's face lit up with joy. It was obviously a great comfort to +her to have a friend who would remain so for all time. + +"So now, I'll tell you what it is. But you must promise not to tell +anyone in the whole, wide world about it, as long as you live." + +Dino promised, giving his hand again for solemn assurance. + +"Look, here on both sides of my forehead," said Cornelli now, hesitating +a little and pushing the fringes of hair out of her face, "I have two +large bumps, they grow all the time and especially when I frown. I +have to make a cross face all the time, for I cannot be jolly any more +and can never laugh again. So the bumps keep on growing and in the end +they will be just like regular horns. Then everyone will hate me, for +nobody else has horns. I can do nothing now but hide them, but in the +end they will come through and then my hair won't hide them any more. +Then everybody can see it and people will despise me and children will +be sure to throw stones after me. Oh!" + +Cornelli again put her head on her arms and groaned in her great +trouble. Dino had listened, full of astonishment. He had never before +heard anything like that. + +"But, Cornelli," he said, "why do you frown all the time, if the bumps +grow when you do it? It would be so much better if you would think of +funny things and would try to laugh. If you always made a pleasant +face they would perhaps go away entirely." + +"I can't! I can't possibly do it," Cornelli lamented. "I know that I +make a horrid face and that I am so ugly that nobody wants to look at +me. Whenever anybody looks at me I have to make a cross face, for I +know that everybody thinks how horrid I look. I never can be happy any +more, because I have to think all the time about that terrible thing +on my head, and that it is getting worse. And I can't help it and can +do nothing. You don't know how it is. As long as I live I have to be +that way, and everybody will hate me. You could not laugh any more, +either, if you were like that." + +"You should try to think of quite different things and then you would +forget it. Later on it would probably seem quite different to you. You +keep on thinking about it all the time and so you believe in it more +and more. Get it out of your head, then it will be sure to get better," +said Dino, who could not quite understand it. "Come, I'll tell you a +story that will change your thoughts. Once upon a time there was an +old copper pan---See, you have laughed already!" + +"Oh, that will be a fine kind of story--about an old copper pan!" +Cornelli said. + +"It certainly is a fine story," Dino assured her; "just listen: She +had a step-brother who was a wash boiler--you see, you have laughed +again! That's the way! So they went together to Paris, where there was +a revolution." + +"What is a revolution?" Cornelli asked, quite thrilled. + +"See how the story interests you!" said Dino, thoroughly pleased. "You +have no more wrinkles on your forehead, because you are listening well. +Didn't I guess what you have to do? I'll go on now. You call it a +revolution when nobody wants to remain in their old places and +everything goes to pieces." + +"What do you mean by going to pieces? Do you mean it the way chairs +begin to go to pieces when the glue comes off and the legs get loose +and shaky?" + +"Just that way," Dino assented. "When all laws and orders begin to go +to pieces like chairs, when the glue is off and everything crashes and +tumbles down; do you understand?" + +"Yes. And what happened?" Cornelli wanted to know. + +The travellers liked that well," Dino continued, "for they were full +of discontented thoughts. The copper pan had thought for a long time +that she wanted to be something else. She was tired of cooking greasy +food and of all the time being full of soot at the bottom; she wanted +to be something better. The wash boiler had similar thoughts. He thought +he would be much better off as a nice tea kettle. He thought how nice +it would be to stand on a fine table, so he wanted to get away from +the laundry. + +"When they came to the revolution they joined in it, too. They became +quite famous making speeches, for they both could talk very well. The +wash boiler had learned it from the washer women, and the copper pan +from the cook. So they were both asked what they wanted to become. The +copper pan wanted to become an ice box; she wanted to sparkle outside +with fine wood and inside with splendid ice. The wash boiler wanted +to become a fine tea kettle and be able to stand on a finely laid-out +table. So they both became what they had wished. + +"But the copper pan, who had been used to the cosy fire, began to shake +and freeze when the ice filled her whole inside. Her teeth were +chattering while she looked about to see if she could discover a little +fire anywhere. But nobody ever brought any burning spark near her. She +suffered the bitterest hunger besides, because she had been used to +quite different nourishment from fat morsels roasting in her insides. +Now she had to swallow little lumps of ice and nothing else. She was +not a bit pleased with shining outside and in, for she had to think +all the time: how terrible it is to starve and freeze to death. + +"The tea kettle meanwhile was standing on a beautifully set table. +Many splendidly dressed young ladies and gentlemen were sitting around +him and drinking tea out of fine china cups, and eating from lovely +gold-rimmed plates. The tea kettle felt flattered and said to himself: +'Oh, now I can be anybody's equal.' But one of the ladies said: 'I can +smell tar soap and I think it comes from this tea kettle. I wonder +what that means?' Her neighbor laughed and said: 'I noticed it long +ago. I hope it has not been used for washing stockings.' So they looked +at the kettle and sniffed and turned up their noses with disdain. + +"The tea kettle lost his assurance, for he knew quite well that many +hundreds of stockings had been boiled inside of him. The poor thing +had never guessed that the smell of tar soap would stick to him in his +new shape. He felt very cramped and uncomfortable in the society he +was in, and was possessed with the thought of getting away and returning +to the place where he had been comfortable and had been held in high +esteem, for he had really been a first-rate boiler. + +"Then suddenly the revolution ceased. The lady of the house who owned +the ice box said: 'I do not want the horrible ice box any more, which +they have exchanged for my good old ice box. All the ice that comes +out of it tastes of onion soup.' The copper pan had always cooked this +soup better than any other. 'Lulu, throw it out to the old iron heap,' +said the lady. So Lulu, the butler, and Lala, the maid, took the ice +box and with terrible might threw her down on the scrap heap, where +old iron, bones and dirt lay in the back yard. + +"The ice box felt that all her limbs were giving way and that everything +was going to end badly. She lamented: 'Oh, if only I had not joined +the revolution! If I had only stayed at home by the cosy fire! Oh, if +only---' And with that she cracked completely. + +"On the same day the young lady on whose table the kettle was standing +said: 'Now I have had enough of this horrid tar-soap boiler. I want +a genuine tea kettle and not an imitation. Away with this thing!' So +the butler took the kettle and dashed him down to the heap of rubbish +in the yard. It was the same rubbish heap where his step-sister had +been thrown, and in his fall he broke his own and his step-sister's +last bones. Then he exclaimed in bitter pain: 'Oh, if only I had not +joined the revolution! Oh, if I were only home in the peaceful, steaming +laundry.' Then he was completely smashed by the old muskets that were +used in the revolution and that had been thrown down on top of him. +And this is the end of the story." + +"Yes, they were right. If only they had not joined the revolution!" +Cornelli said sympathetically. + +"Yes, and I am right, too," Dino cried triumphantly. "Just see how +much it helped you to forget your curious bump affair. You have no +more wrinkles on your forehead and you have pushed all your hair away. +You look entirely different; I hardly know you now." + +Cornelli in very truth had been so eager in listening to the story +that with one quick motion she had pushed the hanging curtains out of +her eyes. She had been anxious not to miss a word, and the hair had +bothered her very much. Her whole face had become bright and changed +during the thrilling tale. + +"Just look at yourself!" Dino encouraged her, taking a little mirror +from the wall and holding it in front of the little girl. + +"No, no, I do not want to see it!" she cried out. In the same moment +she had pulled her hair back again over her eyes, and on her forehead +appeared a lot of wrinkles. + +"Don't get so excited!" said Dino, putting back the mirror. "But I am +awfully glad to know a way to help you. I shall do it every day, but +you must promise to come regularly. I am sure you'll forget everything +else that worries you, and in the end you'll forget about it and so +be gay again." + +Cornelli shook her head. "No, you can't prevent it from getting worse," +she said, covering her forehead with more hair. However, she took +Dino's hand as a promise to come again, for she had enjoyed her visit +very much and was looking forward to repeating it. + +From that day on, Cornelli wandered over to Martha's little house as +she had always done. The old woman cried with joy when she heard the +child's merry laughter after all that time, for it had been a great +grief to her to see the bright child so terribly changed. She loved +to leave the children by themselves, for then they always seemed to +enjoy themselves best. From time to time she heard their happy laughter; +it thrilled her with joy, and she never wanted to interrupt it. She +had seen how Cornelli behaved when listening to one of Dino's stories; +the little girl was as eager as if she were experiencing it all herself. +In her burning zeal she would fling back her hair, her eyes would +sparkle as in days gone by, and a brightly laughing face would regard +the story teller. Everything else was forgotten for the time; but if +something reminded Cornelli of her own life and troubles, all sunshine +was suddenly gone from her face, her forehead clouded up, and the +horrible sticky hair was again hanging over her eyes. + +So Martha always tried to leave the children undisturbed. She had many +hopes for Cornelli on account of this daily intercourse with the +charming boy, whose clear brow was never troubled and who could so +quickly drive away the clouds from his friend's face. + +As soon as Cornelli left the little house and was approaching her own +garden, everything changed back to the old condition. Martha, looking +after the child, could always see the fearful looking hair that so +strangely disfigured the little girl's pretty face. Then she would +sigh deeply and would say to herself: It seems like a disease, but who +can help her? Oh, if our blessed lady had seen her child so terribly +disfigured! + +Cornelli was very much surprised when she found that Saturday evening +had come again, for the last two weeks had flown by very fast. + +She ran through the garden. Under the plum tree lay the last fully +ripened dark gold plums. Cornelli picked them up; they were really +splendid, but they had given her no pleasure that year. She took them +with her and put them on Martha's table. + +"Oh, what fine yellow plums! I am sure they taste as sweet as honey," +exclaimed Dino. "Are they from your garden? When the sun shines on +them in the morning, all the branches seem to sparkle with reddish +gold like a Christmas tree." + +"Yes, they are from the tree. Do you want to eat them?" asked Cornelli. + +"With pleasure. But you must eat some, too," said Dino. + +"No, I don't want to," Cornelli replied. "Just try whether they are +good. If you do not like them, you can leave them or give them to the +birds." + +"Oh, but there is nothing that tastes as sweet and splendid as these +golden plums!" cried Dino, while he was slowly eating one after another. + +"What a shame! I wish I had known how much you like them; you really +ought to have told me," Cornelli said. "There are none left on the +tree and they are the last that were lying on the grass. But very soon +we'll have the best juicy pears--they are perfectly delicious, I think, +even better--and then I'll bring you some every day." + +"Yes, it certainly would be great to have a pear feast with you every +day," said Dino, looking admiringly at the last reddish plum before +he ate it. "It is easy enough for you, Cornelli. You can stay right +here under the pear tree, but I have to go away. I'll have to spend +my time behind the school house walls, regretting all that I have +lost." + +"But you are not going away," said Cornelli with dismay. + +It had never occurred to her that this happy companionship could ever +end. + +"Yes, I have to. If I could, I would stay here much longer with our +good friend Martha. She is better than anybody I know except my mother, +and she takes care of me as if I were a silkworm." + +"Yes, and when you go, everything is over," said Cornelli, speaking +as if Dino were her enemy. Her eyes glowed at him from under her hair +and she seemed to be accusing him of some bitter wrong. She now turned +away, as if to say: Now I do not want to hear of anything more. But +Dino understood her sudden anger. + +"No, Cornelli," he said soothingly, "just the opposite will happen. +It is not over at all, because it has only just begun. I have planned +with Martha to-day that I shall come again next summer and the summer +after and every year after that, till we are both old and gray." + +But Cornelli only saw the immediate future before her and what was going +to happen now; she could not look so far ahead. + +"Yes, but it is so long till next year, that you are sure to forget +all about me a hundred times," she said crossly, as if she were chiding +her companion. + +"No, I won't do that," said Dino quietly. "I won't forget you once, +least of all a hundred times. I'll prove it to you, Cornelli. Let us +still have a good time together and enjoy the four remaining days that +I can stay here. Let us look forward, also, to the time when I shall +come again. Just think how much the kid will have grown by then! We +shall be able to drive together. I'll be the coachman and you'll be +the lady in the carriage. That will be splendid!" + +But Cornelli could no longer be really gay. She always saw the moment +before her when Dino had to say good-bye, and when all their fun would +be over. The morning really came fast enough when she had to take leave +of him in Martha's cottage. After Dino had driven away, Cornelli buried +her head in her arms and cried piteously. Martha, too, was heavy of +heart, and sat beside her, crying quietly. + +That same evening when dinner was done and Cornelli got up from table +to leave the room, the cousin said: "You have not said a single word +to-day, Cornelli. You seem to get worse instead of better! Ought your +father find you worse on coming home than when he left?" + +"Good-night," said Cornelli hoarsely, and left the room without once +looking up. + +"There is nothing to be done with her; you can see it for yourself, +Betty. You have thought that we could still produce a change for the +better," said Miss Dorner, after Cornelli had shut the door behind +her. "What have we accomplished with our best efforts? We have tried +hard enough for her father's sake. How terrible it will be for him to +live alone with her again! Instead of cheering his lonely life, she +will only cause him worry and trouble. And what a sight she is! Have +you ever seen an obstinacy equal to hers in all your life?" + +"No, never," replied the friend. "It actually seems as if all the +helpful words we have spoken had the opposite effect with her. Whenever +we told her how terrible she looked, the disfiguring hair fringes +always seemed to get worse. I should like to know what one could do +to break her stubborn will. Maybe great severity would do it or bringing +together Cornelli and other children; they might cure her by laughing +at her." + +"I do not believe so, for nothing seems to help," Miss Dorner concluded. +"My cousin himself, when he comes back, shall decide what to do with +her. But I know that one thing is certain: whatever will be done, she +will never be a joy to her father." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A NEW SORROW + + + +Autumn had come, and all the fruit trees in Mr. Hellmut's garden were +laden with gorgeous fruit. Bright red apples and golden pears were +shining through the green branches; dark blue plums, honey sweet, fell +here and there from the deeply weighted trees. Whoever passed the +garden had to stand still and look, full of wonder, at this great +abundance, and many a person was tempted to leap over the hedge and +get one of the golden pears as a prize. + +Cornelli, staring in front of her, was sitting on the bench under the +hazel nut tree. Matthew was just approaching from the stable; he wore +his best coat, and one could see that something special was going on. + +"Do you want to come with me, Cornelli?" he asked, walking over to the +bench where she was sitting. "I am just going to harness the horses. +Your father is coming at eleven o'clock and I am going to drive down +to the lake to meet him. Come with me! Our brown fellows will be sure +to trot well, for they have had a long rest. Come along! It will be +fun, I know." + +Cornelli shook her head. + +"No?" said Matthew with disappointment. "I was sure you would not let +slip a chance of driving gaily out into the bright morning to meet +your father. Shall I get you down some pears? No pears, either?" Matthew +went away, shaking his head. "If our master only had half a dozen boys +and as many girls, how nice it would be here on the place. Then such +splendid pears would not be hanging sad and forgotten on the trees." +Then he added, in a murmur: "Not even to care about driving with such +horses!" + +Soon afterwards, Mr. Maelinger arrived, for it was time for Cornelli's +lessons. Most of the time the teacher sat beside his pupil shaking his +head. He really needed all his patience to endure the total indifference +she showed in all her tasks. To-day it was again the same. + +The two hours passed, and the carriage which was bringing home her +father had just driven up in front of the house. Mr. Maelinger Was +filled with astonishment, for his pupil, instead of jumping up happily +and running away to greet her father, looked shyly through the window +and did not budge. + +"You can go, Cornelli; your father is here! We have finished our work," +he said, and with these words departed. + +Cornelli' had heard her father coming into the house and had heard the +ladies' joyful words of welcome. She crushed a tear that had begun to +trickle down her cheek and went over to the room where her father had +just entered. + +"How are you, child? Have you come at last?" the father called gaily +to her. "But how strange you look, Cornelli!" he went on with a changed +voice. "What is it?" Cornelli had silently given him her hand and was +shyly looking down. + +"What has happened to you? How odd you look! I hardly know you any +more! Push away all that gypsy-like hair from your face! Why don't you +look at me pleasantly? Why do you keep looking away? For months I have +been looking forward to this home-coming to my little daughter, who, +I had hoped, would have gained much. So this is the way I am to find +you, Cornelli" + +Full of sorrow and anger, the father was gazing at the little girl. +She had turned away and had not said a word. Her face, half hidden by +the horrible hair strands, seemed to be covered by a gray cloud which +threatened to break out in a violent rain. + +"We shall talk it all over later, Frederick," said the cousin. "Let +us first enjoy and celebrate the happy hour of your return and let us +keep all troublesome thoughts away." With these words, Miss Dorner led +her cousin to the dining room, where the table was festively set with +all the good dishes Esther knew were her master's favorites. + +The Director's thoughts, however, were so troubled that even the festive +meal could not dispel them. He barely touched the food that was offered, +for he could not take his eyes off his only child. She sat in front +of him with bowed head, and only now and then looked up at him, quite +shyly. The meal did not go through in a very festive spirit. It was +noticeable that Mr. Hellmut had to force himself to the few words he +spoke. His thoughts were elsewhere and were of a very disturbing nature. +He got up from the table, as soon as possible, and hurried away. + +"He is going over to the works," said Miss Dorner to her friend, +following him with her eyes. Cornelli, too, had left the room as soon +as her father had gone. "I think it has upset him more than I thought +it would. He has to give vent to his excitement a little, and I hope +that seeing the workmen over there will help him to get over his +impression. I hope he will hear there many new and pleasant things--of +much work and good business. It is hard for him to carry on his endless +work for the sake of such a child, don't you think so? But it can't +be changed." + +After a while the Director came back again. He did not look much soothed +or pleasantly surprised by what he had just heard. The ladies now sat +down again to drink a cup of coffee with him. + +"They have spoiled many things for me over there," said the Director, +sitting down beside them. "Even if it should mean considerable loss, +I can bear it, but I cannot stand the way Cornelli has changed. What +a frightful sight she is, and how dumb and stupid she has grown. She +did not show the slightest sign of pleasure at my coming and has not +said a single word since then. She has hardly even looked at me and +only sits there as if her existence were a real misfortune--I cannot +stand it. What has happened to the child?" In his excitement Mr. Hellmut +jumped up and paced about the room. + +"Nothing has happened to the child; at least, we know of nothing, do +we, Betty?" said Miss Dorner. "We have both tried to teach her good +manners, for we found that she lacked them sadly. We did it chiefly +on your account. Sorry as I am to say it, Frederick, I have to tell +you that the child's disposition is so terribly obstinate one can +hardly do anything with her. The more we fought against it and tried +to bring her on the right path, the worse it got and the more she would +insist on having her way. + +"What have we not said against this terrible disfigurement! And all +for nothing! The more we said, the more Cornelli would pull her hair +into her eyes. So I gave it up, for I saw that only physical punishment +would help in such a case and I wanted to leave that to you; I did not +come into your house for that. I do not even dare to decide if that +would help. I have really never in all my life seen such a stubborn +child. I shall certainly admire anybody who can bring her to rights." + +The director had marched up and down the room with restless steps. Now +he suddenly stood still. + +"But good gracious!" he exclaimed, "there must certainly be a way to +help a child of ten years. Are there no means except chastisement to +bring up a young creature like her? What an abominable thought! I will +not believe such a thing! Can you give me no advice? What could I do? +Ladies surely know how to educate a little girl. Something simply has +to be done right away. I am to blame for my neglect and for leaving +her too long in the wrong hands. Oh, what would my Cornelia say if she +could see her child?" Mr. Hellmut threw himself down in his chair and +put his hands before his face. + +"Please calm yourself, Frederick! It is not your fault at all, for you +can't fight against her disposition," the cousin said soothingly. "We +have thought of a way of helping the child. You might send her to a +boarding school in town where there are a great many children and young +girls. Children often help each other by rubbing up against one another +and by noticing each other's faults and mistakes." + +"Do you think that this might help Cornelli?" asked the father +doubtfully. "Cornelli is not used to being rubbed against and laughed +at." + +"For that reason it would make a still deeper impression on her," +answered the cousin. "You can believe me when I say that this may be +the only means to break her obstinacy, and I am not sure that even +this will help. If such a school can't break her will, nobody on earth +can reform her; you can believe me, Frederick." + +"She is still very young to be sent away from home," said the father, +full of pity. "But I fear that you are right. She could not get better +here, only worse, and so it will probably have to be. Do you know of +a boarding school you could recommend?" + +The cousin answered that she knew of one, and offered to take the +necessary steps as soon as she was again at home. Miss Dorner hoped +in vain that her cousin's humor would change and that he would become +again the merry and sociable companion of old days. He tried with all +his might to be entertaining when they met at table; but he always had +to glance at his little girl, who sat at her place dumb and seemingly +afraid even to glance about her. A deep shadow always came across his +features, and one could see that it was hard for him to mingle in the +general conversation. + +Miss Dorner at last had enough of his unfriendly attitude. As a last +means to break it and to shake him up a little, she said to him on the +third day after his arrival: "It seems to me, Frederick, that you are +too much occupied even to remember your duties as a host. We are +thinking of going back to town. Are you willing?" + +"I understand your decision absolutely," Mr. Hellmut answered politely. +"You are right in telling me that I am the most unpleasant host that +could be found, but I hope you understand that the change in Cornelli +has spoiled everything for me and has only filled me with the thought +of how to help her. I hope very much that you will visit my house again +at a pleasanter time. You can order the carriage whenever you want it." + +The cousin had not expected this answer. "You go entirely too far, +Frederick," she said angrily. "How can a man sacrifice everything and +change all his ideas for the sake of such a child?" + +"You seem to forget that it is my Cornelia's and my only child," +answered the Director. "But we shall not talk about it any more, because +we could not understand each other. I am so grateful for your goodwill +that I do not want to cause you any anger at the end." + +Two days later the carriage stood before the door. Both ladies stepped +in and Mina stepped in after them. The latter had known so well how +to make herself liked by them that they were taking her to town, for +Mina had wished to become a maid in the city to get away from country +people. One of the ladies was to take her as chambermaid, but it had +not been settled yet which of them would do so. + +Esther was terribly indignant because Mina was leaving a good house +for no reason whatsoever. Since Esther had been managing in the +Director's home she had always felt the honor of the house to be her +own. Full of resentment, she was standing behind her master, who was +shaking hands as a last farewell. + +Miss Mina was looking towards the other side, where Cornelli stood: +"Won't you even give me your hand? This is not very friendly of you. +That is just the way you are," she said to the child in a low voice. + +Now Esther broke forth: "Miss Mina," she called out as loudly as she +could, "please be so kind as to tell the ladies on the trip who left +the dusty marks on the sofa by standing on it. They were not from a +child's shoe." + +Mina blushed a deep scarlet and Miss Dorner, full of astonishment, +looked at her glowing face. She expected a fitting retort, but none +came. + +"Go ahead, Matthew," Miss Dorner ordered excitedly. She did not desire +a further explanation. + +Mr. Hellmut had moved away. + +Cornelli now took Esther's broad hand inside both her own and pressed +it hard. A ray of joy flitted over her features, the first after a +long, long time. "Oh, I am so glad that you said that, Esther; I am +more glad than you can think," she said eagerly. "If you had not said +that, they would have thought all their lives that I had done it and +denied it. But how does Mina know who did it?" + +"She knows, because she did it herself," Esther replied. + +"Oh, oh! So she did it with her own feet," Cornelli exclaimed. "It is +better that she has gone then. We'd rather be left alone here, wouldn't +we, Esther, just you and I?" + +"Yes, indeed," said the cook, full of satisfaction. "Just tell your +father that I do not mind double work, but that I do mind deceitful +ways." + +Cornelli had not spoken to her father since he had come back. She was +shy before him, because she realized that the sight of her displeased +him. She was, however, quite sure that she could never change and +always had to be like that. She was also certain that he would only +abhor her more if he ever found out what was hidden under her locks +of hair. She therefore went slowly and hesitatingly towards his room +in order to give him Esther's message. In former times she had always +run to him gaily, whenever she had something to tell him. Since then +things had changed. + +"It will never again be that way," she said to herself. The thought +seemed to weigh so heavily on her that she suddenly stood still. At +that moment her father opened the door in front of which she stood. +"Oh, here you are, Cornelli," he said delightedly. "Did you want to +pay me a little visit? We have really hardly seen each other. Come in +here! I was just going to get you, for I want to speak with you." + +Cornelli entered, not saying a word and avoiding her father's glance. + +"Come, Cornelli," he said, leading her through the room and sitting +down beside her. "I have something to tell you that will make you very +happy. You have changed so much during my absence and so little to +your advantage that something has to be done for your education. It +is high time. I shall take you to a boarding school in town, where you +can be with many other children and young girls. You will have the +chance to learn many things from them and to make friends with many. +You will be sure to change there, then you can return to bring your +father joy. I cannot enjoy you now, for I do not know what ails you. +It may be better after you get some education. I expect to take you +away next week." + +Cornelli's face became snow white from sudden terror. First she uttered +no sound, but soon she burst into violent tears. + +"Oh, Papa," she sobbed, "leave me at home! I'll be good. Oh, don't +send me to town to so many children! Oh, I can't, I can't. Oh, Papa, +don't send me away!" + +Mr. Hellmut could not bear to see Cornelli's tears and still less to +hear her supplications. "But for her own good it has to be," he said +to himself to strengthen his resolution. Cornelli's lamentations were +too much for him and he rushed away. + +Several hours later, the time had come for supper and he returned from +the iron foundry. + +Esther came to meet him: "Oh, I am glad that you have come, Director," +she said excitedly. "When I went up to Cornelli just now she was crying. +I wanted her to taste some of the little plum cakes she usually likes +so much, but the poor child only shrieked: 'Oh, leave me here, leave +me here!' Oh, Mr. Hellmut, what if Cornelli should get sick and die?" + +"Nonsense, Esther," he returned; "children do not die from obstinacy." + +The master of the house had tried to speak harshly, but he did not +quite succeed. He ran straight upstairs to Cornelli's room and saw the +child on her knees in front of the bed. Her head was pressed into the +pillows and she cried as if her heart was breaking. + +"Oh, don't send me away, don't send me away!" she cried as soon as he +entered. + +He saw that Cornelli was trembling all over from fear and excitement. +"I cannot endure this," he said to himself, and seizing his hat ran +out of the house. + +Martha was sitting in her peaceful little chamber, busy with her mending +and thinking about Cornelli. She was wondering what would happen now +that she was again left alone with her father. She wondered if the old +days would come back, or if something new was going to be done for +Cornelli's education. The door was suddenly flung open and Mr. Hellmut +entered. + +"Oh, Martha, I do not know what to do," he said to her in a perturbed +manner. "You simply have to help me. You knew my wife and you know my +child and love her; and besides, she is attached to you. Tell me what +has come over her. Since when has she been so frightfully stubborn? +Was the child always that way, or has she only grown more stubborn +lately? Have you noticed how she has changed in my absence?" + +"There is nothing so very much the matter with Cornelli, Mr. Hellmut. +Cornelli is not an ill-natured child, I am sure of that. But won't you +take a seat, Director? "Martha interrupted her speech, placing a chair +now here and now there for her visitor, who was running excitedly to +and fro. But he refused, for he was too restless to settle down. + +"It was really a very abrupt and sudden change for the child, and it +was hard for her to have everything so different all at once," Martha +said. "Even an older child might have become shy under those conditions, +and Cornelli is still very young. It is hard for a small plant to have +too much done for it all at once and too suddenly; it has to have time +to develop, and the better the plant the more carefully it should be +tended." + +"I hope you are not trying to insinuate that it was not good for +Cornelli to at last get into the right hands," said Mr. Hellmut, +standing still in the middle of the room. "I have to reckon it as a +great blessing that she was thrown with ladies of culture and +refinement, who could awaken in her everything that was good, noble +and fine, and could teach her many things. My Cornelia would have done +this herself, above all others, for she was in all those things the +most striking example. The child has not a trace of her, not even in +her looks; everything is lost that used to remind me of her." + +"Oh, Mr. Hellmut, if I might be allowed to say anything else, I would +only add one word," Martha replied calmly. "I have always found that +a little love goes further than many good rules. I know that a young +child can be frightened by harsh words more than grown-up people +realize. Afterwards they cannot understand the cause of the shy behavior +which is the result. Cornelli has not lost her mother's eyes, only one +cannot see them under her hanging fringes." + +"Yes, that's it, Martha, this horrible disfigurement, this obstinacy +which holds fast to it all. The shy, spiritless manner, the absolutely +changed ways of the child hurt and worry me so. It takes away all my +joy and all my courage and paralyzes all hope for the future. It has +absolutely spoiled my life." + +The visitor had gotten more and more stirred up as he went on. "So I +shall help her in the only way I know of: I shall send her to a boarding +school. I just told her about it and she acted as if she were absolutely +desperate. I simply cannot look upon her terrible despair. I actually +feel as if my Cornelia could have no peace in Heaven if she heard her +child's supplications." + +"Oh, Director, if you could only keep Cornelli at home for a little +while, so that she could calm down," Martha said humbly. "Cornelli has +had to go through so many new experiences lately that it would be good +for her to stay quietly at home for a while. In the meantime you could +get her more accustomed to the idea of leaving home, so that it would +not scare her so dreadfully. I promise to do all I can too, Mr. Hellmut. +I will tell her pleasant things about the school and the nice children +that she might meet there." + +"That is a fine idea, Martha," Mr. Hellmut said, a little more calmly. +"Please do all you possibly can to make the idea pleasant and desirable +to the child. Do not forget, Martha, that you are my only help." + +After these words Mr. Hellmut went away. + +"Oh, the good kind Director!" said Martha, following him with her eyes. +"What help can old, stupid Martha be to him, I wonder. But I shall +certainly do whatever I can." + +Arrived at home, Mr. Hellmut went straight up to Cornelli's room. She +was still kneeling at her bed in the same attitude, and still crying +bitterly. + +"Get up, Cornelli, and stop crying," he said. "I meant well with you, +but you did not understand me. You shall stay at home for the present; +later on you may feel differently about it. You can go to Martha +to-morrow. Listen well to her words, for she is your best friend." + +Cornelli could not have heard a more consoling word. It sounded so +hopeful after all the horrible news about going away. + +"Can't I go to Martha right away?" she said longingly. + +"Yes, you can, Cornelli," replied her father, "but you have not eaten +anything yet." + +"That does not matter," said Cornelli, already running down the stairs. + +At last Cornelli was running again. She flew quickly up the little +stairs and into Martha's room. + +"I have to go away, Martha, but not right away. Papa says that I have +to go," the child called out on entering. "Papa told me to come to +you; I think it was because I cried all the time and he wanted me to +stop. But I won't stop, unless you promise to help me to stay at home. +I do not want to go to all the strange children. I couldn't stand it; +oh, no, I couldn't! Oh, it would be dreadful. Please help me, Martha, +help me!" The terrible fear in Cornelli's voice and the sight of her +swollen eyes went straight to Martha's heart. + +"Come and sit down on your little stool the way you used to in the old +times, Cornelli," she said lovingly, "and I'll tell you something that +will help and console you. It has helped me, too, and still does when +trouble comes. You see, Cornelli, I once had to go through a terrible +sorrow just as great as yours is to-day. I had to give a child I loved +back to God. So I cried, as loudly as you are crying and even louder: +'No, I can't do it, I can't!' The more I fought against it, the more +terrible I felt, till in the end I even thought I should despair. So +I cried out in my heart: 'Can nobody help me?' And then I suddenly +knew who could do it. I knelt down and prayed to God: 'Oh, give me +help, for thou alone canst do it!'" + +"Can I stay here if I pray like that, Martha? Will God help me right +away?" asked Cornelli eagerly. + +"Yes, He will surely help you the way He knows is best for you, +Cornelli. If it should be good for you to go away and you ask your +Father in Heaven for help, He will bless your life away from home, so +that it won't be as hard as you have feared. If you pray to Him, you +will get the firm assurance that nothing will be hard for you, because +you have His help in everything you do. God is sure to ordain everything +in such a wise way that happiness will come to you in the end." + +"Did you have to give Him your child after all?" Cornelli wanted to +know. + +"Yes, God took it to Himself," Martha answered. + +"And could you get happy again, Martha?" + +"Yes, yes. The pain was very great, but I was consoled by the thought +of my child's peace. I knew how many ills he had been spared. God gave +me the assurance that He meant well with both of us. With that thought +I could grow happy again." + +"I want to go home, now," said Cornelli, suddenly getting up. It seemed +as if something were drawing her away. + +"Yes, go now, child, and think of what I told you!" said Martha, +accompanying her. + +"Yes, I will," said Cornelli. She ran home quickly, because the desire +to get to her room was urging her on. + +Cornelli had never prayed so earnestly and heartily as she did that +day. Kneeling beside her bed, she confided all her sorrow to her Father +in Heaven, and begged Him to make her happy once more. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A MOTHER + + + +When Mr. Hellmut sat down to his coffee in the morning he always found +letters and newspapers on the breakfast table. + +"Good gracious!" he exclaimed on the morning after the ladies' +departure, "what correspondents have you in town, Cornelli? Here is +a letter for you." + +Cornelli, looking up from her cup, glanced incredulously at the letter. + +"It is really for you. Listen! Miss Cornelli Hellmut, Iller-Stream, +Iron Foundry," the father read. "Here it is!" + +Cornelli opened the letter under great suspense and read: + +DEAR CORNELLI: + +Only think! I am ill and have to lie in bed. The doctor has forbidden +me to read and write, so this letter will be very short. It is very +tiresome to be sick, for my sisters are in school all day. Mama always +has a lot to attend to and Mux is still a very useless little fellow. +Could you not come here and pay me a little visit? I should love to +see you and should enjoy hearing all about Iller-Stream. You could +tell me all about good old Martha, whom I love nearly as much as a +grandmother, about your little kid and Matthew, the horses and +everything else, and especially about yourself. I always had such a +good time with you that I should be terribly pleased if you came to +visit me. Please come very, very soon! Your faithful friend, + +DINO. + +When Cornelli was folding up the letter again, her father said: "Can +I read it, too?" + +Cornelli promptly handed him her letter. + +"What friend is this that wants you to come to visit him?" the father +asked with astonishment. "I expect you to cry immediately, though, for +you might have to go to town." + +"Oh, no, Papa, I really would love to see him," said Cornelli. "It is +Dino, who stayed with Martha this summer." + +The father put down his spoon from pure surprise and looked wonderingly +at his daughter. + +"How strange you are, Cornelli!" he said finally. "Now you suddenly +want to visit a strange family. You only know this boy and you do not +hesitate about it and are not even shy about appearing in your present +condition." + +"Dino knows me well and knows that I would come to see him alone. He +will arrange everything for me so that I won't have to see his mother +or his sisters. He knows everything," was Cornelli's explanation. + +"That has no sense at all," the father said curtly, and gathering up +his papers he went away. + +Soon afterwards he entered Martha's little house. + +"Here I am again. I wonder what you will say to me?" he called to the +surprised old woman. "Here is a letter with an invitation which came +for Cornelli to-day. It is from a boy who stayed with you. Who is he? +Who are his parents?" + +This question made Martha fairly overflow with praises of the boy. She +told Mr. Hellmut that she had never known a boy who was so polite and +friendly to simple folks as this boy had been; he had been well brought +up, had the most refined and charming manners, and was well educated, +and at the same time so simple and childishly devoted to old, plain +Martha. She had never read letters like the mother's letter to her +son, so beautiful, affectionate and elevating. He had always read them +to her, and she had had to cry every time from sheer emotion. She had +never before seen as beautiful linen as the boy had worn, and it had +all been his two sisters' work. + +"Martha," the Director finally interrupted her, "according to your +account, it would be a great blessing for my daughter to spend even +a day in such a family." + +"If you would really take her there, Director, I certainly would be +happy--ah! I would not know a greater happiness." + +Martha had to wipe her eyes, she was so stirred. + +"You shall know it, Martha. We'll go tomorrow, and on the same evening +you shall hear an account of all that happened." With these words the +Director seized her hand, and after shaking it heartily, departed. + +"Get everything ready, Cornelli! We are going to town to-morrow, "he +called to his daughter, who sat on the garden bench quietly thinking. +"Esther shall call you early, at six o'clock." + +"Indeed, I shall," came Esther's voice through some open window. She +was a good sentinel, for she always seemed to know what was going on +in the house and its immediate neighborhood. + +Early next morning the two shiny brown horses were trotting down the +valley. They had to go for four full hours, but that seemed a pure +pleasure to them; the longer they ran, the more spirit they seemed to +get, and Matthew had to keep them from galloping all the time. + +In her corner Cornelli meditated as to how she could tell the maid at +her arrival that she wanted to visit no one but Dino, and wanted to +be taken straight to his room. She planned also to forbid Dino to call +his sisters and his mother, for she wanted to see him alone. She would +pay Dino a long visit and then steal quietly away without being noticed. +She was also reflecting about everything she wanted to tell her friend. +First of all, she had to tell him that the news had at last come out +regarding who had been standing on the sofa. She had told him all about +this deep grief she had borne for so long. + +So they came to town much sooner than Cornelli had ever thought +possible. The carriage was already halting before the hotel where her +father usually stopped, and Cornelli jumped down. + +"Shall I come back again in four hours, Papa?" she asked. "I can find +my way alone, for Dino has described it to me." + +"Stop, stop! That is not the way; I am coming, too," the father said. + +Cornelli was quite sorry not to be able to start off alone, for that +had been her plan. Now everything was quite different. + +As Dino had written his exact address in his letter and the Director +knew his way about town very well, they passed quickly from street to +street till they reached a narrow little lane. Here stood the house +they had been seeking. When finally four high stairs had been climbed, +the Director stood on the highest narrow step where the door took up +half of the standing room. + +"If the inhabitants correspond to their dwelling place," we shall +probably not remain here very long," he said, looking up doubtfully +at the inconvenient entrance. + +"Dino does not correspond," said Cornelli quickly. She had not quite +understood her father's words, but felt them to be an attack on her +friend. + +"Climb up there, Cornelli, and pull the bell-rope!" he commanded. "When +the door is open I'll probably find room to stand there, too." + +Cornelli obeyed. A slender girl a good deal taller than Cornelli opened +the door and looked with surprise at the new arrivals through a pair +of dark and serious eyes. Cornelli retreated suddenly. + +"Well, what I see is not very dreadful," the Director said, stepping +forward. + +"How do you do, child. Is your mother at home, and can I speak to her +a moment?" + +The girl who had opened the door was Nika. With great politeness she +led the gentleman to a room and informed him that she would go at once +to fetch her mother, who was with her sick brother. + +Upon her polite invitation the Director followed her, and settled down +in an arm-chair. He looked about him with astonishment at the small +but scrupulously neat room, which was decorated with several charming +pictures. + +When Nika neared the door, Cornelli said to her in a low voice: "I +want to visit Dino." + +"Come, I'll show you the way," came a small voice from behind the door. +It was Mux, who had quickly hidden there to peep with curious eyes at +the new arrivals. He came out and seizing Cornelli's hand, pulled her +away with him. The mother had heard the stranger's voice and at this +moment entered from an adjoining chamber. + +"She does not correspond, either, as Cornelli puts it," the Director +said to himself with a smile. He rose and introduced himself. "Following +your son's summons, Mrs. Halm, I have brought you my daughter," he +said. "She can stay a few hours with her sick friend, if that suits +you, and then she can join me again at my hotel." + +"I am so much obliged to you for the great favor of bringing her. My +son has looked forward so much to this visit. We all know and love +Cornelli already from what he has told us about her. She has been so +kind to him and has entertained him so well when he was alone in +Iller-Stream that she has earned his and my sincere thanks. Could I +not beg of you to leave Cornelli here for a few days, or at least for +all of to-day?" + +"You are very kind, Mrs. Halm," he replied, quite astonished to hear +that his shy, unfriendly child should have furnished the boy any +entertainment. "Those are just polite words," he said to himself, but +aloud he added: "I am afraid that it won't be possible, for my child +would not stay. She is very shy and has all kinds of peculiar habits, +as you probably have noticed from her looks. Your daughter certainly +looks different." + +"I shall not keep Cornelli here against her will, of course, but may +I hope to have your permission if the child should want to stay?" + +The rector's widow had such a pleasing manner that it was hard to +refuse her anything. The Director therefore gladly assented, for it +was his wish as well as hers. + +"Certainly, Mrs. Halm, I shall joyfully give it," he assured her. "What +could please me more than to have my daughter in surroundings like +these? But I am perfectly certain that Cornelli will desire to go back +with me. Just the same, I want to thank you sincerely for your great +kindness; it will help her to spend even a single day in your charming +household." + +The Director said farewell and departed. At the entrance door down +stairs a school girl, carrying her schoolbag and books, ran towards +him so violently that a collision could not be avoided, so the Director +opened his arms wide and caught Agnes in them. Agnes always approached +everything like a wind storm. She could not behave otherwise. The +Director laughed heartily and so did Agnes. + +"I am sure you belong to Mrs. Halm, too," he said, looking with pleasure +at the lively face with the wide-open, bright eyes. How nice and trim +everything was about her! + +"Yes, indeed," she replied quickly, and ran away. + +"What a happy mother, what a happy woman!" said the Director to himself. +"And to compare my child to such children. I cannot bear it! Such +children, and mine beside them!" + +Dino had told his mother about his experiences in Iller-Stream and +especially of his acquaintance with Cornelli. He had also related to +her the child's strange trouble, but she had had to give her promise +to keep it to herself. It did not seem wrong to Dino to tell his mother, +because she always knew everything he knew. When the invitation had +been sent to Cornelli, Mrs. Halm had seriously told the children not +to make any remarks about Cornelli's hair in case she should come. She +had told them not to show any surprise if Cornelli wore her hair in +a rather strange fashion and not to notice it further; that was the +way the mother wished it to be. + +Little Mux was very much pleased at having a new companion. He looked +upon her as an old acquaintance, for Dino had talked so much about +her. First he took her to see the kitchen. + +"But I am sure Dino does not sleep here," said Cornelli, surprised. + +"No, this is the kitchen; there are no beds here," Mux asserted. "But +I shall show you first why Agnes cried one whole hour to-day, or perhaps +it was two." And Mux led his new friend to a whole pile of apple peels +which lay in a bucket. "Isn't Agnes stupid to cry when we get good +apple tarts afterwards." + +"But why did she cry?" asked Cornelli, full of sympathy. She knew +exactly what it was like when one simply had to cry. + +"We don't know," retorted Mux. + +"But why does the maid not peel the apples?" asked Cornelli again. + +"There is no maid, except block-headed Trina," Mux informed her. + +"Who is block-headed Trina?" Cornelli wanted to know. + +"She has to help; she is small and fat," Mux described her. "Mama has +to show her how to cook, and she has to fetch what we need and always +brings the wrong thing. So Dino says: 'We really must send block-headed +Trina away.' And then Mama says: 'Trina has to live, too.' And then +she is not sent away after all." + +Cornelli had great sympathy for Agnes, who apparently had a secret +trouble like her own; she did not have to be afraid of her, as she was +of the proud sister who had received her. + +"I am sure, Mux, that your other sister never cries. Are you not afraid +of her?" asked Cornelli. + +"Not the least little bit," replied the little boy. "She often makes +a face, though, as if she wanted to cry and a thousand, thousand times +she begins to when nobody knows why. I don't know why, either, for she +doesn't tell me." + +Immediately Cornelli's great shyness of Nika changed into great pity. +If Nika could not even talk about her sorrow, she might have the deepest +sorrow of all. + +"Now we shall go to Dino," she said, hurrying to the door which the +little boy had pointed out to her. + +"But wait! I shall first show you our big picture book. You'll love +it," Mux assured her. "There is something in it that looks just like +you; it is an owl that has rags over its eyes like you. But you must +not talk about it, because Mama has forbidden it." + +"No, no, I don't want to see the book. Please take me to Dino now," +Cornelli urged. + +Mux pulled Cornelli away from the kitchen at last and, not far from +there, opened a door. + +"Are you coming at last, Cornelli?" Dino cried to her. He was sitting +up in bed. He glanced happily at his approaching friend, and Cornelli, +too, felt deep joy at seeing him again. The hours she had spent with +him had been the only happy ones she had had all summer. Quickly sitting +down by his bed, she began to relate to him everything that had happened +in Iller-Stream since his departure. Dino asked many questions that +Cornelli had to answer, and the time went by they knew not how. + +Mux had disappeared. As long as he could not have his new friend's +whole attention, he preferred to find out what was being prepared for +dinner in the kitchen. + +Now the mother entered the room. + +"I have hardly seen you yet, dear child," she said, taking Cornelli's +hand, "but I thought I would leave you and Dino undisturbed for a +little while. You must have many things to talk over about your +experiences and friends in Iller-Stream. Dino has looked forward so +much to your visit. Please come to lunch now. Dino has to sleep a +little while afterwards, and then you can go back to him again, if you +wish." + +A difficult moment had now come for Cornelli. She had secretly hoped +that she would be able to spend all day alone with Dino, and that +nobody else would notice her. Now she had to sit at table with Dino's +mother and sisters. Mux, however, was her consolation; he seemed so +confiding and so friendly. She had felt immediately to her great +discomfort how different and how horrible she looked in comparison +with these charming children. When she had stood in front of Nika, who +was so very pretty, she felt sure that the elder girl must be filled +with disgust at the sight of her, even if she did not show it. Mux had +seen her peculiarity immediately and had remarked upon it. And now +Agnes would be there, too. + +That Agnes, as well as the proud-looking Nika, had a secret sorrow +made Cornelli feel as if there were a bond between them. This gave her +a little courage to follow Dino's mother, who was waiting in the +doorway. When Cornelli entered Agnes was standing, full of expectation, +in the middle of the room. Going up to the visitor, she shook her hand. + +"I am so glad you came, Cornelli," she said with animation. "Dino has +talked so much about you that we, too, wanted to meet you." + +"I want to sit beside you," said Mux, dragging his chair to Cornelli's +side. + +"Just stay where you are! That is my seat," Agnes cut him short. She +could not be misunderstood, for she pushed back the chair and Mux quite +vigorously. + +The mother had again gone out to the kitchen, so he could not get her +help, which made him very angry. + +"Yes, yes, you always want to order everybody around all the time," +he cried out furiously, "and you even broke somebody on the wheel, +once." + +Now the mother entered. + +"Oh, Mama, Mux is saying such frightful things. Shouldn't he go to +bed?" Agnes called to her. + +Mux was just gathering up his strength to fight against this proposed +punishment, when the mother cut short their quarrel. + +"No, no," she said kindly. "To-day Cornelli is here for the first time +and it is a feast day for us. Mux shall not go to bed, but he must sit +down quietly in his chair and say grace; then all will be well." + +Mux was soon calmed by the soothing words and the good soup's delicious +odor which penetrated his nostrils. So he said grace in quite a +tolerable manner. Cornelli had been very much touched by his desire +to sit beside her. She was anxious to do him a favor, too, and she +tried to think of something that might please him. + +Directly after lunch Nika and Agnes had to hurry off to school again +and the mother had to supervise Trina's work, so Mux was entrusted +with the task of entertaining Cornelli for a little while. That suited +him exactly. + +"Now, I'll show you that Agnes has really broken a man on the wheel," +he said triumphantly. + +"But I don't believe it, Mux. And why should the man have held still?" +asked Cornelli. + +"You can read it here. See, it is written there!" said Mux, placing +his picture book on Cornelli's lap and pointing to a splendid colored +picture. "Read what is written here," he directed. "Dino once read it +aloud to me and then I knew it." + +Cornelli read aloud: "Agnes orders Rudolph von Warth to be bound to +the wheel." + +"Now you see it," Mux said complacently. + +Cornelli did not quite know what the picture was supposed to mean, so +she began to read the story that explained it. She read more eagerly +each instant, for it was described so vividly that she had to consume +one page after another. + +"Now you know it," said Mux a little impatiently. "Now look at the goat +wagon." + +"But Mux," Cornelli said eagerly, "it is quite a different Agnes, it +is a queen. You must never think any more that your sister has done +such a dreadful thing." + +"Oh, but look at the goat wagon, now," begged Mux, a little +disappointed. + +"Why is the child here crying on the road? Just look how he is pressing +his hands up to his eyes! Oh, he is so unhappy! Do you know why?" + +Mux shook his head. + +"Then I have to read it quickly," said Cornelli. She became so absorbed +in the story that she did not notice how Mux was pulling her and urging +her to stop reading; he even shook the book. + +The mother came into the room now and said: "Dino has shortened his +rest a little, for he is longing to see you again, Cornelli. Will you +come?" + +Cornelli immediately shut the book, for she was extremely glad to go +to her friend. She felt some regret, however, at having to leave the +story unfinished; she would have loved to know what happened further. + +"So you like the book? It was the joy of all my children from the +oldest to the youngest," said the mother. Cornelli's regretful glance +at it had not escaped her. "You can look at it again later on, for we +still have lots of time." + +But Cornelli had to talk over so many things with Dino that the time +had passed before they had thought it possible, and it was not long +before Mux came running with the message that supper was ready. The +meal had to be early because Cornelli had to leave immediately after +it. + +"Oh, what a shame!" said Cornelli, jumping up because she knew her +father did not like to wait. + +"Bring mother here, Mux," said Dino, and the little one departed. +"Wouldn't you like to stay with us a few days, Cornelli? It would be +so nice. Wouldn't you like to? Oh, I think you would!" said Dino +eagerly. + +Cornelli had quite a strange sensation. She hardly dared to say yes; +it seemed so incredible to her that everybody in the house should be +so friendly to her and really want her to stay. But that probably would +not last if she remained and they got to know her better. Soon the +mother came in with Mux. The little boy had heard Dino's last words +to Cornelli and had already announced to his mother that Cornelli was +sure to stay, because Dino would not let her go. + +"Oh, I am so glad that you have settled it all between you! I am so +pleased that you are going to stay, Cornelli," she said, full of joy. +"I was just going to propose it to you, and I am so glad that Dino has +persuaded you. Your father has already given me his permission and all +I have to do is to let him know right away. Now you can stay quietly +together, for there is no hurry about supper." + +The mother immediately wrote to Mr. Hellmut, and soon after that, fat +little Trina was running over to the hotel. + +Cornelli had again settled down beside Dino with a mixed feeling of +wonderful delight and fear. He noticed her timidity. + +"Oh, yes, Dino, I love to stay with you and Mux," she assured him. +"Your mother is so good to me, too, but I am afraid of your two sisters. +I have to think of poor little block-headed Trina all the time, when +she does everything wrong and does not know how to do otherwise; you +all despise her for it and she can't help it. I know what it is like +to be so block-headed." + +Dino had to laugh a little. + +"Why do you suddenly think of our Trina?" he asked. "Do not worry about +her, for mother is very good to her. Just be happy, Cornelli, and do +not imagine all kinds of things about block-headed Trina." + +Cornelli did not say another word, but Dino noticed that she kept on +thinking just the same. After a while the mother came to announce that +it was time for Dino's rest. The prospect of seeing each other again +on the following day was a great consolation to them both. + +Then Cornelli and the mother went back to the room where the sisters +were sitting at their school work. Mux was bending over his picture +book, hatching out new ideas, no doubt. Just then the half grown Trina +entered with a basket on her arm. While she was passing Nika's chair, +her basket got caught on it. Pulling violently to free it, she turned +the chair around quite suddenly. + +"You are getting more awkward every day, Trina," Nika said crossly. + +Cornelli blushed. She felt as if these words were meant for her as +well. She must be just as awkward in Nika's eyes as Trina was. The +latter failed to excuse herself and from embarrassment became more +clumsy in her movements. Cornelli understood this perfectly; that was +what she always did, she knew it quite well. + +"Now we shall have supper," said the mother, "and when the children's +work is done we shall all sing together. Don't you sing, too, Cornelli?" + +"I probably do not know the songs, and so I can't sing," she replied +shyly. + +After supper Mux fled back to Cornelli with his book. He wanted to +renew his conversation with her, but his mother had a different plan. + +"Give your book to Cornelli, for it is time for you to retire," she +said. "You can join us again to-morrow." + +Mux departed reluctantly. + +When his mother was firmly leading him away, he was still able to call +to Cornelli: "Be sure not to go till I come back!" + +Cornelli felt quite frightened when her confiding little friend had +gone. Now for the first time she was left alone with the two sisters. +She wondered what would happen. But nothing happened. They were both +so deeply occupied with their work that they did not even raise their +heads. Cornelli now remembered the lovely story book. She had already +begun a story and she simply had to know how it would end. So she began +to read. As soon as she finished one story, a new wonderful picture +would lead her to another story. + +Suddenly some splendid music sounded close beside her, and Cornelli +started. Agnes was sitting at the piano close to her side and playing. +Cornelli could not read any more, for Agnes played one lovely tune +after another as quickly and easily as if it did not cause her any +trouble. She knew from Dino that Agnes was not much more than a year +older than she was. She listened with admiration to the beautiful +melodies that were pouring forth from the instrument. Finally the +mother returned. She had made her nightly visit to Dino and had had +several things to say to him. + +"Mama," Agnes called to her eagerly, "I am playing all the merry pieces +I know to-night, for I have just finished my long composition." + +"You are right, Agnes. And how are you getting along with your painting, +Nika?" asked the mother. + +Nika replied quite sadly that she had hoped to finish it that day, but +the days were very short now and she could not paint by lamp light. +Her mother should see how little her work still lacked. + +"If I had one hour more of daylight, I could finish it," she sighed. + +Nika placed a large painting under the bright lamp. It somewhat +resembled the beautiful pictures which decorated the walls of the room. +The colors in it were perfectly wonderful, and Cornelli had never +before seen such a lovely picture. Sparkling crimson roses were hanging +down an old wall and dense ivy was creeping up between them with shiny +green leaves. An old oak tree was stretching large gnarled branches +over the decayed wall, and below, a clear stream was peacefully flowing +out to a meadow, where glowing red and blue flowers seemed to greet +it joyfully. + +Cornelli stared at the lovely picture; she had never seen anything +like this glittering stream, the painted trees and flowers; one seemed +to hear the murmuring of the brook, far, far away through the meadow. +It was all so full of life! And to think that Nika had painted it! +Cornelli felt as if a deep, deep gulf lay between her and the two +sisters, a chasm that separated her from them forever. + +The two sisters seemed to stand before her like two splendid creatures, +full of beauty and fine gifts, while she stood there a stupid, awkward, +block-headed Trina, whom nobody on earth ever could possibly love. +Mrs. Halm gave Nika great encouragement by praising her work and urging +her to begin promptly next day. + +Then she sat down at the piano, for they always concluded their evening +with a song. + +Cornelli remained still. The rector's wife urged her to join them, but +Cornelli had had too many impressions that day to be able to sing. She +knew quite well the old evening song that they were singing, for Martha +had taught it to her long ago, but she felt as if she could not utter +a note. + +At the end of the song Agnes suddenly exploded: "Oh, mother, that is +nothing at all. When you are hoarse and Dino is in bed, our singing +is frightful. Nika only squeaks like a little chicken with a sore +throat." + +"Well, then one has to stop singing," said Nika, shaking her shoulders +a little proudly. + +"No, the whole household has to sing, otherwise it is not worth +anything," Agnes declared. "It is a shame that the most beautiful thing +in the world should be so little practiced." + +After the song was ended the mother took Cornelli kindly by the hand +and said: "I am sure that you are tired, dear child. I am going to +take you to a tiny bedroom, for I have no larger one. Your door leads +into Agnes' and Nika's room," she continued, when she was standing +with Cornelli in the little chamber. + +"You can open the door and then you are practically all three in a +single room." + +Then she said good-night cordially and wished Cornelli a good rest. + +Nika and Agnes quickly said good-night, too, and then Cornelli was +alone in her room. + +She had no desire to open the door, for her shyness had only increased +since her arrival. How high the two stood above her! Cornelli was not +a bit sleepy and kept on thinking of all the things that had happened +to her that day. + +What did Agnes mean when she spoke about the most beautiful thing in +the world? Did she mean singing? That was not the most beautiful thing +by any means. The most wonderful of all was a painting like Nika's, +with lovely roses and trees and the meadow with clear water. At last +Cornelli's eyes closed, but she kept on seeing the flowers and seemed +to be looking up admiringly at Nika, who stood beside her, tall and +beautiful. Cornelli thought: If she would only say one pleasant word +to me. Then Nika turned around to her and said: "You are an awkward, +block-headed Cornelli!" All this Cornelli saw and heard in her dream. + +Agnes said to her sister in the other room: "If only Cornelli would +say something! One cannot tell what she is thinking about. How could +Dino find her so amusing, and become her friend? She sits there all +the time and never says a word." + +"That is her least fault," Nika returned. "But it is horrid that she +insists on looking like a wild islander. I do not understand why Mama +did not push the frightful locks out of her eyes." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A GREAT CHANGE + + + +Next morning Mux had hardly opened his eyes when he desired to go again +straightway to Cornelli, for this had been promised him the night +before. Before he succeeded, however, he had to submit to his usual +fate in the morning. He ran into the room at last, neatly washed and +combed and with cheeks shining like two red apples. Cornelli was already +sitting in a corner of the room, listening attentively to Agnes' +playing. He flew towards her and saw his beloved book already in her +hands. + +"Oh, now we shall read and tell stories all day long," he called out +happily. "All the others have to go to school." + +But Mux had forgotten that breakfast came first of all. After the meal +the two sisters departed, but Dino knocked and clamored for Cornelli +to come to him. Mux loudly protested against this and only calmed down +when Cornelli promised to keep him company during Dino's rest hour. +He kept on objecting and murmuring to himself even after she had gone. + +Cornelli was quite thrilled and overcome by the thought that anybody +should love her so, and it did her more good than anything else. As +soon as she came to Dino's room he asked her if she would read to him, +too, for he had found out how much she enjoyed reading to Mux out of +his picture book. + +"Have you entertaining books, too?" asked Cornelli with hesitation. +In her mind she saw her own beautiful books at home, that she had left +alone because so many things in them had been unintelligible. + +"I should say so! You just ought to see them," said Dino. "Please take +down the book called 'Funny Journeys.' There are pictures in it, too. +They are not as big as in the other book and are not colored, but they +are so comical that they make one laugh all the time." + +Cornelli got the book down, and in a little while merry peals of +laughter filled the room. The mother, who heard, was happily smiling +and saying to herself: "No, no, all is not yet lost." + +So the week passed by. Cornelli spent most of her time reading aloud +to Dino and to Mux. She grew more eager all the time in this occupation, +and if Mux would suddenly want to play with soldiers, Cornelli would +say: "You can easily play that alone. Let me read this and later I'll +tell you all about it." So she had soon finished reading the whole big +book. + +Cornelli had so far scarcely become acquainted with the two girls, and +Nika had rarely spoken to her. On Saturday morning the mother entered +Dino's room just after Cornelli had finished reading such a funny tale +that both children still laughed aloud at the remembrance. + +"Children, to-morrow Cornelli's father is expecting to hear from me. +He will want to know if he is to come to fetch her home, or if he is +to leave her here another week. Cornelli herself shall decide, but we +all want her to stay." + +"Don't go, don't go! Tell him not to come for a long while," Mux +implored her. The little boy had slipped in behind his mother and was +keeping a tight hold on Cornelli, as if her papa might come at once +to pull her away. + +"No, no, Cornelli, you won't go away yet," Dino now said. "To-morrow +I am allowed to get up for the first time and you must be there to see +if I can still walk. After that you must stay here till I go to school; +won't you, Cornelli? You don't want to go, do you?" + +"You must not urge her too much," said the mother. "Maybe Cornelli +would rather go home, and by your talking you might keep her from +saying so." But being urged by the two children was such a joy to +Cornelli that she never even hesitated. + +"I should love to stay," she said. + +"Oh, how splendid!" Dino exclaimed. "Please ask for at least two or +three weeks, Mama. It is so nice to have Cornelli with us." + +"I shall ask Cornelli's father to let us have his daughter a while +longer," said the mother, "I cannot possibly settle the time, her +father will do that." + +"Oh, yes, a while longer is just right. Then it is so easy to ask for +a little more time, for we can say that we meant that by a little +longer," said Dino. + +The same day, later on, while Dino was resting, Cornelli was sitting +with Mux. They were both so happy over the prospect of remaining +together that Mux opened the piano and asked Cornelli to sing with +him. Cornelli could not play, so promised that she would try to sing. +She asked Mux to choose a song, but he knew none. + +"You sing one," he proposed, "and I might know it, too." + +Cornelli was just in the mood to sing once more. She began a song with +her bright, full voice and Mux listened admiringly. + + The snow's on the meadow, + The snow's all around, + The snow lies in heaps + All over the ground. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + All over the ground. + + Oh cuckoo from the woods, + Oh flowers so bright, + Oh, kindliest sun, + Come and bring us delight! + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + Come and bring us delight! + + When the swallow comes back + And the finches all sing, + I sing and I dance + For joy of the Spring. + Hurrah, oh hurrah! + For joy of the Spring. + +Suddenly the door flew open and Agnes burst into the room. + +"But why didn't you ever say anything?" she cried out. "To think of +it! Why did you never say a word, Cornelli?" + +"But what should I have said?" Cornelli asked, very much frightened. + +"You must not be afraid," Mux now calmed her, "I'll help you, if she +should want to hurt you." + +"Don't be so unnaturally stupid, Mux!" his sister ejaculated as she +ran to the next room. Here her mother was already standing in the open +door. "Have you heard it, Mother? Come out and let Cornelli sing her +song again!" + +"Yes, indeed! I have heard it with pleasure and great wonder," said +the mother, approaching Cornelli. "You have a voice, dear child, that +we all should love to hear again. Have you often sung before?" + +"Oh yes," said Cornelli. "Martha has taught me many songs, but--" + +"What do you mean by but?" Agnes quickly interrupted her. "I know now +what a voice you have. I have to go quickly to my music lesson, but +you must sing a lot with me to-night. No buts will be allowed then." + +"Oh, Cornelli, won't you sing with us tonight?" asked the mother kindly. +"We know now how well it sounds, and I do not see why you should still +hesitate." "I can't sing properly when I am afraid, for then it does +not sound well," Cornelli replied. + +"Why should you be afraid?" asked the mother. "You know us all so well +now." + +"Oh, because I am not like Agnes and Nika. I can't do anything they +do and I don't look the way they do," said Cornelli. With these words +she frowned again in the old way, so that one could see it through the +thick fringes of hair that covered her forehead. + +The mother said no more and went out. + +"Just stay with me, Cornelli; then you don't have to be afraid of +anything," Mux said protectingly. "I am afraid of nothing in the whole +world--except of the dark," he added quickly, for he had seen Cornelli's +penetrating eyes looking at him through her hair, and felt that he had +to tell the truth, for she was sure to find him out. "No," he continued, +"I won't be even afraid of that if you stay with me all the time." + +Agnes had finished her school work sooner than ever that day. She ran +to the piano and called to Cornelli: "Come here! Mux can play alone, +for we must sing now." + +So Cornelli went up to the piano. + +"I shall sing the first stanza of this song and then you can sing it +with me the second time," Agnes said and began: "The beauteous moon +is risen." + +"Oh, I have known that song a long time. Shall I sing the second voice?" +asked Cornelli. + +"What? Can you really sing second voice? Can you really do it? Oh, +that would be wonderful! Go ahead and do it!" said Agnes excitedly. + +So the two girls sang alone together, for Nika had not finished her +work, and the regular time for the evening songs had not yet come. +Agnes was radiantly happy while she was making experiments with a new +voice. + +Nika was still absorbed in her work, the mother only entered the room +now and then, and as Agnes was singing with her, Cornelli did not have +the feeling that anybody was listening. So she sang quite freely and +let her whole, full voice flow out. Agnes became more eager all the +time, and it really sounded as if a whole chorus were singing in the +room. + +At last the mother stood still, and Nika, lifting her head from her +work, listened, too. + +When the song was done, Agnes clapped her hands and said: "Oh, Cornelli, +your voice is as clear as a bell! Oh, if I only had a voice like that! +What wonderful things I could sing then! Do you know many songs, +Cornelli? Just tell me all you know." + +Cornelli looked over the song book before her. She knew quite a number +of the songs in it, for Martha had taught her many. + +Agnes was in raptures: "Oh, now our evening songs won't be like a +feeble chirping any more; now everything, everything will be different!" +she cried out. Suddenly struck with a new idea, she ran over to her +other music books. + +She got a book of songs for two voices, which she had only been able +to use at her music lessons and never at home, for Nika could not join +her. "Come, Cornelli, try to sing after me now. This is your part, and +when you know it, I'll sing mine. Here are your notes," she instructed +Cornelli, and with that she began to sing. + +Cornelli did not know the notes very well, because Mr. Maelinger had +not instructed her very deeply in that subject. Her ear, however, was +correct, and she could immediately repeat a melody. Agnes began with +the easiest songs, and it did not take Cornelli any time to learn them. +She soon knew where to pause and where to take up her part again. So +a second piece was started and soon a third. Then they repeated them +all again and before long they could sing three songs quite well. + +"Once more, once more," Agnes urged her. It went better every time, +and in the end they sang together perfectly. Agnes jumped up from her +seat and exclaimed: "Oh, you are a wonderful Cornelli! Who would have +thought it? Please do not go home yet. Stay here, and then we can sing +together every day. Have you heard it, Mama?" + +The mother affirmed it and told them that she and Dino had both enjoyed +the singing. Dino had asked to have his door kept open, for he had +wanted to hear it all. + +"Do you know what we'll do, Cornelli?" said Agnes. "To-morrow morning +we'll study a festive duet. We shall greet Dino with it when he comes +back to this room again for the first time." + +Cornelli gladly agreed. + +It was time now for their accustomed evening song, which had been put +off longer than usual that day. Agnes was of the decided opinion that +it was not suitable to end this day with a mild evening song. She +suggested a loud hymn of praise and thanks. She started it with +enthusiasm, and all the others soon joined. + +The unexpected joy and great friendliness Agnes had shown had made +Cornelli so happy and astonished that she sat a long time on her bed +in the little room. She was wondering to herself why she could never +be quite happy in spite of everybody's goodness, but she knew soon +enough why this was so. Her old fear had not left her. She fully +realized that she looked different from other children and that her +horns would get worse, till they could not be hidden any more. Then +everybody would think what Mux had thought, even if they did not say +it. + +Next morning, when Cornelli had just gotten up, Mrs. Halm entered her +room. "Cornelli," she said, taking the child's hand, "you have made +us all so happy! You have done much for Dino by helping him to pass +many pleasant hours, and you have entertained my little restless Mux +so wonderfully that he can hardly live without you any more. I should +like to do something for you now; I should love to make you look festive +to-day and get rid forever of everything that disfigures you." + +The mother had already begun to smooth out the child's thick hair. + +"Oh no, oh no, please don't do it!" Cornelli cried out, "then everything +will be lost. I want to go home, oh, I must go home! Oh, they will all +laugh at me and they won't like me any more. Oh, you don't know how +it is." + +"I know everything, dear child," the mother said quietly. "Dino has +told me everything. Don't you know, child, that I love you? You know, +Cornelli, that I would not do anything that might hurt you the least +bit, or that would not help you. I want to free you from an error, +Cornelli." + +"No, no, it is not an error, surely not," Cornelli called out in her +great anxiety. "My cousin said it and Miss Grideelen said it, too. +They saw it, and I know it. Oh, please don't brush my hair away." + +"Cornelli," the mother went on calmly, "the ladies told you they saw +little horns on your forehead, that got bigger every time you wrinkled +up your brow. You are afraid that this is really so and that it is +getting worse. You understood it in a way they did not mean. They only +wanted to tell you that when you frowned you looked as if you had horns +on your forehead, and they said it to keep you from frowning. They +meant well by you, but you misunderstood them. But you can understand +me. Just let me help you to be happy again. + +"Have you any confidence in me, Cornelli? Tell me, do you think that +I would do anything that would make you repulsive in the eyes of +everyone? Do you believe that? I know you don't, child!" Cornelli only +groaned a little. + +With nimble hands the mother had in the meantime kept on smoothing and +combing the child's heavy hair. It already lay beautifully parted on +both sides of her face. The brown, wavy hair framed a snow-white brow, +for not a ray of sunshine had penetrated through the hair all summer +long. The mother finished the two heavy tresses and wound them about +Cornelli's head like a crown. Smilingly the mother looked into +Cornelli's face. The great change had thrilled her with joy. + +"Now come with me to the children. We shall see if they can notice any +change," she said, and taking the little girl's hand, she led her away. +Cornelli was extremely glad to enter the room at the mother's side, +for she would not have dared to go alone. When the door opened, she +looked shyly at the floor. + +Mux had already been waiting for his companion and now ran to meet +her. "What have you done, Cornelli?" he cried out in sudden surprise. +"Your forehead looks quite clean and neat, and you have shiny eyes +like a canary bird, and you don't look like an owl any more." + +"Why Cornelli! You are transformed!" Agnes exclaimed. "Just let me see +you. Make a little room, Mux! No, I don't know you any more. It is +fortunate you did it, for it is a pleasure to look at you now." + +"Your mother has done it," Cornelli explained confusedly, for she was +quite overcome at all these manifestations of joy. + +Nika also glanced up at her. "You are a different child, Cornelli, and +I do not see how you could ever have gotten the way you were." + +These words were said in such a charming manner that a deep sensation +of well-being filled Cornelli. She tried to fight against it, however, +for she did not think it possible that she should suddenly become freed +from her horrible, sickening fear. + +Agnes was very anxious to practice their song for the festive reception +of the newly risen Dino, and Cornelli, too, was filled with ardor. The +two children kept up their singing quite a while, for Agnes could not +weary of trying the songs for two voices which she had never before +been able to use. + +Dino did not come until lunch time. Though he was still very pale, he +felt extremely lively. "Hurrah, Cornelli!" he cried out as he entered +the living room. "Now you look again the way you used to in Iller-Stream +when you forgot to pull your curtains over your brow. You even look +better than that, Cornelli, you look perfectly splendid! Another hurrah +for this great joy!" + +The next moment a surprise came for Dino: the lovely festive song which +Agnes and Cornelli were singing in his honor. The voice of the latter +was full of purity and strength, and Dino kept on signalling to Nika +over and over again, saying in a low voice: "Do you hear it? Do you +see it? Do you notice it at last?" + +It was quite evident that two had not been of the same opinion about +Cornelli till that day. + +So they all had a merry feast. In Cornelli's heart the feeling of +delicious well-being gradually began to drive away all other sensations. +Her old gaiety broke forth boundlessly and roused all the others as +well to great merriment and joy. Dino looked quite well again, and his +eyes fairly beamed with happiness. Even the mother joined in their gay +mood, and she had to glance over and over again at her two daughters, +who had seldom shown such unclouded joy. She heaved a secret sigh, +however, and asked herself: I wonder how long this happiness will last, +for we have hard times before us. + +"Wasn't I right, after all?" Dino said to his sisters, when Cornelli +had retired and the family separated at bedtime. The sisters till now +had made disparaging remarks to him about Cornelli. "We do not see +what attracts you in her," they had said. "We don't understand how you +can find her entertaining," and so on. + +When Cornelli was alone in her room that night, she felt as in a dream. +What had happened to her? Was it really true that the great sorrow +which had weighed on her and had taken all her joy away had forever +disappeared? The mother had told her firmly that it had been an error, +and the children had proved it to be so by their reception of her. So +she could be happy again as she had always been. Cornelli was filled +with joy and praise to God at this thought. + +"How wonderfully God has led me," she said in her heart. She remembered +how anxiously she had prayed to Him to prevent her from being sent to +town. Now she had come to town, but in such a different way from what +she had feared! She had been freed from her trouble by going away. +Martha had certainly been right and she would always try to remember +this. In the future she would pray to God that she might do everything +according to His will, and she made up her mind that she would never +again try to force the fulfilment of her own wishes. She felt that she +owed the good Lord in Heaven especial praises, so she lay down to sleep +quite late, and because of her happiness, even stayed awake a long +time after her prayers were said. + +"I have to tell you something, Cornelli," said the mother next day, +when all the family was peacefully gathered around the supper table. +"You know that I have written to your father asking him to let you +stay here a little longer. He has answered me, saying that he would +be very pleased if his little daughter could stay with us for a year +and could take all the lessons that my daughters are taking; but he +leaves you free to decide about it. So you must write to your father +to let him know the answer to his proposal. + +"Oh, you must stay here, Cornelli. Won't you please stay?" Dino +exclaimed. "Then you can be here till summer time and we two can go +back to Iller-Stream together, for it is quite settled that I am going +again to our good old Martha." + +"And I'll go, too," Mux said with conviction. "Do you know, Cornelli," +he whispered into her ear, "I'll stay with you all the time in your +own house and Dino can go alone to old Martha." + +Agnes was simply enchanted with this new prospect. "Oh, how wonderful, +how wonderful!" she exclaimed over and over again. "Now we can have +singing lessons together and sing again at home. Oh, that is too +wonderful!" + +Nika also begged Cornelli to stay. "I hope you will tell your father +that you intend to remain with us, Cornelli," she said. "We are only +just beginning to know you well." + +Cornelli's eyes sparkled with pleasure, for now the whole family wanted +to keep her with them. Suddenly a thought flashed through her. When +her father had threatened to send her to town for a year, she had been +terribly upset, and now the year spent in town with this family seemed +like pure pleasure. How different everything had been from what she +had thought and feared. + +"I should love to stay here!" she exclaimed with deep emotion. "Can +I write to Papa now?" That suited Mrs. Halm exactly. Sitting down +beside Cornelli, she also wrote to Mr. Hellmut, and both letters were +sent at once. + +Two days later Mr. Hellmut was sitting at the breakfast table, looking +at his mail. First of all he opened a fat envelope which had come to +him from town. There were two letters in it which caused him great +surprise. Mrs. Halm wrote that all the members of her family had +joyfully received his proposal to leave Cornelli with them for a longer +stay. She told him that they had all become so fond of Cornelli that +she would have left behind a feeling of real loss. + +Cornelli's letter read as follows: + +DEAR PAPA: + +I should love to stay here, for the mother and all the children are +very good to me, and I love them dearly. I should also like to learn +lots and lots of things. Nika and Agnes know so much and are so clever, +and I should be so glad to learn what they know. I shall be unspeakably +happy if you will let me stay. Please give my love to Martha, Esther, +and Matthew. + + YOUR CORNELLI. + +After reading the letters, the Director shook his head. "What on earth +has happened?" he said to himself. "A few weeks have hardly passed +since they told me that this child could not be set to rights, and I +have myself seen how stubborn she was and how strangely she behaved. +And what a change already! However, I must not take literally what has +probably been written in a moment of excitement." + +Mr. Hellmut was very glad about Cornelli's intention to remain in town, +for thus his greatest care had been taken from him. A lovely woman, +who with her children had made a most favorable impression on him, had +promised to devote herself to his child, and he only wondered how long +the present arrangement would last. + +Mrs. Halm had soon arranged a regular course of studies for Cornelli. +Agnes was very anxious for her to start music lessons right away, for +she thought that that was the most important thing. Cornelli herself +was eager to do this, for she wanted to learn everything that Nika and +Agnes were learning. So she threw herself with fresh energy into all +the fields of study that were opened to her. + +Dino also was going to school, for he had entirely recovered. Every +morning the four children started out gaily, talking eagerly while +they walked down the street, until they finally separated for their +various schools. If they met again on their way home, they were still +more lively, for they would tell each other all their experiences. +Cornelli surpassed them all in that respect. She had the talent of +describing everything in such a funny and vivid fashion that she made +them all laugh. + +Mux alone was unhappy in these days, for he had lost his beloved +companion. Full of anger, he would meet the four laughing school +children when they were coming up the stairs and would say: "If I owned +all the schools I would certainly burn them." + +"But I hope not all the teachers, too, Mux," said Dino, "for then one +would have to tell an even worse tale about you than you were telling +about Agnes." + +The door between Cornelli's and the sisters' room was always open now, +for they all had wished it. There was not a single evening on which +they did not make use of the last moment for talking to each other +about their mutual interests. + +Cornelli was filled with admiration for Nika and for everything she +did. She could not understand how Nika, who was so lovely and could +do such wonderful things, could have a sorrow. She had never forgotten +about it, because she had often noticed that the young girl suffered +from some grief. + +Even Agnes often stopped laughing quite suddenly. She would say: "Yes, +Cornelli, it is easy for you to be jolly. It is easy for you." So +Cornelli knew that Agnes also carried a care about with her. When Agnes +frowned and made dreadful wrinkles, Cornelli was quite sure that then +her sorrow was hurting her. She would have loved to help her, but she +had never asked her friends about it. She knew that she had been glad +when nobody had asked her about her own trouble. + +One day it happened that Agnes came home from her music lesson quite +upset and terribly excited. "Oh, Mama," she called from the door, "the +teacher has given us the pieces today which we have to play for our +examinations. He has given me the most difficult one, and while giving +it to me he said: 'I shall really make something fine out of you.'" + +Agnes was throwing her music sheets away as if they were her greatest +enemies; then she ran away to her room. There she threw herself down +on a chair and began to sob loudly. Cornelli had followed her, for she +was filled with sympathy. Putting her arms about Agnes, she said: "Tell +me, Agnes, what makes you cry. I know what it is like to have to cry +like that. But why do you do it now, when your teacher has just praised +you?" + +"What good is that to me?" Agnes burst out. "How does it help me to +play ever so well? What good would it ever do me even to practice day +and night? Nika and I can only keep on one year more, and then +everything is over. Then she can't paint any more and I can't have any +more music lessons, for we shall have to become dressmakers. We won't +even have time to go through the higher classes in school. I would a +thousand times rather travel through the world and sing in front of +the houses for pennies--yes, I'll do that!" + +"Can't your mother help you?" asked Cornelli, remembering the mother's +help in her own case. + +"No, she can't; and she is very unhappy herself. There is not a soul +on earth who could help us, for our guardian says that it just has to +be." + +Cornelli was quite crushed by this explanation, for now she understood +quite well why Nika often had such sad eyes. The hopeless prospect +made Cornelli's heart heavy, too. When Agnes had had such a passionate +outbreak, she did not regain her composure for several days. Then Nika +would not say a word, either, and the mother only looked very sadly +at her children. + +Then Dino also became silent, for he knew what tormented his mother +and his sisters. He would have loved to help them, but he knew no way. +So Cornelli could not laugh any more, either, and her friend's great +sorrow weighed on her, too, for she had experienced a heavy grief +herself and had not forgotten what it was like. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +NEW LIFE IN ILLER-STREAM + + + +Winter had come. For the inhabitants of the garret lodging the days +were filled with so much regular work that the nights were always +greeted with loud regrets and complaints. They were always sorry when +the day was done and no more time was left for their plans. Agnes was +especially angry and ready to spit fire from disgust at the arrival +of the hated bedtime which always broke up everything. + +"We lose half of our lives in sleeping," she indignantly called out +several times. "I wish you would let us sing all night long, Mother," +she said. "We should only be more keen for our other work next day, +if we could really devote ourselves to music for a while, instead of +always stopping off in the middle whenever we are in the mood to sing." +The children's mother, however, did not agree with Agnes, so the nights +had to be used for sleeping as before. + +Cornelli's singing delighted Agnes more and more. Cornelli sang +everything as lightly and freely as a bird, and with such a clear and +resonant voice that everybody got pleasure from it. There was no other +voice in the whole school which was as sure and as full as Cornelli's. +Even the teacher said so, and during the singing lesson he placed her +right in front of him, because she was the best leader of the chorus. + +In the middle of winter Mr. Hellmut wrote to Mrs. Halm to inform her +that he was taking a lengthy journey to foreign parts. As he felt that +Cornelli was well taken care of in her household, he was anxious to +use this opportunity for travelling. He also wrote that he had shortened +his last trip in order not to tie his kind cousin and her friend too +long to his lonely house. He told her that he was very sorry not to +be able to pay her and Cornelli a visit before leaving, for he had to +start at once. + +Never before had spring come so fast. So at least it seemed to Cornelli, +who was walking home alone one day from school. The winter had gone +by and already a mild wind was blowing through the streets, and the +melting snow was dropping from the roofs. + +From the top of a roof a little bird was whistling and singing a song +of delight to the bright blue sky above. Cornelli's school had been +over sooner than the other children's, so she was in no hurry and stood +still to listen. A ray of sunshine was flowing into the street, and +the bird kept on singing and whistling, on and on, a heavenly, familiar +sound. + +Suddenly the lovely beech wood at home rose before Cornelli's eyes, +and she saw the trees in their first green leaves, the first violets +under the hedge, her beloved first violets; she saw the yellow crocuses +sparkling beside the bright red primroses in the garden. The birds at +home used to whistle above her in all the trees in just the same way +as these in the city. + +Oh, how lovely the coming of the spring had always been at home! How +wonderful it would be to see all these familiar sights again! At that +thought Cornelli ran to the house as fast as she possibly could. Sitting +down beside her ink-well she wrote as follows: + +DEAR PAPA: + +I am sure it is more beautiful at home now than anywhere else. May I +come home soon? I am sure that the violets are out and that everything +is getting green in the woods. Soon there will be lots of flowers in +the garden, and later on the roses, and then all the berries and +forget-me-nots in the meadows will come out. I know now that it is +nowhere as beautiful as at home. I should love to show the mother and +the girls everything, and I know that Mux would adore the little kid. +Dino already loves the meadows and the garden, and I hope that he will +come to Iller-Stream again. If I could only soon see it all again! + +A great many kisses, + +from your daughter, + +CORNELLI. + +Cornelli did not get an answer from her father for three weeks. He +wrote to her that his journey had been lengthened beyond his +expectation. He also said how glad he was that his daughter had suddenly +realized what a beautiful home she had, but that he disapproved entirely +of her leaving her school abruptly. He told her to stay in town till +the summer holidays, for he was obliged himself to stay away till then. +He gave her permission to invite for the holidays all the family who +had been so good to her, for he and Cornelli, too, had much reason to +be grateful to Mrs. Halm. There was plenty of room for all of them in +the house, and he would like to have them with him all summer long. + +Cornelli at first was a little disappointed that it was going to be +so long before she could be home and see again the garden, the meadows +and the beech wood, for her longing for them had grown more and more. +But when she thought of the prospect of having all the family with her +all summer, including Dino and his mother, she was so happy that all +her disappointment vanished. + +Her joy was supreme when that day at lunch time she gave the family +her father's invitation. On all sides she perceived signs of boundless +joy. Nika and Agnes had had the firm conviction that they were to spend +the summer, as usual, in the hot garret dwelling without any special +holidays. And now they could spend all summer in beautiful Iller-Stream, +about which Dino had told them so much. He had described Cornelli's +house and garden as a perfect paradise, and now they would live there +themselves. + +Agnes screamed for joy and Nika's face was radiant with happiness. +Mrs. Halm was greatly moved with gratitude and delight. She had been +worrying lately about Dino, for she had been uncertain whether she +would be able to send him away long enough for the boy to be properly +strengthened. She had feared that the time would have to be exceedingly +short and that the benefit therefore would be very slight. Now the +good God had suddenly taken all her anxiety from her and had changed +it into a boundless blessing. + +Dino smiled with complete satisfaction, and said again and again: "I +wish you knew how wonderful it all is. Such a garden and such trees! +Such a stable and such horses! Oh, how I love beautiful Iller-Stream!" + +Mux called out louder and louder: "Oh, Cornelli, take me along!" He +could not realize that he was really going, too. There were still many +days and even weeks before their bliss would come true, but with this +heavenly prospect before them the children performed their remaining +duties only too joyfully. + +It was different for Cornelli. Her longing for her home had grown more +violent every day. Wherever she saw a green tree or a bush, she saw +the garden at home, the meadows, and the flowers in Iller-Stream before +her mind's eye. So her desire to return there, to see it all again, +became almost painful. She felt finally as if the day would never come +when she could again see her home. + +It came, nevertheless. A large trunk was taken away on a cart, and the +whole family followed it towards the station. Trina came last. In her +wondering eyes one could see that despite all the preparations she did +not yet believe the reality of the coming journey. Cornelli had begged +Mrs. Halm so urgently to let her go, too, that the child's wish had +been granted. Cornelli had been willing to take the responsibility for +the unexpected guest. Mux was so excited that he kept on running in +front of everybody and hindering them all in walking. + +"Be sensible, Mux!" Dino exclaimed. "If you go on like that, we'll +miss the train and there won't be any trip." + +These words disconcerted Mux to such a degree that he simply tore away +down the street. Dino had to run after him to catch him, for Mux knew +no road or way and had dashed ahead only in his fear of arriving too +late. + +At last they reached the station and entered their car. Now they were +moving out into the beautiful country. The sun was shining over the +fields and woods, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. Cornelli +was sitting beside the open window, eagerly looking out. The journey +lasted for a little more than two hours, and as soon as it was over +they got out. + +"Here he comes, here he comes!" Cornelli cried out, running towards +the road which led into the valley. Here Matthew was just stopping the +pair of horses from their lively trot. + +In a moment Cornelli was at the dismounting coachman's side, calling +to him: "How are you, Matthew? I am coming home again. Is everything +at home still the same?" + +"Welcome, Cornelli, welcome home!" he said, radiant with joy, for his +master's child was his greatest pride. "But how you have grown, +Cornelli! Oh, how changed our Cornelli is!" + +Matthew shook her hand with great delight and then opened the carriage +door for the family who had approached. + +"Oh, here is the young gentleman from last summer," Matthew said again, +shaking Dino's hand. "But you looked better when you were with us. Oh, +yes, the young gentleman looked much better then, I think." + +"I should think so, Matthew," said Dino. "Of course, I looked better +when I could drink such good milk from the stable, in the fine, fresh +morning air. It was different in town." + +Mrs. Halm had entered the carriage and the two girls had followed. +Mux, gazing motionless at the shining horses, could not be taken away +in a hurry from that wonderful sight. + +"They are coming along, too," said Matthew, who enjoyed the open +admiration the little boy was showing. "You will be able to look at +them every day, and you can ride on them to the fountain." + +That helped the situation. Everybody was soon inside of the carriage, +and Trina sat beside Matthew on the coachman's box. Now they galloped +gaily along into the valley. + +"Oh, mother, just look at the red daisies!" Cornelli cried out. "Oh, +look at the golden buttercups! Oh, look, look; see all the blue +forget-me-nots!" + +Cornelli had jumped up, for she could not sit still anymore, and was +looking forwards and backwards, to right and to left. The meadows had +never been so full of flowers, and every few moments Cornelli cried +out with delight. When the carriage drove into the courtyard, Cornelli +was the first to jump down. + +"Oh, Esther, how are you?" she called to her old friend. Full of dignity +and covered with a spotless white apron, the cook stood ready to receive +the guests. + +"Oh, now I am home again! Is everything still the same? Is the garden +still the way it was? And Martha and her house, too?" + +"Yes, yes, Cornelli. And how are you?" returned Esther, looking eagerly +at Cornelli. "How you have changed! In truth you have changed +wonderfully. You are not the same." + +Cornelli was already running into the house to the living-room and to +her own wardrobe. Yes, everything had remained the same. She flew +outside again to the mother, to lead her into the house. The child's +face fairly beamed with joy. + +Cornelli's father was busy working in his office. Hearing the sound +of the approaching wheels, he started. "Here they are already," he +said to himself. He hastily threw off his working coat and putting on +a good coat left the iron foundry. While he was walking across the +courtyard he sighed deeply. Freshly stamped in his memory, he saw +before him his only child as she had looked when he had returned from +his journey a year ago. Cornelli had stood before him shyly, with +averted glance, resembling a little savage, who had never been combed. + +"I wonder what the child is like now?" he muttered to himself. + +As he entered the living room Cornelli looked up at him. The Director +was quite startled at what he saw. Now Cornelli flew up to him. + +"Oh, Papa, oh, Papa! It is so wonderful to be home again! Everything +is still the way it used to be. Oh, I am so glad to be home again!" + +The father wanted to embrace his child, but before he did so he held +her at arm's length to gaze at her once more. + +"Cornelli," he said with tears in his eyes, "you look at me the way +your mother used to. You have grown just like your mother," he said, +putting his arms lovingly about her. "How was it possible? How could +you change in this way? How did it happen?" + +"Mother knows about it, Papa. Mother has helped me," said Cornelli, +going with shining eyes to the mother, for Mrs. Halm had retreated to +the back of the room. + +The Director now turned to his new guest. "Welcome to our house," he +said heartily, greeting both her and the children. Holding Cornelli's +hand within his own, he continued with emotion: "How different you +have brought her back to me! How did you do it? Can this be the same +child that I brought you?" + +The happy father had to look at Cornelli over and over again, for he +hardly yet realized that this was his child. Was this really Cornelli +and not a creature of his imagination? So he held the child's hand and +looked again and again into her shining eyes; it really seemed as if +he could not believe it. + +Esther, laden with the dinner dishes, now came into the room to set +the table. She informed her master that the guest rooms were ready and +that she supposed the ladies wanted to retire before the coming meal. + +Mrs. Halm and her daughter gladly followed her, but Cornelli said: +"Oh, Papa, can I run over to Martha? I'll be back very soon." + +Dino also begged to go, for he longed to see old Martha again. As the +permission had readily been given, the two children started off. They +had meant to run down the path, but Cornelli could not go fast. The +meadow was so full of daisies, buttercups and especially of blue +forget-me-nots, her favorite flowers, that she felt as if she had to +gather them all, and Dino had to remind her that their time was short +and that the flowers would still be there to-morrow. + +Martha had heard that Cornelli and her guests were expected that day, +so she had several times glanced towards the garden to see if she could +discover trace of her or of Dino. Now both came flying up the steps, +and Martha ran out to meet them. Oh, yes, here was Dino, Dino whom she +knew so well, and Cornelli, too--Martha looked at the child and tried +to say something. Instead of that, however, bright tears started to +her eyes, and she was unable to speak. + +"Oh, Martha, how I have looked forward to coming home and coming to +you right away!" Cornelli exclaimed. "Are you glad, too, Martha? Oh, +I am so happy!" + +"I too, I too, Cornelli," Martha assured her. "What memories you bring +back to me, child, for you have grown just like your mother. Oh, how +different you are now from what you were. God has blessed your life +in town. It seems like a miracle. Oh, how I have prayed for this!" + +After these words she shook Dino's hand, looking at him rather sadly, +for her great joy at seeing him again was dimmed by his delicate +appearance. + +"Oh, Dino, how pale and thin you look," she said. "Last year you were +so much stouter." + +"That is why I came again to Iller-Stream," Dino replied cheerfully. +"You must rejoice with us now, Mrs. Martha, for Cornelli and I are +tremendously pleased to be here again. It is just as lovely here as +it was last year, and now we can come to see you every day, for this +seems like home." + +Martha was so moved that she could not speak. Here was Cornelli, looking +as fresh and bright as ever; all the unspeakably sad expression had +vanished from her face, together with the awful disfigurement of those +days. The old woman was deeply stirred by the happy look in the little +girl's eyes. Her young mother had looked at her just that way. And +here was Dino, too, full of his old attachment, and speaking such kind +words to her. She could hardly believe this great happiness. + +"We have to go, now, Martha," Cornelli said, "but we'll come every day +the way we used to; you know that, Martha. I'll run over every single +day." + +"And I, too," cried Dino. When the happy little couple were running +away, Martha looked after them from her little stairway. Her eyes were +moist, yet followed the two till they were lost from sight. + +Even then she still stood there with folded hands. + +"Oh, good God," she said quietly, "my heart is full of thankfulness. +Thou hast blessed everything that was hard for the child, and hast +turned everything to good." + +When the children entered the house, Cornelli said: "Just go in, Dino, +I'll soon follow you." + +Then she turned and went into the kitchen. + +"Oh, I was hoping all the time that our Cornelli could still find her +way to the kitchen," said Esther with satisfaction. "Come and let me +have a real look at you, Cornelli!" + +Esther placed herself squarely in front of the child and said: "You +have grown a lot last year, Cornelli. And your hair is so neatly combed +and brushed! One certainly can enjoy looking at our Cornelli, now." + +Cornelli blushed a little, for she had to remember the way she had +looked when she had gone away. She knew how it had been and how she +had shut her heart against the help Esther had often offered her. + +"Oh, Esther, I have to tell you something. Where is Trina, the maid, +who has come with them?" + +"I told her to go behind the house to look at the vegetable garden," +said Esther. "She stood in my way all the time. I am afraid she is not +very quick." + +"No, she isn't; I know that. But Esther, I want to tell you something +about her. Please be good to her!" Cornelli begged. "You see, Trina +is block-headed and awkward, but she can't help it. You don't know how +that is, but I know. And if you are very good to her, she won't mind +as much being that way. Won't you do me that favor, Esther?" + +Full of surprise, Esther looked after the child, who was running towards +the dining room. + +"How does she ever think of such things," Esther murmured to herself. +"One might think Cornelli had to begin at the bottom herself, instead +of being the Director's daughter who can have whatever she wants." + +Esther kept on shaking her head for quite a while, but she was anxious +to show Cornelli that she was the only daughter of the house and could +command her. She was very proud of Cornelli's position and eager to +prove to her young mistress that she was only too happy to follow her +wishes. + +When the first merry meal was over, the children were allowed to run +out to the garden. They already knew what they were going to see there, +because Dino had described it to them with great enthusiasm. He had +told them about the flower garden with its wealth of color, the +trellises, covered with red peaches, the heavily laden pear and apple +trees. Now they could see all those wonders for themselves, including +the stable with the splendid cows and the proud and shining horses. +So the five children ran away with great eagerness. + +The Director and Mrs. Halm remained in the dining room, drinking their +coffee in each other's company. + +"Please, Mr. Hellmut," she said, as soon as the door had closed behind +the children, "please let me thank you for your great kindness. I want +to tell you how grateful I am." + +"What do you mean? Why do you want to thank me, Mrs. Halm?" the Director +interrupted her. "Please let me speak first! It is I who want to thank +you. I shall never be able to repay you for what you have done. What +wonders you have accomplished for my child! How you have been able to +change and develop Cornelli! How well she looks now! I have to gaze +at her again and again, for I can hardly believe that it is the same +child. How can I thank you enough? How did you ever do it? And what +patience, care and trouble you must have taken with her. I am afraid +that it has required endless thought on your part to bring her back +like this." + +"Oh, no, Mr. Hellmut, that was not the way at all," said Mrs. Halm. +"Cornelli has cost me neither patience, care, nor trouble. If by a +little love I have been able to draw out the good kernel of her nature +and bring it to happy development, then that is all I have done. +Cornelli has never made my task hard for me. We have all become so +fond of her that we had to think with sorrow of the time when she would +leave us. I shall never forget what happy hours Dino had with Cornelli +during his illness and how she constantly entertained my sociable +little Mux with her constant merriment and kindness. Yes, Mr. Hellmut, +I shall never forget what she has done, and I can assure you that you +have a lovely little daughter." + +The Director jumped up in his excitement and strode to and fro in the +room. What different enthusiasm from that of a year ago! + +"You do not know what you are saying, Mrs. Halm," he said, standing +still before her. "You are relieving me of most dreadful anxiety. I +have suffered perfect tortures, because I was blaming myself for having +neglected my Cornelia's child. I thought it was too late and that +Cornelli had grown hopelessly stubborn. Now you have come and brought +me back my child so that she even resembles her mother in her eyes and +her whole expression and appearance. My wife was friendly and gay, and +now you tell me that this is Cornelli's disposition, too." + +"I have to tell you something else, Mr. Hellmut," Mrs. Halm continued. +"I am perfectly sure that a child's first impressions are very +important. It is natural that Cornelli missed her mother's guidance, +but she was not by any means a neglected child when she came to me. +From what she and Dino have told me I am perfectly sure that Martha +gave Cornelli the best one can possibly give a child on spiritual +education. I esteem old Martha very highly, for she must love and +understand children as few people do." + +"My wife used to say the same thing, and that is why I had such +confidence in Martha. Unfortunately a time came later on when I feared +that she was wrong, and I did not realize what she meant to Cornelli. +You have reminded me of my great debt--" + +At this moment such loud laughter and rejoicing sounded from below +that both stepped to the open window. + +Mux was screaming loudly, and seemed quite beside himself. "Mama, +Mama," he cried out, "just look at a living goat boy and a real goat! +Come down and see me!" + +Mux was sitting on the seat of a lovely wicker carriage, with two reins +in one hand and a whip in the other, while a young and slender goat +was pulling him. Agnes and Cornelli were running beside the carriage +as protectors, while Dino held the goat lightly by the reins to keep +her from running off. All the children were screaming with delight at +the wonderful ride. + +Matthew was standing beside the bushes to watch this trial trip, for +he thought that his help might be needed. He had built the carriage +for Cornelli and had already several times harnessed the goat so as +to teach her how to behave when Cornelli returned. When Matthew had +first shown the little conveyance to the children, Cornelli had said +right away that Mux had to take the first ride in order to realize the +scene he loved so much in his picture book. + +Mux simply screamed to his mother in wild joy. To see the wonderful +spectacle from near by, she came down to the garden. + +The Director also left the house, but he went another way. Not long +afterwards he went up Martha's little stairway to the porch where the +old woman sat on her stool mending. + +"Oh, Mr. Hellmut!" she called out in her surprise. Opening the door +she led her visitor into her room, for the porch was very narrow. + +Mr. Hellmut entered. + +"Martha," he said in a business-like tone, "I have spoiled your business +by taking your boarder away from you forever. That requires a +compensation, and so I have just bought your little cottage from the +farmer over there, besides the little piece of ground in front of it. +Now you will have more room for your carnations, and if you manage +well, you can surely have some pleasant days from the rent which you +save. Are you satisfied?" + +"Oh, Mr. Hellmut! Is this little house really my own, now, and will +I really have a garden besides? Oh, Mr. Hellmut!" + +But her benefactor would not let her say any more. After heartily +shaking her hand, he hurried away. + +The large raspberries were peeping out between the green leaves, and +the golden plums were dropping from the heavily laden branches. From +morning till night on these beautiful summer days Mux fairly swam in +uninterrupted bliss. Before he had even opened his eyes in the morning, +he would call out to his mother in his sleep: "Oh, mother, are we in +Iller-Stream still? Are we still here?" Then the hours of the day +began, each more lovely than the last, and Mux could not tell which +was the best. + +As the boy spent most of the day in the stable, the hayloft, and the +barn, his mother had been obliged to make him a special stable costume. +The little boy loved to watch the milking of the cows, and he never +tired of admiring the horses and the goat. + +Matthew had become his best friend. The gardener constantly thought +out pleasant surprises for Mux, who showed a decided taste for farming. +If Matthew had to do some important work where Mux was in his way, he +always devised a plan to keep the boy amused elsewhere: "Go down there +to the raspberry hedge, Mux!" he would say. "The berries are finest +and biggest there, because the sun has cooked them through. Go to the +plum tree afterwards and wait for me!" + +Mux would obey promptly, wandering over to the plum tree from the +raspberry bushes, which he had lightened considerably. He then would +sit thoughtfully under the plum tree, waiting till Matthew returned. +The gardener then shook the tree so mightily that a flood of golden +plums came rolling down over Mux, who could freely enjoy the wealth +about him. + +If Matthew could not be found and Cornelli and Dino were busy with +their own plans and did not need him, Mux knew another friend who +always gave him a good reception, that friend was Esther. He loved to +find her in the vegetable garden, which was also full of surprises for +him. It was like a marvel to the little boy that the green peas hung +here in abundance, whereas they were only served at home on feast days. +He became quite scared when Esther picked a basketful. But when he +warned her, saying, "Don't take them all, for then we won't have any +more," she only laughed and said: "They always grow again; in a week +there will be plenty more." + +If Mux looked a little timidly at the large cabbage heads, Esther said +to him: "Don't be afraid of them, Mux. If I cook cabbage, everybody +else likes it so much that you won't have to eat it at all, and you +can take the potatoes which I serve with it." + +Mux often accompanied Esther to the kitchen, where he soon picked up +a lot of useful knowledge. There was no pastry the exact recipe of +which as well as how it tasted Mux could not tell. In this manner he +lived through heavenly days. + +They were no less heavenly for the other children. Dino and Cornelli +had started the large undertaking of laying out Martha's garden after +their own plan. They were so busy inventing things and carrying them +out that they could hardly ever be found. + +Agnes struggled with Dino for first place in Cornelli's affection, but +Dino was always the victor. Cornelli never forgot that he had been her +first friend, who had held fast to their friendship. For this she +remained faithful to him. + +It was a consolation to Agnes that she could play on the lovely piano +whenever she wanted to and that Cornelli was always home in the +evenings, when she could sing with her. Mr. Hellmut would sit in his +arm-chair while the two girls sang one song after another, and he could +never hear enough. Beaming with joy, he would say to Mrs. Halm from +time to time: "The child has her mother's voice, except that her +mother's voice was still fuller and softer." + +Mrs. Halm's face would beam, too, as she would say: "Just have a little +patience, Director. You are sure some day to hear Cornelli's voice +when there will be nothing more to desire in it. Her teacher's highest +wish is to train her voice." For answer the father nodded and lay back +in his chair smiling contentedly. + +Nika, too, was completely changed. No shadows dimmed her eyes, for she +could wander about all day with her paint box from one lovely spot to +another, up to the beech wood or to the hill where the big oak tree +stood. There she could sit on a bench and look down, over the house +and garden, and far below into the wide, green valley. Nika was very +happy to be able to spend all her time in painting, without ever being +disturbed or called away by unwished-for duties. + +When the mother saw the happy faces of her girls and Dino's improved +health, she felt very happy, too. Suddenly, however, the thought would +rise in her: How will it be when these lovely days are over and we +have to start living again in the narrow confines of town and in the +shadow of those coming years? + +The holidays were nearing their end, but nobody yet had time to think +of that, for the Director's birthday was drawing near and this was to +be the great feast day for everybody. Mrs. Halm had asked each of the +children to think out some surprise for Mr. Hellmut. For Mux, however, +she wrote a beautiful birthday verse. As the little boy's head was +filled solely with thoughts of the barn and stable, the kitchen and +the goat cart, the plums, the beetles and ants, it took a great deal +of time and trouble to fix the verse in his memory. Nika, needing no +advice, had long ago decided what to do. Every day as soon as the meals +were over, she silently disappeared. Agnes and Cornelli bolted the +door of the music room and let mysterious songs issue from behind it. +Only Dino was still undecided about his task. When he was left alone +with his mother and Mux one day, and all the others were busy with +their preparations, he said: "Tell me what I could do, mother." + +"Draw him a picture of the beautiful goat," Mux advised. He knew that +Dino could draw animals well, and to him there was no finer animal in +all the world than the goat. + +"What a knowing goat boy you are, Mux," Dino exclaimed. Despite his +refusal to draw the goat, he had nevertheless gotten an idea from his +little brother. "Oh, I'll draw the two brown horses," he called out +joyously. "I'll make one trotting and the other walking. Matthew must +lead them up for me." + +So the boy ran happily to the stable, and after that day he and Matthew +had many meetings in secret. + +The birthday came at last. + +When the Director entered the dining room in the morning, such a +beautiful duet resounded from the next room that he was compelled to +draw nearer. Agnes and Cornelli were both singing a lovely song with +such deep feeling that the Director could hardly speak. When they had +ended, he patted them both on the shoulder with fatherly tenderness +and then passed into the next room. Here Mux approached him and said +his verse faultlessly in a loud, clear voice. On the table the Director +found two beautiful drawings of his brown horses, and his joy over +them was so great that he did not put them down for quite a while. But +finally he saw all at once a large picture resting in the middle of +the table. His house, with the surrounding garden, the luminous meadow +with the view toward the valley and the distant mountains beyond, was +painted in such fresh and absolutely natural colors that Mr. Hellmut +was quite overcome. This was the view he had loved so passionately +from his childhood. + +"Cornelli, come here!" the father called. "Just look at this picture! +Don't you have a beautiful home? Do you love your home as much as your +father loves it?" + +"Oh yes, Papa, I love it so much!" said Cornelli. "And I have to think +every day that I never knew how beautiful it was before I went away. +But ever since I came home again, I know. Oh, how beautiful it looks +in the picture!" + +Agnes had been standing behind Cornelli. Suddenly she exclaimed +passionately: "Oh, Cornelli, if only you didn't have such a beautiful +home!" + +"Agnes," the mother said in alarm, "what unseemly words are you saying?" + +The Director looked in astonishment at Agnes, whose eyes were flashing +fire while she regarded the painting. + +"Have you had a disagreement with Cornelli? Is that the reason why you +don't want her to have such a beautiful home?" he asked with a sly +smile. + +Agnes flushed scarlet. + +"Oh no, Mr. Hellmut, I did not mean it that way. I have never fought +with Cornelli, and I only fight with Dino because he wants to have +Cornelli all the time. If Cornelli didn't have this beautiful home and +if she were like me and had to give up all her music lessons and had +to earn her living, we could do fine things together. She has such a +beautiful voice that we could hire a harp and could travel into strange +cities and sing before the houses. Later on we could give concerts and +begin a singing school. But I can't do anything alone." + +At this outbreak, which no sign from her could check, the mother became +alternately hot and cold from fright. Agnes' eyes still flashed with +passionate excitement like burning coals. + +"I approve of the singing school, but especially of sitting down to +breakfast. I hope very much that we have the usual chocolate to drink +to-day, for it is a good old custom for birthdays which should not be +neglected. So a singing school is to be founded," he continued, while +Mux gazed solemnly at the three huge cakes which were placed beside +the three big chocolate pots. "The wandering harp players are a little +too poetical for me, but I like the idea of a school, Agnes. As I, +too, wish to profit from it, I want it to be built on my estate. Lots +of our workmen in the foundry have small children, whose mothers are +busy with the housework and their small babies. So Agnes and Cornelli +are going to found a singing school in Iller-Stream, where all the +children will go, whose mothers have no time for singing. Upon their +arrival the children shall all be given a bowl of milk and a piece of +bread apiece to make their voices fuller. Now we have settled all about +the school. I shall also have my two teachers instructed, so that they +won't ever be out of practice. I have also some work for Nika: she +shall fill my house with lovely pictures from top to bottom. To inspire +her with plenty of new ideas, I am going to send her to her professor +in town for lessons. Dino shall help me keep my two horses in trim by +giving them plenty of exercise, for that will be good for him and them. +I can use Mux by having him trained to become the manager of my estate. +The good beginning he has made in the knowledge of farming under +Matthew's guidance shall be continued while the ground is covered with +green and the trees are bearing fruit. The mother shall stay here for +the protection of you all. So tell me, now, how you like my plan. Shall +it be thus?" + +Absolute silence followed. The children hardly dared to realize that +the words they had just heard were true, and the mother was filled +with deep emotion. She could not utter a word, and tears flowed from +her eyes. Could it be possible that her great sorrow and heavy cares +were suddenly lifted from her? Could it really be true? + +At that moment Mux said loudly: "Yes, we like it very much!" He had +clearly grasped that it meant for him keeping on doing what he had +enjoyed so much under Matthew's and Esther's care. The Director had +to laugh, and continued: "I must have the reply of the chief, my dear +Mrs. Halm, so please listen to my plan. I shall let you manage the +children in the winter, and you shall arrange whatever they are to +learn, but they must come here in the summer when I can enjoy all the +results of their studies. I shall also enjoy the great advantage of +having you manage my house when you are here. Does that suit everybody, +or am I getting more than my share?" + +At last the mother composed herself. + +"Oh, Mr. Hellmut, how can I thank you?" she said, offering him her +trembling hand. "I do not know how to express what is in my heart. How +can I be grateful enough for such boundless kindness? You cannot know +what your generosity means to us all." + +Even the children had understood that this unheard-of bliss was true. +Nika was the first to run with beaming eyes to the Director and to +seize his hand, but she could find no words to show her gratitude. +Agnes and Dino, too, had run towards the Director, and the latter did +not know how to shake all the hands that were offered to him. Mux, who +could find no access to his benefactor, climbed up on a chair, and +putting his arms about him from behind, screamed a thousand words of +thanks right into the Director's ears. The wild rejoicing became louder +and louder. + +"Cornelli," said the father at last, "give thanks to your foster-mother! +She has earned them, for she has brought joy back to our house." + +Cornelli did it with a full and willing heart, for she realized what +the children's mother had done for her. Soon afterwards, Dino and +Cornelli ran away for they had had a simultaneous thought. They did +not want to wait another moment before bringing Martha the wonderful +news. Nobody on earth could share their boundless happiness as Martha +would. + +Martha's heart overflowed when she heard what had been proposed. Between +freely flowing tears she said again and again: "Oh, Cornelli! Everything +has happened so wonderfully for you. God has ordained it much more +wisely than we could have wished and prayed for. From now on, we shall +leave everything entirely in His hands. We'll do that as long as we +live, won't we, Cornelli?" + +Cornelli nodded with understanding; she had not forgotten how she had +complained to Martha, and how Martha had told her to seek God's help. +Martha had assured her that the help would always come, even if it +revealed itself differently from the way she expected. Now it had all +turned out so gloriously, and so much more splendidly than Cornelli +could ever have imagined! + +There had never been such rejoicing in the house as Agnes started when +she and Nika had retired to their room in the evening and Cornelli had +come to pay her accustomed little evening visit. She skipped and danced +about the room like a newly freed bird and called out: "Now our troubles +are over and no secret fears can scare us any more. Now we can sing +all we want and can live here with you every summer, Cornelli. Oh, we +are the happiest creatures in all the world, and it has all happened +through you, Cornelli; you wonderful, incomparable Cornelli!" + +Agnes, seizing her friend's hand, jumped about with her in the room +at such a rate that Nika had to calm her. The elder sister warned Agnes +that the Director might have to repent of his kindness to them if their +lengthy stay began with such violent noise. One could see, though, +that Nika was willing enough to join the others in their antics. + +"The day on which you came to our house, Cornelli," she said, "has +really been more blessed than any other day in the year. So we must +always celebrate it as a great feast day." + +Nika had lately been very sweet and friendly to Cornelli, and the +younger girl had been very happy about it. But had never dreamed that +Nika would ever speak to her like this. + +When Esther heard that the Halm family was going to remain for the +present and return every year, she said: "Oh, I am glad. That is much +better than if some other people I know had to come back. It is better +for me and for Cornelli, as well as for the whole house." + +"Oh, if I could only come again, too!" said Trina, whose face in these +days was always beaming. "Oh, one feels so happy here!" + +"That is very true," Esther affirmed. "I do not see why you shouldn't. +You don't need to worry, Trina. If Cornelli and I wish you well, we'll +see that you come here again." + +The Director did not like the thought of losing his large new family +so soon, so he said one day to Mrs. Halm: "I am very anxious to prolong +the children's holiday this year till late in the fall. Dino, who is +more in need of his studies than the others, is least able to go back +to town, because he ought to be thoroughly strengthened and made +absolutely well. If it should be necessary for him to study, we have +our good Mr. Maelinger, who can give him lessons." The mother agreed, +for she also was very anxious to have Dino as well as possible, and +she was very grateful to her benefactor for making this possible. + +"There is another reason which makes a longer stay necessary," continued +the Director. "As I fully intend to visit you and the children several +times during the winter, I have rented a more comfortable apartment +for you, because I was rather afraid of finding your tower-like dwelling +a little inconvenient for me. The apartment will be ready for you in +the late autumn, and I want you to get all the rest you can before you +move there, for it is sure to involve some additional work for you. +I hope sincerely that you do not resent my step." + +"I can only thank you continually," said the mother now. The children +arrived at the same moment, and all further words from her were +swallowed up in their loud and stormy manifestations of joy. Cornelli +had already told them of her father's plan to let them all stay in +Iller-Stream till winter time. + +When all the fruit had ripened on the trees and Dino was shaking one +of them and Cornelli another, Matthew looked over from the barn door, +happily rubbing his hands. Right under the tree he saw the other +children, one biting into an apple, the other into a pear. + +"It certainly is different now from last year," he said, smiling to +himself. "There is not a rotten plum or a lonesome pear in all the +orchard." + +Every evening, when the last songs resounded in the house, there were +some of thanks and praise which rose up to Heaven like a loud rejoicing. + +More than once the Director said to his little daughter, when she gave +him her goodnight kiss: "Did not God mean well with us, Cornelli, when +he guided Martha to write such an inviting notice to the paper?" + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, CORNELLI *** + +This file should be named crnll10.txt or crnll10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, crnll11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, crnll10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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