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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/9075-8.txt b/9075-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..75f9fd8 --- /dev/null +++ b/9075-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7362 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico and Wiseli, 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: Rico and Wiseli + Rico And Stineli, And How Wiseli Was Provided For + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Translator: Louise Brooks + +Posting Date: April 6, 2014 [EBook #9075] +Release Date: October, 2005 +First Posted: September 3, 2003 +[Last updated: July 28, 2022] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger, Juliet Sutherland and Distributed +Proofreaders. + + + + + + + + + + +RICO AND WISELI + + +RICO AND STINELI +and +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR + +BY + +JOHANNA SPYRI + + +Translated By Louise Brooks + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +RICO AND STINELI + + +CHAPTER + + I. IN THE QUIET HOUSE + II. IN THE SCHOOL + III. THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE + IV. THE BEAUTIFUL, DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME + V. A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME + VI. RICO'S MOTHER + VII. A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER + VIII. ON THE LAKE OF SILS + IX. A PERPLEXING AFFAIR + X. A LITTLE LIGHT + XI. A LONG JOURNEY + XII. IT STILLS GOES ON + XIII. ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE + XIV. NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN + XV. SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS + XVI. COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY + XVII. BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS +XVIII. TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS + XIX. CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA + XX. AT HOME + XXI. SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA + + +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR + + + I. COASTING + II. AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY + III. ALSO AT HOME + IV. AT COUSIN GOTTI'S + V. HOW TIME WENT ONE, AND SUMMER CAME + VI. OLD AND NEW + VII. ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO + VIII. SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +"So the lad seated himself, and placed his fiddle in position." + +"Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm." + +"Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side." + +"Andrew raised himself in his bed to see who was there." + + + + + + + +RICO AND STINELI. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +IN THE QUIET HOUSE. + + +In the Ober Engadin, on the highway up to Maloja, stands the lonely +village of Sils; and back towards the mountains, across the fields, +nestles a little cluster of huts known as Sils Maria. Here, in an open +field, two cottages stand, facing each other. + +Noticeable in both are the old wooden house-doors, and the tiny windows +quite imbedded in the thick walls. A bit of a garden-plot belongs to one +of these poor dwellings, where the pot-herbs and the cabbages look only +a trifle better than their spindling companions the flowers. + +The other house has nothing but a little shed, where two or three hens +may be seen running in and out. This cottage is smaller than its +neighbor, and its wooden door is quite black from age. + +Out of this door every morning, at the same hour, came a large man. In +order to pass out he was obliged to stoop, so tall was he. His hair was +black and glossy, and his eyes were also black; and under his +finely-shaped nose grew a thick black beard, completely hiding the lower +part of his face; so that, except the glistening of his white teeth when +he spoke, nothing was visible. But he rarely spoke. + +Everybody in Sils knew the man, but he was never called by his name,--it +was always "the Italian." He went by the foot-path across to Sils every +day regularly, and thence up to Maloja. They were working on the highway +in that place, and there he found employment. + +When, however, he did not have work up there, he went down to the Baths +of St. Moritz. Houses were being built down there, and he found work in +plenty; and there passed the day, only returning to his cottage at +nightfall. + +When he came out of his house in the morning, he was usually followed by +a little boy, who lingered on the threshold after his father had gone on +his way, and looked with his big black eyes for a long time in the +direction his father had taken; but where he was looking that no one +could have told, for his eyes had a faraway look, as if they saw nothing +that lay before them and near, but were searching for something +invisible to everybody. + +On Sunday mornings, when the sun shone brightly, father and son would +saunter up the road together; and the close resemblance between them was +most striking, for the child was the man in miniature, only his face was +small and pale,--with his father's well-formed nose, to be sure; but his +mouth had an expression of great sadness, as if he could not laugh. In +his father's face this could not be detected, on account of the beard. + +When they walked along together, side by side, they did not talk; but +the father usually hummed a tune softly,--sometimes quite aloud,--and +the lad listened attentively. On rainy Sundays they sat at the window +together in the cottage, and seldom talked then; but the man drew his +harmonica from his pocket, and played one tune after another to the lad, +who listened most earnestly. Sometimes he would take a comb, or even a +leaf, and coax forth music; or he would shape a bit of wood with his +knife, and whistle a tune upon that. It really seemed as if there were +no object from which he could not draw forth sweet sounds. Once, +however, he brought a fiddle home with him, and the boy was so delighted +with the instrument, that he never forgot it. The man played one tune +after another, while the child listened and looked with all his might; +and when the fiddle was laid aside, the little fellow took it up, and +tried to find out for himself how the music was made. And it could not +have sounded so very badly, for his father had smiled, saying, "Come, +now!" and placed the big fingers of his left hand over his son's, and +held the little hand and the bow together in his right; and thus they +played for a long time, and produced a great many sweet tunes. + +On the following day, after his father's departure, the boy tried again +and again to play, until at last he did succeed in producing a tune +quite correctly. Soon after, however, the fiddle disappeared, and never +made its appearance again. + +Often, when they were together, the man would begin to sing +softly,--softly at first, then more and more distinctly as he became +more interested, and the boy know the words, he could at least follow +the tune. The father sang Italian always; and the child understood a +great deal, but not well enough to sing. One tune, however, he knew +better than any other, for his father had repeated it many hundred +times. It was part of a long song, and began in this wise:-- + + "One evening In Peschiera." + +It was a sad melody that some one had arranged to a pretty ballad, and +it particularly pleased the lad, so that he always sang it with pleasure +and with a feeling of awe; and it sounded very sweetly, for the lad had +a clear, bell-like voice, that harmonized beautifully with his father's +strong basso. And each time after they had sung this song from beginning +to end, his father clapped the boy kindly on the shoulder, saying, "Well +done, Henrico! well done!" This was the way his father called him, but +he was called "Rico" only by everybody else. + +There was a cousin who lived in the cottage with them, and who mended +and cooked and kept the house in order. In the winter she sat by the +stove and spun, and Rico had to consider how he could enter the room, +very carefully; for as soon as he had opened the door, his cousin called +out, "Do let that door alone, or we shall have it cold enough in the +room here." + +In winter he was very often alone with his cousin; for when his father +had work to do in the valley, he would be away for long weeks at a time. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +IN THE SCHOOL. + + +Rico was almost nine years old, and had been to school for two winters. +Up there in the mountains there was no school in the summer-time; for +then the teacher had his field to cultivate, and his hay and wood to +cut, like everybody else, and nobody had time to think of going to +school. This was not a great sorrow for Rico,--he knew how to amuse +himself. When he had once taken his place in the morning on the +threshold, he would stand there for hours without moving, gazing into +the far distance with dreamy eyes, if the door of the house over the +way did not open, and a little girl make her appearance and look over +at him laughingly. Then Rico ran over to her in a trice, and the +children were busy enough in telling each other what had happened since +the evening before, and talked incessantly, until Stineli was called +into the house. The girl's name was Stineli, and she and Rico were of +exactly the same age. They began to go to school at the same time, were +in the same classes, and from that time forward were always together; +for there was only a narrow path between their cottages, and they were +the dearest of friends. + +This was the only intimacy that Rico had, for he had no pleasure in +the companionship of the other boys; and when they thrashed each +other, or played at wrestling, or turned somersaults, he went away +without even looking back at them. If they called out after him, "Now +it is Rico's turn to be thrashed," he stood perfectly still and did +nothing; but he looked at them so strangely with his dark eyes, that +no one meddled with him. + +In Stineli's company he was always contented. She had a merry little +pug-nose, and two brown eyes that were always laughing; and around her +head were two thick braids of brown hair, that always looked smooth and +neat, for Stineli was a very orderly girl, and knew very well how to +take care of herself. For that her daily experience was excellent. It is +true Stineli was scarcely nine years old, but she was the eldest +daughter of the family, and had to help her mother in every thing, and +there was a great deal to be done,--for after Stineli came Trudi and +Sami and Peterli, then Urschli and Anne-Deteli and Kunzli, and last of +all the baby, who was not baptized. From every corner, at every moment, +Stineli was called for; and she had become so handy and skilful with all +this practice, that work seemed to turn itself out of her hands of its +own accord. She could always put on three stockings and fasten two shoes +before Trudi had even placed the legs of the little one she was helping +in the right position. And while her mother was calling for Stineli to +help her in the kitchen, and the little children wanted her in the +bedroom, her father was sure to shout out from the stable for Stineli to +come to his help, for he had mislaid his cap, or his whip-lash was in a +knot, and she found the one in a trice,--it was generally on the +meal-box,--and her limber fingers had no trouble in untying the knotted +lash. So, you see, Stineli was always busy running about and working, +but always merry with it all, and rejoiced also in winter, when the +school began. Then she went with Rico to school and back again, and in +recess they were also together. And in summer she was still more happy, +for then the lovely Sunday evenings came when she could go out; and she +and Rico went, hand in hand,--the lad was always waiting for her in the +doorway,--over the big meadow towards the wood on the hill-side that +projected far out over the lake like an island. They used to sit up +there under the pines, and look out over the green waters of the lake, +and had so many questions to ask and so many answers to give, and were +so happy, that Stineli was happy all the week in thinking it over and +looking forward,--for Sunday always came again. + +There was yet one other person in the household who called for Stineli +now and then,--that was her old grandmother. + +She did not want her assistance, however, but had generally a bit of +money to give her that she had put aside, or some little thing that +would give the girl pleasure; for the grandmother noticed how much there +was for Stineli to do, and that she had less pleasure than other +children of her age, and the child was her favorite. She always had +something ready so that she could buy herself a red ribbon at the yearly +market, or a needle-case, if she wished. + +Rico was also a favorite with this good grandmother, and she liked to +see the children together, and tried to contrive a little recreation for +them now and then. + +On summer evenings the grandmother always sat by the door on a +tree-stump that was there, and often Stineli and Rico stood by her side +while she told them stories. But when the prayer-bell sounded from the +little church tower she always said, "Now say, 'Our Father;' and be +sure, children, that you never forget to say that prayer every evening; +the prayer-bells ring to remind you of that." "Now remember, little +ones," she would now and then repeat, "I have lived for a long, long +time, and had a great deal of experience, and I have never known a +single person who has not, at some time or other in his life, sore need +of 'Our Father;' but I have known many a one who has sought to say it +anxiously, and not found it, in his great need." So Stineli and Rico +stood reverently side by side and said their evening prayer. + +Now May had come, and there was only a short time to pass before school +would cease, for under the trees there were signs of green, and the snow +had melted and vanished in many places. Rico had been standing for a +long time in the doorway making these welcome observations. At the same +time he looked again and again towards the opposite door, hoping that it +would open. It did at last, and out came Stineli. + +"How long have you been standing there?" she called out merrily. "It is +early to-day, and we can go along slowly." + +They took each other's hands, and went towards the schoolhouse. + +"Are you always thinking about the lake?" asked Stineli as they +went along. + +"Yes, of course," said Rico, with a serious expression; "and I often +dream about it too, and see great red flowers there, and in the distance +the purple mountains." + +"Oh! what one dreams does not count," said Stineli. "I dreamed once that +Peterli climbed, all alone, to the top of the highest pine-tree; and +when he was on the top twig, suddenly he changed into a bird and called +out, 'Come, Stineli, and put on my stockings for me.' So you see that it +does not mean any thing when you dream." + +Rico pondered over this, for his dream might certainly mean something, +and yet only be thoughts passing through his mind. Now, however, they +were near the schoolhouse, and a troop of noisy children came towards +them from the opposite direction. They all entered together, and soon +the teacher came in. He was an old man with thin, gray hair, for he had +been teacher for an incredibly long time,--so long, that his hair had +grown gray and fallen out. + +Now a busy spelling and pronouncing began; then followed the +multiplication-table, and, lastly, the singing. For this the teacher +brought out his old fiddle and tuned it. Then they began, and all +shouted at the top of their lungs,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height," + +and the teacher played the accompaniment. + +Rico, however, had his eyes fixed so attentively upon the fiddle, and on +the teacher's fingers as he touched the strings, that he quite forgot +the song; and at this the whole choir lost their pitch, and fell away a +half-note, and the fiddle became uncertain, and lost a half-note also; +and then the voices fell lower still, until at last nobody could have +told where they were going to all together; but the teacher tossed his +fiddle upon the table and called out angrily, "What sort of a song do +you call that? You are nothing but a lot of screamers! I should like to +know who it is who sings false and spoils the whole time." + +At this a little boy spoke up,--the one who sat nearest to Rico: "I know +why it all goes wrong. It always goes that way when Rico stops singing." + +The teacher himself knew that the fiddle was somewhat dependent on +Rico's leading. + +"Rico, Rico! what is this that I hear?" he said, turning to the lad. +"You are generally a well-behaved boy; but inattention is a sad fault, +as you now see. One single careless scholar can easily spoil a whole +song. Now we will begin anew; and be more attentive, Rico." + +After this the boy sang with his steady, clear voice; the fiddle +followed, and the children sang with all their might, and it went on +very satisfactorily to the very end. + +The teacher was well satisfied, and rubbed his hands together, and then +drew his bow over the string, saying, with a pleased air, "It is a good +instrument, after all." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE. + + +Stineli and Rico freed themselves from the crowd of children gathered +before the schoolhouse, and wandered off together. "Were you thinking so +that you could not sing with us to-day, Rico?" asked Stineli. "Were you +thinking again about the lake?" + +"No, it was quite another thing," replied the boy. "I know how to play +'Little lambkins, come down,' if I only had a fiddle." + +Judging from the deep sigh that accompanied these words, the wish must +have weighed heavily on Rico's heart. The sympathetic little Stineli +began at once to contrive some means of helping him to get his wish. + +"We will buy one together, Rico," she said suddenly, full of delight at +a happy thought that had entered her head. "I have ever so many pieces of +money,--as many as twelve. How much have you got?" + +"None at all," said the boy sadly. "My father gave me some before he +went away, but my cousin said I should only spend it foolishly, and +she took it from me, and put it up on the shelf in a box where I +cannot get it." + +Such a trifle did not discourage Stineli. "Perhaps we have enough +without that, and my grandmother will give me some more soon," she said +consolingly. "You know, Rico, a fiddle can't cost so very much; it is +nothing but a bit of old wood with four strings stretched across it, +that will be cheap, I'm sure. You must ask the teacher about it +to-morrow morning, and then we will try to find one." + +So it was settled, and Stineli resolved to do all she could at home to +make herself useful by getting up bright and early, and making the fire +before her mother was afoot, thinking that, if she worked busily from +morning till night, perhaps her grandmother would put a bit of money for +her in the bag. + +After school the next day Stineli went out and waited alone behind the +wood-pile at the schoolhouse corner, for Rico had made up his mind at +last to ask the teacher how much it would cost to buy a fiddle. He was +such a long time about it, that Stineli kept peeping out from behind the +wood-pile, quite overcome with impatience, but only saw the other school +children who were standing about and playing; but now certainly,--yes, +that was Rico who came around the corner. + +"What did he say? How much does it cost?" cried Stineli, almost +breathless with suspense. + +"I had not the courage to ask," was the sad answer. + +"Oh, what a shame!" said the girl, and stood still and disappointed for +a moment, but not more. "Never mind, Rico; you can try again to-morrow," +she said cheerfully, taking him by the hand and turning homeward. "I got +another bit of money from my grandmother this morning, because I got up +early and was in the kitchen when she came in." + +The same thing happened, however, the next day and the day after. Rico +stood for half an hour before the door without getting courage to go in +to ask his question. At last Stineli made up her mind to go herself, if +this lasted three days more. On the fourth day, however, as Rico was +standing, timid and depressed, before the door, it opened suddenly, and +the teacher came out quickly, and ran into Rico with such force, that +the slender little fellow, who did not weigh more than a feather, was +thrown backward several feet. The teacher stood looking at the child in +great surprise and some displeasure. Then he said, "What does this mean, +Rico? Why do you stand before the door without knocking, if you have a +message to deliver? If you have no message, why do you not go away? If +you wish to tell me any thing, do so at once. What is it that you wish?" + +"How much does a fiddle cost?" Rico blurted out his question in +great fear and haste. The teacher's surprise and displeasure +increased visibly. + +"I do not understand, Rico," he said, with a severe glance at the boy. +"Have you come here on purpose to mock me? or have you any particular +reason for asking this? What did you mean to say?" + +"I did not mean any thing," said Rico abashed, "only to ask how much it +would cost to buy a fiddle." + +"You did not understand me just now,--pay attention to what I am saying. +There are two ways of asking a question: either to obtain information, +or simply from idle curiosity, which is foolishness. Now pay attention, +Rico: is this a mere idle question, or did somebody send you who wishes +to buy a fiddle?" + +"I want to buy one myself," said the boy, taking courage a little; +but he was frightened when the angry reply came, "What! what did you +say? A forlorn little fellow like you buy a fiddle! Do you even know +what the instrument is? Have you any idea of how old I was, and what +I knew, before I obtained one? I was a teacher, a regular teacher; +was twenty-two years old, with an assured profession, and not a +child like you. + +"Now I will tell you what a fiddle costs, and then you will see how +foolish you are. Six hard gulden I paid for mine. Can you realize what +that means? We will separate it into blutsgers. If one gulden contains a +hundred blutsgers, then six guldens will be equal to six times one +hundred,--quickly, quickly! Now, Rico, you are generally ready enough." + +"Six hundred blutsgers," said the lad softly, for he was quite +overpowered with the magnitude of this sum as compared with Stineli's +twelve blutsgers. + +"And, moreover, my son, do you imagine that you have only to take a +fiddle in your hand to be able to play on it at once? It takes a long +time to do that. Come in here now, for a moment." And the teacher opened +the door, and took his fiddle from its place on the wall. "There," he +said, as he placed it on Rico's arm, "take the bow in your hand,--so, my +boy; and if you can play me _c, d, e, f_, I will give you a +half-gulden." + +Rico had the fiddle really in his hand; his eyes sparkled with fire; _c, +d, e, f,_--he played the notes firmly and perfectly correctly. "You +little rascal!" cried the astonished teacher, "where did you learn that? +Who taught you? How do you find the notes?" + +"I can do more than that, if I may," said the boy. + +"Play, then." + +And Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height; + The daylight is fading, + The sun says, 'Good-night!'" + +[Illustration: RICO PLAYED CORRECTLY, AND WITH ENTHUSIASM] + +The teacher sunk into a chair, and put his spectacles on his nose. His +eyes rested on Rico's fingers as he played, then on his sparkling eyes, +and again on his hands. When the air was finished, he said, "Come here +to me, Rico;" and, moving his chair into the light, he placed the lad +directly before him. "Now I have something to say to you. Your father is +an Italian; and I know that down there all sorts of things go on of +which we have no idea here in the mountains. Now look me straight in the +eye, and answer me truly and honestly. How did you learn to play this +air so correctly?" + +Looking up with his honest eyes, the boy replied, "I learned it from +you, in the school where it is so often sung." + +These words gave an entirely new aspect to the affair. The teacher stood +up, and went back and forth several times in the room. Then he was +himself the cause of this wonderful event; there was no necromancy +concerned in it. + +In a far better humor, he took out his purse, saying, "Here is your +half-gulden, Rico; it is justly yours. Now go; and for the future be +very attentive to the music-lesson as long as you go to the school. In +that way you may, perhaps, accomplish something; and in twelve or +fourteen years perhaps you may be able to buy a fiddle. Now you may go." + +Rico cast one look at the fiddle, and departed with deep sadness in +his heart. + +Stineli came running to meet him from behind the wood-pile. "You did +stay a long time. Have you asked the question?" + +"It is all of no use," said the boy; and his eyebrows came together in +his distress, and formed a thick black line across his forehead over his +eyes. "A fiddle costs six hundred blutsgers; and in fourteen years I can +buy one, when everybody will be dead. Who will be living fourteen years +from now? There, you may have this; I do not want it." With these words +he pressed the half-gulden into Stineli's hand. + +"Six hundred blutsgers!" repeated the girl, horrified. "But where did +this half-gulden come from?" + +Rico told her all that had happened at the teacher's, ending with the +same words expressing his great regret, "It is all of no use!" + +Stineli tried to console him a little with the half-gulden; but he was +furious at the thought of the innocent piece of money, and would not +even look at it. + +So Stineli said, "I will put it with my blutsgers, and we will have it +all between us." + +Stineli herself was very much discouraged now; but as they went around +the corner into the field, the little pathway that led to their doors +shone so prettily in the bright sunlight, and the plat before the houses +was so white and dry, that she called out,-- + +"See, see! now it is summer, Rico; and we can go up into the wood, and +we will be happy again. Shall we go next Sunday?" + +"Nothing will ever make me happy again," said Rico; "but if you want to +go, I will go with you." + +When they reached the door, they had arranged to go to the wood on the +following Sunday, and Stineli was very happy at the thought. She did all +that she was able to do through the week, and there was a great deal of +work for her. Peterli, Sami, and Urschli had the measles, and in the +stable one of the goats was sick, and needed hot water very often; and +Stineli had to run hither and thither, lending a helping hand in every +direction as soon as she came home from school, and on Saturday all day +long until late in the evening; and then there were the stable buckets +to be cleaned. But that night her father said,-- + +"Stineli _is_ a handy child." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE BEAUTIFUL DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME + + +When Stineli awoke on the following Sunday morning, she was conscious of +an unusual light-heartedness, and at first could not understand the +cause, until she remembered what day it was, and that her grandmother +had said, on the previous evening, "To-morrow you must have the whole +afternoon to yourself: it is rightfully yours." + +After dinner was finished, and all the dishes taken away, and the table +washed off by Stineli, Peterli called out, "Come here to me;" and the +two others screamed, "No, to me!" and her father said, "Now Stineli must +go to look after the goats." + +But at this moment her grandmother went through the kitchen, and made a +sign to Stineli to follow her. + +"Now go in peace, my child," she said. "I will take care of the goats +and the children; but be sure to come home, both of you, punctually when +the bell rings for prayer." The grandmother knew very well that there +were two of them. + +Off flew Stineli, like a bird whose cage-door has suddenly been opened; +and outside stood Rico, who had been waiting for a long time. They went +on together, across the meadow towards the wood. + +On the mountains the sun was shining brightly, and the blue heavens lay +over all the landscape. They were obliged to pass, for a little while, +through the shade in the snow; but the sun was shining a little farther +on, and shimmered on the waters of the lake, and there were lovely dry +spots on the slope that was almost hanging over the lake. + +There the children seated themselves. A sharp wind came down from the +heights, and whistled about their ears. Stineli was as happy as happy +could be. She shouted out, again and again, "Oh, look, Rico; look! How +beautiful it is in the sun! Now summer has come, look how the lake +glistens! There cannot be a more beautiful lake than this one anywhere," +she said confidently. + +"Yes, yes, Stineli! You ought to see the lake I know about just once," +said Rico; and looked so longingly across the lake, that it seemed as if +that which he wanted to see began just beyond their vision. + +"Over there are no dark fir-trees, with sharp needles, but shining green +leaves, and great red flowers; and the mountains are not so high and +dark, nor so near, but lie off in the distance, and are purple; and the +sky and the lake are all golden and still and warm. There the wind does +not feel like this, and one's feet never get full of snow; and one can +sit all day long on the sunny ground, and look about." + +Stineli was quite carried away by this description. She already saw the +red flowers and the golden lake before her eyes, and seemed to know +exactly how beautiful it all was. + +"Perhaps you may be able to go there again to see it all, Rico. Do you +know the way?" + +"You must cross the Maloja. I have been there with my father once. He +pointed me out the road that goes all the way down the mountain,--first +this way, then that, and far below lies the lake; but so far, so far, +that it is scarcely possible to go there." + +"Oh! that is easy enough," said Stineli. "You have to go farther and +farther, that is all; and at the end you will surely get there." + +"But my father told me something else. Do you know, Stineli, when you +are travelling and stop at an inn, and eat something and sleep there, +then there is something to pay, and you must have money for that." + +"Oh! we have lots of money," cried Stineli triumphantly. But her +companion was not triumphant. + +"That is exactly as good as nothing. I know that by the affair of the +fiddle," he said sadly. + +"Then it will be better for you to stay at home, Rico. Look! it is +beautiful here at home, I am sure." + +The lad sat thoughtfully silent for a long time, leaning his head on his +hand, and his eyebrows brought in a close line down over his eyes. At +last he turned again to Stineli, who had been gathering the soft green +moss that grew around the spot where they were lying, and of which she +made a tiny bed with two pillows and a coverlet. She meant to carry them +home to the sick Urschli. + +"You say I had better stay at home, Stineli; but, do you know, it is +just as if I did not know where my home really is." + +"Oh, dear me! what do you mean?" cried the girl; and in her surprise she +threw away a whole handful of moss. Your home is here, of course. It is +always home where father and mother"--She stopped suddenly. Rico had no +mother, and his father had been away now for a very long time; and the +cousin? Stineli never went near that cousin, who had never spoken one +pleasant word to her. The child did not know what to say, but it was not +natural to her to remain long in uncertainty. Rico had already fallen +into one of his reveries, when she grasped him by the arm, and said,-- + +"I should just like to know something; that is, the name of the lake +where it is so lovely." + +Rico pondered. "I do not know," he said; and felt very much surprised +himself as he spoke. + +Now Stineli proposed that they should ask somebody what it was called; +for even if Rico had ever so much money, and was able to travel, he must +know how to inquire the way, and what the name of the lake was. They +began at once to think of whom they should inquire,--of the teacher, or +of the grandmother. + +At last it occurred to Rico that his father would know better than +anybody else, and he thought he would certainly ask him when he came +home again. + +The time had slipped away quickly as they sat talking, and presently the +children heard the distant sound of a bell. They recognized the sound. +It was the bell for prayers. + +They sprang up quickly, and ran off, hand in hand, down the hill-side +through bushes, and through the snow across the meadow; and it had +scarcely stopped ringing when they reached the door where the +grandmother was on the lookout for them. + +Stineli had to go at once into the house, and her grandmother said +quickly, "Go home directly, Rico, and do not hang around the door +any longer." + +The grandmother had never said such a thing to him before, although he +had always been in the habit of hanging around the door; for he was +never in haste to go home, and stood always for a while before he could +make up his mind to enter. He obeyed at once, however, and went into +the house. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME. + + +Rico did not find his cousin in the sitting-room; so he went to the +kitchen, and opened the door. There she stood; but before he could +enter, she raised her finger, saying, "Sch! sch! Do not open and shut +the doors, and make a noise, as if there were four of you. Go into the +other room, and keep still. Your father is lying in the bedroom up +there. They brought him home in a wagon: he is sick." + +Rico went into the room, seated himself on a bench, and did not stir. + +He sat there for at least a half-hour. Presently he heard the cousin +moving about in the kitchen. Then he thought that he would go up very +softly, and peep into the bedroom. Perhaps his father would like +something to eat: it was long past the meal-time. + +He slipped behind the stove, mounted the little steps, and went very +softly into the bedroom. After a while he returned, went at once into +the kitchen, approached quite close to his cousin, and said softly,-- + +"Cousin, come up." + +The woman was about to strike him angrily, when she happened to glance +at his face. He was perfectly colorless,--cheeks and lips as white as +a sheet, and his eyes looked so black that the cousin was almost +afraid of him. + +"What is the matter with you?" she asked hastily, and followed him +almost involuntarily. + +He mounted the little steps softly, and entered the chamber. His father +lay on the bed with staring, wide-open eyes,--he was dead. + +"Oh, my God!" screamed the cousin, and ran crying out of the door that +opened upon the passage on the other side of the room, went down the +staircase, and across into the opposite house, where she called out to +tell the neighbor and the grandmother the sad news; and thence she ran +on to the teacher and to the mayor. + +One after another they came, and entered the quiet room until it was +full of people; for the news spread from one to another of what had +taken place. And in the midst of all the tumult, and of all the clamor +of the crowd of neighbors, Rico stood by the bedside speechless, +motionless, and gazed at his father. All through the week the house +was filled with people who wished to look at the man, and hear from +the cousin how it had all happened; so that the lad heard it repeated +over and over, that his father had been at work down in St. Gall on +the railroad. + +He had received a deep wound on the head when they were blasting a rock; +and, as he could not work any longer, he wished to go home to take care +of himself until the wound was healed. But the long journey--sometimes +on foot, sometimes in an open wagon--was too much for him; and when he +had reached his home on Sunday, towards evening, he had lain down on +the bed never to rise again. Without any one knowing it, he had passed +away; for he was already stiff when Rico had found him. On the following +Sunday the burial took place. Rico was the only mourner to follow the +coffin. Several kind neighbors joined in, and thus the little procession +went on to Sils. In the church, Rico heard the pastor when he read out, +"The deceased was called Henrico Trevillo, and was a native of Peschiera +on the Lake of Garda." + +These words brought the feeling to Rico that he had heard something that +he knew perfectly well before, and yet could not recollect. He had +always seen a picture of the lake before his eyes when he had sung,-- + + "One evening + In Peschiera," + +with his father, but he had never known the reason. He repeated the name +softly to himself, while one old song after another arose in his memory. + +As he came back from the burial all alone, he saw the grandmother +seated on the log of wood, and Stineli by her side. She beckoned him to +come over to them. She gave the lad a bit of cake and another to +Stineli, and said now they might go off together for a walk. Rico ought +not to be alone. + +So the children rambled off together, hand in hand. The grandmother +remained seated on her log, sadly gazing after the black-haired lad +until they had wandered slowly up the hillside and passed out of sight. +Then she said softly to herself,-- + + "Whate'er He does, or lets be done, + Is always for the best." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +RICO'S MOTHER. + + +Along the road from Sils came the teacher leaning on his staff. He had +assisted at the burial. He coughed and cleared his throat; and as he +drew near to the grandmother and bade her "good evening," he seated +himself by her side. "If you have no objection, I will sit here with you +for a few moments, neighbor," said he; "for I feel very badly in my +throat and chest. But what can we expect when we are almost seventy +years old, and have witnessed such a funeral as this one to-day? He was +not thirty-five years of age, and as strong as a tree." + +"It always sets me thinking," said the grandmother, "when I, an old +woman of seventy-five years, am left, and here and there a young person +is called away,--a useful one, too." + +"Yet the old folks are good for something. Who else can set an +example to the youth?" remarked the teacher. "But what is your +opinion, neighbor: what will become of the little fellow over yonder, +do you think?" + +"Yes, what will become of him?" repeated the old woman. "I also ask +myself that question; and if my only reliance were upon human help, I +should not know of an answer. But there is a heavenly Father who looks +after the forsaken children. He will provide something for the lad." + +"Will you not tell me, neighbor, how it happened that the Italian +married the daughter of your friend who lived over there opposite? One +never knows how these people may turn out." + +"It happened as such things always happen, neighbor. You know how my old +friend Anne-Dete had lost all her children, and her husband also, and +lived alone in the cottage over yonder with Marie-Seppli, who was a +merry little girl. About eleven or twelve years ago Trevillo made his +appearance here. He had work in the Maloja, and came down here with the +other boys; and he and Marie-Seppli had scarcely become acquainted +before they were resolved to have each other. + +"And it must be said, in justice to Trevillo, that he was not only a +handsome fellow who was agreeable to everybody, but also an industrious +and well-conducted man, with whom Anne-Dete (the mother) was well +pleased. Naturally she wished that they should stay in the house and +live with her, and Trevillo would gladly have done so. He was fond of +his wife's mother, and he always did as Marie-Seppli wished him to. He +had taken her, however, towards the Maloja in his walks, and they had +together looked down the road where you can see how far it goes winding +down the mountain; and he had told her how every thing was down there +where he was born. So Marie-Seppli got it into her head that she must go +there, and no matter how much her mother worried and fretted, and said +that they could not live there, she still was bent upon going; and +Trevillo himself said that as to living there she need not fear, for he +had a nice little property and a house; but, for his part, he would like +to see a little of the world. But the bride prevailed, and after the +wedding she was all for starting directly down the mountain. + +"She wrote to her mother occasionally that it was very nice where they +lived, and that Trevillo was the best of husbands. + +"About five or six years later, who should walk into the room where +Anne-Dete was sitting but Trevillo, leading a little boy by the hand. He +said, 'There, mother, this is the only thing I have left of +Marie-Seppli. She lies buried down yonder with her other little +children. This one was her first, and her favorite.' + +"This is what my old friend told me. Then he threw himself down on the +bench where he had first seen his wife, saying that he should like to +make his home there with her and the boy, if she had no objection, for +down below it was not possible for him to continue to live. This was joy +and sorrow at the same time for Anne-Dete. + +"Little Rico was then about four years old,--a quiet, thoughtful boy, +never noisy or mischievous, and the very apple of her eye; but she died +in the course of a year, and Trevillo was advised to take a cousin of +hers to keep house for him and his boy." + +"So, so!" said the teacher when the old woman was silent, having +finished her story. "I had not understood all this thoroughly before. +Perhaps some of Trevillo's relations will come forward, in good time, +and they can be asked to do something for the child." + +"Relations!" said the grandmother with a sigh. "That cousin is a +relation, and little enough of comfort he gets from her in the course of +the year." + +The schoolmaster rose with difficulty from his seat. "I am going +down-hill, neighbor," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot imagine where +my strength has gone to." + +The old woman encouraged him, and said he was still a young man in +comparison with her. But, in truth, it did surprise her to see how +slowly and painfully he walked as he left her. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER. + + +Many beautiful Sundays followed; and, whenever it was possible, the +grandmother so arranged it that Stineli got, now and then, a spare +moment; but the work in the house increased daily. Rico passed many +hours standing on the threshold of his cottage looking longingly across +the way, in the hope of seeing Stineli come out. + +Towards September, when people often sat before their houses in order to +enjoy, to the utmost, the last warm evenings of the season, the +schoolmaster placed himself before his door, but he looked very thin and +coughed continually; and at last, one morning when he tried to rise, his +strength deserted him completely, and he fell back upon his pillow. + +There he lay very still, and busy with all sorts of thoughts; and he +wondered what would come to pass when he died. He had no children, and +his wife had been dead for a long time, and there was only an old +maid-servant to live with him and take care of the house. He was +principally occupied in thinking of what would become of all the things +that belonged to him when he should be gone; and, as his fiddle hung +directly opposite to him on the wall, he said to himself, "I must leave +that behind me too." + +Then he remembered the day when Rico stood before him and played on the +instrument, and he felt as if he had rather let the boy have the fiddle +than to let it go to a distant cousin who did not understand the use of +it at all. And he thought that, if it were to go very cheap, perhaps +Rico could buy it. Presently he bethought himself that if he could not +use the violin, neither would he have any use for money. For all that, +he could not bring himself to let the instrument, for which he had paid +down six hard gulden, go for nothing. + +So he pondered and pondered how he could manage to obtain something in +exchange; but at last it was quite clear to him that there, where he was +fast going, he could not take his violin with him, neither could he take +any thing that he might get for it, for all must remain behind. + +While he was lying there the fever became greater and greater, and he +lay, towards evening and all night long, fighting with all sorts of +strange thoughts, and old, long-forgotten events rose before his mind +and perplexed him; so that at last, towards morning, he lay on his bed +utterly exhausted, and with only one thought or wish,--viz., to be able +to do one kind deed, one good action, and that quickly, before it was +too late. He knocked against the wall with his stick until the old +maid-servant heard him and came in to him; and then he sent her over to +the grandmother, to ask her to come to him as quickly as possible. + +She did come almost immediately; and before she had fairly time to ask +him how he found himself, he said,-- + +"Will you be so good as to take down the fiddle that hangs there on the +wall, and give it to the little orphan boy? I wish to make him a present +of it, and he must be very careful of it." + +Naturally the good woman was very much surprised, and could not +refrain from exclaiming repeatedly, "What will Rico do with it? What +will Rico say to this?" Presently she noticed, however, that the +schoolmaster seemed a little restless, as if he were in a hurry to +have the thing done. + +So she left him, and hastened as quickly as possible across the fields +with the gift under her arm; for she was also impatient to know how Rico +would take this rare piece of good fortune. + +He was standing in the doorway of his cottage. At a motion from the +grandmother, he ran towards her. + +"Here, Rico," she said, and handed him the violin. "The schoolmaster +sends this to you: it is yours." + +The boy stood as if he were in a dream, but it was true. The grandmother +was really standing there, holding the fiddle out to him. + +Trembling with pleasure and excitement, he took his present at last, put +it on his arm, and gazed at it in a silly sort of way, as if he thought +it might vanish presently, as quickly as it had come, if he did not keep +his eyes on it. + +"You must be very careful of it," said the old woman, delivering her +message faithfully. She was much inclined to laugh, however; for it did +not seem to her that the warning was at all necessary. "And, Rico, think +about the teacher, and do not forget what he has done for you: he is +very ill." + +The grandmother went into the house with these words; and the boy +hastened up into his own bedroom, where he was always alone. + +There he sat and fiddled, and played on and on, and forgot all about +eating or drinking, or how the time sped on. At last, when it was almost +dark, he came to himself, and went down-stairs. The cousin came out from +the kitchen, saying, "You can have something to eat to-morrow morning. +You have behaved so to-day that you won't get any thing more." + +The boy did not feel hungry, although he had not eaten since the early +morning, and went quite unconsciously across into the opposite house, +and entered the kitchen. He was looking for the grandmother. + +Stineli was standing by the hearth, arranging the fire. When she caught +sight of Rico, she shouted aloud for joy; for the ground had almost +burned beneath her feet, she had been so impatient all day--ever since +her grandmother had told her the great news--to get away, and express +her delight to Rico; but she had not dared to leave the house for an +instant. Now she was fairly beside herself, and called out, again and +again, "You have got it now! You have got it now!" + +Hearing the noise, the grandmother came out of the sitting-room; and +Rico hastened towards her, saying, "May I go to thank the teacher, if +he is sick?" + +After thinking a while,--for she remembered how very ill the +schoolmaster looked in the morning when she saw him,--the good woman +said, "Wait a few moments, Rico, I will go with you;" and stepped into +her room to put on a clean apron. Then they went over to the +schoolhouse. The grandmother entered first. Rico followed, his fiddle +under his arm. He had not once laid it down since it had come into his +possession. + +The teacher lay on his bed, looking very feeble indeed. The lad stepped +to the bedside and looked down at his fiddle and could scarcely speak, +but his eyes sparkled so brightly that the good man had no difficulty in +understanding him: he cast a pleased look towards the boy, and nodded at +him. Then he beckoned the grandmother to draw near. Rico moved a little +to one side, and the teacher said with a weak voice, "Grandmother, I +should be very glad if you would say 'Our Father' for me, I feel so very +much troubled." + +Just at this moment the prayer-bell sounded. The grandmother folded her +hands and repeated the Lord's Prayer, and Rico also folded his hands. +Every thing was quiet in the room. After a while the grandmother bent +over and closed the old teacher's eyes, for he had passed away. Then she +took Rico by the hand, and went softly home with him. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ON THE LAKE OF SILS. + + +Stineli did not recover herself during the entire week, her joy was so +great; but it seemed as if that week were ten days longer than any +other, for Sunday seemed never to come. + +At last it did come, and a golden sun shone over the harvest fields, and +she and Rico went up under the fir-trees, where the sparkling lake lay +spread out at their feet; and the girl's heart was so overflowing with +happiness, that she had to dance about and shout aloud before she seated +herself on the moss, on the very edge of the slope. There she could see +every thing round about,--the sunny heights and the lake, and, stretched +over all, the blue heavens. + +Suddenly she called out, "Come now, Rico; we will sing,--sing for +ever so long." + +So the lad seated himself by Stineli's side, and placed his fiddle in +position,--for he had, of course, brought that too,--and began to play, +and the children sang,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright, sunny height," + +until they had sung all the verses; but Stineli had not had half enough. + +"We will sing more," she said, and went on,-- + + "Little lambkins, above + On the bright, pleasant hill, + The sunlight is sparkling, + The winds are not still." + +And then Rico sang the verse and was pleased and said, "Sing some more." + +Stineli was quite excited: thought a bit, and looked up, then down, and +sang again,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins, + And the heavens so blue; + And red and white flowers, + And the green grasses, too." + +Then Rico fiddled and sung the verse with her, and said again, +"Some more." + +Stineli laughed, and, glancing at Rico, sang,-- + + "And a sad little boy, + And a very gay maid; + And a lake like another, + That from water is made." + +Laughing and singing, Stineli went +on,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins, + They jumped up so high, + And all were most merry, + And did not know why. + + "And a boy and a girl + By the lake-side did sit, + And because they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +Now they began at the very beginning, and sang the whole thing through +again, and made merry over it, and were so happy that they sang it at +least ten times over; and the more they repeated it, the better it +sounded to their ears. + +After this Rico played several tunes that he had learned from his +father; but they soon came back to their own song, and began that again. + +In the midst of it the girl stopped and said, "It has just come into +my head how you can go down to the other lake, and will not need any +money either." + +Rico paused suddenly and gazed at his companion, awaiting what was +coming next. + +"Don't you see," she said earnestly, "now you have a fiddle, and you +know a song. You can go and play your song, and sing before the +taverns; then the people will give you something to eat and to drink, +and let you sleep there, for they will see that you are not a beggar. +So you can go on until you reach the lake; and, coming home, you can do +the same thing again." + +Rico reflected over these words, but Stineli would give him no time for +dreaming: she wanted to go on with the song. + +They made so much noise themselves, that they did not hear the +prayer-bell at all; and did not notice what time it was until reminded +by the growing darkness, and perceived the grandmother looking about +anxiously for them before they reached the houses. + +But Stineli was too much excited to be subdued by any thing. She ran on +towards her grandmother, and said, "You have no idea how beautifully +Rico can fiddle; and we have made a song of our own, for ourselves only. +We will sing it to you this very moment." + +And before there was time to answer, they began and sang it all through; +and the good grandmother listened with real pleasure to their sweet, +clear voices. + +She seated herself on the log; and, when the children had finished, +said, "Come now, Rico, I want you to play for me; and you and I will +sing together. Do you know the song that begins,-- + + "'I sing to thee with heart and voice?'" + +Rico had probably heard the hymn, but he did not know it correctly, and +said that he wished first to hear it from the grandmother, and he would +follow her softly on his violin, and then he would be sure of it. + +So they began; and first the grandmother repeated the words of a verse +to the children, and then they all sang it together,-- + + "I sing to thee with heart and voice, + Lord, whom my soul obeys. + I sing, and bid all earth rejoice: + Thou teachest me thy praise. + + "I know that thou the fountain art + Of joy,--the eternal spring + Which, into every willing heart, + Healing and good dost bring. + + "Why do we worry over sin? + Why sorrow night and day? + Come, bring thy load, cast it on Him + Who fashioned thee from clay. + + "He never yet has done amiss; + And, perfect in His sight, + All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right. + + "Now only let His will be done, + Nor clamor constantly, + Peace to thy heart on earth will come, + And joy eternally." + +"It is well," said the grandmother. "Now we know a proper evening hymn, +and you may go quickly to rest, my children." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A PERPLEXING AFFAIR. + + +When Rico entered the cottage that evening it was later than usual, for +he had spent a full half-hour in singing the hymn. As he went in, his +cousin came flying towards him. + +"Are you beginning in this style already?" she called out. "The supper +stood waiting for you a whole hour: now I have put it away. Go to your +bedroom; and if you turn out a good-for-nothing and a scamp, it is no +fault of mine. I don't know any thing that I had not rather do than look +after a boy like you." + +Rico never answered a single word, no matter how much his cousin might +scold at him; but this evening he looked at her, and said,-- + +"I can get out of your way, cousin." + +She shoved the bolt in on the house-door with such violence that the +door shook, and went into the sitting-room, slamming that door behind +her. Rico went up into his dark little bedroom. + +On the following day, as all the big family in the other cottage +were eating their supper,--the parents, the grandmother, and all the +children,--the cousin came running over, and called out from the +door to ask if they knew any thing about Rico: she had no idea where +he could be. + +"He will come fast enough when it is time for supper," replied the +father quietly. + +The cousin entered the room. She had been quite sure that the lad was +there, and she expected him to come out if she only stood at the door +and asked for him. + +Now she went on to tell them that he had not made his appearance at +breakfast, nor at dinner-time, and that he had not been in bed the +previous night, for she had found it as she had left it; and she +believed that he must have gone away very early in the morning before +daybreak, wandering about as he was in the habit of doing, for the bolt +was pushed aside on the house-door when she went to open it. She thought +at first that she must have forgotten to bolt it the night before in her +anger, for nobody knew how angry she had been. + +"Something has happened to him," said the father, quite unmoved. "He has +probably fallen into some cleft up there on the mountain: it often +happens to little boys who go climbing about everywhere. + +"You ought to have spoken of it earlier in the day," he went on slowly. +"We shall have to go to look for him, and in the night you can't see +any thing." + +At these words the cousin broke out into a terrible uproar. She expected +there would be all sorts of fault found with her; that was always the +way when you had suffered for years, and never said any thing about it. + +"Nobody would ever believe," she said,--and spoke a truthful word then, +at least,--"what a sly, cunning, deceitful boy that is, and what a life +he has led me these four years. He will turn out a regular vagabond, a +tramp, a disgraceful creature." + +The grandmother had ceased eating for several minutes. She now rose from +the table, and went up to the cousin, who was talking very noisily. + +"Stop, neighbor, stop," she said; and repeated it twice without effect. +"I know Rico very well; I have always known him ever since he was +brought here to his grandmother. If I were in your place, I would not +say another word, but stop to think whether the lad, to whom perhaps +something dreadful has happened, and who may be standing up there before +God at this moment, may not have some complaint against +somebody,--somebody who had done him a heavy injury, all deserted as he +is, with her cruel words." + +Since Rico's disappearance, the way the lad looked at her on that +last evening had occurred several times to the cousin's mind, and how +he said,-- + +"I can easily get out of your way." + +That was why she had made such a noise about it, in order to drown these +words. Now she did not dare to look the grandmother in the face, but +said that she must go: perhaps Rico might be at the cottage by this +time, which she would very gladly have had come true. + +From this day forward the cousin never spoke another word against Rico +in the grandmother's hearing; nor, indeed, did she often speak of him at +all. She believed, as did all the neighbors far and near, that the lad +was dead; and she was thankful that nobody knew about the words he had +said to her on that last evening. + +The next morning after this event was made known, Stineli's father went +out to the thrashing-floor and picked himself out a stout stick. He said +that he would call some of the neighbors together: they must go search +for the lad somewhere towards the glaciers and up by the ravines. + +Stineli crept out after him, and he said, when he noticed her, "That is +right, come and help me to search; you can get into the corners better +than I can." + +At last, after they had found a big beanpole, Stineli ventured to say, +"But father, if Rico went along the high-road, then he could not fall +into any thing, could he?" + +"Oh, perhaps he might," replied her father. "Such thoughtless boys as he +often stray off the road, and fall into ravines and places: they don't +know themselves where they are going, and he was always moving about +more or less." + +That this was true of Rico nobody knew better than Stineli; and she +became dreadfully anxious from that time forth, which anxiety increased +every day to such a degree that she could neither eat nor sleep for +sorrow, and did her work, day after day, as if she did not know what she +was about. + +Rico was not found: nobody had seen any thing of him. They ceased to +search for him, and the folks soon began to find consolation in the +thought, "It is just as well for the little fellow, after all; he was +forsaken, and had no one to care for him." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +A LITTLE LIGHT. + + +Stineli grew more and more thin and quiet from day to day. The little +ones called out complainingly, "Stineli never tells us stories now, and +never laughs any more." Her mother said to her father, "Do you notice +how changed she is?" And her father replied, "It is because she grows so +fast. She must get a little goat's milk early in the mornings." + +After this had gone on for three weeks or so, Stineli's grandmother +called the girl into her bedroom one evening, and said, "My dear +Stineli, I can very well understand that you cannot forget your friend +Rico, but you must try to remember that it is God's will that he should +be taken away; and that, as it is so, it is also the best thing for +Rico, as we must try to think." + +At these words Stineli began to weep as her grandmother had never seen +her do before; and she sobbed and sobbed, saying, "The good God did not +do it: I did it, grandmother; and therefore I feel as if I should die of +anxiety. It was I who proposed to Rico to go to find the lake, and now +he has fallen into a ravine, and is dead; it has hurt him dreadfully, +and it is all my fault." Then the poor child cried and sobbed pitifully. +It seemed to the grandmother as if a heavy weight were lifted from her +heart as she heard these words of Stineli's. She had given up Rico as +lost; and had in secret believed that the child had fled from the unkind +treatment he had received at home, and was lying somewhere in the water, +or was lost in the woods. Now a new hope arose in her heart. + +She succeeded in quieting Stineli enough to persuade her to relate the +whole story about the lake, of which the grandmother was in total +ignorance: how Rico had always been talking about this lake, and how he +had longed to go to find it, and how, at last, Stineli had suggested the +way for him to do so. It really seemed most likely that Rico had started +to find the lake, but her father's mention of the ravines had destroyed +all hope in Stineli. + +The good old woman took her granddaughter by the hand, and drew her +towards her, saying, "Now, Stineli, I have something to explain to you. +Do you remember what the old song says,--the one we sang with Rico on +the last evening we were together?-- + + "'All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right.'" + +Now you see, that although the good God did not exactly do this +thing,--as if He had let Rico die in his bed, for instance,--yet the +thing is in His hand all the same, although you have it turned aside, +perhaps, a little; for certainly the good God is stronger than this +little Stineli. And, now that you have made this sad mistake, it will be +a lesson to you for all the rest of your life, no matter how it may turn +out in the end, that children should not run away into the unknown +world, nor undertake things about which they are utterly ignorant; and +that without saying a word to their parents or to their grandmothers, +who love them so well. But now the kind God has allowed it to happen, +and we may certainly hope that it will all be finished right. + +"Now ponder this well, my Stineli, and never forget what you have thus +learned by experience; and now--for I see how heavily it weighs down +your heart--it will be well for you to go to pray to the good God, that +He will allow this mistake of yours and Rico to turn out all right. And +then you can be happy again, Stineli, and I shall be so, too; for I +believe firmly that Rico is living, and that the good God has not +forsaken him." + +And Stineli became after this like her former happy self; and, although +she missed Rico constantly, still she no longer felt worried, nor did +she reproach herself, but looked continually down the road to Maloja, +expecting to see him. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A LONG JOURNEY. + + +On that memorable Sunday evening, Rico seated himself on the chair in +his gloomy bedroom. There he decided to stay until his cousin had +gone to bed. + +After Stineli had made the discovery that Rico could go with his fiddle +down to the much-wished-for lake, the enterprise seemed a very simple +thing to the lad,--so easy, that he only thought of the best way to get +off. He had a presentiment that his cousin would probably try to hinder +him from going, although he felt sure that she would not miss him after +he was away. + +So, when she began to scold him when he came home, he said to himself, +"I will be off as soon as she is once in her bed." + +He had very pleasant thoughts as he sat there in the dark,--of how nice +it would be not to hear the scolding voice of his cousin all day long, +and of what big bushels of the red flowers he would bring back to +Stineli when he returned. And then the picture of the sunny shores of +the lake and the purple hills rose before his mind, and he fell asleep. +He was not in a very comfortable position, for he had never let his +fiddle leave his hand; and he soon awoke again, but it was still dark. + +Now he had a clear idea of what he would do. He had his Sunday clothes +on, which was good; and his cap was also on his head. He took his fiddle +under his arm, and went softly down the steps, slipped the bolt aside, +and stole out into the cool air of morning. + +The dawn was just showing over the mountains, and in Sils the cocks were +crowing. Off he walked briskly, to get well away from the houses and to +reach the highway. When he once was on the road, he went along merrily; +for he felt quite at home there, he had so often traversed the ground +with his father. He could form no idea of how far it really was to the +Maloja; and indeed it seemed very long to him, after he had been going +for two good hours. Little by little it grew brighter, however; and in +about an hour more, when he reached the place before the tavern upon the +Maloja, where he used to stand with his father and gaze down the +mountain road, the sunny light of morning lay upon the mountains, and +the tips of the fir-trees were all touched with gold. + +Rico seated himself upon the edge of the roadside. He was very tired, +and remembered suddenly that he had not eaten any thing since the +noonday meal of the day before. But he was not discouraged, for now +the way was all down hill; and, after that, he should undoubtedly +reach the lake. + +While he sat there, the big post-wagon came rumbling along. He had often +seen it as it came through Sils, and always thought that the very +greatest happiness upon earth must be experienced by the driver, who sat +all day long on the box, and controlled his four horses with his whip. +Now he saw this happy creature nearer; for the post-wagon stopped, and +the lad never once removed his eyes from the wonderful man, as he came +down from his perch, stepped into the inn, and came out again with an +enormous piece of black bread in his hand, upon which lay a large piece +of cheese. + +Next, the driver drew out a strong knife, cut a good big bit of bread, +and gave each horse a mouthful in turn, not forgetting himself in the +meantime; but upon his own piece of bread he put an equally big morsel +of cheese. As they all stood there, eating in happy companionship, the +man looked about a little, and presently called out, "Hulloa, little +musician! won't you join us too? Come hither." + +Now when Rico saw them all eating, he fully realized how very hungry he +was. He most gladly accepted the invitation, and approached the driver, +who cut such a big slice of bread and also of cheese to give the lad, +that Rico did not really know how he should manage to eat it. + +He was obliged to put his fiddle down on the ground; and the coachman +looked on very complaisantly while the boy ate his breakfast, and said, +while he followed his own occupation,-- + +"You are a very small fiddler. Do you know how to play something?" + +"Oh, yes! two songs, besides those I learned from my father," +replied Rico. + +"Really! And where are you going to on your two little legs?" said the +driver. "To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda," was the serious answer. + +At these words, the coachman burst into such boisterous laughter that +the boy gazed up at him in great astonishment. + +"Well, you are a good one to travel," cried the man, still laughing. +"Have you any notion how far it is, and that a little musician like you +could wear out his two feet, and his soles, too, before he could catch +sight of a single drop of the water of the Lake of Garda? Who sends you +down there?" + +"Nobody. I go of my own accord." + +"Well, I never have seen the like of you before," said the man, still +laughing good-naturedly. "Where, then, is your home, my boy?" + +"I do not know exactly. It may be on the Lake of Garda," was the +serious answer. + +"What sort of reply is that?" + +So saying, the coachman looked with some curiosity at the little figure +before him, which certainly did not betray any signs of being neglected. +On the contrary, the head, with its black curly hair, and the nice +Sunday suit of clothes, gave the lad a very genteel appearance; and his +delicate features and earnest eyes bore unmistakable evidence to +something noble in his character, and any one who looked at him once was +certain to repeat the glance with pleasure. + +Such was also the case with the driver. He gazed steadfastly at Rico, +and presently said, kindly, "You carry your passport in your face, my +boy; and it is not a bad one either, even if you do not know where you +belong. What will you give me now, if I will carry you along with me +down yonder, on the box?" + +Rico stared, for he could scarcely believe his ears at these words. To +sit on that high post-wagon, and drive down into the valley! Such luck +could never, never be his; of that he was sure. Besides, what had he to +give the coachman in exchange? + +"I have only my fiddle in the world, and I cannot give that away," he +said sadly, after thinking a while. + +"Well, I should not know what to do with that box," laughed the driver +"Come along. We will get up there, and you may play me a little music." + +Rico could not trust his ears; but, sure enough, the coachman pushed him +up over the wheel to the top of the coach, climbing up after him. The +passengers had all taken their places, the doors were closed, and away +they rolled down the road.--the well-known road over which Rico had so +often longingly gazed, wishing that he could travel it. + +Now his wish was realized. High up between heaven and earth he seemed to +be flying, and could not believe that he was not in a dream. + +The coachman was revolving in his own mind the question of the boy's +belongings. + +"Just tell me, now, you little travelling bundle, where your +father lives." + +He asked this after having cracked his whip many times in succession as +loud as he could. + +"He is dead." + +"Oh, dear! Well, where is your mother, then?" + +"She is dead, too." + +"Well, there is always a grandfather and a grandmother, or something. +Where are yours?" + +"All dead." + +"At any rate, everybody has some brothers or sisters; where are yours, I +should like to know?" + +"All are dead," was the sorrowfully repeated answer. + +When the driver had convinced himself that they were all gone, he ceased +his questions about the relatives, and began in another direction with, +"What was your father's name?" + +"Henrico Trevillo of Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda." + +At last the driver thought he had got at the root of the matter, and +said to himself this boy had strayed away, or been carried away, from +his home down below there, and it is a good thing for him to get carried +back where he belongs; and he thought no more about the affair. + +Presently they passed the first very steep bit of the hill, and came to +an even stretch of ground, and the driver said, "Now, musician, let us +have a jolly song to cheer the way." + +Full of satisfaction, and much elated at his high position on his throne +under the blue heaven, the boy took his instrument and began to sing in +his strong, clear tones,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down." + +Now it happened that there were three students seated up on the top of +the post-wagon: they were off on a vacation trip, and very merry. + +So when Rico carolled forth Stineli's song in his gayest manner, they +all burst out laughing and shouted, "Stop, singer, stop, and begin over +again; we want to sing with you." + +Rico obeyed, and the jolly students joined in with all their might,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,"-- + +and laughed so extravagantly all the time that they drowned the sound of +Rico's fiddle completely. And then one of them would take up the words +and sing alone,-- + + "And if they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +And then the others joined in, and sang as loudly as possible,-- + +"And the lambkins, and the lambkins." + +And so they went on for a long time. If Rico paused a little, they +shouted, "Go on, fiddler; don't stop yet," and threw little pieces of +money to him over and over again, until he had quite a heap in his cap. + +Within the coach the passengers opened the windows, and stuck their +heads out to listen to the merry singing. + +Rico started off afresh, and the students also. They divided the song +into solos and chorus; and the solo sang very solemnly,-- + +"And one lake, like another, From water is made." + +And then again,-- + + "And because they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +And the chorus took it up with,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins." + +Then they laughed so that they were almost dead, and were forced to be +still for very fatigue and want of breath. + +Presently the driver stopped, for it was time for the horses to rest, +and also dinner-time. While the good man helped Rico down, he held the +little fellow's cap firmly for him, for it had a lot of money in it, and +the boy was busy enough with holding his fiddle carefully. + +The coachman was perfectly delighted when he saw the money, and +said, as he gave Rico the cap, "That is first rate; now you can have +a good dinner." + +The students leaped down one after the other, and crowded around the +fiddler to have a look at him, for they could not see him very well on +the top of the coach; and when they discovered what a tiny manikin he +was, they began to make merry again. Judging from his voice, they had +expected to see a large, strong musician; and the sight of this child +seemed to make the fun twice as funny. + +They took the little fellow up between them, and carried him with +singing and laughter into the inn. There they seated him at the table +between two gentlemen, and said that he was their guest; and they all +helped him one after the other, and put huge pieces upon his plate, for +no one would be outdone by the others in serving him; and the boy had +certainly never eaten such a dinner in all his life as he ate that day. + +"Tell us where you learned your beautiful song?" asked one of three. + +"Stineli made it up," replied Rico, very seriously. + +The students looked at each other at these words, and burst out again +with laughter. + +"So Stineli made it up, did she? Then we must drink her health over it." + +Rico had to join in drinking the toast, and was nothing loath to drink +to Stineli's health. + +But now the time for resting and eating was over; and while they were +all taking their places to go on their journey, a stout man came towards +Rico,--a man who had such a big stick in his hand, that it looked as if +he had torn up a young tree for his walking-stick. He was dressed in a +thick, golden-brown stuff from head to foot. + +"Come here, little one," he said to Rico. "How nicely you did sing! I +heard you here, inside the coach; and my business is also with sheep, +for, you know, I am a sheep-dealer; and I want to give you something, +because you can sing about them so prettily." + +With these words he put a big piece of silver in Rico's hand, for the +cap had been emptied by this time, and the contents transferred to the +boy's pocket. + +After this the man got into the coach, and the driver lifted Rico up to +his high seat as if the boy had been a mere feather, and off they went. + +As soon as the speed of the start had a little abated, the students +called for more music, and Rico played every thing that he could +remember ever having heard his father play; and at the end he played,-- + + "I sing to thee with heart and voice." + +But this tune must have put the students to sleep, for every thing +became quite still; and at last the riddle was silent. The evening +breeze stirred gently, and the stars climbed silently up into the sky +one after the other, until they were shining brightly in every +direction. + +Rico looked about, and thought of Stineli, of the grandmother, of what +they were now doing; and it occurred to him that this was the very time +at which the prayer-bell usually rang, and when they were saying "Our +Father." He did the same, to be with them in that, at least: folded his +hands, and said his prayer piously under the brilliant heavens. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IT STILL GOES ON. + + +At last Rico also fell asleep. He only awoke when the driver took hold +of him to lift him down. All the passengers descended; and the three +students came to the lad, shook him kindly by the hand, and wished a +happy journey. One of them called out, "Greet Stineli very kindly for +us." Then they disappeared up one of the streets, and Rico could hear +them as they sang merrily,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins," + +Rico now stood alone in the darkness. He had not the slightest idea +where he was, nor of what he ought to do next. He presently +remembered that he had not even thanked the kind coachman who had +allowed him to come all this way on the coach, and he felt that he +must do that at once. + +The coachman and his horses were both invisible, and nothing but +darkness was about the boy. At last he espied a lantern hanging up +somewhere in the distance, and went towards the light. It was hanging on +the stable-door, and the horses were just then brought in. Near the door +stood the man with the thick stick. He seemed to be waiting for the +driver; so Rico took his stand near by, and waited too. + +Probably the sheep-dealer did not recognize the little fiddler in the +darkness; but suddenly he exclaimed, quite surprised, "What! is that +you, little one? Where are you going to pass the night?" + +"I do not know where," replied the boy. + +"Well, I never heard of such a thing; at eleven o'clock at night, and a +little scrap of a boy like you in a strange place"-- + +The sheep-dealer seemed to speak in a great hurry, for he could scarcely +breathe in his excitement; neither did he finish his sentence, for the +driver entered the stable at that moment, and Rico went up to him at +once, saying, "I want to thank you for bringing me along with you." + +"You have come just in the nick of time. I had almost forgotten you +while I was looking after my horses, and I wanted to hand you over to an +acquaintance. I was thinking of asking you, good friend," he continued, +turning towards the dealer, "if you would not take this little chap +along with you, as you are going to Bergamo. He wants to go somewhere on +the Lake of Garda. He is one of those who belong here or there. You +understand, don't you?" + +The sheep-dealer thought of the stories he had heard of lost or stolen +children. He looked with pity at Rico, standing in the dim light of the +lantern, and said, "He does look as if he were not in exactly the +clothes that belong to him. He would become a richer dress, I am sure. I +will take him with me." + +When he had talked over the sheep-trade a little with the coachman they +parted, and the dealer made a sign to Rico that he should follow him. + +After a short walk, the man entered an inn, where he seated himself in a +corner of the eating-room with the boy beside him. + +"Now let us look at your possessions," he said to Rico, "so that we can +see what they will allow you to have. Where are you going on the lake?" + +"To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda." + +This was Rico's never-failing answer. He drew out his money from his +pocket,--a nice little pile of small coins it was, and the big silver +bit on the top of all. + +"Have you only that one bit of silver?" asked the dealer. + +"Yes; only that one. You gave me that," replied the boy. + +It pleased the man to think that he was the only one who had given +silver; and he was also pleased that the lad was aware of the fact. He +felt as if he wanted to give him something more. Just at this moment his +supper was placed before him, and the kindly man nodded to his little +companion, saying, "I will pay for this, and for your night's lodging +also; so you need not touch your little fortune until to-morrow." + +Rico was so tired out with all the fiddling and singing, and the long +journey, that he could scarcely eat; and as soon as he reached the big +bedroom where he was to pass the night with his protector, he was asleep +the moment he had put his head on the pillow. + +Early the following morning, Rico was awakened from a sound sleep by a +powerful grasp. He sprang quickly out of bed. His companion stood ready +dressed for the journey, with his big stick in his hand. + +It was not long, however, before Rico was also ready, with his fiddle +tucked under his arm. They went into the dining-room, and the dealer +called for coffee at once. He recommended the lad to make a good meal +then; for they had a long journey before them, he said, and one that +created an appetite. + +When they had breakfasted to their satisfaction, they sallied forth; +and, after a little, came round a sharp corner; and how Rico did open +his big eyes! for there, before him, lay a great shining lake; and much +excited, he shouted out, "Now we are on the Lake of Garda!" + +"Not for a long time yet, my boy. This is the Lake of Como." + +They went on board a boat, and sailed for several hours after this; and +Rico looked about him,--at the sun-bathed shores, and then at the blue +waters; and he felt at home at last. + +Presently he took his piece of silver from his pocket, and put it down +on the table before the dealer. + +"What does this mean? Have you too much money by you?" asked the man, +who was looking on in surprise, his arms supported on his big stick. + +"I must pay to-day," said Rico. "You said so yesterday." + +"You are very attentive to what is said to you. That is a very good +thing; but that is not the way to do, to put your money down on a table +like that. Give it to me." + +He took it, and went over to pay for their passage; but when he drew out +his heavy leathern purse, full of silver pieces,--for he was doing a +large business in selling sheep,--he could not find the heart to take +the poor lad's solitary bit of silver; and he brought it back again with +the ticket, saying, "There, you can find better use for your money +to-morrow. Now you are with me, but who knows how it will be after this? +When you are alone down there, and I am not with you any more, shall you +be able to find the house where you are going?" + +"No; I do not know any thing about the house," replied Rico. + +The man was secretly much surprised, and the lad's story seemed very +mysterious to him. He did not let this appear, however, and asked no +further questions. He said to himself that he should not probably find +out any thing more at present, but would ask the coachman about it the +next time they met. He probably knew the truth, even better than the +child himself did. He felt very sorry for the little fellow, who would +soon be deprived of his protection too. + +When the boat stopped, the man took Rico's hand in his, saying, "Now I +shall not lose you, and you can keep up with me better, for we must +hurry along; they won't wait for us." + +It was as much as the little fellow could do to keep up with his friend. +He did not turn to look to the right hand nor the left, but presently +stopped before some strange-looking wagons on wheels. They mounted the +step, Rico behind his companion; and the former entered a railroad +carriage for the first time. + +They flew along for several hours, until at last the dealer stood up, +and said, "Now I must go. We are in Bergamo, and you are to stay here +quietly; for I have arranged it all for you. You have only to get out +when you get there." + +"Then shall I be at Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda?" asked Rice. + +His companion replied in the affirmative. At last Rico understood--what +he had not clearly seen before--how much kindness the dealer had shown +to him, and the boy felt very sorry that they must part. + +After this Rico sat alone in his corner, and had plenty of time for +day-dreaming; for nobody troubled him in any way, although the train had +stopped at several stations since his companion left him. + +At last the conductor came in, took Rico by the arm, and led him quickly +to the door, and lifted him down the steps; then, pointing towards the +heights in the distance, he said briefly, "Peschiera;" and in a +twinkling he was back again in the carriage, and disappeared in the +train as it steamed off. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE. + + +Rico went forward a little way from the building at which the train had +stopped, and looked about. This white house, the barren square in front +of it, the straight road in the distance, were all new and strange to +his eyes. He had not seen any of them before; and he said to himself, "I +have not come to the right place after all." He went sadly down the road +between the trees, however, until presently the road made a turn, and +the boy stood as if transfixed, and believed himself dreaming, for +before him lay the lake, heavenly blue in the brilliant sunlight, with +its warm, still shores; and yonder were the mountains, and the sunny bay +was there, where the friendly houses sparkled in the distance. + +Now he knew where he was. He had seen all this before, he had stood in +this very place, he knew the trees perfectly well; but where was the +cottage? It must have stood there, close to where he now was, but it was +not visible. + +The old road was there below. Oh! he knew that well; and there, there +were the great shining red flowers with such green leaves. A little +stone bridge ought to be there, somewhere over the outlet of the lake: +he had often passed over that little bridge, but could not see it where +he stood, however. + +Rico started off, as if driven by the longing that now took possession +of him. Down the road he ran; and over there,--yes, that was the little +stone bridge. Every thing came back to him: there he had crossed, and +somebody held him by the hand,--his mother. Suddenly his mother's face +came before his eyes quite distinctly; he had never seen it so clearly +before. He remembered how she had stood there and looked at him with +loving eyes. It all came back to his mind with a rush. + +He threw himself down on the ground by the bridge, and cried and sobbed +aloud, "O mother! where are you, mother? Where is my home, mother?" + +He lay there for a long, long time, and cried until his great sorrow +was somewhat stilled. He thought his heart must burst, and as if all +the grief that had been hitherto pent up within his bosom must now find +an outlet. + +When at last he raised himself from the ground, the sun had already +declined in the heavens, and the golden twilight lay over the lake. The +mountains were turning purple, and a sunny mist lay all over the shores. +This was the way his lake had always looked to Rico in his dreams, only +the reality was even more lovely than he had remembered it. + +And his great wish rose again in his mind as he sat there, "Oh, if I +could show this to Stineli!" + +At last the sun sunk below the horizon, and the light slowly died out. +Rico arose, and passed along the road towards the red flowers. A narrow +lane branched off from the main road at this place. There they stood, +one bush after another: it looked like a great garden. There was, truly, +only an open fence about the whole; and within the flowers, the trees, +and the grape-vines were all growing together. + +At the farther end stood a pretty house with wide open doors; and in the +garden a lad was moving about cutting big bunches of golden grapes now +from this vine, now from that, all the while whistling merrily. + +Rico gazed at the flowers, and thought, "If Stineli could only see +them!" He stood for a long time thoughtfully by the fence. Presently the +lad espied him, and called out, "Come in, fiddler; and play a pretty +song, if you know one." + +The lad spoke in Italian, and it produced a strange sensation in Rico's +mind: he understood what he heard, but he never could have said it +himself. He entered the garden, and the lad began to try to talk with +him; but when he found that Rico could not reply, he pointed towards the +open door, giving Rico to understand that he was to go there to play. + +When Rico approached the door, he found that it opened directly into a +bedroom. A little bed stood within, near which was seated a woman who +was knitting with red yarn. Rico placed himself before the threshold, +and began to play and sing his song,-- + +"Little lambkins, come down." + +When he had finished, the pale face of a little boy was suddenly raised +from the pillows of the bed; and Rico heard the words,-- + +"Play again." + +Rico played another tune. + +"Play again" was repeated. This went on for five or six times, until +Rico had exhausted his stock of songs and tunes; and he put his fiddle +under his arm, and was moving away, when the little boy began to call +out piteously,-- + +"Oh, do stay! Do play again! Play something else!" Then the woman stood +up, and came towards Rico. + +She placed something in his hand, and at first he did not understand +what she wanted; but presently he remembered what Stineli had said, that +if he went to a door, and played on his fiddle, the people would give +him something. The woman asked him kindly where he came from, and where +he was going to; but he could not answer her. She then asked if he were +with his parents? He shook his head. If he were alone? He nodded assent. +Where he was going so late in the evening? Rico shook his head, to +denote uncertainty. A great pity took possession of the woman for the +little stranger; and she called to the boy who worked in the garden, and +bade him conduct the fiddler to the inn of the "Golden Sun." Perhaps the +landlord would understand his language, for he had been away in foreign +parts for a long time. She bade the gardener to say to the landlord that +she wished him to let the lad stay there over night, that she would pay +for it; and, in the morning, set the little fellow off in the right +direction towards his destination. He was so young,--"only a little +older than my boy," she added, compassionately; and also would the +landlord give the boy something to eat. + +Again the child on the bed called out, "He must play again;" and would +not stop until his mother said, "He will come again. Now he must sleep, +and you too." + +The gardener walked on in advance of Rico, who knew, however, what was +to be done; for he had understood what the woman said perfectly. + +In about ten minutes they had reached the town. In one of the little +streets the gardener entered a house, and proceeded at once to the +dining-room, which was filled with tobacco-smoke, and with men seated at +little tables all about. + +Then the gardener gave his message, to which the landlord replied, "It +is all right." The landlady came too, and both looked Rico over from +head to foot. When the guests at the neighboring tables espied the +fiddle under Rico's arm, several of them called out together, "There is +music!" And another one shouted, "Play something, boy, quickly; +something gay!" And they all began to shout for music so noisily that +the landlord could hardly make Rico hear him when he asked what language +he spoke, and whence he came. Rico replied in his own language that he +came down over the Maloja, that he could understand every thing that was +said to him, but could not reply in the same language. The landlord +understood him, and said that he had been up there in the mountains, and +they would have a little conversation later; but now the boy must really +play something, for the guests called for music incessantly. + +Rico, obedient as ever, began to play, and also to sing his own song as +usual. But the company did not understand the words, and the tune seemed +very dull to them also. Some began to make jokes and noises, while +others called for something different,--a dance, or a pretty tune. + +Rico sang every verse of his song to the very end; for when he had once +begun it, he would not stop until it was finished properly. When he had +finished, he bethought himself. He knew no dance music, so that was out +of the question. The hymn he had learned from the grandmother was very +slow, and they would not understand that either. Then he remembered, and +began the air,-- + + "Una Sera + In Peschiera." + +Scarcely had he brought forth the first notes of this tune, when every +thing became still; and in a moment or two voices broke forth from the +different tables round about the room, and they sang in chorus as the +boy had never yet heard any one sing. He became excited presently, and +played with great feeling, while the men sang enthusiastically; and as +soon as one verse was ended, Rico began the music for the next without +hesitating, for he had learned, from hearing his father play it, exactly +how the accompaniment should be, and when to stop. When he had reached +the finale, such a storm of applause broke forth that the boy was quite +overwhelmed. All the men called out and shouted, striking their fists +upon the tables for pleasure; and then they all came about little Rico +with their glasses, and they all wanted to drink with him. Some took him +by the shoulders, and all shouted at him, and made such a racket with +their surprise and pleasure, that Rico became very much frightened, and +turned paler and paler every moment. + +What had he done, however, but play their own Peschiera song, that +belonged to them alone, and which no stranger could ever learn; and this +child had played it as firmly and correctly as if he had been a +Peschierana. Such a wonderful event was enough to arouse these lively +fellows to the utmost; and they could not cease talking about it, and +wondering about this strange little fiddler, and drinking with him, to +express their friendliness. + +At last the landlady interposed. She brought a plate full of rice, and a +big piece of chicken. She beckoned Rico aside, saying to the men they +must let him have a little quiet now; he needed food; he was as pale as +chalk from excitement. She placed the dish upon a little table in one +corner, and encouraged him to eat heartily: she was sure he needed it, +he was such a little scrap. To tell the truth, Rico did enjoy his supper +wonderfully well. Since the coffee in the morning, not a mouthful had +passed his lips; and so much had happened to excite him too. + +As soon as he had eaten all that there was upon his plate, his poor +little eyes closed from fatigue, and he had the greatest difficulty +in keeping them open long enough to answer the landlord's questions +of where he belonged, and where he was going, while he also praised +the child's music. Rico answered that he belonged to nobody, and was +going nowhere. + +The landlord spoke kindly and encouragingly to the boy, telling him that +he should be cared for that night, and in the morning he could go to see +Mrs. Menotti, who had sent him there. She was a good, kind woman, said +the landlord, who could perhaps employ him in her household, if he had +no place to go to where he belonged. + +His wife, who stood by, plucked him constantly by the sleeve, trying to +stop him from talking; but he finished what he had to say, nevertheless, +for he had no idea what she meant by it all. + +Pretty soon the men at the tables began to clamor again: they were +calling for their song. + +The landlady, however, asserted herself. "No, no! on Sunday you shall +have it again; the child is tired to death." So saying, she took Rico by +the hand, and led him up into a big room where the harnesses hung. A big +heap of corn lay in one corner, and a bed stood in the other. In a very +few moments the boy was fast asleep. + +Later, when every thing had become quite silent in the house, the +landlord sat at the little table where Rico had eaten his supper, and +before him stood his wife, for she was still busy in clearing away the +tables; and she said with great earnestness, "You must not send him back +again to Mrs. Menotti. Such a boy as that will be most useful to me in +every possible way; and did not you notice how beautifully he fiddled? +They were all crazy about it. Look out! he is a far better player than +any of our three; and he will learn to play for dancing in no time; and +you will have a musician to whom you need pay nothing, and who will play +every evening when they dance; and you can let him out also to go to the +other places. Don't you let him slip through your fingers. He is a +pretty little fellow, and I like him. We must keep him ourselves." + +"Well, I am satisfied," said the landlord, and understood that his wife +had made a hit this time that was sure to turn out well. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. + + +The next morning, the landlady of the "Golden Sun" stood on the doorstep +of her inn, and looked at the heavens to read the signs of the probable +weather, and to think over the experiences of the night before. +Presently the gardener's boy from Mrs. Menotti's came along. He was both +master and servant over the lovely, fruitful property of Mrs. Menotti; +for he understood both the care of the garden and the cultivation of the +farm, and he looked after and directed all the work himself, and had an +easy and good place with her. He was contented, and whistled +incessantly. + +However, while he stood before the landlady, he stopped for a little, +and said, if the little musician of the evening before had not gone +away, he was to go over to Mrs. Menotti again, because her little boy +wanted to hear him fiddle some more. + +"Yes, yes; if Mrs. Menotti is not in a great hurry,"--while she put her +arms on her hips, to show that she, at any rate, was not pressed for +time. "At the present moment the little musician is sleeping upstairs in +his good bed; and I, for one, do not wish to have him disturbed. You may +say to Mrs. Menotti that I will send him to her presently. He is not +going away. I have taken him under my charge for good and all; for he is +a deserted orphan, and does not know where to go; and now he will be +well cared for," added she, with emphasis. + +The gardener went off with this message. + +Rico was allowed to sleep as long as he wanted to; for the landlady was +a good-natured woman, though, to be sure, she thought first of her own +profit, and afterwards was willing to help others to theirs. When the +boy awoke, at last, from his long sleep, his fatigue had quite +disappeared; and he came running down the stairs as fresh as possible. +The landlady made a sign for him to come into the kitchen, and placed a +big bowl of coffee before him, with a nice yellow corn-cake, saying,-- + +"You can have this every morning, if you will, and something much better +at dinner and supper time; for then there is cooking for the guests, and +there is always something left over. You can do errands for me in return +for it; and you can make this your home, and have your bedroom to +yourself, and not be obliged to go wandering about in the world. Now it +lies with you to decide." + +To this Rico replied, simply,-- + +"Yes, I will;" for he could say that in the language in which the +landlady spoke. + +Now she conducted him through the whole house, through the +out-buildings, the stable, into the vegetable-garden and the hen-house; +and she explained the situation of all the places to him, and told him +where he must turn to go to the grocer and to the shoemaker, and to all +the important trades-people in fact. Rico listened attentively; and, to +test his understanding, the landlady sent him at once to three or four +places, to fetch a variety of things, such as oil, soap, thread, and a +boot that had been mended; for she noticed that the boy could say single +words perfectly well. + +All these errands were done to her perfect satisfaction; and at last she +said, "Now you may go over to Mrs. Menotti with your fiddle, and stay +there until the evening." + +Rico was delighted at this permission; for he would pass by the lake, +and see the beautiful flowers he loved so well. + +As soon as he reached the lake-side, over he ran to the little bridge, +and seated himself there to watch the beautiful water, and the +mountains bathed in golden mist; and he could scarcely tear himself +away from it all. + +But he did; for he realized now that he had duties toward the landlady, +and must obey her, because she gave him food and lodging. + +As he entered the garden, the little boy heard his footstep, for the +door was always open; and he called out,-- + +"Come here, and play some more." + +Mrs. Menotti came out, and gave her hand kindly to Rico, and drew him +into the room with her. It was a large room, and you could look through +the wide doorway out into the garden where the flowers were to be seen. +The little bed on which the sick child lay was directly opposite the +door; and there were only chests and tables and chairs in the room, but +no other beds. At night the child was carried into the neighboring room, +and his bed also, and was placed there beside his mother for the night; +and in the morning he was carried back again, bed and all. For in this +large room the sun shone brightly, making long shining stripes across +the floor that made a dancing pattern on the ground, and amused the +child amazingly. Near the bed stood two little crutches; and now and +then his mother lifted the little cripple from his bed, placed the +crutches under his arms, and led him about the room once or twice; for +he could not walk, nor even stand alone. His little legs were quite +paralyzed, and he had never been able to use them at all. + +When Rico entered the room, the child pulled himself into a sitting +position by means of a long rope that hung down over his bed from the +ceiling for that purpose; for he could not sit up without assistance. + +Rico went to the bedside, and looked at the child in silence. Such +little thin arms and small slender fingers, and such a pale little face, +Rico had never seen; and two big eyes looked forth from the face, and +gazed at Rico as if they would pierce him through and through; for the +child, who seldom saw any thing new, and longed for variety with all his +heart, examined every thing that came in his way very sharply. + +"What is your name?" asked the child. + +"Rico." + +"Mine is Silvio. How old are you?" + +"Almost eleven." + +"And so am I," said the child. + +"O Silvio! what are you saying?" said his mother at this. "You are not +quite four yet. Time does not go so fast as that." + +"Play something more." + +The mother seated herself by the bedside. Rico placed himself at a +little distance, and began to play on his fiddle. Silvio could not have +enough of it; and no sooner had Rico finished one piece than he shouted, +"Play another." Six times each, at the very least, had all the pieces +been repeated, when Mrs. Menotti went out, and returned with a plate +filled with yellow grapes, saying that Rico ought to rest, and sit down +by the bedside, and eat some grapes with Silvio. + +She went out into the garden herself while the children were eating, and +was glad to be able to do so, and to attend to various little matters of +her own; for it was seldom that she could leave the bedside of her +little cripple, for he would not let her leave him, and cried bitterly +for her to return; so it was a real blessing to her to be able to get +away for a few moments. + +The two boys soon came to a most excellent understanding of each other; +for Rico could reply very well to Silvio's questions, and managed to +make himself very well understood, even when he could not find exactly +the proper words, and it was very amusing to Silvio to talk with him. +His mother had plenty of time to look at all the flower-beds, and to +examine the fine fig-trees in the orchard, and to overlook every thing, +without being called for once by her little boy. + +When she returned to the house, however, and Rico arose to take his +departure, Silvio set up a great shout, and clung to Rico with both +hands, and would not let him go until he had promised to come back the +next day, and every day. But Mrs. Menotti was a cautious woman. She had +understood the message sent by the landlady as it was intended, and +quieted her son, promising him to go herself to the landlady to talk +with her; because Rico, she said, was not able to promise to do any +thing himself, but must obey the landlady in every thing. At last the +child released Rico, and gave him his hand; and the latter reluctantly +left the room. He would have vastly preferred to remain there where it +was quiet and neat, and where Silvio and his mother were so kind to him. + +Several days had slipped by, when, towards evening, Mrs. Menotti made +her appearance, dressed in her best attire, in the doorway of the +"Golden Sun;" and the landlady ran joyfully to meet her, and led her up +into the upper hall. When they were there, Mrs. Menotti asked very +politely if it would inconvenience the landlady very much to allow Rico +to come over to her two or three times in the week towards evening, he +was so amusing, and entertained her little sick son so well. She would +gladly recompense the landlady in any way she might think desirable. + +It flattered the landlady to have the handsomely dressed Mrs. Menotti +thus asking a favor of her; and it was quickly arranged that Rico should +go to Mrs. Menotti on every free evening that he had; and in return, +Mrs. Menotti promised to provide the orphan's clothing, which pleased +the landlady extremely; for now she had really nothing to pay out for +the little boy, and he brought her in a great deal of money. So it was +arranged to the entire satisfaction of the two women, and they took +leave of each other in very friendly terms. + +In this way passed many days. Rico could soon speak Italian as if he had +always spoken it. And, in truth, he had once spoken it as his native +language, so one thing after another came back to him; and as he had a +good ear, he soon spoke exactly like an Italian born, so that all who +knew him to be a stranger wondered at him. He was very useful to the +landlady,--more so even than she had expected would be the case,--for he +was so neat and orderly: quite as much so as she herself, if not more, +for she was not very patient over her work; and when preparations were +necessary for a _fête_ or for a wedding, Rico was called upon to do it, +for he had a great deal of taste, and knew how to carry it out in +decorations. If he had any errand to do abroad he was back again in an +incredibly short time, for he never stopped to chatter by the way. If +people questioned him, he always turned on his heel and left them. This +pleased the landlady mightily when she noticed it, and it created such a +feeling of respect for the lad in her mind, that she herself did not +question him; and so it came to pass that, indeed, nobody really knew +how he came to Peschiera. But a story was spread abroad, that everybody +believed, to the effect that he had been left an orphan without +protection in the mountains, and neglected and mishandled, so that at +last he ran away, suffering many things on the long journey until he +reached Peschiera, where the inhabitants were not rough as they are in +the mountains, and that he was glad to remain there with them. Whenever +the landlady told his story, she did not fail to add, "He deserves it, +too,--all the kindness that we show him, and his comfortable home under +our roof." + +Now the first "dance Sunday" of the season had come, and such an +enormous crowd of guests assembled in the "Golden Sun," that there +seemed a great doubt if they could all be accommodated there; but +everybody wished to see and to hear the little stranger who played so +wonderfully; and also they who had heard him on the evening of his +arrival were the very first to come, and were impatient for him to play +their song again. + +The landlady ran hither and thither in her excitement, and glowed and +glistened in her heat, as if she were herself the "Golden Sun;" and +when she met her husband, she always said triumphantly, "Did not I +tell you so?" + +Rico heard "dance music" for the first time played by the three +fiddlers who came to the inn; but he caught the melodies at once, and +had no trouble in playing them, and never forgot them, for they were so +often repeated during the long "dance evening," that they became very +familiar to him. + +After the dancing they wanted their Peschiera song, with Rico's +accompaniment; and even if there seemed to be a deal of noise all the +early part of the evening, now, in truth, it had really just begun; and +they became so excited that little quiet Rico was frightened, and +thought they would end by killing each other certainly. + +But it was all in friendly wise. He came in for his share, and was so +stormily applauded, and his musical performance was hailed with such +ear-splitting cries of approval, that his only thought at last was, "Oh, +when will this have an end!" for nothing was so very unpleasant to the +boy as boisterousness. + +In the evening the landlady said to her husband, "Did you notice Rico +could play all the pieces with the musicians? Next time we shall only +need two fiddlers." And the man replied, well pleased, "We must give +Rico something." + +Two days later there was a dance in Desenzano, and Rico was sent over +there with the fiddlers. Now he was let out for hire. The same noise +and merriment was repeated; and, although they did not call for the +Peschiera song in Desenzano, still there were plenty of other songs +just as noisy, and Rico thought only from beginning to end, "If it were +but over!" + +He brought a whole pocketful of money home with him, which he poured out +in a heap on the table without even counting it, for he thought it was +all the landlady's by right; and she praised him in return, and placed a +big piece of apple-pie before him for supper. On Sunday again there was +dancing in Riva; but this was a pleasure to Rico, for Riva was the spot +over across the lake which could be seen from Peschiera, looking like a +peaceful little bay, and where the pretty white houses looked so +friendly and attractive. + +The musicians were rowed all together across the lake in an open boat +under the clear heavens; and Rico thought, "Oh, if I could be rowed +across here, with Stineli by my side! How astonished she would be at the +lake, whose beauty she would not believe in." + +But once on the other shore, the noise began again, and the boy became +impatient to be off; for the view of Riva from across the lake, lying in +the lovely light of evening, was far more beautiful than being there in +the midst of the noise and tumult. + +However, when there were no dances at which he must play, the lad was +always allowed to go in the evening to little Silvio, and to remain as +long as he wished; for the landlady was anxious to show her willingness +to accommodate Mrs. Menotti. This was always a pleasure to Rico. +Whenever he passed along the lake-side, he went over to the little +stone bridge, and sat there for a while on the ground; for this was the +only place in the world where he had a home-like feeling, because what +he saw there he had seen before, and also here the vision of his mother +rose most clearly before his memory. + +There she had certainly stood by the water-side, and washed +something, while she would look around at him occasionally, and say a +few loving words; and he was always sitting, he remembered, in that +very place where he now sat. He was always most unwilling to leave +this spot, but the knowledge that Silvio was constantly listening for +him drove him onward. + +When he entered the garden, he had also a feeling of contentment; and +entered the neat, quiet house with pleasure. Mrs. Menotti had a more +truly friendly manner toward him than anybody else, and he was fully +sensible of her kindness. She felt the warmest pity for the lonely +orphan, as she called him; for she had also heard the story of his +escape as it was current in the neighborhood. She never asked him +questions concerning his life in the mountains, however; for she +thought it would arouse sad memories in his mind. She felt, also, that +Rico did not receive the care that a lad of his age and quiet +disposition really needed; but she was sensible that she could do +nothing in that direction, only to have him with her as often and as +long as possible. Often she would place her hand on his head, saying +sadly, "Poor little orphan!" + +To Silvio, Rico grew more and more necessary every day. Early in the +morning he began to fret for him; and when his pain came on he became +very restless, and could not be pacified until Rico came. For, since +Rico had mastered the language thoroughly, he had developed an +inexhaustible fund of stories that delighted the little invalid +beyond measure. + +Stineli was the theme on which Rico most often fell, and it made him so +happy even to talk about her, that he became animated and quite +transfigured in the recital. He knew hundreds of stories, such as when +Stineli caught little Sami by the leg, once on a time, just as he was +about to fall into the water-butt, and how she held him with all her +might, while they both screamed as loud as they could until their father +came slowly to their aid,--for he always moved slowly. He said that +children did nothing but scream: it was their nature, and did not mean +that they were in trouble. And he told Silvio how Stineli could cut out +figures from paper for Peterli, make all sorts of furniture and things +for the baby-house for Urschli from moss, and bits of wood, or any thing +that came to hand. + +And how they all called and clamored for their elder sister when they +were ill, because she told them such wonderful stories that they quite +forgot their pains while listening. Rico also told the story of his +beautiful walks with Stineli, and became so much excited in his talk +that Silvio caught the inspiration, and asked for more and more, calling +out, "Tell me about Stineli again!" as soon as Rico paused to take +breath. One evening the child broke out into the wildest excitement when +Rico took his leave, saying that he would not be able to come on the +following day nor on Sunday. Silvio shrieked for his mother as if the +house were burning, and he were in the midst of the flames; and as she +came hurrying to him from the garden, almost frightened to death at his +noise, he declared "Rico should _not_ go again back to the inn; but must +stay always, always with them. You must stay here, Rico. You must never, +never go away!" + +But Rico said, "I would stay most gladly; but I cannot." + +Mrs. Menotti was much perplexed. She knew very well how valuable Rico's +services were to the inn-keepers, and that she could never obtain him +under any consideration. She tried to silence her little son to the best +of her ability, while she drew Rico to her side, saying, as was her +wont, "Poor little orphan!" Whereupon Silvio called out angrily, "What +is an orphan? I want to be an orphan too." + +These words aroused his mother; and she cried out, in her turn, "Silvio, +you wicked child! Do you know that an orphan is a wretched child, who +has neither father nor mother, and no home on all the earth?" + +Rico's black eyes were fixed on Mrs. Menotti's face, and then seemed to +grow blacker and more black every minute; but she did not notice them. +She had ceased to think about the lad while she was giving this +explanation of an orphan to her son. The little fellow slipped quietly +and unperceived away. + +When Mrs. Menotti observed his absence, she thought he had stolen away +in order not to excite Silvio further by taking leave, and she was +pleased at his thoughtfulness. Seating herself by the bedside of her +child, she said, "I want to make you understand how it is, Silvio; and +then you will stop being so naughty, I hope. It is not possible to take +a child away from any one; and, even if I took Rico from the landlady, +she would have a right to come and take you away from me. Then you would +not be able to see the garden nor the flowers any more, and would have +to sleep quite alone in the room with the harnesses where Rico dislikes +so much to sleep. Don't you remember what he has told you about that? +What would you do then?" + +"Come right home again," said the child decidedly; but he was quite +still after that, and soon lay down and slept. + +Rico passed through the garden, along the street, and down to the lake. +There he sat down on his favorite spot, leaned his head upon his hands, +and said, in tones of utter despair, "Now I know the truth, mother. Now +I know that I have no home,--none in the whole world." + +And there he sat until late in the night, alone with his sad thoughts; +and would have rather remained there forever, but he was obliged to go +back into his uncomfortable bedroom at last. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS. + + +But the excitement had not subsided in Silvio's mind, by any means; and +now that he knew that two days must elapse before Rico could come again, +he began to cry early in the morning, "Rico won't come to-day! Rico +won't come to-day!" and scarcely ceased until the evening; and the +second day it was the same, but on the third,--he was tired out by that +time, and seemed like a little heap of straw, that the least spark could +have reduced to ashes. + +In the evening Rico made his appearance, quite worn out with the noise +and tumult of the dances for which he had been obliged to play. Since he +had fully realized that he had no home on the earth, the thought of +Stineli had become of more importance than ever, and he said to +himself,-- + +"There is only Stineli in the whole world to whom I belong, or who +troubles her head about me!" And he felt a terrible homesickness for +Stineli. He had scarcely reached the side of Silvio's bed when he said, +"Do you know, Silvio, with Stineli only can one feel perfectly well, and +nowhere else." These words were scarcely out of his mouth before the +little invalid hoisted himself up like a flash, calling out at the top +of his lungs, "Mother, I must have Stineli; Stineli must come; only with +Stineli can one feel perfectly well, and nowhere else." + +His mother came at his call; and as she had often listened to Rico's +stories about Stineli and her brothers and sisters with great interest, +she knew at once what they were talking about, and replied, "Yes, yes; +it would suit me very well. I could find great use for Stineli for you, +and for myself, if I only had her here." + +But such an indefinite way of talking did not suit Silvio in the least, +for he was interested, heart and soul, in the matter. + +"You can have her at once," he cried out. "Rico knows where she is: he +must go to fetch her. I want her every day, and always. To-morrow Rico +must go to get her: he knows where." + +Now that his mother saw that the little fellow had thought the whole +thing out, and was really in serious earnest about it, she tried to turn +his attention away, and to introduce other thoughts into his mind, for +she had often heard the story of the incredible adventures Rico passed +through on his journey over the mountains, and of the wonder of his +having survived and come down safely, and that the mountaineer were a +fearful and wild people. She was, therefore, fully persuaded that nobody +could bring a girl away, and certainly not a tender little lad like +Rico. He might meet a sad fate, and be lost altogether, if he attempted +any thing of the kind; and then she would be responsible for it all. She +would not run that risk,--she thought she had enough to bear already. + +So she placed all the impossibility of the affair before Silvio's eyes, +and told him of the terrible circumstances, and of the wicked men whom +Rico would have to encounter, and who might ruin him. But nothing had +the slightest effect. The little fellow had set his heart upon this +thing as he never had upon any thing before; and whatever his mother +brought forward, and no matter how anxiously she insisted, the moment +she ceased the child said, "Rico must go to fetch her: he knows where to +find her." + +Then his mother replied, "And even if he does know, do you mean to say +that he would run the risk and go into such dangerous places, when he +can live comfortably as he does here, and never have to do with any +wicked men again?" + +Then Silvio looked at Rico, and said, "Will you go to fetch Stineli, +Rico, or not?" + +"Yes; I will," said Rico firmly. + +"Oh, merciful heavens! now Rico is getting unmanageable too," cried the +mother, quite horrified. "And now I do not know what to do. Take your +fiddle, Rico, and play something, and sing; I must go into the garden." +And the good woman ran quickly forth into the garden under the +fig-trees, for she thought that her little son would forget the thing +more quickly if he had not a chance to talk to her about it. + +But the two good friends within neither played nor sang, but excited +each other almost to fever point with all kinds of representations of +how Stineli should be brought there, and of what would happen afterwards +when she had fairly arrived. Rico utterly forgot to take his leave, +although it was quite dark; and Mrs. Menotti purposely remained in the +garden, thinking that Silvio would soon fall asleep. At last, however, +she did come in, and Rico took his departure at once; but she had a bad +time of it with Silvio, after all. He positively would not close his +eyes until his mother promised that Rico should go to fetch Stineli; but +she could not make any such promise, and the little fellow did not cease +insisting until his mother said, "Be quiet, now; the night will set +every thing straight." For she thought in the night he will forget his +notion, as had often been the case, and he will have some other fancy. + +At last the child was quiet and slept; but his mother had miscalculated +the affair. Scarcely was it dawn when the little fellow called out from +his bed, "Is every thing set straight now, mother?" + +As it was impossible for her to reply in the affirmative to this +question, the storm broke out again, and a more violent one than she had +ever experienced before with her little boy, and lasted through the +whole day quite late into the evening; and on the following day the same +thing recommenced. + +Silvio had never been so persistent in any fancy before. When he +screamed and cried she was able to bear it; but when the hours of pain +and suffering came, and the child went on whining and complaining in the +most touching manner, saying, + +"One only feels perfectly well with Stineli, and nowhere else," that cut +his mother to the heart, and seemed like a reproach to her, as if she +would not do something that might make him well again; but how could she +possibly even think of it? + +She had heard herself Rico's answer to Silvio when he asked if he knew +how to go to Stineli. It was,-- + +"No, I do not know the way; but I can easily find one." + +She went on hoping day after day that Silvio would take up some new +whim, as had always before been the case: she had never found it +otherwise. If he had wished for something when he was well, he had +always given it up when his pain came on. But it was quite different +this time, and there really was a reason too. Rico's stories and remarks +about his friend Stineli had taken firm possession of the mind of the +over-sensitive child; and he believed that nothing would hurt him again, +if she were only by his side. So Silvio went on day after day in +increasing distress; and his mother did not know where to turn for +counsel and support. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY. + + +In all this trouble and uncertainty it was a real comfort to Mrs. +Menotti to see the long black coat of the kind-hearted old priest, +who had not been to visit her for a long time, coming through the +garden gate. + +She sprang up from her seat, crying out joyfully, "Look, Silvio; there +comes the dear, good priest!" and went towards him. But Silvio, in his +anger over every thing, said, as loud as he could, "I would rather it +were Stineli!" + +Then he crept quickly under the coverlet, so that the priest need not +know where the voice came from. His mother, however, was dreadfully +shocked, and begged the good man, who now entered the room, not to take +offence at this greeting, as it was not really so bad as it sounded. + +Silvio did not stir, but said softly, under the bed-cover,-- + +"I really mean just what I say." + +The father must have had a suspicion of where the voice came from. He +stepped at once to the bedside; and, though there was not a hair of +Silvio's head even to be seen, he said, "God bless you, my son! how are +you? How is your health nowadays? and why do you creep into this hidden +hole like a little badger? Come out, and explain it all to me. What do +you mean by Stineli?" + +Now Silvio crept forth, for he had the priest in great respect now that +he was so close to him. He stretched out his little thin hand in +greeting, and said, "Rico's Stineli, I mean." + +His mother now interposed with the explanation, for the father shook his +head very doubtfully as he seated himself by the bedside. The good woman +related the whole affair about Stineli, and told how her little boy had +got the idea firmly fixed in his noddle that he would never be well +again unless this Stineli could come to him; and how even Rico had +become unreasonable, and declared that he could go to fetch Stineli, +even though he did not know a single stock nor stone of the way; and it +was such a long journey up into the mountains, moreover, and it was +impossible to realize what horrible people they were who lived up there. +But it proved how very bad they must be when a tender little fellow like +Rico preferred to incur the great danger of the journey than to remain +among such rude folk. "If it were practicable," however, added Mrs. +Menotti, "no money would seem to me wasted that would procure me such a +girl to quiet Silvio's longing, and to have some one to help take care +of him;" for sometimes she had almost too much to endure, and felt as if +she must give up altogether. And Rico, who was usually very discreet in +his conversation, was of the opinion that nobody could help her so much +nor so well in every way as this same Stineli. He ought to know her very +well, too; and certainly, if she really corresponded to his description, +it would be a great escape for such a girl to get away from the +mountains; but she did not know of anybody who would do them such a +favor as to bring her. + +To all this discourse the kind priest lent an attentive ear in profound +silence, until Mrs. Menotti had quite finished. Indeed, he could not +have got a word in edgewise if he had been inclined; for the good woman +had not opened her heart for a long time, and it was so full that it +almost choked her when she gave her words full expression, and she quite +lost her breath. + +Now quiet reigned for a while, then the good man began very calmly to +smoke his second pipe; and presently he said, "H--m, h--m, Mrs. Menotti; +I rather think you have an impression of the mountaineers that is +decidedly exaggerated. There are good Christians there as elsewhere; and +now that there are so many ways of doing things discovered, it would be +also quite possible to get up there without danger. We must bethink +ourselves about that, and find out about it." + +After this opinion, the priest stopped to refresh himself a little from +his snuffbox; then he went on:-- + +"There are all sorts of trades-people who are always coming down to +Bergamo,--sheep and horse dealers: they know the road well enough, of +course. We can obtain information, and then bethink ourselves: we can +find a way sooner or later. It you are in earnest about it, Mrs. +Menotti, I will look about a little. I go every year once or twice to +Bergamo, and I will take the thing in hand for you." + +Mrs. Menotti was so filled with gratitude at this promise, that words +utterly failed her that were, in her opinion, adequate to express her +thanks. Suddenly all the heavy thoughts had vanished that had oppressed +her day and night for such a long time past, and in which she was +getting more and more involved the more she puzzled over them, so that +at the last she saw no hope of a decision. Now the Father took the +whole burden upon himself, and she could refer her troublesome little +Silvio to him. + +While this conference was taking place, the little invalid had almost +pierced the priest through with his great gray eyes, so great was his +interest in what they said. When the priest arose, and held his hand +towards the child to say good-by, the little thin fingers were pressed +into his big palm as if he were making a firm contract. + +The father gave his promise to bring tidings as soon as he had obtained +the necessary information; and then they could decide whether the thing +could be done, or whether Silvio must give up his wish altogether. + +Week after week slipped by, but Silvio did not waver. He had a firm +ground of hope now by which to hold; and, moreover, Rico had become so +lively and amusing, that he was hardly to be recognized. It acted upon +him like a spark that kindled a joyful bonfire when he learned the +priest's comforting words; and a new life was awakened in the lad. He +knew more stories to tell Silvio than ever before; and when he took his +fiddle in his hand, he produced such heart-stirring tones and tunes, +that Mrs. Menotti could not tear herself from the room where the boys +were, and was full of astonishment at Rico's store of music. + +It was only in this room at Mrs. Menotti's that Rico fully enjoyed his +instrument. It sounded so well in the large, lofty space, where it was +quiet and peaceful, without a taint of tobacco-smoke, or the clamor of +noisy men; and he was not confined to dance music, but at liberty to +play as his fancy directed. Every day he went with increasing pleasure +to Mrs. Menotti's, and often said to himself, as he entered, "This is +the way it must feel when one is entering his own home." + +But it was not his home: he only was permitted to go there for a little +while, and away again. + +There had come over Rico a very decided change within a short time; and +the landlady, who perceived it clearly, was greatly perplexed thereby. +When she placed a nasty broken pail of refuse before him, saying, +"There, Rico, carry this to the hens," he would step aside a little, put +his hands behind his back, to show that he did not mean to touch the +pail, and say quietly, "I prefer that some one else should do that;" and +when she brought out an old pair of shoes and handed them to him to +carry to the cobbler, he did the same, saying. "I prefer that you should +give them to another person to carry." + +Now the landlady was a clever woman, and knew how to put two and two +together; and it had not escaped her that Rico was quite another person +within a short time, and looked very differently too. Mrs. Menotti had +always dressed him very nicely since she had undertaken that office; but +when she observed how well his clothes became him, and what an air of +real gentility he had, she used finer materials than at first; and the +lad always took good care of his person and his dress, for he detested +uncleanliness and disorder, both on his own appearance and in his +surroundings. All of this was not unnoticed, nor did she ever forget +that even as Rico had poured out his pocketful of gold upon the table +before her after his first "dance evening," so had he continued to do +faithfully, and not so much as looked as if he would like to keep one +bit for himself. + +He brought more and more each time; for it was not only for his dance +music that he was called so often, but because of his songs, that were +very popular. + +And the landlady recognized that it was her best policy to treat him +always kindly and well; and she did not trouble him about the hens nor +the shoes, and required such little services from him no more. + +It was now three years since Rico made his first entry into Peschiera. +He was now a tall, fourteen-year old stripling, and whoever laid eyes +upon him found him pleasing to look upon. + +Once again the golden sun of autumn burnished the surface of the Lake of +Garda, and the heavens lay blue above the tranquil waves. In the garden +the great bunches of grapes hung gold against the trellises, and the red +flowers of the oleander glistened in the sunbeams. + +It was quiet in Silvio's room, for his mother was without in the garden +gathering grapes and figs for the evening. The invalid lay listening +for Rico's step, for this was the time of his usual visit. The wicket +opened: Silvio pulled himself up in his bed. A long black coat came +slowly toward the door,--it was the priest. Silvio did not think of +hiding himself this time. He stretched out his little arm as far as he +was able, to shake hands with the good man, before he had fairly +entered the room. + +This welcome pleased the priest, who walked at once into the room, and +to the child's bedside, even though he saw Mrs. Menotti's form behind +him in the garden. + +"This is right, my son," he said. "And how do you find yourself?" + +"All right," said Silvio quickly; and, looking eagerly at the good man, +he added softly, "When may Rico go?" + +Seating himself by the bedside, the good man said, a little pompously, +"To-morrow, at five o'clock, Rico will start, my son." + +Mrs. Menotti entered as he was speaking, and it was with some difficulty +that the priest could quiet her enough to get a chance to tell his story +in a consecutive way, and to make himself understood; and all the time +he was speaking, Silvio's eyes were fixed upon his face like a little +sparrow-hawk. + +He had come directly from Bergamo, where he had passed two days. He had +made all the necessary arrangements with a horse-trader,--a friend of +his who had been travelling, for thirty years or more, every autumn, and +knew the way over the mountains that Rico must take. He knew, also, how +the journey could be made without leaving the coach, or sleeping by the +way. He was going there himself, and would take Rico under his charge, +if the lad would go to Bergamo by the early train. The man knew all the +drivers and conductors, also; and would arrange for his and his +companion's return, and recommend them so well that there would be no +trouble or danger. + +The Father was convinced that there was no hindrance to Rico's going in +perfect safety, and gave his blessing to the undertaking. + +As he stood by the garden-hedge, after saying good-by to Silvio, Mrs. +Menotti, who had accompanied him thus far, detained him for a moment, to +ask again, full of sudden anxiety, "Oh, there will not be any danger to +his life, I hope? Nor that he may lose his way, and go wandering about +in the mountains? You do not think that possible, do you, Father?" But +the good man quieted her fears; and she returned to the house, thinking +of what there remained to do for Rico, who entered the garden at this +moment, and was greeted by such a startling cry of joy from Silvio, that +he reached the bedside in three leaps to find out what it all meant. + +"What is the matter? What ails you?" Rico kept asking; and Silvio +repeated, "I will tell you, I will tell you!" until, in real anxiety, +his mother came to his aid. Soon, however, she left the boys to enjoy +their happiness together; and went about her business, which she thought +very important. She fetched a portmanteau, and placed a huge piece of +smoked meat first of all at the bottom, then a half loaf of bread, a big +parcel of preserved plums and figs, and a bottle of wine, carefully +wrapped in a cloth. Then came the clothes,--two shirts and a pair of +shoes, two pair of stockings, and pocket-handkerchiefs; for it seemed +always to Mrs. Menotti as if Rico were going to the farthermost part of +the world; and she only now fully realized how dearly she loved the lad, +for she felt that she could not get on without him. + +All the while, as she was packing, she would pause, sit down, and say to +herself, anxiously, "Oh, I do hope there will not be an accident!" + +Presently she brought the portmanteau down-stairs, and counselled Rico +to go at once and explain to the landlady how every thing had happened; +and to ask if she would allow him to go, and not oppose it; and +afterwards Rico was to carry the portmanteau to the station. + +The boy was in the greatest surprise over his portmanteau. He obeyed in +silence, as usual, however, and went to the landlady. He explained to +her that he was going back to the mountains to bring Stineli back with +him, and that the priest had arranged it so that he was to start on the +following morning at five o'clock. + +It produced a feeling of respect at once in the mind of the landlady +when she found that the priest was at the head of the business. But she +naturally wished to know who this Stineli might be, and what the idea +was in fetching her; for she hoped it might be on her account. + +She only found out that Stineli was a girl whose name was Stineli, and +that she was coming to Mrs. Menotti. So she let the thing go; for she +would not interfere, for the world, with that lady's wishes. She was +only too glad that Rico had been left to her for so long. She took it +for granted that Stineli was Rico's sister, only that he had not said +so, because he never did say any thing about his family. + +So she told all the guests in the inn that evening that Rico was going +to bring his sister down to Peschiera, because he had found out how well +they all lived there. + +In order to show how highly she held the lad in respect, she had a big +basket brought down from the attic, and filled it with sausages and +cheese, and slices of bread, and eggs, saying,-- + +"You must not get hungry on the way; and what is left over, you can eat +while you are there. It will not be too much; and coming back, you will +need something too. You are certainly coming back, Rico, are you not?" + +"Certainly," replied the lad. "In eight days I shall be back again." + +In Mrs. Menotti's hands he placed his beloved fiddle, for he would not +have trusted it to any one else; and then he took his leave for eight +days, for he could easily be back again in that time, if every thing +went well. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS. + + +Full of impatience, Rico stood at the station long before the appointed +time, and could scarcely be quiet while waiting for the train. Again he +took his seat in the carriage, as he had done three years before, but +not now crouched timidly in a corner with his violin in his hand. He +took a whole seat for himself this time; for he placed his portmanteau +and his basket next him, and they took up a deal of room. He met the +horse-dealer in Bergamo without difficulty, and they travelled along in +the same carriage together, and then across the lake. When they left the +boat they went towards the inn, where the big post-wagon stood with the +horses already harnessed. It all came back to Rico's memory with great +distinctness,--how he had stood there in the night, quite alone, after +the students had all gone their ways; and opposite he espied the +stable-door where he had seen the lantern hanging, and had found the +friendly sheep-dealer again. It was evening now; and they took their +places at once in the coach, and went towards the mountain. Rico sat +within, this time, with his companion, and had scarcely settled himself +comfortably in his corner when his eyes closed and he slept; for he had +not slept an hour on the preceding night, so great had been his +excitement. Now he made it up, without once awakening, until the sun +stood high in the heavens, and the coach moved very slowly; and when he +stuck his head out of the window, he saw, to his utter astonishment, +that they were ascending the zigzag road up the Maloja, that was so +familiar to him from his childhood. + +He could not see much from the window,--only a turning in the road now +and then; but now he did want to see everything that lay about them. At +last the coach stopped: they had reached the summit. There was the inn, +there the spot where he had sat and talked with the driver. All the +passengers got out for a moment, and the horses were fed. Rico also +descended, and asked very humbly of the driver if he might be allowed to +take a seat on the box with him. + +"Will you let me climb up there, and ride as far as Sils?" he asked. + +"Up with you!" said the coachman. They all took their places, and +merrily rolled the coach down the smooth road and along the level way. +Now they reached the lake. Yonder lay the wooded peninsula, and there +the white houses of Sils, and beyond was Sils Maria. The little church +shone in the morning sunshine, and over towards the mountain were two +cottages. Rico's heart began to beat wildly. Where was Stineli? A few +steps farther, and the coach stood still in Sils. + +Stineli had suffered a great deal since her friend's disappearance. The +children were larger, and the work ever increasing; and the greater part +fell to her share, for she was the eldest of the children, and the +youngest of the rest of the family; so the cry was always, "Stineli can +do this: she is old enough now;" and presently, "Stineli must look after +that, she is so young." She had no one with whom to share her pleasures +since Rico's departure, even if she had a moment to herself. + +Her good grandmother had died the year before, and from that time +forward the girl had no relaxation whatever; but from morning to evening +there was nothing but incessant toil. + +She never lost heart, however, although she had wept bitterly over the +loss of her grandmother; and every day the thought arose several times +in her mind, without her good grandmother and Rico the world was no +longer as beautiful as formerly. + +On a sunny Saturday morning she came out of the stable with a big +bundle of straw poised on her head. She meant to weave some nice +brushes, for the evening sweeping. The sun was shining all down the +pathway towards Sils, and she stood gazing in that direction. An +unknown lad came along the road,--certainly no Silser, she thought; and +yet as he drew near he stood still and looked at her, and she returned +his gaze, and was much perplexed. In an instant, however, away went her +bundle of straw, and she rushed forward towards the motionless figure +before her, crying out,-- + +"O Rico! are you still alive? Have you come back again? But how big you +are, Rico! I did not know you, at first; but as soon as I saw your face, +then I was sure,--nobody has a face like yours." + +So Stineli stood with glowing cheeks before the lad; and he grew as +white as chalk from excitement, and could not find words to speak his +joy, but looked and looked at the girl. Presently he said,-- + +"You have grown, too, Stineli, but are not otherwise changed. The nearer +I came to the house, the more anxious I got lest you might be altered." + +"Oh, to think that you are really here, Rico!" cried Stineli, joyfully. +"Oh, if the grandmother only knew! But come in, Rico; they will all be +surprised." She ran on before to open the door, and Rico followed. + +The children hid themselves one behind the other; and their mother rose +and greeted the lad as if he were a stranger, and asked what his wishes +were. Neither she nor the children had an idea who he was. Now Trudi +and Sami came into the room, and bowed to him as they passed through. +"Does not one of you know him?" said Stineli, at last. "Don't you see +it is Rico?" + +They were astonished and full of their surprise when their father came +to his dinner. Rico advanced towards him, offering his hand, which the +man took, but looked steadily at the strange lad. + +"Is it some kind of a relation?" he asked; for he was never very sure +about the members of the family who sometimes visited them. + +"Even the father does not know him," said Stineli, rather vexed. + +"Why, it is Rico, father!" + +"Well, well: that is good," remarked he; and looked the lad well over +from head to foot this time, adding,-- + +"You need not be ashamed to show yourself. Have you learned some sort of +a trade? Let us all be seated, and then you can tell us what has +happened to you." + +But Rico did not sit down at once: he kept looking towards the doorway. +At last he asked, hesitatingly,-- + +"Where is the grandmother?" + +"She lies over there in Sils, not far from the old schoolmaster," was +the reply. Rico had hesitated with his question, for he feared this +would be the answer; he had noticed the grandmother's absence at once. +He took his seat with the others at the table, but was silent for a +while, and could not eat a morsel: he had loved the grandmother dearly. +However, the father wanted to hear his story, and to know what had +become of him on the day they all searched for him in the ravines, and +what he had seen and done in the world. So the boy told all his story, +and about Mrs. Menotti and Silvio; and explained distinctly that he +wished to take Stineli back with him to Peschiera, if her parents would +consent. Stineli made very big eyes while her friend was talking: she +had not lost one word of his history. Her heart was as if on fire with +joy. To go to Rico's beautiful lake with him, to live with Mrs. Menotti +and her sick son, who was so anxious for her to come,--that would be +happiness indeed! + +There was a long silence after this. Stineli's father never decided +hastily. At last he said, "It is true that when one goes among strangers +there is much to be learned; but I cannot let Stineli go,--there can be +no question of that. She is needed here at home; but one of the others +may go,--Trudi, perhaps." + +"Yes, yes: that will do," said the mother. "I cannot get along +without Stineli." + +Then Trudi raised her head from her plate, and said, "That suits me very +well. There is nothing but children's racket here at home." + +Stineli did not speak. She only looked anxiously towards Rico, wondering +if he would not say any thing more since her father seemed so decided, +and whether he would take Trudi with him as proposed. The lad, however, +looked calmly at her father, saying, "No: that won't do at all. It is +precisely Stineli whom the sick boy Silvio wishes, and nobody else; and +he knows very well what he wants. He would only send Trudi home again, +and she would have taken the journey for nothing. Mrs. Menotti told me +to say, that if Stineli got on well with her son, she would give her +every month five gulden to send home to her family, if they cared for +it; and I am sure that Stineli and Silvio will agree famously,--just as +sure as if I saw it with my own eyes now," added the lad. + +Pushing his plate to one side, Stineli's father put his cap on his head. +He had finished his dinner; and when he had some very severe thinking to +do, he was always more comfortable with his cap on. It seemed to help +him to collect his thoughts. + +He thought, always in silence, how much labor he would have to perform +before he could earn even one good gulden; and he said to himself, "Five +gulden every month without lifting a finger." + +So he shoved his cap first on one side and then on the other; and said, +at last, "She may go. One of the others can do the work in the house." + +Stineli's eyes sparkled, but the mother looked sadly at all the little +heads and plates. Who would keep them all nice and in order? + +But the father's cap got another shove. Something else had +occurred to him. + +"Stineli has not yet been confirmed, and ought to be before she +goes away." + +"I am not to be confirmed for two years yet, father," said the girl +eagerly; "so that I can go away for two years perfectly well, and come +back quite in time for that." + +This was a good decision, and everybody was satisfied. The father and +mother thought, even if every thing does go badly without Stineli, it +will only be for a while; and when she comes back again, all will be +well. And Trudi thought, "Just as soon as she comes back again, I will +go and then we shall see if I come back." + +But Rico and Stineli merely glanced at each other, and laughed with +their eyes for pure joy. + +As the father looked upon the affair as settled, he rose from the table, +saying, "She may go to-morrow: then we shall know where we stand." + +Her mother, on the contrary, objected to this, saying that it could not +be managed so quickly, and complained bitterly, until her father gave +in, and said she should go the following Monday, and would not hear of a +later date; for he thought that there would be a continual fuss until +the departures were fairly over. + +Work there was now for Stineli in abundance. Rico understood that this +must be the case, and he addressed himself to Sami, and said he would +like to see whether every thing remained as formerly in Sils-Maria; and +that he had a sack and a basket to fetch from Sils, and perhaps Sami +would go with him to help him; so they went forth. + +Firstly, Rico paused before his former home, and gazed at the old +house-door and the hen-house. It was just as it had been. He asked Sami +who lived there now,--if his cousin were there, and alone. + +But he heard that the cousin had long ago gone away towards Silvaplana, +and nobody knew any thing about her; for she had not shown her face in +Sils-Maria again. + +There were people living in the house, about whom Rico knew nothing. +Everywhere that he went with Sami, from the old well-known houses and +stables the people stared at him as if he were an utter stranger; not +one of them recognized him in the least. + +As he crossed over, towards evening, to Sils, he turned aside a little +towards the churchyard. He wanted to see the grave where the old +grandmother was buried; but Sami did not rightly know where she lay. + +They returned home just as it was growing dark, laden with basket and +portmanteau. Stineli stood at the well, and brushed out the stable +buckets for the last time; and as Rico stood there by her side, she +said, flushed with pleasure, and with her exertions over the pails, "I +can scarcely believe that it is true, Rico." + +"But I do," said he so decidedly, that the girl looked at him surprised. +"But of course, Stineli," he added, "you have not been thinking it out +this long time as I have." + +There was a change in Rico that the girl noticed at once. Formerly he +would not have spoken in this firm and decided manner. + +They had arranged a bed for Rico up in the room under the roof. +He carried his things up there, and meant to open them the +following morning. + +When they were all seated the next day at table,--a beautiful, clear +Sunday morning,--down came Rico, and poured out before Urschli and +Peterli a big heap of plums and figs. The latter fruit they had never +seen at all; and the plums were finer than any that they were accustomed +to; and his sausages and meat and eggs he placed in the middle of the +table. As soon as their admiration and surprise had a little subsided, +they all fell to and ate with a wonderful relish, and the children were +munching the sweet figs quite late into the evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS. + + +On Monday evening the journey was to begin. The horse-dealer had +impressed this fact so thoroughly on Rico's memory, that there was not a +chance for a mistake. After the farewells were all said, Rico and +Stineli went towards Sils together, while her mother, with all the +little children clustered about her, stood upon the doorstep and looked +after them. + +Sami accompanied them to carry the portmanteau on his head, and Rico +carried the basket on one side, and Stineli held it on the other. +Stineli's clothes had just filled it. + +When they reached the church in Sils, Stineli said, "Oh, if my +grandmother could only see us now! We will go to say good-by to her, +Rico." He was very willing, and told Stineli how he had already tried to +find the grave, but had not succeeded. + +The girl was better informed than her brother. + +When the post-wagon came along and stopped, the driver called out, "Are +the couple ready who are to go down to the Lake of Garda? I was asking +for them yesterday." + +The horse-dealer had given them a good recommendation; and the driver +called out that they should climb up to the top: the others had found it +too cold. "You are younger," he said. + +So saying, he helped them up to the seats behind the box, and took out +a thick horse-blanket, and wrapped them up snugly therein; and off +they went. + +For the first time since they had come together again, the two young +people were alone, and could talk freely and undisturbed, and tell each +other how they had passed the three long years since they parted. And +they chattered away happily under the starry heavens, never thinking of +sleep in their joy at being together. + +Towards morning they reached the lake, and arrived in Peschiera at the +same hour as Rico had before arrived, and walked along the road to the +lake-side. But Rico did not wish his companion to see the lake until she +had reached the spot he called his own; so he led her through the trees +until they came to the little stone bridge in the open. + +There lay the lake in the light of the setting sun; and the children sat +side by side on the little mound, and gazed across the water. + +There it was, just as Rico had described it, but more, much more lovely; +for such colors Stineli had never seen before. + +She looked about her towards the purple mountains, across the golden +waters, and she cried out with all her heart, "Yes, it is finer than the +Lake of Sils." + +But Rico felt that it had never yet been so exquisitely beautiful as on +this evening when he and Stineli saw it together. + +Rico had another secret joy that he cherished in his heart. How +surprised Silvio and his mother would be to see them! Nobody had +expected them back so soon. Nobody would look for them before the end of +the week, and now there they sat by the lake-side. + +They did not quit the little mound until the sun had fairly disappeared. + +Rico pointed out to his companion the spot where his mother stood +washing something in the lake, and how he used to sit waiting until she +had finished; and then he told how they walked back together, hand in +hand, over the little bridge. + +"But where did you go when you went back?" asked Stineli. "Have you +never found the house that you returned to?" + +Rico could not say. "When I go up there, away from the lake towards the +railroad, I seem to remember that there I stood with my mother, or sat +with her upon a garden-seat with the red flowers before us; but now +nothing is to be seen like the house, and I do not even recognize the +road at all." + +At last they arose, and went towards the garden. Rico carried the +portmanteau, and the girl the basket. As they entered the garden, +Stineli called out too loud, in her delight, "Oh, the beautiful, +beautiful flowers!" + +Silvio heard these unfortunate words, and pulled himself up in an +instant, crying out, at the top of his lungs,-- + +"Here comes Rico with his Stineli!" + +His poor mother thought that he had an attack of fever. She thrust her +things back into the chest which she was arranging,--every thing in +again, pell-mell,--and ran quickly to the bedside. + +At that moment Rico walked boldly into the room, and the good woman +almost fell over backward in her surprise and delight; for until that +very instant she had secretly been a prey to the darkest fears, always +believing that Rico's adventure would cost him his life. + +A maiden came behind Rico, with a friendly face that won Mrs. Menotti's +heart in a twinkling, for she was a very impressionable woman. + +First of all, however, she shook Rico's hands almost off in her +welcoming grasp; and in the meantime Stineli had gone over to the +bedside and placed her arm about the thin shoulders of the child, and +smiled into his face as if they were old and dear friends, while Silvio +in return put his arm about her neck, and drew her face down to his. + +Straightway Stineli placed a present for the child before him. She +had put it conveniently in her pocket, so that she could place her +hand on it at once. It was a toy that had been Peterli's favorite +before any other,--a pine-cone, with a thin wire introduced into each +little opening between the hard scales, and a little figure, made of +sole-leather, perched on the top of each bit of wire. All these tiny +figures shook and nodded so merrily towards each other, and had such +funnily painted little faces, that Silvio could scarcely stop +laughing at them. + +Mrs. Menotti had learned from Rico all that he had to tell her of +importance while this play went on,--for she was anxious to learn from +himself that all had gone quietly and safely,--then she turned to the +girl, and greeted her with heartfelt kindness; and Stineli made answer +more with her kindly eyes than with her tongue, for she could not speak +a word of Italian, and had to help herself out with such Romanish words +as she had learned. + +But she was quick-witted, and found a way to make herself understood +without difficulty; for, if the right word was wanting, she described +the thing cleverly with her fingers, and by all sorts of signs, which +amused Silvio exceedingly; for it was a kind of game of guessing for him +all the time. + +Now Mrs. Menotti went over to the cupboard, where all the service for +the table was kept, and brought out tablecloth and plates, cold +chicken, fruit, and wine; which, when Stineli observed, she hastened +after her to aid her, and did it so neatly and handily that there +remained little for Mrs. Menotti to do; and she stood gazing at the +nimble, willing girl, who had soon served Silvio also, as he lay in +bed, cutting his food for him, and helping him neatly and rapidly, +which pleased the child very much. + +Mrs. Menotti seated herself, saying, "I have not had such help as this +in many a year; but, come now, Stineli: sit down, and eat with us." + +And they sat and chatted and ate together, as if they were old friends +who had always been accustomed to such free intercourse. + +Rico began to give an account of the journey after they had finished +eating, and Stineli meanwhile quietly replaced every thing in the +cupboard; for she knew well enough, without being told, how such work +should be done. Then she seated herself by Silvio's bedside, and made +shadow pictures on the wall with her supple fingers; and Silvio laughed +aloud, and called the names,--"A hare! A beast with horns! A spider with +long legs!" + +So sped away the first evening quickly and merrily, and they all were +taken by surprise when it struck ten o'clock. Rico rose, for he knew he +must be going; but a dark cloud came over his countenance. + +He said shortly, "Good-night," and went away. But the girl ran after +him; and in the garden she took his hand, saying, "Now you must not be +sad, Rico, it _is_ so beautiful here. I cannot tell you how lovely I +find it, nor how happy I am; and I owe it all, all to you. And you will +come again to-morrow, and every day, will you not, Rico?" + +"Yes," he said; and looked at Stineli with a most melancholy expression. +"Yes; and every evening, when it is most beautiful, I must be off and +away, because I belong to nobody." + +"Oh! do not think in that way, Rico," said his friend encouragingly. +"Have we not always belonged to each other, and have not I often rejoiced +over that thought all these three years that are past? And when things +were almost unsupportable, and I longed to get away, have not I always +said to myself, 'If I could only be with Rico again, I would bear any +thing?' And now it has come about as we wished, and, indeed, far better +than I had imagined; and will you not be happy with me, Rico?" + +"Yes; that I will," said the lad; and his countenance cleared a little. + +He did belong to somebody, after all; and Stineli's words had restored +his tranquility. They shook hands again; and Rico went through the +garden-gate, and away. + +When Stineli returned to the room, and, by Mrs. Menotti's directions, +was about to say good-night to Silvio, the child began to dispute +again, and declared that he would not be separated from his newly-found +friend even for a few hours; but would have her sit by his bedside all +night long, and say funny words to him, and look at him with her +laughing eyes. + +Nothing that his mother could say produced any impression upon him, +until she spoke thus: "Very well; if you keep Stineli standing by your +bed to amuse you all night, she will soon be as ill as you are, and not +be able to get up at all, but have to lie in bed, and you will not see +her for a long time." + +So, after a while, the child released his hold of Stineli's arm, +and said,-- + +"There, go to sleep; but come to me again to-morrow early." + +This was promised; and Mrs. Menotti showed the girl into a neat little +bedroom that looked out upon the garden, whence a delicious scent of +flowers rose through the open window. + +With every day that passed Stineli became more and more necessary to +little Silvio. If she only went out-of-doors for a few moments, he +considered it a misfortune. He was obedient and quiet enough, however, +when she stayed with him; and did every thing she bade him do, and did +not tease his mother as before. + +And it seemed as if the nervous little fellow had less frequent attacks +of pain since Stineli's arrival. Indeed, he had not complained since her +coming, and she had been with them many days. + +It must certainly be acknowledged that she was the most amusing of +companions, and turned every thing that came in her way into a game. She +had always lived with children, and constantly had their entertainment +in her mind. She had also learned a great many words from Silvio, and +could soon chatter away with him at her ease; and when she did get the +words twisted and upside down, it was even more funny, and Silvio looked +upon that as a game made expressly for him. + +Mrs. Menotti never saw Rico entering the garden but she ran towards him, +for now she was at liberty to move about freely; and she always drew him +a little aside to tell him what a treasure he had brought into the house +for her, how happy and gay her Silvio had become, and that she never +would have believed that such a girl as Stineli existed on the face of +the earth; for with Silvio she was as merry as if her only pleasure +consisted in playing the little games he liked, while she was as wise +and intelligent as any grown woman with Mrs. Menotti, and understood +housework so that it all seemed to go on of its own accord; and nicely, +too, as if every day were Sunday. In short, Mrs. Menotti could not find +words enough to praise Stineli in all the ways in which she found her +admirable; and Rico was always happy in listening to these praises. + +When they all sat together in the pleasant room, and exchanged loving +and happy glances, they felt that they never wanted to be separated, +and called themselves the happiest family in the whole world, and +needed for nothing. + +But the clouds on Rico's brow grew dark as night came on, and towards +ten o'clock every thing looked black and blacker; and even if Mrs. +Menotti, in her contentment, did not notice it, Stineli did, and +secretly worried over it, thinking, "It is just as if there were a +thunder-storm in the air." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA. + + +It was a beautiful Sunday in autumn, and across the Lake of Riva there +was to be a "dance evening," and Rico was to go over there to play; so +he would not be able to pass the day with Stineli and the rest. They +talked this over and over through the week, for it was a great trial to +them all when Rico did not come for Sunday; and Stineli tried to find +all sorts of little reasons to reconcile Rico, and to make the affair +seem less unpleasant. + +"You will go across the lake in the sunlight, and return under the +beautiful stars; and we shall be thinking of you the whole time," she +said to him, when he first mentioned that he should be away on Sunday. + +On Saturday evening Rico brought his violin, for Stineli's greatest +pleasure was to hear him play. The lad played lovely tunes one after +another; but they were all sad melodies, and seemed to make him sadder +still, for he looked down at his instrument with a kind of indignant +sorrow, as if it did him a real injury. + +Suddenly he pushed it away from him, long before the clock had struck +ten, and said, "I am going away." + +Mrs. Menotti tried to detain him; she could not understand what was +amiss. Stineli had looked steadily at him while he was playing. Now she +said, quietly,-- + +"I will go with you a little way." + +"No," cried Silvio; "do not go. Stay here with me." + +"Yes, yes, Stineli!" said Rico. "Stay here, and let me go alone." + +And, saying this, he looked at his friend exactly as he had looked when +he came away from the schoolmaster's house, and joined Stineli at the +wood-pile, so long ago, saying then, "It is all of no use!" + +Stineli went to Silvio's bedside, and said softly, "Be a good boy, +Silvio; and to-morrow I will tell you the very prettiest and drollest +story about Peterli; but now do not make a noise." + +Silvio really did keep quiet, and Stineli went after Rico. When they +reached the hedge, Rico turned about, and pointed towards the brightly +lighted window that looked so pleasant and friendly from the garden, and +said, "Go back there, Stineli. You belong there, and there you are at +home; but I belong in the streets. I am a homeless fellow, and shall +always be so: now let me go away." + +"No, no; I will not let you go in this mood, Rico. Where do you +mean to go?" + +"To the lake," said the young man; and went towards the bridge. As they +stood together on the little mound, they were silent for a while, +listening to the murmur of the waves. At last, Rico said,-- + +"Do you understand, if you were not here, I would go away at once, far +away?--but I do not know where I should go. Wherever I go, I shall be +homeless, and have to be fiddling forever in public-houses where they +are noisy, just as if they had lost their senses, and I must always +sleep in a room in which I dislike to be; but you belong to them there +in that beautiful house, and I do not belong anywhere. And I tell you, +Stineli, when I look down there, I think if my mother had only cast me +to the waves before she died, then I should not have been this +homeless wanderer." + +With ever-increasing trouble, Stineli listened to these words of her +friend; but when he pronounced these last, she became really alarmed, +and said hastily, "O Rico! you ought not to say such things. I am sure +that you have not said 'Our Father' for a long, long time; and these +wicked thoughts are the consequence." + +"No: I have not prayed for a long time," said Rico. "I have +forgotten how." + +These words gave his companion a severe shock. + +"Oh, dear! what would my grandmother say to this, Rico?" she cried, in +distress. "She would be in sad trouble about you. Do not you remember +how she told us, 'He who forgets his Lord's Prayer is sure to get into +trouble?' Rico, you must learn it again. I will teach it to you this +minute: it will not take you long." + +And the good girl began, with pious zeal, and repeated the prayer twice +or thrice over to her friend; and, while she thus emphasized the words, +she noticed that there was a great deal of especial comfort for Rico +contained therein; and, as she ended, she said,-- + +"Do not you see, Rico, if all the kingdom belongs to the good God, He +can surely find you a home? for He has all the power, so He can give it +to you if He chooses." + +"Now you can plainly see, Stineli," replied the youth, "if the good God +has a home for me in His kingdom, and has the power to give it to me, +and does not, it is because He does _not_ choose to." + +"Yes; but you forget something," continued Stineli. "The good God may +say, 'If Rico wants any thing from me, he should pray to me.'" + +In reply to this, Rico had no answer. He remained silent for some +time; then he said, "Repeat the Lord's Prayer again, Stineli: I will +learn it." + +His companion gladly complied, and it was soon learned. Then they +separated, and each went home; but Rico's thoughts were busy with the +"kingdom and the power." + +Once more in his quiet room, he prayed humbly, and with a softened +heart; for he felt that he had been in the wrong to believe that the +good God ought to give him what he wished for, when he did not even +remember to pray to Him. + +Stineli returned to the garden very full of anxious thought. She turned +over and over in her mind whether she ought to tell all this to Mrs. +Menotti. Perhaps she might be able to find some other employment for +Rico than this fiddling in the public-houses for dancing, that was so +detestable to the lad. But the thought of troubling Mrs. Menotti with +her affairs passed quickly from her mind as she entered the room again. + +Silvio lay upon his pillows with flushed cheeks, breathing heavily and +irregularly; and by the bedside sat his mother, and wept. + +The little invalid had had another of his severe attacks, and a little +anger at Stineli's absence had increased the fever. His mother was so +cast down, that she did not seem to Stineli the same person at all. When +she, at last, recovered her spirits a little, she said,-- + +"Come here, Stineli. Sit down here by my side: I want to tell you +something. + +"I have something that lies very heavily at my heart; so heavily, +that sometimes it seems to me that I cannot bear it any longer. It is +true you are young, but you are so sensible, and have seen a great +deal; and it seems to me that I should be relieved if I could talk it +over with you. + +"You see how Silvio suffers, and how ill he is,--my only son. Now I have +not only the distress of his sickness, which can never be healed, but I +often feel that perhaps it is a punishment from God, because I am +holding and enjoying an unlawful property: although, to be sure, I did +not seek to get it, and do not wish to keep it. But I will tell you +every thing from the beginning. + +"When we were married, Menotti and I,--he brought me over from Riva, +where my father still lives,--Menotti had a very good friend living +here, who was just about leaving, because the land had become hateful to +him, owing to the death of his wife. This friend had a house--a little +one--and large fields, though they were not very productive. He wanted +my husband to take them all, and said that the land did not yield much; +but if he would keep it all in good order, and the house also, that he +would return to claim it in a few years. + +"So the friends made their arrangements together, and said nothing about +interest. My husband said, 'You will want to find every thing as it +should be when you return;' for he meant to put it all in good +condition, and understood the cultivating of land perfectly, which was +thoroughly well known to his friend, who willingly left it all in his +hands. But about one year later the railroad was built, and the little +house had to come down, and the garden was taken too, with the fields, +for the railway went right through them. So my husband got a great deal +more money than they were really worth, and bought a far better piece of +land and a garden, and built a house, all with the money; and the land +produced fully twice what the other had, and we had most abundant +harvests. I often said, 'It does not really belong to us, and we are +living in luxury from the property of another. How I wish that we knew +where he is!' But my husband quieted me, and said, 'I am keeping it all +in order for him, and when he comes it is all his; and as to the profit +that I have laid aside, he must have his share also.' + +"Then Silvio was born; and when I discovered that the little fellow was +ill, I kept saying over and over to my husband, 'We are living on +property to which we have no right, and we are punished for it.' And +sometimes it was so dreadful to me that poverty would have been more +tolerable, and I would have gladly been homeless. + +"My husband always tried to console me, and said, 'You will see how +pleased he will be with me when he returns.' But he did not return. My +husband died: it is now four years ago. Oh, what a life I have led since +then! always thinking how can I be free from this unlawful property +without doing any thing wrong, for it is my duty to keep it in good +condition until our friend comes; and then I feared that he might be in +misery somewhere while I am living so comfortably on his property, and +know nothing of his whereabouts." + +Stineli felt sincerely how much Mrs. Menotti was to be pitied; for she +perfectly well understood her feeling, and how she was always +reproaching herself for a thing that she could not change, and she +comforted the good woman, saying,-- + +"When any one does not mean to do wrong, and means not to do wrong, +then there is nothing but to trust to the good God and pray to Him for +help; for He can turn our evil into His good, and He will do so when +we are truly repentant over evil. I know all this from my +grandmother's teaching; for once I was in great distress, and did not +know what to do." + +Then she told about Rico and the lake that he was always thinking of, +and how she was the cause of his running away, and full of fear that it +had cost him his life. But she said that she felt perfectly at ease +after she had cast her burden on the Lord; and she advised Mrs. Menotti +to do likewise, and assured her that she would derive the truest comfort +from so doing. After this conversation Mrs. Menotti felt much relieved, +and said they would all go to rest now, and thanked her young counsellor +for her advice. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +AT HOME. + + +One beautiful Sunday morning in autumn, Mrs. Menotti seated herself on +the garden-bench in the midst of the glowing red flowers, and +thoughtfully gazed about her,--now at the oleander and laurel bushes, +now at the fig-trees laden with fruit, and again at the vines heavy with +golden grapes; and she said, softly, "God knows I should be glad if I +could lay aside this feeling of wrong-doing that weighs on my +conscience, but certainly such a lovely spot as this one I could never +find for a home." + +Presently Rico came into the garden. He was obliged to go away in the +afternoon; and he never passed a whole day without paying them a visit, +if it were possible to do otherwise. As he was passing on towards +Silvio's room, Mrs. Menotti called him. + +"Come and sit down by me, Rico, for a moment. Who knows how long we may +be able to stay in this place together?" + +Rico was alarmed. + +"Why do you say this, Mrs. Menotti? You do not think of going +away, do you?" + +Mrs. Menotti had to stop, for she could not tell him all her story. She +remembered what Stineli had said to her the evening before about Rico. +She was so full of her own thoughts at that time, that she did not +fairly take in the import of her words. Now she began to wonder about +it, the more she thought it over. + +"Do tell me, Rico," she said, "were you ever here earlier?--I mean +before; or what made you want to see the lake again, as Stineli told me +was the case yesterday?" + +"Yes; when I was little," said the lad. "Then I went away." + +"How did you get here when you were little, Rico?" + +"I was born here." + +"What! here? What was your father, if he came here from the +mountains yonder?" + +"He did not come here from the mountains; only my mother did." + +"Do I hear aright, Rico? Was your father born here?" + +"Certainly. He was a native of this place." + +"You never told me this before. This is wonderful. You have not a name +like the people here. What was your father's name?" + +"What was his name? It was Henrico Trevillo." + +Mrs. Menotti sprang up from the seat as if she had had a shock. + +"What did you say, Rico?" she cried out. "What did you say just now? +Tell me again." + +"I told you my father's name." + +Mrs. Menotti was not listening: she ran towards the door. + +"Stineli, bring me a kerchief," she cried. "I must go to the priest at +once: I am trembling all over." + +In great surprise, Stineli brought out the kerchief. + +"Come with me a few steps, Rico," said the good woman, as she went +through the garden. "I must ask you something more." + +Rico had to repeat his father's name twice over; and when they had +fairly reached the door of the priest's house, for a third time Mrs. +Menotti asked,-- + +"What did you say it was? Are you quite sure?" + +She hurried into the priest's house, and left Rico wondering what could +have happened to put her into such a way. + +Rico had brought his violin with him, for he knew that Stineli was +particularly pleased to hear it. When he reached Silvio's room, he +found the little boy and his companion in the best of humor. Stineli +had fulfilled her promise about the story of Peterli's funny doings, +and this had amused Silvio exceedingly. When the latter espied the +violin, he cried out at once, "Now let us sing; let us sing the +'Lambkins' with Stineli." + +Stineli had never heard her song since it was composed that day on the +mountain, for now Rico played such beautiful airs that she had quite +forgotten the old ones. But she was astonished to hear Silvio asking +for the German song, for she had no idea of the hundred times the two +boys had repeated it during the three years that were past. She was +much pleased to hear the old song again, and, above all, to sing it +with Rico; and so they began. Silvio sang with all his might,--without +understanding a single word, to be sure, but the tune was quite +correct. It was the girl's turn to laugh now; for Silvio's +pronunciation was most wonderful, and she could not join in for +laughter, and it was contagious; for the child could not resist the +merry expression of her face, and joined her in laughing, and sang +again still more queerly and louder; and all the while Rico played his +accompaniment without stopping. + +And thus Mrs. Menotti's ears were greeted with laughter and song as she +drew near the house on her return, and she could not understand how they +could be so light-hearted and merry on such a momentous occasion. She +came hastily through the garden, and into the room, and sank upon the +nearest seat; for the shock and the joy, and the anticipation of what +was to follow, had overpowered her, and she needed to recover herself a +little. The sight of her agitation silenced the singers, and they gazed +at her in surprise. At last she recovered, and said,-- + +"Rico,"--and her voice was quite solemn,--"Rico, listen to me. Look +about you. This house, this garden, that field,--all, all that you can +see, and much that you cannot see, belongs to you: it is all yours. You +are the owner; it is your inheritance from your father; your home is +here; your name stands in the baptismal record; you are the son of +Henrico Trevillo, and he was my husband's dearest friend." + +Stineli had understood the whole story at the first word, and her face +beamed with unspeakable happiness. + +Rico sat as if turned to stone, and made no sound; but Silvio broke out +into shouts of delight,--it was all a play to him. + +"Oh! now the house belongs to Rico, where is he going to sleep?" + +"He can sleep in any room he chooses, Silvio. He can sleep in them all +if he wishes to. He can turn us all out-of-doors if he has a mind to, +and stay all sole alone in this house." + +"I am sure I should much prefer to go away with you, then," said Rico. + +"Oh, you good Rico!" cried Mrs. Menotti. "If you will let us stay here, +we shall be so glad to remain. I have thought it out as I came along +towards home, and know how we can arrange it so that we shall be happy. +I will take half of the house of you, and the same with the garden and +all the land; so one half will be yours, and the other Silvio's." + +"I shall give my half to Stineli," said the child. + +"So shall I," said Rico. + +"Oh, ho! now the whole thing belongs to her,--the garden, and the house, +and all that is in them; and Rico and his fiddle, and I too. Now let us +go on with our song." + +But Rico did not take the same view of the affair as his little friend. +He had thought over Mrs. Menotti's words, and now asked, anxiously,-- + +"I do not understand how Silvio's house can belong to me because our +fathers were friends." + +It now occurred to Mrs. Menotti for the first time that Rico did not +know any thing about the circumstances; and she told him the whole +story, with all the particulars, even more minutely than she had told it +to Stineli; and when she had finished they all understood perfectly how +it was, and were at liberty to rejoice without restraint; for since the +house and all belonged partly to Rico, there was no reason why he should +not take possession at once, and never leave them again; and their +rejoicing was great. + +In the midst of their merry-making Rico said, suddenly,-- + +"Since things have turned out this way, Mrs. Menotti, do not let any of +the arrangements be disturbed in the house; but every thing go on as +usual. I will simply come here to live, and you shall be our mother." + +"O Rico! to think that it is yours, that it is you who are the _master_. +How good God is to let it all turn out in this way,--that I can give it +all to you, and yet stay here myself with a clear conscience. I will be +a mother to you, Rico; and indeed you have long been as dear to me as if +you were my own child. Now you must call me 'mother,' and so must +Stineli; and we shall be the happiest household in all Peschiera." + +"Well, now let us finish our song," cried little Silvio; for he was so +excited and glad that he felt that singing was the only way to express +his joy; and the others were not unwilling to join him, and they did +finish their song; then Stineli said,-- + +"Now will you not sing one other song with me, Rico? You know which +one I mean." + +And they sang the grandmother's hymn piously, and in beautiful accord, +especially the favorite verses at the end,-- + + "He never yet has done amiss; + And, perfect in His sight, + All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right. + + "Now only let His 'will be done,' + Nor clamor constantly, + Peace to the heart on earth will come, + And joy eternally." + +The next day Rico did not go to Riva. Mother Menotti advised him to go +at once to the landlady, to explain to her the change in his +circumstances, and to order another fiddler to be sent to Riva, while he +at once entered upon his possessions. Well pleased with these +suggestions, the youth hastened to carry them out. + +The landlady heard his wonderful story with great interest, and at the +end she called out to her husband and told it all over to him, and +testified real pleasure at the good fortune that had befallen her young +friend, and was sincere in what she said. She certainly was sorry to +lose him; but she had suspected for some time that the hostess of the +"Three Crowns" was making advances to Rico in the hope of enticing him +away from her; and that would have been dreadful to the "Golden Sun." +Now any danger of that misfortune was averted, and she was glad to hear +that Rico was a house and land holder himself, for he was a great +favorite with her. Her husband was particularly well pleased; for he had +been a friend of Rico's father, and did not now understand why he had +not earlier noticed that the lad was the exact image of the man. + +So the farewells were all spoken in good feeling, and the landlady took +his hand at parting, and asked for his patronage if ever there was +occasion for her services in his house. + +That very evening the news was known in all Peschiera, with all the true +details, and a great many more; and everybody expressed pleasure, and +said that Rico looked exactly as if he owned an estate, and would grace +the position. + +Mother Menotti did not know how she could do enough to make Rico +comfortable in his own house. She arranged the big room for him--the +one that had two windows overlooking the garden, and with a view over +the lake--with beautiful marble statuettes adorning the walls; and on +the table she placed a vase of flowers, and the whole room was most +prettily furnished, so that Rico stood still on the threshold when, at +Mrs. Menotti's request, Stineli led him up there. And when the kind, +motherly woman took his hand and led him to the window, and he looked +down in the shimmering lake, and over at the purple mountains in the +distance, his heart filled to overflowing with thankfulness, and he +could only murmur, softly,-- + +"Oh, how beautiful! And this is my home!" And now day after day the four +happy friends lived their peaceful life in the comfortable room looking +on the garden, where Silvio lay, and never perceived how the time was +speeding away. + +In the daytime Rico went about with his whistling servant lad through +the fig-trees and over the fields planted with corn, for he wanted to +learn the care of it all. + +Now the servant naturally thought, "I know much more than my new +master," and felt sensible of his superiority over Rico; but when, in +the evening, beautiful and heart-stirring music came forth upon the +evening breeze from the well-lighted room, where they all sat +together, the boy leaned against the hedge and listened for long +hours; for music was his greatest delight, and he said to himself, "My +master knows more than I do, after all;" and he could not help feeling +a great respect for Rico. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA. + + +Two years have passed, every day bringing more enjoyment than the last. + +To Stineli came the knowledge that it was time for her to return to her +home, and she had many a hard battle with herself to keep up her courage +and cheerfulness; for to go away, and probably never return, was the +most dreadful prospect that ever presented itself to the young girl's +imagination. Rico also knew what was before them, and sometimes he would +only speak when it became absolutely necessary. And a strange, unnatural +feeling took possession of mother Menotti, and she tried to discover the +secret cause; for she had quite forgotten that Stineli was to go home +again to be confirmed. When at last the cause of the trouble came out, +she said, "Oh! you can put that off for another year;" and so things +fell back into their old comfort again. + +On the third year, however, a message came from Bergamo (some one came +down there from the mountain) that Stineli was wanted at home, and must +go. Now there was no help for it. Silvio might fight against it like one +possessed: it did no good. Against fate it is useless to struggle. + +Mother Menotti said, day after day, towards the end, "Only promise to +come back, Stineli. You may tell your father I will do any thing he +wishes, if he will only let you come back soon." + +Rico said nothing at all. And Stineli went off; and day after day it +seemed as if a big black cloud lay over the household, and as if the +very sun outside had ceased to shine. + +And so it went on from November to Easter, when everybody was rejoicing; +but it was still sad in Rico's house. After the Easter festival was +over, and every thing was beginning to be more beautiful than ever +before in the garden, and flowers and sweet odors were spread all +abroad, Rico sat by Silvio's bedside, and played every sad melody that +he could remember, until the little fellow was in a most melancholy +mood, when suddenly from the garden a merry voice called out,-- + +"Rico, Rico! have you no more cheerful welcome for me than this?" + +Silvio screamed as if beside himself. Rico threw his violin on the bed, +and ran out; and mother Menotti came in, half frightened. + +On the threshold stood Rico with Stineli; and so in Silvio's room there +was the long-lost sunshine back again, and they were as merry as ever +again, and happy as they had never believed would be possible during +their long separation. There they all sat at table by Silvio's bedside, +and questioned and answered, and told all that had happened, and ever +and again broke out into rejoicing over their reunion. Who would have +thought, to see them there, that any thing could be wanting to the +perfect happiness of these four people? But Rico knew another tale. In +the midst of all the merriment, he became absent-minded, and fell into +one of his old dreamy moods. It did not last as long as formerly, +however. He must have reached a satisfactory conclusion pretty soon; for +suddenly his reverie was over, and he said these words, with the utmost +decision, "Stineli must be my wife this very moment, or else she will +have to go away again directly; and that we could not endure." + +This decision pleased Silvio mightily; and in a short time they were +all of the same way of thinking, that the sooner the marriage took +place the better. + +On the very most beautiful May morning that ever shone over Peschiera, a +long procession started from the church towards the "Golden Sun." + +At the head, tall and well-proportioned, came Rico with his stately +mien; and at his side walked Stineli, looking happy and pretty, her +smooth braids crowned with the fresh bridal wreath. Next in the +procession, in a well-upholstered little wagon, drawn by two merry +Peschiera urchins, Silvio might be seen, beaming with satisfaction like +a triumphant victor; and last of all followed mother Menotti, very much +moved and affected, in a rustling wedding-dress; behind her the servant +lad, with a nosegay that covered his whole shirt-front; and after them +streamed all Peschiera, with the very noisiest kind of participation, +for they all wanted to look at the handsome couple, and to do them +honor. It was almost like a great family festival, in which they all +joined to help the strayed and lost Peschiera boy to found his own home +in his native town. + +The joy of the landlady of the "Golden Sun," when she saw the procession +coming towards her house, is quite indescribable. Whenever the question +arose concerning any wedding, low or high, she always said, with +emphasis,-- + +"That is nothing at all in comparison with Rico's wedding in the +'Golden Sun.'" + +The house in the garden never again lost its sunshine, and Stineli took +good care "Our Father" was never forgotten again; and on every Sunday +evening the grandmother's hymn was sung in the garden in full chorus. + + + + + +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +COASTING. + + +On one of the hills surrounding the city of Bern a little village is +perched which shall be nameless in this story; but if you are curious, +and go there in your travels, perhaps you may recognize it from the +following description. On the very top of the hill stands one solitary +house, with a beautiful garden about it. It is called "On the Height," +and is the property of Colonel Ritter. The descent to the little square, +where the church and parsonage stand, is sharp (in the parsonage the +colonel's wife passed her happy days of childhood); and somewhat farther +down is the schoolhouse, amid a little cluster of houses; while on the +left, as you still descend, you see a lonely cottage with a pretty, +well-kept garden, surrounded by currant-bushes, and adorned with +mignonette and pinks, and a few roses amidst its chiccory and spinach. +This is the last house on the road, which, from here on, makes one long +stretch downward to the highway that goes far out into the country, +parallel with the river Aar. + +This long, unbroken descent forms, in winter, the most perfect +coasting-ground imaginable; for once you are past the steep bit by the +colonel's house, you may go on without interruption quite down to the +road by the river; that is, always supposing that you make a fair start +at the beginning. + +This coast was an endless source of pleasure to the army of children who +daily poured out of the door of the old schoolhouse when lesson hours +were over, ran to the yard where they had piled their sleds on entering, +took each his own from the heap, and scampered off in wild haste to +begin their afternoon amusement. How the hours passed no one could +imagine: down flew the sleds in a twinkling, and nobody felt the trouble +of climbing up the hill, so full were all the little heads of the +pleasure of going down again; and so the night, and the time for +returning to their homes for supper, always took them by surprise. + +This usually occasioned a stormy scene before they left the +coasting-ground; for everybody wished to go down "once more," and then +"just _once_ more," and then "one single turn more,"--so that everybody +hurried and jumped onto the sleds, and flew down and ran up again in a +regular hurry-scurry. + +A rule had been established to the end that no one should go down the +coast while the others were still climbing up, but that all should go +down one after the other in good order, to prevent confusion or +accidents. Notwithstanding this good rule, there were often many +lawless proceedings, especially towards the close of the day, when +nobody wished to be the last, and when they all crowded onto the coast +very closely together. + +This was the state of affairs on a clear evening in January, when the +snow fairly crackled under the children's feet as they mounted the hill, +and the fields in every direction were frozen so firmly that you could +have gone anywhere over them in a sleigh as if they were the highway. +The children were all rosy and glowing with their exertions, for they +were hurrying up the steep hill, pulling their sleds behind them, +turning them about in a flash, jumping upon them, and off again head +foremost, not to lose a second of the precious time until the moon shone +brightly in the crisp sky, and the evening bells were ringing. All the +boys were shouting, "Once more; just once more!" and the girls were as +eager as they. At the top, however, where they all threw themselves upon +their sleds, there was great excitement and uproar. Three boys each +claimed to have reached the top first, and would not yield an inch to +each other, but all must go down at once. And so they pushed this way +and that, until a big boy called Cheppi was hustled quite against the +bank of snow at the side of the coast, and found that his heavily ironed +sled was fast in the snow. He was furious, for he saw that now all the +other fellows would get off before he could extricate himself. He looked +about, and presently espied a little slender girl standing near by in +the snow. She was very pale, and held both arms wrapped in her apron to +keep them warmer, for all that she trembled and shivered with cold from +head to feet. She looked so feeble and miserable, that she seemed to +Cheppi just the proper object upon whom to vent his rage. + +"Can't you get out of a fellow's way, you stupid thing? What are you +standing there for? You have not even a sled with you. Just wait a +moment; I'll help you to get along!" + +So saying, he thrust his boot into the snow, intending to kick it over +the girl. She sprang back, however, quickly, so that she went quite up +to her knees in the snow, and said timidly, "I was only looking on." + +Cheppi was thrusting his boot into the snow again with the same +intention towards the child, when he received such a tremendous box +on the ear from behind, that it almost knocked him off his sled. +"Just you wait a minute," he shouted, beside himself with anger, for +his ear tingled as it had never tingled before; and doubling up his +fists, he turned himself to see who was his hidden foe. A boy stood +behind him, and looked on very quietly, holding his sled in position +for another coast. + +"Come on," he said calmly. + +It was Otto Ritter, a class-mate of Cheppi, with whom he was always +engaged in some little quarrel. Otto was a tall, slender boy, about +eleven years old, and not nearly of the same strength as Cheppi; but +the latter had learned more than once that with hands and feet Otto was +much the more skilful of the two. He did not strike out, but held his +fists doubled up, and cried out angrily, "Let me alone: I am not +meddling with you." + +"But I am with you," replied Otto, in a very warlike tone. "What +business have you to chase Wiseli away like that, and then to kick snow +at her, I should like to know? I have been looking at you, you coward! +teasing a little girl who cannot defend herself." + +With these words he turned his back contemptuously towards Cheppi, and +called out to Wiseli, who was standing shivering all this time in the +deep snow,-- + +"Come out of the snow, Wiseli. Oh, how you are shivering, child! Have +you no sled really, and only been able to look on? Here, take mine, and +go down once quickly. Do you know how?" + +The pale, timid girl did not know what to make of this kindness. She had +been looking on for some little time, watching the sleds as they flew +down the hill, and thinking, "Oh, how I should like to go down to the +very bottom just once!" when she saw two, and sometimes three, going +down on the same sled. But now she might go down all alone by herself, +and that, too, on the very handsomest sled on the coast,--the one with a +lion's head, that went faster than any other, because it was light, and +was bound with iron. She was so happy that she stood still, looking +after Cheppi with a half feeling that he might strike her if she dared +to enjoy such a piece of good fortune. But there he stood quite +tranquilly, as if nothing whatever had happened; and by him stood Otto, +with such a protecting air, that she took courage, and seated herself on +the handsome sled; and when Otto called out, "Go on; go on, Wiseli!" she +obeyed, and away she flew as if the wind were behind her. Very soon Otto +heard the coasters all toiling up the hill again, and he called out, +"Stay among the first, Wiseli, and go down again; after that we must go +home." Wiseli was only too happy to do as she was bid, and enjoyed for a +second time the long-wished-for pleasure. Then she brought the sled to +its owner, thanking him shyly for his kindness, but more with her +beaming eyes than with words; and off she scampered as fast as she could +go. Otto felt decidedly happier. "Where is Pussy?" he called out, +peering into the already scattering crowd. "Here she is!" replied a +merry voice; and out of the knot of children appeared a red-cheeked, +plump little girl, who slipped her hand into her big brother's +protecting palm, and went with him towards their father's house as +quickly as possible. It was very late, and they had over-passed the +allotted time for coasting. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY. + + +When Otto and his sister came noisily in through the deep stone entrance +of their father's house, the old servant Trine appeared in a doorway +holding a light high above her head to see whence came all the uproar, +and from whom. "So," at last she said, half scoldingly, half pleasantly; +"your mother has been asking for you for a long time, but there was no +trace of you, although it struck eight nobody knows how long ago." Old +Trine had been maid-servant in the family when the children's mother +came into the world, so she was an authority in the household, and felt +that she was one of its members,--to tell the truth, the very head of +the establishment; for surely she was the oldest in age and experience. +The dear old woman was fairly foolish in her fondness for her master's +children, and very proud of all their qualities and acquisitions. She +would not let this be seen, however, but employed an indignant tone when +speaking to them; for she thought it best for their education not to +appear perfectly satisfied with their conduct. + +"Off with your shoes, on with your slippers!" she called out at once, +according to rule; but her order was immediately executed by the +commander, for she knelt before Otto while she spoke, to take off his +wet shoes. He had sunk down upon the nearest seat. His little sister +stood perfectly still in the middle of the room without stirring, which +was such an unusual circumstance, that Trine looked over her shoulder +two or three times to see what it could mean. Now that Otto was +equipped, it was Pussy's turn to sit down and be attended to; but she +stood stock still, and did not stir. "Well, well! if we wait there +until summer comes, our shoes will get dry of themselves," said Trine, +still on her knees. "Hsh, hsh, Trine! I hear something. Who is in the +big parlor?" said Pussy, lifting her forefinger up a little +threateningly. "Everybody who has dry shoes: nobody else admitted. Now +make up your mind to sit down," said Trine. But instead of sitting +down, Pussy made a spring upward, and cried, "Now I hear it again; +Uncle Max laughs just like that." "What!" cried Otto, and reached the +parlor-door with one leap. + +"Wait, wait!" Pussy called after him, and ran to the door at the same +time; but she was caught and placed on the seat, although old Trine had +hard work to get the shoes off the little kicking feet; but perseverance +at last accomplished the business, and off ran Pussy out of one door and +through the other into the big parlor, where truly sat Uncle Max in the +arm-chair. Now there was a fine jubilee, and a hugging and kissing over +and over. Uncle Max certainly made as much noise as the children, and it +was a long time before they were quieted enough to speak a rational word +to each other. A visit from this uncle was always a time of great +delight for the children, and with good reason, for he was extravagantly +fond of them. He was a great traveller, and only came to see them once +in two years; but then he made up for his long absence by giving himself +entirely to his little friends as if he were no older than they; and the +queer and enchanting presents that he had stuffed into every pocket for +his little niece and nephew would be hard to describe. + +Uncle Max was a naturalist, and travelled to every corner of the world, +bringing back something curious and interesting from each place. + +At last supper was served, to the immense satisfaction of the whole +party,--for the children always brought home new appetites from the +coasting-ground, and were prepared, both old and young, to do full +justice to the steaming dishes set before them. + +"Well," said Colonel Ritter, glancing across the table at his little +daughter, who was seated beside her mother, and already too busily +engaged in satisfying her hunger to look up from her plate. "Well, well; +it seems rather strange to think that Pussy has no hand to spare for her +papa to-day. I have not had one single kiss, and now it is too late." + +With a contrite air Pussy pushed back her plate, saying, "O papa, I +forgot! I will give you"-- + +But her father said, quickly, "No, no; do not make a disturbance now, +child. Give me your hand across the table; we will have the rest later. +That will do now, Pussy." + +"What was this child christened, Marie? I was certainly present at the +ceremony, but I have utterly forgotten her name. Not Pussy, I am sure," +said Uncle Max, laughing. + +"You certainly were present, Max," replied his sister, "for you are the +child's godfather. She was named Marie. At this time her father +nicknamed her Pussy, and Otto has multiplied that in the most +nonsensical manner." + +"Oh, no, mamma; not nonsensical," cried Otto, quite seriously. "You see, +uncle, it follows in very sensible order. When the little thing is +gentle and good, then I call her 'Pussy.' That is not always the case, +however, and 'Puss' does for some of her moods; but when she is angry, +and looks like a regular cross-patch, then I call her 'Old Cat.'" + +"Yes, yes, Otto," answered his sister; and when you are angry, you look +like a--like a"-- + +"Like a man," said Otto; and as Pussy had no better comparison ready, +she went on busily eating her pudding. + +Uncle Max laughed heartily. "Pussy is right," he said. "She does far +better in pursuing her present occupation than in answering back such +slanders. But, children," he began again, after a pause, "it is more +than a year since I was here, and you have not told me about any thing +that has taken place during my absence." + +The latest events were those that occurred first to the children; and +they began to tell, generally both speaking together, the story of +Cheppi's rude treatment of Wiseli on the coast, and of how cold the girl +was, and how she stood shivering in the snow, and had no sled of her +own, but got a chance to coast down twice after all. + +"That is right, Otto," said his father. "You must honor your name. You +must always be a true knight for the persecuted and unprotected. Who is +this Wiseli?" + +"You cannot know any thing about the girl nor her mother," said his +wife. "But Uncle Max knows Wiseli's mother very well. You remember that +thin weaver who was our neighbor, don't you, brother? He had an only +daughter with big brown eyes, who often came to us at the parsonage, and +sang so sweetly. Can't you remember her now?" + +While Uncle Max was trying to recall the somewhat fading recollections +of his youth, old Trine put her head into the room, saying,-- + +"The carpenter Andrew would like to speak to you, Mrs. Ritter, if it +will not disturb you too much." + +This apparently innocent message produced a wonderful effect upon the +whole family. Mrs. Ritter put down the tablespoon, with which she was +about to help her brother a second time to fruit, and said hastily, "If +you will excuse me, gentlemen," and left the room. Otto sprang up so +quickly that he knocked his chair over backwards, and then fell over it +himself in his haste to get away. Pussy was about to follow the others; +but her uncle, seeing the movement, put his arms about her, and held her +fast. She struggled, however, and said, entreatingly,-- + +"Let me go, uncle; let me go. Really, I must go." + +"Where do you want to go, Pussy?" + +"To see the carpenter Andrew. Let me go quickly. Help, papa; help!" + +"If you will tell me what you have to say to the carpenter, I will +let you go." + +"The sheep has only two legs left, and no tail at all; and the carpenter +is the only person who can mend him. Now _do_ let me go!" And now Pussy +was off too. + +The gentlemen looked at each other, and Max burst out into a merry +laugh. "Who is this carpenter Andrew, pray, who seems to have the power +of attracting your whole family to his feet?" + +"You ought to be able to answer that question better than I," replied +the colonel. "He must also be one of the friends of your youth. The fever +of adoration you ought to understand also: it must be one of your family +characteristics; and your sister has introduced it into her family. I +can only tell you this much: this Andrew is the very corner-stone of my +house. Every thing depends upon him, and we should all fall to pieces if +his support were withdrawn from us. Andrew is the counsellor, comforter, +safety, and aid in any trouble. If my wife thinks she wants any utensil +for household use, even if she does not know how it should look, nor +what use to put it to, Andrew the carpenter invents it, and makes it on +the spot. If the kitchen is on fire, or the water gives out there, or in +the laundry, Andrew the carpenter smothers the fire, and procures floods +of water. If my son does some sad piece of mischief, Andrew the +carpenter repairs the damage in a trice. If my daughter smashes all the +crockery, Andrew the carpenter glues it together at once. So you see +that this man is really the very pillar of my edifice; and if any thing +should happen to him, we should straightway go to pieces." + +Mrs. Ritter had returned to the room during this account of Andrew the +carpenter's virtues, and her husband had heightened the description for +her benefit. Uncle Max shouted with laughter. + +"Yes, laugh away; laugh away!" said she. "For all that, I know very well +what a treasure I possess in Andrew the carpenter." + +"So do I, for that matter," said her husband, laughing merrily. + +"I do, too," said Pussy, heartily, who was again on her seat at +table. + +"So do I," grumbled Otto, while he rubbed his shins, that ached from his +recent fall over the chair. + +"Well, now we are all of one mind about it, and the children can go +quietly to bed," said their mother. These words did not tend to restore +quiet, for the children became rebellious; but it was useless. Old Trine +stood on the threshold, and was ready to carry out the family rules and +regulations. Off marched the children, and presently their mother also +disappeared again; for there were the evening prayers to be said, and +she never failed to be at their bedside for that. + +When, at last, every thing was in order in the house, Mrs. Ritter joined +the gentlemen once more. + +"At last!" said the colonel, with a sigh of relief, as if he had +vanquished the enemy. "Now you see how it is, Max. My wife belongs first +of all to the carpenter Andrew, then to the children, and only to her +husband when there is nothing else for her to do." + +"And now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "that, although my +husband speaks scornfully of Andrew the carpenter, he does assign him a +very high rank after all. Now acknowledge that, won't you? He has just +given me a message for you. He has brought his yearly savings with him +to-day, and begs for your assistance." + +"That is true," said the colonel. "A more orderly, industrious, reliable +man I do not know. I would trust my wife, my children, my goods and +chattels to him rather than to any one else. He is the most honorable, +trustworthy man in this parish, or in any other, I do believe." + +"Now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "I could not say more +than that." Her brother joined with her in her amusement at the zest +which the colonel showed. Then he said,-- + +"You have all been so full of the praises of your marvel, that I have +become curious, at last, to know where he comes from, and how he looks. +Have I never seen him when I have visited you?" + +"Oh, yes! you used to know him perfectly well," replied his sister. "You +must remember Andrew, with whom we went to school. Don't you recall the +two brothers who were always in the same classes with you? The elder was +even then a perfect good-for-nothing,--he was not stupid, but would not +study, and did not get on, and was put down into one of the lower +classes with his brother and you. You must remember him,--his name was +Jorg, and he had stiff, black hair. He always pelted us with something +whenever he got a chance,--with green apples or pears, and in winter +with snow-balls,--and always called us 'aristocrats.'" + +"Oh, that fellow!" cried Max. "Yes; now I do remember all about him. +Certainly he always called us 'aristocrats.' I wonder how he got hold of +that word. He was a disagreeable fellow: I remember that well. I caught +him once thrashing a little fellow most cruelly. I helped the little +one, and he shouted after me at least twelve times in succession, +'Aristocrat, aristocrat!' And now it comes back to me about the other +one, the lean Andrew, his brother. He was your Andrew, was he not, +Marie?--the Andrew with the violets? Oh, now I comprehend this great +friendship," said Max, laughing again. + +"What is this about the violets? I want to know all about that," said +the colonel. + +"Oh! I can see the whole thing just as it happened as plainly as if it +were only yesterday," said Max, quite animated over his recollections. +"I must tell you all about it, Otto. You have probably heard from your +wife that we had here, in the happy time of our childhood, an old +schoolmaster, whose creed was that all faults could be whipped out of, +and all virtues be whipped into, the children under his care. So he felt +himself constrained to whip a great deal either for one thing or the +other, and very often for both at once. Andrew's turn came one day, and +the master applied his well-meant rule so heartily that poor, thin +Andrew screamed with pain. At this moment my little sister, who had only +entered the school a short time before, and did not understand the rules +very well, stood up from her seat and hastened to the door. The teacher +held his hand for a moment, and shouted after her, 'Where are you +running to?' Marie turned about. The tears were running down her cheeks, +and she said, very decidedly, 'I am going home to tell my father.' +'Wait, I will teach you!' cried the master, in the greatest surprise, +and sprung after the girl. He did not strike her, however, but took her +roughly by the arm, and set her down very hard upon the bench; then he +said again, 'Wait, I will teach you!' + +"It was the end of that, however. He did not touch Andrew again, and +every thing passed off quietly that day. But the tears that Marie had +shed for Andrew, and her protest against the whippings, were not +forgotten. From that day forward a big bunch of violets was always +placed on Marie's desk, and the whole room was perfumed with them; and +later a still better scent filled the air, for there were every day +great bunches of dark red strawberries, such as nobody else knew how to +find. And so it went on for the whole year; but how the friendship +reached the height at which it now stands, that I will leave to my +sister to relate, for I do not know myself." + +The colonel was much pleased with this story of the tears and the +violets, and begged his wife to tell more about it. She said, "According +to you, Max, violets and strawberries grow all the year round; but, in +truth, it is not exactly the fact. But it is true that the good Andrew +was never tired of bringing in any thing that he thought would give me +pleasure all through the time we were in the school together. He left +long before I did, and went to learn his trade of a joiner in the city. +He came home very often, however, so that I never really lost sight of +him; and when my husband bought this piece of land and we were married, +it happened, also, that Andrew bought property, and wished to be +settled. He had lost his parents, and was quite by himself, and a +first-rate workman. He wanted the little house with the neat, pretty +garden down there half-way to the church; but was not able to purchase +it, because the owner wished for full payment at once, and Andrew could +only pay in instalments, as he earned the money. + +"But we knew all about him and his work. My husband purchased the place +for him, and he has never had the least reason to regret it." + +"No, indeed I have not," added the colonel. "Andrew has long ago paid +for his house, and now he always brings me the yearly amount of his +labor; and a very pretty sum it is, too. I invest it well for him, and +have a sincere satisfaction in the welfare of the sturdy fellow. He is +already a very well-to-do man, and adds to his property every year, and +can make his little house into a big one if he have a mind to do so, the +good Andrew. It is too bad that he is such a hermit, and cannot, +therefore, properly enjoy his home and his possessions." + +"Has he, then, neither wife nor family?" asked Max. "And what has become +of his disagreeable brother Jorg?" + +"No; he has really nobody," replied his sister. "He lives entirely +alone, and really like a hermit. He has had a long and very sad history +that I have been witness to, and which has taken away all the desire he +once might have felt to look for a wife. His brother Jorg wandered about +here in a disreputable way for several years, never working, but in the +hope of getting something, by his infamous behavior, out of his family, +who were respectable people, quite unlike himself. But, at last, he saw +that there was no chance of this, and even the kind Andrew refused to +pay any more of his debts, or to help him out of any more scrapes, so he +disappeared, nobody knows where; but everybody rejoiced that he was out +of the way." + +"What was the sad story of which you spoke, Marie?" asked her brother. +"I want to hear that, too." + +"So do I," said the colonel; and lighted another cigar, in order to +enjoy the tale more thoroughly. + +"But, my dear husband," objected his wife, "I have at least told you +this story ten times over." + +"Really," said the colonel, quietly, "it seems that it pleases me then, +if I ask for it again." + +"Oh, do begin!" said her brother. + +"You cannot have forgotten the child, Max," began his sister, "of whom I +was speaking yesterday, who lived quite near to us. She belonged to the +pale, thin weaver, whose shuttle we could always hear moving back and +forth when we stood in our garden. The child always looked clean and +neat, and had great lively, sparkling eyes, and beautiful brown hair. +Her name was Aloise." + +"I never knew anybody by the name of Aloise in my life," interrupted Max +at this point. + +"Oh! to be sure not," said his sister. "We never called her so, you +especially. 'Wisi' we called her, to the horror of our dear departed +mother. Don't you remember, now, how often you said yourself that we +must get Wisi to sing with us when mamma played songs for us on the +piano, and we could not make it go at all without Wisi's help?" + +At last Max seemed to remember about it, and laughed at the +recollection. "Oh, yes! I remember Wisi," he cried. "Yes, certainly that +was Wisi. I can see her now, before my eyes, with her bright face, as +she stood by the piano and sang so cheerily. I was very fond of her. I +was very fond of her,--of Wisi. She was very pretty, too. I remember, +too, what a shock it always seemed to mamma when I said, 'Wisi.' I +really never knew her proper name." + +"Oh, yes, you did," replied his sister; "because mamma always said +it was perfectly barbarous to change the pretty name of Aloise +into 'Wisi.'" + +"I certainly never heard it each time," said Max. "But pray what has +become of this Wisi?" + +"You remember she was in my class at school, and we kept along together; +and I often think of how Andrew always befriended and stood up for the +girl through thick and thin, and that she knew well how to turn his +friendship to good account. + +"When she came with her slate full of examples, like the rest of us, her +figures were not often correct; but she put the slate, with a merry +laugh, on her desk, and lo! soon the sums were all rightly set down, for +Andrew had put them in order. It often happened that she smashed a pane +in the schoolroom window, or shook down the schoolmaster's plums in the +garden; and yet Andrew was always the one who took the blame of these +misdeeds,--not that anybody accused him, but he himself used to say, +half aloud, that he believed it was his fault that the glass was broken, +or the plums shaken down, and so he got the punishment. We children all +knew well enough who was to blame; but we let it go, we were so used to +it, and were so fond of the merry Wisi, that we all were pleased when +she escaped punishment. + +"Wisi had always pocketfuls of apples, pears, and nuts, that all came +from Andrew; for every thing that he had, or could procure, he used to +stuff into Wisi's satchel. I used often to wonder how it happened that +the quiet Andrew liked the very most unruly and gayest girl in the +school, and I also wondered whether she returned his affection. She was +always very friendly with him, but she was the same with others; and as +I once asked our mother how it could be, she shook her head a little, +and said, 'I am afraid,--I am afraid that the nice little Aloise is a +trifle heedless, and may have to suffer for it.' These words gave me +much food for thought, and recurred to me again and again. + +"We went together to the Bible-class; and every Sunday evening Wisi used +to come regularly to our house, and we sang hymns together to the piano. +She particularly enjoyed this. She knew all the lovely songs by heart, +and sang them clearly and well; and mamma and I were very much pleased +to know that Wisi liked to sing, and went gladly to the Bible-class, and +seemed to take the religious teaching very much to heart. She had grown +into a fine large girl now, with bright eyes; and, although she did not +look very strong, like the peasant girls in the villages, still she had +a fine color, and was far prettier than any of them. + +"At this time Andrew was learning his trade in the town, but invariably +came home on Sundays. He always came up to the parsonage to call, and +was inclined to talk to me about our former schooldays; and gradually +we worked round to Wisi, and talked about her most of the time. Andrew +spoke most eloquently and feelingly on this subject; and, although +everybody else had adopted the name 'Wisi' for Aloise, he never called +her so, but said 'Wiseli' so softly and prettily, that it was very +sweet to hear. + +"But one Sunday (we were not quite eighteen years old, Wisi and +I,--mamma was with us that evening) Wisi came in looking very rosy, and +said that she had come to tell us that she was betrothed to a young +workman who had come lately to live in the village, and that they would +soon be married, as he had a good position, and it was arranged that +they could be married in about twelve days. I was so surprised, and so +sorry, that I could not say a word. Neither did my mother speak for a +long time, but looked very much troubled. + +"After a time she talked very seriously with Wisi,--told her that it was +foolish in her to have taken up so quickly with a workman of whom she +really could know very little, and especially when there was another who +had sought her for long years, and plainly shown her how much he loved +her; and, at last, she asked her if it could not be broken off, this +engagement,--or, at least, put off for a while, Wisi was still so young, +and ought to remain with her father. Then Wisi began to cry, and said +that it was all arranged; that she had given her promise, and that her +father was pleased. So my mother said no more about it; but poor Wisi +cried bitterly, until my mother took her by the hand, and led her to the +piano, and said kindly, 'Dry your tears: we will sing together.' And she +played the accompaniment, and we sang,-- + + "'To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "'For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.' + +"After this, Wisi left us apparently comforted, and my mother spoke +kindly to her at parting; but I felt very sadly about the whole affair. +I had a conviction that poor Wisi had passed her happiest days, and +would never be light-hearted again; and I could not express my sorrow +for Andrew. What would he say? He said nothing,--not one word,--but went +about for several years like a shadow, and became more silent than ever, +and had no longer the quietly happy expression that formerly +distinguished him." + +"Poor fellow!" cried Max. "And did he never marry?" + +"Oh, no, Max!" replied his sister, rather reproachfully. "How could he +do so? How can you ask such a question? He is faithfulness personified." + +"How could I know that, dearest sister?" said Max soothingly. "I could +not be expected to know that your gifted and inestimable friend +possessed also the quality of steadfastness. But tell me some more about +Wisi. I hope, truly, that the merry creature was not unfortunate. It +would grieve me sadly to think that." + +"I see plainly, brother, that all your sympathies are secretly with +Wisi; and that you are not sorry for the faithful Andrew, whose heart +was nearly broken when he found that he had lost her." + +"Yes, yes," said Max. "I have the greatest sympathy for the good fellow. +But do tell me how it was with Wisi: did she cry her pretty eyes out?" + +"Almost, I believe," replied Marie. "I did not see her very often, and +she had a great deal of work to do. I believe that her husband was not a +bad fellow; but there was something very rough about him, and he was +rude and unkind even to his own little children. Wisi had a hard time of +it. She had a good many pretty children; but they were very delicate, +and she lost them one after the other. Five she buried, and has only now +one tender little girl,--a little Wiseli,--who is not much larger than +our Pussy, though she is several years older. Naturally Wisi's health +has been sadly tried with all this, and it is plainly visible now that +it has almost reached the end with her. She is rapidly wasting away in +consumption. I fear that there is no hope for her." + +"Oh!" cried Max, "is this possible? Is it really so bad as that? Can +nothing be done, Marie? Let us look after her, and try if we cannot mend +matters somewhat." + +"Oh, no! there is no chance for her," said his sister, sadly. "From the +very beginning Wisi was too delicate for all the work and care that came +upon her." + +"And what became of her husband?" + +"Oh! I quite forgot the sad trouble that poor Wisi had to endure +with him also. + +"About a year ago, he broke an arm and a leg in the workshop, and was +brought home half dead. He was very ill, and could not work, and +certainly was not a patient sufferer. Wisi had the care of him in his +sickness, in addition to every thing else, and he died about six +months after the accident. Wisi has lived alone with her child since +that time." + +"Then there will soon be nothing left but a little Wiseli, and what will +become of her? But, no; it will not turn out so sadly, I am sure. Wisi +will get well, and every thing be right again, as it should have been in +the beginning." + +"No, not so, Max; it is too late for that," replied his sister, +decidedly. "Poor Wisi had to suffer sadly for her folly. But it is too +late indeed!" she said, rising, almost frightened to see that it was +after midnight, and that the colonel, who had been silent for some time +past, was now sleeping in his arm-chair. + +Max was not in the least sleepy, however. All this story of poor Wisi +had awakened in him such lively recollections of his childhood, that +he wanted to talk about many other events and people; but his sister +was not to be persuaded. She took her bed-candle, and insisted upon +going to bed. + +There was nothing to be done but to awaken his brother-in-law, which he +did with such a tremendous thump on the back, that the colonel sprang up +with the feeling that he had been struck by an enemy's bomb-shell. But +Max tapped him kindly on the shoulder, saying, "It is only a gentle +warning from your wife that we must all beat a retreat." This was +accomplished, and soon the house on the height stood quietly in the +moonlight; and half way down the hill stood another house, where it +would soon be silent, too, though a still feeble light glimmered there, +casting a pale shadow through the little window out into the brilliant +moonlit night. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ALSO AT HOME. + + +At the same time that the colonel's children were going home, the +little Wiseli ran along down the hill as fast as she could scamper, for +she knew she had remained away longer than her mother liked that she +should, and she very rarely did any thing of the kind. This evening had +been one of such unusual pleasure for her that she had quite forgotten +to go home at the usual time, and therefore ran all the faster, and so +almost fell against a man, in her haste, who came out of the door of +their cottage as she was rushing in. He stepped quietly to one side, +and Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side. To +her great surprise, she found no light in the room,--her mother was +sitting in the twilight, on a low chair by the window. "Mother," said +the child, "are you angry because I was away such a long time?" and she +put her arms around her mother's neck as she spoke. "No, no, Wiseli," +said her mother, kindly; "but I am glad that you have come at last." +The girl began at once to tell her mother about the delightful coast +she had had on Otto's pretty sled,--how she had gone twice down the +hill, and how pleasant it was. When she had finished her little story, +she noticed, for the first time, how very quiet her mother was,--much +more so than usual,--and she asked anxiously, "Why have you not lighted +the lamp, mother?" + +[Illustration: WISELI HASTENED INTO THE ROOM, AND WENT TO HER +MOTHER'S SIDE] + +"I feel so weary this evening, Wiseli," replied her mother, "that I +could not get up to light it. Go get it now, my child, and bring me a +little water to drink at the same time, I am so very thirsty." Wiseli +hastened to the kitchen, and soon returned with the light in one hand, +and in the other a bottle filled with red syrup, that looked so +temptingly clear and good, that the thirsty invalid called out eagerly, +"What is that you are bringing me? It looks so good!" + +"I do not know," said the child; "it was standing on the kitchen-table. +See how it sparkles!" Her mother took the bottle, and smelled at it. +"Oh!" she said, smelling again, "it is like fresh, wild strawberries. +Give me some water, quickly, Wiseli; I must drink." The child poured +some of the red syrup into a glass, and filled it with water, which her +mother swallowed eagerly, as one parched with thirst. "You do not know +how refreshing it is, child," as she handed back the empty glass. "Put +it away, Wiseli, but not far. It seems to me as if I could drink it all +the time, I am so thirsty. Who brought me this refreshment, Wiseli: do +you know? It must be from Trine: she brought it from the colonel's." + +"Did Trine come in here, mother?" asked the child. + +"No; I have not seen her at all," said her mother. + +"Then it is not Trine, I am sure," said Wiseli, decidedly. "She always +comes into the room when she brings anything for you. But Andrew the +carpenter came today: did not he bring this with him?" + +"What, Wiseli," said her mother, very eagerly, "what are you saying? +Andrew the carpenter never came to see me: what made you think of that?" + +"He was here, certainly; certainly he was here within this house. He +went out of the door so quickly that I almost ran into him. Did you not +hear him at all?" + +Her mother was quiet for a long time without speaking; then she said, "I +did hear the kitchen door softly opened. At first I thought it might be +you, and--it is true, I did not hear you enter until later. Are you +sure, Wiseli, that Andrew the carpenter was the person who went out from +our door?" + +Wiseli was sure of her affair, and told her mother exactly how the coat +and how the cap looked that Andrew wore, and how frightened he was when +she almost ran into him; so that, at last, she convinced the good woman, +who said softly, as if to herself, "Yes, it must be Andrew; he knows +what I like best." + +"Now I remember something else, mother," cried Wiseli, quite excitedly. +"Now I know for sure who once placed a big pot of honey in the +kitchen,--you remember how much you liked that,--and then the +apple-cakes a day or two ago,--do not you remember? You wished to send +your thanks by Trine when she brought you something from the colonel's +kitchen, and she said that she knew nothing at all about them. Now I am +sure that Andrew the carpenter brought them, and secretly placed them in +the kitchen for you." + +"Now I believe so, also," said her mother, and softly wiped her eyes. + +"There is nothing sad about it, mother," said Wiseli, rather shocked to +see how often her mother kept wiping her eyes. + +"You must thank him for me, Wiseli: I cannot. Tell him that I send him +my thanks for all the goodness he has shown me,--he has always been kind +to me. Come, sit down here by me a little," said she, softly. "Give me +some more of the syrup, and then come and repeat the verse that I taught +you the other day." + +Wiseli brought more water, and mixed it with the syrup again, and her +mother drank of it eagerly; then she laid her head wearily upon the low +window-sill, and beckoned her little daughter to come to her side. It +seemed to the child that her mother could not be comfortable, and she +fetched a pillow from the bed, and placed it carefully under her +mother's head. Then she sat down close to her side on a footstool, and +held her mother's hand in her own, and complied with her request to +repeat the verses, thus,-- + + "'To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "'For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +As Wiseli finished, she observed that her mother was almost asleep; but +she heard her say, softly, "Think of this, my Wiseli; and when you do +not know which way to turn, and every thing seems difficult and +perplexing, then say to yourself these words,-- + + "'Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +Now the weary head sank down to rest, and little Wiseli would not awaken +her mother by a movement, but nestled up to her quietly, and slept also. +And the feeble light of the little lamp burned dimly in the quiet +room,--more and more feebly it burned, until it slowly flickered and +went out, and the cottage stood a dark object in the bright moonlight. + +The next morning the neighbor from the nearest house stopped, as usual, +on her way to the fountain, to look through the window of the cottage to +see if all was well within. She saw that the sick woman was sleeping on +the pillow, with her head against the window-sill, and that Wiseli stood +weeping by her side. This seemed so strange, that she put her head a +little way into the room, and asked, "What is the matter, Wiseli? Is +your mother worse?" The child sobbed dreadfully, and could scarcely say, +"I do not know what ails my mother." + +The poor child had a strong suspicion of what it all meant, but she +could not realize that her mother was lost to her. For she was still +there, but asleep,--asleep for all the rest of her daughter's life on +earth,--and could not hear how sadly the child called to her. The +neighbor stepped to the window and looked at the sleeping head upon the +pillow; then she started back in alarm. "Run quickly, Wiseli; run and +fetch your cousin Gotti. He must come at once. You have no other +relation, and somebody must look after things here. Run as fast as you +can: I will wait here until you come back." + +The child ran, but not fast, her heart was so heavy within her, and her +limbs trembled; and at last she had to stop and give way to her tears, +for she became more and more sure, with every step, that her mother +would never waken more. But she went on again soon, although she could +not stop her tears, for her sorrow increased as she went. In the beech +grove, full a quarter of an hour's walk from the church, stood the +house of her cousin Gotti; and presently Wiseli entered the door, still +crying bitterly. Her cousin's wife stood in the kitchen, and asked +harshly, "What is the matter with you?" Wiseli replied, between her +sobs, that the neighbor had sent her to ask her cousin Gotti to come +quickly to her mother. Probably the woman suspected, from the child's +look, that her mother was more ill, for she spoke a little less roughly +than usual. "I will tell him. You can go home: he is not here now." So +Wiseli turned about, and reached home more quickly than she came, for +she was returning to her mother. The neighbor stood by the +doorstep,--she could not wait inside the room: it was not pleasant to +her. But the child stepped in, and went to her place by her mother's +side that she had kept all through the night. There she sat weeping, +and only said, now and then, softly, "Mother." But no answering word +came to her. At last Wiseli said, bending over her, "Mother, you can +hear me, although you are in heaven now, and I cannot hear your +answer." And the child sat holding her mother's hand tightly until long +after noontime. About that time her cousin Gotti entered the room, +looked about him a little, and then called for the neighbor. "You must +arrange things here a little,--you know what I mean," he said,--"so +that things will be ready for the removal. Then carry the keys away +with you, so that nothing will be taken." He then turned to Wiseli and +said, "Where are your clothes, little one? Get them together and tie +them up in a bundle, and we will go away." + +"Where shall we go?" asked the child. + +"We will go home to the beech grove. You can stay there with us, for you +have nobody else in the world now but your cousin Gotti." + +At these words, Wiseli felt herself stiff with fear. Go to the beech +grove, and live with them there,--was that her fate? She had always had +the greatest fear of the wife of her cousin Gotti, and always stood a +long time before the door, when she was sent there with a message, +before she could summon courage to enter. The eldest son, Cheppi,--that +rough fellow,--lived there, and Hannes and Rudi; and they threw stones +at all the children. Was that to be her home? + +Fear caused the child to turn pale and immovable. + +"You must not be frightened, my child," said her cousin Gotti, in a +kindly tone. "There are more people in our house than there are here, +but it is all the more lively for that." + +Wiseli put her things silently together in a shawl, and tied the two +corners together crosswise; then she tied her scarf about her head, and +stood ready. + +"So," said her cousin, "now we will go," and turned towards the door; +but Wiseli sobbed out suddenly,-- + +"Then I must leave my mother all alone." + +With these words she ran to her mother, and clasped her in her +arms again. + +Her cousin Gotti stood rather disconcerted, and looked on. He did not +know how to explain how things were with her mother, if she did not +understand without words; for he was not strong in the matter of +expressing himself: he had never given himself the trouble to try. At +last, he said,-- + +"Now come, come along. A little child like you must be obedient. Come; +and, after this, no crying. That does not mend matters one bit." + +The child swallowed her sobs, and followed the cousin Gotti silently +through the door. Once only she glanced backward, and said softly, "God +will watch over you, mother;" and then went forth with her bundle on her +arm, and left the little house which had been home to her. Just as she +and her cousin Gotti went together across the field, Trine came towards +them down the road, with a covered basket on her arm. The neighbor stood +in the doorway, and looked after the departing couple. Trine went +towards her, saying,-- + +"To-day I am bringing the sick woman something good. A little late, to +be sure. We have Uncle Max on a visit to us: that always makes me late." + +"And even if you had come early in the morning, you would have come too +late to-day. She died last night." + +"That cannot be!" cried Trine, startled. "Oh, goodness me! what will my +lady say?" + +With these words she turned sharp about, and ran home as fast as +possible. The neighbor went back into the quiet room, and performed the +last kind offices for Wiseli's mother. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +AT COUSIN GOTTI's. + + +When Wiseli made her entry into her cousin Gotti's house at Beech Grove, +the three boys came running out of the barn, and, behind Wiseli, into +the room, where they placed themselves in front of her in a row, and +stared at the timid little thing with all their eyes. Her cousin's wife +came out of the kitchen, and stared also at the little thing, as if she +had never seen her before. + +Her cousin Gotti seated himself behind the table, and said,-- + +"I think she can eat something: she has not had much to-day. Come here," +he said, turning to Wiseli, who stood all this time in the same place, +with her bundle under her arm. She obeyed. Now her cousin's wife put new +wine and cheese on the table, also a huge loaf of black bread. Cousin +Gotti cut a big slice, put a lump of cheese upon it, and pushed it +towards the child. "There, eat, little one," he said. "You must be +hungry, I'm sure." + +"No, I thank you," said Wiseli, softly. She could not have swallowed +even a crumb. She felt as if she were crushed under her load of sorrow +and anxiety, and could scarcely even breathe. + +The boys stood there all the time, and stared at her. + +"Don't be frightened," said cousin Gotti, encouragingly. "Do eat +something." But the child sat motionless, and did not touch her bread. +Her cousin's wife came again; and, putting her hands on her hips, stood +looking her over from head to foot. + +"If you don't want it," she said, "you can leave it;" and turned on her +heel, and went again into the kitchen. + +When cousin Gotti had refreshed himself sufficiently he arose, and said, +"Put it in your pocket. By and by you will feel like eating, only do not +feel frightened;" and he went into the kitchen. Wiseli tried to do as he +told her, to put the bread and cheese into her pocket; but they were too +large, and she put them back upon the table again. + +"I will help you," said Cheppi, snatching the pieces from the table; and +was about to stuff them into his open mouth, but they flew up into the +air instead, for Hannes had knocked Cheppi's hand up with a smart blow, +and so the plunder was scattered, and Rudi darted upon it, and carried +part of it away. With this the two oldest boys fell upon him, and they +kicked and cuffed, and screamed and shouted, until Wiseli was terribly +frightened. Presently their father opened the kitchen-door, and called +out, "What does this all mean?" Then the boys all answered at once, from +the floor; and one said, "Wiseli did not want it;" and another, "Wiseli +had not any;" and "As long as Wiseli did not want any"-- + +Their father called out, loudly, "If you do not stop that, I will come +in with the thong, and whip you." And he slammed the door again. + +"It" did not "stop," however; but, as soon as the door was shut again, +it began worse than ever, for Hannes found that the best way to treat +the enemy was to grasp him by the hair; and so they all seized each +other by the hair, and stood in a ring, uttering terrible noises. In the +kitchen their mother sat on a stool, and peeled potatoes. When her +husband closed the door again, she asked,-- + +"What is your idea about that child? Why did you bring her home with +you at once?" + +"I thought she would have to stay with somebody. I am her cousin Gotti, +and she has no other relatives. You can make her useful. She can do what +you are doing now. Then you will be able to do other things. You are +always saying that the boys give you so much work,--more than is right." + +"Yes, as regards them, a great help she will be! You can hear now what +a racket there is in there, and she is only a quarter of an hour in +the house." + +"I have heard that sort of thing a good many times before the little one +came. I do not think that she has much to do with it," said the cousin +Gotti quietly. + +"Oh, you did not hear them!" said his wife sharply; "how they kept +calling out something about Wiseli?" + +"Well, they may call out, if they want to," said their father. "You will +soon have the little one in hand. I think she is not a troublesome +child,--I noticed that in the beginning,--and is much more obedient than +those boys of yours." + +This was too much for his wife. + +"I do not see what is the use of finding fault with the boys," she said; +and she peeled the potatoes faster and faster. "And I _should_ like to +know where the girl is to sleep." + +Her husband pushed his cap back and forth several times upon his head, +and said, soothingly,-- + +"One can't think of every thing at once. She must have had a bed to +sleep in; and she can, at least, have that. Tomorrow I will go to the +pastor. To-night she can sleep on the bench by the stove. It is always +warm there; and I can put a partition in the little passage that goes +into our room later, and set her bed in there." + +"I never heard of bringing home a child and getting a bed for it a week +afterwards," said the woman crossly; "and I should like to know who will +pay for it if we must build something more for her into the bargain." + +"When the parish assigns the child to us, they will allow us something +for her maintenance. I shall take her cheaper than any one else would +do, and she will be more comfortable here too." + +With this the cousin went out into the shed, and called out for Cheppi +to come with him. It was hard for the cousin's wife to make herself +heard in the room when she wished to give this message. They were all +fighting away, and shouting angrily and loudly. + +"I am surprised that you sit there looking on, and do not try to quiet +them in the least," said their mother to Wiseli, who sat cowering +against the wall, and did not dare even to move. Cheppi, however, was +dispatched to the barn, and the two others ran after him. + +"Do you know how to knit?" the cousin's wife asked Wiseli, who replied, +timidly, "Yes, I can knit stockings." + +"Well, then, take this," she said; and took from the cupboard a big +brown stocking, with yarn almost as stout as Wiseli's little fingers. +"Go on with the foot," she said, "and take care to make it big +enough: it is for your cousin Gotti." Then she went back into the +kitchen, and the little girl took her seat on the bench by the stove, +with the long stocking coiled up in her lap,--for it was so heavy +that she could scarcely knit if it hung down: it pulled the needles +out of her hand. She had scarcely begun to work, however, before her +cousin's wife came in again. + +"I think you had better come out into the kitchen with me," she said. +"Then you can see how I do things, and be able to help me a little by +and by." Wiseli obeyed, and watched her cousin's wife at her work as +well as she was able; but the tears kept coming into her eyes so that +she could scarcely see, for she thought all the time of how she used to +go about in the kitchen with her mother, who chattered so pleasantly +with her, and how they would stop to kiss each other now and then. She +knew very well that she ought not to give way to her tears, and tried to +swallow her sobs, until she felt almost strangling. + +"See here, look here," said the cousin's wife, every now and then; "then +you will know how to do it by and by." And she went about, here and +there, in the kitchen, letting Wiseli stand, and said nothing else to +her. This went on for some time, when there was a terrible stamping in +the entry, and the woman said, "Open the door as quick as you can: they +are coming." The noise was made by the cousin and his sons, who were +knocking the snow off their shoes before entering. Wiseli opened the +door into the inner room as quickly as possible; and the cousin's wife +lifted an enormous pan off the fire, and ran with it into the room, +where she shook a great heap of potatoes out over the slate-topped +table. Then she brought out a big jug of sour milk, and said, "Put the +things that are in the table-drawer on the table, and then they can all +sit down at once." + +Wiseli pulled out the drawer as quickly as possible. There lay five +spoons and five knives. She put these upon the table, and the supper was +ready. The father and his sons came in, and sat down at once on the +seats along the wall behind the table. At the other end stood a chair. +Cousin Gotti made a motion towards the chair and said, "She can sit +there, I think; or do you say no?" + +"Oh, certainly!" said his wife, whose seat was nearest the kitchen-door. +She did not remain seated a moment; but ran out into the kitchen and +came back, took a spoonful of milk, and was off again. + +Nobody knew why she ran about in this way, for there was nothing cooking +in the kitchen, and nothing to bring out, but she always did so; and +when, sometimes, her husband would say, "Do sit still, and eat +something," then she seemed more hurried than ever, and said she had no +time to sit still, there were so many things to be looked after. + +When she had made two visits to the kitchen and returned, and began to +peel a potato in great haste, she noticed, for the first time, that +Wiseli sat idly by her side, her hands on her lap. "Why don't you eat +something?" she said, angrily. "She has no spoon," said Rudi, who was +seated on the other side, and had long been wondering why anybody should +sit at table and not eat as long as there was any thing left. "Oh, yes, +of course," said his mother. "Who would ever have thought that we should +need six spoons? We have always found five enough; and we must have +another knife too. Why can't you speak? You know well enough that to eat +you want a spoon." These last words were addressed to Wiseli. + +The child glanced timidly at the woman and said, "It is no matter: I do +not need any. I am not hungry." + +"Why not?" asked the woman. "Are you used to a different kind of food? I +don't mean to change, if you are." + +"I think it would be better to let the child alone for a while; we must +not frighten her," said her cousin Gotti, soothingly. "She will feel +better soon." + +So Wiseli was unmolested, and the others were busily employed for a +while. She sat there motionless until her cousin rose, took his fur cap +from the nail, and began to look for the stable lantern; for "Spot" was +sick, and must be looked after again that night. The table was quickly +cleared. The empty potato-skins were brushed off into the empty +milk-jug, the slate-top wiped off; and when the woman was done with +this, she said, turning to Wiseli, "You have seen what I did; now you +can do it the next time." Now Cheppi took his seat firmly behind the +table again. He had his slate-pencil and arithmetic book, and prepared +himself to do his examples. First, however, he stared for a while at +Wiseli, who had again taken up her brown stocking, but did not make any +progress; for she could not see a thing in the dark corner where she +was seated, and she did not dare to draw nearer to the table where the +dim lamp was placed. "You must have something to do," cried Cheppi, in +an irritated tone. "You are not the smartest scholar in the school." +The girl did not know what to answer. She had not been to school that +day, and did not know what lessons were given out; and, besides, was +quite out of her usual habits and life generally. "If I must do my +examples, so must you, or I won't do them at all," cried Cheppi again. +Wiseli kept as still as a mouse. "Well, then, it is all right," said +the boy noisily. "I won't do another stroke of work." And he threw away +his pencil. + +"Then I won't do any thing, either," cried Hannes, and stuffed his +multiplication-table into his satchel again; for learning his lessons +was the hardest thing in the world for him. + +"I will tell the master whose fault it is," began Cheppi again. "You can +see, then, what you will get." + +Probably Cheppi would have gone on in this unpleasant style for a long +time, if his father had not soon returned from the barn. He brought in +two big, empty grain-bags on his shoulders, and came up to the table +with them. + +"Make room," he said to Cheppi, who sat with his elbows on the table, +supporting his head on his hands. Then he spread out his two bags, +folded them together again, and then again. At last he went towards the +bench behind the stove, and put them down on it. "There," he said, with +an air of satisfaction, "that is good. Where is your bundle, little +one?" Wiseli fetched it from her corner,--where it had lain ever since +she arrived,--and looked with surprise at her cousin Gotti as he placed +the bundle at the upper end of the folded bags, and pressed it down, so +that it was not perfectly round. + +"There, now you may go to sleep," he said, turning round to Wiseli. "You +cannot be cold, for the stove is hot; and you can put your head on your +bundle, and you will be as comfortable as if you were in your bed. + +"And it is time for you three to go to bed, too. Off with you: make +haste!" So saying, he took the oil-lamp from the table, and went towards +the kitchen. The three boys clattered along after him. + +When he reached the door, he turned again and said, "There, sleep +soundly. Must not think any more to-night, and it will be better for you +by and by," and he went out. Presently his wife came into the room with +an oil-lamp in her hand, and looked at the place where Wiseli was to +sleep. "Can you lie there?" she asked. "You will find it warm enough by +the stove. There are plenty of people who have neither bed nor a warm +place to be in. You won't suffer in that way, and ought to be thankful +that you are under a good roof. Good-night." + +"Good-night," replied Wiseli, softly; but the woman could not have +heard her, for she was already away when she spoke, and had closed the +door behind her immediately. Now Wiseli sat alone in the dark room. +Every thing about her was suddenly silent,--not a sound to be heard. A +straggling moonbeam shone through the little window,--enough to show +the child where the bench by the stove was, upon which she must find +her bed. She crossed the room, and seated herself there. For the first +time that day since she had left her dear mother, she found herself +alone, and able to think over what had befallen her. She had been +constantly under excitement until this moment; for every thing that +had happened frightened her. All that she heard or saw since she left +her home had been so very unpleasant that she could not stop to think +at all, but went from one alarm to another. Now there she sat alone, +without her mother, and began to realize that it was all over,--that +they would never see nor hear each other again in this world. And such +a sense of loneliness, of utter desolation, took possession of Wiseli, +that she believed herself uncared for and forgotten by everybody, and +feared that she should be left there alone to die in the dark. The +poor child laid her head down upon her bundle, and began to cry, +bitterly and despairingly, "Mother, can you not hear me? Mother, do +not you hear me call?" + +Now Wiseli's mother had often told her little girl, that when things +went very badly with us here below, then was the moment to lift up our +voices and cry to God for help; for he would hear us in our trouble when +all other's ears were deaf, and help us when no other help was possible. +At this moment the child remembered these words, and she sobbed aloud, +"Oh, you dear God in heaven! help me also, I am so unhappy, and my +mother cannot hear me when I call!" + +And when she had prayed thus several times over, she felt calmer. It +comforted her poor little heart; for now she felt that God was really +there in heaven, and could help her, and that she was no longer alone. +And presently she recalled her mother's words,--almost the very last +that she spoke: "My child, when you cannot see your way clearly before +you, and every thing seems strange and difficult"--And now it was so; +and how little she thought that it ever would be so, when her mother was +talking to her. Her mother told her to remember the words of the hymn,-- + + "Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +Now Wiseli first rightly understood these words, and felt their full +meaning. Before she had repeated them mechanically, for not until now +did she need them. But it was just her present case. Was not she full of +perplexity? and what could she possibly have in her cousin Gotti's house +but fear and trouble? And so she repeated, again and again,-- + + "Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +The child had found her way to her heavenly Father, and knew that he was +sure to help her; and she felt comforted. Folding her little hands, she +began the hymn at the beginning, for it seemed like talking to a kind +friend; and she said each word from her very heart:-- + + "To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +A quiet trust now took possession of the child's heart. She fell asleep +soon after, her head supported on her little bundle, still repeating the +last lines of the hymn. And a pleasant dream followed. She saw before +her a dry bright pathway in the full sunlight, and the road led between +beautiful red roses and lovely pinks that were so attractive that she +longed to run to gather them. And by her side stood her dear mother, and +held her hand tenderly in her own, as she always did; and her mother +pointed along the pathway in her dream, and said, "See, my Wiseli; did +not I tell you so? That is your way." + + "'Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +And the child was happy in her dream, and slept as soundly on her little +bundle as if she were on a soft bed. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +HOW TIME WENT ON, AND SUMMER CAME. + + +When old Trine carried the news back to the heights, and told them +there that Wiseli's mother was dead, and the child taken at once to her +cousin Gotti's, the whole family became greatly agitated. Mrs. Ritter +could not cease bewailing her neglect in not visiting the sick woman +before, for she had been postponing it from day to day; but, of course, +had not in the least realized how near the end might be. She was sadly +cast down, and sorrowful. And Otto: he went raging up and down the room +with great strides, and kept calling out angrily, "It is an injustice! +It is a great injustice! But if he dares to lay a hand on her to harm +her, he may look to his own bones, how many of them will be left whole +in his skin!" + +"Who do you mean, Otto? Who are you talking about in that way?" said his +mother, looking curiously at her excited boy. + +"About that Cheppi," he replied. "I do not know what dreadful things he +will do to Wiseli when he has her there in his own house. It is not +right, but just let him try"--But now Otto was interrupted by a repeated +and heavy stamping that prevented his being heard. "Why do you make such +a deafening noise, you pussy cat, there behind the stove?" he cried, +turning his indignation towards another quarter. Pussy came out from +behind the stove, but stamped more violently than before; for she was +trying to force her feet into her wet boots, which it had taken the old +Trine ever so long to pull off a while before. It was dreadfully hard +work; and Pussy became as red as fire, while she said,-- + +"Don't you see that I have to do so? Nobody in the world could get these +boots on without stamping." + +"And what in the world do you want to put those wet boots on again for? +I have just pulled them off, so that you should not have them on. I +should just like to know what this means?" said Trine, who stood looking +on all this time. + +"I am going to the beech grove this very minute to fetch Wiseli to +our house. She can have my bed," said Pussy, decidedly. But quite as +decidedly old Trine stalked over to Pussy, at these words, lifted her +up, placed her firmly on a chair, while she pulled off the boot that +was half on; but said, in a pacifying tone, to the kicking and +excited child,-- + +"That is all right! that is all right! but I will take care of you +first. You must not get two pair of shoes and two pair of stockings wet +through in one day. You can give up your bed. You can go up into the +lumber-room, if you want to: there is room enough there." + +But Pussy had a very different plan in her little head. She thought +that she could free herself, in this wise, of a great and daily +recurring trouble, that often gave her both inward and outward +annoyance; namely, the being ordered off to bed every evening, and +obliged to go, into the bargain, just as she was in the mood to enjoy +herself especially. She thought that, if she gave up her bed to Wiseli, +there would be none other at hand for her, and so she could stay up as +long as she wanted to. + +She was so delighted at this prospect, that she did not, at first, +notice how the sly Trine had wisked off her wet boots, and that now +there was no chance to fetch Wiseli. + +When she fairly understood how she had been tricked, she set up such an +outcry that Otto put his fingers in his ears, and her mother came in, a +good deal alarmed at the uproar. She promised Pussy to talk over the +matter with her father as soon as he came home; for he had gone away +that very morning, with their Uncle Max, to pay a long-promised visit to +an old friend. After a while peace and quiet were restored in the +household. The gentlemen did not return for two weeks, however; but Mrs. +Ritter kept her promise. The first thing that she mentioned to her +husband, on the very evening of his return, was the fact of Wiseli being +an orphan, and her new shelter; and the colonel promised to go to the +pastor the very next day, to see what better arrangement could be made +for the child; and, having visited the pastor, the colonel brought back +the sad news, that, on the Sunday just past, the parish had taken the +matter into consideration, and that it was now settled. Wiseli must be +housed somewhere; and, as her mother had not left any property whatever, +she must also be maintained at the expense of the parish until she could +support herself. Moreover, her cousin Gotti had offered, in the first +instance, to take the child for a very slight compensation. He wished to +do an act of charity as far as he could afford it. He was known to be a +well-conducted man; and, as he made so slight a demand, it was agreed +and settled that the child should henceforth find her home with him. + +"It seems to me a very good arrangement," said the colonel to his wife. +"The child will be well cared for there; besides, what else could be +done? She is much too small to be placed anywhere in service, and +certainly you cannot take every orphan child in the neighborhood into +your own house. You might as well turn it into an asylum at once." + +Mrs. Ritter was very much disturbed by the news that every thing had +been settled so soon. She had hoped to be able to have found a different +home for Wiseli, who was, she knew, much too sensitive and delicate a +child to be happy in a home where rudeness and roughness were the rule; +but she had not a definite plan in her mind, and now there was nothing +to be done but to try to look after the child's comfort a little, and to +protect her, if possible. + +Otto and Pussy did not take the affair so quietly, however. They were in +great excitement when they heard it all on the following morning. + +Otto declared Wiseli's lot to be the lot of Daniel in the lion's den, +and brought his fist down on the table with the evident wish that he +were pommelling Cheppi's head. Pussy screamed, and cried a little; +partly out of pity for Wiseli, and partly from disappointment that she +could not now carry out her little plan of being able to sit up later in +the evenings. + +But this excitement was at last quieted down, like every other, by time; +and the days rolled on in their wonted manner. + +In the meantime Wiseli has become somewhat accustomed to the life in her +cousin Gotti's house. For one thing, her bed had come; and she no longer +slept on the bench by the stove, but in a little place partitioned off +from the passage between her cousin's room and that of the boys. There +was just room enough in this little place for her bed, and a little +chest, in which she placed her clothes, and upon which she had to climb +when she wished to get into her bed; for there was no space between. + +She was obliged to go to the well when she washed; and, if it was very +cold, then her cousin's wife said she could give up washing for that +day, and do it on another when it was warmer. Now Wiseli was not used to +this style of thing at all. Her mother had taught her that cleanliness +was absolutely necessary; and Wiseli would have frozen rather than to +look untidy, and, therefore, displease her mother. To be sure, every +thing was different for her at home; for she washed and dressed herself +in her mother's room always; and many a loving word they exchanged until +the coffee was on the table, and they sat down together, and ate their +breakfast happily, before Wiseli started off for school. + +But what a difference for her now! All, all was changed,--her whole life +from morning till evening; and often, at the thought of her mother, the +tears started into the poor child's eyes, and her heart ached so sadly, +that she felt as if she could go no farther, but must drop down, and +die. But she held herself bravely, for it distressed her cousin Gotti to +see her cry, and his wife scolded more than ever; for she, too, disliked +to see her dull. + +The happiest part of the twenty-four hours for Wiseli was when she +climbed into her little bed at night, and had a moment's time to think +about her dear mother in peace. + +At this time she always obtained comfort. She thought about her +beautiful dream, and felt perfect confidence that the good God would +find a way for her out of her troubles, as her mother had told her; and +she hoped that her mother was also in heaven, and would pray to God not +to forget her poor little child left alone in the wide world. Then +Wiseli always repeated her hymn, and slept quietly. + +So the winter slipped away, and the spring with its sunshine followed. +The trees were green again, and the meadows were gay with primroses and +white anemones, and in the wood the cuckoo sang lustily; and soft, warm +breezes were all abroad, making every heart beat more cheerily; and one +rejoiced that life was still possible. + +Wiseli also rejoiced over the flowers and the sunshine, especially when +she went to and from school. Beyond this she had little time for +enjoyment, for she had so much work to do. Every moment out of school +she had to employ in some useful occupation; and, indeed, often was +obliged to stay away from school for a half-day at a time, there was so +much to be done that could not be neglected, as her cousin Gotti, and +particularly his wife, were forever telling her. The cultivation of the +fields had begun, and also the garden work; and when her cousin's wife +was in the garden, then Wiseli had to wash the cooking utensils, and had +the hogs' trough to cleanse and carry back to the barn; and then the +boys' stockings and shirts must be mended, and her cousin's wife always +said, "Oh, the child can do that, she has nothing else to do;" and yet +she never was idle a single moment, and felt almost giddy at times, +because she was called from one piece of work to another before she had +time to breathe. Moreover, she found that if, for example, she ran over +to the field with the seed-potatoes that her cousin Gotti was calling +for, then his wife would scold because she had not made the kitchen-fire +for the supper, as she was bidden to do; but if she stopped to make the +fire, then she was found fault with by Cheppi because she had not mended +the hole in his jacket-sleeve he had told her to long ago; and everybody +called out, "Why don't you do this, or why don't you do that? you have +nothing else to do." She was glad to go to school whenever she was +allowed to go, for she was quiet for a while then; and, moreover, in +that place the poor child heard a pleasant word now and again. For each +time that recess came, or they left school to go home, Otto would come +to her, and talk with her pleasantly for a while, or give her an +invitation from his mother to visit them on Sunday evening and play +games with the children. Poor Wiseli could never avail herself of these +charming invitations, because on Sunday she had always to make the +coffee for the family; and her cousin's wife said that she could not +think of letting the child go away to visit on the only day when she was +really of some use to her. But the child was glad that Otto always asked +her, though she could not go, and that he always spoke kindly to her; +for those were the only friendly acts or words that she knew of +nowadays. There was still another reason that made it pleasant for +Wiseli to go to school, and that was the passing by Andrew the +carpenter's pretty garden on her way there. She always paused and looked +over the low hedge, hoping that she might catch sight of the carpenter; +for she had her mother's message to deliver, and never ceased hoping to +find the opportunity. She was far too shy to go into the house for that +purpose. She felt that she did not know Andrew well enough to venture to +do that. She was particularly timid with him, because he was so very +quiet, and always looked at her kindly when they met, but never spoke; +or, at least, never said more than a kindly word in passing. And she had +never succeeded in catching even a glimpse of him, no matter how long +she stood by the hedge and looked over. + +May passed, and June. The long days of summer came, with more and more +work to be done in the fields, and work that was ever hotter and hotter. +Wiseli felt this keenly when her cousin Gotti called her out to help +with the haymaking, and the heavy rake was so hard for her to lift; or, +worse still, to handle the clumsy wooden fork when the hay needed +spreading in the sun to dry. + +She often was obliged to work in the fields, and in the evening was so +tired out that she could scarcely move her poor little arms. She never +fretted, however, for she thought it was necessary and right; but often, +when she was still for a moment in the evening, it hurt her sadly to +hear Cheppi call out, "You ought to do your examples in arithmetic now, +as I do. You are never doing any thing out of school, and in the classes +you are always behind the others." + +She would have liked to study and get on at her lessons, if she could +only have gone regularly to school, and been able to keep up with the +class. She was well aware that she was far behind her schoolmates; but +what could she do, when she only got a little here and there, and all +was confused for her, and she never knew what lessons were given out for +the out-of-school studies. When she came quite unprepared to school, and +could not answer the questions put to the class, she was overwhelmed +with mortification, especially when the teacher would say, before all +the other children, "I did not expect to see you so behindhand, +Wiseli,--you of all others, who used to be so clever at your books." +Then she used to feel fit to sink through the floor for shame, and would +cry all the way as she walked home. But she did not dare to answer +Cheppi back when he taunted her, because then he would begin to cry and +scold, and make a noise, until his mother came in, when she, too, would +reproach her with being behind her classes, because Cheppi said she was. +So Wiseli often kept back her tears, and only gave way when she was +alone; and sometimes it did seem to her as if she were quite forgotten +by her heavenly Father and her mother, and as if nobody in the whole +world cared for her; and she was too sad at heart even to say her +comforting hymn for a long time; but she could not rest nor sleep until +she had done so, even though there was little satisfaction for her in +the words. + +One beautiful evening in July Wiseli slept, after a sad time of weeping, +and could not obtain an answer, the next morning, to her question of +whether she might go to school with the boys. + +Off scampered the boys. She looked sadly after them through the open +window as they sprang away gayly through the flower-besprinkled grass, +and chased a cloud of white butterflies along in front of them as they +ran through the brilliant sunshine. + +Her cousin's wife had prepared the big wash,--this was the work laid out +for the whole week. Must Wiseli work there too? + +Yes: already she heard a calling from the kitchen, and her cousin Gotti +called her by name,--he stood at the well, and saw her looking out of +the window. + +"Make haste, make haste, Wiseli; it is time to be off: the boys are +half-way to school. All the hay is in: make haste and go too." She did +not wait till he told this twice. Like a flash she snatched her satchel +and was off. + +"Tell the teacher that I have not sent him his money for a long time, +but he must not be vexed at that, we have had so much work with the hay +this summer." + +How happy the child felt as she flew along! She need not stand all day +at the wash-tub: she could go instead to school. How beautiful it was +everywhere about! The birds sang more sweetly than ever from the +trees, the grass was scented, and the pretty red and yellow flowers +glistened in the sun. Wiseli could not stop to enjoy them,--it was too +late for that,--but she felt the beauty as she ran along, and rejoiced +at every step. + +That same evening, just as all the children streamed out of the +close schoolroom into the beautiful afternoon light, the teacher +called out, with his serious face peering into the little crowd, +"Whose week is this?" + +"Otto's, Otto's," called the whole company at once, and ran off. + +"Otto," said the teacher, earnestly, "yesterday it was not swept up here +at all. I excuse you for once; but do not let it happen again, or I must +punish you, boy." + +Otto looked for a moment at all the nut-shells and apple-parings and +bits of paper that lay scattered about the floor waiting to be brushed +up; then he turned his head quickly away, and scampered out of the door, +for the teacher had disappeared into his own part of the house. Otto +stood outside and gazed about him at the golden sunset, and thought, "If +I could go home now, I could get a capful of cherries, and I could ride +the brown horse home from the field when the groom fetches the hay; and +now I must stay here instead, and sweep up these scraps from the floor!" +And Otto was so angry over this unpleasant task, that he scowled about +him, saying, "I wish the day of judgment would come, and carry off the +schoolhouse, and break it up into a thousand pieces!" But every thing +was still and peaceful all about, and not a sign of any such ravaging +earthquake to be seen or heard. + +After a while Otto turned back towards the schoolroom-door with a savage +determination, for he knew that he must bite into his sour apple, or be +punished the next day by having to sit still during recess; and he would +not run the risk of that disgraceful punishment. He entered the room, +but stood still with surprise as soon as he stepped past the threshold. +Every thing was brushed up in the school-room: not a scrap nor bit to be +seen anywhere. The windows all stood wide open, and the soft evening +breeze blew through the quiet room. Just then the teacher came out of +his own room and looked about him, and at the staring Otto, and said, +pleasantly, "You may well look about you with satisfaction. I did not +think that you could do it so well. You are a good scholar; but you have +surpassed yourself to-day in cleaning up, for I never saw it so neatly +done before." + +So saying, the teacher went away; and after Otto had convinced himself +by a last glance that what he saw was fact, and no witchcraft, he dashed +down the steps, two at a time, across the little place and up the +hillside: and not until he began to tell it all to his mother did he +begin to wonder to whom he was indebted for this good turn. + +"Nobody has done it through a mistake, that is certain," said his +mother. "Have not you some good friend who is noble enough to sacrifice +himself in this way for you? Think over all of them: who can it be?" + +"I know," cried Pussy, who had been listening eagerly. + +"Yes; pray who?" said Otto, half curiously, half incredulously. + +"Jack, the mouse," explained Pussy in a tone of conviction; "because you +gave him an apple last year." + +"Oh, yes; or William Tell, because I did not take away his, year before +last. One would be quite as probable as the other, you wonderfully +clever Puss." And Otto ran away barely in time to catch the groom, who +was going for the hay. + +Wiseli also ran about this time. Down the hill with a happy heart and a +merry countenance, past Andrew's garden, she ran, jumping and leaping in +her frolicsome mood; and then about she went, and jumped back again to +the garden, for she had espied the pinks all in bloom just within the +enclosure, and must look at them again, they, were so beautiful. "I +shall soon overtake the boys," she thought; "they stop at every corner +to play ball." + +But the pinks were most lovely to look upon; and they had such a +sweet perfume, too, that the child lingered, looking over the low +hedge for a long time. Suddenly Andrew came out of his house-door, +and stood in front of Wiseli. He offered her his hand over the hedge, +and said most kindly,-- + +"Will you take a pink, Wiseli?" + +"Yes, indeed," she replied; "and I have a message to give you from +my mother." + +"From your mother?" repeated Andrew the carpenter in great surprise, and +let the pink that he had just gathered fall from his hand. Wiseli ran +round the hedge and picked it up from the ground; then she looked up at +the man who stood still and looked at her strangely, and said,-- + +"Yes; at the very end, when my mother could do nothing more, she drank +up the nice syrup that you put on the kitchen-table for her, and it +refreshed her very much; and she charged me to tell you that she thanked +you for it very much indeed, and for all the many acts of kindness that +you had shown her; and she said, 'He always felt kindly to me.'" + +Now Wiseli perceived that big tears rolled from Andrew's eyes and fell +over his cheeks. He tried to say something, but could not speak. He +pressed the child's hand, turned him about, and went into the house. + +Wiseli stood still and wondered. Nobody had wept for her mother. Even +she had not dared to cry, except when nobody could see her; for her +cousin said that he would not have any whining, and she was even more +afraid of making his wife angry. And now here was some one who wept +because she had spoken of her mother to him. It seemed to the child as +if Andrew were her very best friend upon the earth, and she felt herself +strongly drawn towards him. But now she ran with her pink as fast as +possible towards the beech grove; and it was well that she did so, for +she saw the boys also drawing near the house, and it would never have +done for her to be later than they. + +Wiseli said her prayer with a light heart that night, and could not +understand why she had been so depressed the night before, and why she +had felt no confidence in God's kindness, and could not even say her +hymn. Now she felt sure that he had not forgotten her, and she would +never allow herself to think that again. Had she not received many kind +things from him? And as she fell asleep she saw before her the kind face +of Andrew the carpenter, with the tears in his eyes. + +On the following day--it was Wednesday--Otto was again surprised by the +good deed performed for him by his unknown friend; for he could not +refrain from going out with the others when school was first over, and +making a few gambols here and there to refresh himself after the long +confinement. When, at last, he returned somewhat sadly to his work, it +was all done again, and the schoolroom perfectly tidy. Now his curiosity +began to be excited, and also gratitude to his invisible benefactor +began to stir in his heart. He would certainly find out on Thursday what +it all meant. + +So, when the classes were dismissed, and they all left the house as +usual, Otto stood for a while by his seat, thinking how he could +discover his helpful friend. But a knot of his schoolmates rushed in as +he stood there, grasped him by arms and shoulders, and dragged him out, +crying, "Come along! Come on! We are playing 'Robbers,' and you must be +our leader." + +Otto defended himself for a moment. "This is my week," he cried. + +"Oh, nonsense! put it off," they said. "Only just for a quarter of an +hour. Come along!" + +And Otto went. To tell the truth, he relied secretly upon his unseen +friend, who would certainly shield him from punishment. He found it +extremely agreeable to feel such a support under his feet; and the +quarter slipped into the full hour, and Otto was lost. He went back to +the schoolhouse to fulfil his duty, and threw open the door with such a +slam that the master rushed out of his room very quickly, and asked,-- + +"What do you want, Otto?" + +"Only to look in again, to see if every thing is as it should be," +stammered the boy. + +"This is excellent," said the teacher; "but it is not necessary for you +to slam the door in that way." + +Otto went away in good spirits. On Friday he made up his mind not to do +his work of cleaning until he was satisfied about the mystery; and +then,--then there would only be Saturday morning left of his week. + +"Otto," called out the teacher on Friday, as the clock struck four, +"take this paper over to the pastor as quickly as you can. He will give +you some papers to bring back. It will only take you a moment or two, +and you will be here in time to brush out the room." + +The boy did not like to go very well, but there was no help for it; and, +of course, he could be back in a twinkling. He reached the parsonage in +half a dozen bounds. The pastor was busy, just then, with a visitor. His +wife called Otto to her in the garden. She wanted to know how his mamma +found herself; if his father were well, and Pussy, too; how Uncle Max +was employed; and if they had good news from their relations in Germany. +Then the pastor made his appearance, and Otto had to explain why it was +his business to bring the papers, and what the teacher was doing at +present. At last he got his papers, and was off like an arrow, pulled +open the door of the schoolroom,--to find every thing swept and +garnished, and no living being visible. + +"And I have not been obliged to stoop once, to clear away the tiresome +bits, the whole week through," thought Otto contentedly. "But who can +have done all this dirty work without being obliged to do it?" Now he +determined, for once and all, to have that question settled. + +The school hours ended at eleven o'clock on Saturday. Otto waited until +all the children had gone, and the room was empty. Then he went outside, +closed the door, and leaned with his back against it. There could no one +enter without his seeing who it was. He preferred to do this, rather +than to go at once to work at the sweeping and cleaning. He waited and +waited: no one came. He heard the clock strike the half-hour. There were +plans at home for an excursion that afternoon. The family were to dine +early, to get away soon after dinner. He ought to begin with his work at +once, if he wanted to get home in good season. How he hated it! + +He opened the door. Now Otto stared about him even more than he had done +the first time. The work was all done. It was certainly so, and nicer +than ever before. + +Things began to look rather queerly to Otto. He thought of ghost +stories, and such things. Very much more softly than usual he +slipped out, and closed the door behind him. Just at the same time, +something slipped silently out of the teacher's kitchen, and they +came together face to face. It was Wiseli. She grew red and redder, +just as if Otto had detected her in something mischievous. Now the +truth flashed into his mind. + +"So it is you who have done my work all the week, Wiseli?" he said. +"Nobody else would have thought of doing it unless obliged to, I am +sure of that." + +"You have no idea how glad I am to get the chance," said Wiseli, in +reply. + +"No, no; you must not say that, Wiseli. Nobody in the world can be glad +to do such things," said the boy decidedly. + +"But I mean it,--I really do," repeated the girl. "I have thought, +all day long through the week, with pleasure of the chance the +afternoon would give me; and, while I was working, I was more than +ever glad, because I thought, when Otto comes, he will find the work +done, and be pleased." + +"But what put it into your head to do it for me?" + +"Oh! I knew how much you disliked it; and I have always wanted to give +you something, as you once gave me your sled. Don't you remember? But I +have nothing to give." + +"What you have done is worth a great deal more than lending a sled. I +won't forget your kindness, Wiseli." So saying, Otto offered her his +hand, quite overcome for the moment. + +Wiseli's eyes shone with satisfaction as they seldom did nowadays. +Presently Otto wanted to know how she had managed to get into the room +again, for he had always waited until all the children were gone. + +"Oh! I never did go out," said the girl. "I hid myself quickly +behind the closet-door. I thought you would go out for a few +moments, as usual." + +"How did you get out without my seeing you afterwards?" Otto wanted to +know all about it. + +"Oh! while you were running around with the other boys, I got out easily +enough. I listened; but yesterday and to-day, as I was not certain where +you were, I went through the teacher's kitchen, and asked his wife if +she had any errand for me to do,--she often gives me a message to carry +somewhere,--and then I went out that way. Yesterday I was behind the +kitchen-door when you ran into the schoolroom." + +Now Otto knew all the ghost story. He offered his hand again to Wiseli. +"I thank you," he said; and they both ran off with happy hearts, each a +separate way. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OLD AND NEW. + + +Summer was over, and Autumn had followed in her footsteps. The evenings +were cool and misty. In the damp meadows the cows were eating the last +grass of the season, and here and there little fires were visible where +the sheep-boys cooked their potatoes and warmed their stiffened fingers. + +It was on such a misty evening that Otto, on leaving the schoolhouse, +ran home for a moment to tell his mother that he was going to see what +kept Wiseli from school; for she had not been there since the autumn +vacation,--certainly not for eight days. + +As he approached the beech grove, he saw Rudi sitting before the door, +eating pear after pear from a heap that lay before him. + +"Where is Wiseli?" asked Otto. + +"Outside," was the answer. + +"Where outside?" + +"In the meadow." + +"In which meadow?" + +"I don't know;" and Rudi went on munching his pears. + +"You won't die early because you know too much," remarked Otto, and +went haphazard towards the big meadow that stretched away from the +house to the wood. + +Presently he discovered three black spots under the pear-trees, and went +towards them. + +He was right. There was Wiseli stooping over the pears which she was +sorting, while a little farther off Cheppi sat astride of his rake; and +behind him Hannes lay on his back across the piled-up basket, and rocked +it back and forth so violently, that it nearly fell over at each +movement. Cheppi looked at him, laughing loudly. + +When Wiseli saw Otto coming towards her, her whole countenance glowed +with pleasure. + +"Good evening, Wiseli," cried the lad from afar. "Why have you not been +to school for so long?" + +The girl stretched out her hand with a pleasant smile to her friend. + +"We have had so much to do that I was not able to go," she said. "Just +look, what a lot of pears we have! I have to sort them from morning till +night, there are so many." + +"Your shoes and stockings are all wet. It is not pleasant here. Are you +not cold when you are so wet?" + +"Yes, I do feel chilly sometimes; but, in general, I get very warm at +this work." + +At this moment Hannes gave his basket such a powerful twist that over it +went, and there lay Hannes, the basket, and the pears all in a heap on +the ground. + +"Oh, oh!" cried Wiseli in distress; "now they are all to be picked +up again." + +"And this one, too," cried Cheppi, and laughed aloud as the pear that he +had in his hand struck Wiseli's cheek with such force that it brought +the tears to her eyes, and she turned quite white with the pain. + +Scarcely had Otto seen this than he flew at Cheppi, threw him and his +rake to the ground, and seized him by the nape of the neck. + +"Stop, or I shall choke!" Cheppi was not laughing now. + +"I want to make you remember that you will also have me to deal with in +future, when you treat Wiseli in that way," said Otto, scarlet with +anger. "Have you got enough? Will you remember it now?" + +"Yes, yes! Let me go!" said Cheppi, in a very humble tone. + +Otto released him. + +"Now you have felt," he said, "how it will be whenever you hurt Wiseli +again. I will give you some more of this each time, even if you are +sixty years old. Good-by, Wiseli." And Otto went his way to carry his +anger to his mother. + +He unburdened himself to her as soon as he reached home. It was a +terrible thing to the generous boy that Wiseli should be obliged to +submit to such treatment. He was determined to go at once to the +pastor to complain of him and of his whole family, and demand that +Wiseli should be taken away from them at once. His mother listened +quietly to him, and let his indignation have time to cool off a +little; then she said,-- + +"I do not think, my dear boy, that there is the least use in your doing +this. They would not take the child from her cousin Gotti, I am sure; +and it would only irritate him, should he hear that such a thing was +thought of. He himself does not feel unkindly towards Wiseli, and there +is really no sufficient ground for removing her from his roof. I know +very well that the poor girl has a hard time of it there. I have not +forgotten her, and am constantly hoping to find some way to help her. It +lies very heavily on my heart to know how much she has to suffer, you +may be sure of that, Otto. And if you can at any time manage to shelter +her and intimidate that brutal fellow Cheppi, without being too rough +yourself, I shall be very glad." + +Otto took what comfort he could in the knowledge that his mother was +constantly looking out for some way to help Wiseli. + +He was always planning some way to help her himself, but never hit upon +any thing that could be carried out. He saw very well that she could not +free herself; and the only idea that occurred to him as Christmas drew +near was to write on his list of wishes, in huge letters so big that +they could easily be read from heaven above, "I wish that the Christ +child would set Wiseli at liberty." + +Winter was come again, and the coast offered its feast of inexhaustible +pleasure to the children, who never wearied of its charm. The moon shone +with the most unusual brightness, it seemed to Otto, who, at last, had +the cleverness to suggest that all the children should collect on the +hillside at seven o'clock to take advantage of its beauty for an evening +coasting-party. + +This suggestion was received with universal approbation, and the +children separated at five o'clock when it began to be dark, to meet +again at seven for their favorite amusement. + +Otto's mother was not so enthusiastic over this great scheme as were the +children, and could not agree with them when they expressed their +delight. She said it was too cold for them to be out late into the +evening; that there was great danger of accidents in the uncertain +moonlight; and particularly objected to allowing Pussy to expose +herself. But her objections only served to enhance the interest the +children felt for the expedition, and Pussy pleaded for her consent as +if her very life hung on being one of this coasting-party. Otto +promised, "upon his word of honor," that he would not let any thing +happen to his sister, and would always keep near to her and protect her. +At last their mother gave her consent; and, with great noise and +rejoicing, the children went out into the beautiful, clear, cold +moonlight. + +Every thing went on without a drawback. The coast was in perfect +condition; and the mysteriousness of the darker places, upon which the +moonlight did not fall, heightened the interest of the occasion. There +were a vast number of children assembled, and all were in the best +humor. Otto let them all go down first; then he followed, and Pussy came +last of all, so that no one could run her down. Otto had arranged it in +this way, so that he could always glance backward to see that his little +sister went safely down the coast. + +As every thing went so smoothly and happily, somebody proposed that they +should make a "train;" that is, bind all the sleds together, and so go +down: it would be more delightful than ever by moonlight. No sooner said +than done. Only Pussy's sled was not tied to her brother's, for he +feared lest the straining and shocks that often took place in this kind +of coasting might prove dangerous to her. She followed, therefore, as +usual; but Otto could not stop his sled if she was delayed, for he had +to go on with the "train." Off they went, and the long chain reached the +bottom safely and happily. + +Suddenly Otto heard a fearful cry, and he recognized at once his little +sister's voice. What had happened? He had no choice, however, but to go +down to the very end with the merry party to which he was closely +fastened--down to the foot of the hill, no matter how great his fear +might be. Once at the bottom, however, he tore his sled loose, and ran +up the hill as quickly as possible, with all the others at his heels; +for they had all heard the screams, and wanted to see what they meant. +Half-way up the ascent stood Pussy by her sled, and screamed and cried +rivers of tears. Out of breath with his haste, Otto could hardly call +out, "What is the matter? What has happened?" + +"He did--he did--he did," sobbed Pussy, and could get no further. + +"What did he do? Who was it? Where? Who?" stammered Otto. + +"That man there, that man; he did try to kill me, and said terrible +words, too." + +As much as this Otto understood, accompanied by screams and sobs. + +"Be quiet now, Pussy: do not go on like that. He did not kill you, after +all. Did he really strike you?" asked Otto, very gently and soothingly, +for he was much alarmed. + +"No," sobbed Pussy, beginning again; "but he was going to. He had a +stick, and he held it out like that, and said, 'Wait a moment;' and such +dreadful words he said, too." + +"Then he really did not do any thing to hurt you?" asked Otto, and began +to breathe more freely. + +"But he did, he did; and you were all off down the hill, and I was all +alone." And Pussy's tears and sobs continued to break forth. + +"Hush, hush!" said Otto, consolingly. "Now try to be quiet. I will not +leave you again, and the man will not trouble you any more; and if you +will be quiet and good, I will give you the red candy cock that was on +the Christmas-tree." + +This made an impression upon Pussy. She dried her eyes, and did not make +another sound; for that big red candy cock on the Christmas-tree was +what the child had most wished for. In the division of the things it had +fallen to Otto's share; but his little sister had never forgotten her +longing for it. Now that every thing was quiet again, the children began +to climb the hill, and they tried to make out who the man could be who +had threatened to kill Pussy. + +"Oh, kill! Not so bad as that," interposed Otto. "I saw a big man with a +stick, who was obliged to step into the snow to get out of our way when +we went down the coast on the 'train.' It made him angry to be obliged +to go into the snow; and finding Pussy alone there, he scolded her a +little to relieve himself." + +This explanation satisfied everybody, it was so perfectly natural. +Everybody wondered that they had not thought of it before,--indeed, +thought they had,--and soon forgot all about it, and continued coasting. +This, however, had an end, like all other pleasures; for eight o'clock +had struck long ago, and that was the hour at which they were to break +up and go home. On the way back, Otto charged Pussy not to speak of her +adventure; otherwise their mother would never again let them go coasting +in the moonlight. She should have the candy cock, but must promise not +to say a word if she took it. + +All traces of her tears had long vanished, and nothing betrayed their +secret to the family. + +Both children slept quietly in their beds soon after, and Pussy dreamed +of the red candy cock, and shouted out with pleasure in her dreams. +Presently there was a loud knocking at the house-door, that made Colonel +Ritter and his wife spring up from the table, where they were +comfortably talking about the children; and old Trine called out of the +window, in an angry tone,-- + +"What sort of a way of knocking is that?" + +"A terrible thing has happened," said some one from below. "We want the +colonel to come down the hill. They have found Andrew the carpenter +dead." And off ran the messenger again. + +Mr. and Mrs. Ritter had heard enough, however, for they had heard this +sad news from the window. The colonel threw his cloak about his +shoulders, and hastened down to the carpenter's. As he entered the room, +he found that there were already a crowd of people assembled. The +justice of the peace and the chief magistrate had been fetched, and a +number of curious and sympathetic people had come along with them. +Andrew lay on the floor, in his blood, and gave no sign of life. The +colonel went to his side. + +"Has nobody been for the doctor?" he asked. "We want a doctor at once." + +Nobody had thought of that,--there was no use in trying to do any thing, +they said. + +"Run, somebody, as quickly as possible," said the colonel. "Go, +you,"--to a lad who stood near,--"tell the doctor that I send him word +to come here immediately." He helped to raise Andrew from the ground, +and to carry him into his bedroom, and to lay him on the bed. Then he +went back to the chattering group of neighbors, to find out how the +accident had taken place,--if anybody knew the precise circumstances. + +The miller's son stepped forward, and told his story. He was passing +the house about a half-hour ago, he said; and, seeing a light in the +window, stopped to ask if his bits of furniture were finished. He found +the door of the room open, and Andrew lying dead on the floor, covered +with blood; and by his side stood Meadow-Joggi, and held out a piece of +gold between his fingers. Then the miller's son had called all the +neighbors, and sent some one for the chief magistrate and everybody +whose business it was. + +Meadow-Joggi--who was so called because he lived down in the +meadow-land--was a foolish fellow, who was supported by the neighbors, +who gave him little jobs of work suitable to his feeble capacity, such +as carrying sand or stone where they were needed, or helping to sort the +fruit, or gathering fagots in winter. + +No one ever had heard of his doing any mischief. The miller's son told +him to stay where he was until the president came; and so Joggi stood in +the corner, held his fist tightly closed, and laughed to himself. The +doctor soon arrived on the scene, and behind him came the president. The +council took its place in the middle of the room, to consider the case. +The doctor, however, went at once into the bedroom, and the colonel +followed him. The doctor examined the motionless body carefully. + +"Here it is," he cried presently. "Here, at the back of the head, is +where Andrew was struck. There is a large wound here." + +"But he is not dead, doctor, is he?" + +"No, no; he breathes feebly, but it is with difficulty." + +The doctor wanted all sorts of things,--water and sponges, and linen +rags, and so on,--and the people ran this way and that, and searched and +pulled things out from the closets and drawers, and produced a heap of +things, but nothing that was useful for this occasion. + +"We want a woman here who has some intelligence, and knows what is +needed in sickness," said the doctor at last, rather impatiently. They +all called out this one or that one; but not one was able to come of all +those mentioned. + +"Let somebody go to the 'Heights,' and tell my wife to send old Trine +down here," said the colonel. And somebody ran off. + +"Your wife won't thank you," said the doctor; "for I shall not be able +to let the nurse leave this patient for three days and nights." + +Trine came, laden with all needful things, much sooner than anybody +dared hope for her; for she was all ready with her big basket packed, +and her mistress stood by her side, expecting the order for her to go +down to Andrew's; for they would not believe that Andrew was dead, and +had thought of every thing that could possibly be needed. She had +sponges and bandages, lint and oil, and warm flannels, packed in her +basket, and had only to run off when the messenger came. The doctor was +delighted. + +"Everybody must go now. Good-night, colonel; and turn all those people +out of the house, will you?" cried the doctor, and closed the door +without ceremony as soon as the colonel went out. + +The committee was still sitting, but the colonel explained that the +house must be emptied; so they decided to imprison Joggi, and then +institute investigations. Two men took Joggi between them, so that he +could not get away, and carried him off to the poor-house, and shut him +up in a room. Joggi went with them very willingly, and laughed now and +then, and looked into his hand. + +The following morning Mrs. Ritter hastened down to Andrew's house in +great anxiety. Trine came softly from the bedroom, and brought the +welcome news that Andrew had come to himself a little; that the doctor +had already made his visit, and found his patient in better condition +than he expected; but he left especial orders that nobody should be +allowed to enter the room. Andrew was not to be permitted to speak one +word, even if he wished to speak: only the doctor and the nurse might +come into his presence. Trine said these words with great pride, for she +was a very good nurse, and well aware of the importance of the +situation. Mrs. Ritter fully appreciated all this, and went home +rejoicing over the news. + +A week went by. Every morning Mrs. Ritter went down to the sick man's +house to obtain an accurate statement of his condition herself, and to +find out if any thing were needed for his comfort, in order that all his +wants might be supplied at once. Every day Otto and Pussy sent the same +message; namely, "When could they be permitted to see their sick +friend?" but the doctor was inexorable. There was no possibility of +Trine being allowed to go, either; and the doctor could not praise her +enough for her intelligent care of the patient. After the week was +fairly over, however, the doctor sent word to the colonel that if he +would come to Andrew's at the same time he made his daily visit, they +would go in together; for now that Andrew was able to talk, the doctor +wished to have the colonel hear what could be told about the terrible +assault that had prostrated the good carpenter. + +Andrew was very glad to press the colonel's hand gratefully in his +own,--he knew very well where all the care and comfort came from with +which he was surrounded. + +He collected his thoughts to the best of his ability to answer the +questions put to him. This was, however, all that he could tell them. He +had taken out the yearly sum of money that he always carried up to the +colonel for investment, and was in the act of counting it over once +again, to be sure that it was right. It was rather late in the evening, +and he was seated with his back towards the door. While he was in the +midst of counting, he heard some one enter the room; and before he had +time to turn about, he received a tremendous blow upon his head. After +that, all was a blank. + +There had been a heap of money upon the table. Nothing was to be found +of it, however, but the piece that Joggi held in his hand when they +found him. + +Even supposing that Joggi were the malefactor, where was the rest of +that money? When Andrew learned that they had taken Joggi into custody +and shut him up, he was very uneasy. + +"Oh, you must let him go, poor Joggi!" he said. "He never would hurt the +smallest infant. _He_ never struck me." + +For all that, Andrew had no suspicion who it could have been. He had no +enemy, he said, and knew of nobody who would wish him harm. + +"It may have been a stranger," suggested the doctor, as he looked at the +window. "If you sat here, with the bright light shining upon your pile +of money while you counted it over on the table, anybody going by the +house could have seen you, and taken a notion to rob you." + +"I suppose it must have been in that way," said Andrew. "I never +thought of such a thing, however. Every thing has always stood open in +the house." + +"It is well that you have laid something by already, Andrew," said the +colonel. "Do not fret over this: it is so lucky that you will soon be +well again." + +"Certainly, colonel; and I have every reason for thankfulness. The good +God has given me far more than I have any use for." And he shook hands +with his friends, who agreed, in parting, that Andrew was much less to +be pitied than the man who tried to kill him. + +There was a sad story told about Joggi, which excited the sympathy of +the schoolboys exceedingly. Otto brought it home with him and repeated +it several times, for it made a deep impression on his mind. It seemed +that when they brought Joggi, laughing all the way, into the almshouse +that evening, he was told to give up his piece of gold to one of his +guards,--the son of the justice of the peace; but Joggi shut his fist +tighter, and would not give it up at all. But the two men were stronger +than he, and at last forced his hand open; and, as they took the money +away from him, one of them said, "Only wait a little till the others +come, then you will get what you deserve. You will see!" For he was +vexed at the scratches he had got in the struggle. + +These threats had frightened the poor half-witted fellow, who thought he +was going to be beheaded, having no idea of what his punishment might +be. And he refused to eat, and cried and groaned incessantly. + +The officers of justice had been to see him twice, to assure him that, +if he would only tell them what he had done, he should not be +punished. He repeated that he had not done any thing but look in at +the window; and when he saw Andrew on the floor, he went to him and +shook him a little, and then he was dead. He saw something shining in +the corner, and picked it up; and then the miller's son came in, and a +lot of other people. + +When Joggi got thus far in his story, he began to cry and groan, and +would not be pacified. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO. + + +Mrs. Ritter went, as usual, to visit her friend, but no longer remained +closeted with Trine, for she could now go freely into his room, talk +with him for a little while, and mark his daily improvement. Otto and +Pussy also paid several visits, armed with dainties for their favorite. +So that Andrew said to the old Trine, with great feeling, "If I were a +king, they could not show me more kindness." + +The doctor was well pleased with the rapidity of the cure, and said to +the colonel, whom he met on the threshold one day,-- + +"Every thing has worked wonderfully well. Your wife can have her Trine +back again; and tell her she was worth her weight in gold. I only wish +there were some one to stay with Andrew for a little while; or who could +come in, now and then, to help him. The poor fellow must have something +to eat, and he has no wife nor child,--in fact, nobody. Do ask Mrs. +Ritter if she cannot think of something that will help us." + +The colonel carried his message correctly, and his wife went the next +day to Andrew's, as usual; and, seating herself by his bedside, said, +without circumlocution, "I have something to say to you, Andrew. Are you +inclined to listen to me?" + +"Certainly, certainly. Every thing you do is right," said Andrew, +supporting his head on his hand, and prepared to give her all his +attention. + +"I am going to take Trine away, now that you are so well," began +Mrs. Ritter. + +"Oh, dear lady, I beg you to believe me, I have wished to send her home +for a long time past. I know how much you must miss her." + +"I would not have allowed her to enter my house, if she had tried to +come back before," replied Mrs. Ritter. "But now it is different: the +doctor has dismissed her. He says, however,--and I fully agree with +him,--that you need some one who can wait upon you, cook for you, or +fetch your food from my house, and do a hundred little things: somebody +for at least a few weeks. Now, Andrew, why cannot you have little Wiseli +to do this?" + +The words were scarcely spoken, when Andrew almost sprang up in his bed. + +"No, no, Mrs. Ritter; certainly not!" he said, and became very red from +excitement. "I could not dream of such a thing. Could I lie here in bed, +and let that delicate little thing work for me out there in the kitchen? +Oh! in Heaven's name, how could I think of her poor mother, where she +lies buried? How she would look at me, if she knew of my doing such a +thing. No, no, Mrs. Ritter; I would rather not get well at all." + +Mrs. Ritter did not try to stop him; but, when he sunk back again upon +his pillow, she said quietly,-- + +"It is not any thing very shocking, however, that I have proposed, +Andrew: think it over now. You know what kind of care Wiseli is getting, +do you not? Do you suppose she has nothing to do there, or even light +work suitable to her strength? Hard work she has, and hard words with +it. Would you give her any thing like that? Do you know what the child's +mother would do, if she were standing here by our side? She would thank +you, with tears in her eyes, if you would take her child into your +house, where she could be happy. I am sure of that. And you would soon +see how useful she would make herself." + +After these touching words, Andrew began to take another view of the +matter. He wiped his eyes, and said softly, "How can I be sure that the +child would be willing? And how can I get her? Her cousin would not wish +to part with her, probably." + +"That is all right. You need not trouble yourself about that, Andrew," +said his friend, cheerfully, as she rose to go. "I will attend to it all +for you. It is a thing about which I have thought long and anxiously." + +She took her leave; but, as she was passing out of the door, Andrew +called out again,-- + +"Only in case Wiseli herself is perfectly willing: you will not forget +that, please, Mrs. Ritter." + +She promised again that the child should come gladly, or not at all, and +left the house. + +She went down the hill at once to the beech grove, for she was impatient +to take Wiseli where she could think of her in safety. She met the +cousin Gotti just as he was himself entering his own house. He saluted +her, without concealing his surprise at her visit. But she did not leave +him in doubt for a moment over the object that brought her there, and +how anxious she was that Wiseli should take charge of the wounded Andrew +at once, as she was sure she could do, if they were willing. His wife, +who was in the kitchen, came directly she heard their voices, and was at +once informed of Mrs. Ritter's proposition. But she answered that it was +not possible, for the child was not able to be of use to anybody. But +her husband interposed. The truth should be told: Wiseli was able and +willing to work, and did so, well and intelligently. He did not wish to +have her go, for she was useful and obedient. He would not refuse, for +two weeks or so, to let her nurse Andrew. He would not probably need her +longer than that, and then she must come back; for there was a great +deal of work on hand against the spring. + +"Yes, yes," said his wife. "I have no mind to begin it all over again +teaching her, it has given me so much trouble already. If Andrew wants +anybody to help him, let him get somebody for himself." + +"Well, well; for two weeks, as I have promised, she shall go. It is our +duty to help a neighbor, if we can." + +"I thank you for your kindness," said Mrs. Ritter, rising. "And Andrew +will himself show his gratitude. May I take Wiseli with me at once?" + +Although his wife grumbled out that there could not be any such hurry, +her husband said it was better the child should go at once. The sooner +she went, the more quickly she would be back again; and repeated that it +was only for fourteen days in all. + +Wiseli was called, and told to get her clothes together, and tied in a +bundle. The child obeyed, not daring to ask for a reason. It was exactly +a year since she had brought the little bundle into the house. Nothing +had been added to her scanty wardrobe in that time but a black frock. +She wore that now, but it had been so long in use, that it hung about +her almost in rags; and Wiseli looked shyly at Mrs. Ritter as she stood +before her now, with her little bundle on her arm. The colonel's wife +understood the look, and answered it. "Come, my dear; we are not going +far away. You can go as you are." + +Quickly taking leave, she waited only for Wiseli to give her cousin +Gotti her hand. He said,-- + +"Oh, you are soon coming back; this is not a separation." + +Off trotted Wiseli in silence, and much astonished, behind Mrs. Ritter, +who walked rapidly across the snow-covered fields, as if she feared they +both might be recalled; but as soon as they were out of sight of the +beech grove, she turned about, and stood still. "Wiseli," she said +kindly, "do you know Andrew the carpenter?" + +"Certainly, I do," said the child; and glanced at her friend with such a +happy expression, that Mrs. Ritter was rather surprised. + +"He is ill," she proceeded. "Would you like to take care of him, and +wait upon him a little, for about two weeks?" + +"Yes, indeed!" replied the child promptly; and her face, that +became suddenly rosy with pleasure, told Mrs. Ritter more than her +short answer. + +The good lady was pleased, but did not understand the child's feeling, +for she knew nothing of her gratitude for Andrew's kindness to her +mother. After they had gone on a while, Mrs. Ritter said,-- + +"You can tell Andrew the carpenter that you are very glad to go to take +care of him, or he will not believe it. Don't forget to tell him that." + +"No, no; I won't forget," said Wiseli. "I was just thinking about +it myself." + +They reached the house at last. Mrs. Ritter told Wiseli to go in alone, +promising to come down in the morning to see how things went on; and, if +she needed any thing for her patient, she could come up to the "Heights" +to fetch it herself. + +Wiseli stole into the garden, and opened the house-door. She knew that +Andrew lay within in the bed-room behind the sitting-room. She entered +the room softly. No one was there; but it was in good order, as old +Trine had left it when she went away. + +The child looked about to see that every thing was in the right place. +Against the wall, in the back part of the room, stood a big wooden +bedstead called a coach, and which was all arranged like a proper bed. +The curtain was almost closed across it, but Wiseli could see how neat +and clean it looked, and wondered who slept there usually. Presently she +knocked quietly at the bedroom door; and when Andrew called out, "Come +in," she entered, and shyly stood before him. Andrew raised himself in +his bed to see who was there. + +"Oh, oh!" he said, partly glad and partly startled. "Is that you, +Wiseli? Come here; give me your hand." The child obeyed. + +"You did not come to me against your will?" + +"No, no," replied the child; "surely not." But Andrew was not satisfied. + +[Illustration: ANDREW RAISED HIMSELF IN HIS BED TO SEE WHO WAS +THERE] + +"I mean, Wiseli," he continued, "perhaps you would have liked better not +to come; but perhaps you wanted to do a kindness to the good colonel's +wife, she is so kind." + +"No, no," repeated the child again; "she did not say any thing to me +about it being for her. She only asked me if I was willing to go to +you, and there is nobody in all the world to whom I would go so gladly +as to you." + +These words must have quieted all Andrew's scruples, for he did not ask +any more questions, but let his head sink back on his pillow, and lay +gazing silently at Wiseli; and presently he turned his head aside, and +wiped his eyes several times. + +"What shall I do now?" asked Wiseli, as Andrew did not move his head. He +turned at the sound of her voice, and said, very kindly, "I do not know, +I am sure, Wiseli. You may do any thing that you like, if you will only +stay with me a little while." + +Wiseli scarcely knew what to think. Since the death of her mother, +nobody had spoken to her in such kindly, loving tones. It seemed as if +her mother's voice and love were come into Andrew's words and tones. She +took his hand in both hers, as she often took her mother's, and stood by +the bedside. She did not even speak, but felt that her mother's loving +presence was about them. Andrew, too, had a silent, peaceful conviction +that Wiseli's mother was happy in their happiness. + +Presently Wiseli said, "I think I ought to cook something for you: it is +past twelve o'clock already. What shall I cook?" + +"Whatever you like," said Andrew. But Wiseli knew that she was there +for the purpose of making things comfortable for the sick man, and +she did not cease her questioning until she found out what he usually +had to eat,--a good nourishing soup, and a piece of the meat that was +in the closet; and then Andrew said she must cook something with milk +for herself. + +The child was perfectly at home in the kitchen. She had really learned a +great deal at her cousin Gotti's, even if she had received many cross +words at the same time. She had every thing ready in a short time; and +Andrew begged her to push a little table to the bedside, and sit down +and eat with him, so that he could enjoy the pleasure of her company. +Neither Wiseli nor Andrew had eaten such a pleasant meal for a long, +long time. After eating, Wiseli rose; but Andrew looked at her sadly, +and said, "Where are you going now, Wiseli? Won't you stay with me here +a little longer, or is it too dull for you?" + +"No, indeed, not dull; but after dinner the things must be washed and +put away in their places in good order," said the child. + +"I know," said Andrew; "but I thought that just for to-day--the first +day, you know--you might put them away as they are, and to-morrow wash +them all together." + +"But if the colonel's wife should see them so, I should almost die of +shame;" and Wiseli looked very grave while she spoke. + +"Yes, yes; you are right," said Andrew. "Do whatever you think best." + +So the child went to work, and cleaned and sorted and swept, so that +every thing shone in the kitchen. Then she stood quietly, and looked on +her work with satisfaction, saying softly, "Now Mrs. Ritter may come +when she will." + +Going into the room next the kitchen, she cast an admiring glance at the +beautiful big bed on the "coach" behind the curtain; for Andrew the +carpenter had told her that she was to sleep there, and that the little +chest of drawers in the corner was also for her, and that she might put +all her things there, if she liked. + +So she laid away all the clothes in her little bundle in good order; but +it did not take long to do that, they were so few. At last she returned +to Andrew, and seated herself by his bedside. He had been looking +towards the door very wistfully for a long time. She had scarcely seated +herself before she asked, "Have not you a stocking to be knitted, or +something else for me to do?" + +Wiseli had been well drilled,--first by her mother, and then by her +cousin's wife, whose words she never forgot, they frightened her so; and +when Andrew said, "Oh, you have worked enough for to-day; let us sit +still and talk over all sorts of things together now," the child +replied, "I do not like to sit and do nothing, for it is not Sunday; but +we can talk while I knit, you know." + +Andrew was pleased at this sign of the little girl's industry, and he +again bade her do whatever she thought right and best. She might get a +stocking to knit, if she wanted to: he had not one for her, however. + +So Wiseli fetched her own, and took her seat by the bedside; and, truly, +she could talk and knit at the same time perfectly well. + +Andrew chose the one subject for their conversation that was by far the +most agreeable to Wiseli; namely, her mother. It was the first time she +had been able to talk about her mother to anybody since her death. But +now she had a listener who could not hear enough, and so she told all +that she could remember of their happy life together. + +And day after day slipped by. For every little thing that Wiseli did, +Andrew thanked her over and over,--not from politeness or mere form, but +because every thing pleased the good man, and he wanted to express his +pleasure. He became strong and well very rapidly under Wiseli's care, +and soon was able to leave his bed. And the doctor was much surprised to +see how quickly his strength had returned, and how happy he looked +besides. He sat at the window in the sunshine all day long, and watched +Wiseli as she moved about, as if he could never get enough of her. His +eyes followed her as she went here to a drawer, opened it and shut it +again; and noticed how every thing that passed through her hands was +done in an orderly, regular manner, such as he had never seen before. +And Wiseli was so happy, so happy, in this quiet little house, where she +never heard any but loving words, and moved constantly in an atmosphere +of affection, that made it impossible for her to allow her thoughts to +dwell on the sad fact that the fourteen days would soon be past, and +then she must return to the beech grove. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS. + + +On the "Heights" there was a great deal of talk about Andrew and Wiseli. +Mrs. Ritter went down every day, and always brought back good accounts. +They all rejoiced together over this, and Otto and Pussy formed a plan +to have a great convalescence festival in Andrew the carpenter's room +while Wiseli was still with him. It should be a great surprise for them +both. But before that came another feast,--their father's birthday. And +the children had invented all sorts of "celebrations" from early morning +on, but the great moment was yet to come; namely, at dinner-time. Otto +and Pussy had taken their seats, full of excitement and expectancy. + +The father and mother made their appearance, and the merriment began. + +After one or two surprises came a large covered dish,--certainly that +was a birthday dish. The cover was removed, and, behold, a beautiful +cauliflower! + +"This is a fine vegetable," said the father; "I must admire it. But, to +tell the truth," he went on, with an air of disappointment, "I expected +something different. I expected artichokes. They are to be found and +bought as well as cauliflowers. You know, my dear Mary, there is no dish +I care for so much as artichokes." + +Suddenly Pussy called out,-- + +"That is it! that is it! That is exactly what he called to me twice. +And he raised his stick in the air, and did so,"--and Pussy raised her +arm in the air in great excitement. But suddenly she was quiet, and put +her arm under the table, and turned crimson; and Otto, who sat on the +other side of the table, looked at her with flashing eyes and very +angry looks. + +"What is this?" asked the colonel. "A strange way to celebrate my +birthday. My daughter cries out, on one side, as if some one were going +to kill her; and, on the other, my son is giving me such kicks on the +shin that I shall soon be covered with black-and-blue spots. I should +like to know where you learned this agreeable amusement, Otto?" + +Now it was Otto's turn to become fiery red. His intention had been to +give Pussy certain decided warnings to keep quiet, but his boot had +encountered his father's leg instead, and not gently either. When he +discovered his mistake, he did not dare to raise his eyes. + +"Now, Pussy," said the colonel, "tell me the end of your robber story. +You said the terrible man called out 'artichokes' to you, and raised his +stick in the air; and then"-- + +"Then--then," stammered Pussy, who perceived that she had betrayed every +thing, and would have to give the sugar cock back to Otto again. "Then +he did not strike me, or kill me." + +"Well, that was nice of him," said her father, laughing. "And +what else?" + +"Nothing else," said Pussy, whimpering. + +"Well, then, the story had a good ending. The stick remained in the air, +and Pussy came back to the house like an 'artichoke.' Now we will drink +the health of the 'artichokes' and of Andrew the carpenter together." + +The father raised his glass, and his companions did the same. When they +left the table, they were all rather sad; all except the father, who +took his newspaper, and lighted his cigar, as usual. Otto stayed in +another room in the corner, and thought how, when the children were all +allowed to go again to coast by moonlight, he would be obliged to remain +at home; for his mother would not now let him go, he was sure. Pussy +crept into her bedroom, nestled down in a corner by the bed upon a +footstool, took the red candy cock upon her lap, and felt very sadly at +the thought that she held it for the last time. + +At the window her mother stood sadly thinking. She soon became agitated, +however, and moved uneasily about the room, and presently began to seek +for her little daughter in every corner. She found her at last, in her +hiding-place behind the bed, sunk in deep dejection. + +"Pussy," said her mother, "I want you to tell me the story about the man +who threatened you. When was it, and where, and what words did he use?" + +Pussy told all that she knew, but did not give much more information +than she had conveyed at the table. The man had called out the same word +that her father had used at table,--that she was sure of. Her mother +turned away, went directly to the room where her husband was smoking, +and said, in a very excited tone, "I must tell you, for I am more and +more sure of it." + +The colonel put down his newspaper and looked at his wife, much +surprised. + +"That scene at table has made me think of something; and the more I +think, the surer I am about it." + +"Do sit down, and tell me what you mean," said the colonel, who now +became very curious. His wife did as he desired, and went on. + +"You noticed Pussy's excitement. She must have been very much +frightened by the man of whom she spoke. She was not joking. Therefore +it is clear to my mind that the word was not 'artichoke,' but +'aristocrat,' that he used. Now you know who used to call us that,--my +brother and I. Pussy has just told me that this took place on that +evening when they all went coasting by moonlight; and that was the +night when Andrew was assaulted and robbed. That rascally fellow Jorg +has not been seen for years in this vicinity; and the very first time +that there is any trace of him, we hear of this act of brutality +towards his brother, against whom no one but he has any grudge. Do not +you think there is something strange in this?" + +"Yes; certainly there may be something in it," said the colonel. "I must +look it up at once." + +He arose, called his servant, and presently rode off at a sharp trot +towards the town. + +And for several days he continued to go there, to hear if the +investigation had produced any result. On the fourth day he came home +towards evening, and sent word to Mrs. Ritter, who was seated by Pussy's +bed, that he had something important to tell her. It was that the police +had been seeking for Jorg, and had found him without much delay; for he +had not taken precautions to conceal himself, being sure that no one had +seen him on the evening when he visited his native village. He had, +therefore, merely gone to the city, and was spending his time in the +taverns. When they took him into custody, and accused him, he denied +every thing; but when he heard that Colonel Ritter had accusations to +make against him, he was intimidated, thinking that the colonel must +have seen him, or he would never have suspected him, as he had just +returned from the Neapolitan army service. It never occurred to him that +one single word that he had thrown to a little child had betrayed him. + +When he heard the truth, he began to swear terribly, and declared he had +always known that those aristocrats would bring him into trouble. On +further examination, he said he had gone to his brother's house with the +intention of asking him for a loan of money; but when he looked through +the brilliantly lighted window and saw the big pile of money lying on +the table, it occurred to him that he would strike Andrew down and rob +him. He had not meant to kill him,--only render him insensible. Nearly +all the money was found at his lodgings, and taken. Jorg was lodged in +the prison. + +When these facts were made known in the village, everybody was very much +interested and excited, for nothing of the kind had happened before in +that small place. In the school, particularly, every thing was +topsy-turvy, for the children were as much excited as their elders. Otto +scarcely stopped to take breath all day long, for he ran from one place +to another, hoping to hear the latest news at each. He came to the +house, on the third evening, in such a state, that his mother told him +that he must sit perfectly quiet and silent for a little while before he +communicated the piece of news with which he was bursting. + +At last he was calm enough to tell them that they wanted to set Joggi +free, for he had been shut up all this time; but the poor fellow was so +convinced that they only wanted to take him out to cut off his head, +that he fought against being removed with all his might. So they decided +to take him out by force, and two men dragged him into the open air. He +fought and screamed so violently, that a crowd soon assembled; and the +poor, foolish fellow, becoming more and more alarmed, had darted away +like an arrow to the nearest barn, where he took refuge from his +imaginary danger in a stall, cowering down in a heap in one corner, and +would not let anybody approach him. His countenance showed his terrible +fear. He had been there all day and night; and now the peasant to whom +the barn belonged said if he did not move soon, he would use the +pitchfork to him. + +"It is a sad, sad story, my children," said their mother, when Otto had +finished. "Poor Joggi! how terribly he must suffer from his fear, that +nobody can relieve him of, because he cannot understand what is said; +and yet he is perfectly innocent of any evil deed or wish. Oh, if you +had only told me what had happened that evening on the coast! Your +keeping that a secret has had very, very sad consequences. Cannot we do +something to comfort and reassure him again?" + +Pussy was almost crying. "I will give him my red candy cock," she +said, tearfully. + +Otto was much disturbed, but he said, scornfully,-- + +"Yes; a nice present for a grown up man,--a sugar cock! You had better +keep it for yourself." + +After a moment he asked his mother, however, to allow Pussy to carry +some food to Joggi in the barn: he had not eaten any thing for +nearly two days. + +His mother was more than willing, and had a basket filled at once with +bread and sausage and cheese for the children, and sent them off without +delay. Poor Joggi! there he was cowering in the stall, white as a sheet, +and dared not stir. The children gradually drew near, and presently Otto +held out his basket and showed the food, hoping to tempt Joggi. + +"Come out, Joggi. See, all this is for you to eat." + +There was no sign of movement. + +"Do come out, or the peasant will stick his pitchfork into you." + +The poor fellow gave a piteous moan, but still did not stir. + +Now Pussy went quite close to him, put her mouth to his ear, and said, +gently, "Do not be frightened, Joggi; they won't cut off your head. My +papa will help you, and will not let anybody harm you. And see, Joggi; +here is a candy cock, all red. Santa Claus sent you this on the +Christmas-tree." And the little girl took the cock very carefully from +her pocket, and held it out to Joggi. + +This little gift had a wonderful effect. Joggi looked at his friend +without fear, then at the candy cock, and presently began to laugh. It +was many days since he had laughed. He rose slowly from his corner, and +followed Otto out of the barn behind Pussy. When they got well out of +the yard, Otto said,-- + +"You can take this basket, Joggi; we are going up there to our house. +Your way is down yonder." + +But Joggi shook his head, and followed close to Pussy's heels. They all +went up the hill. Their mother watched the little procession coming, and +her heart began to feel lighter; and she also noticed how the poor, +foolish Joggi held his sugar cock in his hand, and laughed at it with +childish satisfaction. + +They all three entered the house and went into the sitting-room, where +Pussy fetched a chair, and, taking the basket in her hand, beckoned +Joggi to come to her; and when he was seated at the table, she spread +out the bread and cheese and sausage before him, saying, very gently, +"Now do eat,--eat up every bit, Joggi, and be happy again." + +The poor fellow obeyed, and left no crumbs. He never relinquished his +hold of the red cock, however. He held it in his left hand, and nodded +and smiled at it from time to time. For bread and cheese and sausage he +had often received, but a red candy cock never before. + +At last he went down the hill to his cottage. With very happy looks Mrs. +Ritter and Otto and Pussy followed his retreating form, and noticed that +he changed the red cock from one hand to another, and had evidently +forgotten his fears. Mrs. Ritter had not visited Andrew during three +days. There was so much going on all the time, that she had not +perceived how the time passed; and then she no longer felt the least +anxiety about him. He was well cared for,--of that she was certain,--and +was on the best road towards health and strength. + +As soon as Colonel Ritter could go, he took the news of the arrest and +imprisonment of Andrew's brother to the good carpenter, who listened to +the story quietly, and said, after a while,-- + +"It was his will. It would have been far better for him to have asked me +for a little money. I should have given it to him, but his way was ever +a blow rather than a kind word." + +Mrs. Ritter went down the mountain one cold, frosty morning, and went +smiling to herself all the way; for she had pleasant plans and projects +in her heart. Just as she opened the door of Andrew's cottage, Wiseli +came out of the sitting-room. Her eyes were swollen and red. She had +been crying. She gave Mrs. Ritter her hand very shyly, and ran into the +kitchen, and shut the door. Mrs. Ritter had never seen Wiseli look in +this way. What could have happened? She went into the sitting-room. +There sat Andrew by the window. He, too, looked as if a bad piece of +news had been brought to him. + +"What has happened?" asked Mrs. Ritter; and forgot to say +"good-morning," in her anxiety. + +"Oh, oh!" sighed Andrew. "I wish that the child had never entered +my house." + +"Wiseli!" exclaimed his visitor. "Is it possible that Wiseli can have +displeased you in any way?" + +"Not that, by any means, good lady," Andrew hastened to answer. "No; she +has made my home a paradise for me, and now she is going away; and it +will seem so empty and lonely without her, I cannot bear it. You never +could think, Mrs. Ritter, how I love that child. I cannot bear it, if +they take her away. And the cousin Gotti has sent his boy twice to say +that she is wanted at his house; and, since then, Wiseli has been so +quiet, and cries in secret. It breaks my heart; for I see that she does +not want to go there, though she says nothing, and to-morrow is the last +day. I do not exaggerate, Mrs. Ritter; but I assure you I would prefer +to give all that I have earned and saved for thirty years to her cousin +Gotti, than have him take the child away." + +"I would not think of doing that. In your place, Andrew, I would go to +work another way," said Mrs. Ritter, when Andrew had finished his +excited talk. + +He questioned her with his eyes in silence. + +"I mean in this way. All your worldly goods you will leave to some one +who is very dear to you. You will take Wiseli as your adopted child; +will be a father to her; she shall henceforth live in your house as your +own daughter. You would like that, Andrew, would you not?" + +He had listened with all his might, and his eyes grew bigger and bigger. +Presently he grasped Mrs. Ritter's hand, and pressed it almost +painfully. He leaned forward. + +"Can that be done? Can I obtain the right to say that Wiseli is really +my own child,--all my own, so that nobody will be able to take her from +me again?" + +"You can do all that, Andrew. And, once Wiseli is recognized as your +child, no one will have the least right to her. You will be her father. +And, to tell the truth, Andrew, I hoped that you might wish to do this; +and therefore have kept my husband at home, in case you want to go into +the city to take the necessary steps towards the adoption. You know you +cannot walk, Andrew." + +Andrew fairly lost his head over all this. He ran this way and that, +looking for his Sunday coat; and kept asking all the time, + +"Can it be true? Is it possible? To-day, did you say? May I go to-day?" + +"At once," she said; and gave her hand to Andrew as she left him, to +tell the colonel that all was ready for the visit to the town. "It will +be better not to tell Wiseli until the evening, when every thing is +settled, and you are quietly together here," she said, as she stepped +out of the door. "Do not you agree with me?" + +"Yes, certainly," was the answer. "I could not tell her now." + +While Andrew was waiting until Colonel Ritter came for him to drive to +the town, he sat trembling in every limb, and thought he could scarcely +stand up, he was so happy and so excited. In about half an hour Wiseli +saw, to her great surprise, the colonel's wagon drive up, stop at +Andrew's door, the servant get down, come to the steps, take Andrew +under the arm, and help him to get into the carriage. The child looked +at it, as it passed away from the house down the road, and could not +understand it at all; for the carpenter had not said any thing to +her,--not even that he was going to drive. He had remained seated where +he was, after Mrs. Ritter's departure, until the colonel's servant came +for him; and the child had kept herself hidden all the time. + +After his departure, she went into the sitting-room, and looked out of +the window where Andrew always sat, and kept saying to herself, "To-day +is the last day. To-morrow I must go to cousin Gotti." + +Towards noon the child went into the kitchen, put every thing in order, +and arranged Andrew's dinner; but he did not come, and she did not like +to remove the things until he did. So she went back into the +sitting-room; but the sad thought of the coming separation made her +almost ill, and she said to herself, over and over, "To-morrow I must go +to cousin Gotti;" and did not see, in her sadness, that the sunset was +very beautiful, and betokened a still more beautiful morrow. + +The child sprang to her feet when presently she heard the door +opened. Andrew the carpenter stood before her with happy eyes, and +with a look that Wiseli had never seen on his face. He sunk into a +chair. He was overcome, but not with fatigue. At last he cried out, +in a triumphant tone,-- + +"It is true, Wiseli! It is all really true! All the gentlemen said +'Yes,'--every one. You belong to me. I am your father. Call me +'father,' Wiseli." + +Wiseli became white as a sheet. She stood staring at Andrew, but did not +speak nor move. + +"Oh! of course, of course," said the carpenter. "You can't understand +me, I tell you all so confusedly. Now I will begin at the beginning. +I have just written in the record book in the town, and you are my +child now, and I am your father; and you will always stay here with +me, and not go back to your cousin Gotti again. This is your +home,--here with me." + +Wiseli understood now. She sprang into Andrew's arms, clung round his +neck, and cried, "Father, father!" They neither could speak a word after +this for a long time,--too many things were crowding upon them. After a +little, Wiseli felt a sudden light that seemed to break in upon her +thoughts; and she exclaimed, looking up at Andrew,-- + +"O father! I know how it has all happened, and who has helped us." + +"Who may it be, Wiseli?" asked Andrew. + +"My mother." + +"Your mother, child,--who do you mean? Your mother?" + +And Wiseli related her dream about the beautiful garden with the red +carnations, and a rose-bush on the other side, where the sun shone; and +told him how her mother had taken her by the hand and showed her the +garden, and said that her way led through that. And Wiseli was sure that +her mother had not ceased to pray God to let her child's way be through +that garden,--which was Andrew's garden, and the happiest place in the +world for Wiseli. + +"Do not you believe it too, father, now that you know that in my dream +my mother showed me my road to your garden?" + +Andrew could not answer. Big tears rolled down his face, but he smiled +all the time that he wept. When, at last, he opened his mouth to speak, +there came such a terrible knocking at the door, that nothing else could +be heard. Open flew the door, and Otto was in the middle of the room +with one leap; then he jumped over a chair, and shouted, "Hurrah! we +have won, and Wiseli is delivered." Pussy came in behind him, ran at +once to her friend, and said, pointing towards the door,-- + +"Now, Andrew, you will see what is coming for you, to celebrate your +recovery." + +Scarcely had she spoken, than the baker's boy came struggling through +the doorway with a big tray upon his head that could scarcely come +through. A good push from behind, however, helped him along, and he put +the tray down on the table. Otto and Pussy had ordered the biggest cake, +to be made at the baker's, that was ever known; and as it would not have +been very large if it were round, they ordered it square, and it quite +filled the oven when it was baked. Old Trine stood behind the baker's +boy, and her big basket was at her feet. She had brought, among other +delicacies, a bottle of good wine; for Mrs. Ritter declared that Andrew +had, in all probability, not eaten a morsel since breakfast, and Wiseli +was probably fasting also; and the child remembered the fact, now that +she saw the feast that Trine spread upon the table. They all took their +places, and a merry company they were. To be sure, the grand cake had to +be cut in halves, and part put away, for otherwise there was not room on +the table for the rest of the supper; but after that they were all more +merry than ever feasters were before. + +But the time went by, and Trine stood there waiting to take the children +home,--it was late. Andrew said, at leave-taking,-- + +"To-day you have prepared a feast for me, and I thank you with all my +heart; but I invite you to come here again on Sunday, and I will give +you a feast,--the feast to celebrate my daughter's adoption." + +And so they parted, all rejoicing over the fact of Wiseli being so +happily at home with Andrew, and the children promising to come to the +Sunday celebration. At the door Wiseli gave Otto her hand again, and +said, "I thank you a thousand times for all your kindness to me, Otto. +Cheppi never was so rude to me again after you frightened him that day. +He was afraid to throw things at me. I owe it to your kindness." + +"And I owe you something, Wiseli," replied Otto. "I have never had to +sweep out the schoolhouse since the time you know of." + +"And I thank you, too, Wiseli," said Pussy; for she would not be behind +the others in her thanks. + +Now every thing was quiet in the little room, and the moonlight streamed +in through the window where Andrew took his seat, while Wiseli put all +the supper dishes away, and made every thing neat again; then she came +to him, and stood before him with folded hands. + +"Father," she said, "let me say my mother's hymn aloud to you. I +have always said it softly to myself; but I shall never forget it +now, I am sure." + +Andrew was glad to listen; and the child, raising her eyes to the stars, +said, with the very deepest feeling thrilling through her heart,-- + + "To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +From this day forward the happiest cottage in the whole village was that +of Andrew the carpenter, with its sunny garden. Wherever Wiseli showed +herself, she received the very kindest notice from all the neighbors, +much to the child's surprise. Formerly no one had noticed her +particularly, but now even her cousin Gotti and his wife never passed +the cottage without coming in to take her by the hand, and invite her to +visit them. + +This gave the child keen satisfaction, for she had always feared +secretly her cousin's feelings about her adoption; so this kindness on +his part freed her from all anxiety, and she could go her way +peacefully. But these thoughts often rose within her, and she repeated +to herself,-- + +"Otto and his family have always shown me kindness when I was alone +in the wide world and friendless: these others are only kind to me +since I am happy and have a father. I know well enough who are really +my friends." + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico and Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + +***** This file should be named 9075-8.txt or 9075-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/9/0/7/9075/ + +Produced by David Widger, Juliet Sutherland and Distributed +Proofreaders. + + +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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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/9075-8.zip b/9075-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c589cfd --- /dev/null +++ b/9075-8.zip diff --git a/9075-h.zip b/9075-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0ce4108 --- /dev/null +++ b/9075-h.zip diff --git a/9075-h/9075-h.htm b/9075-h/9075-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a3c9de --- /dev/null +++ b/9075-h/9075-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7651 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Rico And Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {background:#faebd7; margin:15%; text-align:justify} +img {border: 0;} +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {color:#A82C28} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico and Wiseli, 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: Rico and Wiseli + Rico And Stineli, And How Wiseli Was Provided For + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Translator: Louise Brooks + +Posting Date: April 6, 2014 [EBook #9075] +Release Date: October, 2005 +First Posted: September 3, 2003 +[Last updated: July 28, 2022] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger, Juliet Sutherland and Distributed +Proofreaders. + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<center> +<h1>RICO AND WISELI</h1> +<br><br> +<h3> +RICO AND STINELI<br><br> +and<br><br> +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR</h3> +<br><br> +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h1>JOHANNA SPYRI</h1> +<br><br> +<h3> +Translated By Louise Brooks</h3> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> +<a name="1"></a> + + +<center> +<img alt="001a.jpg (156K)"src="images/001a.jpg" height="1069" width="660"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<h3> +RICO AND STINELI</h3> + + +<p> + I. <a href="#chap0101">IN THE QUIET HOUSE</a><br> + II. <a href="#chap0102">IN THE SCHOOL</a><br> + III. <a href="#chap0103">THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE</a><br> + IV. <a href="#chap0104">THE BEAUTIFUL, DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME</a><br> + V. <a href="#chap0105">A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME</a><br> + VI. <a href="#chap0106">RICO'S MOTHER</a><br> + VII. <a href="#chap0107">A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER</a><br> + VIII. <a href="#chap0108">ON THE LAKE OF SILS</a><br> + IX. <a href="#chap0109">A PERPLEXING AFFAIR</a><br> + X. <a href="#chap0110">A LITTLE LIGHT</a><br> + XI. <a href="#chap0111">A LONG JOURNEY</a><br> + XII. <a href="#chap0112">IT STILLS GOES ON</a><br> + XIII. <a href="#chap0113">ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE</a><br> + XIV. <a href="#chap0114">NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN</a><br> + XV. <a href="#chap0115">SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS</a><br> + XVI. <a href="#chap0116">COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY</a><br> + XVII. <a href="#chap0117">BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS</a><br> +XVIII. <a href="#chap0118">TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS</a><br> + XIX. <a href="#chap0119">CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA</a><br> + XX. <a href="#chap0120">AT HOME</a><br> + XXI. <a href="#chap0121">SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA</a><br> +</p> +<br><br> +<h3> +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR</h3> + +<p> + I. <a href="#chap0201">COASTING</a><br> + II. <a href="#chap0202">AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY</a><br> + III. <a href="#chap0203">ALSO AT HOME</a><br> + IV. <a href="#chap0204">AT COUSIN GOTTI'S</a><br> + V. <a href="#chap0205">HOW TIME WENT ONE, AND SUMMER CAME</a><br> + VI. <a href="#chap0206">OLD AND NEW</a><br> + VII. <a href="#chap0207">ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO</a><br> + VIII. <a href="#chap0208">SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS</a><br> +</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<h2> +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<p> +<a href="#1">"So the lad seated himself, and placed his fiddle in position."</a></p> + +<p><a href="#2">"Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm."</a></p> + +<p><a href="#3">"Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side."</a></p> + +<p><a href="#4">"Andrew raised himself in his bed to see who was there."</a></p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<br><br> +<h2>RICO AND STINELI.</h2> + +<br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0101"></a> +CHAPTER I.</p> + +<p>IN THE QUIET HOUSE.</p> + +<p> +In the Ober Engadin, on the highway up to Maloja, stands the lonely +village of Sils; and back towards the mountains, across the fields, +nestles a little cluster of huts known as Sils Maria. Here, in an open +field, two cottages stand, facing each other.</p> + +<p>Noticeable in both are the old wooden house-doors, and the tiny windows +quite imbedded in the thick walls. A bit of a garden-plot belongs to one +of these poor dwellings, where the pot-herbs and the cabbages look only +a trifle better than their spindling companions the flowers.</p> + +<p>The other house has nothing but a little shed, where two or three hens +may be seen running in and out. This cottage is smaller than its +neighbor, and its wooden door is quite black from age.</p> + +<p>Out of this door every morning, at the same hour, came a large man. In +order to pass out he was obliged to stoop, so tall was he. His hair was +black and glossy, and his eyes were also black; and under his +finely-shaped nose grew a thick black beard, completely hiding the lower +part of his face; so that, except the glistening of his white teeth when +he spoke, nothing was visible. But he rarely spoke.</p> + +<p>Everybody in Sils knew the man, but he was never called by his name,—it +was always "the Italian." He went by the foot-path across to Sils every +day regularly, and thence up to Maloja. They were working on the highway +in that place, and there he found employment.</p> + +<p>When, however, he did not have work up there, he went down to the Baths +of St. Moritz. Houses were being built down there, and he found work in +plenty; and there passed the day, only returning to his cottage at +nightfall.</p> + +<p>When he came out of his house in the morning, he was usually followed by +a little boy, who lingered on the threshold after his father had gone on +his way, and looked with his big black eyes for a long time in the +direction his father had taken; but where he was looking that no one +could have told, for his eyes had a faraway look, as if they saw nothing +that lay before them and near, but were searching for something +invisible to everybody.</p> + +<p>On Sunday mornings, when the sun shone brightly, father and son would +saunter up the road together; and the close resemblance between them was +most striking, for the child was the man in miniature, only his face was +small and pale,—with his father's well-formed nose, to be sure; but his +mouth had an expression of great sadness, as if he could not laugh. In +his father's face this could not be detected, on account of the beard.</p> + +<p>When they walked along together, side by side, they did not talk; but +the father usually hummed a tune softly,—sometimes quite aloud,—and +the lad listened attentively. On rainy Sundays they sat at the window +together in the cottage, and seldom talked then; but the man drew his +harmonica from his pocket, and played one tune after another to the lad, +who listened most earnestly. Sometimes he would take a comb, or even a +leaf, and coax forth music; or he would shape a bit of wood with his +knife, and whistle a tune upon that. It really seemed as if there were +no object from which he could not draw forth sweet sounds. Once, +however, he brought a fiddle home with him, and the boy was so delighted +with the instrument, that he never forgot it. The man played one tune +after another, while the child listened and looked with all his might; +and when the fiddle was laid aside, the little fellow took it up, and +tried to find out for himself how the music was made. And it could not +have sounded so very badly, for his father had smiled, saying, "Come, +now!" and placed the big fingers of his left hand over his son's, and +held the little hand and the bow together in his right; and thus they +played for a long time, and produced a great many sweet tunes.</p> + +<p>On the following day, after his father's departure, the boy tried again +and again to play, until at last he did succeed in producing a tune +quite correctly. Soon after, however, the fiddle disappeared, and never +made its appearance again.</p> + +<p>Often, when they were together, the man would begin to sing +softly,—softly at first, then more and more distinctly as he became +more interested, and the boy know the words, he could at least follow +the tune. The father sang Italian always; and the child understood a +great deal, but not well enough to sing. One tune, however, he knew +better than any other, for his father had repeated it many hundred +times. It was part of a long song, and began in this wise:—</p> + +<p> "One evening In Peschiera."</p> + +<p>It was a sad melody that some one had arranged to a pretty ballad, and +it particularly pleased the lad, so that he always sang it with pleasure +and with a feeling of awe; and it sounded very sweetly, for the lad had +a clear, bell-like voice, that harmonized beautifully with his father's +strong basso. And each time after they had sung this song from beginning +to end, his father clapped the boy kindly on the shoulder, saying, "Well +done, Henrico! well done!" This was the way his father called him, but +he was called "Rico" only by everybody else.</p> + +<p>There was a cousin who lived in the cottage with them, and who mended +and cooked and kept the house in order. In the winter she sat by the +stove and spun, and Rico had to consider how he could enter the room, +very carefully; for as soon as he had opened the door, his cousin called +out, "Do let that door alone, or we shall have it cold enough in the +room here."</p> + +<p>In winter he was very often alone with his cousin; for when his father +had work to do in the valley, he would be away for long weeks at a time.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0102"></a> +CHAPTER II.</p> + +<p>IN THE SCHOOL.</p> + +<p> +Rico was almost nine years old, and had been to school for two winters. +Up there in the mountains there was no school in the summer-time; for +then the teacher had his field to cultivate, and his hay and wood to +cut, like everybody else, and nobody had time to think of going to +school. This was not a great sorrow for Rico,—he knew how to amuse +himself. When he had once taken his place in the morning on the +threshold, he would stand there for hours without moving, gazing into +the far distance with dreamy eyes, if the door of the house over the +way did not open, and a little girl make her appearance and look over +at him laughingly. Then Rico ran over to her in a trice, and the +children were busy enough in telling each other what had happened since +the evening before, and talked incessantly, until Stineli was called +into the house. The girl's name was Stineli, and she and Rico were of +exactly the same age. They began to go to school at the same time, were +in the same classes, and from that time forward were always together; +for there was only a narrow path between their cottages, and they were +the dearest of friends.</p> + +<p>This was the only intimacy that Rico had, for he had no pleasure in +the companionship of the other boys; and when they thrashed each +other, or played at wrestling, or turned somersaults, he went away +without even looking back at them. If they called out after him, "Now +it is Rico's turn to be thrashed," he stood perfectly still and did +nothing; but he looked at them so strangely with his dark eyes, that +no one meddled with him.</p> + +<p>In Stineli's company he was always contented. She had a merry little +pug-nose, and two brown eyes that were always laughing; and around her +head were two thick braids of brown hair, that always looked smooth and +neat, for Stineli was a very orderly girl, and knew very well how to +take care of herself. For that her daily experience was excellent. It is +true Stineli was scarcely nine years old, but she was the eldest +daughter of the family, and had to help her mother in every thing, and +there was a great deal to be done,—for after Stineli came Trudi and +Sami and Peterli, then Urschli and Anne-Deteli and Kunzli, and last of +all the baby, who was not baptized. From every corner, at every moment, +Stineli was called for; and she had become so handy and skilful with all +this practice, that work seemed to turn itself out of her hands of its +own accord. She could always put on three stockings and fasten two shoes +before Trudi had even placed the legs of the little one she was helping +in the right position. And while her mother was calling for Stineli to +help her in the kitchen, and the little children wanted her in the +bedroom, her father was sure to shout out from the stable for Stineli to +come to his help, for he had mislaid his cap, or his whip-lash was in a +knot, and she found the one in a trice,—it was generally on the +meal-box,—and her limber fingers had no trouble in untying the knotted +lash. So, you see, Stineli was always busy running about and working, +but always merry with it all, and rejoiced also in winter, when the +school began. Then she went with Rico to school and back again, and in +recess they were also together. And in summer she was still more happy, +for then the lovely Sunday evenings came when she could go out; and she +and Rico went, hand in hand,—the lad was always waiting for her in the +doorway,—over the big meadow towards the wood on the hill-side that +projected far out over the lake like an island. They used to sit up +there under the pines, and look out over the green waters of the lake, +and had so many questions to ask and so many answers to give, and were +so happy, that Stineli was happy all the week in thinking it over and +looking forward,—for Sunday always came again.</p> + +<p>There was yet one other person in the household who called for Stineli +now and then,—that was her old grandmother.</p> + +<p>She did not want her assistance, however, but had generally a bit of +money to give her that she had put aside, or some little thing that +would give the girl pleasure; for the grandmother noticed how much there +was for Stineli to do, and that she had less pleasure than other +children of her age, and the child was her favorite. She always had +something ready so that she could buy herself a red ribbon at the yearly +market, or a needle-case, if she wished.</p> + +<p>Rico was also a favorite with this good grandmother, and she liked to +see the children together, and tried to contrive a little recreation for +them now and then.</p> + +<p>On summer evenings the grandmother always sat by the door on a +tree-stump that was there, and often Stineli and Rico stood by her side +while she told them stories. But when the prayer-bell sounded from the +little church tower she always said, "Now say, 'Our Father;' and be +sure, children, that you never forget to say that prayer every evening; +the prayer-bells ring to remind you of that." "Now remember, little +ones," she would now and then repeat, "I have lived for a long, long +time, and had a great deal of experience, and I have never known a +single person who has not, at some time or other in his life, sore need +of 'Our Father;' but I have known many a one who has sought to say it +anxiously, and not found it, in his great need." So Stineli and Rico +stood reverently side by side and said their evening prayer.</p> + +<p>Now May had come, and there was only a short time to pass before school +would cease, for under the trees there were signs of green, and the snow +had melted and vanished in many places. Rico had been standing for a +long time in the doorway making these welcome observations. At the same +time he looked again and again towards the opposite door, hoping that it +would open. It did at last, and out came Stineli.</p> + +<p>"How long have you been standing there?" she called out merrily. "It is +early to-day, and we can go along slowly."</p> + +<p>They took each other's hands, and went towards the schoolhouse.</p> + +<p>"Are you always thinking about the lake?" asked Stineli as they +went along.</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course," said Rico, with a serious expression; "and I often +dream about it too, and see great red flowers there, and in the distance +the purple mountains."</p> + +<p>"Oh! what one dreams does not count," said Stineli. "I dreamed once that +Peterli climbed, all alone, to the top of the highest pine-tree; and +when he was on the top twig, suddenly he changed into a bird and called +out, 'Come, Stineli, and put on my stockings for me.' So you see that it +does not mean any thing when you dream."</p> + +<p>Rico pondered over this, for his dream might certainly mean something, +and yet only be thoughts passing through his mind. Now, however, they +were near the schoolhouse, and a troop of noisy children came towards +them from the opposite direction. They all entered together, and soon +the teacher came in. He was an old man with thin, gray hair, for he had +been teacher for an incredibly long time,—so long, that his hair had +grown gray and fallen out.</p> + +<p>Now a busy spelling and pronouncing began; then followed the +multiplication-table, and, lastly, the singing. For this the teacher +brought out his old fiddle and tuned it. Then they began, and all +shouted at the top of their lungs,—</p> + +<p> "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height,"</p> + +<p>and the teacher played the accompaniment.</p> + +<p>Rico, however, had his eyes fixed so attentively upon the fiddle, and on +the teacher's fingers as he touched the strings, that he quite forgot +the song; and at this the whole choir lost their pitch, and fell away a +half-note, and the fiddle became uncertain, and lost a half-note also; +and then the voices fell lower still, until at last nobody could have +told where they were going to all together; but the teacher tossed his +fiddle upon the table and called out angrily, "What sort of a song do +you call that? You are nothing but a lot of screamers! I should like to +know who it is who sings false and spoils the whole time."</p> + +<p>At this a little boy spoke up,—the one who sat nearest to Rico: "I know +why it all goes wrong. It always goes that way when Rico stops singing."</p> + +<p>The teacher himself knew that the fiddle was somewhat dependent on +Rico's leading.</p> + +<p>"Rico, Rico! what is this that I hear?" he said, turning to the lad. +"You are generally a well-behaved boy; but inattention is a sad fault, +as you now see. One single careless scholar can easily spoil a whole +song. Now we will begin anew; and be more attentive, Rico."</p> + +<p>After this the boy sang with his steady, clear voice; the fiddle +followed, and the children sang with all their might, and it went on +very satisfactorily to the very end.</p> + +<p>The teacher was well satisfied, and rubbed his hands together, and then +drew his bow over the string, saying, with a pleased air, "It is a good +instrument, after all."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0103"></a> +CHAPTER III.</p> + +<p>THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE.</p> + +<p> +Stineli and Rico freed themselves from the crowd of children gathered +before the schoolhouse, and wandered off together. "Were you thinking so +that you could not sing with us to-day, Rico?" asked Stineli. "Were you +thinking again about the lake?"</p> + +<p>"No, it was quite another thing," replied the boy. "I know how to play +'Little lambkins, come down,' if I only had a fiddle."</p> + +<p>Judging from the deep sigh that accompanied these words, the wish must +have weighed heavily on Rico's heart. The sympathetic little Stineli +began at once to contrive some means of helping him to get his wish.</p> + +<p>"We will buy one together, Rico," she said suddenly, full of delight at +a happy thought that had entered her head. "I have ever so many pieces of +money,—as many as twelve. How much have you got?"</p> + +<p>"None at all," said the boy sadly. "My father gave me some before he +went away, but my cousin said I should only spend it foolishly, and +she took it from me, and put it up on the shelf in a box where I +cannot get it."</p> + +<p>Such a trifle did not discourage Stineli. "Perhaps we have enough +without that, and my grandmother will give me some more soon," she said +consolingly. "You know, Rico, a fiddle can't cost so very much; it is +nothing but a bit of old wood with four strings stretched across it, +that will be cheap, I'm sure. You must ask the teacher about it +to-morrow morning, and then we will try to find one."</p> + +<p>So it was settled, and Stineli resolved to do all she could at home to +make herself useful by getting up bright and early, and making the fire +before her mother was afoot, thinking that, if she worked busily from +morning till night, perhaps her grandmother would put a bit of money for +her in the bag.</p> + +<p>After school the next day Stineli went out and waited alone behind the +wood-pile at the schoolhouse corner, for Rico had made up his mind at +last to ask the teacher how much it would cost to buy a fiddle. He was +such a long time about it, that Stineli kept peeping out from behind the +wood-pile, quite overcome with impatience, but only saw the other school +children who were standing about and playing; but now certainly,—yes, +that was Rico who came around the corner.</p> + +<p>"What did he say? How much does it cost?" cried Stineli, almost +breathless with suspense.</p> + +<p>"I had not the courage to ask," was the sad answer.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a shame!" said the girl, and stood still and disappointed for +a moment, but not more. "Never mind, Rico; you can try again to-morrow," +she said cheerfully, taking him by the hand and turning homeward. "I got +another bit of money from my grandmother this morning, because I got up +early and was in the kitchen when she came in."</p> + +<p>The same thing happened, however, the next day and the day after. Rico +stood for half an hour before the door without getting courage to go in +to ask his question. At last Stineli made up her mind to go herself, if +this lasted three days more. On the fourth day, however, as Rico was +standing, timid and depressed, before the door, it opened suddenly, and +the teacher came out quickly, and ran into Rico with such force, that +the slender little fellow, who did not weigh more than a feather, was +thrown backward several feet. The teacher stood looking at the child in +great surprise and some displeasure. Then he said, "What does this mean, +Rico? Why do you stand before the door without knocking, if you have a +message to deliver? If you have no message, why do you not go away? If +you wish to tell me any thing, do so at once. What is it that you wish?"</p> + +<p>"How much does a fiddle cost?" Rico blurted out his question in +great fear and haste. The teacher's surprise and displeasure +increased visibly.</p> + +<p>"I do not understand, Rico," he said, with a severe glance at the boy. +"Have you come here on purpose to mock me? or have you any particular +reason for asking this? What did you mean to say?"</p> + +<p>"I did not mean any thing," said Rico abashed, "only to ask how much it +would cost to buy a fiddle."</p> + +<p>"You did not understand me just now,—pay attention to what I am saying. +There are two ways of asking a question: either to obtain information, +or simply from idle curiosity, which is foolishness. Now pay attention, +Rico: is this a mere idle question, or did somebody send you who wishes +to buy a fiddle?"</p> + +<p>"I want to buy one myself," said the boy, taking courage a little; +but he was frightened when the angry reply came, "What! what did you +say? A forlorn little fellow like you buy a fiddle! Do you even know +what the instrument is? Have you any idea of how old I was, and what +I knew, before I obtained one? I was a teacher, a regular teacher; +was twenty-two years old, with an assured profession, and not a +child like you.</p> + +<p>"Now I will tell you what a fiddle costs, and then you will see how +foolish you are. Six hard gulden I paid for mine. Can you realize what +that means? We will separate it into blutsgers. If one gulden contains a +hundred blutsgers, then six guldens will be equal to six times one +hundred,—quickly, quickly! Now, Rico, you are generally ready enough."</p> + +<p>"Six hundred blutsgers," said the lad softly, for he was quite +overpowered with the magnitude of this sum as compared with Stineli's +twelve blutsgers.</p> + +<p>"And, moreover, my son, do you imagine that you have only to take a +fiddle in your hand to be able to play on it at once? It takes a long +time to do that. Come in here now, for a moment." And the teacher opened +the door, and took his fiddle from its place on the wall. "There," he +said, as he placed it on Rico's arm, "take the bow in your hand,—so, my +boy; and if you can play me <i>c, d, e, f</i>, I will give you a +half-gulden."</p> + +<p>Rico had the fiddle really in his hand; his eyes sparkled with fire; <i>c, +d, e, f,</i>—he played the notes firmly and perfectly correctly. "You +little rascal!" cried the astonished teacher, "where did you learn that? +Who taught you? How do you find the notes?"</p> + +<p>"I can do more than that, if I may," said the boy.</p> + +<p>"Play, then."</p> + +<p>And Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "Little lambkins, come down<br> + From the bright sunny height;<br> + The daylight is fading,<br> + The sun says, 'Good-night!'"</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<br><br><br><br> +<a name="2"></a> +<center> +<img alt="002a.jpg (153K)"src="images/002a.jpg" height="1075" width="674"> +<p><b>RICO PLAYED CORRECTLY, AND WITH ENTHUSIASM</b></p> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>The teacher sunk into a chair, and put his spectacles on his nose. His +eyes rested on Rico's fingers as he played, then on his sparkling eyes, +and again on his hands. When the air was finished, he said, "Come here +to me, Rico;" and, moving his chair into the light, he placed the lad +directly before him. "Now I have something to say to you. Your father is +an Italian; and I know that down there all sorts of things go on of +which we have no idea here in the mountains. Now look me straight in the +eye, and answer me truly and honestly. How did you learn to play this +air so correctly?"</p> + +<p>Looking up with his honest eyes, the boy replied, "I learned it from +you, in the school where it is so often sung."</p> + +<p>These words gave an entirely new aspect to the affair. The teacher stood +up, and went back and forth several times in the room. Then he was +himself the cause of this wonderful event; there was no necromancy +concerned in it.</p> + +<p>In a far better humor, he took out his purse, saying, "Here is your +half-gulden, Rico; it is justly yours. Now go; and for the future be +very attentive to the music-lesson as long as you go to the school. In +that way you may, perhaps, accomplish something; and in twelve or +fourteen years perhaps you may be able to buy a fiddle. Now you may go."</p> + +<p>Rico cast one look at the fiddle, and departed with deep sadness in +his heart.</p> + +<p>Stineli came running to meet him from behind the wood-pile. "You did +stay a long time. Have you asked the question?"</p> + +<p>"It is all of no use," said the boy; and his eyebrows came together in +his distress, and formed a thick black line across his forehead over his +eyes. "A fiddle costs six hundred blutsgers; and in fourteen years I can +buy one, when everybody will be dead. Who will be living fourteen years +from now? There, you may have this; I do not want it." With these words +he pressed the half-gulden into Stineli's hand.</p> + +<p>"Six hundred blutsgers!" repeated the girl, horrified. "But where did +this half-gulden come from?"</p> + +<p>Rico told her all that had happened at the teacher's, ending with the +same words expressing his great regret, "It is all of no use!"</p> + +<p>Stineli tried to console him a little with the half-gulden; but he was +furious at the thought of the innocent piece of money, and would not +even look at it.</p> + +<p>So Stineli said, "I will put it with my blutsgers, and we will have it +all between us."</p> + +<p>Stineli herself was very much discouraged now; but as they went around +the corner into the field, the little pathway that led to their doors +shone so prettily in the bright sunlight, and the plat before the houses +was so white and dry, that she called out,—</p> + +<p>"See, see! now it is summer, Rico; and we can go up into the wood, and +we will be happy again. Shall we go next Sunday?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing will ever make me happy again," said Rico; "but if you want to +go, I will go with you."</p> + +<p>When they reached the door, they had arranged to go to the wood on the +following Sunday, and Stineli was very happy at the thought. She did all +that she was able to do through the week, and there was a great deal of +work for her. Peterli, Sami, and Urschli had the measles, and in the +stable one of the goats was sick, and needed hot water very often; and +Stineli had to run hither and thither, lending a helping hand in every +direction as soon as she came home from school, and on Saturday all day +long until late in the evening; and then there were the stable buckets +to be cleaned. But that night her father said,—</p> + +<p>"Stineli <i>is</i> a handy child."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0104"></a> +CHAPTER IV.</p> + +<p>THE BEAUTIFUL DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME</p> + +<p> +When Stineli awoke on the following Sunday morning, she was conscious of +an unusual light-heartedness, and at first could not understand the +cause, until she remembered what day it was, and that her grandmother +had said, on the previous evening, "To-morrow you must have the whole +afternoon to yourself: it is rightfully yours."</p> + +<p>After dinner was finished, and all the dishes taken away, and the table +washed off by Stineli, Peterli called out, "Come here to me;" and the +two others screamed, "No, to me!" and her father said, "Now Stineli must +go to look after the goats."</p> + +<p>But at this moment her grandmother went through the kitchen, and made a +sign to Stineli to follow her.</p> + +<p>"Now go in peace, my child," she said. "I will take care of the goats +and the children; but be sure to come home, both of you, punctually when +the bell rings for prayer." The grandmother knew very well that there +were two of them.</p> + +<p>Off flew Stineli, like a bird whose cage-door has suddenly been opened; +and outside stood Rico, who had been waiting for a long time. They went +on together, across the meadow towards the wood.</p> + +<p>On the mountains the sun was shining brightly, and the blue heavens lay +over all the landscape. They were obliged to pass, for a little while, +through the shade in the snow; but the sun was shining a little farther +on, and shimmered on the waters of the lake, and there were lovely dry +spots on the slope that was almost hanging over the lake.</p> + +<p>There the children seated themselves. A sharp wind came down from the +heights, and whistled about their ears. Stineli was as happy as happy +could be. She shouted out, again and again, "Oh, look, Rico; look! How +beautiful it is in the sun! Now summer has come, look how the lake +glistens! There cannot be a more beautiful lake than this one anywhere," +she said confidently.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, Stineli! You ought to see the lake I know about just once," +said Rico; and looked so longingly across the lake, that it seemed as if +that which he wanted to see began just beyond their vision.</p> + +<p>"Over there are no dark fir-trees, with sharp needles, but shining green +leaves, and great red flowers; and the mountains are not so high and +dark, nor so near, but lie off in the distance, and are purple; and the +sky and the lake are all golden and still and warm. There the wind does +not feel like this, and one's feet never get full of snow; and one can +sit all day long on the sunny ground, and look about."</p> + +<p>Stineli was quite carried away by this description. She already saw the +red flowers and the golden lake before her eyes, and seemed to know +exactly how beautiful it all was.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you may be able to go there again to see it all, Rico. Do you +know the way?"</p> + +<p>"You must cross the Maloja. I have been there with my father once. He +pointed me out the road that goes all the way down the mountain,—first +this way, then that, and far below lies the lake; but so far, so far, +that it is scarcely possible to go there."</p> + +<p>"Oh! that is easy enough," said Stineli. "You have to go farther and +farther, that is all; and at the end you will surely get there."</p> + +<p>"But my father told me something else. Do you know, Stineli, when you +are travelling and stop at an inn, and eat something and sleep there, +then there is something to pay, and you must have money for that."</p> + +<p>"Oh! we have lots of money," cried Stineli triumphantly. But her +companion was not triumphant.</p> + +<p>"That is exactly as good as nothing. I know that by the affair of the +fiddle," he said sadly.</p> + +<p>"Then it will be better for you to stay at home, Rico. Look! it is +beautiful here at home, I am sure."</p> + +<p>The lad sat thoughtfully silent for a long time, leaning his head on his +hand, and his eyebrows brought in a close line down over his eyes. At +last he turned again to Stineli, who had been gathering the soft green +moss that grew around the spot where they were lying, and of which she +made a tiny bed with two pillows and a coverlet. She meant to carry them +home to the sick Urschli.</p> + +<p>"You say I had better stay at home, Stineli; but, do you know, it is +just as if I did not know where my home really is."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me! what do you mean?" cried the girl; and in her surprise she +threw away a whole handful of moss. Your home is here, of course. It is +always home where father and mother"—She stopped suddenly. Rico had no +mother, and his father had been away now for a very long time; and the +cousin? Stineli never went near that cousin, who had never spoken one +pleasant word to her. The child did not know what to say, but it was not +natural to her to remain long in uncertainty. Rico had already fallen +into one of his reveries, when she grasped him by the arm, and said,—</p> + +<p>"I should just like to know something; that is, the name of the lake +where it is so lovely."</p> + +<p>Rico pondered. "I do not know," he said; and felt very much surprised +himself as he spoke.</p> + +<p>Now Stineli proposed that they should ask somebody what it was called; +for even if Rico had ever so much money, and was able to travel, he must +know how to inquire the way, and what the name of the lake was. They +began at once to think of whom they should inquire,—of the teacher, or +of the grandmother.</p> + +<p>At last it occurred to Rico that his father would know better than +anybody else, and he thought he would certainly ask him when he came +home again.</p> + +<p>The time had slipped away quickly as they sat talking, and presently the +children heard the distant sound of a bell. They recognized the sound. +It was the bell for prayers.</p> + +<p>They sprang up quickly, and ran off, hand in hand, down the hill-side +through bushes, and through the snow across the meadow; and it had +scarcely stopped ringing when they reached the door where the +grandmother was on the lookout for them.</p> + +<p>Stineli had to go at once into the house, and her grandmother said +quickly, "Go home directly, Rico, and do not hang around the door +any longer."</p> + +<p>The grandmother had never said such a thing to him before, although he +had always been in the habit of hanging around the door; for he was +never in haste to go home, and stood always for a while before he could +make up his mind to enter. He obeyed at once, however, and went into +the house.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0105"></a> +CHAPTER V.</p> + +<p>A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME.</p> + +<p> +Rico did not find his cousin in the sitting-room; so he went to the +kitchen, and opened the door. There she stood; but before he could +enter, she raised her finger, saying, "Sch! sch! Do not open and shut +the doors, and make a noise, as if there were four of you. Go into the +other room, and keep still. Your father is lying in the bedroom up +there. They brought him home in a wagon: he is sick."</p> + +<p>Rico went into the room, seated himself on a bench, and did not stir.</p> + +<p>He sat there for at least a half-hour. Presently he heard the cousin +moving about in the kitchen. Then he thought that he would go up very +softly, and peep into the bedroom. Perhaps his father would like +something to eat: it was long past the meal-time.</p> + +<p>He slipped behind the stove, mounted the little steps, and went very +softly into the bedroom. After a while he returned, went at once into +the kitchen, approached quite close to his cousin, and said softly,—</p> + +<p>"Cousin, come up."</p> + +<p>The woman was about to strike him angrily, when she happened to glance +at his face. He was perfectly colorless,—cheeks and lips as white as +a sheet, and his eyes looked so black that the cousin was almost +afraid of him.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you?" she asked hastily, and followed him +almost involuntarily.</p> + +<p>He mounted the little steps softly, and entered the chamber. His father +lay on the bed with staring, wide-open eyes,—he was dead.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my God!" screamed the cousin, and ran crying out of the door that +opened upon the passage on the other side of the room, went down the +staircase, and across into the opposite house, where she called out to +tell the neighbor and the grandmother the sad news; and thence she ran +on to the teacher and to the mayor.</p> + +<p>One after another they came, and entered the quiet room until it was +full of people; for the news spread from one to another of what had +taken place. And in the midst of all the tumult, and of all the clamor +of the crowd of neighbors, Rico stood by the bedside speechless, +motionless, and gazed at his father. All through the week the house +was filled with people who wished to look at the man, and hear from +the cousin how it had all happened; so that the lad heard it repeated +over and over, that his father had been at work down in St. Gall on +the railroad.</p> + +<p>He had received a deep wound on the head when they were blasting a rock; +and, as he could not work any longer, he wished to go home to take care +of himself until the wound was healed. But the long journey—sometimes +on foot, sometimes in an open wagon—was too much for him; and when he +had reached his home on Sunday, towards evening, he had lain down on +the bed never to rise again. Without any one knowing it, he had passed +away; for he was already stiff when Rico had found him. On the following +Sunday the burial took place. Rico was the only mourner to follow the +coffin. Several kind neighbors joined in, and thus the little procession +went on to Sils. In the church, Rico heard the pastor when he read out, +"The deceased was called Henrico Trevillo, and was a native of Peschiera +on the Lake of Garda."</p> + +<p>These words brought the feeling to Rico that he had heard something that +he knew perfectly well before, and yet could not recollect. He had +always seen a picture of the lake before his eyes when he had sung,—</p> + +<p> "One evening + In Peschiera,"</p> + +<p>with his father, but he had never known the reason. He repeated the name +softly to himself, while one old song after another arose in his memory.</p> + +<p>As he came back from the burial all alone, he saw the grandmother +seated on the log of wood, and Stineli by her side. She beckoned him to +come over to them. She gave the lad a bit of cake and another to +Stineli, and said now they might go off together for a walk. Rico ought +not to be alone.</p> + +<p>So the children rambled off together, hand in hand. The grandmother +remained seated on her log, sadly gazing after the black-haired lad +until they had wandered slowly up the hillside and passed out of sight. +Then she said softly to herself,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> +<p> "Whate'er He does, or lets be done, + Is always for the best."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0106"></a> +CHAPTER VI.</p> + +<p>RICO'S MOTHER.</p> + +<p> +Along the road from Sils came the teacher leaning on his staff. He had +assisted at the burial. He coughed and cleared his throat; and as he +drew near to the grandmother and bade her "good evening," he seated +himself by her side. "If you have no objection, I will sit here with you +for a few moments, neighbor," said he; "for I feel very badly in my +throat and chest. But what can we expect when we are almost seventy +years old, and have witnessed such a funeral as this one to-day? He was +not thirty-five years of age, and as strong as a tree."</p> + +<p>"It always sets me thinking," said the grandmother, "when I, an old +woman of seventy-five years, am left, and here and there a young person +is called away,—a useful one, too."</p> + +<p>"Yet the old folks are good for something. Who else can set an +example to the youth?" remarked the teacher. "But what is your +opinion, neighbor: what will become of the little fellow over yonder, +do you think?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, what will become of him?" repeated the old woman. "I also ask +myself that question; and if my only reliance were upon human help, I +should not know of an answer. But there is a heavenly Father who looks +after the forsaken children. He will provide something for the lad."</p> + +<p>"Will you not tell me, neighbor, how it happened that the Italian +married the daughter of your friend who lived over there opposite? One +never knows how these people may turn out."</p> + +<p>"It happened as such things always happen, neighbor. You know how my old +friend Anne-Dete had lost all her children, and her husband also, and +lived alone in the cottage over yonder with Marie-Seppli, who was a +merry little girl. About eleven or twelve years ago Trevillo made his +appearance here. He had work in the Maloja, and came down here with the +other boys; and he and Marie-Seppli had scarcely become acquainted +before they were resolved to have each other.</p> + +<p>"And it must be said, in justice to Trevillo, that he was not only a +handsome fellow who was agreeable to everybody, but also an industrious +and well-conducted man, with whom Anne-Dete (the mother) was well +pleased. Naturally she wished that they should stay in the house and +live with her, and Trevillo would gladly have done so. He was fond of +his wife's mother, and he always did as Marie-Seppli wished him to. He +had taken her, however, towards the Maloja in his walks, and they had +together looked down the road where you can see how far it goes winding +down the mountain; and he had told her how every thing was down there +where he was born. So Marie-Seppli got it into her head that she must go +there, and no matter how much her mother worried and fretted, and said +that they could not live there, she still was bent upon going; and +Trevillo himself said that as to living there she need not fear, for he +had a nice little property and a house; but, for his part, he would like +to see a little of the world. But the bride prevailed, and after the +wedding she was all for starting directly down the mountain.</p> + +<p>"She wrote to her mother occasionally that it was very nice where they +lived, and that Trevillo was the best of husbands.</p> + +<p>"About five or six years later, who should walk into the room where +Anne-Dete was sitting but Trevillo, leading a little boy by the hand. He +said, 'There, mother, this is the only thing I have left of +Marie-Seppli. She lies buried down yonder with her other little +children. This one was her first, and her favorite.'</p> + +<p>"This is what my old friend told me. Then he threw himself down on the +bench where he had first seen his wife, saying that he should like to +make his home there with her and the boy, if she had no objection, for +down below it was not possible for him to continue to live. This was joy +and sorrow at the same time for Anne-Dete.</p> + +<p>"Little Rico was then about four years old,—a quiet, thoughtful boy, +never noisy or mischievous, and the very apple of her eye; but she died +in the course of a year, and Trevillo was advised to take a cousin of +hers to keep house for him and his boy."</p> + +<p>"So, so!" said the teacher when the old woman was silent, having +finished her story. "I had not understood all this thoroughly before. +Perhaps some of Trevillo's relations will come forward, in good time, +and they can be asked to do something for the child."</p> + +<p>"Relations!" said the grandmother with a sigh. "That cousin is a +relation, and little enough of comfort he gets from her in the course of +the year."</p> + +<p>The schoolmaster rose with difficulty from his seat. "I am going +down-hill, neighbor," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot imagine where +my strength has gone to."</p> + +<p>The old woman encouraged him, and said he was still a young man in +comparison with her. But, in truth, it did surprise her to see how +slowly and painfully he walked as he left her.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0107"></a> +CHAPTER VII.</p> + +<p>A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER.</p> + +<p> +Many beautiful Sundays followed; and, whenever it was possible, the +grandmother so arranged it that Stineli got, now and then, a spare +moment; but the work in the house increased daily. Rico passed many +hours standing on the threshold of his cottage looking longingly across +the way, in the hope of seeing Stineli come out.</p> + +<p>Towards September, when people often sat before their houses in order to +enjoy, to the utmost, the last warm evenings of the season, the +schoolmaster placed himself before his door, but he looked very thin and +coughed continually; and at last, one morning when he tried to rise, his +strength deserted him completely, and he fell back upon his pillow.</p> + +<p>There he lay very still, and busy with all sorts of thoughts; and he +wondered what would come to pass when he died. He had no children, and +his wife had been dead for a long time, and there was only an old +maid-servant to live with him and take care of the house. He was +principally occupied in thinking of what would become of all the things +that belonged to him when he should be gone; and, as his fiddle hung +directly opposite to him on the wall, he said to himself, "I must leave +that behind me too."</p> + +<p>Then he remembered the day when Rico stood before him and played on the +instrument, and he felt as if he had rather let the boy have the fiddle +than to let it go to a distant cousin who did not understand the use of +it at all. And he thought that, if it were to go very cheap, perhaps +Rico could buy it. Presently he bethought himself that if he could not +use the violin, neither would he have any use for money. For all that, +he could not bring himself to let the instrument, for which he had paid +down six hard gulden, go for nothing.</p> + +<p>So he pondered and pondered how he could manage to obtain something in +exchange; but at last it was quite clear to him that there, where he was +fast going, he could not take his violin with him, neither could he take +any thing that he might get for it, for all must remain behind.</p> + +<p>While he was lying there the fever became greater and greater, and he +lay, towards evening and all night long, fighting with all sorts of +strange thoughts, and old, long-forgotten events rose before his mind +and perplexed him; so that at last, towards morning, he lay on his bed +utterly exhausted, and with only one thought or wish,—viz., to be able +to do one kind deed, one good action, and that quickly, before it was +too late. He knocked against the wall with his stick until the old +maid-servant heard him and came in to him; and then he sent her over to +the grandmother, to ask her to come to him as quickly as possible.</p> + +<p>She did come almost immediately; and before she had fairly time to ask +him how he found himself, he said,—</p> + +<p>"Will you be so good as to take down the fiddle that hangs there on the +wall, and give it to the little orphan boy? I wish to make him a present +of it, and he must be very careful of it."</p> + +<p>Naturally the good woman was very much surprised, and could not +refrain from exclaiming repeatedly, "What will Rico do with it? What +will Rico say to this?" Presently she noticed, however, that the +schoolmaster seemed a little restless, as if he were in a hurry to +have the thing done.</p> + +<p>So she left him, and hastened as quickly as possible across the fields +with the gift under her arm; for she was also impatient to know how Rico +would take this rare piece of good fortune.</p> + +<p>He was standing in the doorway of his cottage. At a motion from the +grandmother, he ran towards her.</p> + +<p>"Here, Rico," she said, and handed him the violin. "The schoolmaster +sends this to you: it is yours."</p> + +<p>The boy stood as if he were in a dream, but it was true. The grandmother +was really standing there, holding the fiddle out to him.</p> + +<p>Trembling with pleasure and excitement, he took his present at last, put +it on his arm, and gazed at it in a silly sort of way, as if he thought +it might vanish presently, as quickly as it had come, if he did not keep +his eyes on it.</p> + +<p>"You must be very careful of it," said the old woman, delivering her +message faithfully. She was much inclined to laugh, however; for it did +not seem to her that the warning was at all necessary. "And, Rico, think +about the teacher, and do not forget what he has done for you: he is +very ill."</p> + +<p>The grandmother went into the house with these words; and the boy +hastened up into his own bedroom, where he was always alone.</p> + +<p>There he sat and fiddled, and played on and on, and forgot all about +eating or drinking, or how the time sped on. At last, when it was almost +dark, he came to himself, and went down-stairs. The cousin came out from +the kitchen, saying, "You can have something to eat to-morrow morning. +You have behaved so to-day that you won't get any thing more."</p> + +<p>The boy did not feel hungry, although he had not eaten since the early +morning, and went quite unconsciously across into the opposite house, +and entered the kitchen. He was looking for the grandmother.</p> + +<p>Stineli was standing by the hearth, arranging the fire. When she caught +sight of Rico, she shouted aloud for joy; for the ground had almost +burned beneath her feet, she had been so impatient all day—ever since +her grandmother had told her the great news—to get away, and express +her delight to Rico; but she had not dared to leave the house for an +instant. Now she was fairly beside herself, and called out, again and +again, "You have got it now! You have got it now!"</p> + +<p>Hearing the noise, the grandmother came out of the sitting-room; and +Rico hastened towards her, saying, "May I go to thank the teacher, if +he is sick?"</p> + +<p>After thinking a while,—for she remembered how very ill the +schoolmaster looked in the morning when she saw him,—the good woman +said, "Wait a few moments, Rico, I will go with you;" and stepped into +her room to put on a clean apron. Then they went over to the +schoolhouse. The grandmother entered first. Rico followed, his fiddle +under his arm. He had not once laid it down since it had come into his +possession.</p> + +<p>The teacher lay on his bed, looking very feeble indeed. The lad stepped +to the bedside and looked down at his fiddle and could scarcely speak, +but his eyes sparkled so brightly that the good man had no difficulty in +understanding him: he cast a pleased look towards the boy, and nodded at +him. Then he beckoned the grandmother to draw near. Rico moved a little +to one side, and the teacher said with a weak voice, "Grandmother, I +should be very glad if you would say 'Our Father' for me, I feel so very +much troubled."</p> + +<p>Just at this moment the prayer-bell sounded. The grandmother folded her +hands and repeated the Lord's Prayer, and Rico also folded his hands. +Every thing was quiet in the room. After a while the grandmother bent +over and closed the old teacher's eyes, for he had passed away. Then she +took Rico by the hand, and went softly home with him.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0108"></a> +CHAPTER VIII.</p> + +<p>ON THE LAKE OF SILS.</p> + +<p> +Stineli did not recover herself during the entire week, her joy was so +great; but it seemed as if that week were ten days longer than any +other, for Sunday seemed never to come.</p> + +<p>At last it did come, and a golden sun shone over the harvest fields, and +she and Rico went up under the fir-trees, where the sparkling lake lay +spread out at their feet; and the girl's heart was so overflowing with +happiness, that she had to dance about and shout aloud before she seated +herself on the moss, on the very edge of the slope. There she could see +every thing round about,—the sunny heights and the lake, and, stretched +over all, the blue heavens.</p> + +<p>Suddenly she called out, "Come now, Rico; we will sing,—sing for +ever so long."</p> + +<p>So the lad seated himself by Stineli's side, and placed his fiddle in +position,—for he had, of course, brought that too,—and began to play, +and the children sang,—</p> + +<p> "Little lambkins, come down <br> + From the bright, sunny height,"</p> + +<p>until they had sung all the verses; but Stineli had not had half enough.</p> + +<p>"We will sing more," she said, and went on,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "Little lambkins, above<br> + On the bright, pleasant hill,<br> + The sunlight is sparkling,<br> + The winds are not still."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>And then Rico sang the verse and was pleased and said, "Sing some more."</p> + +<p>Stineli was quite excited: thought a bit, and looked up, then down, and +sang again,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,<br> + And the heavens so blue;<br> + And red and white flowers,<br> + And the green grasses, too."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + + +<p>Then Rico fiddled and sung the verse with her, and said again, +"Some more."</p> + +<p>Stineli laughed, and, glancing at Rico, sang,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "And a sad little boy,<br> + And a very gay maid;<br> + And a lake like another,<br> + That from water is made."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + + +<p>Laughing and singing, Stineli went +on,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,<br> + They jumped up so high,<br> + And all were most merry,<br> + And did not know why.</p> + +<p> "And a boy and a girl <br> + By the lake-side did sit,<br> + And because they forgot it,<br> + It hurt not a bit."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + + + +<p>Now they began at the very beginning, and sang the whole thing through +again, and made merry over it, and were so happy that they sang it at +least ten times over; and the more they repeated it, the better it +sounded to their ears.</p> + +<p>After this Rico played several tunes that he had learned from his +father; but they soon came back to their own song, and began that again.</p> + +<p>In the midst of it the girl stopped and said, "It has just come into +my head how you can go down to the other lake, and will not need any +money either."</p> + +<p>Rico paused suddenly and gazed at his companion, awaiting what was +coming next.</p> + +<p>"Don't you see," she said earnestly, "now you have a fiddle, and you +know a song. You can go and play your song, and sing before the +taverns; then the people will give you something to eat and to drink, +and let you sleep there, for they will see that you are not a beggar. +So you can go on until you reach the lake; and, coming home, you can do +the same thing again."</p> + +<p>Rico reflected over these words, but Stineli would give him no time for +dreaming: she wanted to go on with the song.</p> + +<p>They made so much noise themselves, that they did not hear the +prayer-bell at all; and did not notice what time it was until reminded +by the growing darkness, and perceived the grandmother looking about +anxiously for them before they reached the houses.</p> + +<p>But Stineli was too much excited to be subdued by any thing. She ran on +towards her grandmother, and said, "You have no idea how beautifully +Rico can fiddle; and we have made a song of our own, for ourselves only. +We will sing it to you this very moment."</p> + +<p>And before there was time to answer, they began and sang it all through; +and the good grandmother listened with real pleasure to their sweet, +clear voices.</p> + +<p>She seated herself on the log; and, when the children had finished, +said, "Come now, Rico, I want you to play for me; and you and I will +sing together. Do you know the song that begins,—</p> + +<p> "'I sing to thee with heart and voice?'"</p> + +<p>Rico had probably heard the hymn, but he did not know it correctly, and +said that he wished first to hear it from the grandmother, and he would +follow her softly on his violin, and then he would be sure of it.</p> + +<p>So they began; and first the grandmother repeated the words of a verse +to the children, and then they all sang it together,—</p> + + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "I sing to thee with heart and voice,<br> + Lord, whom my soul obeys.<br> + I sing, and bid all earth rejoice:<br> + Thou teachest me thy praise.</p> +<br> +<p> "I know that thou the fountain art<br> + Of joy,—the eternal spring<br> + Which, into every willing heart,<br> + Healing and good dost bring.</p> +<br> +<p> "Why do we worry over sin?<br> + Why sorrow night and day?<br> + Come, bring thy load, cast it on Him<br> + Who fashioned thee from clay.</p> +<br> +<p> "He never yet has done amiss;<br> + And, perfect in His sight,<br> + All that He does or orders is<br> + Sure to be finished right.</p> +<br> +<p> "Now only let His will be done,<br> + Nor clamor constantly,<br> + Peace to thy heart on earth will come,<br> + And joy eternally."</p> + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + + +<p>"It is well," said the grandmother. "Now we know a proper evening hymn, +and you may go quickly to rest, my children."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0109"></a> +CHAPTER IX.</p> + +<p>A PERPLEXING AFFAIR.</p> + +<p> +When Rico entered the cottage that evening it was later than usual, for +he had spent a full half-hour in singing the hymn. As he went in, his +cousin came flying towards him.</p> + +<p>"Are you beginning in this style already?" she called out. "The supper +stood waiting for you a whole hour: now I have put it away. Go to your +bedroom; and if you turn out a good-for-nothing and a scamp, it is no +fault of mine. I don't know any thing that I had not rather do than look +after a boy like you."</p> + +<p>Rico never answered a single word, no matter how much his cousin might +scold at him; but this evening he looked at her, and said,—</p> + +<p>"I can get out of your way, cousin."</p> + +<p>She shoved the bolt in on the house-door with such violence that the +door shook, and went into the sitting-room, slamming that door behind +her. Rico went up into his dark little bedroom.</p> + +<p>On the following day, as all the big family in the other cottage +were eating their supper,—the parents, the grandmother, and all the +children,—the cousin came running over, and called out from the +door to ask if they knew any thing about Rico: she had no idea where +he could be.</p> + +<p>"He will come fast enough when it is time for supper," replied the +father quietly.</p> + +<p>The cousin entered the room. She had been quite sure that the lad was +there, and she expected him to come out if she only stood at the door +and asked for him.</p> + +<p>Now she went on to tell them that he had not made his appearance at +breakfast, nor at dinner-time, and that he had not been in bed the +previous night, for she had found it as she had left it; and she +believed that he must have gone away very early in the morning before +daybreak, wandering about as he was in the habit of doing, for the bolt +was pushed aside on the house-door when she went to open it. She thought +at first that she must have forgotten to bolt it the night before in her +anger, for nobody knew how angry she had been.</p> + +<p>"Something has happened to him," said the father, quite unmoved. "He has +probably fallen into some cleft up there on the mountain: it often +happens to little boys who go climbing about everywhere.</p> + +<p>"You ought to have spoken of it earlier in the day," he went on slowly. +"We shall have to go to look for him, and in the night you can't see +any thing."</p> + +<p>At these words the cousin broke out into a terrible uproar. She expected +there would be all sorts of fault found with her; that was always the +way when you had suffered for years, and never said any thing about it.</p> + +<p>"Nobody would ever believe," she said,—and spoke a truthful word then, +at least,—"what a sly, cunning, deceitful boy that is, and what a life +he has led me these four years. He will turn out a regular vagabond, a +tramp, a disgraceful creature."</p> + +<p>The grandmother had ceased eating for several minutes. She now rose from +the table, and went up to the cousin, who was talking very noisily.</p> + +<p>"Stop, neighbor, stop," she said; and repeated it twice without effect. +"I know Rico very well; I have always known him ever since he was +brought here to his grandmother. If I were in your place, I would not +say another word, but stop to think whether the lad, to whom perhaps +something dreadful has happened, and who may be standing up there before +God at this moment, may not have some complaint against +somebody,—somebody who had done him a heavy injury, all deserted as he +is, with her cruel words."</p> + +<p>Since Rico's disappearance, the way the lad looked at her on that +last evening had occurred several times to the cousin's mind, and how +he said,—</p> + +<p>"I can easily get out of your way."</p> + +<p>That was why she had made such a noise about it, in order to drown these +words. Now she did not dare to look the grandmother in the face, but +said that she must go: perhaps Rico might be at the cottage by this +time, which she would very gladly have had come true.</p> + +<p>From this day forward the cousin never spoke another word against Rico +in the grandmother's hearing; nor, indeed, did she often speak of him at +all. She believed, as did all the neighbors far and near, that the lad +was dead; and she was thankful that nobody knew about the words he had +said to her on that last evening.</p> + +<p>The next morning after this event was made known, Stineli's father went +out to the thrashing-floor and picked himself out a stout stick. He said +that he would call some of the neighbors together: they must go search +for the lad somewhere towards the glaciers and up by the ravines.</p> + +<p>Stineli crept out after him, and he said, when he noticed her, "That is +right, come and help me to search; you can get into the corners better +than I can."</p> + +<p>At last, after they had found a big beanpole, Stineli ventured to say, +"But father, if Rico went along the high-road, then he could not fall +into any thing, could he?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, perhaps he might," replied her father. "Such thoughtless boys as he +often stray off the road, and fall into ravines and places: they don't +know themselves where they are going, and he was always moving about +more or less."</p> + +<p>That this was true of Rico nobody knew better than Stineli; and she +became dreadfully anxious from that time forth, which anxiety increased +every day to such a degree that she could neither eat nor sleep for +sorrow, and did her work, day after day, as if she did not know what she +was about.</p> + +<p>Rico was not found: nobody had seen any thing of him. They ceased to +search for him, and the folks soon began to find consolation in the +thought, "It is just as well for the little fellow, after all; he was +forsaken, and had no one to care for him."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0110"></a> +CHAPTER X.</p> + +<p>A LITTLE LIGHT.</p> + +<p> +Stineli grew more and more thin and quiet from day to day. The little +ones called out complainingly, "Stineli never tells us stories now, and +never laughs any more." Her mother said to her father, "Do you notice +how changed she is?" And her father replied, "It is because she grows so +fast. She must get a little goat's milk early in the mornings."</p> + +<p>After this had gone on for three weeks or so, Stineli's grandmother +called the girl into her bedroom one evening, and said, "My dear +Stineli, I can very well understand that you cannot forget your friend +Rico, but you must try to remember that it is God's will that he should +be taken away; and that, as it is so, it is also the best thing for +Rico, as we must try to think."</p> + +<p>At these words Stineli began to weep as her grandmother had never seen +her do before; and she sobbed and sobbed, saying, "The good God did not +do it: I did it, grandmother; and therefore I feel as if I should die of +anxiety. It was I who proposed to Rico to go to find the lake, and now +he has fallen into a ravine, and is dead; it has hurt him dreadfully, +and it is all my fault." Then the poor child cried and sobbed pitifully. +It seemed to the grandmother as if a heavy weight were lifted from her +heart as she heard these words of Stineli's. She had given up Rico as +lost; and had in secret believed that the child had fled from the unkind +treatment he had received at home, and was lying somewhere in the water, +or was lost in the woods. Now a new hope arose in her heart.</p> + +<p>She succeeded in quieting Stineli enough to persuade her to relate the +whole story about the lake, of which the grandmother was in total +ignorance: how Rico had always been talking about this lake, and how he +had longed to go to find it, and how, at last, Stineli had suggested the +way for him to do so. It really seemed most likely that Rico had started +to find the lake, but her father's mention of the ravines had destroyed +all hope in Stineli.</p> + +<p>The good old woman took her granddaughter by the hand, and drew her +towards her, saying, "Now, Stineli, I have something to explain to you. +Do you remember what the old song says,—the one we sang with Rico on +the last evening we were together?—</p> + +<p> "'All that He does or orders is <br> + Sure to be finished right.'"</p> + +<p>Now you see, that although the good God did not exactly do this +thing,—as if He had let Rico die in his bed, for instance,—yet the +thing is in His hand all the same, although you have it turned aside, +perhaps, a little; for certainly the good God is stronger than this +little Stineli. And, now that you have made this sad mistake, it will be +a lesson to you for all the rest of your life, no matter how it may turn +out in the end, that children should not run away into the unknown +world, nor undertake things about which they are utterly ignorant; and +that without saying a word to their parents or to their grandmothers, +who love them so well. But now the kind God has allowed it to happen, +and we may certainly hope that it will all be finished right.</p> + +<p>"Now ponder this well, my Stineli, and never forget what you have thus +learned by experience; and now—for I see how heavily it weighs down +your heart—it will be well for you to go to pray to the good God, that +He will allow this mistake of yours and Rico to turn out all right. And +then you can be happy again, Stineli, and I shall be so, too; for I +believe firmly that Rico is living, and that the good God has not +forsaken him."</p> + +<p>And Stineli became after this like her former happy self; and, although +she missed Rico constantly, still she no longer felt worried, nor did +she reproach herself, but looked continually down the road to Maloja, +expecting to see him.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0111"></a> +CHAPTER XI.</p> + +<p>A LONG JOURNEY.</p> + +<p> +On that memorable Sunday evening, Rico seated himself on the chair in +his gloomy bedroom. There he decided to stay until his cousin had +gone to bed.</p> + +<p>After Stineli had made the discovery that Rico could go with his fiddle +down to the much-wished-for lake, the enterprise seemed a very simple +thing to the lad,—so easy, that he only thought of the best way to get +off. He had a presentiment that his cousin would probably try to hinder +him from going, although he felt sure that she would not miss him after +he was away.</p> + +<p>So, when she began to scold him when he came home, he said to himself, +"I will be off as soon as she is once in her bed."</p> + +<p>He had very pleasant thoughts as he sat there in the dark,—of how nice +it would be not to hear the scolding voice of his cousin all day long, +and of what big bushels of the red flowers he would bring back to +Stineli when he returned. And then the picture of the sunny shores of +the lake and the purple hills rose before his mind, and he fell asleep. +He was not in a very comfortable position, for he had never let his +fiddle leave his hand; and he soon awoke again, but it was still dark.</p> + +<p>Now he had a clear idea of what he would do. He had his Sunday clothes +on, which was good; and his cap was also on his head. He took his fiddle +under his arm, and went softly down the steps, slipped the bolt aside, +and stole out into the cool air of morning.</p> + +<p>The dawn was just showing over the mountains, and in Sils the cocks were +crowing. Off he walked briskly, to get well away from the houses and to +reach the highway. When he once was on the road, he went along merrily; +for he felt quite at home there, he had so often traversed the ground +with his father. He could form no idea of how far it really was to the +Maloja; and indeed it seemed very long to him, after he had been going +for two good hours. Little by little it grew brighter, however; and in +about an hour more, when he reached the place before the tavern upon the +Maloja, where he used to stand with his father and gaze down the +mountain road, the sunny light of morning lay upon the mountains, and +the tips of the fir-trees were all touched with gold.</p> + +<p>Rico seated himself upon the edge of the roadside. He was very tired, +and remembered suddenly that he had not eaten any thing since the +noonday meal of the day before. But he was not discouraged, for now +the way was all down hill; and, after that, he should undoubtedly +reach the lake.</p> + +<p>While he sat there, the big post-wagon came rumbling along. He had often +seen it as it came through Sils, and always thought that the very +greatest happiness upon earth must be experienced by the driver, who sat +all day long on the box, and controlled his four horses with his whip. +Now he saw this happy creature nearer; for the post-wagon stopped, and +the lad never once removed his eyes from the wonderful man, as he came +down from his perch, stepped into the inn, and came out again with an +enormous piece of black bread in his hand, upon which lay a large piece +of cheese.</p> + +<p>Next, the driver drew out a strong knife, cut a good big bit of bread, +and gave each horse a mouthful in turn, not forgetting himself in the +meantime; but upon his own piece of bread he put an equally big morsel +of cheese. As they all stood there, eating in happy companionship, the +man looked about a little, and presently called out, "Hulloa, little +musician! won't you join us too? Come hither."</p> + +<p>Now when Rico saw them all eating, he fully realized how very hungry he +was. He most gladly accepted the invitation, and approached the driver, +who cut such a big slice of bread and also of cheese to give the lad, +that Rico did not really know how he should manage to eat it.</p> + +<p>He was obliged to put his fiddle down on the ground; and the coachman +looked on very complaisantly while the boy ate his breakfast, and said, +while he followed his own occupation,—</p> + +<p>"You are a very small fiddler. Do you know how to play something?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! two songs, besides those I learned from my father," +replied Rico.</p> + +<p>"Really! And where are you going to on your two little legs?" said the +driver. "To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda," was the serious answer.</p> + +<p>At these words, the coachman burst into such boisterous laughter that +the boy gazed up at him in great astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Well, you are a good one to travel," cried the man, still laughing. +"Have you any notion how far it is, and that a little musician like you +could wear out his two feet, and his soles, too, before he could catch +sight of a single drop of the water of the Lake of Garda? Who sends you +down there?"</p> + +<p>"Nobody. I go of my own accord."</p> + +<p>"Well, I never have seen the like of you before," said the man, still +laughing good-naturedly. "Where, then, is your home, my boy?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know exactly. It may be on the Lake of Garda," was the +serious answer.</p> + +<p>"What sort of reply is that?"</p> + +<p>So saying, the coachman looked with some curiosity at the little figure +before him, which certainly did not betray any signs of being neglected. +On the contrary, the head, with its black curly hair, and the nice +Sunday suit of clothes, gave the lad a very genteel appearance; and his +delicate features and earnest eyes bore unmistakable evidence to +something noble in his character, and any one who looked at him once was +certain to repeat the glance with pleasure.</p> + +<p>Such was also the case with the driver. He gazed steadfastly at Rico, +and presently said, kindly, "You carry your passport in your face, my +boy; and it is not a bad one either, even if you do not know where you +belong. What will you give me now, if I will carry you along with me +down yonder, on the box?"</p> + +<p>Rico stared, for he could scarcely believe his ears at these words. To +sit on that high post-wagon, and drive down into the valley! Such luck +could never, never be his; of that he was sure. Besides, what had he to +give the coachman in exchange?</p> + +<p>"I have only my fiddle in the world, and I cannot give that away," he +said sadly, after thinking a while.</p> + +<p>"Well, I should not know what to do with that box," laughed the driver +"Come along. We will get up there, and you may play me a little music."</p> + +<p>Rico could not trust his ears; but, sure enough, the coachman pushed him +up over the wheel to the top of the coach, climbing up after him. The +passengers had all taken their places, the doors were closed, and away +they rolled down the road.—the well-known road over which Rico had so +often longingly gazed, wishing that he could travel it.</p> + +<p>Now his wish was realized. High up between heaven and earth he seemed to +be flying, and could not believe that he was not in a dream.</p> + +<p>The coachman was revolving in his own mind the question of the boy's +belongings.</p> + +<p>"Just tell me, now, you little travelling bundle, where your +father lives."</p> + +<p>He asked this after having cracked his whip many times in succession as +loud as he could.</p> + +<p>"He is dead."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! Well, where is your mother, then?"</p> + +<p>"She is dead, too."</p> + +<p>"Well, there is always a grandfather and a grandmother, or something. +Where are yours?"</p> + +<p>"All dead."</p> + +<p>"At any rate, everybody has some brothers or sisters; where are yours, I +should like to know?"</p> + +<p>"All are dead," was the sorrowfully repeated answer.</p> + +<p>When the driver had convinced himself that they were all gone, he ceased +his questions about the relatives, and began in another direction with, +"What was your father's name?"</p> + +<p>"Henrico Trevillo of Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda."</p> + +<p>At last the driver thought he had got at the root of the matter, and +said to himself this boy had strayed away, or been carried away, from +his home down below there, and it is a good thing for him to get carried +back where he belongs; and he thought no more about the affair.</p> + +<p>Presently they passed the first very steep bit of the hill, and came to +an even stretch of ground, and the driver said, "Now, musician, let us +have a jolly song to cheer the way."</p> + +<p>Full of satisfaction, and much elated at his high position on his throne +under the blue heaven, the boy took his instrument and began to sing in +his strong, clear tones,—</p> + +<p> "Little lambkins, come down."</p> + +<p>Now it happened that there were three students seated up on the top of +the post-wagon: they were off on a vacation trip, and very merry.</p> + +<p>So when Rico carolled forth Stineli's song in his gayest manner, they +all burst out laughing and shouted, "Stop, singer, stop, and begin over +again; we want to sing with you."</p> + +<p>Rico obeyed, and the jolly students joined in with all their might,—</p> + +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,"—</p> + +<p>and laughed so extravagantly all the time that they drowned the sound of +Rico's fiddle completely. And then one of them would take up the words +and sing alone,—</p> + +<p> "And if they forgot it,<br> + It hurt not a bit."</p> + +<p>And then the others joined in, and sang as loudly as possible,—</p> + +<p>"And the lambkins, and the lambkins."</p> + +<p>And so they went on for a long time. If Rico paused a little, they +shouted, "Go on, fiddler; don't stop yet," and threw little pieces of +money to him over and over again, until he had quite a heap in his cap.</p> + +<p>Within the coach the passengers opened the windows, and stuck their +heads out to listen to the merry singing.</p> + +<p>Rico started off afresh, and the students also. They divided the song +into solos and chorus; and the solo sang very solemnly,—</p> + +<p>"And one lake, like another, From water is made."</p> + +<p>And then again,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "And because they forgot it,<br> + It hurt not a bit."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + +<p>And the chorus took it up with,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>Then they laughed so that they were almost dead, and were forced to be +still for very fatigue and want of breath.</p> + +<p>Presently the driver stopped, for it was time for the horses to rest, +and also dinner-time. While the good man helped Rico down, he held the +little fellow's cap firmly for him, for it had a lot of money in it, and +the boy was busy enough with holding his fiddle carefully.</p> + +<p>The coachman was perfectly delighted when he saw the money, and +said, as he gave Rico the cap, "That is first rate; now you can have +a good dinner."</p> + +<p>The students leaped down one after the other, and crowded around the +fiddler to have a look at him, for they could not see him very well on +the top of the coach; and when they discovered what a tiny manikin he +was, they began to make merry again. Judging from his voice, they had +expected to see a large, strong musician; and the sight of this child +seemed to make the fun twice as funny.</p> + +<p>They took the little fellow up between them, and carried him with +singing and laughter into the inn. There they seated him at the table +between two gentlemen, and said that he was their guest; and they all +helped him one after the other, and put huge pieces upon his plate, for +no one would be outdone by the others in serving him; and the boy had +certainly never eaten such a dinner in all his life as he ate that day.</p> + +<p>"Tell us where you learned your beautiful song?" asked one of three.</p> + +<p>"Stineli made it up," replied Rico, very seriously.</p> + +<p>The students looked at each other at these words, and burst out again +with laughter.</p> + +<p>"So Stineli made it up, did she? Then we must drink her health over it."</p> + +<p>Rico had to join in drinking the toast, and was nothing loath to drink +to Stineli's health.</p> + +<p>But now the time for resting and eating was over; and while they were +all taking their places to go on their journey, a stout man came towards +Rico,—a man who had such a big stick in his hand, that it looked as if +he had torn up a young tree for his walking-stick. He was dressed in a +thick, golden-brown stuff from head to foot.</p> + +<p>"Come here, little one," he said to Rico. "How nicely you did sing! I +heard you here, inside the coach; and my business is also with sheep, +for, you know, I am a sheep-dealer; and I want to give you something, +because you can sing about them so prettily."</p> + +<p>With these words he put a big piece of silver in Rico's hand, for the +cap had been emptied by this time, and the contents transferred to the +boy's pocket.</p> + +<p>After this the man got into the coach, and the driver lifted Rico up to +his high seat as if the boy had been a mere feather, and off they went.</p> + +<p>As soon as the speed of the start had a little abated, the students +called for more music, and Rico played every thing that he could +remember ever having heard his father play; and at the end he played,—</p> + +<p> "I sing to thee with heart and voice."</p> + +<p>But this tune must have put the students to sleep, for every thing +became quite still; and at last the riddle was silent. The evening +breeze stirred gently, and the stars climbed silently up into the sky +one after the other, until they were shining brightly in every +direction.</p> + +<p>Rico looked about, and thought of Stineli, of the grandmother, of what +they were now doing; and it occurred to him that this was the very time +at which the prayer-bell usually rang, and when they were saying "Our +Father." He did the same, to be with them in that, at least: folded his +hands, and said his prayer piously under the brilliant heavens.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0112"></a> +CHAPTER XII.</p> + +<p>IT STILL GOES ON.</p> + +<p> +At last Rico also fell asleep. He only awoke when the driver took hold +of him to lift him down. All the passengers descended; and the three +students came to the lad, shook him kindly by the hand, and wished a +happy journey. One of them called out, "Greet Stineli very kindly for +us." Then they disappeared up one of the streets, and Rico could hear +them as they sang merrily,—</p> + +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,"</p> + +<p>Rico now stood alone in the darkness. He had not the slightest idea +where he was, nor of what he ought to do next. He presently +remembered that he had not even thanked the kind coachman who had +allowed him to come all this way on the coach, and he felt that he +must do that at once.</p> + +<p>The coachman and his horses were both invisible, and nothing but +darkness was about the boy. At last he espied a lantern hanging up +somewhere in the distance, and went towards the light. It was hanging on +the stable-door, and the horses were just then brought in. Near the door +stood the man with the thick stick. He seemed to be waiting for the +driver; so Rico took his stand near by, and waited too.</p> + +<p>Probably the sheep-dealer did not recognize the little fiddler in the +darkness; but suddenly he exclaimed, quite surprised, "What! is that +you, little one? Where are you going to pass the night?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know where," replied the boy.</p> + +<p>"Well, I never heard of such a thing; at eleven o'clock at night, and a +little scrap of a boy like you in a strange place"—</p> + +<p>The sheep-dealer seemed to speak in a great hurry, for he could scarcely +breathe in his excitement; neither did he finish his sentence, for the +driver entered the stable at that moment, and Rico went up to him at +once, saying, "I want to thank you for bringing me along with you."</p> + +<p>"You have come just in the nick of time. I had almost forgotten you +while I was looking after my horses, and I wanted to hand you over to an +acquaintance. I was thinking of asking you, good friend," he continued, +turning towards the dealer, "if you would not take this little chap +along with you, as you are going to Bergamo. He wants to go somewhere on +the Lake of Garda. He is one of those who belong here or there. You +understand, don't you?"</p> + +<p>The sheep-dealer thought of the stories he had heard of lost or stolen +children. He looked with pity at Rico, standing in the dim light of the +lantern, and said, "He does look as if he were not in exactly the +clothes that belong to him. He would become a richer dress, I am sure. I +will take him with me."</p> + +<p>When he had talked over the sheep-trade a little with the coachman they +parted, and the dealer made a sign to Rico that he should follow him.</p> + +<p>After a short walk, the man entered an inn, where he seated himself in a +corner of the eating-room with the boy beside him.</p> + +<p>"Now let us look at your possessions," he said to Rico, "so that we can +see what they will allow you to have. Where are you going on the lake?"</p> + +<p>"To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda."</p> + +<p>This was Rico's never-failing answer. He drew out his money from his +pocket,—a nice little pile of small coins it was, and the big silver +bit on the top of all.</p> + +<p>"Have you only that one bit of silver?" asked the dealer.</p> + +<p>"Yes; only that one. You gave me that," replied the boy.</p> + +<p>It pleased the man to think that he was the only one who had given +silver; and he was also pleased that the lad was aware of the fact. He +felt as if he wanted to give him something more. Just at this moment his +supper was placed before him, and the kindly man nodded to his little +companion, saying, "I will pay for this, and for your night's lodging +also; so you need not touch your little fortune until to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Rico was so tired out with all the fiddling and singing, and the long +journey, that he could scarcely eat; and as soon as he reached the big +bedroom where he was to pass the night with his protector, he was asleep +the moment he had put his head on the pillow.</p> + +<p>Early the following morning, Rico was awakened from a sound sleep by a +powerful grasp. He sprang quickly out of bed. His companion stood ready +dressed for the journey, with his big stick in his hand.</p> + +<p>It was not long, however, before Rico was also ready, with his fiddle +tucked under his arm. They went into the dining-room, and the dealer +called for coffee at once. He recommended the lad to make a good meal +then; for they had a long journey before them, he said, and one that +created an appetite.</p> + +<p>When they had breakfasted to their satisfaction, they sallied forth; +and, after a little, came round a sharp corner; and how Rico did open +his big eyes! for there, before him, lay a great shining lake; and much +excited, he shouted out, "Now we are on the Lake of Garda!"</p> + +<p>"Not for a long time yet, my boy. This is the Lake of Como."</p> + +<p>They went on board a boat, and sailed for several hours after this; and +Rico looked about him,—at the sun-bathed shores, and then at the blue +waters; and he felt at home at last.</p> + +<p>Presently he took his piece of silver from his pocket, and put it down +on the table before the dealer.</p> + +<p>"What does this mean? Have you too much money by you?" asked the man, +who was looking on in surprise, his arms supported on his big stick.</p> + +<p>"I must pay to-day," said Rico. "You said so yesterday."</p> + +<p>"You are very attentive to what is said to you. That is a very good +thing; but that is not the way to do, to put your money down on a table +like that. Give it to me."</p> + +<p>He took it, and went over to pay for their passage; but when he drew out +his heavy leathern purse, full of silver pieces,—for he was doing a +large business in selling sheep,—he could not find the heart to take +the poor lad's solitary bit of silver; and he brought it back again with +the ticket, saying, "There, you can find better use for your money +to-morrow. Now you are with me, but who knows how it will be after this? +When you are alone down there, and I am not with you any more, shall you +be able to find the house where you are going?"</p> + +<p>"No; I do not know any thing about the house," replied Rico.</p> + +<p>The man was secretly much surprised, and the lad's story seemed very +mysterious to him. He did not let this appear, however, and asked no +further questions. He said to himself that he should not probably find +out any thing more at present, but would ask the coachman about it the +next time they met. He probably knew the truth, even better than the +child himself did. He felt very sorry for the little fellow, who would +soon be deprived of his protection too.</p> + +<p>When the boat stopped, the man took Rico's hand in his, saying, "Now I +shall not lose you, and you can keep up with me better, for we must +hurry along; they won't wait for us."</p> + +<p>It was as much as the little fellow could do to keep up with his friend. +He did not turn to look to the right hand nor the left, but presently +stopped before some strange-looking wagons on wheels. They mounted the +step, Rico behind his companion; and the former entered a railroad +carriage for the first time.</p> + +<p>They flew along for several hours, until at last the dealer stood up, +and said, "Now I must go. We are in Bergamo, and you are to stay here +quietly; for I have arranged it all for you. You have only to get out +when you get there."</p> + +<p>"Then shall I be at Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda?" asked Rice.</p> + +<p>His companion replied in the affirmative. At last Rico understood—what +he had not clearly seen before—how much kindness the dealer had shown +to him, and the boy felt very sorry that they must part.</p> + +<p>After this Rico sat alone in his corner, and had plenty of time for +day-dreaming; for nobody troubled him in any way, although the train had +stopped at several stations since his companion left him.</p> + +<p>At last the conductor came in, took Rico by the arm, and led him quickly +to the door, and lifted him down the steps; then, pointing towards the +heights in the distance, he said briefly, "Peschiera;" and in a +twinkling he was back again in the carriage, and disappeared in the +train as it steamed off.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0113"></a> +CHAPTER XIII.</p> + +<p>ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE.</p> + +<p> +Rico went forward a little way from the building at which the train had +stopped, and looked about. This white house, the barren square in front +of it, the straight road in the distance, were all new and strange to +his eyes. He had not seen any of them before; and he said to himself, "I +have not come to the right place after all." He went sadly down the road +between the trees, however, until presently the road made a turn, and +the boy stood as if transfixed, and believed himself dreaming, for +before him lay the lake, heavenly blue in the brilliant sunlight, with +its warm, still shores; and yonder were the mountains, and the sunny bay +was there, where the friendly houses sparkled in the distance.</p> + +<p>Now he knew where he was. He had seen all this before, he had stood in +this very place, he knew the trees perfectly well; but where was the +cottage? It must have stood there, close to where he now was, but it was +not visible.</p> + +<p>The old road was there below. Oh! he knew that well; and there, there +were the great shining red flowers with such green leaves. A little +stone bridge ought to be there, somewhere over the outlet of the lake: +he had often passed over that little bridge, but could not see it where +he stood, however.</p> + +<p>Rico started off, as if driven by the longing that now took possession +of him. Down the road he ran; and over there,—yes, that was the little +stone bridge. Every thing came back to him: there he had crossed, and +somebody held him by the hand,—his mother. Suddenly his mother's face +came before his eyes quite distinctly; he had never seen it so clearly +before. He remembered how she had stood there and looked at him with +loving eyes. It all came back to his mind with a rush.</p> + +<p>He threw himself down on the ground by the bridge, and cried and sobbed +aloud, "O mother! where are you, mother? Where is my home, mother?"</p> + +<p>He lay there for a long, long time, and cried until his great sorrow +was somewhat stilled. He thought his heart must burst, and as if all +the grief that had been hitherto pent up within his bosom must now find +an outlet.</p> + +<p>When at last he raised himself from the ground, the sun had already +declined in the heavens, and the golden twilight lay over the lake. The +mountains were turning purple, and a sunny mist lay all over the shores. +This was the way his lake had always looked to Rico in his dreams, only +the reality was even more lovely than he had remembered it.</p> + +<p>And his great wish rose again in his mind as he sat there, "Oh, if I +could show this to Stineli!"</p> + +<p>At last the sun sunk below the horizon, and the light slowly died out. +Rico arose, and passed along the road towards the red flowers. A narrow +lane branched off from the main road at this place. There they stood, +one bush after another: it looked like a great garden. There was, truly, +only an open fence about the whole; and within the flowers, the trees, +and the grape-vines were all growing together.</p> + +<p>At the farther end stood a pretty house with wide open doors; and in the +garden a lad was moving about cutting big bunches of golden grapes now +from this vine, now from that, all the while whistling merrily.</p> + +<p>Rico gazed at the flowers, and thought, "If Stineli could only see +them!" He stood for a long time thoughtfully by the fence. Presently the +lad espied him, and called out, "Come in, fiddler; and play a pretty +song, if you know one."</p> + +<p>The lad spoke in Italian, and it produced a strange sensation in Rico's +mind: he understood what he heard, but he never could have said it +himself. He entered the garden, and the lad began to try to talk with +him; but when he found that Rico could not reply, he pointed towards the +open door, giving Rico to understand that he was to go there to play.</p> + +<p>When Rico approached the door, he found that it opened directly into a +bedroom. A little bed stood within, near which was seated a woman who +was knitting with red yarn. Rico placed himself before the threshold, +and began to play and sing his song,—</p> + +<p>"Little lambkins, come down."</p> + +<p>When he had finished, the pale face of a little boy was suddenly raised +from the pillows of the bed; and Rico heard the words,—</p> + +<p>"Play again."</p> + +<p>Rico played another tune.</p> + +<p>"Play again" was repeated. This went on for five or six times, until +Rico had exhausted his stock of songs and tunes; and he put his fiddle +under his arm, and was moving away, when the little boy began to call +out piteously,—</p> + +<p>"Oh, do stay! Do play again! Play something else!" Then the woman stood +up, and came towards Rico.</p> + +<p>She placed something in his hand, and at first he did not understand +what she wanted; but presently he remembered what Stineli had said, that +if he went to a door, and played on his fiddle, the people would give +him something. The woman asked him kindly where he came from, and where +he was going to; but he could not answer her. She then asked if he were +with his parents? He shook his head. If he were alone? He nodded assent. +Where he was going so late in the evening? Rico shook his head, to +denote uncertainty. A great pity took possession of the woman for the +little stranger; and she called to the boy who worked in the garden, and +bade him conduct the fiddler to the inn of the "Golden Sun." Perhaps the +landlord would understand his language, for he had been away in foreign +parts for a long time. She bade the gardener to say to the landlord that +she wished him to let the lad stay there over night, that she would pay +for it; and, in the morning, set the little fellow off in the right +direction towards his destination. He was so young,—"only a little +older than my boy," she added, compassionately; and also would the +landlord give the boy something to eat.</p> + +<p>Again the child on the bed called out, "He must play again;" and would +not stop until his mother said, "He will come again. Now he must sleep, +and you too."</p> + +<p>The gardener walked on in advance of Rico, who knew, however, what was +to be done; for he had understood what the woman said perfectly.</p> + +<p>In about ten minutes they had reached the town. In one of the little +streets the gardener entered a house, and proceeded at once to the +dining-room, which was filled with tobacco-smoke, and with men seated at +little tables all about.</p> + +<p>Then the gardener gave his message, to which the landlord replied, "It +is all right." The landlady came too, and both looked Rico over from +head to foot. When the guests at the neighboring tables espied the +fiddle under Rico's arm, several of them called out together, "There is +music!" And another one shouted, "Play something, boy, quickly; +something gay!" And they all began to shout for music so noisily that +the landlord could hardly make Rico hear him when he asked what language +he spoke, and whence he came. Rico replied in his own language that he +came down over the Maloja, that he could understand every thing that was +said to him, but could not reply in the same language. The landlord +understood him, and said that he had been up there in the mountains, and +they would have a little conversation later; but now the boy must really +play something, for the guests called for music incessantly.</p> + +<p>Rico, obedient as ever, began to play, and also to sing his own song as +usual. But the company did not understand the words, and the tune seemed +very dull to them also. Some began to make jokes and noises, while +others called for something different,—a dance, or a pretty tune.</p> + +<p>Rico sang every verse of his song to the very end; for when he had once +begun it, he would not stop until it was finished properly. When he had +finished, he bethought himself. He knew no dance music, so that was out +of the question. The hymn he had learned from the grandmother was very +slow, and they would not understand that either. Then he remembered, and +began the air,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "Una Sera <br> + In Peschiera."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>Scarcely had he brought forth the first notes of this tune, when every +thing became still; and in a moment or two voices broke forth from the +different tables round about the room, and they sang in chorus as the +boy had never yet heard any one sing. He became excited presently, and +played with great feeling, while the men sang enthusiastically; and as +soon as one verse was ended, Rico began the music for the next without +hesitating, for he had learned, from hearing his father play it, exactly +how the accompaniment should be, and when to stop. When he had reached +the finale, such a storm of applause broke forth that the boy was quite +overwhelmed. All the men called out and shouted, striking their fists +upon the tables for pleasure; and then they all came about little Rico +with their glasses, and they all wanted to drink with him. Some took him +by the shoulders, and all shouted at him, and made such a racket with +their surprise and pleasure, that Rico became very much frightened, and +turned paler and paler every moment.</p> + +<p>What had he done, however, but play their own Peschiera song, that +belonged to them alone, and which no stranger could ever learn; and this +child had played it as firmly and correctly as if he had been a +Peschierana. Such a wonderful event was enough to arouse these lively +fellows to the utmost; and they could not cease talking about it, and +wondering about this strange little fiddler, and drinking with him, to +express their friendliness.</p> + +<p>At last the landlady interposed. She brought a plate full of rice, and a +big piece of chicken. She beckoned Rico aside, saying to the men they +must let him have a little quiet now; he needed food; he was as pale as +chalk from excitement. She placed the dish upon a little table in one +corner, and encouraged him to eat heartily: she was sure he needed it, +he was such a little scrap. To tell the truth, Rico did enjoy his supper +wonderfully well. Since the coffee in the morning, not a mouthful had +passed his lips; and so much had happened to excite him too.</p> + +<p>As soon as he had eaten all that there was upon his plate, his poor +little eyes closed from fatigue, and he had the greatest difficulty +in keeping them open long enough to answer the landlord's questions +of where he belonged, and where he was going, while he also praised +the child's music. Rico answered that he belonged to nobody, and was +going nowhere.</p> + +<p>The landlord spoke kindly and encouragingly to the boy, telling him that +he should be cared for that night, and in the morning he could go to see +Mrs. Menotti, who had sent him there. She was a good, kind woman, said +the landlord, who could perhaps employ him in her household, if he had +no place to go to where he belonged.</p> + +<p>His wife, who stood by, plucked him constantly by the sleeve, trying to +stop him from talking; but he finished what he had to say, nevertheless, +for he had no idea what she meant by it all.</p> + +<p>Pretty soon the men at the tables began to clamor again: they were +calling for their song.</p> + +<p>The landlady, however, asserted herself. "No, no! on Sunday you shall +have it again; the child is tired to death." So saying, she took Rico by +the hand, and led him up into a big room where the harnesses hung. A big +heap of corn lay in one corner, and a bed stood in the other. In a very +few moments the boy was fast asleep.</p> + +<p>Later, when every thing had become quite silent in the house, the +landlord sat at the little table where Rico had eaten his supper, and +before him stood his wife, for she was still busy in clearing away the +tables; and she said with great earnestness, "You must not send him back +again to Mrs. Menotti. Such a boy as that will be most useful to me in +every possible way; and did not you notice how beautifully he fiddled? +They were all crazy about it. Look out! he is a far better player than +any of our three; and he will learn to play for dancing in no time; and +you will have a musician to whom you need pay nothing, and who will play +every evening when they dance; and you can let him out also to go to the +other places. Don't you let him slip through your fingers. He is a +pretty little fellow, and I like him. We must keep him ourselves."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am satisfied," said the landlord, and understood that his wife +had made a hit this time that was sure to turn out well.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0114"></a> +CHAPTER XIV.</p> + +<p>NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.</p> + +<p> +The next morning, the landlady of the "Golden Sun" stood on the doorstep +of her inn, and looked at the heavens to read the signs of the probable +weather, and to think over the experiences of the night before. +Presently the gardener's boy from Mrs. Menotti's came along. He was both +master and servant over the lovely, fruitful property of Mrs. Menotti; +for he understood both the care of the garden and the cultivation of the +farm, and he looked after and directed all the work himself, and had an +easy and good place with her. He was contented, and whistled +incessantly.</p> + +<p>However, while he stood before the landlady, he stopped for a little, +and said, if the little musician of the evening before had not gone +away, he was to go over to Mrs. Menotti again, because her little boy +wanted to hear him fiddle some more.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes; if Mrs. Menotti is not in a great hurry,"—while she put her +arms on her hips, to show that she, at any rate, was not pressed for +time. "At the present moment the little musician is sleeping upstairs in +his good bed; and I, for one, do not wish to have him disturbed. You may +say to Mrs. Menotti that I will send him to her presently. He is not +going away. I have taken him under my charge for good and all; for he is +a deserted orphan, and does not know where to go; and now he will be +well cared for," added she, with emphasis.</p> + +<p>The gardener went off with this message.</p> + +<p>Rico was allowed to sleep as long as he wanted to; for the landlady was +a good-natured woman, though, to be sure, she thought first of her own +profit, and afterwards was willing to help others to theirs. When the +boy awoke, at last, from his long sleep, his fatigue had quite +disappeared; and he came running down the stairs as fresh as possible. +The landlady made a sign for him to come into the kitchen, and placed a +big bowl of coffee before him, with a nice yellow corn-cake, saying,—</p> + +<p>"You can have this every morning, if you will, and something much better +at dinner and supper time; for then there is cooking for the guests, and +there is always something left over. You can do errands for me in return +for it; and you can make this your home, and have your bedroom to +yourself, and not be obliged to go wandering about in the world. Now it +lies with you to decide."</p> + +<p>To this Rico replied, simply,—</p> + +<p>"Yes, I will;" for he could say that in the language in which the +landlady spoke.</p> + +<p>Now she conducted him through the whole house, through the +out-buildings, the stable, into the vegetable-garden and the hen-house; +and she explained the situation of all the places to him, and told him +where he must turn to go to the grocer and to the shoemaker, and to all +the important trades-people in fact. Rico listened attentively; and, to +test his understanding, the landlady sent him at once to three or four +places, to fetch a variety of things, such as oil, soap, thread, and a +boot that had been mended; for she noticed that the boy could say single +words perfectly well.</p> + +<p>All these errands were done to her perfect satisfaction; and at last she +said, "Now you may go over to Mrs. Menotti with your fiddle, and stay +there until the evening."</p> + +<p>Rico was delighted at this permission; for he would pass by the lake, +and see the beautiful flowers he loved so well.</p> + +<p>As soon as he reached the lake-side, over he ran to the little bridge, +and seated himself there to watch the beautiful water, and the +mountains bathed in golden mist; and he could scarcely tear himself +away from it all.</p> + +<p>But he did; for he realized now that he had duties toward the landlady, +and must obey her, because she gave him food and lodging.</p> + +<p>As he entered the garden, the little boy heard his footstep, for the +door was always open; and he called out,—</p> + +<p>"Come here, and play some more."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti came out, and gave her hand kindly to Rico, and drew him +into the room with her. It was a large room, and you could look through +the wide doorway out into the garden where the flowers were to be seen. +The little bed on which the sick child lay was directly opposite the +door; and there were only chests and tables and chairs in the room, but +no other beds. At night the child was carried into the neighboring room, +and his bed also, and was placed there beside his mother for the night; +and in the morning he was carried back again, bed and all. For in this +large room the sun shone brightly, making long shining stripes across +the floor that made a dancing pattern on the ground, and amused the +child amazingly. Near the bed stood two little crutches; and now and +then his mother lifted the little cripple from his bed, placed the +crutches under his arms, and led him about the room once or twice; for +he could not walk, nor even stand alone. His little legs were quite +paralyzed, and he had never been able to use them at all.</p> + +<p>When Rico entered the room, the child pulled himself into a sitting +position by means of a long rope that hung down over his bed from the +ceiling for that purpose; for he could not sit up without assistance.</p> + +<p>Rico went to the bedside, and looked at the child in silence. Such +little thin arms and small slender fingers, and such a pale little face, +Rico had never seen; and two big eyes looked forth from the face, and +gazed at Rico as if they would pierce him through and through; for the +child, who seldom saw any thing new, and longed for variety with all his +heart, examined every thing that came in his way very sharply.</p> + +<p>"What is your name?" asked the child.</p> + +<p>"Rico."</p> + +<p>"Mine is Silvio. How old are you?"</p> + +<p>"Almost eleven."</p> + +<p>"And so am I," said the child.</p> + +<p>"O Silvio! what are you saying?" said his mother at this. "You are not +quite four yet. Time does not go so fast as that."</p> + +<p>"Play something more."</p> + +<p>The mother seated herself by the bedside. Rico placed himself at a +little distance, and began to play on his fiddle. Silvio could not have +enough of it; and no sooner had Rico finished one piece than he shouted, +"Play another." Six times each, at the very least, had all the pieces +been repeated, when Mrs. Menotti went out, and returned with a plate +filled with yellow grapes, saying that Rico ought to rest, and sit down +by the bedside, and eat some grapes with Silvio.</p> + +<p>She went out into the garden herself while the children were eating, and +was glad to be able to do so, and to attend to various little matters of +her own; for it was seldom that she could leave the bedside of her +little cripple, for he would not let her leave him, and cried bitterly +for her to return; so it was a real blessing to her to be able to get +away for a few moments.</p> + +<p>The two boys soon came to a most excellent understanding of each other; +for Rico could reply very well to Silvio's questions, and managed to +make himself very well understood, even when he could not find exactly +the proper words, and it was very amusing to Silvio to talk with him. +His mother had plenty of time to look at all the flower-beds, and to +examine the fine fig-trees in the orchard, and to overlook every thing, +without being called for once by her little boy.</p> + +<p>When she returned to the house, however, and Rico arose to take his +departure, Silvio set up a great shout, and clung to Rico with both +hands, and would not let him go until he had promised to come back the +next day, and every day. But Mrs. Menotti was a cautious woman. She had +understood the message sent by the landlady as it was intended, and +quieted her son, promising him to go herself to the landlady to talk +with her; because Rico, she said, was not able to promise to do any +thing himself, but must obey the landlady in every thing. At last the +child released Rico, and gave him his hand; and the latter reluctantly +left the room. He would have vastly preferred to remain there where it +was quiet and neat, and where Silvio and his mother were so kind to him.</p> + +<p>Several days had slipped by, when, towards evening, Mrs. Menotti made +her appearance, dressed in her best attire, in the doorway of the +"Golden Sun;" and the landlady ran joyfully to meet her, and led her up +into the upper hall. When they were there, Mrs. Menotti asked very +politely if it would inconvenience the landlady very much to allow Rico +to come over to her two or three times in the week towards evening, he +was so amusing, and entertained her little sick son so well. She would +gladly recompense the landlady in any way she might think desirable.</p> + +<p>It flattered the landlady to have the handsomely dressed Mrs. Menotti +thus asking a favor of her; and it was quickly arranged that Rico should +go to Mrs. Menotti on every free evening that he had; and in return, +Mrs. Menotti promised to provide the orphan's clothing, which pleased +the landlady extremely; for now she had really nothing to pay out for +the little boy, and he brought her in a great deal of money. So it was +arranged to the entire satisfaction of the two women, and they took +leave of each other in very friendly terms.</p> + +<p>In this way passed many days. Rico could soon speak Italian as if he had +always spoken it. And, in truth, he had once spoken it as his native +language, so one thing after another came back to him; and as he had a +good ear, he soon spoke exactly like an Italian born, so that all who +knew him to be a stranger wondered at him. He was very useful to the +landlady,—more so even than she had expected would be the case,—for he +was so neat and orderly: quite as much so as she herself, if not more, +for she was not very patient over her work; and when preparations were +necessary for a <i>fête</i> or for a wedding, Rico was called upon to do it, +for he had a great deal of taste, and knew how to carry it out in +decorations. If he had any errand to do abroad he was back again in an +incredibly short time, for he never stopped to chatter by the way. If +people questioned him, he always turned on his heel and left them. This +pleased the landlady mightily when she noticed it, and it created such a +feeling of respect for the lad in her mind, that she herself did not +question him; and so it came to pass that, indeed, nobody really knew +how he came to Peschiera. But a story was spread abroad, that everybody +believed, to the effect that he had been left an orphan without +protection in the mountains, and neglected and mishandled, so that at +last he ran away, suffering many things on the long journey until he +reached Peschiera, where the inhabitants were not rough as they are in +the mountains, and that he was glad to remain there with them. Whenever +the landlady told his story, she did not fail to add, "He deserves it, +too,—all the kindness that we show him, and his comfortable home under +our roof."</p> + +<p>Now the first "dance Sunday" of the season had come, and such an +enormous crowd of guests assembled in the "Golden Sun," that there +seemed a great doubt if they could all be accommodated there; but +everybody wished to see and to hear the little stranger who played so +wonderfully; and also they who had heard him on the evening of his +arrival were the very first to come, and were impatient for him to play +their song again.</p> + +<p>The landlady ran hither and thither in her excitement, and glowed and +glistened in her heat, as if she were herself the "Golden Sun;" and +when she met her husband, she always said triumphantly, "Did not I +tell you so?"</p> + +<p>Rico heard "dance music" for the first time played by the three +fiddlers who came to the inn; but he caught the melodies at once, and +had no trouble in playing them, and never forgot them, for they were so +often repeated during the long "dance evening," that they became very +familiar to him.</p> + +<p>After the dancing they wanted their Peschiera song, with Rico's +accompaniment; and even if there seemed to be a deal of noise all the +early part of the evening, now, in truth, it had really just begun; and +they became so excited that little quiet Rico was frightened, and +thought they would end by killing each other certainly.</p> + +<p>But it was all in friendly wise. He came in for his share, and was so +stormily applauded, and his musical performance was hailed with such +ear-splitting cries of approval, that his only thought at last was, "Oh, +when will this have an end!" for nothing was so very unpleasant to the +boy as boisterousness.</p> + +<p>In the evening the landlady said to her husband, "Did you notice Rico +could play all the pieces with the musicians? Next time we shall only +need two fiddlers." And the man replied, well pleased, "We must give +Rico something."</p> + +<p>Two days later there was a dance in Desenzano, and Rico was sent over +there with the fiddlers. Now he was let out for hire. The same noise +and merriment was repeated; and, although they did not call for the +Peschiera song in Desenzano, still there were plenty of other songs +just as noisy, and Rico thought only from beginning to end, "If it were +but over!"</p> + +<p>He brought a whole pocketful of money home with him, which he poured out +in a heap on the table without even counting it, for he thought it was +all the landlady's by right; and she praised him in return, and placed a +big piece of apple-pie before him for supper. On Sunday again there was +dancing in Riva; but this was a pleasure to Rico, for Riva was the spot +over across the lake which could be seen from Peschiera, looking like a +peaceful little bay, and where the pretty white houses looked so +friendly and attractive.</p> + +<p>The musicians were rowed all together across the lake in an open boat +under the clear heavens; and Rico thought, "Oh, if I could be rowed +across here, with Stineli by my side! How astonished she would be at the +lake, whose beauty she would not believe in."</p> + +<p>But once on the other shore, the noise began again, and the boy became +impatient to be off; for the view of Riva from across the lake, lying in +the lovely light of evening, was far more beautiful than being there in +the midst of the noise and tumult.</p> + +<p>However, when there were no dances at which he must play, the lad was +always allowed to go in the evening to little Silvio, and to remain as +long as he wished; for the landlady was anxious to show her willingness +to accommodate Mrs. Menotti. This was always a pleasure to Rico. +Whenever he passed along the lake-side, he went over to the little +stone bridge, and sat there for a while on the ground; for this was the +only place in the world where he had a home-like feeling, because what +he saw there he had seen before, and also here the vision of his mother +rose most clearly before his memory.</p> + +<p>There she had certainly stood by the water-side, and washed +something, while she would look around at him occasionally, and say a +few loving words; and he was always sitting, he remembered, in that +very place where he now sat. He was always most unwilling to leave +this spot, but the knowledge that Silvio was constantly listening for +him drove him onward.</p> + +<p>When he entered the garden, he had also a feeling of contentment; and +entered the neat, quiet house with pleasure. Mrs. Menotti had a more +truly friendly manner toward him than anybody else, and he was fully +sensible of her kindness. She felt the warmest pity for the lonely +orphan, as she called him; for she had also heard the story of his +escape as it was current in the neighborhood. She never asked him +questions concerning his life in the mountains, however; for she +thought it would arouse sad memories in his mind. She felt, also, that +Rico did not receive the care that a lad of his age and quiet +disposition really needed; but she was sensible that she could do +nothing in that direction, only to have him with her as often and as +long as possible. Often she would place her hand on his head, saying +sadly, "Poor little orphan!"</p> + +<p>To Silvio, Rico grew more and more necessary every day. Early in the +morning he began to fret for him; and when his pain came on he became +very restless, and could not be pacified until Rico came. For, since +Rico had mastered the language thoroughly, he had developed an +inexhaustible fund of stories that delighted the little invalid +beyond measure.</p> + +<p>Stineli was the theme on which Rico most often fell, and it made him so +happy even to talk about her, that he became animated and quite +transfigured in the recital. He knew hundreds of stories, such as when +Stineli caught little Sami by the leg, once on a time, just as he was +about to fall into the water-butt, and how she held him with all her +might, while they both screamed as loud as they could until their father +came slowly to their aid,—for he always moved slowly. He said that +children did nothing but scream: it was their nature, and did not mean +that they were in trouble. And he told Silvio how Stineli could cut out +figures from paper for Peterli, make all sorts of furniture and things +for the baby-house for Urschli from moss, and bits of wood, or any thing +that came to hand.</p> + +<p>And how they all called and clamored for their elder sister when they +were ill, because she told them such wonderful stories that they quite +forgot their pains while listening. Rico also told the story of his +beautiful walks with Stineli, and became so much excited in his talk +that Silvio caught the inspiration, and asked for more and more, calling +out, "Tell me about Stineli again!" as soon as Rico paused to take +breath. One evening the child broke out into the wildest excitement when +Rico took his leave, saying that he would not be able to come on the +following day nor on Sunday. Silvio shrieked for his mother as if the +house were burning, and he were in the midst of the flames; and as she +came hurrying to him from the garden, almost frightened to death at his +noise, he declared "Rico should <i>not</i> go again back to the inn; but must +stay always, always with them. You must stay here, Rico. You must never, +never go away!"</p> + +<p>But Rico said, "I would stay most gladly; but I cannot."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti was much perplexed. She knew very well how valuable Rico's +services were to the inn-keepers, and that she could never obtain him +under any consideration. She tried to silence her little son to the best +of her ability, while she drew Rico to her side, saying, as was her +wont, "Poor little orphan!" Whereupon Silvio called out angrily, "What +is an orphan? I want to be an orphan too."</p> + +<p>These words aroused his mother; and she cried out, in her turn, "Silvio, +you wicked child! Do you know that an orphan is a wretched child, who +has neither father nor mother, and no home on all the earth?"</p> + +<p>Rico's black eyes were fixed on Mrs. Menotti's face, and then seemed to +grow blacker and more black every minute; but she did not notice them. +She had ceased to think about the lad while she was giving this +explanation of an orphan to her son. The little fellow slipped quietly +and unperceived away.</p> + +<p>When Mrs. Menotti observed his absence, she thought he had stolen away +in order not to excite Silvio further by taking leave, and she was +pleased at his thoughtfulness. Seating herself by the bedside of her +child, she said, "I want to make you understand how it is, Silvio; and +then you will stop being so naughty, I hope. It is not possible to take +a child away from any one; and, even if I took Rico from the landlady, +she would have a right to come and take you away from me. Then you would +not be able to see the garden nor the flowers any more, and would have +to sleep quite alone in the room with the harnesses where Rico dislikes +so much to sleep. Don't you remember what he has told you about that? +What would you do then?"</p> + +<p>"Come right home again," said the child decidedly; but he was quite +still after that, and soon lay down and slept.</p> + +<p>Rico passed through the garden, along the street, and down to the lake. +There he sat down on his favorite spot, leaned his head upon his hands, +and said, in tones of utter despair, "Now I know the truth, mother. Now +I know that I have no home,—none in the whole world."</p> + +<p>And there he sat until late in the night, alone with his sad thoughts; +and would have rather remained there forever, but he was obliged to go +back into his uncomfortable bedroom at last.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0115"></a> +CHAPTER XV.</p> + +<p>SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS.</p> + +<p> +But the excitement had not subsided in Silvio's mind, by any means; and +now that he knew that two days must elapse before Rico could come again, +he began to cry early in the morning, "Rico won't come to-day! Rico +won't come to-day!" and scarcely ceased until the evening; and the +second day it was the same, but on the third,—he was tired out by that +time, and seemed like a little heap of straw, that the least spark could +have reduced to ashes.</p> + +<p>In the evening Rico made his appearance, quite worn out with the noise +and tumult of the dances for which he had been obliged to play. Since he +had fully realized that he had no home on the earth, the thought of +Stineli had become of more importance than ever, and he said to +himself,—</p> + +<p>"There is only Stineli in the whole world to whom I belong, or who +troubles her head about me!" And he felt a terrible homesickness for +Stineli. He had scarcely reached the side of Silvio's bed when he said, +"Do you know, Silvio, with Stineli only can one feel perfectly well, and +nowhere else." These words were scarcely out of his mouth before the +little invalid hoisted himself up like a flash, calling out at the top +of his lungs, "Mother, I must have Stineli; Stineli must come; only with +Stineli can one feel perfectly well, and nowhere else."</p> + +<p>His mother came at his call; and as she had often listened to Rico's +stories about Stineli and her brothers and sisters with great interest, +she knew at once what they were talking about, and replied, "Yes, yes; +it would suit me very well. I could find great use for Stineli for you, +and for myself, if I only had her here."</p> + +<p>But such an indefinite way of talking did not suit Silvio in the least, +for he was interested, heart and soul, in the matter.</p> + +<p>"You can have her at once," he cried out. "Rico knows where she is: he +must go to fetch her. I want her every day, and always. To-morrow Rico +must go to get her: he knows where."</p> + +<p>Now that his mother saw that the little fellow had thought the whole +thing out, and was really in serious earnest about it, she tried to turn +his attention away, and to introduce other thoughts into his mind, for +she had often heard the story of the incredible adventures Rico passed +through on his journey over the mountains, and of the wonder of his +having survived and come down safely, and that the mountaineer were a +fearful and wild people. She was, therefore, fully persuaded that nobody +could bring a girl away, and certainly not a tender little lad like +Rico. He might meet a sad fate, and be lost altogether, if he attempted +any thing of the kind; and then she would be responsible for it all. She +would not run that risk,—she thought she had enough to bear already.</p> + +<p>So she placed all the impossibility of the affair before Silvio's eyes, +and told him of the terrible circumstances, and of the wicked men whom +Rico would have to encounter, and who might ruin him. But nothing had +the slightest effect. The little fellow had set his heart upon this +thing as he never had upon any thing before; and whatever his mother +brought forward, and no matter how anxiously she insisted, the moment +she ceased the child said, "Rico must go to fetch her: he knows where to +find her."</p> + +<p>Then his mother replied, "And even if he does know, do you mean to say +that he would run the risk and go into such dangerous places, when he +can live comfortably as he does here, and never have to do with any +wicked men again?"</p> + +<p>Then Silvio looked at Rico, and said, "Will you go to fetch Stineli, +Rico, or not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I will," said Rico firmly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, merciful heavens! now Rico is getting unmanageable too," cried the +mother, quite horrified. "And now I do not know what to do. Take your +fiddle, Rico, and play something, and sing; I must go into the garden." +And the good woman ran quickly forth into the garden under the +fig-trees, for she thought that her little son would forget the thing +more quickly if he had not a chance to talk to her about it.</p> + +<p>But the two good friends within neither played nor sang, but excited +each other almost to fever point with all kinds of representations of +how Stineli should be brought there, and of what would happen afterwards +when she had fairly arrived. Rico utterly forgot to take his leave, +although it was quite dark; and Mrs. Menotti purposely remained in the +garden, thinking that Silvio would soon fall asleep. At last, however, +she did come in, and Rico took his departure at once; but she had a bad +time of it with Silvio, after all. He positively would not close his +eyes until his mother promised that Rico should go to fetch Stineli; but +she could not make any such promise, and the little fellow did not cease +insisting until his mother said, "Be quiet, now; the night will set +every thing straight." For she thought in the night he will forget his +notion, as had often been the case, and he will have some other fancy.</p> + +<p>At last the child was quiet and slept; but his mother had miscalculated +the affair. Scarcely was it dawn when the little fellow called out from +his bed, "Is every thing set straight now, mother?"</p> + +<p>As it was impossible for her to reply in the affirmative to this +question, the storm broke out again, and a more violent one than she had +ever experienced before with her little boy, and lasted through the +whole day quite late into the evening; and on the following day the same +thing recommenced.</p> + +<p>Silvio had never been so persistent in any fancy before. When he +screamed and cried she was able to bear it; but when the hours of pain +and suffering came, and the child went on whining and complaining in the +most touching manner, saying,</p> + +<p>"One only feels perfectly well with Stineli, and nowhere else," that cut +his mother to the heart, and seemed like a reproach to her, as if she +would not do something that might make him well again; but how could she +possibly even think of it?</p> + +<p>She had heard herself Rico's answer to Silvio when he asked if he knew +how to go to Stineli. It was,—</p> + +<p>"No, I do not know the way; but I can easily find one."</p> + +<p>She went on hoping day after day that Silvio would take up some new +whim, as had always before been the case: she had never found it +otherwise. If he had wished for something when he was well, he had +always given it up when his pain came on. But it was quite different +this time, and there really was a reason too. Rico's stories and remarks +about his friend Stineli had taken firm possession of the mind of the +over-sensitive child; and he believed that nothing would hurt him again, +if she were only by his side. So Silvio went on day after day in +increasing distress; and his mother did not know where to turn for +counsel and support.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0116"></a> +CHAPTER XVI.</p> + +<p>COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY.</p> + +<p> +In all this trouble and uncertainty it was a real comfort to Mrs. +Menotti to see the long black coat of the kind-hearted old priest, +who had not been to visit her for a long time, coming through the +garden gate.</p> + +<p>She sprang up from her seat, crying out joyfully, "Look, Silvio; there +comes the dear, good priest!" and went towards him. But Silvio, in his +anger over every thing, said, as loud as he could, "I would rather it +were Stineli!"</p> + +<p>Then he crept quickly under the coverlet, so that the priest need not +know where the voice came from. His mother, however, was dreadfully +shocked, and begged the good man, who now entered the room, not to take +offence at this greeting, as it was not really so bad as it sounded.</p> + +<p>Silvio did not stir, but said softly, under the bed-cover,—</p> + +<p>"I really mean just what I say."</p> + +<p>The father must have had a suspicion of where the voice came from. He +stepped at once to the bedside; and, though there was not a hair of +Silvio's head even to be seen, he said, "God bless you, my son! how are +you? How is your health nowadays? and why do you creep into this hidden +hole like a little badger? Come out, and explain it all to me. What do +you mean by Stineli?"</p> + +<p>Now Silvio crept forth, for he had the priest in great respect now that +he was so close to him. He stretched out his little thin hand in +greeting, and said, "Rico's Stineli, I mean."</p> + +<p>His mother now interposed with the explanation, for the father shook his +head very doubtfully as he seated himself by the bedside. The good woman +related the whole affair about Stineli, and told how her little boy had +got the idea firmly fixed in his noddle that he would never be well +again unless this Stineli could come to him; and how even Rico had +become unreasonable, and declared that he could go to fetch Stineli, +even though he did not know a single stock nor stone of the way; and it +was such a long journey up into the mountains, moreover, and it was +impossible to realize what horrible people they were who lived up there. +But it proved how very bad they must be when a tender little fellow like +Rico preferred to incur the great danger of the journey than to remain +among such rude folk. "If it were practicable," however, added Mrs. +Menotti, "no money would seem to me wasted that would procure me such a +girl to quiet Silvio's longing, and to have some one to help take care +of him;" for sometimes she had almost too much to endure, and felt as if +she must give up altogether. And Rico, who was usually very discreet in +his conversation, was of the opinion that nobody could help her so much +nor so well in every way as this same Stineli. He ought to know her very +well, too; and certainly, if she really corresponded to his description, +it would be a great escape for such a girl to get away from the +mountains; but she did not know of anybody who would do them such a +favor as to bring her.</p> + +<p>To all this discourse the kind priest lent an attentive ear in profound +silence, until Mrs. Menotti had quite finished. Indeed, he could not +have got a word in edgewise if he had been inclined; for the good woman +had not opened her heart for a long time, and it was so full that it +almost choked her when she gave her words full expression, and she quite +lost her breath.</p> + +<p>Now quiet reigned for a while, then the good man began very calmly to +smoke his second pipe; and presently he said, "H—m, h—m, Mrs. Menotti; +I rather think you have an impression of the mountaineers that is +decidedly exaggerated. There are good Christians there as elsewhere; and +now that there are so many ways of doing things discovered, it would be +also quite possible to get up there without danger. We must bethink +ourselves about that, and find out about it."</p> + +<p>After this opinion, the priest stopped to refresh himself a little from +his snuffbox; then he went on:—</p> + +<p>"There are all sorts of trades-people who are always coming down to +Bergamo,—sheep and horse dealers: they know the road well enough, of +course. We can obtain information, and then bethink ourselves: we can +find a way sooner or later. It you are in earnest about it, Mrs. +Menotti, I will look about a little. I go every year once or twice to +Bergamo, and I will take the thing in hand for you."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti was so filled with gratitude at this promise, that words +utterly failed her that were, in her opinion, adequate to express her +thanks. Suddenly all the heavy thoughts had vanished that had oppressed +her day and night for such a long time past, and in which she was +getting more and more involved the more she puzzled over them, so that +at the last she saw no hope of a decision. Now the Father took the +whole burden upon himself, and she could refer her troublesome little +Silvio to him.</p> + +<p>While this conference was taking place, the little invalid had almost +pierced the priest through with his great gray eyes, so great was his +interest in what they said. When the priest arose, and held his hand +towards the child to say good-by, the little thin fingers were pressed +into his big palm as if he were making a firm contract.</p> + +<p>The father gave his promise to bring tidings as soon as he had obtained +the necessary information; and then they could decide whether the thing +could be done, or whether Silvio must give up his wish altogether.</p> + +<p>Week after week slipped by, but Silvio did not waver. He had a firm +ground of hope now by which to hold; and, moreover, Rico had become so +lively and amusing, that he was hardly to be recognized. It acted upon +him like a spark that kindled a joyful bonfire when he learned the +priest's comforting words; and a new life was awakened in the lad. He +knew more stories to tell Silvio than ever before; and when he took his +fiddle in his hand, he produced such heart-stirring tones and tunes, +that Mrs. Menotti could not tear herself from the room where the boys +were, and was full of astonishment at Rico's store of music.</p> + +<p>It was only in this room at Mrs. Menotti's that Rico fully enjoyed his +instrument. It sounded so well in the large, lofty space, where it was +quiet and peaceful, without a taint of tobacco-smoke, or the clamor of +noisy men; and he was not confined to dance music, but at liberty to +play as his fancy directed. Every day he went with increasing pleasure +to Mrs. Menotti's, and often said to himself, as he entered, "This is +the way it must feel when one is entering his own home."</p> + +<p>But it was not his home: he only was permitted to go there for a little +while, and away again.</p> + +<p>There had come over Rico a very decided change within a short time; and +the landlady, who perceived it clearly, was greatly perplexed thereby. +When she placed a nasty broken pail of refuse before him, saying, +"There, Rico, carry this to the hens," he would step aside a little, put +his hands behind his back, to show that he did not mean to touch the +pail, and say quietly, "I prefer that some one else should do that;" and +when she brought out an old pair of shoes and handed them to him to +carry to the cobbler, he did the same, saying. "I prefer that you should +give them to another person to carry."</p> + +<p>Now the landlady was a clever woman, and knew how to put two and two +together; and it had not escaped her that Rico was quite another person +within a short time, and looked very differently too. Mrs. Menotti had +always dressed him very nicely since she had undertaken that office; but +when she observed how well his clothes became him, and what an air of +real gentility he had, she used finer materials than at first; and the +lad always took good care of his person and his dress, for he detested +uncleanliness and disorder, both on his own appearance and in his +surroundings. All of this was not unnoticed, nor did she ever forget +that even as Rico had poured out his pocketful of gold upon the table +before her after his first "dance evening," so had he continued to do +faithfully, and not so much as looked as if he would like to keep one +bit for himself.</p> + +<p>He brought more and more each time; for it was not only for his dance +music that he was called so often, but because of his songs, that were +very popular.</p> + +<p>And the landlady recognized that it was her best policy to treat him +always kindly and well; and she did not trouble him about the hens nor +the shoes, and required such little services from him no more.</p> + +<p>It was now three years since Rico made his first entry into Peschiera. +He was now a tall, fourteen-year old stripling, and whoever laid eyes +upon him found him pleasing to look upon.</p> + +<p>Once again the golden sun of autumn burnished the surface of the Lake of +Garda, and the heavens lay blue above the tranquil waves. In the garden +the great bunches of grapes hung gold against the trellises, and the red +flowers of the oleander glistened in the sunbeams.</p> + +<p>It was quiet in Silvio's room, for his mother was without in the garden +gathering grapes and figs for the evening. The invalid lay listening +for Rico's step, for this was the time of his usual visit. The wicket +opened: Silvio pulled himself up in his bed. A long black coat came +slowly toward the door,—it was the priest. Silvio did not think of +hiding himself this time. He stretched out his little arm as far as he +was able, to shake hands with the good man, before he had fairly +entered the room.</p> + +<p>This welcome pleased the priest, who walked at once into the room, and +to the child's bedside, even though he saw Mrs. Menotti's form behind +him in the garden.</p> + +<p>"This is right, my son," he said. "And how do you find yourself?"</p> + +<p>"All right," said Silvio quickly; and, looking eagerly at the good man, +he added softly, "When may Rico go?"</p> + +<p>Seating himself by the bedside, the good man said, a little pompously, +"To-morrow, at five o'clock, Rico will start, my son."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti entered as he was speaking, and it was with some difficulty +that the priest could quiet her enough to get a chance to tell his story +in a consecutive way, and to make himself understood; and all the time +he was speaking, Silvio's eyes were fixed upon his face like a little +sparrow-hawk.</p> + +<p>He had come directly from Bergamo, where he had passed two days. He had +made all the necessary arrangements with a horse-trader,—a friend of +his who had been travelling, for thirty years or more, every autumn, and +knew the way over the mountains that Rico must take. He knew, also, how +the journey could be made without leaving the coach, or sleeping by the +way. He was going there himself, and would take Rico under his charge, +if the lad would go to Bergamo by the early train. The man knew all the +drivers and conductors, also; and would arrange for his and his +companion's return, and recommend them so well that there would be no +trouble or danger.</p> + +<p>The Father was convinced that there was no hindrance to Rico's going in +perfect safety, and gave his blessing to the undertaking.</p> + +<p>As he stood by the garden-hedge, after saying good-by to Silvio, Mrs. +Menotti, who had accompanied him thus far, detained him for a moment, to +ask again, full of sudden anxiety, "Oh, there will not be any danger to +his life, I hope? Nor that he may lose his way, and go wandering about +in the mountains? You do not think that possible, do you, Father?" But +the good man quieted her fears; and she returned to the house, thinking +of what there remained to do for Rico, who entered the garden at this +moment, and was greeted by such a startling cry of joy from Silvio, that +he reached the bedside in three leaps to find out what it all meant.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter? What ails you?" Rico kept asking; and Silvio +repeated, "I will tell you, I will tell you!" until, in real anxiety, +his mother came to his aid. Soon, however, she left the boys to enjoy +their happiness together; and went about her business, which she thought +very important. She fetched a portmanteau, and placed a huge piece of +smoked meat first of all at the bottom, then a half loaf of bread, a big +parcel of preserved plums and figs, and a bottle of wine, carefully +wrapped in a cloth. Then came the clothes,—two shirts and a pair of +shoes, two pair of stockings, and pocket-handkerchiefs; for it seemed +always to Mrs. Menotti as if Rico were going to the farthermost part of +the world; and she only now fully realized how dearly she loved the lad, +for she felt that she could not get on without him.</p> + +<p>All the while, as she was packing, she would pause, sit down, and say to +herself, anxiously, "Oh, I do hope there will not be an accident!"</p> + +<p>Presently she brought the portmanteau down-stairs, and counselled Rico +to go at once and explain to the landlady how every thing had happened; +and to ask if she would allow him to go, and not oppose it; and +afterwards Rico was to carry the portmanteau to the station.</p> + +<p>The boy was in the greatest surprise over his portmanteau. He obeyed in +silence, as usual, however, and went to the landlady. He explained to +her that he was going back to the mountains to bring Stineli back with +him, and that the priest had arranged it so that he was to start on the +following morning at five o'clock.</p> + +<p>It produced a feeling of respect at once in the mind of the landlady +when she found that the priest was at the head of the business. But she +naturally wished to know who this Stineli might be, and what the idea +was in fetching her; for she hoped it might be on her account.</p> + +<p>She only found out that Stineli was a girl whose name was Stineli, and +that she was coming to Mrs. Menotti. So she let the thing go; for she +would not interfere, for the world, with that lady's wishes. She was +only too glad that Rico had been left to her for so long. She took it +for granted that Stineli was Rico's sister, only that he had not said +so, because he never did say any thing about his family.</p> + +<p>So she told all the guests in the inn that evening that Rico was going +to bring his sister down to Peschiera, because he had found out how well +they all lived there.</p> + +<p>In order to show how highly she held the lad in respect, she had a big +basket brought down from the attic, and filled it with sausages and +cheese, and slices of bread, and eggs, saying,—</p> + +<p>"You must not get hungry on the way; and what is left over, you can eat +while you are there. It will not be too much; and coming back, you will +need something too. You are certainly coming back, Rico, are you not?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," replied the lad. "In eight days I shall be back again."</p> + +<p>In Mrs. Menotti's hands he placed his beloved fiddle, for he would not +have trusted it to any one else; and then he took his leave for eight +days, for he could easily be back again in that time, if every thing +went well.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0117"></a> +CHAPTER XVII.</p> + +<p>BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS.</p> + +<p> +Full of impatience, Rico stood at the station long before the appointed +time, and could scarcely be quiet while waiting for the train. Again he +took his seat in the carriage, as he had done three years before, but +not now crouched timidly in a corner with his violin in his hand. He +took a whole seat for himself this time; for he placed his portmanteau +and his basket next him, and they took up a deal of room. He met the +horse-dealer in Bergamo without difficulty, and they travelled along in +the same carriage together, and then across the lake. When they left the +boat they went towards the inn, where the big post-wagon stood with the +horses already harnessed. It all came back to Rico's memory with great +distinctness,—how he had stood there in the night, quite alone, after +the students had all gone their ways; and opposite he espied the +stable-door where he had seen the lantern hanging, and had found the +friendly sheep-dealer again. It was evening now; and they took their +places at once in the coach, and went towards the mountain. Rico sat +within, this time, with his companion, and had scarcely settled himself +comfortably in his corner when his eyes closed and he slept; for he had +not slept an hour on the preceding night, so great had been his +excitement. Now he made it up, without once awakening, until the sun +stood high in the heavens, and the coach moved very slowly; and when he +stuck his head out of the window, he saw, to his utter astonishment, +that they were ascending the zigzag road up the Maloja, that was so +familiar to him from his childhood.</p> + +<p>He could not see much from the window,—only a turning in the road now +and then; but now he did want to see everything that lay about them. At +last the coach stopped: they had reached the summit. There was the inn, +there the spot where he had sat and talked with the driver. All the +passengers got out for a moment, and the horses were fed. Rico also +descended, and asked very humbly of the driver if he might be allowed to +take a seat on the box with him.</p> + +<p>"Will you let me climb up there, and ride as far as Sils?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Up with you!" said the coachman. They all took their places, and +merrily rolled the coach down the smooth road and along the level way. +Now they reached the lake. Yonder lay the wooded peninsula, and there +the white houses of Sils, and beyond was Sils Maria. The little church +shone in the morning sunshine, and over towards the mountain were two +cottages. Rico's heart began to beat wildly. Where was Stineli? A few +steps farther, and the coach stood still in Sils.</p> + +<p>Stineli had suffered a great deal since her friend's disappearance. The +children were larger, and the work ever increasing; and the greater part +fell to her share, for she was the eldest of the children, and the +youngest of the rest of the family; so the cry was always, "Stineli can +do this: she is old enough now;" and presently, "Stineli must look after +that, she is so young." She had no one with whom to share her pleasures +since Rico's departure, even if she had a moment to herself.</p> + +<p>Her good grandmother had died the year before, and from that time +forward the girl had no relaxation whatever; but from morning to evening +there was nothing but incessant toil.</p> + +<p>She never lost heart, however, although she had wept bitterly over the +loss of her grandmother; and every day the thought arose several times +in her mind, without her good grandmother and Rico the world was no +longer as beautiful as formerly.</p> + +<p>On a sunny Saturday morning she came out of the stable with a big +bundle of straw poised on her head. She meant to weave some nice +brushes, for the evening sweeping. The sun was shining all down the +pathway towards Sils, and she stood gazing in that direction. An +unknown lad came along the road,—certainly no Silser, she thought; and +yet as he drew near he stood still and looked at her, and she returned +his gaze, and was much perplexed. In an instant, however, away went her +bundle of straw, and she rushed forward towards the motionless figure +before her, crying out,—</p> + +<p>"O Rico! are you still alive? Have you come back again? But how big you +are, Rico! I did not know you, at first; but as soon as I saw your face, +then I was sure,—nobody has a face like yours."</p> + +<p>So Stineli stood with glowing cheeks before the lad; and he grew as +white as chalk from excitement, and could not find words to speak his +joy, but looked and looked at the girl. Presently he said,—</p> + +<p>"You have grown, too, Stineli, but are not otherwise changed. The nearer +I came to the house, the more anxious I got lest you might be altered."</p> + +<p>"Oh, to think that you are really here, Rico!" cried Stineli, joyfully. +"Oh, if the grandmother only knew! But come in, Rico; they will all be +surprised." She ran on before to open the door, and Rico followed.</p> + +<p>The children hid themselves one behind the other; and their mother rose +and greeted the lad as if he were a stranger, and asked what his wishes +were. Neither she nor the children had an idea who he was. Now Trudi +and Sami came into the room, and bowed to him as they passed through. +"Does not one of you know him?" said Stineli, at last. "Don't you see +it is Rico?"</p> + +<p>They were astonished and full of their surprise when their father came +to his dinner. Rico advanced towards him, offering his hand, which the +man took, but looked steadily at the strange lad.</p> + +<p>"Is it some kind of a relation?" he asked; for he was never very sure +about the members of the family who sometimes visited them.</p> + +<p>"Even the father does not know him," said Stineli, rather vexed.</p> + +<p>"Why, it is Rico, father!"</p> + +<p>"Well, well: that is good," remarked he; and looked the lad well over +from head to foot this time, adding,—</p> + +<p>"You need not be ashamed to show yourself. Have you learned some sort of +a trade? Let us all be seated, and then you can tell us what has +happened to you."</p> + +<p>But Rico did not sit down at once: he kept looking towards the doorway. +At last he asked, hesitatingly,—</p> + +<p>"Where is the grandmother?"</p> + +<p>"She lies over there in Sils, not far from the old schoolmaster," was +the reply. Rico had hesitated with his question, for he feared this +would be the answer; he had noticed the grandmother's absence at once. +He took his seat with the others at the table, but was silent for a +while, and could not eat a morsel: he had loved the grandmother dearly. +However, the father wanted to hear his story, and to know what had +become of him on the day they all searched for him in the ravines, and +what he had seen and done in the world. So the boy told all his story, +and about Mrs. Menotti and Silvio; and explained distinctly that he +wished to take Stineli back with him to Peschiera, if her parents would +consent. Stineli made very big eyes while her friend was talking: she +had not lost one word of his history. Her heart was as if on fire with +joy. To go to Rico's beautiful lake with him, to live with Mrs. Menotti +and her sick son, who was so anxious for her to come,—that would be +happiness indeed!</p> + +<p>There was a long silence after this. Stineli's father never decided +hastily. At last he said, "It is true that when one goes among strangers +there is much to be learned; but I cannot let Stineli go,—there can be +no question of that. She is needed here at home; but one of the others +may go,—Trudi, perhaps."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes: that will do," said the mother. "I cannot get along +without Stineli."</p> + +<p>Then Trudi raised her head from her plate, and said, "That suits me very +well. There is nothing but children's racket here at home."</p> + +<p>Stineli did not speak. She only looked anxiously towards Rico, wondering +if he would not say any thing more since her father seemed so decided, +and whether he would take Trudi with him as proposed. The lad, however, +looked calmly at her father, saying, "No: that won't do at all. It is +precisely Stineli whom the sick boy Silvio wishes, and nobody else; and +he knows very well what he wants. He would only send Trudi home again, +and she would have taken the journey for nothing. Mrs. Menotti told me +to say, that if Stineli got on well with her son, she would give her +every month five gulden to send home to her family, if they cared for +it; and I am sure that Stineli and Silvio will agree famously,—just as +sure as if I saw it with my own eyes now," added the lad.</p> + +<p>Pushing his plate to one side, Stineli's father put his cap on his head. +He had finished his dinner; and when he had some very severe thinking to +do, he was always more comfortable with his cap on. It seemed to help +him to collect his thoughts.</p> + +<p>He thought, always in silence, how much labor he would have to perform +before he could earn even one good gulden; and he said to himself, "Five +gulden every month without lifting a finger."</p> + +<p>So he shoved his cap first on one side and then on the other; and said, +at last, "She may go. One of the others can do the work in the house."</p> + +<p>Stineli's eyes sparkled, but the mother looked sadly at all the little +heads and plates. Who would keep them all nice and in order?</p> + +<p>But the father's cap got another shove. Something else had +occurred to him.</p> + +<p>"Stineli has not yet been confirmed, and ought to be before she +goes away."</p> + +<p>"I am not to be confirmed for two years yet, father," said the girl +eagerly; "so that I can go away for two years perfectly well, and come +back quite in time for that."</p> + +<p>This was a good decision, and everybody was satisfied. The father and +mother thought, even if every thing does go badly without Stineli, it +will only be for a while; and when she comes back again, all will be +well. And Trudi thought, "Just as soon as she comes back again, I will +go and then we shall see if I come back."</p> + +<p>But Rico and Stineli merely glanced at each other, and laughed with +their eyes for pure joy.</p> + +<p>As the father looked upon the affair as settled, he rose from the table, +saying, "She may go to-morrow: then we shall know where we stand."</p> + +<p>Her mother, on the contrary, objected to this, saying that it could not +be managed so quickly, and complained bitterly, until her father gave +in, and said she should go the following Monday, and would not hear of a +later date; for he thought that there would be a continual fuss until +the departures were fairly over.</p> + +<p>Work there was now for Stineli in abundance. Rico understood that this +must be the case, and he addressed himself to Sami, and said he would +like to see whether every thing remained as formerly in Sils-Maria; and +that he had a sack and a basket to fetch from Sils, and perhaps Sami +would go with him to help him; so they went forth.</p> + +<p>Firstly, Rico paused before his former home, and gazed at the old +house-door and the hen-house. It was just as it had been. He asked Sami +who lived there now,—if his cousin were there, and alone.</p> + +<p>But he heard that the cousin had long ago gone away towards Silvaplana, +and nobody knew any thing about her; for she had not shown her face in +Sils-Maria again.</p> + +<p>There were people living in the house, about whom Rico knew nothing. +Everywhere that he went with Sami, from the old well-known houses and +stables the people stared at him as if he were an utter stranger; not +one of them recognized him in the least.</p> + +<p>As he crossed over, towards evening, to Sils, he turned aside a little +towards the churchyard. He wanted to see the grave where the old +grandmother was buried; but Sami did not rightly know where she lay.</p> + +<p>They returned home just as it was growing dark, laden with basket and +portmanteau. Stineli stood at the well, and brushed out the stable +buckets for the last time; and as Rico stood there by her side, she +said, flushed with pleasure, and with her exertions over the pails, "I +can scarcely believe that it is true, Rico."</p> + +<p>"But I do," said he so decidedly, that the girl looked at him surprised. +"But of course, Stineli," he added, "you have not been thinking it out +this long time as I have."</p> + +<p>There was a change in Rico that the girl noticed at once. Formerly he +would not have spoken in this firm and decided manner.</p> + +<p>They had arranged a bed for Rico up in the room under the roof. +He carried his things up there, and meant to open them the +following morning.</p> + +<p>When they were all seated the next day at table,—a beautiful, clear +Sunday morning,—down came Rico, and poured out before Urschli and +Peterli a big heap of plums and figs. The latter fruit they had never +seen at all; and the plums were finer than any that they were accustomed +to; and his sausages and meat and eggs he placed in the middle of the +table. As soon as their admiration and surprise had a little subsided, +they all fell to and ate with a wonderful relish, and the children were +munching the sweet figs quite late into the evening.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0113"></a> +CHAPTER XVIII.</p> + +<p>TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS.</p> + +<p> +On Monday evening the journey was to begin. The horse-dealer had +impressed this fact so thoroughly on Rico's memory, that there was not a +chance for a mistake. After the farewells were all said, Rico and +Stineli went towards Sils together, while her mother, with all the +little children clustered about her, stood upon the doorstep and looked +after them.</p> + +<p>Sami accompanied them to carry the portmanteau on his head, and Rico +carried the basket on one side, and Stineli held it on the other. +Stineli's clothes had just filled it.</p> + +<p>When they reached the church in Sils, Stineli said, "Oh, if my +grandmother could only see us now! We will go to say good-by to her, +Rico." He was very willing, and told Stineli how he had already tried to +find the grave, but had not succeeded.</p> + +<p>The girl was better informed than her brother.</p> + +<p>When the post-wagon came along and stopped, the driver called out, "Are +the couple ready who are to go down to the Lake of Garda? I was asking +for them yesterday."</p> + +<p>The horse-dealer had given them a good recommendation; and the driver +called out that they should climb up to the top: the others had found it +too cold. "You are younger," he said.</p> + +<p>So saying, he helped them up to the seats behind the box, and took out +a thick horse-blanket, and wrapped them up snugly therein; and off +they went.</p> + +<p>For the first time since they had come together again, the two young +people were alone, and could talk freely and undisturbed, and tell each +other how they had passed the three long years since they parted. And +they chattered away happily under the starry heavens, never thinking of +sleep in their joy at being together.</p> + +<p>Towards morning they reached the lake, and arrived in Peschiera at the +same hour as Rico had before arrived, and walked along the road to the +lake-side. But Rico did not wish his companion to see the lake until she +had reached the spot he called his own; so he led her through the trees +until they came to the little stone bridge in the open.</p> + +<p>There lay the lake in the light of the setting sun; and the children sat +side by side on the little mound, and gazed across the water.</p> + +<p>There it was, just as Rico had described it, but more, much more lovely; +for such colors Stineli had never seen before.</p> + +<p>She looked about her towards the purple mountains, across the golden +waters, and she cried out with all her heart, "Yes, it is finer than the +Lake of Sils."</p> + +<p>But Rico felt that it had never yet been so exquisitely beautiful as on +this evening when he and Stineli saw it together.</p> + +<p>Rico had another secret joy that he cherished in his heart. How +surprised Silvio and his mother would be to see them! Nobody had +expected them back so soon. Nobody would look for them before the end of +the week, and now there they sat by the lake-side.</p> + +<p>They did not quit the little mound until the sun had fairly disappeared.</p> + +<p>Rico pointed out to his companion the spot where his mother stood +washing something in the lake, and how he used to sit waiting until she +had finished; and then he told how they walked back together, hand in +hand, over the little bridge.</p> + +<p>"But where did you go when you went back?" asked Stineli. "Have you +never found the house that you returned to?"</p> + +<p>Rico could not say. "When I go up there, away from the lake towards the +railroad, I seem to remember that there I stood with my mother, or sat +with her upon a garden-seat with the red flowers before us; but now +nothing is to be seen like the house, and I do not even recognize the +road at all."</p> + +<p>At last they arose, and went towards the garden. Rico carried the +portmanteau, and the girl the basket. As they entered the garden, +Stineli called out too loud, in her delight, "Oh, the beautiful, +beautiful flowers!"</p> + +<p>Silvio heard these unfortunate words, and pulled himself up in an +instant, crying out, at the top of his lungs,—</p> + +<p>"Here comes Rico with his Stineli!"</p> + +<p>His poor mother thought that he had an attack of fever. She thrust her +things back into the chest which she was arranging,—every thing in +again, pell-mell,—and ran quickly to the bedside.</p> + +<p>At that moment Rico walked boldly into the room, and the good woman +almost fell over backward in her surprise and delight; for until that +very instant she had secretly been a prey to the darkest fears, always +believing that Rico's adventure would cost him his life.</p> + +<p>A maiden came behind Rico, with a friendly face that won Mrs. Menotti's +heart in a twinkling, for she was a very impressionable woman.</p> + +<p>First of all, however, she shook Rico's hands almost off in her +welcoming grasp; and in the meantime Stineli had gone over to the +bedside and placed her arm about the thin shoulders of the child, and +smiled into his face as if they were old and dear friends, while Silvio +in return put his arm about her neck, and drew her face down to his.</p> + +<p>Straightway Stineli placed a present for the child before him. She +had put it conveniently in her pocket, so that she could place her +hand on it at once. It was a toy that had been Peterli's favorite +before any other,—a pine-cone, with a thin wire introduced into each +little opening between the hard scales, and a little figure, made of +sole-leather, perched on the top of each bit of wire. All these tiny +figures shook and nodded so merrily towards each other, and had such +funnily painted little faces, that Silvio could scarcely stop +laughing at them.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti had learned from Rico all that he had to tell her of +importance while this play went on,—for she was anxious to learn from +himself that all had gone quietly and safely,—then she turned to the +girl, and greeted her with heartfelt kindness; and Stineli made answer +more with her kindly eyes than with her tongue, for she could not speak +a word of Italian, and had to help herself out with such Romanish words +as she had learned.</p> + +<p>But she was quick-witted, and found a way to make herself understood +without difficulty; for, if the right word was wanting, she described +the thing cleverly with her fingers, and by all sorts of signs, which +amused Silvio exceedingly; for it was a kind of game of guessing for him +all the time.</p> + +<p>Now Mrs. Menotti went over to the cupboard, where all the service for +the table was kept, and brought out tablecloth and plates, cold +chicken, fruit, and wine; which, when Stineli observed, she hastened +after her to aid her, and did it so neatly and handily that there +remained little for Mrs. Menotti to do; and she stood gazing at the +nimble, willing girl, who had soon served Silvio also, as he lay in +bed, cutting his food for him, and helping him neatly and rapidly, +which pleased the child very much.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti seated herself, saying, "I have not had such help as this +in many a year; but, come now, Stineli: sit down, and eat with us."</p> + +<p>And they sat and chatted and ate together, as if they were old friends +who had always been accustomed to such free intercourse.</p> + +<p>Rico began to give an account of the journey after they had finished +eating, and Stineli meanwhile quietly replaced every thing in the +cupboard; for she knew well enough, without being told, how such work +should be done. Then she seated herself by Silvio's bedside, and made +shadow pictures on the wall with her supple fingers; and Silvio laughed +aloud, and called the names,—"A hare! A beast with horns! A spider with +long legs!"</p> + +<p>So sped away the first evening quickly and merrily, and they all were +taken by surprise when it struck ten o'clock. Rico rose, for he knew he +must be going; but a dark cloud came over his countenance.</p> + +<p>He said shortly, "Good-night," and went away. But the girl ran after +him; and in the garden she took his hand, saying, "Now you must not be +sad, Rico, it <i>is</i> so beautiful here. I cannot tell you how lovely I +find it, nor how happy I am; and I owe it all, all to you. And you will +come again to-morrow, and every day, will you not, Rico?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said; and looked at Stineli with a most melancholy expression. +"Yes; and every evening, when it is most beautiful, I must be off and +away, because I belong to nobody."</p> + +<p>"Oh! do not think in that way, Rico," said his friend encouragingly. +"Have we not always belonged to each other, and have not I often rejoiced +over that thought all these three years that are past? And when things +were almost unsupportable, and I longed to get away, have not I always +said to myself, 'If I could only be with Rico again, I would bear any +thing?' And now it has come about as we wished, and, indeed, far better +than I had imagined; and will you not be happy with me, Rico?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; that I will," said the lad; and his countenance cleared a little.</p> + +<p>He did belong to somebody, after all; and Stineli's words had restored +his tranquility. They shook hands again; and Rico went through the +garden-gate, and away.</p> + +<p>When Stineli returned to the room, and, by Mrs. Menotti's directions, +was about to say good-night to Silvio, the child began to dispute +again, and declared that he would not be separated from his newly-found +friend even for a few hours; but would have her sit by his bedside all +night long, and say funny words to him, and look at him with her +laughing eyes.</p> + +<p>Nothing that his mother could say produced any impression upon him, +until she spoke thus: "Very well; if you keep Stineli standing by your +bed to amuse you all night, she will soon be as ill as you are, and not +be able to get up at all, but have to lie in bed, and you will not see +her for a long time."</p> + +<p>So, after a while, the child released his hold of Stineli's arm, +and said,—</p> + +<p>"There, go to sleep; but come to me again to-morrow early."</p> + +<p>This was promised; and Mrs. Menotti showed the girl into a neat little +bedroom that looked out upon the garden, whence a delicious scent of +flowers rose through the open window.</p> + +<p>With every day that passed Stineli became more and more necessary to +little Silvio. If she only went out-of-doors for a few moments, he +considered it a misfortune. He was obedient and quiet enough, however, +when she stayed with him; and did every thing she bade him do, and did +not tease his mother as before.</p> + +<p>And it seemed as if the nervous little fellow had less frequent attacks +of pain since Stineli's arrival. Indeed, he had not complained since her +coming, and she had been with them many days.</p> + +<p>It must certainly be acknowledged that she was the most amusing of +companions, and turned every thing that came in her way into a game. She +had always lived with children, and constantly had their entertainment +in her mind. She had also learned a great many words from Silvio, and +could soon chatter away with him at her ease; and when she did get the +words twisted and upside down, it was even more funny, and Silvio looked +upon that as a game made expressly for him.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti never saw Rico entering the garden but she ran towards him, +for now she was at liberty to move about freely; and she always drew him +a little aside to tell him what a treasure he had brought into the house +for her, how happy and gay her Silvio had become, and that she never +would have believed that such a girl as Stineli existed on the face of +the earth; for with Silvio she was as merry as if her only pleasure +consisted in playing the little games he liked, while she was as wise +and intelligent as any grown woman with Mrs. Menotti, and understood +housework so that it all seemed to go on of its own accord; and nicely, +too, as if every day were Sunday. In short, Mrs. Menotti could not find +words enough to praise Stineli in all the ways in which she found her +admirable; and Rico was always happy in listening to these praises.</p> + +<p>When they all sat together in the pleasant room, and exchanged loving +and happy glances, they felt that they never wanted to be separated, +and called themselves the happiest family in the whole world, and +needed for nothing.</p> + +<p>But the clouds on Rico's brow grew dark as night came on, and towards +ten o'clock every thing looked black and blacker; and even if Mrs. +Menotti, in her contentment, did not notice it, Stineli did, and +secretly worried over it, thinking, "It is just as if there were a +thunder-storm in the air."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0119"></a> +CHAPTER XIX.</p> + +<p>CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA.</p> + +<p> +It was a beautiful Sunday in autumn, and across the Lake of Riva there +was to be a "dance evening," and Rico was to go over there to play; so +he would not be able to pass the day with Stineli and the rest. They +talked this over and over through the week, for it was a great trial to +them all when Rico did not come for Sunday; and Stineli tried to find +all sorts of little reasons to reconcile Rico, and to make the affair +seem less unpleasant.</p> + +<p>"You will go across the lake in the sunlight, and return under the +beautiful stars; and we shall be thinking of you the whole time," she +said to him, when he first mentioned that he should be away on Sunday.</p> + +<p>On Saturday evening Rico brought his violin, for Stineli's greatest +pleasure was to hear him play. The lad played lovely tunes one after +another; but they were all sad melodies, and seemed to make him sadder +still, for he looked down at his instrument with a kind of indignant +sorrow, as if it did him a real injury.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he pushed it away from him, long before the clock had struck +ten, and said, "I am going away."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti tried to detain him; she could not understand what was +amiss. Stineli had looked steadily at him while he was playing. Now she +said, quietly,—</p> + +<p>"I will go with you a little way."</p> + +<p>"No," cried Silvio; "do not go. Stay here with me."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, Stineli!" said Rico. "Stay here, and let me go alone."</p> + +<p>And, saying this, he looked at his friend exactly as he had looked when +he came away from the schoolmaster's house, and joined Stineli at the +wood-pile, so long ago, saying then, "It is all of no use!"</p> + +<p>Stineli went to Silvio's bedside, and said softly, "Be a good boy, +Silvio; and to-morrow I will tell you the very prettiest and drollest +story about Peterli; but now do not make a noise."</p> + +<p>Silvio really did keep quiet, and Stineli went after Rico. When they +reached the hedge, Rico turned about, and pointed towards the brightly +lighted window that looked so pleasant and friendly from the garden, and +said, "Go back there, Stineli. You belong there, and there you are at +home; but I belong in the streets. I am a homeless fellow, and shall +always be so: now let me go away."</p> + +<p>"No, no; I will not let you go in this mood, Rico. Where do you +mean to go?"</p> + +<p>"To the lake," said the young man; and went towards the bridge. As they +stood together on the little mound, they were silent for a while, +listening to the murmur of the waves. At last, Rico said,—</p> + +<p>"Do you understand, if you were not here, I would go away at once, far +away?—but I do not know where I should go. Wherever I go, I shall be +homeless, and have to be fiddling forever in public-houses where they +are noisy, just as if they had lost their senses, and I must always +sleep in a room in which I dislike to be; but you belong to them there +in that beautiful house, and I do not belong anywhere. And I tell you, +Stineli, when I look down there, I think if my mother had only cast me +to the waves before she died, then I should not have been this +homeless wanderer."</p> + +<p>With ever-increasing trouble, Stineli listened to these words of her +friend; but when he pronounced these last, she became really alarmed, +and said hastily, "O Rico! you ought not to say such things. I am sure +that you have not said 'Our Father' for a long, long time; and these +wicked thoughts are the consequence."</p> + +<p>"No: I have not prayed for a long time," said Rico. "I have +forgotten how."</p> + +<p>These words gave his companion a severe shock.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! what would my grandmother say to this, Rico?" she cried, in +distress. "She would be in sad trouble about you. Do not you remember +how she told us, 'He who forgets his Lord's Prayer is sure to get into +trouble?' Rico, you must learn it again. I will teach it to you this +minute: it will not take you long."</p> + +<p>And the good girl began, with pious zeal, and repeated the prayer twice +or thrice over to her friend; and, while she thus emphasized the words, +she noticed that there was a great deal of especial comfort for Rico +contained therein; and, as she ended, she said,—</p> + +<p>"Do not you see, Rico, if all the kingdom belongs to the good God, He +can surely find you a home? for He has all the power, so He can give it +to you if He chooses."</p> + +<p>"Now you can plainly see, Stineli," replied the youth, "if the good God +has a home for me in His kingdom, and has the power to give it to me, +and does not, it is because He does <i>not</i> choose to."</p> + +<p>"Yes; but you forget something," continued Stineli. "The good God may +say, 'If Rico wants any thing from me, he should pray to me.'"</p> + +<p>In reply to this, Rico had no answer. He remained silent for some +time; then he said, "Repeat the Lord's Prayer again, Stineli: I will +learn it."</p> + +<p>His companion gladly complied, and it was soon learned. Then they +separated, and each went home; but Rico's thoughts were busy with the +"kingdom and the power."</p> + +<p>Once more in his quiet room, he prayed humbly, and with a softened +heart; for he felt that he had been in the wrong to believe that the +good God ought to give him what he wished for, when he did not even +remember to pray to Him.</p> + +<p>Stineli returned to the garden very full of anxious thought. She turned +over and over in her mind whether she ought to tell all this to Mrs. +Menotti. Perhaps she might be able to find some other employment for +Rico than this fiddling in the public-houses for dancing, that was so +detestable to the lad. But the thought of troubling Mrs. Menotti with +her affairs passed quickly from her mind as she entered the room again.</p> + +<p>Silvio lay upon his pillows with flushed cheeks, breathing heavily and +irregularly; and by the bedside sat his mother, and wept.</p> + +<p>The little invalid had had another of his severe attacks, and a little +anger at Stineli's absence had increased the fever. His mother was so +cast down, that she did not seem to Stineli the same person at all. When +she, at last, recovered her spirits a little, she said,—</p> + +<p>"Come here, Stineli. Sit down here by my side: I want to tell you +something.</p> + +<p>"I have something that lies very heavily at my heart; so heavily, +that sometimes it seems to me that I cannot bear it any longer. It is +true you are young, but you are so sensible, and have seen a great +deal; and it seems to me that I should be relieved if I could talk it +over with you.</p> + +<p>"You see how Silvio suffers, and how ill he is,—my only son. Now I have +not only the distress of his sickness, which can never be healed, but I +often feel that perhaps it is a punishment from God, because I am +holding and enjoying an unlawful property: although, to be sure, I did +not seek to get it, and do not wish to keep it. But I will tell you +every thing from the beginning.</p> + +<p>"When we were married, Menotti and I,—he brought me over from Riva, +where my father still lives,—Menotti had a very good friend living +here, who was just about leaving, because the land had become hateful to +him, owing to the death of his wife. This friend had a house—a little +one—and large fields, though they were not very productive. He wanted +my husband to take them all, and said that the land did not yield much; +but if he would keep it all in good order, and the house also, that he +would return to claim it in a few years.</p> + +<p>"So the friends made their arrangements together, and said nothing about +interest. My husband said, 'You will want to find every thing as it +should be when you return;' for he meant to put it all in good +condition, and understood the cultivating of land perfectly, which was +thoroughly well known to his friend, who willingly left it all in his +hands. But about one year later the railroad was built, and the little +house had to come down, and the garden was taken too, with the fields, +for the railway went right through them. So my husband got a great deal +more money than they were really worth, and bought a far better piece of +land and a garden, and built a house, all with the money; and the land +produced fully twice what the other had, and we had most abundant +harvests. I often said, 'It does not really belong to us, and we are +living in luxury from the property of another. How I wish that we knew +where he is!' But my husband quieted me, and said, 'I am keeping it all +in order for him, and when he comes it is all his; and as to the profit +that I have laid aside, he must have his share also.'</p> + +<p>"Then Silvio was born; and when I discovered that the little fellow was +ill, I kept saying over and over to my husband, 'We are living on +property to which we have no right, and we are punished for it.' And +sometimes it was so dreadful to me that poverty would have been more +tolerable, and I would have gladly been homeless.</p> + +<p>"My husband always tried to console me, and said, 'You will see how +pleased he will be with me when he returns.' But he did not return. My +husband died: it is now four years ago. Oh, what a life I have led since +then! always thinking how can I be free from this unlawful property +without doing any thing wrong, for it is my duty to keep it in good +condition until our friend comes; and then I feared that he might be in +misery somewhere while I am living so comfortably on his property, and +know nothing of his whereabouts."</p> + +<p>Stineli felt sincerely how much Mrs. Menotti was to be pitied; for she +perfectly well understood her feeling, and how she was always +reproaching herself for a thing that she could not change, and she +comforted the good woman, saying,—</p> + +<p>"When any one does not mean to do wrong, and means not to do wrong, +then there is nothing but to trust to the good God and pray to Him for +help; for He can turn our evil into His good, and He will do so when +we are truly repentant over evil. I know all this from my +grandmother's teaching; for once I was in great distress, and did not +know what to do."</p> + +<p>Then she told about Rico and the lake that he was always thinking of, +and how she was the cause of his running away, and full of fear that it +had cost him his life. But she said that she felt perfectly at ease +after she had cast her burden on the Lord; and she advised Mrs. Menotti +to do likewise, and assured her that she would derive the truest comfort +from so doing. After this conversation Mrs. Menotti felt much relieved, +and said they would all go to rest now, and thanked her young counsellor +for her advice.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0120"></a> +CHAPTER XX.</p> + +<p>AT HOME.</p> + +<p> +One beautiful Sunday morning in autumn, Mrs. Menotti seated herself on +the garden-bench in the midst of the glowing red flowers, and +thoughtfully gazed about her,—now at the oleander and laurel bushes, +now at the fig-trees laden with fruit, and again at the vines heavy with +golden grapes; and she said, softly, "God knows I should be glad if I +could lay aside this feeling of wrong-doing that weighs on my +conscience, but certainly such a lovely spot as this one I could never +find for a home."</p> + +<p>Presently Rico came into the garden. He was obliged to go away in the +afternoon; and he never passed a whole day without paying them a visit, +if it were possible to do otherwise. As he was passing on towards +Silvio's room, Mrs. Menotti called him.</p> + +<p>"Come and sit down by me, Rico, for a moment. Who knows how long we may +be able to stay in this place together?"</p> + +<p>Rico was alarmed.</p> + +<p>"Why do you say this, Mrs. Menotti? You do not think of going +away, do you?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti had to stop, for she could not tell him all her story. She +remembered what Stineli had said to her the evening before about Rico. +She was so full of her own thoughts at that time, that she did not +fairly take in the import of her words. Now she began to wonder about +it, the more she thought it over.</p> + +<p>"Do tell me, Rico," she said, "were you ever here earlier?—I mean +before; or what made you want to see the lake again, as Stineli told me +was the case yesterday?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; when I was little," said the lad. "Then I went away."</p> + +<p>"How did you get here when you were little, Rico?"</p> + +<p>"I was born here."</p> + +<p>"What! here? What was your father, if he came here from the +mountains yonder?"</p> + +<p>"He did not come here from the mountains; only my mother did."</p> + +<p>"Do I hear aright, Rico? Was your father born here?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. He was a native of this place."</p> + +<p>"You never told me this before. This is wonderful. You have not a name +like the people here. What was your father's name?"</p> + +<p>"What was his name? It was Henrico Trevillo."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti sprang up from the seat as if she had had a shock.</p> + +<p>"What did you say, Rico?" she cried out. "What did you say just now? +Tell me again."</p> + +<p>"I told you my father's name."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti was not listening: she ran towards the door.</p> + +<p>"Stineli, bring me a kerchief," she cried. "I must go to the priest at +once: I am trembling all over."</p> + +<p>In great surprise, Stineli brought out the kerchief.</p> + +<p>"Come with me a few steps, Rico," said the good woman, as she went +through the garden. "I must ask you something more."</p> + +<p>Rico had to repeat his father's name twice over; and when they had +fairly reached the door of the priest's house, for a third time Mrs. +Menotti asked,—</p> + +<p>"What did you say it was? Are you quite sure?"</p> + +<p>She hurried into the priest's house, and left Rico wondering what could +have happened to put her into such a way.</p> + +<p>Rico had brought his violin with him, for he knew that Stineli was +particularly pleased to hear it. When he reached Silvio's room, he +found the little boy and his companion in the best of humor. Stineli +had fulfilled her promise about the story of Peterli's funny doings, +and this had amused Silvio exceedingly. When the latter espied the +violin, he cried out at once, "Now let us sing; let us sing the +'Lambkins' with Stineli."</p> + +<p>Stineli had never heard her song since it was composed that day on the +mountain, for now Rico played such beautiful airs that she had quite +forgotten the old ones. But she was astonished to hear Silvio asking +for the German song, for she had no idea of the hundred times the two +boys had repeated it during the three years that were past. She was +much pleased to hear the old song again, and, above all, to sing it +with Rico; and so they began. Silvio sang with all his might,—without +understanding a single word, to be sure, but the tune was quite +correct. It was the girl's turn to laugh now; for Silvio's +pronunciation was most wonderful, and she could not join in for +laughter, and it was contagious; for the child could not resist the +merry expression of her face, and joined her in laughing, and sang +again still more queerly and louder; and all the while Rico played his +accompaniment without stopping.</p> + +<p>And thus Mrs. Menotti's ears were greeted with laughter and song as she +drew near the house on her return, and she could not understand how they +could be so light-hearted and merry on such a momentous occasion. She +came hastily through the garden, and into the room, and sank upon the +nearest seat; for the shock and the joy, and the anticipation of what +was to follow, had overpowered her, and she needed to recover herself a +little. The sight of her agitation silenced the singers, and they gazed +at her in surprise. At last she recovered, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Rico,"—and her voice was quite solemn,—"Rico, listen to me. Look +about you. This house, this garden, that field,—all, all that you can +see, and much that you cannot see, belongs to you: it is all yours. You +are the owner; it is your inheritance from your father; your home is +here; your name stands in the baptismal record; you are the son of +Henrico Trevillo, and he was my husband's dearest friend."</p> + +<p>Stineli had understood the whole story at the first word, and her face +beamed with unspeakable happiness.</p> + +<p>Rico sat as if turned to stone, and made no sound; but Silvio broke out +into shouts of delight,—it was all a play to him.</p> + +<p>"Oh! now the house belongs to Rico, where is he going to sleep?"</p> + +<p>"He can sleep in any room he chooses, Silvio. He can sleep in them all +if he wishes to. He can turn us all out-of-doors if he has a mind to, +and stay all sole alone in this house."</p> + +<p>"I am sure I should much prefer to go away with you, then," said Rico.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you good Rico!" cried Mrs. Menotti. "If you will let us stay here, +we shall be so glad to remain. I have thought it out as I came along +towards home, and know how we can arrange it so that we shall be happy. +I will take half of the house of you, and the same with the garden and +all the land; so one half will be yours, and the other Silvio's."</p> + +<p>"I shall give my half to Stineli," said the child.</p> + +<p>"So shall I," said Rico.</p> + +<p>"Oh, ho! now the whole thing belongs to her,—the garden, and the house, +and all that is in them; and Rico and his fiddle, and I too. Now let us +go on with our song."</p> + +<p>But Rico did not take the same view of the affair as his little friend. +He had thought over Mrs. Menotti's words, and now asked, anxiously,—</p> + +<p>"I do not understand how Silvio's house can belong to me because our +fathers were friends."</p> + +<p>It now occurred to Mrs. Menotti for the first time that Rico did not +know any thing about the circumstances; and she told him the whole +story, with all the particulars, even more minutely than she had told it +to Stineli; and when she had finished they all understood perfectly how +it was, and were at liberty to rejoice without restraint; for since the +house and all belonged partly to Rico, there was no reason why he should +not take possession at once, and never leave them again; and their +rejoicing was great.</p> + +<p>In the midst of their merry-making Rico said, suddenly,—</p> + +<p>"Since things have turned out this way, Mrs. Menotti, do not let any of +the arrangements be disturbed in the house; but every thing go on as +usual. I will simply come here to live, and you shall be our mother."</p> + +<p>"O Rico! to think that it is yours, that it is you who are the <i>master</i>. +How good God is to let it all turn out in this way,—that I can give it +all to you, and yet stay here myself with a clear conscience. I will be +a mother to you, Rico; and indeed you have long been as dear to me as if +you were my own child. Now you must call me 'mother,' and so must +Stineli; and we shall be the happiest household in all Peschiera."</p> + +<p>"Well, now let us finish our song," cried little Silvio; for he was so +excited and glad that he felt that singing was the only way to express +his joy; and the others were not unwilling to join him, and they did +finish their song; then Stineli said,—</p> + +<p>"Now will you not sing one other song with me, Rico? You know which +one I mean."</p> + +<p>And they sang the grandmother's hymn piously, and in beautiful accord, +especially the favorite verses at the end,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "He never yet has done amiss;<br> + And, perfect in His sight,<br> + All that He does or orders is<br> + Sure to be finished right.</p> +<br> +<p> "Now only let His 'will be done,'<br> + Nor clamor constantly,<br> + Peace to the heart on earth will come,<br> + And joy eternally."</p> + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>The next day Rico did not go to Riva. Mother Menotti advised him to go +at once to the landlady, to explain to her the change in his +circumstances, and to order another fiddler to be sent to Riva, while he +at once entered upon his possessions. Well pleased with these +suggestions, the youth hastened to carry them out.</p> + +<p>The landlady heard his wonderful story with great interest, and at the +end she called out to her husband and told it all over to him, and +testified real pleasure at the good fortune that had befallen her young +friend, and was sincere in what she said. She certainly was sorry to +lose him; but she had suspected for some time that the hostess of the +"Three Crowns" was making advances to Rico in the hope of enticing him +away from her; and that would have been dreadful to the "Golden Sun." +Now any danger of that misfortune was averted, and she was glad to hear +that Rico was a house and land holder himself, for he was a great +favorite with her. Her husband was particularly well pleased; for he had +been a friend of Rico's father, and did not now understand why he had +not earlier noticed that the lad was the exact image of the man.</p> + +<p>So the farewells were all spoken in good feeling, and the landlady took +his hand at parting, and asked for his patronage if ever there was +occasion for her services in his house.</p> + +<p>That very evening the news was known in all Peschiera, with all the true +details, and a great many more; and everybody expressed pleasure, and +said that Rico looked exactly as if he owned an estate, and would grace +the position.</p> + +<p>Mother Menotti did not know how she could do enough to make Rico +comfortable in his own house. She arranged the big room for him—the +one that had two windows overlooking the garden, and with a view over +the lake—with beautiful marble statuettes adorning the walls; and on +the table she placed a vase of flowers, and the whole room was most +prettily furnished, so that Rico stood still on the threshold when, at +Mrs. Menotti's request, Stineli led him up there. And when the kind, +motherly woman took his hand and led him to the window, and he looked +down in the shimmering lake, and over at the purple mountains in the +distance, his heart filled to overflowing with thankfulness, and he +could only murmur, softly,—</p> + +<p>"Oh, how beautiful! And this is my home!" And now day after day the four +happy friends lived their peaceful life in the comfortable room looking +on the garden, where Silvio lay, and never perceived how the time was +speeding away.</p> + +<p>In the daytime Rico went about with his whistling servant lad through +the fig-trees and over the fields planted with corn, for he wanted to +learn the care of it all.</p> + +<p>Now the servant naturally thought, "I know much more than my new +master," and felt sensible of his superiority over Rico; but when, in +the evening, beautiful and heart-stirring music came forth upon the +evening breeze from the well-lighted room, where they all sat +together, the boy leaned against the hedge and listened for long +hours; for music was his greatest delight, and he said to himself, "My +master knows more than I do, after all;" and he could not help feeling +a great respect for Rico.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0121"></a> +CHAPTER XXI.</p> + +<p>SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA.</p> + +<p> +Two years have passed, every day bringing more enjoyment than the last.</p> + +<p>To Stineli came the knowledge that it was time for her to return to her +home, and she had many a hard battle with herself to keep up her courage +and cheerfulness; for to go away, and probably never return, was the +most dreadful prospect that ever presented itself to the young girl's +imagination. Rico also knew what was before them, and sometimes he would +only speak when it became absolutely necessary. And a strange, unnatural +feeling took possession of mother Menotti, and she tried to discover the +secret cause; for she had quite forgotten that Stineli was to go home +again to be confirmed. When at last the cause of the trouble came out, +she said, "Oh! you can put that off for another year;" and so things +fell back into their old comfort again.</p> + +<p>On the third year, however, a message came from Bergamo (some one came +down there from the mountain) that Stineli was wanted at home, and must +go. Now there was no help for it. Silvio might fight against it like one +possessed: it did no good. Against fate it is useless to struggle.</p> + +<p>Mother Menotti said, day after day, towards the end, "Only promise to +come back, Stineli. You may tell your father I will do any thing he +wishes, if he will only let you come back soon."</p> + +<p>Rico said nothing at all. And Stineli went off; and day after day it +seemed as if a big black cloud lay over the household, and as if the +very sun outside had ceased to shine.</p> + +<p>And so it went on from November to Easter, when everybody was rejoicing; +but it was still sad in Rico's house. After the Easter festival was +over, and every thing was beginning to be more beautiful than ever +before in the garden, and flowers and sweet odors were spread all +abroad, Rico sat by Silvio's bedside, and played every sad melody that +he could remember, until the little fellow was in a most melancholy +mood, when suddenly from the garden a merry voice called out,—</p> + +<p>"Rico, Rico! have you no more cheerful welcome for me than this?"</p> + +<p>Silvio screamed as if beside himself. Rico threw his violin on the bed, +and ran out; and mother Menotti came in, half frightened.</p> + +<p>On the threshold stood Rico with Stineli; and so in Silvio's room there +was the long-lost sunshine back again, and they were as merry as ever +again, and happy as they had never believed would be possible during +their long separation. There they all sat at table by Silvio's bedside, +and questioned and answered, and told all that had happened, and ever +and again broke out into rejoicing over their reunion. Who would have +thought, to see them there, that any thing could be wanting to the +perfect happiness of these four people? But Rico knew another tale. In +the midst of all the merriment, he became absent-minded, and fell into +one of his old dreamy moods. It did not last as long as formerly, +however. He must have reached a satisfactory conclusion pretty soon; for +suddenly his reverie was over, and he said these words, with the utmost +decision, "Stineli must be my wife this very moment, or else she will +have to go away again directly; and that we could not endure."</p> + +<p>This decision pleased Silvio mightily; and in a short time they were +all of the same way of thinking, that the sooner the marriage took +place the better.</p> + +<p>On the very most beautiful May morning that ever shone over Peschiera, a +long procession started from the church towards the "Golden Sun."</p> + +<p>At the head, tall and well-proportioned, came Rico with his stately +mien; and at his side walked Stineli, looking happy and pretty, her +smooth braids crowned with the fresh bridal wreath. Next in the +procession, in a well-upholstered little wagon, drawn by two merry +Peschiera urchins, Silvio might be seen, beaming with satisfaction like +a triumphant victor; and last of all followed mother Menotti, very much +moved and affected, in a rustling wedding-dress; behind her the servant +lad, with a nosegay that covered his whole shirt-front; and after them +streamed all Peschiera, with the very noisiest kind of participation, +for they all wanted to look at the handsome couple, and to do them +honor. It was almost like a great family festival, in which they all +joined to help the strayed and lost Peschiera boy to found his own home +in his native town.</p> + +<p>The joy of the landlady of the "Golden Sun," when she saw the procession +coming towards her house, is quite indescribable. Whenever the question +arose concerning any wedding, low or high, she always said, with +emphasis,—</p> + +<p>"That is nothing at all in comparison with Rico's wedding in the +'Golden Sun.'"</p> + +<p>The house in the garden never again lost its sunshine, and Stineli took +good care "Our Father" was never forgotten again; and on every Sunday +evening the grandmother's hymn was sung in the garden in full chorus.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0201"></a> +CHAPTER I.</p> + +<p>COASTING.</p> + +<p> +On one of the hills surrounding the city of Bern a little village is +perched which shall be nameless in this story; but if you are curious, +and go there in your travels, perhaps you may recognize it from the +following description. On the very top of the hill stands one solitary +house, with a beautiful garden about it. It is called "On the Height," +and is the property of Colonel Ritter. The descent to the little square, +where the church and parsonage stand, is sharp (in the parsonage the +colonel's wife passed her happy days of childhood); and somewhat farther +down is the schoolhouse, amid a little cluster of houses; while on the +left, as you still descend, you see a lonely cottage with a pretty, +well-kept garden, surrounded by currant-bushes, and adorned with +mignonette and pinks, and a few roses amidst its chiccory and spinach. +This is the last house on the road, which, from here on, makes one long +stretch downward to the highway that goes far out into the country, +parallel with the river Aar.</p> + +<p>This long, unbroken descent forms, in winter, the most perfect +coasting-ground imaginable; for once you are past the steep bit by the +colonel's house, you may go on without interruption quite down to the +road by the river; that is, always supposing that you make a fair start +at the beginning.</p> + +<p>This coast was an endless source of pleasure to the army of children who +daily poured out of the door of the old schoolhouse when lesson hours +were over, ran to the yard where they had piled their sleds on entering, +took each his own from the heap, and scampered off in wild haste to +begin their afternoon amusement. How the hours passed no one could +imagine: down flew the sleds in a twinkling, and nobody felt the trouble +of climbing up the hill, so full were all the little heads of the +pleasure of going down again; and so the night, and the time for +returning to their homes for supper, always took them by surprise.</p> + +<p>This usually occasioned a stormy scene before they left the +coasting-ground; for everybody wished to go down "once more," and then +"just <i>once</i> more," and then "one single turn more,"—so that everybody +hurried and jumped onto the sleds, and flew down and ran up again in a +regular hurry-scurry.</p> + +<p>A rule had been established to the end that no one should go down the +coast while the others were still climbing up, but that all should go +down one after the other in good order, to prevent confusion or +accidents. Notwithstanding this good rule, there were often many +lawless proceedings, especially towards the close of the day, when +nobody wished to be the last, and when they all crowded onto the coast +very closely together.</p> + +<p>This was the state of affairs on a clear evening in January, when the +snow fairly crackled under the children's feet as they mounted the hill, +and the fields in every direction were frozen so firmly that you could +have gone anywhere over them in a sleigh as if they were the highway. +The children were all rosy and glowing with their exertions, for they +were hurrying up the steep hill, pulling their sleds behind them, +turning them about in a flash, jumping upon them, and off again head +foremost, not to lose a second of the precious time until the moon shone +brightly in the crisp sky, and the evening bells were ringing. All the +boys were shouting, "Once more; just once more!" and the girls were as +eager as they. At the top, however, where they all threw themselves upon +their sleds, there was great excitement and uproar. Three boys each +claimed to have reached the top first, and would not yield an inch to +each other, but all must go down at once. And so they pushed this way +and that, until a big boy called Cheppi was hustled quite against the +bank of snow at the side of the coast, and found that his heavily ironed +sled was fast in the snow. He was furious, for he saw that now all the +other fellows would get off before he could extricate himself. He looked +about, and presently espied a little slender girl standing near by in +the snow. She was very pale, and held both arms wrapped in her apron to +keep them warmer, for all that she trembled and shivered with cold from +head to feet. She looked so feeble and miserable, that she seemed to +Cheppi just the proper object upon whom to vent his rage.</p> + +<p>"Can't you get out of a fellow's way, you stupid thing? What are you +standing there for? You have not even a sled with you. Just wait a +moment; I'll help you to get along!"</p> + +<p>So saying, he thrust his boot into the snow, intending to kick it over +the girl. She sprang back, however, quickly, so that she went quite up +to her knees in the snow, and said timidly, "I was only looking on."</p> + +<p>Cheppi was thrusting his boot into the snow again with the same +intention towards the child, when he received such a tremendous box +on the ear from behind, that it almost knocked him off his sled. +"Just you wait a minute," he shouted, beside himself with anger, for +his ear tingled as it had never tingled before; and doubling up his +fists, he turned himself to see who was his hidden foe. A boy stood +behind him, and looked on very quietly, holding his sled in position +for another coast.</p> + +<p>"Come on," he said calmly.</p> + +<p>It was Otto Ritter, a class-mate of Cheppi, with whom he was always +engaged in some little quarrel. Otto was a tall, slender boy, about +eleven years old, and not nearly of the same strength as Cheppi; but +the latter had learned more than once that with hands and feet Otto was +much the more skilful of the two. He did not strike out, but held his +fists doubled up, and cried out angrily, "Let me alone: I am not +meddling with you."</p> + +<p>"But I am with you," replied Otto, in a very warlike tone. "What +business have you to chase Wiseli away like that, and then to kick snow +at her, I should like to know? I have been looking at you, you coward! +teasing a little girl who cannot defend herself."</p> + +<p>With these words he turned his back contemptuously towards Cheppi, and +called out to Wiseli, who was standing shivering all this time in the +deep snow,—</p> + +<p>"Come out of the snow, Wiseli. Oh, how you are shivering, child! Have +you no sled really, and only been able to look on? Here, take mine, and +go down once quickly. Do you know how?"</p> + +<p>The pale, timid girl did not know what to make of this kindness. She had +been looking on for some little time, watching the sleds as they flew +down the hill, and thinking, "Oh, how I should like to go down to the +very bottom just once!" when she saw two, and sometimes three, going +down on the same sled. But now she might go down all alone by herself, +and that, too, on the very handsomest sled on the coast,—the one with a +lion's head, that went faster than any other, because it was light, and +was bound with iron. She was so happy that she stood still, looking +after Cheppi with a half feeling that he might strike her if she dared +to enjoy such a piece of good fortune. But there he stood quite +tranquilly, as if nothing whatever had happened; and by him stood Otto, +with such a protecting air, that she took courage, and seated herself on +the handsome sled; and when Otto called out, "Go on; go on, Wiseli!" she +obeyed, and away she flew as if the wind were behind her. Very soon Otto +heard the coasters all toiling up the hill again, and he called out, +"Stay among the first, Wiseli, and go down again; after that we must go +home." Wiseli was only too happy to do as she was bid, and enjoyed for a +second time the long-wished-for pleasure. Then she brought the sled to +its owner, thanking him shyly for his kindness, but more with her +beaming eyes than with words; and off she scampered as fast as she could +go. Otto felt decidedly happier. "Where is Pussy?" he called out, +peering into the already scattering crowd. "Here she is!" replied a +merry voice; and out of the knot of children appeared a red-cheeked, +plump little girl, who slipped her hand into her big brother's +protecting palm, and went with him towards their father's house as +quickly as possible. It was very late, and they had over-passed the +allotted time for coasting.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0202"></a> +CHAPTER II.</p> + +<p>AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY.</p> + +<p> +When Otto and his sister came noisily in through the deep stone entrance +of their father's house, the old servant Trine appeared in a doorway +holding a light high above her head to see whence came all the uproar, +and from whom. "So," at last she said, half scoldingly, half pleasantly; +"your mother has been asking for you for a long time, but there was no +trace of you, although it struck eight nobody knows how long ago." Old +Trine had been maid-servant in the family when the children's mother +came into the world, so she was an authority in the household, and felt +that she was one of its members,—to tell the truth, the very head of +the establishment; for surely she was the oldest in age and experience. +The dear old woman was fairly foolish in her fondness for her master's +children, and very proud of all their qualities and acquisitions. She +would not let this be seen, however, but employed an indignant tone when +speaking to them; for she thought it best for their education not to +appear perfectly satisfied with their conduct.</p> + +<p>"Off with your shoes, on with your slippers!" she called out at once, +according to rule; but her order was immediately executed by the +commander, for she knelt before Otto while she spoke, to take off his +wet shoes. He had sunk down upon the nearest seat. His little sister +stood perfectly still in the middle of the room without stirring, which +was such an unusual circumstance, that Trine looked over her shoulder +two or three times to see what it could mean. Now that Otto was +equipped, it was Pussy's turn to sit down and be attended to; but she +stood stock still, and did not stir. "Well, well! if we wait there +until summer comes, our shoes will get dry of themselves," said Trine, +still on her knees. "Hsh, hsh, Trine! I hear something. Who is in the +big parlor?" said Pussy, lifting her forefinger up a little +threateningly. "Everybody who has dry shoes: nobody else admitted. Now +make up your mind to sit down," said Trine. But instead of sitting +down, Pussy made a spring upward, and cried, "Now I hear it again; +Uncle Max laughs just like that." "What!" cried Otto, and reached the +parlor-door with one leap.</p> + +<p>"Wait, wait!" Pussy called after him, and ran to the door at the same +time; but she was caught and placed on the seat, although old Trine had +hard work to get the shoes off the little kicking feet; but perseverance +at last accomplished the business, and off ran Pussy out of one door and +through the other into the big parlor, where truly sat Uncle Max in the +arm-chair. Now there was a fine jubilee, and a hugging and kissing over +and over. Uncle Max certainly made as much noise as the children, and it +was a long time before they were quieted enough to speak a rational word +to each other. A visit from this uncle was always a time of great +delight for the children, and with good reason, for he was extravagantly +fond of them. He was a great traveller, and only came to see them once +in two years; but then he made up for his long absence by giving himself +entirely to his little friends as if he were no older than they; and the +queer and enchanting presents that he had stuffed into every pocket for +his little niece and nephew would be hard to describe.</p> + +<p>Uncle Max was a naturalist, and travelled to every corner of the world, +bringing back something curious and interesting from each place.</p> + +<p>At last supper was served, to the immense satisfaction of the whole +party,—for the children always brought home new appetites from the +coasting-ground, and were prepared, both old and young, to do full +justice to the steaming dishes set before them.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Colonel Ritter, glancing across the table at his little +daughter, who was seated beside her mother, and already too busily +engaged in satisfying her hunger to look up from her plate. "Well, well; +it seems rather strange to think that Pussy has no hand to spare for her +papa to-day. I have not had one single kiss, and now it is too late."</p> + +<p>With a contrite air Pussy pushed back her plate, saying, "O papa, I +forgot! I will give you"—</p> + +<p>But her father said, quickly, "No, no; do not make a disturbance now, +child. Give me your hand across the table; we will have the rest later. +That will do now, Pussy."</p> + +<p>"What was this child christened, Marie? I was certainly present at the +ceremony, but I have utterly forgotten her name. Not Pussy, I am sure," +said Uncle Max, laughing.</p> + +<p>"You certainly were present, Max," replied his sister, "for you are the +child's godfather. She was named Marie. At this time her father +nicknamed her Pussy, and Otto has multiplied that in the most +nonsensical manner."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, mamma; not nonsensical," cried Otto, quite seriously. "You see, +uncle, it follows in very sensible order. When the little thing is +gentle and good, then I call her 'Pussy.' That is not always the case, +however, and 'Puss' does for some of her moods; but when she is angry, +and looks like a regular cross-patch, then I call her 'Old Cat.'"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, Otto," answered his sister; and when you are angry, you look +like a—like a"—</p> + +<p>"Like a man," said Otto; and as Pussy had no better comparison ready, +she went on busily eating her pudding.</p> + +<p>Uncle Max laughed heartily. "Pussy is right," he said. "She does far +better in pursuing her present occupation than in answering back such +slanders. But, children," he began again, after a pause, "it is more +than a year since I was here, and you have not told me about any thing +that has taken place during my absence."</p> + +<p>The latest events were those that occurred first to the children; and +they began to tell, generally both speaking together, the story of +Cheppi's rude treatment of Wiseli on the coast, and of how cold the girl +was, and how she stood shivering in the snow, and had no sled of her +own, but got a chance to coast down twice after all.</p> + +<p>"That is right, Otto," said his father. "You must honor your name. You +must always be a true knight for the persecuted and unprotected. Who is +this Wiseli?"</p> + +<p>"You cannot know any thing about the girl nor her mother," said his +wife. "But Uncle Max knows Wiseli's mother very well. You remember that +thin weaver who was our neighbor, don't you, brother? He had an only +daughter with big brown eyes, who often came to us at the parsonage, and +sang so sweetly. Can't you remember her now?"</p> + +<p>While Uncle Max was trying to recall the somewhat fading recollections +of his youth, old Trine put her head into the room, saying,—</p> + +<p>"The carpenter Andrew would like to speak to you, Mrs. Ritter, if it +will not disturb you too much."</p> + +<p>This apparently innocent message produced a wonderful effect upon the +whole family. Mrs. Ritter put down the tablespoon, with which she was +about to help her brother a second time to fruit, and said hastily, "If +you will excuse me, gentlemen," and left the room. Otto sprang up so +quickly that he knocked his chair over backwards, and then fell over it +himself in his haste to get away. Pussy was about to follow the others; +but her uncle, seeing the movement, put his arms about her, and held her +fast. She struggled, however, and said, entreatingly,—</p> + +<p>"Let me go, uncle; let me go. Really, I must go."</p> + +<p>"Where do you want to go, Pussy?"</p> + +<p>"To see the carpenter Andrew. Let me go quickly. Help, papa; help!"</p> + +<p>"If you will tell me what you have to say to the carpenter, I will +let you go."</p> + +<p>"The sheep has only two legs left, and no tail at all; and the carpenter +is the only person who can mend him. Now <i>do</i> let me go!" And now Pussy +was off too.</p> + +<p>The gentlemen looked at each other, and Max burst out into a merry +laugh. "Who is this carpenter Andrew, pray, who seems to have the power +of attracting your whole family to his feet?"</p> + +<p>"You ought to be able to answer that question better than I," replied +the colonel. "He must also be one of the friends of your youth. The fever +of adoration you ought to understand also: it must be one of your family +characteristics; and your sister has introduced it into her family. I +can only tell you this much: this Andrew is the very corner-stone of my +house. Every thing depends upon him, and we should all fall to pieces if +his support were withdrawn from us. Andrew is the counsellor, comforter, +safety, and aid in any trouble. If my wife thinks she wants any utensil +for household use, even if she does not know how it should look, nor +what use to put it to, Andrew the carpenter invents it, and makes it on +the spot. If the kitchen is on fire, or the water gives out there, or in +the laundry, Andrew the carpenter smothers the fire, and procures floods +of water. If my son does some sad piece of mischief, Andrew the +carpenter repairs the damage in a trice. If my daughter smashes all the +crockery, Andrew the carpenter glues it together at once. So you see +that this man is really the very pillar of my edifice; and if any thing +should happen to him, we should straightway go to pieces."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ritter had returned to the room during this account of Andrew the +carpenter's virtues, and her husband had heightened the description for +her benefit. Uncle Max shouted with laughter.</p> + +<p>"Yes, laugh away; laugh away!" said she. "For all that, I know very well +what a treasure I possess in Andrew the carpenter."</p> + +<p>"So do I, for that matter," said her husband, laughing merrily.</p> + +<p>"I do, too," said Pussy, heartily, <b>who</b> was again on her seat at +table.</p> + +<p>"So do I," grumbled Otto, while he rubbed his shins, that ached from his +recent fall over the chair.</p> + +<p>"Well, now we are all of one mind about it, and the children can go +quietly to bed," said their mother. These words did not tend to restore +quiet, for the children became rebellious; but it was useless. Old Trine +stood on the threshold, and was ready to carry out the family rules and +regulations. Off marched the children, and presently their mother also +disappeared again; for there were the evening prayers to be said, and +she never failed to be at their bedside for that.</p> + +<p>When, at last, every thing was in order in the house, Mrs. Ritter joined +the gentlemen once more.</p> + +<p>"At last!" said the colonel, with a sigh of relief, as if he had +vanquished the enemy. "Now you see how it is, Max. My wife belongs first +of all to the carpenter Andrew, then to the children, and only to her +husband when there is nothing else for her to do."</p> + +<p>"And now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "that, although my +husband speaks scornfully of Andrew the carpenter, he does assign him a +very high rank after all. Now acknowledge that, won't you? He has just +given me a message for you. He has brought his yearly savings with him +to-day, and begs for your assistance."</p> + +<p>"That is true," said the colonel. "A more orderly, industrious, reliable +man I do not know. I would trust my wife, my children, my goods and +chattels to him rather than to any one else. He is the most honorable, +trustworthy man in this parish, or in any other, I do believe."</p> + +<p>"Now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "I could not say more +than that." Her brother joined with her in her amusement at the zest +which the colonel showed. Then he said,—</p> + +<p>"You have all been so full of the praises of your marvel, that I have +become curious, at last, to know where he comes from, and how he looks. +Have I never seen him when I have visited you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! you used to know him perfectly well," replied his sister. "You +must remember Andrew, with whom we went to school. Don't you recall the +two brothers who were always in the same classes with you? The elder was +even then a perfect good-for-nothing,—he was not stupid, but would not +study, and did not get on, and was put down into one of the lower +classes with his brother and you. You must remember him,—his name was +Jorg, and he had stiff, black hair. He always pelted us with something +whenever he got a chance,—with green apples or pears, and in winter +with snow-balls,—and always called us 'aristocrats.'"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that fellow!" cried Max. "Yes; now I do remember all about him. +Certainly he always called us 'aristocrats.' I wonder how he got hold of +that word. He was a disagreeable fellow: I remember that well. I caught +him once thrashing a little fellow most cruelly. I helped the little +one, and he shouted after me at least twelve times in succession, +'Aristocrat, aristocrat!' And now it comes back to me about the other +one, the lean Andrew, his brother. He was your Andrew, was he not, +Marie?—the Andrew with the violets? Oh, now I comprehend this great +friendship," said Max, laughing again.</p> + +<p>"What is this about the violets? I want to know all about that," said +the colonel.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I can see the whole thing just as it happened as plainly as if it +were only yesterday," said Max, quite animated over his recollections. +"I must tell you all about it, Otto. You have probably heard from your +wife that we had here, in the happy time of our childhood, an old +schoolmaster, whose creed was that all faults could be whipped out of, +and all virtues be whipped into, the children under his care. So he felt +himself constrained to whip a great deal either for one thing or the +other, and very often for both at once. Andrew's turn came one day, and +the master applied his well-meant rule so heartily that poor, thin +Andrew screamed with pain. At this moment my little sister, who had only +entered the school a short time before, and did not understand the rules +very well, stood up from her seat and hastened to the door. The teacher +held his hand for a moment, and shouted after her, 'Where are you +running to?' Marie turned about. The tears were running down her cheeks, +and she said, very decidedly, 'I am going home to tell my father.' +'Wait, I will teach you!' cried the master, in the greatest surprise, +and sprung after the girl. He did not strike her, however, but took her +roughly by the arm, and set her down very hard upon the bench; then he +said again, 'Wait, I will teach you!'</p> + +<p>"It was the end of that, however. He did not touch Andrew again, and +every thing passed off quietly that day. But the tears that Marie had +shed for Andrew, and her protest against the whippings, were not +forgotten. From that day forward a big bunch of violets was always +placed on Marie's desk, and the whole room was perfumed with them; and +later a still better scent filled the air, for there were every day +great bunches of dark red strawberries, such as nobody else knew how to +find. And so it went on for the whole year; but how the friendship +reached the height at which it now stands, that I will leave to my +sister to relate, for I do not know myself."</p> + +<p>The colonel was much pleased with this story of the tears and the +violets, and begged his wife to tell more about it. She said, "According +to you, Max, violets and strawberries grow all the year round; but, in +truth, it is not exactly the fact. But it is true that the good Andrew +was never tired of bringing in any thing that he thought would give me +pleasure all through the time we were in the school together. He left +long before I did, and went to learn his trade of a joiner in the city. +He came home very often, however, so that I never really lost sight of +him; and when my husband bought this piece of land and we were married, +it happened, also, that Andrew bought property, and wished to be +settled. He had lost his parents, and was quite by himself, and a +first-rate workman. He wanted the little house with the neat, pretty +garden down there half-way to the church; but was not able to purchase +it, because the owner wished for full payment at once, and Andrew could +only pay in instalments, as he earned the money.</p> + +<p>"But we knew all about him and his work. My husband purchased the place +for him, and he has never had the least reason to regret it."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed I have not," added the colonel. "Andrew has long ago paid +for his house, and now he always brings me the yearly amount of his +labor; and a very pretty sum it is, too. I invest it well for him, and +have a sincere satisfaction in the welfare of the sturdy fellow. He is +already a very well-to-do man, and adds to his property every year, and +can make his little house into a big one if he have a mind to do so, the +good Andrew. It is too bad that he is such a hermit, and cannot, +therefore, properly enjoy his home and his possessions."</p> + +<p>"Has he, then, neither wife nor family?" asked Max. "And what has become +of his disagreeable brother Jorg?"</p> + +<p>"No; he has really nobody," replied his sister. "He lives entirely +alone, and really like a hermit. He has had a long and very sad history +that I have been witness to, and which has taken away all the desire he +once might have felt to look for a wife. His brother Jorg wandered about +here in a disreputable way for several years, never working, but in the +hope of getting something, by his infamous behavior, out of his family, +who were respectable people, quite unlike himself. But, at last, he saw +that there was no chance of this, and even the kind Andrew refused to +pay any more of his debts, or to help him out of any more scrapes, so he +disappeared, nobody knows where; but everybody rejoiced that he was out +of the way."</p> + +<p>"What was the sad story of which you spoke, Marie?" asked her brother. +"I want to hear that, too."</p> + +<p>"So do I," said the colonel; and lighted another cigar, in order to +enjoy the tale more thoroughly.</p> + +<p>"But, my dear husband," objected his wife, "I have at least told you +this story ten times over."</p> + +<p>"Really," said the colonel, quietly, "it seems that it pleases me then, +if I ask for it again."</p> + +<p>"Oh, do begin!" said her brother.</p> + +<p>"You cannot have forgotten the child, Max," began his sister, "of whom I +was speaking yesterday, who lived quite near to us. She belonged to the +pale, thin weaver, whose shuttle we could always hear moving back and +forth when we stood in our garden. The child always looked clean and +neat, and had great lively, sparkling eyes, and beautiful brown hair. +Her name was Aloise."</p> + +<p>"I never knew anybody by the name of Aloise in my life," interrupted Max +at this point.</p> + +<p>"Oh! to be sure not," said his sister. "We never called her so, you +especially. 'Wisi' we called her, to the horror of our dear departed +mother. Don't you remember, now, how often you said yourself that we +must get Wisi to sing with us when mamma played songs for us on the +piano, and we could not make it go at all without Wisi's help?"</p> + +<p>At last Max seemed to remember about it, and laughed at the +recollection. "Oh, yes! I remember Wisi," he cried. "Yes, certainly that +was Wisi. I can see her now, before my eyes, with her bright face, as +she stood by the piano and sang so cheerily. I was very fond of her. I +was very fond of her,—of Wisi. She was very pretty, too. I remember, +too, what a shock it always seemed to mamma when I said, 'Wisi.' I +really never knew her proper name."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, you did," replied his sister; "because mamma always said +it was perfectly barbarous to change the pretty name of Aloise +into 'Wisi.'"</p> + +<p>"I certainly never heard it each time," said Max. "But pray what has +become of this Wisi?"</p> + +<p>"You remember she was in my class at school, and we kept along together; +and I often think of how Andrew always befriended and stood up for the +girl through thick and thin, and that she knew well how to turn his +friendship to good account.</p> + +<p>"When she came with her slate full of examples, like the rest of us, her +figures were not often correct; but she put the slate, with a merry +laugh, on her desk, and lo! soon the sums were all rightly set down, for +Andrew had put them in order. It often happened that she smashed a pane +in the schoolroom window, or shook down the schoolmaster's plums in the +garden; and yet Andrew was always the one who took the blame of these +misdeeds,—not that anybody accused him, but he himself used to say, +half aloud, that he believed it was his fault that the glass was broken, +or the plums shaken down, and so he got the punishment. We children all +knew well enough who was to blame; but we let it go, we were so used to +it, and were so fond of the merry Wisi, that we all were pleased when +she escaped punishment.</p> + +<p>"Wisi had always pocketfuls of apples, pears, and nuts, that all came +from Andrew; for every thing that he had, or could procure, he used to +stuff into Wisi's satchel. I used often to wonder how it happened that +the quiet Andrew liked the very most unruly and gayest girl in the +school, and I also wondered whether she returned his affection. She was +always very friendly with him, but she was the same with others; and as +I once asked our mother how it could be, she shook her head a little, +and said, 'I am afraid,—I am afraid that the nice little Aloise is a +trifle heedless, and may have to suffer for it.' These words gave me +much food for thought, and recurred to me again and again.</p> + +<p>"We went together to the Bible-class; and every Sunday evening Wisi used +to come regularly to our house, and we sang hymns together to the piano. +She particularly enjoyed this. She knew all the lovely songs by heart, +and sang them clearly and well; and mamma and I were very much pleased +to know that Wisi liked to sing, and went gladly to the Bible-class, and +seemed to take the religious teaching very much to heart. She had grown +into a fine large girl now, with bright eyes; and, although she did not +look very strong, like the peasant girls in the villages, still she had +a fine color, and was far prettier than any of them.</p> + +<p>"At this time Andrew was learning his trade in the town, but invariably +came home on Sundays. He always came up to the parsonage to call, and +was inclined to talk to me about our former schooldays; and gradually +we worked round to Wisi, and talked about her most of the time. Andrew +spoke most eloquently and feelingly on this subject; and, although +everybody else had adopted the name 'Wisi' for Aloise, he never called +her so, but said 'Wiseli' so softly and prettily, that it was very +sweet to hear.</p> + +<p>"But one Sunday (we were not quite eighteen years old, Wisi and +I,—mamma was with us that evening) Wisi came in looking very rosy, and +said that she had come to tell us that she was betrothed to a young +workman who had come lately to live in the village, and that they would +soon be married, as he had a good position, and it was arranged that +they could be married in about twelve days. I was so surprised, and so +sorry, that I could not say a word. Neither did my mother speak for a +long time, but looked very much troubled.</p> + +<p>"After a time she talked very seriously with Wisi,—told her that it was +foolish in her to have taken up so quickly with a workman of whom she +really could know very little, and especially when there was another who +had sought her for long years, and plainly shown her how much he loved +her; and, at last, she asked her if it could not be broken off, this +engagement,—or, at least, put off for a while, Wisi was still so young, +and ought to remain with her father. Then Wisi began to cry, and said +that it was all arranged; that she had given her promise, and that her +father was pleased. So my mother said no more about it; but poor Wisi +cried bitterly, until my mother took her by the hand, and led her to the +piano, and said kindly, 'Dry your tears: we will sing together.' And she +played the accompaniment, and we sang,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "'To God you must confide<br> + Your sorrow and your pain;<br> + He will true care provide,<br> + And show you heaven again.</p> +<br> +<p> "'For clouds and air and wind<br> + He points the path and way;<br> + Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your + footsteps stray.'</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + +<p>"After this, Wisi left us apparently comforted, and my mother spoke +kindly to her at parting; but I felt very sadly about the whole affair. +I had a conviction that poor Wisi had passed her happiest days, and +would never be light-hearted again; and I could not express my sorrow +for Andrew. What would he say? He said nothing,—not one word,—but went +about for several years like a shadow, and became more silent than ever, +and had no longer the quietly happy expression that formerly +distinguished him."</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow!" cried Max. "And did he never marry?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Max!" replied his sister, rather reproachfully. "How could he +do so? How can you ask such a question? He is faithfulness personified."</p> + +<p>"How could I know that, dearest sister?" said Max soothingly. "I could +not be expected to know that your gifted and inestimable friend +possessed also the quality of steadfastness. But tell me some more about +Wisi. I hope, truly, that the merry creature was not unfortunate. It +would grieve me sadly to think that."</p> + +<p>"I see plainly, brother, that all your sympathies are secretly with +Wisi; and that you are not sorry for the faithful Andrew, whose heart +was nearly broken when he found that he had lost her."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said Max. "I have the greatest sympathy for the good fellow. +But do tell me how it was with Wisi: did she cry her pretty eyes out?"</p> + +<p>"Almost, I believe," replied Marie. "I did not see her very often, and +she had a great deal of work to do. I believe that her husband was not a +bad fellow; but there was something very rough about him, and he was +rude and unkind even to his own little children. Wisi had a hard time of +it. She had a good many pretty children; but they were very delicate, +and she lost them one after the other. Five she buried, and has only now +one tender little girl,—a little Wiseli,—who is not much larger than +our Pussy, though she is several years older. Naturally Wisi's health +has been sadly tried with all this, and it is plainly visible now that +it has almost reached the end with her. She is rapidly wasting away in +consumption. I fear that there is no hope for her."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Max, "is this possible? Is it really so bad as that? Can +nothing be done, Marie? Let us look after her, and try if we cannot mend +matters somewhat."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no! there is no chance for her," said his sister, sadly. "From the +very beginning Wisi was too delicate for all the work and care that came +upon her."</p> + +<p>"And what became of her husband?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! I quite forgot the sad trouble that poor Wisi had to endure +with him also.</p> + +<p>"About a year ago, he broke an arm and a leg in the workshop, and was +brought home half dead. He was very ill, and could not work, and +certainly was not a patient sufferer. Wisi had the care of him in his +sickness, in addition to every thing else, and he died about six +months after the accident. Wisi has lived alone with her child since +that time."</p> + +<p>"Then there will soon be nothing left but a little Wiseli, and what will +become of her? But, no; it will not turn out so sadly, I am sure. Wisi +will get well, and every thing be right again, as it should have been in +the beginning."</p> + +<p>"No, not so, Max; it is too late for that," replied his sister, +decidedly. "Poor Wisi had to suffer sadly for her folly. But it is too +late indeed!" she said, rising, almost frightened to see that it was +after midnight, and that the colonel, who had been silent for some time +past, was now sleeping in his arm-chair.</p> + +<p>Max was not in the least sleepy, however. All this story of poor Wisi +had awakened in him such lively recollections of his childhood, that +he wanted to talk about many other events and people; but his sister +was not to be persuaded. She took her bed-candle, and insisted upon +going to bed.</p> + +<p>There was nothing to be done but to awaken his brother-in-law, which he +did with such a tremendous thump on the back, that the colonel sprang up +with the feeling that he had been struck by an enemy's bomb-shell. But +Max tapped him kindly on the shoulder, saying, "It is only a gentle +warning from your wife that we must all beat a retreat." This was +accomplished, and soon the house on the height stood quietly in the +moonlight; and half way down the hill stood another house, where it +would soon be silent, too, though a still feeble light glimmered there, +casting a pale shadow through the little window out into the brilliant +moonlit night.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0203"></a> +CHAPTER III.</p> + +<p>ALSO AT HOME.</p> + +<p> +At the same time that the colonel's children were going home, the +little Wiseli ran along down the hill as fast as she could scamper, for +she knew she had remained away longer than her mother liked that she +should, and she very rarely did any thing of the kind. This evening had +been one of such unusual pleasure for her that she had quite forgotten +to go home at the usual time, and therefore ran all the faster, and so +almost fell against a man, in her haste, who came out of the door of +their cottage as she was rushing in. He stepped quietly to one side, +and Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side. To +her great surprise, she found no light in the room,—her mother was +sitting in the twilight, on a low chair by the window. "Mother," said +the child, "are you angry because I was away such a long time?" and she +put her arms around her mother's neck as she spoke. "No, no, Wiseli," +said her mother, kindly; "but I am glad that you have come at last." +The girl began at once to tell her mother about the delightful coast +she had had on Otto's pretty sled,—how she had gone twice down the +hill, and how pleasant it was. When she had finished her little story, +she noticed, for the first time, how very quiet her mother was,—much +more so than usual,—and she asked anxiously, "Why have you not lighted +the lamp, mother?"</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<a name="3"></a> +<center> +<img alt="003a.jpg (158K)"src="images/003a.jpg" height="1077" width="680"> +<p><b>WISELI HASTENED INTO THE ROOM, AND WENT TO HER +MOTHER'S SIDE</b></p> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"I feel so weary this evening, Wiseli," replied her mother, "that I +could not get up to light it. Go get it now, my child, and bring me a +little water to drink at the same time, I am so very thirsty." Wiseli +hastened to the kitchen, and soon returned with the light in one hand, +and in the other a bottle filled with red syrup, that looked so +temptingly clear and good, that the thirsty invalid called out eagerly, +"What is that you are bringing me? It looks so good!"</p> + +<p>"I do not know," said the child; "it was standing on the kitchen-table. +See how it sparkles!" Her mother took the bottle, and smelled at it. +"Oh!" she said, smelling again, "it is like fresh, wild strawberries. +Give me some water, quickly, Wiseli; I must drink." The child poured +some of the red syrup into a glass, and filled it with water, which her +mother swallowed eagerly, as one parched with thirst. "You do not know +how refreshing it is, child," as she handed back the empty glass. "Put +it away, Wiseli, but not far. It seems to me as if I could drink it all +the time, I am so thirsty. Who brought me this refreshment, Wiseli: do +you know? It must be from Trine: she brought it from the colonel's."</p> + +<p>"Did Trine come in here, mother?" asked the child.</p> + +<p>"No; I have not seen her at all," said her mother.</p> + +<p>"Then it is not Trine, I am sure," said Wiseli, decidedly. "She always +comes into the room when she brings anything for you. But Andrew the +carpenter came today: did not he bring this with him?"</p> + +<p>"What, Wiseli," said her mother, very eagerly, "what are you saying? +Andrew the carpenter never came to see me: what made you think of that?"</p> + +<p>"He was here, certainly; certainly he was here within this house. He +went out of the door so quickly that I almost ran into him. Did you not +hear him at all?"</p> + +<p>Her mother was quiet for a long time without speaking; then she said, "I +did hear the kitchen door softly opened. At first I thought it might be +you, and—it is true, I did not hear you enter until later. Are you +sure, Wiseli, that Andrew the carpenter was the person who went out from +our door?"</p> + +<p>Wiseli was sure of her affair, and told her mother exactly how the coat +and how the cap looked that Andrew wore, and how frightened he was when +she almost ran into him; so that, at last, she convinced the good woman, +who said softly, as if to herself, "Yes, it must be Andrew; he knows +what I like best."</p> + +<p>"Now I remember something else, mother," cried Wiseli, quite excitedly. +"Now I know for sure who once placed a big pot of honey in the +kitchen,—you remember how much you liked that,—and then the +apple-cakes a day or two ago,—do not you remember? You wished to send +your thanks by Trine when she brought you something from the colonel's +kitchen, and she said that she knew nothing at all about them. Now I am +sure that Andrew the carpenter brought them, and secretly placed them in +the kitchen for you."</p> + +<p>"Now I believe so, also," said her mother, and softly wiped her eyes.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing sad about it, mother," said Wiseli, rather shocked to +see how often her mother kept wiping her eyes.</p> + +<p>"You must thank him for me, Wiseli: I cannot. Tell him that I send him +my thanks for all the goodness he has shown me,—he has always been kind +to me. Come, sit down here by me a little," said she, softly. "Give me +some more of the syrup, and then come and repeat the verse that I taught +you the other day."</p> + +<p>Wiseli brought more water, and mixed it with the syrup again, and her +mother drank of it eagerly; then she laid her head wearily upon the low +window-sill, and beckoned her little daughter to come to her side. It +seemed to the child that her mother could not be comfortable, and she +fetched a pillow from the bed, and placed it carefully under her +mother's head. Then she sat down close to her side on a footstool, and +held her mother's hand in her own, and complied with her request to +repeat the verses, thus,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "'To God you must confide<br> + Your sorrow and your pain;<br> + He will true care provide,<br> + And show you heaven again.</p> +<br> +<p> "'For clouds and air and wind<br> + He points the path and way;<br> + Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray.'"</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>As Wiseli finished, she observed that her mother was almost asleep; but +she heard her say, softly, "Think of this, my Wiseli; and when you do +not know which way to turn, and every thing seems difficult and +perplexing, then say to yourself these words,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "'Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray.'"</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>Now the weary head sank down to rest, and little Wiseli would not awaken +her mother by a movement, but nestled up to her quietly, and slept also. +And the feeble light of the little lamp burned dimly in the quiet +room,—more and more feebly it burned, until it slowly flickered and +went out, and the cottage stood a dark object in the bright moonlight.</p> + +<p>The next morning the neighbor from the nearest house stopped, as usual, +on her way to the fountain, to look through the window of the cottage to +see if all was well within. She saw that the sick woman was sleeping on +the pillow, with her head against the window-sill, and that Wiseli stood +weeping by her side. This seemed so strange, that she put her head a +little way into the room, and asked, "What is the matter, Wiseli? Is +your mother worse?" The child sobbed dreadfully, and could scarcely say, +"I do not know what ails my mother."</p> + +<p>The poor child had a strong suspicion of what it all meant, but she +could not realize that her mother was lost to her. For she was still +there, but asleep,—asleep for all the rest of her daughter's life on +earth,—and could not hear how sadly the child called to her. The +neighbor stepped to the window and looked at the sleeping head upon the +pillow; then she started back in alarm. "Run quickly, Wiseli; run and +fetch your cousin Gotti. He must come at once. You have no other +relation, and somebody must look after things here. Run as fast as you +can: I will wait here until you come back."</p> + +<p>The child ran, but not fast, her heart was so heavy within her, and her +limbs trembled; and at last she had to stop and give way to her tears, +for she became more and more sure, with every step, that her mother +would never waken more. But she went on again soon, although she could +not stop her tears, for her sorrow increased as she went. In the beech +grove, full a quarter of an hour's walk from the church, stood the +house of her cousin Gotti; and presently Wiseli entered the door, still +crying bitterly. Her cousin's wife stood in the kitchen, and asked +harshly, "What is the matter with you?" Wiseli replied, between her +sobs, that the neighbor had sent her to ask her cousin Gotti to come +quickly to her mother. Probably the woman suspected, from the child's +look, that her mother was more ill, for she spoke a little less roughly +than usual. "I will tell him. You can go home: he is not here now." So +Wiseli turned about, and reached home more quickly than she came, for +she was returning to her mother. The neighbor stood by the +doorstep,—she could not wait inside the room: it was not pleasant to +her. But the child stepped in, and went to her place by her mother's +side that she had kept all through the night. There she sat weeping, +and only said, now and then, softly, "Mother." But no answering word +came to her. At last Wiseli said, bending over her, "Mother, you can +hear me, although you are in heaven now, and I cannot hear your +answer." And the child sat holding her mother's hand tightly until long +after noontime. About that time her cousin Gotti entered the room, +looked about him a little, and then called for the neighbor. "You must +arrange things here a little,—you know what I mean," he said,—"so +that things will be ready for the removal. Then carry the keys away +with you, so that nothing will be taken." He then turned to Wiseli and +said, "Where are your clothes, little one? Get them together and tie +them up in a bundle, and we will go away."</p> + +<p>"Where shall we go?" asked the child.</p> + +<p>"We will go home to the beech grove. You can stay there with us, for you +have nobody else in the world now but your cousin Gotti."</p> + +<p>At these words, Wiseli felt herself stiff with fear. Go to the beech +grove, and live with them there,—was that her fate? She had always had +the greatest fear of the wife of her cousin Gotti, and always stood a +long time before the door, when she was sent there with a message, +before she could summon courage to enter. The eldest son, Cheppi,—that +rough fellow,—lived there, and Hannes and Rudi; and they threw stones +at all the children. Was that to be her home?</p> + +<p>Fear caused the child to turn pale and immovable.</p> + +<p>"You must not be frightened, my child," said her cousin Gotti, in a +kindly tone. "There are more people in our house than there are here, +but it is all the more lively for that."</p> + +<p>Wiseli put her things silently together in a shawl, and tied the two +corners together crosswise; then she tied her scarf about her head, and +stood ready.</p> + +<p>"So," said her cousin, "now we will go," and turned towards the door; +but Wiseli sobbed out suddenly,—</p> + +<p>"Then I must leave my mother all alone."</p> + +<p>With these words she ran to her mother, and clasped her in her +arms again.</p> + +<p>Her cousin Gotti stood rather disconcerted, and looked on. He did not +know how to explain how things were with her mother, if she did not +understand without words; for he was not strong in the matter of +expressing himself: he had never given himself the trouble to try. At +last, he said,—</p> + +<p>"Now come, come along. A little child like you must be obedient. Come; +and, after this, no crying. That does not mend matters one bit."</p> + +<p>The child swallowed her sobs, and followed the cousin Gotti silently +through the door. Once only she glanced backward, and said softly, "God +will watch over you, mother;" and then went forth with her bundle on her +arm, and left the little house which had been home to her. Just as she +and her cousin Gotti went together across the field, Trine came towards +them down the road, with a covered basket on her arm. The neighbor stood +in the doorway, and looked after the departing couple. Trine went +towards her, saying,—</p> + +<p>"To-day I am bringing the sick woman something good. A little late, to +be sure. We have Uncle Max on a visit to us: that always makes me late."</p> + +<p>"And even if you had come early in the morning, you would have come too +late to-day. She died last night."</p> + +<p>"That cannot be!" cried Trine, startled. "Oh, goodness me! what will my +lady say?"</p> + +<p>With these words she turned sharp about, and ran home as fast as +possible. The neighbor went back into the quiet room, and performed the +last kind offices for Wiseli's mother.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0204"></a> +CHAPTER IV.</p> + +<p>AT COUSIN GOTTI's.</p> + +<p> +When Wiseli made her entry into her cousin Gotti's house at Beech Grove, +the three boys came running out of the barn, and, behind Wiseli, into +the room, where they placed themselves in front of her in a row, and +stared at the timid little thing with all their eyes. Her cousin's wife +came out of the kitchen, and stared also at the little thing, as if she +had never seen her before.</p> + +<p>Her cousin Gotti seated himself behind the table, and said,—</p> + +<p>"I think she can eat something: she has not had much to-day. Come here," +he said, turning to Wiseli, who stood all this time in the same place, +with her bundle under her arm. She obeyed. Now her cousin's wife put new +wine and cheese on the table, also a huge loaf of black bread. Cousin +Gotti cut a big slice, put a lump of cheese upon it, and pushed it +towards the child. "There, eat, little one," he said. "You must be +hungry, I'm sure."</p> + +<p>"No, I thank you," said Wiseli, softly. She could not have swallowed +even a crumb. She felt as if she were crushed under her load of sorrow +and anxiety, and could scarcely even breathe.</p> + +<p>The boys stood there all the time, and stared at her.</p> + +<p>"Don't be frightened," said cousin Gotti, encouragingly. "Do eat +something." But the child sat motionless, and did not touch her bread. +Her cousin's wife came again; and, putting her hands on her hips, stood +looking her over from head to foot.</p> + +<p>"If you don't want it," she said, "you can leave it;" and turned on her +heel, and went again into the kitchen.</p> + +<p>When cousin Gotti had refreshed himself sufficiently he arose, and said, +"Put it in your pocket. By and by you will feel like eating, only do not +feel frightened;" and he went into the kitchen. Wiseli tried to do as he +told her, to put the bread and cheese into her pocket; but they were too +large, and she put them back upon the table again.</p> + +<p>"I will help you," said Cheppi, snatching the pieces from the table; and +was about to stuff them into his open mouth, but they flew up into the +air instead, for Hannes had knocked Cheppi's hand up with a smart blow, +and so the plunder was scattered, and Rudi darted upon it, and carried +part of it away. With this the two oldest boys fell upon him, and they +kicked and cuffed, and screamed and shouted, until Wiseli was terribly +frightened. Presently their father opened the kitchen-door, and called +out, "What does this all mean?" Then the boys all answered at once, from +the floor; and one said, "Wiseli did not want it;" and another, "Wiseli +had not any;" and "As long as Wiseli did not want any"—</p> + +<p>Their father called out, loudly, "If you do not stop that, I will come +in with the thong, and whip you." And he slammed the door again.</p> + +<p>"It" did not "stop," however; but, as soon as the door was shut again, +it began worse than ever, for Hannes found that the best way to treat +the enemy was to grasp him by the hair; and so they all seized each +other by the hair, and stood in a ring, uttering terrible noises. In the +kitchen their mother sat on a stool, and peeled potatoes. When her +husband closed the door again, she asked,—</p> + +<p>"What is your idea about that child? Why did you bring her home with +you at once?"</p> + +<p>"I thought she would have to stay with somebody. I am her cousin Gotti, +and she has no other relatives. You can make her useful. She can do what +you are doing now. Then you will be able to do other things. You are +always saying that the boys give you so much work,—more than is right."</p> + +<p>"Yes, as regards them, a great help she will be! You can hear now what +a racket there is in there, and she is only a quarter of an hour in +the house."</p> + +<p>"I have heard that sort of thing a good many times before the little one +came. I do not think that she has much to do with it," said the cousin +Gotti quietly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you did not hear them!" said his wife sharply; "how they kept +calling out something about Wiseli?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they may call out, if they want to," said their father. "You will +soon have the little one in hand. I think she is not a troublesome +child,—I noticed that in the beginning,—and is much more obedient than +those boys of yours."</p> + +<p>This was too much for his wife.</p> + +<p>"I do not see what is the use of finding fault with the boys," she said; +and she peeled the potatoes faster and faster. "And I <i>should</i> like to +know where the girl is to sleep."</p> + +<p>Her husband pushed his cap back and forth several times upon his head, +and said, soothingly,—</p> + +<p>"One can't think of every thing at once. She must have had a bed to +sleep in; and she can, at least, have that. Tomorrow I will go to the +pastor. To-night she can sleep on the bench by the stove. It is always +warm there; and I can put a partition in the little passage that goes +into our room later, and set her bed in there."</p> + +<p>"I never heard of bringing home a child and getting a bed for it a week +afterwards," said the woman crossly; "and I should like to know who will +pay for it if we must build something more for her into the bargain."</p> + +<p>"When the parish assigns the child to us, they will allow us something +for her maintenance. I shall take her cheaper than any one else would +do, and she will be more comfortable here too."</p> + +<p>With this the cousin went out into the shed, and called out for Cheppi +to come with him. It was hard for the cousin's wife to make herself +heard in the room when she wished to give this message. They were all +fighting away, and shouting angrily and loudly.</p> + +<p>"I am surprised that you sit there looking on, and do not try to quiet +them in the least," said their mother to Wiseli, who sat cowering +against the wall, and did not dare even to move. Cheppi, however, was +dispatched to the barn, and the two others ran after him.</p> + +<p>"Do you know how to knit?" the cousin's wife asked Wiseli, who replied, +timidly, "Yes, I can knit stockings."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, take this," she said; and took from the cupboard a big +brown stocking, with yarn almost as stout as Wiseli's little fingers. +"Go on with the foot," she said, "and take care to make it big +enough: it is for your cousin Gotti." Then she went back into the +kitchen, and the little girl took her seat on the bench by the stove, +with the long stocking coiled up in her lap,—for it was so heavy +that she could scarcely knit if it hung down: it pulled the needles +out of her hand. She had scarcely begun to work, however, before her +cousin's wife came in again.</p> + +<p>"I think you had better come out into the kitchen with me," she said. +"Then you can see how I do things, and be able to help me a little by +and by." Wiseli obeyed, and watched her cousin's wife at her work as +well as she was able; but the tears kept coming into her eyes so that +she could scarcely see, for she thought all the time of how she used to +go about in the kitchen with her mother, who chattered so pleasantly +with her, and how they would stop to kiss each other now and then. She +knew very well that she ought not to give way to her tears, and tried to +swallow her sobs, until she felt almost strangling.</p> + +<p>"See here, look here," said the cousin's wife, every now and then; "then +you will know how to do it by and by." And she went about, here and +there, in the kitchen, letting Wiseli stand, and said nothing else to +her. This went on for some time, when there was a terrible stamping in +the entry, and the woman said, "Open the door as quick as you can: they +are coming." The noise was made by the cousin and his sons, who were +knocking the snow off their shoes before entering. Wiseli opened the +door into the inner room as quickly as possible; and the cousin's wife +lifted an enormous pan off the fire, and ran with it into the room, +where she shook a great heap of potatoes out over the slate-topped +table. Then she brought out a big jug of sour milk, and said, "Put the +things that are in the table-drawer on the table, and then they can all +sit down at once."</p> + +<p>Wiseli pulled out the drawer as quickly as possible. There lay five +spoons and five knives. She put these upon the table, and the supper was +ready. The father and his sons came in, and sat down at once on the +seats along the wall behind the table. At the other end stood a chair. +Cousin Gotti made a motion towards the chair and said, "She can sit +there, I think; or do you say no?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, certainly!" said his wife, whose seat was nearest the kitchen-door. +She did not remain seated a moment; but ran out into the kitchen and +came back, took a spoonful of milk, and was off again.</p> + +<p>Nobody knew why she ran about in this way, for there was nothing cooking +in the kitchen, and nothing to bring out, but she always did so; and +when, sometimes, her husband would say, "Do sit still, and eat +something," then she seemed more hurried than ever, and said she had no +time to sit still, there were so many things to be looked after.</p> + +<p>When she had made two visits to the kitchen and returned, and began to +peel a potato in great haste, she noticed, for the first time, that +Wiseli sat idly by her side, her hands on her lap. "Why don't you eat +something?" she said, angrily. "She has no spoon," said Rudi, who was +seated on the other side, and had long been wondering why anybody should +sit at table and not eat as long as there was any thing left. "Oh, yes, +of course," said his mother. "Who would ever have thought that we should +need six spoons? We have always found five enough; and we must have +another knife too. Why can't you speak? You know well enough that to eat +you want a spoon." These last words were addressed to Wiseli.</p> + +<p>The child glanced timidly at the woman and said, "It is no matter: I do +not need any. I am not hungry."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" asked the woman. "Are you used to a different kind of food? I +don't mean to change, if you are."</p> + +<p>"I think it would be better to let the child alone for a while; we must +not frighten her," said her cousin Gotti, soothingly. "She will feel +better soon."</p> + +<p>So Wiseli was unmolested, and the others were busily employed for a +while. She sat there motionless until her cousin rose, took his fur cap +from the nail, and began to look for the stable lantern; for "Spot" was +sick, and must be looked after again that night. The table was quickly +cleared. The empty potato-skins were brushed off into the empty +milk-jug, the slate-top wiped off; and when the woman was done with +this, she said, turning to Wiseli, "You have seen what I did; now you +can do it the next time." Now Cheppi took his seat firmly behind the +table again. He had his slate-pencil and arithmetic book, and prepared +himself to do his examples. First, however, he stared for a while at +Wiseli, who had again taken up her brown stocking, but did not make any +progress; for she could not see a thing in the dark corner where she +was seated, and she did not dare to draw nearer to the table where the +dim lamp was placed. "You must have something to do," cried Cheppi, in +an irritated tone. "You are not the smartest scholar in the school." +The girl did not know what to answer. She had not been to school that +day, and did not know what lessons were given out; and, besides, was +quite out of her usual habits and life generally. "If I must do my +examples, so must you, or I won't do them at all," cried Cheppi again. +Wiseli kept as still as a mouse. "Well, then, it is all right," said +the boy noisily. "I won't do another stroke of work." And he threw away +his pencil.</p> + +<p>"Then I won't do any thing, either," cried Hannes, and stuffed his +multiplication-table into his satchel again; for learning his lessons +was the hardest thing in the world for him.</p> + +<p>"I will tell the master whose fault it is," began Cheppi again. "You can +see, then, what you will get."</p> + +<p>Probably Cheppi would have gone on in this unpleasant style for a long +time, if his father had not soon returned from the barn. He brought in +two big, empty grain-bags on his shoulders, and came up to the table +with them.</p> + +<p>"Make room," he said to Cheppi, who sat with his elbows on the table, +supporting his head on his hands. Then he spread out his two bags, +folded them together again, and then again. At last he went towards the +bench behind the stove, and put them down on it. "There," he said, with +an air of satisfaction, "that is good. Where is your bundle, little +one?" Wiseli fetched it from her corner,—where it had lain ever since +she arrived,—and looked with surprise at her cousin Gotti as he placed +the bundle at the upper end of the folded bags, and pressed it down, so +that it was not perfectly round.</p> + +<p>"There, now you may go to sleep," he said, turning round to Wiseli. "You +cannot be cold, for the stove is hot; and you can put your head on your +bundle, and you will be as comfortable as if you were in your bed.</p> + +<p>"And it is time for you three to go to bed, too. Off with you: make +haste!" So saying, he took the oil-lamp from the table, and went towards +the kitchen. The three boys clattered along after him.</p> + +<p>When he reached the door, he turned again and said, "There, sleep +soundly. Must not think any more to-night, and it will be better for you +by and by," and he went out. Presently his wife came into the room with +an oil-lamp in her hand, and looked at the place where Wiseli was to +sleep. "Can you lie there?" she asked. "You will find it warm enough by +the stove. There are plenty of people who have neither bed nor a warm +place to be in. You won't suffer in that way, and ought to be thankful +that you are under a good roof. Good-night."</p> + +<p>"Good-night," replied Wiseli, softly; but the woman could not have +heard her, for she was already away when she spoke, and had closed the +door behind her immediately. Now Wiseli sat alone in the dark room. +Every thing about her was suddenly silent,—not a sound to be heard. A +straggling moonbeam shone through the little window,—enough to show +the child where the bench by the stove was, upon which she must find +her bed. She crossed the room, and seated herself there. For the first +time that day since she had left her dear mother, she found herself +alone, and able to think over what had befallen her. She had been +constantly under excitement until this moment; for every thing that +had happened frightened her. All that she heard or saw since she left +her home had been so very unpleasant that she could not stop to think +at all, but went from one alarm to another. Now there she sat alone, +without her mother, and began to realize that it was all over,—that +they would never see nor hear each other again in this world. And such +a sense of loneliness, of utter desolation, took possession of Wiseli, +that she believed herself uncared for and forgotten by everybody, and +feared that she should be left there alone to die in the dark. The +poor child laid her head down upon her bundle, and began to cry, +bitterly and despairingly, "Mother, can you not hear me? Mother, do +not you hear me call?"</p> + +<p>Now Wiseli's mother had often told her little girl, that when things +went very badly with us here below, then was the moment to lift up our +voices and cry to God for help; for he would hear us in our trouble when +all other's ears were deaf, and help us when no other help was possible. +At this moment the child remembered these words, and she sobbed aloud, +"Oh, you dear God in heaven! help me also, I am so unhappy, and my +mother cannot hear me when I call!"</p> + +<p>And when she had prayed thus several times over, she felt calmer. It +comforted her poor little heart; for now she felt that God was really +there in heaven, and could help her, and that she was no longer alone. +And presently she recalled her mother's words,—almost the very last +that she spoke: "My child, when you cannot see your way clearly before +you, and every thing seems strange and difficult"—And now it was so; +and how little she thought that it ever would be so, when her mother was +talking to her. Her mother told her to remember the words of the hymn,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>Now Wiseli first rightly understood these words, and felt their full +meaning. Before she had repeated them mechanically, for not until now +did she need them. But it was just her present case. Was not she full of +perplexity? and what could she possibly have in her cousin Gotti's house +but fear and trouble? And so she repeated, again and again,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + +<p>The child had found her way to her heavenly Father, and knew that he was +sure to help her; and she felt comforted. Folding her little hands, she +began the hymn at the beginning, for it seemed like talking to a kind +friend; and she said each word from her very heart:—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "To God you must confide<br> + Your sorrow and your pain;<br> + He will true care provide,<br> + And show you heaven again.</p> +<br> +<p> "For clouds and air and wind<br> + He points the path and way;<br> + Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray."</p><br> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>A quiet trust now took possession of the child's heart. She fell asleep +soon after, her head supported on her little bundle, still repeating the +last lines of the hymn. And a pleasant dream followed. She saw before +her a dry bright pathway in the full sunlight, and the road led between +beautiful red roses and lovely pinks that were so attractive that she +longed to run to gather them. And by her side stood her dear mother, and +held her hand tenderly in her own, as she always did; and her mother +pointed along the pathway in her dream, and said, "See, my Wiseli; did +not I tell you so? That is your way."</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "'Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray.'"</p> + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + +<p>And the child was happy in her dream, and slept as soundly on her little +bundle as if she were on a soft bed.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0205"></a> +CHAPTER V.</p> + +<p>HOW TIME WENT ON, AND SUMMER CAME.</p> + +<p> +When old Trine carried the news back to the heights, and told them +there that Wiseli's mother was dead, and the child taken at once to her +cousin Gotti's, the whole family became greatly agitated. Mrs. Ritter +could not cease bewailing her neglect in not visiting the sick woman +before, for she had been postponing it from day to day; but, of course, +had not in the least realized how near the end might be. She was sadly +cast down, and sorrowful. And Otto: he went raging up and down the room +with great strides, and kept calling out angrily, "It is an injustice! +It is a great injustice! But if he dares to lay a hand on her to harm +her, he may look to his own bones, how many of them will be left whole +in his skin!"</p> + +<p>"Who do you mean, Otto? Who are you talking about in that way?" said his +mother, looking curiously at her excited boy.</p> + +<p>"About that Cheppi," he replied. "I do not know what dreadful things he +will do to Wiseli when he has her there in his own house. It is not +right, but just let him try"—But now Otto was interrupted by a repeated +and heavy stamping that prevented his being heard. "Why do you make such +a deafening noise, you pussy cat, there behind the stove?" he cried, +turning his indignation towards another quarter. Pussy came out from +behind the stove, but stamped more violently than before; for she was +trying to force her feet into her wet boots, which it had taken the old +Trine ever so long to pull off a while before. It was dreadfully hard +work; and Pussy became as red as fire, while she said,—</p> + +<p>"Don't you see that I have to do so? Nobody in the world could get these +boots on without stamping."</p> + +<p>"And what in the world do you want to put those wet boots on again for? +I have just pulled them off, so that you should not have them on. I +should just like to know what this means?" said Trine, who stood looking +on all this time.</p> + +<p>"I am going to the beech grove this very minute to fetch Wiseli to +our house. She can have my bed," said Pussy, decidedly. But quite as +decidedly old Trine stalked over to Pussy, at these words, lifted her +up, placed her firmly on a chair, while she pulled off the boot that +was half on; but said, in a pacifying tone, to the kicking and +excited child,—</p> + +<p>"That is all right! that is all right! but I will take care of you +first. You must not get two pair of shoes and two pair of stockings wet +through in one day. You can give up your bed. You can go up into the +lumber-room, if you want to: there is room enough there."</p> + +<p>But Pussy had a very different plan in her little head. She thought +that she could free herself, in this wise, of a great and daily +recurring trouble, that often gave her both inward and outward +annoyance; namely, the being ordered off to bed every evening, and +obliged to go, into the bargain, just as she was in the mood to enjoy +herself especially. She thought that, if she gave up her bed to Wiseli, +there would be none other at hand for her, and so she could stay up as +long as she wanted to.</p> + +<p>She was so delighted at this prospect, that she did not, at first, +notice how the sly Trine had wisked off her wet boots, and that now +there was no chance to fetch Wiseli.</p> + +<p>When she fairly understood how she had been tricked, she set up such an +outcry that Otto put his fingers in his ears, and her mother came in, a +good deal alarmed at the uproar. She promised Pussy to talk over the +matter with her father as soon as he came home; for he had gone away +that very morning, with their Uncle Max, to pay a long-promised visit to +an old friend. After a while peace and quiet were restored in the +household. The gentlemen did not return for two weeks, however; but Mrs. +Ritter kept her promise. The first thing that she mentioned to her +husband, on the very evening of his return, was the fact of Wiseli being +an orphan, and her new shelter; and the colonel promised to go to the +pastor the very next day, to see what better arrangement could be made +for the child; and, having visited the pastor, the colonel brought back +the sad news, that, on the Sunday just past, the parish had taken the +matter into consideration, and that it was now settled. Wiseli must be +housed somewhere; and, as her mother had not left any property whatever, +she must also be maintained at the expense of the parish until she could +support herself. Moreover, her cousin Gotti had offered, in the first +instance, to take the child for a very slight compensation. He wished to +do an act of charity as far as he could afford it. He was known to be a +well-conducted man; and, as he made so slight a demand, it was agreed +and settled that the child should henceforth find her home with him.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me a very good arrangement," said the colonel to his wife. +"The child will be well cared for there; besides, what else could be +done? She is much too small to be placed anywhere in service, and +certainly you cannot take every orphan child in the neighborhood into +your own house. You might as well turn it into an asylum at once."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ritter was very much disturbed by the news that every thing had +been settled so soon. She had hoped to be able to have found a different +home for Wiseli, who was, she knew, much too sensitive and delicate a +child to be happy in a home where rudeness and roughness were the rule; +but she had not a definite plan in her mind, and now there was nothing +to be done but to try to look after the child's comfort a little, and to +protect her, if possible.</p> + +<p>Otto and Pussy did not take the affair so quietly, however. They were in +great excitement when they heard it all on the following morning.</p> + +<p>Otto declared Wiseli's lot to be the lot of Daniel in the lion's den, +and brought his fist down on the table with the evident wish that he +were pommelling Cheppi's head. Pussy screamed, and cried a little; +partly out of pity for Wiseli, and partly from disappointment that she +could not now carry out her little plan of being able to sit up later in +the evenings.</p> + +<p>But this excitement was at last quieted down, like every other, by time; +and the days rolled on in their wonted manner.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Wiseli has become somewhat accustomed to the life in her +cousin Gotti's house. For one thing, her bed had come; and she no longer +slept on the bench by the stove, but in a little place partitioned off +from the passage between her cousin's room and that of the boys. There +was just room enough in this little place for her bed, and a little +chest, in which she placed her clothes, and upon which she had to climb +when she wished to get into her bed; for there was no space between.</p> + +<p>She was obliged to go to the well when she washed; and, if it was very +cold, then her cousin's wife said she could give up washing for that +day, and do it on another when it was warmer. Now Wiseli was not used to +this style of thing at all. Her mother had taught her that cleanliness +was absolutely necessary; and Wiseli would have frozen rather than to +look untidy, and, therefore, displease her mother. To be sure, every +thing was different for her at home; for she washed and dressed herself +in her mother's room always; and many a loving word they exchanged until +the coffee was on the table, and they sat down together, and ate their +breakfast happily, before Wiseli started off for school.</p> + +<p>But what a difference for her now! All, all was changed,—her whole life +from morning till evening; and often, at the thought of her mother, the +tears started into the poor child's eyes, and her heart ached so sadly, +that she felt as if she could go no farther, but must drop down, and +die. But she held herself bravely, for it distressed her cousin Gotti to +see her cry, and his wife scolded more than ever; for she, too, disliked +to see her dull.</p> + +<p>The happiest part of the twenty-four hours for Wiseli was when she +climbed into her little bed at night, and had a moment's time to think +about her dear mother in peace.</p> + +<p>At this time she always obtained comfort. She thought about her +beautiful dream, and felt perfect confidence that the good God would +find a way for her out of her troubles, as her mother had told her; and +she hoped that her mother was also in heaven, and would pray to God not +to forget her poor little child left alone in the wide world. Then +Wiseli always repeated her hymn, and slept quietly.</p> + +<p>So the winter slipped away, and the spring with its sunshine followed. +The trees were green again, and the meadows were gay with primroses and +white anemones, and in the wood the cuckoo sang lustily; and soft, warm +breezes were all abroad, making every heart beat more cheerily; and one +rejoiced that life was still possible.</p> + +<p>Wiseli also rejoiced over the flowers and the sunshine, especially when +she went to and from school. Beyond this she had little time for +enjoyment, for she had so much work to do. Every moment out of school +she had to employ in some useful occupation; and, indeed, often was +obliged to stay away from school for a half-day at a time, there was so +much to be done that could not be neglected, as her cousin Gotti, and +particularly his wife, were forever telling her. The cultivation of the +fields had begun, and also the garden work; and when her cousin's wife +was in the garden, then Wiseli had to wash the cooking utensils, and had +the hogs' trough to cleanse and carry back to the barn; and then the +boys' stockings and shirts must be mended, and her cousin's wife always +said, "Oh, the child can do that, she has nothing else to do;" and yet +she never was idle a single moment, and felt almost giddy at times, +because she was called from one piece of work to another before she had +time to breathe. Moreover, she found that if, for example, she ran over +to the field with the seed-potatoes that her cousin Gotti was calling +for, then his wife would scold because she had not made the kitchen-fire +for the supper, as she was bidden to do; but if she stopped to make the +fire, then she was found fault with by Cheppi because she had not mended +the hole in his jacket-sleeve he had told her to long ago; and everybody +called out, "Why don't you do this, or why don't you do that? you have +nothing else to do." She was glad to go to school whenever she was +allowed to go, for she was quiet for a while then; and, moreover, in +that place the poor child heard a pleasant word now and again. For each +time that recess came, or they left school to go home, Otto would come +to her, and talk with her pleasantly for a while, or give her an +invitation from his mother to visit them on Sunday evening and play +games with the children. Poor Wiseli could never avail herself of these +charming invitations, because on Sunday she had always to make the +coffee for the family; and her cousin's wife said that she could not +think of letting the child go away to visit on the only day when she was +really of some use to her. But the child was glad that Otto always asked +her, though she could not go, and that he always spoke kindly to her; +for those were the only friendly acts or words that she knew of +nowadays. There was still another reason that made it pleasant for +Wiseli to go to school, and that was the passing by Andrew the +carpenter's pretty garden on her way there. She always paused and looked +over the low hedge, hoping that she might catch sight of the carpenter; +for she had her mother's message to deliver, and never ceased hoping to +find the opportunity. She was far too shy to go into the house for that +purpose. She felt that she did not know Andrew well enough to venture to +do that. She was particularly timid with him, because he was so very +quiet, and always looked at her kindly when they met, but never spoke; +or, at least, never said more than a kindly word in passing. And she had +never succeeded in catching even a glimpse of him, no matter how long +she stood by the hedge and looked over.</p> + +<p>May passed, and June. The long days of summer came, with more and more +work to be done in the fields, and work that was ever hotter and hotter. +Wiseli felt this keenly when her cousin Gotti called her out to help +with the haymaking, and the heavy rake was so hard for her to lift; or, +worse still, to handle the clumsy wooden fork when the hay needed +spreading in the sun to dry.</p> + +<p>She often was obliged to work in the fields, and in the evening was so +tired out that she could scarcely move her poor little arms. She never +fretted, however, for she thought it was necessary and right; but often, +when she was still for a moment in the evening, it hurt her sadly to +hear Cheppi call out, "You ought to do your examples in arithmetic now, +as I do. You are never doing any thing out of school, and in the classes +you are always behind the others."</p> + +<p>She would have liked to study and get on at her lessons, if she could +only have gone regularly to school, and been able to keep up with the +class. She was well aware that she was far behind her schoolmates; but +what could she do, when she only got a little here and there, and all +was confused for her, and she never knew what lessons were given out for +the out-of-school studies. When she came quite unprepared to school, and +could not answer the questions put to the class, she was overwhelmed +with mortification, especially when the teacher would say, before all +the other children, "I did not expect to see you so behindhand, +Wiseli,—you of all others, who used to be so clever at your books." +Then she used to feel fit to sink through the floor for shame, and would +cry all the way as she walked home. But she did not dare to answer +Cheppi back when he taunted her, because then he would begin to cry and +scold, and make a noise, until his mother came in, when she, too, would +reproach her with being behind her classes, because Cheppi said she was. +So Wiseli often kept back her tears, and only gave way when she was +alone; and sometimes it did seem to her as if she were quite forgotten +by her heavenly Father and her mother, and as if nobody in the whole +world cared for her; and she was too sad at heart even to say her +comforting hymn for a long time; but she could not rest nor sleep until +she had done so, even though there was little satisfaction for her in +the words.</p> + +<p>One beautiful evening in July Wiseli slept, after a sad time of weeping, +and could not obtain an answer, the next morning, to her question of +whether she might go to school with the boys.</p> + +<p>Off scampered the boys. She looked sadly after them through the open +window as they sprang away gayly through the flower-besprinkled grass, +and chased a cloud of white butterflies along in front of them as they +ran through the brilliant sunshine.</p> + +<p>Her cousin's wife had prepared the big wash,—this was the work laid out +for the whole week. Must Wiseli work there too?</p> + +<p>Yes: already she heard a calling from the kitchen, and her cousin Gotti +called her by name,—he stood at the well, and saw her looking out of +the window.</p> + +<p>"Make haste, make haste, Wiseli; it is time to be off: the boys are +half-way to school. All the hay is in: make haste and go too." She did +not wait till he told this twice. Like a flash she snatched her satchel +and was off.</p> + +<p>"Tell the teacher that I have not sent him his money for a long time, +but he must not be vexed at that, we have had so much work with the hay +this summer."</p> + +<p>How happy the child felt as she flew along! She need not stand all day +at the wash-tub: she could go instead to school. How beautiful it was +everywhere about! The birds sang more sweetly than ever from the +trees, the grass was scented, and the pretty red and yellow flowers +glistened in the sun. Wiseli could not stop to enjoy them,—it was too +late for that,—but she felt the beauty as she ran along, and rejoiced +at every step.</p> + +<p>That same evening, just as all the children streamed out of the +close schoolroom into the beautiful afternoon light, the teacher +called out, with his serious face peering into the little crowd, +"Whose week is this?"</p> + +<p>"Otto's, Otto's," called the whole company at once, and ran off.</p> + +<p>"Otto," said the teacher, earnestly, "yesterday it was not swept up here +at all. I excuse you for once; but do not let it happen again, or I must +punish you, boy."</p> + +<p>Otto looked for a moment at all the nut-shells and apple-parings and +bits of paper that lay scattered about the floor waiting to be brushed +up; then he turned his head quickly away, and scampered out of the door, +for the teacher had disappeared into his own part of the house. Otto +stood outside and gazed about him at the golden sunset, and thought, "If +I could go home now, I could get a capful of cherries, and I could ride +the brown horse home from the field when the groom fetches the hay; and +now I must stay here instead, and sweep up these scraps from the floor!" +And Otto was so angry over this unpleasant task, that he scowled about +him, saying, "I wish the day of judgment would come, and carry off the +schoolhouse, and break it up into a thousand pieces!" But every thing +was still and peaceful all about, and not a sign of any such ravaging +earthquake to be seen or heard.</p> + +<p>After a while Otto turned back towards the schoolroom-door with a savage +determination, for he knew that he must bite into his sour apple, or be +punished the next day by having to sit still during recess; and he would +not run the risk of that disgraceful punishment. He entered the room, +but stood still with surprise as soon as he stepped past the threshold. +Every thing was brushed up in the school-room: not a scrap nor bit to be +seen anywhere. The windows all stood wide open, and the soft evening +breeze blew through the quiet room. Just then the teacher came out of +his own room and looked about him, and at the staring Otto, and said, +pleasantly, "You may well look about you with satisfaction. I did not +think that you could do it so well. You are a good scholar; but you have +surpassed yourself to-day in cleaning up, for I never saw it so neatly +done before."</p> + +<p>So saying, the teacher went away; and after Otto had convinced himself +by a last glance that what he saw was fact, and no witchcraft, he dashed +down the steps, two at a time, across the little place and up the +hillside: and not until he began to tell it all to his mother did he +begin to wonder to whom he was indebted for this good turn.</p> + +<p>"Nobody has done it through a mistake, that is certain," said his +mother. "Have not you some good friend who is noble enough to sacrifice +himself in this way for you? Think over all of them: who can it be?"</p> + +<p>"I know," cried Pussy, who had been listening eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Yes; pray who?" said Otto, half curiously, half incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Jack, the mouse," explained Pussy in a tone of conviction; "because you +gave him an apple last year."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; or William Tell, because I did not take away his, year before +last. One would be quite as probable as the other, you wonderfully +clever Puss." And Otto ran away barely in time to catch the groom, who +was going for the hay.</p> + +<p>Wiseli also ran about this time. Down the hill with a happy heart and a +merry countenance, past Andrew's garden, she ran, jumping and leaping in +her frolicsome mood; and then about she went, and jumped back again to +the garden, for she had espied the pinks all in bloom just within the +enclosure, and must look at them again, they, were so beautiful. "I +shall soon overtake the boys," she thought; "they stop at every corner +to play ball."</p> + +<p>But the pinks were most lovely to look upon; and they had such a +sweet perfume, too, that the child lingered, looking over the low +hedge for a long time. Suddenly Andrew came out of his house-door, +and stood in front of Wiseli. He offered her his hand over the hedge, +and said most kindly,—</p> + +<p>"Will you take a pink, Wiseli?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," she replied; "and I have a message to give you from +my mother."</p> + +<p>"From your mother?" repeated Andrew the carpenter in great surprise, and +let the pink that he had just gathered fall from his hand. Wiseli ran +round the hedge and picked it up from the ground; then she looked up at +the man who stood still and looked at her strangely, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Yes; at the very end, when my mother could do nothing more, she drank +up the nice syrup that you put on the kitchen-table for her, and it +refreshed her very much; and she charged me to tell you that she thanked +you for it very much indeed, and for all the many acts of kindness that +you had shown her; and she said, 'He always felt kindly to me.'"</p> + +<p>Now Wiseli perceived that big tears rolled from Andrew's eyes and fell +over his cheeks. He tried to say something, but could not speak. He +pressed the child's hand, turned him about, and went into the house.</p> + +<p>Wiseli stood still and wondered. Nobody had wept for her mother. Even +she had not dared to cry, except when nobody could see her; for her +cousin said that he would not have any whining, and she was even more +afraid of making his wife angry. And now here was some one who wept +because she had spoken of her mother to him. It seemed to the child as +if Andrew were her very best friend upon the earth, and she felt herself +strongly drawn towards him. But now she ran with her pink as fast as +possible towards the beech grove; and it was well that she did so, for +she saw the boys also drawing near the house, and it would never have +done for her to be later than they.</p> + +<p>Wiseli said her prayer with a light heart that night, and could not +understand why she had been so depressed the night before, and why she +had felt no confidence in God's kindness, and could not even say her +hymn. Now she felt sure that he had not forgotten her, and she would +never allow herself to think that again. Had she not received many kind +things from him? And as she fell asleep she saw before her the kind face +of Andrew the carpenter, with the tears in his eyes.</p> + +<p>On the following day—it was Wednesday—Otto was again surprised by the +good deed performed for him by his unknown friend; for he could not +refrain from going out with the others when school was first over, and +making a few gambols here and there to refresh himself after the long +confinement. When, at last, he returned somewhat sadly to his work, it +was all done again, and the schoolroom perfectly tidy. Now his curiosity +began to be excited, and also gratitude to his invisible benefactor +began to stir in his heart. He would certainly find out on Thursday what +it all meant.</p> + +<p>So, when the classes were dismissed, and they all left the house as +usual, Otto stood for a while by his seat, thinking how he could +discover his helpful friend. But a knot of his schoolmates rushed in as +he stood there, grasped him by arms and shoulders, and dragged him out, +crying, "Come along! Come on! We are playing 'Robbers,' and you must be +our leader."</p> + +<p>Otto defended himself for a moment. "This is my week," he cried.</p> + +<p>"Oh, nonsense! put it off," they said. "Only just for a quarter of an +hour. Come along!"</p> + +<p>And Otto went. To tell the truth, he relied secretly upon his unseen +friend, who would certainly shield him from punishment. He found it +extremely agreeable to feel such a support under his feet; and the +quarter slipped into the full hour, and Otto was lost. He went back to +the schoolhouse to fulfil his duty, and threw open the door with such a +slam that the master rushed out of his room very quickly, and asked,—</p> + +<p>"What do you want, Otto?"</p> + +<p>"Only to look in again, to see if every thing is as it should be," +stammered the boy.</p> + +<p>"This is excellent," said the teacher; "but it is not necessary for you +to slam the door in that way."</p> + +<p>Otto went away in good spirits. On Friday he made up his mind not to do +his work of cleaning until he was satisfied about the mystery; and +then,—then there would only be Saturday morning left of his week.</p> + +<p>"Otto," called out the teacher on Friday, as the clock struck four, +"take this paper over to the pastor as quickly as you can. He will give +you some papers to bring back. It will only take you a moment or two, +and you will be here in time to brush out the room."</p> + +<p>The boy did not like to go very well, but there was no help for it; and, +of course, he could be back in a twinkling. He reached the parsonage in +half a dozen bounds. The pastor was busy, just then, with a visitor. His +wife called Otto to her in the garden. She wanted to know how his mamma +found herself; if his father were well, and Pussy, too; how Uncle Max +was employed; and if they had good news from their relations in Germany. +Then the pastor made his appearance, and Otto had to explain why it was +his business to bring the papers, and what the teacher was doing at +present. At last he got his papers, and was off like an arrow, pulled +open the door of the schoolroom,—to find every thing swept and +garnished, and no living being visible.</p> + +<p>"And I have not been obliged to stoop once, to clear away the tiresome +bits, the whole week through," thought Otto contentedly. "But who can +have done all this dirty work without being obliged to do it?" Now he +determined, for once and all, to have that question settled.</p> + +<p>The school hours ended at eleven o'clock on Saturday. Otto waited until +all the children had gone, and the room was empty. Then he went outside, +closed the door, and leaned with his back against it. There could no one +enter without his seeing who it was. He preferred to do this, rather +than to go at once to work at the sweeping and cleaning. He waited and +waited: no one came. He heard the clock strike the half-hour. There were +plans at home for an excursion that afternoon. The family were to dine +early, to get away soon after dinner. He ought to begin with his work at +once, if he wanted to get home in good season. How he hated it!</p> + +<p>He opened the door. Now Otto stared about him even more than he had done +the first time. The work was all done. It was certainly so, and nicer +than ever before.</p> + +<p>Things began to look rather queerly to Otto. He thought of ghost +stories, and such things. Very much more softly than usual he +slipped out, and closed the door behind him. Just at the same time, +something slipped silently out of the teacher's kitchen, and they +came together face to face. It was Wiseli. She grew red and redder, +just as if Otto had detected her in something mischievous. Now the +truth flashed into his mind.</p> + +<p>"So it is you who have done my work all the week, Wiseli?" he said. +"Nobody else would have thought of doing it unless obliged to, I am +sure of that."</p> + +<p>"You have no idea how glad I am to get the chance," said Wiseli, in +reply.</p> + +<p>"No, no; you must not say that, Wiseli. Nobody in the world can be glad +to do such things," said the boy decidedly.</p> + +<p>"But I mean it,—I really do," repeated the girl. "I have thought, +all day long through the week, with pleasure of the chance the +afternoon would give me; and, while I was working, I was more than +ever glad, because I thought, when Otto comes, he will find the work +done, and be pleased."</p> + +<p>"But what put it into your head to do it for me?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! I knew how much you disliked it; and I have always wanted to give +you something, as you once gave me your sled. Don't you remember? But I +have nothing to give."</p> + +<p>"What you have done is worth a great deal more than lending a sled. I +won't forget your kindness, Wiseli." So saying, Otto offered her his +hand, quite overcome for the moment.</p> + +<p>Wiseli's eyes shone with satisfaction as they seldom did nowadays. +Presently Otto wanted to know how she had managed to get into the room +again, for he had always waited until all the children were gone.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I never did go out," said the girl. "I hid myself quickly +behind the closet-door. I thought you would go out for a few +moments, as usual."</p> + +<p>"How did you get out without my seeing you afterwards?" Otto wanted to +know all about it.</p> + +<p>"Oh! while you were running around with the other boys, I got out easily +enough. I listened; but yesterday and to-day, as I was not certain where +you were, I went through the teacher's kitchen, and asked his wife if +she had any errand for me to do,—she often gives me a message to carry +somewhere,—and then I went out that way. Yesterday I was behind the +kitchen-door when you ran into the schoolroom."</p> + +<p>Now Otto knew all the ghost story. He offered his hand again to Wiseli. +"I thank you," he said; and they both ran off with happy hearts, each a +separate way.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0206"></a> +CHAPTER VI.</p> + +<p>OLD AND NEW.</p> + +<p> +Summer was over, and Autumn had followed in her footsteps. The evenings +were cool and misty. In the damp meadows the cows were eating the last +grass of the season, and here and there little fires were visible where +the sheep-boys cooked their potatoes and warmed their stiffened fingers.</p> + +<p>It was on such a misty evening that Otto, on leaving the schoolhouse, +ran home for a moment to tell his mother that he was going to see what +kept Wiseli from school; for she had not been there since the autumn +vacation,—certainly not for eight days.</p> + +<p>As he approached the beech grove, he saw Rudi sitting before the door, +eating pear after pear from a heap that lay before him.</p> + +<p>"Where is Wiseli?" asked Otto.</p> + +<p>"Outside," was the answer.</p> + +<p>"Where outside?"</p> + +<p>"In the meadow."</p> + +<p>"In which meadow?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know;" and Rudi went on munching his pears.</p> + +<p>"You won't die early because you know too much," remarked Otto, and +went haphazard towards the big meadow that stretched away from the +house to the wood.</p> + +<p>Presently he discovered three black spots under the pear-trees, and went +towards them.</p> + +<p>He was right. There was Wiseli stooping over the pears which she was +sorting, while a little farther off Cheppi sat astride of his rake; and +behind him Hannes lay on his back across the piled-up basket, and rocked +it back and forth so violently, that it nearly fell over at each +movement. Cheppi looked at him, laughing loudly.</p> + +<p>When Wiseli saw Otto coming towards her, her whole countenance glowed +with pleasure.</p> + +<p>"Good evening, Wiseli," cried the lad from afar. "Why have you not been +to school for so long?"</p> + +<p>The girl stretched out her hand with a pleasant smile to her friend.</p> + +<p>"We have had so much to do that I was not able to go," she said. "Just +look, what a lot of pears we have! I have to sort them from morning till +night, there are so many."</p> + +<p>"Your shoes and stockings are all wet. It is not pleasant here. Are you +not cold when you are so wet?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do feel chilly sometimes; but, in general, I get very warm at +this work."</p> + +<p>At this moment Hannes gave his basket such a powerful twist that over it +went, and there lay Hannes, the basket, and the pears all in a heap on +the ground.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" cried Wiseli in distress; "now they are all to be picked +up again."</p> + +<p>"And this one, too," cried Cheppi, and laughed aloud as the pear that he +had in his hand struck Wiseli's cheek with such force that it brought +the tears to her eyes, and she turned quite white with the pain.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had Otto seen this than he flew at Cheppi, threw him and his +rake to the ground, and seized him by the nape of the neck.</p> + +<p>"Stop, or I shall choke!" Cheppi was not laughing now.</p> + +<p>"I want to make you remember that you will also have me to deal with in +future, when you treat Wiseli in that way," said Otto, scarlet with +anger. "Have you got enough? Will you remember it now?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes! Let me go!" said Cheppi, in a very humble tone.</p> + +<p>Otto released him.</p> + +<p>"Now you have felt," he said, "how it will be whenever you hurt Wiseli +again. I will give you some more of this each time, even if you are +sixty years old. Good-by, Wiseli." And Otto went his way to carry his +anger to his mother.</p> + +<p>He unburdened himself to her as soon as he reached home. It was a +terrible thing to the generous boy that Wiseli should be obliged to +submit to such treatment. He was determined to go at once to the +pastor to complain of him and of his whole family, and demand that +Wiseli should be taken away from them at once. His mother listened +quietly to him, and let his indignation have time to cool off a +little; then she said,—</p> + +<p>"I do not think, my dear boy, that there is the least use in your doing +this. They would not take the child from her cousin Gotti, I am sure; +and it would only irritate him, should he hear that such a thing was +thought of. He himself does not feel unkindly towards Wiseli, and there +is really no sufficient ground for removing her from his roof. I know +very well that the poor girl has a hard time of it there. I have not +forgotten her, and am constantly hoping to find some way to help her. It +lies very heavily on my heart to know how much she has to suffer, you +may be sure of that, Otto. And if you can at any time manage to shelter +her and intimidate that brutal fellow Cheppi, without being too rough +yourself, I shall be very glad."</p> + +<p>Otto took what comfort he could in the knowledge that his mother was +constantly looking out for some way to help Wiseli.</p> + +<p>He was always planning some way to help her himself, but never hit upon +any thing that could be carried out. He saw very well that she could not +free herself; and the only idea that occurred to him as Christmas drew +near was to write on his list of wishes, in huge letters so big that +they could easily be read from heaven above, "I wish that the Christ +child would set Wiseli at liberty."</p> + +<p>Winter was come again, and the coast offered its feast of inexhaustible +pleasure to the children, who never wearied of its charm. The moon shone +with the most unusual brightness, it seemed to Otto, who, at last, had +the cleverness to suggest that all the children should collect on the +hillside at seven o'clock to take advantage of its beauty for an evening +coasting-party.</p> + +<p>This suggestion was received with universal approbation, and the +children separated at five o'clock when it began to be dark, to meet +again at seven for their favorite amusement.</p> + +<p>Otto's mother was not so enthusiastic over this great scheme as were the +children, and could not agree with them when they expressed their +delight. She said it was too cold for them to be out late into the +evening; that there was great danger of accidents in the uncertain +moonlight; and particularly objected to allowing Pussy to expose +herself. But her objections only served to enhance the interest the +children felt for the expedition, and Pussy pleaded for her consent as +if her very life hung on being one of this coasting-party. Otto +promised, "upon his word of honor," that he would not let any thing +happen to his sister, and would always keep near to her and protect her. +At last their mother gave her consent; and, with great noise and +rejoicing, the children went out into the beautiful, clear, cold +moonlight.</p> + +<p>Every thing went on without a drawback. The coast was in perfect +condition; and the mysteriousness of the darker places, upon which the +moonlight did not fall, heightened the interest of the occasion. There +were a vast number of children assembled, and all were in the best +humor. Otto let them all go down first; then he followed, and Pussy came +last of all, so that no one could run her down. Otto had arranged it in +this way, so that he could always glance backward to see that his little +sister went safely down the coast.</p> + +<p>As every thing went so smoothly and happily, somebody proposed that they +should make a "train;" that is, bind all the sleds together, and so go +down: it would be more delightful than ever by moonlight. No sooner said +than done. Only Pussy's sled was not tied to her brother's, for he +feared lest the straining and shocks that often took place in this kind +of coasting might prove dangerous to her. She followed, therefore, as +usual; but Otto could not stop his sled if she was delayed, for he had +to go on with the "train." Off they went, and the long chain reached the +bottom safely and happily.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Otto heard a fearful cry, and he recognized at once his little +sister's voice. What had happened? He had no choice, however, but to go +down to the very end with the merry party to which he was closely +fastened—down to the foot of the hill, no matter how great his fear +might be. Once at the bottom, however, he tore his sled loose, and ran +up the hill as quickly as possible, with all the others at his heels; +for they had all heard the screams, and wanted to see what they meant. +Half-way up the ascent stood Pussy by her sled, and screamed and cried +rivers of tears. Out of breath with his haste, Otto could hardly call +out, "What is the matter? What has happened?"</p> + +<p>"He did—he did—he did," sobbed Pussy, and could get no further.</p> + +<p>"What did he do? Who was it? Where? Who?" stammered Otto.</p> + +<p>"That man there, that man; he did try to kill me, and said terrible +words, too."</p> + +<p>As much as this Otto understood, accompanied by screams and sobs.</p> + +<p>"Be quiet now, Pussy: do not go on like that. He did not kill you, after +all. Did he really strike you?" asked Otto, very gently and soothingly, +for he was much alarmed.</p> + +<p>"No," sobbed Pussy, beginning again; "but he was going to. He had a +stick, and he held it out like that, and said, 'Wait a moment;' and such +dreadful words he said, too."</p> + +<p>"Then he really did not do any thing to hurt you?" asked Otto, and began +to breathe more freely.</p> + +<p>"But he did, he did; and you were all off down the hill, and I was all +alone." And Pussy's tears and sobs continued to break forth.</p> + +<p>"Hush, hush!" said Otto, consolingly. "Now try to be quiet. I will not +leave you again, and the man will not trouble you any more; and if you +will be quiet and good, I will give you the red candy cock that was on +the Christmas-tree."</p> + +<p>This made an impression upon Pussy. She dried her eyes, and did not make +another sound; for that big red candy cock on the Christmas-tree was +what the child had most wished for. In the division of the things it had +fallen to Otto's share; but his little sister had never forgotten her +longing for it. Now that every thing was quiet again, the children began +to climb the hill, and they tried to make out who the man could be who +had threatened to kill Pussy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, kill! Not so bad as that," interposed Otto. "I saw a big man with a +stick, who was obliged to step into the snow to get out of our way when +we went down the coast on the 'train.' It made him angry to be obliged +to go into the snow; and finding Pussy alone there, he scolded her a +little to relieve himself."</p> + +<p>This explanation satisfied everybody, it was so perfectly natural. +Everybody wondered that they had not thought of it before,—indeed, +thought they had,—and soon forgot all about it, and continued coasting. +This, however, had an end, like all other pleasures; for eight o'clock +had struck long ago, and that was the hour at which they were to break +up and go home. On the way back, Otto charged Pussy not to speak of her +adventure; otherwise their mother would never again let them go coasting +in the moonlight. She should have the candy cock, but must promise not +to say a word if she took it.</p> + +<p>All traces of her tears had long vanished, and nothing betrayed their +secret to the family.</p> + +<p>Both children slept quietly in their beds soon after, and Pussy dreamed +of the red candy cock, and shouted out with pleasure in her dreams. +Presently there was a loud knocking at the house-door, that made Colonel +Ritter and his wife spring up from the table, where they were +comfortably talking about the children; and old Trine called out of the +window, in an angry tone,—</p> + +<p>"What sort of a way of knocking is that?"</p> + +<p>"A terrible thing has happened," said some one from below. "We want the +colonel to come down the hill. They have found Andrew the carpenter +dead." And off ran the messenger again.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Ritter had heard enough, however, for they had heard this +sad news from the window. The colonel threw his cloak about his +shoulders, and hastened down to the carpenter's. As he entered the room, +he found that there were already a crowd of people assembled. The +justice of the peace and the chief magistrate had been fetched, and a +number of curious and sympathetic people had come along with them. +Andrew lay on the floor, in his blood, and gave no sign of life. The +colonel went to his side.</p> + +<p>"Has nobody been for the doctor?" he asked. "We want a doctor at once."</p> + +<p>Nobody had thought of that,—there was no use in trying to do any thing, +they said.</p> + +<p>"Run, somebody, as quickly as possible," said the colonel. "Go, +you,"—to a lad who stood near,—"tell the doctor that I send him word +to come here immediately." He helped to raise Andrew from the ground, +and to carry him into his bedroom, and to lay him on the bed. Then he +went back to the chattering group of neighbors, to find out how the +accident had taken place,—if anybody knew the precise circumstances.</p> + +<p>The miller's son stepped forward, and told his story. He was passing +the house about a half-hour ago, he said; and, seeing a light in the +window, stopped to ask if his bits of furniture were finished. He found +the door of the room open, and Andrew lying dead on the floor, covered +with blood; and by his side stood Meadow-Joggi, and held out a piece of +gold between his fingers. Then the miller's son had called all the +neighbors, and sent some one for the chief magistrate and everybody +whose business it was.</p> + +<p>Meadow-Joggi—who was so called because he lived down in the +meadow-land—was a foolish fellow, who was supported by the neighbors, +who gave him little jobs of work suitable to his feeble capacity, such +as carrying sand or stone where they were needed, or helping to sort the +fruit, or gathering fagots in winter.</p> + +<p>No one ever had heard of his doing any mischief. The miller's son told +him to stay where he was until the president came; and so Joggi stood in +the corner, held his fist tightly closed, and laughed to himself. The +doctor soon arrived on the scene, and behind him came the president. The +council took its place in the middle of the room, to consider the case. +The doctor, however, went at once into the bedroom, and the colonel +followed him. The doctor examined the motionless body carefully.</p> + +<p>"Here it is," he cried presently. "Here, at the back of the head, is +where Andrew was struck. There is a large wound here."</p> + +<p>"But he is not dead, doctor, is he?"</p> + +<p>"No, no; he breathes feebly, but it is with difficulty."</p> + +<p>The doctor wanted all sorts of things,—water and sponges, and linen +rags, and so on,—and the people ran this way and that, and searched and +pulled things out from the closets and drawers, and produced a heap of +things, but nothing that was useful for this occasion.</p> + +<p>"We want a woman here who has some intelligence, and knows what is +needed in sickness," said the doctor at last, rather impatiently. They +all called out this one or that one; but not one was able to come of all +those mentioned.</p> + +<p>"Let somebody go to the 'Heights,' and tell my wife to send old Trine +down here," said the colonel. And somebody ran off.</p> + +<p>"Your wife won't thank you," said the doctor; "for I shall not be able +to let the nurse leave this patient for three days and nights."</p> + +<p>Trine came, laden with all needful things, much sooner than anybody +dared hope for her; for she was all ready with her big basket packed, +and her mistress stood by her side, expecting the order for her to go +down to Andrew's; for they would not believe that Andrew was dead, and +had thought of every thing that could possibly be needed. She had +sponges and bandages, lint and oil, and warm flannels, packed in her +basket, and had only to run off when the messenger came. The doctor was +delighted.</p> + +<p>"Everybody must go now. Good-night, colonel; and turn all those people +out of the house, will you?" cried the doctor, and closed the door +without ceremony as soon as the colonel went out.</p> + +<p>The committee was still sitting, but the colonel explained that the +house must be emptied; so they decided to imprison Joggi, and then +institute investigations. Two men took Joggi between them, so that he +could not get away, and carried him off to the poor-house, and shut him +up in a room. Joggi went with them very willingly, and laughed now and +then, and looked into his hand.</p> + +<p>The following morning Mrs. Ritter hastened down to Andrew's house in +great anxiety. Trine came softly from the bedroom, and brought the +welcome news that Andrew had come to himself a little; that the doctor +had already made his visit, and found his patient in better condition +than he expected; but he left especial orders that nobody should be +allowed to enter the room. Andrew was not to be permitted to speak one +word, even if he wished to speak: only the doctor and the nurse might +come into his presence. Trine said these words with great pride, for she +was a very good nurse, and well aware of the importance of the +situation. Mrs. Ritter fully appreciated all this, and went home +rejoicing over the news.</p> + +<p>A week went by. Every morning Mrs. Ritter went down to the sick man's +house to obtain an accurate statement of his condition herself, and to +find out if any thing were needed for his comfort, in order that all his +wants might be supplied at once. Every day Otto and Pussy sent the same +message; namely, "When could they be permitted to see their sick +friend?" but the doctor was inexorable. There was no possibility of +Trine being allowed to go, either; and the doctor could not praise her +enough for her intelligent care of the patient. After the week was +fairly over, however, the doctor sent word to the colonel that if he +would come to Andrew's at the same time he made his daily visit, they +would go in together; for now that Andrew was able to talk, the doctor +wished to have the colonel hear what could be told about the terrible +assault that had prostrated the good carpenter.</p> + +<p>Andrew was very glad to press the colonel's hand gratefully in his +own,—he knew very well where all the care and comfort came from with +which he was surrounded.</p> + +<p>He collected his thoughts to the best of his ability to answer the +questions put to him. This was, however, all that he could tell them. He +had taken out the yearly sum of money that he always carried up to the +colonel for investment, and was in the act of counting it over once +again, to be sure that it was right. It was rather late in the evening, +and he was seated with his back towards the door. While he was in the +midst of counting, he heard some one enter the room; and before he had +time to turn about, he received a tremendous blow upon his head. After +that, all was a blank.</p> + +<p>There had been a heap of money upon the table. Nothing was to be found +of it, however, but the piece that Joggi held in his hand when they +found him.</p> + +<p>Even supposing that Joggi were the malefactor, where was the rest of +that money? When Andrew learned that they had taken Joggi into custody +and shut him up, he was very uneasy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you must let him go, poor Joggi!" he said. "He never would hurt the +smallest infant. <i>He</i> never struck me."</p> + +<p>For all that, Andrew had no suspicion who it could have been. He had no +enemy, he said, and knew of nobody who would wish him harm.</p> + +<p>"It may have been a stranger," suggested the doctor, as he looked at the +window. "If you sat here, with the bright light shining upon your pile +of money while you counted it over on the table, anybody going by the +house could have seen you, and taken a notion to rob you."</p> + +<p>"I suppose it must have been in that way," said Andrew. "I never +thought of such a thing, however. Every thing has always stood open in +the house."</p> + +<p>"It is well that you have laid something by already, Andrew," said the +colonel. "Do not fret over this: it is so lucky that you will soon be +well again."</p> + +<p>"Certainly, colonel; and I have every reason for thankfulness. The good +God has given me far more than I have any use for." And he shook hands +with his friends, who agreed, in parting, that Andrew was much less to +be pitied than the man who tried to kill him.</p> + +<p>There was a sad story told about Joggi, which excited the sympathy of +the schoolboys exceedingly. Otto brought it home with him and repeated +it several times, for it made a deep impression on his mind. It seemed +that when they brought Joggi, laughing all the way, into the almshouse +that evening, he was told to give up his piece of gold to one of his +guards,—the son of the justice of the peace; but Joggi shut his fist +tighter, and would not give it up at all. But the two men were stronger +than he, and at last forced his hand open; and, as they took the money +away from him, one of them said, "Only wait a little till the others +come, then you will get what you deserve. You will see!" For he was +vexed at the scratches he had got in the struggle.</p> + +<p>These threats had frightened the poor half-witted fellow, who thought he +was going to be beheaded, having no idea of what his punishment might +be. And he refused to eat, and cried and groaned incessantly.</p> + +<p>The officers of justice had been to see him twice, to assure him that, +if he would only tell them what he had done, he should not be +punished. He repeated that he had not done any thing but look in at +the window; and when he saw Andrew on the floor, he went to him and +shook him a little, and then he was dead. He saw something shining in +the corner, and picked it up; and then the miller's son came in, and a +lot of other people.</p> + +<p>When Joggi got thus far in his story, he began to cry and groan, and +would not be pacified.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0207"></a> +CHAPTER VII.</p> + +<p>ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO.</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Ritter went, as usual, to visit her friend, but no longer remained +closeted with Trine, for she could now go freely into his room, talk +with him for a little while, and mark his daily improvement. Otto and +Pussy also paid several visits, armed with dainties for their favorite. +So that Andrew said to the old Trine, with great feeling, "If I were a +king, they could not show me more kindness."</p> + +<p>The doctor was well pleased with the rapidity of the cure, and said to +the colonel, whom he met on the threshold one day,—</p> + +<p>"Every thing has worked wonderfully well. Your wife can have her Trine +back again; and tell her she was worth her weight in gold. I only wish +there were some one to stay with Andrew for a little while; or who could +come in, now and then, to help him. The poor fellow must have something +to eat, and he has no wife nor child,—in fact, nobody. Do ask Mrs. +Ritter if she cannot think of something that will help us."</p> + +<p>The colonel carried his message correctly, and his wife went the next +day to Andrew's, as usual; and, seating herself by his bedside, said, +without circumlocution, "I have something to say to you, Andrew. Are you +inclined to listen to me?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, certainly. Every thing you do is right," said Andrew, +supporting his head on his hand, and prepared to give her all his +attention.</p> + +<p>"I am going to take Trine away, now that you are so well," began +Mrs. Ritter.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear lady, I beg you to believe me, I have wished to send her home +for a long time past. I know how much you must miss her."</p> + +<p>"I would not have allowed her to enter my house, if she had tried to +come back before," replied Mrs. Ritter. "But now it is different: the +doctor has dismissed her. He says, however,—and I fully agree with +him,—that you need some one who can wait upon you, cook for you, or +fetch your food from my house, and do a hundred little things: somebody +for at least a few weeks. Now, Andrew, why cannot you have little Wiseli +to do this?"</p> + +<p>The words were scarcely spoken, when Andrew almost sprang up in his bed.</p> + +<p>"No, no, Mrs. Ritter; certainly not!" he said, and became very red from +excitement. "I could not dream of such a thing. Could I lie here in bed, +and let that delicate little thing work for me out there in the kitchen? +Oh! in Heaven's name, how could I think of her poor mother, where she +lies buried? How she would look at me, if she knew of my doing such a +thing. No, no, Mrs. Ritter; I would rather not get well at all."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ritter did not try to stop him; but, when he sunk back again upon +his pillow, she said quietly,—</p> + +<p>"It is not any thing very shocking, however, that I have proposed, +Andrew: think it over now. You know what kind of care Wiseli is getting, +do you not? Do you suppose she has nothing to do there, or even light +work suitable to her strength? Hard work she has, and hard words with +it. Would you give her any thing like that? Do you know what the child's +mother would do, if she were standing here by our side? She would thank +you, with tears in her eyes, if you would take her child into your +house, where she could be happy. I am sure of that. And you would soon +see how useful she would make herself."</p> + +<p>After these touching words, Andrew began to take another view of the +matter. He wiped his eyes, and said softly, "How can I be sure that the +child would be willing? And how can I get her? Her cousin would not wish +to part with her, probably."</p> + +<p>"That is all right. You need not trouble yourself about that, Andrew," +said his friend, cheerfully, as she rose to go. "I will attend to it all +for you. It is a thing about which I have thought long and anxiously."</p> + +<p>She took her leave; but, as she was passing out of the door, Andrew +called out again,—</p> + +<p>"Only in case Wiseli herself is perfectly willing: you will not forget +that, please, Mrs. Ritter."</p> + +<p>She promised again that the child should come gladly, or not at all, and +left the house.</p> + +<p>She went down the hill at once to the beech grove, for she was impatient +to take Wiseli where she could think of her in safety. She met the +cousin Gotti just as he was himself entering his own house. He saluted +her, without concealing his surprise at her visit. But she did not leave +him in doubt for a moment over the object that brought her there, and +how anxious she was that Wiseli should take charge of the wounded Andrew +at once, as she was sure she could do, if they were willing. His wife, +who was in the kitchen, came directly she heard their voices, and was at +once informed of Mrs. Ritter's proposition. But she answered that it was +not possible, for the child was not able to be of use to anybody. But +her husband interposed. The truth should be told: Wiseli was able and +willing to work, and did so, well and intelligently. He did not wish to +have her go, for she was useful and obedient. He would not refuse, for +two weeks or so, to let her nurse Andrew. He would not probably need her +longer than that, and then she must come back; for there was a great +deal of work on hand against the spring.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said his wife. "I have no mind to begin it all over again +teaching her, it has given me so much trouble already. If Andrew wants +anybody to help him, let him get somebody for himself."</p> + +<p>"Well, well; for two weeks, as I have promised, she shall go. It is our +duty to help a neighbor, if we can."</p> + +<p>"I thank you for your kindness," said Mrs. Ritter, rising. "And Andrew +will himself show his gratitude. May I take Wiseli with me at once?"</p> + +<p>Although his wife grumbled out that there could not be any such hurry, +her husband said it was better the child should go at once. The sooner +she went, the more quickly she would be back again; and repeated that it +was only for fourteen days in all.</p> + +<p>Wiseli was called, and told to get her clothes together, and tied in a +bundle. The child obeyed, not daring to ask for a reason. It was exactly +a year since she had brought the little bundle into the house. Nothing +had been added to her scanty wardrobe in that time but a black frock. +She wore that now, but it had been so long in use, that it hung about +her almost in rags; and Wiseli looked shyly at Mrs. Ritter as she stood +before her now, with her little bundle on her arm. The colonel's wife +understood the look, and answered it. "Come, my dear; we are not going +far away. You can go as you are."</p> + +<p>Quickly taking leave, she waited only for Wiseli to give her cousin +Gotti her hand. He said,—</p> + +<p>"Oh, you are soon coming back; this is not a separation."</p> + +<p>Off trotted Wiseli in silence, and much astonished, behind Mrs. Ritter, +who walked rapidly across the snow-covered fields, as if she feared they +both might be recalled; but as soon as they were out of sight of the +beech grove, she turned about, and stood still. "Wiseli," she said +kindly, "do you know Andrew the carpenter?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, I do," said the child; and glanced at her friend with such a +happy expression, that Mrs. Ritter was rather surprised.</p> + +<p>"He is ill," she proceeded. "Would you like to take care of him, and +wait upon him a little, for about two weeks?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed!" replied the child promptly; and her face, that +became suddenly rosy with pleasure, told Mrs. Ritter more than her +short answer.</p> + +<p>The good lady was pleased, but did not understand the child's feeling, +for she knew nothing of her gratitude for Andrew's kindness to her +mother. After they had gone on a while, Mrs. Ritter said,—</p> + +<p>"You can tell Andrew the carpenter that you are very glad to go to take +care of him, or he will not believe it. Don't forget to tell him that."</p> + +<p>"No, no; I won't forget," said Wiseli. "I was just thinking about +it myself."</p> + +<p>They reached the house at last. Mrs. Ritter told Wiseli to go in alone, +promising to come down in the morning to see how things went on; and, if +she needed any thing for her patient, she could come up to the "Heights" +to fetch it herself.</p> + +<p>Wiseli stole into the garden, and opened the house-door. She knew that +Andrew lay within in the bed-room behind the sitting-room. She entered +the room softly. No one was there; but it was in good order, as old +Trine had left it when she went away.</p> + +<p>The child looked about to see that every thing was in the right place. +Against the wall, in the back part of the room, stood a big wooden +bedstead called a coach, and which was all arranged like a proper bed. +The curtain was almost closed across it, but Wiseli could see how neat +and clean it looked, and wondered who slept there usually. Presently she +knocked quietly at the bedroom door; and when Andrew called out, "Come +in," she entered, and shyly stood before him. Andrew raised himself in +his bed to see who was there.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" he said, partly glad and partly startled. "Is that you, +Wiseli? Come here; give me your hand." The child obeyed.</p> + +<p>"You did not come to me against your will?"</p> + +<p>"No, no," replied the child; "surely not." But Andrew was not satisfied.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<a name="4"></a> +<center> +<img alt="004a.jpg (163K)"src="images/004a.jpg" height="1102" width="684"> +<p><b>ANDREW RAISED HIMSELF IN HIS BED TO SEE WHO WAS +THERE</b></p> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"I mean, Wiseli," he continued, "perhaps you would have liked better not +to come; but perhaps you wanted to do a kindness to the good colonel's +wife, she is so kind."</p> + +<p>"No, no," repeated the child again; "she did not say any thing to me +about it being for her. She only asked me if I was willing to go to +you, and there is nobody in all the world to whom I would go so gladly +as to you."</p> + +<p>These words must have quieted all Andrew's scruples, for he did not ask +any more questions, but let his head sink back on his pillow, and lay +gazing silently at Wiseli; and presently he turned his head aside, and +wiped his eyes several times.</p> + +<p>"What shall I do now?" asked Wiseli, as Andrew did not move his head. He +turned at the sound of her voice, and said, very kindly, "I do not know, +I am sure, Wiseli. You may do any thing that you like, if you will only +stay with me a little while."</p> + +<p>Wiseli scarcely knew what to think. Since the death of her mother, +nobody had spoken to her in such kindly, loving tones. It seemed as if +her mother's voice and love were come into Andrew's words and tones. She +took his hand in both hers, as she often took her mother's, and stood by +the bedside. She did not even speak, but felt that her mother's loving +presence was about them. Andrew, too, had a silent, peaceful conviction +that Wiseli's mother was happy in their happiness.</p> + +<p>Presently Wiseli said, "I think I ought to cook something for you: it is +past twelve o'clock already. What shall I cook?"</p> + +<p>"Whatever you like," said Andrew. But Wiseli knew that she was there +for the purpose of making things comfortable for the sick man, and +she did not cease her questioning until she found out what he usually +had to eat,—a good nourishing soup, and a piece of the meat that was +in the closet; and then Andrew said she must cook something with milk +for herself.</p> + +<p>The child was perfectly at home in the kitchen. She had really learned a +great deal at her cousin Gotti's, even if she had received many cross +words at the same time. She had every thing ready in a short time; and +Andrew begged her to push a little table to the bedside, and sit down +and eat with him, so that he could enjoy the pleasure of her company. +Neither Wiseli nor Andrew had eaten such a pleasant meal for a long, +long time. After eating, Wiseli rose; but Andrew looked at her sadly, +and said, "Where are you going now, Wiseli? Won't you stay with me here +a little longer, or is it too dull for you?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed, not dull; but after dinner the things must be washed and +put away in their places in good order," said the child.</p> + +<p>"I know," said Andrew; "but I thought that just for to-day—the first +day, you know—you might put them away as they are, and to-morrow wash +them all together."</p> + +<p>"But if the colonel's wife should see them so, I should almost die of +shame;" and Wiseli looked very grave while she spoke.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes; you are right," said Andrew. "Do whatever you think best."</p> + +<p>So the child went to work, and cleaned and sorted and swept, so that +every thing shone in the kitchen. Then she stood quietly, and looked on +her work with satisfaction, saying softly, "Now Mrs. Ritter may come +when she will."</p> + +<p>Going into the room next the kitchen, she cast an admiring glance at the +beautiful big bed on the "coach" behind the curtain; for Andrew the +carpenter had told her that she was to sleep there, and that the little +chest of drawers in the corner was also for her, and that she might put +all her things there, if she liked.</p> + +<p>So she laid away all the clothes in her little bundle in good order; but +it did not take long to do that, they were so few. At last she returned +to Andrew, and seated herself by his bedside. He had been looking +towards the door very wistfully for a long time. She had scarcely seated +herself before she asked, "Have not you a stocking to be knitted, or +something else for me to do?"</p> + +<p>Wiseli had been well drilled,—first by her mother, and then by her +cousin's wife, whose words she never forgot, they frightened her so; and +when Andrew said, "Oh, you have worked enough for to-day; let us sit +still and talk over all sorts of things together now," the child +replied, "I do not like to sit and do nothing, for it is not Sunday; but +we can talk while I knit, you know."</p> + +<p>Andrew was pleased at this sign of the little girl's industry, and he +again bade her do whatever she thought right and best. She might get a +stocking to knit, if she wanted to: he had not one for her, however.</p> + +<p>So Wiseli fetched her own, and took her seat by the bedside; and, truly, +she could talk and knit at the same time perfectly well.</p> + +<p>Andrew chose the one subject for their conversation that was by far the +most agreeable to Wiseli; namely, her mother. It was the first time she +had been able to talk about her mother to anybody since her death. But +now she had a listener who could not hear enough, and so she told all +that she could remember of their happy life together.</p> + +<p>And day after day slipped by. For every little thing that Wiseli did, +Andrew thanked her over and over,—not from politeness or mere form, but +because every thing pleased the good man, and he wanted to express his +pleasure. He became strong and well very rapidly under Wiseli's care, +and soon was able to leave his bed. And the doctor was much surprised to +see how quickly his strength had returned, and how happy he looked +besides. He sat at the window in the sunshine all day long, and watched +Wiseli as she moved about, as if he could never get enough of her. His +eyes followed her as she went here to a drawer, opened it and shut it +again; and noticed how every thing that passed through her hands was +done in an orderly, regular manner, such as he had never seen before. +And Wiseli was so happy, so happy, in this quiet little house, where she +never heard any but loving words, and moved constantly in an atmosphere +of affection, that made it impossible for her to allow her thoughts to +dwell on the sad fact that the fourteen days would soon be past, and +then she must return to the beech grove.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +<a name="chap0208"></a> +CHAPTER VIII.</p> + +<p>SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS.</p> + +<p> +On the "Heights" there was a great deal of talk about Andrew and Wiseli. +Mrs. Ritter went down every day, and always brought back good accounts. +They all rejoiced together over this, and Otto and Pussy formed a plan +to have a great convalescence festival in Andrew the carpenter's room +while Wiseli was still with him. It should be a great surprise for them +both. But before that came another feast,—their father's birthday. And +the children had invented all sorts of "celebrations" from early morning +on, but the great moment was yet to come; namely, at dinner-time. Otto +and Pussy had taken their seats, full of excitement and expectancy.</p> + +<p>The father and mother made their appearance, and the merriment began.</p> + +<p>After one or two surprises came a large covered dish,—certainly that +was a birthday dish. The cover was removed, and, behold, a beautiful +cauliflower!</p> + +<p>"This is a fine vegetable," said the father; "I must admire it. But, to +tell the truth," he went on, with an air of disappointment, "I expected +something different. I expected artichokes. They are to be found and +bought as well as cauliflowers. You know, my dear Mary, there is no dish +I care for so much as artichokes."</p> + +<p>Suddenly Pussy called out,—</p> + +<p>"That is it! that is it! That is exactly what he called to me twice. +And he raised his stick in the air, and did so,"—and Pussy raised her +arm in the air in great excitement. But suddenly she was quiet, and put +her arm under the table, and turned crimson; and Otto, who sat on the +other side of the table, looked at her with flashing eyes and very +angry looks.</p> + +<p>"What is this?" asked the colonel. "A strange way to celebrate my +birthday. My daughter cries out, on one side, as if some one were going +to kill her; and, on the other, my son is giving me such kicks on the +shin that I shall soon be covered with black-and-blue spots. I should +like to know where you learned this agreeable amusement, Otto?"</p> + +<p>Now it was Otto's turn to become fiery red. His intention had been to +give Pussy certain decided warnings to keep quiet, but his boot had +encountered his father's leg instead, and not gently either. When he +discovered his mistake, he did not dare to raise his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Now, Pussy," said the colonel, "tell me the end of your robber story. +You said the terrible man called out 'artichokes' to you, and raised his +stick in the air; and then"—</p> + +<p>"Then—then," stammered Pussy, who perceived that she had betrayed every +thing, and would have to give the sugar cock back to Otto again. "Then +he did not strike me, or kill me."</p> + +<p>"Well, that was nice of him," said her father, laughing. "And +what else?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing else," said Pussy, whimpering.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, the story had a good ending. The stick remained in the air, +and Pussy came back to the house like an 'artichoke.' Now we will drink +the health of the 'artichokes' and of Andrew the carpenter together."</p> + +<p>The father raised his glass, and his companions did the same. When they +left the table, they were all rather sad; all except the father, who +took his newspaper, and lighted his cigar, as usual. Otto stayed in +another room in the corner, and thought how, when the children were all +allowed to go again to coast by moonlight, he would be obliged to remain +at home; for his mother would not now let him go, he was sure. Pussy +crept into her bedroom, nestled down in a corner by the bed upon a +footstool, took the red candy cock upon her lap, and felt very sadly at +the thought that she held it for the last time.</p> + +<p>At the window her mother stood sadly thinking. She soon became agitated, +however, and moved uneasily about the room, and presently began to seek +for her little daughter in every corner. She found her at last, in her +hiding-place behind the bed, sunk in deep dejection.</p> + +<p>"Pussy," said her mother, "I want you to tell me the story about the man +who threatened you. When was it, and where, and what words did he use?"</p> + +<p>Pussy told all that she knew, but did not give much more information +than she had conveyed at the table. The man had called out the same word +that her father had used at table,—that she was sure of. Her mother +turned away, went directly to the room where her husband was smoking, +and said, in a very excited tone, "I must tell you, for I am more and +more sure of it."</p> + +<p>The colonel put down his newspaper and looked at his wife, much +surprised.</p> + +<p>"That scene at table has made me think of something; and the more I +think, the surer I am about it."</p> + +<p>"Do sit down, and tell me what you mean," said the colonel, who now +became very curious. His wife did as he desired, and went on.</p> + +<p>"You noticed Pussy's excitement. She must have been very much +frightened by the man of whom she spoke. She was not joking. Therefore +it is clear to my mind that the word was not 'artichoke,' but +'aristocrat,' that he used. Now you know who used to call us that,—my +brother and I. Pussy has just told me that this took place on that +evening when they all went coasting by moonlight; and that was the +night when Andrew was assaulted and robbed. That rascally fellow Jorg +has not been seen for years in this vicinity; and the very first time +that there is any trace of him, we hear of this act of brutality +towards his brother, against whom no one but he has any grudge. Do not +you think there is something strange in this?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; certainly there may be something in it," said the colonel. "I must +look it up at once."</p> + +<p>He arose, called his servant, and presently rode off at a sharp trot +towards the town.</p> + +<p>And for several days he continued to go there, to hear if the +investigation had produced any result. On the fourth day he came home +towards evening, and sent word to Mrs. Ritter, who was seated by Pussy's +bed, that he had something important to tell her. It was that the police +had been seeking for Jorg, and had found him without much delay; for he +had not taken precautions to conceal himself, being sure that no one had +seen him on the evening when he visited his native village. He had, +therefore, merely gone to the city, and was spending his time in the +taverns. When they took him into custody, and accused him, he denied +every thing; but when he heard that Colonel Ritter had accusations to +make against him, he was intimidated, thinking that the colonel must +have seen him, or he would never have suspected him, as he had just +returned from the Neapolitan army service. It never occurred to him that +one single word that he had thrown to a little child had betrayed him.</p> + +<p>When he heard the truth, he began to swear terribly, and declared he had +always known that those aristocrats would bring him into trouble. On +further examination, he said he had gone to his brother's house with the +intention of asking him for a loan of money; but when he looked through +the brilliantly lighted window and saw the big pile of money lying on +the table, it occurred to him that he would strike Andrew down and rob +him. He had not meant to kill him,—only render him insensible. Nearly +all the money was found at his lodgings, and taken. Jorg was lodged in +the prison.</p> + +<p>When these facts were made known in the village, everybody was very much +interested and excited, for nothing of the kind had happened before in +that small place. In the school, particularly, every thing was +topsy-turvy, for the children were as much excited as their elders. Otto +scarcely stopped to take breath all day long, for he ran from one place +to another, hoping to hear the latest news at each. He came to the +house, on the third evening, in such a state, that his mother told him +that he must sit perfectly quiet and silent for a little while before he +communicated the piece of news with which he was bursting.</p> + +<p>At last he was calm enough to tell them that they wanted to set Joggi +free, for he had been shut up all this time; but the poor fellow was so +convinced that they only wanted to take him out to cut off his head, +that he fought against being removed with all his might. So they decided +to take him out by force, and two men dragged him into the open air. He +fought and screamed so violently, that a crowd soon assembled; and the +poor, foolish fellow, becoming more and more alarmed, had darted away +like an arrow to the nearest barn, where he took refuge from his +imaginary danger in a stall, cowering down in a heap in one corner, and +would not let anybody approach him. His countenance showed his terrible +fear. He had been there all day and night; and now the peasant to whom +the barn belonged said if he did not move soon, he would use the +pitchfork to him.</p> + +<p>"It is a sad, sad story, my children," said their mother, when Otto had +finished. "Poor Joggi! how terribly he must suffer from his fear, that +nobody can relieve him of, because he cannot understand what is said; +and yet he is perfectly innocent of any evil deed or wish. Oh, if you +had only told me what had happened that evening on the coast! Your +keeping that a secret has had very, very sad consequences. Cannot we do +something to comfort and reassure him again?"</p> + +<p>Pussy was almost crying. "I will give him my red candy cock," she +said, tearfully.</p> + +<p>Otto was much disturbed, but he said, scornfully,—</p> + +<p>"Yes; a nice present for a grown up man,—a sugar cock! You had better +keep it for yourself."</p> + +<p>After a moment he asked his mother, however, to allow Pussy to carry +some food to Joggi in the barn: he had not eaten any thing for +nearly two days.</p> + +<p>His mother was more than willing, and had a basket filled at once with +bread and sausage and cheese for the children, and sent them off without +delay. Poor Joggi! there he was cowering in the stall, white as a sheet, +and dared not stir. The children gradually drew near, and presently Otto +held out his basket and showed the food, hoping to tempt Joggi.</p> + +<p>"Come out, Joggi. See, all this is for you to eat."</p> + +<p>There was no sign of movement.</p> + +<p>"Do come out, or the peasant will stick his pitchfork into you."</p> + +<p>The poor fellow gave a piteous moan, but still did not stir.</p> + +<p>Now Pussy went quite close to him, put her mouth to his ear, and said, +gently, "Do not be frightened, Joggi; they won't cut off your head. My +papa will help you, and will not let anybody harm you. And see, Joggi; +here is a candy cock, all red. Santa Claus sent you this on the +Christmas-tree." And the little girl took the cock very carefully from +her pocket, and held it out to Joggi.</p> + +<p>This little gift had a wonderful effect. Joggi looked at his friend +without fear, then at the candy cock, and presently began to laugh. It +was many days since he had laughed. He rose slowly from his corner, and +followed Otto out of the barn behind Pussy. When they got well out of +the yard, Otto said,—</p> + +<p>"You can take this basket, Joggi; we are going up there to our house. +Your way is down yonder."</p> + +<p>But Joggi shook his head, and followed close to Pussy's heels. They all +went up the hill. Their mother watched the little procession coming, and +her heart began to feel lighter; and she also noticed how the poor, +foolish Joggi held his sugar cock in his hand, and laughed at it with +childish satisfaction.</p> + +<p>They all three entered the house and went into the sitting-room, where +Pussy fetched a chair, and, taking the basket in her hand, beckoned +Joggi to come to her; and when he was seated at the table, she spread +out the bread and cheese and sausage before him, saying, very gently, +"Now do eat,—eat up every bit, Joggi, and be happy again."</p> + +<p>The poor fellow obeyed, and left no crumbs. He never relinquished his +hold of the red cock, however. He held it in his left hand, and nodded +and smiled at it from time to time. For bread and cheese and sausage he +had often received, but a red candy cock never before.</p> + +<p>At last he went down the hill to his cottage. With very happy looks Mrs. +Ritter and Otto and Pussy followed his retreating form, and noticed that +he changed the red cock from one hand to another, and had evidently +forgotten his fears. Mrs. Ritter had not visited Andrew during three +days. There was so much going on all the time, that she had not +perceived how the time passed; and then she no longer felt the least +anxiety about him. He was well cared for,—of that she was certain,—and +was on the best road towards health and strength.</p> + +<p>As soon as Colonel Ritter could go, he took the news of the arrest and +imprisonment of Andrew's brother to the good carpenter, who listened to +the story quietly, and said, after a while,—</p> + +<p>"It was his will. It would have been far better for him to have asked me +for a little money. I should have given it to him, but his way was ever +a blow rather than a kind word."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ritter went down the mountain one cold, frosty morning, and went +smiling to herself all the way; for she had pleasant plans and projects +in her heart. Just as she opened the door of Andrew's cottage, Wiseli +came out of the sitting-room. Her eyes were swollen and red. She had +been crying. She gave Mrs. Ritter her hand very shyly, and ran into the +kitchen, and shut the door. Mrs. Ritter had never seen Wiseli look in +this way. What could have happened? She went into the sitting-room. +There sat Andrew by the window. He, too, looked as if a bad piece of +news had been brought to him.</p> + +<p>"What has happened?" asked Mrs. Ritter; and forgot to say +"good-morning," in her anxiety.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" sighed Andrew. "I wish that the child had never entered +my house."</p> + +<p>"Wiseli!" exclaimed his visitor. "Is it possible that Wiseli can have +displeased you in any way?"</p> + +<p>"Not that, by any means, good lady," Andrew hastened to answer. "No; she +has made my home a paradise for me, and now she is going away; and it +will seem so empty and lonely without her, I cannot bear it. You never +could think, Mrs. Ritter, how I love that child. I cannot bear it, if +they take her away. And the cousin Gotti has sent his boy twice to say +that she is wanted at his house; and, since then, Wiseli has been so +quiet, and cries in secret. It breaks my heart; for I see that she does +not want to go there, though she says nothing, and to-morrow is the last +day. I do not exaggerate, Mrs. Ritter; but I assure you I would prefer +to give all that I have earned and saved for thirty years to her cousin +Gotti, than have him take the child away."</p> + +<p>"I would not think of doing that. In your place, Andrew, I would go to +work another way," said Mrs. Ritter, when Andrew had finished his +excited talk.</p> + +<p>He questioned her with his eyes in silence.</p> + +<p>"I mean in this way. All your worldly goods you will leave to some one +who is very dear to you. You will take Wiseli as your adopted child; +will be a father to her; she shall henceforth live in your house as your +own daughter. You would like that, Andrew, would you not?"</p> + +<p>He had listened with all his might, and his eyes grew bigger and bigger. +Presently he grasped Mrs. Ritter's hand, and pressed it almost +painfully. He leaned forward.</p> + +<p>"Can that be done? Can I obtain the right to say that Wiseli is really +my own child,—all my own, so that nobody will be able to take her from +me again?"</p> + +<p>"You can do all that, Andrew. And, once Wiseli is recognized as your +child, no one will have the least right to her. You will be her father. +And, to tell the truth, Andrew, I hoped that you might wish to do this; +and therefore have kept my husband at home, in case you want to go into +the city to take the necessary steps towards the adoption. You know you +cannot walk, Andrew."</p> + +<p>Andrew fairly lost his head over all this. He ran this way and that, +looking for his Sunday coat; and kept asking all the time,</p> + +<p>"Can it be true? Is it possible? To-day, did you say? May I go to-day?"</p> + +<p>"At once," she said; and gave her hand to Andrew as she left him, to +tell the colonel that all was ready for the visit to the town. "It will +be better not to tell Wiseli until the evening, when every thing is +settled, and you are quietly together here," she said, as she stepped +out of the door. "Do not you agree with me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly," was the answer. "I could not tell her now."</p> + +<p>While Andrew was waiting until Colonel Ritter came for him to drive to +the town, he sat trembling in every limb, and thought he could scarcely +stand up, he was so happy and so excited. In about half an hour Wiseli +saw, to her great surprise, the colonel's wagon drive up, stop at +Andrew's door, the servant get down, come to the steps, take Andrew +under the arm, and help him to get into the carriage. The child looked +at it, as it passed away from the house down the road, and could not +understand it at all; for the carpenter had not said any thing to +her,—not even that he was going to drive. He had remained seated where +he was, after Mrs. Ritter's departure, until the colonel's servant came +for him; and the child had kept herself hidden all the time.</p> + +<p>After his departure, she went into the sitting-room, and looked out of +the window where Andrew always sat, and kept saying to herself, "To-day +is the last day. To-morrow I must go to cousin Gotti."</p> + +<p>Towards noon the child went into the kitchen, put every thing in order, +and arranged Andrew's dinner; but he did not come, and she did not like +to remove the things until he did. So she went back into the +sitting-room; but the sad thought of the coming separation made her +almost ill, and she said to herself, over and over, "To-morrow I must go +to cousin Gotti;" and did not see, in her sadness, that the sunset was +very beautiful, and betokened a still more beautiful morrow.</p> + +<p>The child sprang to her feet when presently she heard the door +opened. Andrew the carpenter stood before her with happy eyes, and +with a look that Wiseli had never seen on his face. He sunk into a +chair. He was overcome, but not with fatigue. At last he cried out, +in a triumphant tone,—</p> + +<p>"It is true, Wiseli! It is all really true! All the gentlemen said +'Yes,'—every one. You belong to me. I am your father. Call me +'father,' Wiseli."</p> + +<p>Wiseli became white as a sheet. She stood staring at Andrew, but did not +speak nor move.</p> + +<p>"Oh! of course, of course," said the carpenter. "You can't understand +me, I tell you all so confusedly. Now I will begin at the beginning. +I have just written in the record book in the town, and you are my +child now, and I am your father; and you will always stay here with +me, and not go back to your cousin Gotti again. This is your +home,—here with me."</p> + +<p>Wiseli understood now. She sprang into Andrew's arms, clung round his +neck, and cried, "Father, father!" They neither could speak a word after +this for a long time,—too many things were crowding upon them. After a +little, Wiseli felt a sudden light that seemed to break in upon her +thoughts; and she exclaimed, looking up at Andrew,—</p> + +<p>"O father! I know how it has all happened, and who has helped us."</p> + +<p>"Who may it be, Wiseli?" asked Andrew.</p> + +<p>"My mother."</p> + +<p>"Your mother, child,—who do you mean? Your mother?"</p> + +<p>And Wiseli related her dream about the beautiful garden with the red +carnations, and a rose-bush on the other side, where the sun shone; and +told him how her mother had taken her by the hand and showed her the +garden, and said that her way led through that. And Wiseli was sure that +her mother had not ceased to pray God to let her child's way be through +that garden,—which was Andrew's garden, and the happiest place in the +world for Wiseli.</p> + +<p>"Do not you believe it too, father, now that you know that in my dream +my mother showed me my road to your garden?"</p> + +<p>Andrew could not answer. Big tears rolled down his face, but he smiled +all the time that he wept. When, at last, he opened his mouth to speak, +there came such a terrible knocking at the door, that nothing else could +be heard. Open flew the door, and Otto was in the middle of the room +with one leap; then he jumped over a chair, and shouted, "Hurrah! we +have won, and Wiseli is delivered." Pussy came in behind him, ran at +once to her friend, and said, pointing towards the door,—</p> + +<p>"Now, Andrew, you will see what is coming for you, to celebrate your +recovery."</p> + +<p>Scarcely had she spoken, than the baker's boy came struggling through +the doorway with a big tray upon his head that could scarcely come +through. A good push from behind, however, helped him along, and he put +the tray down on the table. Otto and Pussy had ordered the biggest cake, +to be made at the baker's, that was ever known; and as it would not have +been very large if it were round, they ordered it square, and it quite +filled the oven when it was baked. Old Trine stood behind the baker's +boy, and her big basket was at her feet. She had brought, among other +delicacies, a bottle of good wine; for Mrs. Ritter declared that Andrew +had, in all probability, not eaten a morsel since breakfast, and Wiseli +was probably fasting also; and the child remembered the fact, now that +she saw the feast that Trine spread upon the table. They all took their +places, and a merry company they were. To be sure, the grand cake had to +be cut in halves, and part put away, for otherwise there was not room on +the table for the rest of the supper; but after that they were all more +merry than ever feasters were before.</p> + +<p>But the time went by, and Trine stood there waiting to take the children +home,—it was late. Andrew said, at leave-taking,—</p> + +<p>"To-day you have prepared a feast for me, and I thank you with all my +heart; but I invite you to come here again on Sunday, and I will give +you a feast,—the feast to celebrate my daughter's adoption."</p> + +<p>And so they parted, all rejoicing over the fact of Wiseli being so +happily at home with Andrew, and the children promising to come to the +Sunday celebration. At the door Wiseli gave Otto her hand again, and +said, "I thank you a thousand times for all your kindness to me, Otto. +Cheppi never was so rude to me again after you frightened him that day. +He was afraid to throw things at me. I owe it to your kindness."</p> + +<p>"And I owe you something, Wiseli," replied Otto. "I have never had to +sweep out the schoolhouse since the time you know of."</p> + +<p>"And I thank you, too, Wiseli," said Pussy; for she would not be behind +the others in her thanks.</p> + +<p>Now every thing was quiet in the little room, and the moonlight streamed +in through the window where Andrew took his seat, while Wiseli put all +the supper dishes away, and made every thing neat again; then she came +to him, and stood before him with folded hands.</p> + +<p>"Father," she said, "let me say my mother's hymn aloud to you. I +have always said it softly to myself; but I shall never forget it +now, I am sure."</p> + +<p>Andrew was glad to listen; and the child, raising her eyes to the stars, +said, with the very deepest feeling thrilling through her heart,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "To God you must confide<br> + Your sorrow and your pain;<br> + He will true care provide,<br> + And show you heaven again.</p> +<br> +<p> "For clouds and air and wind<br> + He points the path and way;<br> + Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>From this day forward the happiest cottage in the whole village was that +of Andrew the carpenter, with its sunny garden. Wherever Wiseli showed +herself, she received the very kindest notice from all the neighbors, +much to the child's surprise. Formerly no one had noticed her +particularly, but now even her cousin Gotti and his wife never passed +the cottage without coming in to take her by the hand, and invite her to +visit them.</p> + +<p>This gave the child keen satisfaction, for she had always feared +secretly her cousin's feelings about her adoption; so this kindness on +his part freed her from all anxiety, and she could go her way +peacefully. But these thoughts often rose within her, and she repeated +to herself,—</p> + +<p>"Otto and his family have always shown me kindness when I was alone +in the wide world and friendless: these others are only kind to me +since I am happy and have a father. I know well enough who are really +my friends."</p> + +<p>THE END.</p> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico and Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + +***** This file should be named 9075-h.htm or 9075-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/9/0/7/9075/ + +Produced by David Widger, Juliet Sutherland and Distributed +Proofreaders. + + +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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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: Rico and Wiseli + Rico And Stineli, And How Wiseli Was Provided For + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Translator: Louise Brooks + +Posting Date: April 6, 2014 [EBook #9075] +Release Date: October, 2005 +First Posted: September 3, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger, Juliet Sutherland and Distributed +Proofreaders. + + + + + + + + + + +RICO AND WISELI + + +RICO AND STINELI +and +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR + +BY + +JOHANNA SPYRI + + +Translated By Louise Brooks + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +RICO AND STINELI + + +CHAPTER + + I. IN THE QUIET HOUSE + II. IN THE SCHOOL + III. THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE + IV. THE BEAUTIFUL, DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME + V. A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME + VI. RICO'S MOTHER + VII. A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER + VIII. ON THE LAKE OF SILS + IX. A PERPLEXING AFFAIR + X. A LITTLE LIGHT + XI. A LONG JOURNEY + XII. IT STILLS GOES ON + XIII. ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE + XIV. NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN + XV. SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS + XVI. COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY + XVII. BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS +XVIII. TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS + XIX. CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA + XX. AT HOME + XXI. SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA + + +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR + + + I. COASTING + II. AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY + III. ALSO AT HOME + IV. AT COUSIN GOTTI'S + V. HOW TIME WENT ONE, AND SUMMER CAME + VI. OLD AND NEW + VII. ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO + VIII. SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +"So the lad seated himself, and placed his fiddle in position." + +"Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm." + +"Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side." + +"Andrew raised himself in his bed to see who was there." + + + + + + + +RICO AND STINELI. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +IN THE QUIET HOUSE. + + +In the Ober Engadin, on the highway up to Maloja, stands the lonely +village of Sils; and back towards the mountains, across the fields, +nestles a little cluster of huts known as Sils Maria. Here, in an open +field, two cottages stand, facing each other. + +Noticeable in both are the old wooden house-doors, and the tiny windows +quite imbedded in the thick walls. A bit of a garden-plot belongs to one +of these poor dwellings, where the pot-herbs and the cabbages look only +a trifle better than their spindling companions the flowers. + +The other house has nothing but a little shed, where two or three hens +may be seen running in and out. This cottage is smaller than its +neighbor, and its wooden door is quite black from age. + +Out of this door every morning, at the same hour, came a large man. In +order to pass out he was obliged to stoop, so tall was he. His hair was +black and glossy, and his eyes were also black; and under his +finely-shaped nose grew a thick black beard, completely hiding the lower +part of his face; so that, except the glistening of his white teeth when +he spoke, nothing was visible. But he rarely spoke. + +Everybody in Sils knew the man, but he was never called by his name,--it +was always "the Italian." He went by the foot-path across to Sils every +day regularly, and thence up to Maloja. They were working on the highway +in that place, and there he found employment. + +When, however, he did not have work up there, he went down to the Baths +of St. Moritz. Houses were being built down there, and he found work in +plenty; and there passed the day, only returning to his cottage at +nightfall. + +When he came out of his house in the morning, he was usually followed by +a little boy, who lingered on the threshold after his father had gone on +his way, and looked with his big black eyes for a long time in the +direction his father had taken; but where he was looking that no one +could have told, for his eyes had a faraway look, as if they saw nothing +that lay before them and near, but were searching for something +invisible to everybody. + +On Sunday mornings, when the sun shone brightly, father and son would +saunter up the road together; and the close resemblance between them was +most striking, for the child was the man in miniature, only his face was +small and pale,--with his father's well-formed nose, to be sure; but his +mouth had an expression of great sadness, as if he could not laugh. In +his father's face this could not be detected, on account of the beard. + +When they walked along together, side by side, they did not talk; but +the father usually hummed a tune softly,--sometimes quite aloud,--and +the lad listened attentively. On rainy Sundays they sat at the window +together in the cottage, and seldom talked then; but the man drew his +harmonica from his pocket, and played one tune after another to the lad, +who listened most earnestly. Sometimes he would take a comb, or even a +leaf, and coax forth music; or he would shape a bit of wood with his +knife, and whistle a tune upon that. It really seemed as if there were +no object from which he could not draw forth sweet sounds. Once, +however, he brought a fiddle home with him, and the boy was so delighted +with the instrument, that he never forgot it. The man played one tune +after another, while the child listened and looked with all his might; +and when the fiddle was laid aside, the little fellow took it up, and +tried to find out for himself how the music was made. And it could not +have sounded so very badly, for his father had smiled, saying, "Come, +now!" and placed the big fingers of his left hand over his son's, and +held the little hand and the bow together in his right; and thus they +played for a long time, and produced a great many sweet tunes. + +On the following day, after his father's departure, the boy tried again +and again to play, until at last he did succeed in producing a tune +quite correctly. Soon after, however, the fiddle disappeared, and never +made its appearance again. + +Often, when they were together, the man would begin to sing +softly,--softly at first, then more and more distinctly as he became +more interested, and the boy know the words, he could at least follow +the tune. The father sang Italian always; and the child understood a +great deal, but not well enough to sing. One tune, however, he knew +better than any other, for his father had repeated it many hundred +times. It was part of a long song, and began in this wise:-- + + "One evening In Peschiera." + +It was a sad melody that some one had arranged to a pretty ballad, and +it particularly pleased the lad, so that he always sang it with pleasure +and with a feeling of awe; and it sounded very sweetly, for the lad had +a clear, bell-like voice, that harmonized beautifully with his father's +strong basso. And each time after they had sung this song from beginning +to end, his father clapped the boy kindly on the shoulder, saying, "Well +done, Henrico! well done!" This was the way his father called him, but +he was called "Rico" only by everybody else. + +There was a cousin who lived in the cottage with them, and who mended +and cooked and kept the house in order. In the winter she sat by the +stove and spun, and Rico had to consider how he could enter the room, +very carefully; for as soon as he had opened the door, his cousin called +out, "Do let that door alone, or we shall have it cold enough in the +room here." + +In winter he was very often alone with his cousin; for when his father +had work to do in the valley, he would be away for long weeks at a time. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +IN THE SCHOOL. + + +Rico was almost nine years old, and had been to school for two winters. +Up there in the mountains there was no school in the summer-time; for +then the teacher had his field to cultivate, and his hay and wood to +cut, like everybody else, and nobody had time to think of going to +school. This was not a great sorrow for Rico,--he knew how to amuse +himself. When he had once taken his place in the morning on the +threshold, he would stand there for hours without moving, gazing into +the far distance with dreamy eyes, if the door of the house over the +way did not open, and a little girl make her appearance and look over +at him laughingly. Then Rico ran over to her in a trice, and the +children were busy enough in telling each other what had happened since +the evening before, and talked incessantly, until Stineli was called +into the house. The girl's name was Stineli, and she and Rico were of +exactly the same age. They began to go to school at the same time, were +in the same classes, and from that time forward were always together; +for there was only a narrow path between their cottages, and they were +the dearest of friends. + +This was the only intimacy that Rico had, for he had no pleasure in +the companionship of the other boys; and when they thrashed each +other, or played at wrestling, or turned somersaults, he went away +without even looking back at them. If they called out after him, "Now +it is Rico's turn to be thrashed," he stood perfectly still and did +nothing; but he looked at them so strangely with his dark eyes, that +no one meddled with him. + +In Stineli's company he was always contented. She had a merry little +pug-nose, and two brown eyes that were always laughing; and around her +head were two thick braids of brown hair, that always looked smooth and +neat, for Stineli was a very orderly girl, and knew very well how to +take care of herself. For that her daily experience was excellent. It is +true Stineli was scarcely nine years old, but she was the eldest +daughter of the family, and had to help her mother in every thing, and +there was a great deal to be done,--for after Stineli came Trudi and +Sami and Peterli, then Urschli and Anne-Deteli and Kunzli, and last of +all the baby, who was not baptized. From every corner, at every moment, +Stineli was called for; and she had become so handy and skilful with all +this practice, that work seemed to turn itself out of her hands of its +own accord. She could always put on three stockings and fasten two shoes +before Trudi had even placed the legs of the little one she was helping +in the right position. And while her mother was calling for Stineli to +help her in the kitchen, and the little children wanted her in the +bedroom, her father was sure to shout out from the stable for Stineli to +come to his help, for he had mislaid his cap, or his whip-lash was in a +knot, and she found the one in a trice,--it was generally on the +meal-box,--and her limber fingers had no trouble in untying the knotted +lash. So, you see, Stineli was always busy running about and working, +but always merry with it all, and rejoiced also in winter, when the +school began. Then she went with Rico to school and back again, and in +recess they were also together. And in summer she was still more happy, +for then the lovely Sunday evenings came when she could go out; and she +and Rico went, hand in hand,--the lad was always waiting for her in the +doorway,--over the big meadow towards the wood on the hill-side that +projected far out over the lake like an island. They used to sit up +there under the pines, and look out over the green waters of the lake, +and had so many questions to ask and so many answers to give, and were +so happy, that Stineli was happy all the week in thinking it over and +looking forward,--for Sunday always came again. + +There was yet one other person in the household who called for Stineli +now and then,--that was her old grandmother. + +She did not want her assistance, however, but had generally a bit of +money to give her that she had put aside, or some little thing that +would give the girl pleasure; for the grandmother noticed how much there +was for Stineli to do, and that she had less pleasure than other +children of her age, and the child was her favorite. She always had +something ready so that she could buy herself a red ribbon at the yearly +market, or a needle-case, if she wished. + +Rico was also a favorite with this good grandmother, and she liked to +see the children together, and tried to contrive a little recreation for +them now and then. + +On summer evenings the grandmother always sat by the door on a +tree-stump that was there, and often Stineli and Rico stood by her side +while she told them stories. But when the prayer-bell sounded from the +little church tower she always said, "Now say, 'Our Father;' and be +sure, children, that you never forget to say that prayer every evening; +the prayer-bells ring to remind you of that." "Now remember, little +ones," she would now and then repeat, "I have lived for a long, long +time, and had a great deal of experience, and I have never known a +single person who has not, at some time or other in his life, sore need +of 'Our Father;' but I have known many a one who has sought to say it +anxiously, and not found it, in his great need." So Stineli and Rico +stood reverently side by side and said their evening prayer. + +Now May had come, and there was only a short time to pass before school +would cease, for under the trees there were signs of green, and the snow +had melted and vanished in many places. Rico had been standing for a +long time in the doorway making these welcome observations. At the same +time he looked again and again towards the opposite door, hoping that it +would open. It did at last, and out came Stineli. + +"How long have you been standing there?" she called out merrily. "It is +early to-day, and we can go along slowly." + +They took each other's hands, and went towards the schoolhouse. + +"Are you always thinking about the lake?" asked Stineli as they +went along. + +"Yes, of course," said Rico, with a serious expression; "and I often +dream about it too, and see great red flowers there, and in the distance +the purple mountains." + +"Oh! what one dreams does not count," said Stineli. "I dreamed once that +Peterli climbed, all alone, to the top of the highest pine-tree; and +when he was on the top twig, suddenly he changed into a bird and called +out, 'Come, Stineli, and put on my stockings for me.' So you see that it +does not mean any thing when you dream." + +Rico pondered over this, for his dream might certainly mean something, +and yet only be thoughts passing through his mind. Now, however, they +were near the schoolhouse, and a troop of noisy children came towards +them from the opposite direction. They all entered together, and soon +the teacher came in. He was an old man with thin, gray hair, for he had +been teacher for an incredibly long time,--so long, that his hair had +grown gray and fallen out. + +Now a busy spelling and pronouncing began; then followed the +multiplication-table, and, lastly, the singing. For this the teacher +brought out his old fiddle and tuned it. Then they began, and all +shouted at the top of their lungs,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height," + +and the teacher played the accompaniment. + +Rico, however, had his eyes fixed so attentively upon the fiddle, and on +the teacher's fingers as he touched the strings, that he quite forgot +the song; and at this the whole choir lost their pitch, and fell away a +half-note, and the fiddle became uncertain, and lost a half-note also; +and then the voices fell lower still, until at last nobody could have +told where they were going to all together; but the teacher tossed his +fiddle upon the table and called out angrily, "What sort of a song do +you call that? You are nothing but a lot of screamers! I should like to +know who it is who sings false and spoils the whole time." + +At this a little boy spoke up,--the one who sat nearest to Rico: "I know +why it all goes wrong. It always goes that way when Rico stops singing." + +The teacher himself knew that the fiddle was somewhat dependent on +Rico's leading. + +"Rico, Rico! what is this that I hear?" he said, turning to the lad. +"You are generally a well-behaved boy; but inattention is a sad fault, +as you now see. One single careless scholar can easily spoil a whole +song. Now we will begin anew; and be more attentive, Rico." + +After this the boy sang with his steady, clear voice; the fiddle +followed, and the children sang with all their might, and it went on +very satisfactorily to the very end. + +The teacher was well satisfied, and rubbed his hands together, and then +drew his bow over the string, saying, with a pleased air, "It is a good +instrument, after all." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE. + + +Stineli and Rico freed themselves from the crowd of children gathered +before the schoolhouse, and wandered off together. "Were you thinking so +that you could not sing with us to-day, Rico?" asked Stineli. "Were you +thinking again about the lake?" + +"No, it was quite another thing," replied the boy. "I know how to play +'Little lambkins, come down,' if I only had a fiddle." + +Judging from the deep sigh that accompanied these words, the wish must +have weighed heavily on Rico's heart. The sympathetic little Stineli +began at once to contrive some means of helping him to get his wish. + +"We will buy one together, Rico," she said suddenly, full of delight at +a happy thought that had entered her head. "I have ever so many pieces of +money,--as many as twelve. How much have you got?" + +"None at all," said the boy sadly. "My father gave me some before he +went away, but my cousin said I should only spend it foolishly, and +she took it from me, and put it up on the shelf in a box where I +cannot get it." + +Such a trifle did not discourage Stineli. "Perhaps we have enough +without that, and my grandmother will give me some more soon," she said +consolingly. "You know, Rico, a fiddle can't cost so very much; it is +nothing but a bit of old wood with four strings stretched across it, +that will be cheap, I'm sure. You must ask the teacher about it +to-morrow morning, and then we will try to find one." + +So it was settled, and Stineli resolved to do all she could at home to +make herself useful by getting up bright and early, and making the fire +before her mother was afoot, thinking that, if she worked busily from +morning till night, perhaps her grandmother would put a bit of money for +her in the bag. + +After school the next day Stineli went out and waited alone behind the +wood-pile at the schoolhouse corner, for Rico had made up his mind at +last to ask the teacher how much it would cost to buy a fiddle. He was +such a long time about it, that Stineli kept peeping out from behind the +wood-pile, quite overcome with impatience, but only saw the other school +children who were standing about and playing; but now certainly,--yes, +that was Rico who came around the corner. + +"What did he say? How much does it cost?" cried Stineli, almost +breathless with suspense. + +"I had not the courage to ask," was the sad answer. + +"Oh, what a shame!" said the girl, and stood still and disappointed for +a moment, but not more. "Never mind, Rico; you can try again to-morrow," +she said cheerfully, taking him by the hand and turning homeward. "I got +another bit of money from my grandmother this morning, because I got up +early and was in the kitchen when she came in." + +The same thing happened, however, the next day and the day after. Rico +stood for half an hour before the door without getting courage to go in +to ask his question. At last Stineli made up her mind to go herself, if +this lasted three days more. On the fourth day, however, as Rico was +standing, timid and depressed, before the door, it opened suddenly, and +the teacher came out quickly, and ran into Rico with such force, that +the slender little fellow, who did not weigh more than a feather, was +thrown backward several feet. The teacher stood looking at the child in +great surprise and some displeasure. Then he said, "What does this mean, +Rico? Why do you stand before the door without knocking, if you have a +message to deliver? If you have no message, why do you not go away? If +you wish to tell me any thing, do so at once. What is it that you wish?" + +"How much does a fiddle cost?" Rico blurted out his question in +great fear and haste. The teacher's surprise and displeasure +increased visibly. + +"I do not understand, Rico," he said, with a severe glance at the boy. +"Have you come here on purpose to mock me? or have you any particular +reason for asking this? What did you mean to say?" + +"I did not mean any thing," said Rico abashed, "only to ask how much it +would cost to buy a fiddle." + +"You did not understand me just now,--pay attention to what I am saying. +There are two ways of asking a question: either to obtain information, +or simply from idle curiosity, which is foolishness. Now pay attention, +Rico: is this a mere idle question, or did somebody send you who wishes +to buy a fiddle?" + +"I want to buy one myself," said the boy, taking courage a little; +but he was frightened when the angry reply came, "What! what did you +say? A forlorn little fellow like you buy a fiddle! Do you even know +what the instrument is? Have you any idea of how old I was, and what +I knew, before I obtained one? I was a teacher, a regular teacher; +was twenty-two years old, with an assured profession, and not a +child like you. + +"Now I will tell you what a fiddle costs, and then you will see how +foolish you are. Six hard gulden I paid for mine. Can you realize what +that means? We will separate it into blutsgers. If one gulden contains a +hundred blutsgers, then six guldens will be equal to six times one +hundred,--quickly, quickly! Now, Rico, you are generally ready enough." + +"Six hundred blutsgers," said the lad softly, for he was quite +overpowered with the magnitude of this sum as compared with Stineli's +twelve blutsgers. + +"And, moreover, my son, do you imagine that you have only to take a +fiddle in your hand to be able to play on it at once? It takes a long +time to do that. Come in here now, for a moment." And the teacher opened +the door, and took his fiddle from its place on the wall. "There," he +said, as he placed it on Rico's arm, "take the bow in your hand,--so, my +boy; and if you can play me _c, d, e, f_, I will give you a +half-gulden." + +Rico had the fiddle really in his hand; his eyes sparkled with fire; _c, +d, e, f,_--he played the notes firmly and perfectly correctly. "You +little rascal!" cried the astonished teacher, "where did you learn that? +Who taught you? How do you find the notes?" + +"I can do more than that, if I may," said the boy. + +"Play, then." + +And Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height; + The daylight is fading, + The sun says, 'Good-night!'" + +[Illustration: RICO PLAYED CORRECTLY, AND WITH ENTHUSIASM] + +The teacher sunk into a chair, and put his spectacles on his nose. His +eyes rested on Rico's fingers as he played, then on his sparkling eyes, +and again on his hands. When the air was finished, he said, "Come here +to me, Rico;" and, moving his chair into the light, he placed the lad +directly before him. "Now I have something to say to you. Your father is +an Italian; and I know that down there all sorts of things go on of +which we have no idea here in the mountains. Now look me straight in the +eye, and answer me truly and honestly. How did you learn to play this +air so correctly?" + +Looking up with his honest eyes, the boy replied, "I learned it from +you, in the school where it is so often sung." + +These words gave an entirely new aspect to the affair. The teacher stood +up, and went back and forth several times in the room. Then he was +himself the cause of this wonderful event; there was no necromancy +concerned in it. + +In a far better humor, he took out his purse, saying, "Here is your +half-gulden, Rico; it is justly yours. Now go; and for the future be +very attentive to the music-lesson as long as you go to the school. In +that way you may, perhaps, accomplish something; and in twelve or +fourteen years perhaps you may be able to buy a fiddle. Now you may go." + +Rico cast one look at the fiddle, and departed with deep sadness in +his heart. + +Stineli came running to meet him from behind the wood-pile. "You did +stay a long time. Have you asked the question?" + +"It is all of no use," said the boy; and his eyebrows came together in +his distress, and formed a thick black line across his forehead over his +eyes. "A fiddle costs six hundred blutsgers; and in fourteen years I can +buy one, when everybody will be dead. Who will be living fourteen years +from now? There, you may have this; I do not want it." With these words +he pressed the half-gulden into Stineli's hand. + +"Six hundred blutsgers!" repeated the girl, horrified. "But where did +this half-gulden come from?" + +Rico told her all that had happened at the teacher's, ending with the +same words expressing his great regret, "It is all of no use!" + +Stineli tried to console him a little with the half-gulden; but he was +furious at the thought of the innocent piece of money, and would not +even look at it. + +So Stineli said, "I will put it with my blutsgers, and we will have it +all between us." + +Stineli herself was very much discouraged now; but as they went around +the corner into the field, the little pathway that led to their doors +shone so prettily in the bright sunlight, and the plat before the houses +was so white and dry, that she called out,-- + +"See, see! now it is summer, Rico; and we can go up into the wood, and +we will be happy again. Shall we go next Sunday?" + +"Nothing will ever make me happy again," said Rico; "but if you want to +go, I will go with you." + +When they reached the door, they had arranged to go to the wood on the +following Sunday, and Stineli was very happy at the thought. She did all +that she was able to do through the week, and there was a great deal of +work for her. Peterli, Sami, and Urschli had the measles, and in the +stable one of the goats was sick, and needed hot water very often; and +Stineli had to run hither and thither, lending a helping hand in every +direction as soon as she came home from school, and on Saturday all day +long until late in the evening; and then there were the stable buckets +to be cleaned. But that night her father said,-- + +"Stineli _is_ a handy child." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE BEAUTIFUL DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME + + +When Stineli awoke on the following Sunday morning, she was conscious of +an unusual light-heartedness, and at first could not understand the +cause, until she remembered what day it was, and that her grandmother +had said, on the previous evening, "To-morrow you must have the whole +afternoon to yourself: it is rightfully yours." + +After dinner was finished, and all the dishes taken away, and the table +washed off by Stineli, Peterli called out, "Come here to me;" and the +two others screamed, "No, to me!" and her father said, "Now Stineli must +go to look after the goats." + +But at this moment her grandmother went through the kitchen, and made a +sign to Stineli to follow her. + +"Now go in peace, my child," she said. "I will take care of the goats +and the children; but be sure to come home, both of you, punctually when +the bell rings for prayer." The grandmother knew very well that there +were two of them. + +Off flew Stineli, like a bird whose cage-door has suddenly been opened; +and outside stood Rico, who had been waiting for a long time. They went +on together, across the meadow towards the wood. + +On the mountains the sun was shining brightly, and the blue heavens lay +over all the landscape. They were obliged to pass, for a little while, +through the shade in the snow; but the sun was shining a little farther +on, and shimmered on the waters of the lake, and there were lovely dry +spots on the slope that was almost hanging over the lake. + +There the children seated themselves. A sharp wind came down from the +heights, and whistled about their ears. Stineli was as happy as happy +could be. She shouted out, again and again, "Oh, look, Rico; look! How +beautiful it is in the sun! Now summer has come, look how the lake +glistens! There cannot be a more beautiful lake than this one anywhere," +she said confidently. + +"Yes, yes, Stineli! You ought to see the lake I know about just once," +said Rico; and looked so longingly across the lake, that it seemed as if +that which he wanted to see began just beyond their vision. + +"Over there are no dark fir-trees, with sharp needles, but shining green +leaves, and great red flowers; and the mountains are not so high and +dark, nor so near, but lie off in the distance, and are purple; and the +sky and the lake are all golden and still and warm. There the wind does +not feel like this, and one's feet never get full of snow; and one can +sit all day long on the sunny ground, and look about." + +Stineli was quite carried away by this description. She already saw the +red flowers and the golden lake before her eyes, and seemed to know +exactly how beautiful it all was. + +"Perhaps you may be able to go there again to see it all, Rico. Do you +know the way?" + +"You must cross the Maloja. I have been there with my father once. He +pointed me out the road that goes all the way down the mountain,--first +this way, then that, and far below lies the lake; but so far, so far, +that it is scarcely possible to go there." + +"Oh! that is easy enough," said Stineli. "You have to go farther and +farther, that is all; and at the end you will surely get there." + +"But my father told me something else. Do you know, Stineli, when you +are travelling and stop at an inn, and eat something and sleep there, +then there is something to pay, and you must have money for that." + +"Oh! we have lots of money," cried Stineli triumphantly. But her +companion was not triumphant. + +"That is exactly as good as nothing. I know that by the affair of the +fiddle," he said sadly. + +"Then it will be better for you to stay at home, Rico. Look! it is +beautiful here at home, I am sure." + +The lad sat thoughtfully silent for a long time, leaning his head on his +hand, and his eyebrows brought in a close line down over his eyes. At +last he turned again to Stineli, who had been gathering the soft green +moss that grew around the spot where they were lying, and of which she +made a tiny bed with two pillows and a coverlet. She meant to carry them +home to the sick Urschli. + +"You say I had better stay at home, Stineli; but, do you know, it is +just as if I did not know where my home really is." + +"Oh, dear me! what do you mean?" cried the girl; and in her surprise she +threw away a whole handful of moss. Your home is here, of course. It is +always home where father and mother"--She stopped suddenly. Rico had no +mother, and his father had been away now for a very long time; and the +cousin? Stineli never went near that cousin, who had never spoken one +pleasant word to her. The child did not know what to say, but it was not +natural to her to remain long in uncertainty. Rico had already fallen +into one of his reveries, when she grasped him by the arm, and said,-- + +"I should just like to know something; that is, the name of the lake +where it is so lovely." + +Rico pondered. "I do not know," he said; and felt very much surprised +himself as he spoke. + +Now Stineli proposed that they should ask somebody what it was called; +for even if Rico had ever so much money, and was able to travel, he must +know how to inquire the way, and what the name of the lake was. They +began at once to think of whom they should inquire,--of the teacher, or +of the grandmother. + +At last it occurred to Rico that his father would know better than +anybody else, and he thought he would certainly ask him when he came +home again. + +The time had slipped away quickly as they sat talking, and presently the +children heard the distant sound of a bell. They recognized the sound. +It was the bell for prayers. + +They sprang up quickly, and ran off, hand in hand, down the hill-side +through bushes, and through the snow across the meadow; and it had +scarcely stopped ringing when they reached the door where the +grandmother was on the lookout for them. + +Stineli had to go at once into the house, and her grandmother said +quickly, "Go home directly, Rico, and do not hang around the door +any longer." + +The grandmother had never said such a thing to him before, although he +had always been in the habit of hanging around the door; for he was +never in haste to go home, and stood always for a while before he could +make up his mind to enter. He obeyed at once, however, and went into +the house. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME. + + +Rico did not find his cousin in the sitting-room; so he went to the +kitchen, and opened the door. There she stood; but before he could +enter, she raised her finger, saying, "Sch! sch! Do not open and shut +the doors, and make a noise, as if there were four of you. Go into the +other room, and keep still. Your father is lying in the bedroom up +there. They brought him home in a wagon: he is sick." + +Rico went into the room, seated himself on a bench, and did not stir. + +He sat there for at least a half-hour. Presently he heard the cousin +moving about in the kitchen. Then he thought that he would go up very +softly, and peep into the bedroom. Perhaps his father would like +something to eat: it was long past the meal-time. + +He slipped behind the stove, mounted the little steps, and went very +softly into the bedroom. After a while he returned, went at once into +the kitchen, approached quite close to his cousin, and said softly,-- + +"Cousin, come up." + +The woman was about to strike him angrily, when she happened to glance +at his face. He was perfectly colorless,--cheeks and lips as white as +a sheet, and his eyes looked so black that the cousin was almost +afraid of him. + +"What is the matter with you?" she asked hastily, and followed him +almost involuntarily. + +He mounted the little steps softly, and entered the chamber. His father +lay on the bed with staring, wide-open eyes,--he was dead. + +"Oh, my God!" screamed the cousin, and ran crying out of the door that +opened upon the passage on the other side of the room, went down the +staircase, and across into the opposite house, where she called out to +tell the neighbor and the grandmother the sad news; and thence she ran +on to the teacher and to the mayor. + +One after another they came, and entered the quiet room until it was +full of people; for the news spread from one to another of what had +taken place. And in the midst of all the tumult, and of all the clamor +of the crowd of neighbors, Rico stood by the bedside speechless, +motionless, and gazed at his father. All through the week the house +was filled with people who wished to look at the man, and hear from +the cousin how it had all happened; so that the lad heard it repeated +over and over, that his father had been at work down in St. Gall on +the railroad. + +He had received a deep wound on the head when they were blasting a rock; +and, as he could not work any longer, he wished to go home to take care +of himself until the wound was healed. But the long journey--sometimes +on foot, sometimes in an open wagon--was too much for him; and when he +had reached his home on Sunday, towards evening, he had lain down on +the bed never to rise again. Without any one knowing it, he had passed +away; for he was already stiff when Rico had found him. On the following +Sunday the burial took place. Rico was the only mourner to follow the +coffin. Several kind neighbors joined in, and thus the little procession +went on to Sils. In the church, Rico heard the pastor when he read out, +"The deceased was called Henrico Trevillo, and was a native of Peschiera +on the Lake of Garda." + +These words brought the feeling to Rico that he had heard something that +he knew perfectly well before, and yet could not recollect. He had +always seen a picture of the lake before his eyes when he had sung,-- + + "One evening + In Peschiera," + +with his father, but he had never known the reason. He repeated the name +softly to himself, while one old song after another arose in his memory. + +As he came back from the burial all alone, he saw the grandmother +seated on the log of wood, and Stineli by her side. She beckoned him to +come over to them. She gave the lad a bit of cake and another to +Stineli, and said now they might go off together for a walk. Rico ought +not to be alone. + +So the children rambled off together, hand in hand. The grandmother +remained seated on her log, sadly gazing after the black-haired lad +until they had wandered slowly up the hillside and passed out of sight. +Then she said softly to herself,-- + + "Whate'er He does, or lets be done, + Is always for the best." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +RICO'S MOTHER. + + +Along the road from Sils came the teacher leaning on his staff. He had +assisted at the burial. He coughed and cleared his throat; and as he +drew near to the grandmother and bade her "good evening," he seated +himself by her side. "If you have no objection, I will sit here with you +for a few moments, neighbor," said he; "for I feel very badly in my +throat and chest. But what can we expect when we are almost seventy +years old, and have witnessed such a funeral as this one to-day? He was +not thirty-five years of age, and as strong as a tree." + +"It always sets me thinking," said the grandmother, "when I, an old +woman of seventy-five years, am left, and here and there a young person +is called away,--a useful one, too." + +"Yet the old folks are good for something. Who else can set an +example to the youth?" remarked the teacher. "But what is your +opinion, neighbor: what will become of the little fellow over yonder, +do you think?" + +"Yes, what will become of him?" repeated the old woman. "I also ask +myself that question; and if my only reliance were upon human help, I +should not know of an answer. But there is a heavenly Father who looks +after the forsaken children. He will provide something for the lad." + +"Will you not tell me, neighbor, how it happened that the Italian +married the daughter of your friend who lived over there opposite? One +never knows how these people may turn out." + +"It happened as such things always happen, neighbor. You know how my old +friend Anne-Dete had lost all her children, and her husband also, and +lived alone in the cottage over yonder with Marie-Seppli, who was a +merry little girl. About eleven or twelve years ago Trevillo made his +appearance here. He had work in the Maloja, and came down here with the +other boys; and he and Marie-Seppli had scarcely become acquainted +before they were resolved to have each other. + +"And it must be said, in justice to Trevillo, that he was not only a +handsome fellow who was agreeable to everybody, but also an industrious +and well-conducted man, with whom Anne-Dete (the mother) was well +pleased. Naturally she wished that they should stay in the house and +live with her, and Trevillo would gladly have done so. He was fond of +his wife's mother, and he always did as Marie-Seppli wished him to. He +had taken her, however, towards the Maloja in his walks, and they had +together looked down the road where you can see how far it goes winding +down the mountain; and he had told her how every thing was down there +where he was born. So Marie-Seppli got it into her head that she must go +there, and no matter how much her mother worried and fretted, and said +that they could not live there, she still was bent upon going; and +Trevillo himself said that as to living there she need not fear, for he +had a nice little property and a house; but, for his part, he would like +to see a little of the world. But the bride prevailed, and after the +wedding she was all for starting directly down the mountain. + +"She wrote to her mother occasionally that it was very nice where they +lived, and that Trevillo was the best of husbands. + +"About five or six years later, who should walk into the room where +Anne-Dete was sitting but Trevillo, leading a little boy by the hand. He +said, 'There, mother, this is the only thing I have left of +Marie-Seppli. She lies buried down yonder with her other little +children. This one was her first, and her favorite.' + +"This is what my old friend told me. Then he threw himself down on the +bench where he had first seen his wife, saying that he should like to +make his home there with her and the boy, if she had no objection, for +down below it was not possible for him to continue to live. This was joy +and sorrow at the same time for Anne-Dete. + +"Little Rico was then about four years old,--a quiet, thoughtful boy, +never noisy or mischievous, and the very apple of her eye; but she died +in the course of a year, and Trevillo was advised to take a cousin of +hers to keep house for him and his boy." + +"So, so!" said the teacher when the old woman was silent, having +finished her story. "I had not understood all this thoroughly before. +Perhaps some of Trevillo's relations will come forward, in good time, +and they can be asked to do something for the child." + +"Relations!" said the grandmother with a sigh. "That cousin is a +relation, and little enough of comfort he gets from her in the course of +the year." + +The schoolmaster rose with difficulty from his seat. "I am going +down-hill, neighbor," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot imagine where +my strength has gone to." + +The old woman encouraged him, and said he was still a young man in +comparison with her. But, in truth, it did surprise her to see how +slowly and painfully he walked as he left her. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER. + + +Many beautiful Sundays followed; and, whenever it was possible, the +grandmother so arranged it that Stineli got, now and then, a spare +moment; but the work in the house increased daily. Rico passed many +hours standing on the threshold of his cottage looking longingly across +the way, in the hope of seeing Stineli come out. + +Towards September, when people often sat before their houses in order to +enjoy, to the utmost, the last warm evenings of the season, the +schoolmaster placed himself before his door, but he looked very thin and +coughed continually; and at last, one morning when he tried to rise, his +strength deserted him completely, and he fell back upon his pillow. + +There he lay very still, and busy with all sorts of thoughts; and he +wondered what would come to pass when he died. He had no children, and +his wife had been dead for a long time, and there was only in old +maid-servant to live with him and take care of the house. He was +principally occupied in thinking of what would become of all the things +that belonged to him when he should be gone; and, as his fiddle hung +directly opposite to him on the wall, he said to himself, "I must leave +that behind me too." + +Then he remembered the day when Rico stood before him and played on the +instrument, and he felt as if he had rather let the boy have the fiddle +than to let it go to a distant cousin who did not understand the use of +it at all. And he thought that, if it were to go very cheap, perhaps +Rico could buy it. Presently he bethought himself that if he could not +use the violin, neither would he have any use for money. For all that, +he could not bring himself to let the instrument, for which he had paid +down six hard gulden, go for nothing. + +So he pondered and pondered how he could manage to obtain something in +exchange; but at last it was quite clear to him that there, where he was +fast going, he could not take his violin with him, neither could he take +any thing that he might get for it, for all must remain behind. + +While he was lying there the fever became greater and greater, and he +lay, towards evening and all night long, fighting with all sorts of +strange thoughts, and old, long-forgotten events rose before his mind +and perplexed him; so that at last, towards morning, he lay on his bed +utterly exhausted, and with only one thought or wish,--viz., to be able +to do one kind deed, one good action, and that quickly, before it was +too late. He knocked against the wall with his stick until the old +maid-servant heard him and came in to him; and then he sent her over to +the grandmother, to ask her to come to him as quickly as possible. + +She did come almost immediately; and before she had fairly time to ask +him how he found himself, he said,-- + +"Will you be so good as to take down the fiddle that hangs there on the +wall, and give it to the little orphan boy? I wish to make him a present +of it, and he must be very careful of it." + +Naturally the good woman was very much surprised, and could not +refrain from exclaiming repeatedly, "What will Rico do with it? What +will Rico say to this?" Presently she noticed, however, that the +schoolmaster seemed a little restless, as if he were in a hurry to +have the thing done. + +So she left him, and hastened as quickly as possible across the fields +with the gift under her arm; for she was also impatient to know how Rico +would take this rare piece of good fortune. + +He was standing in the doorway of his cottage. At a motion from the +grandmother, he ran towards her. + +"Here, Rico," she said, and handed him the violin. "The schoolmaster +sends this to you: it is yours." + +The boy stood as if he were in a dream, but it was true. The grandmother +was really standing there, holding the fiddle out to him. + +Trembling with pleasure and excitement, he took his present at last, put +it on his arm, and gazed at it in a silly sort of way, as if he thought +it might vanish presently, as quickly as it had come, if he did not keep +his eyes on it. + +"You must be very careful of it," said the old woman, delivering her +message faithfully. She was much inclined to laugh, however; for it did +not seem to her that the warning was at all necessary. "And, Rico, think +about the teacher, and do not forget what he has done for you: he is +very ill." + +The grandmother went into the house with these words; and the boy +hastened up into his own bedroom, where he was always alone. + +There he sat and fiddled, and played on and on, and forgot all about +eating or drinking, or how the time sped on. At last, when it was almost +dark, he came to himself, and went down-stairs. The cousin came out from +the kitchen, saying, "You can have something to eat to-morrow morning. +You have behaved so to-day that you won't get any thing more." + +The boy did not feel hungry, although he had not eaten since the early +morning, and went quite unconsciously across into the opposite house, +and entered the kitchen. He was looking for the grandmother. + +Stineli was standing by the hearth, arranging the fire. When she caught +sight of Rico, she shouted aloud for joy; for the ground had almost +burned beneath her feet, she had been so impatient all day--ever since +her grandmother had told her the great news--to get away, and express +her delight to Rico; but she had not dared to leave the house for an +instant. Now she was fairly beside herself, and called out, again and +again, "You have got it now! You have got it now!" + +Hearing the noise, the grandmother came out of the sitting-room; and +Rico hastened towards her, saying, "May I go to thank the teacher, if +he is sick?" + +After thinking a while,--for she remembered how very ill the +schoolmaster looked in the morning when she saw him,--the good woman +said, "Wait a few moments, Rico, I will go with you;" and stepped into +her room to put on a clean apron. Then they went over to the +schoolhouse. The grandmother entered first. Rico followed, his fiddle +under his arm. He had not once laid it down since it had come into his +possession. + +The teacher lay on his bed, looking very feeble indeed. The lad stepped +to the bedside and looked down at his fiddle and could scarcely speak, +but his eyes sparkled so brightly that the good man had no difficulty in +understanding him: he cast a pleased look towards the boy, and nodded at +him. Then he beckoned the grandmother to draw near. Rico moved a little +to one side, and the teacher said with a weak voice, "Grandmother, I +should be very glad if you would say 'Our Father' for me, I feel so very +much troubled." + +Just at this moment the prayer-bell sounded. The grandmother folded her +hands and repeated the Lord's Prayer, and Rico also folded his hands. +Every thing was quiet in the room. After a while the grandmother bent +over and closed the old teacher's eyes, for he had passed away. Then she +took Rico by the hand, and went softly home with him. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ON THE LAKE OF SILS. + + +Stineli did not recover herself during the entire week, her joy was so +great; but it seemed as if that week were ten days longer than any +other, for Sunday seemed never to come. + +At last it did come, and a golden sun shone over the harvest fields, and +she and Rico went up under the fir-trees, where the sparkling lake lay +spread out at their feet; and the girl's heart was so overflowing with +happiness, that she had to dance about and shout aloud before she seated +herself on the moss, on the very edge of the slope. There she could see +every thing round about,--the sunny heights and the lake, and, stretched +over all, the blue heavens. + +Suddenly she called out, "Come now, Rico; we will sing,--sing for +ever so long." + +So the lad seated himself by Stineli's side, and placed his fiddle in +position,--for he had, of course, brought that too,--and began to play, +and the children sang,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright, sunny height," + +until they had sung all the verses; but Stineli had not had half enough. + +"We will sing more," she said, and went on,-- + + "Little lambkins, above + On the bright, pleasant hill, + The sunlight is sparkling, + The winds are not still." + +And then Rico sang the verse and was pleased and said, "Sing some more." + +Stineli was quite excited: thought a bit, and looked up, then down, and +sang again,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins, + And the heavens so blue; + And red and white flowers, + And the green grasses, too." + +Then Rico fiddled and sung the verse with her, and said again, +"Some more." + +Stineli laughed, and, glancing at Rico, sang,-- + + "And a sad little boy, + And a very gay maid; + And a lake like another, + That from water is made." + +Laughing and singing, Stineli went +on,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins, + They jumped up so high, + And all were most merry, + And did not know why. + + "And a boy and a girl + By the lake-side did sit, + And because they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +Now they began at the very beginning, and sang the whole thing through +again, and made merry over it, and were so happy that they sang it at +least ten times over; and the more they repeated it, the better it +sounded to their ears. + +After this Rico played several tunes that he had learned from his +father; but they soon came back to their own song, and began that again. + +In the midst of it the girl stopped and said, "It has just come into +my head how you can go down to the other lake, and will not need any +money either." + +Rico paused suddenly and gazed at his companion, awaiting what was +coming next. + +"Don't you see," she said earnestly, "now you have a fiddle, and you +know a song. You can go and play your song, and sing before the +taverns; then the people will give you something to eat and to drink, +and let you sleep there, for they will see that you are not a beggar. +So you can go on until you reach the lake; and, coming home, you can do +the same thing again." + +Rico reflected over these words, but Stineli would give him no time for +dreaming: she wanted to go on with the song. + +They made so much noise themselves, that they did not hear the +prayer-bell at all; and did not notice what time it was until reminded +by the growing darkness, and perceived the grandmother looking about +anxiously for them before they reached the houses. + +But Stineli was too much excited to be subdued by any thing. She ran on +towards her grandmother, and said, "You have no idea how beautifully +Rico can fiddle; and we have made a song of our own, for ourselves only. +We will sing it to you this very moment." + +And before there was time to answer, they began and sang it all through; +and the good grandmother listened with real pleasure to their sweet, +clear voices. + +She seated herself on the log; and, when the children had finished, +said, "Come now, Rico, I want you to play for me; and you and I will +sing together. Do you know the song that begins,-- + + "'I sing to thee with heart and voice?'" + +Rico had probably heard the hymn, but he did not know it correctly, and +said that he wished first to hear it from the grandmother, and he would +follow her softly on his violin, and then he would be sure of it. + +So they began; and first the grandmother repeated the words of a verse +to the children, and then they all sang it together,-- + + "I sing to thee with heart and voice, + Lord, whom my soul obeys. + I sing, and bid all earth rejoice: + Thou teachest me thy praise. + + "I know that thou the fountain art + Of joy,--the eternal spring + Which, into every willing heart, + Healing and good dost bring. + + "Why do we worry over sin? + Why sorrow night and day? + Come, bring thy load, cast it on Him + Who fashioned thee from clay. + + "He never yet has done amiss; + And, perfect in His sight, + All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right. + + "Now only let His will be done, + Nor clamor constantly, + Peace to thy heart on earth will come, + And joy eternally." + +"It is well," said the grandmother. "Now we know a proper evening hymn, +and you may go quickly to rest, my children." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A PERPLEXING AFFAIR. + + +When Rico entered the cottage that evening it was later than usual, for +he had spent a full half-hour in singing the hymn. As he went in, his +cousin came flying towards him. + +"Are you beginning in this style already?" she called out. "The supper +stood waiting for you a whole hour: now I have put it away. Go to your +bedroom; and if you turn out a good-for-nothing and a scamp, it is no +fault of mine. I don't know any thing that I had not rather do than look +after a boy like you." + +Rico never answered a single word, no matter how much his cousin might +scold at him; but this evening he looked at her, and said,-- + +"I can get out of your way, cousin." + +She shoved the bolt in on the house-door with such violence that the +door shook, and went into the sitting-room, slamming that door behind +her. Rico went up into his dark little bedroom. + +On the following day, as all the big family in the other cottage +were eating their supper,--the parents, the grandmother, and all the +children,--the cousin came running over, and called out from the +door to ask if they knew any thing about Rico: she had no idea where +he could be. + +"He will come fast enough when it is time for supper," replied the +father quietly. + +The cousin entered the room. She had been quite sure that the lad was +there, and she expected him to come out if she only stood at the door +and asked for him. + +Now she went on to tell them that he had not made his appearance at +breakfast, nor at dinner-time, and that he had not been in bed the +previous night, for she had found it as she had left it; and she +believed that he must have gone away very early in the morning before +daybreak, wandering about as he was in the habit of doing, for the bolt +was pushed aside on the house-door when she went to open it. She thought +at first that she must have forgotten to bolt it the night before in her +anger, for nobody knew how angry she had been. + +"Something has happened to him," said the father, quite unmoved. "He has +probably fallen into some cleft up there on the mountain: it often +happens to little boys who go climbing about everywhere. + +"You ought to have spoken of it earlier in the day," he went on slowly. +"We shall have to go to look for him, and in the night you can't see +any thing." + +At these words the cousin broke out into a terrible uproar. She expected +there would be all sorts of fault found with her; that was always the +way when you had suffered for years, and never said any thing about it. + +"Nobody would ever believe," she said,--and spoke a truthful word then, +at least,--"what a sly, cunning, deceitful boy that is, and what a life +he has led me these four years. He will turn out a regular vagabond, a +tramp, a disgraceful creature." + +The grandmother had ceased eating for several minutes. She now rose from +the table, and went up to the cousin, who was talking very noisily. + +"Stop, neighbor, stop," she said; and repeated it twice without effect. +"I know Rico very well; I have always known him ever since he was +brought here to his grandmother. If I were in your place, I would not +say another word, but stop to think whether the lad, to whom perhaps +something dreadful has happened, and who may be standing up there before +God at this moment, may not have some complaint against +somebody,--somebody who had done him a heavy injury, all deserted as he +is, with her cruel words." + +Since Rico's disappearance, the way the lad looked at her on that +last evening had occurred several times to the cousin's mind, and how +he said,-- + +"I can easily get out of your way." + +That was why she had made such a noise about it, in order to drown these +words. Now she did not dare to look the grandmother in the face, but +said that she must go: perhaps Rico might be at the cottage by this +time, which she would very gladly have had come true. + +From this day forward the cousin never spoke another word against Rico +in the grandmother's hearing; nor, indeed, did she often speak of him at +all. She believed, as did all the neighbors far and near, that the lad +was dead; and she was thankful that nobody knew about the words he had +said to her on that last evening. + +The next morning after this event was made known, Stineli's father went +out to the thrashing-floor and picked himself out a stout stick. He said +that he would call some of the neighbors together: they must go search +for the lad somewhere towards the glaciers and up by the ravines. + +Stineli crept out after him, and he said, when he noticed her, "That is +right, come and help me to search; you can get into the corners better +than I can." + +At last, after they had found a big beanpole, Stineli ventured to say, +"But father, if Rico went along the high-road, then he could not fall +into any thing, could he?" + +"Oh, perhaps he might," replied her father. "Such thoughtless boys as he +often stray off the road, and fall into ravines and places: they don't +know themselves where they are going, and he was always moving about +more or less." + +That this was true of Rico nobody knew better than Stineli; and she +became dreadfully anxious from that time forth, which anxiety increased +every day to such a degree that she could neither eat nor sleep for +sorrow, and did her work, day after day, as if she did not know what she +was about. + +Rico was not found: nobody had seen any thing of him. They ceased to +search for him, and the folks soon began to find consolation in the +thought, "It is just as well for the little fellow, after all; he was +forsaken, and had no one to care for him." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +A LITTLE LIGHT. + + +Stineli grew more and more thin and quiet from day to day. The little +ones called out complainingly, "Stineli never tells us stories now, and +never laughs any more." Her mother said to her father, "Do you notice +how changed she is?" And her father replied, "It is because she grows so +fast. She must get a little goat's milk early in the mornings." + +After this had gone on for three weeks or so, Stineli's grandmother +called the girl into her bedroom one evening, and said, "My dear +Stineli, I can very well understand that you cannot forget your friend +Rico, but you must try to remember that it is God's will that he should +be taken away; and that, as it is so, it is also the best thing for +Rico, as we must try to think." + +At these words Stineli began to weep as her grandmother had never seen +her do before; and she sobbed and sobbed, saying, "The good God did not +do it: I did it, grandmother; and therefore I feel as if I should die of +anxiety. It was I who proposed to Rico to go to find the lake, and now +he has fallen into a ravine, and is dead; it has hurt him dreadfully, +and it is all my fault." Then the poor child cried and sobbed pitifully. +It seemed to the grandmother as if a heavy weight were lifted from her +heart as she heard these words of Stineli's. She had given up Rico as +lost; and had in secret believed that the child had fled from the unkind +treatment he had received at home, and was lying somewhere in the water, +or was lost in the woods. Now a new hope arose in her heart. + +She succeeded in quieting Stineli enough to persuade her to relate the +whole story about the lake, of which the grandmother was in total +ignorance: how Rico had always been talking about this lake, and how he +had longed to go to find it, and how, at last, Stineli had suggested the +way for him to do so. It really seemed most likely that Rico had started +to find the lake, but her father's mention of the ravines had destroyed +all hope in Stineli. + +The good old woman took her granddaughter by the hand, and drew her +towards her, saying, "Now, Stineli, I have something to explain to you. +Do you remember what the old song says,--the one we sang with Rico on +the last evening we were together?-- + + "'All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right.'" + +Now you see, that although the good God did not exactly do this +thing,--as if He had let Rico die in his bed, for instance,--yet the +thing is in His hand all the same, although you have it turned aside, +perhaps, a little; for certainly the good God is stronger than this +little Stineli. And, now that you have made this sad mistake, it will be +a lesson to you for all the rest of your life, no matter how it may turn +out in the end, that children should not run away into the unknown +world, nor undertake things about which they are utterly ignorant; and +that without saying a word to their parents or to their grandmothers, +who love them so well. But now the kind God has allowed it to happen, +and we may certainly hope that it will all be finished right. + +"Now ponder this well, my Stineli, and never forget what you have thus +learned by experience; and now--for I see how heavily it weighs down +your heart--it will be well for you to go to pray to the good God, that +He will allow this mistake of yours and Rico to turn out all right. And +then you can be happy again, Stineli, and I shall be so, too; for I +believe firmly that Rico is living, and that the good God has not +forsaken him." + +And Stineli became after this like her former happy self; and, although +she missed Rico constantly, still she no longer felt worried, nor did +she reproach herself, but looked continually down the road to Maloja, +expecting to see him. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A LONG JOURNEY. + + +On that memorable Sunday evening, Rico seated himself on the chair in +his gloomy bedroom. There he decided to stay until his cousin had +gone to bed. + +After Stineli had made the discovery that Rico could go with his fiddle +down to the much-wished-for lake, the enterprise seemed a very simple +thing to the lad,--so easy, that he only thought of the best way to get +off. He had a presentiment that his cousin would probably try to hinder +him from going, although he felt sure that she would not miss him after +he was away. + +So, when she began to scold him when he came home, he said to himself, +"I will be off as soon as she is once in her bed." + +He had very pleasant thoughts as he sat there in the dark,--of how nice +it would be not to hear the scolding voice of his cousin all day long, +and of what big bushels of the red flowers he would bring back to +Stineli when he returned. And then the picture of the sunny shores of +the lake and the purple hills rose before his mind, and he fell asleep. +He was not in a very comfortable position, for he had never let his +fiddle leave his hand; and he soon awoke again, but it was still dark. + +Now he had a clear idea of what he would do. He had his Sunday clothes +on, which was good; and his cap was also on his head. He took his fiddle +under his arm, and went softly down the steps, slipped the bolt aside, +and stole out into the cool air of morning. + +The dawn was just showing over the mountains, and in Sils the cocks were +crowing. Off he walked briskly, to get well away from the houses and to +reach the highway. When he once was on the road, he went along merrily; +for he felt quite at home there, he had so often traversed the ground +with his father. He could form no idea of how far it really was to the +Maloja; and indeed it seemed very long to him, after he had been going +for two good hours. Little by little it grew brighter, however; and in +about an hour more, when he reached the place before the tavern upon the +Maloja, where he used to stand with his father and gaze down the +mountain road, the sunny light of morning lay upon the mountains, and +the tips of the fir-trees were all touched with gold. + +Rico seated himself upon the edge of the roadside. He was very tired, +and remembered suddenly that he had not eaten any thing since the +noonday meal of the day before. But he was not discouraged, for now +the way was all down hill; and, after that, he should undoubtedly +reach the lake. + +While he sat there, the big post-wagon came rumbling along. He had often +seen it as it came through Sils, and always thought that the very +greatest happiness upon earth must be experienced by the driver, who sat +all day long on the box, and controlled his four horses with his whip. +Now he saw this happy creature nearer; for the post-wagon stopped, and +the lad never once removed his eyes from the wonderful man, as he came +down from his perch, stepped into the inn, and came out again with an +enormous piece of black bread in his hand, upon which lay a large piece +of cheese. + +Next, the driver drew out a strong knife, cut a good big bit of bread, +and gave each horse a mouthful in turn, not forgetting himself in the +meantime; but upon his own piece of bread he put an equally big morsel +of cheese. As they all stood there, eating in happy companionship, the +man looked about a little, and presently called out, "Hulloa, little +musician! won't you join us too? Come hither." + +Now when Rico saw them all eating, he fully realized how very hungry he +was. He most gladly accepted the invitation, and approached the driver, +who cut such a big slice of bread and also of cheese to give the lad, +that Rico did not really know how he should manage to eat it. + +He was obliged to put his fiddle down on the ground; and the coachman +looked on very complaisantly while the boy ate his breakfast, and said, +while he followed his own occupation,-- + +"You are a very small fiddler. Do you know how to play something?" + +"Oh, yes! two songs, besides those I learned from my father," +replied Rico. + +"Really! And where are you going to on your two little legs?" said the +driver. "To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda," was the serious answer. + +At these words, the coachman burst into such boisterous laughter that +the boy gazed up at him in great astonishment. + +"Well, you are a good one to travel," cried the man, still laughing. +"Have you any notion how far it is, and that a little musician like you +could wear out his two feet, and his soles, too, before he could catch +sight of a single drop of the water of the Lake of Garda? Who sends you +down there?" + +"Nobody. I go of my own accord." + +"Well, I never have seen the like of you before," said the man, still +laughing good-naturedly. "Where, then, is your home, my boy?" + +"I do not know exactly. It may be on the Lake of Garda," was the +serious answer. + +"What sort of reply is that?" + +So saying, the coachman looked with some curiosity at the little figure +before him, which certainly did not betray any signs of being neglected. +On the contrary, the head, with its black curly hair, and the nice +Sunday suit of clothes, gave the lad a very genteel appearance; and his +delicate features and earnest eyes bore unmistakable evidence to +something noble in his character, and any one who looked at him once was +certain to repeat the glance with pleasure. + +Such was also the case with the driver. He gazed steadfastly at Rico, +and presently said, kindly, "You carry your passport in your face, my +boy; and it is not a bad one either, even if you do not know where you +belong. What will you give me now, if I will carry you along with me +down yonder, on the box?" + +Rico stared, for he could scarcely believe his ears at these words. To +sit on that high post-wagon, and drive down into the valley! Such luck +could never, never be his; of that he was sure. Besides, what had he to +give the coachman in exchange? + +"I have only my fiddle in the world, and I cannot give that away," he +said sadly, after thinking a while. + +"Well, I should not know what to do with that box," laughed the driver +"Come along. We will get up there, and you may play me a little music." + +Rico could not trust his ears; but, sure enough, the coachman pushed him +up over the wheel to the top of the coach, climbing up after him. The +passengers had all taken their places, the doors were closed, and away +they rolled down the road.--the well-known road over which Rico had so +often longingly gazed, wishing that he could travel it. + +Now his wish was realized. High up between heaven and earth he seemed to +be flying, and could not believe that he was not in a dream. + +The coachman was revolving in his own mind the question of the boy's +belongings. + +"Just tell me, now, you little travelling bundle, where your +father lives." + +He asked this after having cracked his whip many times in succession as +loud as he could. + +"He is dead." + +"Oh, dear! Well, where is your mother, then?" + +"She is dead, too." + +"Well, there is always a grandfather and a grandmother, or something. +Where are yours?" + +"All dead." + +"At any rate, everybody has some brothers or sisters; where are yours, I +should like to know?" + +"All are dead," was the sorrowfully repeated answer. + +When the driver had convinced himself that they were all gone, he ceased +his questions about the relatives, and began in another direction with, +"What was your father's name?" + +"Henrico Trevillo of Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda." + +At last the driver thought he had got at the root of the matter, and +said to himself this boy had strayed away, or been carried away, from +his home down below there, and it is a good thing for him to get carried +back where he belongs; and he thought no more about the affair. + +Presently they passed the first very steep bit of the hill, and came to +an even stretch of ground, and the driver said, "Now, musician, let us +have a jolly song to cheer the way." + +Full of satisfaction, and much elated at his high position on his throne +under the blue heaven, the boy took his instrument and began to sing in +his strong, clear tones,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down." + +Now it happened that there were three students seated up on the top of +the post-wagon: they were off on a vacation trip, and very merry. + +So when Rico carolled forth Stineli's song in his gayest manner, they +all burst out laughing and shouted, "Stop, singer, stop, and begin over +again; we want to sing with you." + +Rico obeyed, and the jolly students joined in with all their might,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,"-- + +and laughed so extravagantly all the time that they drowned the sound of +Rico's fiddle completely. And then one of them would take up the words +and sing alone,-- + + "And if they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +And then the others joined in, and sang as loudly as possible,-- + +"And the lambkins, and the lambkins." + +And so they went on for a long time. If Rico paused a little, they +shouted, "Go on, fiddler; don't stop yet," and threw little pieces of +money to him over and over again, until he had quite a heap in his cap. + +Within the coach the passengers opened the windows, and stuck their +heads out to listen to the merry singing. + +Rico started off afresh, and the students also. They divided the song +into solos and chorus; and the solo sang very solemnly,-- + +"And one lake, like another, From water is made." + +And then again,-- + + "And because they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +And the chorus took it up with,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins." + +Then they laughed so that they were almost dead, and were forced to be +still for very fatigue and want of breath. + +Presently the driver stopped, for it was time for the horses to rest, +and also dinner-time. While the good man helped Rico down, he held the +little fellow's cap firmly for him, for it had a lot of money in it, and +the boy was busy enough with holding his fiddle carefully. + +The coachman was perfectly delighted when he saw the money, and +said, as he gave Rico the cap, "That is first rate; now you can have +a good dinner." + +The students leaped down one after the other, and crowded around the +fiddler to have a look at him, for they could not see him very well on +the top of the coach; and when they discovered what a tiny manikin he +was, they began to make merry again. Judging from his voice, they had +expected to see a large, strong musician; and the sight of this child +seemed to make the fun twice as funny. + +They took the little fellow up between them, and carried him with +singing and laughter into the inn. There they seated him at the table +between two gentlemen, and said that he was their guest; and they all +helped him one after the other, and put huge pieces upon his plate, for +no one would be outdone by the others in serving him; and the boy had +certainly never eaten such a dinner in all his life as he ate that day. + +"Tell us where you learned your beautiful song?" asked one of three. + +"Stineli made it up," replied Rico, very seriously. + +The students looked at each other at these words, and burst out again +with laughter. + +"So Stineli made it up, did she? Then we must drink her health over it." + +Rico had to join in drinking the toast, and was nothing loath to drink +to Stineli's health. + +But now the time for resting and eating was over; and while they were +all taking their places to go on their journey, a stout man came towards +Rico,--a man who had such a big stick in his hand, that it looked as if +he had torn up a young tree for his walking-stick. He was dressed in a +thick, golden-brown stuff from head to foot. + +"Come here, little one," he said to Rico. "How nicely you did sing! I +heard you here, inside the coach; and my business is also with sheep, +for, you know, I am a sheep-dealer; and I want to give you something, +because you can sing about them so prettily." + +With these words he put a big piece of silver in Rico's hand, for the +cap had been emptied by this time, and the contents transferred to the +boy's pocket. + +After this the man got into the coach, and the driver lifted Rico up to +his high seat as if the boy had been a mere feather, and off they went. + +As soon as the speed of the start had a little abated, the students +called for more music, and Rico played every thing that he could +remember ever having heard his father play; and at the end he played,-- + + "I sing to thee with heart and voice." + +But this tune must have put the students to sleep, for every thing +became quite still; and at last the riddle was silent. The evening +breeze stirred gently, and the stars climbed silently up into the sky +one after the other, until they were shining brightly in every +direction. + +Rico looked about, and thought of Stineli, of the grandmother, of what +they were now doing; and it occurred to him that this was the very time +at which the prayer-bell usually rang, and when they were saying "Our +Father." He did the same, to be with them in that, at least: folded his +hands, and said his prayer piously under the brilliant heavens. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IT STILL GOES ON. + + +At last Rico also fell asleep. He only awoke when the driver took hold +of him to lift him down. All the passengers descended; and the three +students came to the lad, shook him kindly by the hand, and wished a +happy journey. One of them called out, "Greet Stineli very kindly for +us." Then they disappeared up one of the streets, and Rico could hear +them as they sang merrily,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins," + +Rico now stood alone in the darkness. He had not the slightest idea +where he was, nor of what he ought to do next. He presently +remembered that he had not even thanked the kind coachman who had +allowed him to come all this way on the coach, and he felt that he +must do that at once. + +The coachman and his horses were both invisible, and nothing but +darkness was about the boy. At last he espied a lantern hanging up +somewhere in the distance, and went towards the light. It was hanging on +the stable-door, and the horses were just then brought in. Near the door +stood the man with the thick stick. He seemed to be waiting for the +driver; so Rico took his stand near by, and waited too. + +Probably the sheep-dealer did not recognize the little fiddler in the +darkness; but suddenly he exclaimed, quite surprised, "What! is that +you, little one? Where are you going to pass the night?" + +"I do not know where," replied the boy. + +"Well, I never heard of such a thing; at eleven o'clock at night, and a +little scrap of a boy like you in a strange place"-- + +The sheep-dealer seemed to speak in a great hurry, for he could scarcely +breathe in his excitement; neither did he finish his sentence, for the +driver entered the stable at that moment, and Rico went up to him at +once, saying, "I want to thank you for bringing me along with you." + +"You have come just in the nick of time. I had almost forgotten you +while I was looking after my horses, and I wanted to hand you over to an +acquaintance. I was thinking of asking you, good friend," he continued, +turning towards the dealer, "if you would not take this little chap +along with you, as you are going to Bergamo. He wants to go somewhere on +the Lake of Garda. He is one of those who belong here or there. You +understand, don't you?" + +The sheep-dealer thought of the stories he had heard of lost or stolen +children. He looked with pity at Rico, standing in the dim light of the +lantern, and said, "He does look as if he were not in exactly the +clothes that belong to him. He would become a richer dress, I am sure. I +will take him with me." + +When he had talked over the sheep-trade a little with the coachman they +parted, and the dealer made a sign to Rico that he should follow him. + +After a short walk, the man entered an inn, where he seated himself in a +corner of the eating-room with the boy beside him. + +"Now let us look at your possessions," he said to Rico, "so that we can +see what they will allow you to have. Where are you going on the lake?" + +"To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda." + +This was Rico's never-failing answer. He drew out his money from his +pocket,--a nice little pile of small coins it was, and the big silver +bit on the top of all. + +"Have you only that one bit of silver?" asked the dealer. + +"Yes; only that one. You gave me that," replied the boy. + +It pleased the man to think that he was the only one who had given +silver; and he was also pleased that the lad was aware of the fact. He +felt as if he wanted to give him something more. Just at this moment his +supper was placed before him, and the kindly man nodded to his little +companion, saying, "I will pay for this, and for your night's lodging +also; so you need not touch your little fortune until to-morrow." + +Rico was so tired out with all the fiddling and singing, and the long +journey, that he could scarcely eat; and as soon as he reached the big +bedroom where he was to pass the night with his protector, he was asleep +the moment he had put his head on the pillow. + +Early the following morning, Rico was awakened from a sound sleep by a +powerful grasp. He sprang quickly out of bed. His companion stood ready +dressed for the journey, with his big stick in his hand. + +It was not long, however, before Rico was also ready, with his fiddle +tucked under his arm. They went into the dining-room, and the dealer +called for coffee at once. He recommended the lad to make a good meal +then; for they had a long journey before them, he said, and one that +created an appetite. + +When they had breakfasted to their satisfaction, they sallied forth; +and, after a little, came round a sharp corner; and how Rico did open +his big eyes! for there, before him, lay a great shining lake; and much +excited, he shouted out, "Now we are on the Lake of Garda!" + +"Not for a long time yet, my boy. This is the Lake of Como." + +They went on board a boat, and sailed for several hours after this; and +Rico looked about him,--at the sun-bathed shores, and then at the blue +waters; and he felt at home at last. + +Presently he took his piece of silver from his pocket, and put it down +on the table before the dealer. + +"What does this mean? Have you too much money by you?" asked the man, +who was looking on in surprise, his arms supported on his big stick. + +"I must pay to-day," said Rico. "You said so yesterday." + +"You are very attentive to what is said to you. That is a very good +thing; but that is not the way to do, to put your money down on a table +like that. Give it to me." + +He took it, and went over to pay for their passage; but when he drew out +his heavy leathern purse, full of silver pieces,--for he was doing a +large business in selling sheep,--he could not find the heart to take +the poor lad's solitary bit of silver; and he brought it back again with +the ticket, saying, "There, you can find better use for your money +to-morrow. Now you are with me, but who knows how it will be after this? +When you are alone down there, and I am not with you any more, shall you +be able to find the house where you are going?" + +"No; I do not know any thing about the house," replied Rico. + +The man was secretly much surprised, and the lad's story seemed very +mysterious to him. He did not let this appear, however, and asked no +further questions. He said to himself that he should not probably find +out any thing more at present, but would ask the coachman about it the +next time they met. He probably knew the truth, even better than the +child himself did. He felt very sorry for the little fellow, who would +soon be deprived of his protection too. + +When the boat stopped, the man took Rico's hand in his, saying, "Now I +shall not lose you, and you can keep up with me better, for we must +hurry along; they won't wait for us." + +It was as much as the little fellow could do to keep up with his friend. +He did not turn to look to the right hand nor the left, but presently +stopped before some strange-looking wagons on wheels. They mounted the +step, Rico behind his companion; and the former entered a railroad +carriage for the first time. + +They flew along for several hours, until at last the dealer stood up, +and said, "Now I must go. We are in Bergamo, and you are to stay here +quietly; for I have arranged it all for you. You have only to get out +when you get there." + +"Then shall I be at Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda?" asked Rice. + +His companion replied in the affirmative. At last Rico understood--what +he had not clearly seen before--how much kindness the dealer had shown +to him, and the boy felt very sorry that they must part. + +After this Rico sat alone in his corner, and had plenty of time for +day-dreaming; for nobody troubled him in any way, although the train had +stopped at several stations since his companion left him. + +At last the conductor came in, took Rico by the arm, and led him quickly +to the door, and lifted him down the steps; then, pointing towards the +heights in the distance, he said briefly, "Peschiera;" and in a +twinkling he was back again in the carriage, and disappeared in the +train as it steamed off. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE. + + +Rico went forward a little way from the building at which the train had +stopped, and looked about. This white house, the barren square in front +of it, the straight road in the distance, were all new and strange to +his eyes. He had not seen any of them before; and he said to himself, "I +have not come to the right place after all." He went sadly down the road +between the trees, however, until presently the road made a turn, and +the boy stood as if transfixed, and believed himself dreaming, for +before him lay the lake, heavenly blue in the brilliant sunlight, with +its warm, still shores; and yonder were the mountains, and the sunny bay +was there, where the friendly houses sparkled in the distance. + +Now he knew where he was. He had seen all this before, he had stood in +this very place, he knew the trees perfectly well; but where was the +cottage? It must have stood there, close to where he now was, but it was +not visible. + +The old road was there below. Oh! he knew that well; and there, there +were the great shining red flowers with such green leaves. A little +stone bridge ought to be there, somewhere over the outlet of the lake: +he had often passed over that little bridge, but could not see it where +he stood, however. + +Rico started off, as if driven by the longing that now took possession +of him. Down the road he ran; and over there,--yes, that was the little +stone bridge. Every thing came back to him: there he had crossed, and +somebody held him by the hand,--his mother. Suddenly his mother's face +came before his eyes quite distinctly; he had never seen it so clearly +before. He remembered how she had stood there and looked at him with +loving eyes. It all came back to his mind with a rush. + +He threw himself down on the ground by the bridge, and cried and sobbed +aloud, "O mother! where are you, mother? Where is my home, mother?" + +He lay there for a long, long time, and cried until his great sorrow +was somewhat stilled. He thought his heart must burst, and as if all +the grief that had been hitherto pent up within his bosom must now find +an outlet. + +When at last he raised himself from the ground, the sun had already +declined in the heavens, and the golden twilight lay over the lake. The +mountains were turning purple, and a sunny mist lay all over the shores. +This was the way his lake had always looked to Rico in his dreams, only +the reality was even more lovely than he had remembered it. + +And his great wish rose again in his mind as he sat there, "Oh, if I +could show this to Stineli!" + +At last the sun sunk below the horizon, and the light slowly died out. +Rico arose, and passed along the road towards the red flowers. A narrow +lane branched off from the main road at this place. There they stood, +one bush after another: it looked like a great garden. There was, truly, +only an open fence about the whole; and within the flowers, the trees, +and the grape-vines were all growing together. + +At the farther end stood a pretty house with wide open doors; and in the +garden a lad was moving about cutting big bunches of golden grapes now +from this vine, now from that, all the while whistling merrily. + +Rico gazed at the flowers, and thought, "If Stineli could only see +them!" He stood for a long time thoughtfully by the fence. Presently the +lad espied him, and called out, "Come in, fiddler; and play a pretty +song, if you know one." + +The lad spoke in Italian, and it produced a strange sensation in Rico's +mind: he understood what he heard, but he never could have said it +himself. He entered the garden, and the lad began to try to talk with +him; but when he found that Rico could not reply, he pointed towards the +open door, giving Rico to understand that he was to go there to play. + +When Rico approached the door, he found that it opened directly into a +bedroom. A little bed stood within, near which was seated a woman who +was knitting with red yarn. Rico placed himself before the threshold, +and began to play and sing his song,-- + +"Little lambkins, come down." + +When he had finished, the pale face of a little boy was suddenly raised +from the pillows of the bed; and Rico heard the words,-- + +"Play again." + +Rico played another tune. + +"Play again" was repeated. This went on for five or six times, until +Rico had exhausted his stock of songs and tunes; and he put his fiddle +under his arm, and was moving away, when the little boy began to call +out piteously,-- + +"Oh, do stay! Do play again! Play something else!" Then the woman stood +up, and came towards Rico. + +She placed something in his hand, and at first he did not understand +what she wanted; but presently he remembered what Stineli had said, that +if he went to a door, and played on his fiddle, the people would give +him something. The woman asked him kindly where he came from, and where +he was going to; but he could not answer her. She then asked if he were +with his parents? He shook his head. If he were alone? He nodded assent. +Where he was going so late in the evening? Rico shook his head, to +denote uncertainty. A great pity took possession of the woman for the +little stranger; and she called to the boy who worked in the garden, and +bade him conduct the fiddler to the inn of the "Golden Sun." Perhaps the +landlord would understand his language, for he had been away in foreign +parts for a long time. She bade the gardener to say to the landlord that +she wished him to let the lad stay there over night, that she would pay +for it; and, in the morning, set the little fellow off in the right +direction towards his destination. He was so young,--"only a little +older than my boy," she added, compassionately; and also would the +landlord give the boy something to eat. + +Again the child on the bed called out, "He must play again;" and would +not stop until his mother said, "He will come again. Now he must sleep, +and you too." + +The gardener walked on in advance of Rico, who knew, however, what was +to be done; for he had understood what the woman said perfectly. + +In about ten minutes they had reached the town. In one of the little +streets the gardener entered a house, and proceeded at once to the +dining-room, which was filled with tobacco-smoke, and with men seated at +little tables all about. + +Then the gardener gave his message, to which the landlord replied, "It +is all right." The landlady came too, and both looked Rico over from +head to foot. When the guests at the neighboring tables espied the +fiddle under Rico's arm, several of them called out together, "There is +music!" And another one shouted, "Play something, boy, quickly; +something gay!" And they all began to shout for music so noisily that +the landlord could hardly make Rico hear him when he asked what language +he spoke, and whence he came. Rico replied in his own language that he +came down over the Maloja, that he could understand every thing that was +said to him, but could not reply in the same language. The landlord +understood him, and said that he had been up there in the mountains, and +they would have a little conversation later; but now the boy must really +play something, for the guests called for music incessantly. + +Rico, obedient as ever, began to play, and also to sing his own song as +usual. But the company did not understand the words, and the tune seemed +very dull to them also. Some began to make jokes and noises, while +others called for something different,--a dance, or a pretty tune. + +Rico sang every verse of his song to the very end; for when he had once +begun it, he would not stop until it was finished properly. When he had +finished, he bethought himself. He knew no dance music, so that was out +of the question. The hymn he had learned from the grandmother was very +slow, and they would not understand that either. Then he remembered, and +began the air,-- + + "Una Sera + In Peschiera." + +Scarcely had he brought forth the first notes of this tune, when every +thing became still; and in a moment or two voices broke forth from the +different tables round about the room, and they sang in chorus as the +boy had never yet heard any one sing. He became excited presently, and +played with great feeling, while the men sang enthusiastically; and as +soon as one verse was ended, Rico began the music for the next without +hesitating, for he had learned, from hearing his father play it, exactly +how the accompaniment should be, and when to stop. When he had reached +the finale, such a storm of applause broke forth that the boy was quite +overwhelmed. All the men called out and shouted, striking their fists +upon the tables for pleasure; and then they all came about little Rico +with their glasses, and they all wanted to drink with him. Some took him +by the shoulders, and all shouted at him, and made such a racket with +their surprise and pleasure, that Rico became very much frightened, and +turned paler and paler every moment. + +What had he done, however, but play their own Peschiera song, that +belonged to them alone, and which no stranger could ever learn; and this +child had played it as firmly and correctly as if he had been a +Peschierana. Such a wonderful event was enough to arouse these lively +fellows to the utmost; and they could not cease talking about it, and +wondering about this strange little fiddler, and drinking with him, to +express their friendliness. + +At last the landlady interposed. She brought a plate full of rice, and a +big piece of chicken. She beckoned Rico aside, saying to the men they +must let him have a little quiet now; he needed food; he was as pale as +chalk from excitement. She placed the dish upon a little table in one +corner, and encouraged him to eat heartily: she was sure he needed it, +he was such a little scrap. To tell the truth, Rico did enjoy his supper +wonderfully well. Since the coffee in the morning, not a mouthful had +passed his lips; and so much had happened to excite him too. + +As soon as he had eaten all that there was upon his plate, his poor +little eyes closed from fatigue, and he had the greatest difficulty +in keeping them open long enough to answer the landlord's questions +of where he belonged, and where he was going, while he also praised +the child's music. Rico answered that he belonged to nobody, and was +going nowhere. + +The landlord spoke kindly and encouragingly to the boy, telling him that +he should be cared for that night, and in the morning he could go to see +Mrs. Menotti, who had sent him there. She was a good, kind woman, said +the landlord, who could perhaps employ him in her household, if he had +no place to go to where he belonged. + +His wife, who stood by, plucked him constantly by the sleeve, trying to +stop him from talking; but he finished what he had to say, nevertheless, +for he had no idea what she meant by it all. + +Pretty soon the men at the tables began to clamor again: they were +calling for their song. + +The landlady, however, asserted herself. "No, no! on Sunday you shall +have it again; the child is tired to death." So saying, she took Rico by +the hand, and led him up into a big room where the harnesses hung. A big +heap of corn lay in one corner, and a bed stood in the other. In a very +few moments the boy was fast asleep. + +Later, when every thing had become quite silent in the house, the +landlord sat at the little table where Rico had eaten his supper, and +before him stood his wife, for she was still busy in clearing away the +tables; and she said with great earnestness, "You must not send him back +again to Mrs. Menotti. Such a boy as that will be most useful to me in +every possible way; and did not you notice how beautifully he fiddled? +They were all crazy about it. Look out! he is a far better player than +any of our three; and he will learn to play for dancing in no time; and +you will have a musician to whom you need pay nothing, and who will play +every evening when they dance; and you can let him out also to go to the +other places. Don't you let him slip through your fingers. He is a +pretty little fellow, and I like him. We must keep him ourselves." + +"Well, I am satisfied," said the landlord, and understood that his wife +had made a hit this time that was sure to turn out well. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. + + +The next morning, the landlady of the "Golden Sun" stood on the doorstep +of her inn, and looked at the heavens to read the signs of the probable +weather, and to think over the experiences of the night before. +Presently the gardener's boy from Mrs. Menotti's came along. He was both +master and servant over the lovely, fruitful property of Mrs. Menotti; +for he understood both the care of the garden and the cultivation of the +farm, and he looked after and directed all the work himself, and had an +easy and good place with her. He was contented, and whistled +incessantly. + +However, while he stood before the landlady, he stopped for a little, +and said, if the little musician of the evening before had not gone +away, he was to go over to Mrs. Menotti again, because her little boy +wanted to hear him fiddle some more. + +"Yes, yes; if Mrs. Menotti is not in a great hurry,"--while she put her +arms on her hips, to show that she, at any rate, was not pressed for +time. "At the present moment the little musician is sleeping upstairs in +his good bed; and I, for one, do not wish to have him disturbed. You may +say to Mrs. Menotti that I will send him to her presently. He is not +going away. I have taken him under my charge for good and all; for he is +a deserted orphan, and does not know where to go; and now he will be +well cared for," added she, with emphasis. + +The gardener went off with this message. + +Rico was allowed to sleep as long as he wanted to; for the landlady was +a good-natured woman, though, to be sure, she thought first of her own +profit, and afterwards was willing to help others to theirs. When the +boy awoke, at last, from his long sleep, his fatigue had quite +disappeared; and he came running down the stairs as fresh as possible. +The landlady made a sign for him to come into the kitchen, and placed a +big bowl of coffee before him, with a nice yellow corn-cake, saying,-- + +"You can have this every morning, if you will, and something much better +at dinner and supper time; for then there is cooking for the guests, and +there is always something left over. You can do errands for me in return +for it; and you can make this your home, and have your bedroom to +yourself, and not be obliged to go wandering about in the world. Now it +lies with you to decide." + +To this Rico replied, simply,-- + +"Yes, I will;" for he could say that in the language in which the +landlady spoke. + +Now she conducted him through the whole house, through the +out-buildings, the stable, into the vegetable-garden and the hen-house; +and she explained the situation of all the places to him, and told him +where he must turn to go to the grocer and to the shoemaker, and to all +the important trades-people in fact. Rico listened attentively; and, to +test his understanding, the landlady sent him at once to three or four +places, to fetch a variety of things, such as oil, soap, thread, and a +boot that had been mended; for she noticed that the boy could say single +words perfectly well. + +All these errands were done to her perfect satisfaction; and at last she +said, "Now you may go over to Mrs. Menotti with your fiddle, and stay +there until the evening." + +Rico was delighted at this permission; for he would pass by the lake, +and see the beautiful flowers he loved so well. + +As soon as he reached the lake-side, over he ran to the little bridge, +and seated himself there to watch the beautiful water, and the +mountains bathed in golden mist; and he could scarcely tear himself +away from it all. + +But he did; for he realized now that he had duties toward the landlady, +and must obey her, because she gave him food and lodging. + +As he entered the garden, the little boy heard his footstep, for the +door was always open; and he called out,-- + +"Come here, and play some more." + +Mrs. Menotti came out, and gave her hand kindly to Rico, and drew him +into the room with her. It was a large room, and you could look through +the wide doorway out into the garden where the flowers were to be seen. +The little bed on which the sick child lay was directly opposite the +door; and there were only chests and tables and chairs in the room, but +no other beds. At night the child was carried into the neighboring room, +and his bed also, and was placed there beside his mother for the night; +and in the morning he was carried back again, bed and all. For in this +large room the sun shone brightly, making long shining stripes across +the floor that made a dancing pattern on the ground, and amused the +child amazingly. Near the bed stood two little crutches; and now and +then his mother lifted the little cripple from his bed, placed the +crutches under his arms, and led him about the room once or twice; for +he could not walk, nor even stand alone. His little legs were quite +paralyzed, and he had never been able to use them at all. + +When Rico entered the room, the child pulled himself into a sitting +position by means of a long rope that hung down over his bed from the +ceiling for that purpose; for he could not sit up without assistance. + +Rico went to the bedside, and looked at the child in silence. Such +little thin arms and small slender fingers, and such a pale little face, +Rico had never seen; and two big eyes looked forth from the face, and +gazed at Rico as if they would pierce him through and through; for the +child, who seldom saw any thing new, and longed for variety with all his +heart, examined every thing that came in his way very sharply. + +"What is your name?" asked the child. + +"Rico." + +"Mine is Silvio. How old are you?" + +"Almost eleven." + +"And so am I," said the child. + +"O Silvio! what are you saying?" said his mother at this. "You are not +quite four yet. Time does not go so fast as that." + +"Play something more." + +The mother seated herself by the bedside. Rico placed himself at a +little distance, and began to play on his fiddle. Silvio could not have +enough of it; and no sooner had Rico finished one piece than he shouted, +"Play another." Six times each, at the very least, had all the pieces +been repeated, when Mrs. Menotti went out, and returned with a plate +filled with yellow grapes, saying that Rico ought to rest, and sit down +by the bedside, and eat some grapes with Silvio. + +She went out into the garden herself while the children were eating, and +was glad to be able to do so, and to attend to various little matters of +her own; for it was seldom that she could leave the bedside of her +little cripple, for he would not let her leave him, and cried bitterly +for her to return; so it was a real blessing to her to be able to get +away for a few moments. + +The two boys soon came to a most excellent understanding of each other; +for Rico could reply very well to Silvio's questions, and managed to +make himself very well understood, even when he could not find exactly +the proper words, and it was very amusing to Silvio to talk with him. +His mother had plenty of time to look at all the flower-beds, and to +examine the fine fig-trees in the orchard, and to overlook every thing, +without being called for once by her little boy. + +When she returned to the house, however, and Rico arose to take his +departure, Silvio set up a great shout, and clung to Rico with both +hands, and would not let him go until he had promised to come back the +next day, and every day. But Mrs. Menotti was a cautious woman. She had +understood the message sent by the landlady as it was intended, and +quieted her son, promising him to go herself to the landlady to talk +with her; because Rico, she said, was not able to promise to do any +thing himself, but must obey the landlady in every thing. At last the +child released Rico, and gave him his hand; and the latter reluctantly +left the room. He would have vastly preferred to remain there where it +was quiet and neat, and where Silvio and his mother were so kind to him. + +Several days had slipped by, when, towards evening, Mrs. Menotti made +her appearance, dressed in her best attire, in the doorway of the +"Golden Sun;" and the landlady ran joyfully to meet her, and led her up +into the upper hall. When they were there, Mrs. Menotti asked very +politely if it would inconvenience the landlady very much to allow Rico +to come over to her two or three times in the week towards evening, he +was so amusing, and entertained her little sick son so well. She would +gladly recompense the landlady in any way she might think desirable. + +It flattered the landlady to have the handsomely dressed Mrs. Menotti +thus asking a favor of her; and it was quickly arranged that Rico should +go to Mrs. Menotti on every free evening that he had; and in return, +Mrs. Menotti promised to provide the orphan's clothing, which pleased +the landlady extremely; for now she had really nothing to pay out for +the little boy, and he brought her in a great deal of money. So it was +arranged to the entire satisfaction of the two women, and they took +leave of each other in very friendly terms. + +In this way passed many days. Rico could soon speak Italian as if he had +always spoken it. And, in truth, he had once spoken it as his native +language, so one thing after another came back to him; and as he had a +good ear, he soon spoke exactly like an Italian born, so that all who +knew him to be a stranger wondered at him. He was very useful to the +landlady,--more so even than she had expected would be the case,--for he +was so neat and orderly: quite as much so as she herself, if not more, +for she was not very patient over her work; and when preparations were +necessary for a _fete_ or for a wedding, Rico was called upon to do it, +for he had a great deal of taste, and knew how to carry it out in +decorations. If he had any errand to do abroad he was back again in an +incredibly short time, for he never stopped to chatter by the way. If +people questioned him, he always turned on his heel and left them. This +pleased the landlady mightily when she noticed it, and it created such a +feeling of respect for the lad in her mind, that she herself did not +question him; and so it came to pass that, indeed, nobody really knew +how he came to Peschiera. But a story was spread abroad, that everybody +believed, to the effect that he had been left an orphan without +protection in the mountains, and neglected and mishandled, so that at +last he ran away, suffering many things on the long journey until he +reached Peschiera, where the inhabitants were not rough as they are in +the mountains, and that he was glad to remain there with them. Whenever +the landlady told his story, she did not fail to add, "He deserves it, +too,--all the kindness that we show him, and his comfortable home under +our roof." + +Now the first "dance Sunday" of the season had come, and such an +enormous crowd of guests assembled in the "Golden Sun," that there +seemed a great doubt if they could all be accommodated there; but +everybody wished to see and to hear the little stranger who played so +wonderfully; and also they who had heard him on the evening of his +arrival were the very first to come, and were impatient for him to play +their song again. + +The landlady ran hither and thither in her excitement, and glowed and +glistened in her heat, as if she were herself the "Golden Sun;" and +when she met her husband, she always said triumphantly, "Did not I +tell you so?" + +Rico heard "dance music" for the first time played by the three +fiddlers who came to the inn; but he caught the melodies at once, and +had no trouble in playing them, and never forgot them, for they were so +often repeated during the long "dance evening," that they became very +familiar to him. + +After the dancing they wanted their Peschiera song, with Rico's +accompaniment; and even if there seemed to be a deal of noise all the +early part of the evening, now, in truth, it had really just begun; and +they became so excited that little quiet Rico was frightened, and +thought they would end by killing each other certainly. + +But it was all in friendly wise. He came in for his share, and was so +stormily applauded, and his musical performance was hailed with such +ear-splitting cries of approval, that his only thought at last was, "Oh, +when will this have an end!" for nothing was so very unpleasant to the +boy as boisterousness. + +In the evening the landlady said to her husband, "Did you notice Rico +could play all the pieces with the musicians? Next time we shall only +need two fiddlers." And the man replied, well pleased, "We must give +Rico something." + +Two days later there was a dance in Desenzano, and Rico was sent over +there with the fiddlers. Now he was let out for hire. The same noise +and merriment was repeated; and, although they did not call for the +Peschiera song in Desenzano, still there were plenty of other songs +just as noisy, and Rico thought only from beginning to end, "If it were +but over!" + +He brought a whole pocketful of money home with him, which he poured out +in a heap on the table without even counting it, for he thought it was +all the landlady's by right; and she praised him in return, and placed a +big piece of apple-pie before him for supper. On Sunday again there was +dancing in Riva; but this was a pleasure to Rico, for Riva was the spot +over across the lake which could be seen from Peschiera, looking like a +peaceful little bay, and where the pretty white houses looked so +friendly and attractive. + +The musicians were rowed all together across the lake in an open boat +under the clear heavens; and Rico thought, "Oh, if I could be rowed +across here, with Stineli by my side! How astonished she would be at the +lake, whose beauty she would not believe in." + +But once on the other shore, the noise began again, and the boy became +impatient to be off; for the view of Riva from across the lake, lying in +the lovely light of evening, was far more beautiful than being there in +the midst of the noise and tumult. + +However, when there were no dances at which he must play, the lad was +always allowed to go in the evening to little Silvio, and to remain as +long as he wished; for the landlady was anxious to show her willingness +to accommodate Mrs. Menotti. This was always a pleasure to Rico. +Whenever he passed along the lake-side, he went over to the little +stone bridge, and sat there for a while on the ground; for this was the +only place in the world where he had a home-like feeling, because what +he saw there he had seen before, and also here the vision of his mother +rose most clearly before his memory. + +There she had certainly stood by the water-side, and washed +something, while she would look around at him occasionally, and say a +few loving words; and he was always sitting, he remembered, in that +very place where he now sat. He was always most unwilling to leave +this spot, but the knowledge that Silvio was constantly listening for +him drove him onward. + +When he entered the garden, he had also a feeling of contentment; and +entered the neat, quiet house with pleasure. Mrs. Menotti had a more +truly friendly manner toward him than anybody else, and he was fully +sensible of her kindness. She felt the warmest pity for the lonely +orphan, as she called him; for she had also heard the story of his +escape as it was current in the neighborhood. She never asked him +questions concerning his life in the mountains, however; for she +thought it would arouse sad memories in his mind. She felt, also, that +Rico did not receive the care that a lad of his age and quiet +disposition really needed; but she was sensible that she could do +nothing in that direction, only to have him with her as often and as +long as possible. Often she would place her hand on his head, saying +sadly, "Poor little orphan!" + +To Silvio, Rico grew more and more necessary every day. Early in the +morning he began to fret for him; and when his pain came on he became +very restless, and could not be pacified until Rico came. For, since +Rico had mastered the language thoroughly, he had developed an +inexhaustible fund of stories that delighted the little invalid +beyond measure. + +Stineli was the theme on which Rico most often fell, and it made him so +happy even to talk about her, that he became animated and quite +transfigured in the recital. He knew hundreds of stories, such as when +Stineli caught little Sami by the leg, once on a time, just as he was +about to fall into the water-butt, and how she held him with all her +might, while they both screamed as loud as they could until their father +came slowly to their aid,--for he always moved slowly. He said that +children did nothing but scream: it was their nature, and did not mean +that they were in trouble. And he told Silvio how Stineli could cut out +figures from paper for Peterli, make all sorts of furniture and things +for the baby-house for Urschli from moss, and bits of wood, or any thing +that came to hand. + +And how they all called and clamored for their elder sister when they +were ill, because she told them such wonderful stories that they quite +forgot their pains while listening. Rico also told the story of his +beautiful walks with Stineli, and became so much excited in his talk +that Silvio caught the inspiration, and asked for more and more, calling +out, "Tell me about Stineli again!" as soon as Rico paused to take +breath. One evening the child broke out into the wildest excitement when +Rico took his leave, saying that he would not be able to come on the +following day nor on Sunday. Silvio shrieked for his mother as if the +house were burning, and he were in the midst of the flames; and as she +came hurrying to him from the garden, almost frightened to death at his +noise, he declared "Rico should _not_ go again back to the inn; but must +stay always, always with them. You must stay here, Rico. You must never, +never go away!" + +But Rico said, "I would stay most gladly; but I cannot." + +Mrs. Menotti was much perplexed. She knew very well how valuable Rico's +services were to the inn-keepers, and that she could never obtain him +under any consideration. She tried to silence her little son to the best +of her ability, while she drew Rico to her side, saying, as was her +wont, "Poor little orphan!" Whereupon Silvio called out angrily, "What +is an orphan? I want to be an orphan too." + +These words aroused his mother; and she cried out, in her turn, "Silvio, +you wicked child! Do you know that an orphan is a wretched child, who +has neither father nor mother, and no home on all the earth?" + +Rico's black eyes were fixed on Mrs. Menotti's face, and then seemed to +grow blacker and more black every minute; but she did not notice them. +She had ceased to think about the lad while she was giving this +explanation of an orphan to her son. The little fellow slipped quietly +and unperceived away. + +When Mrs. Menotti observed his absence, she thought he had stolen away +in order not to excite Silvio further by taking leave, and she was +pleased at his thoughtfulness. Seating herself by the bedside of her +child, she said, "I want to make you understand how it is, Silvio; and +then you will stop being so naughty, I hope. It is not possible to take +a child away from any one; and, even if I took Rico from the landlady, +she would have a right to come and take you away from me. Then you would +not be able to see the garden nor the flowers any more, and would have +to sleep quite alone in the room with the harnesses where Rico dislikes +so much to sleep. Don't you remember what he has told you about that? +What would you do then?" + +"Come right home again," said the child decidedly; but he was quite +still after that, and soon lay down and slept. + +Rico passed through the garden, along the street, and down to the lake. +There he sat down on his favorite spot, leaned his head upon his hands, +and said, in tones of utter despair, "Now I know the truth, mother. Now +I know that I have no home,--none in the whole world." + +And there he sat until late in the night, alone with his sad thoughts; +and would have rather remained there forever, but he was obliged to go +back into his uncomfortable bedroom at last. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS. + + +But the excitement had not subsided in Silvio's mind, by any means; and +now that he knew that two days must elapse before Rico could come again, +he began to cry early in the morning, "Rico won't come to-day! Rico +won't come to-day!" and scarcely ceased until the evening; and the +second day it was the same, but on the third,--he was tired out by that +time, and seemed like a little heap of straw, that the least spark could +have reduced to ashes. + +In the evening Rico made his appearance, quite worn out with the noise +and tumult of the dances for which he had been obliged to play. Since he +had fully realized that he had no home on the earth, the thought of +Stineli had become of more importance than ever, and he said to +himself,-- + +"There is only Stineli in the whole world to whom I belong, or who +troubles her head about me!" And he felt a terrible homesickness for +Stineli. He had scarcely reached the side of Silvio's bed when he said, +"Do you know, Silvio, with Stineli only can one feel perfectly well, and +nowhere else." These words were scarcely out of his mouth before the +little invalid hoisted himself up like a flash, calling out at the top +of his lungs, "Mother, I must have Stineli; Stineli must come; only with +Stineli can one feel perfectly well, and nowhere else." + +His mother came at his call; and as she had often listened to Rico's +stories about Stineli and her brothers and sisters with great interest, +she knew at once what they were talking about, and replied, "Yes, yes; +it would suit me very well. I could find great use for Stineli for you, +and for myself, if I only had her here." + +But such an indefinite way of talking did not suit Silvio in the least, +for he was interested, heart and soul, in the matter. + +"You can have her at once," he cried out. "Rico knows where she is: he +must go to fetch her. I want her every day, and always. To-morrow Rico +must go to get her: he knows where." + +Now that his mother saw that the little fellow had thought the whole +thing out, and was really in serious earnest about it, she tried to turn +his attention away, and to introduce other thoughts into his mind, for +she had often heard the story of the incredible adventures Rico passed +through on his journey over the mountains, and of the wonder of his +having survived and come down safely, and that the mountaineer were a +fearful and wild people. She was, therefore, fully persuaded that nobody +could bring a girl away, and certainly not a tender little lad like +Rico. He might meet a sad fate, and be lost altogether, if he attempted +any thing of the kind; and then she would be responsible for it all. She +would not run that risk,--she thought she had enough to bear already. + +So she placed all the impossibility of the affair before Silvio's eyes, +and told him of the terrible circumstances, and of the wicked men whom +Rico would have to encounter, and who might ruin him. But nothing had +the slightest effect. The little fellow had set his heart upon this +thing as he never had upon any thing before; and whatever his mother +brought forward, and no matter how anxiously she insisted, the moment +she ceased the child said, "Rico must go to fetch her: he knows where to +find her." + +Then his mother replied, "And even if he does know, do you mean to say +that he would run the risk and go into such dangerous places, when he +can live comfortably as he does here, and never have to do with any +wicked men again?" + +Then Silvio looked at Rico, and said, "Will you go to fetch Stineli, +Rico, or not?" + +"Yes; I will," said Rico firmly. + +"Oh, merciful heavens! now Rico is getting unmanageable too," cried the +mother, quite horrified. "And now I do not know what to do. Take your +fiddle, Rico, and play something, and sing; I must go into the garden." +And the good woman ran quickly forth into the garden under the +fig-trees, for she thought that her little son would forget the thing +more quickly if he had not a chance to talk to her about it. + +But the two good friends within neither played nor sang, but excited +each other almost to fever point with all kinds of representations of +how Stineli should be brought there, and of what would happen afterwards +when she had fairly arrived. Rico utterly forgot to take his leave, +although it was quite dark; and Mrs. Menotti purposely remained in the +garden, thinking that Silvio would soon fall asleep. At last, however, +she did come in, and Rico took his departure at once; but she had a bad +time of it with Silvio, after all. He positively would not close his +eyes until his mother promised that Rico should go to fetch Stineli; but +she could not make any such promise, and the little fellow did not cease +insisting until his mother said, "Be quiet, now; the night will set +every thing straight." For she thought in the night he will forget his +notion, as had often been the case, and he will have some other fancy. + +At last the child was quiet and slept; but his mother had miscalculated +the affair. Scarcely was it dawn when the little fellow called out from +his bed, "Is every thing set straight now, mother?" + +As it was impossible for her to reply in the affirmative to this +question, the storm broke out again, and a more violent one than she had +ever experienced before with her little boy, and lasted through the +whole day quite late into the evening; and on the following day the same +thing recommenced. + +Silvio had never been so persistent in any fancy before. When he +screamed and cried she was able to bear it; but when the hours of pain +and suffering came, and the child went on whining and complaining in the +most touching manner, saying, + +"One only feels perfectly well with Stineli, and nowhere else," that cut +his mother to the heart, and seemed like a reproach to her, as if she +would not do something that might make him well again; but how could she +possibly even think of it? + +She had heard herself Rico's answer to Silvio when he asked if he knew +how to go to Stineli. It was,-- + +"No, I do not know the way; but I can easily find one." + +She went on hoping day after day that Silvio would take up some new +whim, as had always before been the case: she had never found it +otherwise. If he had wished for something when he was well, he had +always given it up when his pain came on. But it was quite different +this time, and there really was a reason too. Rico's stories and remarks +about his friend Stineli had taken firm possession of the mind of the +over-sensitive child; and he believed that nothing would hurt him again, +if she were only by his side. So Silvio went on day after day in +increasing distress; and his mother did not know where to turn for +counsel and support. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY. + + +In all this trouble and uncertainty it was a real comfort to Mrs. +Menotti to see the long black coat of the kind-hearted old priest, +who had not been to visit her for a long time, coming through the +garden gate. + +She sprang up from her seat, crying out joyfully, "Look, Silvio; there +comes the dear, good priest!" and went towards him. But Silvio, in his +anger over every thing, said, as loud as he could, "I would rather it +were Stineli!" + +Then he crept quickly under the coverlet, so that the priest need not +know where the voice came from. His mother, however, was dreadfully +shocked, and begged the good man, who now entered the room, not to take +offence at this greeting, as it was not really so bad as it sounded. + +Silvio did not stir, but said softly, under the bed-cover,-- + +"I really mean just what I say." + +The father must have had a suspicion of where the voice came from. He +stepped at once to the bedside; and, though there was not a hair of +Silvio's head even to be seen, he said, "God bless you, my son! how are +you? How is your health nowadays? and why do you creep into this hidden +hole like a little badger? Come out, and explain it all to me. What do +you mean by Stineli?" + +Now Silvio crept forth, for he had the priest in great respect now that +he was so close to him. He stretched out his little thin hand in +greeting, and said, "Rico's Stineli, I mean." + +His mother now interposed with the explanation, for the father shook his +head very doubtfully as he seated himself by the bedside. The good woman +related the whole affair about Stineli, and told how her little boy had +got the idea firmly fixed in his noddle that he would never be well +again unless this Stineli could come to him; and how even Rico had +become unreasonable, and declared that he could go to fetch Stineli, +even though he did not know a single stock nor stone of the way; and it +was such a long journey up into the mountains, moreover, and it was +impossible to realize what horrible people they were who lived up there. +But it proved how very bad they must be when a tender little fellow like +Rico preferred to incur the great danger of the journey than to remain +among such rude folk. "If it were practicable," however, added Mrs. +Menotti, "no money would seem to me wasted that would procure me such a +girl to quiet Silvio's longing, and to have some one to help take care +of him;" for sometimes she had almost too much to endure, and felt as if +she must give up altogether. And Rico, who was usually very discreet in +his conversation, was of the opinion that nobody could help her so much +nor so well in every way as this same Stineli. He ought to know her very +well, too; and certainly, if she really corresponded to his description, +it would be a great escape for such a girl to get away from the +mountains; but she did not know of anybody who would do them such a +favor as to bring her. + +To all this discourse the kind priest lent an attentive ear in profound +silence, until Mrs. Menotti had quite finished. Indeed, he could not +have got a word in edgewise if he had been inclined; for the good woman +had not opened her heart for a long time, and it was so full that it +almost choked her when she gave her words full expression, and she quite +lost her breath. + +Now quiet reigned for a while, then the good man began very calmly to +smoke his second pipe; and presently he said, "H--m, h--m, Mrs. Menotti; +I rather think you have an impression of the mountaineers that is +decidedly exaggerated. There are good Christians there as elsewhere; and +now that there are so many ways of doing things discovered, it would be +also quite possible to get up there without danger. We must bethink +ourselves about that, and find out about it." + +After this opinion, the priest stopped to refresh himself a little from +his snuffbox; then he went on:-- + +"There are all sorts of trades-people who are always coming down to +Bergamo,--sheep and horse dealers: they know the road well enough, of +course. We can obtain information, and then bethink ourselves: we can +find a way sooner or later. It you are in earnest about it, Mrs. +Menotti, I will look about a little. I go every year once or twice to +Bergamo, and I will take the thing in hand for you." + +Mrs. Menotti was so filled with gratitude at this promise, that words +utterly failed her that were, in her opinion, adequate to express her +thanks. Suddenly all the heavy thoughts had vanished that had oppressed +her day and night for such a long time past, and in which she was +getting more and more involved the more she puzzled over them, so that +at the last she saw no hope of a decision. Now the Father took the +whole burden upon himself, and she could refer her troublesome little +Silvio to him. + +While this conference was taking place, the little invalid had almost +pierced the priest through with his great gray eyes, so great was his +interest in what they said. When the priest arose, and held his hand +towards the child to say good-by, the little thin fingers were pressed +into his big palm as if he were making a firm contract. + +The father gave his promise to bring tidings as soon as he had obtained +the necessary information; and then they could decide whether the thing +could be done, or whether Silvio must give up his wish altogether. + +Week after week slipped by, but Silvio did not waver. He had a firm +ground of hope now by which to hold; and, moreover, Rico had become so +lively and amusing, that he was hardly to be recognized. It acted upon +him like a spark that kindled a joyful bonfire when he learned the +priest's comforting words; and a new life was awakened in the lad. He +knew more stories to tell Silvio than ever before; and when he took his +fiddle in his hand, he produced such heart-stirring tones and tunes, +that Mrs. Menotti could not tear herself from the room where the boys +were, and was full of astonishment at Rico's store of music. + +It was only in this room at Mrs. Menotti's that Rico fully enjoyed his +instrument. It sounded so well in the large, lofty space, where it was +quiet and peaceful, without a taint of tobacco-smoke, or the clamor of +noisy men; and he was not confined to dance music, but at liberty to +play as his fancy directed. Every day he went with increasing pleasure +to Mrs. Menotti's, and often said to himself, as he entered, "This is +the way it must feel when one is entering his own home." + +But it was not his home: he only was permitted to go there for a little +while, and away again. + +There had come over Rico a very decided change within a short time; and +the landlady, who perceived it clearly, was greatly perplexed thereby. +When she placed a nasty broken pail of refuse before him, saying, +"There, Rico, carry this to the hens," he would step aside a little, put +his hands behind his back, to show that he did not mean to touch the +pail, and say quietly, "I prefer that some one else should do that;" and +when she brought out an old pair of shoes and handed them to him to +carry to the cobbler, he did the same, saying. "I prefer that you should +give them to another person to carry." + +Now the landlady was a clever woman, and knew how to put two and two +together; and it had not escaped her that Rico was quite another person +within a short time, and looked very differently too. Mrs. Menotti had +always dressed him very nicely since she had undertaken that office; but +when she observed how well his clothes became him, and what an air of +real gentility he had, she used finer materials than at first; and the +lad always took good care of his person and his dress, for he detested +uncleanliness and disorder, both on his own appearance and in his +surroundings. All of this was not unnoticed, nor did she ever forget +that even as Rico had poured out his pocketful of gold upon the table +before her after his first "dance evening," so had he continued to do +faithfully, and not so much as looked as if he would like to keep one +bit for himself. + +He brought more and more each time; for it was not only for his dance +music that he was called so often, but because of his songs, that were +very popular. + +And the landlady recognized that it was her best policy to treat him +always kindly and well; and she did not trouble him about the hens nor +the shoes, and required such little services from him no more. + +It was now three years since Rico made his first entry into Peschiera. +He was now a tall, fourteen-year old stripling, and whoever laid eyes +upon him found him pleasing to look upon. + +Once again the golden sun of autumn burnished the surface of the Lake of +Garda, and the heavens lay blue above the tranquil waves. In the garden +the great bunches of grapes hung gold against the trellises, and the red +flowers of the oleander glistened in the sunbeams. + +It was quiet in Silvio's room, for his mother was without in the garden +gathering grapes and figs for the evening. The invalid lay listening +for Rico's step, for this was the time of his usual visit. The wicket +opened: Silvio pulled himself up in his bed. A long black coat came +slowly toward the door,--it was the priest. Silvio did not think of +hiding himself this time. He stretched out his little arm as far as he +was able, to shake hands with the good man, before he had fairly +entered the room. + +This welcome pleased the priest, who walked at once into the room, and +to the child's bedside, even though he saw Mrs. Menotti's form behind +him in the garden. + +"This is right, my son," he said. "And how do you find yourself?" + +"All right," said Silvio quickly; and, looking eagerly at the good man, +he added softly, "When may Rico go?" + +Seating himself by the bedside, the good man said, a little pompously, +"To-morrow, at five o'clock, Rico will start, my son." + +Mrs. Menotti entered as he was speaking, and it was with some difficulty +that the priest could quiet her enough to get a chance to tell his story +in a consecutive way, and to make himself understood; and all the time +he was speaking, Silvio's eyes were fixed upon his face like a little +sparrow-hawk. + +He had come directly from Bergamo, where he had passed two days. He had +made all the necessary arrangements with a horse-trader,--a friend of +his who had been travelling, for thirty years or more, every autumn, and +knew the way over the mountains that Rico must take. He knew, also, how +the journey could be made without leaving the coach, or sleeping by the +way. He was going there himself, and would take Rico under his charge, +if the lad would go to Bergamo by the early train. The man knew all the +drivers and conductors, also; and would arrange for his and his +companion's return, and recommend them so well that there would be no +trouble or danger. + +The Father was convinced that there was no hindrance to Rico's going in +perfect safety, and gave his blessing to the undertaking. + +As he stood by the garden-hedge, after saying good-by to Silvio, Mrs. +Menotti, who had accompanied him thus far, detained him for a moment, to +ask again, full of sudden anxiety, "Oh, there will not be any danger to +his life, I hope? Nor that he may lose his way, and go wandering about +in the mountains? You do not think that possible, do you, Father?" But +the good man quieted her fears; and she returned to the house, thinking +of what there remained to do for Rico, who entered the garden at this +moment, and was greeted by such a startling cry of joy from Silvio, that +he reached the bedside in three leaps to find out what it all meant. + +"What is the matter? What ails you?" Rico kept asking; and Silvio +repeated, "I will tell you, I will tell you!" until, in real anxiety, +his mother came to his aid. Soon, however, she left the boys to enjoy +their happiness together; and went about her business, which she thought +very important. She fetched a portmanteau, and placed a huge piece of +smoked meat first of all at the bottom, then a half loaf of bread, a big +parcel of preserved plums and figs, and a bottle of wine, carefully +wrapped in a cloth. Then came the clothes,--two shirts and a pair of +shoes, two pair of stockings, and pocket-handkerchiefs; for it seemed +always to Mrs. Menotti as if Rico were going to the farthermost part of +the world; and she only now fully realized how dearly she loved the lad, +for she felt that she could not get on without him. + +All the while, as she was packing, she would pause, sit down, and say to +herself, anxiously, "Oh, I do hope there will not be an accident!" + +Presently she brought the portmanteau down-stairs, and counselled Rico +to go at once and explain to the landlady how every thing had happened; +and to ask if she would allow him to go, and not oppose it; and +afterwards Rico was to carry the portmanteau to the station. + +The boy was in the greatest surprise over his portmanteau. He obeyed in +silence, as usual, however, and went to the landlady. He explained to +her that he was going back to the mountains to bring Stineli back with +him, and that the priest had arranged it so that he was to start on the +following morning at five o'clock. + +It produced a feeling of respect at once in the mind of the landlady +when she found that the priest was at the head of the business. But she +naturally wished to know who this Stineli might be, and what the idea +was in fetching her; for she hoped it might be on her account. + +She only found out that Stineli was a girl whose name was Stineli, and +that she was coming to Mrs. Menotti. So she let the thing go; for she +would not interfere, for the world, with that lady's wishes. She was +only too glad that Rico had been left to her for so long. She took it +for granted that Stineli was Rico's sister, only that he had not said +so, because he never did say any thing about his family. + +So she told all the guests in the inn that evening that Rico was going +to bring his sister down to Peschiera, because he had found out how well +they all lived there. + +In order to show how highly she held the lad in respect, she had a big +basket brought down from the attic, and filled it with sausages and +cheese, and slices of bread, and eggs, saying,-- + +"You must not get hungry on the way; and what is left over, you can eat +while you are there. It will not be too much; and coming back, you will +need something too. You are certainly coming back, Rico, are you not?" + +"Certainly," replied the lad. "In eight days I shall be back again." + +In Mrs. Menotti's hands he placed his beloved fiddle, for he would not +have trusted it to any one else; and then he took his leave for eight +days, for he could easily be back again in that time, if every thing +went well. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS. + + +Full of impatience, Rico stood at the station long before the appointed +time, and could scarcely be quiet while waiting for the train. Again he +took his seat in the carriage, as he had done three years before, but +not now crouched timidly in a corner with his violin in his hand. He +took a whole seat for himself this time; for he placed his portmanteau +and his basket next him, and they took up a deal of room. He met the +horse-dealer in Bergamo without difficulty, and they travelled along in +the same carriage together, and then across the lake. When they left the +boat they went towards the inn, where the big post-wagon stood with the +horses already harnessed. It all came back to Rico's memory with great +distinctness,--how he had stood there in the night, quite alone, after +the students had all gone their ways; and opposite he espied the +stable-door where he had seen the lantern hanging, and had found the +friendly sheep-dealer again. It was evening now; and they took their +places at once in the coach, and went towards the mountain. Rico sat +within, this time, with his companion, and had scarcely settled himself +comfortably in his corner when his eyes closed and he slept; for he had +not slept an hour on the preceding night, so great had been his +excitement. Now he made it up, without once awakening, until the sun +stood high in the heavens, and the coach moved very slowly; and when he +stuck his head out of the window, he saw, to his utter astonishment, +that they were ascending the zigzag road up the Maloja, that was so +familiar to him from his childhood. + +He could not see much from the window,--only a turning in the road now +and then; but now he did want to see everything that lay about them. At +last the coach stopped: they had reached the summit. There was the inn, +there the spot where he had sat and talked with the driver. All the +passengers got out for a moment, and the horses were fed. Rico also +descended, and asked very humbly of the driver if he might be allowed to +take a seat on the box with him. + +"Will you let me climb up there, and ride as far as Sils?" he asked. + +"Up with you!" said the coachman. They all took their places, and +merrily rolled the coach down the smooth road and along the level way. +Now they reached the lake. Yonder lay the wooded peninsula, and there +the white houses of Sils, and beyond was Sils Maria. The little church +shone in the morning sunshine, and over towards the mountain were two +cottages. Rico's heart began to beat wildly. Where was Stineli? A few +steps farther, and the coach stood still in Sils. + +Stineli had suffered a great deal since her friend's disappearance. The +children were larger, and the work ever increasing; and the greater part +fell to her share, for she was the eldest of the children, and the +youngest of the rest of the family; so the cry was always, "Stineli can +do this: she is old enough now;" and presently, "Stineli must look after +that, she is so young." She had no one with whom to share her pleasures +since Rico's departure, even if she had a moment to herself. + +Her good grandmother had died the year before, and from that time +forward the girl had no relaxation whatever; but from morning to evening +there was nothing but incessant toil. + +She never lost heart, however, although she had wept bitterly over the +loss of her grandmother; and every day the thought arose several times +in her mind, without her good grandmother and Rico the world was no +longer as beautiful as formerly. + +On a sunny Saturday morning she came out of the stable with a big +bundle of straw poised on her head. She meant to weave some nice +brushes, for the evening sweeping. The sun was shining all down the +pathway towards Sils, and she stood gazing in that direction. An +unknown lad came along the road,--certainly no Silser, she thought; and +yet as he drew near he stood still and looked at her, and she returned +his gaze, and was much perplexed. In an instant, however, away went her +bundle of straw, and she rushed forward towards the motionless figure +before her, crying out,-- + +"O Rico! are you still alive? Have you come back again? But how big you +are, Rico! I did not know you, at first; but as soon as I saw your face, +then I was sure,--nobody has a face like yours." + +So Stineli stood with glowing cheeks before the lad; and he grew as +white as chalk from excitement, and could not find words to speak his +joy, but looked and looked at the girl. Presently he said,-- + +"You have grown, too, Stineli, but are not otherwise changed. The nearer +I came to the house, the more anxious I got lest you might be altered." + +"Oh, to think that you are really here, Rico!" cried Stineli, joyfully. +"Oh, if the grandmother only knew! But come in, Rico; they will all be +surprised." She ran on before to open the door, and Rico followed. + +The children hid themselves one behind the other; and their mother rose +and greeted the lad as if he were a stranger, and asked what his wishes +were. Neither she nor the children had an idea who he was. Now Trudi +and Sami came into the room, and bowed to him as they passed through. +"Does not one of you know him?" said Stineli, at last. "Don't you see +it is Rico?" + +They were astonished and full of their surprise when their father came +to his dinner. Rico advanced towards him, offering his hand, which the +man took, but looked steadily at the strange lad. + +"Is it some kind of a relation?" he asked; for he was never very sure +about the members of the family who sometimes visited them. + +"Even the father does not know him," said Stineli, rather vexed. + +"Why, it is Rico, father!" + +"Well, well: that is good," remarked he; and looked the lad well over +from head to foot this time, adding,-- + +"You need not be ashamed to show yourself. Have you learned some sort of +a trade? Let us all be seated, and then you can tell us what has +happened to you." + +But Rico did not sit down at once: he kept looking towards the doorway. +At last he asked, hesitatingly,-- + +"Where is the grandmother?" + +"She lies over there in Sils, not far from the old schoolmaster," was +the reply. Rico had hesitated with his question, for he feared this +would be the answer; he had noticed the grandmother's absence at once. +He took his seat with the others at the table, but was silent for a +while, and could not eat a morsel: he had loved the grandmother dearly. +However, the father wanted to hear his story, and to know what had +become of him on the day they all searched for him in the ravines, and +what he had seen and done in the world. So the boy told all his story, +and about Mrs. Menotti and Silvio; and explained distinctly that he +wished to take Stineli back with him to Peschiera, if her parents would +consent. Stineli made very big eyes while her friend was talking: she +had not lost one word of his history. Her heart was as if on fire with +joy. To go to Rico's beautiful lake with him, to live with Mrs. Menotti +and her sick son, who was so anxious for her to come,--that would be +happiness indeed! + +There was a long silence after this. Stineli's father never decided +hastily. At last he said, "It is true that when one goes among strangers +there is much to be learned; but I cannot let Stineli go,--there can be +no question of that. She is needed here at home; but one of the others +may go,--Trudi, perhaps." + +"Yes, yes: that will do," said the mother. "I cannot get along +without Stineli." + +Then Trudi raised her head from her plate, and said, "That suits me very +well. There is nothing but children's racket here at home." + +Stineli did not speak. She only looked anxiously towards Rico, wondering +if he would not say any thing more since her father seemed so decided, +and whether he would take Trudi with him as proposed. The lad, however, +looked calmly at her father, saying, "No: that won't do at all. It is +precisely Stineli whom the sick boy Silvio wishes, and nobody else; and +he knows very well what he wants. He would only send Trudi home again, +and she would have taken the journey for nothing. Mrs. Menotti told me +to say, that if Stineli got on well with her son, she would give her +every month five gulden to send home to her family, if they cared for +it; and I am sure that Stineli and Silvio will agree famously,--just as +sure as if I saw it with my own eyes now," added the lad. + +Pushing his plate to one side, Stineli's father put his cap on his head. +He had finished his dinner; and when he had some very severe thinking to +do, he was always more comfortable with his cap on. It seemed to help +him to collect his thoughts. + +He thought, always in silence, how much labor he would have to perform +before he could earn even one good gulden; and he said to himself, "Five +gulden every month without lifting a finger." + +So he shoved his cap first on one side and then on the other; and said, +at last, "She may go. One of the others can do the work in the house." + +Stineli's eyes sparkled, but the mother looked sadly at all the little +heads and plates. Who would keep them all nice and in order? + +But the father's cap got another shove. Something else had +occurred to him. + +"Stineli has not yet been confirmed, and ought to be before she +goes away." + +"I am not to be confirmed for two years yet, father," said the girl +eagerly; "so that I can go away for two years perfectly well, and come +back quite in time for that." + +This was a good decision, and everybody was satisfied. The father and +mother thought, even if every thing does go badly without Stineli, it +will only be for a while; and when she comes back again, all will be +well. And Trudi thought, "Just as soon as she comes back again, I will +go and then we shall see if I come back." + +But Rico and Stineli merely glanced at each other, and laughed with +their eyes for pure joy. + +As the father looked upon the affair as settled, he rose from the table, +saying, "She may go to-morrow: then we shall know where we stand." + +Her mother, on the contrary, objected to this, saying that it could not +be managed so quickly, and complained bitterly, until her father gave +in, and said she should go the following Monday, and would not hear of a +later date; for he thought that there would be a continual fuss until +the departures were fairly over. + +Work there was now for Stineli in abundance. Rico understood that this +must be the case, and he addressed himself to Sami, and said he would +like to see whether every thing remained as formerly in Sils-Maria; and +that he had a sack and a basket to fetch from Sils, and perhaps Sami +would go with him to help him; so they went forth. + +Firstly, Rico paused before his former home, and gazed at the old +house-door and the hen-house. It was just as it had been. He asked Sami +who lived there now,--if his cousin were there, and alone. + +But he heard that the cousin had long ago gone away towards Silvaplana, +and nobody knew any thing about her; for she had not shown her face in +Sils-Maria again. + +There were people living in the house, about whom Rico knew nothing. +Everywhere that he went with Sami, from the old well-known houses and +stables the people stared at him as if he were an utter stranger; not +one of them recognized him in the least. + +As he crossed over, towards evening, to Sils, he turned aside a little +towards the churchyard. He wanted to see the grave where the old +grandmother was buried; but Sami did not rightly know where she lay. + +They returned home just as it was growing dark, laden with basket and +portmanteau. Stineli stood at the well, and brushed out the stable +buckets for the last time; and as Rico stood there by her side, she +said, flushed with pleasure, and with her exertions over the pails, "I +can scarcely believe that it is true, Rico." + +"But I do," said he so decidedly, that the girl looked at him surprised. +"But of course, Stineli," he added, "you have not been thinking it out +this long time as I have." + +There was a change in Rico that the girl noticed at once. Formerly he +would not have spoken in this firm and decided manner. + +They had arranged a bed for Rico up in the room under the roof. +He carried his things up there, and meant to open them the +following morning. + +When they were all seated the next day at table,--a beautiful, clear +Sunday morning,--down came Rico, and poured out before Urschli and +Peterli a big heap of plums and figs. The latter fruit they had never +seen at all; and the plums were finer than any that they were accustomed +to; and his sausages and meat and eggs he placed in the middle of the +table. As soon as their admiration and surprise had a little subsided, +they all fell to and ate with a wonderful relish, and the children were +munching the sweet figs quite late into the evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS. + + +On Monday evening the journey was to begin. The horse-dealer had +impressed this fact so thoroughly on Rico's memory, that there was not a +chance for a mistake. After the farewells were all said, Rico and +Stineli went towards Sils together, while her mother, with all the +little children clustered about her, stood upon the doorstep and looked +after them. + +Sami accompanied them to carry the portmanteau on his head, and Rico +carried the basket on one side, and Stineli held it on the other. +Stineli's clothes had just filled it. + +When they reached the church in Sils, Stineli said, "Oh, if my +grandmother could only see us now! We will go to say good-by to her, +Rico." He was very willing, and told Stineli how he had already tried to +find the grave, but had not succeeded. + +The girl was better informed than her brother. + +When the post-wagon came along and stopped, the driver called out, "Are +the couple ready who are to go down to the Lake of Garda? I was asking +for them yesterday." + +The horse-dealer had given them a good recommendation; and the driver +called out that they should climb up to the top: the others had found it +too cold. "You are younger," he said. + +So saying, he helped them up to the seats behind the box, and took out +a thick horse-blanket, and wrapped them up snugly therein; and off +they went. + +For the first time since they had come together again, the two young +people were alone, and could talk freely and undisturbed, and tell each +other how they had passed the three long years since they parted. And +they chattered away happily under the starry heavens, never thinking of +sleep in their joy at being together. + +Towards morning they reached the lake, and arrived in Peschiera at the +same hour as Rico had before arrived, and walked along the road to the +lake-side. But Rico did not wish his companion to see the lake until she +had reached the spot he called his own; so he led her through the trees +until they came to the little stone bridge in the open. + +There lay the lake in the light of the setting sun; and the children sat +side by side on the little mound, and gazed across the water. + +There it was, just as Rico had described it, but more, much more lovely; +for such colors Stineli had never seen before. + +She looked about her towards the purple mountains, across the golden +waters, and she cried out with all her heart, "Yes, it is finer than the +Lake of Sils." + +But Rico felt that it had never yet been so exquisitely beautiful as on +this evening when he and Stineli saw it together. + +Rico had another secret joy that he cherished in his heart. How +surprised Silvio and his mother would be to see them! Nobody had +expected them back so soon. Nobody would look for them before the end of +the week, and now there they sat by the lake-side. + +They did not quit the little mound until the sun had fairly disappeared. + +Rico pointed out to his companion the spot where his mother stood +washing something in the lake, and how he used to sit waiting until she +had finished; and then he told how they walked back together, hand in +hand, over the little bridge. + +"But where did you go when you went back?" asked Stineli. "Have you +never found the house that you returned to?" + +Rico could not say. "When I go up there, away from the lake towards the +railroad, I seem to remember that there I stood with my mother, or sat +with her upon a garden-seat with the red flowers before us; but now +nothing is to be seen like the house, and I do not even recognize the +road at all." + +At last they arose, and went towards the garden. Rico carried the +portmanteau, and the girl the basket. As they entered the garden, +Stineli called out too loud, in her delight, "Oh, the beautiful, +beautiful flowers!" + +Silvio heard these unfortunate words, and pulled himself up in an +instant, crying out, at the top of his lungs,-- + +"Here comes Rico with his Stineli!" + +His poor mother thought that he had an attack of fever. She thrust her +things back into the chest which she was arranging,--every thing in +again, pell-mell,--and ran quickly to the bedside. + +At that moment Rico walked boldly into the room, and the good woman +almost fell over backward in her surprise and delight; for until that +very instant she had secretly been a prey to the darkest fears, always +believing that Rico's adventure would cost him his life. + +A maiden came behind Rico, with a friendly face that won Mrs. Menotti's +heart in a twinkling, for she was a very impressionable woman. + +First of all, however, she shook Rico's hands almost off in her +welcoming grasp; and in the meantime Stineli had gone over to the +bedside and placed her arm about the thin shoulders of the child, and +smiled into his face as if they were old and dear friends, while Silvio +in return put his arm about her neck, and drew her face down to his. + +Straightway Stineli placed a present for the child before him. She +had put it conveniently in her pocket, so that she could place her +hand on it at once. It was a toy that had been Peterli's favorite +before any other,--a pine-cone, with a thin wire introduced into each +little opening between the hard scales, and a little figure, made of +sole-leather, perched on the top of each bit of wire. All these tiny +figures shook and nodded so merrily towards each other, and had such +funnily painted little faces, that Silvio could scarcely stop +laughing at them. + +Mrs. Menotti had learned from Rico all that he had to tell her of +importance while this play went on,--for she was anxious to learn from +himself that all had gone quietly and safely,--then she turned to the +girl, and greeted her with heartfelt kindness; and Stineli made answer +more with her kindly eyes than with her tongue, for she could not speak +a word of Italian, and had to help herself out with such Romanish words +as she had learned. + +But she was quick-witted, and found a way to make herself understood +without difficulty; for, if the right word was wanting, she described +the thing cleverly with her fingers, and by all sorts of signs, which +amused Silvio exceedingly; for it was a kind of game of guessing for him +all the time. + +Now Mrs. Menotti went over to the cupboard, where all the service for +the table was kept, and brought out tablecloth and plates, cold +chicken, fruit, and wine; which, when Stineli observed, she hastened +after her to aid her, and did it so neatly and handily that there +remained little for Mrs. Menotti to do; and she stood gazing at the +nimble, willing girl, who had soon served Silvio also, as he lay in +bed, cutting his food for him, and helping him neatly and rapidly, +which pleased the child very much. + +Mrs. Menotti seated herself, saying, "I have not had such help as this +in many a year; but, come now, Stineli: sit down, and eat with us." + +And they sat and chatted and ate together, as if they were old friends +who had always been accustomed to such free intercourse. + +Rico began to give an account of the journey after they had finished +eating, and Stineli meanwhile quietly replaced every thing in the +cupboard; for she knew well enough, without being told, how such work +should be done. Then she seated herself by Silvio's bedside, and made +shadow pictures on the wall with her supple fingers; and Silvio laughed +aloud, and called the names,--"A hare! A beast with horns! A spider with +long legs!" + +So sped away the first evening quickly and merrily, and they all were +taken by surprise when it struck ten o'clock. Rico rose, for he knew he +must be going; but a dark cloud came over his countenance. + +He said shortly, "Good-night," and went away. But the girl ran after +him; and in the garden she took his hand, saying, "Now you must not be +sad, Rico, it _is_ so beautiful here. I cannot tell you how lovely I +find it, nor how happy I am; and I owe it all, all to you. And you will +come again to-morrow, and every day, will you not, Rico?" + +"Yes," he said; and looked at Stineli with a most melancholy expression. +"Yes; and every evening, when it is most beautiful, I must be off and +away, because I belong to nobody." + +"Oh! do not think in that way, Rico," said his friend encouragingly. +"Have we not always belonged to each other, and have not I often rejoiced +over that thought all these three years that are past? And when things +were almost unsupportable, and I longed to get away, have not I always +said to myself, 'If I could only be with Rico again, I would bear any +thing?' And now it has come about as we wished, and, indeed, far better +than I had imagined; and will you not be happy with me, Rico?" + +"Yes; that I will," said the lad; and his countenance cleared a little. + +He did belong to somebody, after all; and Stineli's words had restored +his tranquility. They shook hands again; and Rico went through the +garden-gate, and away. + +When Stineli returned to the room, and, by Mrs. Menotti's directions, +was about to say good-night to Silvio, the child began to dispute +again, and declared that he would not be separated from his newly-found +friend even for a few hours; but would have her sit by his bedside all +night long, and say funny words to him, and look at him with her +laughing eyes. + +Nothing that his mother could say produced any impression upon him, +until she spoke thus: "Very well; if you keep Stineli standing by your +bed to amuse you all night, she will soon be as ill as you are, and not +be able to get up at all, but have to lie in bed, and you will not see +her for a long time." + +So, after a while, the child released his hold of Stineli's arm, +and said,-- + +"There, go to sleep; but come to me again to-morrow early." + +This was promised; and Mrs. Menotti showed the girl into a neat little +bedroom that looked out upon the garden, whence a delicious scent of +flowers rose through the open window. + +With every day that passed Stineli became more and more necessary to +little Silvio. If she only went out-of-doors for a few moments, he +considered it a misfortune. He was obedient and quiet enough, however, +when she stayed with him; and did every thing she bade him do, and did +not tease his mother as before. + +And it seemed as if the nervous little fellow had less frequent attacks +of pain since Stineli's arrival. Indeed, he had not complained since her +coming, and she had been with them many days. + +It must certainly be acknowledged that she was the most amusing of +companions, and turned every thing that came in her way into a game. She +had always lived with children, and constantly had their entertainment +in her mind. She had also learned a great many words from Silvio, and +could soon chatter away with him at her ease; and when she did get the +words twisted and upside down, it was even more funny, and Silvio looked +upon that as a game made expressly for him. + +Mrs. Menotti never saw Rico entering the garden but she ran towards him, +for now she was at liberty to move about freely; and she always drew him +a little aside to tell him what a treasure he had brought into the house +for her, how happy and gay her Silvio had become, and that she never +would have believed that such a girl as Stineli existed on the face of +the earth; for with Silvio she was as merry as if her only pleasure +consisted in playing the little games he liked, while she was as wise +and intelligent as any grown woman with Mrs. Menotti, and understood +housework so that it all seemed to go on of its own accord; and nicely, +too, as if every day were Sunday. In short, Mrs. Menotti could not find +words enough to praise Stineli in all the ways in which she found her +admirable; and Rico was always happy in listening to these praises. + +When they all sat together in the pleasant room, and exchanged loving +and happy glances, they felt that they never wanted to be separated, +and called themselves the happiest family in the whole world, and +needed for nothing. + +But the clouds on Rico's brow grew dark as night came on, and towards +ten o'clock every thing looked black and blacker; and even if Mrs. +Menotti, in her contentment, did not notice it, Stineli did, and +secretly worried over it, thinking, "It is just as if there were a +thunder-storm in the air." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA. + + +It was a beautiful Sunday in autumn, and across the Lake of Riva there +was to be a "dance evening," and Rico was to go over there to play; so +he would not be able to pass the day with Stineli and the rest. They +talked this over and over through the week, for it was a great trial to +them all when Rico did not come for Sunday; and Stineli tried to find +all sorts of little reasons to reconcile Rico, and to make the affair +seem less unpleasant. + +"You will go across the lake in the sunlight, and return under the +beautiful stars; and we shall be thinking of you the whole time," she +said to him, when he first mentioned that he should be away on Sunday. + +On Saturday evening Rico brought his violin, for Stineli's greatest +pleasure was to hear him play. The lad played lovely tunes one after +another; but they were all sad melodies, and seemed to make him sadder +still, for he looked down at his instrument with a kind of indignant +sorrow, as if it did him a real injury. + +Suddenly he pushed it away from him, long before the clock had struck +ten, and said, "I am going away." + +Mrs. Menotti tried to detain him; she could not understand what was +amiss. Stineli had looked steadily at him while he was playing. Now she +said, quietly,-- + +"I will go with you a little way." + +"No," cried Silvio; "do not go. Stay here with me." + +"Yes, yes, Stineli!" said Rico. "Stay here, and let me go alone." + +And, saying this, he looked at his friend exactly as he had looked when +he came away from the schoolmaster's house, and joined Stineli at the +wood-pile, so long ago, saying then, "It is all of no use!" + +Stineli went to Silvio's bedside, and said softly, "Be a good boy, +Silvio; and to-morrow I will tell you the very prettiest and drollest +story about Peterli; but now do not make a noise." + +Silvio really did keep quiet, and Stineli went after Rico. When they +reached the hedge, Rico turned about, and pointed towards the brightly +lighted window that looked so pleasant and friendly from the garden, and +said, "Go back there, Stineli. You belong there, and there you are at +home; but I belong in the streets. I am a homeless fellow, and shall +always be so: now let me go away." + +"No, no; I will not let you go in this mood, Rico. Where do you +mean to go?" + +"To the lake," said the young man; and went towards the bridge. As they +stood together on the little mound, they were silent for a while, +listening to the murmur of the waves. At last, Rico said,-- + +"Do you understand, if you were not here, I would go away at once, far +away?--but I do not know where I should go. Wherever I go, I shall be +homeless, and have to be fiddling forever in public-houses where they +are noisy, just as if they had lost their senses, and I must always +sleep in a room in which I dislike to be; but you belong to them there +in that beautiful house, and I do not belong anywhere. And I tell you, +Stineli, when I look down there, I think if my mother had only cast me +to the waves before she died, then I should not have been this +homeless wanderer." + +With ever-increasing trouble, Stineli listened to these words of her +friend; but when he pronounced these last, she became really alarmed, +and said hastily, "O Rico! you ought not to say such things. I am sure +that you have not said 'Our Father' for a long, long time; and these +wicked thoughts are the consequence." + +"No: I have not prayed for a long time," said Rico. "I have +forgotten how." + +These words gave his companion a severe shock. + +"Oh, dear! what would my grandmother say to this, Rico?" she cried, in +distress. "She would be in sad trouble about you. Do not you remember +how she told us, 'He who forgets his Lord's Prayer is sure to get into +trouble?' Rico, you must learn it again. I will teach it to you this +minute: it will not take you long." + +And the good girl began, with pious zeal, and repeated the prayer twice +or thrice over to her friend; and, while she thus emphasized the words, +she noticed that there was a great deal of especial comfort for Rico +contained therein; and, as she ended, she said,-- + +"Do not you see, Rico, if all the kingdom belongs to the good God, He +can surely find you a home? for He has all the power, so He can give it +to you if He chooses." + +"Now you can plainly see, Stineli," replied the youth, "if the good God +has a home for me in His kingdom, and has the power to give it to me, +and does not, it is because He does _not_ choose to." + +"Yes; but you forget something," continued Stineli. "The good God may +say, 'If Rico wants any thing from me, he should pray to me.'" + +In reply to this, Rico had no answer. He remained silent for some +time; then he said, "Repeat the Lord's Prayer again, Stineli: I will +learn it." + +His companion gladly complied, and it was soon learned. Then they +separated, and each went home; but Rico's thoughts were busy with the +"kingdom and the power." + +Once more in his quiet room, he prayed humbly, and with a softened +heart; for he felt that he had been in the wrong to believe that the +good God ought to give him what he wished for, when he did not even +remember to pray to Him. + +Stineli returned to the garden very full of anxious thought. She turned +over and over in her mind whether she ought to tell all this to Mrs. +Menotti. Perhaps she might be able to find some other employment for +Rico than this fiddling in the public-houses for dancing, that was so +detestable to the lad. But the thought of troubling Mrs. Menotti with +her affairs passed quickly from her mind as she entered the room again. + +Silvio lay upon his pillows with flushed cheeks, breathing heavily and +irregularly; and by the bedside sat his mother, and wept. + +The little invalid had had another of his severe attacks, and a little +anger at Stineli's absence had increased the fever. His mother was so +cast down, that she did not seem to Stineli the same person at all. When +she, at last, recovered her spirits a little, she said,-- + +"Come here, Stineli. Sit down here by my side: I want to tell you +something. + +"I have something that lies very heavily at my heart; so heavily, +that sometimes it seems to me that I cannot bear it any longer. It is +true you are young, but you are so sensible, and have seen a great +deal; and it seems to me that I should be relieved if I could talk it +over with you. + +"You see how Silvio suffers, and how ill he is,--my only son. Now I have +not only the distress of his sickness, which can never be healed, but I +often feel that perhaps it is a punishment from God, because I am +holding and enjoying an unlawful property: although, to be sure, I did +not seek to get it, and do not wish to keep it. But I will tell you +every thing from the beginning. + +"When we were married, Menotti and I,--he brought me over from Riva, +where my father still lives,--Menotti had a very good friend living +here, who was just about leaving, because the land had become hateful to +him, owing to the death of his wife. This friend had a house--a little +one--and large fields, though they were not very productive. He wanted +my husband to take them all, and said that the land did not yield much; +but if he would keep it all in good order, and the house also, that he +would return to claim it in a few years. + +"So the friends made their arrangements together, and said nothing about +interest. My husband said, 'You will want to find every thing as it +should be when you return;' for he meant to put it all in good +condition, and understood the cultivating of land perfectly, which was +thoroughly well known to his friend, who willingly left it all in his +hands. But about one year later the railroad was built, and the little +house had to come down, and the garden was taken too, with the fields, +for the railway went right through them. So my husband got a great deal +more money than they were really worth, and bought a far better piece of +land and a garden, and built a house, all with the money; and the land +produced fully twice what the other had, and we had most abundant +harvests. I often said, 'It does not really belong to us, and we are +living in luxury from the property of another. How I wish that we knew +where he is!' But my husband quieted me, and said, 'I am keeping it all +in order for him, and when he comes it is all his; and as to the profit +that I have laid aside, he must have his share also.' + +"Then Silvio was born; and when I discovered that the little fellow was +ill, I kept saying over and over to my husband, 'We are living on +property to which we have no right, and we are punished for it.' And +sometimes it was so dreadful to me that poverty would have been more +tolerable, and I would have gladly been homeless. + +"My husband always tried to console me, and said, 'You will see how +pleased he will be with me when he returns.' But he did not return. My +husband died: it is now four years ago. Oh, what a life I have led since +then! always thinking how can I be free from this unlawful property +without doing any thing wrong, for it is my duty to keep it in good +condition until our friend comes; and then I feared that he might be in +misery somewhere while I am living so comfortably on his property, and +know nothing of his whereabouts." + +Stineli felt sincerely how much Mrs. Menotti was to be pitied; for she +perfectly well understood her feeling, and how she was always +reproaching herself for a thing that she could not change, and she +comforted the good woman, saying,-- + +"When any one does not mean to do wrong, and means not to do wrong, +then there is nothing but to trust to the good God and pray to Him for +help; for He can turn our evil into His good, and He will do so when +we are truly repentant over evil. I know all this from my +grandmother's teaching; for once I was in great distress, and did not +know what to do." + +Then she told about Rico and the lake that he was always thinking of, +and how she was the cause of his running away, and full of fear that it +had cost him his life. But she said that she felt perfectly at ease +after she had cast her burden on the Lord; and she advised Mrs. Menotti +to do likewise, and assured her that she would derive the truest comfort +from so doing. After this conversation Mrs. Menotti felt much relieved, +and said they would all go to rest now, and thanked her young counsellor +for her advice. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +AT HOME. + + +One beautiful Sunday morning in autumn, Mrs. Menotti seated herself on +the garden-bench in the midst of the glowing red flowers, and +thoughtfully gazed about her,--now at the oleander and laurel bushes, +now at the fig-trees laden with fruit, and again at the vines heavy with +golden grapes; and she said, softly, "God knows I should be glad if I +could lay aside this feeling of wrong-doing that weighs on my +conscience, but certainly such a lovely spot as this one I could never +find for a home." + +Presently Rico came into the garden. He was obliged to go away in the +afternoon; and he never passed a whole day without paying them a visit, +if it were possible to do otherwise. As he was passing on towards +Silvio's room, Mrs. Menotti called him. + +"Come and sit down by me, Rico, for a moment. Who knows how long we may +be able to stay in this place together?" + +Rico was alarmed. + +"Why do you say this, Mrs. Menotti? You do not think of going +away, do you?" + +Mrs. Menotti had to stop, for she could not tell him all her story. She +remembered what Stineli had said to her the evening before about Rico. +She was so full of her own thoughts at that time, that she did not +fairly take in the import of her words. Now she began to wonder about +it, the more she thought it over. + +"Do tell me, Rico," she said, "were you ever here earlier?--I mean +before; or what made you want to see the lake again, as Stineli told me +was the case yesterday?" + +"Yes; when I was little," said the lad. "Then I went away." + +"How did you get here when you were little, Rico?" + +"I was born here." + +"What! here? What was your father, if he came here from the +mountains yonder?" + +"He did not come here from the mountains; only my mother did." + +"Do I hear aright, Rico? Was your father born here?" + +"Certainly. He was a native of this place." + +"You never told me this before. This is wonderful. You have not a name +like the people here. What was your father's name?" + +"What was his name? It was Henrico Trevillo." + +Mrs. Menotti sprang up from the seat as if she had had a shock. + +"What did you say, Rico?" she cried out. "What did you say just now? +Tell me again." + +"I told you my father's name." + +Mrs. Menotti was not listening: she ran towards the door. + +"Stineli, bring me a kerchief," she cried. "I must go to the priest at +once: I am trembling all over." + +In great surprise, Stineli brought out the kerchief. + +"Come with me a few steps, Rico," said the good woman, as she went +through the garden. "I must ask you something more." + +Rico had to repeat his father's name twice over; and when they had +fairly reached the door of the priest's house, for a third time Mrs. +Menotti asked,-- + +"What did you say it was? Are you quite sure?" + +She hurried into the priest's house, and left Rico wondering what could +have happened to put her into such a way. + +Rico had brought his violin with him, for he knew that Stineli was +particularly pleased to hear it. When he reached Silvio's room, he +found the little boy and his companion in the best of humor. Stineli +had fulfilled her promise about the story of Peterli's funny doings, +and this had amused Silvio exceedingly. When the latter espied the +violin, he cried out at once, "Now let us sing; let us sing the +'Lambkins' with Stineli." + +Stineli had never heard her song since it was composed that day on the +mountain, for now Rico played such beautiful airs that she had quite +forgotten the old ones. But she was astonished to hear Silvio asking +for the German song, for she had no idea of the hundred times the two +boys had repeated it during the three years that were past. She was +much pleased to hear the old song again, and, above all, to sing it +with Rico; and so they began. Silvio sang with all his might,--without +understanding a single word, to be sure, but the tune was quite +correct. It was the girl's turn to laugh now; for Silvio's +pronunciation was most wonderful, and she could not join in for +laughter, and it was contagious; for the child could not resist the +merry expression of her face, and joined her in laughing, and sang +again still more queerly and louder; and all the while Rico played his +accompaniment without stopping. + +And thus Mrs. Menotti's ears were greeted with laughter and song as she +drew near the house on her return, and she could not understand how they +could be so light-hearted and merry on such a momentous occasion. She +came hastily through the garden, and into the room, and sank upon the +nearest seat; for the shock and the joy, and the anticipation of what +was to follow, had overpowered her, and she needed to recover herself a +little. The sight of her agitation silenced the singers, and they gazed +at her in surprise. At last she recovered, and said,-- + +"Rico,"--and her voice was quite solemn,--"Rico, listen to me. Look +about you. This house, this garden, that field,--all, all that you can +see, and much that you cannot see, belongs to you: it is all yours. You +are the owner; it is your inheritance from your father; your home is +here; your name stands in the baptismal record; you are the son of +Henrico Trevillo, and he was my husband's dearest friend." + +Stineli had understood the whole story at the first word, and her face +beamed with unspeakable happiness. + +Rico sat as if turned to stone, and made no sound; but Silvio broke out +into shouts of delight,--it was all a play to him. + +"Oh! now the house belongs to Rico, where is he going to sleep?" + +"He can sleep in any room he chooses, Silvio. He can sleep in them all +if he wishes to. He can turn us all out-of-doors if he has a mind to, +and stay all sole alone in this house." + +"I am sure I should much prefer to go away with you, then," said Rico. + +"Oh, you good Rico!" cried Mrs. Menotti. "If you will let us stay here, +we shall be so glad to remain. I have thought it out as I came along +towards home, and know how we can arrange it so that we shall be happy. +I will take half of the house of you, and the same with the garden and +all the land; so one half will be yours, and the other Silvio's." + +"I shall give my half to Stineli," said the child. + +"So shall I," said Rico. + +"Oh, ho! now the whole thing belongs to her,--the garden, and the house, +and all that is in them; and Rico and his fiddle, and I too. Now let us +go on with our song." + +But Rico did not take the same view of the affair as his little friend. +He had thought over Mrs. Menotti's words, and now asked, anxiously,-- + +"I do not understand how Silvio's house can belong to me because our +fathers were friends." + +It now occurred to Mrs. Menotti for the first time that Rico did not +know any thing about the circumstances; and she told him the whole +story, with all the particulars, even more minutely than she had told it +to Stineli; and when she had finished they all understood perfectly how +it was, and were at liberty to rejoice without restraint; for since the +house and all belonged partly to Rico, there was no reason why he should +not take possession at once, and never leave them again; and their +rejoicing was great. + +In the midst of their merry-making Rico said, suddenly,-- + +"Since things have turned out this way, Mrs. Menotti, do not let any of +the arrangements be disturbed in the house; but every thing go on as +usual. I will simply come here to live, and you shall be our mother." + +"O Rico! to think that it is yours, that it is you who are the _master_. +How good God is to let it all turn out in this way,--that I can give it +all to you, and yet stay here myself with a clear conscience. I will be +a mother to you, Rico; and indeed you have long been as dear to me as if +you were my own child. Now you must call me 'mother,' and so must +Stineli; and we shall be the happiest household in all Peschiera." + +"Well, now let us finish our song," cried little Silvio; for he was so +excited and glad that he felt that singing was the only way to express +his joy; and the others were not unwilling to join him, and they did +finish their song; then Stineli said,-- + +"Now will you not sing one other song with me, Rico? You know which +one I mean." + +And they sang the grandmother's hymn piously, and in beautiful accord, +especially the favorite verses at the end,-- + + "He never yet has done amiss; + And, perfect in His sight, + All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right. + + "Now only let His 'will be done,' + Nor clamor constantly, + Peace to the heart on earth will come, + And joy eternally." + +The next day Rico did not go to Riva. Mother Menotti advised him to go +at once to the landlady, to explain to her the change in his +circumstances, and to order another fiddler to be sent to Riva, while he +at once entered upon his possessions. Well pleased with these +suggestions, the youth hastened to carry them out. + +The landlady heard his wonderful story with great interest, and at the +end she called out to her husband and told it all over to him, and +testified real pleasure at the good fortune that had befallen her young +friend, and was sincere in what she said. She certainly was sorry to +lose him; but she had suspected for some time that the hostess of the +"Three Crowns" was making advances to Rico in the hope of enticing him +away from her; and that would have been dreadful to the "Golden Sun." +Now any danger of that misfortune was averted, and she was glad to hear +that Rico was a house and land holder himself, for he was a great +favorite with her. Her husband was particularly well pleased; for he had +been a friend of Rico's father, and did not now understand why he had +not earlier noticed that the lad was the exact image of the man. + +So the farewells were all spoken in good feeling, and the landlady took +his hand at parting, and asked for his patronage if ever there was +occasion for her services in his house. + +That very evening the news was known in all Peschiera, with all the true +details, and a great many more; and everybody expressed pleasure, and +said that Rico looked exactly as if he owned an estate, and would grace +the position. + +Mother Menotti did not know how she could do enough to make Rico +comfortable in his own house. She arranged the big room for him--the +one that had two windows overlooking the garden, and with a view over +the lake--with beautiful marble statuettes adorning the walls; and on +the table she placed a vase of flowers, and the whole room was most +prettily furnished, so that Rico stood still on the threshold when, at +Mrs. Menotti's request, Stineli led him up there. And when the kind, +motherly woman took his hand and led him to the window, and he looked +down in the shimmering lake, and over at the purple mountains in the +distance, his heart filled to overflowing with thankfulness, and he +could only murmur, softly,-- + +"Oh, how beautiful! And this is my home!" And now day after day the four +happy friends lived their peaceful life in the comfortable room looking +on the garden, where Silvio lay, and never perceived how the time was +speeding away. + +In the daytime Rico went about with his whistling servant lad through +the fig-trees and over the fields planted with corn, for he wanted to +learn the care of it all. + +Now the servant naturally thought, "I know much more than my new +master," and felt sensible of his superiority over Rico; but when, in +the evening, beautiful and heart-stirring music came forth upon the +evening breeze from the well-lighted room, where they all sat +together, the boy leaned against the hedge and listened for long +hours; for music was his greatest delight, and he said to himself, "My +master knows more than I do, after all;" and he could not help feeling +a great respect for Rico. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA. + + +Two years have passed, every day bringing more enjoyment than the last. + +To Stineli came the knowledge that it was time for her to return to her +home, and she had many a hard battle with herself to keep up her courage +and cheerfulness; for to go away, and probably never return, was the +most dreadful prospect that ever presented itself to the young girl's +imagination. Rico also knew what was before them, and sometimes he would +only speak when it became absolutely necessary. And a strange, unnatural +feeling took possession of mother Menotti, and she tried to discover the +secret cause; for she had quite forgotten that Stineli was to go home +again to be confirmed. When at last the cause of the trouble came out, +she said, "Oh! you can put that off for another year;" and so things +fell back into their old comfort again. + +On the third year, however, a message came from Bergamo (some one came +down there from the mountain) that Stineli was wanted at home, and must +go. Now there was no help for it. Silvio might fight against it like one +possessed: it did no good. Against fate it is useless to struggle. + +Mother Menotti said, day after day, towards the end, "Only promise to +come back, Stineli. You may tell your father I will do any thing he +wishes, if he will only let you come back soon." + +Rico said nothing at all. And Stineli went off; and day after day it +seemed as if a big black cloud lay over the household, and as if the +very sun outside had ceased to shine. + +And so it went on from November to Easter, when everybody was rejoicing; +but it was still sad in Rico's house. After the Easter festival was +over, and every thing was beginning to be more beautiful than ever +before in the garden, and flowers and sweet odors were spread all +abroad, Rico sat by Silvio's bedside, and played every sad melody that +he could remember, until the little fellow was in a most melancholy +mood, when suddenly from the garden a merry voice called out,-- + +"Rico, Rico! have you no more cheerful welcome for me than this?" + +Silvio screamed as if beside himself. Rico threw his violin on the bed, +and ran out; and mother Menotti came in, half frightened. + +On the threshold stood Rico with Stineli; and so in Silvio's room there +was the long-lost sunshine back again, and they were as merry as ever +again, and happy as they had never believed would be possible during +their long separation. There they all sat at table by Silvio's bedside, +and questioned and answered, and told all that had happened, and ever +and again broke out into rejoicing over their reunion. Who would have +thought, to see them there, that any thing could be wanting to the +perfect happiness of these four people? But Rico knew another tale. In +the midst of all the merriment, he became absent-minded, and fell into +one of his old dreamy moods. It did not last as long as formerly, +however. He must have reached a satisfactory conclusion pretty soon; for +suddenly his reverie was over, and he said these words, with the utmost +decision, "Stineli must be my wife this very moment, or else she will +have to go away again directly; and that we could not endure." + +This decision pleased Silvio mightily; and in a short time they were +all of the same way of thinking, that the sooner the marriage took +place the better. + +On the very most beautiful May morning that ever shone over Peschiera, a +long procession started from the church towards the "Golden Sun." + +At the head, tall and well-proportioned, came Rico with his stately +mien; and at his side walked Stineli, looking happy and pretty, her +smooth braids crowned with the fresh bridal wreath. Next in the +procession, in a well-upholstered little wagon, drawn by two merry +Peschiera urchins, Silvio might be seen, beaming with satisfaction like +a triumphant victor; and last of all followed mother Menotti, very much +moved and affected, in a rustling wedding-dress; behind her the servant +lad, with a nosegay that covered his whole shirt-front; and after them +streamed all Peschiera, with the very noisiest kind of participation, +for they all wanted to look at the handsome couple, and to do them +honor. It was almost like a great family festival, in which they all +joined to help the strayed and lost Peschiera boy to found his own home +in his native town. + +The joy of the landlady of the "Golden Sun," when she saw the procession +coming towards her house, is quite indescribable. Whenever the question +arose concerning any wedding, low or high, she always said, with +emphasis,-- + +"That is nothing at all in comparison with Rico's wedding in the +'Golden Sun.'" + +The house in the garden never again lost its sunshine, and Stineli took +good care "Our Father" was never forgotten again; and on every Sunday +evening the grandmother's hymn was sung in the garden in full chorus. + + + + + +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +COASTING. + + +On one of the hills surrounding the city of Bern a little village is +perched which shall be nameless in this story; but if you are curious, +and go there in your travels, perhaps you may recognize it from the +following description. On the very top of the hill stands one solitary +house, with a beautiful garden about it. It is called "On the Height," +and is the property of Colonel Ritter. The descent to the little square, +where the church and parsonage stand, is sharp (in the parsonage the +colonel's wife passed her happy days of childhood); and somewhat farther +down is the schoolhouse, amid a little cluster of houses; while on the +left, as you still descend, you see a lonely cottage with a pretty, +well-kept garden, surrounded by currant-bushes, and adorned with +mignonette and pinks, and a few roses amidst its chiccory and spinach. +This is the last house on the road, which, from here on, makes one long +stretch downward to the highway that goes far out into the country, +parallel with the river Aar. + +This long, unbroken descent forms, in winter, the most perfect +coasting-ground imaginable; for once you are past the steep bit by the +colonel's house, you may go on without interruption quite down to the +road by the river; that is, always supposing that you make a fair start +at the beginning. + +This coast was an endless source of pleasure to the army of children who +daily poured out of the door of the old schoolhouse when lesson hours +were over, ran to the yard where they had piled their sleds on entering, +took each his own from the heap, and scampered off in wild haste to +begin their afternoon amusement. How the hours passed no one could +imagine: down flew the sleds in a twinkling, and nobody felt the trouble +of climbing up the hill, so full were all the little heads of the +pleasure of going down again; and so the night, and the time for +returning to their homes for supper, always took them by surprise. + +This usually occasioned a stormy scene before they left the +coasting-ground; for everybody wished to go down "once more," and then +"just _once_ more," and then "one single turn more,"--so that everybody +hurried and jumped onto the sleds, and flew down and ran up again in a +regular hurry-scurry. + +A rule had been established to the end that no one should go down the +coast while the others were still climbing up, but that all should go +down one after the other in good order, to prevent confusion or +accidents. Notwithstanding this good rule, there were often many +lawless proceedings, especially towards the close of the day, when +nobody wished to be the last, and when they all crowded onto the coast +very closely together. + +This was the state of affairs on a clear evening in January, when the +snow fairly crackled under the children's feet as they mounted the hill, +and the fields in every direction were frozen so firmly that you could +have gone anywhere over them in a sleigh as if they were the highway. +The children were all rosy and glowing with their exertions, for they +were hurrying up the steep hill, pulling their sleds behind them, +turning them about in a flash, jumping upon them, and off again head +foremost, not to lose a second of the precious time until the moon shone +brightly in the crisp sky, and the evening bells were ringing. All the +boys were shouting, "Once more; just once more!" and the girls were as +eager as they. At the top, however, where they all threw themselves upon +their sleds, there was great excitement and uproar. Three boys each +claimed to have reached the top first, and would not yield an inch to +each other, but all must go down at once. And so they pushed this way +and that, until a big boy called Cheppi was hustled quite against the +bank of snow at the side of the coast, and found that his heavily ironed +sled was fast in the snow. He was furious, for he saw that now all the +other fellows would get off before he could extricate himself. He looked +about, and presently espied a little slender girl standing near by in +the snow. She was very pale, and held both arms wrapped in her apron to +keep them warmer, for all that she trembled and shivered with cold from +head to feet. She looked so feeble and miserable, that she seemed to +Cheppi just the proper object upon whom to vent his rage. + +"Can't you get out of a fellow's way, you stupid thing? What are you +standing there for? You have not even a sled with you. Just wait a +moment; I'll help you to get along!" + +So saying, he thrust his boot into the snow, intending to kick it over +the girl. She sprang back, however, quickly, so that she went quite up +to her knees in the snow, and said timidly, "I was only looking on." + +Cheppi was thrusting his boot into the snow again with the same +intention towards the child, when he received such a tremendous box +on the ear from behind, that it almost knocked him off his sled. +"Just you wait a minute," he shouted, beside himself with anger, for +his ear tingled as it had never tingled before; and doubling up his +fists, he turned himself to see who was his hidden foe. A boy stood +behind him, and looked on very quietly, holding his sled in position +for another coast. + +"Come on," he said calmly. + +It was Otto Ritter, a class-mate of Cheppi, with whom he was always +engaged in some little quarrel. Otto was a tall, slender boy, about +eleven years old, and not nearly of the same strength as Cheppi; but +the latter had learned more than once that with hands and feet Otto was +much the more skilful of the two. He did not strike out, but held his +fists doubled up, and cried out angrily, "Let me alone: I am not +meddling with you." + +"But I am with you," replied Otto, in a very warlike tone. "What +business have you to chase Wiseli away like that, and then to kick snow +at her, I should like to know? I have been looking at you, you coward! +teasing a little girl who cannot defend herself." + +With these words he turned his back contemptuously towards Cheppi, and +called out to Wiseli, who was standing shivering all this time in the +deep snow,-- + +"Come out of the snow, Wiseli. Oh, how you are shivering, child! Have +you no sled really, and only been able to look on? Here, take mine, and +go down once quickly. Do you know how?" + +The pale, timid girl did not know what to make of this kindness. She had +been looking on for some little time, watching the sleds as they flew +down the hill, and thinking, "Oh, how I should like to go down to the +very bottom just once!" when she saw two, and sometimes three, going +down on the same sled. But now she might go down all alone by herself, +and that, too, on the very handsomest sled on the coast,--the one with a +lion's head, that went faster than any other, because it was light, and +was bound with iron. She was so happy that she stood still, looking +after Cheppi with a half feeling that he might strike her if she dared +to enjoy such a piece of good fortune. But there he stood quite +tranquilly, as if nothing whatever had happened; and by him stood Otto, +with such a protecting air, that she took courage, and seated herself on +the handsome sled; and when Otto called out, "Go on; go on, Wiseli!" she +obeyed, and away she flew as if the wind were behind her. Very soon Otto +heard the coasters all toiling up the hill again, and he called out, +"Stay among the first, Wiseli, and go down again; after that we must go +home." Wiseli was only too happy to do as she was bid, and enjoyed for a +second time the long-wished-for pleasure. Then she brought the sled to +its owner, thanking him shyly for his kindness, but more with her +beaming eyes than with words; and off she scampered as fast as she could +go. Otto felt decidedly happier. "Where is Pussy?" he called out, +peering into the already scattering crowd. "Here she is!" replied a +merry voice; and out of the knot of children appeared a red-cheeked, +plump little girl, who slipped her hand into her big brother's +protecting palm, and went with him towards their father's house as +quickly as possible. It was very late, and they had over-passed the +allotted time for coasting. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY. + + +When Otto and his sister came noisily in through the deep stone entrance +of their father's house, the old servant Trine appeared in a doorway +holding a light high above her head to see whence came all the uproar, +and from whom. "So," at last she said, half scoldingly, half pleasantly; +"your mother has been asking for you for a long time, but there was no +trace of you, although it struck eight nobody knows how long ago." Old +Trine had been maid-servant in the family when the children's mother +came into the world, so she was an authority in the household, and felt +that she was one of its members,--to tell the truth, the very head of +the establishment; for surely she was the oldest in age and experience. +The dear old woman was fairly foolish in her fondness for her master's +children, and very proud of all their qualities and acquisitions. She +would not let this be seen, however, but employed an indignant tone when +speaking to them; for she thought it best for their education not to +appear perfectly satisfied with their conduct. + +"Off with your shoes, on with your slippers!" she called out at once, +according to rule; but her order was immediately executed by the +commander, for she knelt before Otto while she spoke, to take off his +wet shoes. He had sunk down upon the nearest seat. His little sister +stood perfectly still in the middle of the room without stirring, which +was such an unusual circumstance, that Trine looked over her shoulder +two or three times to see what it could mean. Now that Otto was +equipped, it was Pussy's turn to sit down and be attended to; but she +stood stock still, and did not stir. "Well, well! if we wait there +until summer comes, our shoes will get dry of themselves," said Trine, +still on her knees. "Hsh, hsh, Trine! I hear something. Who is in the +big parlor?" said Pussy, lifting her forefinger up a little +threateningly. "Everybody who has dry shoes: nobody else admitted. Now +make up your mind to sit down," said Trine. But instead of sitting +down, Pussy made a spring upward, and cried, "Now I hear it again; +Uncle Max laughs just like that." "What!" cried Otto, and reached the +parlor-door with one leap. + +"Wait, wait!" Pussy called after him, and ran to the door at the same +time; but she was caught and placed on the seat, although old Trine had +hard work to get the shoes off the little kicking feet; but perseverance +at last accomplished the business, and off ran Pussy out of one door and +through the other into the big parlor, where truly sat Uncle Max in the +arm-chair. Now there was a fine jubilee, and a hugging and kissing over +and over. Uncle Max certainly made as much noise as the children, and it +was a long time before they were quieted enough to speak a rational word +to each other. A visit from this uncle was always a time of great +delight for the children, and with good reason, for he was extravagantly +fond of them. He was a great traveller, and only came to see them once +in two years; but then he made up for his long absence by giving himself +entirely to his little friends as if he were no older than they; and the +queer and enchanting presents that he had stuffed into every pocket for +his little niece and nephew would be hard to describe. + +Uncle Max was a naturalist, and travelled to every corner of the world, +bringing back something curious and interesting from each place. + +At last supper was served, to the immense satisfaction of the whole +party,--for the children always brought home new appetites from the +coasting-ground, and were prepared, both old and young, to do full +justice to the steaming dishes set before them. + +"Well," said Colonel Ritter, glancing across the table at his little +daughter, who was seated beside her mother, and already too busily +engaged in satisfying her hunger to look up from her plate. "Well, well; +it seems rather strange to think that Pussy has no hand to spare for her +papa to-day. I have not had one single kiss, and now it is too late." + +With a contrite air Pussy pushed back her plate, saying, "O papa, I +forgot! I will give you"-- + +But her father said, quickly, "No, no; do not make a disturbance now, +child. Give me your hand across the table; we will have the rest later. +That will do now, Pussy." + +"What was this child christened, Marie? I was certainly present at the +ceremony, but I have utterly forgotten her name. Not Pussy, I am sure," +said Uncle Max, laughing. + +"You certainly were present, Max," replied his sister, "for you are the +child's godfather. She was named Marie. At this time her father +nicknamed her Pussy, and Otto has multiplied that in the most +nonsensical manner." + +"Oh, no, mamma; not nonsensical," cried Otto, quite seriously. "You see, +uncle, it follows in very sensible order. When the little thing is +gentle and good, then I call her 'Pussy.' That is not always the case, +however, and 'Puss' does for some of her moods; but when she is angry, +and looks like a regular cross-patch, then I call her 'Old Cat.'" + +"Yes, yes, Otto," answered his sister; and when you are angry, you look +like a--like a"-- + +"Like a man," said Otto; and as Pussy had no better comparison ready, +she went on busily eating her pudding. + +Uncle Max laughed heartily. "Pussy is right," he said. "She does far +better in pursuing her present occupation than in answering back such +slanders. But, children," he began again, after a pause, "it is more +than a year since I was here, and you have not told me about any thing +that has taken place during my absence." + +The latest events were those that occurred first to the children; and +they began to tell, generally both speaking together, the story of +Cheppi's rude treatment of Wiseli on the coast, and of how cold the girl +was, and how she stood shivering in the snow, and had no sled of her +own, but got a chance to coast down twice after all. + +"That is right, Otto," said his father. "You must honor your name. You +must always be a true knight for the persecuted and unprotected. Who is +this Wiseli?" + +"You cannot know any thing about the girl nor her mother," said his +wife. "But Uncle Max knows Wiseli's mother very well. You remember that +thin weaver who was our neighbor, don't you, brother? He had an only +daughter with big brown eyes, who often came to us at the parsonage, and +sang so sweetly. Can't you remember her now?" + +While Uncle Max was trying to recall the somewhat fading recollections +of his youth, old Trine put her head into the room, saying,-- + +"The carpenter Andrew would like to speak to you, Mrs. Ritter, if it +will not disturb you too much." + +This apparently innocent message produced a wonderful effect upon the +whole family. Mrs. Ritter put down the tablespoon, with which she was +about to help her brother a second time to fruit, and said hastily, "If +you will excuse me, gentlemen," and left the room. Otto sprang up so +quickly that he knocked his chair over backwards, and then fell over it +himself in his haste to get away. Pussy was about to follow the others; +but her uncle, seeing the movement, put his arms about her, and held her +fast. She struggled, however, and said, entreatingly,-- + +"Let me go, uncle; let me go. Really, I must go." + +"Where do you want to go, Pussy?" + +"To see the carpenter Andrew. Let me go quickly. Help, papa; help!" + +"If you will tell me what you have to say to the carpenter, I will +let you go." + +"The sheep has only two legs left, and no tail at all; and the carpenter +is the only person who can mend him. Now _do_ let me go!" And now Pussy +was off too. + +The gentlemen looked at each other, and Max burst out into a merry +laugh. "Who is this carpenter Andrew, pray, who seems to have the power +of attracting your whole family to his feet?" + +"You ought to be able to answer that question better than I," replied +the colonel. "He must also be one of the friends of your youth. The fever +of adoration you ought to understand also: it must be one of your family +characteristics; and your sister has introduced it into her family. I +can only tell you this much: this Andrew is the very corner-stone of my +house. Every thing depends upon him, and we should all fall to pieces if +his support were withdrawn from us. Andrew is the counsellor, comforter, +safety, and aid in any trouble. If my wife thinks she wants any utensil +for household use, even if she does not know how it should look, nor +what use to put it too, Andrew the carpenter invents it, and makes it on +the spot. If the kitchen is on fire, or the water gives out there, or in +the laundry, Andrew the carpenter smothers the fire, and procures floods +of water. If my son does some sad piece of mischief, Andrew the +carpenter repairs the damage in a trice. If my daughter smashes all the +crockery, Andrew the carpenter glues it together at once. So you see +that this man is really the very pillar of my edifice; and if any thing +should happen to him, we should straightway go to pieces." + +Mrs. Ritter had returned to the room during this account of Andrew the +carpenter's virtues, and her husband had heightened the description for +her benefit. Uncle Max shouted with laughter. + +"Yes, laugh away; laugh away!" said she. "For all that, I know very well +what a treasure I possess in Andrew the carpenter." + +"So do I, for that matter," said her husband, laughing merrily. + +"I do, too," said Pussy, heartily, who was again on her seat at +table. + +"So do I," grumbled Otto, while he rubbed his shins, that ached from his +recent fall over the chair. + +"Well, now we are all of one mind about it, and the children can go +quietly to bed," said their mother. These words did not tend to restore +quiet, for the children became rebellious; but it was useless. Old Trine +stood on the threshold, and was ready to carry out the family rules and +regulations. Off marched the children, and presently their mother also +disappeared again; for there were the evening prayers to be said, and +she never failed to be at their bedside for that. + +When, at last, every thing was in order in the house, Mrs. Ritter joined +the gentlemen once more. + +"At last!" said the colonel, with a sigh of relief, as if he had +vanquished the enemy. "Now you see how it is, Max. My wife belongs first +of all to the carpenter Andrew, then to the children, and only to her +husband when there is nothing else for her to do." + +"And now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "that, although my +husband speaks scornfully of Andrew the carpenter, he does assign him a +very high rank after all. Now acknowledge that, won't you? He has just +given me a message for you. He has brought his yearly savings with him +to-day, and begs for your assistance." + +"That is true," said the colonel. "A more orderly, industrious, reliable +man I do not know. I would trust my wife, my children, my goods and +chattels to him rather than to any one else. He is the most honorable, +trustworthy man in this parish, or in any other, I do believe." + +"Now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "I could not say more +than that." Her brother joined with her in her amusement at the zest +which the colonel showed. Then he said,-- + +"You have all been so full of the praises of your marvel, that I have +become curious, at last, to know where he comes from, and how he looks. +Have I never seen him when I have visited you?" + +"Oh, yes! you used to know him perfectly well," replied his sister. "You +must remember Andrew, with whom we went to school. Don't you recall the +two brothers who were always in the same classes with you? The elder was +even then a perfect good-for-nothing,--he was not stupid, but would not +study, and did not get on, and was put down into one of the lower +classes with his brother and you. You must remember him,--his name was +Jorg, and he had stiff, black hair. He always pelted us with something +whenever he got a chance,--with green apples or pears, and in winter +with snow-balls,--and always called us 'aristocrats.'" + +"Oh, that fellow!" cried Max. "Yes; now I do remember all about him. +Certainly he always called us 'aristocrats.' I wonder how he got hold of +that word. He was a disagreeable fellow: I remember that well. I caught +him once thrashing a little fellow most cruelly. I helped the little +one, and he shouted after me at least twelve times in succession, +'Aristocrat, aristocrat!' And now it comes back to me about the other +one, the lean Andrew, his brother. He was your Andrew, was he not, +Marie?--the Andrew with the violets? Oh, now I comprehend this great +friendship," said Max, laughing again. + +"What is this about the violets? I want to know all about that," said +the colonel. + +"Oh! I can see the whole thing just as it happened as plainly as if it +were only yesterday," said Max, quite animated over his recollections. +"I must tell you all about it, Otto. You have probably heard from your +wife that we had here, in the happy time of our childhood, an old +schoolmaster, whose creed was that all faults could be whipped out of, +and all virtues be whipped into, the children under his care. So he felt +himself constrained to whip a great deal either for one thing or the +other, and very often for both at once. Andrew's turn came one day, and +the master applied his well-meant rule so heartily that poor, thin +Andrew screamed with pain. At this moment my little sister, who had only +entered the school a short time before, and did not understand the rules +very well, stood up from her seat and hastened to the door. The teacher +held his hand for a moment, and shouted after her, 'Where are you +running to?' Marie turned about. The tears were running down her cheeks, +and she said, very decidedly, 'I am going home to tell my father.' +'Wait, I will teach you!' cried the master, in the greatest surprise, +and sprung after the girl. He did not strike her, however, but took her +roughly by the arm, and set her down very hard upon the bench; then he +said again, 'Wait, I will teach you!' + +"It was the end of that, however. He did not touch Andrew again, and +every thing passed off quietly that day. But the tears that Marie had +shed for Andrew, and her protest against the whippings, were not +forgotten. From that day forward a big bunch of violets was always +placed on Marie's desk, and the whole room was perfumed with them; and +later a still better scent filled the air, for there were every day +great bunches of dark red strawberries, such as nobody else knew how to +find. And so it went on for the whole year; but how the friendship +reached the height at which it now stands, that I will leave to my +sister to relate, for I do not know myself." + +The colonel was much pleased with this story of the tears and the +violets, and begged his wife to tell more about it. She said, "According +to you, Max, violets and strawberries grow all the year round; but, in +truth, it is not exactly the fact. But it is true that the good Andrew +was never tired of bringing in any thing that he thought would give me +pleasure all through the time we were in the school together. He left +long before I did, and went to learn his trade of a joiner in the city. +He came home very often, however, so that I never really lost sight of +him; and when my husband bought this piece of land and we were married, +it happened, also, that Andrew bought property, and wished to be +settled. He had lost his parents, and was quite by himself, and a +first-rate workman. He wanted the little house with the neat, pretty +garden down there half-way to the church; but was not able to purchase +it, because the owner wished for full payment at once, and Andrew could +only pay in instalments, as he earned the money. + +"But we knew all about him and his work. My husband purchased the place +for him, and he has never had the least reason to regret it." + +"No, indeed I have not," added the colonel. "Andrew has long ago paid +for his house, and now he always brings me the yearly amount of his +labor; and a very pretty sum it is, too. I invest it well for him, and +have a sincere satisfaction in the welfare of the sturdy fellow. He is +already a very well-to-do man, and adds to his property every year, and +can make his little house into a big one if he have a mind to do so, the +good Andrew. It is too bad that he is such a hermit, and cannot, +therefore, properly enjoy his home and his possessions." + +"Has he, then, neither wife nor family?" asked Max. "And what has become +of his disagreeable brother Jorg?" + +"No; he has really nobody," replied his sister. "He lives entirely +alone, and really like a hermit. He has had a long and very sad history +that I have been witness to, and which has taken away all the desire he +once might have felt to look for a wife. His brother Jorg wandered about +here in a disreputable way for several years, never working, but in the +hope of getting something, by his infamous behavior, out of his family, +who were respectable people, quite unlike himself. But, at last, he saw +that there was no chance of this, and even the kind Andrew refused to +pay any more of his debts, or to help him out of any more scrapes, so he +disappeared, nobody knows where; but everybody rejoiced that he was out +of the way." + +"What was the sad story of which you spoke, Marie?" asked her brother. +"I want to hear that, too." + +"So do I," said the colonel; and lighted another cigar, in order to +enjoy the tale more thoroughly. + +"But, my dear husband," objected his wife, "I have at least told you +this story ten times over." + +"Really," said the colonel, quietly, "it seems that it pleases me then, +if I ask for it again." + +"Oh, do begin!" said her brother. + +"You cannot have forgotten the child, Max," began his sister, "of whom I +was speaking yesterday, who lived quite near to us. She belonged to the +pale, thin weaver, whose shuttle we could always hear moving back and +forth when we stood in our garden. The child always looked clean and +neat, and had great lively, sparkling eyes, and beautiful brown hair. +Her name was Aloise." + +"I never knew anybody by the name of Aloise in my life," interrupted Max +at this point. + +"Oh! to be sure not," said his sister. "We never called her so, you +especially. 'Wisi' we called her, to the horror of our dear departed +mother. Don't you remember, now, how often you said yourself that we +must get Wisi to sing with us when mamma played songs for us on the +piano, and we could not make it go at all without Wisi's help?" + +At last Max seemed to remember about it, and laughed at the +recollection. "Oh, yes! I remember Wisi," he cried. "Yes, certainly that +was Wisi. I can see her now, before my eyes, with her bright face, as +she stood by the piano and sang so cheerily. I was very fond of her. I +was very fond of her,--of Wisi. She was very pretty, too. I remember, +too, what a shock it always seemed to mamma when I said, 'Wisi.' I +really never knew her proper name." + +"Oh, yes, you did," replied his sister; "because mamma always said +it was perfectly barbarous to change the pretty name of Aloise +into 'Wisi.'" + +"I certainly never heard it each time," said Max. "But pray what has +become of this Wisi?" + +"You remember she was in my class at school, and we kept along together; +and I often think of how Andrew always befriended and stood up for the +girl through thick and thin, and that she knew well how to turn his +friendship to good account. + +"When she came with her slate full of examples, like the rest of us, her +figures were not often correct; but she put the slate, with a merry +laugh, on her desk, and lo! soon the sums were all rightly set down, for +Andrew had put them in order. It often happened that she smashed a pane +in the schoolroom window, or shook down the schoolmaster's plums in the +garden; and yet Andrew was always the one who took the blame of these +misdeeds,--not that anybody accused him, but he himself used to say, +half aloud, that he believed it was his fault that the glass was broken, +or the plums shaken down, and so he got the punishment. We children all +knew well enough who was to blame; but we let it go, we were so used to +it, and were so fond of the merry Wisi, that we all were pleased when +she escaped punishment. + +"Wisi had always pocketfuls of apples, pears, and nuts, that all came +from Andrew; for every thing that he had, or could procure, he used to +stuff into Wisi's satchel. I used often to wonder how it happened that +the quiet Andrew liked the very most unruly and gayest girl in the +school, and I also wondered whether she returned his affection. She was +always very friendly with him, but she was the same with others; and as +I once asked our mother how it could be, she shook her head a little, +and said, 'I am afraid,--I am afraid that the nice little Aloise is a +trifle heedless, and may have to suffer for it.' These words gave me +much food for thought, and recurred to me again and again. + +"We went together to the Bible-class; and every Sunday evening Wisi used +to come regularly to our house, and we sang hymns together to the piano. +She particularly enjoyed this. She knew all the lovely songs by heart, +and sang them clearly and well; and mamma and I were very much pleased +to know that Wisi liked to sing, and went gladly to the Bible-class, and +seemed to take the religious teaching very much to heart. She had grown +into a fine large girl now, with bright eyes; and, although she did not +look very strong, like the peasant girls in the villages, still she had +a fine color, and was far prettier than any of them. + +"At this time Andrew was learning his trade in the town, but invariably +came home on Sundays. He always came up to the parsonage to call, and +was inclined to talk to me about our former schooldays; and gradually +we worked round to Wisi, and talked about her most of the time. Andrew +spoke most eloquently and feelingly on this subject; and, although +everybody else had adopted the name 'Wisi' for Aloise, he never called +her so, but said 'Wiseli' so softly and prettily, that it was very +sweet to hear. + +"But one Sunday (we were not quite eighteen years old, Wisi and +I,--mamma was with us that evening) Wisi came in looking very rosy, and +said that she had come to tell us that she was betrothed to a young +workman who had come lately to live in the village, and that they would +soon be married, as he had a good position, and it was arranged that +they could be married in about twelve days. I was so surprised, and so +sorry, that I could not say a word. Neither did my mother speak for a +long time, but looked very much troubled. + +"After a time she talked very seriously with Wisi,--told her that it was +foolish in her to have taken up so quickly with a workman of whom she +really could know very little, and especially when there was another who +had sought her for long years, and plainly shown her how much he loved +her; and, at last, she asked her if it could not be broken off, this +engagement,--or, at least, put off for a while, Wisi was still so young, +and ought to remain with her father. Then Wisi began to cry, and said +that it was all arranged; that she had given her promise, and that her +father was pleased. So my mother said no more about it; but poor Wisi +cried bitterly, until my mother took her by the hand, and led her to the +piano, and said kindly, 'Dry your tears: we will sing together.' And she +played the accompaniment, and we sang,-- + + "'To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "'For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.' + +"After this, Wisi left us apparently comforted, and my mother spoke +kindly to her at parting; but I felt very sadly about the whole affair. +I had a conviction that poor Wisi had passed her happiest days, and +would never be light-hearted again; and I could not express my sorrow +for Andrew. What would he say? He said nothing,--not one word,--but went +about for several years like a shadow, and became more silent than ever, +and had no longer the quietly happy expression that formerly +distinguished him." + +"Poor fellow!" cried Max. "And did he never marry?" + +"Oh, no, Max!" replied his sister, rather reproachfully. "How could he +do so? How can you ask such a question? He is faithfulness personified." + +"How could I know that, dearest sister?" said Max soothingly. "I could +not be expected to know that your gifted and inestimable friend +possessed also the quality of steadfastness. But tell me some more about +Wisi. I hope, truly, that the merry creature was not unfortunate. It +would grieve me sadly to think that." + +"I see plainly, brother, that all your sympathies are secretly with +Wisi; and that you are not sorry for the faithful Andrew, whose heart +was nearly broken when he found that he had lost her." + +"Yes, yes," said Max. "I have the greatest sympathy for the good fellow. +But do tell me how it was with Wisi: did she cry her pretty eyes out?" + +"Almost, I believe," replied Marie. "I did not see her very often, and +she had a great deal of work to do. I believe that her husband was not a +bad fellow; but there was something very rough about him, and he was +rude and unkind even to his own little children. Wisi had a hard time of +it. She had a good many pretty children; but they were very delicate, +and she lost them one after the other. Five she buried, and has only now +one tender little girl,--a little Wiseli,--who is not much larger than +our Pussy, though she is several years older. Naturally Wisi's health +has been sadly tried with all this, and it is plainly visible now that +it has almost reached the end with her. She is rapidly wasting away in +consumption. I fear that there is no hope for her." + +"Oh!" cried Max, "is this possible? Is it really so bad as that? Can +nothing be done, Marie? Let us look after her, and try if we cannot mend +matters somewhat." + +"Oh, no! there is no chance for her," said his sister, sadly. "From the +very beginning Wisi was too delicate for all the work and care that came +upon her." + +"And what became of her husband?" + +"Oh! I quite forgot the sad trouble that poor Wisi had to endure +with him also. + +"About a year ago, he broke an arm and a leg in the workshop, and was +brought home half dead. He was very ill, and could not work, and +certainly was not a patient sufferer. Wisi had the care of him in his +sickness, in addition to every thing else, and he died about six +months after the accident. Wisi has lived alone with her child since +that time." + +"Then there will soon be nothing left but a little Wiseli, and what will +become of her? But, no; it will not turn out so sadly, I am sure. Wisi +will get well, and every thing be right again, as it should have been in +the beginning." + +"No, not so, Max; it is too late for that," replied his sister, +decidedly. "Poor Wisi had to suffer sadly for her folly. But it is too +late indeed!" she said, rising, almost frightened to see that it was +after midnight, and that the colonel, who had been silent for some time +past, was now sleeping in his arm-chair. + +Max was not in the least sleepy, however. All this story of poor Wisi +had awakened in him such lively recollections of his childhood, that +he wanted to talk about many other events and people; but his sister +was not to be persuaded. She took her bed-candle, and insisted upon +going to bed. + +There was nothing to be done but to awaken his brother-in-law, which he +did with such a tremendous thump on the back, that the colonel sprang up +with the feeling that he had been struck by an enemy's bomb-shell. But +Max tapped him kindly on the shoulder, saying, "It is only a gentle +warning from your wife that we must all beat a retreat." This was +accomplished, and soon the house on the height stood quietly in the +moonlight; and half way down the hill stood another house, where it +would soon be silent, too, though a still feeble light glimmered there, +casting a pale shadow through the little window out into the brilliant +moonlit night. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ALSO AT HOME. + + +At the same time that the colonel's children were going home, the +little Wiseli ran along down the hill as fast as she could scamper, for +she knew she had remained away longer than her mother liked that she +should, and she very rarely did any thing of the kind. This evening had +been one of such unusual pleasure for her that she had quite forgotten +to go home at the usual time, and therefore ran all the faster, and so +almost fell against a man, in her haste, who came out of the door of +their cottage as she was rushing in. He stepped quietly to one side, +and Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side. To +her great surprise, she found no light in the room,--her mother was +sitting in the twilight, on a low chair by the window. "Mother," said +the child, "are you angry because I was away such a long time?" and she +put her arms around her mother's neck as she spoke. "No, no, Wiseli," +said her mother, kindly; "but I am glad that you have come at last." +The girl began at once to tell her mother about the delightful coast +she had had on Otto's pretty sled,--how she had gone twice down the +hill, and how pleasant it was. When she had finished her little story, +she noticed, for the first time, how very quiet her mother was,--much +more so than usual,--and she asked anxiously, "Why have you not lighted +the lamp, mother?" + +[Illustration: WISELI HASTENED INTO THE ROOM, AND WENT TO HER +MOTHER'S SIDE] + +"I feel so weary this evening, Wiseli," replied her mother, "that I +could not get up to light it. Go get it now, my child, and bring me a +little water to drink at the same time, I am so very thirsty." Wiseli +hastened to the kitchen, and soon returned with the light in one hand, +and in the other a bottle filled with red syrup, that looked so +temptingly clear and good, that the thirsty invalid called out eagerly, +"What is that you are bringing me? It looks so good!" + +"I do not know," said the child; "it was standing on the kitchen-table. +See how it sparkles!" Her mother took the bottle, and smelled at it. +"Oh!" she said, smelling again, "it is like fresh, wild strawberries. +Give me some water, quickly, Wiseli; I must drink." The child poured +some of the red syrup into a glass, and filled it with water, which her +mother swallowed eagerly, as one parched with thirst. "You do not know +how refreshing it is, child," as she handed back the empty glass. "Put +it away, Wiseli, but not far. It seems to me as if I could drink it all +the time, I am so thirsty. Who brought me this refreshment, Wiseli: do +you know? It must be from Trine: she brought it from the colonel's." + +"Did Trine come in here, mother?" asked the child. + +"No; I have not seen her at all," said her mother. + +"Then it is not Trine, I am sure," said Wiseli, decidedly. "She always +comes into the room when she brings anything for you. But Andrew the +carpenter came today: did not he bring this with him?" + +"What, Wiseli," said her mother, very eagerly, "what are you saying? +Andrew the carpenter never came to see me: what made you think of that?" + +"He was here, certainly; certainly he was here within this house. He +went out of the door so quickly that I almost ran into him. Did you not +hear him at all?" + +Her mother was quiet for a long time without speaking; then she said, "I +did hear the kitchen door softly opened. At first I thought it might be +you, and--it is true, I did not hear you enter until later. Are you +sure, Wiseli, that Andrew the carpenter was the person who went out from +our door?" + +Wiseli was sure of her affair, and told her mother exactly how the coat +and how the cap looked that Andrew wore, and how frightened he was when +she almost ran into him; so that, at last, she convinced the good woman, +who said softly, as if to herself, "Yes, it must be Andrew; he knows +what I like best." + +"Now I remember something else, mother," cried Wiseli, quite excitedly. +"Now I know for sure who once placed a big pot of honey in the +kitchen,--you remember how much you liked that,--and then the +apple-cakes a day or two ago,--do not you remember? You wished to send +your thanks by Trine when she brought you something from the colonel's +kitchen, and she said that she knew nothing at all about them. Now I am +sure that Andrew the carpenter brought them, and secretly placed them in +the kitchen for you." + +"Now I believe so, also," said her mother, and softly wiped her eyes. + +"There is nothing sad about it, mother," said Wiseli, rather shocked to +see how often her mother kept wiping her eyes. + +"You must thank him for me, Wiseli: I cannot. Tell him that I send him +my thanks for all the goodness he has shown me,--he has always been kind +to me. Come, sit down here by me a little," said she, softly. "Give me +some more of the syrup, and then come and repeat the verse that I taught +you the other day." + +Wiseli brought more water, and mixed it with the syrup again, and her +mother drank of it eagerly; then she laid her head wearily upon the low +window-sill, and beckoned her little daughter to come to her side. It +seemed to the child that her mother could not be comfortable, and she +fetched a pillow from the bed, and placed it carefully under her +mother's head. Then she sat down close to her side on a footstool, and +held her mother's hand in her own, and complied with her request to +repeat the verses, thus,-- + + "'To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "'For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +As Wiseli finished, she observed that her mother was almost asleep; but +she heard her say, softly, "Think of this, my Wiseli; and when you do +not know which way to turn, and every thing seems difficult and +perplexing, then say to yourself these words,-- + + "'Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +Now the weary head sank down to rest, and little Wiseli would not awaken +her mother by a movement, but nestled up to her quietly, and slept also. +And the feeble light of the little lamp burned dimly in the quiet +room,--more and more feebly it burned, until it slowly flickered and +went out, and the cottage stood a dark object in the bright moonlight. + +The next morning the neighbor from the nearest house stopped, as usual, +on her way to the fountain, to look through the window of the cottage to +see if all was well within. She saw that the sick woman was sleeping on +the pillow, with her head against the window-sill, and that Wiseli stood +weeping by her side. This seemed so strange, that she put her head a +little way into the room, and asked, "What is the matter, Wiseli? Is +your mother worse?" The child sobbed dreadfully, and could scarcely say, +"I do not know what ails my mother." + +The poor child had a strong suspicion of what it all meant, but she +could not realize that her mother was lost to her. For she was still +there, but asleep,--asleep for all the rest of her daughter's life on +earth,--and could not hear how sadly the child called to her. The +neighbor stepped to the window and looked at the sleeping head upon the +pillow; then she started back in alarm. "Run quickly, Wiseli; run and +fetch your cousin Gotti. He must come at once. You have no other +relation, and somebody must look after things here. Run as fast as you +can: I will wait here until you come back." + +The child ran, but not fast, her heart was so heavy within her, and her +limbs trembled; and at last she had to stop and give way to her tears, +for she became more and more sure, with every step, that her mother +would never waken more. But she went on again soon, although she could +not stop her tears, for her sorrow increased as she went. In the beech +grove, full a quarter of an hour's walk from the church, stood the +house of her cousin Gotti; and presently Wiseli entered the door, still +crying bitterly. Her cousin's wife stood in the kitchen, and asked +harshly, "What is the matter with you?" Wiseli replied, between her +sobs, that the neighbor had sent her to ask her cousin Gotti to come +quickly to her mother. Probably the woman suspected, from the child's +look, that her mother was more ill, for she spoke a little less roughly +than usual. "I will tell him. You can go home: he is not here now." So +Wiseli turned about, and reached home more quickly than she came, for +she was returning to her mother. The neighbor stood by the +doorstep,--she could not wait inside the room: it was not pleasant to +her. But the child stepped in, and went to her place by her mother's +side that she had kept all through the night. There she sat weeping, +and only said, now and then, softly, "Mother." But no answering word +came to her. At last Wiseli said, bending over her, "Mother, you can +hear me, although you are in heaven now, and I cannot hear your +answer." And the child sat holding her mother's hand tightly until long +after noontime. About that time her cousin Gotti entered the room, +looked about him a little, and then called for the neighbor. "You must +arrange things here a little,--you know what I mean," he said,--"so +that things will be ready for the removal. Then carry the keys away +with you, so that nothing will be taken." He then turned to Wiseli and +said, "Where are your clothes, little one? Get them together and tie +them up in a bundle, and we will go away." + +"Where shall we go?" asked the child. + +"We will go home to the beech grove. You can stay there with us, for you +have nobody else in the world now but your cousin Gotti." + +At these words, Wiseli felt herself stiff with fear. Go to the beech +grove, and live with them there,--was that her fate? She had always had +the greatest fear of the wife of her cousin Gotti, and always stood a +long time before the door, when she was sent there with a message, +before she could summon courage to enter. The eldest son, Cheppi,--that +rough fellow,--lived there, and Hannes and Rudi; and they threw stones +at all the children. Was that to be her home? + +Fear caused the child to turn pale and immovable. + +"You must not be frightened, my child," said her cousin Gotti, in a +kindly tone. "There are more people in our house than there are here, +but it is all the more lively for that." + +Wiseli put her things silently together in a shawl, and tied the two +corners together crosswise; then she tied her scarf about her head, and +stood ready. + +"So," said her cousin, "now we will go," and turned towards the door; +but Wiseli sobbed out suddenly,-- + +"Then I must leave my mother all alone." + +With these words she ran to her mother, and clasped her in her +arms again. + +Her cousin Gotti stood rather disconcerted, and looked on. He did not +know how to explain how things were with her mother, if she did not +understand without words; for he was not strong in the matter of +expressing himself: he had never given himself the trouble to try. At +last, he said,-- + +"Now come, come along. A little child like you must be obedient. Come; +and, after this, no crying. That does not mend matters one bit." + +The child swallowed her sobs, and followed the cousin Gotti silently +through the door. Once only she glanced backward, and said softly, "God +will watch over you, mother;" and then went forth with her bundle on her +arm, and left the little house which had been home to her. Just as she +and her cousin Gotti went together across the field, Trine came towards +them down the road, with a covered basket on her arm. The neighbor stood +in the doorway, and looked after the departing couple. Trine went +towards her, saying,-- + +"To-day I am bringing the sick woman something good. A little late, to +be sure. We have Uncle Max on a visit to us: that always makes me late." + +"And even if you had come early in the morning, you would have come too +late to-day. She died last night." + +"That cannot be!" cried Trine, startled. "Oh, goodness me! what will my +lady say?" + +With these words she turned sharp about, and ran home as fast as +possible. The neighbor went back into the quiet room, and performed the +last kind offices for Wiseli's mother. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +AT COUSIN GOTTI's. + + +When Wiseli made her entry into her cousin Gotti's house at Beech Grove, +the three boys came running out of the barn, and, behind Wiseli, into +the room, where they placed themselves in front of her in a row, and +stared at the timid little thing with all their eyes. Her cousin's wife +came out of the kitchen, and stared also at the little thing, as if she +had never seen her before. + +Her cousin Gotti seated himself behind the table, and said,-- + +"I think she can eat something: she has not had much to-day. Come here," +he said, turning to Wiseli, who stood all this time in the same place, +with her bundle under her arm. She obeyed. Now her cousin's wife put new +wine and cheese on the table, also a huge loaf of black bread. Cousin +Gotti cut a big slice, put a lump of cheese upon it, and pushed it +towards the child. "There, eat, little one," he said. "You must be +hungry, I'm sure." + +"No, I thank you," said Wiseli, softly. She could not have swallowed +even a crumb. She felt as if she were crushed under her load of sorrow +and anxiety, and could scarcely even breathe. + +The boys stood there all the time, and stared at her. + +"Don't be frightened," said cousin Gotti, encouragingly. "Do eat +something." But the child sat motionless, and did not touch her bread. +Her cousin's wife came again; and, putting her hands on her hips, stood +looking her over from head to foot. + +"If you don't want it," she said, "you can leave it;" and turned on her +heel, and went again into the kitchen. + +When cousin Gotti had refreshed himself sufficiently he arose, and said, +"Put it in your pocket. By and by you will feel like eating, only do not +feel frightened;" and he went into the kitchen. Wiseli tried to do as he +told her, to put the bread and cheese into her pocket; but they were too +large, and she put them back upon the table again. + +"I will help you," said Cheppi, snatching the pieces from the table; and +was about to stuff them into his open mouth, but they flew up into the +air instead, for Hannes had knocked Cheppi's hand up with a smart blow, +and so the plunder was scattered, and Rudi darted upon it, and carried +part of it away. With this the two oldest boys fell upon him, and they +kicked and cuffed, and screamed and shouted, until Wiseli was terribly +frightened. Presently their father opened the kitchen-door, and called +out, "What does this all mean?" Then the boys all answered at once, from +the floor; and one said, "Wiseli did not want it;" and another, "Wiseli +had not any;" and "As long as Wiseli did not want any"-- + +Their father called out, loudly, "If you do not stop that, I will come +in with the thong, and whip you." And he slammed the door again. + +"It" did not "stop," however; but, as soon as the door was shut again, +it began worse than ever, for Hannes found that the best way to treat +the enemy was to grasp him by the hair; and so they all seized each +other by the hair, and stood in a ring, uttering terrible noises. In the +kitchen their mother sat on a stool, and peeled potatoes. When her +husband closed the door again, she asked,-- + +"What is your idea about that child? Why did you bring her home with +you at once?" + +"I thought she would have to stay with somebody. I am her cousin Gotti, +and she has no other relatives. You can make her useful. She can do what +you are doing now. Then you will be able to do other things. You are +always saying that the boys give you so much work,--more than is right." + +"Yes, as regards them, a great help she will be! You can hear now what +a racket there is in there, and she is only a quarter of an hour in +the house." + +"I have heard that sort of thing a good many times before the little one +came. I do not think that she has much to do with it," said the cousin +Gotti quietly. + +"Oh, you did not hear them!" said his wife sharply; "how they kept +calling out something about Wiseli?" + +"Well, they may call out, if they want to," said their father. "You will +soon have the little one in hand. I think she is not a troublesome +child,--I noticed that in the beginning,--and is much more obedient than +those boys of yours." + +This was too much for his wife. + +"I do not see what is the use of finding fault with the boys," she said; +and she peeled the potatoes faster and faster. "And I _should_ like to +know where the girl is to sleep." + +Her husband pushed his cap back and forth several times upon his head, +and said, soothingly,-- + +"One can't think of every thing at once. She must have had a bed to +sleep in; and she can, at least, have that. Tomorrow I will go to the +pastor. To-night she can sleep on the bench by the stove. It is always +warm there; and I can put a partition in the little passage that goes +into our room later, and set her bed in there." + +"I never heard of bringing home a child and getting a bed for it a week +afterwards," said the woman crossly; "and I should like to know who will +pay for it if we must build something more for her into the bargain." + +"When the parish assigns the child to us, they will allow us something +for her maintenance. I shall take her cheaper than any one else would +do, and she will be more comfortable here too." + +With this the cousin went out into the shed, and called out for Cheppi +to come with him. It was hard for the cousin's wife to make herself +heard in the room when she wished to give this message. They were all +fighting away, and shouting angrily and loudly. + +"I am surprised that you sit there looking on, and do not try to quiet +them in the least," said their mother to Wiseli, who sat cowering +against the wall, and did not dare even to move. Cheppi, however, was +dispatched to the barn, and the two others ran after him. + +"Do you know how to knit?" the cousin's wife asked Wiseli, who replied, +timidly, "Yes, I can knit stockings." + +"Well, then, take this," she said; and took from the cupboard a big +brown stocking, with yarn almost as stout as Wiseli's little fingers. +"Go on with the foot," she said, "and take care to make it big +enough: it is for your cousin Gotti." Then she went back into the +kitchen, and the little girl took her seat on the bench by the stove, +with the long stocking coiled up in her lap,--for it was so heavy +that she could scarcely knit if it hung down: it pulled the needles +out of her hand. She had scarcely begun to work, however, before her +cousin's wife came in again. + +"I think you had better come out into the kitchen with me," she said. +"Then you can see how I do things, and be able to help me a little by +and by." Wiseli obeyed, and watched her cousin's wife at her work as +well as she was able; but the tears kept coming into her eyes so that +she could scarcely see, for she thought all the time of how she used to +go about in the kitchen with her mother, who chattered so pleasantly +with her, and how they would stop to kiss each other now and then. She +knew very well that she ought not to give way to her tears, and tried to +swallow her sobs, until she felt almost strangling. + +"See here, look here," said the cousin's wife, every now and then; "then +you will know how to do it by and by." And she went about, here and +there, in the kitchen, letting Wiseli stand, and said nothing else to +her. This went on for some time, when there was a terrible stamping in +the entry, and the woman said, "Open the door as quick as you can: they +are coming." The noise was made by the cousin and his sons, who were +knocking the snow off their shoes before entering. Wiseli opened the +door into the inner room as quickly as possible; and the cousin's wife +lifted an enormous pan off the fire, and ran with it into the room, +where she shook a great heap of potatoes out over the slate-topped +table. Then she brought out a big jug of sour milk, and said, "Put the +things that are in the table-drawer on the table, and then they can all +sit down at once." + +Wiseli pulled out the drawer as quickly as possible. There lay five +spoons and five knives. She put these upon the table, and the supper was +ready. The father and his sons came in, and sat down at once on the +seats along the wall behind the table. At the other end stood a chair. +Cousin Gotti made a motion towards the chair and said, "She can sit +there, I think; or do you say no?" + +"Oh, certainly!" said his wife, whose seat was nearest the kitchen-door. +She did not remain seated a moment; but ran out into the kitchen and +came back, took a spoonful of milk, and was off again. + +Nobody knew why she ran about in this way, for there was nothing cooking +in the kitchen, and nothing to bring out, but she always did so; and +when, sometimes, her husband would say, "Do sit still, and eat +something," then she seemed more hurried than ever, and said she had no +time to sit still, there were so many things to be looked after. + +When she had made two visits to the kitchen and returned, and began to +peel a potato in great haste, she noticed, for the first time, that +Wiseli sat idly by her side, her hands on her lap. "Why don't you eat +something?" she said, angrily. "She has no spoon," said Rudi, who was +seated on the other side, and had long been wondering why anybody should +sit at table and not eat as long as there was any thing left. "Oh, yes, +of course," said his mother. "Who would ever have thought that we should +need six spoons? We have always found five enough; and we must have +another knife too. Why can't you speak? You know well enough that to eat +you want a spoon." These last words were addressed to Wiseli. + +The child glanced timidly at the woman and said, "It is no matter: I do +not need any. I am not hungry." + +"Why not?" asked the woman. "Are you used to a different kind of food? I +don't mean to change, if you are." + +"I think it would be better to let the child alone for a while; we must +not frighten her," said her cousin Gotti, soothingly. "She will feel +better soon." + +So Wiseli was unmolested, and the others were busily employed for a +while. She sat there motionless until her cousin rose, took his fur cap +from the nail, and began to look for the stable lantern; for "Spot" was +sick, and must be looked after again that night. The table was quickly +cleared. The empty potato-skins were brushed off into the empty +milk-jug, the slate-top wiped off; and when the woman was done with +this, she said, turning to Wiseli, "You have seen what I did; now you +can do it the next time." Now Cheppi took his seat firmly behind the +table again. He had his slate-pencil and arithmetic book, and prepared +himself to do his examples. First, however, he stared for a while at +Wiseli, who had again taken up her brown stocking, but did not make any +progress; for she could not see a thing in the dark corner where she +was seated, and she did not dare to draw nearer to the table where the +dim lamp was placed. "You must have something to do," cried Cheppi, in +an irritated tone. "You are not the smartest scholar in the school." +The girl did not know what to answer. She had not been to school that +day, and did not know what lessons were given out; and, besides, was +quite out of her usual habits and life generally. "If I must do my +examples, so must you, or I won't do them at all," cried Cheppi again. +Wiseli kept as still as a mouse. "Well, then, it is all right," said +the boy noisily. "I won't do another stroke of work." And he threw away +his pencil. + +"Then I won't do any thing, either," cried Hannes, and stuffed his +multiplication-table into his satchel again; for learning his lessons +was the hardest thing in the world for him. + +"I will tell the master whose fault it is," began Cheppi again. "You can +see, then, what you will get." + +Probably Cheppi would have gone on in this unpleasant style for a long +time, if his father had not soon returned from the barn. He brought in +two big, empty grain-bags on his shoulders, and came up to the table +with them. + +"Make room," he said to Cheppi, who sat with his elbows on the table, +supporting his head on his hands. Then he spread out his two bags, +folded them together again, and then again. At last he went towards the +bench behind the stove, and put them down on it. "There," he said, with +an air of satisfaction, "that is good. Where is your bundle, little +one?" Wiseli fetched it from her corner,--where it had lain ever since +she arrived,--and looked with surprise at her cousin Gotti as he placed +the bundle at the upper end of the folded bags, and pressed it down, so +that it was not perfectly round. + +"There, now you may go to sleep," he said, turning round to Wiseli. "You +cannot be cold, for the stove is hot; and you can put your head on your +bundle, and you will be as comfortable as if you were in your bed. + +"And it is time for you three to go to bed, too. Off with you: make +haste!" So saying, he took the oil-lamp from the table, and went towards +the kitchen. The three boys clattered along after him. + +When he reached the door, he turned again and said, "There, sleep +soundly. Must not think any more to-night, and it will be better for you +by and by," and he went out. Presently his wife came into the room with +an oil-lamp in her hand, and looked at the place where Wiseli was to +sleep. "Can you lie there?" she asked. "You will find it warm enough by +the stove. There are plenty of people who have neither bed nor a warm +place to be in. You won't suffer in that way, and ought to be thankful +that you are under a good roof. Good-night." + +"Good-night," replied Wiseli, softly; but the woman could not have +heard her, for she was already away when she spoke, and had closed the +door behind her immediately. Now Wiseli sat alone in the dark room. +Every thing about her was suddenly silent,--not a sound to be heard. A +straggling moonbeam shone through the little window,--enough to show +the child where the bench by the stove was, upon which she must find +her bed. She crossed the room, and seated herself there. For the first +time that day since she had left her dear mother, she found herself +alone, and able to think over what had befallen her. She had been +constantly under excitement until this moment; for every thing that +had happened frightened her. All that she heard or saw since she left +her home had been so very unpleasant that she could not stop to think +at all, but went from one alarm to another. Now there she sat alone, +without her mother, and began to realize that it was all over,--that +they would never see nor hear each other again in this world. And such +a sense of loneliness, of utter desolation, took possession of Wiseli, +that she believed herself uncared for and forgotten by everybody, and +feared that she should be left there alone to die in the dark. The +poor child laid her head down upon her bundle, and began to cry, +bitterly and despairingly, "Mother, can you not hear me? Mother, do +not you hear me call?" + +Now Wiseli's mother had often told her little girl, that when things +went very badly with us here below, then was the moment to lift up our +voices and cry to God for help; for he would hear us in our trouble when +all other's ears were deaf, and help us when no other help was possible. +At this moment the child remembered these words, and she sobbed aloud, +"Oh, you dear God in heaven! help me also, I am so unhappy, and my +mother cannot hear me when I call!" + +And when she had prayed thus several times over, she felt calmer. It +comforted her poor little heart; for now she felt that God was really +there in heaven, and could help her, and that she was no longer alone. +And presently she recalled her mother's words,--almost the very last +that she spoke: "My child, when you cannot see your way clearly before +you, and every thing seems strange and difficult"--And now it was so; +and how little she thought that it ever would be so, when her mother was +talking to her. Her mother told her to remember the words of the hymn,-- + + "Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +Now Wiseli first rightly understood these words, and felt their full +meaning. Before she had repeated them mechanically, for not until now +did she need them. But it was just her present case. Was not she full of +perplexity? and what could she possibly have in her cousin Gotti's house +but fear and trouble? And so she repeated, again and again,-- + + "Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +The child had found her way to her heavenly Father, and knew that he was +sure to help her; and she felt comforted. Folding her little hands, she +began the hymn at the beginning, for it seemed like talking to a kind +friend; and she said each word from her very heart:-- + + "To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +A quiet trust now took possession of the child's heart. She fell asleep +soon after, her head supported on her little bundle, still repeating the +last lines of the hymn. And a pleasant dream followed. She saw before +her a dry bright pathway in the full sunlight, and the road led between +beautiful red roses and lovely pinks that were so attractive that she +longed to run to gather them. And by her side stood her dear mother, and +held her hand tenderly in her own, as she always did; and her mother +pointed along the pathway in her dream, and said, "See, my Wiseli; did +not I tell you so? That is your way." + + "'Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +And the child was happy in her dream, and slept as soundly on her little +bundle as if she were on a soft bed. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +HOW TIME WENT ON, AND SUMMER CAME. + + +When old Trine carried the news back to the heights, and told them +there that Wiseli's mother was dead, and the child taken at once to her +cousin Gotti's, the whole family became greatly agitated. Mrs. Ritter +could not cease bewailing her neglect in not visiting the sick woman +before, for she had been postponing it from day to day; but, of course, +had not in the least realized how near the end might be. She was sadly +cast down, and sorrowful. And Otto: he went raging up and down the room +with great strides, and kept calling out angrily, "It is an injustice! +It is a great injustice! But if he dares to lay a hand on her to harm +her, he may look to his own bones, how many of them will be left whole +in his skin!" + +"Who do you mean, Otto? Who are you talking about in that way?" said his +mother, looking curiously at her excited boy. + +"About that Cheppi," he replied. "I do not know what dreadful things he +will do to Wiseli when he has her there in his own house. It is not +right, but just let him try"--But now Otto was interrupted by a repeated +and heavy stamping that prevented his being heard. "Why do you make such +a deafening noise, you pussy cat, there behind the stove?" he cried, +turning his indignation towards another quarter. Pussy came out from +behind the stove, but stamped more violently than before; for she was +trying to force her feet into her wet boots, which it had taken the old +Trine ever so long to pull off a while before. It was dreadfully hard +work; and Pussy became as red as fire, while she said,-- + +"Don't you see that I have to do so? Nobody in the world could get these +boots on without stamping." + +"And what in the world do you want to put those wet boots on again for? +I have just pulled them off, so that you should not have them on. I +should just like to know what this means?" said Trine, who stood looking +on all this time. + +"I am going to the beech grove this very minute to fetch Wiseli to +our house. She can have my bed," said Pussy, decidedly. But quite as +decidedly old Trine stalked over to Pussy, at these words, lifted her +up, placed her firmly on a chair, while she pulled off the boot that +was half on; but said, in a pacifying tone, to the kicking and +excited child,-- + +"That is all right! that is all right! but I will take care of you +first. You must not get two pair of shoes and two pair of stockings wet +through in one day. You can give up your bed. You can go up into the +lumber-room, if you want to: there is room enough there." + +But Pussy had a very different plan in her little head. She thought +that she could free herself, in this wise, of a great and daily +recurring trouble, that often gave her both inward and outward +annoyance; namely, the being ordered off to bed every evening, and +obliged to go, into the bargain, just as she was in the mood to enjoy +herself especially. She thought that, if she gave up her bed to Wiseli, +there would be none other at hand for her, and so she could stay up as +long as she wanted to. + +She was so delighted at this prospect, that she did not, at first, +notice how the sly Trine had wisked off her wet boots, and that now +there was no chance to fetch Wiseli. + +When she fairly understood how she had been tricked, she set up such an +outcry that Otto put his fingers in his ears, and her mother came in, a +good deal alarmed at the uproar. She promised Pussy to talk over the +matter with her father as soon as he came home; for he had gone away +that very morning, with their Uncle Max, to pay a long-promised visit to +an old friend. After a while peace and quiet were restored in the +household. The gentlemen did not return for two weeks, however; but Mrs. +Ritter kept her promise. The first thing that she mentioned to her +husband, on the very evening of his return, was the fact of Wiseli being +an orphan, and her new shelter; and the colonel promised to go to the +pastor the very next day, to see what better arrangement could be made +for the child; and, having visited the pastor, the colonel brought back +the sad news, that, on the Sunday just past, the parish had taken the +matter into consideration, and that it was now settled. Wiseli must be +housed somewhere; and, as her mother had not left any property whatever, +she must also be maintained at the expense of the parish until she could +support herself. Moreover, her cousin Gotti had offered, in the first +instance, to take the child for a very slight compensation. He wished to +do an act of charity as far as he could afford it. He was known to be a +well-conducted man; and, as he made so slight a demand, it was agreed +and settled that the child should henceforth find her home with him. + +"It seems to me a very good arrangement," said the colonel to his wife. +"The child will be well cared for there; besides, what else could be +done? She is much too small to be placed anywhere in service, and +certainly you cannot take every orphan child in the neighborhood into +your own house. You might as well turn it into an asylum at once." + +Mrs. Ritter was very much disturbed by the news that every thing had +been settled so soon. She had hoped to be able to have found a different +home for Wiseli, who was, she knew, much too sensitive and delicate a +child to be happy in a home where rudeness and roughness were the rule; +but she had not a definite plan in her mind, and now there was nothing +to be done but to try to look after the child's comfort a little, and to +protect her, if possible. + +Otto and Pussy did not take the affair so quietly, however. They were in +great excitement when they heard it all on the following morning. + +Otto declared Wiseli's lot to be the lot of Daniel in the lion's den, +and brought his fist down on the table with the evident wish that he +were pommelling Cheppi's head. Pussy screamed, and cried a little; +partly out of pity for Wiseli, and partly from disappointment that she +could not now carry out her little plan of being able to sit up later in +the evenings. + +But this excitement was at last quieted down, like every other, by time; +and the days rolled on in their wonted manner. + +In the meantime Wiseli has become somewhat accustomed to the life in her +cousin Gotti's house. For one thing, her bed had come; and she no longer +slept on the bench by the stove, but in a little place partitioned off +from the passage between her cousin's room and that of the boys. There +was just room enough in this little place for her bed, and a little +chest, in which she placed her clothes, and upon which she had to climb +when she wished to get into her bed; for there was no space between. + +She was obliged to go to the well when she washed; and, if it was very +cold, then her cousin's wife said she could give up washing for that +day, and do it on another when it was warmer. Now Wiseli was not used to +this style of thing at all. Her mother had taught her that cleanliness +was absolutely necessary; and Wiseli would have frozen rather than to +look untidy, and, therefore, displease her mother. To be sure, every +thing was different for her at home; for she washed and dressed herself +in her mother's room always; and many a loving word they exchanged until +the coffee was on the table, and they sat down together, and ate their +breakfast happily, before Wiseli started off for school. + +But what a difference for her now! All, all was changed,--her whole life +from morning till evening; and often, at the thought of her mother, the +tears started into the poor child's eyes, and her heart ached so sadly, +that she felt as if she could go no farther, but must drop down, and +die. But she held herself bravely, for it distressed her cousin Gotti to +see her cry, and his wife scolded more than ever; for she, too, disliked +to see her dull. + +The happiest part of the twenty-four hours for Wiseli was when she +climbed into her little bed at night, and had a moment's time to think +about her dear mother in peace. + +At this time she always obtained comfort. She thought about her +beautiful dream, and felt perfect confidence that the good God would +find a way for her out of her troubles, as her mother had told her; and +she hoped that her mother was also in heaven, and would pray to God not +to forget her poor little child left alone in the wide world. Then +Wiseli always repeated her hymn, and slept quietly. + +So the winter slipped away, and the spring with its sunshine followed. +The trees were green again, and the meadows were gay with primroses and +white anemones, and in the wood the cuckoo sang lustily; and soft, warm +breezes were all abroad, making every heart beat more cheerily; and one +rejoiced that life was still possible. + +Wiseli also rejoiced over the flowers and the sunshine, especially when +she went to and from school. Beyond this she had little time for +enjoyment, for she had so much work to do. Every moment out of school +she had to employ in some useful occupation; and, indeed, often was +obliged to stay away from school for a half-day at a time, there was so +much to be done that could not be neglected, as her cousin Gotti, and +particularly his wife, were forever telling her. The cultivation of the +fields had begun, and also the garden work; and when her cousin's wife +was in the garden, then Wiseli had to wash the cooking utensils, and had +the hogs' trough to cleanse and carry back to the barn; and then the +boys' stockings and shirts must be mended, and her cousin's wife always +said, "Oh, the child can do that, she has nothing else to do;" and yet +she never was idle a single moment, and felt almost giddy at times, +because she was called from one piece of work to another before she had +time to breathe. Moreover, she found that if, for example, she ran over +to the field with the seed-potatoes that her cousin Gotti was calling +for, then his wife would scold because she had not made the kitchen-fire +for the supper, as she was bidden to do; but if she stopped to make the +fire, then she was found fault with by Cheppi because she had not mended +the hole in his jacket-sleeve he had told her to long ago; and everybody +called out, "Why don't you do this, or why don't you do that? you have +nothing else to do." She was glad to go to school whenever she was +allowed to go, for she was quiet for a while then; and, moreover, in +that place the poor child heard a pleasant word now and again. For each +time that recess came, or they left school to go home, Otto would come +to her, and talk with her pleasantly for a while, or give her an +invitation from his mother to visit them on Sunday evening and play +games with the children. Poor Wiseli could never avail herself of these +charming invitations, because on Sunday she had always to make the +coffee for the family; and her cousin's wife said that she could not +think of letting the child go away to visit on the only day when she was +really of some use to her. But the child was glad that Otto always asked +her, though she could not go, and that he always spoke kindly to her; +for those were the only friendly acts or words that she knew of +nowadays. There was still another reason that made it pleasant for +Wiseli to go to school, and that was the passing by Andrew the +carpenter's pretty garden on her way there. She always paused and looked +over the low hedge, hoping that she might catch sight of the carpenter; +for she had her mother's message to deliver, and never ceased hoping to +find the opportunity. She was far too shy to go into the house for that +purpose. She felt that she did not know Andrew well enough to venture to +do that. She was particularly timid with him, because he was so very +quiet, and always looked at her kindly when they met, but never spoke; +or, at least, never said more than a kindly word in passing. And she had +never succeeded in catching even a glimpse of him, no matter how long +she stood by the hedge and looked over. + +May passed, and June. The long days of summer came, with more and more +work to be done in the fields, and work that was ever hotter and hotter. +Wiseli felt this keenly when her cousin Gotti called her out to help +with the haymaking, and the heavy rake was so hard for her to lift; or, +worse still, to handle the clumsy wooden fork when the hay needed +spreading in the sun to dry. + +She often was obliged to work in the fields, and in the evening was so +tired out that she could scarcely move her poor little arms. She never +fretted, however, for she thought it was necessary and right; but often, +when she was still for a moment in the evening, it hurt her sadly to +hear Cheppi call out, "You ought to do your examples in arithmetic now, +as I do. You are never doing any thing out of school, and in the classes +you are always behind the others." + +She would have liked to study and get on at her lessons, if she could +only have gone regularly to school, and been able to keep up with the +class. She was well aware that she was far behind her schoolmates; but +what could she do, when she only got a little here and there, and all +was confused for her, and she never knew what lessons were given out for +the out-of-school studies. When she came quite unprepared to school, and +could not answer the questions put to the class, she was overwhelmed +with mortification, especially when the teacher would say, before all +the other children, "I did not expect to see you so behindhand, +Wiseli,--you of all others, who used to be so clever at your books." +Then she used to feel fit to sink through the floor for shame, and would +cry all the way as she walked home. But she did not dare to answer +Cheppi back when he taunted her, because then he would begin to cry and +scold, and make a noise, until his mother came in, when she, too, would +reproach her with being behind her classes, because Cheppi said she was. +So Wiseli often kept back her tears, and only gave way when she was +alone; and sometimes it did seem to her as if she were quite forgotten +by her heavenly Father and her mother, and as if nobody in the whole +world cared for her; and she was too sad at heart even to say her +comforting hymn for a long time; but she could not rest nor sleep until +she had done so, even though there was little satisfaction for her in +the words. + +One beautiful evening in July Wiseli slept, after a sad time of weeping, +and could not obtain an answer, the next morning, to her question of +whether she might go to school with the boys. + +Off scampered the boys. She looked sadly after them through the open +window as they sprang away gayly through the flower-besprinkled grass, +and chased a cloud of white butterflies along in front of them as they +ran through the brilliant sunshine. + +Her cousin's wife had prepared the big wash,--this was the work laid out +for the whole week. Must Wiseli work there too? + +Yes: already she heard a calling from the kitchen, and her cousin Gotti +called her by name,--he stood at the well, and saw her looking out of +the window. + +"Make haste, make haste, Wiseli; it is time to be off: the boys are +half-way to school. All the hay is in: make haste and go too." She did +not wait till he told this twice. Like a flash she snatched her satchel +and was off. + +"Tell the teacher that I have not sent him his money for a long time, +but he must not be vexed at that, we have had so much work with the hay +this summer." + +How happy the child felt as she flew along! She need not stand all day +at the wash-tub: she could go instead to school. How beautiful it was +everywhere about! The birds sang more sweetly than ever from the +trees, the grass was scented, and the pretty red and yellow flowers +glistened in the sun. Wiseli could not stop to enjoy them,--it was too +late for that,--but she felt the beauty as she ran along, and rejoiced +at every step. + +That same evening, just as all the children streamed out of the +close schoolroom into the beautiful afternoon light, the teacher +called out, with his serious face peering into the little crowd, +"Whose week is this?" + +"Otto's, Otto's," called the whole company at once, and ran off. + +"Otto," said the teacher, earnestly, "yesterday it was not swept up here +at all. I excuse you for once; but do not let it happen again, or I must +punish you, boy." + +Otto looked for a moment at all the nut-shells and apple-parings and +bits of paper that lay scattered about the floor waiting to be brushed +up; then he turned his head quickly away, and scampered out of the door, +for the teacher had disappeared into his own part of the house. Otto +stood outside and gazed about him at the golden sunset, and thought, "If +I could go home now, I could get a capful of cherries, and I could ride +the brown horse home from the field when the groom fetches the hay; and +now I must stay here instead, and sweep up these scraps from the floor!" +And Otto was so angry over this unpleasant task, that he scowled about +him, saying, "I wish the day of judgment would come, and carry off the +schoolhouse, and break it up into a thousand pieces!" But every thing +was still and peaceful all about, and not a sign of any such ravaging +earthquake to be seen or heard. + +After a while Otto turned back towards the schoolroom-door with a savage +determination, for he knew that he must bite into his sour apple, or be +punished the next day by having to sit still during recess; and he would +not run the risk of that disgraceful punishment. He entered the room, +but stood still with surprise as soon as he stepped past the threshold. +Every thing was brushed up in the school-room: not a scrap nor bit to be +seen anywhere. The windows all stood wide open, and the soft evening +breeze blew through the quiet room. Just then the teacher came out of +his own room and looked about him, and at the staring Otto, and said, +pleasantly, "You may well look about you with satisfaction. I did not +think that you could do it so well. You are a good scholar; but you have +surpassed yourself to-day in cleaning up, for I never saw it so neatly +done before." + +So saying, the teacher went away; and after Otto had convinced himself +by a last glance that what he saw was fact, and no witchcraft, he dashed +down the steps, two at a time, across the little place and up the +hillside: and not until he began to tell it all to his mother did he +begin to wonder to whom he was indebted for this good turn. + +"Nobody has done it through a mistake, that is certain," said his +mother. "Have not you some good friend who is noble enough to sacrifice +himself in this way for you? Think over all of them: who can it be?" + +"I know," cried Pussy, who had been listening eagerly. + +"Yes; pray who?" said Otto, half curiously, half incredulously. + +"Jack, the mouse," explained Pussy in a tone of conviction; "because you +gave him an apple last year." + +"Oh, yes; or William Tell, because I did not take away his, year before +last. One would be quite as probable as the other, you wonderfully +clever Puss." And Otto ran away barely in time to catch the groom, who +was going for the hay. + +Wiseli also ran about this time. Down the hill with a happy heart and a +merry countenance, past Andrew's garden, she ran, jumping and leaping in +her frolicsome mood; and then about she went, and jumped back again to +the garden, for she had espied the pinks all in bloom just within the +enclosure, and must look at them again, they, were so beautiful. "I +shall soon overtake the boys," she thought; "they stop at every corner +to play ball." + +But the pinks were most lovely to look upon; and they had such a +sweet perfume, too, that the child lingered, looking over the low +hedge for a long time. Suddenly Andrew came out of his house-door, +and stood in front of Wiseli. He offered her his hand over the hedge, +and said most kindly,-- + +"Will you take a pink, Wiseli?" + +"Yes, indeed," she replied; "and I have a message to give you from +my mother." + +"From your mother?" repeated Andrew the carpenter in great surprise, and +let the pink that he had just gathered fall from his hand. Wiseli ran +round the hedge and picked it up from the ground; then she looked up at +the man who stood still and looked at her strangely, and said,-- + +"Yes; at the very end, when my mother could do nothing more, she drank +up the nice syrup that you put on the kitchen-table for her, and it +refreshed her very much; and she charged me to tell you that she thanked +you for it very much indeed, and for all the many acts of kindness that +you had shown her; and she said, 'He always felt kindly to me.'" + +Now Wiseli perceived that big tears rolled from Andrew's eyes and fell +over his cheeks. He tried to say something, but could not speak. He +pressed the child's hand, turned him about, and went into the house. + +Wiseli stood still and wondered. Nobody had wept for her mother. Even +she had not dared to cry, except when nobody could see her; for her +cousin said that he would not have any whining, and she was even more +afraid of making his wife angry. And now here was some one who wept +because she had spoken of her mother to him. It seemed to the child as +if Andrew were her very best friend upon the earth, and she felt herself +strongly drawn towards him. But now she ran with her pink as fast as +possible towards the beech grove; and it was well that she did so, for +she saw the boys also drawing near the house, and it would never have +done for her to be later than they. + +Wiseli said her prayer with a light heart that night, and could not +understand why she had been so depressed the night before, and why she +had felt no confidence in God's kindness, and could not even say her +hymn. Now she felt sure that he had not forgotten her, and she would +never allow herself to think that again. Had she not received many kind +things from him? And as she fell asleep she saw before her the kind face +of Andrew the carpenter, with the tears in his eyes. + +On the following day--it was Wednesday--Otto was again surprised by the +good deed performed for him by his unknown friend; for he could not +refrain from going out with the others when school was first over, and +making a few gambols here and there to refresh himself after the long +confinement. When, at last, he returned somewhat sadly to his work, it +was all done again, and the schoolroom perfectly tidy. Now his curiosity +began to be excited, and also gratitude to his invisible benefactor +began to stir in his heart. He would certainly find out on Thursday what +it all meant. + +So, when the classes were dismissed, and they all left the house as +usual, Otto stood for a while by his seat, thinking how he could +discover his helpful friend. But a knot of his schoolmates rushed in as +he stood there, grasped him by arms and shoulders, and dragged him out, +crying, "Come along! Come on! We are playing 'Robbers,' and you must be +our leader." + +Otto defended himself for a moment. "This is my week," he cried. + +"Oh, nonsense! put it off," they said. "Only just for a quarter of an +hour. Come along!" + +And Otto went. To tell the truth, he relied secretly upon his unseen +friend, who would certainly shield him from punishment. He found it +extremely agreeable to feel such a support under his feet; and the +quarter slipped into the full hour, and Otto was lost. He went back to +the schoolhouse to fulfil his duty, and threw open the door with such a +slam that the master rushed out of his room very quickly, and asked,-- + +"What do you want, Otto?" + +"Only to look in again, to see if every thing is as it should be," +stammered the boy. + +"This is excellent," said the teacher; "but it is not necessary for you +to slam the door in that way." + +Otto went away in good spirits. On Friday he made up his mind not to do +his work of cleaning until he was satisfied about the mystery; and +then,--then there would only be Saturday morning left of his week. + +"Otto," called out the teacher on Friday, as the clock struck four, +"take this paper over to the pastor as quickly as you can. He will give +you some papers to bring back. It will only take you a moment or two, +and you will be here in time to brush out the room." + +The boy did not like to go very well, but there was no help for it; and, +of course, he could be back in a twinkling. He reached the parsonage in +half a dozen bounds. The pastor was busy, just then, with a visitor. His +wife called Otto to her in the garden. She wanted to know how his mamma +found herself; if his father were well, and Pussy, too; how Uncle Max +was employed; and if they had good news from their relations in Germany. +Then the pastor made his appearance, and Otto had to explain why it was +his business to bring the papers, and what the teacher was doing at +present. At last he got his papers, and was off like an arrow, pulled +open the door of the schoolroom,--to find every thing swept and +garnished, and no living being visible. + +"And I have not been obliged to stoop once, to clear away the tiresome +bits, the whole week through," thought Otto contentedly. "But who can +have done all this dirty work without being obliged to do it?" Now he +determined, for once and all, to have that question settled. + +The school hours ended at eleven o'clock on Saturday. Otto waited until +all the children had gone, and the room was empty. Then he went outside, +closed the door, and leaned with his back against it. There could no one +enter without his seeing who it was. He preferred to do this, rather +than to go at once to work at the sweeping and cleaning. He waited and +waited: no one came. He heard the clock strike the half-hour. There were +plans at home for an excursion that afternoon. The family were to dine +early, to get away soon after dinner. He ought to begin with his work at +once, if he wanted to get home in good season. How he hated it! + +He opened the door. Now Otto stared about him even more than he had done +the first time. The work was all done. It was certainly so, and nicer +than ever before. + +Things began to look rather queerly to Otto. He thought of ghost +stories, and such things. Very much more softly than usual he +slipped out, and closed the door behind him. Just at the same time, +something slipped silently out of the teacher's kitchen, and they +came together face to face. It was Wiseli. She grew red and redder, +just as if Otto had detected her in something mischievous. Now the +truth flashed into his mind. + +"So it is you who have done my work all the week, Wiseli?" he said. +"Nobody else would have thought of doing it unless obliged to, I am +sure of that." + +"You have no idea how glad I am to get the chance," said Wiseli, in +reply. + +"No, no; you must not say that, Wiseli. Nobody in the world can be glad +to do such things," said the boy decidedly. + +"But I mean it,--I really do," repeated the girl. "I have thought, +all day long through the week, with pleasure of the chance the +afternoon would give me; and, while I was working, I was more than +ever glad, because I thought, when Otto comes, he will find the work +done, and be pleased." + +"But what put it into your head to do it for me?" + +"Oh! I knew how much you disliked it; and I have always wanted to give +you something, as you once gave me your sled. Don't you remember? But I +have nothing to give." + +"What you have done is worth a great deal more than lending a sled. I +won't forget your kindness, Wiseli." So saying, Otto offered her his +hand, quite overcome for the moment. + +Wiseli's eyes shone with satisfaction as they seldom did nowadays. +Presently Otto wanted to know how she had managed to get into the room +again, for he had always waited until all the children were gone. + +"Oh! I never did go out," said the girl. "I hid myself quickly +behind the closet-door. I thought you would go out for a few +moments, as usual." + +"How did you get out without my seeing you afterwards?" Otto wanted to +know all about it. + +"Oh! while you were running around with the other boys, I got out easily +enough. I listened; but yesterday and to-day, as I was not certain where +you were, I went through the teacher's kitchen, and asked his wife if +she had any errand for me to do,--she often gives me a message to carry +somewhere,--and then I went out that way. Yesterday I was behind the +kitchen-door when you ran into the schoolroom." + +Now Otto knew all the ghost story. He offered his hand again to Wiseli. +"I thank you," he said; and they both ran off with happy hearts, each a +separate way. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OLD AND NEW. + + +Summer was over, and Autumn had followed in her footsteps. The evenings +were cool and misty. In the damp meadows the cows were eating the last +grass of the season, and here and there little fires were visible where +the sheep-boys cooked their potatoes and warmed their stiffened fingers. + +It was on such a misty evening that Otto, on leaving the schoolhouse, +ran home for a moment to tell his mother that he was going to see what +kept Wiseli from school; for she had not been there since the autumn +vacation,--certainly not for eight days. + +As he approached the beech grove, he saw Rudi sitting before the door, +eating pear after pear from a heap that lay before him. + +"Where is Wiseli?" asked Otto. + +"Outside," was the answer. + +"Where outside?" + +"In the meadow." + +"In which meadow?" + +"I don't know;" and Rudi went on munching his pears. + +"You won't die early because you know too much," remarked Otto, and +went haphazard towards the big meadow that stretched away from the +house to the wood. + +Presently he discovered three black spots under the pear-trees, and went +towards them. + +He was right. There was Wiseli stooping over the pears which she was +sorting, while a little farther off Cheppi sat astride of his rake; and +behind him Hannes lay on his back across the piled-up basket, and rocked +it back and forth so violently, that it nearly fell over at each +movement. Cheppi looked at him, laughing loudly. + +When Wiseli saw Otto coming towards her, her whole countenance glowed +with pleasure. + +"Good evening, Wiseli," cried the lad from afar. "Why have you not been +to school for so long?" + +The girl stretched out her hand with a pleasant smile to her friend. + +"We have had so much to do that I was not able to go," she said. "Just +look, what a lot of pears we have! I have to sort them from morning till +night, there are so many." + +"Your shoes and stockings are all wet. It is not pleasant here. Are you +not cold when you are so wet?" + +"Yes, I do feel chilly sometimes; but, in general, I get very warm at +this work." + +At this moment Hannes gave his basket such a powerful twist that over it +went, and there lay Hannes, the basket, and the pears all in a heap on +the ground. + +"Oh, oh!" cried Wiseli in distress; "now they are all to be picked +up again." + +"And this one, too," cried Cheppi, and laughed aloud as the pear that he +had in his hand struck Wiseli's cheek with such force that it brought +the tears to her eyes, and she turned quite white with the pain. + +Scarcely had Otto seen this than he flew at Cheppi, threw him and his +rake to the ground, and seized him by the nape of the neck. + +"Stop, or I shall choke!" Cheppi was not laughing now. + +"I want to make you remember that you will also have me to deal with in +future, when you treat Wiseli in that way," said Otto, scarlet with +anger. "Have you got enough? Will you remember it now?" + +"Yes, yes! Let me go!" said Cheppi, in a very humble tone. + +Otto released him. + +"Now you have felt," he said, "how it will be whenever you hurt Wiseli +again. I will give you some more of this each time, even if you are +sixty years old. Good-by, Wiseli." And Otto went his way to carry his +anger to his mother. + +He unburdened himself to her as soon as he reached home. It was a +terrible thing to the generous boy that Wiseli should be obliged to +submit to such treatment. He was determined to go at once to the +pastor to complain of him and of his whole family, and demand that +Wiseli should be taken away from them at once. His mother listened +quietly to him, and let his indignation have time to cool off a +little; then she said,-- + +"I do not think, my dear boy, that there is the least use in your doing +this. They would not take the child from her cousin Gotti, I am sure; +and it would only irritate him, should he hear that such a thing was +thought of. He himself does not feel unkindly towards Wiseli, and there +is really no sufficient ground for removing her from his roof. I know +very well that the poor girl has a hard time of it there. I have not +forgotten her, and am constantly hoping to find some way to help her. It +lies very heavily on my heart to know how much she has to suffer, you +may be sure of that, Otto. And if you can at any time manage to shelter +her and intimidate that brutal fellow Cheppi, without being too rough +yourself, I shall be very glad." + +Otto took what comfort he could in the knowledge that his mother was +constantly looking out for some way to help Wiseli. + +He was always planning some way to help her himself, but never hit upon +any thing that could be carried out. He saw very well that she could not +free herself; and the only idea that occurred to him as Christmas drew +near was to write on his list of wishes, in huge letters so big that +they could easily be read from heaven above, "I wish that the Christ +child would set Wiseli at liberty." + +Winter was come again, and the coast offered its feast of inexhaustible +pleasure to the children, who never wearied of its charm. The moon shone +with the most unusual brightness, it seemed to Otto, who, at last, had +the cleverness to suggest that all the children should collect on the +hillside at seven o'clock to take advantage of its beauty for an evening +coasting-party. + +This suggestion was received with universal approbation, and the +children separated at five o'clock when it began to be dark, to meet +again at seven for their favorite amusement. + +Otto's mother was not so enthusiastic over this great scheme as were the +children, and could not agree with them when they expressed their +delight. She said it was too cold for them to be out late into the +evening; that there was great danger of accidents in the uncertain +moonlight; and particularly objected to allowing Pussy to expose +herself. But her objections only served to enhance the interest the +children felt for the expedition, and Pussy pleaded for her consent as +if her very life hung on being one of this coasting-party. Otto +promised, "upon his word of honor," that he would not let any thing +happen to his sister, and would always keep near to her and protect her. +At last their mother gave her consent; and, with great noise and +rejoicing, the children went out into the beautiful, clear, cold +moonlight. + +Every thing went on without a drawback. The coast was in perfect +condition; and the mysteriousness of the darker places, upon which the +moonlight did not fall, heightened the interest of the occasion. There +were a vast number of children assembled, and all were in the best +humor. Otto let them all go down first; then he followed, and Pussy came +last of all, so that no one could run her down. Otto had arranged it in +this way, so that he could always glance backward to see that his little +sister went safely down the coast. + +As every thing went so smoothly and happily, somebody proposed that they +should make a "train;" that is, bind all the sleds together, and so go +down: it would be more delightful than ever by moonlight. No sooner said +than done. Only Pussy's sled was not tied to her brother's, for he +feared lest the straining and shocks that often took place in this kind +of coasting might prove dangerous to her. She followed, therefore, as +usual; but Otto could not stop his sled if she was delayed, for he had +to go on with the "train." Off they went, and the long chain reached the +bottom safely and happily. + +Suddenly Otto heard a fearful cry, and he recognized at once his little +sister's voice. What had happened? He had no choice, however, but to go +down to the very end with the merry party to which he was closely +fastened--down to the foot of the hill, no matter how great his fear +might be. Once at the bottom, however, he tore his sled loose, and ran +up the hill as quickly as possible, with all the others at his heels; +for they had all heard the screams, and wanted to see what they meant. +Half-way up the ascent stood Pussy by her sled, and screamed and cried +rivers of tears. Out of breath with his haste, Otto could hardly call +out, "What is the matter? What has happened?" + +"He did--he did--he did," sobbed Pussy, and could get no further. + +"What did he do? Who was it? Where? Who?" stammered Otto. + +"That man there, that man; he did try to kill me, and said terrible +words, too." + +As much as this Otto understood, accompanied by screams and sobs. + +"Be quiet now, Pussy: do not go on like that. He did not kill you, after +all. Did he really strike you?" asked Otto, very gently and soothingly, +for he was much alarmed. + +"No," sobbed Pussy, beginning again; "but he was going to. He had a +stick, and he held it out like that, and said, 'Wait a moment;' and such +dreadful words he said, too." + +"Then he really did not do any thing to hurt you?" asked Otto, and began +to breathe more freely. + +"But he did, he did; and you were all off down the hill, and I was all +alone." And Pussy's tears and sobs continued to break forth. + +"Hush, hush!" said Otto, consolingly. "Now try to be quiet. I will not +leave you again, and the man will not trouble you any more; and if you +will be quiet and good, I will give you the red candy cock that was on +the Christmas-tree." + +This made an impression upon Pussy. She dried her eyes, and did not make +another sound; for that big red candy cock on the Christmas-tree was +what the child had most wished for. In the division of the things it had +fallen to Otto's share; but his little sister had never forgotten her +longing for it. Now that every thing was quiet again, the children began +to climb the hill, and they tried to make out who the man could be who +had threatened to kill Pussy. + +"Oh, kill! Not so bad as that," interposed Otto. "I saw a big man with a +stick, who was obliged to step into the snow to get out of our way when +we went down the coast on the 'train.' It made him angry to be obliged +to go into the snow; and finding Pussy alone there, he scolded her a +little to relieve himself." + +This explanation satisfied everybody, it was so perfectly natural. +Everybody wondered that they had not thought of it before,--indeed, +thought they had,--and soon forgot all about it, and continued coasting. +This, however, had an end, like all other pleasures; for eight o'clock +had struck long ago, and that was the hour at which they were to break +up and go home. On the way back, Otto charged Pussy not to speak of her +adventure; otherwise their mother would never again let them go coasting +in the moonlight. She should have the candy cock, but must promise not +to say a word if she took it. + +All traces of her tears had long vanished, and nothing betrayed their +secret to the family. + +Both children slept quietly in their beds soon after, and Pussy dreamed +of the red candy cock, and shouted out with pleasure in her dreams. +Presently there was a loud knocking at the house-door, that made Colonel +Ritter and his wife spring up from the table, where they were +comfortably talking about the children; and old Trine called out of the +window, in an angry tone,-- + +"What sort of a way of knocking is that?" + +"A terrible thing has happened," said some one from below. "We want the +colonel to come down the hill. They have found Andrew the carpenter +dead." And off ran the messenger again. + +Mr. and Mrs. Ritter had heard enough, however, for they had heard this +sad news from the window. The colonel threw his cloak about his +shoulders, and hastened down to the carpenter's. As he entered the room, +he found that there were already a crowd of people assembled. The +justice of the peace and the chief magistrate had been fetched, and a +number of curious and sympathetic people had come along with them. +Andrew lay on the floor, in his blood, and gave no sign of life. The +colonel went to his side. + +"Has nobody been for the doctor?" he asked. "We want a doctor at once." + +Nobody had thought of that,--there was no use in trying to do any thing, +they said. + +"Run, somebody, as quickly as possible," said the colonel. "Go, +you,"--to a lad who stood near,--"tell the doctor that I send him word +to come here immediately." He helped to raise Andrew from the ground, +and to carry him into his bedroom, and to lay him on the bed. Then he +went back to the chattering group of neighbors, to find out how the +accident had taken place,--if anybody knew the precise circumstances. + +The miller's son stepped forward, and told his story. He was passing +the house about a half-hour ago, he said; and, seeing a light in the +window, stopped to ask if his bits of furniture were finished. He found +the door of the room open, and Andrew lying dead on the floor, covered +with blood; and by his side stood Meadow-Joggi, and held out a piece of +gold between his fingers. Then the miller's son had called all the +neighbors, and sent some one for the chief magistrate and everybody +whose business it was. + +Meadow-Joggi--who was so called because he lived down in the +meadow-land--was a foolish fellow, who was supported by the neighbors, +who gave him little jobs of work suitable to his feeble capacity, such +as carrying sand or stone where they were needed, or helping to sort the +fruit, or gathering fagots in winter. + +No one ever had heard of his doing any mischief. The miller's son told +him to stay where he was until the president came; and so Joggi stood in +the corner, held his fist tightly closed, and laughed to himself. The +doctor soon arrived on the scene, and behind him came the president. The +council took its place in the middle of the room, to consider the case. +The doctor, however, went at once into the bedroom, and the colonel +followed him. The doctor examined the motionless body carefully. + +"Here it is," he cried presently. "Here, at the back of the head, is +where Andrew was struck. There is a large wound here." + +"But he is not dead, doctor, is he?" + +"No, no; he breathes feebly, but it is with difficulty." + +The doctor wanted all sorts of things,--water and sponges, and linen +rags, and so on,--and the people ran this way and that, and searched and +pulled things out from the closets and drawers, and produced a heap of +things, but nothing that was useful for this occasion. + +"We want a woman here who has some intelligence, and knows what is +needed in sickness," said the doctor at last, rather impatiently. They +all called out this one or that one; but not one was able to come of all +those mentioned. + +"Let somebody go to the 'Heights,' and tell my wife to send old Trine +down here," said the colonel. And somebody ran off. + +"Your wife won't thank you," said the doctor; "for I shall not be able +to let the nurse leave this patient for three days and nights." + +Trine came, laden with all needful things, much sooner than anybody +dared hope for her; for she was all ready with her big basket packed, +and her mistress stood by her side, expecting the order for her to go +down to Andrew's; for they would not believe that Andrew was dead, and +had thought of every thing that could possibly be needed. She had +sponges and bandages, lint and oil, and warm flannels, packed in her +basket, and had only to run off when the messenger came. The doctor was +delighted. + +"Everybody must go now. Good-night, colonel; and turn all those people +out of the house, will you?" cried the doctor, and closed the door +without ceremony as soon as the colonel went out. + +The committee was still sitting, but the colonel explained that the +house must be emptied; so they decided to imprison Joggi, and then +institute investigations. Two men took Joggi between them, so that he +could not get away, and carried him off to the poor-house, and shut him +up in a room. Joggi went with them very willingly, and laughed now and +then, and looked into his hand. + +The following morning Mrs. Ritter hastened down to Andrew's house in +great anxiety. Trine came softly from the bedroom, and brought the +welcome news that Andrew had come to himself a little; that the doctor +had already made his visit, and found his patient in better condition +than he expected; but he left especial orders that nobody should be +allowed to enter the room. Andrew was not to be permitted to speak one +word, even if he wished to speak: only the doctor and the nurse might +come into his presence. Trine said these words with great pride, for she +was a very good nurse, and well aware of the importance of the +situation. Mrs. Ritter fully appreciated all this, and went home +rejoicing over the news. + +A week went by. Every morning Mrs. Ritter went down to the sick man's +house to obtain an accurate statement of his condition herself, and to +find out if any thing were needed for his comfort, in order that all his +wants might be supplied at once. Every day Otto and Pussy sent the same +message; namely, "When could they be permitted to see their sick +friend?" but the doctor was inexorable. There was no possibility of +Trine being allowed to go, either; and the doctor could not praise her +enough for her intelligent care of the patient. After the week was +fairly over, however, the doctor sent word to the colonel that if he +would come to Andrew's at the same time he made his daily visit, they +would go in together; for now that Andrew was able to talk, the doctor +wished to have the colonel hear what could be told about the terrible +assault that had prostrated the good carpenter. + +Andrew was very glad to press the colonel's hand gratefully in his +own,--he knew very well where all the care and comfort came from with +which he was surrounded. + +He collected his thoughts to the best of his ability to answer the +questions put to him. This was, however, all that he could tell them. He +had taken out the yearly sum of money that he always carried up to the +colonel for investment, and was in the act of counting it over once +again, to be sure that it was right. It was rather late in the evening, +and he was seated with his back towards the door. While he was in the +midst of counting, he heard some one enter the room; and before he had +time to turn about, he received a tremendous blow upon his head. After +that, all was a blank. + +There had been a heap of money upon the table. Nothing was to be found +of it, however, but the piece that Joggi held in his hand when they +found him. + +Even supposing that Joggi were the malefactor, where was the rest of +that money? When Andrew learned that they had taken Joggi into custody +and shut him up, he was very uneasy. + +"Oh, you must let him go, poor Joggi!" he said. "He never would hurt the +smallest infant. _He_ never struck me." + +For all that, Andrew had no suspicion who it could have been. He had no +enemy, he said, and knew of nobody who would wish him harm. + +"It may have been a stranger," suggested the doctor, as he looked at the +window. "If you sat here, with the bright light shining upon your pile +of money while you counted it over on the table, anybody going by the +house could have seen you, and taken a notion to rob you." + +"I suppose it must have been in that way," said Andrew. "I never +thought of such a thing, however. Every thing has always stood open in +the house." + +"It is well that you have laid something by already, Andrew," said the +colonel. "Do not fret over this: it is so lucky that you will soon be +well again." + +"Certainly, colonel; and I have every reason for thankfulness. The good +God has given me far more than I have any use for." And he shook hands +with his friends, who agreed, in parting, that Andrew was much less to +be pitied than the man who tried to kill him. + +There was a sad story told about Joggi, which excited the sympathy of +the schoolboys exceedingly. Otto brought it home with him and repeated +it several times, for it made a deep impression on his mind. It seemed +that when they brought Joggi, laughing all the way, into the almshouse +that evening, he was told to give up his piece of gold to one of his +guards,--the son of the justice of the peace; but Joggi shut his fist +tighter, and would not give it up at all. But the two men were stronger +than he, and at last forced his hand open; and, as they took the money +away from him, one of them said, "Only wait a little till the others +come, then you will get what you deserve. You will see!" For he was +vexed at the scratches he had got in the struggle. + +These threats had frightened the poor half-witted fellow, who thought he +was going to be beheaded, having no idea of what his punishment might +be. And he refused to eat, and cried and groaned incessantly. + +The officers of justice had been to see him twice, to assure him that, +if he would only tell them what he had done, he should not be +punished. He repeated that he had not done any thing but look in at +the window; and when he saw Andrew on the floor, he went to him and +shook him a little, and then he was dead. He saw something shining in +the corner, and picked it up; and then the miller's son came in, and a +lot of other people. + +When Joggi got thus far in his story, he began to cry and groan, and +would not be pacified. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO. + + +Mrs. Ritter went, as usual, to visit her friend, but no longer remained +closeted with Trine, for she could now go freely into his room, talk +with him for a little while, and mark his daily improvement. Otto and +Pussy also paid several visits, armed with dainties for their favorite. +So that Andrew said to the old Trine, with great feeling, "If I were a +king, they could not show me more kindness." + +The doctor was well pleased with the rapidity of the cure, and said to +the colonel, whom he met on the threshold one day,-- + +"Every thing has worked wonderfully well. Your wife can have her Trine +back again; and tell her she was worth her weight in gold. I only wish +there were some one to stay with Andrew for a little while; or who could +come in, now and then, to help him. The poor fellow must have something +to eat, and he has no wife nor child,--in fact, nobody. Do ask Mrs. +Ritter if she cannot think of something that will help us." + +The colonel carried his message correctly, and his wife went the next +day to Andrew's, as usual; and, seating herself by his bedside, said, +without circumlocution, "I have something to say to you, Andrew. Are you +inclined to listen to me?" + +"Certainly, certainly. Every thing you do is right," said Andrew, +supporting his head on his hand, and prepared to give her all his +attention. + +"I am going to take Trine away, now that you are so well," began +Mrs. Ritter. + +"Oh, dear lady, I beg you to believe me, I have wished to send her home +for a long time past. I know how much you must miss her." + +"I would not have allowed her to enter my house, if she had tried to +come back before," replied Mrs. Ritter. "But now it is different: the +doctor has dismissed her. He says, however,--and I fully agree with +him,--that you need some one who can wait upon you, cook for you, or +fetch your food from my house, and do a hundred little things: somebody +for at least a few weeks. Now, Andrew, why cannot you have little Wiseli +to do this?" + +The words were scarcely spoken, when Andrew almost sprang up in his bed. + +"No, no, Mrs. Ritter; certainly not!" he said, and became very red from +excitement. "I could not dream of such a thing. Could I lie here in bed, +and let that delicate little thing work for me out there in the kitchen? +Oh! in Heaven's name, how could I think of her poor mother, where she +lies buried? How she would look at me, if she knew of my doing such a +thing. No, no, Mrs. Ritter; I would rather not get well at all." + +Mrs. Ritter did not try to stop him; but, when he sunk back again upon +his pillow, she said quietly,-- + +"It is not any thing very shocking, however, that I have proposed, +Andrew: think it over now. You know what kind of care Wiseli is getting, +do you not? Do you suppose she has nothing to do there, or even light +work suitable to her strength? Hard work she has, and hard words with +it. Would you give her any thing like that? Do you know what the child's +mother would do, if she were standing here by our side? She would thank +you, with tears in her eyes, if you would take her child into your +house, where she could be happy. I am sure of that. And you would soon +see how useful she would make herself." + +After these touching words, Andrew began to take another view of the +matter. He wiped his eyes, and said softly, "How can I be sure that the +child would be willing? And how can I get her? Her cousin would not wish +to part with her, probably." + +"That is all right. You need not trouble yourself about that, Andrew," +said his friend, cheerfully, as she rose to go. "I will attend to it all +for you. It is a thing about which I have thought long and anxiously." + +She took her leave; but, as she was passing out of the door, Andrew +called out again,-- + +"Only in case Wiseli herself is perfectly willing: you will not forget +that, please, Mrs. Ritter." + +She promised again that the child should come gladly, or not at all, and +left the house. + +She went down the hill at once to the beech grove, for she was impatient +to take Wiseli where she could think of her in safety. She met the +cousin Gotti just as he was himself entering his own house. He saluted +her, without concealing his surprise at her visit. But she did not leave +him in doubt for a moment over the object that brought her there, and +how anxious she was that Wiseli should take charge of the wounded Andrew +at once, as she was sure she could do, if they were willing. His wife, +who was in the kitchen, came directly she heard their voices, and was at +once informed of Mrs. Ritter's proposition. But she answered that it was +not possible, for the child was not able to be of use to anybody. But +her husband interposed. The truth should be told: Wiseli was able and +willing to work, and did so, well and intelligently. He did not wish to +have her go, for she was useful and obedient. He would not refuse, for +two weeks or so, to let her nurse Andrew. He would not probably need her +longer than that, and then she must come back; for there was a great +deal of work on hand against the spring. + +"Yes, yes," said his wife. "I have no mind to begin it all over again +teaching her, it has given me so much trouble already. If Andrew wants +anybody to help him, let him get somebody for himself." + +"Well, well; for two weeks, as I have promised, she shall go. It is our +duty to help a neighbor, if we can." + +"I thank you for your kindness," said Mrs. Ritter, rising. "And Andrew +will himself show his gratitude. May I take Wiseli with me at once?" + +Although his wife grumbled out that there could not be any such hurry, +her husband said it was better the child should go at once. The sooner +she went, the more quickly she would be back again; and repeated that it +was only for fourteen days in all. + +Wiseli was called, and told to get her clothes together, and tied in a +bundle. The child obeyed, not daring to ask for a reason. It was exactly +a year since she had brought the little bundle into the house. Nothing +had been added to her scanty wardrobe in that time but a black frock. +She wore that now, but it had been so long in use, that it hung about +her almost in rags; and Wiseli looked shyly at Mrs. Ritter as she stood +before her now, with her little bundle on her arm. The colonel's wife +understood the look, and answered it. "Come, my dear; we are not going +far away. You can go as you are." + +Quickly taking leave, she waited only for Wiseli to give her cousin +Gotti her hand. He said,-- + +"Oh, you are soon coming back; this is not a separation." + +Off trotted Wiseli in silence, and much astonished, behind Mrs. Ritter, +who walked rapidly across the snow-covered fields, as if she feared they +both might be recalled; but as soon as they were out of sight of the +beech grove, she turned about, and stood still. "Wiseli," she said +kindly, "do you know Andrew the carpenter?" + +"Certainly, I do," said the child; and glanced at her friend with such a +happy expression, that Mrs. Ritter was rather surprised. + +"He is ill," she proceeded. "Would you like to take care of him, and +wait upon him a little, for about two weeks?" + +"Yes, indeed!" replied the child promptly; and her face, that +became suddenly rosy with pleasure, told Mrs. Ritter more than her +short answer. + +The good lady was pleased, but did not understand the child's feeling, +for she knew nothing of her gratitude for Andrew's kindness to her +mother. After they had gone on a while, Mrs. Ritter said,-- + +"You can tell Andrew the carpenter that you are very glad to go to take +care of him, or he will not believe it. Don't forget to tell him that." + +"No, no; I won't forget," said Wiseli. "I was just thinking about +it myself." + +They reached the house at last. Mrs. Ritter told Wiseli to go in alone, +promising to come down in the morning to see how things went on; and, if +she needed any thing for her patient, she could come up to the "Heights" +to fetch it herself. + +Wiseli stole into the garden, and opened the house-door. She knew that +Andrew lay within in the bed-room behind the sitting-room. She entered +the room softly. No one was there; but it was in good order, as old +Trine had left it when she went away. + +The child looked about to see that every thing was in the right place. +Against the wall, in the back part of the room, stood a big wooden +bedstead called a coach, and which was all arranged like a proper bed. +The curtain was almost closed across it, but Wiseli could see how neat +and clean it looked, and wondered who slept there usually. Presently she +knocked quietly at the bedroom door; and when Andrew called out, "Come +in," she entered, and shyly stood before him. Andrew raised himself in +his bed to see who was there. + +"Oh, oh!" he said, partly glad and partly startled. "Is that you, +Wiseli? Come here; give me your hand." The child obeyed. + +"You did not come to me against your will?" + +"No, no," replied the child; "surely not." But Andrew was not satisfied. + +[Illustration: ANDREW RAISED HIMSELF IN HIS BED TO SEE WHO WAS +THERE] + +"I mean, Wiseli," he continued, "perhaps you would have liked better not +to come; but perhaps you wanted to do a kindness to the good colonel's +wife, she is so kind." + +"No, no," repeated the child again; "she did not say any thing to me +about it being for her. She only asked me if I was willing to go to +you, and there is nobody in all the world to whom I would go so gladly +as to you." + +These words must have quieted all Andrew's scruples, for he did not ask +any more questions, but let his head sink back on his pillow, and lay +gazing silently at Wiseli; and presently he turned his head aside, and +wiped his eyes several times. + +"What shall I do now?" asked Wiseli, as Andrew did not move his head. He +turned at the sound of her voice, and said, very kindly, "I do not know, +I am sure, Wiseli. You may do any thing that you like, if you will only +stay with me a little while." + +Wiseli scarcely knew what to think. Since the death of her mother, +nobody had spoken to her in such kindly, loving tones. It seemed as if +her mother's voice and love were come into Andrew's words and tones. She +took his hand in both hers, as she often took her mother's, and stood by +the bedside. She did not even speak, but felt that her mother's loving +presence was about them. Andrew, too, had a silent, peaceful conviction +that Wiseli's mother was happy in their happiness. + +Presently Wiseli said, "I think I ought to cook something for you: it is +past twelve o'clock already. What shall I cook?" + +"Whatever you like," said Andrew. But Wiseli knew that she was there +for the purpose of making things comfortable for the sick man, and +she did not cease her questioning until she found out what he usually +had to eat,--a good nourishing soup, and a piece of the meat that was +in the closet; and then Andrew said she must cook something with milk +for herself. + +The child was perfectly at home in the kitchen. She had really learned a +great deal at her cousin Gotti's, even if she had received many cross +words at the same time. She had every thing ready in a short time; and +Andrew begged her to push a little table to the bedside, and sit down +and eat with him, so that he could enjoy the pleasure of her company. +Neither Wiseli nor Andrew had eaten such a pleasant meal for a long, +long time. After eating, Wiseli rose; but Andrew looked at her sadly, +and said, "Where are you going now, Wiseli? Won't you stay with me here +a little longer, or is it too dull for you?" + +"No, indeed, not dull; but after dinner the things must be washed and +put away in their places in good order," said the child. + +"I know," said Andrew; "but I thought that just for to-day--the first +day, you know--you might put them away as they are, and to-morrow wash +them all together." + +"But if the colonel's wife should see them so, I should almost die of +shame;" and Wiseli looked very grave while she spoke. + +"Yes, yes; you are right," said Andrew. "Do whatever you think best." + +So the child went to work, and cleaned and sorted and swept, so that +every thing shone in the kitchen. Then she stood quietly, and looked on +her work with satisfaction, saying softly, "Now Mrs. Ritter may come +when she will." + +Going into the room next the kitchen, she cast an admiring glance at the +beautiful big bed on the "coach" behind the curtain; for Andrew the +carpenter had told her that she was to sleep there, and that the little +chest of drawers in the corner was also for her, and that she might put +all her things there, if she liked. + +So she laid away all the clothes in her little bundle in good order; but +it did not take long to do that, they were so few. At last she returned +to Andrew, and seated herself by his bedside. He had been looking +towards the door very wistfully for a long time. She had scarcely seated +herself before she asked, "Have not you a stocking to be knitted, or +something else for me to do?" + +Wiseli had been well drilled,--first by her mother, and then by her +cousin's wife, whose words she never forgot, they frightened her so; and +when Andrew said, "Oh, you have worked enough for to-day; let us sit +still and talk over all sorts of things together now," the child +replied, "I do not like to sit and do nothing, for it is not Sunday; but +we can talk while I knit, you know." + +Andrew was pleased at this sign of the little girl's industry, and he +again bade her do whatever she thought right and best. She might get a +stocking to knit, if she wanted to: he had not one for her, however. + +So Wiseli fetched her own, and took her seat by the bedside; and, truly, +she could talk and knit at the same time perfectly well. + +Andrew chose the one subject for their conversation that was by far the +most agreeable to Wiseli; namely, her mother. It was the first time she +had been able to talk about her mother to anybody since her death. But +now she had a listener who could not hear enough, and so she told all +that she could remember of their happy life together. + +And day after day slipped by. For every little thing that Wiseli did, +Andrew thanked her over and over,--not from politeness or mere form, but +because every thing pleased the good man, and he wanted to express his +pleasure. He became strong and well very rapidly under Wiseli's care, +and soon was able to leave his bed. And the doctor was much surprised to +see how quickly his strength had returned, and how happy he looked +besides. He sat at the window in the sunshine all day long, and watched +Wiseli as she moved about, as if he could never get enough of her. His +eyes followed her as she went here to a drawer, opened it and shut it +again; and noticed how every thing that passed through her hands was +done in an orderly, regular manner, such as he had never seen before. +And Wiseli was so happy, so happy, in this quiet little house, where she +never heard any but loving words, and moved constantly in an atmosphere +of affection, that made it impossible for her to allow her thoughts to +dwell on the sad fact that the fourteen days would soon be past, and +then she must return to the beech grove. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS. + + +On the "Heights" there was a great deal of talk about Andrew and Wiseli. +Mrs. Ritter went down every day, and always brought back good accounts. +They all rejoiced together over this, and Otto and Pussy formed a plan +to have a great convalescence festival in Andrew the carpenter's room +while Wiseli was still with him. It should be a great surprise for them +both. But before that came another feast,--their father's birthday. And +the children had invented all sorts of "celebrations" from early morning +on, but the great moment was yet to come; namely, at dinner-time. Otto +and Pussy had taken their seats, full of excitement and expectancy. + +The father and mother made their appearance, and the merriment began. + +After one or two surprises came a large covered dish,--certainly that +was a birthday dish. The cover was removed, and, behold, a beautiful +cauliflower! + +"This is a fine vegetable," said the father; "I must admire it. But, to +tell the truth," he went on, with an air of disappointment, "I expected +something different. I expected artichokes. They are to be found and +bought as well as cauliflowers. You know, my dear Mary, there is no dish +I care for so much as artichokes." + +Suddenly Pussy called out,-- + +"That is it! that is it! That is exactly what he called to me twice. +And he raised his stick in the air, and did so,"--and Pussy raised her +arm in the air in great excitement. But suddenly she was quiet, and put +her arm under the table, and turned crimson; and Otto, who sat on the +other side of the table, looked at her with flashing eyes and very +angry looks. + +"What is this?" asked the colonel. "A strange way to celebrate my +birthday. My daughter cries out, on one side, as if some one were going +to kill her; and, on the other, my son is giving me such kicks on the +shin that I shall soon be covered with black-and-blue spots. I should +like to know where you learned this agreeable amusement, Otto?" + +Now it was Otto's turn to become fiery red. His intention had been to +give Pussy certain decided warnings to keep quiet, but his boot had +encountered his father's leg instead, and not gently either. When he +discovered his mistake, he did not dare to raise his eyes. + +"Now, Pussy," said the colonel, "tell me the end of your robber story. +You said the terrible man called out 'artichokes' to you, and raised his +stick in the air; and then"-- + +"Then--then," stammered Pussy, who perceived that she had betrayed every +thing, and would have to give the sugar cock back to Otto again. "Then +he did not strike me, or kill me." + +"Well, that was nice of him," said her father, laughing. "And +what else?" + +"Nothing else," said Pussy, whimpering. + +"Well, then, the story had a good ending. The stick remained in the air, +and Pussy came back to the house like an 'artichoke.' Now we will drink +the health of the 'artichokes' and of Andrew the carpenter together." + +The father raised his glass, and his companions did the same. When they +left the table, they were all rather sad; all except the father, who +took his newspaper, and lighted his cigar, as usual. Otto stayed in +another room in the corner, and thought how, when the children were all +allowed to go again to coast by moonlight, he would be obliged to remain +at home; for his mother would not now let him go, he was sure. Pussy +crept into her bedroom, nestled down in a corner by the bed upon a +footstool, took the red candy cock upon her lap, and felt very sadly at +the thought that she held it for the last time. + +At the window her mother stood sadly thinking. She soon became agitated, +however, and moved uneasily about the room, and presently began to seek +for her little daughter in every corner. She found her at last, in her +hiding-place behind the bed, sunk in deep dejection. + +"Pussy," said her mother, "I want you to tell me the story about the man +who threatened you. When was it, and where, and what words did he use?" + +Pussy told all that she knew, but did not give much more information +than she had conveyed at the table. The man had called out the same word +that her father had used at table,--that she was sure of. Her mother +turned away, went directly to the room where her husband was smoking, +and said, in a very excited tone, "I must tell you, for I am more and +more sure of it." + +The colonel put down his newspaper and looked at his wife, much +surprised. + +"That scene at table has made me think of something; and the more I +think, the surer I am about it." + +"Do sit down, and tell me what you mean," said the colonel, who now +became very curious. His wife did as he desired, and went on. + +"You noticed Pussy's excitement. She must have been very much +frightened by the man of whom she spoke. She was not joking. Therefore +it is clear to my mind that the word was not 'artichoke,' but +'aristocrat,' that he used. Now you know who used to call us that,--my +brother and I. Pussy has just told me that this took place on that +evening when they all went coasting by moonlight; and that was the +night when Andrew was assaulted and robbed. That rascally fellow Jorg +has not been seen for years in this vicinity; and the very first time +that there is any trace of him, we hear of this act of brutality +towards his brother, against whom no one but he has any grudge. Do not +you think there is something strange in this?" + +"Yes; certainly there may be something in it," said the colonel. "I must +look it up at once." + +He arose, called his servant, and presently rode off at a sharp trot +towards the town. + +And for several days he continued to go there, to hear if the +investigation had produced any result. On the fourth day he came home +towards evening, and sent word to Mrs. Ritter, who was seated by Pussy's +bed, that he had something important to tell her. It was that the police +had been seeking for Jorg, and had found him without much delay; for he +had not taken precautions to conceal himself, being sure that no one had +seen him on the evening when he visited his native village. He had, +therefore, merely gone to the city, and was spending his time in the +taverns. When they took him into custody, and accused him, he denied +every thing; but when he heard that Colonel Ritter had accusations to +make against him, he was intimidated, thinking that the colonel must +have seen him, or he would never have suspected him, as he had just +returned from the Neapolitan army service. It never occurred to him that +one single word that he had thrown to a little child had betrayed him. + +When he heard the truth, he began to swear terribly, and declared he had +always known that those aristocrats would bring him into trouble. On +further examination, he said he had gone to his brother's house with the +intention of asking him for a loan of money; but when he looked through +the brilliantly lighted window and saw the big pile of money lying on +the table, it occurred to him that he would strike Andrew down and rob +him. He had not meant to kill him,--only render him insensible. Nearly +all the money was found at his lodgings, and taken. Jorg was lodged in +the prison. + +When these facts were made known in the village, everybody was very much +interested and excited, for nothing of the kind had happened before in +that small place. In the school, particularly, every thing was +topsy-turvy, for the children were as much excited as their elders. Otto +scarcely stopped to take breath all day long, for he ran from one place +to another, hoping to hear the latest news at each. He came to the +house, on the third evening, in such a state, that his mother told him +that he must sit perfectly quiet and silent for a little while before he +communicated the piece of news with which he was bursting. + +At last he was calm enough to tell them that they wanted to set Joggi +free, for he had been shut up all this time; but the poor fellow was so +convinced that they only wanted to take him out to cut off his head, +that he fought against being removed with all his might. So they decided +to take him out by force, and two men dragged him into the open air. He +fought and screamed so violently, that a crowd soon assembled; and the +poor, foolish fellow, becoming more and more alarmed, had darted away +like an arrow to the nearest barn, where he took refuge from his +imaginary danger in a stall, cowering down in a heap in one corner, and +would not let anybody approach him. His countenance showed his terrible +fear. He had been there all day and night; and now the peasant to whom +the barn belonged said if he did not move soon, he would use the +pitchfork to him. + +"It is a sad, sad story, my children," said their mother, when Otto had +finished. "Poor Joggi! how terribly he must suffer from his fear, that +nobody can relieve him of, because he cannot understand what is said; +and yet he is perfectly innocent of any evil deed or wish. Oh, if you +had only told me what had happened that evening on the coast! Your +keeping that a secret has had very, very sad consequences. Cannot we do +something to comfort and reassure him again?" + +Pussy was almost crying. "I will give him my red candy cock," she +said, tearfully. + +Otto was much disturbed, but he said, scornfully,-- + +"Yes; a nice present for a grown up man,--a sugar cock! You had better +keep it for yourself." + +After a moment he asked his mother, however, to allow Pussy to carry +some food to Joggi in the barn: he had not eaten any thing for +nearly two days. + +His mother was more than willing, and had a basket filled at once with +bread and sausage and cheese for the children, and sent them off without +delay. Poor Joggi! there he was cowering in the stall, white as a sheet, +and dared not stir. The children gradually drew near, and presently Otto +held out his basket and showed the food, hoping to tempt Joggi. + +"Come out, Joggi. See, all this is for you to eat." + +There was no sign of movement. + +"Do come out, or the peasant will stick his pitchfork into you." + +The poor fellow gave a piteous moan, but still did not stir. + +Now Pussy went quite close to him, put her mouth to his ear, and said, +gently, "Do not be frightened, Joggi; they won't cut off your head. My +papa will help you, and will not let anybody harm you. And see, Joggi; +here is a candy cock, all red. Santa Claus sent you this on the +Christmas-tree." And the little girl took the cock very carefully from +her pocket, and held it out to Joggi. + +This little gift had a wonderful effect. Joggi looked at his friend +without fear, then at the candy cock, and presently began to laugh. It +was many days since he had laughed. He rose slowly from his corner, and +followed Otto out of the barn behind Pussy. When they got well out of +the yard, Otto said,-- + +"You can take this basket, Joggi; we are going up there to our house. +Your way is down yonder." + +But Joggi shook his head, and followed close to Pussy's heels. They all +went up the hill. Their mother watched the little procession coming, and +her heart began to feel lighter; and she also noticed how the poor, +foolish Joggi held his sugar cock in his hand, and laughed at it with +childish satisfaction. + +They all three entered the house and went into the sitting-room, where +Pussy fetched a chair, and, taking the basket in her hand, beckoned +Joggi to come to her; and when he was seated at the table, she spread +out the bread and cheese and sausage before him, saying, very gently, +"Now do eat,--eat up every bit, Joggi, and be happy again." + +The poor fellow obeyed, and left no crumbs. He never relinquished his +hold of the red cock, however. He held it in his left hand, and nodded +and smiled at it from time to time. For bread and cheese and sausage he +had often received, but a red candy cock never before. + +At last he went down the hill to his cottage. With very happy looks Mrs. +Ritter and Otto and Pussy followed his retreating form, and noticed that +he changed the red cock from one hand to another, and had evidently +forgotten his fears. Mrs. Ritter had not visited Andrew during three +days. There was so much going on all the time, that she had not +perceived how the time passed; and then she no longer felt the least +anxiety about him. He was well cared for,--of that she was certain,--and +was on the best road towards health and strength. + +As soon as Colonel Ritter could go, he took the news of the arrest and +imprisonment of Andrew's brother to the good carpenter, who listened to +the story quietly, and said, after a while,-- + +"It was his will. It would have been far better for him to have asked me +for a little money. I should have given it to him, but his way was ever +a blow rather than a kind word." + +Mrs. Ritter went down the mountain one cold, frosty morning, and went +smiling to herself all the way; for she had pleasant plans and projects +in her heart. Just as she opened the door of Andrew's cottage, Wiseli +came out of the sitting-room. Her eyes were swollen and red. She had +been crying. She gave Mrs. Ritter her hand very shyly, and ran into the +kitchen, and shut the door. Mrs. Ritter had never seen Wiseli look in +this way. What could have happened? She went into the sitting-room. +There sat Andrew by the window. He, too, looked as if a bad piece of +news had been brought to him. + +"What has happened?" asked Mrs. Ritter; and forgot to say +"good-morning," in her anxiety. + +"Oh, oh!" sighed Andrew. "I wish that the child had never entered +my house." + +"Wiseli!" exclaimed his visitor. "Is it possible that Wiseli can have +displeased you in any way?" + +"Not that, by any means, good lady," Andrew hastened to answer. "No; she +has made my home a paradise for me, and now she is going away; and it +will seem so empty and lonely without her, I cannot bear it. You never +could think, Mrs. Ritter, how I love that child. I cannot bear it, if +they take her away. And the cousin Gotti has sent his boy twice to say +that she is wanted at his house; and, since then, Wiseli has been so +quiet, and cries in secret. It breaks my heart; for I see that she does +not want to go there, though she says nothing, and to-morrow is the last +day. I do not exaggerate, Mrs. Ritter; but I assure you I would prefer +to give all that I have earned and saved for thirty years to her cousin +Gotti, than have him take the child away." + +"I would not think of doing that. In your place, Andrew, I would go to +work another way," said Mrs. Ritter, when Andrew had finished his +excited talk. + +He questioned her with his eyes in silence. + +"I mean in this way. All your worldly goods you will leave to some one +who is very dear to you. You will take Wiseli as your adopted child; +will be a father to her; she shall henceforth live in your house as your +own daughter. You would like that, Andrew, would you not?" + +He had listened with all his might, and his eyes grew bigger and bigger. +Presently he grasped Mrs. Ritter's hand, and pressed it almost +painfully. He leaned forward. + +"Can that be done? Can I obtain the right to say that Wiseli is really +my own child,--all my own, so that nobody will be able to take her from +me again?" + +"You can do all that, Andrew. And, once Wiseli is recognized as your +child, no one will have the least right to her. You will be her father. +And, to tell the truth, Andrew, I hoped that you might wish to do this; +and therefore have kept my husband at home, in case you want to go into +the city to take the necessary steps towards the adoption. You know you +cannot walk, Andrew." + +Andrew fairly lost his head over all this. He ran this way and that, +looking for his Sunday coat; and kept asking all the time, + +"Can it be true? Is it possible? To-day, did you say? May I go to-day?" + +"At once," she said; and gave her hand to Andrew as she left him, to +tell the colonel that all was ready for the visit to the town. "It will +be better not to tell Wiseli until the evening, when every thing is +settled, and you are quietly together here," she said, as she stepped +out of the door. "Do not you agree with me?" + +"Yes, certainly," was the answer. "I could not tell her now." + +While Andrew was waiting until Colonel Ritter came for him to drive to +the town, he sat trembling in every limb, and thought he could scarcely +stand up, he was so happy and so excited. In about half an hour Wiseli +saw, to her great surprise, the colonel's wagon drive up, stop at +Andrew's door, the servant get down, come to the steps, take Andrew +under the arm, and help him to get into the carriage. The child looked +at it, as it passed away from the house down the road, and could not +understand it at all; for the carpenter had not said any thing to +her,--not even that he was going to drive. He had remained seated where +he was, after Mrs. Ritter's departure, until the colonel's servant came +for him; and the child had kept herself hidden all the time. + +After his departure, she went into the sitting-room, and looked out of +the window where Andrew always sat, and kept saying to herself, "To-day +is the last day. To-morrow I must go to cousin Gotti." + +Towards noon the child went into the kitchen, put every thing in order, +and arranged Andrew's dinner; but he did not come, and she did not like +to remove the things until he did. So she went back into the +sitting-room; but the sad thought of the coming separation made her +almost ill, and she said to herself, over and over, "To-morrow I must go +to cousin Gotti;" and did not see, in her sadness, that the sunset was +very beautiful, and betokened a still more beautiful morrow. + +The child sprang to her feet when presently she heard the door +opened. Andrew the carpenter stood before her with happy eyes, and +with a look that Wiseli had never seen on his face. He sunk into a +chair. He was overcome, but not with fatigue. At last he cried out, +in a triumphant tone,-- + +"It is true, Wiseli! It is all really true! All the gentlemen said +'Yes,'--every one. You belong to me. I am your father. Call me +'father,' Wiseli." + +Wiseli became white as a sheet. She stood staring at Andrew, but did not +speak nor move. + +"Oh! of course, of course," said the carpenter. "You can't understand +me, I tell you all so confusedly. Now I will begin at the beginning. +I have just written in the record book in the town, and you are my +child now, and I am your father; and you will always stay here with +me, and not go back to your cousin Gotti again. This is your +home,--here with me." + +Wiseli understood now. She sprang into Andrew's arms, clung round his +neck, and cried, "Father, father!" They neither could speak a word after +this for a long time,--too many things were crowding upon them. After a +little, Wiseli felt a sudden light that seemed to break in upon her +thoughts; and she exclaimed, looking up at Andrew,-- + +"O father! I know how it has all happened, and who has helped us." + +"Who may it be, Wiseli?" asked Andrew. + +"My mother." + +"Your mother, child,--who do you mean? Your mother?" + +And Wiseli related her dream about the beautiful garden with the red +carnations, and a rose-bush on the other side, where the sun shone; and +told him how her mother had taken her by the hand and showed her the +garden, and said that her way led through that. And Wiseli was sure that +her mother had not ceased to pray God to let her child's way be through +that garden,--which was Andrew's garden, and the happiest place in the +world for Wiseli. + +"Do not you believe it too, father, now that you know that in my dream +my mother showed me my road to your garden?" + +Andrew could not answer. Big tears rolled down his face, but he smiled +all the time that he wept. When, at last, he opened his mouth to speak, +there came such a terrible knocking at the door, that nothing else could +be heard. Open flew the door, and Otto was in the middle of the room +with one leap; then he jumped over a chair, and shouted, "Hurrah! we +have won, and Wiseli is delivered." Pussy came in behind him, ran at +once to her friend, and said, pointing towards the door,-- + +"Now, Andrew, you will see what is coming for you, to celebrate your +recovery." + +Scarcely had she spoken, than the baker's boy came struggling through +the doorway with a big tray upon his head that could scarcely come +through. A good push from behind, however, helped him along, and he put +the tray down on the table. Otto and Pussy had ordered the biggest cake, +to be made at the baker's, that was ever known; and as it would not have +been very large if it were round, they ordered it square, and it quite +filled the oven when it was baked. Old Trine stood behind the baker's +boy, and her big basket was at her feet. She had brought, among other +delicacies, a bottle of good wine; for Mrs. Ritter declared that Andrew +had, in all probability, not eaten a morsel since breakfast, and Wiseli +was probably fasting also; and the child remembered the fact, now that +she saw the feast that Trine spread upon the table. They all took their +places, and a merry company they were. To be sure, the grand cake had to +be cut in halves, and part put away, for otherwise there was not room on +the table for the rest of the supper; but after that they were all more +merry than ever feasters were before. + +But the time went by, and Trine stood there waiting to take the children +home,--it was late. Andrew said, at leave-taking,-- + +"To-day you have prepared a feast for me, and I thank you with all my +heart; but I invite you to come here again on Sunday, and I will give +you a feast,--the feast to celebrate my daughter's adoption." + +And so they parted, all rejoicing over the fact of Wiseli being so +happily at home with Andrew, and the children promising to come to the +Sunday celebration. At the door Wiseli gave Otto her hand again, and +said, "I thank you a thousand times for all your kindness to me, Otto. +Cheppi never was so rude to me again after you frightened him that day. +He was afraid to throw things at me. I owe it to your kindness." + +"And I owe you something, Wiseli," replied Otto. "I have never had to +sweep out the schoolhouse since the time you know of." + +"And I thank you, too, Wiseli," said Pussy; for she would not be behind +the others in her thanks. + +Now every thing was quiet in the little room, and the moonlight streamed +in through the window where Andrew took his seat, while Wiseli put all +the supper dishes away, and made every thing neat again; then she came +to him, and stood before him with folded hands. + +"Father," she said, "let me say my mother's hymn aloud to you. I +have always said it softly to myself; but I shall never forget it +now, I am sure." + +Andrew was glad to listen; and the child, raising her eyes to the stars, +said, with the very deepest feeling thrilling through her heart,-- + + "To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +From this day forward the happiest cottage in the whole village was that +of Andrew the carpenter, with its sunny garden. Wherever Wiseli showed +herself, she received the very kindest notice from all the neighbors, +much to the child's surprise. Formerly no one had noticed her +particularly, but now even her cousin Gotti and his wife never passed +the cottage without coming in to take her by the hand, and invite her to +visit them. + +This gave the child keen satisfaction, for she had always feared +secretly her cousin's feelings about her adoption; so this kindness on +his part freed her from all anxiety, and she could go her way +peacefully. But these thoughts often rose within her, and she repeated +to herself,-- + +"Otto and his family have always shown me kindness when I was alone +in the wide world and friendless: these others are only kind to me +since I am happy and have a father. I know well enough who are really +my friends." + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico and Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + +***** This file should be named 9075.txt or 9075.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/9/0/7/9075/ + +Produced by David Widger, Juliet Sutherland and Distributed +Proofreaders. + + +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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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: Rico And Wiseli + Rico And Stineli, And How Wiseli Was Provided For + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9075] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on September 3, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +RICO AND WISELI + + +RICO AND STINELI +and +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR + +BY + +JOHANNA SPYRI + + +Translated By Louise Brooks + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +RICO AND STINELI + + +CHAPTER + + I. IN THE QUIET HOUSE + II. IN THE SCHOOL + III. THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE + IV. THE BEAUTIFUL, DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME + V. A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME + VI. RICO'S MOTHER + VII. A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER + VIII. ON THE LAKE OF SILS + IX. A PERPLEXING AFFAIR + X. A LITTLE LIGHT + XI. A LONG JOURNEY + XII. IT STILLS GOES ON + XIII. ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE + XIV. NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN + XV. SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS + XVI. COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY + XVII. BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS +XVIII. TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS + XIX. CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA + XX. AT HOME + XXI. SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA + + +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR + + + I. COASTING + II. AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY + III. ALSO AT HOME + IV. AT COUSIN GOTTI'S + V. HOW TIME WENT ONE, AND SUMMER CAME + VI. OLD AND NEW + VII. ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO + VIII. SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +"So the lad seated himself, and placed his fiddle in position." + +"Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm." + +"Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side." + +"Andrew raised himself in his bed to see who was there." + + + + + + + +RICO AND STINELI. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +IN THE QUIET HOUSE. + + +In the Ober Engadin, on the highway up to Maloja, stands the lonely +village of Sils; and back towards the mountains, across the fields, +nestles a little cluster of huts known as Sils Maria. Here, in an open +field, two cottages stand, facing each other. + +Noticeable in both are the old wooden house-doors, and the tiny windows +quite imbedded in the thick walls. A bit of a garden-plot belongs to one +of these poor dwellings, where the pot-herbs and the cabbages look only +a trifle better than their spindling companions the flowers. + +The other house has nothing but a little shed, where two or three hens +may be seen running in and out. This cottage is smaller than its +neighbor, and its wooden door is quite black from age. + +Out of this door every morning, at the same hour, came a large man. In +order to pass out he was obliged to stoop, so tall was he. His hair was +black and glossy, and his eyes were also black; and under his +finely-shaped nose grew a thick black beard, completely hiding the lower +part of his face; so that, except the glistening of his white teeth when +he spoke, nothing was visible. But he rarely spoke. + +Everybody in Sils knew the man, but he was never called by his name,--it +was always "the Italian." He went by the foot-path across to Sils every +day regularly, and thence up to Maloja. They were working on the highway +in that place, and there he found employment. + +When, however, he did not have work up there, he went down to the Baths +of St. Moritz. Houses were being built down there, and he found work in +plenty; and there passed the day, only returning to his cottage at +nightfall. + +When he came out of his house in the morning, he was usually followed by +a little boy, who lingered on the threshold after his father had gone on +his way, and looked with his big black eyes for a long time in the +direction his father had taken; but where he was looking that no one +could have told, for his eyes had a faraway look, as if they saw nothing +that lay before them and near, but were searching for something +invisible to everybody. + +On Sunday mornings, when the sun shone brightly, father and son would +saunter up the road together; and the close resemblance between them was +most striking, for the child was the man in miniature, only his face was +small and pale,--with his father's well-formed nose, to be sure; but his +mouth had an expression of great sadness, as if he could not laugh. In +his father's face this could not be detected, on account of the beard. + +When they walked along together, side by side, they did not talk; but +the father usually hummed a tune softly,--sometimes quite aloud,--and +the lad listened attentively. On rainy Sundays they sat at the window +together in the cottage, and seldom talked then; but the man drew his +harmonica from his pocket, and played one tune after another to the lad, +who listened most earnestly. Sometimes he would take a comb, or even a +leaf, and coax forth music; or he would shape a bit of wood with his +knife, and whistle a tune upon that. It really seemed as if there were +no object from which he could not draw forth sweet sounds. Once, +however, he brought a fiddle home with him, and the boy was so delighted +with the instrument, that he never forgot it. The man played one tune +after another, while the child listened and looked with all his might; +and when the fiddle was laid aside, the little fellow took it up, and +tried to find out for himself how the music was made. And it could not +have sounded so very badly, for his father had smiled, saying, "Come, +now!" and placed the big fingers of his left hand over his son's, and +held the little hand and the bow together in his right; and thus they +played for a long time, and produced a great many sweet tunes. + +On the following day, after his father's departure, the boy tried again +and again to play, until at last he did succeed in producing a tune +quite correctly. Soon after, however, the fiddle disappeared, and never +made its appearance again. + +Often, when they were together, the man would begin to sing +softly,--softly at first, then more and more distinctly as he became +more interested, and the boy know the words, he could at least follow +the tune. The father sang Italian always; and the child understood a +great deal, but not well enough to sing. One tune, however, he knew +better than any other, for his father had repeated it many hundred +times. It was part of a long song, and began in this wise:-- + + "One evening In Peschiera." + +It was a sad melody that some one had arranged to a pretty ballad, and +it particularly pleased the lad, so that he always sang it with pleasure +and with a feeling of awe; and it sounded very sweetly, for the lad had +a clear, bell-like voice, that harmonized beautifully with his father's +strong basso. And each time after they had sung this song from beginning +to end, his father clapped the boy kindly on the shoulder, saying, "Well +done, Henrico! well done!" This was the way his father called him, but +he was called "Rico" only by everybody else. + +There was a cousin who lived in the cottage with them, and who mended +and cooked and kept the house in order. In the winter she sat by the +stove and spun, and Rico had to consider how he could enter the room, +very carefully; for as soon as he had opened the door, his cousin called +out, "Do let that door alone, or we shall have it cold enough in the +room here." + +In winter he was very often alone with his cousin; for when his father +had work to do in the valley, he would be away for long weeks at a time. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +IN THE SCHOOL. + + +Rico was almost nine years old, and had been to school for two winters. +Up there in the mountains there was no school in the summer-time; for +then the teacher had his field to cultivate, and his hay and wood to +cut, like everybody else, and nobody had time to think of going to +school. This was not a great sorrow for Rico,--he knew how to amuse +himself. When he had once taken his place in the morning on the +threshold, he would stand there for hours without moving, gazing into +the far distance with dreamy eyes, if the door of the house over the +way did not open, and a little girl make her appearance and look over +at him laughingly. Then Rico ran over to her in a trice, and the +children were busy enough in telling each other what had happened since +the evening before, and talked incessantly, until Stineli was called +into the house. The girl's name was Stineli, and she and Rico were of +exactly the same age. They began to go to school at the same time, were +in the same classes, and from that time forward were always together; +for there was only a narrow path between their cottages, and they were +the dearest of friends. + +This was the only intimacy that Rico had, for he had no pleasure in +the companionship of the other boys; and when they thrashed each +other, or played at wrestling, or turned somersaults, he went away +without even looking back at them. If they called out after him, "Now +it is Rico's turn to be thrashed," he stood perfectly still and did +nothing; but he looked at them so strangely with his dark eyes, that +no one meddled with him. + +In Stineli's company he was always contented. She had a merry little +pug-nose, and two brown eyes that were always laughing; and around her +head were two thick braids of brown hair, that always looked smooth and +neat, for Stineli was a very orderly girl, and knew very well how to +take care of herself. For that her daily experience was excellent. It is +true Stineli was scarcely nine years old, but she was the eldest +daughter of the family, and had to help her mother in every thing, and +there was a great deal to be done,--for after Stineli came Trudi and +Sami and Peterli, then Urschli and Anne-Deteli and Kunzli, and last of +all the baby, who was not baptized. From every corner, at every moment, +Stineli was called for; and she had become so handy and skilful with all +this practice, that work seemed to turn itself out of her hands of its +own accord. She could always put on three stockings and fasten two shoes +before Trudi had even placed the legs of the little one she was helping +in the right position. And while her mother was calling for Stineli to +help her in the kitchen, and the little children wanted her in the +bedroom, her father was sure to shout out from the stable for Stineli to +come to his help, for he had mislaid his cap, or his whip-lash was in a +knot, and she found the one in a trice,--it was generally on the +meal-box,--and her limber fingers had no trouble in untying the knotted +lash. So, you see, Stineli was always busy running about and working, +but always merry with it all, and rejoiced also in winter, when the +school began. Then she went with Rico to school and back again, and in +recess they were also together. And in summer she was still more happy, +for then the lovely Sunday evenings came when she could go out; and she +and Rico went, hand in hand,--the lad was always waiting for her in the +doorway,--over the big meadow towards the wood on the hill-side that +projected far out over the lake like an island. They used to sit up +there under the pines, and look out over the green waters of the lake, +and had so many questions to ask and so many answers to give, and were +so happy, that Stineli was happy all the week in thinking it over and +looking forward,--for Sunday always came again. + +There was yet one other person in the household who called for Stineli +now and then,--that was her old grandmother. + +She did not want her assistance, however, but had generally a bit of +money to give her that she had put aside, or some little thing that +would give the girl pleasure; for the grandmother noticed how much there +was for Stineli to do, and that she had less pleasure than other +children of her age, and the child was her favorite. She always had +something ready so that she could buy herself a red ribbon at the yearly +market, or a needle-case, if she wished. + +Rico was also a favorite with this good grandmother, and she liked to +see the children together, and tried to contrive a little recreation for +them now and then. + +On summer evenings the grandmother always sat by the door on a +tree-stump that was there, and often Stineli and Rico stood by her side +while she told them stories. But when the prayer-bell sounded from the +little church tower she always said, "Now say, 'Our Father;' and be +sure, children, that you never forget to say that prayer every evening; +the prayer-bells ring to remind you of that." "Now remember, little +ones," she would now and then repeat, "I have lived for a long, long +time, and had a great deal of experience, and I have never known a +single person who has not, at some time or other in his life, sore need +of 'Our Father;' but I have known many a one who has sought to say it +anxiously, and not found it, in his great need." So Stineli and Rico +stood reverently side by side and said their evening prayer. + +Now May had come, and there was only a short time to pass before school +would cease, for under the trees there were signs of green, and the snow +had melted and vanished in many places. Rico had been standing for a +long time in the doorway making these welcome observations. At the same +time he looked again and again towards the opposite door, hoping that it +would open. It did at last, and out came Stineli. + +"How long have you been standing there?" she called out merrily. "It is +early to-day, and we can go along slowly." + +They took each other's hands, and went towards the schoolhouse. + +"Are you always thinking about the lake?" asked Stineli as they +went along. + +"Yes, of course," said Rico, with a serious expression; "and I often +dream about it too, and see great red flowers there, and in the distance +the purple mountains." + +"Oh! what one dreams does not count," said Stineli. "I dreamed once that +Peterli climbed, all alone, to the top of the highest pine-tree; and +when he was on the top twig, suddenly he changed into a bird and called +out, 'Come, Stineli, and put on my stockings for me.' So you see that it +does not mean any thing when you dream." + +Rico pondered over this, for his dream might certainly mean something, +and yet only be thoughts passing through his mind. Now, however, they +were near the schoolhouse, and a troop of noisy children came towards +them from the opposite direction. They all entered together, and soon +the teacher came in. He was an old man with thin, gray hair, for he had +been teacher for an incredibly long time,--so long, that his hair had +grown gray and fallen out. + +Now a busy spelling and pronouncing began; then followed the +multiplication-table, and, lastly, the singing. For this the teacher +brought out his old fiddle and tuned it. Then they began, and all +shouted at the top of their lungs,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height," + +and the teacher played the accompaniment. + +Rico, however, had his eyes fixed so attentively upon the fiddle, and on +the teacher's fingers as he touched the strings, that he quite forgot +the song; and at this the whole choir lost their pitch, and fell away a +half-note, and the fiddle became uncertain, and lost a half-note also; +and then the voices fell lower still, until at last nobody could have +told where they were going to all together; but the teacher tossed his +fiddle upon the table and called out angrily, "What sort of a song do +you call that? You are nothing but a lot of screamers! I should like to +know who it is who sings false and spoils the whole time." + +At this a little boy spoke up,--the one who sat nearest to Rico: "I know +why it all goes wrong. It always goes that way when Rico stops singing." + +The teacher himself knew that the fiddle was somewhat dependent on +Rico's leading. + +"Rico, Rico! what is this that I hear?" he said, turning to the lad. +"You are generally a well-behaved boy; but inattention is a sad fault, +as you now see. One single careless scholar can easily spoil a whole +song. Now we will begin anew; and be more attentive, Rico." + +After this the boy sang with his steady, clear voice; the fiddle +followed, and the children sang with all their might, and it went on +very satisfactorily to the very end. + +The teacher was well satisfied, and rubbed his hands together, and then +drew his bow over the string, saying, with a pleased air, "It is a good +instrument, after all." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE. + + +Stineli and Rico freed themselves from the crowd of children gathered +before the schoolhouse, and wandered off together. "Were you thinking so +that you could not sing with us to-day, Rico?" asked Stineli. "Were you +thinking again about the lake?" + +"No, it was quite another thing," replied the boy. "I know how to play +'Little lambkins, come down,' if I only had a fiddle." + +Judging from the deep sigh that accompanied these words, the wish must +have weighed heavily on Rico's heart. The sympathetic little Stineli +began at once to contrive some means of helping him to get his wish. + +"We will buy one together, Rico," she said suddenly, full of delight at +a happy thought that had entered her head. I have ever so many pieces of +money,--as many as twelve. How much have you got?" + +"None at all," said the boy sadly. "My father gave me some before he +went away, but my cousin said I should only spend it foolishly, and +she took it from me, and put it up on the shelf in a box where I +cannot get it." + +Such a trifle did not discourage Stineli. "Perhaps we have enough +without that, and my grandmother will give me some more soon," she said +consolingly. "You know, Rico, a fiddle can't cost so very much; it is +nothing but a bit of old wood with four strings stretched across it, +that will be cheap, I'm sure. You must ask the teacher about it +to-morrow morning, and then we will try to find one." + +So it was settled, and Stineli resolved to do all she could at home to +make herself useful by getting up bright and early, and making the fire +before her mother was afoot, thinking that, if she worked busily from +morning till night, perhaps her grandmother would put a bit of money for +her in the bag. + +After school the next day Stineli went out and waited alone behind the +wood-pile at the schoolhouse corner, for Rico had made up his mind at +last to ask the teacher how much it would cost to buy a fiddle. He was +such a long time about it, that Stineli kept peeping out from behind the +wood-pile, quite overcome with impatience, but only saw the other school +children who were standing about and playing; but now certainly,--yes, +that was Rico who came around the corner. + +"What did he say? How much does it cost?" cried Stineli, almost +breathless with suspense. + +"I had not the courage to ask," was the sad answer. + +"Oh, what a shame!" said the girl, and stood still and disappointed for +a moment, but not more. "Never mind, Rico; you can try again to-morrow," +she said cheerfully, taking him by the hand and turning homeward. "I got +another bit of money from my grandmother this morning, because I got up +early and was in the kitchen when she came in." + +The same thing happened, however, the next day and the day after. Rico +stood for half an hour before the door without getting courage to go in +to ask his question. At last Stineli made up her mind to go herself, if +this lasted three days more. On the fourth day, however, as Rico was +standing, timid and depressed, before the door, it opened suddenly, and +the teacher came out quickly, and ran into Rico with such force, that +the slender little fellow, who did not weigh more than a feather, was +thrown backward several feet. The teacher stood looking at the child in +great surprise and some displeasure. Then he said, "What does this mean, +Rico? Why do you stand before the door without knocking, if you have a +message to deliver? If you have no message, why do you not go away? If +you wish to tell me any thing, do so at once. What is it that you wish?" + +"How much does a fiddle cost?" Rico blurted out his question in +great fear and haste. The teacher's surprise and displeasure +increased visibly. + +"I do not understand, Rico," he said, with a severe glance at the boy. +Have you come here on purpose to mock me? or have you any particular +reason for asking this? What did you mean to say?" + +"I did not mean any thing," said Rico abashed, "only to ask how much it +would cost to buy a fiddle." + +"You did not understand me just now,--pay attention to what I am saying. +There are two ways of asking a question: either to obtain information, +or simply from idle curiosity, which is foolishness. Now pay attention, +Rico: is this a mere idle question, or did somebody send you who wishes +to buy a fiddle?" + +"I want to buy one myself," said the boy, taking courage a little; +but he was frightened when the angry reply came, "What! what did you +say? A forlorn little fellow like you buy a fiddle! Do you even know +what the instrument is? Have you any idea of how old I was, and what +I knew, before I obtained one? I was a teacher, a regular teacher; +was twenty-two years old, with an assured profession, and not a +child like you. + +"Now I will tell you what a fiddle costs, and then you will see how +foolish you are. Six hard gulden I paid for mine. Can you realize what +that means? We will separate it into blutsgers. If one gulden contains a +hundred blutsgers, then six guldens will be equal to six times one +hundred,--quickly, quickly! Now, Rico, you are generally ready enough." + +"Six hundred blutsgers," said the lad softly, for he was quite +overpowered with the magnitude of this sum as compared with Stineli's +twelve blutsgers. + +"And, moreover, my son, do you imagine that you have only to take a +fiddle in your hand to be able to play on it at once? It takes a long +time to do that. Come in here now, for a moment." And the teacher opened +the door, and took his fiddle from its place on the wall. "There," he +said, as he placed it on Rico's arm, "take the bow in your hand,--so, my +boy; and if you can play me _c, d, e, f_, I will give you a +half-gulden." + +Rico had the fiddle really in his hand; his eyes sparkled with fire; _c, +d, e, f,_--he played the notes firmly and perfectly correctly. "You +little rascal!" cried the astonished teacher, "where did you learn that? +Who taught you? How do you find the notes?" + +"I can do more than that, if I may," said the boy. + +"Play, then." + +And Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height; + The daylight is fading, + The sun says, 'Good-night!'" + +[Illustration: RICO PLAYED CORRECTLY, AND WITH ENTHUSIASM] + +The teacher sunk into a chair, and put his spectacles on his nose. His +eyes rested on Rico's fingers as he played, then on his sparkling eyes, +and again on his hands. When the air was finished, he said, "Come here +to me, Rico;" and, moving his chair into the light, he placed the lad +directly before him. "Now I have something to say to you. Your father is +an Italian; and I know that down there all sorts of things go on of +which we have no idea here in the mountains. Now look me straight in the +eye, and answer me truly and honestly. How did you learn to play this +air so correctly?" + +Looking up with his honest eyes, the boy replied, "I learned it from +you, in the school where it is so often sung." + +These words gave an entirely new aspect to the affair. The teacher stood +up, and went back and forth several times in the room. Then he was +himself the cause of this wonderful event; there was no necromancy +concerned in it. + +In a far better humor, he took out his purse, saying, "Here is your +half-gulden, Rico; it is justly yours. Now go; and for the future be +very attentive to the music-lesson as long as you go to the school. In +that way you may, perhaps, accomplish something; and in twelve or +fourteen years perhaps you may be able to buy a fiddle. Now you may go." + +Rico cast one look at the fiddle, and departed with deep sadness in +his heart. + +Stineli came running to meet him from behind the wood-pile. "You did +stay a long time. Have you asked the question?" + +"It is all of no use," said the boy; and his eyebrows came together in +his distress, and formed a thick black line across his forehead over his +eyes. "A fiddle costs six hundred blutsgers; and in fourteen years I can +buy one, when everybody will be dead. Who will be living fourteen years +from now? There, you may have this; I do not want it." With these words +he pressed the half-gulden into Stineli's hand. + +"Six hundred blutsgers!" repeated the girl, horrified. "But where did +this half-gulden come from?" + +Rico told her all that had happened at the teacher's, ending with the +same words expressing his great regret, "It is all of no use!" + +Stineli tried to console him a little with the half-gulden; but he was +furious at the thought of the innocent piece of money, and would not +even look at it. + +So Stineli said, "I will put it with my blutsgers, and we will have it +all between us." + +Stineli herself was very much discouraged now; but as they went around +the corner into the field, the little pathway that led to their doors +shone so prettily in the bright sunlight, and the plat before the houses +was so white and dry, that she called out,-- + +"See, see! now it is summer, Rico; and we can go up into the wood, and +we will be happy again. Shall we go next Sunday?" + +"Nothing will ever make me happy again," said Rico; "but if you want to +go, I will go with you." + +When they reached the door, they had arranged to go to the wood on the +following Sunday, and Stineli was very happy at the thought. She did all +that she was able to do through the week, and there was a great deal of +work for her. Peterli, Sami, and Urschli had the measles, and in the +stable one of the goats was sick, and needed hot water very often; and +Stineli had to run hither and thither, lending a helping hand in every +direction as soon as she came home from school, and on Saturday all day +long until late in the evening; and then there were the stable buckets +to be cleaned. But that night her father said,-- + +"Stineli _is_ a handy child." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE BEAUTIFUL DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME + + +When Stineli awoke on the following Sunday morning, she was conscious of +an unusual light-heartedness, and at first could not understand the +cause, until she remembered what day it was, and that her grandmother +had said, on the previous evening, "To-morrow you must have the whole +afternoon to yourself: it is rightfully yours." + +After dinner was finished, and all the dishes taken away, and the table +washed off by Stineli, Peterli called out, "Come here to me;" and the +two others screamed, "No, to me!" and her father said, "Now Stineli must +go to look after the goats." + +But at this moment her grandmother went through the kitchen, and made a +sign to Stineli to follow her. + +"Now go in peace, my child," she said. "I will take care of the goats +and the children; but be sure to come home, both of you, punctually when +the bell rings for prayer." The grandmother knew very well that there +were two of them. + +Off flew Stineli, like a bird whose cage-door has suddenly been opened; +and outside stood Rico, who had been waiting for a long time. They went +on together, across the meadow towards the wood. + +On the mountains the sun was shining brightly, and the blue heavens lay +over all the landscape. They were obliged to pass, for a little while, +through the shade in the snow; but the sun was shining a little farther +on, and shimmered on the waters of the lake, and there were lovely dry +spots on the slope that was almost hanging over the lake. + +There the children seated themselves. A sharp wind came down from the +heights, and whistled about their ears. Stineli was as happy as happy +could be. She shouted out, again and again, "Oh, look, Rico; look! How +beautiful it is in the sun! Now summer has come, look how the lake +glistens! There cannot be a more beautiful lake than this one anywhere," +she said confidently. + +"Yes, yes, Stineli! You ought to see the lake I know about just once," +said Rico; and looked so longingly across the lake, that it seemed as if +that which he wanted to see began just beyond their vision. + +"Over there are no dark fir-trees, with sharp needles, but shining green +leaves, and great red flowers; and the mountains are not so high and +dark, nor so near, but lie off in the distance, and are purple; and the +sky and the lake are all golden and still and warm. There the wind does +not feel like this, and one's feet never get full of snow; and one can +sit all day long on the sunny ground, and look about." + +Stineli was quite carried away by this description. She already saw the +red flowers and the golden lake before her eyes, and seemed to know +exactly how beautiful it all was. + +"Perhaps you may be able to go there again to see it all, Rico. Do you +know the way?" + +"You must cross the Maloja. I have been there with my father once. He +pointed me out the road that goes all the way down the mountain,--first +this way, then that, and far below lies the lake; but so far, so far, +that it is scarcely possible to go there." + +"Oh! that is easy enough," said Stineli. "You have to go farther and +farther, that is all; and at the end you will surely get there." + +"But my father told me something else. Do you know, Stineli, when you +are travelling and stop at an inn, and eat something and sleep there, +then there is something to pay, and you must have money for that." + +"Oh! we have lots of money," cried Stineli triumphantly. But her +companion was not triumphant. + +"That is exactly as good as nothing. I know that by the affair of the +fiddle," he said sadly. + +"Then it will be better for you to stay at home, Rico. Look! it is +beautiful here at home, I am sure." + +The lad sat thoughtfully silent for a long time, leaning his head on his +hand, and his eyebrows brought in a close line down over his eyes. At +last he turned again to Stineli, who had been gathering the soft green +moss that grew around the spot where they were lying, and of which she +made a tiny bed with two pillows and a coverlet. She meant to carry them +home to the sick Urschli. + +"You say I had better stay at home, Stineli; but, do you know, it is +just as if I did not know where my home really is." + +"Oh, dear me! what do you mean?" cried the girl; and in her surprise she +threw away a whole handful of moss. Your home is here, of course. It is +always home where father and mother"--She stopped suddenly. Rico had no +mother, and his father had been away now for a very long time; and the +cousin? Stineli never went near that cousin, who had never spoken one +pleasant word to her. The child did not know what to say, but it was not +natural to her to remain long in uncertainty. Rico had already fallen +into one of his reveries, when she grasped him by the arm, and said,-- + +"I should just like to know something; that is, the name of the lake +where it is so lovely." + +Rico pondered. "I do not know," he said; and felt very much surprised +himself as he spoke. + +Now Stineli proposed that they should ask somebody what it was called; +for even if Rico had ever so much money, and was able to travel, he must +know how to inquire the way, and what the name of the lake was. They +began at once to think of whom they should inquire,--of the teacher, or +of the grandmother. + +At last it occurred to Rico that his father would know better than +anybody else, and he thought he would certainly ask him when he came +home again. + +The time had slipped away quickly as they sat talking, and presently the +children heard the distant sound of a bell. They recognized the sound. +It was the bell for prayers. + +They sprang up quickly, and ran off, hand in hand, down the hill-side +through bushes, and through the snow across the meadow; and it had +scarcely stopped ringing when they reached the door where the +grandmother was on the lookout for them. + +Stineli had to go at once into the house, and her grandmother said +quickly, "Go home directly, Rico, and do not hang around the door +any longer." + +The grandmother had never said such a thing to him before, although he +had always been in the habit of hanging around the door; for he was +never in haste to go home, and stood always for a while before he could +make up his mind to enter. He obeyed at once, however, and went into +the house. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME. + + +Rico did not find his cousin in the sitting-room; so he went to the +kitchen, and opened the door. There she stood; but before he could +enter, she raised her finger, saying, "Sch! sch! Do not open and shut +the doors, and make a noise, as if there were four of you. Go into the +other room, and keep still. Your father is lying in the bedroom up +there. They brought him home in a wagon: he is sick." + +Rico went into the room, seated himself on a bench, and did not stir. + +He sat there for at least a half-hour. Presently he heard the cousin +moving about in the kitchen. Then he thought that he would go up very +softly, and peep into the bedroom. Perhaps his father would like +something to eat: it was long past the meal-time. + +He slipped behind the stove, mounted the little steps, and went very +softly into the bedroom. After a while he returned, went at once into +the kitchen, approached quite close to his cousin, and said softly,-- + +"Cousin, come up." + +The woman was about to strike him angrily, when she happened to glance +at his face. He was perfectly colorless,--cheeks and lips as white as +a sheet, and his eyes looked so black that the cousin was almost +afraid of him. + +"What is the matter with you?" she asked hastily, and followed him +almost involuntarily. + +He mounted the little steps softly, and entered the chamber. His father +lay on the bed with staring, wide-open eyes,--he was dead. + +"Oh, my God!" screamed the cousin, and ran crying out of the door that +opened upon the passage on the other side of the room, went down the +staircase, and across into the opposite house, where she called out to +tell the neighbor and the grandmother the sad news; and thence she ran +on to the teacher and to the mayor. + +One after another they came, and entered the quiet room until it was +full of people; for the news spread from one to another of what had +taken place. And in the midst of all the tumult, and of all the clamor +of the crowd of neighbors, Rico stood by the bedside speechless, +motionless, and gazed at his father. All through the week the house +was filled with people who wished to look at the man, and hear from +the cousin how it had all happened; so that the lad heard it repeated +over and over, that his father had been at work down in St. Gall on +the railroad. + +He had received a deep wound on the head when they were blasting a rock; +and, as he could not work any longer, he wished to go home to take care +of himself until the wound was healed. But the long journey--sometimes +on foot, sometimes in an open wagon--was too much for him; and when he +had reached his home on Sunday, towards evening, he he had lain down on +the bed never to rise again. Without any one knowing it, he had passed +away; for he was already stiff when Rico had found him. On the following +Sunday the burial took place. Rico was the only mourner to follow the +coffin. Several kind neighbors joined in, and thus the little procession +went on to Sils. In the church, Rico heard the pastor when he read out, +"The deceased was called Henrico Trevillo, and was a native of Peschiera +on the Lake of Garda." + +These words brought the feeling to Rico that he had heard something that +he knew perfectly well before, and yet could not recollect. He had +always seen a picture of the lake before his eyes when he had sung,-- + + "One evening + In Peschiera," + +with his father, but he had never known the reason. He repeated the name +softly to himself, while one old song after another arose in his memory. + +As he came back from the burial all alone, he saw the grandmother +seated on the log of wood, and Stineli by her side. She beckoned him to +come over to them. She gave the lad a bit of cake and another to +Stineli, and said now they might go off together for a walk. Rico ought +not to be alone. + +So the children rambled off together, hand in hand. The grandmother +remained seated on her log, sadly gazing after the black-haired lad +until they had wandered slowly up the hillside and passed out of sight. +Then she said softly to herself,-- + + "Whate'er He does, or lets be done, + Is always for the best." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +RICO'S MOTHER. + + +Along the road from Sils came the teacher leaning on his staff. He had +assisted at the burial. He coughed and cleared his throat; and as he +drew near to the grandmother and bade her "good evening," he seated +himself by her side. "If you have no objection, I will sit here with you +for a few moments, neighbor," said he; "for I feel very badly in my +throat and chest. But what can we expect when we are almost seventy +years old, and have witnessed such a funeral as this one to-day? He was +not thirty-five years of age, and as strong as a tree." + +"It always sets me thinking," said the grandmother, "when I, an old +woman of seventy-five years, am left, and here and there a young person +is called away,--a useful one, too." + +"Yet the old folks are good for something. Who else can set an +example to the youth?" remarked the teacher. "But what is your +opinion, neighbor: what will become of the little fellow over yonder, +do you think?" + +"Yes, what will become of him?" repeated the old woman. "I also ask +myself that question; and if my only reliance were upon human help, I +should not know of an answer. But there is a heavenly Father who looks +after the forsaken children. He will provide something for the lad." + +"Will you not tell me, neighbor, how it happened that the Italian +married the daughter of your friend who lived over there opposite? One +never knows how these people may turn out." + +"It happened as such things always happen, neighbor. You know how my old +friend Anne-Dete had lost all her children, and her husband also, and +lived alone in the cottage over yonder with Marie-Seppli, who was a +merry little girl. About eleven or twelve years ago Trevillo made his +appearance here. He had work in the Maloja, and came down here with the +other boys; and he and Marie-Seppli had scarcely become acquainted +before they were resolved to have each other. + +"And it must be said, in justice to Trevillo, that he was not only a +handsome fellow who was agreeable to everybody, but also an industrious +and well-conducted man, with whom Anne-Dete (the mother) was well +pleased. Naturally she wished that they should stay in the house and +live with her, and Trevillo would gladly have done so. He was fond of +his wife's mother, and he always did as Marie-Seppli wished him to. He +had taken her, however, towards the Maloja in his walks, and they had +together looked down the road where you can see how far it goes winding +down the mountain; and he had told her how every thing was down there +where he was born. So Marie-Seppli got it into her head that she must go +there, and no matter how much her mother worried and fretted, and said +that they could not live there, she still was bent upon going; and +Trevillo himself said that as to living there she need not fear, for he +had a nice little property and a house; but, for his part, he would like +to see a little of the world. But the bride prevailed, and after the +wedding she was all for starting directly down the mountain. + +"She wrote to her mother occasionally that it was very nice where they +lived, and that Trevillo was the best of husbands. + +"About five or six years later, who should walk into the room where +Anne-Dete was sitting but Trevillo, leading a little boy by the hand. He +said, 'There, mother, this is the only thing I have left of +Marie-Seppli. She lies buried down yonder with her other little +children. This one was her first, and her favorite.' + +"This is what my old friend told me. Then he threw himself down on the +bench where he had first seen his wife, saying that he should like to +make his home there with her and the boy, if she had no objection, for +down below it was not possible for him to continue to live. This was joy +and sorrow at the same time for Anne-Dete. + +"Little Rico was then about four years old,--a quiet, thoughtful boy, +never noisy or mischievous, and the very apple of her eye; but she died +in the course of a year, and Trevillo was advised to take a cousin of +hers to keep house for him and his boy." + +"So, so!" said the teacher when the old woman was silent, having +finished her story. "I had not understood all this thoroughly before. +Perhaps some of Trevillo's relations will come forward, in good time, +and they can be asked to do something for the child." + +"Relations!" said the grandmother with a sigh. "That cousin is a +relation, and little enough of comfort he gets from her in the course of +the year." + +The schoolmaster rose with difficulty from his seat. "I am going +down-hill, neighbor," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot imagine where +my strength has gone to." + +The old woman encouraged him, and said he was still a young man in +comparison with her. But, in truth, it did surprise her to see how +slowly and painfully he walked as he left her. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER. + + +Many beautiful Sundays followed; and, whenever it was possible, the +grandmother so arranged it that Stineli got, now and then, a spare +moment; but the work in the house increased daily. Rico passed many +hours standing on the threshold of his cottage looking longingly across +the way, in the hope of seeing Stineli come out. + +Towards September, when people often sat before their houses in order to +enjoy, to the utmost, the last warm evenings of the season, the +schoolmaster placed himself before his door, but he looked very thin and +coughed continually; and at last, one morning when he tried to rise, his +strength deserted him completely, and he fell back upon his pillow. + +There he lay very still, and busy with all sorts of thoughts; and he +wondered what would come to pass when he died. He had no children, and +his wife had been dead for a long time, and there was only in old +maid-servant to live with him and take care of the house. He was +principally occupied in thinking of what would become of all the things +that belonged to him when he should be gone; and, as his fiddle hung +directly opposite to him on the wall, he said to himself, "I must leave +that behind me too." + +Then he remembered the day when Rico stood before him and played on the +instrument, and he felt as if he had rather let the boy have the fiddle +than to let it go to a distant cousin who did not understand the use of +it at all. And he thought that, if it were to go very cheap, perhaps +Rico could buy it. Presently he bethought himself that if he could not +use the violin, neither would he have any use for money. For all that, +he could not bring himself to let the instrument, for which he had paid +down six hard gulden, go for nothing. + +So he pondered and pondered how he could manage to obtain something in +exchange; but at last it was quite clear to him that there, where he was +fast going, he could not take his violin with him, neither could he take +any thing that he might get for it, for all must remain behind. + +While he was lying there the fever became greater and greater, and he +lay, towards evening and all night long, fighting with all sorts of +strange thoughts, and old, long-forgotten events rose before his mind +and perplexed him; so that at last, towards morning, he lay on his bed +utterly exhausted, and with only one thought or wish,--viz., to be able +to do one kind deed, one good action, and that quickly, before it was +too late. He knocked against the wall with his stick until the old +maid-servant heard him and came in to him; and then he sent her over to +the grandmother, to ask her to come to him as quickly as possible. + +She did come almost immediately; and before she had fairly time to ask +him how he found himself, he said,-- + +"Will you be so good as to take down the fiddle that hangs there on the +wall, and give it to the little orphan boy? I wish to make him a present +of it, and he must be very careful of it." + +Naturally the good woman was very much surprised, and could not +refrain from exclaiming repeatedly, "What will Rico do with it? What +will Rico say to this?" Presently she noticed, however, that the +schoolmaster seemed a little restless, as if he were in a hurry to +have the thing done. + +So she left him, and hastened as quickly as possible across the fields +with the gift under her arm; for she was also impatient to know how Rico +would take this rare piece of good fortune. + +He was standing in the doorway of his cottage. At a motion from the +grandmother, he ran towards her. + +"Here, Rico," she said, and handed him the violin. "The schoolmaster +sends this to you: it is yours." + +The boy stood as if he were in a dream, but it was true. The grandmother +was really standing there, holding the fiddle out to him. + +Trembling with pleasure and excitement, he took his present at last, put +it on his arm, and gazed at it in a silly sort of way, as if he thought +it might vanish presently, as quickly as it had come, if he did not keep +his eyes on it. + +"You must be very careful of it," said the old woman, delivering her +message faithfully. She was much inclined to laugh, however; for it did +not seem to her that the warning was at all necessary. "And, Rico, think +about the teacher, and do not forget what he has done for you: he is +very ill." + +The grandmother went into the house with these words; and the boy +hastened up into his own bedroom, where he was always alone. + +There he sat and fiddled, and played on and on, and forgot all about +eating or drinking, or how the time sped on. At last, when it was almost +dark, he came to himself, and went down-stairs. The cousin came out from +the kitchen, saying, "You can have something to eat to-morrow morning. +You have behaved so to-day that you won't get any thing more." + +The boy did not feel hungry, although he had not eaten since the early +morning, and went quite unconsciously across into the opposite house, +and entered the kitchen. He was looking for the grandmother. + +Stineli was standing by the hearth, arranging the fire. When she caught +sight of Rico, she shouted aloud for joy; for the ground had almost +burned beneath her feet, she had been so impatient all day--ever since +her grandmother had told her the great news--to get away, and express +her delight to Rico; but she had not dared to leave the house for an +instant. Now she was fairly beside herself, and called out, again and +again, "You have got it now! You have got it now!" + +Hearing the noise, the grandmother came out of the sitting-room; and +Rico hastened towards her, saying, "May I go to thank the teacher, if +he is sick?" + +After thinking a while,--for she remembered how very ill the +schoolmaster looked in the morning when she saw him,--the good woman +said, "Wait a few moments, Rico, I will go with you;" and stepped into +her room to put on a clean apron. Then they went over to the +schoolhouse. The grandmother entered first. Rico followed, his fiddle +under his arm. He had not once laid it down since it had come into his +possession. + +The teacher lay on his bed, looking very feeble indeed. The lad stepped +to the bedside and looked down at his fiddle and could scarcely speak, +but his eyes sparkled so brightly that the good man had no difficulty in +understanding him: he cast a pleased look towards the boy, and nodded at +him. Then he beckoned the grandmother to draw near. Rico moved a little +to one side, and the teacher said with a weak voice, "Grandmother, I +should be very glad if you would say 'Our Father' for me, I feel so very +much troubled." + +Just at this moment the prayer-bell sounded. The grandmother folded her +hands and repeated the Lord's Prayer, and Rico also folded his hands. +Every thing was quiet in the room. After a while the grandmother bent +over and closed the old teacher's eyes, for he had passed away. Then she +took Rico by the hand, and went softly home with him. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ON THE LAKE OF SILS. + + +Stineli did not recover herself during the entire week, her joy was so +great; but it seemed as if that week were ten days longer than any +other, for Sunday seemed never to come. + +At last it did come, and a golden sun shone over the harvest fields, and +she and Rico went up under the fir-trees, where the sparkling lake lay +spread out at their feet; and the girl's heart was so overflowing with +happiness, that she had to dance about and shout aloud before she seated +herself on the moss, on the very edge of the slope. There she could see +every thing round about,--the sunny heights and the lake, and, stretched +over all, the blue heavens. + +Suddenly she called out, "Come now, Rico; we will sing,--sing for +ever so long." + +So the lad seated himself by Stineli's side, and placed his fiddle in +position,--for he had, of course, brought that too,--and began to play, +and the children sang,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright, sunny height," + +until they had sung all the verses; but Stineli had not had half enough. + +"We will sing more," she said, and went on,-- + + "Little lambkins, above + On the bright, pleasant hill, + The sunlight is sparkling, + The winds are not still." + +And then Rico sang the verse and was pleased and said, "Sing some more." + +Stineli was quite excited: thought a bit, and looked up, then down, and +sang again,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins, + And the heavens so blue; + And red and white flowers, + And the green grasses, too." + +Then Rico fiddled and sung the verse with her, and said again, +"Some more." + +Stineli laughed, and, glancing at Rico, sang,-- + + "And a sad little boy, + And a very gay maid; + And a lake like another, + That from water is made." + +Laughing and singing, Stineli went +on,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins, + They jumped up so high, + And all were most merry, + And did not know why. + + "And a boy and a girl + By the lake-side did sit, + And because they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +Now they began at the very beginning, and sang the whole thing through +again, and made merry over it, and were so happy that they sang it at +least ten times over; and the more they repeated it, the better it +sounded to their ears. + +After this Rico played several tunes that he had learned from his +father; but they soon came back to their own song, and began that again. + +In the midst of it the girl stopped and said, "It has just come into +my head how you can go down to the other lake, and will not need any +money either." + +Rico paused suddenly and gazed at his companion, awaiting what was +coming next. + +"Don't you see," she said earnestly, "now you have a fiddle, and you +know a song. You can go and play your song, and sing before the +taverns; then the people will give you something to eat and to drink, +and let you sleep there, for they will see that you are not a beggar. +So you can go on until you reach the lake; and, coming home, you can do +the same thing again." + +Rico reflected over these words, but Stineli would give him no time for +dreaming: she wanted to go on with the song. + +They made so much noise themselves, that they did not hear the +prayer-bell at all; and did not notice what time it was until reminded +by the growing darkness, and perceived the grandmother looking about +anxiously for them before they reached the houses. + +But Stineli was too much excited to be subdued by any thing. She ran on +towards her grandmother, and said, "You have no idea how beautifully +Rico can fiddle; and we have made a song of our own, for ourselves only. +We will sing it to you this very moment." + +And before there was time to answer, they began and sang it all through; +and the good grandmother listened with real pleasure to their sweet, +clear voices. + +She seated herself on the log; and, when the children had finished, +said, "Come now, Rico, I want you to play for me; and you and I will +sing together. Do you know the song that begins,-- + + "'I sing to thee with heart and voice?'" + +Rico had probably heard the hymn, but he did not know it correctly, and +said that he wished first to hear it from the grandmother, and he would +follow her softly on his violin, and then he would be sure of it. + +So they began; and first the grandmother repeated the words of a verse +to the children, and then they all sang it together,-- + + "I sing to thee with heart and voice, + Lord, whom my soul obeys. + I sing, and bid all earth rejoice: + Thou teachest me thy praise. + + "I know that thou the fountain art + Of joy,--the eternal spring + Which, into every willing heart, + Healing and good dost bring. + + "Why do we worry over sin? + Why sorrow night and day? + Come, bring thy load, cast it on Him + Who fashioned thee from clay. + + "He never yet has done amiss; + And, perfect in His sight, + All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right. + + "Now only let His will be done, + Nor clamor constantly, + Peace to thy heart on earth will come, + And joy eternally." + +"It is well," said the grandmother. "Now we know a proper evening hymn, +and you may go quickly to rest, my children." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A PERPLEXING AFFAIR. + + +When Rico entered the cottage that evening it was later than usual, for +he had spent a full half-hour in singing the hymn. As he went in, his +cousin came flying towards him. + +"Are you beginning in this style already?" she called out. "The supper +stood waiting for you a whole hour: now I have put it away. Go to your +bedroom; and if you turn out a good-for-nothing and a scamp, it is no +fault of mine. I don't know any thing that I had not rather do than look +after a boy like you." + +Rico never answered a single word, no matter how much his cousin might +scold at him; but this evening he looked at her, and said,-- + +"I can get out of your way, cousin." + +She shoved the bolt in on the house-door with such violence that the +door shook, and went into the sitting-room, slamming that door behind +her. Rico went up into his dark little bedroom. + +On the following day, as all the big family in the other cottage +were eating their supper,--the parents, the grandmother, and all the +children,--the cousin came running over, and called out from the +door to ask if they knew any thing about Rico: she had no idea where +he could be. + +"He will come fast enough when it is time for supper," replied the +father quietly. + +The cousin entered the room. She had been quite sure that the lad was +there, and she expected him to come out if she only stood at the door +and asked for him. + +Now she went on to tell them that he had not made his appearance at +breakfast, nor at dinner-time, and that he had not been in bed the +previous night, for she had found it as she had left it; and she +believed that he must have gone away very early in the morning before +daybreak, wandering about as he was in the habit of doing, for the bolt +was pushed aside on the house-door when she went to open it. She thought +at first that she must have forgotten to bolt it the night before in her +anger, for nobody knew how angry she had been. + +"Something has happened to him," said the father, quite unmoved. "He has +probably fallen into some cleft up there on the mountain: it often +happens to little boys who go climbing about everywhere. + +"You ought to have spoken of it earlier in the day," he went on slowly. +"We shall have to go to look for him, and in the night you can't see +any thing." + +At these words the cousin broke out into a terrible uproar. She expected +there would be all sorts of fault found with her; that was always the +way when you had suffered for years, and never said any thing about it. + +"Nobody would ever believe," she said,--and spoke a truthful word then, +at least,--"what a sly, cunning, deceitful boy that is, and what a life +he has led me these four years. He will turn out a regular vagabond, a +tramp, a disgraceful creature." + +The grandmother had ceased eating for several minutes. She now rose from +the table, and went up to the cousin, who was talking very noisily. + +"Stop, neighbor, stop," she said; and repeated it twice without effect. +"I know Rico very well; I have always known him ever since he was +brought here to his grandmother. If I were in your place, I would not +say another word, but stop to think whether the lad, to whom perhaps +something dreadful has happened, and who may be standing up there before +God at this moment, may not have some complaint against +somebody,--somebody who had done him a heavy injury, all deserted as he +is, with her cruel words." + +Since Rico's disappearance, the way the lad looked at her on that +last evening had occurred several times to the cousin's mind, and how +he said,-- + +"I can easily get out of your way." + +That was why she had made such a noise about it, in order to drown these +words. Now she did not dare to look the grandmother in the face, but +said that she must go: perhaps Rico might be at the cottage by this +time, which she would very gladly have had come true. + +From this day forward the cousin never spoke another word against Rico +in the grandmother's hearing; nor, indeed, did she often speak of him at +all. She believed, as did all the neighbors far and near, that the lad +was dead; and she was thankful that nobody knew about the words he had +said to her on that last evening. + +The next morning after this event was made known, Stineli's father went +out to the thrashing-floor and picked himself out a stout stick. He said +that he would call some of the neighbors together: they must go search +for the lad somewhere towards the glaciers and up by the ravines. + +Stineli crept out after him, and he said, when he noticed her, "That is +right, come and help me to search; you can get into the corners better +than I can." + +At last, after they had found a big beanpole, Stineli ventured to say, +"But father, if Rico went along the high-road, then he could not fall +into any thing, could he?" + +"Oh, perhaps he might," replied her father. "Such thoughtless boys as he +often stray off the road, and fall into ravines and places: they don't +know themselves where they are going, and he was always moving about +more or less." + +That this was true of Rico nobody knew better than Stineli; and she +became dreadfully anxious from that time forth, which anxiety increased +every day to such a degree that she could neither eat nor sleep for +sorrow, and did her work, day after day, as if she did not know what she +was about. + +Rico was not found: nobody had seen any thing of him. They ceased to +search for him, and the folks soon began to find consolation in the +thought, "It is just as well for the little fellow, after all; he was +forsaken, and had no one to care for him." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +A LITTLE LIGHT. + + +Stineli grew more and more thin and quiet from day to day. The little +ones called out complainingly, "Stineli never tells us stories now, and +never laughs any more." Her mother said to her father, "Do you notice +how changed she is?" And her father replied, "It is because she grows so +fast. She must get a little goat's milk early in the mornings." + +After this had gone on for three weeks or so, Stineli's grandmother +called the girl into her bedroom one evening, and said, "My dear +Stineli, I can very well understand that you cannot forget your friend +Rico, but you must try to remember that it is God's will that he should +be taken away; and that, as it is so, it is also the best thing for +Rico, as we must try to think." + +At these words Stineli began to weep as her grandmother had never seen +her do before; and she sobbed and sobbed, saying, "The good God did not +do it: I did it, grandmother; and therefore I feel as if I should die of +anxiety. It was I who proposed to Rico to go to find the lake, and now +he has fallen into a ravine, and is dead; it has hurt him dreadfully, +and it is all my fault." Then the poor child cried and sobbed pitifully. +It seemed to the grandmother as if a heavy weight were lifted from her +heart as she heard these words of Stineli's. She had given up Rico as +lost; and had in secret believed that the child had fled from the unkind +treatment he had received at home, and was lying somewhere in the water, +or was lost in the woods. Now a new hope arose in her heart. + +She succeeded in quieting Stineli enough to persuade her to relate the +whole story about the lake, of which the grandmother was in total +ignorance: how Rico had always been talking about this lake, and how he +had longed to go to find it, and how, at last, Stineli had suggested the +way for him to do so. It really seemed most likely that Rico had started +to find the lake, but her father's mention of the ravines had destroyed +all hope in Stineli. + +The good old woman took her granddaughter by the hand, and drew her +towards her, saying, "Now, Stineli, I have something to explain to you. +Do you remember what the old song says,--the one we sang with Rico on +the last evening we were together?-- + + "'All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right.'" + +Now you see, that although the good God did not exactly do this +thing,--as if He had let Rico die in his bed, for instance,--yet the +thing is in His hand all the same, although you have it turned aside, +perhaps, a little; for certainly the good God is stronger than this +little Stineli. And, now that you have made this sad mistake, it will be +a lesson to you for all the rest of your life, no matter how it may turn +out in the end, that children should not run away into the unknown +world, nor undertake things about which they are utterly ignorant; and +that without saying a word to their parents or to their grandmothers, +who love them so well. But now the kind God has allowed it to happen, +and we may certainly hope that it will all be finished right. + +"Now ponder this well, my Stineli, and never forget what you have thus +learned by experience; and now--for I see how heavily it weighs down +your heart--it will be well for you to go to pray to the good God, that +He will allow this mistake of yours and Rico to turn out all right. And +then you can be happy again, Stineli, and I shall be so, too; for I +believe firmly that Rico is living, and that the good God has not +forsaken him." + +And Stineli became after this like her former happy self; and, although +she missed Rico constantly, still she no longer felt worried, nor did +she reproach herself, but looked continually down the road to Maloja, +expecting to see him. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A LONG JOURNEY. + + +On that memorable Sunday evening, Rico seated himself on the chair in +his gloomy bedroom. There he decided to stay until his cousin had +gone to bed. + +After Stineli had made the discovery that Rico could go with his fiddle +down to the much-wished-for lake, the enterprise seemed a very simple +thing to the lad,--so easy, that he only thought of the best way to get +off. He had a presentiment that his cousin would probably try to hinder +him from going, although he felt sure that she would not miss him after +he was away. + +So, when she began to scold him when he came home, he said to himself, +"I will be off as soon as she is once in her bed." + +He had very pleasant thoughts as he sat there in the dark,--of how nice +it would be not to hear the scolding voice of his cousin all day long, +and of what big bushels of the red flowers he would bring back to +Stineli when he returned. And then the picture of the sunny shores of +the lake and the purple hills rose before his mind, and he fell asleep. +He was not in a very comfortable position, for he had never let his +fiddle leave his hand; and he soon awoke again, but it was still dark. + +Now he had a clear idea of what he would do. He had his Sunday clothes +on, which was good; and his cap was also on his head. He took his fiddle +under his arm, and went softly down the steps, slipped the bolt aside, +and stole out into the cool air of morning. + +The dawn was just showing over the mountains, and in Sils the cocks were +crowing. Off he walked briskly, to get well away from the houses and to +reach the highway. When he once was on the road, he went along merrily; +for he felt quite at home there, he had so often traversed the ground +with his father. He could form no idea of how far it really was to the +Maloja; and indeed it seemed very long to him, after he had been going +for two good hours. Little by little it grew brighter, however; and in +about an hour more, when he reached the place before the tavern upon the +Maloja, where he used to stand with his father and gaze down the +mountain road, the sunny light of morning lay upon the mountains, and +the tips of the fir-trees were all touched with gold. + +Rico seated himself upon the edge of the roadside. He was very tired, +and remembered suddenly that he had not eaten any thing since the +noonday meal of the day before. But he was not discouraged, for now +the way was all down hill; and, after that, he should undoubtedly +reach the lake. + +While he sat there, the big post-wagon came rumbling along. He had often +seen it as it came through Sils, and always thought that the very +greatest happiness upon earth must be experienced by the driver, who sat +all day long on the box, and controlled his four horses with his whip. +Now he saw this happy creature nearer; for the post-wagon stopped, and +the lad never once removed his eyes from the wonderful man, as he came +down from his perch, stepped into the inn, and came out again with an +enormous piece of black bread in his hand, upon which lay a large piece +of cheese. + +Next, the driver drew out a strong knife, cut a good big bit of bread, +and gave each horse a mouthful in turn, not forgetting himself in the +meantime; but upon his own piece of bread he put an equally big morsel +of cheese. As they all stood there, eating in happy companionship, the +man looked about a little, and presently called out, "Hulloa, little +musician! won't you join us too? Come hither." + +Now when Rico saw them all eating, he fully realized how very hungry he +was. He most gladly accepted the invitation, and approached the driver, +who cut such a big slice of bread and also of cheese to give the lad, +that Rico did not really know how he should manage to eat it. + +He was obliged to put his fiddle down on the ground; and the coachman +looked on very complaisantly while the boy ate his breakfast, and said, +while he followed his own occupation,-- + +"You are a very small fiddler. Do you know how to play something?" + +"Oh, yes! two songs, besides those I learned from my father," +replied Rico. + +"Really! And where are you going to on your two little legs?" said the +driver. "To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda," was the serious answer. + +At these words, the coachman burst into such boisterous laughter that +the boy gazed up at him in great astonishment. + +"Well, you are a good one to travel," cried the man, still laughing." +Have you any notion how far it is, and that a little musician like you +could wear out his two feet, and his soles, too, before he could catch +sight of a single drop of the water of the Lake of Garda? Who sends you +down there?" + +"Nobody. I go of my own accord." + +"Well, I never have seen the like of you before," said the man, still +laughing good-naturedly. "Where, then, is your home, my boy?" + +"I do not know exactly. It may be on the Lake of Garda," was the +serious answer. + +"What sort of reply is that?" + +So saying, the coachman looked with some curiosity at the little figure +before him, which certainly did not betray any signs of being neglected. +On the contrary, the head, with its black curly hair, and the nice +Sunday suit of clothes, gave the lad a very genteel appearance; and his +delicate features and earnest eyes bore unmistakable evidence to +something noble in his character, and any one who looked at him once was +certain to repeat the glance with pleasure. + +Such was also the case with the driver. He gazed steadfastly at Rico, +and presently said, kindly, "You carry your passport in your face, my +boy; and it is not a bad one either, even if you do not know where you +belong. What will you give me now, if I will carry you along with me +down yonder, on the box?" + +Rico stared, for he could scarcely believe his ears at these words. To +sit on that high post-wagon, and drive down into the valley! Such luck +could never, never be his; of that he was sure. Besides, what had he to +give the coachman in exchange? + +"I have only my fiddle in the world, and I cannot give that away," he +said sadly, after thinking a while. + +"Well, I should not know what to do with that box," laughed the driver +"Come along. We will get up there, and you may play me a little music." + +Rico could not trust his ears; but, sure enough, the coachman pushed him +up over the wheel to the top of the coach, climbing up after him. The +passengers had all taken their places, the doors were closed, and away +they rolled down the road.--the well-known road over which Rico had so +often longingly gazed, wishing that he could travel it. + +Now his wish was realized. High up between heaven and earth he seemed to +be flying, and could not believe that he was not in a dream. + +The coachman was revolving in his own mind the question of the boy's +belongings. + +"Just tell me, now, you little travelling bundle, where your +father lives." + +He asked this after having cracked his whip many times in succession as +loud as he could. + +"He is dead." + +"Oh, dear! Well, where is your mother, then?" + +"She is dead, too." + +"Well, there is always a grandfather and a grandmother, or something. +Where are yours?" + +"All dead." + +"At any rate, everybody has some brothers or sisters; where are yours, I +should like to know?" + +"All are dead," was the sorrowfully repeated answer. + +When the driver had convinced himself that they were all gone, he ceased +his questions about the relatives, and began in another direction with, +"What was your father's name?" + +"Henrico Trevillo of Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda." + +At last the driver thought he had got at the root of the matter, and +said to himself this boy had strayed away, or been carried away, from +his home down below there, and it is a good thing for him to get carried +back where he belongs; and he thought no more about the affair. + +Presently they passed the first very steep bit of the hill, and came to +an even stretch of ground, and the driver said, "Now, musician, let us +have a jolly song to cheer the way." + +Full of satisfaction, and much elated at his high position on his throne +under the blue heaven, the boy took his instrument and began to sing in +his strong, clear tones,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down." + +Now it happened that there were three students seated up on the top of +the post-wagon: they were off on a vacation trip, and very merry. + +So when Rico carolled forth Stineli's song in his gayest manner, they +all burst out laughing and shouted, "Stop, singer, stop, and begin over +again; we want to sing with you." + +Rico obeyed, and the jolly students joined in with all their might,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,"-- + +and laughed so extravagantly all the time that they drowned the sound of +Rico's fiddle completely. And then one of them would take up the words +and sing alone,-- + + "And if they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +And then the others joined in, and sang as loudly as possible,-- + +"And the lambkins, and the lambkins." + +And so they went on for a long time. If Rico paused a little, they +shouted, "Go on, fiddler; don't stop yet," and threw little pieces of +money to him over and over again, until he had quite a heap in his cap. + +Within the coach the passengers opened the windows, and stuck their +heads out to listen to the merry singing. + +Rico started off afresh, and the students also. They divided the song +into solos and chorus; and the solo sang very solemnly,-- + +"And one lake, like another, From water is made." + +And then again,-- + + "And because they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +And the chorus took it up with,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins." + +Then they laughed so that they were almost dead, and were forced to be +still for very fatigue and want of breath. + +Presently the driver stopped, for it was time for the horses to rest, +and also dinner-time. While the good man helped Rico down, he held the +little fellow's cap firmly for him, for it had a lot of money in it, and +the boy was busy enough with holding his fiddle carefully. + +The coachman was perfectly delighted when he saw the money, and +said, as he gave Rico the cap, "That is first rate; now you can have +a good dinner." + +The students leaped down one after the other, and crowded around the +fiddler to have a look at him, for they could not see him very well on +the top of the coach; and when they discovered what a tiny manikin he +was, they began to make merry again. Judging from his voice, they had +expected to see a large, strong musician; and the sight of this child +seemed to make the fun twice as funny. + +They took the little fellow up between them, and carried him with +singing and laughter into the inn. There they seated him at the table +between two gentlemen, and said that he was their guest; and they all +helped him one after the other, and put huge pieces upon his plate, for +no one would be outdone by the others in serving him; and the boy had +certainly never eaten such a dinner in all his life as he ate that day. + +"Tell us where you learned your beautiful song?" asked one of three. + +"Stineli made it up," replied Rico, very seriously. + +The students looked at each other at these words, and burst out again +with laughter. + +"So Stineli made it up, did she? Then we must drink her health over it." + +Rico had to join in drinking the toast, and was nothing loath to drink +to Stineli's health. + +But now the time for resting and eating was over; and while they were +all taking their places to go on their journey, a stout man came towards +Rico,--a man who had such a big stick in his hand, that it looked as if +he had torn up a young tree for his walking-stick. He was dressed in a +thick, golden-brown stuff from head to foot. + +"Come here, little one," he said to Rico. "How nicely you did sing! I +heard you here, inside the coach; and my business is also with sheep, +for, you know, I am a sheep-dealer; and I want to give you something, +because you can sing about them so prettily." + +With these words he put a big piece of silver in Rico's hand, for the +cap had been emptied by this time, and the contents transferred to the +boy's pocket. + +After this the man got into the coach, and the driver lifted Rico up to +his high seat as if the boy had been a mere feather, and off they went. + +As soon as the speed of the start had a little abated, the students +called for more music, and Rico played every thing that he could +remember ever having heard his father play; and at the end he played,-- + + "I sing to thee with heart and voice." + +But this tune must have put the students to sleep, for every thing +became quite still; and at last the riddle was silent. The evening +breeze stirred gently, and the stars climbed silently up into the sky +one after the other, until they were shining brightly in every +direction. + +Rico looked about, and thought of Stineli, of the grandmother, of what +they were now doing; and it occurred to him that this was the very time +at which the prayer-bell usually rang, and when they were saying "Our +Father." He did the same, to be with them in that, at least: folded his +hands, and said his prayer piously under the brilliant heavens. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IT STILL GOES ON. + + +At last Rico also fell asleep. He only awoke when the driver took hold +of him to lift him down. All the passengers descended; and the three +students came to the lad, shook him kindly by the hand, and wished a +happy journey. One of them called out, "Greet Stineli very kindly for +us." Then they disappeared up one of the streets, and Rico could hear +them as they sang merrily,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins," + +Rico now stood alone in the darkness. He had not the slightest idea +where he was, nor of what he ought to do next. He presently +remembered that he had not even thanked the kind coachman who had +allowed him to come all this way on the coach, and he felt that he +must do that at once. + +The coachman and his horses were both invisible, and nothing but +darkness was about the boy. At last he espied a lantern hanging up +somewhere in the distance, and went towards the light. It was hanging on +the stable-door, and the horses were just then brought in. Near the door +stood the man with the thick stick. He seemed to be waiting for the +driver; so Rico took his stand near by, and waited too. + +Probably the sheep-dealer did not recognize the little fiddler in the +darkness; but suddenly he exclaimed, quite surprised, "What! is that +you, little one? Where are you going to pass the night?" + +"I do not know where," replied the boy. + +"Well, I never heard of such a thing; at eleven o'clock at night, and a +little scrap of a boy like you in a strange place"-- + +The sheep-dealer seemed to speak in a great hurry, for he could scarcely +breathe in his excitement; neither did he finish his sentence, for the +driver entered the stable at that moment, and Rico went up to him at +once, saying, "I want to thank you for bringing me along with you." + +"You have come just in the nick of time. I had almost forgotten you +while I was looking after my horses, and I wanted to hand you over to an +acquaintance. I was thinking of asking you, good friend," he continued, +turning towards the dealer, "if you would not take this little chap +along with you, as you are going to Bergamo. He wants to go somewhere on +the Lake of Garda. He is one of those who belong here or there. You +understand, don't you?" + +The sheep-dealer thought of the stories he had heard of lost or stolen +children. He looked with pity at Rico, standing in the dim light of the +lantern, and said, "He does look as if he were not in exactly the +clothes that belong to him. He would become a richer dress, I am sure. I +will take him with me." + +When he had talked over the sheep-trade a little with the coachman they +parted, and the dealer made a sign to Rico that he should follow him. + +After a short walk, the man entered an inn, where he seated himself in a +corner of the eating-room with the boy beside him. + +"Now let us look at your possessions," he said to Rico, "so that we can +see what they will allow you to have. Where are you going on the lake?" + +"To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda." + +This was Rico's never-failing answer. He drew out his money from his +pocket,--a nice little pile of small coins it was, and the big silver +bit on the top of all. + +"Have you only that one bit of silver?" asked the dealer. + +"Yes; only that one. You gave me that," replied the boy. + +It pleased the man to think that he was the only one who had given +silver; and he was also pleased that the lad was aware of the fact. He +felt as if he wanted to give him something more. Just at this moment his +supper was placed before him, and the kindly man nodded to his little +companion, saying, "I will pay for this, and for your night's lodging +also; so you need not touch your little fortune until to-morrow." + +Rico was so tired out with all the fiddling and singing, and the long +journey, that he could scarcely eat; and as soon as he reached the big +bedroom where he was to pass the night with his protector, he was asleep +the moment he had put his head on the pillow. + +Early the following morning, Rico was awakened from a sound sleep by a +powerful grasp. He sprang quickly out of bed. His companion stood ready +dressed for the journey, with his big stick in his hand. + +It was not long, however, before Rico was also ready, with his fiddle +tucked under his arm. They went into the dining-room, and the dealer +called for coffee at once. He recommended the lad to make a good meal +then; for they had a long journey before them, he said, and one that +created an appetite. + +When they had breakfasted to their satisfaction, they sallied forth; +and, after a little, came round a sharp corner; and how Rico did open +his big eyes! for there, before him, lay a great shining lake; and much +excited, he shouted out, "Now we are on the Lake of Garda!" + +"Not for a long time yet, my boy. This is the Lake of Como." + +They went on board a boat, and sailed for several hours after this; and +Rico looked about him,--at the sun-bathed shores, and then at the blue +waters; and he felt at home at last. + +Presently he took his piece of silver from his pocket, and put it down +on the table before the dealer. + +"What does this mean? Have you too much money by you?" asked the man, +who was looking on in surprise, his arms supported on his big stick. + +"I must pay to-day," said Rico. "You said so yesterday." + +"You are very attentive to what is said to you. That is a very good +thing; but that is not the way to do, to put your money down on a table +like that. Give it to me." + +He took it, and went over to pay for their passage; but when he drew out +his heavy leathern purse, full of silver pieces,--for he was doing a +large business in selling sheep,--he could not find the heart to take +the poor lad's solitary bit of silver; and he brought it back again with +the ticket, saying, "There, you can find better use for your money +to-morrow. Now you are with me, but who knows how it will be after this? +When you are alone down there, and I am not with you any more, shall you +be able to find the house where you are going?" + +"No; I do not know any thing about the house," replied Rico. + +The man was secretly much surprised, and the lad's story seemed very +mysterious to him. He did not let this appear, however, and asked no +further questions. He said to himself that he should not probably find +out any thing more at present, but would ask the coachman about it the +next time they met. He probably knew the truth, even better than the +child himself did. He felt very sorry for the little fellow, who would +soon be deprived of his protection too. + +When the boat stopped, the man took Rico's hand in his, saying, "Now I +shall not lose you, and you can keep up with me better, for we must +hurry along; they won't wait for us." + +It was as much as the little fellow could do to keep up with his friend. +He did not turn to look to the right hand nor the left, but presently +stopped before some strange-looking wagons on wheels. They mounted the +step, Rico behind his companion; and the former entered a railroad +carriage for the first time. + +They flew along for several hours, until at last the dealer stood up, +and said, "Now I must go. We are in Bergamo, and you are to stay here +quietly; for I have arranged it all for you. You have only to get out +when you get there." + +"Then shall I be at Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda?" asked Rice. + +His companion replied in the affirmative. At last Rico understood--what +he had not clearly seen before--how much kindness the dealer had shown +to him, and the boy felt very sorry that they must part. + +After this Rico sat alone in his corner, and had plenty of time for +day-dreaming; for nobody troubled him in any way, although the train had +stopped at several stations since his companion left him. + +At last the conductor came in, took Rico by the arm, and led him quickly +to the door, and lifted him down the steps; then, pointing towards the +heights in the distance, he said briefly, "Peschiera;" and in a +twinkling he was back again in the carriage, and disappeared in the +train as it steamed off. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE. + + +Rico went forward a little way from the building at which the train had +stopped, and looked about. This white house, the barren square in front +of it, the straight road in the distance, were all new and strange to +his eyes. He had not seen any of them before; and he said to himself, "I +have not come to the right place after all." He went sadly down the road +between the trees, however, until presently the road made a turn, and +the boy stood as if transfixed, and believed himself dreaming, for +before him lay the lake, heavenly blue in the brilliant sunlight, with +its warm, still shores; and yonder were the mountains, and the sunny bay +was there, where the friendly houses sparkled in the distance. + +Now he knew where he was. He had seen all this before, he had stood in +this very place, he knew the trees perfectly well; but where was the +cottage? It must have stood there, close to where he now was, but it was +not visible. + +The old road was there below. Oh! he knew that well; and there, there +were the great shining red flowers with such green leaves. A little +stone bridge ought to be there, somewhere over the outlet of the lake: +he had often passed over that little bridge, but could not see it where +he stood, however. + +Rico started off, as if driven by the longing that now took possession +of him. Down the road he ran; and over there,--yes, that was the little +stone bridge. Every thing came back to him: there he had crossed, and +somebody held him by the hand,--his mother. Suddenly his mother's face +came before his eyes quite distinctly; he had never seen it so clearly +before. He remembered how she had stood there and looked at him with +loving eyes. It all came back to his mind with a rush. + +He threw himself down on the ground by the bridge, and cried and sobbed +aloud, "O mother! where are you, mother? Where is my home, mother?" + +He lay there for a long, long time, and cried until his great sorrow +was somewhat stilled. He thought his heart must burst, and as if all +the grief that had been hitherto pent up within his bosom must now find +an outlet. + +When at last he raised himself from the ground, the sun had already +declined in the heavens, and the golden twilight lay over the lake. The +mountains were turning purple, and a sunny mist lay all over the shores. +This was the way his lake had always looked to Rico in his dreams, only +the reality was even more lovely than he had remembered it. + +And his great wish rose again in his mind as he sat there, "Oh, if I +could show this to Stineli!" + +At last the sun sunk below the horizon, and the light slowly died out. +Rico arose, and passed along the road towards the red flowers. A narrow +lane branched off from the main road at this place. There they stood, +one bush after another: it looked like a great garden. There was, truly, +only an open fence about the whole; and within the flowers, the trees, +and the grape-vines were all growing together. + +At the farther end stood a pretty house with wide open doors; and in the +garden a lad was moving about cutting big bunches of golden grapes now +from this vine, now from that, all the while whistling merrily. + +Rico gazed at the flowers, and thought, "If Stineli could only see +them!" He stood for a long time thoughtfully by the fence. Presently the +lad espied him, and called out, "Come in, fiddler; and play a pretty +song, if you know one." + +The lad spoke in Italian, and it produced a strange sensation in Rico's +mind: he understood what he heard, but he never could have said it +himself. He entered the garden, and the lad began to try to talk with +him; but when he found that Rico could not reply, he pointed towards the +open door, giving Rico to understand that he was to go there to play. + +When Rico approached the door, he found that it opened directly into a +bedroom. A little bed stood within, near which was seated a woman who +was knitting with red yarn. Rico placed himself before the threshold, +and began to play and sing his song,-- + +"Little lambkins, come down." + +When he had finished, the pale face of a little boy was suddenly raised +from the pillows of the bed; and Rico heard the words,-- + +"Play again." + +Rico played another tune. + +"Play again" was repeated. This went on for five or six times, until +Rico had exhausted his stock of songs and tunes; and he put his fiddle +under his arm, and was moving away, when the little boy began to call +out piteously,-- + +"Oh, do stay! Do play again! Play something else!" Then the woman stood +up, and came towards Rico. + +She placed something in his hand, and at first he did not understand +what she wanted; but presently he remembered what Stineli had said, that +if he went to a door, and played on his fiddle, the people would give +him something. The woman asked him kindly where he came from, and where +he was going to; but he could not answer her. She then asked if he were +with his parents? He shook his head. If he were alone? He nodded assent. +Where he was going so late in the evening? Rico shook his head, to +denote uncertainty. A great pity took possession of the woman for the +little stranger; and she called to the boy who worked in the garden, and +bade him conduct the fiddler to the inn of the "Golden Sun." Perhaps the +landlord would understand his language, for he had been away in foreign +parts for a long time. She bade the gardener to say to the landlord that +she wished him to let the lad stay there over night, that she would pay +for it; and, in the morning, set the little fellow off in the right +direction towards his destination. He was so young,--"only a little +older than my boy," she added, compassionately; and also would the +landlord give the boy something to eat. + +Again the child on the bed called out, "He must play again;" and would +not stop until his mother said, "He will come again. Now he must sleep, +and you too." + +The gardener walked on in advance of Rico, who knew, however, what was +to be done; for he had understood what the woman said perfectly. + +In about ten minutes they had reached the town. In one of the little +streets the gardener entered a house, and proceeded at once to the +dining-room, which was filled with tobacco-smoke, and with men seated at +little tables all about. + +Then the gardener gave his message, to which the landlord replied, "It +is all right." The landlady came too, and both looked Rico over from +head to foot. When the guests at the neighboring tables espied the +fiddle under Rico's arm, several of them called out together, "There is +music!" And another one shouted, "Play something, boy, quickly; +something gay!" And they all began to shout for music so noisily that +the landlord could hardly make Rico hear him when he asked what language +he spoke, and whence he came. Rico replied in his own language that he +came down over the Maloja, that he could understand every thing that was +said to him, but could not reply in the same language. The landlord +understood him, and said that he had been up there in the mountains, and +they would have a little conversation later; but now the boy must really +play something, for the guests called for music incessantly. + +Rico, obedient as ever, began to play, and also to sing his own song as +usual. But the company did not understand the words, and the tune seemed +very dull to them also. Some began to make jokes and noises, while +others called for something different,--a dance, or a pretty tune. + +Rico sang every verse of his song to the very end; for when he had once +begun it, he would not stop until it was finished properly. When he had +finished, he bethought himself. He knew no dance music, so that was out +of the question. The hymn he had learned from the grandmother was very +slow, and they would not understand that either. Then he remembered, and +began the air,-- + + "Una Sera + In Peschiera." + +Scarcely had he brought forth the first notes of this tune, when every +thing became still; and in a moment or two voices broke forth from the +different tables round about the room, and they sang in chorus as the +boy had never yet heard any one sing. He became excited presently, and +played with great feeling, while the men sang enthusiastically; and as +soon as one verse was ended, Rico began the music for the next without +hesitating, for he had learned, from hearing his father play it, exactly +how the accompaniment should be, and when to stop. When he had reached +the finale, such a storm of applause broke forth that the boy was quite +overwhelmed. All the men called out and shouted, striking their fists +upon the tables for pleasure; and then they all came about little Rico +with their glasses, and they all wanted to drink with him. Some took him +by the shoulders, and all shouted at him, and made such a racket with +their surprise and pleasure, that Rico became very much frightened, and +turned paler and paler every moment. + +What had he done, however, but play their own Peschiera song, that +belonged to them alone, and which no stranger could ever learn; and this +child had played it as firmly and correctly as if he had been a +Peschierana. Such a wonderful event was enough to arouse these lively +fellows to the utmost; and they could not cease talking about it, and +wondering about this strange little fiddler, and drinking with him, to +express their friendliness. + +At last the landlady interposed. She brought a plate full of rice, and a +big piece of chicken. She beckoned Rico aside, saying to the men they +must let him have a little quiet now; he needed food; he was as pale as +chalk from excitement. She placed the dish upon a little table in one +corner, and encouraged him to eat heartily: she was sure he needed it, +he was such a little scrap. To tell the truth, Rico did enjoy his supper +wonderfully well. Since the coffee in the morning, not a mouthful had +passed his lips; and so much had happened to excite him too. + +As soon as he had eaten all that there was upon his plate, his poor +little eyes closed from fatigue, and he had the greatest difficulty +in keeping them open long enough to answer the landlord's questions +of where he belonged, and where he was going, while he also praised +the child's music. Rico answered that he belonged to nobody, and was +going nowhere. + +The landlord spoke kindly and encouragingly to the boy, telling him that +he should be cared for that night, and in the morning he could go to see +Mrs. Menotti, who had sent him there. She was a good, kind woman, said +the landlord, who could perhaps employ him in her household, if he had +no place to go to where he belonged. + +His wife, who stood by, plucked him constantly by the sleeve, trying to +stop him from talking; but he finished what he had to say, nevertheless, +for he had no idea what she meant by it all. + +Pretty soon the men at the tables began to clamor again: they were +calling for their song. + +The landlady, however, asserted herself. "No, no! on Sunday you shall +have it again; the child is tired to death." So saying, she took Rico by +the hand, and led him up into a big room where the harnesses hung. A big +heap of corn lay in one corner, and a bed stood in the other. In a very +few moments the boy was fast asleep. + +Later, when every thing had become quite silent in the house, the +landlord sat at the little table where Rico had eaten his supper, and +before him stood his wife, for she was still busy in clearing away the +tables; and she said with great earnestness, "You must not send him back +again to Mrs. Menotti. Such a boy as that will be most useful to me in +every possible way; and did not you notice how beautifully he fiddled? +They were all crazy about it. Look out! he is a far better player than +any of our three; and he will learn to play for dancing in no time; and +you will have a musician to whom you need pay nothing, and who will play +every evening when they dance; and you can let him out also to go to the +other places. Don't you let him slip through your fingers. He is a +pretty little fellow, and I like him. We must keep him ourselves." + +"Well, I am satisfied," said the landlord, and understood that his wife +had made a hit this time that was sure to turn out well. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. + + +The next morning, the landlady of the "Golden Sun" stood on the doorstep +of her inn, and looked at the heavens to read the signs of the probable +weather, and to think over the experiences of the night before. +Presently the gardener's boy from Mrs. Menotti's came along. He was both +master and servant over the lovely, fruitful property of Mrs. Menotti; +for he understood both the care of the garden and the cultivation of the +farm, and he looked after and directed all the work himself, and had an +easy and good place with her. He was contented, and whistled +incessantly. + +However, while he stood before the landlady, he stopped for a little, +and said, if the little musician of the evening before had not gone +away, he was to go over to Mrs. Menotti again, because her little boy +wanted to hear him fiddle some more. + +"Yes, yes; if Mrs. Menotti is not in a great hurry,"--while she put her +arms on her hips, to show that she, at any rate, was not pressed for +time. "At the present moment the little musician is sleeping upstairs in +his good bed; and I, for one, do not wish to have him disturbed. You may +say to Mrs. Menotti that I will send him to her presently. He is not +going away. I have taken him under my charge for good and all; for he is +a deserted orphan, and does not know where to go; and now he will be +well cared for," added she, with emphasis. + +The gardener went off with this message. + +Rico was allowed to sleep as long as he wanted to; for the landlady was +a good-natured woman, though, to be sure, she thought first of her own +profit, and afterwards was willing to help others to theirs. When the +boy awoke, at last, from his long sleep, his fatigue had quite +disappeared; and he came running down the stairs as fresh as possible. +The landlady made a sign for him to come into the kitchen, and placed a +big bowl of coffee before him, with a nice yellow corn-cake, saying,-- + +"You can have this every morning, if you will, and something much better +at dinner and supper time; for then there is cooking for the guests, and +there is always something left over. You can do errands for me in return +for it; and you can make this your home, and have your bedroom to +yourself, and not be obliged to go wandering about in the world. Now it +lies with you to decide." + +To this Rico replied, simply,-- + +"Yes, I will;" for he could say that in the language in which the +landlady spoke. + +Now she conducted him through the whole house, through the +out-buildings, the stable, into the vegetable-garden and the hen-house; +and she explained the situation of all the places to him, and told him +where he must turn to go to the grocer and to the shoemaker, and to all +the important trades-people in fact. Rico listened attentively; and, to +test his understanding, the landlady sent him at once to three or four +places, to fetch a variety of things, such as oil, soap, thread, and a +boot that had been mended; for she noticed that the boy could say single +words perfectly well. + +All these errands were done to her perfect satisfaction; and at last she +said, "Now you may go over to Mrs. Menotti with your fiddle, and stay +there until the evening." + +Rico was delighted at this permission; for he would pass by the lake, +and see the beautiful flowers he loved so well. + +As soon as he reached the lake-side, over he ran to the little bridge, +and seated himself there to watch the beautiful water, and the +mountains bathed in golden mist; and he could scarcely tear himself +away from it all. + +But he did; for he realized now that he had duties toward the landlady, +and must obey her, because she gave him food and lodging. + +As he entered the garden, the little boy heard his footstep, for the +door was always open; and he called out,-- + +"Come here, and play some more." + +Mrs. Menotti came out, and gave her hand kindly to Rico, and drew him +into the room with her. It was a large room, and you could look through +the wide doorway out into the garden where the flowers were to be seen. +The little bed on which the sick child lay was directly opposite the +door; and there were only chests and tables and chairs in the room, but +no other beds. At night the child was carried into the neighboring room, +and his bed also, and was placed there beside his mother for the night; +and in the morning he was carried back again, bed and all. For in this +large room the sun shone brightly, making long shining stripes across +the floor that made a dancing pattern on the ground, and amused the +child amazingly. Near the bed stood two little crutches; and now and +then his mother lifted the little cripple from his bed, placed the +crutches under his arms, and led him about the room once or twice; for +he could not walk, nor even stand alone. His little legs were quite +paralyzed, and he had never been able to use them at all. + +When Rico entered the room, the child pulled himself into a sitting +position by means of a long rope that hung down over his bed from the +ceiling for that purpose; for he could not sit up without assistance. + +Rico went to the bedside, and looked at the child in silence. Such +little thin arms and small slender fingers, and such a pale little face, +Rico had never seen; and two big eyes looked forth from the face, and +gazed at Rico as if they would pierce him through and through; for the +child, who seldom saw any thing new, and longed for variety with all his +heart, examined every thing that came in his way very sharply. + +"What is your name?" asked the child. + +"Rico." + +"Mine is Silvio. How old are you?" + +"Almost eleven." + +"And so am I," said the child. + +"O Silvio! what are you saying?" said his mother at this. "You are not +quite four yet. Time does not go so fast as that." + +"Play something more." + +The mother seated herself by the bedside. Rico placed himself at a +little distance, and began to play on his fiddle. Silvio could not have +enough of it; and no sooner had Rico finished one piece than he shouted, +"Play another." Six times each, at the very least, had all the pieces +been repeated, when Mrs. Menotti went out, and returned with a plate +filled with yellow grapes, saying that Rico ought to rest, and sit down +by the bedside, and eat some grapes with Silvio. + +She went out into the garden herself while the children were eating, and +was glad to be able to do so, and to attend to various little matters of +her own; for it was seldom that she could leave the bedside of her +little cripple, for he would not let her leave him, and cried bitterly +for her to return; so it was a real blessing to her to be able to get +away for a few moments. + +The two boys soon came to a most excellent understanding of each other; +for Rico could reply very well to Silvio's questions, and managed to +make himself very well understood, even when he could not find exactly +the proper words, and it was very amusing to Silvio to talk with him. +His mother had plenty of time to look at all the flower-beds, and to +examine the fine fig-trees in the orchard, and to overlook every thing, +without being called for once by her little boy. + +When she returned to the house, however, and Rico arose to take his +departure, Silvio set up a great shout, and clung to Rico with both +hands, and would not let him go until he had promised to come back the +next day, and every day. But Mrs. Menotti was a cautious woman. She had +understood the message sent by the landlady as it was intended, and +quieted her son, promising him to go herself to the landlady to talk +with her; because Rico, she said, was not able to promise to do any +thing himself, but must obey the landlady in every thing. At last the +child released Rico, and gave him his hand; and the latter reluctantly +left the room. He would have vastly preferred to remain there where it +was quiet and neat, and where Silvio and his mother were so kind to him. + +Several days had slipped by, when, towards evening, Mrs. Menotti made +her appearance, dressed in her best attire, in the doorway of the +"Golden Sun;" and the landlady ran joyfully to meet her, and led her up +into the upper hall. When they were there, Mrs. Menotti asked very +politely if it would inconvenience the landlady very much to allow Rico +to come over to her two or three times in the week towards evening, he +was so amusing, and entertained her little sick son so well. She would +gladly recompense the landlady in any way she might think desirable. + +It flattered the landlady to have the handsomely dressed Mrs. Menotti +thus asking a favor of her; and it was quickly arranged that Rico should +go to Mrs. Menotti on every free evening that he had; and in return, +Mrs. Menotti promised to provide the orphan's clothing, which pleased +the landlady extremely; for now she had really nothing to pay out for +the little boy, and he brought her in a great deal of money. So it was +arranged to the entire satisfaction of the two women, and they took +leave of each other in very friendly terms. + +In this way passed many days. Rico could soon speak Italian as if he had +always spoken it. And, in truth, he had once spoken it as his native +language, so one thing after another came back to him; and as he had a +good ear, he soon spoke exactly like an Italian born, so that all who +knew him to be a stranger wondered at him. He was very useful to the +landlady,--more so even than she had expected would be the case,--for he +was so neat and orderly: quite as much so as she herself, if not more, +for she was not very patient over her work; and when preparations were +necessary for a _fete_ or for a wedding, Rico was called upon to do it, +for he had a great deal of taste, and knew how to carry it out in +decorations. If he had any errand to do abroad he was back again in an +incredibly short time, for he never stopped to chatter by the way. If +people questioned him, he always turned on his heel and left them. This +pleased the landlady mightily when she noticed it, and it created such a +feeling of respect for the lad in her mind, that she herself did not +question him; and so it came to pass that, indeed, nobody really knew +how he came to Peschiera. But a story was spread abroad, that everybody +believed, to the effect that he had been left an orphan without +protection in the mountains, and neglected and mishandled, so that at +last he ran away, suffering many things on the long journey until he +reached Peschiera, where the inhabitants were not rough as they are in +the mountains, and that he was glad to remain there with them. Whenever +the landlady told his story, she did not fail to add, "He deserves it, +too,--all the kindness that we show him, and his comfortable home under +our roof." + +Now the first "dance Sunday" of the season had come, and such an +enormous crowd of guests assembled in the "Golden Sun," that there +seemed a great doubt if they could all be accommodated there; but +everybody wished to see and to hear the little stranger who played so +wonderfully; and also they who had heard him on the evening of his +arrival were the very first to come, and were impatient for him to play +their song again. + +The landlady ran hither and thither in her excitement, and glowed and +glistened in her heat, as if she were herself the "Golden Sun;" and +when she met her husband, she always said triumphantly, "Did not I +tell you so?" + +Rico heard "dance music" for the first time played by the three +fiddlers who came to the inn; but he caught the melodies at once, and +had no trouble in playing them, and never forgot them, for they were so +often repeated during the long "dance evening," that they became very +familiar to him. + +After the dancing they wanted their Peschiera song, with Rico's +accompaniment; and even if there seemed to be a deal of noise all the +early part of the evening, now, in truth, it had really just begun; and +they became so excited that little quiet Rico was frightened, and +thought they would end by killing each other certainly. + +But it was all in friendly wise. He came in for his share, and was so +stormily applauded, and his musical performance was hailed with such +ear-splitting cries of approval, that his only thought at last was, "Oh, +when will this have an end!" for nothing was so very unpleasant to the +boy as boisterousness. + +In the evening the landlady said to her husband, "Did you notice Rico +could play all the pieces with the musicians? Next time we shall only +need two fiddlers." And the man replied, well pleased, "We must give +Rico something." + +Two days later there was a dance in Desenzano, and Rico was sent over +there with the fiddlers. Now he was let out for hire. The same noise +and merriment was repeated; and, although they did not call for the +Peschiera song in Desenzano, still there were plenty of other songs +just as noisy, and Rico thought only from beginning to end, "If it were +but over!" + +He brought a whole pocketful of money home with him, which he poured out +in a heap on the table without even counting it, for he thought it was +all the landlady's by right; and she praised him in return, and placed a +big piece of apple-pie before him for supper. On Sunday again there was +dancing in Riva; but this was a pleasure to Rico, for Riva was the spot +over across the lake which could be seen from Peschiera, looking like a +peaceful little bay, and where the pretty white houses looked so +friendly and attractive. + +The musicians were rowed all together across the lake in an open boat +under the clear heavens; and Rico thought, "Oh, if I could be rowed +across here, with Stineli by my side! How astonished she would be at the +lake, whose beauty she would not believe in." + +But once on the other shore, the noise began again, and the boy became +impatient to be off; for the view of Riva from across the lake, lying in +the lovely light of evening, was far more beautiful than being there in +the midst of the noise and tumult. + +However, when there were no dances at which he must play, the lad was +always allowed to go in the evening to little Silvio, and to remain as +long as he wished; for the landlady was anxious to show her willingness +to accommodate Mrs. Menotti. This was always a pleasure to Rico. +Whenever he passed along the lake-side, he went over to the little +stone bridge, and sat there for a while on the ground; for this was the +only place in the world where he had a home-like feeling, because what +he saw there he had seen before, and also here the vision of his mother +rose most clearly before his memory. + +There she had certainly stood by the water-side, and washed +something, while she would look around at him occasionally, and say a +few loving words; and he was always sitting, he remembered, in that +very place where he now sat. He was always most unwilling to leave +this spot, but the knowledge that Silvio was constantly listening for +him drove him onward. + +When he entered the garden, he had also a feeling of contentment; and +entered the neat, quiet house with pleasure. Mrs. Menotti had a more +truly friendly manner toward him than anybody else, and he was fully +sensible of her kindness. She felt the warmest pity for the lonely +orphan, as she called him; for she had also heard the story of his +escape as it was current in the neighborhood. She never asked him +questions concerning his life in the mountains, however; for she +thought it would arouse sad memories in his mind. She felt, also, that +Rico did not receive the care that a lad of his age and quiet +disposition really needed; but she was sensible that she could do +nothing in that direction, only to have him with her as often and as +long as possible. Often she would place her hand on his head, saying +sadly, "Poor little orphan!" + +To Silvio, Rico grew more and more necessary every day. Early in the +morning he began to fret for him; and when his pain came on he became +very restless, and could not be pacified until Rico came. For, since +Rico had mastered the language thoroughly, he had developed an +inexhaustible fund of stories that delighted the little invalid +beyond measure. + +Stineli was the theme on which Rico most often fell, and it made him so +happy even to talk about her, that he became animated and quite +transfigured in the recital. He knew hundreds of stories, such as when +Stineli caught little Sami by the leg, once on a time, just as he was +about to fall into the water-butt, and how she held him with all her +might, while they both screamed as loud as they could until their father +came slowly to their aid,--for he always moved slowly. He said that +children did nothing but scream: it was their nature, and did not mean +that they were in trouble. And he told Silvio how Stineli could cut out +figures from paper for Peterli, make all sorts of furniture and things +for the baby-house for Urschli from moss, and bits of wood, or any thing +that came to hand. + +And how they all called and clamored for their elder sister when they +were ill, because she told them such wonderful stories that they quite +forgot their pains while listening. Rico also told the story of his +beautiful walks with Stineli, and became so much excited in his talk +that Silvio caught the inspiration, and asked for more and more, calling +out, "Tell me about Stineli again!" as soon as Rico paused to take +breath. One evening the child broke out into the wildest excitement when +Rico took his leave, saying that he would not be able to come on the +following day nor on Sunday. Silvio shrieked for his mother as if the +house were burning, and he were in the midst of the flames; and as she +came hurrying to him from the garden, almost frightened to death at his +noise, he declared "Rico should _not_ go again back to the inn; but must +stay always, always with them. You must stay here, Rico. You must never, +never go away!" + +But Rico said, "I would stay most gladly; but I cannot." + +Mrs. Menotti was much perplexed. She knew very well how valuable Rico's +services were to the inn-keepers, and that she could never obtain him +under any consideration. She tried to silence her little son to the best +of her ability, while she drew Rico to her side, saying, as was her +wont, "Poor little orphan!" Whereupon Silvio called out angrily, "What +is an orphan? I want to be an orphan too." + +These words aroused his mother; and she cried out, in her turn, "Silvio, +you wicked child! Do you know that an orphan is a wretched child, who +has neither father nor mother, and no home on all the earth?" + +Rico's black eyes were fixed on Mrs. Menotti's face, and then seemed to +grow blacker and more black every minute; but she did not notice them. +She had ceased to think about the lad while she was giving this +explanation of an orphan to her son. The little fellow slipped quietly +and unperceived away. + +When Mrs. Menotti observed his absence, she thought he had stolen away +in order not to excite Silvio further by taking leave, and she was +pleased at his thoughtfulness. Seating herself by the bedside of her +child, she said, "I want to make you understand how it is, Silvio; and +then you will stop being so naughty, I hope. It is not possible to take +a child away from any one; and, even if I took Rico from the landlady, +she would have a right to come and take you away from me. Then you would +not be able to see the garden nor the flowers any more, and would have +to sleep quite alone in the room with the harnesses where Rico dislikes +so much to sleep. Don't you remember what he has told you about that? +What would you do then?" + +"Come right home again," said the child decidedly; but he was quite +still after that, and soon lay down and slept. + +Rico passed through the garden, along the street, and down to the lake. +There he sat down on his favorite spot, leaned his head upon his hands, +and said, in tones of utter despair, "Now I know the truth, mother. Now +I know that I have no home,--none in the whole world." + +And there he sat until late in the night, alone with his sad thoughts; +and would have rather remained there forever, but he was obliged to go +back into his uncomfortable bedroom at last. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS. + + +But the excitement had not subsided in Silvio's mind, by any means; and +now that he knew that two days must elapse before Rico could come again, +he began to cry early in the morning, "Rico won't come to-day! Rico +won't come to-day!" and scarcely ceased until the evening; and the +second day it was the same, but on the third,--he was tired out by that +time, and seemed like a little heap of straw, that the least spark could +have reduced to ashes. + +In the evening Rico made his appearance, quite worn out with the noise +and tumult of the dances for which he had been obliged to play. Since he +had fully realized that he had no home on the earth, the thought of +Stineli had become of more importance than ever, and he said to +himself,-- + +"There is only Stineli in the whole world to whom I belong, or who +troubles her head about me!" And he felt a terrible homesickness for +Stineli. He had scarcely reached the side of Silvio's bed when he said, +"Do you know, Silvio, with Stineli only can one feel perfectly well, and +nowhere else." These words were scarcely out of his mouth before the +little invalid hoisted himself up like a flash, calling out at the top +of his lungs, "Mother, I must have Stineli; Stineli must come; only with +Stineli can one feel perfectly well, and nowhere else." + +His mother came at his call; and as she had often listened to Rico's +stories about Stineli and her brothers and sisters with great interest, +she knew at once what they were talking about, and replied, "Yes, yes; +it would suit me very well. I could find great use for Stineli for you, +and for myself, if I only had her here." + +But such an indefinite way of talking did not suit Silvio in the least, +for he was interested, heart and soul, in the matter. + +"You can have her at once," he cried out. "Rico knows where she is: he +must go to fetch her. I want her every day, and always. To-morrow Rico +must go to get her: he knows where." + +Now that his mother saw that the little fellow had thought the whole +thing out, and was really in serious earnest about it, she tried to turn +his attention away, and to introduce other thoughts into his mind, for +she had often heard the story of the incredible adventures Rico passed +through on his journey over the mountains, and of the wonder of his +having survived and come down safely, and that the mountaineer were a +fearful and wild people. She was, therefore, fully persuaded that nobody +could bring a girl away, and certainly not a tender little lad like +Rico. He might meet a sad fate, and be lost altogether, if he attempted +any thing of the kind; and then she would be responsible for it all. She +would not run that risk,--she thought she had enough to bear already. + +So she placed all the impossibility of the affair before Silvio's eyes, +and told him of the terrible circumstances, and of the wicked men whom +Rico would have to encounter, and who might ruin him. But nothing had +the slightest effect. The little fellow had set his heart upon this +thing as he never had upon any thing before; and whatever his mother +brought forward, and no matter how anxiously she insisted, the moment +she ceased the child said, "Rico must go to fetch her: he knows where to +find her." + +Then his mother replied, "And even if he does know, do you mean to say +that he would run the risk and go into such dangerous places, when he +can live comfortably as he does here, and never have to do with any +wicked men again?" + +Then Silvio looked at Rico, and said, "Will you go to fetch Stineli, +Rico, or not?" + +"Yes; I will," said Rico firmly. + +"Oh, merciful heavens! now Rico is getting unmanageable too," cried the +mother, quite horrified. "And now I do not know what to do. Take your +fiddle, Rico, and play something, and sing; I must go into the garden." +And the good woman ran quickly forth into the garden under the +fig-trees, for she thought that her little son would forget the thing +more quickly if he had not a chance to talk to her about it. + +But the two good friends within neither played nor sang, but excited +each other almost to fever point with all kinds of representations of +how Stineli should be brought there, and of what would happen afterwards +when she had fairly arrived. Rico utterly forgot to take his leave, +although it was quite dark; and Mrs. Menotti purposely remained in the +garden, thinking that Silvio would soon fall asleep. At last, however, +she did come in, and Rico took his departure at once; but she had a bad +time of it with Silvio, after all. He positively would not close his +eyes until his mother promised that Rico should go to fetch Stineli; but +she could not make any such promise, and the little fellow did not cease +insisting until his mother said, "Be quiet, now; the night will set +every thing straight." For she thought in the night he will forget his +notion, as had often been the case, and he will have some other fancy. + +At last the child was quiet and slept; but his mother had miscalculated +the affair. Scarcely was it dawn when the little fellow called out from +his bed, "Is every thing set straight now, mother?" + +As it was impossible for her to reply in the affirmative to this +question, the storm broke out again, and a more violent one than she had +ever experienced before with her little boy, and lasted through the +whole day quite late into the evening; and on the following day the same +thing recommenced. + +Silvio had never been so persistent in any fancy before. When he +screamed and cried she was able to bear it; but when the hours of pain +and suffering came, and the child went on whining and complaining in the +most touching manner, saying, + +"One only feels perfectly well with Stineli, and nowhere else," that cut +his mother to the heart, and seemed like a reproach to her, as if she +would not do something that might make him well again; but how could she +possibly even think of it? + +She had heard herself Rico's answer to Silvio when he asked if he knew +how to go to Stineli. It was,-- + +"No, I do not know the way; but I can easily find one." + +She went on hoping day after day that Silvio would take up some new +whim, as had always before been the case: she had never found it +otherwise. If he had wished for something when he was well, he had +always given it up when his pain came on. But it was quite different +this time, and there really was a reason too. Rico's stories and remarks +about his friend Stineli had taken firm possession of the mind of the +over-sensitive child; and he believed that nothing would hurt him again, +if she were only by his side. So Silvio went on day after day in +increasing distress; and his mother did not know where to turn for +counsel and support. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY. + + +In all this trouble and uncertainty it was a real comfort to Mrs. +Menotti to see the long black coat of the kind-hearted old priest, +who had not been to visit her for a long time, coming through the +garden gate. + +She sprang up from her seat, crying out joyfully, "Look, Silvio; there +comes the dear, good priest!" and went towards him. But Silvio, in his +anger over every thing, said, as loud as he could, "I would rather it +were Stineli!" + +Then he crept quickly under the coverlet, so that the priest need not +know where the voice came from. His mother, however, was dreadfully +shocked, and begged the good man, who now entered the room, not to take +offence at this greeting, as it was not really so bad as it sounded. + +Silvio did not stir, but said softly, under the bed-cover,-- + +"I really mean just what I say." + +The father must have had a suspicion of where the voice came from. He +stepped at once to the bedside; and, though there was not a hair of +Silvio's head even to be seen, he said, "God bless you, my son! how are +you? How is your health nowadays? and why do you creep into this hidden +hole like a little badger? Come out, and explain it all to me. What do +you mean by Stineli?" + +Now Silvio crept forth, for he had the priest in great respect now that +he was so close to him. He stretched out his little thin hand in +greeting, and said, "Rico's Stineli, I mean." + +His mother now interposed with the explanation, for the father shook his +head very doubtfully as he seated himself by the bedside. The good woman +related the whole affair about Stineli, and told how her little boy had +got the idea firmly fixed in his noddle that he would never be well +again unless this Stineli could come to him; and how even Rico had +become unreasonable, and declared that he could go to fetch Stineli, +even though he did not know a single stock nor stone of the way; and it +was such a long journey up into the mountains, moreover, and it was +impossible to realize what horrible people they were who lived up there. +But it proved how very bad they must be when a tender little fellow like +Rico preferred to incur the great danger of the journey than to remain +among such rude folk. "If it were practicable," however, added Mrs. +Menotti, "no money would seem to me wasted that would procure me such a +girl to quiet Silvio's longing, and to have some one to help take care +of him;" for sometimes she had almost too much to endure, and felt as if +she must give up altogether. And Rico, who was usually very discreet in +his conversation, was of the opinion that nobody could help her so much +nor so well in every way as this same Stineli. He ought to know her very +well, too; and certainly, if she really corresponded to his description, +it would be a great escape for such a girl to get away from the +mountains; but she did not know of anybody who would do them such a +favor as to bring her. + +To all this discourse the kind priest lent an attentive ear in profound +silence, until Mrs. Menotti had quite finished. Indeed, he could not +have got a word in edgewise if he had been inclined; for the good woman +had not opened her heart for a long time, and it was so full that it +almost choked her when she gave her words full expression, and she quite +lost her breath. + +Now quiet reigned for a while, then the good man began very calmly to +smoke his second pipe; and presently he said, "H--m, h--m, Mrs. Menotti; +I rather think you have an impression of the mountaineers that is +decidedly exaggerated. There are good Christians there as elsewhere; and +now that there are so many ways of doing things discovered, it would be +also quite possible to get up there without danger. We must bethink +ourselves about that, and find out about it." + +After this opinion, the priest stopped to refresh himself a little from +his snuffbox; then he went on:-- + +"There are all sorts of trades-people who are always coming down to +Bergamo,--sheep and horse dealers: they know the road well enough, of +course. We can obtain information, and then bethink ourselves: we can +find a way sooner or later. It you are in earnest about it, Mrs. +Menotti, I will look about a little. I go every year once or twice to +Bergamo, and I will take the thing in hand for you." + +Mrs. Menotti was so filled with gratitude at this promise, that words +utterly failed her that were, in her opinion, adequate to express her +thanks. Suddenly all the heavy thoughts had vanished that had oppressed +her day and night for such a long time past, and in which she was +getting more and more involved the more she puzzled over them, so that +at the last she saw no hope of a decision. Now the Father took the +whole burden upon himself, and she could refer her troublesome little +Silvio to him. + +While this conference was taking place, the little invalid had almost +pierced the priest through with his great gray eyes, so great was his +interest in what they said. When the priest arose, and held his hand +towards the child to say good-by, the little thin fingers were pressed +into his big palm as if he were making a firm contract. + +The father gave his promise to bring tidings as soon as he had obtained +the necessary information; and then they could decide whether the thing +could be done, or whether Silvio must give up his wish altogether. + +Week after week slipped by, but Silvio did not waver. He had a firm +ground of hope now by which to hold; and, moreover, Rico had become so +lively and amusing, that he was hardly to be recognized. It acted upon +him like a spark that kindled a joyful bonfire when he learned the +priest's comforting words; and a new life was awakened in the lad. He +knew more stories to tell Silvio than ever before; and when he took his +fiddle in his hand, he produced such heart-stirring tones and tunes, +that Mrs. Menotti could not tear herself from the room where the boys +were, and was full of astonishment at Rico's store of music. + +It was only in this room at Mrs. Menotti's that Rico fully enjoyed his +instrument. It sounded so well in the large, lofty space, where it was +quiet and peaceful, without a taint of tobacco-smoke, or the clamor of +noisy men; and he was not confined to dance music, but at liberty to +play as his fancy directed. Every day he went with increasing pleasure +to Mrs. Menotti's, and often said to himself, as he entered, "This is +the way it must feel when one is entering his own home." + +But it was not his home: he only was permitted to go there for a little +while, and away again. + +There had come over Rico a very decided change within a short time; and +the landlady, who perceived it clearly, was greatly perplexed thereby. +When she placed a nasty broken pail of refuse before him, saying, +"There, Rico, carry this to the hens," he would step aside a little, put +his hands behind his back, to show that he did not mean to touch the +pail, and say quietly, "I prefer that some one else should do that;" and +when she brought out an old pair of shoes and handed them to him to +carry to the cobbler, he did the same, saying. "I prefer that you should +give them to another person to carry." + +Now the landlady was a clever woman, and knew how to put two and two +together; and it had not escaped her that Rico was quite another person +within a short time, and looked very differently too. Mrs. Menotti had +always dressed him very nicely since she had undertaken that office; but +when she observed how well his clothes became him, and what an air of +real gentility he had, she used finer materials than at first; and the +lad always took good care of his person and his dress, for he detested +uncleanliness and disorder, both on his own appearance and in his +surroundings. All of this was not unnoticed, nor did she ever forget +that even as Rico had poured out his pocketful of gold upon the table +before her after his first "dance evening," so had he continued to do +faithfully, and not so much as looked as if he would like to keep one +bit for himself. + +He brought more and more each time; for it was not only for his dance +music that he was called so often, but because of his songs, that were +very popular. + +And the landlady recognized that it was her best policy to treat him +always kindly and well; and she did not trouble him about the hens nor +the shoes, and required such little services from him no more. + +It was now three years since Rico made his first entry into Peschiera. +He was now a tall, fourteen-year old stripling, and whoever laid eyes +upon him found him pleasing to look upon. + +Once again the golden sun of autumn burnished the surface of the Lake of +Garda, and the heavens lay blue above the tranquil waves. In the garden +the great bunches of grapes hung gold against the trellises, and the red +flowers of the oleander glistened in the sunbeams. + +It was quiet in Silvio's room, for his mother was without in the garden +gathering grapes and figs for the evening. The invalid lay listening +for Rico's step, for this was the time of his usual visit. The wicket +opened: Silvio pulled himself up in his bed. A long black coat came +slowly toward the door,--it was the priest. Silvio did not think of +hiding himself this time. He stretched out his little arm as far as he +was able, to shake hands with the good man, before he had fairly +entered the room. + +This welcome pleased the priest, who walked at once into the room, and +to the child's bedside, even though he saw Mrs. Menotti's form behind +him in the garden. + +"This is right, my son," he said. "And how do you find yourself?" + +"All right," said Silvio quickly; and, looking eagerly at the good man, +he added softly, "When may Rico go?" + +Seating himself by the bedside, the good man said, a little pompously, +"To-morrow, at five o'clock, Rico will start, my son." + +Mrs. Menotti entered as he was speaking, and it was with some difficulty +that the priest could quiet her enough to get a chance to tell his story +in a consecutive way, and to make himself understood; and all the time +he was speaking, Silvio's eyes were fixed upon his face like a little +sparrow-hawk. + +He had come directly from Bergamo, where he had passed two days. He had +made all the necessary arrangements with a horse-trader,--a friend of +his who had been travelling, for thirty years or more, every autumn, and +knew the way over the mountains that Rico must take. He knew, also, how +the journey could be made without leaving the coach, or sleeping by the +way. He was going there himself, and would take Rico under his charge, +if the lad would go to Bergamo by the early train. The man knew all the +drivers and conductors, also; and would arrange for his and his +companion's return, and recommend them so well that there would be no +trouble or danger. + +The Father was convinced that there was no hindrance to Rico's going in +perfect safety, and gave his blessing to the undertaking. + +As he stood by the garden-hedge, after saying good-by to Silvio, Mrs. +Menotti, who had accompanied him thus far, detained him for a moment, to +ask again, full of sudden anxiety, "Oh, there will not be any danger to +his life, I hope? Nor that he may lose his way, and go wandering about +in the mountains? You do not think that possible, do you, Father?" But +the good man quieted her fears; and she returned to the house, thinking +of what there remained to do for Rico, who entered the garden at this +moment, and was greeted by such a startling cry of joy from Silvio, that +he reached the bedside in three leaps to find out what it all meant. + +"What is the matter? What ails you?" Rico kept asking; and Silvio +repeated, "I will tell you, I will tell you!" until, in real anxiety, +his mother came to his aid. Soon, however, she left the boys to enjoy +their happiness together; and went about her business, which she thought +very important. She fetched a portmanteau, and placed a huge piece of +smoked meat first of all at the bottom, then a half loaf of bread, a big +parcel of preserved plums and figs, and a bottle of wine, carefully +wrapped in a cloth. Then came the clothes,--two shirts and a pair of +shoes, two pair of stockings, and pocket-handkerchiefs; for it seemed +always to Mrs. Menotti as if Rico were going to the farthermost part of +the world; and she only now fully realized how dearly she loved the lad, +for she felt that she could not get on without him. + +All the while, as she was packing, she would pause, sit down, and say to +herself, anxiously, "Oh, I do hope there will not be an accident!" + +Presently she brought the portmanteau down-stairs, and counselled Rico +to go at once and explain to the landlady how every thing had happened; +and to ask if she would allow him to go, and not oppose it; and +afterwards Rico was to carry the portmanteau to the station. + +The boy was in the greatest surprise over his portmanteau. He obeyed in +silence, as usual, however, and went to the landlady. He explained to +her that he was going back to the mountains to bring Stineli back with +him, and that the priest had arranged it so that he was to start on the +following morning at five o'clock. + +It produced a feeling of respect at once in the mind of the landlady +when she found that the priest was at the head of the business. But she +naturally wished to know who this Stineli might be, and what the idea +was in fetching her; for she hoped it might be on her account. + +She only found out that Stineli was a girl whose name was Stineli, and +that she was coming to Mrs. Menotti. So she let the thing go; for she +would not interfere, for the world, with that lady's wishes. She was +only too glad that Rico had been left to her for so long. She took it +for granted that Stineli was Rico's sister, only that he had not said +so, because he never did say any thing about his family. + +So she told all the guests in the inn that evening that Rico was going +to bring his sister down to Peschiera, because he had found out how well +they all lived there. + +In order to show how highly she held the lad in respect, she had a big +basket brought down from the attic, and filled it with sausages and +cheese, and slices of bread, and eggs, saying,-- + +"You must not get hungry on the way; and what is left over, you can eat +while you are there. It will not be too much; and coming back, you will +need something too. You are certainly coming back, Rico, are you not?" + +"Certainly," replied the lad. "In eight days I shall be back again." + +In Mrs. Menotti's hands he placed his beloved fiddle, for he would not +have trusted it to any one else; and then he took his leave for eight +days, for he could easily be back again in that time, if every thing +went well. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS. + + +Full of impatience, Rico stood at the station long before the appointed +time, and could scarcely be quiet while waiting for the train. Again he +took his seat in the carriage, as he had done three years before, but +not now crouched timidly in a corner with his violin in his hand. He +took a whole seat for himself this time; for he placed his portmanteau +and his basket next him, and they took up a deal of room. He met the +horse-dealer in Bergamo without difficulty, and they travelled along in +the same carriage together, and then across the lake. When they left the +boat they went towards the inn, where the big post-wagon stood with the +horses already harnessed. It all came back to Rico's memory with great +distinctness,--how he had stood there in the night, quite alone, after +the students had all gone their ways; and opposite he espied the +stable-door where he had seen the lantern hanging, and had found the +friendly sheep-dealer again. It was evening now; and they took their +places at once in the coach, and went towards the mountain. Rico sat +within, this time, with his companion, and had scarcely settled himself +comfortably in his corner when his eyes closed and he slept; for he had +not slept an hour on the preceding night, so great had been his +excitement. Now he made it up, without once awakening, until the sun +stood high in the heavens, and the coach moved very slowly; and when he +stuck his head out of the window, he saw, to his utter astonishment, +that they were ascending the zigzag road up the Maloja, that was so +familiar to him from his childhood. + +He could not see much from the window,--only a turning in the road now +and then; but now he did want to see everything that lay about them. At +last the coach stopped: they had reached the summit. There was the inn, +there the spot where he had sat and talked with the driver. All the +passengers got out for a moment, and the horses were fed. Rico also +descended, and asked very humbly of the driver if he might be allowed to +take a seat on the box with him. + +"Will you let me climb up there, and ride as far as Sils?" he asked. + +"Up with you!" said the coachman. They all took their places, and +merrily rolled the coach down the smooth road and along the level way. +Now they reached the lake. Yonder lay the wooded peninsula, and there +the white houses of Sils, and beyond was Sils Maria. The little church +shone in the morning sunshine, and over towards the mountain were two +cottages. Rico's heart began to beat wildly. Where was Stineli? A few +steps farther, and the coach stood still in Sils. + +Stineli had suffered a great deal since her friend's disappearance. The +children were larger, and the work ever increasing; and the greater part +fell to her share, for she was the eldest of the children, and the +youngest of the rest of the family; so the cry was always, "Stineli can +do this: she is old enough now;" and presently, "Stineli must look after +that, she is so young." She had no one with whom to share her pleasures +since Rico's departure, even if she had a moment to herself. + +Her good grandmother had died the year before, and from that time +forward the girl had no relaxation whatever; but from morning to evening +there was nothing but incessant toil. + +She never lost heart, however, although she had wept bitterly over the +loss of her grandmother; and every day the thought arose several times +in her mind, without her good grandmother and Rico the world was no +longer as beautiful as formerly. + +On a sunny Saturday morning she came out of the stable with a big +bundle of straw poised on her head. She meant to weave some nice +brushes, for the evening sweeping. The sun was shining all down the +pathway towards Sils, and she stood gazing in that direction. An +unknown lad came along the road,--certainly no Silser, she thought; and +yet as he drew near he stood still and looked at her, and she returned +his gaze, and was much perplexed. In an instant, however, away went her +bundle of straw, and she rushed forward towards the motionless figure +before her, crying out,-- + +"O Rico! are you still alive? Have you come back again? But how big you +are, Rico! I did not know you, at first; but as soon as I saw your face, +then I was sure,--nobody has a face like yours." + +So Stineli stood with glowing cheeks before the lad; and he grew as +white as chalk from excitement, and could not find words to speak his +joy, but looked and looked at the girl. Presently he said,-- + +"You have grown, too, Stineli, but are not otherwise changed. The nearer +I came to the house, the more anxious I got lest you might be altered." + +"Oh, to think that you are really here, Rico!" cried Stineli, joyfully. +"Oh, if the grandmother only knew! But come in, Rico; they will all be +surprised." She ran on before to open the door, and Rico followed. + +The children hid themselves one behind the other; and their mother rose +and greeted the lad as if he were a stranger, and asked what his wishes +were. Neither she nor the children had an idea who he was. Now Trudi +and Sami came into the room, and bowed to him as they passed through. +"Does not one of you know him?" said Stineli, at last. "Don't you see +it is Rico?" + +They were astonished and full of their surprise when their father came +to his dinner. Rico advanced towards him, offering his hand, which the +man took, but looked steadily at the strange lad. + +"Is it some kind of a relation?" he asked; for he was never very sure +about the members of the family who sometimes visited them. + +"Even the father does not know him," said Stineli, rather vexed. + +"Why, it is Rico, father!" + +"Well, well: that is good," remarked he; and looked the lad well over +from head to foot this time, adding,-- + +"You need not be ashamed to show yourself. Have you learned some sort of +a trade? Let us all be seated, and then you can tell us what has +happened to you." + +But Rico did not sit down at once: he kept looking towards the doorway. +At last he asked, hesitatingly,-- + +"Where is the grandmother?" + +"She lies over there in Sils, not far from the old schoolmaster," was +the reply. Rico had hesitated with his question, for he feared this +would be the answer; he had noticed the grandmother's absence at once. +He took his seat with the others at the table, but was silent for a +while, and could not eat a morsel: he had loved the grandmother dearly. +However, the father wanted to hear his story, and to know what had +become of him on the day they all searched for him in the ravines, and +what he had seen and done in the world. So the boy told all his story, +and about Mrs. Menotti and Silvio; and explained distinctly that he +wished to take Stineli back with him to Peschiera, if her parents would +consent. Stineli made very big eyes while her friend was talking: she +had not lost one word of his history. Her heart was as if on fire with +joy. To go to Rico's beautiful lake with him, to live with Mrs. Menotti +and her sick son, who was so anxious for her to come,--that would be +happiness indeed! + +There was a long silence after this. Stineli's father never decided +hastily. At last he said, "It is true that when one goes among strangers +there is much to be learned; but I cannot let Stineli go,--there can be +no question of that. She is needed here at home; but one of the others +may go,--Trudi, perhaps." + +"Yes, yes: that will do," said the mother. "I cannot get along +without Stineli." + +Then Trudi raised her head from her plate, and said, "That suits me very +well. There is nothing but children's racket here at home." + +Stineli did not speak. She only looked anxiously towards Rico, wondering +if he would not say any thing more since her father seemed so decided, +and whether he would take Trudi with him as proposed. The lad, however, +looked calmly at her father, saying, "No: that won't do at all. It is +precisely Stineli whom the sick boy Silvio wishes, and nobody else; and +he knows very well what he wants. He would only send Trudi home again, +and she would have taken the journey for nothing. Mrs. Menotti told me +to say, that if Stineli got on well with her son, she would give her +every month five gulden to send home to her family, if they cared for +it; and I am sure that Stineli and Silvio will agree famously,--just as +sure as if I saw it with my own eyes now," added the lad. + +Pushing his plate to one side, Stineli's father put his cap on his head. +He had finished his dinner; and when he had some very severe thinking to +do, he was always more comfortable with his cap on. It seemed to help +him to collect his thoughts. + +He thought, always in silence, how much labor he would have to perform +before he could earn even one good gulden; and he said to himself, "Five +gulden every month without lifting a finger." + +So he shoved his cap first on one side and then on the other; and said, +at last, "She may go. One of the others can do the work in the house." + +Stineli's eyes sparkled, but the mother looked sadly at all the little +heads and plates. Who would keep them all nice and in order? + +But the father's cap got another shove. Something else had +occurred to him. + +"Stineli has not yet been confirmed, and ought to be before she +goes away." + +"I am not to be confirmed for two years yet, father," said the girl +eagerly; "so that I can go away for two years perfectly well, and come +back quite in time for that." + +This was a good decision, and everybody was satisfied. The father and +mother thought, even if every thing does go badly without Stineli, it +will only be for a while; and when she comes back again, all will be +well. And Trudi thought, "Just as soon as she comes back again, I will +go and then we shall see if I come back." + +But Rico and Stineli merely glanced at each other, and laughed with +their eyes for pure joy. + +As the father looked upon the affair as settled, he rose from the table, +saying, "She may go to-morrow: then we shall know where we stand." + +Her mother, on the contrary, objected to this, saying that it could not +be managed so quickly, and complained bitterly, until her father gave +in, and said she should go the following Monday, and would not hear of a +later date; for he thought that there would be a continual fuss until +the departures were fairly over. + +Work there was now for Stineli in abundance. Rico understood that this +must be the case, and he addressed himself to Sami, and said he would +like to see whether every thing remained as formerly in Sils-Maria; and +that he had a sack and a basket to fetch from Sils, and perhaps Sami +would go with him to help him; so they went forth. + +Firstly, Rico paused before his former home, and gazed at the old +house-door and the hen-house. It was just as it had been. He asked Sami +who lived there now,--if his cousin were there, and alone. + +But he heard that the cousin had long ago gone away towards Silvaplana, +and nobody knew any thing about her; for she had not shown her face in +Sils-Maria again. + +There were people living in the house, about whom Rico knew nothing. +Everywhere that he went with Sami, from the old well-known houses and +stables the people stared at him as if he were an utter stranger; not +one of them recognized him in the least. + +As he crossed over, towards evening, to Sils, he turned aside a little +towards the churchyard. He wanted to see the grave where the old +grandmother was buried; but Sami did not rightly know where she lay. + +They returned home just as it was growing dark, laden with basket and +portmanteau. Stineli stood at the well, and brushed out the stable +buckets for the last time; and as Rico stood there by her side, she +said, flushed with pleasure, and with her exertions over the pails, "I +can scarcely believe that it is true, Rico." + +"But I do," said he so decidedly, that the girl looked at him surprised. +"But of course, Stineli," he added, "you have not been thinking it out +this long time as I have." + +There was a change in Rico that the girl noticed at once. Formerly he +would not have spoken in this firm and decided manner. + +They had arranged a bed for Rico up in the room under the roof. +He carried his things up there, and meant to open them the +following morning. + +When they were all seated the next day at table,--a beautiful, clear +Sunday morning,--down came Rico, and poured out before Urschli and +Peterli a big heap of plums and figs. The latter fruit they had never +seen at all; and the plums were finer than any that they were accustomed +to; and his sausages and meat and eggs he placed in the middle of the +table. As soon as their admiration and surprise had a little subsided, +they all fell to and ate with a wonderful relish, and the children were +munching the sweet figs quite late into the evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS. + + +On Monday evening the journey was to begin. The horse-dealer had +impressed this fact so thoroughly on Rico's memory, that there was not a +chance for a mistake. After the farewells were all said, Rico and +Stineli went towards Sils together, while her mother, with all the +little children clustered about her, stood upon the doorstep and looked +after them. + +Sami accompanied them to carry the portmanteau on his head, and Rico +carried the basket on one side, and Stineli held it on the other. +Stineli's clothes had just filled it. + +When they reached the church in Sils, Stineli said, "Oh, if my +grandmother could only see us now! We will go to say good-by to her, +Rico." He was very willing, and told Stineli how he had already tried to +find the grave, but had not succeeded. + +The girl was better informed than her brother. + +When the post-wagon came along and stopped, the driver called out, "Are +the couple ready who are to go down to the Lake of Garda? I was asking +for them yesterday." + +The horse-dealer had given them a good recommendation; and the driver +called out that they should climb up to the top: the others had found it +too cold. "You are younger," he said. + +So saying, he helped them up to the seats behind the box, and took out +a thick horse-blanket, and wrapped them up snugly therein; and off +they went. + +For the first time since they had come together again, the two young +people were alone, and could talk freely and undisturbed, and tell each +other how they had passed the three long years since they parted. And +they chattered away happily under the starry heavens, never thinking of +sleep in their joy at being together. + +Towards morning they reached the lake, and arrived in Peschiera at the +same hour as Rico had before arrived, and walked along the road to the +lake-side. But Rico did not wish his companion to see the lake until she +had reached the spot he called his own; so he led her through the trees +until they came to the little stone bridge in the open. + +There lay the lake in the light of the setting sun; and the children sat +side by side on the little mound, and gazed across the water. + +There it was, just as Rico had described it, but more, much more lovely; +for such colors Stineli had never seen before. + +She looked about her towards the purple mountains, across the golden +waters, and she cried out with all her heart, "Yes, it is finer than the +Lake of Sils." + +But Rico felt that it had never yet been so exquisitely beautiful as on +this evening when he and Stineli saw it together. + +Rico had another secret joy that he cherished in his heart. How +surprised Silvio and his mother would be to see them! Nobody had +expected them back so soon. Nobody would look for them before the end of +the week, and now there they sat by the lake-side. + +They did not quit the little mound until the sun had fairly disappeared. + +Rico pointed out to his companion the spot where his mother stood +washing something in the lake, and how he used to sit waiting until she +had finished; and then he told how they walked back together, hand in +hand, over the little bridge. + +"But where did you go when you went back?" asked Stineli. "Have you +never found the house that you returned to?" + +Rico could not say. "When I go up there, away from the lake towards the +railroad, I seem to remember that there I stood with my mother, or sat +with her upon a garden-seat with the red flowers before us; but now +nothing is to be seen like the house, and I do not even recognize the +road at all." + +At last they arose, and went towards the garden. Rico carried the +portmanteau, and the girl the basket. As they entered the garden, +Stineli called out too loud, in her delight, "Oh, the beautiful, +beautiful flowers!" + +Silvio heard these unfortunate words, and pulled himself up in an +instant, crying out, at the top of his lungs,-- + +"Here comes Rico with his Stineli!" + +His poor mother thought that he had an attack of fever. She thrust her +things back into the chest which she was arranging,--every thing in +again, pell-mell,--and ran quickly to the bedside. + +At that moment Rico walked boldly into the room, and the good woman +almost fell over backward in her surprise and delight; for until that +very instant she had secretly been a prey to the darkest fears, always +believing that Rico's adventure would cost him his life. + +A maiden came behind Rico, with a friendly face that won Mrs. Menotti's +heart in a twinkling, for she was a very impressionable woman. + +First of all, however, she shook Rico's hands almost off in her +welcoming grasp; and in the meantime Stineli had gone over to the +bedside and placed her arm about the thin shoulders of the child, and +smiled into his face as if they were old and dear friends, while Silvio +in return put his arm about her neck, and drew her face down to his. + +Straightway Stineli placed a present for the child before him. She +had put it conveniently in her pocket, so that she could place her +hand on it at once. It was a toy that had been Peterli's favorite +before any other,--a pine-cone, with a thin wire introduced into each +little opening between the hard scales, and a little figure, made of +sole-leather, perched on the top of each bit of wire. All these tiny +figures shook and nodded so merrily towards each other, and had such +funnily painted little faces, that Silvio could scarcely stop +laughing at them. + +Mrs. Menotti had learned from Rico all that he had to tell her of +importance while this play went on,--for she was anxious to learn from +himself that all had gone quietly and safely,--then she turned to the +girl, and greeted her with heartfelt kindness; and Stineli made answer +more with her kindly eyes than with her tongue, for she could not speak +a word of Italian, and had to help herself out with such Romanish words +as she had learned. + +But she was quick-witted, and found a way to make herself understood +without difficulty; for, if the right word was wanting, she described +the thing cleverly with her fingers, and by all sorts of signs, which +amused Silvio exceedingly; for it was a kind of game of guessing for him +all the time. + +Now Mrs. Menotti went over to the cupboard, where all the service for +the table was kept, and brought out tablecloth and plates, cold +chicken, fruit, and wine; which, when Stineli observed, she hastened +after her to aid her, and did it so neatly and handily that there +remained little for Mrs. Menotti to do; and she stood gazing at the +nimble, willing girl, who had soon served Silvio also, as he lay in +bed, cutting his food for him, and helping him neatly and rapidly, +which pleased the child very much. + +Mrs. Menotti seated herself, saying, "I have not had such help as this +in many a year; but, come now, Stineli: sit down, and eat with us." + +And they sat and chatted and ate together, as if they were old friends +who had always been accustomed to such free intercourse. + +Rico began to give an account of the journey after they had finished +eating, and Stineli meanwhile quietly replaced every thing in the +cupboard; for she knew well enough, without being told, how such work +should be done. Then she seated herself by Silvio's bedside, and made +shadow pictures on the wall with her supple fingers; and Silvio laughed +aloud, and called the names,--"A hare! A beast with horns! A spider with +long legs!" + +So sped away the first evening quickly and merrily, and they all were +taken by surprise when it struck ten o'clock. Rico rose, for he knew he +must be going; but a dark cloud came over his countenance. + +He said shortly, "Good-night," and went away. But the girl ran after +him; and in the garden she took his hand, saying, "Now you must not be +sad, Rico, it _is_ so beautiful here. I cannot tell you how lovely I +find it, nor how happy I am; and I owe it all, all to you. And you will +come again to-morrow, and every day, will you not, Rico?" + +"Yes," he said; and looked at Stineli with a most melancholy expression. +"Yes; and every evening, when it is most beautiful, I must be off and +away, because I belong to nobody." + +"Oh! do not think in that way, Rico," said his friend encouragingly. +"Have we not always belonged to each other, and have not I often rejoiced +over that thought all these three years that are past? And when things +were almost unsupportable, and I longed to get away, have not I always +said to myself, 'If I could only be with Rico again, I would bear any +thing?' And now it has come about as we wished, and, indeed, far better +than I had imagined; and will you not be happy with me, Rico?" + +"Yes; that I will," said the lad; and his countenance cleared a little. + +He did belong to somebody, after all; and Stineli's words had restored +his tranquility. They shook hands again; and Rico went through the +garden-gate, and away. + +When Stineli returned to the room, and, by Mrs. Menotti's directions, +was about to say good-night to Silvio, the child began to dispute +again, and declared that he would not be separated from his newly-found +friend even for a few hours; but would have her sit by his bedside all +night long, and say funny words to him, and look at him with her +laughing eyes. + +Nothing that his mother could say produced any impression upon him, +until she spoke thus: "Very well; if you keep Stineli standing by your +bed to amuse you all night, she will soon be as ill as you are, and not +be able to get up at all, but have to lie in bed, and you will not see +her for a long time." + +So, after a while, the child released his hold of Stineli's arm, +and said,-- + +"There, go to sleep; but come to me again to-morrow early." + +This was promised; and Mrs. Menotti showed the girl into a neat little +bedroom that looked out upon the garden, whence a delicious scent of +flowers rose through the open window. + +With every day that passed Stineli became more and more necessary to +little Silvio. If she only went out-of-doors for a few moments, he +considered it a misfortune. He was obedient and quiet enough, however, +when she stayed with him; and did every thing she bade him do, and did +not tease his mother as before. + +And it seemed as if the nervous little fellow had less frequent attacks +of pain since Stineli's arrival. Indeed, he had not complained since her +coming, and she had been with them many days. + +It must certainly be acknowledged that she was the most amusing of +companions, and turned every thing that came in her way into a game. She +had always lived with children, and constantly had their entertainment +in her mind. She had also learned a great many words from Silvio, and +could soon chatter away with him at her ease; and when she did get the +words twisted and upside down, it was even more funny, and Silvio looked +upon that as a game made expressly for him. + +Mrs. Menotti never saw Rico entering the garden but she ran towards him, +for now she was at liberty to move about freely; and she always drew him +a little aside to tell him what a treasure he had brought into the house +for her, how happy and gay her Silvio had become, and that she never +would have believed that such a girl as Stineli existed on the face of +the earth; for with Silvio she was as merry as if her only pleasure +consisted in playing the little games he liked, while she was as wise +and intelligent as any grown woman with Mrs. Menotti, and understood +housework so that it all seemed to go on of its own accord; and nicely, +too, as if every day were Sunday. In short, Mrs. Menotti could not find +words enough to praise Stineli in all the ways in which she found her +admirable; and Rico was always happy in listening to these praises. + +When they all sat together in the pleasant room, and exchanged loving +and happy glances, they felt that they never wanted to be separated, +and called themselves the happiest family in the whole world, and +needed for nothing. + +But the clouds on Rico's brow grew dark as night came on, and towards +ten o'clock every thing looked black and blacker; and even if Mrs. +Menotti, in her contentment, did not notice it, Stineli did, and +secretly worried over it, thinking, "It is just as if there were a +thunder-storm in the air." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA. + + +It was a beautiful Sunday in autumn, and across the Lake of Riva there +was to be a "dance evening," and Rico was to go over there to play; so +he would not be able to pass the day with Stineli and the rest. They +talked this over and over through the week, for it was a great trial to +them all when Rico did not come for Sunday; and Stineli tried to find +all sorts of little reasons to reconcile Rico, and to make the affair +seem less unpleasant. + +"You will go across the lake in the sunlight, and return under the +beautiful stars; and we shall be thinking of you the whole time," she +said to him, when he first mentioned that he should be away on Sunday. + +On Saturday evening Rico brought his violin, for Stineli's greatest +pleasure was to hear him play. The lad played lovely tunes one after +another; but they were all sad melodies, and seemed to make him sadder +still, for he looked down at his instrument with a kind of indignant +sorrow, as if it did him a real injury. + +Suddenly he pushed it away from him, long before the clock had struck +ten, and said, "I am going away." + +Mrs. Menotti tried to detain him; she could not understand what was +amiss. Stineli had looked steadily at him while he was playing. Now she +said, quietly,-- + +"I will go with you a little way." + +"No," cried Silvio; "do not go. Stay here with me." + +"Yes, yes, Stineli!" said Rico. "Stay here, and let me go alone." + +And, saying this, he looked at his friend exactly as he had looked when +he came away from the schoolmaster's house, and joined Stineli at the +wood-pile, so long ago, saying then, "It is all of no use!" + +Stineli went to Silvio's bedside, and said softly, "Be a good boy, +Silvio; and to-morrow I will tell you the very prettiest and drollest +story about Peterli; but now do not make a noise." + +Silvio really did keep quiet, and Stineli went after Rico. When they +reached the hedge, Rico turned about, and pointed towards the brightly +lighted window that looked so pleasant and friendly from the garden, and +said, "Go back there, Stineli. You belong there, and there you are at +home; but I belong in the streets. I am a homeless fellow, and shall +always be so: now let me go away." + +"No, no; I will not let you go in this mood, Rico. Where do you +mean to go?" + +"To the lake," said the young man; and went towards the bridge. As they +stood together on the little mound, they were silent for a while, +listening to the murmur of the waves. At last, Rico said,-- + +"Do you understand, if you were not here, I would go away at once, far +away?--but I do not know where I should go. Wherever I go, I shall be +homeless, and have to be fiddling forever in public-houses where they +are noisy, just as if they had lost their senses, and I must always +sleep in a room in which I dislike to be; but you belong to them there +in that beautiful house, and I do not belong anywhere. And I tell you, +Stineli, when I look down there, I think if my mother had only cast me +to the waves before she died, then I should not have been this +homeless wanderer." + +With ever-increasing trouble, Stineli listened to these words of her +friend; but when he pronounced these last, she became really alarmed, +and said hastily, "O Rico! you ought not to say such things. I am sure +that you have not said 'Our Father' for a long, long time; and these +wicked thoughts are the consequence." + +"No: I have not prayed for a long time," said Rico. "I have +forgotten how." + +These words gave his companion a severe shock. + +"Oh, dear! what would my grandmother say to this, Rico?" she cried, in +distress. "She would be in sad trouble about you. Do not you remember +how she told us, 'He who forgets his Lord's Prayer is sure to get into +trouble?' Rico, you must learn it again. I will teach it to you this +minute: it will not take you long." + +And the good girl began, with pious zeal, and repeated the prayer twice +or thrice over to her friend; and, while she thus emphasized the words, +she noticed that there was a great deal of especial comfort for Rico +contained therein; and, as she ended, she said,-- + +"Do not you see, Rico, if all the kingdom belongs to the good God, He +can surely find you a home? for He has all the power, so He can give it +to you if He chooses." + +"Now you can plainly see, Stineli," replied the youth, "if the good God +has a home for me in His kingdom, and has the power to give it to me, +and does not, it is because He does _not_ choose to." + +"Yes; but you forget something," continued Stineli. "The good God may +say, 'If Rico wants any thing from me, he should pray to me.'" + +In reply to this, Rico had no answer. He remained silent for some +time; then he said, "Repeat the Lord's Prayer again, Stineli: I will +learn it." + +His companion gladly complied, and it was soon learned. Then they +separated, and each went home; but Rico's thoughts were busy with the +"kingdom and the power." + +Once more in his quiet room, he prayed humbly, and with a softened +heart; for he felt that he had been in the wrong to believe that the +good God ought to give him what he wished for, when he did not even +remember to pray to Him. + +Stineli returned to the garden very full of anxious thought. She turned +over and over in her mind whether she ought to tell all this to Mrs. +Menotti. Perhaps she might be able to find some other employment for +Rico than this fiddling in the public-houses for dancing, that was so +detestable to the lad. But the thought of troubling Mrs. Menotti with +her affairs passed quickly from her mind as she entered the room again. + +Silvio lay upon his pillows with flushed cheeks, breathing heavily and +irregularly; and by the bedside sat his mother, and wept. + +The little invalid had had another of his severe attacks, and a little +anger at Stineli's absence had increased the fever. His mother was so +cast down, that she did not seem to Stineli the same person at all. When +she, at last, recovered her spirits a little, she said,-- + +"Come here, Stineli. Sit down here by my side: I want to tell you +something. + +"I have something that lies very heavily at my heart; so heavily, +that sometimes it seems to me that I cannot bear it any longer. It is +true you are young, but you are so sensible, and have seen a great +deal; and it seems to me that I should be relieved if I could talk it +over with you. + +"You see how Silvio suffers, and how ill he is,--my only son. Now I have +not only the distress of his sickness, which can never be healed, but I +often feel that perhaps it is a punishment from God, because I am +holding and enjoying an unlawful property: although, to be sure, I did +not seek to get it, and do not wish to keep it. But I will tell you +every thing from the beginning. + +"When we were married, Menotti and I,--he brought me over from Riva, +where my father still lives,--Menotti had a very good friend living +here, who was just about leaving, because the land had become hateful to +him, owing to the death of his wife. This friend had a house--a little +one--and large fields, though they were not very productive. He wanted +my husband to take them all, and said that the land did not yield much; +but if he would keep it all in good order, and the house also, that he +would return to claim it in a few years. + +"So the friends made their arrangements together, and said nothing about +interest. My husband said, 'You will want to find every thing as it +should be when you return;' for he meant to put it all in good +condition, and understood the cultivating of land perfectly, which was +thoroughly well known to his friend, who willingly left it all in his +hands. But about one year later the railroad was built, and the little +house had to come down, and the garden was taken too, with the fields, +for the railway went right through them. So my husband got a great deal +more money than they were really worth, and bought a far better piece of +land and a garden, and built a house, all with the money; and the land +produced fully twice what the other had, and we had most abundant +harvests. I often said, 'It does not really belong to us, and we are +living in luxury from the property of another. How I wish that we knew +where he is!' But my husband quieted me, and said, 'I am keeping it all +in order for him, and when he comes it is all his; and as to the profit +that I have laid aside, he must have his share also.' + +"Then Silvio was born; and when I discovered that the little fellow was +ill, I kept saying over and over to my husband, 'We are living on +property to which we have no right, and we are punished for it.' And +sometimes it was so dreadful to me that poverty would have been more +tolerable, and I would have gladly been homeless. + +"My husband always tried to console me, and said, 'You will see how +pleased he will be with me when he returns.' But he did not return. My +husband died: it is now four years ago. Oh, what a life I have led since +then! always thinking how can I be free from this unlawful property +without doing any thing wrong, for it is my duty to keep it in good +condition until our friend comes; and then I feared that he might be in +misery somewhere while I am living so comfortably on his property, and +know nothing of his whereabouts." + +Stineli felt sincerely how much Mrs. Menotti was to be pitied; for she +perfectly well understood her feeling, and how she was always +reproaching herself for a thing that she could not change, and she +comforted the good woman, saying,-- + +"When any one does not mean to do wrong, and means not to do wrong, +then there is nothing but to trust to the good God and pray to Him for +help; for He can turn our evil into His good, and He will do so when +we are truly repentant over evil. I know all this from my +grandmother's teaching; for once I was in great distress, and did not +know what to do." + +Then she told about Rico and the lake that he was always thinking of, +and how she was the cause of his running away, and full of fear that it +had cost him his life. But she said that she felt perfectly at ease +after she had cast her burden on the Lord; and she advised Mrs. Menotti +to do likewise, and assured her that she would derive the truest comfort +from so doing. After this conversation Mrs. Menotti felt much relieved, +and said they would all go to rest now, and thanked her young counsellor +for her advice. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +AT HOME. + + +One beautiful Sunday morning in autumn, Mrs. Menotti seated herself on +the garden-bench in the midst of the glowing red flowers, and +thoughtfully gazed about her,--now at the oleander and laurel bushes, +now at the fig-trees laden with fruit, and again at the vines heavy with +golden grapes; and she said, softly, "God knows I should be glad if I +could lay aside this feeling of wrong-doing that weighs on my +conscience, but certainly such a lovely spot as this one I could never +find for a home." + +Presently Rico came into the garden. He was obliged to go away in the +afternoon; and he never passed a whole day without paying them a visit, +if it were possible to do otherwise. As he was passing on towards +Silvio's room, Mrs. Menotti called him. + +"Come and sit down by me, Rico, for a moment. Who knows how long we may +be able to stay in this place together?" + +Rico was alarmed. + +"Why do you say this, Mrs. Menotti? You do not think of going +away, do you?" + +Mrs. Menotti had to stop, for she could not tell him all her story. She +remembered what Stineli had said to her the evening before about Rico. +She was so full of her own thoughts at that time, that she did not +fairly take in the import of her words. Now she began to wonder about +it, the more she thought it over. + +"Do tell me, Rico," she said, "were you ever here earlier?--I mean +before; or what made you want to see the lake again, as Stineli told me +was the case yesterday?" + +"Yes; when I was little," said the lad. "Then I went away." + +"How did you get here when you were little, Rico?" + +"I was born here." + +"What! here? What was your father, if he came here from the +mountains yonder?" + +"He did not come here from the mountains; only my mother did." + +"Do I hear aright, Rico? Was your father born here?" + +"Certainly. He was a native of this place." + +"You never told me this before. This is wonderful. You have not a name +like the people here. What was your father's name?" + +"What was his name? It was Henrico Trevillo." + +Mrs. Menotti sprang up from the seat as if she had had a shock. + +"What did you say, Rico?" she cried out. "What did you say just now? +Tell me again." + +"I told you my father's name." + +Mrs. Menotti was not listening: she ran towards the door. + +"Stineli, bring me a kerchief," she cried. "I must go to the priest at +once: I am trembling all over." + +In great surprise, Stineli brought out the kerchief. + +"Come with me a few steps, Rico," said the good woman, as she went +through the garden. "I must ask you something more." + +Rico had to repeat his father's name twice over; and when they had +fairly reached the door of the priest's house, for a third time Mrs. +Menotti asked,-- + +"What did you say it was? Are you quite sure?" + +She hurried into the priest's house, and left Rico wondering what could +have happened to put her into such a way. + +Rico had brought his violin with him, for he knew that Stineli was +particularly pleased to hear it. When he reached Silvio's room, he +found the little boy and his companion in the best of humor. Stineli +had fulfilled her promise about the story of Peterli's funny doings, +and this had amused Silvio exceedingly. When the latter espied the +violin, he cried out at once, "Now let us sing; let us sing the +'Lambkins' with Stineli." + +Stineli had never heard her song since it was composed that day on the +mountain, for now Rico played such beautiful airs that she had quite +forgotten the old ones. But she was astonished to hear Silvio asking +for the German song, for she had no idea of the hundred times the two +boys had repeated it during the three years that were past. She was +much pleased to hear the old song again, and, above all, to sing it +with Rico; and so they began. Silvio sang with all his might,--without +understanding a single word, to be sure, but the tune was quite +correct. It was the girl's turn to laugh now; for Silvio's +pronunciation was most wonderful, and she could not join in for +laughter, and it was contagious; for the child could not resist the +merry expression of her face, and joined her in laughing, and sang +again still more queerly and louder; and all the while Rico played his +accompaniment without stopping. + +And thus Mrs. Menotti's ears were greeted with laughter and song as she +drew near the house on her return, and she could not understand how they +could be so light-hearted and merry on such a momentous occasion. She +came hastily through the garden, and into the room, and sank upon the +nearest seat; for the shock and the joy, and the anticipation of what +was to follow, had overpowered her, and she needed to recover herself a +little. The sight of her agitation silenced the singers, and they gazed +at her in surprise. At last she recovered, and said,-- + +"Rico,"--and her voice was quite solemn,--"Rico, listen to me. Look +about you. This house, this garden, that field,--all, all that you can +see, and much that you cannot see, belongs to you: it is all yours. You +are the owner; it is your inheritance from your father; your home is +here; your name stands in the baptismal record; you are the son of +Henrico Trevillo, and he was my husband's dearest friend." + +Stineli had understood the whole story at the first word, and her face +beamed with unspeakable happiness. + +Rico sat as if turned to stone, and made no sound; but Silvio broke out +into shouts of delight,--it was all a play to him. + +"Oh! now the house belongs to Rico, where is he going to sleep?" + +"He can sleep in any room he chooses, Silvio. He can sleep in them all +if he wishes to. He can turn us all out-of-doors if he has a mind to, +and stay all sole alone in this house." + +"I am sure I should much prefer to go away with you, then," said Rico. + +"Oh, you good Rico!" cried Mrs. Menotti. "If you will let us stay here, +we shall be so glad to remain. I have thought it out as I came along +towards home, and know how we can arrange it so that we shall be happy. +I will take half of the house of you, and the same with the garden and +all the land; so one half will be yours, and the other Silvio's." + +"I shall give my half to Stineli," said the child. + +"So shall I," said Rico. + +"Oh, ho! now the whole thing belongs to her,--the garden, and the house, +and all that is in them; and Rico and his fiddle, and I too. Now let us +go on with our song." + +But Rico did not take the same view of the affair as his little friend. +He had thought over Mrs. Menotti's words, and now asked, anxiously,-- + +"I do not understand how Silvio's house can belong to me because our +fathers were friends." + +It now occurred to Mrs. Menotti for the first time that Rico did not +know any thing about the circumstances; and she told him the whole +story, with all the particulars, even more minutely than she had told it +to Stineli; and when she had finished they all understood perfectly how +it was, and were at liberty to rejoice without restraint; for since the +house and all belonged partly to Rico, there was no reason why he should +not take possession at once, and never leave them again; and their +rejoicing was great. + +In the midst of their merry-making Rico said, suddenly,-- + +"Since things have turned out this way, Mrs. Menotti, do not let any of +the arrangements be disturbed in the house; but every thing go on as +usual. I will simply come here to live, and you shall be our mother." + +"O Rico! to think that it is yours, that it is you who are the _master_. +How good God is to let it all turn out in this way,--that I can give it +all to you, and yet stay here myself with a clear conscience. I will be +a mother to you, Rico; and indeed you have long been as dear to me as if +you were my own child. Now you must call me 'mother,' and so must +Stineli; and we shall be the happiest household in all Peschiera." + +"Well, now let us finish our song," cried little Silvio; for he was so +excited and glad that he felt that singing was the only way to express +his joy; and the others were not unwilling to join him, and they did +finish their song; then Stineli said,-- + +"Now will you not sing one other song with me, Rico? You know which +one I mean." + +And they sang the grandmother's hymn piously, and in beautiful accord, +especially the favorite verses at the end,-- + + "He never yet has done amiss; + And, perfect in His sight, + All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right. + + "Now only let His 'will be done,' + Nor clamor constantly, + Peace to the heart on earth will come, + And joy eternally." + +The next day Rico did not go to Riva. Mother Menotti advised him to go +at once to the landlady, to explain to her the change in his +circumstances, and to order another fiddler to be sent to Riva, while he +at once entered upon his possessions. Well pleased with these +suggestions, the youth hastened to carry them out. + +The landlady heard his wonderful story with great interest, and at the +end she called out to her husband and told it all over to him, and +testified real pleasure at the good fortune that had befallen her young +friend, and was sincere in what she said. She certainly was sorry to +lose him; but she had suspected for some time that the hostess of the +"Three Crowns" was making advances to Rico in the hope of enticing him +away from her; and that would have been dreadful to the "Golden Sun." +Now any danger of that misfortune was averted, and she was glad to hear +that Rico was a house and land holder himself, for he was a great +favorite with her. Her husband was particularly well pleased; for he had +been a friend of Rico's father, and did not now understand why he had +not earlier noticed that the lad was the exact image of the man. + +So the farewells were all spoken in good feeling, and the landlady took +his hand at parting, and asked for his patronage if ever there was +occasion for her services in his house. + +That very evening the news was known in all Peschiera, with all the true +details, and a great many more; and everybody expressed pleasure, and +said that Rico looked exactly as if he owned an estate, and would grace +the position. + +Mother Menotti did not know how she could do enough to make Rico +comfortable in his own house. She arranged the big room for him--the +one that had two windows overlooking the garden, and with a view over +the lake--with beautiful marble statuettes adorning the walls; and on +the table she placed a vase of flowers, and the whole room was most +prettily furnished, so that Rico stood still on the threshold when, at +Mrs. Menotti's request, Stineli led him up there. And when the kind, +motherly woman took his hand and led him to the window, and he looked +down in the shimmering lake, and over at the purple mountains in the +distance, his heart filled to overflowing with thankfulness, and he +could only murmur, softly,-- + +"Oh, how beautiful! And this is my home!" And now day after day the four +happy friends lived their peaceful life in the comfortable room looking +on the garden, where Silvio lay, and never perceived how the time was +speeding away. + +In the daytime Rico went about with his whistling servant lad through +the fig-trees and over the fields planted with corn, for he wanted to +learn the care of it all. + +Now the servant naturally thought, "I know much more than my new +master," and felt sensible of his superiority over Rico; but when, in +the evening, beautiful and heart-stirring music came forth upon the +evening breeze from the well-lighted room, where they all sat +together, the boy leaned against the hedge and listened for long +hours; for music was his greatest delight, and he said to himself, "My +master knows more than I do, after all;" and he could not help feeling +a great respect for Rico. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA. + + +Two years have passed, every day bringing more enjoyment than the last. + +To Stineli came the knowledge that it was time for her to return to her +home, and she had many a hard battle with herself to keep up her courage +and cheerfulness; for to go away, and probably never return, was the +most dreadful prospect that ever presented itself to the young girl's +imagination. Rico also knew what was before them, and sometimes he would +only speak when it became absolutely necessary. And a strange, unnatural +feeling took possession of mother Menotti, and she tried to discover the +secret cause; for she had quite forgotten that Stineli was to go home +again to be confirmed. When at last the cause of the trouble came out, +she said, "Oh! you can put that off for another year;" and so things +fell back into their old comfort again. + +On the third year, however, a message came from Bergamo (some one came +down there from the mountain) that Stineli was wanted at home, and must +go. Now there was no help for it. Silvio might fight against it like one +possessed: it did no good. Against fate it is useless to struggle. + +Mother Menotti said, day after day, towards the end, "Only promise to +come back, Stineli. You may tell your father I will do any thing he +wishes, if he will only let you come back soon." + +Rico said nothing at all. And Stineli went off; and day after day it +seemed as if a big black cloud lay over the household, and as if the +very sun outside had ceased to shine. + +And so it went on from November to Easter, when everybody was rejoicing; +but it was still sad in Rico's house. After the Easter festival was +over, and every thing was beginning to be more beautiful than ever +before in the garden, and flowers and sweet odors were spread all +abroad, Rico sat by Silvio's bedside, and played every sad melody that +he could remember, until the little fellow was in a most melancholy +mood, when suddenly from the garden a merry voice called out,-- + +"Rico, Rico! have you no more cheerful welcome for me than this?" + +Silvio screamed as if beside himself. Rico threw his violin on the bed, +and ran out; and mother Menotti came in, half frightened. + +On the threshold stood Rico with Stineli; and so in Silvio's room there +was the long-lost sunshine back again, and they were as merry as ever +again, and happy as they had never believed would be possible during +their long separation. There they all sat at table by Silvio's bedside, +and questioned and answered, and told all that had happened, and ever +and again broke out into rejoicing over their reunion. Who would have +thought, to see them there, that any thing could be wanting to the +perfect happiness of these four people? But Rico knew another tale. In +the midst of all the merriment, he became absent-minded, and fell into +one of his old dreamy moods. It did not last as long as formerly, +however. He must have reached a satisfactory conclusion pretty soon; for +suddenly his reverie was over, and he said these words, with the utmost +decision, "Stineli must be my wife this very moment, or else she will +have to go away again directly; and that we could not endure." + +This decision pleased Silvio mightily; and in a short time they were +all of the same way of thinking, that the sooner the marriage took +place the better. + +On the very most beautiful May morning that ever shone over Peschiera, a +long procession started from the church towards the "Golden Sun." + +At the head, tall and well-proportioned, came Rico with his stately +mien; and at his side walked Stineli, looking happy and pretty, her +smooth braids crowned with the fresh bridal wreath. Next in the +procession, in a well-upholstered little wagon, drawn by two merry +Peschiera urchins, Silvio might be seen, beaming with satisfaction like +a triumphant victor; and last of all followed mother Menotti, very much +moved and affected, in a rustling wedding-dress; behind her the servant +lad, with a nosegay that covered his whole shirt-front; and after them +streamed all Peschiera, with the very noisiest kind of participation, +for they all wanted to look at the handsome couple, and to do them +honor. It was almost like a great family festival, in which they all +joined to help the strayed and lost Peschiera boy to found his own home +in his native town. + +The joy of the landlady of the "Golden Sun," when she saw the procession +coming towards her house, is quite indescribable. Whenever the question +arose concerning any wedding, low or high, she always said, with +emphasis,-- + +"That is nothing at all in comparison with Rico's wedding in the +'Golden Sun.'" + +The house in the garden never again lost its sunshine, and Stineli took +good care "Our Father" was never forgotten again; and on every Sunday +evening the grandmother's hymn was sung in the garden in full chorus. + + + + + +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +COASTING. + + +On one of the hills surrounding the city of Bern a little village is +perched which shall be nameless in this story; but if you are curious, +and go there in your travels, perhaps you may recognize it from the +following description. On the very top of the hill stands one solitary +house, with a beautiful garden about it. It is called "On the Height," +and is the property of Colonel Ritter. The descent to the little square, +where the church and parsonage stand, is sharp (in the parsonage the +colonel's wife passed her happy days of childhood); and somewhat farther +down is the schoolhouse, amid a little cluster of houses; while on the +left, as you still descend, you see a lonely cottage with a pretty, +well-kept garden, surrounded by currant-bushes, and adorned with +mignonette and pinks, and a few roses amidst its chiccory and spinach. +This is the last house on the road, which, from here on, makes one long +stretch downward to the highway that goes far out into the country, +parallel with the river Aar. + +This long, unbroken descent forms, in winter, the most perfect +coasting-ground imaginable; for once you are past the steep bit by the +colonel's house, you may go on without interruption quite down to the +road by the river; that is, always supposing that you make a fair start +at the beginning. + +This coast was an endless source of pleasure to the army of children who +daily poured out of the door of the old schoolhouse when lesson hours +were over, ran to the yard where they had piled their sleds on entering, +took each his own from the heap, and scampered off in wild haste to +begin their afternoon amusement. How the hours passed no one could +imagine: down flew the sleds in a twinkling, and nobody felt the trouble +of climbing up the hill, so full were all the little heads of the +pleasure of going down again; and so the night, and the time for +returning to their homes for supper, always took them by surprise. + +This usually occasioned a stormy scene before they left the +coasting-ground; for everybody wished to go down "once more," and then +"just _once_ more," and then "one single turn more,"--so that everybody +hurried and jumped onto the sleds, and flew down and ran up again in a +regular hurry-scurry. + +A rule had been established to the end that no one should go down the +coast while the others were still climbing up, but that all should go +down one after the other in good order, to prevent confusion or +accidents. Notwithstanding this good rule, there were often many +lawless proceedings, especially towards the close of the day, when +nobody wished to be the last, and when they all crowded onto the coast +very closely together. + +This was the state of affairs on a clear evening in January, when the +snow fairly crackled under the children's feet as they mounted the hill, +and the fields in every direction were frozen so firmly that you could +have gone anywhere over them in a sleigh as if they were the highway. +The children were all rosy and glowing with their exertions, for they +were hurrying up the steep hill, pulling their sleds behind them, +turning them about in a flash, jumping upon them, and off again head +foremost, not to lose a second of the precious time until the moon shone +brightly in the crisp sky, and the evening bells were ringing. All the +boys were shouting, "Once more; just once more!" and the girls were as +eager as they. At the top, however, where they all threw themselves upon +their sleds, there was great excitement and uproar. Three boys each +claimed to have reached the top first, and would not yield an inch to +each other, but all must go down at once. And so they pushed this way +and that, until a big boy called Cheppi was hustled quite against the +bank of snow at the side of the coast, and found that his heavily ironed +sled was fast in the snow. He was furious, for he saw that now all the +other fellows would get off before he could extricate himself. He looked +about, and presently espied a little slender girl standing near by in +the snow. She was very pale, and held both arms wrapped in her apron to +keep them warmer, for all that she trembled and shivered with cold from +head to feet. She looked so feeble and miserable, that she seemed to +Cheppi just the proper object upon whom to vent his rage. + +"Can't you get out of a fellow's way, you stupid thing? What are you +standing there for? You have not even a sled with you. Just wait a +moment; I'll help you to get along!" + +So saying, he thrust his boot into the snow, intending to kick it over +the girl. She sprang back, however, quickly, so that she went quite up +to her knees in the snow, and said timidly, "I was only looking on." + +Cheppi was thrusting his boot into the snow again with the same +intention towards the child, when he received such a tremendous box +on the ear from behind, that it almost knocked him off his sled. +"Just you wait a minute," he shouted, beside himself with anger, for +his ear tingled as it had never tingled before; and doubling up his +fists, he turned himself to see who was his hidden foe. A boy stood +behind him, and looked on very quietly, holding his sled in position +for another coast. + +"Come on," he said calmly. + +It was Otto Ritter, a class-mate of Cheppi, with whom he was always +engaged in some little quarrel. Otto was a tall, slender boy, about +eleven years old, and not nearly of the same strength as Cheppi; but +the latter had learned more than once that with hands and feet Otto was +much the more skilful of the two. He did not strike out, but held his +fists doubled up, and cried out angrily, "Let me alone: I am not +meddling with you." + +"But I am with you," replied Otto, in a very warlike tone. "What +business have you to chase Wiseli away like that, and then to kick snow +at her, I should like to know? I have been looking at you, you coward! +teasing a little girl who cannot defend herself." + +With these words he turned his back contemptuously towards Cheppi, and +called out to Wiseli, who was standing shivering all this time in the +deep snow,-- + +"Come out of the snow, Wiseli. Oh, how you are shivering, child! Have +you no sled really, and only been able to look on? Here, take mine, and +go down once quickly. Do you know how?" + +The pale, timid girl did not know what to make of this kindness. She had +been looking on for some little time, watching the sleds as they flew +down the hill, and thinking, "Oh, how I should like to go down to the +very bottom just once!" when she saw two, and sometimes three, going +down on the same sled. But now she might go down all alone by herself, +and that, too, on the very handsomest sled on the coast,--the one with a +lion's head, that went faster than any other, because it was light, and +was bound with iron. She was so happy that she stood still, looking +after Cheppi with a half feeling that he might strike her if she dared +to enjoy such a piece of good fortune. But there he stood quite +tranquilly, as if nothing whatever had happened; and by him stood Otto, +with such a protecting air, that she took courage, and seated herself on +the handsome sled; and when Otto called out, "Go on; go on, Wiseli!" she +obeyed, and away she flew as if the wind were behind her. Very soon Otto +heard the coasters all toiling up the hill again, and he called out, +"Stay among the first, Wiseli, and go down again; after that we must go +home." Wiseli was only too happy to do as she was bid, and enjoyed for a +second time the long-wished-for pleasure. Then she brought the sled to +its owner, thanking him shyly for his kindness, but more with her +beaming eyes than with words; and off she scampered as fast as she could +go. Otto felt decidedly happier. "Where is Pussy?" he called out, +peering into the already scattering crowd. "Here she is!" replied a +merry voice; and out of the knot of children appeared a red-cheeked, +plump little girl, who slipped her hand into her big brother's +protecting palm, and went with him towards their father's house as +quickly as possible. It was very late, and they had over-passed the +allotted time for coasting. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY. + + +When Otto and his sister came noisily in through the deep stone entrance +of their father's house, the old servant Trine appeared in a doorway +holding a light high above her head to see whence came all the uproar, +and from whom. "So," at last she said, half scoldingly, half pleasantly; +"your mother has been asking for you for a long time, but there was no +trace of you, although it struck eight nobody knows how long ago." Old +Trine had been maid-servant in the family when the children's mother +came into the world, so she was an authority in the household, and felt +that she was one of its members,--to tell the truth, the very head of +the establishment; for surely she was the oldest in age and experience. +The dear old woman was fairly foolish in her fondness for her master's +children, and very proud of all their qualities and acquisitions. She +would not let this be seen, however, but employed an indignant tone when +speaking to them; for she thought it best for their education not to +appear perfectly satisfied with their conduct. + +"Off with your shoes, on with your slippers!" she called out at once, +according to rule; but her order was immediately executed by the +commander, for she knelt before Otto while she spoke, to take off his +wet shoes. He had sunk down upon the nearest seat. His little sister +stood perfectly still in the middle of the room without stirring, which +was such an unusual circumstance, that Trine looked over her shoulder +two or three times to see what it could mean. Now that Otto was +equipped, it was Pussy's turn to sit down and be attended to; but she +stood stock still, and did not stir. "Well, well! if we wait there +until summer comes, our shoes will get dry of themselves," said Trine, +still on her knees. "Hsh, hsh, Trine! I hear something. Who is in the +big parlor?" said Pussy, lifting her forefinger up a little +threateningly. "Everybody who has dry shoes: nobody else admitted. Now +make up your mind to sit down," said Trine. But instead of sitting +down, Pussy made a spring upward, and cried, "Now I hear it again; +Uncle Max laughs just like that." "What!" cried Otto, and reached the +parlor-door with one leap. + +"Wait, wait!" Pussy called after him, and ran to the door at the same +time; but she was caught and placed on the seat, although old Trine had +hard work to get the shoes off the little kicking feet; but perseverance +at last accomplished the business, and off ran Pussy out of one door and +through the other into the big parlor, where truly sat Uncle Max in the +arm-chair. Now there was a fine jubilee, and a hugging and kissing over +and over. Uncle Max certainly made as much noise as the children, and it +was a long time before they were quieted enough to speak a rational word +to each other. A visit from this uncle was always a time of great +delight for the children, and with good reason, for he was extravagantly +fond of them. He was a great traveller, and only came to see them once +in two years; but then he made up for his long absence by giving himself +entirely to his little friends as if he were no older than they; and the +queer and enchanting presents that he had stuffed into every pocket for +his little niece and nephew would be hard to describe. + +Uncle Max was a naturalist, and travelled to every corner of the world, +bringing back something curious and interesting from each place. + +At last supper was served, to the immense satisfaction of the whole +party,--for the children always brought home new appetites from the +coasting-ground, and were prepared, both old and young, to do full +justice to the steaming dishes set before them. + +"Well," said Colonel Ritter, glancing across the table at his little +daughter, who was seated beside her mother, and already too busily +engaged in satisfying her hunger to look up from her plate. "Well, well; +it seems rather strange to think that Pussy has no hand to spare for her +papa to-day. I have not had one single kiss, and now it is too late." + +With a contrite air Pussy pushed back her plate, saying, "O papa, I +forgot! I will give you"-- + +But her father said, quickly, "No, no; do not make a disturbance now, +child. Give me your hand across the table; we will have the rest later. +That will do now, Pussy." + +"What was this child christened, Marie? I was certainly present at the +ceremony, but I have utterly forgotten her name. Not Pussy, I am sure," +said Uncle Max, laughing. + +"You certainly were present, Max," replied his sister, "for you are the +child's godfather. She was named Marie. At this time her father +nicknamed her Pussy, and Otto has multiplied that in the most +nonsensical manner." + +"Oh, no, mamma; not nonsensical," cried Otto, quite seriously. "You see, +uncle, it follows in very sensible order. When the little thing is +gentle and good, then I call her 'Pussy.' That is not always the case, +however, and 'Puss' does for some of her moods; but when she is angry, +and looks like a regular cross-patch, then I call her 'Old Cat.'" + +"Yes, yes, Otto," answered his sister; and when you are angry, you look +like a--like a"-- + +"Like a man," said Otto; and as Pussy had no better comparison ready, +she went on busily eating her pudding. + +Uncle Max laughed heartily. "Pussy is right," he said. "She does far +better in pursuing her present occupation than in answering back such +slanders. But, children," he began again, after a pause, "it is more +than a year since I was here, and you have not told me about any thing +that has taken place during my absence." + +The latest events were those that occurred first to the children; and +they began to tell, generally both speaking together, the story of +Cheppi's rude treatment of Wiseli on the coast, and of how cold the girl +was, and how she stood shivering in the snow, and had no sled of her +own, but got a chance to coast down twice after all. + +"That is right, Otto," said his father. "You must honor your name. You +must always be a true knight for the persecuted and unprotected. Who is +this Wiseli?" + +"You cannot know any thing about the girl nor her mother," said his +wife. "But Uncle Max knows Wiseli's mother very well. You remember that +thin weaver who was our neighbor, don't you, brother? He had an only +daughter with big brown eyes, who often came to us at the parsonage, and +sang so sweetly. Can't you remember her now?" + +While Uncle Max was trying to recall the somewhat fading recollections +of his youth, old Trine put her head into the room, saying,-- + +"The carpenter Andrew would like to speak to you, Mrs. Ritter, if it +will not disturb you too much." + +This apparently innocent message produced a wonderful effect upon the +whole family. Mrs. Ritter put down the tablespoon, with which she was +about to help her brother a second time to fruit, and said hastily, "If +you will excuse me, gentlemen," and left the room. Otto sprang up so +quickly that he knocked his chair over backwards, and then fell over it +himself in his haste to get away. Pussy was about to follow the others; +but her uncle, seeing the movement, put his arms about her, and held her +fast. She struggled, however, and said, entreatingly,-- + +"Let me go, uncle; let me go. Really, I must go." + +"Where do you want to go, Pussy?" + +"To see the carpenter Andrew. Let me go quickly. Help, papa; help!" + +"If you will tell me what you have to say to the carpenter, I will +let you go." + +"The sheep has only two legs left, and no tail at all; and the carpenter +is the only person who can mend him. Now _do_ let me go!" And now Pussy +was off too. + +The gentlemen looked at each other, and Max burst out into a merry +laugh. "Who is this carpenter Andrew, pray, who seems to have the power +of attracting your whole family to his feet?" + +"You ought to be able to answer that question better than I," replied +the colonel. "He must also be one of the friends of your youth. The fever +of adoration you ought to understand also: it must be one of your family +characteristics; and your sister has introduced it into her family. I +can only tell you this much: this Andrew is the very corner-stone of my +house. Every thing depends upon him, and we should all fall to pieces if +his support were withdrawn from us. Andrew is the counsellor, comforter, +safety, and aid in any trouble. If my wife thinks she wants any utensil +for household use, even if she does not know how it should look, nor +what use to put it too, Andrew the carpenter invents it, and makes it on +the spot. If the kitchen is on fire, or the water gives out there, or in +the laundry, Andrew the carpenter smothers the fire, and procures floods +of water. If my son does some sad piece of mischief, Andrew the +carpenter repairs the damage in a trice. If my daughter smashes all the +crockery, Andrew the carpenter glues it together at once. So you see +that this man is really the very pillar of my edifice; and if any thing +should happen to him, we should straightway go to pieces." + +Mrs. Ritter had returned to the room during this account of Andrew the +carpenter's virtues, and her husband had heightened the description for +her benefit. Uncle Max shouted with laughter. + +"Yes, laugh away; laugh away!" said she. "For all that, I know very well +what a treasure I possess in Andrew the carpenter." + +"So do I, for that matter," said her husband, laughing merrily. + +"I do, too," said Pussy, heartily, who was again on her seat at +table. + +"So do I," grumbled Otto, while he rubbed his shins, that ached from his +recent fall over the chair. + +"Well, now we are all of one mind about it, and the children can go +quietly to bed," said their mother. These words did not tend to restore +quiet, for the children became rebellious; but it was useless. Old Trine +stood on the threshold, and was ready to carry out the family rules and +regulations. Off marched the children, and presently their mother also +disappeared again; for there were the evening prayers to be said, and +she never failed to be at their bedside for that. + +When, at last, every thing was in order in the house, Mrs. Ritter joined +the gentlemen once more. + +"At last!" said the colonel, with a sigh of relief, as if he had +vanquished the enemy. "Now you see how it is, Max. My wife belongs first +of all to the carpenter Andrew, then to the children, and only to her +husband when there is nothing else for her to do." + +"And now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "that, although my +husband speaks scornfully of Andrew the carpenter, he does assign him a +very high rank after all. Now acknowledge that, won't you? He has just +given me a message for you. He has brought his yearly savings with him +to-day, and begs for your assistance." + +"That is true," said the colonel. "A more orderly, industrious, reliable +man I do not know. I would trust my wife, my children, my goods and +chattels to him rather than to any one else. He is the most honorable, +trustworthy man in this parish, or in any other, I do believe." + +"Now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "I could not say more +than that." Her brother joined with her in her amusement at the zest +which the colonel showed. Then he said,-- + +"You have all been so full of the praises of your marvel, that I have +become curious, at last, to know where he comes from, and how he looks. +Have I never seen him when I have visited you?" + +"Oh, yes! you used to know him perfectly well," replied his sister. "You +must remember Andrew, with whom we went to school. Don't you recall the +two brothers who were always in the same classes with you? The elder was +even then a perfect good-for-nothing,--he was not stupid, but would not +study, and did not get on, and was put down into one of the lower +classes with his brother and you. You must remember him,--his name was +Jorg, and he had stiff, black hair. He always pelted us with something +whenever he got a chance,--with green apples or pears, and in winter +with snow-balls,--and always called us 'aristocrats.'" + +"Oh, that fellow!" cried Max. "Yes; now I do remember all about him. +Certainly he always called us 'aristocrats.' I wonder how he got hold of +that word. He was a disagreeable fellow: I remember that well. I caught +him once thrashing a little fellow most cruelly. I helped the little +one, and he shouted after me at least twelve times in succession, +'Aristocrat, aristocrat!' And now it comes back to me about the other +one, the lean Andrew, his brother. He was your Andrew, was he not, +Marie?--the Andrew with the violets? Oh, now I comprehend this great +friendship," said Max, laughing again. + +"What is this about the violets? I want to know all about that," said +the colonel. + +"Oh! I can see the whole thing just as it happened as plainly as if it +were only yesterday," said Max, quite animated over his recollections. +"I must tell you all about it, Otto. You have probably heard from your +wife that we had here, in the happy time of our childhood, an old +schoolmaster, whose creed was that all faults could be whipped out of, +and all virtues be whipped into, the children under his care. So he felt +himself constrained to whip a great deal either for one thing or the +other, and very often for both at once. Andrew's turn came one day, and +the master applied his well-meant rule so heartily that poor, thin +Andrew screamed with pain. At this moment my little sister, who had only +entered the school a short time before, and did not understand the rules +very well, stood up from her seat and hastened to the door. The teacher +held his hand for a moment, and shouted after her, 'Where are you +running to?' Marie turned about. The tears were running down her cheeks, +and she said, very decidedly, 'I am going home to tell my father.' +'Wait, I will teach you!' cried the master, in the greatest surprise, +and sprung after the girl. He did not strike her, however, but took her +roughly by the arm, and set her down very hard upon the bench; then he +said again, 'Wait, I will teach you!' + +"It was the end of that, however. He did not touch Andrew again, and +every thing passed off quietly that day. But the tears that Marie had +shed for Andrew, and her protest against the whippings, were not +forgotten. From that day forward a big bunch of violets was always +placed on Marie's desk, and the whole room was perfumed with them; and +later a still better scent filled the air, for there were every day +great bunches of dark red strawberries, such as nobody else knew how to +find. And so it went on for the whole year; but how the friendship +reached the height at which it now stands, that I will leave to my +sister to relate, for I do not know myself." + +The colonel was much pleased with this story of the tears and the +violets, and begged his wife to tell more about it. She said, "According +to you, Max, violets and strawberries grow all the year round; but, in +truth, it is not exactly the fact. But it is true that the good Andrew +was never tired of bringing in any thing that he thought would give me +pleasure all through the time we were in the school together. He left +long before I did, and went to learn his trade of a joiner in the city. +He came home very often, however, so that I never really lost sight of +him; and when my husband bought this piece of land and we were married, +it happened, also, that Andrew bought property, and wished to be +settled. He had lost his parents, and was quite by himself, and a +first-rate workman. He wanted the little house with the neat, pretty +garden down there half-way to the church; but was not able to purchase +it, because the owner wished for full payment at once, and Andrew could +only pay in instalments, as he earned the money. + +"But we knew all about him and his work. My husband purchased the place +for him, and he has never had the least reason to regret it." + +"No, indeed I have not," added the colonel. "Andrew has long ago paid +for his house, and now he always brings me the yearly amount of his +labor; and a very pretty sum it is, too. I invest it well for him, and +have a sincere satisfaction in the welfare of the sturdy fellow. He is +already a very well-to-do man, and adds to his property every year, and +can make his little house into a big one if he have a mind to do so, the +good Andrew. It is too bad that he is such a hermit, and cannot, +therefore, properly enjoy his home and his possessions." + +"Has he, then, neither wife nor family?" asked Max. "And what has become +of his disagreeable brother Jorg?" + +"No; he has really nobody," replied his sister. "He lives entirely +alone, and really like a hermit. He has had a long and very sad history +that I have been witness to, and which has taken away all the desire he +once might have felt to look for a wife. His brother Jorg wandered about +here in a disreputable way for several years, never working, but in the +hope of getting something, by his infamous behavior, out of his family, +who were respectable people, quite unlike himself. But, at last, he saw +that there was no chance of this, and even the kind Andrew refused to +pay any more of his debts, or to help him out of any more scrapes, so he +disappeared, nobody knows where; but everybody rejoiced that he was out +of the way." + +"What was the sad story of which you spoke, Marie?" asked her brother. +"I want to hear that, too." + +"So do I," said the colonel; and lighted another cigar, in order to +enjoy the tale more thoroughly. + +"But, my dear husband," objected his wife, "I have at least told you +this story ten times over." + +"Really," said the colonel, quietly, "it seems that it pleases me then, +if I ask for it again." + +"Oh, do begin!" said her brother. + +"You cannot have forgotten the child, Max," began his sister, "of whom I +was speaking yesterday, who lived quite near to us. She belonged to the +pale, thin weaver, whose shuttle we could always hear moving back and +forth when we stood in our garden. The child always looked clean and +neat, and had great lively, sparkling eyes, and beautiful brown hair. +Her name was Aloise." + +"I never knew anybody by the name of Aloise in my life," interrupted Max +at this point. + +"Oh! to be sure not," said his sister. "We never called her so, you +especially. 'Wisi' we called her, to the horror of our dear departed +mother. Don't you remember, now, how often you said yourself that we +must get Wisi to sing with us when mamma played songs for us on the +piano, and we could not make it go at all without Wisi's help?" + +At last Max seemed to remember about it, and laughed at the +recollection. "Oh, yes! I remember Wisi," he cried. "Yes, certainly that +was Wisi. I can see her now, before my eyes, with her bright face, as +she stood by the piano and sang so cheerily. I was very fond of her. I +was very fond of her,--of Wisi. She was very pretty, too. I remember, +too, what a shock it always seemed to mamma when I said, 'Wisi.' I +really never knew her proper name." + +"Oh, yes, you did," replied his sister; "because mamma always said +it was perfectly barbarous to change the pretty name of Aloise +into 'Wisi.'" + +"I certainly never heard it each time," said Max. "But pray what has +become of this Wisi?" + +"You remember she was in my class at school, and we kept along together; +and I often think of how Andrew always befriended and stood up for the +girl through thick and thin, and that she knew well how to turn his +friendship to good account. + +"When she came with her slate full of examples, like the rest of us, her +figures were not often correct; but she put the slate, with a merry +laugh, on her desk, and lo! soon the sums were all rightly set down, for +Andrew had put them in order. It often happened that she smashed a pane +in the schoolroom window, or shook down the schoolmaster's plums in the +garden; and yet Andrew was always the one who took the blame of these +misdeeds,--not that anybody accused him, but he himself used to say, +half aloud, that he believed it was his fault that the glass was broken, +or the plums shaken down, and so he got the punishment. We children all +knew well enough who was to blame; but we let it go, we were so used to +it, and were so fond of the merry Wisi, that we all were pleased when +she escaped punishment. + +"Wisi had always pocketfuls of apples, pears, and nuts, that all came +from Andrew; for every thing that he had, or could procure, he used to +stuff into Wisi's satchel. I used often to wonder how it happened that +the quiet Andrew liked the very most unruly and gayest girl in the +school, and I also wondered whether she returned his affection. She was +always very friendly with him, but she was the same with others; and as +I once asked our mother how it could be, she shook her head a little, +and said, 'I am afraid,--I am afraid that the nice little Aloise is a +trifle heedless, and may have to suffer for it.' These words gave me +much food for thought, and recurred to me again and again. + +"We went together to the Bible-class; and every Sunday evening Wisi used +to come regularly to our house, and we sang hymns together to the piano. +She particularly enjoyed this. She knew all the lovely songs by heart, +and sang them clearly and well; and mamma and I were very much pleased +to know that Wisi liked to sing, and went gladly to the Bible-class, and +seemed to take the religious teaching very much to heart. She had grown +into a fine large girl now, with bright eyes; and, although she did not +look very strong, like the peasant girls in the villages, still she had +a fine color, and was far prettier than any of them. + +"At this time Andrew was learning his trade in the town, but invariably +came home on Sundays. He always came up to the parsonage to call, and +was inclined to talk to me about our former schooldays; and gradually +we worked round to Wisi, and talked about her most of the time. Andrew +spoke most eloquently and feelingly on this subject; and, although +everybody else had adopted the name 'Wisi' for Aloise, he never called +her so, but said 'Wiseli' so softly and prettily, that it was very +sweet to hear. + +"But one Sunday (we were not quite eighteen years old, Wisi and +I,--mamma was with us that evening) Wisi came in looking very rosy, and +said that she had come to tell us that she was betrothed to a young +workman who had come lately to live in the village, and that they would +soon be married, as he had a good position, and it was arranged that +they could be married in about twelve days. I was so surprised, and so +sorry, that I could not say a word. Neither did my mother speak for a +long time, but looked very much troubled. + +"After a time she talked very seriously with Wisi,--told her that it was +foolish in her to have taken up so quickly with a workman of whom she +really could know very little, and especially when there was another who +had sought her for long years, and plainly shown her how much he loved +her; and, at last, she asked her if it could not be broken off, this +engagement,--or, at least, put off for a while, Wisi was still so young, +and ought to remain with her father. Then Wisi began to cry, and said +that it was all arranged; that she had given her promise, and that her +father was pleased. So my mother said no more about it; but poor Wisi +cried bitterly, until my mother took her by the hand, and led her to the +piano, and said kindly, 'Dry your tears: we will sing together.' And she +played the accompaniment, and we sang,-- + + "'To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "'For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.' + +"After this, Wisi left us apparently comforted, and my mother spoke +kindly to her at parting; but I felt very sadly about the whole affair. +I had a conviction that poor Wisi had passed her happiest days, and +would never be light-hearted again; and I could not express my sorrow +for Andrew. What would he say? He said nothing,--not one word,--but went +about for several years like a shadow, and became more silent than ever, +and had no longer the quietly happy expression that formerly +distinguished him." + +"Poor fellow!" cried Max. "And did he never marry?" + +"Oh, no, Max!" replied his sister, rather reproachfully. "How could he +do so? How can you ask such a question? He is faithfulness personified." + +"How could I know that, dearest sister?" said Max soothingly. "I could +not be expected to know that your gifted and inestimable friend +possessed also the quality of steadfastness. But tell me some more about +Wisi. I hope, truly, that the merry creature was not unfortunate. It +would grieve me sadly to think that." + +"I see plainly, brother, that all your sympathies are secretly with +Wisi; and that you are not sorry for the faithful Andrew, whose heart +was nearly broken when he found that he had lost her." + +"Yes, yes," said Max. "I have the greatest sympathy for the good fellow. +But do tell me how it was with Wisi: did she cry her pretty eyes out?" + +"Almost, I believe," replied Marie. "I did not see her very often, and +she had a great deal of work to do. I believe that her husband was not a +bad fellow; but there was something very rough about him, and he was +rude and unkind even to his own little children. Wisi had a hard time of +it. She had a good many pretty children; but they were very delicate, +and she lost them one after the other. Five she buried, and has only now +one tender little girl,--a little Wiseli,--who is not much larger than +our Pussy, though she is several years older. Naturally Wisi's health +has been sadly tried with all this, and it is plainly visible now that +it has almost reached the end with her. She is rapidly wasting away in +consumption. I fear that there is no hope for her." + +"Oh!" cried Max, "is this possible? Is it really so bad as that? Can +nothing be done, Marie? Let us look after her, and try if we cannot mend +matters somewhat." + +"Oh, no! there is no chance for her," said his sister, sadly. "From the +very beginning Wisi was too delicate for all the work and care that came +upon her." + +"And what became of her husband?" + +"Oh! I quite forgot the sad trouble that poor Wisi had to endure +with him also. + +"About a year ago, he broke an arm and a leg in the workshop, and was +brought home half dead. He was very ill, and could not work, and +certainly was not a patient sufferer. Wisi had the care of him in his +sickness, in addition to every thing else, and he died about six +months after the accident. Wisi has lived alone with her child since +that time." + +"Then there will soon be nothing left but a little Wiseli, and what will +become of her? But, no; it will not turn out so sadly, I am sure. Wisi +will get well, and every thing be right again, as it should have been in +the beginning." + +"No, not so, Max; it is too late for that," replied his sister, +decidedly. "Poor Wisi had to suffer sadly for her folly. But it is too +late indeed!" she said, rising, almost frightened to see that it was +after midnight, and that the colonel, who had been silent for some time +past, was now sleeping in his arm-chair. + +Max was not in the least sleepy, however. All this story of poor Wisi +had awakened in him such lively recollections of his childhood, that +he wanted to talk about many other events and people; but his sister +was not to be persuaded. She took her bed-candle, and insisted upon +going to bed. + +There was nothing to be done but to awaken his brother-in-law, which he +did with such a tremendous thump on the back, that the colonel sprang up +with the feeling that he had been struck by an enemy's bomb-shell. But +Max tapped him kindly on the shoulder, saying, "It is only a gentle +warning from your wife that we must all beat a retreat." This was +accomplished, and soon the house on the height stood quietly in the +moonlight; and half way down the hill stood another house, where it +would soon be silent, too, though a still feeble light glimmered there, +casting a pale shadow through the little window out into the brilliant +moonlit night. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ALSO AT HOME. + + +At the same time that the colonel's children were going home, the +little Wiseli ran along down the hill as fast as she could scamper, for +she knew she had remained away longer than her mother liked that she +should, and she very rarely did any thing of the kind. This evening had +been one of such unusual pleasure for her that she had quite forgotten +to go home at the usual time, and therefore ran all the faster, and so +almost fell against a man, in her haste, who came out of the door of +their cottage as she was rushing in. He stepped quietly to one side, +and Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side. To +her great surprise, she found no light in the room,--her mother was +sitting in the twilight, on a low chair by the window. "Mother," said +the child, "are you angry because I was away such a long time?" and she +put her arms around her mother's neck as she spoke. "No, no, Wiseli," +said her mother, kindly; "but I am glad that you have come at last." +The girl began at once to tell her mother about the delightful coast +she had had on Otto's pretty sled,--how she had gone twice down the +hill, and how pleasant it was. When she had finished her little story, +she noticed, for the first time, how very quiet her mother was,--much +more so than usual,--and she asked anxiously, "Why have you not lighted +the lamp, mother?" + +[Illustration: WISELI HASTENED INTO THE ROOM, AND WENT TO HER +MOTHER'S SIDE] + +"I feel so weary this evening, Wiseli," replied her mother, "that I +could not get up to light it. Go get it now, my child, and bring me a +little water to drink at the same time, I am so very thirsty." Wiseli +hastened to the kitchen, and soon returned with the light in one hand, +and in the other a bottle filled with red syrup, that looked so +temptingly clear and good, that the thirsty invalid called out eagerly, +"What is that you are bringing me? It looks so good!" + +"I do not know," said the child; "it was standing on the kitchen-table. +See how it sparkles!" Her mother took the bottle, and smelled at it. +"Oh!" she said, smelling again, "it is like fresh, wild strawberries. +Give me some water, quickly, Wiseli; I must drink." The child poured +some of the red syrup into a glass, and filled it with water, which her +mother swallowed eagerly, as one parched with thirst. "You do not know +how refreshing it is, child," as she handed back the empty glass. "Put +it away, Wiseli, but not far. It seems to me as if I could drink it all +the time, I am so thirsty. Who brought me this refreshment, Wiseli: do +you know? It must be from Trine: she brought it from the colonel's." + +"Did Trine come in here, mother?" asked the child. + +"No; I have not seen her at all," said her mother. + +"Then it is not Trine, I am sure," said Wiseli, decidedly. "She always +comes into the room when she brings anything for you. But Andrew the +carpenter came today: did not he bring this with him?" + +"What, Wiseli," said her mother, very eagerly, "what are you saying? +Andrew the carpenter never came to see me: what made you think of that?" + +"He was here, certainly; certainly he was here within this house. He +went out of the door so quickly that I almost ran into him. Did you not +hear him at all?" + +Her mother was quiet for a long time without speaking; then she said, "I +did hear the kitchen door softly opened. At first I thought it might be +you, and--it is true, I did not hear you enter until later. Are you +sure, Wiseli, that Andrew the carpenter was the person who went out from +our door?" + +Wiseli was sure of her affair, and told her mother exactly how the coat +and how the cap looked that Andrew wore, and how frightened he was when +she almost ran into him; so that, at last, she convinced the good woman, +who said softly, as if to herself, "Yes, it must be Andrew; he knows +what I like best." + +"Now I remember something else, mother," cried Wiseli, quite excitedly. +"Now I know for sure who once placed a big pot of honey in the +kitchen,--you remember how much you liked that,--and then the +apple-cakes a day or two ago,--do not you remember? You wished to send +your thanks by Trine when she brought you something from the colonel's +kitchen, and she said that she knew nothing at all about them. Now I am +sure that Andrew the carpenter brought them, and secretly placed them in +the kitchen for you." + +"Now I believe so, also," said her mother, and softly wiped her eyes. + +"There is nothing sad about it, mother," said Wiseli, rather shocked to +see how often her mother kept wiping her eyes. + +"You must thank him for me, Wiseli: I cannot. Tell him that I send him +my thanks for all the goodness he has shown me,--he has always been kind +to me. Come, sit down here by me a little," said she, softly. "Give me +some more of the syrup, and then come and repeat the verse that I taught +you the other day." + +Wiseli brought more water, and mixed it with the syrup again, and her +mother drank of it eagerly; then she laid her head wearily upon the low +window-sill, and beckoned her little daughter to come to her side. It +seemed to the child that her mother could not be comfortable, and she +fetched a pillow from the bed, and placed it carefully under her +mother's head. Then she sat down close to her side on a footstool, and +held her mother's hand in her own, and complied with her request to +repeat the verses, thus,-- + + "'To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "'For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +As Wiseli finished, she observed that her mother was almost asleep; but +she heard her say, softly, "Think of this, my Wiseli; and when you do +not know which way to turn, and every thing seems difficult and +perplexing, then say to yourself these words,-- + + "'Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +Now the weary head sank down to rest, and little Wiseli would not awaken +her mother by a movement, but nestled up to her quietly, and slept also. +And the feeble light of the little lamp burned dimly in the quiet +room,--more and more feebly it burned, until it slowly flickered and +went out, and the cottage stood a dark object in the bright moonlight. + +The next morning the neighbor from the nearest house stopped, as usual, +on her way to the fountain, to look through the window of the cottage to +see if all was well within. She saw that the sick woman was sleeping on +the pillow, with her head against the window-sill, and that Wiseli stood +weeping by her side. This seemed so strange, that she put her head a +little way into the room, and asked, "What is the matter, Wiseli? Is +your mother worse?" The child sobbed dreadfully, and could scarcely say, +"I do not know what ails my mother." + +The poor child had a strong suspicion of what it all meant, but she +could not realize that her mother was lost to her. For she was still +there, but asleep,--asleep for all the rest of her daughter's life on +earth,--and could not hear how sadly the child called to her. The +neighbor stepped to the window and looked at the sleeping head upon the +pillow; then she started back in alarm. "Run quickly, Wiseli; run and +fetch your cousin Gotti. He must come at once. You have no other +relation, and somebody must look after things here. Run as fast as you +can: I will wait here until you come back." + +The child ran, but not fast, her heart was so heavy within her, and her +limbs trembled; and at last she had to stop and give way to her tears, +for she became more and more sure, with every step, that her mother +would never waken more. But she went on again soon, although she could +not stop her tears, for her sorrow increased as she went. In the beech +grove, full a quarter of an hour's walk from the church, stood the +house of her cousin Gotti; and presently Wiseli entered the door, still +crying bitterly. Her cousin's wife stood in the kitchen, and asked +harshly, "What is the matter with you?" Wiseli replied, between her +sobs, that the neighbor had sent her to ask her cousin Gotti to come +quickly to her mother. Probably the woman suspected, from the child's +look, that her mother was more ill, for she spoke a little less roughly +than usual. "I will tell him. You can go home: he is not here now." So +Wiseli turned about, and reached home more quickly than she came, for +she was returning to her mother. The neighbor stood by the +doorstep,--she could not wait inside the room: it was not pleasant to +her. But the child stepped in, and went to her place by her mother's +side that she had kept all through the night. There she sat weeping, +and only said, now and then, softly, "Mother." But no answering word +came to her. At last Wiseli said, bending over her, "Mother, you can +hear me, although you are in heaven now, and I cannot hear your +answer." And the child sat holding her mother's hand tightly until long +after noontime. About that time her cousin Gotti entered the room, +looked about him a little, and then called for the neighbor. "You must +arrange things here a little,--you know what I mean," he said,--"so +that things will be ready for the removal. Then carry the keys away +with you, so that nothing will be taken." He then turned to Wiseli and +said, "Where are your clothes, little one? Get them together and tie +them up in a bundle, and we will go away." + +"Where shall we go?" asked the child. + +"We will go home to the beech grove. You can stay there with us, for you +have nobody else in the world now but your cousin Gotti." + +At these words, Wiseli felt herself stiff with fear. Go to the beech +grove, and live with them there,--was that her fate? She had always had +the greatest fear of the wife of her cousin Gotti, and always stood a +long time before the door, when she was sent there with a message, +before she could summon courage to enter. The eldest son, Cheppi,--that +rough fellow,--lived there, and Hannes and Rudi; and they threw stones +at all the children. Was that to be her home? + +Fear caused the child to turn pale and immovable. + +"You must not be frightened, my child," said her cousin Gotti, in a +kindly tone. "There are more people in our house than there are here, +but it is all the more lively for that." + +Wiseli put her things silently together in a shawl, and tied the two +corners together crosswise; then she tied her scarf about her head, and +stood ready. + +"So," said her cousin, "now we will go," and turned towards the door; +but Wiseli sobbed out suddenly,-- + +"Then I must leave my mother all alone." + +With these words she ran to her mother, and clasped her in her +arms again. + +Her cousin Gotti stood rather disconcerted, and looked on. He did not +know how to explain how things were with her mother, if she did not +understand without words; for he was not strong in the matter of +expressing himself: he had never given himself the trouble to try. At +last, he said,-- + +"Now come, come along. A little child like you must be obedient. Come; +and, after this, no crying. That does not mend matters one bit." + +The child swallowed her sobs, and followed the cousin Gotti silently +through the door. Once only she glanced backward, and said softly, "God +will watch over you, mother;" and then went forth with her bundle on her +arm, and left the little house which had been home to her. Just as she +and her cousin Gotti went together across the field, Trine came towards +them down the road, with a covered basket on her arm. The neighbor stood +in the doorway, and looked after the departing couple. Trine went +towards her, saying,-- + +"To-day I am bringing the sick woman something good. A little late, to +be sure. We have Uncle Max on a visit to us: that always makes me late." + +"And even if you had come early in the morning, you would have come too +late to-day. She died last night." + +"That cannot be!" cried Trine, startled. "Oh, goodness me! what will my +lady say?" + +With these words she turned sharp about, and ran home as fast as +possible. The neighbor went back into the quiet room, and performed the +last kind offices for Wiseli's mother. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +AT COUSIN GOTTI's. + + +When Wiseli made her entry into her cousin Gotti's house at Beech Grove, +the three boys came running out of the barn, and, behind Wiseli, into +the room, where they placed themselves in front of her in a row, and +stared at the timid little thing with all their eyes. Her cousin's wife +came out of the kitchen, and stared also at the little thing, as if she +had never seen her before. + +Her cousin Gotti seated himself behind the table, and said,-- + +"I think she can eat something: she has not had much to-day. Come here," +he said, turning to Wiseli, who stood all this time in the same place, +with her bundle under her arm. She obeyed. Now her cousin's wife put new +wine and cheese on the table, also a huge loaf of black bread. Cousin +Gotti cut a big slice, put a lump of cheese upon it, and pushed it +towards the child. "There, eat, little one," he said. "You must be +hungry, I'm sure." + +"No, I thank you," said Wiseli, softly. She could not have swallowed +even a crumb. She felt as if she were crushed under her load of sorrow +and anxiety, and could scarcely even breathe. + +The boys stood there all the time, and stared at her. + +"Don't be frightened," said cousin Gotti, encouragingly. "Do eat +something." But the child sat motionless, and did not touch her bread. +Her cousin's wife came again; and, putting her hands on her hips, stood +looking her over from head to foot. + +"If you don't want it," she said, "you can leave it;" and turned on her +heel, and went again into the kitchen. + +When cousin Gotti had refreshed himself sufficiently he arose, and said, +"Put it in your pocket. By and by you will feel like eating, only do not +feel frightened;" and he went into the kitchen. Wiseli tried to do as he +told her, to put the bread and cheese into her pocket; but they were too +large, and she put them back upon the table again. + +"I will help you," said Cheppi, snatching the pieces from the table; and +was about to stuff them into his open mouth, but they flew up into the +air instead, for Hannes had knocked Cheppi's hand up with a smart blow, +and so the plunder was scattered, and Rudi darted upon it, and carried +part of it away. With this the two oldest boys fell upon him, and they +kicked and cuffed, and screamed and shouted, until Wiseli was terribly +frightened. Presently their father opened the kitchen-door, and called +out, "What does this all mean?" Then the boys all answered at once, from +the floor; and one said, "Wiseli did not want it;" and another, "Wiseli +had not any;" and "As long as Wiseli did not want any"-- + +Their father called out, loudly, "If you do not stop that, I will come +in with the thong, and whip you." And he slammed the door again. + +"It" did not "stop," however; but, as soon as the door was shut again, +it began worse than ever, for Hannes found that the best way to treat +the enemy was to grasp him by the hair; and so they all seized each +other by the hair, and stood in a ring, uttering terrible noises. In the +kitchen their mother sat on a stool, and peeled potatoes. When her +husband closed the door again, she asked,-- + +"What is your idea about that child? Why did you bring her home with +you at once?" + +"I thought she would have to stay with somebody. I am her cousin Gotti, +and she has no other relatives. You can make her useful. She can do what +you are doing now. Then you will be able to do other things. You are +always saying that the boys give you so much work,--more than is right." + +"Yes, as regards them, a great help she will be! You can hear now what +a racket there is in there, and she is only a quarter of an hour in +the house." + +"I have heard that sort of thing a good many times before the little one +came. I do not think that she has much to do with it," said the cousin +Gotti quietly. + +"Oh, you did not hear them!" said his wife sharply; "how they kept +calling out something about Wiseli?" + +"Well, they may call out, if they want to," said their father. "You will +soon have the little one in hand. I think she is not a troublesome +child,--I noticed that in the beginning,--and is much more obedient than +those boys of yours." + +This was too much for his wife. + +"I do not see what is the use of finding fault with the boys," she said; +and she peeled the potatoes faster and faster. "And I _should_ like to +know where the girl is to sleep." + +Her husband pushed his cap back and forth several times upon his head, +and said, soothingly,-- + +"One can't think of every thing at once. She must have had a bed to +sleep in; and she can, at least, have that. Tomorrow I will go to the +pastor. To-night she can sleep on the bench by the stove. It is always +warm there; and I can put a partition in the little passage that goes +into our room later, and set her bed in there." + +"I never heard of bringing home a child and getting a bed for it a week +afterwards," said the woman crossly; "and I should like to know who will +pay for it if we must build something more for her into the bargain." + +"When the parish assigns the child to us, they will allow us something +for her maintenance. I shall take her cheaper than any one else would +do, and she will be more comfortable here too." + +With this the cousin went out into the shed, and called out for Cheppi +to come with him. It was hard for the cousin's wife to make herself +heard in the room when she wished to give this message. They were all +fighting away, and shouting angrily and loudly. + +"I am surprised that you sit there looking on, and do not try to quiet +them in the least," said their mother to Wiseli, who sat cowering +against the wall, and did not dare even to move. Cheppi, however, was +dispatched to the barn, and the two others ran after him. + +"Do you know how to knit?" the cousin's wife asked Wiseli, who replied, +timidly, "Yes, I can knit stockings." + +"Well, then, take this," she said; and took from the cupboard a big +brown stocking, with yarn almost as stout as Wiseli's little fingers. +"Go on with the foot," she said, "and take care to make it big +enough: it is for your cousin Gotti." Then she went back into the +kitchen, and the little girl took her seat on the bench by the stove, +with the long stocking coiled up in her lap,--for it was so heavy +that she could scarcely knit if it hung down: it pulled the needles +out of her hand. She had scarcely begun to work, however, before her +cousin's wife came in again. + +"I think you had better come out into the kitchen with me," she said. +"Then you can see how I do things, and be able to help me a little by +and by." Wiseli obeyed, and watched her cousin's wife at her work as +well as she was able; but the tears kept coming into her eyes so that +she could scarcely see, for she thought all the time of how she used to +go about in the kitchen with her mother, who chattered so pleasantly +with her, and how they would stop to kiss each other now and then. She +knew very well that she ought not to give way to her tears, and tried to +swallow her sobs, until she felt almost strangling. + +"See here, look here," said the cousin's wife, every now and then; "then +you will know how to do it by and by." And she went about, here and +there, in the kitchen, letting Wiseli stand, and said nothing else to +her. This went on for some time, when there was a terrible stamping in +the entry, and the woman said, "Open the door as quick as you can: they +are coming." The noise was made by the cousin and his sons, who were +knocking the snow off their shoes before entering. Wiseli opened the +door into the inner room as quickly as possible; and the cousin's wife +lifted an enormous pan off the fire, and ran with it into the room, +where she shook a great heap of potatoes out over the slate-topped +table. Then she brought out a big jug of sour milk, and said, "Put the +things that are in the table-drawer on the table, and then they can all +sit down at once." + +Wiseli pulled out the drawer as quickly as possible. There lay five +spoons and five knives. She put these upon the table, and the supper was +ready. The father and his sons came in, and sat down at once on the +seats along the wall behind the table. At the other end stood a chair. +Cousin Gotti made a motion towards the chair and said, "She can sit +there, I think; or do you say no?" + +"Oh, certainly!" said his wife, whose seat was nearest the kitchen-door. +She did not remain seated a moment; but ran out into the kitchen and +came back, took a spoonful of milk, and was off again. + +Nobody knew why she ran about in this way, for there was nothing cooking +in the kitchen, and nothing to bring out, but she always did so; and +when, sometimes, her husband would say, "Do sit still, and eat +something," then she seemed more hurried than ever, and said she had no +time to sit still, there were so many things to be looked after. + +When she had made two visits to the kitchen and returned, and began to +peel a potato in great haste, she noticed, for the first time, that +Wiseli sat idly by her side, her hands on her lap. "Why don't you eat +something?" she said, angrily. "She has no spoon," said Rudi, who was +seated on the other side, and had long been wondering why anybody should +sit at table and not eat as long as there was any thing left. "Oh, yes, +of course," said his mother. "Who would ever have thought that we should +need six spoons? We have always found five enough; and we must have +another knife too. Why can't you speak? You know well enough that to eat +you want a spoon." These last words were addressed to Wiseli. + +The child glanced timidly at the woman and said, "It is no matter: I do +not need any. I am not hungry." + +"Why not?" asked the woman. "Are you used to a different kind of food? I +don't mean to change, if you are." + +"I think it would be better to let the child alone for a while; we must +not frighten her," said her cousin Gotti, soothingly. "She will feel +better soon." + +So Wiseli was unmolested, and the others were busily employed for a +while. She sat there motionless until her cousin rose, took his fur cap +from the nail, and began to look for the stable lantern; for "Spot" was +sick, and must be looked after again that night. The table was quickly +cleared. The empty potato-skins were brushed off into the empty +milk-jug, the slate-top wiped off; and when the woman was done with +this, she said, turning to Wiseli, "You have seen what I did; now you +can do it the next time." Now Cheppi took his seat firmly behind the +table again. He had his slate-pencil and arithmetic book, and prepared +himself to do his examples. First, however, he stared for a while at +Wiseli, who had again taken up her brown stocking, but did not make any +progress; for she could not see a thing in the dark corner where she +was seated, and she did not dare to draw nearer to the table where the +dim lamp was placed. "You must have something to do," cried Cheppi, in +an irritated tone. "You are not the smartest scholar in the school." +The girl did not know what to answer. She had not been to school that +day, and did not know what lessons were given out; and, besides, was +quite out of her usual habits and life generally. "If I must do my +examples, so must you, or I won't do them at all," cried Cheppi again. +Wiseli kept as still as a mouse. "Well, then, it is all right," said +the boy noisily. "I won't do another stroke of work." And he threw away +his pencil. + +"Then I won't do any thing, either," cried Hannes, and stuffed his +multiplication-table into his satchel again; for learning his lessons +was the hardest thing in the world for him. + +"I will tell the master whose fault it is," began Cheppi again. "You can +see, then, what you will get." + +Probably Cheppi would have gone on in this unpleasant style for a long +time, if his father had not soon returned from the barn. He brought in +two big, empty grain-bags on his shoulders, and came up to the table +with them. + +"Make room," he said to Cheppi, who sat with his elbows on the table, +supporting his head on his hands. Then he spread out his two bags, +folded them together again, and then again. At last he went towards the +bench behind the stove, and put them down on it. "There," he said, with +an air of satisfaction, "that is good. Where is your bundle, little +one?" Wiseli fetched it from her corner,--where it had lain ever since +she arrived,--and looked with surprise at her cousin Gotti as he placed +the bundle at the upper end of the folded bags, and pressed it down, so +that it was not perfectly round. + +"There, now you may go to sleep," he said, turning round to Wiseli. "You +cannot be cold, for the stove is hot; and you can put your head on your +bundle, and you will be as comfortable as if you were in your bed. + +"And it is time for you three to go to bed, too. Off with you: make +haste!" So saying, he took the oil-lamp from the table, and went towards +the kitchen. The three boys clattered along after him. + +When he reached the door, he turned again and said, "There, sleep +soundly. Must not think any more to-night, and it will be better for you +by and by," and he went out. Presently his wife came into the room with +an oil-lamp in her hand, and looked at the place where Wiseli was to +sleep. "Can you lie there?" she asked. "You will find it warm enough by +the stove. There are plenty of people who have neither bed nor a warm +place to be in. You won't suffer in that way, and ought to be thankful +that you are under a good roof. Good-night." + +"Good-night," replied Wiseli, softly; but the woman could not have +heard her, for she was already away when she spoke, and had closed the +door behind her immediately. Now Wiseli sat alone in the dark room. +Every thing about her was suddenly silent,--not a sound to be heard. A +straggling moonbeam shone through the little window,--enough to show +the child where the bench by the stove was, upon which she must find +her bed. She crossed the room, and seated herself there. For the first +time that day since she had left her dear mother, she found herself +alone, and able to think over what had befallen her. She had been +constantly under excitement until this moment; for every thing that +had happened frightened her. All that she heard or saw since she left +her home had been so very unpleasant that she could not stop to think +at all, but went from one alarm to another. Now there she sat alone, +without her mother, and began to realize that it was all over,--that +they would never see nor hear each other again in this world. And such +a sense of loneliness, of utter desolation, took possession of Wiseli, +that she believed herself uncared for and forgotten by everybody, and +feared that she should be left there alone to die in the dark. The +poor child laid her head down upon her bundle, and began to cry, +bitterly and despairingly, "Mother, can you not hear me? Mother, do +not you hear me call?" + +Now Wiseli's mother had often told her little girl, that when things +went very badly with us here below, then was the moment to lift up our +voices and cry to God for help; for he would hear us in our trouble when +all other's ears were deaf, and help us when no other help was possible. +At this moment the child remembered these words, and she sobbed aloud, +"Oh, you dear God in heaven! help me also, I am so unhappy, and my +mother cannot hear me when I call!" + +And when she had prayed thus several times over, she felt calmer. It +comforted her poor little heart; for now she felt that God was really +there in heaven, and could help her, and that she was no longer alone. +And presently she recalled her mother's words,--almost the very last +that she spoke: "My child, when you cannot see your way clearly before +you, and every thing seems strange and difficult"--And now it was so; +and how little she thought that it ever would be so, when her mother was +talking to her. Her mother told her to remember the words of the hymn,-- + + "Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +Now Wiseli first rightly understood these words, and felt their full +meaning. Before she had repeated them mechanically, for not until now +did she need them. But it was just her present case. Was not she full of +perplexity? and what could she possibly have in her cousin Gotti's house +but fear and trouble? And so she repeated, again and again,-- + + "Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +The child had found her way to her heavenly Father, and knew that he was +sure to help her; and she felt comforted. Folding her little hands, she +began the hymn at the beginning, for it seemed like talking to a kind +friend; and she said each word from her very heart:-- + + "To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +A quiet trust now took possession of the child's heart. She fell asleep +soon after, her head supported on her little bundle, still repeating the +last lines of the hymn. And a pleasant dream followed. She saw before +her a dry bright pathway in the full sunlight, and the road led between +beautiful red roses and lovely pinks that were so attractive that she +longed to run to gather them. And by her side stood her dear mother, and +held her hand tenderly in her own, as she always did; and her mother +pointed along the pathway in her dream, and said, "See, my Wiseli; did +not I tell you so? That is your way." + + "'Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +And the child was happy in her dream, and slept as soundly on her little +bundle as if she were on a soft bed. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +HOW TIME WENT ON, AND SUMMER CAME. + + +When old Trine carried the news back to the heights, and told them +there that Wiseli's mother was dead, and the child taken at once to her +cousin Gotti's, the whole family became greatly agitated. Mrs. Ritter +could not cease bewailing her neglect in not visiting the sick woman +before, for she had been postponing it from day to day; but, of course, +had not in the least realized how near the end might be. She was sadly +cast down, and sorrowful. And Otto: he went raging up and down the room +with great strides, and kept calling out angrily, "It is an injustice! +It is a great injustice! But if he dares to lay a hand on her to harm +her, he may look to his own bones, how many of them will be left whole +in his skin!" + +"Who do you mean, Otto? Who are you talking about in that way?" said his +mother, looking curiously at her excited boy. + +"About that Cheppi," he replied. "I do not know what dreadful things he +will do to Wiseli when he has her there in his own house. It is not +right, but just let him try"--But now Otto was interrupted by a repeated +and heavy stamping that prevented his being heard. "Why do you make such +a deafening noise, you pussy cat, there behind the stove?" he cried, +turning his indignation towards another quarter. Pussy came out from +behind the stove, but stamped more violently than before; for she was +trying to force her feet into her wet boots, which it had taken the old +Trine ever so long to pull off a while before. It was dreadfully hard +work; and Pussy became as red as fire, while she said,-- + +"Don't you see that I have to do so? Nobody in the world could get these +boots on without stamping." + +"And what in the world do you want to put those wet boots on again for? +I have just pulled them off, so that you should not have them on. I +should just like to know what this means?" said Trine, who stood looking +on all this time. + +"I am going to the beech grove this very minute to fetch Wiseli to +our house. She can have my bed," said Pussy, decidedly. But quite as +decidedly old Trine stalked over to Pussy, at these words, lifted her +up, placed her firmly on a chair, while she pulled off the boot that +was half on; but said, in a pacifying tone, to the kicking and +excited child,-- + +"That is all right! that is all right! but I will take care of you +first. You must not get two pair of shoes and two pair of stockings wet +through in one day. You can give up your bed. You can go up into the +lumber-room, if you want to: there is room enough there." + +But Pussy had a very different plan in her little head. She thought +that she could free herself, in this wise, of a great and daily +recurring trouble, that often gave her both inward and outward +annoyance; namely, the being ordered off to bed every evening, and +obliged to go, into the bargain, just as she was in the mood to enjoy +herself especially. She thought that, if she gave up her bed to Wiseli, +there would be none other at hand for her, and so she could stay up as +long as she wanted to. + +She was so delighted at this prospect, that she did not, at first, +notice how the sly Trine had wisked off her wet boots, and that now +there was no chance to fetch Wiseli. + +When she fairly understood how she had been tricked, she set up such an +outcry that Otto put his fingers in his ears, and her mother came in, a +good deal alarmed at the uproar. She promised Pussy to talk over the +matter with her father as soon as he came home; for he had gone away +that very morning, with their Uncle Max, to pay a long-promised visit to +an old friend. After a while peace and quiet were restored in the +household. The gentlemen did not return for two weeks, however; but Mrs. +Ritter kept her promise. The first thing that she mentioned to her +husband, on the very evening of his return, was the fact of Wiseli being +an orphan, and her new shelter; and the colonel promised to go to the +pastor the very next day, to see what better arrangement could be made +for the child; and, having visited the pastor, the colonel brought back +the sad news, that, on the Sunday just past, the parish had taken the +matter into consideration, and that it was now settled. Wiseli must be +housed somewhere; and, as her mother had not left any property whatever, +she must also be maintained at the expense of the parish until she could +support herself. Moreover, her cousin Gotti had offered, in the first +instance, to take the child for a very slight compensation. He wished to +do an act of charity as far as he could afford it. He was known to be a +well-conducted man; and, as he made so slight a demand, it was agreed +and settled that the child should henceforth find her home with him. + +"It seems to me a very good arrangement," said the colonel to his wife. +"The child will be well cared for there; besides, what else could be +done? She is much too small to be placed anywhere in service, and +certainly you cannot take every orphan child in the neighborhood into +your own house. You might as well turn it into an asylum at once." + +Mrs. Ritter was very much disturbed by the news that every thing had +been settled so soon. She had hoped to be able to have found a different +home for Wiseli, who was, she knew, much too sensitive and delicate a +child to be happy in a home where rudeness and roughness were the rule; +but she had not a definite plan in her mind, and now there was nothing +to be done but to try to look after the child's comfort a little, and to +protect her, if possible. + +Otto and Pussy did not take the affair so quietly, however. They were in +great excitement when they heard it all on the following morning. + +Otto declared Wiseli's lot to be the lot of Daniel in the lion's den, +and brought his fist down on the table with the evident wish that he +were pommelling Cheppi's head. Pussy screamed, and cried a little; +partly out of pity for Wiseli, and partly from disappointment that she +could not now carry out her little plan of being able to sit up later in +the evenings. + +But this excitement was at last quieted down, like every other, by time; +and the days rolled on in their wonted manner. + +In the meantime Wiseli has become somewhat accustomed to the life in her +cousin Gotti's house. For one thing, her bed had come; and she no longer +slept on the bench by the stove, but in a little place partitioned off +from the passage between her cousin's room and that of the boys. There +was just room enough in this little place for her bed, and a little +chest, in which she placed her clothes, and upon which she had to climb +when she wished to get into her bed; for there was no space between. + +She was obliged to go to the well when she washed; and, if it was very +cold, then her cousin's wife said she could give up washing for that +day, and do it on another when it was warmer. Now Wiseli was not used to +this style of thing at all. Her mother had taught her that cleanliness +was absolutely necessary; and Wiseli would have frozen rather than to +look untidy, and, therefore, displease her mother. To be sure, every +thing was different for her at home; for she washed and dressed herself +in her mother's room always; and many a loving word they exchanged until +the coffee was on the table, and they sat down together, and ate their +breakfast happily, before Wiseli started off for school. + +But what a difference for her now! All, all was changed,--her whole life +from morning till evening; and often, at the thought of her mother, the +tears started into the poor child's eyes, and her heart ached so sadly, +that she felt as if she could go no farther, but must drop down, and +die. But she held herself bravely, for it distressed her cousin Gotti to +see her cry, and his wife scolded more than ever; for she, too, disliked +to see her dull. + +The happiest part of the twenty-four hours for Wiseli was when she +climbed into her little bed at night, and had a moment's time to think +about her dear mother in peace. + +At this time she always obtained comfort. She thought about her +beautiful dream, and felt perfect confidence that the good God would +find a way for her out of her troubles, as her mother had told her; and +she hoped that her mother was also in heaven, and would pray to God not +to forget her poor little child left alone in the wide world. Then +Wiseli always repeated her hymn, and slept quietly. + +So the winter slipped away, and the spring with its sunshine followed. +The trees were green again, and the meadows were gay with primroses and +white anemones, and in the wood the cuckoo sang lustily; and soft, warm +breezes were all abroad, making every heart beat more cheerily; and one +rejoiced that life was still possible. + +Wiseli also rejoiced over the flowers and the sunshine, especially when +she went to and from school. Beyond this she had little time for +enjoyment, for she had so much work to do. Every moment out of school +she had to employ in some useful occupation; and, indeed, often was +obliged to stay away from school for a half-day at a time, there was so +much to be done that could not be neglected, as her cousin Gotti, and +particularly his wife, were forever telling her. The cultivation of the +fields had begun, and also the garden work; and when her cousin's wife +was in the garden, then Wiseli had to wash the cooking utensils, and had +the hogs' trough to cleanse and carry back to the barn; and then the +boys' stockings and shirts must be mended, and her cousin's wife always +said, "Oh, the child can do that, she has nothing else to do;" and yet +she never was idle a single moment, and felt almost giddy at times, +because she was called from one piece of work to another before she had +time to breathe. Moreover, she found that if, for example, she ran over +to the field with the seed-potatoes that her cousin Gotti was calling +for, then his wife would scold because she had not made the kitchen-fire +for the supper, as she was bidden to do; but if she stopped to make the +fire, then she was found fault with by Cheppi because she had not mended +the hole in his jacket-sleeve he had told her to long ago; and everybody +called out, "Why don't you do this, or why don't you do that? you have +nothing else to do." She was glad to go to school whenever she was +allowed to go, for she was quiet for a while then; and, moreover, in +that place the poor child heard a pleasant word now and again. For each +time that recess came, or they left school to go home, Otto would come +to her, and talk with her pleasantly for a while, or give her an +invitation from his mother to visit them on Sunday evening and play +games with the children. Poor Wiseli could never avail herself of these +charming invitations, because on Sunday she had always to make the +coffee for the family; and her cousin's wife said that she could not +think of letting the child go away to visit on the only day when she was +really of some use to her. But the child was glad that Otto always asked +her, though she could not go, and that he always spoke kindly to her; +for those were the only friendly acts or words that she knew of +nowadays. There was still another reason that made it pleasant for +Wiseli to go to school, and that was the passing by Andrew the +carpenter's pretty garden on her way there. She always paused and looked +over the low hedge, hoping that she might catch sight of the carpenter; +for she had her mother's message to deliver, and never ceased hoping to +find the opportunity. She was far too shy to go into the house for that +purpose. She felt that she did not know Andrew well enough to venture to +do that. She was particularly timid with him, because he was so very +quiet, and always looked at her kindly when they met, but never spoke; +or, at least, never said more than a kindly word in passing. And she had +never succeeded in catching even a glimpse of him, no matter how long +she stood by the hedge and looked over. + +May passed, and June. The long days of summer came, with more and more +work to be done in the fields, and work that was ever hotter and hotter. +Wiseli felt this keenly when her cousin Gotti called her out to help +with the haymaking, and the heavy rake was so hard for her to lift; or, +worse still, to handle the clumsy wooden fork when the hay needed +spreading in the sun to dry. + +She often was obliged to work in the fields, and in the evening was so +tired out that she could scarcely move her poor little arms. She never +fretted, however, for she thought it was necessary and right; but often, +when she was still for a moment in the evening, it hurt her sadly to +hear Cheppi call out, "You ought to do your examples in arithmetic now, +as I do. You are never doing any thing out of school, and in the classes +you are always behind the others." + +She would have liked to study and get on at her lessons, if she could +only have gone regularly to school, and been able to keep up with the +class. She was well aware that she was far behind her schoolmates; but +what could she do, when she only got a little here and there, and all +was confused for her, and she never knew what lessons were given out for +the out-of-school studies. When she came quite unprepared to school, and +could not answer the questions put to the class, she was overwhelmed +with mortification, especially when the teacher would say, before all +the other children, "I did not expect to see you so behindhand, +Wiseli,--you of all others, who used to be so clever at your books." +Then she used to feel fit to sink through the floor for shame, and would +cry all the way as she walked home. But she did not dare to answer +Cheppi back when he taunted her, because then he would begin to cry and +scold, and make a noise, until his mother came in, when she, too, would +reproach her with being behind her classes, because Cheppi said she was. +So Wiseli often kept back her tears, and only gave way when she was +alone; and sometimes it did seem to her as if she were quite forgotten +by her heavenly Father and her mother, and as if nobody in the whole +world cared for her; and she was too sad at heart even to say her +comforting hymn for a long time; but she could not rest nor sleep until +she had done so, even though there was little satisfaction for her in +the words. + +One beautiful evening in July Wiseli slept, after a sad time of weeping, +and could not obtain an answer, the next morning, to her question of +whether she might go to school with the boys. + +Off scampered the boys. She looked sadly after them through the open +window as they sprang away gayly through the flower-besprinkled grass, +and chased a cloud of white butterflies along in front of them as they +ran through the brilliant sunshine. + +Her cousin's wife had prepared the big wash,--this was the work laid out +for the whole week. Must Wiseli work there too? + +Yes: already she heard a calling from the kitchen, and her cousin Gotti +called her by name,--he stood at the well, and saw her looking out of +the window. + +"Make haste, make haste, Wiseli; it is time to be off: the boys are +half-way to school. All the hay is in: make haste and go too." She did +not wait till he told this twice. Like a flash she snatched her satchel +and was off. + +"Tell the teacher that I have not sent him his money for a long time, +but he must not be vexed at that, we have had so much work with the hay +this summer." + +How happy the child felt as she flew along! She need not stand all day +at the wash-tub: she could go instead to school. How beautiful it was +everywhere about! The birds sang more sweetly than ever from the +trees, the grass was scented, and the pretty red and yellow flowers +glistened in the sun. Wiseli could not stop to enjoy them,--it was too +late for that,--but she felt the beauty as she ran along, and rejoiced +at every step. + +That same evening, just as all the children streamed out of the +close schoolroom into the beautiful afternoon light, the teacher +called out, with his serious face peering into the little crowd, +"Whose week is this?" + +"Otto's, Otto's," called the whole company at once, and ran off. + +"Otto," said the teacher, earnestly, "yesterday it was not swept up here +at all. I excuse you for once; but do not let it happen again, or I must +punish you, boy." + +Otto looked for a moment at all the nut-shells and apple-parings and +bits of paper that lay scattered about the floor waiting to be brushed +up; then he turned his head quickly away, and scampered out of the door, +for the teacher had disappeared into his own part of the house. Otto +stood outside and gazed about him at the golden sunset, and thought, "If +I could go home now, I could get a capful of cherries, and I could ride +the brown horse home from the field when the groom fetches the hay; and +now I must stay here instead, and sweep up these scraps from the floor!" +And Otto was so angry over this unpleasant task, that he scowled about +him, saying, "I wish the day of judgment would come, and carry off the +schoolhouse, and break it up into a thousand pieces!" But every thing +was still and peaceful all about, and not a sign of any such ravaging +earthquake to be seen or heard. + +After a while Otto turned back towards the schoolroom-door with a savage +determination, for he knew that he must bite into his sour apple, or be +punished the next day by having to sit still during recess; and he would +not run the risk of that disgraceful punishment. He entered the room, +but stood still with surprise as soon as he stepped past the threshold. +Every thing was brushed up in the school-room: not a scrap nor bit to be +seen anywhere. The windows all stood wide open, and the soft evening +breeze blew through the quiet room. Just then the teacher came out of +his own room and looked about him, and at the staring Otto, and said, +pleasantly, "You may well look about you with satisfaction. I did not +think that you could do it so well. You are a good scholar; but you have +surpassed yourself to-day in cleaning up, for I never saw it so neatly +done before." + +So saying, the teacher went away; and after Otto had convinced himself +by a last glance that what he saw was fact, and no witchcraft, he dashed +down the steps, two at a time, across the little place and up the +hillside: and not until he began to tell it all to his mother did he +begin to wonder to whom he was indebted for this good turn. + +"Nobody has done it through a mistake, that is certain," said his +mother. "Have not you some good friend who is noble enough to sacrifice +himself in this way for you? Think over all of them: who can it be?" + +"I know," cried Pussy, who had been listening eagerly. + +"Yes; pray who?" said Otto, half curiously, half incredulously. + +"Jack, the mouse," explained Pussy in a tone of conviction; "because you +gave him an apple last year." + +"Oh, yes; or William Tell, because I did not take away his, year before +last. One would be quite as probable as the other, you wonderfully +clever Puss." And Otto ran away barely in time to catch the groom, who +was going for the hay. + +Wiseli also ran about this time. Down the hill with a happy heart and a +merry countenance, past Andrew's garden, she ran, jumping and leaping in +her frolicsome mood; and then about she went, and jumped back again to +the garden, for she had espied the pinks all in bloom just within the +enclosure, and must look at them again, they, were so beautiful. "I +shall soon overtake the boys," she thought; "they stop at every corner +to play ball." + +But the pinks were most lovely to look upon; and they had such a +sweet perfume, too, that the child lingered, looking over the low +hedge for a long time. Suddenly Andrew came out of his house-door, +and stood in front of Wiseli. He offered her his hand over the hedge, +and said most kindly,-- + +"Will you take a pink, Wiseli?" + +"Yes, indeed," she replied; "and I have a message to give you from +my mother." + +"From your mother?" repeated Andrew the carpenter in great surprise, and +let the pink that he had just gathered fall from his hand. Wiseli ran +round the hedge and picked it up from the ground; then she looked up at +the man who stood still and looked at her strangely, and said,-- + +"Yes; at the very end, when my mother could do nothing more, she drank +up the nice syrup that you put on the kitchen-table for her, and it +refreshed her very much; and she charged me to tell you that she thanked +you for it very much indeed, and for all the many acts of kindness that +you had shown her; and she said, 'He always felt kindly to me.'" + +Now Wiseli perceived that big tears rolled from Andrew's eyes and fell +over his cheeks. He tried to say something, but could not speak. He +pressed the child's hand, turned him about, and went into the house. + +Wiseli stood still and wondered. Nobody had wept for her mother. Even +she had not dared to cry, except when nobody could see her; for her +cousin said that he would not have any whining, and she was even more +afraid of making his wife angry. And now here was some one who wept +because she had spoken of her mother to him. It seemed to the child as +if Andrew were her very best friend upon the earth, and she felt herself +strongly drawn towards him. But now she ran with her pink as fast as +possible towards the beech grove; and it was well that she did so, for +she saw the boys also drawing near the house, and it would never have +done for her to be later than they. + +Wiseli said her prayer with a light heart that night, and could not +understand why she had been so depressed the night before, and why she +had felt no confidence in God's kindness, and could not even say her +hymn. Now she felt sure that he had not forgotten her, and she would +never allow herself to think that again. Had she not received many kind +things from him? And as she fell asleep she saw before her the kind face +of Andrew the carpenter, with the tears in his eyes. + +On the following day--it was Wednesday--Otto was again surprised by the +good deed performed for him by his unknown friend; for he could not +refrain from going out with the others when school was first over, and +making a few gambols here and there to refresh himself after the long +confinement. When, at last, he returned somewhat sadly to his work, it +was all done again, and the schoolroom perfectly tidy. Now his curiosity +began to be excited, and also gratitude to his invisible benefactor +began to stir in his heart. He would certainly find out on Thursday what +it all meant. + +So, when the classes were dismissed, and they all left the house as +usual, Otto stood for a while by his seat, thinking how he could +discover his helpful friend. But a knot of his schoolmates rushed in as +he stood there, grasped him by arms and shoulders, and dragged him out, +crying, "Come along! Come on! We are playing 'Robbers,' and you must be +our leader." + +Otto defended himself for a moment. "This is my week," he cried. + +"Oh, nonsense! put it off," they said. "Only just for a quarter of an +hour. Come along!" + +And Otto went. To tell the truth, he relied secretly upon his unseen +friend, who would certainly shield him from punishment. He found it +extremely agreeable to feel such a support under his feet; and the +quarter slipped into the full hour, and Otto was lost. He went back to +the schoolhouse to fulfil his duty, and threw open the door with such a +slam that the master rushed out of his room very quickly, and asked,-- + +"What do you want, Otto?" + +"Only to look in again, to see if every thing is as it should be," +stammered the boy. + +"This is excellent," said the teacher; "but it is not necessary for you +to slam the door in that way." + +Otto went away in good spirits. On Friday he made up his mind not to do +his work of cleaning until he was satisfied about the mystery; and +then,--then there would only be Saturday morning left of his week. + +"Otto," called out the teacher on Friday, as the clock struck four, +"take this paper over to the pastor as quickly as you can. He will give +you some papers to bring back. It will only take you a moment or two, +and you will be here in time to brush out the room." + +The boy did not like to go very well, but there was no help for it; and, +of course, he could be back in a twinkling. He reached the parsonage in +half a dozen bounds. The pastor was busy, just then, with a visitor. His +wife called Otto to her in the garden. She wanted to know how his mamma +found herself; if his father were well, and Pussy, too; how Uncle Max +was employed; and if they had good news from their relations in Germany. +Then the pastor made his appearance, and Otto had to explain why it was +his business to bring the papers, and what the teacher was doing at +present. At last he got his papers, and was off like an arrow, pulled +open the door of the schoolroom,--to find every thing swept and +garnished, and no living being visible. + +"And I have not been obliged to stoop once, to clear away the tiresome +bits, the whole week through," thought Otto contentedly. "But who can +have done all this dirty work without being obliged to do it?" Now he +determined, for once and all, to have that question settled. + +The school hours ended at eleven o'clock on Saturday. Otto waited until +all the children had gone, and the room was empty. Then he went outside, +closed the door, and leaned with his back against it. There could no one +enter without his seeing who it was. He preferred to do this, rather +than to go at once to work at the sweeping and cleaning. He waited and +waited: no one came. He heard the clock strike the half-hour. There were +plans at home for an excursion that afternoon. The family were to dine +early, to get away soon after dinner. He ought to begin with his work at +once, if he wanted to get home in good season. How he hated it! + +He opened the door. Now Otto stared about him even more than he had done +the first time. The work was all done. It was certainly so, and nicer +than ever before. + +Things began to look rather queerly to Otto. He thought of ghost +stories, and such things. Very much more softly than usual he +slipped out, and closed the door behind him. Just at the same time, +something slipped silently out of the teacher's kitchen, and they +came together face to face. It was Wiseli. She grew red and redder, +just as if Otto had detected her in something mischievous. Now the +truth flashed into his mind. + +"So it is you who have done my work all the week, Wiseli?" he said. +"Nobody else would have thought of doing it unless obliged to, I am +sure of that." + +"You have no idea how glad I am to get the chance," said Wiseli, in +reply. + +"No, no; you must not say that, Wiseli. Nobody in the world can be glad +to do such things," said the boy decidedly. + +"But I mean it,--I really do," repeated the girl. "I have thought, +all day long through the week, with pleasure of the chance the +afternoon would give me; and, while I was working, I was more than +ever glad, because I thought, when Otto comes, he will find the work +done, and be pleased." + +"But what put it into your head to do it for me?" + +"Oh! I knew how much you disliked it; and I have always wanted to give +you something, as you once gave me your sled. Don't you remember? But I +have nothing to give." + +"What you have done is worth a great deal more than lending a sled. I +won't forget your kindness, Wiseli." So saying, Otto offered her his +hand, quite overcome for the moment. + +Wiseli's eyes shone with satisfaction as they seldom did nowadays. +Presently Otto wanted to know how she had managed to get into the room +again, for he had always waited until all the children were gone. + +"Oh! I never did go out," said the girl. "I hid myself quickly +behind the closet-door. I thought you would go out for a few +moments, as usual." + +"How did you get out without my seeing you afterwards?" Otto wanted to +know all about it. + +"Oh! while you were running around with the other boys, I got out easily +enough. I listened; but yesterday and to-day, as I was not certain where +you were, I went through the teacher's kitchen, and asked his wife if +she had any errand for me to do,--she often gives me a message to carry +somewhere,--and then I went out that way. Yesterday I was behind the +kitchen-door when you ran into the schoolroom." + +Now Otto knew all the ghost story. He offered his hand again to Wiseli. +"I thank you," he said; and they both ran off with happy hearts, each a +separate way. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OLD AND NEW. + + +Summer was over, and Autumn had followed in her footsteps. The evenings +were cool and misty. In the damp meadows the cows were eating the last +grass of the season, and here and there little fires were visible where +the sheep-boys cooked their potatoes and warmed their stiffened fingers. + +It was on such a misty evening that Otto, on leaving the schoolhouse, +ran home for a moment to tell his mother that he was going to see what +kept Wiseli from school; for she had not been there since the autumn +vacation,--certainly not for eight days. + +As he approached the beech grove, he saw Rudi sitting before the door, +eating pear after pear from a heap that lay before him. + +"Where is Wiseli?" asked Otto. + +"Outside," was the answer. + +"Where outside?" + +"In the meadow." + +"In which meadow?" + +"I don't know;" and Rudi went on munching his pears. + +"You won't die early because you know too much," remarked Otto, and +went haphazard towards the big meadow that stretched away from the +house to the wood. + +Presently he discovered three black spots under the pear-trees, and went +towards them. + +He was right. There was Wiseli stooping over the pears which she was +sorting, while a little farther off Cheppi sat astride of his rake; and +behind him Hannes lay on his back across the piled-up basket, and rocked +it back and forth so violently, that it nearly fell over at each +movement. Cheppi looked at him, laughing loudly. + +When Wiseli saw Otto coming towards her, her whole countenance glowed +with pleasure. + +"Good evening, Wiseli," cried the lad from afar. "Why have you not been +to school for so long?" + +The girl stretched out her hand with a pleasant smile to her friend. + +"We have had so much to do that I was not able to go," she said. "Just +look, what a lot of pears we have! I have to sort them from morning till +night, there are so many." + +"Your shoes and stockings are all wet. It is not pleasant here. Are you +not cold when you are so wet?" + +"Yes, I do feel chilly sometimes; but, in general, I get very warm at +this work." + +At this moment Hannes gave his basket such a powerful twist that over it +went, and there lay Hannes, the basket, and the pears all in a heap on +the ground. + +"Oh, oh!" cried Wiseli in distress; "now they are all to be picked +up again." + +"And this one, too," cried Cheppi, and laughed aloud as the pear that he +had in his hand struck Wiseli's cheek with such force that it brought +the tears to her eyes, and she turned quite white with the pain. + +Scarcely had Otto seen this than he flew at Cheppi, threw him and his +rake to the ground, and seized him by the nape of the neck. + +"Stop, or I shall choke!" Cheppi was not laughing now. + +"I want to make you remember that you will also have me to deal with in +future, when you treat Wiseli in that way," said Otto, scarlet with +anger. "Have you got enough? Will you remember it now?" + +"Yes, yes! Let me go!" said Cheppi, in a very humble tone. + +Otto released him. + +"Now you have felt," he said, "how it will be whenever you hurt Wiseli +again. I will give you some more of this each time, even if you are +sixty years old. Good-by, Wiseli." And Otto went his way to carry his +anger to his mother. + +He unburdened himself to her as soon as he reached home. It was a +terrible thing to the generous boy that Wiseli should be obliged to +submit to such treatment. He was determined to go at once to the +pastor to complain of him and of his whole family, and demand that +Wiseli should be taken away from them at once. His mother listened +quietly to him, and let his indignation have time to cool off a +little; then she said,-- + +"I do not think, my dear boy, that there is the least use in your doing +this. They would not take the child from her cousin Gotti, I am sure; +and it would only irritate him, should he hear that such a thing was +thought of. He himself does not feel unkindly towards Wiseli, and there +is really no sufficient ground for removing her from his roof. I know +very well that the poor girl has a hard time of it there. I have not +forgotten her, and am constantly hoping to find some way to help her. It +lies very heavily on my heart to know how much she has to suffer, you +may be sure of that, Otto. And if you can at any time manage to shelter +her and intimidate that brutal fellow Cheppi, without being too rough +yourself, I shall be very glad." + +Otto took what comfort he could in the knowledge that his mother was +constantly looking out for some way to help Wiseli. + +He was always planning some way to help her himself, but never hit upon +any thing that could be carried out. He saw very well that she could not +free herself; and the only idea that occurred to him as Christmas drew +near was to write on his list of wishes, in huge letters so big that +they could easily be read from heaven above, "I wish that the Christ +child would set Wiseli at liberty." + +Winter was come again, and the coast offered its feast of inexhaustible +pleasure to the children, who never wearied of its charm. The moon shone +with the most unusual brightness, it seemed to Otto, who, at last, had +the cleverness to suggest that all the children should collect on the +hillside at seven o'clock to take advantage of its beauty for an evening +coasting-party. + +This suggestion was received with universal approbation, and the +children separated at five o'clock when it began to be dark, to meet +again at seven for their favorite amusement. + +Otto's mother was not so enthusiastic over this great scheme as were the +children, and could not agree with them when they expressed their +delight. She said it was too cold for them to be out late into the +evening; that there was great danger of accidents in the uncertain +moonlight; and particularly objected to allowing Pussy to expose +herself. But her objections only served to enhance the interest the +children felt for the expedition, and Pussy pleaded for her consent as +if her very life hung on being one of this coasting-party. Otto +promised, "upon his word of honor," that he would not let any thing +happen to his sister, and would always keep near to her and protect her. +At last their mother gave her consent; and, with great noise and +rejoicing, the children went out into the beautiful, clear, cold +moonlight. + +Every thing went on without a drawback. The coast was in perfect +condition; and the mysteriousness of the darker places, upon which the +moonlight did not fall, heightened the interest of the occasion. There +were a vast number of children assembled, and all were in the best +humor. Otto let them all go down first; then he followed, and Pussy came +last of all, so that no one could run her down. Otto had arranged it in +this way, so that he could always glance backward to see that his little +sister went safely down the coast. + +As every thing went so smoothly and happily, somebody proposed that they +should make a "train;" that is, bind all the sleds together, and so go +down: it would be more delightful than ever by moonlight. No sooner said +than done. Only Pussy's sled was not tied to her brother's, for he +feared lest the straining and shocks that often took place in this kind +of coasting might prove dangerous to her. She followed, therefore, as +usual; but Otto could not stop his sled if she was delayed, for he had +to go on with the "train." Off they went, and the long chain reached the +bottom safely and happily. + +Suddenly Otto heard a fearful cry, and he recognized at once his little +sister's voice. What had happened? He had no choice, however, but to go +down to the very end with the merry party to which he was closely +fastened--down to the foot of the hill, no matter how great his fear +might be. Once at the bottom, however, he tore his sled loose, and ran +up the hill as quickly as possible, with all the others at his heels; +for they had all heard the screams, and wanted to see what they meant. +Half-way up the ascent stood Pussy by her sled, and screamed and cried +rivers of tears. Out of breath with his haste, Otto could hardly call +out, "What is the matter? What has happened?" + +"He did--he did--he did," sobbed Pussy, and could get no further. + +"What did he do? Who was it? Where? Who?" stammered Otto. + +"That man there, that man; he did try to kill me, and said terrible +words, too." + +As much as this Otto understood, accompanied by screams and sobs. + +"Be quiet now, Pussy: do not go on like that. He did not kill you, after +all. Did he really strike you?" asked Otto, very gently and soothingly, +for he was much alarmed. + +"No," sobbed Pussy, beginning again; "but he was going to. He had a +stick, and he held it out like that, and said, 'Wait a moment;' and such +dreadful words he said, too." + +"Then he really did not do any thing to hurt you?" asked Otto, and began +to breathe more freely. + +"But he did, he did; and you were all off down the hill, and I was all +alone." And Pussy's tears and sobs continued to break forth. + +"Hush, hush!" said Otto, consolingly. "Now try to be quiet. I will not +leave you again, and the man will not trouble you any more; and if you +will be quiet and good, I will give you the red candy cock that was on +the Christmas-tree." + +This made an impression upon Pussy. She dried her eyes, and did not make +another sound; for that big red candy cock on the Christmas-tree was +what the child had most wished for. In the division of the things it had +fallen to Otto's share; but his little sister had never forgotten her +longing for it. Now that every thing was quiet again, the children began +to climb the hill, and they tried to make out who the man could be who +had threatened to kill Pussy. + +"Oh, kill! Not so bad as that," interposed Otto. "I saw a big man with a +stick, who was obliged to step into the snow to get out of our way when +we went down the coast on the 'train.' It made him angry to be obliged +to go into the snow; and finding Pussy alone there, he scolded her a +little to relieve himself." + +This explanation satisfied everybody, it was so perfectly natural. +Everybody wondered that they had not thought of it before,--indeed, +thought they had,--and soon forgot all about it, and continued coasting. +This, however, had an end, like all other pleasures; for eight o'clock +had struck long ago, and that was the hour at which they were to break +up and go home. On the way back, Otto charged Pussy not to speak of her +adventure; otherwise their mother would never again let them go coasting +in the moonlight. She should have the candy cock, but must promise not +to say a word if she took it. + +All traces of her tears had long vanished, and nothing betrayed their +secret to the family. + +Both children slept quietly in their beds soon after, and Pussy dreamed +of the red candy cock, and shouted out with pleasure in her dreams. +Presently there was a loud knocking at the house-door, that made Colonel +Ritter and his wife spring up from the table, where they were +comfortably talking about the children; and old Trine called out of the +window, in an angry tone,-- + +"What sort of a way of knocking is that?" + +"A terrible thing has happened," said some one from below. "We want the +colonel to come down the hill. They have found Andrew the carpenter +dead." And off ran the messenger again. + +Mr. and Mrs. Ritter had heard enough, however, for they had heard this +sad news from the window. The colonel threw his cloak about his +shoulders, and hastened down to the carpenter's. As he entered the room, +he found that there were already a crowd of people assembled. The +justice of the peace and the chief magistrate had been fetched, and a +number of curious and sympathetic people had come along with them. +Andrew lay on the floor, in his blood, and gave no sign of life. The +colonel went to his side. + +"Has nobody been for the doctor?" he asked. "We want a doctor at once." + +Nobody had thought of that,--there was no use in trying to do any thing, +they said. + +"Run, somebody, as quickly as possible," said the colonel. "Go, +you,"--to a lad who stood near,--"tell the doctor that I send him word +to come here immediately." He helped to raise Andrew from the ground, +and to carry him into his bedroom, and to lay him on the bed. Then he +went back to the chattering group of neighbors, to find out how the +accident had taken place,--if anybody knew the precise circumstances. + +The miller's son stepped forward, and told his story. He was passing +the house about a half-hour ago, he said; and, seeing a light in the +window, stopped to ask if his bits of furniture were finished. He found +the door of the room open, and Andrew lying dead on the floor, covered +with blood; and by his side stood Meadow-Joggi, and held out a piece of +gold between his fingers. Then the miller's son had called all the +neighbors, and sent some one for the chief magistrate and everybody +whose business it was. + +Meadow-Joggi--who was so called because he lived down in the +meadow-land--was a foolish fellow, who was supported by the neighbors, +who gave him little jobs of work suitable to his feeble capacity, such +as carrying sand or stone where they were needed, or helping to sort the +fruit, or gathering fagots in winter. + +No one ever had heard of his doing any mischief. The miller's son told +him to stay where he was until the president came; and so Joggi stood in +the corner, held his fist tightly closed, and laughed to himself. The +doctor soon arrived on the scene, and behind him came the president. The +council took its place in the middle of the room, to consider the case. +The doctor, however, went at once into the bedroom, and the colonel +followed him. The doctor examined the motionless body carefully. + +"Here it is," he cried presently. "Here, at the back of the head, is +where Andrew was struck. There is a large wound here." + +"But he is not dead, doctor, is he?" + +"No, no; he breathes feebly, but it is with difficulty." + +The doctor wanted all sorts of things,--water and sponges, and linen +rags, and so on,--and the people ran this way and that, and searched and +pulled things out from the closets and drawers, and produced a heap of +things, but nothing that was useful for this occasion. + +"We want a woman here who has some intelligence, and knows what is +needed in sickness," said the doctor at last, rather impatiently. They +all called out this one or that one; but not one was able to come of all +those mentioned. + +"Let somebody go to the 'Heights,' and tell my wife to send old Trine +down here," said the colonel. And somebody ran off. + +"Your wife won't thank you," said the doctor; "for I shall not be able +to let the nurse leave this patient for three days and nights." + +Trine came, laden with all needful things, much sooner than anybody +dared hope for her; for she was all ready with her big basket packed, +and her mistress stood by her side, expecting the order for her to go +down to Andrew's; for they would not believe that Andrew was dead, and +had thought of every thing that could possibly be needed. She had +sponges and bandages, lint and oil, and warm flannels, packed in her +basket, and had only to run off when the messenger came. The doctor was +delighted. + +"Everybody must go now. Good-night, colonel; and turn all those people +out of the house, will you?" cried the doctor, and closed the door +without ceremony as soon as the colonel went out. + +The committee was still sitting, but the colonel explained that the +house must be emptied; so they decided to imprison Joggi, and then +institute investigations. Two men took Joggi between them, so that he +could not get away, and carried him off to the poor-house, and shut him +up in a room. Joggi went with them very willingly, and laughed now and +then, and looked into his hand. + +The following morning Mrs. Ritter hastened down to Andrew's house in +great anxiety. Trine came softly from the bedroom, and brought the +welcome news that Andrew had come to himself a little; that the doctor +had already made his visit, and found his patient in better condition +than he expected; but he left especial orders that nobody should be +allowed to enter the room. Andrew was not to be permitted to speak one +word, even if he wished to speak: only the doctor and the nurse might +come into his presence. Trine said these words with great pride, for she +was a very good nurse, and well aware of the importance of the +situation. Mrs. Ritter fully appreciated all this, and went home +rejoicing over the news. + +A week went by. Every morning Mrs. Ritter went down to the sick man's +house to obtain an accurate statement of his condition herself, and to +find out if any thing were needed for his comfort, in order that all his +wants might be supplied at once. Every day Otto and Pussy sent the same +message; namely, "When could they be permitted to see their sick +friend?" but the doctor was inexorable. There was no possibility of +Trine being allowed to go, either; and the doctor could not praise her +enough for her intelligent care of the patient. After the week was +fairly over, however, the doctor sent word to the colonel that if he +would come to Andrew's at the same time he made his daily visit, they +would go in together; for now that Andrew was able to talk, the doctor +wished to have the colonel hear what could be told about the terrible +assault that had prostrated the good carpenter. + +Andrew was very glad to press the colonel's hand gratefully in his +own,--he knew very well where all the care and comfort came from with +which he was surrounded. + +He collected his thoughts to the best of his ability to answer the +questions put to him. This was, however, all that he could tell them. He +had taken out the yearly sum of money that he always carried up to the +colonel for investment, and was in the act of counting it over once +again, to be sure that it was right. It was rather late in the evening, +and he was seated with his back towards the door. While he was in the +midst of counting, he heard some one enter the room; and before he had +time to turn about, he received a tremendous blow upon his head. After +that, all was a blank. + +There had been a heap of money upon the table. Nothing was to be found +of it, however, but the piece that Joggi held in his hand when they +found him. + +Even supposing that Joggi were the malefactor, where was the rest of +that money? When Andrew learned that they had taken Joggi into custody +and shut him up, he was very uneasy. + +"Oh, you must let him go, poor Joggi!" he said. "He never would hurt the +smallest infant. _He_ never struck me." + +For all that, Andrew had no suspicion who it could have been. He had no +enemy, he said, and knew of nobody who would wish him harm. + +"It may have been a stranger," suggested the doctor, as he looked at the +window. "If you sat here, with the bright light shining upon your pile +of money while you counted it over on the table, anybody going by the +house could have seen you, and taken a notion to rob you." + +"I suppose it must have been in that way," said Andrew. "I never +thought of such a thing, however. Every thing has always stood open in +the house." + +"It is well that you have laid something by already, Andrew," said the +colonel. "Do not fret over this: it is so lucky that you will soon be +well again." + +"Certainly, colonel; and I have every reason for thankfulness. The good +God has given me far more than I have any use for." And he shook hands +with his friends, who agreed, in parting, that Andrew was much less to +be pitied than the man who tried to kill him. + +There was a sad story told about Joggi, which excited the sympathy of +the schoolboys exceedingly. Otto brought it home with him and repeated +it several times, for it made a deep impression on his mind. It seemed +that when they brought Joggi, laughing all the way, into the almshouse +that evening, he was told to give up his piece of gold to one of his +guards,--the son of the justice of the peace; but Joggi shut his fist +tighter, and would not give it up at all. But the two men were stronger +than he, and at last forced his hand open; and, as they took the money +away from him, one of them said, "Only wait a little till the others +come, then you will get what you deserve. You will see!" For he was +vexed at the scratches he had got in the struggle. + +These threats had frightened the poor half-witted fellow, who thought he +was going to be beheaded, having no idea of what his punishment might +be. And he refused to eat, and cried and groaned incessantly. + +The officers of justice had been to see him twice, to assure him that, +if he would only tell them what he had done, he should not be +punished. He repeated that he had not done any thing but look in at +the window; and when he saw Andrew on the floor, he went to him and +shook him a little, and then he was dead. He saw something shining in +the corner, and picked it up; and then the miller's son came in, and a +lot of other people. + +When Joggi got thus far in his story, he began to cry and groan, and +would not be pacified. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO. + + +Mrs. Ritter went, as usual, to visit her friend, but no longer remained +closeted with Trine, for she could now go freely into his room, talk +with him for a little while, and mark his daily improvement. Otto and +Pussy also paid several visits, armed with dainties for their favorite. +So that Andrew said to the old Trine, with great feeling, "If I were a +king, they could not show me more kindness." + +The doctor was well pleased with the rapidity of the cure, and said to +the colonel, whom he met on the threshold one day,-- + +"Every thing has worked wonderfully well. Your wife can have her Trine +back again; and tell her she was worth her weight in gold. I only wish +there were some one to stay with Andrew for a little while; or who could +come in, now and then, to help him. The poor fellow must have something +to eat, and he has no wife nor child,--in fact, nobody. Do ask Mrs. +Ritter if she cannot think of something that will help us." + +The colonel carried his message correctly, and his wife went the next +day to Andrew's, as usual; and, seating herself by his bedside, said, +without circumlocution, "I have something to say to you, Andrew. Are you +inclined to listen to me?" + +"Certainly, certainly. Every thing you do is right," said Andrew, +supporting his head on his hand, and prepared to give her all his +attention. + +"I am going to take Trine away, now that you are so well," began +Mrs. Ritter. + +"Oh, dear lady, I beg you to believe me, I have wished to send her home +for a long time past. I know how much you must miss her." + +"I would not have allowed her to enter my house, if she had tried to +come back before," replied Mrs. Ritter. "But now it is different: the +doctor has dismissed her. He says, however,--and I fully agree with +him,--that you need some one who can wait upon you, cook for you, or +fetch your food from my house, and do a hundred little things: somebody +for at least a few weeks. Now, Andrew, why cannot you have little Wiseli +to do this?" + +The words were scarcely spoken, when Andrew almost sprang up in his bed. + +"No, no, Mrs. Ritter; certainly not!" he said, and became very red from +excitement. "I could not dream of such a thing. Could I lie here in bed, +and let that delicate little thing work for me out there in the kitchen? +Oh! in Heaven's name, how could I think of her poor mother, where she +lies buried? How she would look at me, if she knew of my doing such a +thing. No, no, Mrs. Ritter; I would rather not get well at all." + +Mrs. Ritter did not try to stop him; but, when he sunk back again upon +his pillow, she said quietly,-- + +"It is not any thing very shocking, however, that I have proposed, +Andrew: think it over now. You know what kind of care Wiseli is getting, +do you not? Do you suppose she has nothing to do there, or even light +work suitable to her strength? Hard work she has, and hard words with +it. Would you give her any thing like that? Do you know what the child's +mother would do, if she were standing here by our side? She would thank +you, with tears in her eyes, if you would take her child into your +house, where she could be happy. I am sure of that. And you would soon +see how useful she would make herself." + +After these touching words, Andrew began to take another view of the +matter. He wiped his eyes, and said softly, "How can I be sure that the +child would be willing? And how can I get her? Her cousin would not wish +to part with her, probably." + +"That is all right. You need not trouble yourself about that, Andrew," +said his friend, cheerfully, as she rose to go. "I will attend to it all +for you. It is a thing about which I have thought long and anxiously." + +She took her leave; but, as she was passing out of the door, Andrew +called out again,-- + +"Only in case Wiseli herself is perfectly willing: you will not forget +that, please, Mrs. Ritter." + +She promised again that the child should come gladly, or not at all, and +left the house. + +She went down the hill at once to the beech grove, for she was impatient +to take Wiseli where she could think of her in safety. She met the +cousin Gotti just as he was himself entering his own house. He saluted +her, without concealing his surprise at her visit. But she did not leave +him in doubt for a moment over the object that brought her there, and +how anxious she was that Wiseli should take charge of the wounded Andrew +at once, as she was sure she could do, if they were willing. His wife, +who was in the kitchen, came directly she heard their voices, and was at +once informed of Mrs. Ritter's proposition. But she answered that it was +not possible, for the child was not able to be of use to anybody. But +her husband interposed. The truth should be told: Wiseli was able and +willing to work, and did so, well and intelligently. He did not wish to +have her go, for she was useful and obedient. He would not refuse, for +two weeks or so, to let her nurse Andrew. He would not probably need her +longer than that, and then she must come back; for there was a great +deal of work on hand against the spring. + +"Yes, yes," said his wife. "I have no mind to begin it all over again +teaching her, it has given me so much trouble already. If Andrew wants +anybody to help him, let him get somebody for himself." + +"Well, well; for two weeks, as I have promised, she shall go. It is our +duty to help a neighbor, if we can." + +"I thank you for your kindness," said Mrs. Ritter, rising. "And Andrew +will himself show his gratitude. May I take Wiseli with me at once?" + +Although his wife grumbled out that there could not be any such hurry, +her husband said it was better the child should go at once. The sooner +she went, the more quickly she would be back again; and repeated that it +was only for fourteen days in all. + +Wiseli was called, and told to get her clothes together, and tied in a +bundle. The child obeyed, not daring to ask for a reason. It was exactly +a year since she had brought the little bundle into the house. Nothing +had been added to her scanty wardrobe in that time but a black frock. +She wore that now, but it had been so long in use, that it hung about +her almost in rags; and Wiseli looked shyly at Mrs. Ritter as she stood +before her now, with her little bundle on her arm. The colonel's wife +understood the look, and answered it. "Come, my dear; we are not going +far away. You can go as you are." + +Quickly taking leave, she waited only for Wiseli to give her cousin +Gotti her hand. He said,-- + +"Oh, you are soon coming back; this is not a separation." + +Off trotted Wiseli in silence, and much astonished, behind Mrs. Ritter, +who walked rapidly across the snow-covered fields, as if she feared they +both might be recalled; but as soon as they were out of sight of the +beech grove, she turned about, and stood still. "Wiseli," she said +kindly, "do you know Andrew the carpenter?" + +"Certainly, I do," said the child; and glanced at her friend with such a +happy expression, that Mrs. Ritter was rather surprised. + +"He is ill," she proceeded. "Would you like to take care of him, and +wait upon him a little, for about two weeks?" + +"Yes, indeed!" replied the child promptly; and her face, that +became suddenly rosy with pleasure, told Mrs. Ritter more than her +short answer. + +The good lady was pleased, but did not understand the child's feeling, +for she knew nothing of her gratitude for Andrew's kindness to her +mother. After they had gone on a while, Mrs. Ritter said,-- + +"You can tell Andrew the carpenter that you are very glad to go to take +care of him, or he will not believe it. Don't forget to tell him that." + +"No, no; I won't forget," said Wiseli. "I was just thinking about +it myself." + +They reached the house at last. Mrs. Ritter told Wiseli to go in alone, +promising to come down in the morning to see how things went on; and, if +she needed any thing for her patient, she could come up to the "Heights" +to fetch it herself. + +Wiseli stole into the garden, and opened the house-door. She knew that +Andrew lay within in the bed-room behind the sitting-room. She entered +the room softly. No one was there; but it was in good order, as old +Trine had left it when she went away. + +The child looked about to see that every thing was in the right place. +Against the wall, in the back part of the room, stood a big wooden +bedstead called a coach, and which was all arranged like a proper bed. +The curtain was almost closed across it, but Wiseli could see how neat +and clean it looked, and wondered who slept there usually. Presently she +knocked quietly at the bedroom door; and when Andrew called out, "Come +in," she entered, and shyly stood before him. Andrew raised himself in +his bed to see who was there. + +"Oh, oh!" he said, partly glad and partly startled. "Is that you, +Wiseli? Come here; give me your hand." The child obeyed. + +"You did not come to me against your will?" + +"No, no," replied the child; "surely not." But Andrew was not satisfied. + +[Illustration: ANDREW RAISED HIMSELF IN HIS BED TO SEE WHO WAS +THERE] + +"I mean, Wiseli," he continued, "perhaps you would have liked better not +to come; but perhaps you wanted to do a kindness to the good colonel's +wife, she is so kind." + +"No, no," repeated the child again; "she did not say any thing to me +about it being for her. She only asked me if I was willing to go to +you, and there is nobody in all the world to whom I would go so gladly +as to you." + +These words must have quieted all Andrew's scruples, for he did not ask +any more questions, but let his head sink back on his pillow, and lay +gazing silently at Wiseli; and presently he turned his head aside, and +wiped his eyes several times. + +"What shall I do now?" asked Wiseli, as Andrew did not move his head. He +turned at the sound of her voice, and said, very kindly, "I do not know, +I am sure, Wiseli. You may do any thing that you like, if you will only +stay with me a little while." + +Wiseli scarcely knew what to think. Since the death of her mother, +nobody had spoken to her in such kindly, loving tones. It seemed as if +her mother's voice and love were come into Andrew's words and tones. She +took his hand in both hers, as she often took her mother's, and stood by +the bedside. She did not even speak, but felt that her mother's loving +presence was about them. Andrew, too, had a silent, peaceful conviction +that Wiseli's mother was happy in their happiness. + +Presently Wiseli said, "I think I ought to cook something for you: it is +past twelve o'clock already. What shall I cook?" + +"Whatever you like," said Andrew. But Wiseli knew that she was there +for the purpose of making things comfortable for the sick man, and +she did not cease her questioning until she found out what he usually +had to eat,--a good nourishing soup, and a piece of the meat that was +in the closet; and then Andrew said she must cook something with milk +for herself. + +The child was perfectly at home in the kitchen. She had really learned a +great deal at her cousin Gotti's, even if she had received many cross +words at the same time. She had every thing ready in a short time; and +Andrew begged her to push a little table to the bedside, and sit down +and eat with him, so that he could enjoy the pleasure of her company. +Neither Wiseli nor Andrew had eaten such a pleasant meal for a long, +long time. After eating, Wiseli rose; but Andrew looked at her sadly, +and said, "Where are you going now, Wiseli? Won't you stay with me here +a little longer, or is it too dull for you?" + +"No, indeed, not dull; but after dinner the things must be washed and +put away in their places in good order," said the child. + +"I know," said Andrew; "but I thought that just for to-day--the first +day, you know--you might put them away as they are, and to-morrow wash +them all together." + +"But if the colonel's wife should see them so, I should almost die of +shame;" and Wiseli looked very grave while she spoke. + +"Yes, yes; you are right," said Andrew. "Do whatever you think best." + +So the child went to work, and cleaned and sorted and swept, so that +every thing shone in the kitchen. Then she stood quietly, and looked on +her work with satisfaction, saying softly, "Now Mrs. Ritter may come +when she will." + +Going into the room next the kitchen, she cast an admiring glance at the +beautiful big bed on the "coach" behind the curtain; for Andrew the +carpenter had told her that she was to sleep there, and that the little +chest of drawers in the corner was also for her, and that she might put +all her things there, if she liked. + +So she laid away all the clothes in her little bundle in good order; but +it did not take long to do that, they were so few. At last she returned +to Andrew, and seated herself by his bedside. He had been looking +towards the door very wistfully for a long time. She had scarcely seated +herself before she asked, "Have not you a stocking to be knitted, or +something else for me to do?" + +Wiseli had been well drilled,--first by her mother, and then by her +cousin's wife, whose words she never forgot, they frightened her so; and +when Andrew said, "Oh, you have worked enough for to-day; let us sit +still and talk over all sorts of things together now," the child +replied, "I do not like to sit and do nothing, for it is not Sunday; but +we can talk while I knit, you know." + +Andrew was pleased at this sign of the little girl's industry, and he +again bade her do whatever she thought right and best. She might get a +stocking to knit, if she wanted to: he had not one for her, however. + +So Wiseli fetched her own, and took her seat by the bedside; and, truly, +she could talk and knit at the same time perfectly well. + +Andrew chose the one subject for their conversation that was by far the +most agreeable to Wiseli; namely, her mother. It was the first time she +had been able to talk about her mother to anybody since her death. But +now she had a listener who could not hear enough, and so she told all +that she could remember of their happy life together. + +And day after day slipped by. For every little thing that Wiseli did, +Andrew thanked her over and over,--not from politeness or mere form, but +because every thing pleased the good man, and he wanted to express his +pleasure. He became strong and well very rapidly under Wiseli's care, +and soon was able to leave his bed. And the doctor was much surprised to +see how quickly his strength had returned, and how happy he looked +besides. He sat at the window in the sunshine all day long, and watched +Wiseli as she moved about, as if he could never get enough of her. His +eyes followed her as she went here to a drawer, opened it and shut it +again; and noticed how every thing that passed through her hands was +done in an orderly, regular manner, such as he had never seen before. +And Wiseli was so happy, so happy, in this quiet little house, where she +never heard any but loving words, and moved constantly in an atmosphere +of affection, that made it impossible for her to allow her thoughts to +dwell on the sad fact that the fourteen days would soon be past, and +then she must return to the beech grove. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS. + + +On the "Heights" there was a great deal of talk about Andrew and Wiseli. +Mrs. Ritter went down every day, and always brought back good accounts. +They all rejoiced together over this, and Otto and Pussy formed a plan +to have a great convalescence festival in Andrew the carpenter's room +while Wiseli was still with him. It should be a great surprise for them +both. But before that came another feast,--their father's birthday. And +the children had invented all sorts of "celebrations" from early morning +on, but the great moment was yet to come; namely, at dinner-time. Otto +and Pussy had taken their seats, full of excitement and expectancy. + +The father and mother made their appearance, and the merriment began. + +After one or two surprises came a large covered dish,--certainly that +was a birthday dish. The cover was removed, and, behold, a beautiful +cauliflower! + +"This is a fine vegetable," said the father; "I must admire it. But, to +tell the truth," he went on, with an air of disappointment, "I expected +something different. I expected artichokes. They are to be found and +bought as well as cauliflowers. You know, my dear Mary, there is no dish +I care for so much as artichokes." + +Suddenly Pussy called out,-- + +"That is it! that is it! That is exactly what he called to me twice. +And he raised his stick in the air, and did so,"--and Pussy raised her +arm in the air in great excitement. But suddenly she was quiet, and put +her arm under the table, and turned crimson; and Otto, who sat on the +other side of the table, looked at her with flashing eyes and very +angry looks. + +"What is this?" asked the colonel. "A strange way to celebrate my +birthday. My daughter cries out, on one side, as if some one were going +to kill her; and, on the other, my son is giving me such kicks on the +shin that I shall soon be covered with black-and-blue spots. I should +like to know where you learned this agreeable amusement, Otto?" + +Now it was Otto's turn to become fiery red. His intention had been to +give Pussy certain decided warnings to keep quiet, but his boot had +encountered his father's leg instead, and not gently either. When he +discovered his mistake, he did not dare to raise his eyes. + +"Now, Pussy," said the colonel, "tell me the end of your robber story. +You said the terrible man called out 'artichokes' to you, and raised his +stick in the air; and then"-- + +"Then--then," stammered Pussy, who perceived that she had betrayed every +thing, and would have to give the sugar cock back to Otto again. "Then +he did not strike me, or kill me." + +"Well, that was nice of him," said her father, laughing. "And +what else?" + +"Nothing else," said Pussy, whimpering. + +"Well, then, the story had a good ending. The stick remained in the air, +and Pussy came back to the house like an 'artichoke.' Now we will drink +the health of the 'artichokes' and of Andrew the carpenter together." + +The father raised his glass, and his companions did the same. When they +left the table, they were all rather sad; all except the father, who +took his newspaper, and lighted his cigar, as usual. Otto stayed in +another room in the corner, and thought how, when the children were all +allowed to go again to coast by moonlight, he would be obliged to remain +at home; for his mother would not now let him go, he was sure. Pussy +crept into her bedroom, nestled down in a corner by the bed upon a +footstool, took the red candy cock upon her lap, and felt very sadly at +the thought that she held it for the last time. + +At the window her mother stood sadly thinking. She soon became agitated, +however, and moved uneasily about the room, and presently began to seek +for her little daughter in every corner. She found her at last, in her +hiding-place behind the bed, sunk in deep dejection. + +"Pussy," said her mother, "I want you to tell me the story about the man +who threatened you. When was it, and where, and what words did he use?" + +Pussy told all that she knew, but did not give much more information +than she had conveyed at the table. The man had called out the same word +that her father had used at table,--that she was sure of. Her mother +turned away, went directly to the room where her husband was smoking, +and said, in a very excited tone, "I must tell you, for I am more and +more sure of it." + +The colonel put down his newspaper and looked at his wife, much +surprised. + +"That scene at table has made me think of something; and the more I +think, the surer I am about it." + +"Do sit down, and tell me what you mean," said the colonel, who now +became very curious. His wife did as he desired, and went on. + +"You noticed Pussy's excitement. She must have been very much +frightened by the man of whom she spoke. She was not joking. Therefore +it is clear to my mind that the word was not 'artichoke,' but +'aristocrat,' that he used. Now you know who used to call us that,--my +brother and I. Pussy has just told me that this took place on that +evening when they all went coasting by moonlight; and that was the +night when Andrew was assaulted and robbed. That rascally fellow Jorg +has not been seen for years in this vicinity; and the very first time +that there is any trace of him, we hear of this act of brutality +towards his brother, against whom no one but he has any grudge. Do not +you think there is something strange in this?" + +"Yes; certainly there may be something in it," said the colonel. "I must +look it up at once." + +He arose, called his servant, and presently rode off at a sharp trot +towards the town. + +And for several days he continued to go there, to hear if the +investigation had produced any result. On the fourth day he came home +towards evening, and sent word to Mrs. Ritter, who was seated by Pussy's +bed, that he had something important to tell her. It was that the police +had been seeking for Jorg, and had found him without much delay; for he +had not taken precautions to conceal himself, being sure that no one had +seen him on the evening when he visited his native village. He had, +therefore, merely gone to the city, and was spending his time in the +taverns. When they took him into custody, and accused him, he denied +every thing; but when he heard that Colonel Ritter had accusations to +make against him, he was intimidated, thinking that the colonel must +have seen him, or he would never have suspected him, as he had just +returned from the Neapolitan army service. It never occurred to him that +one single word that he had thrown to a little child had betrayed him. + +When he heard the truth, he began to swear terribly, and declared he had +always known that those aristocrats would bring him into trouble. On +further examination, he said he had gone to his brother's house with the +intention of asking him for a loan of money; but when he looked through +the brilliantly lighted window and saw the big pile of money lying on +the table, it occurred to him that he would strike Andrew down and rob +him. He had not meant to kill him,--only render him insensible. Nearly +all the money was found at his lodgings, and taken. Jorg was lodged in +the prison. + +When these facts were made known in the village, everybody was very much +interested and excited, for nothing of the kind had happened before in +that small place. In the school, particularly, every thing was +topsy-turvy, for the children were as much excited as their elders. Otto +scarcely stopped to take breath all day long, for he ran from one place +to another, hoping to hear the latest news at each. He came to the +house, on the third evening, in such a state, that his mother told him +that he must sit perfectly quiet and silent for a little while before he +communicated the piece of news with which he was bursting. + +At last he was calm enough to tell them that they wanted to set Joggi +free, for he had been shut up all this time; but the poor fellow was so +convinced that they only wanted to take him out to cut off his head, +that he fought against being removed with all his might. So they decided +to take him out by force, and two men dragged him into the open air. He +fought and screamed so violently, that a crowd soon assembled; and the +poor, foolish fellow, becoming more and more alarmed, had darted away +like an arrow to the nearest barn, where he took refuge from his +imaginary danger in a stall, cowering down in a heap in one corner, and +would not let anybody approach him. His countenance showed his terrible +fear. He had been there all day and night; and now the peasant to whom +the barn belonged said if he did not move soon, he would use the +pitchfork to him. + +"It is a sad, sad story, my children," said their mother, when Otto had +finished. "Poor Joggi! how terribly he must suffer from his fear, that +nobody can relieve him of, because he cannot understand what is said; +and yet he is perfectly innocent of any evil deed or wish. Oh, if you +had only told me what had happened that evening on the coast! Your +keeping that a secret has had very, very sad consequences. Cannot we do +something to comfort and reassure him again?" + +Pussy was almost crying. "I will give him my red candy cock," she +said, tearfully. + +Otto was much disturbed, but he said, scornfully,-- + +"Yes; a nice present for a grown up man,--a sugar cock! You had better +keep it for yourself." + +After a moment he asked his mother, however, to allow Pussy to carry +some food to Joggi in the barn: he had not eaten any thing for +nearly two days. + +His mother was more than willing, and had a basket filled at once with +bread and sausage and cheese for the children, and sent them off without +delay. Poor Joggi! there he was cowering in the stall, white as a sheet, +and dared not stir. The children gradually drew near, and presently Otto +held out his basket and showed the food, hoping to tempt Joggi. + +"Come out, Joggi. See, all this is for you to eat." + +There was no sign of movement. + +"Do come out, or the peasant will stick his pitchfork into you." + +The poor fellow gave a piteous moan, but still did not stir. + +Now Pussy went quite close to him, put her mouth to his ear, and said, +gently, "Do not be frightened, Joggi; they won't cut off your head. My +papa will help you, and will not let anybody harm you. And see, Joggi; +here is a candy cock, all red. Santa Claus sent you this on the +Christmas-tree." And the little girl took the cock very carefully from +her pocket, and held it out to Joggi. + +This little gift had a wonderful effect. Joggi looked at his friend +without fear, then at the candy cock, and presently began to laugh. It +was many days since he had laughed. He rose slowly from his corner, and +followed Otto out of the barn behind Pussy. When they got well out of +the yard, Otto said,-- + +"You can take this basket, Joggi; we are going up there to our house. +Your way is down yonder." + +But Joggi shook his head, and followed close to Pussy's heels. They all +went up the hill. Their mother watched the little procession coming, and +her heart began to feel lighter; and she also noticed how the poor, +foolish Joggi held his sugar cock in his hand, and laughed at it with +childish satisfaction. + +They all three entered the house and went into the sitting-room, where +Pussy fetched a chair, and, taking the basket in her hand, beckoned +Joggi to come to her; and when he was seated at the table, she spread +out the bread and cheese and sausage before him, saying, very gently, +"Now do eat,--eat up every bit, Joggi, and be happy again." + +The poor fellow obeyed, and left no crumbs. He never relinquished his +hold of the red cock, however. He held it in his left hand, and nodded +and smiled at it from time to time. For bread and cheese and sausage he +had often received, but a red candy cock never before. + +At last he went down the hill to his cottage. With very happy looks Mrs. +Ritter and Otto and Pussy followed his retreating form, and noticed that +he changed the red cock from one hand to another, and had evidently +forgotten his fears. Mrs. Ritter had not visited Andrew during three +days. There was so much going on all the time, that she had not +perceived how the time passed; and then she no longer felt the least +anxiety about him. He was well cared for,--of that she was certain,--and +was on the best road towards health and strength. + +As soon as Colonel Ritter could go, he took the news of the arrest and +imprisonment of Andrew's brother to the good carpenter, who listened to +the story quietly, and said, after a while,-- + +"It was his will. It would have been far better for him to have asked me +for a little money. I should have given it to him, but his way was ever +a blow rather than a kind word." + +Mrs. Ritter went down the mountain one cold, frosty morning, and went +smiling to herself all the way; for she had pleasant plans and projects +in her heart. Just as she opened the door of Andrew's cottage, Wiseli +came out of the sitting-room. Her eyes were swollen and red. She had +been crying. She gave Mrs. Ritter her hand very shyly, and ran into the +kitchen, and shut the door. Mrs. Ritter had never seen Wiseli look in +this way. What could have happened? She went into the sitting-room. +There sat Andrew by the window. He, too, looked as if a bad piece of +news had been brought to him. + +"What has happened?" asked Mrs. Ritter; and forgot to say +"good-morning," in her anxiety. + +"Oh, oh!" sighed Andrew. "I wish that the child had never entered +my house." + +"Wiseli!" exclaimed his visitor. "Is it possible that Wiseli can have +displeased you in any way?" + +"Not that, by any means, good lady," Andrew hastened to answer. "No; she +has made my home a paradise for me, and now she is going away; and it +will seem so empty and lonely without her, I cannot bear it. You never +could think, Mrs. Ritter, how I love that child. I cannot bear it, if +they take her away. And the cousin Gotti has sent his boy twice to say +that she is wanted at his house; and, since then, Wiseli has been so +quiet, and cries in secret. It breaks my heart; for I see that she does +not want to go there, though she says nothing, and to-morrow is the last +day. I do not exaggerate, Mrs. Ritter; but I assure you I would prefer +to give all that I have earned and saved for thirty years to her cousin +Gotti, than have him take the child away." + +"I would not think of doing that. In your place, Andrew, I would go to +work another way," said Mrs. Ritter, when Andrew had finished his +excited talk. + +He questioned her with his eyes in silence. + +"I mean in this way. All your worldly goods you will leave to some one +who is very dear to you. You will take Wiseli as your adopted child; +will be a father to her; she shall henceforth live in your house as your +own daughter. You would like that, Andrew, would you not?" + +He had listened with all his might, and his eyes grew bigger and bigger. +Presently he grasped Mrs. Ritter's hand, and pressed it almost +painfully. He leaned forward. + +"Can that be done? Can I obtain the right to say that Wiseli is really +my own child,--all my own, so that nobody will be able to take her from +me again?" + +"You can do all that, Andrew. And, once Wiseli is recognized as your +child, no one will have the least right to her. You will be her father. +And, to tell the truth, Andrew, I hoped that you might wish to do this; +and therefore have kept my husband at home, in case you want to go into +the city to take the necessary steps towards the adoption. You know you +cannot walk, Andrew." + +Andrew fairly lost his head over all this. He ran this way and that, +looking for his Sunday coat; and kept asking all the time, + +"Can it be true? Is it possible? To-day, did you say? May I go to-day?" + +"At once," she said; and gave her hand to Andrew as she left him, to +tell the colonel that all was ready for the visit to the town. "It will +be better not to tell Wiseli until the evening, when every thing is +settled, and you are quietly together here," she said, as she stepped +out of the door. "Do not you agree with me?" + +"Yes, certainly," was the answer. "I could not tell her now." + +While Andrew was waiting until Colonel Ritter came for him to drive to +the town, he sat trembling in every limb, and thought he could scarcely +stand up, he was so happy and so excited. In about half an hour Wiseli +saw, to her great surprise, the colonel's wagon drive up, stop at +Andrew's door, the servant get down, come to the steps, take Andrew +under the arm, and help him to get into the carriage. The child looked +at it, as it passed away from the house down the road, and could not +understand it at all; for the carpenter had not said any thing to +her,--not even that he was going to drive. He had remained seated where +he was, after Mrs. Ritter's departure, until the colonel's servant came +for him; and the child had kept herself hidden all the time. + +After his departure, she went into the sitting-room, and looked out of +the window where Andrew always sat, and kept saying to herself, "To-day +is the last day. To-morrow I must go to cousin Gotti." + +Towards noon the child went into the kitchen, put every thing in order, +and arranged Andrew's dinner; but he did not come, and she did not like +to remove the things until he did. So she went back into the +sitting-room; but the sad thought of the coming separation made her +almost ill, and she said to herself, over and over, "To-morrow I must go +to cousin Gotti;" and did not see, in her sadness, that the sunset was +very beautiful, and betokened a still more beautiful morrow. + +The child sprang to her feet when presently she heard the door +opened. Andrew the carpenter stood before her with happy eyes, and +with a look that Wiseli had never seen on his face. He sunk into a +chair. He was overcome, but not with fatigue. At last he cried out, +in a triumphant tone,-- + +"It is true, Wiseli! It is all really true! All the gentlemen said +'Yes,'--every one. You belong to me. I am your father. Call me +'father,' Wiseli." + +Wiseli became white as a sheet. She stood staring at Andrew, but did not +speak nor move. + +"Oh! of course, of course," said the carpenter. "You can't understand +me, I tell you all so confusedly. Now I will begin at the beginning. +I have just written in the record book in the town, and you are my +child now, and I am your father; and you will always stay here with +me, and not go back to your cousin Gotti again. This is your +home,--here with me." + +Wiseli understood now. She sprang into Andrew's arms, clung round his +neck, and cried, "Father, father!" They neither could speak a word after +this for a long time,--too many things were crowding upon them. After a +little, Wiseli felt a sudden light that seemed to break in upon her +thoughts; and she exclaimed, looking up at Andrew,-- + +"O father! I know how it has all happened, and who has helped us." + +"Who may it be, Wiseli?" asked Andrew. + +"My mother." + +"Your mother, child,--who do you mean? Your mother?" + +And Wiseli related her dream about the beautiful garden with the red +carnations, and a rose-bush on the other side, where the sun shone; and +told him how her mother had taken her by the hand and showed her the +garden, and said that her way led through that. And Wiseli was sure that +her mother had not ceased to pray God to let her child's way be through +that garden,--which was Andrew's garden, and the happiest place in the +world for Wiseli. + +"Do not you believe it too, father, now that you know that in my dream +my mother showed me my road to your garden?" + +Andrew could not answer. Big tears rolled down his face, but he smiled +all the time that he wept. When, at last, he opened his mouth to speak, +there came such a terrible knocking at the door, that nothing else could +be heard. Open flew the door, and Otto was in the middle of the room +with one leap; then he jumped over a chair, and shouted, "Hurrah! we +have won, and Wiseli is delivered." Pussy came in behind him, ran at +once to her friend, and said, pointing towards the door,-- + +"Now, Andrew, you will see what is coming for you, to celebrate your +recovery." + +Scarcely had she spoken, than the baker's boy came struggling through +the doorway with a big tray upon his head that could scarcely come +through. A good push from behind, however, helped him along, and he put +the tray down on the table. Otto and Pussy had ordered the biggest cake, +to be made at the baker's, that was ever known; and as it would not have +been very large if it were round, they ordered it square, and it quite +filled the oven when it was baked. Old Trine stood behind the baker's +boy, and her big basket was at her feet. She had brought, among other +delicacies, a bottle of good wine; for Mrs. Ritter declared that Andrew +had, in all probability, not eaten a morsel since breakfast, and Wiseli +was probably fasting also; and the child remembered the fact, now that +she saw the feast that Trine spread upon the table. They all took their +places, and a merry company they were. To be sure, the grand cake had to +be cut in halves, and part put away, for otherwise there was not room on +the table for the rest of the supper; but after that they were all more +merry than ever feasters were before. + +But the time went by, and Trine stood there waiting to take the children +home,--it was late. Andrew said, at leave-taking,-- + +"To-day you have prepared a feast for me, and I thank you with all my +heart; but I invite you to come here again on Sunday, and I will give +you a feast,--the feast to celebrate my daughter's adoption." + +And so they parted, all rejoicing over the fact of Wiseli being so +happily at home with Andrew, and the children promising to come to the +Sunday celebration. At the door Wiseli gave Otto her hand again, and +said, "I thank you a thousand times for all your kindness to me, Otto. +Cheppi never was so rude to me again after you frightened him that day. +He was afraid to throw things at me. I owe it to your kindness." + +"And I owe you something, Wiseli," replied Otto. "I have never had to +sweep out the schoolhouse since the time you know of." + +"And I thank you, too, Wiseli," said Pussy; for she would not be behind +the others in her thanks. + +Now every thing was quiet in the little room, and the moonlight streamed +in through the window where Andrew took his seat, while Wiseli put all +the supper dishes away, and made every thing neat again; then she came +to him, and stood before him with folded hands. + +"Father," she said, "let me say my mother's hymn aloud to you. I +have always said it softly to myself; but I shall never forget it +now, I am sure." + +Andrew was glad to listen; and the child, raising her eyes to the stars, +said, with the very deepest feeling thrilling through her heart,-- + + "To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +From this day forward the happiest cottage in the whole village was that +of Andrew the carpenter, with its sunny garden. Wherever Wiseli showed +herself, she received the very kindest notice from all the neighbors, +much to the child's surprise. Formerly no one had noticed her +particularly, but now even her cousin Gotti and his wife never passed +the cottage without coming in to take her by the hand, and invite her to +visit them. + +This gave the child keen satisfaction, for she had always feared +secretly her cousin's feelings about her adoption; so this kindness on +his part freed her from all anxiety, and she could go her way +peacefully. But these thoughts often rose within her, and she repeated +to herself,-- + +"Otto and his family have always shown me kindness when I was alone +in the wide world and friendless: these others are only kind to me +since I am happy and have a father. I know well enough who are really +my friends." + +THE END. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico And Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + +This file should be named 7rico10.txt or 7rico10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7rico11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 7rico10a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and Distributed Proofreaders + +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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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: Rico And Wiseli + Rico And Stineli, And How Wiseli Was Provided For + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9075] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on September 3, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +RICO AND WISELI + + +RICO AND STINELI +and +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR + +BY + +JOHANNA SPYRI + + +Translated By Louise Brooks + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +RICO AND STINELI + + +CHAPTER + + I. IN THE QUIET HOUSE + II. IN THE SCHOOL + III. THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE + IV. THE BEAUTIFUL, DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME + V. A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME + VI. RICO'S MOTHER + VII. A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER + VIII. ON THE LAKE OF SILS + IX. A PERPLEXING AFFAIR + X. A LITTLE LIGHT + XI. A LONG JOURNEY + XII. IT STILLS GOES ON + XIII. ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE + XIV. NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN + XV. SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS + XVI. COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY + XVII. BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS +XVIII. TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS + XIX. CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA + XX. AT HOME + XXI. SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA + + +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR + + + I. COASTING + II. AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY + III. ALSO AT HOME + IV. AT COUSIN GOTTI'S + V. HOW TIME WENT ONE, AND SUMMER CAME + VI. OLD AND NEW + VII. ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO + VIII. SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +"So the lad seated himself, and placed his fiddle in position." + +"Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm." + +"Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side." + +"Andrew raised himself in his bed to see who was there." + + + + + + + +RICO AND STINELI. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +IN THE QUIET HOUSE. + + +In the Ober Engadin, on the highway up to Maloja, stands the lonely +village of Sils; and back towards the mountains, across the fields, +nestles a little cluster of huts known as Sils Maria. Here, in an open +field, two cottages stand, facing each other. + +Noticeable in both are the old wooden house-doors, and the tiny windows +quite imbedded in the thick walls. A bit of a garden-plot belongs to one +of these poor dwellings, where the pot-herbs and the cabbages look only +a trifle better than their spindling companions the flowers. + +The other house has nothing but a little shed, where two or three hens +may be seen running in and out. This cottage is smaller than its +neighbor, and its wooden door is quite black from age. + +Out of this door every morning, at the same hour, came a large man. In +order to pass out he was obliged to stoop, so tall was he. His hair was +black and glossy, and his eyes were also black; and under his +finely-shaped nose grew a thick black beard, completely hiding the lower +part of his face; so that, except the glistening of his white teeth when +he spoke, nothing was visible. But he rarely spoke. + +Everybody in Sils knew the man, but he was never called by his name,--it +was always "the Italian." He went by the foot-path across to Sils every +day regularly, and thence up to Maloja. They were working on the highway +in that place, and there he found employment. + +When, however, he did not have work up there, he went down to the Baths +of St. Moritz. Houses were being built down there, and he found work in +plenty; and there passed the day, only returning to his cottage at +nightfall. + +When he came out of his house in the morning, he was usually followed by +a little boy, who lingered on the threshold after his father had gone on +his way, and looked with his big black eyes for a long time in the +direction his father had taken; but where he was looking that no one +could have told, for his eyes had a faraway look, as if they saw nothing +that lay before them and near, but were searching for something +invisible to everybody. + +On Sunday mornings, when the sun shone brightly, father and son would +saunter up the road together; and the close resemblance between them was +most striking, for the child was the man in miniature, only his face was +small and pale,--with his father's well-formed nose, to be sure; but his +mouth had an expression of great sadness, as if he could not laugh. In +his father's face this could not be detected, on account of the beard. + +When they walked along together, side by side, they did not talk; but +the father usually hummed a tune softly,--sometimes quite aloud,--and +the lad listened attentively. On rainy Sundays they sat at the window +together in the cottage, and seldom talked then; but the man drew his +harmonica from his pocket, and played one tune after another to the lad, +who listened most earnestly. Sometimes he would take a comb, or even a +leaf, and coax forth music; or he would shape a bit of wood with his +knife, and whistle a tune upon that. It really seemed as if there were +no object from which he could not draw forth sweet sounds. Once, +however, he brought a fiddle home with him, and the boy was so delighted +with the instrument, that he never forgot it. The man played one tune +after another, while the child listened and looked with all his might; +and when the fiddle was laid aside, the little fellow took it up, and +tried to find out for himself how the music was made. And it could not +have sounded so very badly, for his father had smiled, saying, "Come, +now!" and placed the big fingers of his left hand over his son's, and +held the little hand and the bow together in his right; and thus they +played for a long time, and produced a great many sweet tunes. + +On the following day, after his father's departure, the boy tried again +and again to play, until at last he did succeed in producing a tune +quite correctly. Soon after, however, the fiddle disappeared, and never +made its appearance again. + +Often, when they were together, the man would begin to sing +softly,--softly at first, then more and more distinctly as he became +more interested, and the boy know the words, he could at least follow +the tune. The father sang Italian always; and the child understood a +great deal, but not well enough to sing. One tune, however, he knew +better than any other, for his father had repeated it many hundred +times. It was part of a long song, and began in this wise:-- + + "One evening In Peschiera." + +It was a sad melody that some one had arranged to a pretty ballad, and +it particularly pleased the lad, so that he always sang it with pleasure +and with a feeling of awe; and it sounded very sweetly, for the lad had +a clear, bell-like voice, that harmonized beautifully with his father's +strong basso. And each time after they had sung this song from beginning +to end, his father clapped the boy kindly on the shoulder, saying, "Well +done, Henrico! well done!" This was the way his father called him, but +he was called "Rico" only by everybody else. + +There was a cousin who lived in the cottage with them, and who mended +and cooked and kept the house in order. In the winter she sat by the +stove and spun, and Rico had to consider how he could enter the room, +very carefully; for as soon as he had opened the door, his cousin called +out, "Do let that door alone, or we shall have it cold enough in the +room here." + +In winter he was very often alone with his cousin; for when his father +had work to do in the valley, he would be away for long weeks at a time. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +IN THE SCHOOL. + + +Rico was almost nine years old, and had been to school for two winters. +Up there in the mountains there was no school in the summer-time; for +then the teacher had his field to cultivate, and his hay and wood to +cut, like everybody else, and nobody had time to think of going to +school. This was not a great sorrow for Rico,--he knew how to amuse +himself. When he had once taken his place in the morning on the +threshold, he would stand there for hours without moving, gazing into +the far distance with dreamy eyes, if the door of the house over the +way did not open, and a little girl make her appearance and look over +at him laughingly. Then Rico ran over to her in a trice, and the +children were busy enough in telling each other what had happened since +the evening before, and talked incessantly, until Stineli was called +into the house. The girl's name was Stineli, and she and Rico were of +exactly the same age. They began to go to school at the same time, were +in the same classes, and from that time forward were always together; +for there was only a narrow path between their cottages, and they were +the dearest of friends. + +This was the only intimacy that Rico had, for he had no pleasure in +the companionship of the other boys; and when they thrashed each +other, or played at wrestling, or turned somersaults, he went away +without even looking back at them. If they called out after him, "Now +it is Rico's turn to be thrashed," he stood perfectly still and did +nothing; but he looked at them so strangely with his dark eyes, that +no one meddled with him. + +In Stineli's company he was always contented. She had a merry little +pug-nose, and two brown eyes that were always laughing; and around her +head were two thick braids of brown hair, that always looked smooth and +neat, for Stineli was a very orderly girl, and knew very well how to +take care of herself. For that her daily experience was excellent. It is +true Stineli was scarcely nine years old, but she was the eldest +daughter of the family, and had to help her mother in every thing, and +there was a great deal to be done,--for after Stineli came Trudi and +Sami and Peterli, then Urschli and Anne-Deteli and Kunzli, and last of +all the baby, who was not baptized. From every corner, at every moment, +Stineli was called for; and she had become so handy and skilful with all +this practice, that work seemed to turn itself out of her hands of its +own accord. She could always put on three stockings and fasten two shoes +before Trudi had even placed the legs of the little one she was helping +in the right position. And while her mother was calling for Stineli to +help her in the kitchen, and the little children wanted her in the +bedroom, her father was sure to shout out from the stable for Stineli to +come to his help, for he had mislaid his cap, or his whip-lash was in a +knot, and she found the one in a trice,--it was generally on the +meal-box,--and her limber fingers had no trouble in untying the knotted +lash. So, you see, Stineli was always busy running about and working, +but always merry with it all, and rejoiced also in winter, when the +school began. Then she went with Rico to school and back again, and in +recess they were also together. And in summer she was still more happy, +for then the lovely Sunday evenings came when she could go out; and she +and Rico went, hand in hand,--the lad was always waiting for her in the +doorway,--over the big meadow towards the wood on the hill-side that +projected far out over the lake like an island. They used to sit up +there under the pines, and look out over the green waters of the lake, +and had so many questions to ask and so many answers to give, and were +so happy, that Stineli was happy all the week in thinking it over and +looking forward,--for Sunday always came again. + +There was yet one other person in the household who called for Stineli +now and then,--that was her old grandmother. + +She did not want her assistance, however, but had generally a bit of +money to give her that she had put aside, or some little thing that +would give the girl pleasure; for the grandmother noticed how much there +was for Stineli to do, and that she had less pleasure than other +children of her age, and the child was her favorite. She always had +something ready so that she could buy herself a red ribbon at the yearly +market, or a needle-case, if she wished. + +Rico was also a favorite with this good grandmother, and she liked to +see the children together, and tried to contrive a little recreation for +them now and then. + +On summer evenings the grandmother always sat by the door on a +tree-stump that was there, and often Stineli and Rico stood by her side +while she told them stories. But when the prayer-bell sounded from the +little church tower she always said, "Now say, 'Our Father;' and be +sure, children, that you never forget to say that prayer every evening; +the prayer-bells ring to remind you of that." "Now remember, little +ones," she would now and then repeat, "I have lived for a long, long +time, and had a great deal of experience, and I have never known a +single person who has not, at some time or other in his life, sore need +of 'Our Father;' but I have known many a one who has sought to say it +anxiously, and not found it, in his great need." So Stineli and Rico +stood reverently side by side and said their evening prayer. + +Now May had come, and there was only a short time to pass before school +would cease, for under the trees there were signs of green, and the snow +had melted and vanished in many places. Rico had been standing for a +long time in the doorway making these welcome observations. At the same +time he looked again and again towards the opposite door, hoping that it +would open. It did at last, and out came Stineli. + +"How long have you been standing there?" she called out merrily. "It is +early to-day, and we can go along slowly." + +They took each other's hands, and went towards the schoolhouse. + +"Are you always thinking about the lake?" asked Stineli as they +went along. + +"Yes, of course," said Rico, with a serious expression; "and I often +dream about it too, and see great red flowers there, and in the distance +the purple mountains." + +"Oh! what one dreams does not count," said Stineli. "I dreamed once that +Peterli climbed, all alone, to the top of the highest pine-tree; and +when he was on the top twig, suddenly he changed into a bird and called +out, 'Come, Stineli, and put on my stockings for me.' So you see that it +does not mean any thing when you dream." + +Rico pondered over this, for his dream might certainly mean something, +and yet only be thoughts passing through his mind. Now, however, they +were near the schoolhouse, and a troop of noisy children came towards +them from the opposite direction. They all entered together, and soon +the teacher came in. He was an old man with thin, gray hair, for he had +been teacher for an incredibly long time,--so long, that his hair had +grown gray and fallen out. + +Now a busy spelling and pronouncing began; then followed the +multiplication-table, and, lastly, the singing. For this the teacher +brought out his old fiddle and tuned it. Then they began, and all +shouted at the top of their lungs,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height," + +and the teacher played the accompaniment. + +Rico, however, had his eyes fixed so attentively upon the fiddle, and on +the teacher's fingers as he touched the strings, that he quite forgot +the song; and at this the whole choir lost their pitch, and fell away a +half-note, and the fiddle became uncertain, and lost a half-note also; +and then the voices fell lower still, until at last nobody could have +told where they were going to all together; but the teacher tossed his +fiddle upon the table and called out angrily, "What sort of a song do +you call that? You are nothing but a lot of screamers! I should like to +know who it is who sings false and spoils the whole time." + +At this a little boy spoke up,--the one who sat nearest to Rico: "I know +why it all goes wrong. It always goes that way when Rico stops singing." + +The teacher himself knew that the fiddle was somewhat dependent on +Rico's leading. + +"Rico, Rico! what is this that I hear?" he said, turning to the lad. +"You are generally a well-behaved boy; but inattention is a sad fault, +as you now see. One single careless scholar can easily spoil a whole +song. Now we will begin anew; and be more attentive, Rico." + +After this the boy sang with his steady, clear voice; the fiddle +followed, and the children sang with all their might, and it went on +very satisfactorily to the very end. + +The teacher was well satisfied, and rubbed his hands together, and then +drew his bow over the string, saying, with a pleased air, "It is a good +instrument, after all." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE. + + +Stineli and Rico freed themselves from the crowd of children gathered +before the schoolhouse, and wandered off together. "Were you thinking so +that you could not sing with us to-day, Rico?" asked Stineli. "Were you +thinking again about the lake?" + +"No, it was quite another thing," replied the boy. "I know how to play +'Little lambkins, come down,' if I only had a fiddle." + +Judging from the deep sigh that accompanied these words, the wish must +have weighed heavily on Rico's heart. The sympathetic little Stineli +began at once to contrive some means of helping him to get his wish. + +"We will buy one together, Rico," she said suddenly, full of delight at +a happy thought that had entered her head. I have ever so many pieces of +money,--as many as twelve. How much have you got?" + +"None at all," said the boy sadly. "My father gave me some before he +went away, but my cousin said I should only spend it foolishly, and +she took it from me, and put it up on the shelf in a box where I +cannot get it." + +Such a trifle did not discourage Stineli. "Perhaps we have enough +without that, and my grandmother will give me some more soon," she said +consolingly. "You know, Rico, a fiddle can't cost so very much; it is +nothing but a bit of old wood with four strings stretched across it, +that will be cheap, I'm sure. You must ask the teacher about it +to-morrow morning, and then we will try to find one." + +So it was settled, and Stineli resolved to do all she could at home to +make herself useful by getting up bright and early, and making the fire +before her mother was afoot, thinking that, if she worked busily from +morning till night, perhaps her grandmother would put a bit of money for +her in the bag. + +After school the next day Stineli went out and waited alone behind the +wood-pile at the schoolhouse corner, for Rico had made up his mind at +last to ask the teacher how much it would cost to buy a fiddle. He was +such a long time about it, that Stineli kept peeping out from behind the +wood-pile, quite overcome with impatience, but only saw the other school +children who were standing about and playing; but now certainly,--yes, +that was Rico who came around the corner. + +"What did he say? How much does it cost?" cried Stineli, almost +breathless with suspense. + +"I had not the courage to ask," was the sad answer. + +"Oh, what a shame!" said the girl, and stood still and disappointed for +a moment, but not more. "Never mind, Rico; you can try again to-morrow," +she said cheerfully, taking him by the hand and turning homeward. "I got +another bit of money from my grandmother this morning, because I got up +early and was in the kitchen when she came in." + +The same thing happened, however, the next day and the day after. Rico +stood for half an hour before the door without getting courage to go in +to ask his question. At last Stineli made up her mind to go herself, if +this lasted three days more. On the fourth day, however, as Rico was +standing, timid and depressed, before the door, it opened suddenly, and +the teacher came out quickly, and ran into Rico with such force, that +the slender little fellow, who did not weigh more than a feather, was +thrown backward several feet. The teacher stood looking at the child in +great surprise and some displeasure. Then he said, "What does this mean, +Rico? Why do you stand before the door without knocking, if you have a +message to deliver? If you have no message, why do you not go away? If +you wish to tell me any thing, do so at once. What is it that you wish?" + +"How much does a fiddle cost?" Rico blurted out his question in +great fear and haste. The teacher's surprise and displeasure +increased visibly. + +"I do not understand, Rico," he said, with a severe glance at the boy. +Have you come here on purpose to mock me? or have you any particular +reason for asking this? What did you mean to say?" + +"I did not mean any thing," said Rico abashed, "only to ask how much it +would cost to buy a fiddle." + +"You did not understand me just now,--pay attention to what I am saying. +There are two ways of asking a question: either to obtain information, +or simply from idle curiosity, which is foolishness. Now pay attention, +Rico: is this a mere idle question, or did somebody send you who wishes +to buy a fiddle?" + +"I want to buy one myself," said the boy, taking courage a little; +but he was frightened when the angry reply came, "What! what did you +say? A forlorn little fellow like you buy a fiddle! Do you even know +what the instrument is? Have you any idea of how old I was, and what +I knew, before I obtained one? I was a teacher, a regular teacher; +was twenty-two years old, with an assured profession, and not a +child like you. + +"Now I will tell you what a fiddle costs, and then you will see how +foolish you are. Six hard gulden I paid for mine. Can you realize what +that means? We will separate it into blutsgers. If one gulden contains a +hundred blutsgers, then six guldens will be equal to six times one +hundred,--quickly, quickly! Now, Rico, you are generally ready enough." + +"Six hundred blutsgers," said the lad softly, for he was quite +overpowered with the magnitude of this sum as compared with Stineli's +twelve blutsgers. + +"And, moreover, my son, do you imagine that you have only to take a +fiddle in your hand to be able to play on it at once? It takes a long +time to do that. Come in here now, for a moment." And the teacher opened +the door, and took his fiddle from its place on the wall. "There," he +said, as he placed it on Rico's arm, "take the bow in your hand,--so, my +boy; and if you can play me _c, d, e, f_, I will give you a +half-gulden." + +Rico had the fiddle really in his hand; his eyes sparkled with fire; _c, +d, e, f,_--he played the notes firmly and perfectly correctly. "You +little rascal!" cried the astonished teacher, "where did you learn that? +Who taught you? How do you find the notes?" + +"I can do more than that, if I may," said the boy. + +"Play, then." + +And Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height; + The daylight is fading, + The sun says, 'Good-night!'" + +[Illustration: RICO PLAYED CORRECTLY, AND WITH ENTHUSIASM] + +The teacher sunk into a chair, and put his spectacles on his nose. His +eyes rested on Rico's fingers as he played, then on his sparkling eyes, +and again on his hands. When the air was finished, he said, "Come here +to me, Rico;" and, moving his chair into the light, he placed the lad +directly before him. "Now I have something to say to you. Your father is +an Italian; and I know that down there all sorts of things go on of +which we have no idea here in the mountains. Now look me straight in the +eye, and answer me truly and honestly. How did you learn to play this +air so correctly?" + +Looking up with his honest eyes, the boy replied, "I learned it from +you, in the school where it is so often sung." + +These words gave an entirely new aspect to the affair. The teacher stood +up, and went back and forth several times in the room. Then he was +himself the cause of this wonderful event; there was no necromancy +concerned in it. + +In a far better humor, he took out his purse, saying, "Here is your +half-gulden, Rico; it is justly yours. Now go; and for the future be +very attentive to the music-lesson as long as you go to the school. In +that way you may, perhaps, accomplish something; and in twelve or +fourteen years perhaps you may be able to buy a fiddle. Now you may go." + +Rico cast one look at the fiddle, and departed with deep sadness in +his heart. + +Stineli came running to meet him from behind the wood-pile. "You did +stay a long time. Have you asked the question?" + +"It is all of no use," said the boy; and his eyebrows came together in +his distress, and formed a thick black line across his forehead over his +eyes. "A fiddle costs six hundred blutsgers; and in fourteen years I can +buy one, when everybody will be dead. Who will be living fourteen years +from now? There, you may have this; I do not want it." With these words +he pressed the half-gulden into Stineli's hand. + +"Six hundred blutsgers!" repeated the girl, horrified. "But where did +this half-gulden come from?" + +Rico told her all that had happened at the teacher's, ending with the +same words expressing his great regret, "It is all of no use!" + +Stineli tried to console him a little with the half-gulden; but he was +furious at the thought of the innocent piece of money, and would not +even look at it. + +So Stineli said, "I will put it with my blutsgers, and we will have it +all between us." + +Stineli herself was very much discouraged now; but as they went around +the corner into the field, the little pathway that led to their doors +shone so prettily in the bright sunlight, and the plat before the houses +was so white and dry, that she called out,-- + +"See, see! now it is summer, Rico; and we can go up into the wood, and +we will be happy again. Shall we go next Sunday?" + +"Nothing will ever make me happy again," said Rico; "but if you want to +go, I will go with you." + +When they reached the door, they had arranged to go to the wood on the +following Sunday, and Stineli was very happy at the thought. She did all +that she was able to do through the week, and there was a great deal of +work for her. Peterli, Sami, and Urschli had the measles, and in the +stable one of the goats was sick, and needed hot water very often; and +Stineli had to run hither and thither, lending a helping hand in every +direction as soon as she came home from school, and on Saturday all day +long until late in the evening; and then there were the stable buckets +to be cleaned. But that night her father said,-- + +"Stineli _is_ a handy child." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE BEAUTIFUL DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME + + +When Stineli awoke on the following Sunday morning, she was conscious of +an unusual light-heartedness, and at first could not understand the +cause, until she remembered what day it was, and that her grandmother +had said, on the previous evening, "To-morrow you must have the whole +afternoon to yourself: it is rightfully yours." + +After dinner was finished, and all the dishes taken away, and the table +washed off by Stineli, Peterli called out, "Come here to me;" and the +two others screamed, "No, to me!" and her father said, "Now Stineli must +go to look after the goats." + +But at this moment her grandmother went through the kitchen, and made a +sign to Stineli to follow her. + +"Now go in peace, my child," she said. "I will take care of the goats +and the children; but be sure to come home, both of you, punctually when +the bell rings for prayer." The grandmother knew very well that there +were two of them. + +Off flew Stineli, like a bird whose cage-door has suddenly been opened; +and outside stood Rico, who had been waiting for a long time. They went +on together, across the meadow towards the wood. + +On the mountains the sun was shining brightly, and the blue heavens lay +over all the landscape. They were obliged to pass, for a little while, +through the shade in the snow; but the sun was shining a little farther +on, and shimmered on the waters of the lake, and there were lovely dry +spots on the slope that was almost hanging over the lake. + +There the children seated themselves. A sharp wind came down from the +heights, and whistled about their ears. Stineli was as happy as happy +could be. She shouted out, again and again, "Oh, look, Rico; look! How +beautiful it is in the sun! Now summer has come, look how the lake +glistens! There cannot be a more beautiful lake than this one anywhere," +she said confidently. + +"Yes, yes, Stineli! You ought to see the lake I know about just once," +said Rico; and looked so longingly across the lake, that it seemed as if +that which he wanted to see began just beyond their vision. + +"Over there are no dark fir-trees, with sharp needles, but shining green +leaves, and great red flowers; and the mountains are not so high and +dark, nor so near, but lie off in the distance, and are purple; and the +sky and the lake are all golden and still and warm. There the wind does +not feel like this, and one's feet never get full of snow; and one can +sit all day long on the sunny ground, and look about." + +Stineli was quite carried away by this description. She already saw the +red flowers and the golden lake before her eyes, and seemed to know +exactly how beautiful it all was. + +"Perhaps you may be able to go there again to see it all, Rico. Do you +know the way?" + +"You must cross the Maloja. I have been there with my father once. He +pointed me out the road that goes all the way down the mountain,--first +this way, then that, and far below lies the lake; but so far, so far, +that it is scarcely possible to go there." + +"Oh! that is easy enough," said Stineli. "You have to go farther and +farther, that is all; and at the end you will surely get there." + +"But my father told me something else. Do you know, Stineli, when you +are travelling and stop at an inn, and eat something and sleep there, +then there is something to pay, and you must have money for that." + +"Oh! we have lots of money," cried Stineli triumphantly. But her +companion was not triumphant. + +"That is exactly as good as nothing. I know that by the affair of the +fiddle," he said sadly. + +"Then it will be better for you to stay at home, Rico. Look! it is +beautiful here at home, I am sure." + +The lad sat thoughtfully silent for a long time, leaning his head on his +hand, and his eyebrows brought in a close line down over his eyes. At +last he turned again to Stineli, who had been gathering the soft green +moss that grew around the spot where they were lying, and of which she +made a tiny bed with two pillows and a coverlet. She meant to carry them +home to the sick Urschli. + +"You say I had better stay at home, Stineli; but, do you know, it is +just as if I did not know where my home really is." + +"Oh, dear me! what do you mean?" cried the girl; and in her surprise she +threw away a whole handful of moss. Your home is here, of course. It is +always home where father and mother"--She stopped suddenly. Rico had no +mother, and his father had been away now for a very long time; and the +cousin? Stineli never went near that cousin, who had never spoken one +pleasant word to her. The child did not know what to say, but it was not +natural to her to remain long in uncertainty. Rico had already fallen +into one of his reveries, when she grasped him by the arm, and said,-- + +"I should just like to know something; that is, the name of the lake +where it is so lovely." + +Rico pondered. "I do not know," he said; and felt very much surprised +himself as he spoke. + +Now Stineli proposed that they should ask somebody what it was called; +for even if Rico had ever so much money, and was able to travel, he must +know how to inquire the way, and what the name of the lake was. They +began at once to think of whom they should inquire,--of the teacher, or +of the grandmother. + +At last it occurred to Rico that his father would know better than +anybody else, and he thought he would certainly ask him when he came +home again. + +The time had slipped away quickly as they sat talking, and presently the +children heard the distant sound of a bell. They recognized the sound. +It was the bell for prayers. + +They sprang up quickly, and ran off, hand in hand, down the hill-side +through bushes, and through the snow across the meadow; and it had +scarcely stopped ringing when they reached the door where the +grandmother was on the lookout for them. + +Stineli had to go at once into the house, and her grandmother said +quickly, "Go home directly, Rico, and do not hang around the door +any longer." + +The grandmother had never said such a thing to him before, although he +had always been in the habit of hanging around the door; for he was +never in haste to go home, and stood always for a while before he could +make up his mind to enter. He obeyed at once, however, and went into +the house. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME. + + +Rico did not find his cousin in the sitting-room; so he went to the +kitchen, and opened the door. There she stood; but before he could +enter, she raised her finger, saying, "Sch! sch! Do not open and shut +the doors, and make a noise, as if there were four of you. Go into the +other room, and keep still. Your father is lying in the bedroom up +there. They brought him home in a wagon: he is sick." + +Rico went into the room, seated himself on a bench, and did not stir. + +He sat there for at least a half-hour. Presently he heard the cousin +moving about in the kitchen. Then he thought that he would go up very +softly, and peep into the bedroom. Perhaps his father would like +something to eat: it was long past the meal-time. + +He slipped behind the stove, mounted the little steps, and went very +softly into the bedroom. After a while he returned, went at once into +the kitchen, approached quite close to his cousin, and said softly,-- + +"Cousin, come up." + +The woman was about to strike him angrily, when she happened to glance +at his face. He was perfectly colorless,--cheeks and lips as white as +a sheet, and his eyes looked so black that the cousin was almost +afraid of him. + +"What is the matter with you?" she asked hastily, and followed him +almost involuntarily. + +He mounted the little steps softly, and entered the chamber. His father +lay on the bed with staring, wide-open eyes,--he was dead. + +"Oh, my God!" screamed the cousin, and ran crying out of the door that +opened upon the passage on the other side of the room, went down the +staircase, and across into the opposite house, where she called out to +tell the neighbor and the grandmother the sad news; and thence she ran +on to the teacher and to the mayor. + +One after another they came, and entered the quiet room until it was +full of people; for the news spread from one to another of what had +taken place. And in the midst of all the tumult, and of all the clamor +of the crowd of neighbors, Rico stood by the bedside speechless, +motionless, and gazed at his father. All through the week the house +was filled with people who wished to look at the man, and hear from +the cousin how it had all happened; so that the lad heard it repeated +over and over, that his father had been at work down in St. Gall on +the railroad. + +He had received a deep wound on the head when they were blasting a rock; +and, as he could not work any longer, he wished to go home to take care +of himself until the wound was healed. But the long journey--sometimes +on foot, sometimes in an open wagon--was too much for him; and when he +had reached his home on Sunday, towards evening, he he had lain down on +the bed never to rise again. Without any one knowing it, he had passed +away; for he was already stiff when Rico had found him. On the following +Sunday the burial took place. Rico was the only mourner to follow the +coffin. Several kind neighbors joined in, and thus the little procession +went on to Sils. In the church, Rico heard the pastor when he read out, +"The deceased was called Henrico Trevillo, and was a native of Peschiera +on the Lake of Garda." + +These words brought the feeling to Rico that he had heard something that +he knew perfectly well before, and yet could not recollect. He had +always seen a picture of the lake before his eyes when he had sung,-- + + "One evening + In Peschiera," + +with his father, but he had never known the reason. He repeated the name +softly to himself, while one old song after another arose in his memory. + +As he came back from the burial all alone, he saw the grandmother +seated on the log of wood, and Stineli by her side. She beckoned him to +come over to them. She gave the lad a bit of cake and another to +Stineli, and said now they might go off together for a walk. Rico ought +not to be alone. + +So the children rambled off together, hand in hand. The grandmother +remained seated on her log, sadly gazing after the black-haired lad +until they had wandered slowly up the hillside and passed out of sight. +Then she said softly to herself,-- + + "Whate'er He does, or lets be done, + Is always for the best." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +RICO'S MOTHER. + + +Along the road from Sils came the teacher leaning on his staff. He had +assisted at the burial. He coughed and cleared his throat; and as he +drew near to the grandmother and bade her "good evening," he seated +himself by her side. "If you have no objection, I will sit here with you +for a few moments, neighbor," said he; "for I feel very badly in my +throat and chest. But what can we expect when we are almost seventy +years old, and have witnessed such a funeral as this one to-day? He was +not thirty-five years of age, and as strong as a tree." + +"It always sets me thinking," said the grandmother, "when I, an old +woman of seventy-five years, am left, and here and there a young person +is called away,--a useful one, too." + +"Yet the old folks are good for something. Who else can set an +example to the youth?" remarked the teacher. "But what is your +opinion, neighbor: what will become of the little fellow over yonder, +do you think?" + +"Yes, what will become of him?" repeated the old woman. "I also ask +myself that question; and if my only reliance were upon human help, I +should not know of an answer. But there is a heavenly Father who looks +after the forsaken children. He will provide something for the lad." + +"Will you not tell me, neighbor, how it happened that the Italian +married the daughter of your friend who lived over there opposite? One +never knows how these people may turn out." + +"It happened as such things always happen, neighbor. You know how my old +friend Anne-Dete had lost all her children, and her husband also, and +lived alone in the cottage over yonder with Marie-Seppli, who was a +merry little girl. About eleven or twelve years ago Trevillo made his +appearance here. He had work in the Maloja, and came down here with the +other boys; and he and Marie-Seppli had scarcely become acquainted +before they were resolved to have each other. + +"And it must be said, in justice to Trevillo, that he was not only a +handsome fellow who was agreeable to everybody, but also an industrious +and well-conducted man, with whom Anne-Dete (the mother) was well +pleased. Naturally she wished that they should stay in the house and +live with her, and Trevillo would gladly have done so. He was fond of +his wife's mother, and he always did as Marie-Seppli wished him to. He +had taken her, however, towards the Maloja in his walks, and they had +together looked down the road where you can see how far it goes winding +down the mountain; and he had told her how every thing was down there +where he was born. So Marie-Seppli got it into her head that she must go +there, and no matter how much her mother worried and fretted, and said +that they could not live there, she still was bent upon going; and +Trevillo himself said that as to living there she need not fear, for he +had a nice little property and a house; but, for his part, he would like +to see a little of the world. But the bride prevailed, and after the +wedding she was all for starting directly down the mountain. + +"She wrote to her mother occasionally that it was very nice where they +lived, and that Trevillo was the best of husbands. + +"About five or six years later, who should walk into the room where +Anne-Dete was sitting but Trevillo, leading a little boy by the hand. He +said, 'There, mother, this is the only thing I have left of +Marie-Seppli. She lies buried down yonder with her other little +children. This one was her first, and her favorite.' + +"This is what my old friend told me. Then he threw himself down on the +bench where he had first seen his wife, saying that he should like to +make his home there with her and the boy, if she had no objection, for +down below it was not possible for him to continue to live. This was joy +and sorrow at the same time for Anne-Dete. + +"Little Rico was then about four years old,--a quiet, thoughtful boy, +never noisy or mischievous, and the very apple of her eye; but she died +in the course of a year, and Trevillo was advised to take a cousin of +hers to keep house for him and his boy." + +"So, so!" said the teacher when the old woman was silent, having +finished her story. "I had not understood all this thoroughly before. +Perhaps some of Trevillo's relations will come forward, in good time, +and they can be asked to do something for the child." + +"Relations!" said the grandmother with a sigh. "That cousin is a +relation, and little enough of comfort he gets from her in the course of +the year." + +The schoolmaster rose with difficulty from his seat. "I am going +down-hill, neighbor," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot imagine where +my strength has gone to." + +The old woman encouraged him, and said he was still a young man in +comparison with her. But, in truth, it did surprise her to see how +slowly and painfully he walked as he left her. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER. + + +Many beautiful Sundays followed; and, whenever it was possible, the +grandmother so arranged it that Stineli got, now and then, a spare +moment; but the work in the house increased daily. Rico passed many +hours standing on the threshold of his cottage looking longingly across +the way, in the hope of seeing Stineli come out. + +Towards September, when people often sat before their houses in order to +enjoy, to the utmost, the last warm evenings of the season, the +schoolmaster placed himself before his door, but he looked very thin and +coughed continually; and at last, one morning when he tried to rise, his +strength deserted him completely, and he fell back upon his pillow. + +There he lay very still, and busy with all sorts of thoughts; and he +wondered what would come to pass when he died. He had no children, and +his wife had been dead for a long time, and there was only in old +maid-servant to live with him and take care of the house. He was +principally occupied in thinking of what would become of all the things +that belonged to him when he should be gone; and, as his fiddle hung +directly opposite to him on the wall, he said to himself, "I must leave +that behind me too." + +Then he remembered the day when Rico stood before him and played on the +instrument, and he felt as if he had rather let the boy have the fiddle +than to let it go to a distant cousin who did not understand the use of +it at all. And he thought that, if it were to go very cheap, perhaps +Rico could buy it. Presently he bethought himself that if he could not +use the violin, neither would he have any use for money. For all that, +he could not bring himself to let the instrument, for which he had paid +down six hard gulden, go for nothing. + +So he pondered and pondered how he could manage to obtain something in +exchange; but at last it was quite clear to him that there, where he was +fast going, he could not take his violin with him, neither could he take +any thing that he might get for it, for all must remain behind. + +While he was lying there the fever became greater and greater, and he +lay, towards evening and all night long, fighting with all sorts of +strange thoughts, and old, long-forgotten events rose before his mind +and perplexed him; so that at last, towards morning, he lay on his bed +utterly exhausted, and with only one thought or wish,--viz., to be able +to do one kind deed, one good action, and that quickly, before it was +too late. He knocked against the wall with his stick until the old +maid-servant heard him and came in to him; and then he sent her over to +the grandmother, to ask her to come to him as quickly as possible. + +She did come almost immediately; and before she had fairly time to ask +him how he found himself, he said,-- + +"Will you be so good as to take down the fiddle that hangs there on the +wall, and give it to the little orphan boy? I wish to make him a present +of it, and he must be very careful of it." + +Naturally the good woman was very much surprised, and could not +refrain from exclaiming repeatedly, "What will Rico do with it? What +will Rico say to this?" Presently she noticed, however, that the +schoolmaster seemed a little restless, as if he were in a hurry to +have the thing done. + +So she left him, and hastened as quickly as possible across the fields +with the gift under her arm; for she was also impatient to know how Rico +would take this rare piece of good fortune. + +He was standing in the doorway of his cottage. At a motion from the +grandmother, he ran towards her. + +"Here, Rico," she said, and handed him the violin. "The schoolmaster +sends this to you: it is yours." + +The boy stood as if he were in a dream, but it was true. The grandmother +was really standing there, holding the fiddle out to him. + +Trembling with pleasure and excitement, he took his present at last, put +it on his arm, and gazed at it in a silly sort of way, as if he thought +it might vanish presently, as quickly as it had come, if he did not keep +his eyes on it. + +"You must be very careful of it," said the old woman, delivering her +message faithfully. She was much inclined to laugh, however; for it did +not seem to her that the warning was at all necessary. "And, Rico, think +about the teacher, and do not forget what he has done for you: he is +very ill." + +The grandmother went into the house with these words; and the boy +hastened up into his own bedroom, where he was always alone. + +There he sat and fiddled, and played on and on, and forgot all about +eating or drinking, or how the time sped on. At last, when it was almost +dark, he came to himself, and went down-stairs. The cousin came out from +the kitchen, saying, "You can have something to eat to-morrow morning. +You have behaved so to-day that you won't get any thing more." + +The boy did not feel hungry, although he had not eaten since the early +morning, and went quite unconsciously across into the opposite house, +and entered the kitchen. He was looking for the grandmother. + +Stineli was standing by the hearth, arranging the fire. When she caught +sight of Rico, she shouted aloud for joy; for the ground had almost +burned beneath her feet, she had been so impatient all day--ever since +her grandmother had told her the great news--to get away, and express +her delight to Rico; but she had not dared to leave the house for an +instant. Now she was fairly beside herself, and called out, again and +again, "You have got it now! You have got it now!" + +Hearing the noise, the grandmother came out of the sitting-room; and +Rico hastened towards her, saying, "May I go to thank the teacher, if +he is sick?" + +After thinking a while,--for she remembered how very ill the +schoolmaster looked in the morning when she saw him,--the good woman +said, "Wait a few moments, Rico, I will go with you;" and stepped into +her room to put on a clean apron. Then they went over to the +schoolhouse. The grandmother entered first. Rico followed, his fiddle +under his arm. He had not once laid it down since it had come into his +possession. + +The teacher lay on his bed, looking very feeble indeed. The lad stepped +to the bedside and looked down at his fiddle and could scarcely speak, +but his eyes sparkled so brightly that the good man had no difficulty in +understanding him: he cast a pleased look towards the boy, and nodded at +him. Then he beckoned the grandmother to draw near. Rico moved a little +to one side, and the teacher said with a weak voice, "Grandmother, I +should be very glad if you would say 'Our Father' for me, I feel so very +much troubled." + +Just at this moment the prayer-bell sounded. The grandmother folded her +hands and repeated the Lord's Prayer, and Rico also folded his hands. +Every thing was quiet in the room. After a while the grandmother bent +over and closed the old teacher's eyes, for he had passed away. Then she +took Rico by the hand, and went softly home with him. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +ON THE LAKE OF SILS. + + +Stineli did not recover herself during the entire week, her joy was so +great; but it seemed as if that week were ten days longer than any +other, for Sunday seemed never to come. + +At last it did come, and a golden sun shone over the harvest fields, and +she and Rico went up under the fir-trees, where the sparkling lake lay +spread out at their feet; and the girl's heart was so overflowing with +happiness, that she had to dance about and shout aloud before she seated +herself on the moss, on the very edge of the slope. There she could see +every thing round about,--the sunny heights and the lake, and, stretched +over all, the blue heavens. + +Suddenly she called out, "Come now, Rico; we will sing,--sing for +ever so long." + +So the lad seated himself by Stineli's side, and placed his fiddle in +position,--for he had, of course, brought that too,--and began to play, +and the children sang,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright, sunny height," + +until they had sung all the verses; but Stineli had not had half enough. + +"We will sing more," she said, and went on,-- + + "Little lambkins, above + On the bright, pleasant hill, + The sunlight is sparkling, + The winds are not still." + +And then Rico sang the verse and was pleased and said, "Sing some more." + +Stineli was quite excited: thought a bit, and looked up, then down, and +sang again,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins, + And the heavens so blue; + And red and white flowers, + And the green grasses, too." + +Then Rico fiddled and sung the verse with her, and said again, +"Some more." + +Stineli laughed, and, glancing at Rico, sang,-- + + "And a sad little boy, + And a very gay maid; + And a lake like another, + That from water is made." + +Laughing and singing, Stineli went +on,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins, + They jumped up so high, + And all were most merry, + And did not know why. + + "And a boy and a girl + By the lake-side did sit, + And because they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +Now they began at the very beginning, and sang the whole thing through +again, and made merry over it, and were so happy that they sang it at +least ten times over; and the more they repeated it, the better it +sounded to their ears. + +After this Rico played several tunes that he had learned from his +father; but they soon came back to their own song, and began that again. + +In the midst of it the girl stopped and said, "It has just come into +my head how you can go down to the other lake, and will not need any +money either." + +Rico paused suddenly and gazed at his companion, awaiting what was +coming next. + +"Don't you see," she said earnestly, "now you have a fiddle, and you +know a song. You can go and play your song, and sing before the +taverns; then the people will give you something to eat and to drink, +and let you sleep there, for they will see that you are not a beggar. +So you can go on until you reach the lake; and, coming home, you can do +the same thing again." + +Rico reflected over these words, but Stineli would give him no time for +dreaming: she wanted to go on with the song. + +They made so much noise themselves, that they did not hear the +prayer-bell at all; and did not notice what time it was until reminded +by the growing darkness, and perceived the grandmother looking about +anxiously for them before they reached the houses. + +But Stineli was too much excited to be subdued by any thing. She ran on +towards her grandmother, and said, "You have no idea how beautifully +Rico can fiddle; and we have made a song of our own, for ourselves only. +We will sing it to you this very moment." + +And before there was time to answer, they began and sang it all through; +and the good grandmother listened with real pleasure to their sweet, +clear voices. + +She seated herself on the log; and, when the children had finished, +said, "Come now, Rico, I want you to play for me; and you and I will +sing together. Do you know the song that begins,-- + + "'I sing to thee with heart and voice?'" + +Rico had probably heard the hymn, but he did not know it correctly, and +said that he wished first to hear it from the grandmother, and he would +follow her softly on his violin, and then he would be sure of it. + +So they began; and first the grandmother repeated the words of a verse +to the children, and then they all sang it together,-- + + "I sing to thee with heart and voice, + Lord, whom my soul obeys. + I sing, and bid all earth rejoice: + Thou teachest me thy praise. + + "I know that thou the fountain art + Of joy,--the eternal spring + Which, into every willing heart, + Healing and good dost bring. + + "Why do we worry over sin? + Why sorrow night and day? + Come, bring thy load, cast it on Him + Who fashioned thee from clay. + + "He never yet has done amiss; + And, perfect in His sight, + All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right. + + "Now only let His will be done, + Nor clamor constantly, + Peace to thy heart on earth will come, + And joy eternally." + +"It is well," said the grandmother. "Now we know a proper evening hymn, +and you may go quickly to rest, my children." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A PERPLEXING AFFAIR. + + +When Rico entered the cottage that evening it was later than usual, for +he had spent a full half-hour in singing the hymn. As he went in, his +cousin came flying towards him. + +"Are you beginning in this style already?" she called out. "The supper +stood waiting for you a whole hour: now I have put it away. Go to your +bedroom; and if you turn out a good-for-nothing and a scamp, it is no +fault of mine. I don't know any thing that I had not rather do than look +after a boy like you." + +Rico never answered a single word, no matter how much his cousin might +scold at him; but this evening he looked at her, and said,-- + +"I can get out of your way, cousin." + +She shoved the bolt in on the house-door with such violence that the +door shook, and went into the sitting-room, slamming that door behind +her. Rico went up into his dark little bedroom. + +On the following day, as all the big family in the other cottage +were eating their supper,--the parents, the grandmother, and all the +children,--the cousin came running over, and called out from the +door to ask if they knew any thing about Rico: she had no idea where +he could be. + +"He will come fast enough when it is time for supper," replied the +father quietly. + +The cousin entered the room. She had been quite sure that the lad was +there, and she expected him to come out if she only stood at the door +and asked for him. + +Now she went on to tell them that he had not made his appearance at +breakfast, nor at dinner-time, and that he had not been in bed the +previous night, for she had found it as she had left it; and she +believed that he must have gone away very early in the morning before +daybreak, wandering about as he was in the habit of doing, for the bolt +was pushed aside on the house-door when she went to open it. She thought +at first that she must have forgotten to bolt it the night before in her +anger, for nobody knew how angry she had been. + +"Something has happened to him," said the father, quite unmoved. "He has +probably fallen into some cleft up there on the mountain: it often +happens to little boys who go climbing about everywhere. + +"You ought to have spoken of it earlier in the day," he went on slowly. +"We shall have to go to look for him, and in the night you can't see +any thing." + +At these words the cousin broke out into a terrible uproar. She expected +there would be all sorts of fault found with her; that was always the +way when you had suffered for years, and never said any thing about it. + +"Nobody would ever believe," she said,--and spoke a truthful word then, +at least,--"what a sly, cunning, deceitful boy that is, and what a life +he has led me these four years. He will turn out a regular vagabond, a +tramp, a disgraceful creature." + +The grandmother had ceased eating for several minutes. She now rose from +the table, and went up to the cousin, who was talking very noisily. + +"Stop, neighbor, stop," she said; and repeated it twice without effect. +"I know Rico very well; I have always known him ever since he was +brought here to his grandmother. If I were in your place, I would not +say another word, but stop to think whether the lad, to whom perhaps +something dreadful has happened, and who may be standing up there before +God at this moment, may not have some complaint against +somebody,--somebody who had done him a heavy injury, all deserted as he +is, with her cruel words." + +Since Rico's disappearance, the way the lad looked at her on that +last evening had occurred several times to the cousin's mind, and how +he said,-- + +"I can easily get out of your way." + +That was why she had made such a noise about it, in order to drown these +words. Now she did not dare to look the grandmother in the face, but +said that she must go: perhaps Rico might be at the cottage by this +time, which she would very gladly have had come true. + +From this day forward the cousin never spoke another word against Rico +in the grandmother's hearing; nor, indeed, did she often speak of him at +all. She believed, as did all the neighbors far and near, that the lad +was dead; and she was thankful that nobody knew about the words he had +said to her on that last evening. + +The next morning after this event was made known, Stineli's father went +out to the thrashing-floor and picked himself out a stout stick. He said +that he would call some of the neighbors together: they must go search +for the lad somewhere towards the glaciers and up by the ravines. + +Stineli crept out after him, and he said, when he noticed her, "That is +right, come and help me to search; you can get into the corners better +than I can." + +At last, after they had found a big beanpole, Stineli ventured to say, +"But father, if Rico went along the high-road, then he could not fall +into any thing, could he?" + +"Oh, perhaps he might," replied her father. "Such thoughtless boys as he +often stray off the road, and fall into ravines and places: they don't +know themselves where they are going, and he was always moving about +more or less." + +That this was true of Rico nobody knew better than Stineli; and she +became dreadfully anxious from that time forth, which anxiety increased +every day to such a degree that she could neither eat nor sleep for +sorrow, and did her work, day after day, as if she did not know what she +was about. + +Rico was not found: nobody had seen any thing of him. They ceased to +search for him, and the folks soon began to find consolation in the +thought, "It is just as well for the little fellow, after all; he was +forsaken, and had no one to care for him." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +A LITTLE LIGHT. + + +Stineli grew more and more thin and quiet from day to day. The little +ones called out complainingly, "Stineli never tells us stories now, and +never laughs any more." Her mother said to her father, "Do you notice +how changed she is?" And her father replied, "It is because she grows so +fast. She must get a little goat's milk early in the mornings." + +After this had gone on for three weeks or so, Stineli's grandmother +called the girl into her bedroom one evening, and said, "My dear +Stineli, I can very well understand that you cannot forget your friend +Rico, but you must try to remember that it is God's will that he should +be taken away; and that, as it is so, it is also the best thing for +Rico, as we must try to think." + +At these words Stineli began to weep as her grandmother had never seen +her do before; and she sobbed and sobbed, saying, "The good God did not +do it: I did it, grandmother; and therefore I feel as if I should die of +anxiety. It was I who proposed to Rico to go to find the lake, and now +he has fallen into a ravine, and is dead; it has hurt him dreadfully, +and it is all my fault." Then the poor child cried and sobbed pitifully. +It seemed to the grandmother as if a heavy weight were lifted from her +heart as she heard these words of Stineli's. She had given up Rico as +lost; and had in secret believed that the child had fled from the unkind +treatment he had received at home, and was lying somewhere in the water, +or was lost in the woods. Now a new hope arose in her heart. + +She succeeded in quieting Stineli enough to persuade her to relate the +whole story about the lake, of which the grandmother was in total +ignorance: how Rico had always been talking about this lake, and how he +had longed to go to find it, and how, at last, Stineli had suggested the +way for him to do so. It really seemed most likely that Rico had started +to find the lake, but her father's mention of the ravines had destroyed +all hope in Stineli. + +The good old woman took her granddaughter by the hand, and drew her +towards her, saying, "Now, Stineli, I have something to explain to you. +Do you remember what the old song says,--the one we sang with Rico on +the last evening we were together?-- + + "'All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right.'" + +Now you see, that although the good God did not exactly do this +thing,--as if He had let Rico die in his bed, for instance,--yet the +thing is in His hand all the same, although you have it turned aside, +perhaps, a little; for certainly the good God is stronger than this +little Stineli. And, now that you have made this sad mistake, it will be +a lesson to you for all the rest of your life, no matter how it may turn +out in the end, that children should not run away into the unknown +world, nor undertake things about which they are utterly ignorant; and +that without saying a word to their parents or to their grandmothers, +who love them so well. But now the kind God has allowed it to happen, +and we may certainly hope that it will all be finished right. + +"Now ponder this well, my Stineli, and never forget what you have thus +learned by experience; and now--for I see how heavily it weighs down +your heart--it will be well for you to go to pray to the good God, that +He will allow this mistake of yours and Rico to turn out all right. And +then you can be happy again, Stineli, and I shall be so, too; for I +believe firmly that Rico is living, and that the good God has not +forsaken him." + +And Stineli became after this like her former happy self; and, although +she missed Rico constantly, still she no longer felt worried, nor did +she reproach herself, but looked continually down the road to Maloja, +expecting to see him. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A LONG JOURNEY. + + +On that memorable Sunday evening, Rico seated himself on the chair in +his gloomy bedroom. There he decided to stay until his cousin had +gone to bed. + +After Stineli had made the discovery that Rico could go with his fiddle +down to the much-wished-for lake, the enterprise seemed a very simple +thing to the lad,--so easy, that he only thought of the best way to get +off. He had a presentiment that his cousin would probably try to hinder +him from going, although he felt sure that she would not miss him after +he was away. + +So, when she began to scold him when he came home, he said to himself, +"I will be off as soon as she is once in her bed." + +He had very pleasant thoughts as he sat there in the dark,--of how nice +it would be not to hear the scolding voice of his cousin all day long, +and of what big bushels of the red flowers he would bring back to +Stineli when he returned. And then the picture of the sunny shores of +the lake and the purple hills rose before his mind, and he fell asleep. +He was not in a very comfortable position, for he had never let his +fiddle leave his hand; and he soon awoke again, but it was still dark. + +Now he had a clear idea of what he would do. He had his Sunday clothes +on, which was good; and his cap was also on his head. He took his fiddle +under his arm, and went softly down the steps, slipped the bolt aside, +and stole out into the cool air of morning. + +The dawn was just showing over the mountains, and in Sils the cocks were +crowing. Off he walked briskly, to get well away from the houses and to +reach the highway. When he once was on the road, he went along merrily; +for he felt quite at home there, he had so often traversed the ground +with his father. He could form no idea of how far it really was to the +Maloja; and indeed it seemed very long to him, after he had been going +for two good hours. Little by little it grew brighter, however; and in +about an hour more, when he reached the place before the tavern upon the +Maloja, where he used to stand with his father and gaze down the +mountain road, the sunny light of morning lay upon the mountains, and +the tips of the fir-trees were all touched with gold. + +Rico seated himself upon the edge of the roadside. He was very tired, +and remembered suddenly that he had not eaten any thing since the +noonday meal of the day before. But he was not discouraged, for now +the way was all down hill; and, after that, he should undoubtedly +reach the lake. + +While he sat there, the big post-wagon came rumbling along. He had often +seen it as it came through Sils, and always thought that the very +greatest happiness upon earth must be experienced by the driver, who sat +all day long on the box, and controlled his four horses with his whip. +Now he saw this happy creature nearer; for the post-wagon stopped, and +the lad never once removed his eyes from the wonderful man, as he came +down from his perch, stepped into the inn, and came out again with an +enormous piece of black bread in his hand, upon which lay a large piece +of cheese. + +Next, the driver drew out a strong knife, cut a good big bit of bread, +and gave each horse a mouthful in turn, not forgetting himself in the +meantime; but upon his own piece of bread he put an equally big morsel +of cheese. As they all stood there, eating in happy companionship, the +man looked about a little, and presently called out, "Hulloa, little +musician! won't you join us too? Come hither." + +Now when Rico saw them all eating, he fully realized how very hungry he +was. He most gladly accepted the invitation, and approached the driver, +who cut such a big slice of bread and also of cheese to give the lad, +that Rico did not really know how he should manage to eat it. + +He was obliged to put his fiddle down on the ground; and the coachman +looked on very complaisantly while the boy ate his breakfast, and said, +while he followed his own occupation,-- + +"You are a very small fiddler. Do you know how to play something?" + +"Oh, yes! two songs, besides those I learned from my father," +replied Rico. + +"Really! And where are you going to on your two little legs?" said the +driver. "To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda," was the serious answer. + +At these words, the coachman burst into such boisterous laughter that +the boy gazed up at him in great astonishment. + +"Well, you are a good one to travel," cried the man, still laughing." +Have you any notion how far it is, and that a little musician like you +could wear out his two feet, and his soles, too, before he could catch +sight of a single drop of the water of the Lake of Garda? Who sends you +down there?" + +"Nobody. I go of my own accord." + +"Well, I never have seen the like of you before," said the man, still +laughing good-naturedly. "Where, then, is your home, my boy?" + +"I do not know exactly. It may be on the Lake of Garda," was the +serious answer. + +"What sort of reply is that?" + +So saying, the coachman looked with some curiosity at the little figure +before him, which certainly did not betray any signs of being neglected. +On the contrary, the head, with its black curly hair, and the nice +Sunday suit of clothes, gave the lad a very genteel appearance; and his +delicate features and earnest eyes bore unmistakable evidence to +something noble in his character, and any one who looked at him once was +certain to repeat the glance with pleasure. + +Such was also the case with the driver. He gazed steadfastly at Rico, +and presently said, kindly, "You carry your passport in your face, my +boy; and it is not a bad one either, even if you do not know where you +belong. What will you give me now, if I will carry you along with me +down yonder, on the box?" + +Rico stared, for he could scarcely believe his ears at these words. To +sit on that high post-wagon, and drive down into the valley! Such luck +could never, never be his; of that he was sure. Besides, what had he to +give the coachman in exchange? + +"I have only my fiddle in the world, and I cannot give that away," he +said sadly, after thinking a while. + +"Well, I should not know what to do with that box," laughed the driver +"Come along. We will get up there, and you may play me a little music." + +Rico could not trust his ears; but, sure enough, the coachman pushed him +up over the wheel to the top of the coach, climbing up after him. The +passengers had all taken their places, the doors were closed, and away +they rolled down the road.--the well-known road over which Rico had so +often longingly gazed, wishing that he could travel it. + +Now his wish was realized. High up between heaven and earth he seemed to +be flying, and could not believe that he was not in a dream. + +The coachman was revolving in his own mind the question of the boy's +belongings. + +"Just tell me, now, you little travelling bundle, where your +father lives." + +He asked this after having cracked his whip many times in succession as +loud as he could. + +"He is dead." + +"Oh, dear! Well, where is your mother, then?" + +"She is dead, too." + +"Well, there is always a grandfather and a grandmother, or something. +Where are yours?" + +"All dead." + +"At any rate, everybody has some brothers or sisters; where are yours, I +should like to know?" + +"All are dead," was the sorrowfully repeated answer. + +When the driver had convinced himself that they were all gone, he ceased +his questions about the relatives, and began in another direction with, +"What was your father's name?" + +"Henrico Trevillo of Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda." + +At last the driver thought he had got at the root of the matter, and +said to himself this boy had strayed away, or been carried away, from +his home down below there, and it is a good thing for him to get carried +back where he belongs; and he thought no more about the affair. + +Presently they passed the first very steep bit of the hill, and came to +an even stretch of ground, and the driver said, "Now, musician, let us +have a jolly song to cheer the way." + +Full of satisfaction, and much elated at his high position on his throne +under the blue heaven, the boy took his instrument and began to sing in +his strong, clear tones,-- + + "Little lambkins, come down." + +Now it happened that there were three students seated up on the top of +the post-wagon: they were off on a vacation trip, and very merry. + +So when Rico carolled forth Stineli's song in his gayest manner, they +all burst out laughing and shouted, "Stop, singer, stop, and begin over +again; we want to sing with you." + +Rico obeyed, and the jolly students joined in with all their might,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,"-- + +and laughed so extravagantly all the time that they drowned the sound of +Rico's fiddle completely. And then one of them would take up the words +and sing alone,-- + + "And if they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +And then the others joined in, and sang as loudly as possible,-- + +"And the lambkins, and the lambkins." + +And so they went on for a long time. If Rico paused a little, they +shouted, "Go on, fiddler; don't stop yet," and threw little pieces of +money to him over and over again, until he had quite a heap in his cap. + +Within the coach the passengers opened the windows, and stuck their +heads out to listen to the merry singing. + +Rico started off afresh, and the students also. They divided the song +into solos and chorus; and the solo sang very solemnly,-- + +"And one lake, like another, From water is made." + +And then again,-- + + "And because they forgot it, + It hurt not a bit." + +And the chorus took it up with,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins." + +Then they laughed so that they were almost dead, and were forced to be +still for very fatigue and want of breath. + +Presently the driver stopped, for it was time for the horses to rest, +and also dinner-time. While the good man helped Rico down, he held the +little fellow's cap firmly for him, for it had a lot of money in it, and +the boy was busy enough with holding his fiddle carefully. + +The coachman was perfectly delighted when he saw the money, and +said, as he gave Rico the cap, "That is first rate; now you can have +a good dinner." + +The students leaped down one after the other, and crowded around the +fiddler to have a look at him, for they could not see him very well on +the top of the coach; and when they discovered what a tiny manikin he +was, they began to make merry again. Judging from his voice, they had +expected to see a large, strong musician; and the sight of this child +seemed to make the fun twice as funny. + +They took the little fellow up between them, and carried him with +singing and laughter into the inn. There they seated him at the table +between two gentlemen, and said that he was their guest; and they all +helped him one after the other, and put huge pieces upon his plate, for +no one would be outdone by the others in serving him; and the boy had +certainly never eaten such a dinner in all his life as he ate that day. + +"Tell us where you learned your beautiful song?" asked one of three. + +"Stineli made it up," replied Rico, very seriously. + +The students looked at each other at these words, and burst out again +with laughter. + +"So Stineli made it up, did she? Then we must drink her health over it." + +Rico had to join in drinking the toast, and was nothing loath to drink +to Stineli's health. + +But now the time for resting and eating was over; and while they were +all taking their places to go on their journey, a stout man came towards +Rico,--a man who had such a big stick in his hand, that it looked as if +he had torn up a young tree for his walking-stick. He was dressed in a +thick, golden-brown stuff from head to foot. + +"Come here, little one," he said to Rico. "How nicely you did sing! I +heard you here, inside the coach; and my business is also with sheep, +for, you know, I am a sheep-dealer; and I want to give you something, +because you can sing about them so prettily." + +With these words he put a big piece of silver in Rico's hand, for the +cap had been emptied by this time, and the contents transferred to the +boy's pocket. + +After this the man got into the coach, and the driver lifted Rico up to +his high seat as if the boy had been a mere feather, and off they went. + +As soon as the speed of the start had a little abated, the students +called for more music, and Rico played every thing that he could +remember ever having heard his father play; and at the end he played,-- + + "I sing to thee with heart and voice." + +But this tune must have put the students to sleep, for every thing +became quite still; and at last the riddle was silent. The evening +breeze stirred gently, and the stars climbed silently up into the sky +one after the other, until they were shining brightly in every +direction. + +Rico looked about, and thought of Stineli, of the grandmother, of what +they were now doing; and it occurred to him that this was the very time +at which the prayer-bell usually rang, and when they were saying "Our +Father." He did the same, to be with them in that, at least: folded his +hands, and said his prayer piously under the brilliant heavens. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IT STILL GOES ON. + + +At last Rico also fell asleep. He only awoke when the driver took hold +of him to lift him down. All the passengers descended; and the three +students came to the lad, shook him kindly by the hand, and wished a +happy journey. One of them called out, "Greet Stineli very kindly for +us." Then they disappeared up one of the streets, and Rico could hear +them as they sang merrily,-- + + "And the lambkins, and the lambkins," + +Rico now stood alone in the darkness. He had not the slightest idea +where he was, nor of what he ought to do next. He presently +remembered that he had not even thanked the kind coachman who had +allowed him to come all this way on the coach, and he felt that he +must do that at once. + +The coachman and his horses were both invisible, and nothing but +darkness was about the boy. At last he espied a lantern hanging up +somewhere in the distance, and went towards the light. It was hanging on +the stable-door, and the horses were just then brought in. Near the door +stood the man with the thick stick. He seemed to be waiting for the +driver; so Rico took his stand near by, and waited too. + +Probably the sheep-dealer did not recognize the little fiddler in the +darkness; but suddenly he exclaimed, quite surprised, "What! is that +you, little one? Where are you going to pass the night?" + +"I do not know where," replied the boy. + +"Well, I never heard of such a thing; at eleven o'clock at night, and a +little scrap of a boy like you in a strange place"-- + +The sheep-dealer seemed to speak in a great hurry, for he could scarcely +breathe in his excitement; neither did he finish his sentence, for the +driver entered the stable at that moment, and Rico went up to him at +once, saying, "I want to thank you for bringing me along with you." + +"You have come just in the nick of time. I had almost forgotten you +while I was looking after my horses, and I wanted to hand you over to an +acquaintance. I was thinking of asking you, good friend," he continued, +turning towards the dealer, "if you would not take this little chap +along with you, as you are going to Bergamo. He wants to go somewhere on +the Lake of Garda. He is one of those who belong here or there. You +understand, don't you?" + +The sheep-dealer thought of the stories he had heard of lost or stolen +children. He looked with pity at Rico, standing in the dim light of the +lantern, and said, "He does look as if he were not in exactly the +clothes that belong to him. He would become a richer dress, I am sure. I +will take him with me." + +When he had talked over the sheep-trade a little with the coachman they +parted, and the dealer made a sign to Rico that he should follow him. + +After a short walk, the man entered an inn, where he seated himself in a +corner of the eating-room with the boy beside him. + +"Now let us look at your possessions," he said to Rico, "so that we can +see what they will allow you to have. Where are you going on the lake?" + +"To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda." + +This was Rico's never-failing answer. He drew out his money from his +pocket,--a nice little pile of small coins it was, and the big silver +bit on the top of all. + +"Have you only that one bit of silver?" asked the dealer. + +"Yes; only that one. You gave me that," replied the boy. + +It pleased the man to think that he was the only one who had given +silver; and he was also pleased that the lad was aware of the fact. He +felt as if he wanted to give him something more. Just at this moment his +supper was placed before him, and the kindly man nodded to his little +companion, saying, "I will pay for this, and for your night's lodging +also; so you need not touch your little fortune until to-morrow." + +Rico was so tired out with all the fiddling and singing, and the long +journey, that he could scarcely eat; and as soon as he reached the big +bedroom where he was to pass the night with his protector, he was asleep +the moment he had put his head on the pillow. + +Early the following morning, Rico was awakened from a sound sleep by a +powerful grasp. He sprang quickly out of bed. His companion stood ready +dressed for the journey, with his big stick in his hand. + +It was not long, however, before Rico was also ready, with his fiddle +tucked under his arm. They went into the dining-room, and the dealer +called for coffee at once. He recommended the lad to make a good meal +then; for they had a long journey before them, he said, and one that +created an appetite. + +When they had breakfasted to their satisfaction, they sallied forth; +and, after a little, came round a sharp corner; and how Rico did open +his big eyes! for there, before him, lay a great shining lake; and much +excited, he shouted out, "Now we are on the Lake of Garda!" + +"Not for a long time yet, my boy. This is the Lake of Como." + +They went on board a boat, and sailed for several hours after this; and +Rico looked about him,--at the sun-bathed shores, and then at the blue +waters; and he felt at home at last. + +Presently he took his piece of silver from his pocket, and put it down +on the table before the dealer. + +"What does this mean? Have you too much money by you?" asked the man, +who was looking on in surprise, his arms supported on his big stick. + +"I must pay to-day," said Rico. "You said so yesterday." + +"You are very attentive to what is said to you. That is a very good +thing; but that is not the way to do, to put your money down on a table +like that. Give it to me." + +He took it, and went over to pay for their passage; but when he drew out +his heavy leathern purse, full of silver pieces,--for he was doing a +large business in selling sheep,--he could not find the heart to take +the poor lad's solitary bit of silver; and he brought it back again with +the ticket, saying, "There, you can find better use for your money +to-morrow. Now you are with me, but who knows how it will be after this? +When you are alone down there, and I am not with you any more, shall you +be able to find the house where you are going?" + +"No; I do not know any thing about the house," replied Rico. + +The man was secretly much surprised, and the lad's story seemed very +mysterious to him. He did not let this appear, however, and asked no +further questions. He said to himself that he should not probably find +out any thing more at present, but would ask the coachman about it the +next time they met. He probably knew the truth, even better than the +child himself did. He felt very sorry for the little fellow, who would +soon be deprived of his protection too. + +When the boat stopped, the man took Rico's hand in his, saying, "Now I +shall not lose you, and you can keep up with me better, for we must +hurry along; they won't wait for us." + +It was as much as the little fellow could do to keep up with his friend. +He did not turn to look to the right hand nor the left, but presently +stopped before some strange-looking wagons on wheels. They mounted the +step, Rico behind his companion; and the former entered a railroad +carriage for the first time. + +They flew along for several hours, until at last the dealer stood up, +and said, "Now I must go. We are in Bergamo, and you are to stay here +quietly; for I have arranged it all for you. You have only to get out +when you get there." + +"Then shall I be at Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda?" asked Rice. + +His companion replied in the affirmative. At last Rico understood--what +he had not clearly seen before--how much kindness the dealer had shown +to him, and the boy felt very sorry that they must part. + +After this Rico sat alone in his corner, and had plenty of time for +day-dreaming; for nobody troubled him in any way, although the train had +stopped at several stations since his companion left him. + +At last the conductor came in, took Rico by the arm, and led him quickly +to the door, and lifted him down the steps; then, pointing towards the +heights in the distance, he said briefly, "Peschiera;" and in a +twinkling he was back again in the carriage, and disappeared in the +train as it steamed off. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE. + + +Rico went forward a little way from the building at which the train had +stopped, and looked about. This white house, the barren square in front +of it, the straight road in the distance, were all new and strange to +his eyes. He had not seen any of them before; and he said to himself, "I +have not come to the right place after all." He went sadly down the road +between the trees, however, until presently the road made a turn, and +the boy stood as if transfixed, and believed himself dreaming, for +before him lay the lake, heavenly blue in the brilliant sunlight, with +its warm, still shores; and yonder were the mountains, and the sunny bay +was there, where the friendly houses sparkled in the distance. + +Now he knew where he was. He had seen all this before, he had stood in +this very place, he knew the trees perfectly well; but where was the +cottage? It must have stood there, close to where he now was, but it was +not visible. + +The old road was there below. Oh! he knew that well; and there, there +were the great shining red flowers with such green leaves. A little +stone bridge ought to be there, somewhere over the outlet of the lake: +he had often passed over that little bridge, but could not see it where +he stood, however. + +Rico started off, as if driven by the longing that now took possession +of him. Down the road he ran; and over there,--yes, that was the little +stone bridge. Every thing came back to him: there he had crossed, and +somebody held him by the hand,--his mother. Suddenly his mother's face +came before his eyes quite distinctly; he had never seen it so clearly +before. He remembered how she had stood there and looked at him with +loving eyes. It all came back to his mind with a rush. + +He threw himself down on the ground by the bridge, and cried and sobbed +aloud, "O mother! where are you, mother? Where is my home, mother?" + +He lay there for a long, long time, and cried until his great sorrow +was somewhat stilled. He thought his heart must burst, and as if all +the grief that had been hitherto pent up within his bosom must now find +an outlet. + +When at last he raised himself from the ground, the sun had already +declined in the heavens, and the golden twilight lay over the lake. The +mountains were turning purple, and a sunny mist lay all over the shores. +This was the way his lake had always looked to Rico in his dreams, only +the reality was even more lovely than he had remembered it. + +And his great wish rose again in his mind as he sat there, "Oh, if I +could show this to Stineli!" + +At last the sun sunk below the horizon, and the light slowly died out. +Rico arose, and passed along the road towards the red flowers. A narrow +lane branched off from the main road at this place. There they stood, +one bush after another: it looked like a great garden. There was, truly, +only an open fence about the whole; and within the flowers, the trees, +and the grape-vines were all growing together. + +At the farther end stood a pretty house with wide open doors; and in the +garden a lad was moving about cutting big bunches of golden grapes now +from this vine, now from that, all the while whistling merrily. + +Rico gazed at the flowers, and thought, "If Stineli could only see +them!" He stood for a long time thoughtfully by the fence. Presently the +lad espied him, and called out, "Come in, fiddler; and play a pretty +song, if you know one." + +The lad spoke in Italian, and it produced a strange sensation in Rico's +mind: he understood what he heard, but he never could have said it +himself. He entered the garden, and the lad began to try to talk with +him; but when he found that Rico could not reply, he pointed towards the +open door, giving Rico to understand that he was to go there to play. + +When Rico approached the door, he found that it opened directly into a +bedroom. A little bed stood within, near which was seated a woman who +was knitting with red yarn. Rico placed himself before the threshold, +and began to play and sing his song,-- + +"Little lambkins, come down." + +When he had finished, the pale face of a little boy was suddenly raised +from the pillows of the bed; and Rico heard the words,-- + +"Play again." + +Rico played another tune. + +"Play again" was repeated. This went on for five or six times, until +Rico had exhausted his stock of songs and tunes; and he put his fiddle +under his arm, and was moving away, when the little boy began to call +out piteously,-- + +"Oh, do stay! Do play again! Play something else!" Then the woman stood +up, and came towards Rico. + +She placed something in his hand, and at first he did not understand +what she wanted; but presently he remembered what Stineli had said, that +if he went to a door, and played on his fiddle, the people would give +him something. The woman asked him kindly where he came from, and where +he was going to; but he could not answer her. She then asked if he were +with his parents? He shook his head. If he were alone? He nodded assent. +Where he was going so late in the evening? Rico shook his head, to +denote uncertainty. A great pity took possession of the woman for the +little stranger; and she called to the boy who worked in the garden, and +bade him conduct the fiddler to the inn of the "Golden Sun." Perhaps the +landlord would understand his language, for he had been away in foreign +parts for a long time. She bade the gardener to say to the landlord that +she wished him to let the lad stay there over night, that she would pay +for it; and, in the morning, set the little fellow off in the right +direction towards his destination. He was so young,--"only a little +older than my boy," she added, compassionately; and also would the +landlord give the boy something to eat. + +Again the child on the bed called out, "He must play again;" and would +not stop until his mother said, "He will come again. Now he must sleep, +and you too." + +The gardener walked on in advance of Rico, who knew, however, what was +to be done; for he had understood what the woman said perfectly. + +In about ten minutes they had reached the town. In one of the little +streets the gardener entered a house, and proceeded at once to the +dining-room, which was filled with tobacco-smoke, and with men seated at +little tables all about. + +Then the gardener gave his message, to which the landlord replied, "It +is all right." The landlady came too, and both looked Rico over from +head to foot. When the guests at the neighboring tables espied the +fiddle under Rico's arm, several of them called out together, "There is +music!" And another one shouted, "Play something, boy, quickly; +something gay!" And they all began to shout for music so noisily that +the landlord could hardly make Rico hear him when he asked what language +he spoke, and whence he came. Rico replied in his own language that he +came down over the Maloja, that he could understand every thing that was +said to him, but could not reply in the same language. The landlord +understood him, and said that he had been up there in the mountains, and +they would have a little conversation later; but now the boy must really +play something, for the guests called for music incessantly. + +Rico, obedient as ever, began to play, and also to sing his own song as +usual. But the company did not understand the words, and the tune seemed +very dull to them also. Some began to make jokes and noises, while +others called for something different,--a dance, or a pretty tune. + +Rico sang every verse of his song to the very end; for when he had once +begun it, he would not stop until it was finished properly. When he had +finished, he bethought himself. He knew no dance music, so that was out +of the question. The hymn he had learned from the grandmother was very +slow, and they would not understand that either. Then he remembered, and +began the air,-- + + "Una Sera + In Peschiera." + +Scarcely had he brought forth the first notes of this tune, when every +thing became still; and in a moment or two voices broke forth from the +different tables round about the room, and they sang in chorus as the +boy had never yet heard any one sing. He became excited presently, and +played with great feeling, while the men sang enthusiastically; and as +soon as one verse was ended, Rico began the music for the next without +hesitating, for he had learned, from hearing his father play it, exactly +how the accompaniment should be, and when to stop. When he had reached +the finale, such a storm of applause broke forth that the boy was quite +overwhelmed. All the men called out and shouted, striking their fists +upon the tables for pleasure; and then they all came about little Rico +with their glasses, and they all wanted to drink with him. Some took him +by the shoulders, and all shouted at him, and made such a racket with +their surprise and pleasure, that Rico became very much frightened, and +turned paler and paler every moment. + +What had he done, however, but play their own Peschiera song, that +belonged to them alone, and which no stranger could ever learn; and this +child had played it as firmly and correctly as if he had been a +Peschierana. Such a wonderful event was enough to arouse these lively +fellows to the utmost; and they could not cease talking about it, and +wondering about this strange little fiddler, and drinking with him, to +express their friendliness. + +At last the landlady interposed. She brought a plate full of rice, and a +big piece of chicken. She beckoned Rico aside, saying to the men they +must let him have a little quiet now; he needed food; he was as pale as +chalk from excitement. She placed the dish upon a little table in one +corner, and encouraged him to eat heartily: she was sure he needed it, +he was such a little scrap. To tell the truth, Rico did enjoy his supper +wonderfully well. Since the coffee in the morning, not a mouthful had +passed his lips; and so much had happened to excite him too. + +As soon as he had eaten all that there was upon his plate, his poor +little eyes closed from fatigue, and he had the greatest difficulty +in keeping them open long enough to answer the landlord's questions +of where he belonged, and where he was going, while he also praised +the child's music. Rico answered that he belonged to nobody, and was +going nowhere. + +The landlord spoke kindly and encouragingly to the boy, telling him that +he should be cared for that night, and in the morning he could go to see +Mrs. Menotti, who had sent him there. She was a good, kind woman, said +the landlord, who could perhaps employ him in her household, if he had +no place to go to where he belonged. + +His wife, who stood by, plucked him constantly by the sleeve, trying to +stop him from talking; but he finished what he had to say, nevertheless, +for he had no idea what she meant by it all. + +Pretty soon the men at the tables began to clamor again: they were +calling for their song. + +The landlady, however, asserted herself. "No, no! on Sunday you shall +have it again; the child is tired to death." So saying, she took Rico by +the hand, and led him up into a big room where the harnesses hung. A big +heap of corn lay in one corner, and a bed stood in the other. In a very +few moments the boy was fast asleep. + +Later, when every thing had become quite silent in the house, the +landlord sat at the little table where Rico had eaten his supper, and +before him stood his wife, for she was still busy in clearing away the +tables; and she said with great earnestness, "You must not send him back +again to Mrs. Menotti. Such a boy as that will be most useful to me in +every possible way; and did not you notice how beautifully he fiddled? +They were all crazy about it. Look out! he is a far better player than +any of our three; and he will learn to play for dancing in no time; and +you will have a musician to whom you need pay nothing, and who will play +every evening when they dance; and you can let him out also to go to the +other places. Don't you let him slip through your fingers. He is a +pretty little fellow, and I like him. We must keep him ourselves." + +"Well, I am satisfied," said the landlord, and understood that his wife +had made a hit this time that was sure to turn out well. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. + + +The next morning, the landlady of the "Golden Sun" stood on the doorstep +of her inn, and looked at the heavens to read the signs of the probable +weather, and to think over the experiences of the night before. +Presently the gardener's boy from Mrs. Menotti's came along. He was both +master and servant over the lovely, fruitful property of Mrs. Menotti; +for he understood both the care of the garden and the cultivation of the +farm, and he looked after and directed all the work himself, and had an +easy and good place with her. He was contented, and whistled +incessantly. + +However, while he stood before the landlady, he stopped for a little, +and said, if the little musician of the evening before had not gone +away, he was to go over to Mrs. Menotti again, because her little boy +wanted to hear him fiddle some more. + +"Yes, yes; if Mrs. Menotti is not in a great hurry,"--while she put her +arms on her hips, to show that she, at any rate, was not pressed for +time. "At the present moment the little musician is sleeping upstairs in +his good bed; and I, for one, do not wish to have him disturbed. You may +say to Mrs. Menotti that I will send him to her presently. He is not +going away. I have taken him under my charge for good and all; for he is +a deserted orphan, and does not know where to go; and now he will be +well cared for," added she, with emphasis. + +The gardener went off with this message. + +Rico was allowed to sleep as long as he wanted to; for the landlady was +a good-natured woman, though, to be sure, she thought first of her own +profit, and afterwards was willing to help others to theirs. When the +boy awoke, at last, from his long sleep, his fatigue had quite +disappeared; and he came running down the stairs as fresh as possible. +The landlady made a sign for him to come into the kitchen, and placed a +big bowl of coffee before him, with a nice yellow corn-cake, saying,-- + +"You can have this every morning, if you will, and something much better +at dinner and supper time; for then there is cooking for the guests, and +there is always something left over. You can do errands for me in return +for it; and you can make this your home, and have your bedroom to +yourself, and not be obliged to go wandering about in the world. Now it +lies with you to decide." + +To this Rico replied, simply,-- + +"Yes, I will;" for he could say that in the language in which the +landlady spoke. + +Now she conducted him through the whole house, through the +out-buildings, the stable, into the vegetable-garden and the hen-house; +and she explained the situation of all the places to him, and told him +where he must turn to go to the grocer and to the shoemaker, and to all +the important trades-people in fact. Rico listened attentively; and, to +test his understanding, the landlady sent him at once to three or four +places, to fetch a variety of things, such as oil, soap, thread, and a +boot that had been mended; for she noticed that the boy could say single +words perfectly well. + +All these errands were done to her perfect satisfaction; and at last she +said, "Now you may go over to Mrs. Menotti with your fiddle, and stay +there until the evening." + +Rico was delighted at this permission; for he would pass by the lake, +and see the beautiful flowers he loved so well. + +As soon as he reached the lake-side, over he ran to the little bridge, +and seated himself there to watch the beautiful water, and the +mountains bathed in golden mist; and he could scarcely tear himself +away from it all. + +But he did; for he realized now that he had duties toward the landlady, +and must obey her, because she gave him food and lodging. + +As he entered the garden, the little boy heard his footstep, for the +door was always open; and he called out,-- + +"Come here, and play some more." + +Mrs. Menotti came out, and gave her hand kindly to Rico, and drew him +into the room with her. It was a large room, and you could look through +the wide doorway out into the garden where the flowers were to be seen. +The little bed on which the sick child lay was directly opposite the +door; and there were only chests and tables and chairs in the room, but +no other beds. At night the child was carried into the neighboring room, +and his bed also, and was placed there beside his mother for the night; +and in the morning he was carried back again, bed and all. For in this +large room the sun shone brightly, making long shining stripes across +the floor that made a dancing pattern on the ground, and amused the +child amazingly. Near the bed stood two little crutches; and now and +then his mother lifted the little cripple from his bed, placed the +crutches under his arms, and led him about the room once or twice; for +he could not walk, nor even stand alone. His little legs were quite +paralyzed, and he had never been able to use them at all. + +When Rico entered the room, the child pulled himself into a sitting +position by means of a long rope that hung down over his bed from the +ceiling for that purpose; for he could not sit up without assistance. + +Rico went to the bedside, and looked at the child in silence. Such +little thin arms and small slender fingers, and such a pale little face, +Rico had never seen; and two big eyes looked forth from the face, and +gazed at Rico as if they would pierce him through and through; for the +child, who seldom saw any thing new, and longed for variety with all his +heart, examined every thing that came in his way very sharply. + +"What is your name?" asked the child. + +"Rico." + +"Mine is Silvio. How old are you?" + +"Almost eleven." + +"And so am I," said the child. + +"O Silvio! what are you saying?" said his mother at this. "You are not +quite four yet. Time does not go so fast as that." + +"Play something more." + +The mother seated herself by the bedside. Rico placed himself at a +little distance, and began to play on his fiddle. Silvio could not have +enough of it; and no sooner had Rico finished one piece than he shouted, +"Play another." Six times each, at the very least, had all the pieces +been repeated, when Mrs. Menotti went out, and returned with a plate +filled with yellow grapes, saying that Rico ought to rest, and sit down +by the bedside, and eat some grapes with Silvio. + +She went out into the garden herself while the children were eating, and +was glad to be able to do so, and to attend to various little matters of +her own; for it was seldom that she could leave the bedside of her +little cripple, for he would not let her leave him, and cried bitterly +for her to return; so it was a real blessing to her to be able to get +away for a few moments. + +The two boys soon came to a most excellent understanding of each other; +for Rico could reply very well to Silvio's questions, and managed to +make himself very well understood, even when he could not find exactly +the proper words, and it was very amusing to Silvio to talk with him. +His mother had plenty of time to look at all the flower-beds, and to +examine the fine fig-trees in the orchard, and to overlook every thing, +without being called for once by her little boy. + +When she returned to the house, however, and Rico arose to take his +departure, Silvio set up a great shout, and clung to Rico with both +hands, and would not let him go until he had promised to come back the +next day, and every day. But Mrs. Menotti was a cautious woman. She had +understood the message sent by the landlady as it was intended, and +quieted her son, promising him to go herself to the landlady to talk +with her; because Rico, she said, was not able to promise to do any +thing himself, but must obey the landlady in every thing. At last the +child released Rico, and gave him his hand; and the latter reluctantly +left the room. He would have vastly preferred to remain there where it +was quiet and neat, and where Silvio and his mother were so kind to him. + +Several days had slipped by, when, towards evening, Mrs. Menotti made +her appearance, dressed in her best attire, in the doorway of the +"Golden Sun;" and the landlady ran joyfully to meet her, and led her up +into the upper hall. When they were there, Mrs. Menotti asked very +politely if it would inconvenience the landlady very much to allow Rico +to come over to her two or three times in the week towards evening, he +was so amusing, and entertained her little sick son so well. She would +gladly recompense the landlady in any way she might think desirable. + +It flattered the landlady to have the handsomely dressed Mrs. Menotti +thus asking a favor of her; and it was quickly arranged that Rico should +go to Mrs. Menotti on every free evening that he had; and in return, +Mrs. Menotti promised to provide the orphan's clothing, which pleased +the landlady extremely; for now she had really nothing to pay out for +the little boy, and he brought her in a great deal of money. So it was +arranged to the entire satisfaction of the two women, and they took +leave of each other in very friendly terms. + +In this way passed many days. Rico could soon speak Italian as if he had +always spoken it. And, in truth, he had once spoken it as his native +language, so one thing after another came back to him; and as he had a +good ear, he soon spoke exactly like an Italian born, so that all who +knew him to be a stranger wondered at him. He was very useful to the +landlady,--more so even than she had expected would be the case,--for he +was so neat and orderly: quite as much so as she herself, if not more, +for she was not very patient over her work; and when preparations were +necessary for a _fête_ or for a wedding, Rico was called upon to do it, +for he had a great deal of taste, and knew how to carry it out in +decorations. If he had any errand to do abroad he was back again in an +incredibly short time, for he never stopped to chatter by the way. If +people questioned him, he always turned on his heel and left them. This +pleased the landlady mightily when she noticed it, and it created such a +feeling of respect for the lad in her mind, that she herself did not +question him; and so it came to pass that, indeed, nobody really knew +how he came to Peschiera. But a story was spread abroad, that everybody +believed, to the effect that he had been left an orphan without +protection in the mountains, and neglected and mishandled, so that at +last he ran away, suffering many things on the long journey until he +reached Peschiera, where the inhabitants were not rough as they are in +the mountains, and that he was glad to remain there with them. Whenever +the landlady told his story, she did not fail to add, "He deserves it, +too,--all the kindness that we show him, and his comfortable home under +our roof." + +Now the first "dance Sunday" of the season had come, and such an +enormous crowd of guests assembled in the "Golden Sun," that there +seemed a great doubt if they could all be accommodated there; but +everybody wished to see and to hear the little stranger who played so +wonderfully; and also they who had heard him on the evening of his +arrival were the very first to come, and were impatient for him to play +their song again. + +The landlady ran hither and thither in her excitement, and glowed and +glistened in her heat, as if she were herself the "Golden Sun;" and +when she met her husband, she always said triumphantly, "Did not I +tell you so?" + +Rico heard "dance music" for the first time played by the three +fiddlers who came to the inn; but he caught the melodies at once, and +had no trouble in playing them, and never forgot them, for they were so +often repeated during the long "dance evening," that they became very +familiar to him. + +After the dancing they wanted their Peschiera song, with Rico's +accompaniment; and even if there seemed to be a deal of noise all the +early part of the evening, now, in truth, it had really just begun; and +they became so excited that little quiet Rico was frightened, and +thought they would end by killing each other certainly. + +But it was all in friendly wise. He came in for his share, and was so +stormily applauded, and his musical performance was hailed with such +ear-splitting cries of approval, that his only thought at last was, "Oh, +when will this have an end!" for nothing was so very unpleasant to the +boy as boisterousness. + +In the evening the landlady said to her husband, "Did you notice Rico +could play all the pieces with the musicians? Next time we shall only +need two fiddlers." And the man replied, well pleased, "We must give +Rico something." + +Two days later there was a dance in Desenzano, and Rico was sent over +there with the fiddlers. Now he was let out for hire. The same noise +and merriment was repeated; and, although they did not call for the +Peschiera song in Desenzano, still there were plenty of other songs +just as noisy, and Rico thought only from beginning to end, "If it were +but over!" + +He brought a whole pocketful of money home with him, which he poured out +in a heap on the table without even counting it, for he thought it was +all the landlady's by right; and she praised him in return, and placed a +big piece of apple-pie before him for supper. On Sunday again there was +dancing in Riva; but this was a pleasure to Rico, for Riva was the spot +over across the lake which could be seen from Peschiera, looking like a +peaceful little bay, and where the pretty white houses looked so +friendly and attractive. + +The musicians were rowed all together across the lake in an open boat +under the clear heavens; and Rico thought, "Oh, if I could be rowed +across here, with Stineli by my side! How astonished she would be at the +lake, whose beauty she would not believe in." + +But once on the other shore, the noise began again, and the boy became +impatient to be off; for the view of Riva from across the lake, lying in +the lovely light of evening, was far more beautiful than being there in +the midst of the noise and tumult. + +However, when there were no dances at which he must play, the lad was +always allowed to go in the evening to little Silvio, and to remain as +long as he wished; for the landlady was anxious to show her willingness +to accommodate Mrs. Menotti. This was always a pleasure to Rico. +Whenever he passed along the lake-side, he went over to the little +stone bridge, and sat there for a while on the ground; for this was the +only place in the world where he had a home-like feeling, because what +he saw there he had seen before, and also here the vision of his mother +rose most clearly before his memory. + +There she had certainly stood by the water-side, and washed +something, while she would look around at him occasionally, and say a +few loving words; and he was always sitting, he remembered, in that +very place where he now sat. He was always most unwilling to leave +this spot, but the knowledge that Silvio was constantly listening for +him drove him onward. + +When he entered the garden, he had also a feeling of contentment; and +entered the neat, quiet house with pleasure. Mrs. Menotti had a more +truly friendly manner toward him than anybody else, and he was fully +sensible of her kindness. She felt the warmest pity for the lonely +orphan, as she called him; for she had also heard the story of his +escape as it was current in the neighborhood. She never asked him +questions concerning his life in the mountains, however; for she +thought it would arouse sad memories in his mind. She felt, also, that +Rico did not receive the care that a lad of his age and quiet +disposition really needed; but she was sensible that she could do +nothing in that direction, only to have him with her as often and as +long as possible. Often she would place her hand on his head, saying +sadly, "Poor little orphan!" + +To Silvio, Rico grew more and more necessary every day. Early in the +morning he began to fret for him; and when his pain came on he became +very restless, and could not be pacified until Rico came. For, since +Rico had mastered the language thoroughly, he had developed an +inexhaustible fund of stories that delighted the little invalid +beyond measure. + +Stineli was the theme on which Rico most often fell, and it made him so +happy even to talk about her, that he became animated and quite +transfigured in the recital. He knew hundreds of stories, such as when +Stineli caught little Sami by the leg, once on a time, just as he was +about to fall into the water-butt, and how she held him with all her +might, while they both screamed as loud as they could until their father +came slowly to their aid,--for he always moved slowly. He said that +children did nothing but scream: it was their nature, and did not mean +that they were in trouble. And he told Silvio how Stineli could cut out +figures from paper for Peterli, make all sorts of furniture and things +for the baby-house for Urschli from moss, and bits of wood, or any thing +that came to hand. + +And how they all called and clamored for their elder sister when they +were ill, because she told them such wonderful stories that they quite +forgot their pains while listening. Rico also told the story of his +beautiful walks with Stineli, and became so much excited in his talk +that Silvio caught the inspiration, and asked for more and more, calling +out, "Tell me about Stineli again!" as soon as Rico paused to take +breath. One evening the child broke out into the wildest excitement when +Rico took his leave, saying that he would not be able to come on the +following day nor on Sunday. Silvio shrieked for his mother as if the +house were burning, and he were in the midst of the flames; and as she +came hurrying to him from the garden, almost frightened to death at his +noise, he declared "Rico should _not_ go again back to the inn; but must +stay always, always with them. You must stay here, Rico. You must never, +never go away!" + +But Rico said, "I would stay most gladly; but I cannot." + +Mrs. Menotti was much perplexed. She knew very well how valuable Rico's +services were to the inn-keepers, and that she could never obtain him +under any consideration. She tried to silence her little son to the best +of her ability, while she drew Rico to her side, saying, as was her +wont, "Poor little orphan!" Whereupon Silvio called out angrily, "What +is an orphan? I want to be an orphan too." + +These words aroused his mother; and she cried out, in her turn, "Silvio, +you wicked child! Do you know that an orphan is a wretched child, who +has neither father nor mother, and no home on all the earth?" + +Rico's black eyes were fixed on Mrs. Menotti's face, and then seemed to +grow blacker and more black every minute; but she did not notice them. +She had ceased to think about the lad while she was giving this +explanation of an orphan to her son. The little fellow slipped quietly +and unperceived away. + +When Mrs. Menotti observed his absence, she thought he had stolen away +in order not to excite Silvio further by taking leave, and she was +pleased at his thoughtfulness. Seating herself by the bedside of her +child, she said, "I want to make you understand how it is, Silvio; and +then you will stop being so naughty, I hope. It is not possible to take +a child away from any one; and, even if I took Rico from the landlady, +she would have a right to come and take you away from me. Then you would +not be able to see the garden nor the flowers any more, and would have +to sleep quite alone in the room with the harnesses where Rico dislikes +so much to sleep. Don't you remember what he has told you about that? +What would you do then?" + +"Come right home again," said the child decidedly; but he was quite +still after that, and soon lay down and slept. + +Rico passed through the garden, along the street, and down to the lake. +There he sat down on his favorite spot, leaned his head upon his hands, +and said, in tones of utter despair, "Now I know the truth, mother. Now +I know that I have no home,--none in the whole world." + +And there he sat until late in the night, alone with his sad thoughts; +and would have rather remained there forever, but he was obliged to go +back into his uncomfortable bedroom at last. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS. + + +But the excitement had not subsided in Silvio's mind, by any means; and +now that he knew that two days must elapse before Rico could come again, +he began to cry early in the morning, "Rico won't come to-day! Rico +won't come to-day!" and scarcely ceased until the evening; and the +second day it was the same, but on the third,--he was tired out by that +time, and seemed like a little heap of straw, that the least spark could +have reduced to ashes. + +In the evening Rico made his appearance, quite worn out with the noise +and tumult of the dances for which he had been obliged to play. Since he +had fully realized that he had no home on the earth, the thought of +Stineli had become of more importance than ever, and he said to +himself,-- + +"There is only Stineli in the whole world to whom I belong, or who +troubles her head about me!" And he felt a terrible homesickness for +Stineli. He had scarcely reached the side of Silvio's bed when he said, +"Do you know, Silvio, with Stineli only can one feel perfectly well, and +nowhere else." These words were scarcely out of his mouth before the +little invalid hoisted himself up like a flash, calling out at the top +of his lungs, "Mother, I must have Stineli; Stineli must come; only with +Stineli can one feel perfectly well, and nowhere else." + +His mother came at his call; and as she had often listened to Rico's +stories about Stineli and her brothers and sisters with great interest, +she knew at once what they were talking about, and replied, "Yes, yes; +it would suit me very well. I could find great use for Stineli for you, +and for myself, if I only had her here." + +But such an indefinite way of talking did not suit Silvio in the least, +for he was interested, heart and soul, in the matter. + +"You can have her at once," he cried out. "Rico knows where she is: he +must go to fetch her. I want her every day, and always. To-morrow Rico +must go to get her: he knows where." + +Now that his mother saw that the little fellow had thought the whole +thing out, and was really in serious earnest about it, she tried to turn +his attention away, and to introduce other thoughts into his mind, for +she had often heard the story of the incredible adventures Rico passed +through on his journey over the mountains, and of the wonder of his +having survived and come down safely, and that the mountaineer were a +fearful and wild people. She was, therefore, fully persuaded that nobody +could bring a girl away, and certainly not a tender little lad like +Rico. He might meet a sad fate, and be lost altogether, if he attempted +any thing of the kind; and then she would be responsible for it all. She +would not run that risk,--she thought she had enough to bear already. + +So she placed all the impossibility of the affair before Silvio's eyes, +and told him of the terrible circumstances, and of the wicked men whom +Rico would have to encounter, and who might ruin him. But nothing had +the slightest effect. The little fellow had set his heart upon this +thing as he never had upon any thing before; and whatever his mother +brought forward, and no matter how anxiously she insisted, the moment +she ceased the child said, "Rico must go to fetch her: he knows where to +find her." + +Then his mother replied, "And even if he does know, do you mean to say +that he would run the risk and go into such dangerous places, when he +can live comfortably as he does here, and never have to do with any +wicked men again?" + +Then Silvio looked at Rico, and said, "Will you go to fetch Stineli, +Rico, or not?" + +"Yes; I will," said Rico firmly. + +"Oh, merciful heavens! now Rico is getting unmanageable too," cried the +mother, quite horrified. "And now I do not know what to do. Take your +fiddle, Rico, and play something, and sing; I must go into the garden." +And the good woman ran quickly forth into the garden under the +fig-trees, for she thought that her little son would forget the thing +more quickly if he had not a chance to talk to her about it. + +But the two good friends within neither played nor sang, but excited +each other almost to fever point with all kinds of representations of +how Stineli should be brought there, and of what would happen afterwards +when she had fairly arrived. Rico utterly forgot to take his leave, +although it was quite dark; and Mrs. Menotti purposely remained in the +garden, thinking that Silvio would soon fall asleep. At last, however, +she did come in, and Rico took his departure at once; but she had a bad +time of it with Silvio, after all. He positively would not close his +eyes until his mother promised that Rico should go to fetch Stineli; but +she could not make any such promise, and the little fellow did not cease +insisting until his mother said, "Be quiet, now; the night will set +every thing straight." For she thought in the night he will forget his +notion, as had often been the case, and he will have some other fancy. + +At last the child was quiet and slept; but his mother had miscalculated +the affair. Scarcely was it dawn when the little fellow called out from +his bed, "Is every thing set straight now, mother?" + +As it was impossible for her to reply in the affirmative to this +question, the storm broke out again, and a more violent one than she had +ever experienced before with her little boy, and lasted through the +whole day quite late into the evening; and on the following day the same +thing recommenced. + +Silvio had never been so persistent in any fancy before. When he +screamed and cried she was able to bear it; but when the hours of pain +and suffering came, and the child went on whining and complaining in the +most touching manner, saying, + +"One only feels perfectly well with Stineli, and nowhere else," that cut +his mother to the heart, and seemed like a reproach to her, as if she +would not do something that might make him well again; but how could she +possibly even think of it? + +She had heard herself Rico's answer to Silvio when he asked if he knew +how to go to Stineli. It was,-- + +"No, I do not know the way; but I can easily find one." + +She went on hoping day after day that Silvio would take up some new +whim, as had always before been the case: she had never found it +otherwise. If he had wished for something when he was well, he had +always given it up when his pain came on. But it was quite different +this time, and there really was a reason too. Rico's stories and remarks +about his friend Stineli had taken firm possession of the mind of the +over-sensitive child; and he believed that nothing would hurt him again, +if she were only by his side. So Silvio went on day after day in +increasing distress; and his mother did not know where to turn for +counsel and support. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY. + + +In all this trouble and uncertainty it was a real comfort to Mrs. +Menotti to see the long black coat of the kind-hearted old priest, +who had not been to visit her for a long time, coming through the +garden gate. + +She sprang up from her seat, crying out joyfully, "Look, Silvio; there +comes the dear, good priest!" and went towards him. But Silvio, in his +anger over every thing, said, as loud as he could, "I would rather it +were Stineli!" + +Then he crept quickly under the coverlet, so that the priest need not +know where the voice came from. His mother, however, was dreadfully +shocked, and begged the good man, who now entered the room, not to take +offence at this greeting, as it was not really so bad as it sounded. + +Silvio did not stir, but said softly, under the bed-cover,-- + +"I really mean just what I say." + +The father must have had a suspicion of where the voice came from. He +stepped at once to the bedside; and, though there was not a hair of +Silvio's head even to be seen, he said, "God bless you, my son! how are +you? How is your health nowadays? and why do you creep into this hidden +hole like a little badger? Come out, and explain it all to me. What do +you mean by Stineli?" + +Now Silvio crept forth, for he had the priest in great respect now that +he was so close to him. He stretched out his little thin hand in +greeting, and said, "Rico's Stineli, I mean." + +His mother now interposed with the explanation, for the father shook his +head very doubtfully as he seated himself by the bedside. The good woman +related the whole affair about Stineli, and told how her little boy had +got the idea firmly fixed in his noddle that he would never be well +again unless this Stineli could come to him; and how even Rico had +become unreasonable, and declared that he could go to fetch Stineli, +even though he did not know a single stock nor stone of the way; and it +was such a long journey up into the mountains, moreover, and it was +impossible to realize what horrible people they were who lived up there. +But it proved how very bad they must be when a tender little fellow like +Rico preferred to incur the great danger of the journey than to remain +among such rude folk. "If it were practicable," however, added Mrs. +Menotti, "no money would seem to me wasted that would procure me such a +girl to quiet Silvio's longing, and to have some one to help take care +of him;" for sometimes she had almost too much to endure, and felt as if +she must give up altogether. And Rico, who was usually very discreet in +his conversation, was of the opinion that nobody could help her so much +nor so well in every way as this same Stineli. He ought to know her very +well, too; and certainly, if she really corresponded to his description, +it would be a great escape for such a girl to get away from the +mountains; but she did not know of anybody who would do them such a +favor as to bring her. + +To all this discourse the kind priest lent an attentive ear in profound +silence, until Mrs. Menotti had quite finished. Indeed, he could not +have got a word in edgewise if he had been inclined; for the good woman +had not opened her heart for a long time, and it was so full that it +almost choked her when she gave her words full expression, and she quite +lost her breath. + +Now quiet reigned for a while, then the good man began very calmly to +smoke his second pipe; and presently he said, "H--m, h--m, Mrs. Menotti; +I rather think you have an impression of the mountaineers that is +decidedly exaggerated. There are good Christians there as elsewhere; and +now that there are so many ways of doing things discovered, it would be +also quite possible to get up there without danger. We must bethink +ourselves about that, and find out about it." + +After this opinion, the priest stopped to refresh himself a little from +his snuffbox; then he went on:-- + +"There are all sorts of trades-people who are always coming down to +Bergamo,--sheep and horse dealers: they know the road well enough, of +course. We can obtain information, and then bethink ourselves: we can +find a way sooner or later. It you are in earnest about it, Mrs. +Menotti, I will look about a little. I go every year once or twice to +Bergamo, and I will take the thing in hand for you." + +Mrs. Menotti was so filled with gratitude at this promise, that words +utterly failed her that were, in her opinion, adequate to express her +thanks. Suddenly all the heavy thoughts had vanished that had oppressed +her day and night for such a long time past, and in which she was +getting more and more involved the more she puzzled over them, so that +at the last she saw no hope of a decision. Now the Father took the +whole burden upon himself, and she could refer her troublesome little +Silvio to him. + +While this conference was taking place, the little invalid had almost +pierced the priest through with his great gray eyes, so great was his +interest in what they said. When the priest arose, and held his hand +towards the child to say good-by, the little thin fingers were pressed +into his big palm as if he were making a firm contract. + +The father gave his promise to bring tidings as soon as he had obtained +the necessary information; and then they could decide whether the thing +could be done, or whether Silvio must give up his wish altogether. + +Week after week slipped by, but Silvio did not waver. He had a firm +ground of hope now by which to hold; and, moreover, Rico had become so +lively and amusing, that he was hardly to be recognized. It acted upon +him like a spark that kindled a joyful bonfire when he learned the +priest's comforting words; and a new life was awakened in the lad. He +knew more stories to tell Silvio than ever before; and when he took his +fiddle in his hand, he produced such heart-stirring tones and tunes, +that Mrs. Menotti could not tear herself from the room where the boys +were, and was full of astonishment at Rico's store of music. + +It was only in this room at Mrs. Menotti's that Rico fully enjoyed his +instrument. It sounded so well in the large, lofty space, where it was +quiet and peaceful, without a taint of tobacco-smoke, or the clamor of +noisy men; and he was not confined to dance music, but at liberty to +play as his fancy directed. Every day he went with increasing pleasure +to Mrs. Menotti's, and often said to himself, as he entered, "This is +the way it must feel when one is entering his own home." + +But it was not his home: he only was permitted to go there for a little +while, and away again. + +There had come over Rico a very decided change within a short time; and +the landlady, who perceived it clearly, was greatly perplexed thereby. +When she placed a nasty broken pail of refuse before him, saying, +"There, Rico, carry this to the hens," he would step aside a little, put +his hands behind his back, to show that he did not mean to touch the +pail, and say quietly, "I prefer that some one else should do that;" and +when she brought out an old pair of shoes and handed them to him to +carry to the cobbler, he did the same, saying. "I prefer that you should +give them to another person to carry." + +Now the landlady was a clever woman, and knew how to put two and two +together; and it had not escaped her that Rico was quite another person +within a short time, and looked very differently too. Mrs. Menotti had +always dressed him very nicely since she had undertaken that office; but +when she observed how well his clothes became him, and what an air of +real gentility he had, she used finer materials than at first; and the +lad always took good care of his person and his dress, for he detested +uncleanliness and disorder, both on his own appearance and in his +surroundings. All of this was not unnoticed, nor did she ever forget +that even as Rico had poured out his pocketful of gold upon the table +before her after his first "dance evening," so had he continued to do +faithfully, and not so much as looked as if he would like to keep one +bit for himself. + +He brought more and more each time; for it was not only for his dance +music that he was called so often, but because of his songs, that were +very popular. + +And the landlady recognized that it was her best policy to treat him +always kindly and well; and she did not trouble him about the hens nor +the shoes, and required such little services from him no more. + +It was now three years since Rico made his first entry into Peschiera. +He was now a tall, fourteen-year old stripling, and whoever laid eyes +upon him found him pleasing to look upon. + +Once again the golden sun of autumn burnished the surface of the Lake of +Garda, and the heavens lay blue above the tranquil waves. In the garden +the great bunches of grapes hung gold against the trellises, and the red +flowers of the oleander glistened in the sunbeams. + +It was quiet in Silvio's room, for his mother was without in the garden +gathering grapes and figs for the evening. The invalid lay listening +for Rico's step, for this was the time of his usual visit. The wicket +opened: Silvio pulled himself up in his bed. A long black coat came +slowly toward the door,--it was the priest. Silvio did not think of +hiding himself this time. He stretched out his little arm as far as he +was able, to shake hands with the good man, before he had fairly +entered the room. + +This welcome pleased the priest, who walked at once into the room, and +to the child's bedside, even though he saw Mrs. Menotti's form behind +him in the garden. + +"This is right, my son," he said. "And how do you find yourself?" + +"All right," said Silvio quickly; and, looking eagerly at the good man, +he added softly, "When may Rico go?" + +Seating himself by the bedside, the good man said, a little pompously, +"To-morrow, at five o'clock, Rico will start, my son." + +Mrs. Menotti entered as he was speaking, and it was with some difficulty +that the priest could quiet her enough to get a chance to tell his story +in a consecutive way, and to make himself understood; and all the time +he was speaking, Silvio's eyes were fixed upon his face like a little +sparrow-hawk. + +He had come directly from Bergamo, where he had passed two days. He had +made all the necessary arrangements with a horse-trader,--a friend of +his who had been travelling, for thirty years or more, every autumn, and +knew the way over the mountains that Rico must take. He knew, also, how +the journey could be made without leaving the coach, or sleeping by the +way. He was going there himself, and would take Rico under his charge, +if the lad would go to Bergamo by the early train. The man knew all the +drivers and conductors, also; and would arrange for his and his +companion's return, and recommend them so well that there would be no +trouble or danger. + +The Father was convinced that there was no hindrance to Rico's going in +perfect safety, and gave his blessing to the undertaking. + +As he stood by the garden-hedge, after saying good-by to Silvio, Mrs. +Menotti, who had accompanied him thus far, detained him for a moment, to +ask again, full of sudden anxiety, "Oh, there will not be any danger to +his life, I hope? Nor that he may lose his way, and go wandering about +in the mountains? You do not think that possible, do you, Father?" But +the good man quieted her fears; and she returned to the house, thinking +of what there remained to do for Rico, who entered the garden at this +moment, and was greeted by such a startling cry of joy from Silvio, that +he reached the bedside in three leaps to find out what it all meant. + +"What is the matter? What ails you?" Rico kept asking; and Silvio +repeated, "I will tell you, I will tell you!" until, in real anxiety, +his mother came to his aid. Soon, however, she left the boys to enjoy +their happiness together; and went about her business, which she thought +very important. She fetched a portmanteau, and placed a huge piece of +smoked meat first of all at the bottom, then a half loaf of bread, a big +parcel of preserved plums and figs, and a bottle of wine, carefully +wrapped in a cloth. Then came the clothes,--two shirts and a pair of +shoes, two pair of stockings, and pocket-handkerchiefs; for it seemed +always to Mrs. Menotti as if Rico were going to the farthermost part of +the world; and she only now fully realized how dearly she loved the lad, +for she felt that she could not get on without him. + +All the while, as she was packing, she would pause, sit down, and say to +herself, anxiously, "Oh, I do hope there will not be an accident!" + +Presently she brought the portmanteau down-stairs, and counselled Rico +to go at once and explain to the landlady how every thing had happened; +and to ask if she would allow him to go, and not oppose it; and +afterwards Rico was to carry the portmanteau to the station. + +The boy was in the greatest surprise over his portmanteau. He obeyed in +silence, as usual, however, and went to the landlady. He explained to +her that he was going back to the mountains to bring Stineli back with +him, and that the priest had arranged it so that he was to start on the +following morning at five o'clock. + +It produced a feeling of respect at once in the mind of the landlady +when she found that the priest was at the head of the business. But she +naturally wished to know who this Stineli might be, and what the idea +was in fetching her; for she hoped it might be on her account. + +She only found out that Stineli was a girl whose name was Stineli, and +that she was coming to Mrs. Menotti. So she let the thing go; for she +would not interfere, for the world, with that lady's wishes. She was +only too glad that Rico had been left to her for so long. She took it +for granted that Stineli was Rico's sister, only that he had not said +so, because he never did say any thing about his family. + +So she told all the guests in the inn that evening that Rico was going +to bring his sister down to Peschiera, because he had found out how well +they all lived there. + +In order to show how highly she held the lad in respect, she had a big +basket brought down from the attic, and filled it with sausages and +cheese, and slices of bread, and eggs, saying,-- + +"You must not get hungry on the way; and what is left over, you can eat +while you are there. It will not be too much; and coming back, you will +need something too. You are certainly coming back, Rico, are you not?" + +"Certainly," replied the lad. "In eight days I shall be back again." + +In Mrs. Menotti's hands he placed his beloved fiddle, for he would not +have trusted it to any one else; and then he took his leave for eight +days, for he could easily be back again in that time, if every thing +went well. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS. + + +Full of impatience, Rico stood at the station long before the appointed +time, and could scarcely be quiet while waiting for the train. Again he +took his seat in the carriage, as he had done three years before, but +not now crouched timidly in a corner with his violin in his hand. He +took a whole seat for himself this time; for he placed his portmanteau +and his basket next him, and they took up a deal of room. He met the +horse-dealer in Bergamo without difficulty, and they travelled along in +the same carriage together, and then across the lake. When they left the +boat they went towards the inn, where the big post-wagon stood with the +horses already harnessed. It all came back to Rico's memory with great +distinctness,--how he had stood there in the night, quite alone, after +the students had all gone their ways; and opposite he espied the +stable-door where he had seen the lantern hanging, and had found the +friendly sheep-dealer again. It was evening now; and they took their +places at once in the coach, and went towards the mountain. Rico sat +within, this time, with his companion, and had scarcely settled himself +comfortably in his corner when his eyes closed and he slept; for he had +not slept an hour on the preceding night, so great had been his +excitement. Now he made it up, without once awakening, until the sun +stood high in the heavens, and the coach moved very slowly; and when he +stuck his head out of the window, he saw, to his utter astonishment, +that they were ascending the zigzag road up the Maloja, that was so +familiar to him from his childhood. + +He could not see much from the window,--only a turning in the road now +and then; but now he did want to see everything that lay about them. At +last the coach stopped: they had reached the summit. There was the inn, +there the spot where he had sat and talked with the driver. All the +passengers got out for a moment, and the horses were fed. Rico also +descended, and asked very humbly of the driver if he might be allowed to +take a seat on the box with him. + +"Will you let me climb up there, and ride as far as Sils?" he asked. + +"Up with you!" said the coachman. They all took their places, and +merrily rolled the coach down the smooth road and along the level way. +Now they reached the lake. Yonder lay the wooded peninsula, and there +the white houses of Sils, and beyond was Sils Maria. The little church +shone in the morning sunshine, and over towards the mountain were two +cottages. Rico's heart began to beat wildly. Where was Stineli? A few +steps farther, and the coach stood still in Sils. + +Stineli had suffered a great deal since her friend's disappearance. The +children were larger, and the work ever increasing; and the greater part +fell to her share, for she was the eldest of the children, and the +youngest of the rest of the family; so the cry was always, "Stineli can +do this: she is old enough now;" and presently, "Stineli must look after +that, she is so young." She had no one with whom to share her pleasures +since Rico's departure, even if she had a moment to herself. + +Her good grandmother had died the year before, and from that time +forward the girl had no relaxation whatever; but from morning to evening +there was nothing but incessant toil. + +She never lost heart, however, although she had wept bitterly over the +loss of her grandmother; and every day the thought arose several times +in her mind, without her good grandmother and Rico the world was no +longer as beautiful as formerly. + +On a sunny Saturday morning she came out of the stable with a big +bundle of straw poised on her head. She meant to weave some nice +brushes, for the evening sweeping. The sun was shining all down the +pathway towards Sils, and she stood gazing in that direction. An +unknown lad came along the road,--certainly no Silser, she thought; and +yet as he drew near he stood still and looked at her, and she returned +his gaze, and was much perplexed. In an instant, however, away went her +bundle of straw, and she rushed forward towards the motionless figure +before her, crying out,-- + +"O Rico! are you still alive? Have you come back again? But how big you +are, Rico! I did not know you, at first; but as soon as I saw your face, +then I was sure,--nobody has a face like yours." + +So Stineli stood with glowing cheeks before the lad; and he grew as +white as chalk from excitement, and could not find words to speak his +joy, but looked and looked at the girl. Presently he said,-- + +"You have grown, too, Stineli, but are not otherwise changed. The nearer +I came to the house, the more anxious I got lest you might be altered." + +"Oh, to think that you are really here, Rico!" cried Stineli, joyfully. +"Oh, if the grandmother only knew! But come in, Rico; they will all be +surprised." She ran on before to open the door, and Rico followed. + +The children hid themselves one behind the other; and their mother rose +and greeted the lad as if he were a stranger, and asked what his wishes +were. Neither she nor the children had an idea who he was. Now Trudi +and Sami came into the room, and bowed to him as they passed through. +"Does not one of you know him?" said Stineli, at last. "Don't you see +it is Rico?" + +They were astonished and full of their surprise when their father came +to his dinner. Rico advanced towards him, offering his hand, which the +man took, but looked steadily at the strange lad. + +"Is it some kind of a relation?" he asked; for he was never very sure +about the members of the family who sometimes visited them. + +"Even the father does not know him," said Stineli, rather vexed. + +"Why, it is Rico, father!" + +"Well, well: that is good," remarked he; and looked the lad well over +from head to foot this time, adding,-- + +"You need not be ashamed to show yourself. Have you learned some sort of +a trade? Let us all be seated, and then you can tell us what has +happened to you." + +But Rico did not sit down at once: he kept looking towards the doorway. +At last he asked, hesitatingly,-- + +"Where is the grandmother?" + +"She lies over there in Sils, not far from the old schoolmaster," was +the reply. Rico had hesitated with his question, for he feared this +would be the answer; he had noticed the grandmother's absence at once. +He took his seat with the others at the table, but was silent for a +while, and could not eat a morsel: he had loved the grandmother dearly. +However, the father wanted to hear his story, and to know what had +become of him on the day they all searched for him in the ravines, and +what he had seen and done in the world. So the boy told all his story, +and about Mrs. Menotti and Silvio; and explained distinctly that he +wished to take Stineli back with him to Peschiera, if her parents would +consent. Stineli made very big eyes while her friend was talking: she +had not lost one word of his history. Her heart was as if on fire with +joy. To go to Rico's beautiful lake with him, to live with Mrs. Menotti +and her sick son, who was so anxious for her to come,--that would be +happiness indeed! + +There was a long silence after this. Stineli's father never decided +hastily. At last he said, "It is true that when one goes among strangers +there is much to be learned; but I cannot let Stineli go,--there can be +no question of that. She is needed here at home; but one of the others +may go,--Trudi, perhaps." + +"Yes, yes: that will do," said the mother. "I cannot get along +without Stineli." + +Then Trudi raised her head from her plate, and said, "That suits me very +well. There is nothing but children's racket here at home." + +Stineli did not speak. She only looked anxiously towards Rico, wondering +if he would not say any thing more since her father seemed so decided, +and whether he would take Trudi with him as proposed. The lad, however, +looked calmly at her father, saying, "No: that won't do at all. It is +precisely Stineli whom the sick boy Silvio wishes, and nobody else; and +he knows very well what he wants. He would only send Trudi home again, +and she would have taken the journey for nothing. Mrs. Menotti told me +to say, that if Stineli got on well with her son, she would give her +every month five gulden to send home to her family, if they cared for +it; and I am sure that Stineli and Silvio will agree famously,--just as +sure as if I saw it with my own eyes now," added the lad. + +Pushing his plate to one side, Stineli's father put his cap on his head. +He had finished his dinner; and when he had some very severe thinking to +do, he was always more comfortable with his cap on. It seemed to help +him to collect his thoughts. + +He thought, always in silence, how much labor he would have to perform +before he could earn even one good gulden; and he said to himself, "Five +gulden every month without lifting a finger." + +So he shoved his cap first on one side and then on the other; and said, +at last, "She may go. One of the others can do the work in the house." + +Stineli's eyes sparkled, but the mother looked sadly at all the little +heads and plates. Who would keep them all nice and in order? + +But the father's cap got another shove. Something else had +occurred to him. + +"Stineli has not yet been confirmed, and ought to be before she +goes away." + +"I am not to be confirmed for two years yet, father," said the girl +eagerly; "so that I can go away for two years perfectly well, and come +back quite in time for that." + +This was a good decision, and everybody was satisfied. The father and +mother thought, even if every thing does go badly without Stineli, it +will only be for a while; and when she comes back again, all will be +well. And Trudi thought, "Just as soon as she comes back again, I will +go and then we shall see if I come back." + +But Rico and Stineli merely glanced at each other, and laughed with +their eyes for pure joy. + +As the father looked upon the affair as settled, he rose from the table, +saying, "She may go to-morrow: then we shall know where we stand." + +Her mother, on the contrary, objected to this, saying that it could not +be managed so quickly, and complained bitterly, until her father gave +in, and said she should go the following Monday, and would not hear of a +later date; for he thought that there would be a continual fuss until +the departures were fairly over. + +Work there was now for Stineli in abundance. Rico understood that this +must be the case, and he addressed himself to Sami, and said he would +like to see whether every thing remained as formerly in Sils-Maria; and +that he had a sack and a basket to fetch from Sils, and perhaps Sami +would go with him to help him; so they went forth. + +Firstly, Rico paused before his former home, and gazed at the old +house-door and the hen-house. It was just as it had been. He asked Sami +who lived there now,--if his cousin were there, and alone. + +But he heard that the cousin had long ago gone away towards Silvaplana, +and nobody knew any thing about her; for she had not shown her face in +Sils-Maria again. + +There were people living in the house, about whom Rico knew nothing. +Everywhere that he went with Sami, from the old well-known houses and +stables the people stared at him as if he were an utter stranger; not +one of them recognized him in the least. + +As he crossed over, towards evening, to Sils, he turned aside a little +towards the churchyard. He wanted to see the grave where the old +grandmother was buried; but Sami did not rightly know where she lay. + +They returned home just as it was growing dark, laden with basket and +portmanteau. Stineli stood at the well, and brushed out the stable +buckets for the last time; and as Rico stood there by her side, she +said, flushed with pleasure, and with her exertions over the pails, "I +can scarcely believe that it is true, Rico." + +"But I do," said he so decidedly, that the girl looked at him surprised. +"But of course, Stineli," he added, "you have not been thinking it out +this long time as I have." + +There was a change in Rico that the girl noticed at once. Formerly he +would not have spoken in this firm and decided manner. + +They had arranged a bed for Rico up in the room under the roof. +He carried his things up there, and meant to open them the +following morning. + +When they were all seated the next day at table,--a beautiful, clear +Sunday morning,--down came Rico, and poured out before Urschli and +Peterli a big heap of plums and figs. The latter fruit they had never +seen at all; and the plums were finer than any that they were accustomed +to; and his sausages and meat and eggs he placed in the middle of the +table. As soon as their admiration and surprise had a little subsided, +they all fell to and ate with a wonderful relish, and the children were +munching the sweet figs quite late into the evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS. + + +On Monday evening the journey was to begin. The horse-dealer had +impressed this fact so thoroughly on Rico's memory, that there was not a +chance for a mistake. After the farewells were all said, Rico and +Stineli went towards Sils together, while her mother, with all the +little children clustered about her, stood upon the doorstep and looked +after them. + +Sami accompanied them to carry the portmanteau on his head, and Rico +carried the basket on one side, and Stineli held it on the other. +Stineli's clothes had just filled it. + +When they reached the church in Sils, Stineli said, "Oh, if my +grandmother could only see us now! We will go to say good-by to her, +Rico." He was very willing, and told Stineli how he had already tried to +find the grave, but had not succeeded. + +The girl was better informed than her brother. + +When the post-wagon came along and stopped, the driver called out, "Are +the couple ready who are to go down to the Lake of Garda? I was asking +for them yesterday." + +The horse-dealer had given them a good recommendation; and the driver +called out that they should climb up to the top: the others had found it +too cold. "You are younger," he said. + +So saying, he helped them up to the seats behind the box, and took out +a thick horse-blanket, and wrapped them up snugly therein; and off +they went. + +For the first time since they had come together again, the two young +people were alone, and could talk freely and undisturbed, and tell each +other how they had passed the three long years since they parted. And +they chattered away happily under the starry heavens, never thinking of +sleep in their joy at being together. + +Towards morning they reached the lake, and arrived in Peschiera at the +same hour as Rico had before arrived, and walked along the road to the +lake-side. But Rico did not wish his companion to see the lake until she +had reached the spot he called his own; so he led her through the trees +until they came to the little stone bridge in the open. + +There lay the lake in the light of the setting sun; and the children sat +side by side on the little mound, and gazed across the water. + +There it was, just as Rico had described it, but more, much more lovely; +for such colors Stineli had never seen before. + +She looked about her towards the purple mountains, across the golden +waters, and she cried out with all her heart, "Yes, it is finer than the +Lake of Sils." + +But Rico felt that it had never yet been so exquisitely beautiful as on +this evening when he and Stineli saw it together. + +Rico had another secret joy that he cherished in his heart. How +surprised Silvio and his mother would be to see them! Nobody had +expected them back so soon. Nobody would look for them before the end of +the week, and now there they sat by the lake-side. + +They did not quit the little mound until the sun had fairly disappeared. + +Rico pointed out to his companion the spot where his mother stood +washing something in the lake, and how he used to sit waiting until she +had finished; and then he told how they walked back together, hand in +hand, over the little bridge. + +"But where did you go when you went back?" asked Stineli. "Have you +never found the house that you returned to?" + +Rico could not say. "When I go up there, away from the lake towards the +railroad, I seem to remember that there I stood with my mother, or sat +with her upon a garden-seat with the red flowers before us; but now +nothing is to be seen like the house, and I do not even recognize the +road at all." + +At last they arose, and went towards the garden. Rico carried the +portmanteau, and the girl the basket. As they entered the garden, +Stineli called out too loud, in her delight, "Oh, the beautiful, +beautiful flowers!" + +Silvio heard these unfortunate words, and pulled himself up in an +instant, crying out, at the top of his lungs,-- + +"Here comes Rico with his Stineli!" + +His poor mother thought that he had an attack of fever. She thrust her +things back into the chest which she was arranging,--every thing in +again, pell-mell,--and ran quickly to the bedside. + +At that moment Rico walked boldly into the room, and the good woman +almost fell over backward in her surprise and delight; for until that +very instant she had secretly been a prey to the darkest fears, always +believing that Rico's adventure would cost him his life. + +A maiden came behind Rico, with a friendly face that won Mrs. Menotti's +heart in a twinkling, for she was a very impressionable woman. + +First of all, however, she shook Rico's hands almost off in her +welcoming grasp; and in the meantime Stineli had gone over to the +bedside and placed her arm about the thin shoulders of the child, and +smiled into his face as if they were old and dear friends, while Silvio +in return put his arm about her neck, and drew her face down to his. + +Straightway Stineli placed a present for the child before him. She +had put it conveniently in her pocket, so that she could place her +hand on it at once. It was a toy that had been Peterli's favorite +before any other,--a pine-cone, with a thin wire introduced into each +little opening between the hard scales, and a little figure, made of +sole-leather, perched on the top of each bit of wire. All these tiny +figures shook and nodded so merrily towards each other, and had such +funnily painted little faces, that Silvio could scarcely stop +laughing at them. + +Mrs. Menotti had learned from Rico all that he had to tell her of +importance while this play went on,--for she was anxious to learn from +himself that all had gone quietly and safely,--then she turned to the +girl, and greeted her with heartfelt kindness; and Stineli made answer +more with her kindly eyes than with her tongue, for she could not speak +a word of Italian, and had to help herself out with such Romanish words +as she had learned. + +But she was quick-witted, and found a way to make herself understood +without difficulty; for, if the right word was wanting, she described +the thing cleverly with her fingers, and by all sorts of signs, which +amused Silvio exceedingly; for it was a kind of game of guessing for him +all the time. + +Now Mrs. Menotti went over to the cupboard, where all the service for +the table was kept, and brought out tablecloth and plates, cold +chicken, fruit, and wine; which, when Stineli observed, she hastened +after her to aid her, and did it so neatly and handily that there +remained little for Mrs. Menotti to do; and she stood gazing at the +nimble, willing girl, who had soon served Silvio also, as he lay in +bed, cutting his food for him, and helping him neatly and rapidly, +which pleased the child very much. + +Mrs. Menotti seated herself, saying, "I have not had such help as this +in many a year; but, come now, Stineli: sit down, and eat with us." + +And they sat and chatted and ate together, as if they were old friends +who had always been accustomed to such free intercourse. + +Rico began to give an account of the journey after they had finished +eating, and Stineli meanwhile quietly replaced every thing in the +cupboard; for she knew well enough, without being told, how such work +should be done. Then she seated herself by Silvio's bedside, and made +shadow pictures on the wall with her supple fingers; and Silvio laughed +aloud, and called the names,--"A hare! A beast with horns! A spider with +long legs!" + +So sped away the first evening quickly and merrily, and they all were +taken by surprise when it struck ten o'clock. Rico rose, for he knew he +must be going; but a dark cloud came over his countenance. + +He said shortly, "Good-night," and went away. But the girl ran after +him; and in the garden she took his hand, saying, "Now you must not be +sad, Rico, it _is_ so beautiful here. I cannot tell you how lovely I +find it, nor how happy I am; and I owe it all, all to you. And you will +come again to-morrow, and every day, will you not, Rico?" + +"Yes," he said; and looked at Stineli with a most melancholy expression. +"Yes; and every evening, when it is most beautiful, I must be off and +away, because I belong to nobody." + +"Oh! do not think in that way, Rico," said his friend encouragingly. +"Have we not always belonged to each other, and have not I often rejoiced +over that thought all these three years that are past? And when things +were almost unsupportable, and I longed to get away, have not I always +said to myself, 'If I could only be with Rico again, I would bear any +thing?' And now it has come about as we wished, and, indeed, far better +than I had imagined; and will you not be happy with me, Rico?" + +"Yes; that I will," said the lad; and his countenance cleared a little. + +He did belong to somebody, after all; and Stineli's words had restored +his tranquility. They shook hands again; and Rico went through the +garden-gate, and away. + +When Stineli returned to the room, and, by Mrs. Menotti's directions, +was about to say good-night to Silvio, the child began to dispute +again, and declared that he would not be separated from his newly-found +friend even for a few hours; but would have her sit by his bedside all +night long, and say funny words to him, and look at him with her +laughing eyes. + +Nothing that his mother could say produced any impression upon him, +until she spoke thus: "Very well; if you keep Stineli standing by your +bed to amuse you all night, she will soon be as ill as you are, and not +be able to get up at all, but have to lie in bed, and you will not see +her for a long time." + +So, after a while, the child released his hold of Stineli's arm, +and said,-- + +"There, go to sleep; but come to me again to-morrow early." + +This was promised; and Mrs. Menotti showed the girl into a neat little +bedroom that looked out upon the garden, whence a delicious scent of +flowers rose through the open window. + +With every day that passed Stineli became more and more necessary to +little Silvio. If she only went out-of-doors for a few moments, he +considered it a misfortune. He was obedient and quiet enough, however, +when she stayed with him; and did every thing she bade him do, and did +not tease his mother as before. + +And it seemed as if the nervous little fellow had less frequent attacks +of pain since Stineli's arrival. Indeed, he had not complained since her +coming, and she had been with them many days. + +It must certainly be acknowledged that she was the most amusing of +companions, and turned every thing that came in her way into a game. She +had always lived with children, and constantly had their entertainment +in her mind. She had also learned a great many words from Silvio, and +could soon chatter away with him at her ease; and when she did get the +words twisted and upside down, it was even more funny, and Silvio looked +upon that as a game made expressly for him. + +Mrs. Menotti never saw Rico entering the garden but she ran towards him, +for now she was at liberty to move about freely; and she always drew him +a little aside to tell him what a treasure he had brought into the house +for her, how happy and gay her Silvio had become, and that she never +would have believed that such a girl as Stineli existed on the face of +the earth; for with Silvio she was as merry as if her only pleasure +consisted in playing the little games he liked, while she was as wise +and intelligent as any grown woman with Mrs. Menotti, and understood +housework so that it all seemed to go on of its own accord; and nicely, +too, as if every day were Sunday. In short, Mrs. Menotti could not find +words enough to praise Stineli in all the ways in which she found her +admirable; and Rico was always happy in listening to these praises. + +When they all sat together in the pleasant room, and exchanged loving +and happy glances, they felt that they never wanted to be separated, +and called themselves the happiest family in the whole world, and +needed for nothing. + +But the clouds on Rico's brow grew dark as night came on, and towards +ten o'clock every thing looked black and blacker; and even if Mrs. +Menotti, in her contentment, did not notice it, Stineli did, and +secretly worried over it, thinking, "It is just as if there were a +thunder-storm in the air." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA. + + +It was a beautiful Sunday in autumn, and across the Lake of Riva there +was to be a "dance evening," and Rico was to go over there to play; so +he would not be able to pass the day with Stineli and the rest. They +talked this over and over through the week, for it was a great trial to +them all when Rico did not come for Sunday; and Stineli tried to find +all sorts of little reasons to reconcile Rico, and to make the affair +seem less unpleasant. + +"You will go across the lake in the sunlight, and return under the +beautiful stars; and we shall be thinking of you the whole time," she +said to him, when he first mentioned that he should be away on Sunday. + +On Saturday evening Rico brought his violin, for Stineli's greatest +pleasure was to hear him play. The lad played lovely tunes one after +another; but they were all sad melodies, and seemed to make him sadder +still, for he looked down at his instrument with a kind of indignant +sorrow, as if it did him a real injury. + +Suddenly he pushed it away from him, long before the clock had struck +ten, and said, "I am going away." + +Mrs. Menotti tried to detain him; she could not understand what was +amiss. Stineli had looked steadily at him while he was playing. Now she +said, quietly,-- + +"I will go with you a little way." + +"No," cried Silvio; "do not go. Stay here with me." + +"Yes, yes, Stineli!" said Rico. "Stay here, and let me go alone." + +And, saying this, he looked at his friend exactly as he had looked when +he came away from the schoolmaster's house, and joined Stineli at the +wood-pile, so long ago, saying then, "It is all of no use!" + +Stineli went to Silvio's bedside, and said softly, "Be a good boy, +Silvio; and to-morrow I will tell you the very prettiest and drollest +story about Peterli; but now do not make a noise." + +Silvio really did keep quiet, and Stineli went after Rico. When they +reached the hedge, Rico turned about, and pointed towards the brightly +lighted window that looked so pleasant and friendly from the garden, and +said, "Go back there, Stineli. You belong there, and there you are at +home; but I belong in the streets. I am a homeless fellow, and shall +always be so: now let me go away." + +"No, no; I will not let you go in this mood, Rico. Where do you +mean to go?" + +"To the lake," said the young man; and went towards the bridge. As they +stood together on the little mound, they were silent for a while, +listening to the murmur of the waves. At last, Rico said,-- + +"Do you understand, if you were not here, I would go away at once, far +away?--but I do not know where I should go. Wherever I go, I shall be +homeless, and have to be fiddling forever in public-houses where they +are noisy, just as if they had lost their senses, and I must always +sleep in a room in which I dislike to be; but you belong to them there +in that beautiful house, and I do not belong anywhere. And I tell you, +Stineli, when I look down there, I think if my mother had only cast me +to the waves before she died, then I should not have been this +homeless wanderer." + +With ever-increasing trouble, Stineli listened to these words of her +friend; but when he pronounced these last, she became really alarmed, +and said hastily, "O Rico! you ought not to say such things. I am sure +that you have not said 'Our Father' for a long, long time; and these +wicked thoughts are the consequence." + +"No: I have not prayed for a long time," said Rico. "I have +forgotten how." + +These words gave his companion a severe shock. + +"Oh, dear! what would my grandmother say to this, Rico?" she cried, in +distress. "She would be in sad trouble about you. Do not you remember +how she told us, 'He who forgets his Lord's Prayer is sure to get into +trouble?' Rico, you must learn it again. I will teach it to you this +minute: it will not take you long." + +And the good girl began, with pious zeal, and repeated the prayer twice +or thrice over to her friend; and, while she thus emphasized the words, +she noticed that there was a great deal of especial comfort for Rico +contained therein; and, as she ended, she said,-- + +"Do not you see, Rico, if all the kingdom belongs to the good God, He +can surely find you a home? for He has all the power, so He can give it +to you if He chooses." + +"Now you can plainly see, Stineli," replied the youth, "if the good God +has a home for me in His kingdom, and has the power to give it to me, +and does not, it is because He does _not_ choose to." + +"Yes; but you forget something," continued Stineli. "The good God may +say, 'If Rico wants any thing from me, he should pray to me.'" + +In reply to this, Rico had no answer. He remained silent for some +time; then he said, "Repeat the Lord's Prayer again, Stineli: I will +learn it." + +His companion gladly complied, and it was soon learned. Then they +separated, and each went home; but Rico's thoughts were busy with the +"kingdom and the power." + +Once more in his quiet room, he prayed humbly, and with a softened +heart; for he felt that he had been in the wrong to believe that the +good God ought to give him what he wished for, when he did not even +remember to pray to Him. + +Stineli returned to the garden very full of anxious thought. She turned +over and over in her mind whether she ought to tell all this to Mrs. +Menotti. Perhaps she might be able to find some other employment for +Rico than this fiddling in the public-houses for dancing, that was so +detestable to the lad. But the thought of troubling Mrs. Menotti with +her affairs passed quickly from her mind as she entered the room again. + +Silvio lay upon his pillows with flushed cheeks, breathing heavily and +irregularly; and by the bedside sat his mother, and wept. + +The little invalid had had another of his severe attacks, and a little +anger at Stineli's absence had increased the fever. His mother was so +cast down, that she did not seem to Stineli the same person at all. When +she, at last, recovered her spirits a little, she said,-- + +"Come here, Stineli. Sit down here by my side: I want to tell you +something. + +"I have something that lies very heavily at my heart; so heavily, +that sometimes it seems to me that I cannot bear it any longer. It is +true you are young, but you are so sensible, and have seen a great +deal; and it seems to me that I should be relieved if I could talk it +over with you. + +"You see how Silvio suffers, and how ill he is,--my only son. Now I have +not only the distress of his sickness, which can never be healed, but I +often feel that perhaps it is a punishment from God, because I am +holding and enjoying an unlawful property: although, to be sure, I did +not seek to get it, and do not wish to keep it. But I will tell you +every thing from the beginning. + +"When we were married, Menotti and I,--he brought me over from Riva, +where my father still lives,--Menotti had a very good friend living +here, who was just about leaving, because the land had become hateful to +him, owing to the death of his wife. This friend had a house--a little +one--and large fields, though they were not very productive. He wanted +my husband to take them all, and said that the land did not yield much; +but if he would keep it all in good order, and the house also, that he +would return to claim it in a few years. + +"So the friends made their arrangements together, and said nothing about +interest. My husband said, 'You will want to find every thing as it +should be when you return;' for he meant to put it all in good +condition, and understood the cultivating of land perfectly, which was +thoroughly well known to his friend, who willingly left it all in his +hands. But about one year later the railroad was built, and the little +house had to come down, and the garden was taken too, with the fields, +for the railway went right through them. So my husband got a great deal +more money than they were really worth, and bought a far better piece of +land and a garden, and built a house, all with the money; and the land +produced fully twice what the other had, and we had most abundant +harvests. I often said, 'It does not really belong to us, and we are +living in luxury from the property of another. How I wish that we knew +where he is!' But my husband quieted me, and said, 'I am keeping it all +in order for him, and when he comes it is all his; and as to the profit +that I have laid aside, he must have his share also.' + +"Then Silvio was born; and when I discovered that the little fellow was +ill, I kept saying over and over to my husband, 'We are living on +property to which we have no right, and we are punished for it.' And +sometimes it was so dreadful to me that poverty would have been more +tolerable, and I would have gladly been homeless. + +"My husband always tried to console me, and said, 'You will see how +pleased he will be with me when he returns.' But he did not return. My +husband died: it is now four years ago. Oh, what a life I have led since +then! always thinking how can I be free from this unlawful property +without doing any thing wrong, for it is my duty to keep it in good +condition until our friend comes; and then I feared that he might be in +misery somewhere while I am living so comfortably on his property, and +know nothing of his whereabouts." + +Stineli felt sincerely how much Mrs. Menotti was to be pitied; for she +perfectly well understood her feeling, and how she was always +reproaching herself for a thing that she could not change, and she +comforted the good woman, saying,-- + +"When any one does not mean to do wrong, and means not to do wrong, +then there is nothing but to trust to the good God and pray to Him for +help; for He can turn our evil into His good, and He will do so when +we are truly repentant over evil. I know all this from my +grandmother's teaching; for once I was in great distress, and did not +know what to do." + +Then she told about Rico and the lake that he was always thinking of, +and how she was the cause of his running away, and full of fear that it +had cost him his life. But she said that she felt perfectly at ease +after she had cast her burden on the Lord; and she advised Mrs. Menotti +to do likewise, and assured her that she would derive the truest comfort +from so doing. After this conversation Mrs. Menotti felt much relieved, +and said they would all go to rest now, and thanked her young counsellor +for her advice. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +AT HOME. + + +One beautiful Sunday morning in autumn, Mrs. Menotti seated herself on +the garden-bench in the midst of the glowing red flowers, and +thoughtfully gazed about her,--now at the oleander and laurel bushes, +now at the fig-trees laden with fruit, and again at the vines heavy with +golden grapes; and she said, softly, "God knows I should be glad if I +could lay aside this feeling of wrong-doing that weighs on my +conscience, but certainly such a lovely spot as this one I could never +find for a home." + +Presently Rico came into the garden. He was obliged to go away in the +afternoon; and he never passed a whole day without paying them a visit, +if it were possible to do otherwise. As he was passing on towards +Silvio's room, Mrs. Menotti called him. + +"Come and sit down by me, Rico, for a moment. Who knows how long we may +be able to stay in this place together?" + +Rico was alarmed. + +"Why do you say this, Mrs. Menotti? You do not think of going +away, do you?" + +Mrs. Menotti had to stop, for she could not tell him all her story. She +remembered what Stineli had said to her the evening before about Rico. +She was so full of her own thoughts at that time, that she did not +fairly take in the import of her words. Now she began to wonder about +it, the more she thought it over. + +"Do tell me, Rico," she said, "were you ever here earlier?--I mean +before; or what made you want to see the lake again, as Stineli told me +was the case yesterday?" + +"Yes; when I was little," said the lad. "Then I went away." + +"How did you get here when you were little, Rico?" + +"I was born here." + +"What! here? What was your father, if he came here from the +mountains yonder?" + +"He did not come here from the mountains; only my mother did." + +"Do I hear aright, Rico? Was your father born here?" + +"Certainly. He was a native of this place." + +"You never told me this before. This is wonderful. You have not a name +like the people here. What was your father's name?" + +"What was his name? It was Henrico Trevillo." + +Mrs. Menotti sprang up from the seat as if she had had a shock. + +"What did you say, Rico?" she cried out. "What did you say just now? +Tell me again." + +"I told you my father's name." + +Mrs. Menotti was not listening: she ran towards the door. + +"Stineli, bring me a kerchief," she cried. "I must go to the priest at +once: I am trembling all over." + +In great surprise, Stineli brought out the kerchief. + +"Come with me a few steps, Rico," said the good woman, as she went +through the garden. "I must ask you something more." + +Rico had to repeat his father's name twice over; and when they had +fairly reached the door of the priest's house, for a third time Mrs. +Menotti asked,-- + +"What did you say it was? Are you quite sure?" + +She hurried into the priest's house, and left Rico wondering what could +have happened to put her into such a way. + +Rico had brought his violin with him, for he knew that Stineli was +particularly pleased to hear it. When he reached Silvio's room, he +found the little boy and his companion in the best of humor. Stineli +had fulfilled her promise about the story of Peterli's funny doings, +and this had amused Silvio exceedingly. When the latter espied the +violin, he cried out at once, "Now let us sing; let us sing the +'Lambkins' with Stineli." + +Stineli had never heard her song since it was composed that day on the +mountain, for now Rico played such beautiful airs that she had quite +forgotten the old ones. But she was astonished to hear Silvio asking +for the German song, for she had no idea of the hundred times the two +boys had repeated it during the three years that were past. She was +much pleased to hear the old song again, and, above all, to sing it +with Rico; and so they began. Silvio sang with all his might,--without +understanding a single word, to be sure, but the tune was quite +correct. It was the girl's turn to laugh now; for Silvio's +pronunciation was most wonderful, and she could not join in for +laughter, and it was contagious; for the child could not resist the +merry expression of her face, and joined her in laughing, and sang +again still more queerly and louder; and all the while Rico played his +accompaniment without stopping. + +And thus Mrs. Menotti's ears were greeted with laughter and song as she +drew near the house on her return, and she could not understand how they +could be so light-hearted and merry on such a momentous occasion. She +came hastily through the garden, and into the room, and sank upon the +nearest seat; for the shock and the joy, and the anticipation of what +was to follow, had overpowered her, and she needed to recover herself a +little. The sight of her agitation silenced the singers, and they gazed +at her in surprise. At last she recovered, and said,-- + +"Rico,"--and her voice was quite solemn,--"Rico, listen to me. Look +about you. This house, this garden, that field,--all, all that you can +see, and much that you cannot see, belongs to you: it is all yours. You +are the owner; it is your inheritance from your father; your home is +here; your name stands in the baptismal record; you are the son of +Henrico Trevillo, and he was my husband's dearest friend." + +Stineli had understood the whole story at the first word, and her face +beamed with unspeakable happiness. + +Rico sat as if turned to stone, and made no sound; but Silvio broke out +into shouts of delight,--it was all a play to him. + +"Oh! now the house belongs to Rico, where is he going to sleep?" + +"He can sleep in any room he chooses, Silvio. He can sleep in them all +if he wishes to. He can turn us all out-of-doors if he has a mind to, +and stay all sole alone in this house." + +"I am sure I should much prefer to go away with you, then," said Rico. + +"Oh, you good Rico!" cried Mrs. Menotti. "If you will let us stay here, +we shall be so glad to remain. I have thought it out as I came along +towards home, and know how we can arrange it so that we shall be happy. +I will take half of the house of you, and the same with the garden and +all the land; so one half will be yours, and the other Silvio's." + +"I shall give my half to Stineli," said the child. + +"So shall I," said Rico. + +"Oh, ho! now the whole thing belongs to her,--the garden, and the house, +and all that is in them; and Rico and his fiddle, and I too. Now let us +go on with our song." + +But Rico did not take the same view of the affair as his little friend. +He had thought over Mrs. Menotti's words, and now asked, anxiously,-- + +"I do not understand how Silvio's house can belong to me because our +fathers were friends." + +It now occurred to Mrs. Menotti for the first time that Rico did not +know any thing about the circumstances; and she told him the whole +story, with all the particulars, even more minutely than she had told it +to Stineli; and when she had finished they all understood perfectly how +it was, and were at liberty to rejoice without restraint; for since the +house and all belonged partly to Rico, there was no reason why he should +not take possession at once, and never leave them again; and their +rejoicing was great. + +In the midst of their merry-making Rico said, suddenly,-- + +"Since things have turned out this way, Mrs. Menotti, do not let any of +the arrangements be disturbed in the house; but every thing go on as +usual. I will simply come here to live, and you shall be our mother." + +"O Rico! to think that it is yours, that it is you who are the _master_. +How good God is to let it all turn out in this way,--that I can give it +all to you, and yet stay here myself with a clear conscience. I will be +a mother to you, Rico; and indeed you have long been as dear to me as if +you were my own child. Now you must call me 'mother,' and so must +Stineli; and we shall be the happiest household in all Peschiera." + +"Well, now let us finish our song," cried little Silvio; for he was so +excited and glad that he felt that singing was the only way to express +his joy; and the others were not unwilling to join him, and they did +finish their song; then Stineli said,-- + +"Now will you not sing one other song with me, Rico? You know which +one I mean." + +And they sang the grandmother's hymn piously, and in beautiful accord, +especially the favorite verses at the end,-- + + "He never yet has done amiss; + And, perfect in His sight, + All that He does or orders is + Sure to be finished right. + + "Now only let His 'will be done,' + Nor clamor constantly, + Peace to the heart on earth will come, + And joy eternally." + +The next day Rico did not go to Riva. Mother Menotti advised him to go +at once to the landlady, to explain to her the change in his +circumstances, and to order another fiddler to be sent to Riva, while he +at once entered upon his possessions. Well pleased with these +suggestions, the youth hastened to carry them out. + +The landlady heard his wonderful story with great interest, and at the +end she called out to her husband and told it all over to him, and +testified real pleasure at the good fortune that had befallen her young +friend, and was sincere in what she said. She certainly was sorry to +lose him; but she had suspected for some time that the hostess of the +"Three Crowns" was making advances to Rico in the hope of enticing him +away from her; and that would have been dreadful to the "Golden Sun." +Now any danger of that misfortune was averted, and she was glad to hear +that Rico was a house and land holder himself, for he was a great +favorite with her. Her husband was particularly well pleased; for he had +been a friend of Rico's father, and did not now understand why he had +not earlier noticed that the lad was the exact image of the man. + +So the farewells were all spoken in good feeling, and the landlady took +his hand at parting, and asked for his patronage if ever there was +occasion for her services in his house. + +That very evening the news was known in all Peschiera, with all the true +details, and a great many more; and everybody expressed pleasure, and +said that Rico looked exactly as if he owned an estate, and would grace +the position. + +Mother Menotti did not know how she could do enough to make Rico +comfortable in his own house. She arranged the big room for him--the +one that had two windows overlooking the garden, and with a view over +the lake--with beautiful marble statuettes adorning the walls; and on +the table she placed a vase of flowers, and the whole room was most +prettily furnished, so that Rico stood still on the threshold when, at +Mrs. Menotti's request, Stineli led him up there. And when the kind, +motherly woman took his hand and led him to the window, and he looked +down in the shimmering lake, and over at the purple mountains in the +distance, his heart filled to overflowing with thankfulness, and he +could only murmur, softly,-- + +"Oh, how beautiful! And this is my home!" And now day after day the four +happy friends lived their peaceful life in the comfortable room looking +on the garden, where Silvio lay, and never perceived how the time was +speeding away. + +In the daytime Rico went about with his whistling servant lad through +the fig-trees and over the fields planted with corn, for he wanted to +learn the care of it all. + +Now the servant naturally thought, "I know much more than my new +master," and felt sensible of his superiority over Rico; but when, in +the evening, beautiful and heart-stirring music came forth upon the +evening breeze from the well-lighted room, where they all sat +together, the boy leaned against the hedge and listened for long +hours; for music was his greatest delight, and he said to himself, "My +master knows more than I do, after all;" and he could not help feeling +a great respect for Rico. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA. + + +Two years have passed, every day bringing more enjoyment than the last. + +To Stineli came the knowledge that it was time for her to return to her +home, and she had many a hard battle with herself to keep up her courage +and cheerfulness; for to go away, and probably never return, was the +most dreadful prospect that ever presented itself to the young girl's +imagination. Rico also knew what was before them, and sometimes he would +only speak when it became absolutely necessary. And a strange, unnatural +feeling took possession of mother Menotti, and she tried to discover the +secret cause; for she had quite forgotten that Stineli was to go home +again to be confirmed. When at last the cause of the trouble came out, +she said, "Oh! you can put that off for another year;" and so things +fell back into their old comfort again. + +On the third year, however, a message came from Bergamo (some one came +down there from the mountain) that Stineli was wanted at home, and must +go. Now there was no help for it. Silvio might fight against it like one +possessed: it did no good. Against fate it is useless to struggle. + +Mother Menotti said, day after day, towards the end, "Only promise to +come back, Stineli. You may tell your father I will do any thing he +wishes, if he will only let you come back soon." + +Rico said nothing at all. And Stineli went off; and day after day it +seemed as if a big black cloud lay over the household, and as if the +very sun outside had ceased to shine. + +And so it went on from November to Easter, when everybody was rejoicing; +but it was still sad in Rico's house. After the Easter festival was +over, and every thing was beginning to be more beautiful than ever +before in the garden, and flowers and sweet odors were spread all +abroad, Rico sat by Silvio's bedside, and played every sad melody that +he could remember, until the little fellow was in a most melancholy +mood, when suddenly from the garden a merry voice called out,-- + +"Rico, Rico! have you no more cheerful welcome for me than this?" + +Silvio screamed as if beside himself. Rico threw his violin on the bed, +and ran out; and mother Menotti came in, half frightened. + +On the threshold stood Rico with Stineli; and so in Silvio's room there +was the long-lost sunshine back again, and they were as merry as ever +again, and happy as they had never believed would be possible during +their long separation. There they all sat at table by Silvio's bedside, +and questioned and answered, and told all that had happened, and ever +and again broke out into rejoicing over their reunion. Who would have +thought, to see them there, that any thing could be wanting to the +perfect happiness of these four people? But Rico knew another tale. In +the midst of all the merriment, he became absent-minded, and fell into +one of his old dreamy moods. It did not last as long as formerly, +however. He must have reached a satisfactory conclusion pretty soon; for +suddenly his reverie was over, and he said these words, with the utmost +decision, "Stineli must be my wife this very moment, or else she will +have to go away again directly; and that we could not endure." + +This decision pleased Silvio mightily; and in a short time they were +all of the same way of thinking, that the sooner the marriage took +place the better. + +On the very most beautiful May morning that ever shone over Peschiera, a +long procession started from the church towards the "Golden Sun." + +At the head, tall and well-proportioned, came Rico with his stately +mien; and at his side walked Stineli, looking happy and pretty, her +smooth braids crowned with the fresh bridal wreath. Next in the +procession, in a well-upholstered little wagon, drawn by two merry +Peschiera urchins, Silvio might be seen, beaming with satisfaction like +a triumphant victor; and last of all followed mother Menotti, very much +moved and affected, in a rustling wedding-dress; behind her the servant +lad, with a nosegay that covered his whole shirt-front; and after them +streamed all Peschiera, with the very noisiest kind of participation, +for they all wanted to look at the handsome couple, and to do them +honor. It was almost like a great family festival, in which they all +joined to help the strayed and lost Peschiera boy to found his own home +in his native town. + +The joy of the landlady of the "Golden Sun," when she saw the procession +coming towards her house, is quite indescribable. Whenever the question +arose concerning any wedding, low or high, she always said, with +emphasis,-- + +"That is nothing at all in comparison with Rico's wedding in the +'Golden Sun.'" + +The house in the garden never again lost its sunshine, and Stineli took +good care "Our Father" was never forgotten again; and on every Sunday +evening the grandmother's hymn was sung in the garden in full chorus. + + + + + +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +COASTING. + + +On one of the hills surrounding the city of Bern a little village is +perched which shall be nameless in this story; but if you are curious, +and go there in your travels, perhaps you may recognize it from the +following description. On the very top of the hill stands one solitary +house, with a beautiful garden about it. It is called "On the Height," +and is the property of Colonel Ritter. The descent to the little square, +where the church and parsonage stand, is sharp (in the parsonage the +colonel's wife passed her happy days of childhood); and somewhat farther +down is the schoolhouse, amid a little cluster of houses; while on the +left, as you still descend, you see a lonely cottage with a pretty, +well-kept garden, surrounded by currant-bushes, and adorned with +mignonette and pinks, and a few roses amidst its chiccory and spinach. +This is the last house on the road, which, from here on, makes one long +stretch downward to the highway that goes far out into the country, +parallel with the river Aar. + +This long, unbroken descent forms, in winter, the most perfect +coasting-ground imaginable; for once you are past the steep bit by the +colonel's house, you may go on without interruption quite down to the +road by the river; that is, always supposing that you make a fair start +at the beginning. + +This coast was an endless source of pleasure to the army of children who +daily poured out of the door of the old schoolhouse when lesson hours +were over, ran to the yard where they had piled their sleds on entering, +took each his own from the heap, and scampered off in wild haste to +begin their afternoon amusement. How the hours passed no one could +imagine: down flew the sleds in a twinkling, and nobody felt the trouble +of climbing up the hill, so full were all the little heads of the +pleasure of going down again; and so the night, and the time for +returning to their homes for supper, always took them by surprise. + +This usually occasioned a stormy scene before they left the +coasting-ground; for everybody wished to go down "once more," and then +"just _once_ more," and then "one single turn more,"--so that everybody +hurried and jumped onto the sleds, and flew down and ran up again in a +regular hurry-scurry. + +A rule had been established to the end that no one should go down the +coast while the others were still climbing up, but that all should go +down one after the other in good order, to prevent confusion or +accidents. Notwithstanding this good rule, there were often many +lawless proceedings, especially towards the close of the day, when +nobody wished to be the last, and when they all crowded onto the coast +very closely together. + +This was the state of affairs on a clear evening in January, when the +snow fairly crackled under the children's feet as they mounted the hill, +and the fields in every direction were frozen so firmly that you could +have gone anywhere over them in a sleigh as if they were the highway. +The children were all rosy and glowing with their exertions, for they +were hurrying up the steep hill, pulling their sleds behind them, +turning them about in a flash, jumping upon them, and off again head +foremost, not to lose a second of the precious time until the moon shone +brightly in the crisp sky, and the evening bells were ringing. All the +boys were shouting, "Once more; just once more!" and the girls were as +eager as they. At the top, however, where they all threw themselves upon +their sleds, there was great excitement and uproar. Three boys each +claimed to have reached the top first, and would not yield an inch to +each other, but all must go down at once. And so they pushed this way +and that, until a big boy called Cheppi was hustled quite against the +bank of snow at the side of the coast, and found that his heavily ironed +sled was fast in the snow. He was furious, for he saw that now all the +other fellows would get off before he could extricate himself. He looked +about, and presently espied a little slender girl standing near by in +the snow. She was very pale, and held both arms wrapped in her apron to +keep them warmer, for all that she trembled and shivered with cold from +head to feet. She looked so feeble and miserable, that she seemed to +Cheppi just the proper object upon whom to vent his rage. + +"Can't you get out of a fellow's way, you stupid thing? What are you +standing there for? You have not even a sled with you. Just wait a +moment; I'll help you to get along!" + +So saying, he thrust his boot into the snow, intending to kick it over +the girl. She sprang back, however, quickly, so that she went quite up +to her knees in the snow, and said timidly, "I was only looking on." + +Cheppi was thrusting his boot into the snow again with the same +intention towards the child, when he received such a tremendous box +on the ear from behind, that it almost knocked him off his sled. +"Just you wait a minute," he shouted, beside himself with anger, for +his ear tingled as it had never tingled before; and doubling up his +fists, he turned himself to see who was his hidden foe. A boy stood +behind him, and looked on very quietly, holding his sled in position +for another coast. + +"Come on," he said calmly. + +It was Otto Ritter, a class-mate of Cheppi, with whom he was always +engaged in some little quarrel. Otto was a tall, slender boy, about +eleven years old, and not nearly of the same strength as Cheppi; but +the latter had learned more than once that with hands and feet Otto was +much the more skilful of the two. He did not strike out, but held his +fists doubled up, and cried out angrily, "Let me alone: I am not +meddling with you." + +"But I am with you," replied Otto, in a very warlike tone. "What +business have you to chase Wiseli away like that, and then to kick snow +at her, I should like to know? I have been looking at you, you coward! +teasing a little girl who cannot defend herself." + +With these words he turned his back contemptuously towards Cheppi, and +called out to Wiseli, who was standing shivering all this time in the +deep snow,-- + +"Come out of the snow, Wiseli. Oh, how you are shivering, child! Have +you no sled really, and only been able to look on? Here, take mine, and +go down once quickly. Do you know how?" + +The pale, timid girl did not know what to make of this kindness. She had +been looking on for some little time, watching the sleds as they flew +down the hill, and thinking, "Oh, how I should like to go down to the +very bottom just once!" when she saw two, and sometimes three, going +down on the same sled. But now she might go down all alone by herself, +and that, too, on the very handsomest sled on the coast,--the one with a +lion's head, that went faster than any other, because it was light, and +was bound with iron. She was so happy that she stood still, looking +after Cheppi with a half feeling that he might strike her if she dared +to enjoy such a piece of good fortune. But there he stood quite +tranquilly, as if nothing whatever had happened; and by him stood Otto, +with such a protecting air, that she took courage, and seated herself on +the handsome sled; and when Otto called out, "Go on; go on, Wiseli!" she +obeyed, and away she flew as if the wind were behind her. Very soon Otto +heard the coasters all toiling up the hill again, and he called out, +"Stay among the first, Wiseli, and go down again; after that we must go +home." Wiseli was only too happy to do as she was bid, and enjoyed for a +second time the long-wished-for pleasure. Then she brought the sled to +its owner, thanking him shyly for his kindness, but more with her +beaming eyes than with words; and off she scampered as fast as she could +go. Otto felt decidedly happier. "Where is Pussy?" he called out, +peering into the already scattering crowd. "Here she is!" replied a +merry voice; and out of the knot of children appeared a red-cheeked, +plump little girl, who slipped her hand into her big brother's +protecting palm, and went with him towards their father's house as +quickly as possible. It was very late, and they had over-passed the +allotted time for coasting. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY. + + +When Otto and his sister came noisily in through the deep stone entrance +of their father's house, the old servant Trine appeared in a doorway +holding a light high above her head to see whence came all the uproar, +and from whom. "So," at last she said, half scoldingly, half pleasantly; +"your mother has been asking for you for a long time, but there was no +trace of you, although it struck eight nobody knows how long ago." Old +Trine had been maid-servant in the family when the children's mother +came into the world, so she was an authority in the household, and felt +that she was one of its members,--to tell the truth, the very head of +the establishment; for surely she was the oldest in age and experience. +The dear old woman was fairly foolish in her fondness for her master's +children, and very proud of all their qualities and acquisitions. She +would not let this be seen, however, but employed an indignant tone when +speaking to them; for she thought it best for their education not to +appear perfectly satisfied with their conduct. + +"Off with your shoes, on with your slippers!" she called out at once, +according to rule; but her order was immediately executed by the +commander, for she knelt before Otto while she spoke, to take off his +wet shoes. He had sunk down upon the nearest seat. His little sister +stood perfectly still in the middle of the room without stirring, which +was such an unusual circumstance, that Trine looked over her shoulder +two or three times to see what it could mean. Now that Otto was +equipped, it was Pussy's turn to sit down and be attended to; but she +stood stock still, and did not stir. "Well, well! if we wait there +until summer comes, our shoes will get dry of themselves," said Trine, +still on her knees. "Hsh, hsh, Trine! I hear something. Who is in the +big parlor?" said Pussy, lifting her forefinger up a little +threateningly. "Everybody who has dry shoes: nobody else admitted. Now +make up your mind to sit down," said Trine. But instead of sitting +down, Pussy made a spring upward, and cried, "Now I hear it again; +Uncle Max laughs just like that." "What!" cried Otto, and reached the +parlor-door with one leap. + +"Wait, wait!" Pussy called after him, and ran to the door at the same +time; but she was caught and placed on the seat, although old Trine had +hard work to get the shoes off the little kicking feet; but perseverance +at last accomplished the business, and off ran Pussy out of one door and +through the other into the big parlor, where truly sat Uncle Max in the +arm-chair. Now there was a fine jubilee, and a hugging and kissing over +and over. Uncle Max certainly made as much noise as the children, and it +was a long time before they were quieted enough to speak a rational word +to each other. A visit from this uncle was always a time of great +delight for the children, and with good reason, for he was extravagantly +fond of them. He was a great traveller, and only came to see them once +in two years; but then he made up for his long absence by giving himself +entirely to his little friends as if he were no older than they; and the +queer and enchanting presents that he had stuffed into every pocket for +his little niece and nephew would be hard to describe. + +Uncle Max was a naturalist, and travelled to every corner of the world, +bringing back something curious and interesting from each place. + +At last supper was served, to the immense satisfaction of the whole +party,--for the children always brought home new appetites from the +coasting-ground, and were prepared, both old and young, to do full +justice to the steaming dishes set before them. + +"Well," said Colonel Ritter, glancing across the table at his little +daughter, who was seated beside her mother, and already too busily +engaged in satisfying her hunger to look up from her plate. "Well, well; +it seems rather strange to think that Pussy has no hand to spare for her +papa to-day. I have not had one single kiss, and now it is too late." + +With a contrite air Pussy pushed back her plate, saying, "O papa, I +forgot! I will give you"-- + +But her father said, quickly, "No, no; do not make a disturbance now, +child. Give me your hand across the table; we will have the rest later. +That will do now, Pussy." + +"What was this child christened, Marie? I was certainly present at the +ceremony, but I have utterly forgotten her name. Not Pussy, I am sure," +said Uncle Max, laughing. + +"You certainly were present, Max," replied his sister, "for you are the +child's godfather. She was named Marie. At this time her father +nicknamed her Pussy, and Otto has multiplied that in the most +nonsensical manner." + +"Oh, no, mamma; not nonsensical," cried Otto, quite seriously. "You see, +uncle, it follows in very sensible order. When the little thing is +gentle and good, then I call her 'Pussy.' That is not always the case, +however, and 'Puss' does for some of her moods; but when she is angry, +and looks like a regular cross-patch, then I call her 'Old Cat.'" + +"Yes, yes, Otto," answered his sister; and when you are angry, you look +like a--like a"-- + +"Like a man," said Otto; and as Pussy had no better comparison ready, +she went on busily eating her pudding. + +Uncle Max laughed heartily. "Pussy is right," he said. "She does far +better in pursuing her present occupation than in answering back such +slanders. But, children," he began again, after a pause, "it is more +than a year since I was here, and you have not told me about any thing +that has taken place during my absence." + +The latest events were those that occurred first to the children; and +they began to tell, generally both speaking together, the story of +Cheppi's rude treatment of Wiseli on the coast, and of how cold the girl +was, and how she stood shivering in the snow, and had no sled of her +own, but got a chance to coast down twice after all. + +"That is right, Otto," said his father. "You must honor your name. You +must always be a true knight for the persecuted and unprotected. Who is +this Wiseli?" + +"You cannot know any thing about the girl nor her mother," said his +wife. "But Uncle Max knows Wiseli's mother very well. You remember that +thin weaver who was our neighbor, don't you, brother? He had an only +daughter with big brown eyes, who often came to us at the parsonage, and +sang so sweetly. Can't you remember her now?" + +While Uncle Max was trying to recall the somewhat fading recollections +of his youth, old Trine put her head into the room, saying,-- + +"The carpenter Andrew would like to speak to you, Mrs. Ritter, if it +will not disturb you too much." + +This apparently innocent message produced a wonderful effect upon the +whole family. Mrs. Ritter put down the tablespoon, with which she was +about to help her brother a second time to fruit, and said hastily, "If +you will excuse me, gentlemen," and left the room. Otto sprang up so +quickly that he knocked his chair over backwards, and then fell over it +himself in his haste to get away. Pussy was about to follow the others; +but her uncle, seeing the movement, put his arms about her, and held her +fast. She struggled, however, and said, entreatingly,-- + +"Let me go, uncle; let me go. Really, I must go." + +"Where do you want to go, Pussy?" + +"To see the carpenter Andrew. Let me go quickly. Help, papa; help!" + +"If you will tell me what you have to say to the carpenter, I will +let you go." + +"The sheep has only two legs left, and no tail at all; and the carpenter +is the only person who can mend him. Now _do_ let me go!" And now Pussy +was off too. + +The gentlemen looked at each other, and Max burst out into a merry +laugh. "Who is this carpenter Andrew, pray, who seems to have the power +of attracting your whole family to his feet?" + +"You ought to be able to answer that question better than I," replied +the colonel. "He must also be one of the friends of your youth. The fever +of adoration you ought to understand also: it must be one of your family +characteristics; and your sister has introduced it into her family. I +can only tell you this much: this Andrew is the very corner-stone of my +house. Every thing depends upon him, and we should all fall to pieces if +his support were withdrawn from us. Andrew is the counsellor, comforter, +safety, and aid in any trouble. If my wife thinks she wants any utensil +for household use, even if she does not know how it should look, nor +what use to put it too, Andrew the carpenter invents it, and makes it on +the spot. If the kitchen is on fire, or the water gives out there, or in +the laundry, Andrew the carpenter smothers the fire, and procures floods +of water. If my son does some sad piece of mischief, Andrew the +carpenter repairs the damage in a trice. If my daughter smashes all the +crockery, Andrew the carpenter glues it together at once. So you see +that this man is really the very pillar of my edifice; and if any thing +should happen to him, we should straightway go to pieces." + +Mrs. Ritter had returned to the room during this account of Andrew the +carpenter's virtues, and her husband had heightened the description for +her benefit. Uncle Max shouted with laughter. + +"Yes, laugh away; laugh away!" said she. "For all that, I know very well +what a treasure I possess in Andrew the carpenter." + +"So do I, for that matter," said her husband, laughing merrily. + +"I do, too," said Pussy, heartily, who was again on her seat at +table. + +"So do I," grumbled Otto, while he rubbed his shins, that ached from his +recent fall over the chair. + +"Well, now we are all of one mind about it, and the children can go +quietly to bed," said their mother. These words did not tend to restore +quiet, for the children became rebellious; but it was useless. Old Trine +stood on the threshold, and was ready to carry out the family rules and +regulations. Off marched the children, and presently their mother also +disappeared again; for there were the evening prayers to be said, and +she never failed to be at their bedside for that. + +When, at last, every thing was in order in the house, Mrs. Ritter joined +the gentlemen once more. + +"At last!" said the colonel, with a sigh of relief, as if he had +vanquished the enemy. "Now you see how it is, Max. My wife belongs first +of all to the carpenter Andrew, then to the children, and only to her +husband when there is nothing else for her to do." + +"And now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "that, although my +husband speaks scornfully of Andrew the carpenter, he does assign him a +very high rank after all. Now acknowledge that, won't you? He has just +given me a message for you. He has brought his yearly savings with him +to-day, and begs for your assistance." + +"That is true," said the colonel. "A more orderly, industrious, reliable +man I do not know. I would trust my wife, my children, my goods and +chattels to him rather than to any one else. He is the most honorable, +trustworthy man in this parish, or in any other, I do believe." + +"Now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "I could not say more +than that." Her brother joined with her in her amusement at the zest +which the colonel showed. Then he said,-- + +"You have all been so full of the praises of your marvel, that I have +become curious, at last, to know where he comes from, and how he looks. +Have I never seen him when I have visited you?" + +"Oh, yes! you used to know him perfectly well," replied his sister. "You +must remember Andrew, with whom we went to school. Don't you recall the +two brothers who were always in the same classes with you? The elder was +even then a perfect good-for-nothing,--he was not stupid, but would not +study, and did not get on, and was put down into one of the lower +classes with his brother and you. You must remember him,--his name was +Jorg, and he had stiff, black hair. He always pelted us with something +whenever he got a chance,--with green apples or pears, and in winter +with snow-balls,--and always called us 'aristocrats.'" + +"Oh, that fellow!" cried Max. "Yes; now I do remember all about him. +Certainly he always called us 'aristocrats.' I wonder how he got hold of +that word. He was a disagreeable fellow: I remember that well. I caught +him once thrashing a little fellow most cruelly. I helped the little +one, and he shouted after me at least twelve times in succession, +'Aristocrat, aristocrat!' And now it comes back to me about the other +one, the lean Andrew, his brother. He was your Andrew, was he not, +Marie?--the Andrew with the violets? Oh, now I comprehend this great +friendship," said Max, laughing again. + +"What is this about the violets? I want to know all about that," said +the colonel. + +"Oh! I can see the whole thing just as it happened as plainly as if it +were only yesterday," said Max, quite animated over his recollections. +"I must tell you all about it, Otto. You have probably heard from your +wife that we had here, in the happy time of our childhood, an old +schoolmaster, whose creed was that all faults could be whipped out of, +and all virtues be whipped into, the children under his care. So he felt +himself constrained to whip a great deal either for one thing or the +other, and very often for both at once. Andrew's turn came one day, and +the master applied his well-meant rule so heartily that poor, thin +Andrew screamed with pain. At this moment my little sister, who had only +entered the school a short time before, and did not understand the rules +very well, stood up from her seat and hastened to the door. The teacher +held his hand for a moment, and shouted after her, 'Where are you +running to?' Marie turned about. The tears were running down her cheeks, +and she said, very decidedly, 'I am going home to tell my father.' +'Wait, I will teach you!' cried the master, in the greatest surprise, +and sprung after the girl. He did not strike her, however, but took her +roughly by the arm, and set her down very hard upon the bench; then he +said again, 'Wait, I will teach you!' + +"It was the end of that, however. He did not touch Andrew again, and +every thing passed off quietly that day. But the tears that Marie had +shed for Andrew, and her protest against the whippings, were not +forgotten. From that day forward a big bunch of violets was always +placed on Marie's desk, and the whole room was perfumed with them; and +later a still better scent filled the air, for there were every day +great bunches of dark red strawberries, such as nobody else knew how to +find. And so it went on for the whole year; but how the friendship +reached the height at which it now stands, that I will leave to my +sister to relate, for I do not know myself." + +The colonel was much pleased with this story of the tears and the +violets, and begged his wife to tell more about it. She said, "According +to you, Max, violets and strawberries grow all the year round; but, in +truth, it is not exactly the fact. But it is true that the good Andrew +was never tired of bringing in any thing that he thought would give me +pleasure all through the time we were in the school together. He left +long before I did, and went to learn his trade of a joiner in the city. +He came home very often, however, so that I never really lost sight of +him; and when my husband bought this piece of land and we were married, +it happened, also, that Andrew bought property, and wished to be +settled. He had lost his parents, and was quite by himself, and a +first-rate workman. He wanted the little house with the neat, pretty +garden down there half-way to the church; but was not able to purchase +it, because the owner wished for full payment at once, and Andrew could +only pay in instalments, as he earned the money. + +"But we knew all about him and his work. My husband purchased the place +for him, and he has never had the least reason to regret it." + +"No, indeed I have not," added the colonel. "Andrew has long ago paid +for his house, and now he always brings me the yearly amount of his +labor; and a very pretty sum it is, too. I invest it well for him, and +have a sincere satisfaction in the welfare of the sturdy fellow. He is +already a very well-to-do man, and adds to his property every year, and +can make his little house into a big one if he have a mind to do so, the +good Andrew. It is too bad that he is such a hermit, and cannot, +therefore, properly enjoy his home and his possessions." + +"Has he, then, neither wife nor family?" asked Max. "And what has become +of his disagreeable brother Jorg?" + +"No; he has really nobody," replied his sister. "He lives entirely +alone, and really like a hermit. He has had a long and very sad history +that I have been witness to, and which has taken away all the desire he +once might have felt to look for a wife. His brother Jorg wandered about +here in a disreputable way for several years, never working, but in the +hope of getting something, by his infamous behavior, out of his family, +who were respectable people, quite unlike himself. But, at last, he saw +that there was no chance of this, and even the kind Andrew refused to +pay any more of his debts, or to help him out of any more scrapes, so he +disappeared, nobody knows where; but everybody rejoiced that he was out +of the way." + +"What was the sad story of which you spoke, Marie?" asked her brother. +"I want to hear that, too." + +"So do I," said the colonel; and lighted another cigar, in order to +enjoy the tale more thoroughly. + +"But, my dear husband," objected his wife, "I have at least told you +this story ten times over." + +"Really," said the colonel, quietly, "it seems that it pleases me then, +if I ask for it again." + +"Oh, do begin!" said her brother. + +"You cannot have forgotten the child, Max," began his sister, "of whom I +was speaking yesterday, who lived quite near to us. She belonged to the +pale, thin weaver, whose shuttle we could always hear moving back and +forth when we stood in our garden. The child always looked clean and +neat, and had great lively, sparkling eyes, and beautiful brown hair. +Her name was Aloise." + +"I never knew anybody by the name of Aloise in my life," interrupted Max +at this point. + +"Oh! to be sure not," said his sister. "We never called her so, you +especially. 'Wisi' we called her, to the horror of our dear departed +mother. Don't you remember, now, how often you said yourself that we +must get Wisi to sing with us when mamma played songs for us on the +piano, and we could not make it go at all without Wisi's help?" + +At last Max seemed to remember about it, and laughed at the +recollection. "Oh, yes! I remember Wisi," he cried. "Yes, certainly that +was Wisi. I can see her now, before my eyes, with her bright face, as +she stood by the piano and sang so cheerily. I was very fond of her. I +was very fond of her,--of Wisi. She was very pretty, too. I remember, +too, what a shock it always seemed to mamma when I said, 'Wisi.' I +really never knew her proper name." + +"Oh, yes, you did," replied his sister; "because mamma always said +it was perfectly barbarous to change the pretty name of Aloise +into 'Wisi.'" + +"I certainly never heard it each time," said Max. "But pray what has +become of this Wisi?" + +"You remember she was in my class at school, and we kept along together; +and I often think of how Andrew always befriended and stood up for the +girl through thick and thin, and that she knew well how to turn his +friendship to good account. + +"When she came with her slate full of examples, like the rest of us, her +figures were not often correct; but she put the slate, with a merry +laugh, on her desk, and lo! soon the sums were all rightly set down, for +Andrew had put them in order. It often happened that she smashed a pane +in the schoolroom window, or shook down the schoolmaster's plums in the +garden; and yet Andrew was always the one who took the blame of these +misdeeds,--not that anybody accused him, but he himself used to say, +half aloud, that he believed it was his fault that the glass was broken, +or the plums shaken down, and so he got the punishment. We children all +knew well enough who was to blame; but we let it go, we were so used to +it, and were so fond of the merry Wisi, that we all were pleased when +she escaped punishment. + +"Wisi had always pocketfuls of apples, pears, and nuts, that all came +from Andrew; for every thing that he had, or could procure, he used to +stuff into Wisi's satchel. I used often to wonder how it happened that +the quiet Andrew liked the very most unruly and gayest girl in the +school, and I also wondered whether she returned his affection. She was +always very friendly with him, but she was the same with others; and as +I once asked our mother how it could be, she shook her head a little, +and said, 'I am afraid,--I am afraid that the nice little Aloise is a +trifle heedless, and may have to suffer for it.' These words gave me +much food for thought, and recurred to me again and again. + +"We went together to the Bible-class; and every Sunday evening Wisi used +to come regularly to our house, and we sang hymns together to the piano. +She particularly enjoyed this. She knew all the lovely songs by heart, +and sang them clearly and well; and mamma and I were very much pleased +to know that Wisi liked to sing, and went gladly to the Bible-class, and +seemed to take the religious teaching very much to heart. She had grown +into a fine large girl now, with bright eyes; and, although she did not +look very strong, like the peasant girls in the villages, still she had +a fine color, and was far prettier than any of them. + +"At this time Andrew was learning his trade in the town, but invariably +came home on Sundays. He always came up to the parsonage to call, and +was inclined to talk to me about our former schooldays; and gradually +we worked round to Wisi, and talked about her most of the time. Andrew +spoke most eloquently and feelingly on this subject; and, although +everybody else had adopted the name 'Wisi' for Aloise, he never called +her so, but said 'Wiseli' so softly and prettily, that it was very +sweet to hear. + +"But one Sunday (we were not quite eighteen years old, Wisi and +I,--mamma was with us that evening) Wisi came in looking very rosy, and +said that she had come to tell us that she was betrothed to a young +workman who had come lately to live in the village, and that they would +soon be married, as he had a good position, and it was arranged that +they could be married in about twelve days. I was so surprised, and so +sorry, that I could not say a word. Neither did my mother speak for a +long time, but looked very much troubled. + +"After a time she talked very seriously with Wisi,--told her that it was +foolish in her to have taken up so quickly with a workman of whom she +really could know very little, and especially when there was another who +had sought her for long years, and plainly shown her how much he loved +her; and, at last, she asked her if it could not be broken off, this +engagement,--or, at least, put off for a while, Wisi was still so young, +and ought to remain with her father. Then Wisi began to cry, and said +that it was all arranged; that she had given her promise, and that her +father was pleased. So my mother said no more about it; but poor Wisi +cried bitterly, until my mother took her by the hand, and led her to the +piano, and said kindly, 'Dry your tears: we will sing together.' And she +played the accompaniment, and we sang,-- + + "'To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "'For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.' + +"After this, Wisi left us apparently comforted, and my mother spoke +kindly to her at parting; but I felt very sadly about the whole affair. +I had a conviction that poor Wisi had passed her happiest days, and +would never be light-hearted again; and I could not express my sorrow +for Andrew. What would he say? He said nothing,--not one word,--but went +about for several years like a shadow, and became more silent than ever, +and had no longer the quietly happy expression that formerly +distinguished him." + +"Poor fellow!" cried Max. "And did he never marry?" + +"Oh, no, Max!" replied his sister, rather reproachfully. "How could he +do so? How can you ask such a question? He is faithfulness personified." + +"How could I know that, dearest sister?" said Max soothingly. "I could +not be expected to know that your gifted and inestimable friend +possessed also the quality of steadfastness. But tell me some more about +Wisi. I hope, truly, that the merry creature was not unfortunate. It +would grieve me sadly to think that." + +"I see plainly, brother, that all your sympathies are secretly with +Wisi; and that you are not sorry for the faithful Andrew, whose heart +was nearly broken when he found that he had lost her." + +"Yes, yes," said Max. "I have the greatest sympathy for the good fellow. +But do tell me how it was with Wisi: did she cry her pretty eyes out?" + +"Almost, I believe," replied Marie. "I did not see her very often, and +she had a great deal of work to do. I believe that her husband was not a +bad fellow; but there was something very rough about him, and he was +rude and unkind even to his own little children. Wisi had a hard time of +it. She had a good many pretty children; but they were very delicate, +and she lost them one after the other. Five she buried, and has only now +one tender little girl,--a little Wiseli,--who is not much larger than +our Pussy, though she is several years older. Naturally Wisi's health +has been sadly tried with all this, and it is plainly visible now that +it has almost reached the end with her. She is rapidly wasting away in +consumption. I fear that there is no hope for her." + +"Oh!" cried Max, "is this possible? Is it really so bad as that? Can +nothing be done, Marie? Let us look after her, and try if we cannot mend +matters somewhat." + +"Oh, no! there is no chance for her," said his sister, sadly. "From the +very beginning Wisi was too delicate for all the work and care that came +upon her." + +"And what became of her husband?" + +"Oh! I quite forgot the sad trouble that poor Wisi had to endure +with him also. + +"About a year ago, he broke an arm and a leg in the workshop, and was +brought home half dead. He was very ill, and could not work, and +certainly was not a patient sufferer. Wisi had the care of him in his +sickness, in addition to every thing else, and he died about six +months after the accident. Wisi has lived alone with her child since +that time." + +"Then there will soon be nothing left but a little Wiseli, and what will +become of her? But, no; it will not turn out so sadly, I am sure. Wisi +will get well, and every thing be right again, as it should have been in +the beginning." + +"No, not so, Max; it is too late for that," replied his sister, +decidedly. "Poor Wisi had to suffer sadly for her folly. But it is too +late indeed!" she said, rising, almost frightened to see that it was +after midnight, and that the colonel, who had been silent for some time +past, was now sleeping in his arm-chair. + +Max was not in the least sleepy, however. All this story of poor Wisi +had awakened in him such lively recollections of his childhood, that +he wanted to talk about many other events and people; but his sister +was not to be persuaded. She took her bed-candle, and insisted upon +going to bed. + +There was nothing to be done but to awaken his brother-in-law, which he +did with such a tremendous thump on the back, that the colonel sprang up +with the feeling that he had been struck by an enemy's bomb-shell. But +Max tapped him kindly on the shoulder, saying, "It is only a gentle +warning from your wife that we must all beat a retreat." This was +accomplished, and soon the house on the height stood quietly in the +moonlight; and half way down the hill stood another house, where it +would soon be silent, too, though a still feeble light glimmered there, +casting a pale shadow through the little window out into the brilliant +moonlit night. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ALSO AT HOME. + + +At the same time that the colonel's children were going home, the +little Wiseli ran along down the hill as fast as she could scamper, for +she knew she had remained away longer than her mother liked that she +should, and she very rarely did any thing of the kind. This evening had +been one of such unusual pleasure for her that she had quite forgotten +to go home at the usual time, and therefore ran all the faster, and so +almost fell against a man, in her haste, who came out of the door of +their cottage as she was rushing in. He stepped quietly to one side, +and Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side. To +her great surprise, she found no light in the room,--her mother was +sitting in the twilight, on a low chair by the window. "Mother," said +the child, "are you angry because I was away such a long time?" and she +put her arms around her mother's neck as she spoke. "No, no, Wiseli," +said her mother, kindly; "but I am glad that you have come at last." +The girl began at once to tell her mother about the delightful coast +she had had on Otto's pretty sled,--how she had gone twice down the +hill, and how pleasant it was. When she had finished her little story, +she noticed, for the first time, how very quiet her mother was,--much +more so than usual,--and she asked anxiously, "Why have you not lighted +the lamp, mother?" + +[Illustration: WISELI HASTENED INTO THE ROOM, AND WENT TO HER +MOTHER'S SIDE] + +"I feel so weary this evening, Wiseli," replied her mother, "that I +could not get up to light it. Go get it now, my child, and bring me a +little water to drink at the same time, I am so very thirsty." Wiseli +hastened to the kitchen, and soon returned with the light in one hand, +and in the other a bottle filled with red syrup, that looked so +temptingly clear and good, that the thirsty invalid called out eagerly, +"What is that you are bringing me? It looks so good!" + +"I do not know," said the child; "it was standing on the kitchen-table. +See how it sparkles!" Her mother took the bottle, and smelled at it. +"Oh!" she said, smelling again, "it is like fresh, wild strawberries. +Give me some water, quickly, Wiseli; I must drink." The child poured +some of the red syrup into a glass, and filled it with water, which her +mother swallowed eagerly, as one parched with thirst. "You do not know +how refreshing it is, child," as she handed back the empty glass. "Put +it away, Wiseli, but not far. It seems to me as if I could drink it all +the time, I am so thirsty. Who brought me this refreshment, Wiseli: do +you know? It must be from Trine: she brought it from the colonel's." + +"Did Trine come in here, mother?" asked the child. + +"No; I have not seen her at all," said her mother. + +"Then it is not Trine, I am sure," said Wiseli, decidedly. "She always +comes into the room when she brings anything for you. But Andrew the +carpenter came today: did not he bring this with him?" + +"What, Wiseli," said her mother, very eagerly, "what are you saying? +Andrew the carpenter never came to see me: what made you think of that?" + +"He was here, certainly; certainly he was here within this house. He +went out of the door so quickly that I almost ran into him. Did you not +hear him at all?" + +Her mother was quiet for a long time without speaking; then she said, "I +did hear the kitchen door softly opened. At first I thought it might be +you, and--it is true, I did not hear you enter until later. Are you +sure, Wiseli, that Andrew the carpenter was the person who went out from +our door?" + +Wiseli was sure of her affair, and told her mother exactly how the coat +and how the cap looked that Andrew wore, and how frightened he was when +she almost ran into him; so that, at last, she convinced the good woman, +who said softly, as if to herself, "Yes, it must be Andrew; he knows +what I like best." + +"Now I remember something else, mother," cried Wiseli, quite excitedly. +"Now I know for sure who once placed a big pot of honey in the +kitchen,--you remember how much you liked that,--and then the +apple-cakes a day or two ago,--do not you remember? You wished to send +your thanks by Trine when she brought you something from the colonel's +kitchen, and she said that she knew nothing at all about them. Now I am +sure that Andrew the carpenter brought them, and secretly placed them in +the kitchen for you." + +"Now I believe so, also," said her mother, and softly wiped her eyes. + +"There is nothing sad about it, mother," said Wiseli, rather shocked to +see how often her mother kept wiping her eyes. + +"You must thank him for me, Wiseli: I cannot. Tell him that I send him +my thanks for all the goodness he has shown me,--he has always been kind +to me. Come, sit down here by me a little," said she, softly. "Give me +some more of the syrup, and then come and repeat the verse that I taught +you the other day." + +Wiseli brought more water, and mixed it with the syrup again, and her +mother drank of it eagerly; then she laid her head wearily upon the low +window-sill, and beckoned her little daughter to come to her side. It +seemed to the child that her mother could not be comfortable, and she +fetched a pillow from the bed, and placed it carefully under her +mother's head. Then she sat down close to her side on a footstool, and +held her mother's hand in her own, and complied with her request to +repeat the verses, thus,-- + + "'To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "'For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +As Wiseli finished, she observed that her mother was almost asleep; but +she heard her say, softly, "Think of this, my Wiseli; and when you do +not know which way to turn, and every thing seems difficult and +perplexing, then say to yourself these words,-- + + "'Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +Now the weary head sank down to rest, and little Wiseli would not awaken +her mother by a movement, but nestled up to her quietly, and slept also. +And the feeble light of the little lamp burned dimly in the quiet +room,--more and more feebly it burned, until it slowly flickered and +went out, and the cottage stood a dark object in the bright moonlight. + +The next morning the neighbor from the nearest house stopped, as usual, +on her way to the fountain, to look through the window of the cottage to +see if all was well within. She saw that the sick woman was sleeping on +the pillow, with her head against the window-sill, and that Wiseli stood +weeping by her side. This seemed so strange, that she put her head a +little way into the room, and asked, "What is the matter, Wiseli? Is +your mother worse?" The child sobbed dreadfully, and could scarcely say, +"I do not know what ails my mother." + +The poor child had a strong suspicion of what it all meant, but she +could not realize that her mother was lost to her. For she was still +there, but asleep,--asleep for all the rest of her daughter's life on +earth,--and could not hear how sadly the child called to her. The +neighbor stepped to the window and looked at the sleeping head upon the +pillow; then she started back in alarm. "Run quickly, Wiseli; run and +fetch your cousin Gotti. He must come at once. You have no other +relation, and somebody must look after things here. Run as fast as you +can: I will wait here until you come back." + +The child ran, but not fast, her heart was so heavy within her, and her +limbs trembled; and at last she had to stop and give way to her tears, +for she became more and more sure, with every step, that her mother +would never waken more. But she went on again soon, although she could +not stop her tears, for her sorrow increased as she went. In the beech +grove, full a quarter of an hour's walk from the church, stood the +house of her cousin Gotti; and presently Wiseli entered the door, still +crying bitterly. Her cousin's wife stood in the kitchen, and asked +harshly, "What is the matter with you?" Wiseli replied, between her +sobs, that the neighbor had sent her to ask her cousin Gotti to come +quickly to her mother. Probably the woman suspected, from the child's +look, that her mother was more ill, for she spoke a little less roughly +than usual. "I will tell him. You can go home: he is not here now." So +Wiseli turned about, and reached home more quickly than she came, for +she was returning to her mother. The neighbor stood by the +doorstep,--she could not wait inside the room: it was not pleasant to +her. But the child stepped in, and went to her place by her mother's +side that she had kept all through the night. There she sat weeping, +and only said, now and then, softly, "Mother." But no answering word +came to her. At last Wiseli said, bending over her, "Mother, you can +hear me, although you are in heaven now, and I cannot hear your +answer." And the child sat holding her mother's hand tightly until long +after noontime. About that time her cousin Gotti entered the room, +looked about him a little, and then called for the neighbor. "You must +arrange things here a little,--you know what I mean," he said,--"so +that things will be ready for the removal. Then carry the keys away +with you, so that nothing will be taken." He then turned to Wiseli and +said, "Where are your clothes, little one? Get them together and tie +them up in a bundle, and we will go away." + +"Where shall we go?" asked the child. + +"We will go home to the beech grove. You can stay there with us, for you +have nobody else in the world now but your cousin Gotti." + +At these words, Wiseli felt herself stiff with fear. Go to the beech +grove, and live with them there,--was that her fate? She had always had +the greatest fear of the wife of her cousin Gotti, and always stood a +long time before the door, when she was sent there with a message, +before she could summon courage to enter. The eldest son, Cheppi,--that +rough fellow,--lived there, and Hannes and Rudi; and they threw stones +at all the children. Was that to be her home? + +Fear caused the child to turn pale and immovable. + +"You must not be frightened, my child," said her cousin Gotti, in a +kindly tone. "There are more people in our house than there are here, +but it is all the more lively for that." + +Wiseli put her things silently together in a shawl, and tied the two +corners together crosswise; then she tied her scarf about her head, and +stood ready. + +"So," said her cousin, "now we will go," and turned towards the door; +but Wiseli sobbed out suddenly,-- + +"Then I must leave my mother all alone." + +With these words she ran to her mother, and clasped her in her +arms again. + +Her cousin Gotti stood rather disconcerted, and looked on. He did not +know how to explain how things were with her mother, if she did not +understand without words; for he was not strong in the matter of +expressing himself: he had never given himself the trouble to try. At +last, he said,-- + +"Now come, come along. A little child like you must be obedient. Come; +and, after this, no crying. That does not mend matters one bit." + +The child swallowed her sobs, and followed the cousin Gotti silently +through the door. Once only she glanced backward, and said softly, "God +will watch over you, mother;" and then went forth with her bundle on her +arm, and left the little house which had been home to her. Just as she +and her cousin Gotti went together across the field, Trine came towards +them down the road, with a covered basket on her arm. The neighbor stood +in the doorway, and looked after the departing couple. Trine went +towards her, saying,-- + +"To-day I am bringing the sick woman something good. A little late, to +be sure. We have Uncle Max on a visit to us: that always makes me late." + +"And even if you had come early in the morning, you would have come too +late to-day. She died last night." + +"That cannot be!" cried Trine, startled. "Oh, goodness me! what will my +lady say?" + +With these words she turned sharp about, and ran home as fast as +possible. The neighbor went back into the quiet room, and performed the +last kind offices for Wiseli's mother. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +AT COUSIN GOTTI's. + + +When Wiseli made her entry into her cousin Gotti's house at Beech Grove, +the three boys came running out of the barn, and, behind Wiseli, into +the room, where they placed themselves in front of her in a row, and +stared at the timid little thing with all their eyes. Her cousin's wife +came out of the kitchen, and stared also at the little thing, as if she +had never seen her before. + +Her cousin Gotti seated himself behind the table, and said,-- + +"I think she can eat something: she has not had much to-day. Come here," +he said, turning to Wiseli, who stood all this time in the same place, +with her bundle under her arm. She obeyed. Now her cousin's wife put new +wine and cheese on the table, also a huge loaf of black bread. Cousin +Gotti cut a big slice, put a lump of cheese upon it, and pushed it +towards the child. "There, eat, little one," he said. "You must be +hungry, I'm sure." + +"No, I thank you," said Wiseli, softly. She could not have swallowed +even a crumb. She felt as if she were crushed under her load of sorrow +and anxiety, and could scarcely even breathe. + +The boys stood there all the time, and stared at her. + +"Don't be frightened," said cousin Gotti, encouragingly. "Do eat +something." But the child sat motionless, and did not touch her bread. +Her cousin's wife came again; and, putting her hands on her hips, stood +looking her over from head to foot. + +"If you don't want it," she said, "you can leave it;" and turned on her +heel, and went again into the kitchen. + +When cousin Gotti had refreshed himself sufficiently he arose, and said, +"Put it in your pocket. By and by you will feel like eating, only do not +feel frightened;" and he went into the kitchen. Wiseli tried to do as he +told her, to put the bread and cheese into her pocket; but they were too +large, and she put them back upon the table again. + +"I will help you," said Cheppi, snatching the pieces from the table; and +was about to stuff them into his open mouth, but they flew up into the +air instead, for Hannes had knocked Cheppi's hand up with a smart blow, +and so the plunder was scattered, and Rudi darted upon it, and carried +part of it away. With this the two oldest boys fell upon him, and they +kicked and cuffed, and screamed and shouted, until Wiseli was terribly +frightened. Presently their father opened the kitchen-door, and called +out, "What does this all mean?" Then the boys all answered at once, from +the floor; and one said, "Wiseli did not want it;" and another, "Wiseli +had not any;" and "As long as Wiseli did not want any"-- + +Their father called out, loudly, "If you do not stop that, I will come +in with the thong, and whip you." And he slammed the door again. + +"It" did not "stop," however; but, as soon as the door was shut again, +it began worse than ever, for Hannes found that the best way to treat +the enemy was to grasp him by the hair; and so they all seized each +other by the hair, and stood in a ring, uttering terrible noises. In the +kitchen their mother sat on a stool, and peeled potatoes. When her +husband closed the door again, she asked,-- + +"What is your idea about that child? Why did you bring her home with +you at once?" + +"I thought she would have to stay with somebody. I am her cousin Gotti, +and she has no other relatives. You can make her useful. She can do what +you are doing now. Then you will be able to do other things. You are +always saying that the boys give you so much work,--more than is right." + +"Yes, as regards them, a great help she will be! You can hear now what +a racket there is in there, and she is only a quarter of an hour in +the house." + +"I have heard that sort of thing a good many times before the little one +came. I do not think that she has much to do with it," said the cousin +Gotti quietly. + +"Oh, you did not hear them!" said his wife sharply; "how they kept +calling out something about Wiseli?" + +"Well, they may call out, if they want to," said their father. "You will +soon have the little one in hand. I think she is not a troublesome +child,--I noticed that in the beginning,--and is much more obedient than +those boys of yours." + +This was too much for his wife. + +"I do not see what is the use of finding fault with the boys," she said; +and she peeled the potatoes faster and faster. "And I _should_ like to +know where the girl is to sleep." + +Her husband pushed his cap back and forth several times upon his head, +and said, soothingly,-- + +"One can't think of every thing at once. She must have had a bed to +sleep in; and she can, at least, have that. Tomorrow I will go to the +pastor. To-night she can sleep on the bench by the stove. It is always +warm there; and I can put a partition in the little passage that goes +into our room later, and set her bed in there." + +"I never heard of bringing home a child and getting a bed for it a week +afterwards," said the woman crossly; "and I should like to know who will +pay for it if we must build something more for her into the bargain." + +"When the parish assigns the child to us, they will allow us something +for her maintenance. I shall take her cheaper than any one else would +do, and she will be more comfortable here too." + +With this the cousin went out into the shed, and called out for Cheppi +to come with him. It was hard for the cousin's wife to make herself +heard in the room when she wished to give this message. They were all +fighting away, and shouting angrily and loudly. + +"I am surprised that you sit there looking on, and do not try to quiet +them in the least," said their mother to Wiseli, who sat cowering +against the wall, and did not dare even to move. Cheppi, however, was +dispatched to the barn, and the two others ran after him. + +"Do you know how to knit?" the cousin's wife asked Wiseli, who replied, +timidly, "Yes, I can knit stockings." + +"Well, then, take this," she said; and took from the cupboard a big +brown stocking, with yarn almost as stout as Wiseli's little fingers. +"Go on with the foot," she said, "and take care to make it big +enough: it is for your cousin Gotti." Then she went back into the +kitchen, and the little girl took her seat on the bench by the stove, +with the long stocking coiled up in her lap,--for it was so heavy +that she could scarcely knit if it hung down: it pulled the needles +out of her hand. She had scarcely begun to work, however, before her +cousin's wife came in again. + +"I think you had better come out into the kitchen with me," she said. +"Then you can see how I do things, and be able to help me a little by +and by." Wiseli obeyed, and watched her cousin's wife at her work as +well as she was able; but the tears kept coming into her eyes so that +she could scarcely see, for she thought all the time of how she used to +go about in the kitchen with her mother, who chattered so pleasantly +with her, and how they would stop to kiss each other now and then. She +knew very well that she ought not to give way to her tears, and tried to +swallow her sobs, until she felt almost strangling. + +"See here, look here," said the cousin's wife, every now and then; "then +you will know how to do it by and by." And she went about, here and +there, in the kitchen, letting Wiseli stand, and said nothing else to +her. This went on for some time, when there was a terrible stamping in +the entry, and the woman said, "Open the door as quick as you can: they +are coming." The noise was made by the cousin and his sons, who were +knocking the snow off their shoes before entering. Wiseli opened the +door into the inner room as quickly as possible; and the cousin's wife +lifted an enormous pan off the fire, and ran with it into the room, +where she shook a great heap of potatoes out over the slate-topped +table. Then she brought out a big jug of sour milk, and said, "Put the +things that are in the table-drawer on the table, and then they can all +sit down at once." + +Wiseli pulled out the drawer as quickly as possible. There lay five +spoons and five knives. She put these upon the table, and the supper was +ready. The father and his sons came in, and sat down at once on the +seats along the wall behind the table. At the other end stood a chair. +Cousin Gotti made a motion towards the chair and said, "She can sit +there, I think; or do you say no?" + +"Oh, certainly!" said his wife, whose seat was nearest the kitchen-door. +She did not remain seated a moment; but ran out into the kitchen and +came back, took a spoonful of milk, and was off again. + +Nobody knew why she ran about in this way, for there was nothing cooking +in the kitchen, and nothing to bring out, but she always did so; and +when, sometimes, her husband would say, "Do sit still, and eat +something," then she seemed more hurried than ever, and said she had no +time to sit still, there were so many things to be looked after. + +When she had made two visits to the kitchen and returned, and began to +peel a potato in great haste, she noticed, for the first time, that +Wiseli sat idly by her side, her hands on her lap. "Why don't you eat +something?" she said, angrily. "She has no spoon," said Rudi, who was +seated on the other side, and had long been wondering why anybody should +sit at table and not eat as long as there was any thing left. "Oh, yes, +of course," said his mother. "Who would ever have thought that we should +need six spoons? We have always found five enough; and we must have +another knife too. Why can't you speak? You know well enough that to eat +you want a spoon." These last words were addressed to Wiseli. + +The child glanced timidly at the woman and said, "It is no matter: I do +not need any. I am not hungry." + +"Why not?" asked the woman. "Are you used to a different kind of food? I +don't mean to change, if you are." + +"I think it would be better to let the child alone for a while; we must +not frighten her," said her cousin Gotti, soothingly. "She will feel +better soon." + +So Wiseli was unmolested, and the others were busily employed for a +while. She sat there motionless until her cousin rose, took his fur cap +from the nail, and began to look for the stable lantern; for "Spot" was +sick, and must be looked after again that night. The table was quickly +cleared. The empty potato-skins were brushed off into the empty +milk-jug, the slate-top wiped off; and when the woman was done with +this, she said, turning to Wiseli, "You have seen what I did; now you +can do it the next time." Now Cheppi took his seat firmly behind the +table again. He had his slate-pencil and arithmetic book, and prepared +himself to do his examples. First, however, he stared for a while at +Wiseli, who had again taken up her brown stocking, but did not make any +progress; for she could not see a thing in the dark corner where she +was seated, and she did not dare to draw nearer to the table where the +dim lamp was placed. "You must have something to do," cried Cheppi, in +an irritated tone. "You are not the smartest scholar in the school." +The girl did not know what to answer. She had not been to school that +day, and did not know what lessons were given out; and, besides, was +quite out of her usual habits and life generally. "If I must do my +examples, so must you, or I won't do them at all," cried Cheppi again. +Wiseli kept as still as a mouse. "Well, then, it is all right," said +the boy noisily. "I won't do another stroke of work." And he threw away +his pencil. + +"Then I won't do any thing, either," cried Hannes, and stuffed his +multiplication-table into his satchel again; for learning his lessons +was the hardest thing in the world for him. + +"I will tell the master whose fault it is," began Cheppi again. "You can +see, then, what you will get." + +Probably Cheppi would have gone on in this unpleasant style for a long +time, if his father had not soon returned from the barn. He brought in +two big, empty grain-bags on his shoulders, and came up to the table +with them. + +"Make room," he said to Cheppi, who sat with his elbows on the table, +supporting his head on his hands. Then he spread out his two bags, +folded them together again, and then again. At last he went towards the +bench behind the stove, and put them down on it. "There," he said, with +an air of satisfaction, "that is good. Where is your bundle, little +one?" Wiseli fetched it from her corner,--where it had lain ever since +she arrived,--and looked with surprise at her cousin Gotti as he placed +the bundle at the upper end of the folded bags, and pressed it down, so +that it was not perfectly round. + +"There, now you may go to sleep," he said, turning round to Wiseli. "You +cannot be cold, for the stove is hot; and you can put your head on your +bundle, and you will be as comfortable as if you were in your bed. + +"And it is time for you three to go to bed, too. Off with you: make +haste!" So saying, he took the oil-lamp from the table, and went towards +the kitchen. The three boys clattered along after him. + +When he reached the door, he turned again and said, "There, sleep +soundly. Must not think any more to-night, and it will be better for you +by and by," and he went out. Presently his wife came into the room with +an oil-lamp in her hand, and looked at the place where Wiseli was to +sleep. "Can you lie there?" she asked. "You will find it warm enough by +the stove. There are plenty of people who have neither bed nor a warm +place to be in. You won't suffer in that way, and ought to be thankful +that you are under a good roof. Good-night." + +"Good-night," replied Wiseli, softly; but the woman could not have +heard her, for she was already away when she spoke, and had closed the +door behind her immediately. Now Wiseli sat alone in the dark room. +Every thing about her was suddenly silent,--not a sound to be heard. A +straggling moonbeam shone through the little window,--enough to show +the child where the bench by the stove was, upon which she must find +her bed. She crossed the room, and seated herself there. For the first +time that day since she had left her dear mother, she found herself +alone, and able to think over what had befallen her. She had been +constantly under excitement until this moment; for every thing that +had happened frightened her. All that she heard or saw since she left +her home had been so very unpleasant that she could not stop to think +at all, but went from one alarm to another. Now there she sat alone, +without her mother, and began to realize that it was all over,--that +they would never see nor hear each other again in this world. And such +a sense of loneliness, of utter desolation, took possession of Wiseli, +that she believed herself uncared for and forgotten by everybody, and +feared that she should be left there alone to die in the dark. The +poor child laid her head down upon her bundle, and began to cry, +bitterly and despairingly, "Mother, can you not hear me? Mother, do +not you hear me call?" + +Now Wiseli's mother had often told her little girl, that when things +went very badly with us here below, then was the moment to lift up our +voices and cry to God for help; for he would hear us in our trouble when +all other's ears were deaf, and help us when no other help was possible. +At this moment the child remembered these words, and she sobbed aloud, +"Oh, you dear God in heaven! help me also, I am so unhappy, and my +mother cannot hear me when I call!" + +And when she had prayed thus several times over, she felt calmer. It +comforted her poor little heart; for now she felt that God was really +there in heaven, and could help her, and that she was no longer alone. +And presently she recalled her mother's words,--almost the very last +that she spoke: "My child, when you cannot see your way clearly before +you, and every thing seems strange and difficult"--And now it was so; +and how little she thought that it ever would be so, when her mother was +talking to her. Her mother told her to remember the words of the hymn,-- + + "Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +Now Wiseli first rightly understood these words, and felt their full +meaning. Before she had repeated them mechanically, for not until now +did she need them. But it was just her present case. Was not she full of +perplexity? and what could she possibly have in her cousin Gotti's house +but fear and trouble? And so she repeated, again and again,-- + + "Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +The child had found her way to her heavenly Father, and knew that he was +sure to help her; and she felt comforted. Folding her little hands, she +began the hymn at the beginning, for it seemed like talking to a kind +friend; and she said each word from her very heart:-- + + "To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +A quiet trust now took possession of the child's heart. She fell asleep +soon after, her head supported on her little bundle, still repeating the +last lines of the hymn. And a pleasant dream followed. She saw before +her a dry bright pathway in the full sunlight, and the road led between +beautiful red roses and lovely pinks that were so attractive that she +longed to run to gather them. And by her side stood her dear mother, and +held her hand tenderly in her own, as she always did; and her mother +pointed along the pathway in her dream, and said, "See, my Wiseli; did +not I tell you so? That is your way." + + "'Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray.'" + +And the child was happy in her dream, and slept as soundly on her little +bundle as if she were on a soft bed. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +HOW TIME WENT ON, AND SUMMER CAME. + + +When old Trine carried the news back to the heights, and told them +there that Wiseli's mother was dead, and the child taken at once to her +cousin Gotti's, the whole family became greatly agitated. Mrs. Ritter +could not cease bewailing her neglect in not visiting the sick woman +before, for she had been postponing it from day to day; but, of course, +had not in the least realized how near the end might be. She was sadly +cast down, and sorrowful. And Otto: he went raging up and down the room +with great strides, and kept calling out angrily, "It is an injustice! +It is a great injustice! But if he dares to lay a hand on her to harm +her, he may look to his own bones, how many of them will be left whole +in his skin!" + +"Who do you mean, Otto? Who are you talking about in that way?" said his +mother, looking curiously at her excited boy. + +"About that Cheppi," he replied. "I do not know what dreadful things he +will do to Wiseli when he has her there in his own house. It is not +right, but just let him try"--But now Otto was interrupted by a repeated +and heavy stamping that prevented his being heard. "Why do you make such +a deafening noise, you pussy cat, there behind the stove?" he cried, +turning his indignation towards another quarter. Pussy came out from +behind the stove, but stamped more violently than before; for she was +trying to force her feet into her wet boots, which it had taken the old +Trine ever so long to pull off a while before. It was dreadfully hard +work; and Pussy became as red as fire, while she said,-- + +"Don't you see that I have to do so? Nobody in the world could get these +boots on without stamping." + +"And what in the world do you want to put those wet boots on again for? +I have just pulled them off, so that you should not have them on. I +should just like to know what this means?" said Trine, who stood looking +on all this time. + +"I am going to the beech grove this very minute to fetch Wiseli to +our house. She can have my bed," said Pussy, decidedly. But quite as +decidedly old Trine stalked over to Pussy, at these words, lifted her +up, placed her firmly on a chair, while she pulled off the boot that +was half on; but said, in a pacifying tone, to the kicking and +excited child,-- + +"That is all right! that is all right! but I will take care of you +first. You must not get two pair of shoes and two pair of stockings wet +through in one day. You can give up your bed. You can go up into the +lumber-room, if you want to: there is room enough there." + +But Pussy had a very different plan in her little head. She thought +that she could free herself, in this wise, of a great and daily +recurring trouble, that often gave her both inward and outward +annoyance; namely, the being ordered off to bed every evening, and +obliged to go, into the bargain, just as she was in the mood to enjoy +herself especially. She thought that, if she gave up her bed to Wiseli, +there would be none other at hand for her, and so she could stay up as +long as she wanted to. + +She was so delighted at this prospect, that she did not, at first, +notice how the sly Trine had wisked off her wet boots, and that now +there was no chance to fetch Wiseli. + +When she fairly understood how she had been tricked, she set up such an +outcry that Otto put his fingers in his ears, and her mother came in, a +good deal alarmed at the uproar. She promised Pussy to talk over the +matter with her father as soon as he came home; for he had gone away +that very morning, with their Uncle Max, to pay a long-promised visit to +an old friend. After a while peace and quiet were restored in the +household. The gentlemen did not return for two weeks, however; but Mrs. +Ritter kept her promise. The first thing that she mentioned to her +husband, on the very evening of his return, was the fact of Wiseli being +an orphan, and her new shelter; and the colonel promised to go to the +pastor the very next day, to see what better arrangement could be made +for the child; and, having visited the pastor, the colonel brought back +the sad news, that, on the Sunday just past, the parish had taken the +matter into consideration, and that it was now settled. Wiseli must be +housed somewhere; and, as her mother had not left any property whatever, +she must also be maintained at the expense of the parish until she could +support herself. Moreover, her cousin Gotti had offered, in the first +instance, to take the child for a very slight compensation. He wished to +do an act of charity as far as he could afford it. He was known to be a +well-conducted man; and, as he made so slight a demand, it was agreed +and settled that the child should henceforth find her home with him. + +"It seems to me a very good arrangement," said the colonel to his wife. +"The child will be well cared for there; besides, what else could be +done? She is much too small to be placed anywhere in service, and +certainly you cannot take every orphan child in the neighborhood into +your own house. You might as well turn it into an asylum at once." + +Mrs. Ritter was very much disturbed by the news that every thing had +been settled so soon. She had hoped to be able to have found a different +home for Wiseli, who was, she knew, much too sensitive and delicate a +child to be happy in a home where rudeness and roughness were the rule; +but she had not a definite plan in her mind, and now there was nothing +to be done but to try to look after the child's comfort a little, and to +protect her, if possible. + +Otto and Pussy did not take the affair so quietly, however. They were in +great excitement when they heard it all on the following morning. + +Otto declared Wiseli's lot to be the lot of Daniel in the lion's den, +and brought his fist down on the table with the evident wish that he +were pommelling Cheppi's head. Pussy screamed, and cried a little; +partly out of pity for Wiseli, and partly from disappointment that she +could not now carry out her little plan of being able to sit up later in +the evenings. + +But this excitement was at last quieted down, like every other, by time; +and the days rolled on in their wonted manner. + +In the meantime Wiseli has become somewhat accustomed to the life in her +cousin Gotti's house. For one thing, her bed had come; and she no longer +slept on the bench by the stove, but in a little place partitioned off +from the passage between her cousin's room and that of the boys. There +was just room enough in this little place for her bed, and a little +chest, in which she placed her clothes, and upon which she had to climb +when she wished to get into her bed; for there was no space between. + +She was obliged to go to the well when she washed; and, if it was very +cold, then her cousin's wife said she could give up washing for that +day, and do it on another when it was warmer. Now Wiseli was not used to +this style of thing at all. Her mother had taught her that cleanliness +was absolutely necessary; and Wiseli would have frozen rather than to +look untidy, and, therefore, displease her mother. To be sure, every +thing was different for her at home; for she washed and dressed herself +in her mother's room always; and many a loving word they exchanged until +the coffee was on the table, and they sat down together, and ate their +breakfast happily, before Wiseli started off for school. + +But what a difference for her now! All, all was changed,--her whole life +from morning till evening; and often, at the thought of her mother, the +tears started into the poor child's eyes, and her heart ached so sadly, +that she felt as if she could go no farther, but must drop down, and +die. But she held herself bravely, for it distressed her cousin Gotti to +see her cry, and his wife scolded more than ever; for she, too, disliked +to see her dull. + +The happiest part of the twenty-four hours for Wiseli was when she +climbed into her little bed at night, and had a moment's time to think +about her dear mother in peace. + +At this time she always obtained comfort. She thought about her +beautiful dream, and felt perfect confidence that the good God would +find a way for her out of her troubles, as her mother had told her; and +she hoped that her mother was also in heaven, and would pray to God not +to forget her poor little child left alone in the wide world. Then +Wiseli always repeated her hymn, and slept quietly. + +So the winter slipped away, and the spring with its sunshine followed. +The trees were green again, and the meadows were gay with primroses and +white anemones, and in the wood the cuckoo sang lustily; and soft, warm +breezes were all abroad, making every heart beat more cheerily; and one +rejoiced that life was still possible. + +Wiseli also rejoiced over the flowers and the sunshine, especially when +she went to and from school. Beyond this she had little time for +enjoyment, for she had so much work to do. Every moment out of school +she had to employ in some useful occupation; and, indeed, often was +obliged to stay away from school for a half-day at a time, there was so +much to be done that could not be neglected, as her cousin Gotti, and +particularly his wife, were forever telling her. The cultivation of the +fields had begun, and also the garden work; and when her cousin's wife +was in the garden, then Wiseli had to wash the cooking utensils, and had +the hogs' trough to cleanse and carry back to the barn; and then the +boys' stockings and shirts must be mended, and her cousin's wife always +said, "Oh, the child can do that, she has nothing else to do;" and yet +she never was idle a single moment, and felt almost giddy at times, +because she was called from one piece of work to another before she had +time to breathe. Moreover, she found that if, for example, she ran over +to the field with the seed-potatoes that her cousin Gotti was calling +for, then his wife would scold because she had not made the kitchen-fire +for the supper, as she was bidden to do; but if she stopped to make the +fire, then she was found fault with by Cheppi because she had not mended +the hole in his jacket-sleeve he had told her to long ago; and everybody +called out, "Why don't you do this, or why don't you do that? you have +nothing else to do." She was glad to go to school whenever she was +allowed to go, for she was quiet for a while then; and, moreover, in +that place the poor child heard a pleasant word now and again. For each +time that recess came, or they left school to go home, Otto would come +to her, and talk with her pleasantly for a while, or give her an +invitation from his mother to visit them on Sunday evening and play +games with the children. Poor Wiseli could never avail herself of these +charming invitations, because on Sunday she had always to make the +coffee for the family; and her cousin's wife said that she could not +think of letting the child go away to visit on the only day when she was +really of some use to her. But the child was glad that Otto always asked +her, though she could not go, and that he always spoke kindly to her; +for those were the only friendly acts or words that she knew of +nowadays. There was still another reason that made it pleasant for +Wiseli to go to school, and that was the passing by Andrew the +carpenter's pretty garden on her way there. She always paused and looked +over the low hedge, hoping that she might catch sight of the carpenter; +for she had her mother's message to deliver, and never ceased hoping to +find the opportunity. She was far too shy to go into the house for that +purpose. She felt that she did not know Andrew well enough to venture to +do that. She was particularly timid with him, because he was so very +quiet, and always looked at her kindly when they met, but never spoke; +or, at least, never said more than a kindly word in passing. And she had +never succeeded in catching even a glimpse of him, no matter how long +she stood by the hedge and looked over. + +May passed, and June. The long days of summer came, with more and more +work to be done in the fields, and work that was ever hotter and hotter. +Wiseli felt this keenly when her cousin Gotti called her out to help +with the haymaking, and the heavy rake was so hard for her to lift; or, +worse still, to handle the clumsy wooden fork when the hay needed +spreading in the sun to dry. + +She often was obliged to work in the fields, and in the evening was so +tired out that she could scarcely move her poor little arms. She never +fretted, however, for she thought it was necessary and right; but often, +when she was still for a moment in the evening, it hurt her sadly to +hear Cheppi call out, "You ought to do your examples in arithmetic now, +as I do. You are never doing any thing out of school, and in the classes +you are always behind the others." + +She would have liked to study and get on at her lessons, if she could +only have gone regularly to school, and been able to keep up with the +class. She was well aware that she was far behind her schoolmates; but +what could she do, when she only got a little here and there, and all +was confused for her, and she never knew what lessons were given out for +the out-of-school studies. When she came quite unprepared to school, and +could not answer the questions put to the class, she was overwhelmed +with mortification, especially when the teacher would say, before all +the other children, "I did not expect to see you so behindhand, +Wiseli,--you of all others, who used to be so clever at your books." +Then she used to feel fit to sink through the floor for shame, and would +cry all the way as she walked home. But she did not dare to answer +Cheppi back when he taunted her, because then he would begin to cry and +scold, and make a noise, until his mother came in, when she, too, would +reproach her with being behind her classes, because Cheppi said she was. +So Wiseli often kept back her tears, and only gave way when she was +alone; and sometimes it did seem to her as if she were quite forgotten +by her heavenly Father and her mother, and as if nobody in the whole +world cared for her; and she was too sad at heart even to say her +comforting hymn for a long time; but she could not rest nor sleep until +she had done so, even though there was little satisfaction for her in +the words. + +One beautiful evening in July Wiseli slept, after a sad time of weeping, +and could not obtain an answer, the next morning, to her question of +whether she might go to school with the boys. + +Off scampered the boys. She looked sadly after them through the open +window as they sprang away gayly through the flower-besprinkled grass, +and chased a cloud of white butterflies along in front of them as they +ran through the brilliant sunshine. + +Her cousin's wife had prepared the big wash,--this was the work laid out +for the whole week. Must Wiseli work there too? + +Yes: already she heard a calling from the kitchen, and her cousin Gotti +called her by name,--he stood at the well, and saw her looking out of +the window. + +"Make haste, make haste, Wiseli; it is time to be off: the boys are +half-way to school. All the hay is in: make haste and go too." She did +not wait till he told this twice. Like a flash she snatched her satchel +and was off. + +"Tell the teacher that I have not sent him his money for a long time, +but he must not be vexed at that, we have had so much work with the hay +this summer." + +How happy the child felt as she flew along! She need not stand all day +at the wash-tub: she could go instead to school. How beautiful it was +everywhere about! The birds sang more sweetly than ever from the +trees, the grass was scented, and the pretty red and yellow flowers +glistened in the sun. Wiseli could not stop to enjoy them,--it was too +late for that,--but she felt the beauty as she ran along, and rejoiced +at every step. + +That same evening, just as all the children streamed out of the +close schoolroom into the beautiful afternoon light, the teacher +called out, with his serious face peering into the little crowd, +"Whose week is this?" + +"Otto's, Otto's," called the whole company at once, and ran off. + +"Otto," said the teacher, earnestly, "yesterday it was not swept up here +at all. I excuse you for once; but do not let it happen again, or I must +punish you, boy." + +Otto looked for a moment at all the nut-shells and apple-parings and +bits of paper that lay scattered about the floor waiting to be brushed +up; then he turned his head quickly away, and scampered out of the door, +for the teacher had disappeared into his own part of the house. Otto +stood outside and gazed about him at the golden sunset, and thought, "If +I could go home now, I could get a capful of cherries, and I could ride +the brown horse home from the field when the groom fetches the hay; and +now I must stay here instead, and sweep up these scraps from the floor!" +And Otto was so angry over this unpleasant task, that he scowled about +him, saying, "I wish the day of judgment would come, and carry off the +schoolhouse, and break it up into a thousand pieces!" But every thing +was still and peaceful all about, and not a sign of any such ravaging +earthquake to be seen or heard. + +After a while Otto turned back towards the schoolroom-door with a savage +determination, for he knew that he must bite into his sour apple, or be +punished the next day by having to sit still during recess; and he would +not run the risk of that disgraceful punishment. He entered the room, +but stood still with surprise as soon as he stepped past the threshold. +Every thing was brushed up in the school-room: not a scrap nor bit to be +seen anywhere. The windows all stood wide open, and the soft evening +breeze blew through the quiet room. Just then the teacher came out of +his own room and looked about him, and at the staring Otto, and said, +pleasantly, "You may well look about you with satisfaction. I did not +think that you could do it so well. You are a good scholar; but you have +surpassed yourself to-day in cleaning up, for I never saw it so neatly +done before." + +So saying, the teacher went away; and after Otto had convinced himself +by a last glance that what he saw was fact, and no witchcraft, he dashed +down the steps, two at a time, across the little place and up the +hillside: and not until he began to tell it all to his mother did he +begin to wonder to whom he was indebted for this good turn. + +"Nobody has done it through a mistake, that is certain," said his +mother. "Have not you some good friend who is noble enough to sacrifice +himself in this way for you? Think over all of them: who can it be?" + +"I know," cried Pussy, who had been listening eagerly. + +"Yes; pray who?" said Otto, half curiously, half incredulously. + +"Jack, the mouse," explained Pussy in a tone of conviction; "because you +gave him an apple last year." + +"Oh, yes; or William Tell, because I did not take away his, year before +last. One would be quite as probable as the other, you wonderfully +clever Puss." And Otto ran away barely in time to catch the groom, who +was going for the hay. + +Wiseli also ran about this time. Down the hill with a happy heart and a +merry countenance, past Andrew's garden, she ran, jumping and leaping in +her frolicsome mood; and then about she went, and jumped back again to +the garden, for she had espied the pinks all in bloom just within the +enclosure, and must look at them again, they, were so beautiful. "I +shall soon overtake the boys," she thought; "they stop at every corner +to play ball." + +But the pinks were most lovely to look upon; and they had such a +sweet perfume, too, that the child lingered, looking over the low +hedge for a long time. Suddenly Andrew came out of his house-door, +and stood in front of Wiseli. He offered her his hand over the hedge, +and said most kindly,-- + +"Will you take a pink, Wiseli?" + +"Yes, indeed," she replied; "and I have a message to give you from +my mother." + +"From your mother?" repeated Andrew the carpenter in great surprise, and +let the pink that he had just gathered fall from his hand. Wiseli ran +round the hedge and picked it up from the ground; then she looked up at +the man who stood still and looked at her strangely, and said,-- + +"Yes; at the very end, when my mother could do nothing more, she drank +up the nice syrup that you put on the kitchen-table for her, and it +refreshed her very much; and she charged me to tell you that she thanked +you for it very much indeed, and for all the many acts of kindness that +you had shown her; and she said, 'He always felt kindly to me.'" + +Now Wiseli perceived that big tears rolled from Andrew's eyes and fell +over his cheeks. He tried to say something, but could not speak. He +pressed the child's hand, turned him about, and went into the house. + +Wiseli stood still and wondered. Nobody had wept for her mother. Even +she had not dared to cry, except when nobody could see her; for her +cousin said that he would not have any whining, and she was even more +afraid of making his wife angry. And now here was some one who wept +because she had spoken of her mother to him. It seemed to the child as +if Andrew were her very best friend upon the earth, and she felt herself +strongly drawn towards him. But now she ran with her pink as fast as +possible towards the beech grove; and it was well that she did so, for +she saw the boys also drawing near the house, and it would never have +done for her to be later than they. + +Wiseli said her prayer with a light heart that night, and could not +understand why she had been so depressed the night before, and why she +had felt no confidence in God's kindness, and could not even say her +hymn. Now she felt sure that he had not forgotten her, and she would +never allow herself to think that again. Had she not received many kind +things from him? And as she fell asleep she saw before her the kind face +of Andrew the carpenter, with the tears in his eyes. + +On the following day--it was Wednesday--Otto was again surprised by the +good deed performed for him by his unknown friend; for he could not +refrain from going out with the others when school was first over, and +making a few gambols here and there to refresh himself after the long +confinement. When, at last, he returned somewhat sadly to his work, it +was all done again, and the schoolroom perfectly tidy. Now his curiosity +began to be excited, and also gratitude to his invisible benefactor +began to stir in his heart. He would certainly find out on Thursday what +it all meant. + +So, when the classes were dismissed, and they all left the house as +usual, Otto stood for a while by his seat, thinking how he could +discover his helpful friend. But a knot of his schoolmates rushed in as +he stood there, grasped him by arms and shoulders, and dragged him out, +crying, "Come along! Come on! We are playing 'Robbers,' and you must be +our leader." + +Otto defended himself for a moment. "This is my week," he cried. + +"Oh, nonsense! put it off," they said. "Only just for a quarter of an +hour. Come along!" + +And Otto went. To tell the truth, he relied secretly upon his unseen +friend, who would certainly shield him from punishment. He found it +extremely agreeable to feel such a support under his feet; and the +quarter slipped into the full hour, and Otto was lost. He went back to +the schoolhouse to fulfil his duty, and threw open the door with such a +slam that the master rushed out of his room very quickly, and asked,-- + +"What do you want, Otto?" + +"Only to look in again, to see if every thing is as it should be," +stammered the boy. + +"This is excellent," said the teacher; "but it is not necessary for you +to slam the door in that way." + +Otto went away in good spirits. On Friday he made up his mind not to do +his work of cleaning until he was satisfied about the mystery; and +then,--then there would only be Saturday morning left of his week. + +"Otto," called out the teacher on Friday, as the clock struck four, +"take this paper over to the pastor as quickly as you can. He will give +you some papers to bring back. It will only take you a moment or two, +and you will be here in time to brush out the room." + +The boy did not like to go very well, but there was no help for it; and, +of course, he could be back in a twinkling. He reached the parsonage in +half a dozen bounds. The pastor was busy, just then, with a visitor. His +wife called Otto to her in the garden. She wanted to know how his mamma +found herself; if his father were well, and Pussy, too; how Uncle Max +was employed; and if they had good news from their relations in Germany. +Then the pastor made his appearance, and Otto had to explain why it was +his business to bring the papers, and what the teacher was doing at +present. At last he got his papers, and was off like an arrow, pulled +open the door of the schoolroom,--to find every thing swept and +garnished, and no living being visible. + +"And I have not been obliged to stoop once, to clear away the tiresome +bits, the whole week through," thought Otto contentedly. "But who can +have done all this dirty work without being obliged to do it?" Now he +determined, for once and all, to have that question settled. + +The school hours ended at eleven o'clock on Saturday. Otto waited until +all the children had gone, and the room was empty. Then he went outside, +closed the door, and leaned with his back against it. There could no one +enter without his seeing who it was. He preferred to do this, rather +than to go at once to work at the sweeping and cleaning. He waited and +waited: no one came. He heard the clock strike the half-hour. There were +plans at home for an excursion that afternoon. The family were to dine +early, to get away soon after dinner. He ought to begin with his work at +once, if he wanted to get home in good season. How he hated it! + +He opened the door. Now Otto stared about him even more than he had done +the first time. The work was all done. It was certainly so, and nicer +than ever before. + +Things began to look rather queerly to Otto. He thought of ghost +stories, and such things. Very much more softly than usual he +slipped out, and closed the door behind him. Just at the same time, +something slipped silently out of the teacher's kitchen, and they +came together face to face. It was Wiseli. She grew red and redder, +just as if Otto had detected her in something mischievous. Now the +truth flashed into his mind. + +"So it is you who have done my work all the week, Wiseli?" he said. +"Nobody else would have thought of doing it unless obliged to, I am +sure of that." + +"You have no idea how glad I am to get the chance," said Wiseli, in +reply. + +"No, no; you must not say that, Wiseli. Nobody in the world can be glad +to do such things," said the boy decidedly. + +"But I mean it,--I really do," repeated the girl. "I have thought, +all day long through the week, with pleasure of the chance the +afternoon would give me; and, while I was working, I was more than +ever glad, because I thought, when Otto comes, he will find the work +done, and be pleased." + +"But what put it into your head to do it for me?" + +"Oh! I knew how much you disliked it; and I have always wanted to give +you something, as you once gave me your sled. Don't you remember? But I +have nothing to give." + +"What you have done is worth a great deal more than lending a sled. I +won't forget your kindness, Wiseli." So saying, Otto offered her his +hand, quite overcome for the moment. + +Wiseli's eyes shone with satisfaction as they seldom did nowadays. +Presently Otto wanted to know how she had managed to get into the room +again, for he had always waited until all the children were gone. + +"Oh! I never did go out," said the girl. "I hid myself quickly +behind the closet-door. I thought you would go out for a few +moments, as usual." + +"How did you get out without my seeing you afterwards?" Otto wanted to +know all about it. + +"Oh! while you were running around with the other boys, I got out easily +enough. I listened; but yesterday and to-day, as I was not certain where +you were, I went through the teacher's kitchen, and asked his wife if +she had any errand for me to do,--she often gives me a message to carry +somewhere,--and then I went out that way. Yesterday I was behind the +kitchen-door when you ran into the schoolroom." + +Now Otto knew all the ghost story. He offered his hand again to Wiseli. +"I thank you," he said; and they both ran off with happy hearts, each a +separate way. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OLD AND NEW. + + +Summer was over, and Autumn had followed in her footsteps. The evenings +were cool and misty. In the damp meadows the cows were eating the last +grass of the season, and here and there little fires were visible where +the sheep-boys cooked their potatoes and warmed their stiffened fingers. + +It was on such a misty evening that Otto, on leaving the schoolhouse, +ran home for a moment to tell his mother that he was going to see what +kept Wiseli from school; for she had not been there since the autumn +vacation,--certainly not for eight days. + +As he approached the beech grove, he saw Rudi sitting before the door, +eating pear after pear from a heap that lay before him. + +"Where is Wiseli?" asked Otto. + +"Outside," was the answer. + +"Where outside?" + +"In the meadow." + +"In which meadow?" + +"I don't know;" and Rudi went on munching his pears. + +"You won't die early because you know too much," remarked Otto, and +went haphazard towards the big meadow that stretched away from the +house to the wood. + +Presently he discovered three black spots under the pear-trees, and went +towards them. + +He was right. There was Wiseli stooping over the pears which she was +sorting, while a little farther off Cheppi sat astride of his rake; and +behind him Hannes lay on his back across the piled-up basket, and rocked +it back and forth so violently, that it nearly fell over at each +movement. Cheppi looked at him, laughing loudly. + +When Wiseli saw Otto coming towards her, her whole countenance glowed +with pleasure. + +"Good evening, Wiseli," cried the lad from afar. "Why have you not been +to school for so long?" + +The girl stretched out her hand with a pleasant smile to her friend. + +"We have had so much to do that I was not able to go," she said. "Just +look, what a lot of pears we have! I have to sort them from morning till +night, there are so many." + +"Your shoes and stockings are all wet. It is not pleasant here. Are you +not cold when you are so wet?" + +"Yes, I do feel chilly sometimes; but, in general, I get very warm at +this work." + +At this moment Hannes gave his basket such a powerful twist that over it +went, and there lay Hannes, the basket, and the pears all in a heap on +the ground. + +"Oh, oh!" cried Wiseli in distress; "now they are all to be picked +up again." + +"And this one, too," cried Cheppi, and laughed aloud as the pear that he +had in his hand struck Wiseli's cheek with such force that it brought +the tears to her eyes, and she turned quite white with the pain. + +Scarcely had Otto seen this than he flew at Cheppi, threw him and his +rake to the ground, and seized him by the nape of the neck. + +"Stop, or I shall choke!" Cheppi was not laughing now. + +"I want to make you remember that you will also have me to deal with in +future, when you treat Wiseli in that way," said Otto, scarlet with +anger. "Have you got enough? Will you remember it now?" + +"Yes, yes! Let me go!" said Cheppi, in a very humble tone. + +Otto released him. + +"Now you have felt," he said, "how it will be whenever you hurt Wiseli +again. I will give you some more of this each time, even if you are +sixty years old. Good-by, Wiseli." And Otto went his way to carry his +anger to his mother. + +He unburdened himself to her as soon as he reached home. It was a +terrible thing to the generous boy that Wiseli should be obliged to +submit to such treatment. He was determined to go at once to the +pastor to complain of him and of his whole family, and demand that +Wiseli should be taken away from them at once. His mother listened +quietly to him, and let his indignation have time to cool off a +little; then she said,-- + +"I do not think, my dear boy, that there is the least use in your doing +this. They would not take the child from her cousin Gotti, I am sure; +and it would only irritate him, should he hear that such a thing was +thought of. He himself does not feel unkindly towards Wiseli, and there +is really no sufficient ground for removing her from his roof. I know +very well that the poor girl has a hard time of it there. I have not +forgotten her, and am constantly hoping to find some way to help her. It +lies very heavily on my heart to know how much she has to suffer, you +may be sure of that, Otto. And if you can at any time manage to shelter +her and intimidate that brutal fellow Cheppi, without being too rough +yourself, I shall be very glad." + +Otto took what comfort he could in the knowledge that his mother was +constantly looking out for some way to help Wiseli. + +He was always planning some way to help her himself, but never hit upon +any thing that could be carried out. He saw very well that she could not +free herself; and the only idea that occurred to him as Christmas drew +near was to write on his list of wishes, in huge letters so big that +they could easily be read from heaven above, "I wish that the Christ +child would set Wiseli at liberty." + +Winter was come again, and the coast offered its feast of inexhaustible +pleasure to the children, who never wearied of its charm. The moon shone +with the most unusual brightness, it seemed to Otto, who, at last, had +the cleverness to suggest that all the children should collect on the +hillside at seven o'clock to take advantage of its beauty for an evening +coasting-party. + +This suggestion was received with universal approbation, and the +children separated at five o'clock when it began to be dark, to meet +again at seven for their favorite amusement. + +Otto's mother was not so enthusiastic over this great scheme as were the +children, and could not agree with them when they expressed their +delight. She said it was too cold for them to be out late into the +evening; that there was great danger of accidents in the uncertain +moonlight; and particularly objected to allowing Pussy to expose +herself. But her objections only served to enhance the interest the +children felt for the expedition, and Pussy pleaded for her consent as +if her very life hung on being one of this coasting-party. Otto +promised, "upon his word of honor," that he would not let any thing +happen to his sister, and would always keep near to her and protect her. +At last their mother gave her consent; and, with great noise and +rejoicing, the children went out into the beautiful, clear, cold +moonlight. + +Every thing went on without a drawback. The coast was in perfect +condition; and the mysteriousness of the darker places, upon which the +moonlight did not fall, heightened the interest of the occasion. There +were a vast number of children assembled, and all were in the best +humor. Otto let them all go down first; then he followed, and Pussy came +last of all, so that no one could run her down. Otto had arranged it in +this way, so that he could always glance backward to see that his little +sister went safely down the coast. + +As every thing went so smoothly and happily, somebody proposed that they +should make a "train;" that is, bind all the sleds together, and so go +down: it would be more delightful than ever by moonlight. No sooner said +than done. Only Pussy's sled was not tied to her brother's, for he +feared lest the straining and shocks that often took place in this kind +of coasting might prove dangerous to her. She followed, therefore, as +usual; but Otto could not stop his sled if she was delayed, for he had +to go on with the "train." Off they went, and the long chain reached the +bottom safely and happily. + +Suddenly Otto heard a fearful cry, and he recognized at once his little +sister's voice. What had happened? He had no choice, however, but to go +down to the very end with the merry party to which he was closely +fastened--down to the foot of the hill, no matter how great his fear +might be. Once at the bottom, however, he tore his sled loose, and ran +up the hill as quickly as possible, with all the others at his heels; +for they had all heard the screams, and wanted to see what they meant. +Half-way up the ascent stood Pussy by her sled, and screamed and cried +rivers of tears. Out of breath with his haste, Otto could hardly call +out, "What is the matter? What has happened?" + +"He did--he did--he did," sobbed Pussy, and could get no further. + +"What did he do? Who was it? Where? Who?" stammered Otto. + +"That man there, that man; he did try to kill me, and said terrible +words, too." + +As much as this Otto understood, accompanied by screams and sobs. + +"Be quiet now, Pussy: do not go on like that. He did not kill you, after +all. Did he really strike you?" asked Otto, very gently and soothingly, +for he was much alarmed. + +"No," sobbed Pussy, beginning again; "but he was going to. He had a +stick, and he held it out like that, and said, 'Wait a moment;' and such +dreadful words he said, too." + +"Then he really did not do any thing to hurt you?" asked Otto, and began +to breathe more freely. + +"But he did, he did; and you were all off down the hill, and I was all +alone." And Pussy's tears and sobs continued to break forth. + +"Hush, hush!" said Otto, consolingly. "Now try to be quiet. I will not +leave you again, and the man will not trouble you any more; and if you +will be quiet and good, I will give you the red candy cock that was on +the Christmas-tree." + +This made an impression upon Pussy. She dried her eyes, and did not make +another sound; for that big red candy cock on the Christmas-tree was +what the child had most wished for. In the division of the things it had +fallen to Otto's share; but his little sister had never forgotten her +longing for it. Now that every thing was quiet again, the children began +to climb the hill, and they tried to make out who the man could be who +had threatened to kill Pussy. + +"Oh, kill! Not so bad as that," interposed Otto. "I saw a big man with a +stick, who was obliged to step into the snow to get out of our way when +we went down the coast on the 'train.' It made him angry to be obliged +to go into the snow; and finding Pussy alone there, he scolded her a +little to relieve himself." + +This explanation satisfied everybody, it was so perfectly natural. +Everybody wondered that they had not thought of it before,--indeed, +thought they had,--and soon forgot all about it, and continued coasting. +This, however, had an end, like all other pleasures; for eight o'clock +had struck long ago, and that was the hour at which they were to break +up and go home. On the way back, Otto charged Pussy not to speak of her +adventure; otherwise their mother would never again let them go coasting +in the moonlight. She should have the candy cock, but must promise not +to say a word if she took it. + +All traces of her tears had long vanished, and nothing betrayed their +secret to the family. + +Both children slept quietly in their beds soon after, and Pussy dreamed +of the red candy cock, and shouted out with pleasure in her dreams. +Presently there was a loud knocking at the house-door, that made Colonel +Ritter and his wife spring up from the table, where they were +comfortably talking about the children; and old Trine called out of the +window, in an angry tone,-- + +"What sort of a way of knocking is that?" + +"A terrible thing has happened," said some one from below. "We want the +colonel to come down the hill. They have found Andrew the carpenter +dead." And off ran the messenger again. + +Mr. and Mrs. Ritter had heard enough, however, for they had heard this +sad news from the window. The colonel threw his cloak about his +shoulders, and hastened down to the carpenter's. As he entered the room, +he found that there were already a crowd of people assembled. The +justice of the peace and the chief magistrate had been fetched, and a +number of curious and sympathetic people had come along with them. +Andrew lay on the floor, in his blood, and gave no sign of life. The +colonel went to his side. + +"Has nobody been for the doctor?" he asked. "We want a doctor at once." + +Nobody had thought of that,--there was no use in trying to do any thing, +they said. + +"Run, somebody, as quickly as possible," said the colonel. "Go, +you,"--to a lad who stood near,--"tell the doctor that I send him word +to come here immediately." He helped to raise Andrew from the ground, +and to carry him into his bedroom, and to lay him on the bed. Then he +went back to the chattering group of neighbors, to find out how the +accident had taken place,--if anybody knew the precise circumstances. + +The miller's son stepped forward, and told his story. He was passing +the house about a half-hour ago, he said; and, seeing a light in the +window, stopped to ask if his bits of furniture were finished. He found +the door of the room open, and Andrew lying dead on the floor, covered +with blood; and by his side stood Meadow-Joggi, and held out a piece of +gold between his fingers. Then the miller's son had called all the +neighbors, and sent some one for the chief magistrate and everybody +whose business it was. + +Meadow-Joggi--who was so called because he lived down in the +meadow-land--was a foolish fellow, who was supported by the neighbors, +who gave him little jobs of work suitable to his feeble capacity, such +as carrying sand or stone where they were needed, or helping to sort the +fruit, or gathering fagots in winter. + +No one ever had heard of his doing any mischief. The miller's son told +him to stay where he was until the president came; and so Joggi stood in +the corner, held his fist tightly closed, and laughed to himself. The +doctor soon arrived on the scene, and behind him came the president. The +council took its place in the middle of the room, to consider the case. +The doctor, however, went at once into the bedroom, and the colonel +followed him. The doctor examined the motionless body carefully. + +"Here it is," he cried presently. "Here, at the back of the head, is +where Andrew was struck. There is a large wound here." + +"But he is not dead, doctor, is he?" + +"No, no; he breathes feebly, but it is with difficulty." + +The doctor wanted all sorts of things,--water and sponges, and linen +rags, and so on,--and the people ran this way and that, and searched and +pulled things out from the closets and drawers, and produced a heap of +things, but nothing that was useful for this occasion. + +"We want a woman here who has some intelligence, and knows what is +needed in sickness," said the doctor at last, rather impatiently. They +all called out this one or that one; but not one was able to come of all +those mentioned. + +"Let somebody go to the 'Heights,' and tell my wife to send old Trine +down here," said the colonel. And somebody ran off. + +"Your wife won't thank you," said the doctor; "for I shall not be able +to let the nurse leave this patient for three days and nights." + +Trine came, laden with all needful things, much sooner than anybody +dared hope for her; for she was all ready with her big basket packed, +and her mistress stood by her side, expecting the order for her to go +down to Andrew's; for they would not believe that Andrew was dead, and +had thought of every thing that could possibly be needed. She had +sponges and bandages, lint and oil, and warm flannels, packed in her +basket, and had only to run off when the messenger came. The doctor was +delighted. + +"Everybody must go now. Good-night, colonel; and turn all those people +out of the house, will you?" cried the doctor, and closed the door +without ceremony as soon as the colonel went out. + +The committee was still sitting, but the colonel explained that the +house must be emptied; so they decided to imprison Joggi, and then +institute investigations. Two men took Joggi between them, so that he +could not get away, and carried him off to the poor-house, and shut him +up in a room. Joggi went with them very willingly, and laughed now and +then, and looked into his hand. + +The following morning Mrs. Ritter hastened down to Andrew's house in +great anxiety. Trine came softly from the bedroom, and brought the +welcome news that Andrew had come to himself a little; that the doctor +had already made his visit, and found his patient in better condition +than he expected; but he left especial orders that nobody should be +allowed to enter the room. Andrew was not to be permitted to speak one +word, even if he wished to speak: only the doctor and the nurse might +come into his presence. Trine said these words with great pride, for she +was a very good nurse, and well aware of the importance of the +situation. Mrs. Ritter fully appreciated all this, and went home +rejoicing over the news. + +A week went by. Every morning Mrs. Ritter went down to the sick man's +house to obtain an accurate statement of his condition herself, and to +find out if any thing were needed for his comfort, in order that all his +wants might be supplied at once. Every day Otto and Pussy sent the same +message; namely, "When could they be permitted to see their sick +friend?" but the doctor was inexorable. There was no possibility of +Trine being allowed to go, either; and the doctor could not praise her +enough for her intelligent care of the patient. After the week was +fairly over, however, the doctor sent word to the colonel that if he +would come to Andrew's at the same time he made his daily visit, they +would go in together; for now that Andrew was able to talk, the doctor +wished to have the colonel hear what could be told about the terrible +assault that had prostrated the good carpenter. + +Andrew was very glad to press the colonel's hand gratefully in his +own,--he knew very well where all the care and comfort came from with +which he was surrounded. + +He collected his thoughts to the best of his ability to answer the +questions put to him. This was, however, all that he could tell them. He +had taken out the yearly sum of money that he always carried up to the +colonel for investment, and was in the act of counting it over once +again, to be sure that it was right. It was rather late in the evening, +and he was seated with his back towards the door. While he was in the +midst of counting, he heard some one enter the room; and before he had +time to turn about, he received a tremendous blow upon his head. After +that, all was a blank. + +There had been a heap of money upon the table. Nothing was to be found +of it, however, but the piece that Joggi held in his hand when they +found him. + +Even supposing that Joggi were the malefactor, where was the rest of +that money? When Andrew learned that they had taken Joggi into custody +and shut him up, he was very uneasy. + +"Oh, you must let him go, poor Joggi!" he said. "He never would hurt the +smallest infant. _He_ never struck me." + +For all that, Andrew had no suspicion who it could have been. He had no +enemy, he said, and knew of nobody who would wish him harm. + +"It may have been a stranger," suggested the doctor, as he looked at the +window. "If you sat here, with the bright light shining upon your pile +of money while you counted it over on the table, anybody going by the +house could have seen you, and taken a notion to rob you." + +"I suppose it must have been in that way," said Andrew. "I never +thought of such a thing, however. Every thing has always stood open in +the house." + +"It is well that you have laid something by already, Andrew," said the +colonel. "Do not fret over this: it is so lucky that you will soon be +well again." + +"Certainly, colonel; and I have every reason for thankfulness. The good +God has given me far more than I have any use for." And he shook hands +with his friends, who agreed, in parting, that Andrew was much less to +be pitied than the man who tried to kill him. + +There was a sad story told about Joggi, which excited the sympathy of +the schoolboys exceedingly. Otto brought it home with him and repeated +it several times, for it made a deep impression on his mind. It seemed +that when they brought Joggi, laughing all the way, into the almshouse +that evening, he was told to give up his piece of gold to one of his +guards,--the son of the justice of the peace; but Joggi shut his fist +tighter, and would not give it up at all. But the two men were stronger +than he, and at last forced his hand open; and, as they took the money +away from him, one of them said, "Only wait a little till the others +come, then you will get what you deserve. You will see!" For he was +vexed at the scratches he had got in the struggle. + +These threats had frightened the poor half-witted fellow, who thought he +was going to be beheaded, having no idea of what his punishment might +be. And he refused to eat, and cried and groaned incessantly. + +The officers of justice had been to see him twice, to assure him that, +if he would only tell them what he had done, he should not be +punished. He repeated that he had not done any thing but look in at +the window; and when he saw Andrew on the floor, he went to him and +shook him a little, and then he was dead. He saw something shining in +the corner, and picked it up; and then the miller's son came in, and a +lot of other people. + +When Joggi got thus far in his story, he began to cry and groan, and +would not be pacified. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO. + + +Mrs. Ritter went, as usual, to visit her friend, but no longer remained +closeted with Trine, for she could now go freely into his room, talk +with him for a little while, and mark his daily improvement. Otto and +Pussy also paid several visits, armed with dainties for their favorite. +So that Andrew said to the old Trine, with great feeling, "If I were a +king, they could not show me more kindness." + +The doctor was well pleased with the rapidity of the cure, and said to +the colonel, whom he met on the threshold one day,-- + +"Every thing has worked wonderfully well. Your wife can have her Trine +back again; and tell her she was worth her weight in gold. I only wish +there were some one to stay with Andrew for a little while; or who could +come in, now and then, to help him. The poor fellow must have something +to eat, and he has no wife nor child,--in fact, nobody. Do ask Mrs. +Ritter if she cannot think of something that will help us." + +The colonel carried his message correctly, and his wife went the next +day to Andrew's, as usual; and, seating herself by his bedside, said, +without circumlocution, "I have something to say to you, Andrew. Are you +inclined to listen to me?" + +"Certainly, certainly. Every thing you do is right," said Andrew, +supporting his head on his hand, and prepared to give her all his +attention. + +"I am going to take Trine away, now that you are so well," began +Mrs. Ritter. + +"Oh, dear lady, I beg you to believe me, I have wished to send her home +for a long time past. I know how much you must miss her." + +"I would not have allowed her to enter my house, if she had tried to +come back before," replied Mrs. Ritter. "But now it is different: the +doctor has dismissed her. He says, however,--and I fully agree with +him,--that you need some one who can wait upon you, cook for you, or +fetch your food from my house, and do a hundred little things: somebody +for at least a few weeks. Now, Andrew, why cannot you have little Wiseli +to do this?" + +The words were scarcely spoken, when Andrew almost sprang up in his bed. + +"No, no, Mrs. Ritter; certainly not!" he said, and became very red from +excitement. "I could not dream of such a thing. Could I lie here in bed, +and let that delicate little thing work for me out there in the kitchen? +Oh! in Heaven's name, how could I think of her poor mother, where she +lies buried? How she would look at me, if she knew of my doing such a +thing. No, no, Mrs. Ritter; I would rather not get well at all." + +Mrs. Ritter did not try to stop him; but, when he sunk back again upon +his pillow, she said quietly,-- + +"It is not any thing very shocking, however, that I have proposed, +Andrew: think it over now. You know what kind of care Wiseli is getting, +do you not? Do you suppose she has nothing to do there, or even light +work suitable to her strength? Hard work she has, and hard words with +it. Would you give her any thing like that? Do you know what the child's +mother would do, if she were standing here by our side? She would thank +you, with tears in her eyes, if you would take her child into your +house, where she could be happy. I am sure of that. And you would soon +see how useful she would make herself." + +After these touching words, Andrew began to take another view of the +matter. He wiped his eyes, and said softly, "How can I be sure that the +child would be willing? And how can I get her? Her cousin would not wish +to part with her, probably." + +"That is all right. You need not trouble yourself about that, Andrew," +said his friend, cheerfully, as she rose to go. "I will attend to it all +for you. It is a thing about which I have thought long and anxiously." + +She took her leave; but, as she was passing out of the door, Andrew +called out again,-- + +"Only in case Wiseli herself is perfectly willing: you will not forget +that, please, Mrs. Ritter." + +She promised again that the child should come gladly, or not at all, and +left the house. + +She went down the hill at once to the beech grove, for she was impatient +to take Wiseli where she could think of her in safety. She met the +cousin Gotti just as he was himself entering his own house. He saluted +her, without concealing his surprise at her visit. But she did not leave +him in doubt for a moment over the object that brought her there, and +how anxious she was that Wiseli should take charge of the wounded Andrew +at once, as she was sure she could do, if they were willing. His wife, +who was in the kitchen, came directly she heard their voices, and was at +once informed of Mrs. Ritter's proposition. But she answered that it was +not possible, for the child was not able to be of use to anybody. But +her husband interposed. The truth should be told: Wiseli was able and +willing to work, and did so, well and intelligently. He did not wish to +have her go, for she was useful and obedient. He would not refuse, for +two weeks or so, to let her nurse Andrew. He would not probably need her +longer than that, and then she must come back; for there was a great +deal of work on hand against the spring. + +"Yes, yes," said his wife. "I have no mind to begin it all over again +teaching her, it has given me so much trouble already. If Andrew wants +anybody to help him, let him get somebody for himself." + +"Well, well; for two weeks, as I have promised, she shall go. It is our +duty to help a neighbor, if we can." + +"I thank you for your kindness," said Mrs. Ritter, rising. "And Andrew +will himself show his gratitude. May I take Wiseli with me at once?" + +Although his wife grumbled out that there could not be any such hurry, +her husband said it was better the child should go at once. The sooner +she went, the more quickly she would be back again; and repeated that it +was only for fourteen days in all. + +Wiseli was called, and told to get her clothes together, and tied in a +bundle. The child obeyed, not daring to ask for a reason. It was exactly +a year since she had brought the little bundle into the house. Nothing +had been added to her scanty wardrobe in that time but a black frock. +She wore that now, but it had been so long in use, that it hung about +her almost in rags; and Wiseli looked shyly at Mrs. Ritter as she stood +before her now, with her little bundle on her arm. The colonel's wife +understood the look, and answered it. "Come, my dear; we are not going +far away. You can go as you are." + +Quickly taking leave, she waited only for Wiseli to give her cousin +Gotti her hand. He said,-- + +"Oh, you are soon coming back; this is not a separation." + +Off trotted Wiseli in silence, and much astonished, behind Mrs. Ritter, +who walked rapidly across the snow-covered fields, as if she feared they +both might be recalled; but as soon as they were out of sight of the +beech grove, she turned about, and stood still. "Wiseli," she said +kindly, "do you know Andrew the carpenter?" + +"Certainly, I do," said the child; and glanced at her friend with such a +happy expression, that Mrs. Ritter was rather surprised. + +"He is ill," she proceeded. "Would you like to take care of him, and +wait upon him a little, for about two weeks?" + +"Yes, indeed!" replied the child promptly; and her face, that +became suddenly rosy with pleasure, told Mrs. Ritter more than her +short answer. + +The good lady was pleased, but did not understand the child's feeling, +for she knew nothing of her gratitude for Andrew's kindness to her +mother. After they had gone on a while, Mrs. Ritter said,-- + +"You can tell Andrew the carpenter that you are very glad to go to take +care of him, or he will not believe it. Don't forget to tell him that." + +"No, no; I won't forget," said Wiseli. "I was just thinking about +it myself." + +They reached the house at last. Mrs. Ritter told Wiseli to go in alone, +promising to come down in the morning to see how things went on; and, if +she needed any thing for her patient, she could come up to the "Heights" +to fetch it herself. + +Wiseli stole into the garden, and opened the house-door. She knew that +Andrew lay within in the bed-room behind the sitting-room. She entered +the room softly. No one was there; but it was in good order, as old +Trine had left it when she went away. + +The child looked about to see that every thing was in the right place. +Against the wall, in the back part of the room, stood a big wooden +bedstead called a coach, and which was all arranged like a proper bed. +The curtain was almost closed across it, but Wiseli could see how neat +and clean it looked, and wondered who slept there usually. Presently she +knocked quietly at the bedroom door; and when Andrew called out, "Come +in," she entered, and shyly stood before him. Andrew raised himself in +his bed to see who was there. + +"Oh, oh!" he said, partly glad and partly startled. "Is that you, +Wiseli? Come here; give me your hand." The child obeyed. + +"You did not come to me against your will?" + +"No, no," replied the child; "surely not." But Andrew was not satisfied. + +[Illustration: ANDREW RAISED HIMSELF IN HIS BED TO SEE WHO WAS +THERE] + +"I mean, Wiseli," he continued, "perhaps you would have liked better not +to come; but perhaps you wanted to do a kindness to the good colonel's +wife, she is so kind." + +"No, no," repeated the child again; "she did not say any thing to me +about it being for her. She only asked me if I was willing to go to +you, and there is nobody in all the world to whom I would go so gladly +as to you." + +These words must have quieted all Andrew's scruples, for he did not ask +any more questions, but let his head sink back on his pillow, and lay +gazing silently at Wiseli; and presently he turned his head aside, and +wiped his eyes several times. + +"What shall I do now?" asked Wiseli, as Andrew did not move his head. He +turned at the sound of her voice, and said, very kindly, "I do not know, +I am sure, Wiseli. You may do any thing that you like, if you will only +stay with me a little while." + +Wiseli scarcely knew what to think. Since the death of her mother, +nobody had spoken to her in such kindly, loving tones. It seemed as if +her mother's voice and love were come into Andrew's words and tones. She +took his hand in both hers, as she often took her mother's, and stood by +the bedside. She did not even speak, but felt that her mother's loving +presence was about them. Andrew, too, had a silent, peaceful conviction +that Wiseli's mother was happy in their happiness. + +Presently Wiseli said, "I think I ought to cook something for you: it is +past twelve o'clock already. What shall I cook?" + +"Whatever you like," said Andrew. But Wiseli knew that she was there +for the purpose of making things comfortable for the sick man, and +she did not cease her questioning until she found out what he usually +had to eat,--a good nourishing soup, and a piece of the meat that was +in the closet; and then Andrew said she must cook something with milk +for herself. + +The child was perfectly at home in the kitchen. She had really learned a +great deal at her cousin Gotti's, even if she had received many cross +words at the same time. She had every thing ready in a short time; and +Andrew begged her to push a little table to the bedside, and sit down +and eat with him, so that he could enjoy the pleasure of her company. +Neither Wiseli nor Andrew had eaten such a pleasant meal for a long, +long time. After eating, Wiseli rose; but Andrew looked at her sadly, +and said, "Where are you going now, Wiseli? Won't you stay with me here +a little longer, or is it too dull for you?" + +"No, indeed, not dull; but after dinner the things must be washed and +put away in their places in good order," said the child. + +"I know," said Andrew; "but I thought that just for to-day--the first +day, you know--you might put them away as they are, and to-morrow wash +them all together." + +"But if the colonel's wife should see them so, I should almost die of +shame;" and Wiseli looked very grave while she spoke. + +"Yes, yes; you are right," said Andrew. "Do whatever you think best." + +So the child went to work, and cleaned and sorted and swept, so that +every thing shone in the kitchen. Then she stood quietly, and looked on +her work with satisfaction, saying softly, "Now Mrs. Ritter may come +when she will." + +Going into the room next the kitchen, she cast an admiring glance at the +beautiful big bed on the "coach" behind the curtain; for Andrew the +carpenter had told her that she was to sleep there, and that the little +chest of drawers in the corner was also for her, and that she might put +all her things there, if she liked. + +So she laid away all the clothes in her little bundle in good order; but +it did not take long to do that, they were so few. At last she returned +to Andrew, and seated herself by his bedside. He had been looking +towards the door very wistfully for a long time. She had scarcely seated +herself before she asked, "Have not you a stocking to be knitted, or +something else for me to do?" + +Wiseli had been well drilled,--first by her mother, and then by her +cousin's wife, whose words she never forgot, they frightened her so; and +when Andrew said, "Oh, you have worked enough for to-day; let us sit +still and talk over all sorts of things together now," the child +replied, "I do not like to sit and do nothing, for it is not Sunday; but +we can talk while I knit, you know." + +Andrew was pleased at this sign of the little girl's industry, and he +again bade her do whatever she thought right and best. She might get a +stocking to knit, if she wanted to: he had not one for her, however. + +So Wiseli fetched her own, and took her seat by the bedside; and, truly, +she could talk and knit at the same time perfectly well. + +Andrew chose the one subject for their conversation that was by far the +most agreeable to Wiseli; namely, her mother. It was the first time she +had been able to talk about her mother to anybody since her death. But +now she had a listener who could not hear enough, and so she told all +that she could remember of their happy life together. + +And day after day slipped by. For every little thing that Wiseli did, +Andrew thanked her over and over,--not from politeness or mere form, but +because every thing pleased the good man, and he wanted to express his +pleasure. He became strong and well very rapidly under Wiseli's care, +and soon was able to leave his bed. And the doctor was much surprised to +see how quickly his strength had returned, and how happy he looked +besides. He sat at the window in the sunshine all day long, and watched +Wiseli as she moved about, as if he could never get enough of her. His +eyes followed her as she went here to a drawer, opened it and shut it +again; and noticed how every thing that passed through her hands was +done in an orderly, regular manner, such as he had never seen before. +And Wiseli was so happy, so happy, in this quiet little house, where she +never heard any but loving words, and moved constantly in an atmosphere +of affection, that made it impossible for her to allow her thoughts to +dwell on the sad fact that the fourteen days would soon be past, and +then she must return to the beech grove. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS. + + +On the "Heights" there was a great deal of talk about Andrew and Wiseli. +Mrs. Ritter went down every day, and always brought back good accounts. +They all rejoiced together over this, and Otto and Pussy formed a plan +to have a great convalescence festival in Andrew the carpenter's room +while Wiseli was still with him. It should be a great surprise for them +both. But before that came another feast,--their father's birthday. And +the children had invented all sorts of "celebrations" from early morning +on, but the great moment was yet to come; namely, at dinner-time. Otto +and Pussy had taken their seats, full of excitement and expectancy. + +The father and mother made their appearance, and the merriment began. + +After one or two surprises came a large covered dish,--certainly that +was a birthday dish. The cover was removed, and, behold, a beautiful +cauliflower! + +"This is a fine vegetable," said the father; "I must admire it. But, to +tell the truth," he went on, with an air of disappointment, "I expected +something different. I expected artichokes. They are to be found and +bought as well as cauliflowers. You know, my dear Mary, there is no dish +I care for so much as artichokes." + +Suddenly Pussy called out,-- + +"That is it! that is it! That is exactly what he called to me twice. +And he raised his stick in the air, and did so,"--and Pussy raised her +arm in the air in great excitement. But suddenly she was quiet, and put +her arm under the table, and turned crimson; and Otto, who sat on the +other side of the table, looked at her with flashing eyes and very +angry looks. + +"What is this?" asked the colonel. "A strange way to celebrate my +birthday. My daughter cries out, on one side, as if some one were going +to kill her; and, on the other, my son is giving me such kicks on the +shin that I shall soon be covered with black-and-blue spots. I should +like to know where you learned this agreeable amusement, Otto?" + +Now it was Otto's turn to become fiery red. His intention had been to +give Pussy certain decided warnings to keep quiet, but his boot had +encountered his father's leg instead, and not gently either. When he +discovered his mistake, he did not dare to raise his eyes. + +"Now, Pussy," said the colonel, "tell me the end of your robber story. +You said the terrible man called out 'artichokes' to you, and raised his +stick in the air; and then"-- + +"Then--then," stammered Pussy, who perceived that she had betrayed every +thing, and would have to give the sugar cock back to Otto again. "Then +he did not strike me, or kill me." + +"Well, that was nice of him," said her father, laughing. "And +what else?" + +"Nothing else," said Pussy, whimpering. + +"Well, then, the story had a good ending. The stick remained in the air, +and Pussy came back to the house like an 'artichoke.' Now we will drink +the health of the 'artichokes' and of Andrew the carpenter together." + +The father raised his glass, and his companions did the same. When they +left the table, they were all rather sad; all except the father, who +took his newspaper, and lighted his cigar, as usual. Otto stayed in +another room in the corner, and thought how, when the children were all +allowed to go again to coast by moonlight, he would be obliged to remain +at home; for his mother would not now let him go, he was sure. Pussy +crept into her bedroom, nestled down in a corner by the bed upon a +footstool, took the red candy cock upon her lap, and felt very sadly at +the thought that she held it for the last time. + +At the window her mother stood sadly thinking. She soon became agitated, +however, and moved uneasily about the room, and presently began to seek +for her little daughter in every corner. She found her at last, in her +hiding-place behind the bed, sunk in deep dejection. + +"Pussy," said her mother, "I want you to tell me the story about the man +who threatened you. When was it, and where, and what words did he use?" + +Pussy told all that she knew, but did not give much more information +than she had conveyed at the table. The man had called out the same word +that her father had used at table,--that she was sure of. Her mother +turned away, went directly to the room where her husband was smoking, +and said, in a very excited tone, "I must tell you, for I am more and +more sure of it." + +The colonel put down his newspaper and looked at his wife, much +surprised. + +"That scene at table has made me think of something; and the more I +think, the surer I am about it." + +"Do sit down, and tell me what you mean," said the colonel, who now +became very curious. His wife did as he desired, and went on. + +"You noticed Pussy's excitement. She must have been very much +frightened by the man of whom she spoke. She was not joking. Therefore +it is clear to my mind that the word was not 'artichoke,' but +'aristocrat,' that he used. Now you know who used to call us that,--my +brother and I. Pussy has just told me that this took place on that +evening when they all went coasting by moonlight; and that was the +night when Andrew was assaulted and robbed. That rascally fellow Jorg +has not been seen for years in this vicinity; and the very first time +that there is any trace of him, we hear of this act of brutality +towards his brother, against whom no one but he has any grudge. Do not +you think there is something strange in this?" + +"Yes; certainly there may be something in it," said the colonel. "I must +look it up at once." + +He arose, called his servant, and presently rode off at a sharp trot +towards the town. + +And for several days he continued to go there, to hear if the +investigation had produced any result. On the fourth day he came home +towards evening, and sent word to Mrs. Ritter, who was seated by Pussy's +bed, that he had something important to tell her. It was that the police +had been seeking for Jorg, and had found him without much delay; for he +had not taken precautions to conceal himself, being sure that no one had +seen him on the evening when he visited his native village. He had, +therefore, merely gone to the city, and was spending his time in the +taverns. When they took him into custody, and accused him, he denied +every thing; but when he heard that Colonel Ritter had accusations to +make against him, he was intimidated, thinking that the colonel must +have seen him, or he would never have suspected him, as he had just +returned from the Neapolitan army service. It never occurred to him that +one single word that he had thrown to a little child had betrayed him. + +When he heard the truth, he began to swear terribly, and declared he had +always known that those aristocrats would bring him into trouble. On +further examination, he said he had gone to his brother's house with the +intention of asking him for a loan of money; but when he looked through +the brilliantly lighted window and saw the big pile of money lying on +the table, it occurred to him that he would strike Andrew down and rob +him. He had not meant to kill him,--only render him insensible. Nearly +all the money was found at his lodgings, and taken. Jorg was lodged in +the prison. + +When these facts were made known in the village, everybody was very much +interested and excited, for nothing of the kind had happened before in +that small place. In the school, particularly, every thing was +topsy-turvy, for the children were as much excited as their elders. Otto +scarcely stopped to take breath all day long, for he ran from one place +to another, hoping to hear the latest news at each. He came to the +house, on the third evening, in such a state, that his mother told him +that he must sit perfectly quiet and silent for a little while before he +communicated the piece of news with which he was bursting. + +At last he was calm enough to tell them that they wanted to set Joggi +free, for he had been shut up all this time; but the poor fellow was so +convinced that they only wanted to take him out to cut off his head, +that he fought against being removed with all his might. So they decided +to take him out by force, and two men dragged him into the open air. He +fought and screamed so violently, that a crowd soon assembled; and the +poor, foolish fellow, becoming more and more alarmed, had darted away +like an arrow to the nearest barn, where he took refuge from his +imaginary danger in a stall, cowering down in a heap in one corner, and +would not let anybody approach him. His countenance showed his terrible +fear. He had been there all day and night; and now the peasant to whom +the barn belonged said if he did not move soon, he would use the +pitchfork to him. + +"It is a sad, sad story, my children," said their mother, when Otto had +finished. "Poor Joggi! how terribly he must suffer from his fear, that +nobody can relieve him of, because he cannot understand what is said; +and yet he is perfectly innocent of any evil deed or wish. Oh, if you +had only told me what had happened that evening on the coast! Your +keeping that a secret has had very, very sad consequences. Cannot we do +something to comfort and reassure him again?" + +Pussy was almost crying. "I will give him my red candy cock," she +said, tearfully. + +Otto was much disturbed, but he said, scornfully,-- + +"Yes; a nice present for a grown up man,--a sugar cock! You had better +keep it for yourself." + +After a moment he asked his mother, however, to allow Pussy to carry +some food to Joggi in the barn: he had not eaten any thing for +nearly two days. + +His mother was more than willing, and had a basket filled at once with +bread and sausage and cheese for the children, and sent them off without +delay. Poor Joggi! there he was cowering in the stall, white as a sheet, +and dared not stir. The children gradually drew near, and presently Otto +held out his basket and showed the food, hoping to tempt Joggi. + +"Come out, Joggi. See, all this is for you to eat." + +There was no sign of movement. + +"Do come out, or the peasant will stick his pitchfork into you." + +The poor fellow gave a piteous moan, but still did not stir. + +Now Pussy went quite close to him, put her mouth to his ear, and said, +gently, "Do not be frightened, Joggi; they won't cut off your head. My +papa will help you, and will not let anybody harm you. And see, Joggi; +here is a candy cock, all red. Santa Claus sent you this on the +Christmas-tree." And the little girl took the cock very carefully from +her pocket, and held it out to Joggi. + +This little gift had a wonderful effect. Joggi looked at his friend +without fear, then at the candy cock, and presently began to laugh. It +was many days since he had laughed. He rose slowly from his corner, and +followed Otto out of the barn behind Pussy. When they got well out of +the yard, Otto said,-- + +"You can take this basket, Joggi; we are going up there to our house. +Your way is down yonder." + +But Joggi shook his head, and followed close to Pussy's heels. They all +went up the hill. Their mother watched the little procession coming, and +her heart began to feel lighter; and she also noticed how the poor, +foolish Joggi held his sugar cock in his hand, and laughed at it with +childish satisfaction. + +They all three entered the house and went into the sitting-room, where +Pussy fetched a chair, and, taking the basket in her hand, beckoned +Joggi to come to her; and when he was seated at the table, she spread +out the bread and cheese and sausage before him, saying, very gently, +"Now do eat,--eat up every bit, Joggi, and be happy again." + +The poor fellow obeyed, and left no crumbs. He never relinquished his +hold of the red cock, however. He held it in his left hand, and nodded +and smiled at it from time to time. For bread and cheese and sausage he +had often received, but a red candy cock never before. + +At last he went down the hill to his cottage. With very happy looks Mrs. +Ritter and Otto and Pussy followed his retreating form, and noticed that +he changed the red cock from one hand to another, and had evidently +forgotten his fears. Mrs. Ritter had not visited Andrew during three +days. There was so much going on all the time, that she had not +perceived how the time passed; and then she no longer felt the least +anxiety about him. He was well cared for,--of that she was certain,--and +was on the best road towards health and strength. + +As soon as Colonel Ritter could go, he took the news of the arrest and +imprisonment of Andrew's brother to the good carpenter, who listened to +the story quietly, and said, after a while,-- + +"It was his will. It would have been far better for him to have asked me +for a little money. I should have given it to him, but his way was ever +a blow rather than a kind word." + +Mrs. Ritter went down the mountain one cold, frosty morning, and went +smiling to herself all the way; for she had pleasant plans and projects +in her heart. Just as she opened the door of Andrew's cottage, Wiseli +came out of the sitting-room. Her eyes were swollen and red. She had +been crying. She gave Mrs. Ritter her hand very shyly, and ran into the +kitchen, and shut the door. Mrs. Ritter had never seen Wiseli look in +this way. What could have happened? She went into the sitting-room. +There sat Andrew by the window. He, too, looked as if a bad piece of +news had been brought to him. + +"What has happened?" asked Mrs. Ritter; and forgot to say +"good-morning," in her anxiety. + +"Oh, oh!" sighed Andrew. "I wish that the child had never entered +my house." + +"Wiseli!" exclaimed his visitor. "Is it possible that Wiseli can have +displeased you in any way?" + +"Not that, by any means, good lady," Andrew hastened to answer. "No; she +has made my home a paradise for me, and now she is going away; and it +will seem so empty and lonely without her, I cannot bear it. You never +could think, Mrs. Ritter, how I love that child. I cannot bear it, if +they take her away. And the cousin Gotti has sent his boy twice to say +that she is wanted at his house; and, since then, Wiseli has been so +quiet, and cries in secret. It breaks my heart; for I see that she does +not want to go there, though she says nothing, and to-morrow is the last +day. I do not exaggerate, Mrs. Ritter; but I assure you I would prefer +to give all that I have earned and saved for thirty years to her cousin +Gotti, than have him take the child away." + +"I would not think of doing that. In your place, Andrew, I would go to +work another way," said Mrs. Ritter, when Andrew had finished his +excited talk. + +He questioned her with his eyes in silence. + +"I mean in this way. All your worldly goods you will leave to some one +who is very dear to you. You will take Wiseli as your adopted child; +will be a father to her; she shall henceforth live in your house as your +own daughter. You would like that, Andrew, would you not?" + +He had listened with all his might, and his eyes grew bigger and bigger. +Presently he grasped Mrs. Ritter's hand, and pressed it almost +painfully. He leaned forward. + +"Can that be done? Can I obtain the right to say that Wiseli is really +my own child,--all my own, so that nobody will be able to take her from +me again?" + +"You can do all that, Andrew. And, once Wiseli is recognized as your +child, no one will have the least right to her. You will be her father. +And, to tell the truth, Andrew, I hoped that you might wish to do this; +and therefore have kept my husband at home, in case you want to go into +the city to take the necessary steps towards the adoption. You know you +cannot walk, Andrew." + +Andrew fairly lost his head over all this. He ran this way and that, +looking for his Sunday coat; and kept asking all the time, + +"Can it be true? Is it possible? To-day, did you say? May I go to-day?" + +"At once," she said; and gave her hand to Andrew as she left him, to +tell the colonel that all was ready for the visit to the town. "It will +be better not to tell Wiseli until the evening, when every thing is +settled, and you are quietly together here," she said, as she stepped +out of the door. "Do not you agree with me?" + +"Yes, certainly," was the answer. "I could not tell her now." + +While Andrew was waiting until Colonel Ritter came for him to drive to +the town, he sat trembling in every limb, and thought he could scarcely +stand up, he was so happy and so excited. In about half an hour Wiseli +saw, to her great surprise, the colonel's wagon drive up, stop at +Andrew's door, the servant get down, come to the steps, take Andrew +under the arm, and help him to get into the carriage. The child looked +at it, as it passed away from the house down the road, and could not +understand it at all; for the carpenter had not said any thing to +her,--not even that he was going to drive. He had remained seated where +he was, after Mrs. Ritter's departure, until the colonel's servant came +for him; and the child had kept herself hidden all the time. + +After his departure, she went into the sitting-room, and looked out of +the window where Andrew always sat, and kept saying to herself, "To-day +is the last day. To-morrow I must go to cousin Gotti." + +Towards noon the child went into the kitchen, put every thing in order, +and arranged Andrew's dinner; but he did not come, and she did not like +to remove the things until he did. So she went back into the +sitting-room; but the sad thought of the coming separation made her +almost ill, and she said to herself, over and over, "To-morrow I must go +to cousin Gotti;" and did not see, in her sadness, that the sunset was +very beautiful, and betokened a still more beautiful morrow. + +The child sprang to her feet when presently she heard the door +opened. Andrew the carpenter stood before her with happy eyes, and +with a look that Wiseli had never seen on his face. He sunk into a +chair. He was overcome, but not with fatigue. At last he cried out, +in a triumphant tone,-- + +"It is true, Wiseli! It is all really true! All the gentlemen said +'Yes,'--every one. You belong to me. I am your father. Call me +'father,' Wiseli." + +Wiseli became white as a sheet. She stood staring at Andrew, but did not +speak nor move. + +"Oh! of course, of course," said the carpenter. "You can't understand +me, I tell you all so confusedly. Now I will begin at the beginning. +I have just written in the record book in the town, and you are my +child now, and I am your father; and you will always stay here with +me, and not go back to your cousin Gotti again. This is your +home,--here with me." + +Wiseli understood now. She sprang into Andrew's arms, clung round his +neck, and cried, "Father, father!" They neither could speak a word after +this for a long time,--too many things were crowding upon them. After a +little, Wiseli felt a sudden light that seemed to break in upon her +thoughts; and she exclaimed, looking up at Andrew,-- + +"O father! I know how it has all happened, and who has helped us." + +"Who may it be, Wiseli?" asked Andrew. + +"My mother." + +"Your mother, child,--who do you mean? Your mother?" + +And Wiseli related her dream about the beautiful garden with the red +carnations, and a rose-bush on the other side, where the sun shone; and +told him how her mother had taken her by the hand and showed her the +garden, and said that her way led through that. And Wiseli was sure that +her mother had not ceased to pray God to let her child's way be through +that garden,--which was Andrew's garden, and the happiest place in the +world for Wiseli. + +"Do not you believe it too, father, now that you know that in my dream +my mother showed me my road to your garden?" + +Andrew could not answer. Big tears rolled down his face, but he smiled +all the time that he wept. When, at last, he opened his mouth to speak, +there came such a terrible knocking at the door, that nothing else could +be heard. Open flew the door, and Otto was in the middle of the room +with one leap; then he jumped over a chair, and shouted, "Hurrah! we +have won, and Wiseli is delivered." Pussy came in behind him, ran at +once to her friend, and said, pointing towards the door,-- + +"Now, Andrew, you will see what is coming for you, to celebrate your +recovery." + +Scarcely had she spoken, than the baker's boy came struggling through +the doorway with a big tray upon his head that could scarcely come +through. A good push from behind, however, helped him along, and he put +the tray down on the table. Otto and Pussy had ordered the biggest cake, +to be made at the baker's, that was ever known; and as it would not have +been very large if it were round, they ordered it square, and it quite +filled the oven when it was baked. Old Trine stood behind the baker's +boy, and her big basket was at her feet. She had brought, among other +delicacies, a bottle of good wine; for Mrs. Ritter declared that Andrew +had, in all probability, not eaten a morsel since breakfast, and Wiseli +was probably fasting also; and the child remembered the fact, now that +she saw the feast that Trine spread upon the table. They all took their +places, and a merry company they were. To be sure, the grand cake had to +be cut in halves, and part put away, for otherwise there was not room on +the table for the rest of the supper; but after that they were all more +merry than ever feasters were before. + +But the time went by, and Trine stood there waiting to take the children +home,--it was late. Andrew said, at leave-taking,-- + +"To-day you have prepared a feast for me, and I thank you with all my +heart; but I invite you to come here again on Sunday, and I will give +you a feast,--the feast to celebrate my daughter's adoption." + +And so they parted, all rejoicing over the fact of Wiseli being so +happily at home with Andrew, and the children promising to come to the +Sunday celebration. At the door Wiseli gave Otto her hand again, and +said, "I thank you a thousand times for all your kindness to me, Otto. +Cheppi never was so rude to me again after you frightened him that day. +He was afraid to throw things at me. I owe it to your kindness." + +"And I owe you something, Wiseli," replied Otto. "I have never had to +sweep out the schoolhouse since the time you know of." + +"And I thank you, too, Wiseli," said Pussy; for she would not be behind +the others in her thanks. + +Now every thing was quiet in the little room, and the moonlight streamed +in through the window where Andrew took his seat, while Wiseli put all +the supper dishes away, and made every thing neat again; then she came +to him, and stood before him with folded hands. + +"Father," she said, "let me say my mother's hymn aloud to you. I +have always said it softly to myself; but I shall never forget it +now, I am sure." + +Andrew was glad to listen; and the child, raising her eyes to the stars, +said, with the very deepest feeling thrilling through her heart,-- + + "To God you must confide + Your sorrow and your pain; + He will true care provide, + And show you heaven again. + + "For clouds and air and wind + He points the path and way; + Your road He'll also find, + Nor let your footsteps stray." + +From this day forward the happiest cottage in the whole village was that +of Andrew the carpenter, with its sunny garden. Wherever Wiseli showed +herself, she received the very kindest notice from all the neighbors, +much to the child's surprise. Formerly no one had noticed her +particularly, but now even her cousin Gotti and his wife never passed +the cottage without coming in to take her by the hand, and invite her to +visit them. + +This gave the child keen satisfaction, for she had always feared +secretly her cousin's feelings about her adoption; so this kindness on +his part freed her from all anxiety, and she could go her way +peacefully. But these thoughts often rose within her, and she repeated +to herself,-- + +"Otto and his family have always shown me kindness when I was alone +in the wide world and friendless: these others are only kind to me +since I am happy and have a father. I know well enough who are really +my friends." + +THE END. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico And Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + +This file should be named 8rico10.txt or 8rico10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8rico11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8rico10a.txt + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland and Distributed Proofreaders + +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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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/8rico10.zip b/old/8rico10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..40f44e9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/8rico10.zip diff --git a/old/8rico10h.htm b/old/8rico10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7c17bbe --- /dev/null +++ b/old/8rico10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7598 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Rico And Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {background:#faebd7; margin:15%; text-align:justify} +img {border: 0;} +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {color:#A82C28} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico And Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri +#7 in our series by Johanna Spyri + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. 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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: Rico And Wiseli + Rico And Stineli, And How Wiseli Was Provided For + +Author: Johanna Spyri + +Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9075] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on September 3, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger, Juliet Sutherland and Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + +</pre> + +<center> +<h1>RICO AND WISELI</h1> +<br><br> +<h3> +RICO AND STINELI<br><br> +and<br><br> +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR</h3> +<br><br> +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h1>JOHANNA SPYRI</h1> +<br><br> +<h3> +Translated By Louise Brooks</h3> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> +<a name="1"></a> + + +<center> +<img alt="001a.jpg (156K)"src="001a.jpg" height="1069" width="660"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<h3> +RICO AND STINELI</h3> + + +<p> I. IN THE QUIET HOUSE<br> + II. IN THE SCHOOL<br> + III. THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE<br> + IV. THE BEAUTIFUL, DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME<br> + V. A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME<br> + VI. RICO'S MOTHER<br> + VII. A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER<br> + VIII. ON THE LAKE OF SILS<br> + IX. A PERPLEXING AFFAIR<br> + X. A LITTLE LIGHT<br> + XI. A LONG JOURNEY<br> + XII. IT STILLS GOES ON<br> + XIII. ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE<br> + XIV. NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN<br> + XV. SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS<br> + XVI. COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY<br> + XVII. BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS<br> +XVIII. TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS<br> + XIX. CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA<br> + XX. AT HOME<br> + XXI. SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA</p> +<br><br> +<h3> +HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR</h3> + +<p> + I. COASTING<br> + II. AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY<br> + III. ALSO AT HOME<br> + IV. AT COUSIN GOTTI'S<br> + V. HOW TIME WENT ONE, AND SUMMER CAME<br> + VI. OLD AND NEW<br> + VII. ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO<br> + VIII. SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<h2> +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<p> +<a href="#1">"So the lad seated himself, and placed his fiddle in position."</a></p> + +<p><a href="#2">"Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm."</a></p> + +<p><a href="#3">"Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side."</a></p> + +<p><a href="#4">"Andrew raised himself in his bed to see who was there."</a></p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<br><br> +<h2>RICO AND STINELI.</h2> + +<br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER I.</p> + +<p>IN THE QUIET HOUSE.</p> + +<p> +In the Ober Engadin, on the highway up to Maloja, stands the lonely +village of Sils; and back towards the mountains, across the fields, +nestles a little cluster of huts known as Sils Maria. Here, in an open +field, two cottages stand, facing each other.</p> + +<p>Noticeable in both are the old wooden house-doors, and the tiny windows +quite imbedded in the thick walls. A bit of a garden-plot belongs to one +of these poor dwellings, where the pot-herbs and the cabbages look only +a trifle better than their spindling companions the flowers.</p> + +<p>The other house has nothing but a little shed, where two or three hens +may be seen running in and out. This cottage is smaller than its +neighbor, and its wooden door is quite black from age.</p> + +<p>Out of this door every morning, at the same hour, came a large man. In +order to pass out he was obliged to stoop, so tall was he. His hair was +black and glossy, and his eyes were also black; and under his +finely-shaped nose grew a thick black beard, completely hiding the lower +part of his face; so that, except the glistening of his white teeth when +he spoke, nothing was visible. But he rarely spoke.</p> + +<p>Everybody in Sils knew the man, but he was never called by his name,—it +was always "the Italian." He went by the foot-path across to Sils every +day regularly, and thence up to Maloja. They were working on the highway +in that place, and there he found employment.</p> + +<p>When, however, he did not have work up there, he went down to the Baths +of St. Moritz. Houses were being built down there, and he found work in +plenty; and there passed the day, only returning to his cottage at +nightfall.</p> + +<p>When he came out of his house in the morning, he was usually followed by +a little boy, who lingered on the threshold after his father had gone on +his way, and looked with his big black eyes for a long time in the +direction his father had taken; but where he was looking that no one +could have told, for his eyes had a faraway look, as if they saw nothing +that lay before them and near, but were searching for something +invisible to everybody.</p> + +<p>On Sunday mornings, when the sun shone brightly, father and son would +saunter up the road together; and the close resemblance between them was +most striking, for the child was the man in miniature, only his face was +small and pale,—with his father's well-formed nose, to be sure; but his +mouth had an expression of great sadness, as if he could not laugh. In +his father's face this could not be detected, on account of the beard.</p> + +<p>When they walked along together, side by side, they did not talk; but +the father usually hummed a tune softly,—sometimes quite aloud,—and +the lad listened attentively. On rainy Sundays they sat at the window +together in the cottage, and seldom talked then; but the man drew his +harmonica from his pocket, and played one tune after another to the lad, +who listened most earnestly. Sometimes he would take a comb, or even a +leaf, and coax forth music; or he would shape a bit of wood with his +knife, and whistle a tune upon that. It really seemed as if there were +no object from which he could not draw forth sweet sounds. Once, +however, he brought a fiddle home with him, and the boy was so delighted +with the instrument, that he never forgot it. The man played one tune +after another, while the child listened and looked with all his might; +and when the fiddle was laid aside, the little fellow took it up, and +tried to find out for himself how the music was made. And it could not +have sounded so very badly, for his father had smiled, saying, "Come, +now!" and placed the big fingers of his left hand over his son's, and +held the little hand and the bow together in his right; and thus they +played for a long time, and produced a great many sweet tunes.</p> + +<p>On the following day, after his father's departure, the boy tried again +and again to play, until at last he did succeed in producing a tune +quite correctly. Soon after, however, the fiddle disappeared, and never +made its appearance again.</p> + +<p>Often, when they were together, the man would begin to sing +softly,—softly at first, then more and more distinctly as he became +more interested, and the boy know the words, he could at least follow +the tune. The father sang Italian always; and the child understood a +great deal, but not well enough to sing. One tune, however, he knew +better than any other, for his father had repeated it many hundred +times. It was part of a long song, and began in this wise:—</p> + +<p> "One evening In Peschiera."</p> + +<p>It was a sad melody that some one had arranged to a pretty ballad, and +it particularly pleased the lad, so that he always sang it with pleasure +and with a feeling of awe; and it sounded very sweetly, for the lad had +a clear, bell-like voice, that harmonized beautifully with his father's +strong basso. And each time after they had sung this song from beginning +to end, his father clapped the boy kindly on the shoulder, saying, "Well +done, Henrico! well done!" This was the way his father called him, but +he was called "Rico" only by everybody else.</p> + +<p>There was a cousin who lived in the cottage with them, and who mended +and cooked and kept the house in order. In the winter she sat by the +stove and spun, and Rico had to consider how he could enter the room, +very carefully; for as soon as he had opened the door, his cousin called +out, "Do let that door alone, or we shall have it cold enough in the +room here."</p> + +<p>In winter he was very often alone with his cousin; for when his father +had work to do in the valley, he would be away for long weeks at a time.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER II.</p> + +<p>IN THE SCHOOL.</p> + +<p> +Rico was almost nine years old, and had been to school for two winters. +Up there in the mountains there was no school in the summer-time; for +then the teacher had his field to cultivate, and his hay and wood to +cut, like everybody else, and nobody had time to think of going to +school. This was not a great sorrow for Rico,—he knew how to amuse +himself. When he had once taken his place in the morning on the +threshold, he would stand there for hours without moving, gazing into +the far distance with dreamy eyes, if the door of the house over the +way did not open, and a little girl make her appearance and look over +at him laughingly. Then Rico ran over to her in a trice, and the +children were busy enough in telling each other what had happened since +the evening before, and talked incessantly, until Stineli was called +into the house. The girl's name was Stineli, and she and Rico were of +exactly the same age. They began to go to school at the same time, were +in the same classes, and from that time forward were always together; +for there was only a narrow path between their cottages, and they were +the dearest of friends.</p> + +<p>This was the only intimacy that Rico had, for he had no pleasure in +the companionship of the other boys; and when they thrashed each +other, or played at wrestling, or turned somersaults, he went away +without even looking back at them. If they called out after him, "Now +it is Rico's turn to be thrashed," he stood perfectly still and did +nothing; but he looked at them so strangely with his dark eyes, that +no one meddled with him.</p> + +<p>In Stineli's company he was always contented. She had a merry little +pug-nose, and two brown eyes that were always laughing; and around her +head were two thick braids of brown hair, that always looked smooth and +neat, for Stineli was a very orderly girl, and knew very well how to +take care of herself. For that her daily experience was excellent. It is +true Stineli was scarcely nine years old, but she was the eldest +daughter of the family, and had to help her mother in every thing, and +there was a great deal to be done,—for after Stineli came Trudi and +Sami and Peterli, then Urschli and Anne-Deteli and Kunzli, and last of +all the baby, who was not baptized. From every corner, at every moment, +Stineli was called for; and she had become so handy and skilful with all +this practice, that work seemed to turn itself out of her hands of its +own accord. She could always put on three stockings and fasten two shoes +before Trudi had even placed the legs of the little one she was helping +in the right position. And while her mother was calling for Stineli to +help her in the kitchen, and the little children wanted her in the +bedroom, her father was sure to shout out from the stable for Stineli to +come to his help, for he had mislaid his cap, or his whip-lash was in a +knot, and she found the one in a trice,—it was generally on the +meal-box,—and her limber fingers had no trouble in untying the knotted +lash. So, you see, Stineli was always busy running about and working, +but always merry with it all, and rejoiced also in winter, when the +school began. Then she went with Rico to school and back again, and in +recess they were also together. And in summer she was still more happy, +for then the lovely Sunday evenings came when she could go out; and she +and Rico went, hand in hand,—the lad was always waiting for her in the +doorway,—over the big meadow towards the wood on the hill-side that +projected far out over the lake like an island. They used to sit up +there under the pines, and look out over the green waters of the lake, +and had so many questions to ask and so many answers to give, and were +so happy, that Stineli was happy all the week in thinking it over and +looking forward,—for Sunday always came again.</p> + +<p>There was yet one other person in the household who called for Stineli +now and then,—that was her old grandmother.</p> + +<p>She did not want her assistance, however, but had generally a bit of +money to give her that she had put aside, or some little thing that +would give the girl pleasure; for the grandmother noticed how much there +was for Stineli to do, and that she had less pleasure than other +children of her age, and the child was her favorite. She always had +something ready so that she could buy herself a red ribbon at the yearly +market, or a needle-case, if she wished.</p> + +<p>Rico was also a favorite with this good grandmother, and she liked to +see the children together, and tried to contrive a little recreation for +them now and then.</p> + +<p>On summer evenings the grandmother always sat by the door on a +tree-stump that was there, and often Stineli and Rico stood by her side +while she told them stories. But when the prayer-bell sounded from the +little church tower she always said, "Now say, 'Our Father;' and be +sure, children, that you never forget to say that prayer every evening; +the prayer-bells ring to remind you of that." "Now remember, little +ones," she would now and then repeat, "I have lived for a long, long +time, and had a great deal of experience, and I have never known a +single person who has not, at some time or other in his life, sore need +of 'Our Father;' but I have known many a one who has sought to say it +anxiously, and not found it, in his great need." So Stineli and Rico +stood reverently side by side and said their evening prayer.</p> + +<p>Now May had come, and there was only a short time to pass before school +would cease, for under the trees there were signs of green, and the snow +had melted and vanished in many places. Rico had been standing for a +long time in the doorway making these welcome observations. At the same +time he looked again and again towards the opposite door, hoping that it +would open. It did at last, and out came Stineli.</p> + +<p>"How long have you been standing there?" she called out merrily. "It is +early to-day, and we can go along slowly."</p> + +<p>They took each other's hands, and went towards the schoolhouse.</p> + +<p>"Are you always thinking about the lake?" asked Stineli as they +went along.</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course," said Rico, with a serious expression; "and I often +dream about it too, and see great red flowers there, and in the distance +the purple mountains."</p> + +<p>"Oh! what one dreams does not count," said Stineli. "I dreamed once that +Peterli climbed, all alone, to the top of the highest pine-tree; and +when he was on the top twig, suddenly he changed into a bird and called +out, 'Come, Stineli, and put on my stockings for me.' So you see that it +does not mean any thing when you dream."</p> + +<p>Rico pondered over this, for his dream might certainly mean something, +and yet only be thoughts passing through his mind. Now, however, they +were near the schoolhouse, and a troop of noisy children came towards +them from the opposite direction. They all entered together, and soon +the teacher came in. He was an old man with thin, gray hair, for he had +been teacher for an incredibly long time,—so long, that his hair had +grown gray and fallen out.</p> + +<p>Now a busy spelling and pronouncing began; then followed the +multiplication-table, and, lastly, the singing. For this the teacher +brought out his old fiddle and tuned it. Then they began, and all +shouted at the top of their lungs,—</p> + +<p> "Little lambkins, come down + From the bright sunny height,"</p> + +<p>and the teacher played the accompaniment.</p> + +<p>Rico, however, had his eyes fixed so attentively upon the fiddle, and on +the teacher's fingers as he touched the strings, that he quite forgot +the song; and at this the whole choir lost their pitch, and fell away a +half-note, and the fiddle became uncertain, and lost a half-note also; +and then the voices fell lower still, until at last nobody could have +told where they were going to all together; but the teacher tossed his +fiddle upon the table and called out angrily, "What sort of a song do +you call that? You are nothing but a lot of screamers! I should like to +know who it is who sings false and spoils the whole time."</p> + +<p>At this a little boy spoke up,—the one who sat nearest to Rico: "I know +why it all goes wrong. It always goes that way when Rico stops singing."</p> + +<p>The teacher himself knew that the fiddle was somewhat dependent on +Rico's leading.</p> + +<p>"Rico, Rico! what is this that I hear?" he said, turning to the lad. +"You are generally a well-behaved boy; but inattention is a sad fault, +as you now see. One single careless scholar can easily spoil a whole +song. Now we will begin anew; and be more attentive, Rico."</p> + +<p>After this the boy sang with his steady, clear voice; the fiddle +followed, and the children sang with all their might, and it went on +very satisfactorily to the very end.</p> + +<p>The teacher was well satisfied, and rubbed his hands together, and then +drew his bow over the string, saying, with a pleased air, "It is a good +instrument, after all."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER III.</p> + +<p>THE OLD SCHOOLMASTER'S FIDDLE.</p> + +<p> +Stineli and Rico freed themselves from the crowd of children gathered +before the schoolhouse, and wandered off together. "Were you thinking so +that you could not sing with us to-day, Rico?" asked Stineli. "Were you +thinking again about the lake?"</p> + +<p>"No, it was quite another thing," replied the boy. "I know how to play +'Little lambkins, come down,' if I only had a fiddle."</p> + +<p>Judging from the deep sigh that accompanied these words, the wish must +have weighed heavily on Rico's heart. The sympathetic little Stineli +began at once to contrive some means of helping him to get his wish.</p> + +<p>"We will buy one together, Rico," she said suddenly, full of delight at +a happy thought that had entered her head. I have ever so many pieces of +money,—as many as twelve. How much have you got?"</p> + +<p>"None at all," said the boy sadly. "My father gave me some before he +went away, but my cousin said I should only spend it foolishly, and +she took it from me, and put it up on the shelf in a box where I +cannot get it."</p> + +<p>Such a trifle did not discourage Stineli. "Perhaps we have enough +without that, and my grandmother will give me some more soon," she said +consolingly. "You know, Rico, a fiddle can't cost so very much; it is +nothing but a bit of old wood with four strings stretched across it, +that will be cheap, I'm sure. You must ask the teacher about it +to-morrow morning, and then we will try to find one."</p> + +<p>So it was settled, and Stineli resolved to do all she could at home to +make herself useful by getting up bright and early, and making the fire +before her mother was afoot, thinking that, if she worked busily from +morning till night, perhaps her grandmother would put a bit of money for +her in the bag.</p> + +<p>After school the next day Stineli went out and waited alone behind the +wood-pile at the schoolhouse corner, for Rico had made up his mind at +last to ask the teacher how much it would cost to buy a fiddle. He was +such a long time about it, that Stineli kept peeping out from behind the +wood-pile, quite overcome with impatience, but only saw the other school +children who were standing about and playing; but now certainly,—yes, +that was Rico who came around the corner.</p> + +<p>"What did he say? How much does it cost?" cried Stineli, almost +breathless with suspense.</p> + +<p>"I had not the courage to ask," was the sad answer.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a shame!" said the girl, and stood still and disappointed for +a moment, but not more. "Never mind, Rico; you can try again to-morrow," +she said cheerfully, taking him by the hand and turning homeward. "I got +another bit of money from my grandmother this morning, because I got up +early and was in the kitchen when she came in."</p> + +<p>The same thing happened, however, the next day and the day after. Rico +stood for half an hour before the door without getting courage to go in +to ask his question. At last Stineli made up her mind to go herself, if +this lasted three days more. On the fourth day, however, as Rico was +standing, timid and depressed, before the door, it opened suddenly, and +the teacher came out quickly, and ran into Rico with such force, that +the slender little fellow, who did not weigh more than a feather, was +thrown backward several feet. The teacher stood looking at the child in +great surprise and some displeasure. Then he said, "What does this mean, +Rico? Why do you stand before the door without knocking, if you have a +message to deliver? If you have no message, why do you not go away? If +you wish to tell me any thing, do so at once. What is it that you wish?"</p> + +<p>"How much does a fiddle cost?" Rico blurted out his question in +great fear and haste. The teacher's surprise and displeasure +increased visibly.</p> + +<p>"I do not understand, Rico," he said, with a severe glance at the boy. +Have you come here on purpose to mock me? or have you any particular +reason for asking this? What did you mean to say?"</p> + +<p>"I did not mean any thing," said Rico abashed, "only to ask how much it +would cost to buy a fiddle."</p> + +<p>"You did not understand me just now,—pay attention to what I am saying. +There are two ways of asking a question: either to obtain information, +or simply from idle curiosity, which is foolishness. Now pay attention, +Rico: is this a mere idle question, or did somebody send you who wishes +to buy a fiddle?"</p> + +<p>"I want to buy one myself," said the boy, taking courage a little; +but he was frightened when the angry reply came, "What! what did you +say? A forlorn little fellow like you buy a fiddle! Do you even know +what the instrument is? Have you any idea of how old I was, and what +I knew, before I obtained one? I was a teacher, a regular teacher; +was twenty-two years old, with an assured profession, and not a +child like you.</p> + +<p>"Now I will tell you what a fiddle costs, and then you will see how +foolish you are. Six hard gulden I paid for mine. Can you realize what +that means? We will separate it into blutsgers. If one gulden contains a +hundred blutsgers, then six guldens will be equal to six times one +hundred,—quickly, quickly! Now, Rico, you are generally ready enough."</p> + +<p>"Six hundred blutsgers," said the lad softly, for he was quite +overpowered with the magnitude of this sum as compared with Stineli's +twelve blutsgers.</p> + +<p>"And, moreover, my son, do you imagine that you have only to take a +fiddle in your hand to be able to play on it at once? It takes a long +time to do that. Come in here now, for a moment." And the teacher opened +the door, and took his fiddle from its place on the wall. "There," he +said, as he placed it on Rico's arm, "take the bow in your hand,—so, my +boy; and if you can play me <i>c, d, e, f</i>, I will give you a +half-gulden."</p> + +<p>Rico had the fiddle really in his hand; his eyes sparkled with fire; <i>c, +d, e, f,</i>—he played the notes firmly and perfectly correctly. "You +little rascal!" cried the astonished teacher, "where did you learn that? +Who taught you? How do you find the notes?"</p> + +<p>"I can do more than that, if I may," said the boy.</p> + +<p>"Play, then."</p> + +<p>And Rico played correctly, and with enthusiasm,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "Little lambkins, come down<br> + From the bright sunny height;<br> + The daylight is fading,<br> + The sun says, 'Good-night!'"</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<br><br><br><br> +<a name="2"></a> +<center> +<img alt="002a.jpg (153K)"src="002a.jpg" height="1075" width="674"> +<p><b>RICO PLAYED CORRECTLY, AND WITH ENTHUSIASM</b></p> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>The teacher sunk into a chair, and put his spectacles on his nose. His +eyes rested on Rico's fingers as he played, then on his sparkling eyes, +and again on his hands. When the air was finished, he said, "Come here +to me, Rico;" and, moving his chair into the light, he placed the lad +directly before him. "Now I have something to say to you. Your father is +an Italian; and I know that down there all sorts of things go on of +which we have no idea here in the mountains. Now look me straight in the +eye, and answer me truly and honestly. How did you learn to play this +air so correctly?"</p> + +<p>Looking up with his honest eyes, the boy replied, "I learned it from +you, in the school where it is so often sung."</p> + +<p>These words gave an entirely new aspect to the affair. The teacher stood +up, and went back and forth several times in the room. Then he was +himself the cause of this wonderful event; there was no necromancy +concerned in it.</p> + +<p>In a far better humor, he took out his purse, saying, "Here is your +half-gulden, Rico; it is justly yours. Now go; and for the future be +very attentive to the music-lesson as long as you go to the school. In +that way you may, perhaps, accomplish something; and in twelve or +fourteen years perhaps you may be able to buy a fiddle. Now you may go."</p> + +<p>Rico cast one look at the fiddle, and departed with deep sadness in +his heart.</p> + +<p>Stineli came running to meet him from behind the wood-pile. "You did +stay a long time. Have you asked the question?"</p> + +<p>"It is all of no use," said the boy; and his eyebrows came together in +his distress, and formed a thick black line across his forehead over his +eyes. "A fiddle costs six hundred blutsgers; and in fourteen years I can +buy one, when everybody will be dead. Who will be living fourteen years +from now? There, you may have this; I do not want it." With these words +he pressed the half-gulden into Stineli's hand.</p> + +<p>"Six hundred blutsgers!" repeated the girl, horrified. "But where did +this half-gulden come from?"</p> + +<p>Rico told her all that had happened at the teacher's, ending with the +same words expressing his great regret, "It is all of no use!"</p> + +<p>Stineli tried to console him a little with the half-gulden; but he was +furious at the thought of the innocent piece of money, and would not +even look at it.</p> + +<p>So Stineli said, "I will put it with my blutsgers, and we will have it +all between us."</p> + +<p>Stineli herself was very much discouraged now; but as they went around +the corner into the field, the little pathway that led to their doors +shone so prettily in the bright sunlight, and the plat before the houses +was so white and dry, that she called out,—</p> + +<p>"See, see! now it is summer, Rico; and we can go up into the wood, and +we will be happy again. Shall we go next Sunday?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing will ever make me happy again," said Rico; "but if you want to +go, I will go with you."</p> + +<p>When they reached the door, they had arranged to go to the wood on the +following Sunday, and Stineli was very happy at the thought. She did all +that she was able to do through the week, and there was a great deal of +work for her. Peterli, Sami, and Urschli had the measles, and in the +stable one of the goats was sick, and needed hot water very often; and +Stineli had to run hither and thither, lending a helping hand in every +direction as soon as she came home from school, and on Saturday all day +long until late in the evening; and then there were the stable buckets +to be cleaned. But that night her father said,—</p> + +<p>"Stineli <i>is</i> a handy child."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER IV.</p> + +<p>THE BEAUTIFUL DISTANT LAKE WITHOUT A NAME</p> + +<p> +When Stineli awoke on the following Sunday morning, she was conscious of +an unusual light-heartedness, and at first could not understand the +cause, until she remembered what day it was, and that her grandmother +had said, on the previous evening, "To-morrow you must have the whole +afternoon to yourself: it is rightfully yours."</p> + +<p>After dinner was finished, and all the dishes taken away, and the table +washed off by Stineli, Peterli called out, "Come here to me;" and the +two others screamed, "No, to me!" and her father said, "Now Stineli must +go to look after the goats."</p> + +<p>But at this moment her grandmother went through the kitchen, and made a +sign to Stineli to follow her.</p> + +<p>"Now go in peace, my child," she said. "I will take care of the goats +and the children; but be sure to come home, both of you, punctually when +the bell rings for prayer." The grandmother knew very well that there +were two of them.</p> + +<p>Off flew Stineli, like a bird whose cage-door has suddenly been opened; +and outside stood Rico, who had been waiting for a long time. They went +on together, across the meadow towards the wood.</p> + +<p>On the mountains the sun was shining brightly, and the blue heavens lay +over all the landscape. They were obliged to pass, for a little while, +through the shade in the snow; but the sun was shining a little farther +on, and shimmered on the waters of the lake, and there were lovely dry +spots on the slope that was almost hanging over the lake.</p> + +<p>There the children seated themselves. A sharp wind came down from the +heights, and whistled about their ears. Stineli was as happy as happy +could be. She shouted out, again and again, "Oh, look, Rico; look! How +beautiful it is in the sun! Now summer has come, look how the lake +glistens! There cannot be a more beautiful lake than this one anywhere," +she said confidently.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, Stineli! You ought to see the lake I know about just once," +said Rico; and looked so longingly across the lake, that it seemed as if +that which he wanted to see began just beyond their vision.</p> + +<p>"Over there are no dark fir-trees, with sharp needles, but shining green +leaves, and great red flowers; and the mountains are not so high and +dark, nor so near, but lie off in the distance, and are purple; and the +sky and the lake are all golden and still and warm. There the wind does +not feel like this, and one's feet never get full of snow; and one can +sit all day long on the sunny ground, and look about."</p> + +<p>Stineli was quite carried away by this description. She already saw the +red flowers and the golden lake before her eyes, and seemed to know +exactly how beautiful it all was.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you may be able to go there again to see it all, Rico. Do you +know the way?"</p> + +<p>"You must cross the Maloja. I have been there with my father once. He +pointed me out the road that goes all the way down the mountain,—first +this way, then that, and far below lies the lake; but so far, so far, +that it is scarcely possible to go there."</p> + +<p>"Oh! that is easy enough," said Stineli. "You have to go farther and +farther, that is all; and at the end you will surely get there."</p> + +<p>"But my father told me something else. Do you know, Stineli, when you +are travelling and stop at an inn, and eat something and sleep there, +then there is something to pay, and you must have money for that."</p> + +<p>"Oh! we have lots of money," cried Stineli triumphantly. But her +companion was not triumphant.</p> + +<p>"That is exactly as good as nothing. I know that by the affair of the +fiddle," he said sadly.</p> + +<p>"Then it will be better for you to stay at home, Rico. Look! it is +beautiful here at home, I am sure."</p> + +<p>The lad sat thoughtfully silent for a long time, leaning his head on his +hand, and his eyebrows brought in a close line down over his eyes. At +last he turned again to Stineli, who had been gathering the soft green +moss that grew around the spot where they were lying, and of which she +made a tiny bed with two pillows and a coverlet. She meant to carry them +home to the sick Urschli.</p> + +<p>"You say I had better stay at home, Stineli; but, do you know, it is +just as if I did not know where my home really is."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me! what do you mean?" cried the girl; and in her surprise she +threw away a whole handful of moss. Your home is here, of course. It is +always home where father and mother"—She stopped suddenly. Rico had no +mother, and his father had been away now for a very long time; and the +cousin? Stineli never went near that cousin, who had never spoken one +pleasant word to her. The child did not know what to say, but it was not +natural to her to remain long in uncertainty. Rico had already fallen +into one of his reveries, when she grasped him by the arm, and said,—</p> + +<p>"I should just like to know something; that is, the name of the lake +where it is so lovely."</p> + +<p>Rico pondered. "I do not know," he said; and felt very much surprised +himself as he spoke.</p> + +<p>Now Stineli proposed that they should ask somebody what it was called; +for even if Rico had ever so much money, and was able to travel, he must +know how to inquire the way, and what the name of the lake was. They +began at once to think of whom they should inquire,—of the teacher, or +of the grandmother.</p> + +<p>At last it occurred to Rico that his father would know better than +anybody else, and he thought he would certainly ask him when he came +home again.</p> + +<p>The time had slipped away quickly as they sat talking, and presently the +children heard the distant sound of a bell. They recognized the sound. +It was the bell for prayers.</p> + +<p>They sprang up quickly, and ran off, hand in hand, down the hill-side +through bushes, and through the snow across the meadow; and it had +scarcely stopped ringing when they reached the door where the +grandmother was on the lookout for them.</p> + +<p>Stineli had to go at once into the house, and her grandmother said +quickly, "Go home directly, Rico, and do not hang around the door +any longer."</p> + +<p>The grandmother had never said such a thing to him before, although he +had always been in the habit of hanging around the door; for he was +never in haste to go home, and stood always for a while before he could +make up his mind to enter. He obeyed at once, however, and went into +the house.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER V.</p> + +<p>A SAD HOUSE, BUT THE LAKE GETS A NAME.</p> + +<p> +Rico did not find his cousin in the sitting-room; so he went to the +kitchen, and opened the door. There she stood; but before he could +enter, she raised her finger, saying, "Sch! sch! Do not open and shut +the doors, and make a noise, as if there were four of you. Go into the +other room, and keep still. Your father is lying in the bedroom up +there. They brought him home in a wagon: he is sick."</p> + +<p>Rico went into the room, seated himself on a bench, and did not stir.</p> + +<p>He sat there for at least a half-hour. Presently he heard the cousin +moving about in the kitchen. Then he thought that he would go up very +softly, and peep into the bedroom. Perhaps his father would like +something to eat: it was long past the meal-time.</p> + +<p>He slipped behind the stove, mounted the little steps, and went very +softly into the bedroom. After a while he returned, went at once into +the kitchen, approached quite close to his cousin, and said softly,—</p> + +<p>"Cousin, come up."</p> + +<p>The woman was about to strike him angrily, when she happened to glance +at his face. He was perfectly colorless,—cheeks and lips as white as +a sheet, and his eyes looked so black that the cousin was almost +afraid of him.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you?" she asked hastily, and followed him +almost involuntarily.</p> + +<p>He mounted the little steps softly, and entered the chamber. His father +lay on the bed with staring, wide-open eyes,—he was dead.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my God!" screamed the cousin, and ran crying out of the door that +opened upon the passage on the other side of the room, went down the +staircase, and across into the opposite house, where she called out to +tell the neighbor and the grandmother the sad news; and thence she ran +on to the teacher and to the mayor.</p> + +<p>One after another they came, and entered the quiet room until it was +full of people; for the news spread from one to another of what had +taken place. And in the midst of all the tumult, and of all the clamor +of the crowd of neighbors, Rico stood by the bedside speechless, +motionless, and gazed at his father. All through the week the house +was filled with people who wished to look at the man, and hear from +the cousin how it had all happened; so that the lad heard it repeated +over and over, that his father had been at work down in St. Gall on +the railroad.</p> + +<p>He had received a deep wound on the head when they were blasting a rock; +and, as he could not work any longer, he wished to go home to take care +of himself until the wound was healed. But the long journey—sometimes +on foot, sometimes in an open wagon—was too much for him; and when he +had reached his home on Sunday, towards evening, he he had lain down on +the bed never to rise again. Without any one knowing it, he had passed +away; for he was already stiff when Rico had found him. On the following +Sunday the burial took place. Rico was the only mourner to follow the +coffin. Several kind neighbors joined in, and thus the little procession +went on to Sils. In the church, Rico heard the pastor when he read out, +"The deceased was called Henrico Trevillo, and was a native of Peschiera +on the Lake of Garda."</p> + +<p>These words brought the feeling to Rico that he had heard something that +he knew perfectly well before, and yet could not recollect. He had +always seen a picture of the lake before his eyes when he had sung,—</p> + +<p> "One evening + In Peschiera,"</p> + +<p>with his father, but he had never known the reason. He repeated the name +softly to himself, while one old song after another arose in his memory.</p> + +<p>As he came back from the burial all alone, he saw the grandmother +seated on the log of wood, and Stineli by her side. She beckoned him to +come over to them. She gave the lad a bit of cake and another to +Stineli, and said now they might go off together for a walk. Rico ought +not to be alone.</p> + +<p>So the children rambled off together, hand in hand. The grandmother +remained seated on her log, sadly gazing after the black-haired lad +until they had wandered slowly up the hillside and passed out of sight. +Then she said softly to herself,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> +<p> "Whate'er He does, or lets be done, + Is always for the best."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER VI.</p> + +<p>RICO'S MOTHER.</p> + +<p> +Along the road from Sils came the teacher leaning on his staff. He had +assisted at the burial. He coughed and cleared his throat; and as he +drew near to the grandmother and bade her "good evening," he seated +himself by her side. "If you have no objection, I will sit here with you +for a few moments, neighbor," said he; "for I feel very badly in my +throat and chest. But what can we expect when we are almost seventy +years old, and have witnessed such a funeral as this one to-day? He was +not thirty-five years of age, and as strong as a tree."</p> + +<p>"It always sets me thinking," said the grandmother, "when I, an old +woman of seventy-five years, am left, and here and there a young person +is called away,—a useful one, too."</p> + +<p>"Yet the old folks are good for something. Who else can set an +example to the youth?" remarked the teacher. "But what is your +opinion, neighbor: what will become of the little fellow over yonder, +do you think?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, what will become of him?" repeated the old woman. "I also ask +myself that question; and if my only reliance were upon human help, I +should not know of an answer. But there is a heavenly Father who looks +after the forsaken children. He will provide something for the lad."</p> + +<p>"Will you not tell me, neighbor, how it happened that the Italian +married the daughter of your friend who lived over there opposite? One +never knows how these people may turn out."</p> + +<p>"It happened as such things always happen, neighbor. You know how my old +friend Anne-Dete had lost all her children, and her husband also, and +lived alone in the cottage over yonder with Marie-Seppli, who was a +merry little girl. About eleven or twelve years ago Trevillo made his +appearance here. He had work in the Maloja, and came down here with the +other boys; and he and Marie-Seppli had scarcely become acquainted +before they were resolved to have each other.</p> + +<p>"And it must be said, in justice to Trevillo, that he was not only a +handsome fellow who was agreeable to everybody, but also an industrious +and well-conducted man, with whom Anne-Dete (the mother) was well +pleased. Naturally she wished that they should stay in the house and +live with her, and Trevillo would gladly have done so. He was fond of +his wife's mother, and he always did as Marie-Seppli wished him to. He +had taken her, however, towards the Maloja in his walks, and they had +together looked down the road where you can see how far it goes winding +down the mountain; and he had told her how every thing was down there +where he was born. So Marie-Seppli got it into her head that she must go +there, and no matter how much her mother worried and fretted, and said +that they could not live there, she still was bent upon going; and +Trevillo himself said that as to living there she need not fear, for he +had a nice little property and a house; but, for his part, he would like +to see a little of the world. But the bride prevailed, and after the +wedding she was all for starting directly down the mountain.</p> + +<p>"She wrote to her mother occasionally that it was very nice where they +lived, and that Trevillo was the best of husbands.</p> + +<p>"About five or six years later, who should walk into the room where +Anne-Dete was sitting but Trevillo, leading a little boy by the hand. He +said, 'There, mother, this is the only thing I have left of +Marie-Seppli. She lies buried down yonder with her other little +children. This one was her first, and her favorite.'</p> + +<p>"This is what my old friend told me. Then he threw himself down on the +bench where he had first seen his wife, saying that he should like to +make his home there with her and the boy, if she had no objection, for +down below it was not possible for him to continue to live. This was joy +and sorrow at the same time for Anne-Dete.</p> + +<p>"Little Rico was then about four years old,—a quiet, thoughtful boy, +never noisy or mischievous, and the very apple of her eye; but she died +in the course of a year, and Trevillo was advised to take a cousin of +hers to keep house for him and his boy."</p> + +<p>"So, so!" said the teacher when the old woman was silent, having +finished her story. "I had not understood all this thoroughly before. +Perhaps some of Trevillo's relations will come forward, in good time, +and they can be asked to do something for the child."</p> + +<p>"Relations!" said the grandmother with a sigh. "That cousin is a +relation, and little enough of comfort he gets from her in the course of +the year."</p> + +<p>The schoolmaster rose with difficulty from his seat. "I am going +down-hill, neighbor," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot imagine where +my strength has gone to."</p> + +<p>The old woman encouraged him, and said he was still a young man in +comparison with her. But, in truth, it did surprise her to see how +slowly and painfully he walked as he left her.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER VII.</p> + +<p>A PRECIOUS LEGACY, AND A PRECIOUS PRAYER.</p> + +<p> +Many beautiful Sundays followed; and, whenever it was possible, the +grandmother so arranged it that Stineli got, now and then, a spare +moment; but the work in the house increased daily. Rico passed many +hours standing on the threshold of his cottage looking longingly across +the way, in the hope of seeing Stineli come out.</p> + +<p>Towards September, when people often sat before their houses in order to +enjoy, to the utmost, the last warm evenings of the season, the +schoolmaster placed himself before his door, but he looked very thin and +coughed continually; and at last, one morning when he tried to rise, his +strength deserted him completely, and he fell back upon his pillow.</p> + +<p>There he lay very still, and busy with all sorts of thoughts; and he +wondered what would come to pass when he died. He had no children, and +his wife had been dead for a long time, and there was only in old +maid-servant to live with him and take care of the house. He was +principally occupied in thinking of what would become of all the things +that belonged to him when he should be gone; and, as his fiddle hung +directly opposite to him on the wall, he said to himself, "I must leave +that behind me too."</p> + +<p>Then he remembered the day when Rico stood before him and played on the +instrument, and he felt as if he had rather let the boy have the fiddle +than to let it go to a distant cousin who did not understand the use of +it at all. And he thought that, if it were to go very cheap, perhaps +Rico could buy it. Presently he bethought himself that if he could not +use the violin, neither would he have any use for money. For all that, +he could not bring himself to let the instrument, for which he had paid +down six hard gulden, go for nothing.</p> + +<p>So he pondered and pondered how he could manage to obtain something in +exchange; but at last it was quite clear to him that there, where he was +fast going, he could not take his violin with him, neither could he take +any thing that he might get for it, for all must remain behind.</p> + +<p>While he was lying there the fever became greater and greater, and he +lay, towards evening and all night long, fighting with all sorts of +strange thoughts, and old, long-forgotten events rose before his mind +and perplexed him; so that at last, towards morning, he lay on his bed +utterly exhausted, and with only one thought or wish,—viz., to be able +to do one kind deed, one good action, and that quickly, before it was +too late. He knocked against the wall with his stick until the old +maid-servant heard him and came in to him; and then he sent her over to +the grandmother, to ask her to come to him as quickly as possible.</p> + +<p>She did come almost immediately; and before she had fairly time to ask +him how he found himself, he said,—</p> + +<p>"Will you be so good as to take down the fiddle that hangs there on the +wall, and give it to the little orphan boy? I wish to make him a present +of it, and he must be very careful of it."</p> + +<p>Naturally the good woman was very much surprised, and could not +refrain from exclaiming repeatedly, "What will Rico do with it? What +will Rico say to this?" Presently she noticed, however, that the +schoolmaster seemed a little restless, as if he were in a hurry to +have the thing done.</p> + +<p>So she left him, and hastened as quickly as possible across the fields +with the gift under her arm; for she was also impatient to know how Rico +would take this rare piece of good fortune.</p> + +<p>He was standing in the doorway of his cottage. At a motion from the +grandmother, he ran towards her.</p> + +<p>"Here, Rico," she said, and handed him the violin. "The schoolmaster +sends this to you: it is yours."</p> + +<p>The boy stood as if he were in a dream, but it was true. The grandmother +was really standing there, holding the fiddle out to him.</p> + +<p>Trembling with pleasure and excitement, he took his present at last, put +it on his arm, and gazed at it in a silly sort of way, as if he thought +it might vanish presently, as quickly as it had come, if he did not keep +his eyes on it.</p> + +<p>"You must be very careful of it," said the old woman, delivering her +message faithfully. She was much inclined to laugh, however; for it did +not seem to her that the warning was at all necessary. "And, Rico, think +about the teacher, and do not forget what he has done for you: he is +very ill."</p> + +<p>The grandmother went into the house with these words; and the boy +hastened up into his own bedroom, where he was always alone.</p> + +<p>There he sat and fiddled, and played on and on, and forgot all about +eating or drinking, or how the time sped on. At last, when it was almost +dark, he came to himself, and went down-stairs. The cousin came out from +the kitchen, saying, "You can have something to eat to-morrow morning. +You have behaved so to-day that you won't get any thing more."</p> + +<p>The boy did not feel hungry, although he had not eaten since the early +morning, and went quite unconsciously across into the opposite house, +and entered the kitchen. He was looking for the grandmother.</p> + +<p>Stineli was standing by the hearth, arranging the fire. When she caught +sight of Rico, she shouted aloud for joy; for the ground had almost +burned beneath her feet, she had been so impatient all day—ever since +her grandmother had told her the great news—to get away, and express +her delight to Rico; but she had not dared to leave the house for an +instant. Now she was fairly beside herself, and called out, again and +again, "You have got it now! You have got it now!"</p> + +<p>Hearing the noise, the grandmother came out of the sitting-room; and +Rico hastened towards her, saying, "May I go to thank the teacher, if +he is sick?"</p> + +<p>After thinking a while,—for she remembered how very ill the +schoolmaster looked in the morning when she saw him,—the good woman +said, "Wait a few moments, Rico, I will go with you;" and stepped into +her room to put on a clean apron. Then they went over to the +schoolhouse. The grandmother entered first. Rico followed, his fiddle +under his arm. He had not once laid it down since it had come into his +possession.</p> + +<p>The teacher lay on his bed, looking very feeble indeed. The lad stepped +to the bedside and looked down at his fiddle and could scarcely speak, +but his eyes sparkled so brightly that the good man had no difficulty in +understanding him: he cast a pleased look towards the boy, and nodded at +him. Then he beckoned the grandmother to draw near. Rico moved a little +to one side, and the teacher said with a weak voice, "Grandmother, I +should be very glad if you would say 'Our Father' for me, I feel so very +much troubled."</p> + +<p>Just at this moment the prayer-bell sounded. The grandmother folded her +hands and repeated the Lord's Prayer, and Rico also folded his hands. +Every thing was quiet in the room. After a while the grandmother bent +over and closed the old teacher's eyes, for he had passed away. Then she +took Rico by the hand, and went softly home with him.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER VIII.</p> + +<p>ON THE LAKE OF SILS.</p> + +<p> +Stineli did not recover herself during the entire week, her joy was so +great; but it seemed as if that week were ten days longer than any +other, for Sunday seemed never to come.</p> + +<p>At last it did come, and a golden sun shone over the harvest fields, and +she and Rico went up under the fir-trees, where the sparkling lake lay +spread out at their feet; and the girl's heart was so overflowing with +happiness, that she had to dance about and shout aloud before she seated +herself on the moss, on the very edge of the slope. There she could see +every thing round about,—the sunny heights and the lake, and, stretched +over all, the blue heavens.</p> + +<p>Suddenly she called out, "Come now, Rico; we will sing,—sing for +ever so long."</p> + +<p>So the lad seated himself by Stineli's side, and placed his fiddle in +position,—for he had, of course, brought that too,—and began to play, +and the children sang,—</p> + +<p> "Little lambkins, come down <br> + From the bright, sunny height,"</p> + +<p>until they had sung all the verses; but Stineli had not had half enough.</p> + +<p>"We will sing more," she said, and went on,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "Little lambkins, above<br> + On the bright, pleasant hill,<br> + The sunlight is sparkling,<br> + The winds are not still."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>And then Rico sang the verse and was pleased and said, "Sing some more."</p> + +<p>Stineli was quite excited: thought a bit, and looked up, then down, and +sang again,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,<br> + And the heavens so blue;<br> + And red and white flowers,<br> + And the green grasses, too."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + + +<p>Then Rico fiddled and sung the verse with her, and said again, +"Some more."</p> + +<p>Stineli laughed, and, glancing at Rico, sang,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "And a sad little boy,<br> + And a very gay maid;<br> + And a lake like another,<br> + That from water is made."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + + +<p>Laughing and singing, Stineli went +on,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,<br> + They jumped up so high,<br> + And all were most merry,<br> + And did not know why.</p> + +<p> "And a boy and a girl <br> + By the lake-side did sit,<br> + And because they forgot it,<br> + It hurt not a bit."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + + + +<p>Now they began at the very beginning, and sang the whole thing through +again, and made merry over it, and were so happy that they sang it at +least ten times over; and the more they repeated it, the better it +sounded to their ears.</p> + +<p>After this Rico played several tunes that he had learned from his +father; but they soon came back to their own song, and began that again.</p> + +<p>In the midst of it the girl stopped and said, "It has just come into +my head how you can go down to the other lake, and will not need any +money either."</p> + +<p>Rico paused suddenly and gazed at his companion, awaiting what was +coming next.</p> + +<p>"Don't you see," she said earnestly, "now you have a fiddle, and you +know a song. You can go and play your song, and sing before the +taverns; then the people will give you something to eat and to drink, +and let you sleep there, for they will see that you are not a beggar. +So you can go on until you reach the lake; and, coming home, you can do +the same thing again."</p> + +<p>Rico reflected over these words, but Stineli would give him no time for +dreaming: she wanted to go on with the song.</p> + +<p>They made so much noise themselves, that they did not hear the +prayer-bell at all; and did not notice what time it was until reminded +by the growing darkness, and perceived the grandmother looking about +anxiously for them before they reached the houses.</p> + +<p>But Stineli was too much excited to be subdued by any thing. She ran on +towards her grandmother, and said, "You have no idea how beautifully +Rico can fiddle; and we have made a song of our own, for ourselves only. +We will sing it to you this very moment."</p> + +<p>And before there was time to answer, they began and sang it all through; +and the good grandmother listened with real pleasure to their sweet, +clear voices.</p> + +<p>She seated herself on the log; and, when the children had finished, +said, "Come now, Rico, I want you to play for me; and you and I will +sing together. Do you know the song that begins,—</p> + +<p> "'I sing to thee with heart and voice?'"</p> + +<p>Rico had probably heard the hymn, but he did not know it correctly, and +said that he wished first to hear it from the grandmother, and he would +follow her softly on his violin, and then he would be sure of it.</p> + +<p>So they began; and first the grandmother repeated the words of a verse +to the children, and then they all sang it together,—</p> + + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "I sing to thee with heart and voice,<br> + Lord, whom my soul obeys.<br> + I sing, and bid all earth rejoice:<br> + Thou teachest me thy praise.</p> +<br> +<p> "I know that thou the fountain art<br> + Of joy,—the eternal spring<br> + Which, into every willing heart,<br> + Healing and good dost bring.</p> +<br> +<p> "Why do we worry over sin?<br> + Why sorrow night and day?<br> + Come, bring thy load, cast it on Him<br> + Who fashioned thee from clay.</p> +<br> +<p> "He never yet has done amiss;<br> + And, perfect in His sight,<br> + All that He does or orders is<br> + Sure to be finished right.</p> +<br> +<p> "Now only let His will be done,<br> + Nor clamor constantly,<br> + Peace to thy heart on earth will come,<br> + And joy eternally."</p> + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + + + +<p>"It is well," said the grandmother. "Now we know a proper evening hymn, +and you may go quickly to rest, my children."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER IX.</p> + +<p>A PERPLEXING AFFAIR.</p> + +<p> +When Rico entered the cottage that evening it was later than usual, for +he had spent a full half-hour in singing the hymn. As he went in, his +cousin came flying towards him.</p> + +<p>"Are you beginning in this style already?" she called out. "The supper +stood waiting for you a whole hour: now I have put it away. Go to your +bedroom; and if you turn out a good-for-nothing and a scamp, it is no +fault of mine. I don't know any thing that I had not rather do than look +after a boy like you."</p> + +<p>Rico never answered a single word, no matter how much his cousin might +scold at him; but this evening he looked at her, and said,—</p> + +<p>"I can get out of your way, cousin."</p> + +<p>She shoved the bolt in on the house-door with such violence that the +door shook, and went into the sitting-room, slamming that door behind +her. Rico went up into his dark little bedroom.</p> + +<p>On the following day, as all the big family in the other cottage +were eating their supper,—the parents, the grandmother, and all the +children,—the cousin came running over, and called out from the +door to ask if they knew any thing about Rico: she had no idea where +he could be.</p> + +<p>"He will come fast enough when it is time for supper," replied the +father quietly.</p> + +<p>The cousin entered the room. She had been quite sure that the lad was +there, and she expected him to come out if she only stood at the door +and asked for him.</p> + +<p>Now she went on to tell them that he had not made his appearance at +breakfast, nor at dinner-time, and that he had not been in bed the +previous night, for she had found it as she had left it; and she +believed that he must have gone away very early in the morning before +daybreak, wandering about as he was in the habit of doing, for the bolt +was pushed aside on the house-door when she went to open it. She thought +at first that she must have forgotten to bolt it the night before in her +anger, for nobody knew how angry she had been.</p> + +<p>"Something has happened to him," said the father, quite unmoved. "He has +probably fallen into some cleft up there on the mountain: it often +happens to little boys who go climbing about everywhere.</p> + +<p>"You ought to have spoken of it earlier in the day," he went on slowly. +"We shall have to go to look for him, and in the night you can't see +any thing."</p> + +<p>At these words the cousin broke out into a terrible uproar. She expected +there would be all sorts of fault found with her; that was always the +way when you had suffered for years, and never said any thing about it.</p> + +<p>"Nobody would ever believe," she said,—and spoke a truthful word then, +at least,—"what a sly, cunning, deceitful boy that is, and what a life +he has led me these four years. He will turn out a regular vagabond, a +tramp, a disgraceful creature."</p> + +<p>The grandmother had ceased eating for several minutes. She now rose from +the table, and went up to the cousin, who was talking very noisily.</p> + +<p>"Stop, neighbor, stop," she said; and repeated it twice without effect. +"I know Rico very well; I have always known him ever since he was +brought here to his grandmother. If I were in your place, I would not +say another word, but stop to think whether the lad, to whom perhaps +something dreadful has happened, and who may be standing up there before +God at this moment, may not have some complaint against +somebody,—somebody who had done him a heavy injury, all deserted as he +is, with her cruel words."</p> + +<p>Since Rico's disappearance, the way the lad looked at her on that +last evening had occurred several times to the cousin's mind, and how +he said,—</p> + +<p>"I can easily get out of your way."</p> + +<p>That was why she had made such a noise about it, in order to drown these +words. Now she did not dare to look the grandmother in the face, but +said that she must go: perhaps Rico might be at the cottage by this +time, which she would very gladly have had come true.</p> + +<p>From this day forward the cousin never spoke another word against Rico +in the grandmother's hearing; nor, indeed, did she often speak of him at +all. She believed, as did all the neighbors far and near, that the lad +was dead; and she was thankful that nobody knew about the words he had +said to her on that last evening.</p> + +<p>The next morning after this event was made known, Stineli's father went +out to the thrashing-floor and picked himself out a stout stick. He said +that he would call some of the neighbors together: they must go search +for the lad somewhere towards the glaciers and up by the ravines.</p> + +<p>Stineli crept out after him, and he said, when he noticed her, "That is +right, come and help me to search; you can get into the corners better +than I can."</p> + +<p>At last, after they had found a big beanpole, Stineli ventured to say, +"But father, if Rico went along the high-road, then he could not fall +into any thing, could he?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, perhaps he might," replied her father. "Such thoughtless boys as he +often stray off the road, and fall into ravines and places: they don't +know themselves where they are going, and he was always moving about +more or less."</p> + +<p>That this was true of Rico nobody knew better than Stineli; and she +became dreadfully anxious from that time forth, which anxiety increased +every day to such a degree that she could neither eat nor sleep for +sorrow, and did her work, day after day, as if she did not know what she +was about.</p> + +<p>Rico was not found: nobody had seen any thing of him. They ceased to +search for him, and the folks soon began to find consolation in the +thought, "It is just as well for the little fellow, after all; he was +forsaken, and had no one to care for him."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER X.</p> + +<p>A LITTLE LIGHT.</p> + +<p> +Stineli grew more and more thin and quiet from day to day. The little +ones called out complainingly, "Stineli never tells us stories now, and +never laughs any more." Her mother said to her father, "Do you notice +how changed she is?" And her father replied, "It is because she grows so +fast. She must get a little goat's milk early in the mornings."</p> + +<p>After this had gone on for three weeks or so, Stineli's grandmother +called the girl into her bedroom one evening, and said, "My dear +Stineli, I can very well understand that you cannot forget your friend +Rico, but you must try to remember that it is God's will that he should +be taken away; and that, as it is so, it is also the best thing for +Rico, as we must try to think."</p> + +<p>At these words Stineli began to weep as her grandmother had never seen +her do before; and she sobbed and sobbed, saying, "The good God did not +do it: I did it, grandmother; and therefore I feel as if I should die of +anxiety. It was I who proposed to Rico to go to find the lake, and now +he has fallen into a ravine, and is dead; it has hurt him dreadfully, +and it is all my fault." Then the poor child cried and sobbed pitifully. +It seemed to the grandmother as if a heavy weight were lifted from her +heart as she heard these words of Stineli's. She had given up Rico as +lost; and had in secret believed that the child had fled from the unkind +treatment he had received at home, and was lying somewhere in the water, +or was lost in the woods. Now a new hope arose in her heart.</p> + +<p>She succeeded in quieting Stineli enough to persuade her to relate the +whole story about the lake, of which the grandmother was in total +ignorance: how Rico had always been talking about this lake, and how he +had longed to go to find it, and how, at last, Stineli had suggested the +way for him to do so. It really seemed most likely that Rico had started +to find the lake, but her father's mention of the ravines had destroyed +all hope in Stineli.</p> + +<p>The good old woman took her granddaughter by the hand, and drew her +towards her, saying, "Now, Stineli, I have something to explain to you. +Do you remember what the old song says,—the one we sang with Rico on +the last evening we were together?—</p> + +<p> "'All that He does or orders is <br> + Sure to be finished right.'"</p> + +<p>Now you see, that although the good God did not exactly do this +thing,—as if He had let Rico die in his bed, for instance,—yet the +thing is in His hand all the same, although you have it turned aside, +perhaps, a little; for certainly the good God is stronger than this +little Stineli. And, now that you have made this sad mistake, it will be +a lesson to you for all the rest of your life, no matter how it may turn +out in the end, that children should not run away into the unknown +world, nor undertake things about which they are utterly ignorant; and +that without saying a word to their parents or to their grandmothers, +who love them so well. But now the kind God has allowed it to happen, +and we may certainly hope that it will all be finished right.</p> + +<p>"Now ponder this well, my Stineli, and never forget what you have thus +learned by experience; and now—for I see how heavily it weighs down +your heart—it will be well for you to go to pray to the good God, that +He will allow this mistake of yours and Rico to turn out all right. And +then you can be happy again, Stineli, and I shall be so, too; for I +believe firmly that Rico is living, and that the good God has not +forsaken him."</p> + +<p>And Stineli became after this like her former happy self; and, although +she missed Rico constantly, still she no longer felt worried, nor did +she reproach herself, but looked continually down the road to Maloja, +expecting to see him.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XI.</p> + +<p>A LONG JOURNEY.</p> + +<p> +On that memorable Sunday evening, Rico seated himself on the chair in +his gloomy bedroom. There he decided to stay until his cousin had +gone to bed.</p> + +<p>After Stineli had made the discovery that Rico could go with his fiddle +down to the much-wished-for lake, the enterprise seemed a very simple +thing to the lad,—so easy, that he only thought of the best way to get +off. He had a presentiment that his cousin would probably try to hinder +him from going, although he felt sure that she would not miss him after +he was away.</p> + +<p>So, when she began to scold him when he came home, he said to himself, +"I will be off as soon as she is once in her bed."</p> + +<p>He had very pleasant thoughts as he sat there in the dark,—of how nice +it would be not to hear the scolding voice of his cousin all day long, +and of what big bushels of the red flowers he would bring back to +Stineli when he returned. And then the picture of the sunny shores of +the lake and the purple hills rose before his mind, and he fell asleep. +He was not in a very comfortable position, for he had never let his +fiddle leave his hand; and he soon awoke again, but it was still dark.</p> + +<p>Now he had a clear idea of what he would do. He had his Sunday clothes +on, which was good; and his cap was also on his head. He took his fiddle +under his arm, and went softly down the steps, slipped the bolt aside, +and stole out into the cool air of morning.</p> + +<p>The dawn was just showing over the mountains, and in Sils the cocks were +crowing. Off he walked briskly, to get well away from the houses and to +reach the highway. When he once was on the road, he went along merrily; +for he felt quite at home there, he had so often traversed the ground +with his father. He could form no idea of how far it really was to the +Maloja; and indeed it seemed very long to him, after he had been going +for two good hours. Little by little it grew brighter, however; and in +about an hour more, when he reached the place before the tavern upon the +Maloja, where he used to stand with his father and gaze down the +mountain road, the sunny light of morning lay upon the mountains, and +the tips of the fir-trees were all touched with gold.</p> + +<p>Rico seated himself upon the edge of the roadside. He was very tired, +and remembered suddenly that he had not eaten any thing since the +noonday meal of the day before. But he was not discouraged, for now +the way was all down hill; and, after that, he should undoubtedly +reach the lake.</p> + +<p>While he sat there, the big post-wagon came rumbling along. He had often +seen it as it came through Sils, and always thought that the very +greatest happiness upon earth must be experienced by the driver, who sat +all day long on the box, and controlled his four horses with his whip. +Now he saw this happy creature nearer; for the post-wagon stopped, and +the lad never once removed his eyes from the wonderful man, as he came +down from his perch, stepped into the inn, and came out again with an +enormous piece of black bread in his hand, upon which lay a large piece +of cheese.</p> + +<p>Next, the driver drew out a strong knife, cut a good big bit of bread, +and gave each horse a mouthful in turn, not forgetting himself in the +meantime; but upon his own piece of bread he put an equally big morsel +of cheese. As they all stood there, eating in happy companionship, the +man looked about a little, and presently called out, "Hulloa, little +musician! won't you join us too? Come hither."</p> + +<p>Now when Rico saw them all eating, he fully realized how very hungry he +was. He most gladly accepted the invitation, and approached the driver, +who cut such a big slice of bread and also of cheese to give the lad, +that Rico did not really know how he should manage to eat it.</p> + +<p>He was obliged to put his fiddle down on the ground; and the coachman +looked on very complaisantly while the boy ate his breakfast, and said, +while he followed his own occupation,—</p> + +<p>"You are a very small fiddler. Do you know how to play something?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! two songs, besides those I learned from my father," +replied Rico.</p> + +<p>"Really! And where are you going to on your two little legs?" said the +driver. "To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda," was the serious answer.</p> + +<p>At these words, the coachman burst into such boisterous laughter that +the boy gazed up at him in great astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Well, you are a good one to travel," cried the man, still laughing." +Have you any notion how far it is, and that a little musician like you +could wear out his two feet, and his soles, too, before he could catch +sight of a single drop of the water of the Lake of Garda? Who sends you +down there?"</p> + +<p>"Nobody. I go of my own accord."</p> + +<p>"Well, I never have seen the like of you before," said the man, still +laughing good-naturedly. "Where, then, is your home, my boy?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know exactly. It may be on the Lake of Garda," was the +serious answer.</p> + +<p>"What sort of reply is that?"</p> + +<p>So saying, the coachman looked with some curiosity at the little figure +before him, which certainly did not betray any signs of being neglected. +On the contrary, the head, with its black curly hair, and the nice +Sunday suit of clothes, gave the lad a very genteel appearance; and his +delicate features and earnest eyes bore unmistakable evidence to +something noble in his character, and any one who looked at him once was +certain to repeat the glance with pleasure.</p> + +<p>Such was also the case with the driver. He gazed steadfastly at Rico, +and presently said, kindly, "You carry your passport in your face, my +boy; and it is not a bad one either, even if you do not know where you +belong. What will you give me now, if I will carry you along with me +down yonder, on the box?"</p> + +<p>Rico stared, for he could scarcely believe his ears at these words. To +sit on that high post-wagon, and drive down into the valley! Such luck +could never, never be his; of that he was sure. Besides, what had he to +give the coachman in exchange?</p> + +<p>"I have only my fiddle in the world, and I cannot give that away," he +said sadly, after thinking a while.</p> + +<p>"Well, I should not know what to do with that box," laughed the driver +"Come along. We will get up there, and you may play me a little music."</p> + +<p>Rico could not trust his ears; but, sure enough, the coachman pushed him +up over the wheel to the top of the coach, climbing up after him. The +passengers had all taken their places, the doors were closed, and away +they rolled down the road.—the well-known road over which Rico had so +often longingly gazed, wishing that he could travel it.</p> + +<p>Now his wish was realized. High up between heaven and earth he seemed to +be flying, and could not believe that he was not in a dream.</p> + +<p>The coachman was revolving in his own mind the question of the boy's +belongings.</p> + +<p>"Just tell me, now, you little travelling bundle, where your +father lives."</p> + +<p>He asked this after having cracked his whip many times in succession as +loud as he could.</p> + +<p>"He is dead."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! Well, where is your mother, then?"</p> + +<p>"She is dead, too."</p> + +<p>"Well, there is always a grandfather and a grandmother, or something. +Where are yours?"</p> + +<p>"All dead."</p> + +<p>"At any rate, everybody has some brothers or sisters; where are yours, I +should like to know?"</p> + +<p>"All are dead," was the sorrowfully repeated answer.</p> + +<p>When the driver had convinced himself that they were all gone, he ceased +his questions about the relatives, and began in another direction with, +"What was your father's name?"</p> + +<p>"Henrico Trevillo of Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda."</p> + +<p>At last the driver thought he had got at the root of the matter, and +said to himself this boy had strayed away, or been carried away, from +his home down below there, and it is a good thing for him to get carried +back where he belongs; and he thought no more about the affair.</p> + +<p>Presently they passed the first very steep bit of the hill, and came to +an even stretch of ground, and the driver said, "Now, musician, let us +have a jolly song to cheer the way."</p> + +<p>Full of satisfaction, and much elated at his high position on his throne +under the blue heaven, the boy took his instrument and began to sing in +his strong, clear tones,—</p> + +<p> "Little lambkins, come down."</p> + +<p>Now it happened that there were three students seated up on the top of +the post-wagon: they were off on a vacation trip, and very merry.</p> + +<p>So when Rico carolled forth Stineli's song in his gayest manner, they +all burst out laughing and shouted, "Stop, singer, stop, and begin over +again; we want to sing with you."</p> + +<p>Rico obeyed, and the jolly students joined in with all their might,—</p> + +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,"—</p> + +<p>and laughed so extravagantly all the time that they drowned the sound of +Rico's fiddle completely. And then one of them would take up the words +and sing alone,—</p> + +<p> "And if they forgot it,<br> + It hurt not a bit."</p> + +<p>And then the others joined in, and sang as loudly as possible,—</p> + +<p>"And the lambkins, and the lambkins."</p> + +<p>And so they went on for a long time. If Rico paused a little, they +shouted, "Go on, fiddler; don't stop yet," and threw little pieces of +money to him over and over again, until he had quite a heap in his cap.</p> + +<p>Within the coach the passengers opened the windows, and stuck their +heads out to listen to the merry singing.</p> + +<p>Rico started off afresh, and the students also. They divided the song +into solos and chorus; and the solo sang very solemnly,—</p> + +<p>"And one lake, like another, From water is made."</p> + +<p>And then again,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "And because they forgot it,<br> + It hurt not a bit."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + +<p>And the chorus took it up with,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>Then they laughed so that they were almost dead, and were forced to be +still for very fatigue and want of breath.</p> + +<p>Presently the driver stopped, for it was time for the horses to rest, +and also dinner-time. While the good man helped Rico down, he held the +little fellow's cap firmly for him, for it had a lot of money in it, and +the boy was busy enough with holding his fiddle carefully.</p> + +<p>The coachman was perfectly delighted when he saw the money, and +said, as he gave Rico the cap, "That is first rate; now you can have +a good dinner."</p> + +<p>The students leaped down one after the other, and crowded around the +fiddler to have a look at him, for they could not see him very well on +the top of the coach; and when they discovered what a tiny manikin he +was, they began to make merry again. Judging from his voice, they had +expected to see a large, strong musician; and the sight of this child +seemed to make the fun twice as funny.</p> + +<p>They took the little fellow up between them, and carried him with +singing and laughter into the inn. There they seated him at the table +between two gentlemen, and said that he was their guest; and they all +helped him one after the other, and put huge pieces upon his plate, for +no one would be outdone by the others in serving him; and the boy had +certainly never eaten such a dinner in all his life as he ate that day.</p> + +<p>"Tell us where you learned your beautiful song?" asked one of three.</p> + +<p>"Stineli made it up," replied Rico, very seriously.</p> + +<p>The students looked at each other at these words, and burst out again +with laughter.</p> + +<p>"So Stineli made it up, did she? Then we must drink her health over it."</p> + +<p>Rico had to join in drinking the toast, and was nothing loath to drink +to Stineli's health.</p> + +<p>But now the time for resting and eating was over; and while they were +all taking their places to go on their journey, a stout man came towards +Rico,—a man who had such a big stick in his hand, that it looked as if +he had torn up a young tree for his walking-stick. He was dressed in a +thick, golden-brown stuff from head to foot.</p> + +<p>"Come here, little one," he said to Rico. "How nicely you did sing! I +heard you here, inside the coach; and my business is also with sheep, +for, you know, I am a sheep-dealer; and I want to give you something, +because you can sing about them so prettily."</p> + +<p>With these words he put a big piece of silver in Rico's hand, for the +cap had been emptied by this time, and the contents transferred to the +boy's pocket.</p> + +<p>After this the man got into the coach, and the driver lifted Rico up to +his high seat as if the boy had been a mere feather, and off they went.</p> + +<p>As soon as the speed of the start had a little abated, the students +called for more music, and Rico played every thing that he could +remember ever having heard his father play; and at the end he played,—</p> + +<p> "I sing to thee with heart and voice."</p> + +<p>But this tune must have put the students to sleep, for every thing +became quite still; and at last the riddle was silent. The evening +breeze stirred gently, and the stars climbed silently up into the sky +one after the other, until they were shining brightly in every +direction.</p> + +<p>Rico looked about, and thought of Stineli, of the grandmother, of what +they were now doing; and it occurred to him that this was the very time +at which the prayer-bell usually rang, and when they were saying "Our +Father." He did the same, to be with them in that, at least: folded his +hands, and said his prayer piously under the brilliant heavens.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XII.</p> + +<p>IT STILL GOES ON.</p> + +<p> +At last Rico also fell asleep. He only awoke when the driver took hold +of him to lift him down. All the passengers descended; and the three +students came to the lad, shook him kindly by the hand, and wished a +happy journey. One of them called out, "Greet Stineli very kindly for +us." Then they disappeared up one of the streets, and Rico could hear +them as they sang merrily,—</p> + +<p> "And the lambkins, and the lambkins,"</p> + +<p>Rico now stood alone in the darkness. He had not the slightest idea +where he was, nor of what he ought to do next. He presently +remembered that he had not even thanked the kind coachman who had +allowed him to come all this way on the coach, and he felt that he +must do that at once.</p> + +<p>The coachman and his horses were both invisible, and nothing but +darkness was about the boy. At last he espied a lantern hanging up +somewhere in the distance, and went towards the light. It was hanging on +the stable-door, and the horses were just then brought in. Near the door +stood the man with the thick stick. He seemed to be waiting for the +driver; so Rico took his stand near by, and waited too.</p> + +<p>Probably the sheep-dealer did not recognize the little fiddler in the +darkness; but suddenly he exclaimed, quite surprised, "What! is that +you, little one? Where are you going to pass the night?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know where," replied the boy.</p> + +<p>"Well, I never heard of such a thing; at eleven o'clock at night, and a +little scrap of a boy like you in a strange place"—</p> + +<p>The sheep-dealer seemed to speak in a great hurry, for he could scarcely +breathe in his excitement; neither did he finish his sentence, for the +driver entered the stable at that moment, and Rico went up to him at +once, saying, "I want to thank you for bringing me along with you."</p> + +<p>"You have come just in the nick of time. I had almost forgotten you +while I was looking after my horses, and I wanted to hand you over to an +acquaintance. I was thinking of asking you, good friend," he continued, +turning towards the dealer, "if you would not take this little chap +along with you, as you are going to Bergamo. He wants to go somewhere on +the Lake of Garda. He is one of those who belong here or there. You +understand, don't you?"</p> + +<p>The sheep-dealer thought of the stories he had heard of lost or stolen +children. He looked with pity at Rico, standing in the dim light of the +lantern, and said, "He does look as if he were not in exactly the +clothes that belong to him. He would become a richer dress, I am sure. I +will take him with me."</p> + +<p>When he had talked over the sheep-trade a little with the coachman they +parted, and the dealer made a sign to Rico that he should follow him.</p> + +<p>After a short walk, the man entered an inn, where he seated himself in a +corner of the eating-room with the boy beside him.</p> + +<p>"Now let us look at your possessions," he said to Rico, "so that we can +see what they will allow you to have. Where are you going on the lake?"</p> + +<p>"To Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda."</p> + +<p>This was Rico's never-failing answer. He drew out his money from his +pocket,—a nice little pile of small coins it was, and the big silver +bit on the top of all.</p> + +<p>"Have you only that one bit of silver?" asked the dealer.</p> + +<p>"Yes; only that one. You gave me that," replied the boy.</p> + +<p>It pleased the man to think that he was the only one who had given +silver; and he was also pleased that the lad was aware of the fact. He +felt as if he wanted to give him something more. Just at this moment his +supper was placed before him, and the kindly man nodded to his little +companion, saying, "I will pay for this, and for your night's lodging +also; so you need not touch your little fortune until to-morrow."</p> + +<p>Rico was so tired out with all the fiddling and singing, and the long +journey, that he could scarcely eat; and as soon as he reached the big +bedroom where he was to pass the night with his protector, he was asleep +the moment he had put his head on the pillow.</p> + +<p>Early the following morning, Rico was awakened from a sound sleep by a +powerful grasp. He sprang quickly out of bed. His companion stood ready +dressed for the journey, with his big stick in his hand.</p> + +<p>It was not long, however, before Rico was also ready, with his fiddle +tucked under his arm. They went into the dining-room, and the dealer +called for coffee at once. He recommended the lad to make a good meal +then; for they had a long journey before them, he said, and one that +created an appetite.</p> + +<p>When they had breakfasted to their satisfaction, they sallied forth; +and, after a little, came round a sharp corner; and how Rico did open +his big eyes! for there, before him, lay a great shining lake; and much +excited, he shouted out, "Now we are on the Lake of Garda!"</p> + +<p>"Not for a long time yet, my boy. This is the Lake of Como."</p> + +<p>They went on board a boat, and sailed for several hours after this; and +Rico looked about him,—at the sun-bathed shores, and then at the blue +waters; and he felt at home at last.</p> + +<p>Presently he took his piece of silver from his pocket, and put it down +on the table before the dealer.</p> + +<p>"What does this mean? Have you too much money by you?" asked the man, +who was looking on in surprise, his arms supported on his big stick.</p> + +<p>"I must pay to-day," said Rico. "You said so yesterday."</p> + +<p>"You are very attentive to what is said to you. That is a very good +thing; but that is not the way to do, to put your money down on a table +like that. Give it to me."</p> + +<p>He took it, and went over to pay for their passage; but when he drew out +his heavy leathern purse, full of silver pieces,—for he was doing a +large business in selling sheep,—he could not find the heart to take +the poor lad's solitary bit of silver; and he brought it back again with +the ticket, saying, "There, you can find better use for your money +to-morrow. Now you are with me, but who knows how it will be after this? +When you are alone down there, and I am not with you any more, shall you +be able to find the house where you are going?"</p> + +<p>"No; I do not know any thing about the house," replied Rico.</p> + +<p>The man was secretly much surprised, and the lad's story seemed very +mysterious to him. He did not let this appear, however, and asked no +further questions. He said to himself that he should not probably find +out any thing more at present, but would ask the coachman about it the +next time they met. He probably knew the truth, even better than the +child himself did. He felt very sorry for the little fellow, who would +soon be deprived of his protection too.</p> + +<p>When the boat stopped, the man took Rico's hand in his, saying, "Now I +shall not lose you, and you can keep up with me better, for we must +hurry along; they won't wait for us."</p> + +<p>It was as much as the little fellow could do to keep up with his friend. +He did not turn to look to the right hand nor the left, but presently +stopped before some strange-looking wagons on wheels. They mounted the +step, Rico behind his companion; and the former entered a railroad +carriage for the first time.</p> + +<p>They flew along for several hours, until at last the dealer stood up, +and said, "Now I must go. We are in Bergamo, and you are to stay here +quietly; for I have arranged it all for you. You have only to get out +when you get there."</p> + +<p>"Then shall I be at Peschiera, on the Lake of Garda?" asked Rice.</p> + +<p>His companion replied in the affirmative. At last Rico understood—what +he had not clearly seen before—how much kindness the dealer had shown +to him, and the boy felt very sorry that they must part.</p> + +<p>After this Rico sat alone in his corner, and had plenty of time for +day-dreaming; for nobody troubled him in any way, although the train had +stopped at several stations since his companion left him.</p> + +<p>At last the conductor came in, took Rico by the arm, and led him quickly +to the door, and lifted him down the steps; then, pointing towards the +heights in the distance, he said briefly, "Peschiera;" and in a +twinkling he was back again in the carriage, and disappeared in the +train as it steamed off.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XIII.</p> + +<p>ON THE DISTANT, BEAUTIFUL LAKE.</p> + +<p> +Rico went forward a little way from the building at which the train had +stopped, and looked about. This white house, the barren square in front +of it, the straight road in the distance, were all new and strange to +his eyes. He had not seen any of them before; and he said to himself, "I +have not come to the right place after all." He went sadly down the road +between the trees, however, until presently the road made a turn, and +the boy stood as if transfixed, and believed himself dreaming, for +before him lay the lake, heavenly blue in the brilliant sunlight, with +its warm, still shores; and yonder were the mountains, and the sunny bay +was there, where the friendly houses sparkled in the distance.</p> + +<p>Now he knew where he was. He had seen all this before, he had stood in +this very place, he knew the trees perfectly well; but where was the +cottage? It must have stood there, close to where he now was, but it was +not visible.</p> + +<p>The old road was there below. Oh! he knew that well; and there, there +were the great shining red flowers with such green leaves. A little +stone bridge ought to be there, somewhere over the outlet of the lake: +he had often passed over that little bridge, but could not see it where +he stood, however.</p> + +<p>Rico started off, as if driven by the longing that now took possession +of him. Down the road he ran; and over there,—yes, that was the little +stone bridge. Every thing came back to him: there he had crossed, and +somebody held him by the hand,—his mother. Suddenly his mother's face +came before his eyes quite distinctly; he had never seen it so clearly +before. He remembered how she had stood there and looked at him with +loving eyes. It all came back to his mind with a rush.</p> + +<p>He threw himself down on the ground by the bridge, and cried and sobbed +aloud, "O mother! where are you, mother? Where is my home, mother?"</p> + +<p>He lay there for a long, long time, and cried until his great sorrow +was somewhat stilled. He thought his heart must burst, and as if all +the grief that had been hitherto pent up within his bosom must now find +an outlet.</p> + +<p>When at last he raised himself from the ground, the sun had already +declined in the heavens, and the golden twilight lay over the lake. The +mountains were turning purple, and a sunny mist lay all over the shores. +This was the way his lake had always looked to Rico in his dreams, only +the reality was even more lovely than he had remembered it.</p> + +<p>And his great wish rose again in his mind as he sat there, "Oh, if I +could show this to Stineli!"</p> + +<p>At last the sun sunk below the horizon, and the light slowly died out. +Rico arose, and passed along the road towards the red flowers. A narrow +lane branched off from the main road at this place. There they stood, +one bush after another: it looked like a great garden. There was, truly, +only an open fence about the whole; and within the flowers, the trees, +and the grape-vines were all growing together.</p> + +<p>At the farther end stood a pretty house with wide open doors; and in the +garden a lad was moving about cutting big bunches of golden grapes now +from this vine, now from that, all the while whistling merrily.</p> + +<p>Rico gazed at the flowers, and thought, "If Stineli could only see +them!" He stood for a long time thoughtfully by the fence. Presently the +lad espied him, and called out, "Come in, fiddler; and play a pretty +song, if you know one."</p> + +<p>The lad spoke in Italian, and it produced a strange sensation in Rico's +mind: he understood what he heard, but he never could have said it +himself. He entered the garden, and the lad began to try to talk with +him; but when he found that Rico could not reply, he pointed towards the +open door, giving Rico to understand that he was to go there to play.</p> + +<p>When Rico approached the door, he found that it opened directly into a +bedroom. A little bed stood within, near which was seated a woman who +was knitting with red yarn. Rico placed himself before the threshold, +and began to play and sing his song,—</p> + +<p>"Little lambkins, come down."</p> + +<p>When he had finished, the pale face of a little boy was suddenly raised +from the pillows of the bed; and Rico heard the words,—</p> + +<p>"Play again."</p> + +<p>Rico played another tune.</p> + +<p>"Play again" was repeated. This went on for five or six times, until +Rico had exhausted his stock of songs and tunes; and he put his fiddle +under his arm, and was moving away, when the little boy began to call +out piteously,—</p> + +<p>"Oh, do stay! Do play again! Play something else!" Then the woman stood +up, and came towards Rico.</p> + +<p>She placed something in his hand, and at first he did not understand +what she wanted; but presently he remembered what Stineli had said, that +if he went to a door, and played on his fiddle, the people would give +him something. The woman asked him kindly where he came from, and where +he was going to; but he could not answer her. She then asked if he were +with his parents? He shook his head. If he were alone? He nodded assent. +Where he was going so late in the evening? Rico shook his head, to +denote uncertainty. A great pity took possession of the woman for the +little stranger; and she called to the boy who worked in the garden, and +bade him conduct the fiddler to the inn of the "Golden Sun." Perhaps the +landlord would understand his language, for he had been away in foreign +parts for a long time. She bade the gardener to say to the landlord that +she wished him to let the lad stay there over night, that she would pay +for it; and, in the morning, set the little fellow off in the right +direction towards his destination. He was so young,—"only a little +older than my boy," she added, compassionately; and also would the +landlord give the boy something to eat.</p> + +<p>Again the child on the bed called out, "He must play again;" and would +not stop until his mother said, "He will come again. Now he must sleep, +and you too."</p> + +<p>The gardener walked on in advance of Rico, who knew, however, what was +to be done; for he had understood what the woman said perfectly.</p> + +<p>In about ten minutes they had reached the town. In one of the little +streets the gardener entered a house, and proceeded at once to the +dining-room, which was filled with tobacco-smoke, and with men seated at +little tables all about.</p> + +<p>Then the gardener gave his message, to which the landlord replied, "It +is all right." The landlady came too, and both looked Rico over from +head to foot. When the guests at the neighboring tables espied the +fiddle under Rico's arm, several of them called out together, "There is +music!" And another one shouted, "Play something, boy, quickly; +something gay!" And they all began to shout for music so noisily that +the landlord could hardly make Rico hear him when he asked what language +he spoke, and whence he came. Rico replied in his own language that he +came down over the Maloja, that he could understand every thing that was +said to him, but could not reply in the same language. The landlord +understood him, and said that he had been up there in the mountains, and +they would have a little conversation later; but now the boy must really +play something, for the guests called for music incessantly.</p> + +<p>Rico, obedient as ever, began to play, and also to sing his own song as +usual. But the company did not understand the words, and the tune seemed +very dull to them also. Some began to make jokes and noises, while +others called for something different,—a dance, or a pretty tune.</p> + +<p>Rico sang every verse of his song to the very end; for when he had once +begun it, he would not stop until it was finished properly. When he had +finished, he bethought himself. He knew no dance music, so that was out +of the question. The hymn he had learned from the grandmother was very +slow, and they would not understand that either. Then he remembered, and +began the air,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "Una Sera <br> + In Peschiera."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>Scarcely had he brought forth the first notes of this tune, when every +thing became still; and in a moment or two voices broke forth from the +different tables round about the room, and they sang in chorus as the +boy had never yet heard any one sing. He became excited presently, and +played with great feeling, while the men sang enthusiastically; and as +soon as one verse was ended, Rico began the music for the next without +hesitating, for he had learned, from hearing his father play it, exactly +how the accompaniment should be, and when to stop. When he had reached +the finale, such a storm of applause broke forth that the boy was quite +overwhelmed. All the men called out and shouted, striking their fists +upon the tables for pleasure; and then they all came about little Rico +with their glasses, and they all wanted to drink with him. Some took him +by the shoulders, and all shouted at him, and made such a racket with +their surprise and pleasure, that Rico became very much frightened, and +turned paler and paler every moment.</p> + +<p>What had he done, however, but play their own Peschiera song, that +belonged to them alone, and which no stranger could ever learn; and this +child had played it as firmly and correctly as if he had been a +Peschierana. Such a wonderful event was enough to arouse these lively +fellows to the utmost; and they could not cease talking about it, and +wondering about this strange little fiddler, and drinking with him, to +express their friendliness.</p> + +<p>At last the landlady interposed. She brought a plate full of rice, and a +big piece of chicken. She beckoned Rico aside, saying to the men they +must let him have a little quiet now; he needed food; he was as pale as +chalk from excitement. She placed the dish upon a little table in one +corner, and encouraged him to eat heartily: she was sure he needed it, +he was such a little scrap. To tell the truth, Rico did enjoy his supper +wonderfully well. Since the coffee in the morning, not a mouthful had +passed his lips; and so much had happened to excite him too.</p> + +<p>As soon as he had eaten all that there was upon his plate, his poor +little eyes closed from fatigue, and he had the greatest difficulty +in keeping them open long enough to answer the landlord's questions +of where he belonged, and where he was going, while he also praised +the child's music. Rico answered that he belonged to nobody, and was +going nowhere.</p> + +<p>The landlord spoke kindly and encouragingly to the boy, telling him that +he should be cared for that night, and in the morning he could go to see +Mrs. Menotti, who had sent him there. She was a good, kind woman, said +the landlord, who could perhaps employ him in her household, if he had +no place to go to where he belonged.</p> + +<p>His wife, who stood by, plucked him constantly by the sleeve, trying to +stop him from talking; but he finished what he had to say, nevertheless, +for he had no idea what she meant by it all.</p> + +<p>Pretty soon the men at the tables began to clamor again: they were +calling for their song.</p> + +<p>The landlady, however, asserted herself. "No, no! on Sunday you shall +have it again; the child is tired to death." So saying, she took Rico by +the hand, and led him up into a big room where the harnesses hung. A big +heap of corn lay in one corner, and a bed stood in the other. In a very +few moments the boy was fast asleep.</p> + +<p>Later, when every thing had become quite silent in the house, the +landlord sat at the little table where Rico had eaten his supper, and +before him stood his wife, for she was still busy in clearing away the +tables; and she said with great earnestness, "You must not send him back +again to Mrs. Menotti. Such a boy as that will be most useful to me in +every possible way; and did not you notice how beautifully he fiddled? +They were all crazy about it. Look out! he is a far better player than +any of our three; and he will learn to play for dancing in no time; and +you will have a musician to whom you need pay nothing, and who will play +every evening when they dance; and you can let him out also to go to the +other places. Don't you let him slip through your fingers. He is a +pretty little fellow, and I like him. We must keep him ourselves."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am satisfied," said the landlord, and understood that his wife +had made a hit this time that was sure to turn out well.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XIV.</p> + +<p>NEW FRIENDSHIPS FORMED, WHILE THE OLD ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.</p> + +<p> +The next morning, the landlady of the "Golden Sun" stood on the doorstep +of her inn, and looked at the heavens to read the signs of the probable +weather, and to think over the experiences of the night before. +Presently the gardener's boy from Mrs. Menotti's came along. He was both +master and servant over the lovely, fruitful property of Mrs. Menotti; +for he understood both the care of the garden and the cultivation of the +farm, and he looked after and directed all the work himself, and had an +easy and good place with her. He was contented, and whistled +incessantly.</p> + +<p>However, while he stood before the landlady, he stopped for a little, +and said, if the little musician of the evening before had not gone +away, he was to go over to Mrs. Menotti again, because her little boy +wanted to hear him fiddle some more.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes; if Mrs. Menotti is not in a great hurry,"—while she put her +arms on her hips, to show that she, at any rate, was not pressed for +time. "At the present moment the little musician is sleeping upstairs in +his good bed; and I, for one, do not wish to have him disturbed. You may +say to Mrs. Menotti that I will send him to her presently. He is not +going away. I have taken him under my charge for good and all; for he is +a deserted orphan, and does not know where to go; and now he will be +well cared for," added she, with emphasis.</p> + +<p>The gardener went off with this message.</p> + +<p>Rico was allowed to sleep as long as he wanted to; for the landlady was +a good-natured woman, though, to be sure, she thought first of her own +profit, and afterwards was willing to help others to theirs. When the +boy awoke, at last, from his long sleep, his fatigue had quite +disappeared; and he came running down the stairs as fresh as possible. +The landlady made a sign for him to come into the kitchen, and placed a +big bowl of coffee before him, with a nice yellow corn-cake, saying,—</p> + +<p>"You can have this every morning, if you will, and something much better +at dinner and supper time; for then there is cooking for the guests, and +there is always something left over. You can do errands for me in return +for it; and you can make this your home, and have your bedroom to +yourself, and not be obliged to go wandering about in the world. Now it +lies with you to decide."</p> + +<p>To this Rico replied, simply,—</p> + +<p>"Yes, I will;" for he could say that in the language in which the +landlady spoke.</p> + +<p>Now she conducted him through the whole house, through the +out-buildings, the stable, into the vegetable-garden and the hen-house; +and she explained the situation of all the places to him, and told him +where he must turn to go to the grocer and to the shoemaker, and to all +the important trades-people in fact. Rico listened attentively; and, to +test his understanding, the landlady sent him at once to three or four +places, to fetch a variety of things, such as oil, soap, thread, and a +boot that had been mended; for she noticed that the boy could say single +words perfectly well.</p> + +<p>All these errands were done to her perfect satisfaction; and at last she +said, "Now you may go over to Mrs. Menotti with your fiddle, and stay +there until the evening."</p> + +<p>Rico was delighted at this permission; for he would pass by the lake, +and see the beautiful flowers he loved so well.</p> + +<p>As soon as he reached the lake-side, over he ran to the little bridge, +and seated himself there to watch the beautiful water, and the +mountains bathed in golden mist; and he could scarcely tear himself +away from it all.</p> + +<p>But he did; for he realized now that he had duties toward the landlady, +and must obey her, because she gave him food and lodging.</p> + +<p>As he entered the garden, the little boy heard his footstep, for the +door was always open; and he called out,—</p> + +<p>"Come here, and play some more."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti came out, and gave her hand kindly to Rico, and drew him +into the room with her. It was a large room, and you could look through +the wide doorway out into the garden where the flowers were to be seen. +The little bed on which the sick child lay was directly opposite the +door; and there were only chests and tables and chairs in the room, but +no other beds. At night the child was carried into the neighboring room, +and his bed also, and was placed there beside his mother for the night; +and in the morning he was carried back again, bed and all. For in this +large room the sun shone brightly, making long shining stripes across +the floor that made a dancing pattern on the ground, and amused the +child amazingly. Near the bed stood two little crutches; and now and +then his mother lifted the little cripple from his bed, placed the +crutches under his arms, and led him about the room once or twice; for +he could not walk, nor even stand alone. His little legs were quite +paralyzed, and he had never been able to use them at all.</p> + +<p>When Rico entered the room, the child pulled himself into a sitting +position by means of a long rope that hung down over his bed from the +ceiling for that purpose; for he could not sit up without assistance.</p> + +<p>Rico went to the bedside, and looked at the child in silence. Such +little thin arms and small slender fingers, and such a pale little face, +Rico had never seen; and two big eyes looked forth from the face, and +gazed at Rico as if they would pierce him through and through; for the +child, who seldom saw any thing new, and longed for variety with all his +heart, examined every thing that came in his way very sharply.</p> + +<p>"What is your name?" asked the child.</p> + +<p>"Rico."</p> + +<p>"Mine is Silvio. How old are you?"</p> + +<p>"Almost eleven."</p> + +<p>"And so am I," said the child.</p> + +<p>"O Silvio! what are you saying?" said his mother at this. "You are not +quite four yet. Time does not go so fast as that."</p> + +<p>"Play something more."</p> + +<p>The mother seated herself by the bedside. Rico placed himself at a +little distance, and began to play on his fiddle. Silvio could not have +enough of it; and no sooner had Rico finished one piece than he shouted, +"Play another." Six times each, at the very least, had all the pieces +been repeated, when Mrs. Menotti went out, and returned with a plate +filled with yellow grapes, saying that Rico ought to rest, and sit down +by the bedside, and eat some grapes with Silvio.</p> + +<p>She went out into the garden herself while the children were eating, and +was glad to be able to do so, and to attend to various little matters of +her own; for it was seldom that she could leave the bedside of her +little cripple, for he would not let her leave him, and cried bitterly +for her to return; so it was a real blessing to her to be able to get +away for a few moments.</p> + +<p>The two boys soon came to a most excellent understanding of each other; +for Rico could reply very well to Silvio's questions, and managed to +make himself very well understood, even when he could not find exactly +the proper words, and it was very amusing to Silvio to talk with him. +His mother had plenty of time to look at all the flower-beds, and to +examine the fine fig-trees in the orchard, and to overlook every thing, +without being called for once by her little boy.</p> + +<p>When she returned to the house, however, and Rico arose to take his +departure, Silvio set up a great shout, and clung to Rico with both +hands, and would not let him go until he had promised to come back the +next day, and every day. But Mrs. Menotti was a cautious woman. She had +understood the message sent by the landlady as it was intended, and +quieted her son, promising him to go herself to the landlady to talk +with her; because Rico, she said, was not able to promise to do any +thing himself, but must obey the landlady in every thing. At last the +child released Rico, and gave him his hand; and the latter reluctantly +left the room. He would have vastly preferred to remain there where it +was quiet and neat, and where Silvio and his mother were so kind to him.</p> + +<p>Several days had slipped by, when, towards evening, Mrs. Menotti made +her appearance, dressed in her best attire, in the doorway of the +"Golden Sun;" and the landlady ran joyfully to meet her, and led her up +into the upper hall. When they were there, Mrs. Menotti asked very +politely if it would inconvenience the landlady very much to allow Rico +to come over to her two or three times in the week towards evening, he +was so amusing, and entertained her little sick son so well. She would +gladly recompense the landlady in any way she might think desirable.</p> + +<p>It flattered the landlady to have the handsomely dressed Mrs. Menotti +thus asking a favor of her; and it was quickly arranged that Rico should +go to Mrs. Menotti on every free evening that he had; and in return, +Mrs. Menotti promised to provide the orphan's clothing, which pleased +the landlady extremely; for now she had really nothing to pay out for +the little boy, and he brought her in a great deal of money. So it was +arranged to the entire satisfaction of the two women, and they took +leave of each other in very friendly terms.</p> + +<p>In this way passed many days. Rico could soon speak Italian as if he had +always spoken it. And, in truth, he had once spoken it as his native +language, so one thing after another came back to him; and as he had a +good ear, he soon spoke exactly like an Italian born, so that all who +knew him to be a stranger wondered at him. He was very useful to the +landlady,—more so even than she had expected would be the case,—for he +was so neat and orderly: quite as much so as she herself, if not more, +for she was not very patient over her work; and when preparations were +necessary for a <i>fête</i> or for a wedding, Rico was called upon to do it, +for he had a great deal of taste, and knew how to carry it out in +decorations. If he had any errand to do abroad he was back again in an +incredibly short time, for he never stopped to chatter by the way. If +people questioned him, he always turned on his heel and left them. This +pleased the landlady mightily when she noticed it, and it created such a +feeling of respect for the lad in her mind, that she herself did not +question him; and so it came to pass that, indeed, nobody really knew +how he came to Peschiera. But a story was spread abroad, that everybody +believed, to the effect that he had been left an orphan without +protection in the mountains, and neglected and mishandled, so that at +last he ran away, suffering many things on the long journey until he +reached Peschiera, where the inhabitants were not rough as they are in +the mountains, and that he was glad to remain there with them. Whenever +the landlady told his story, she did not fail to add, "He deserves it, +too,—all the kindness that we show him, and his comfortable home under +our roof."</p> + +<p>Now the first "dance Sunday" of the season had come, and such an +enormous crowd of guests assembled in the "Golden Sun," that there +seemed a great doubt if they could all be accommodated there; but +everybody wished to see and to hear the little stranger who played so +wonderfully; and also they who had heard him on the evening of his +arrival were the very first to come, and were impatient for him to play +their song again.</p> + +<p>The landlady ran hither and thither in her excitement, and glowed and +glistened in her heat, as if she were herself the "Golden Sun;" and +when she met her husband, she always said triumphantly, "Did not I +tell you so?"</p> + +<p>Rico heard "dance music" for the first time played by the three +fiddlers who came to the inn; but he caught the melodies at once, and +had no trouble in playing them, and never forgot them, for they were so +often repeated during the long "dance evening," that they became very +familiar to him.</p> + +<p>After the dancing they wanted their Peschiera song, with Rico's +accompaniment; and even if there seemed to be a deal of noise all the +early part of the evening, now, in truth, it had really just begun; and +they became so excited that little quiet Rico was frightened, and +thought they would end by killing each other certainly.</p> + +<p>But it was all in friendly wise. He came in for his share, and was so +stormily applauded, and his musical performance was hailed with such +ear-splitting cries of approval, that his only thought at last was, "Oh, +when will this have an end!" for nothing was so very unpleasant to the +boy as boisterousness.</p> + +<p>In the evening the landlady said to her husband, "Did you notice Rico +could play all the pieces with the musicians? Next time we shall only +need two fiddlers." And the man replied, well pleased, "We must give +Rico something."</p> + +<p>Two days later there was a dance in Desenzano, and Rico was sent over +there with the fiddlers. Now he was let out for hire. The same noise +and merriment was repeated; and, although they did not call for the +Peschiera song in Desenzano, still there were plenty of other songs +just as noisy, and Rico thought only from beginning to end, "If it were +but over!"</p> + +<p>He brought a whole pocketful of money home with him, which he poured out +in a heap on the table without even counting it, for he thought it was +all the landlady's by right; and she praised him in return, and placed a +big piece of apple-pie before him for supper. On Sunday again there was +dancing in Riva; but this was a pleasure to Rico, for Riva was the spot +over across the lake which could be seen from Peschiera, looking like a +peaceful little bay, and where the pretty white houses looked so +friendly and attractive.</p> + +<p>The musicians were rowed all together across the lake in an open boat +under the clear heavens; and Rico thought, "Oh, if I could be rowed +across here, with Stineli by my side! How astonished she would be at the +lake, whose beauty she would not believe in."</p> + +<p>But once on the other shore, the noise began again, and the boy became +impatient to be off; for the view of Riva from across the lake, lying in +the lovely light of evening, was far more beautiful than being there in +the midst of the noise and tumult.</p> + +<p>However, when there were no dances at which he must play, the lad was +always allowed to go in the evening to little Silvio, and to remain as +long as he wished; for the landlady was anxious to show her willingness +to accommodate Mrs. Menotti. This was always a pleasure to Rico. +Whenever he passed along the lake-side, he went over to the little +stone bridge, and sat there for a while on the ground; for this was the +only place in the world where he had a home-like feeling, because what +he saw there he had seen before, and also here the vision of his mother +rose most clearly before his memory.</p> + +<p>There she had certainly stood by the water-side, and washed +something, while she would look around at him occasionally, and say a +few loving words; and he was always sitting, he remembered, in that +very place where he now sat. He was always most unwilling to leave +this spot, but the knowledge that Silvio was constantly listening for +him drove him onward.</p> + +<p>When he entered the garden, he had also a feeling of contentment; and +entered the neat, quiet house with pleasure. Mrs. Menotti had a more +truly friendly manner toward him than anybody else, and he was fully +sensible of her kindness. She felt the warmest pity for the lonely +orphan, as she called him; for she had also heard the story of his +escape as it was current in the neighborhood. She never asked him +questions concerning his life in the mountains, however; for she +thought it would arouse sad memories in his mind. She felt, also, that +Rico did not receive the care that a lad of his age and quiet +disposition really needed; but she was sensible that she could do +nothing in that direction, only to have him with her as often and as +long as possible. Often she would place her hand on his head, saying +sadly, "Poor little orphan!"</p> + +<p>To Silvio, Rico grew more and more necessary every day. Early in the +morning he began to fret for him; and when his pain came on he became +very restless, and could not be pacified until Rico came. For, since +Rico had mastered the language thoroughly, he had developed an +inexhaustible fund of stories that delighted the little invalid +beyond measure.</p> + +<p>Stineli was the theme on which Rico most often fell, and it made him so +happy even to talk about her, that he became animated and quite +transfigured in the recital. He knew hundreds of stories, such as when +Stineli caught little Sami by the leg, once on a time, just as he was +about to fall into the water-butt, and how she held him with all her +might, while they both screamed as loud as they could until their father +came slowly to their aid,—for he always moved slowly. He said that +children did nothing but scream: it was their nature, and did not mean +that they were in trouble. And he told Silvio how Stineli could cut out +figures from paper for Peterli, make all sorts of furniture and things +for the baby-house for Urschli from moss, and bits of wood, or any thing +that came to hand.</p> + +<p>And how they all called and clamored for their elder sister when they +were ill, because she told them such wonderful stories that they quite +forgot their pains while listening. Rico also told the story of his +beautiful walks with Stineli, and became so much excited in his talk +that Silvio caught the inspiration, and asked for more and more, calling +out, "Tell me about Stineli again!" as soon as Rico paused to take +breath. One evening the child broke out into the wildest excitement when +Rico took his leave, saying that he would not be able to come on the +following day nor on Sunday. Silvio shrieked for his mother as if the +house were burning, and he were in the midst of the flames; and as she +came hurrying to him from the garden, almost frightened to death at his +noise, he declared "Rico should <i>not</i> go again back to the inn; but must +stay always, always with them. You must stay here, Rico. You must never, +never go away!"</p> + +<p>But Rico said, "I would stay most gladly; but I cannot."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti was much perplexed. She knew very well how valuable Rico's +services were to the inn-keepers, and that she could never obtain him +under any consideration. She tried to silence her little son to the best +of her ability, while she drew Rico to her side, saying, as was her +wont, "Poor little orphan!" Whereupon Silvio called out angrily, "What +is an orphan? I want to be an orphan too."</p> + +<p>These words aroused his mother; and she cried out, in her turn, "Silvio, +you wicked child! Do you know that an orphan is a wretched child, who +has neither father nor mother, and no home on all the earth?"</p> + +<p>Rico's black eyes were fixed on Mrs. Menotti's face, and then seemed to +grow blacker and more black every minute; but she did not notice them. +She had ceased to think about the lad while she was giving this +explanation of an orphan to her son. The little fellow slipped quietly +and unperceived away.</p> + +<p>When Mrs. Menotti observed his absence, she thought he had stolen away +in order not to excite Silvio further by taking leave, and she was +pleased at his thoughtfulness. Seating herself by the bedside of her +child, she said, "I want to make you understand how it is, Silvio; and +then you will stop being so naughty, I hope. It is not possible to take +a child away from any one; and, even if I took Rico from the landlady, +she would have a right to come and take you away from me. Then you would +not be able to see the garden nor the flowers any more, and would have +to sleep quite alone in the room with the harnesses where Rico dislikes +so much to sleep. Don't you remember what he has told you about that? +What would you do then?"</p> + +<p>"Come right home again," said the child decidedly; but he was quite +still after that, and soon lay down and slept.</p> + +<p>Rico passed through the garden, along the street, and down to the lake. +There he sat down on his favorite spot, leaned his head upon his hands, +and said, in tones of utter despair, "Now I know the truth, mother. Now +I know that I have no home,—none in the whole world."</p> + +<p>And there he sat until late in the night, alone with his sad thoughts; +and would have rather remained there forever, but he was obliged to go +back into his uncomfortable bedroom at last.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XV.</p> + +<p>SILVIO'S WISHES PRODUCE RESULTS.</p> + +<p> +But the excitement had not subsided in Silvio's mind, by any means; and +now that he knew that two days must elapse before Rico could come again, +he began to cry early in the morning, "Rico won't come to-day! Rico +won't come to-day!" and scarcely ceased until the evening; and the +second day it was the same, but on the third,—he was tired out by that +time, and seemed like a little heap of straw, that the least spark could +have reduced to ashes.</p> + +<p>In the evening Rico made his appearance, quite worn out with the noise +and tumult of the dances for which he had been obliged to play. Since he +had fully realized that he had no home on the earth, the thought of +Stineli had become of more importance than ever, and he said to +himself,—</p> + +<p>"There is only Stineli in the whole world to whom I belong, or who +troubles her head about me!" And he felt a terrible homesickness for +Stineli. He had scarcely reached the side of Silvio's bed when he said, +"Do you know, Silvio, with Stineli only can one feel perfectly well, and +nowhere else." These words were scarcely out of his mouth before the +little invalid hoisted himself up like a flash, calling out at the top +of his lungs, "Mother, I must have Stineli; Stineli must come; only with +Stineli can one feel perfectly well, and nowhere else."</p> + +<p>His mother came at his call; and as she had often listened to Rico's +stories about Stineli and her brothers and sisters with great interest, +she knew at once what they were talking about, and replied, "Yes, yes; +it would suit me very well. I could find great use for Stineli for you, +and for myself, if I only had her here."</p> + +<p>But such an indefinite way of talking did not suit Silvio in the least, +for he was interested, heart and soul, in the matter.</p> + +<p>"You can have her at once," he cried out. "Rico knows where she is: he +must go to fetch her. I want her every day, and always. To-morrow Rico +must go to get her: he knows where."</p> + +<p>Now that his mother saw that the little fellow had thought the whole +thing out, and was really in serious earnest about it, she tried to turn +his attention away, and to introduce other thoughts into his mind, for +she had often heard the story of the incredible adventures Rico passed +through on his journey over the mountains, and of the wonder of his +having survived and come down safely, and that the mountaineer were a +fearful and wild people. She was, therefore, fully persuaded that nobody +could bring a girl away, and certainly not a tender little lad like +Rico. He might meet a sad fate, and be lost altogether, if he attempted +any thing of the kind; and then she would be responsible for it all. She +would not run that risk,—she thought she had enough to bear already.</p> + +<p>So she placed all the impossibility of the affair before Silvio's eyes, +and told him of the terrible circumstances, and of the wicked men whom +Rico would have to encounter, and who might ruin him. But nothing had +the slightest effect. The little fellow had set his heart upon this +thing as he never had upon any thing before; and whatever his mother +brought forward, and no matter how anxiously she insisted, the moment +she ceased the child said, "Rico must go to fetch her: he knows where to +find her."</p> + +<p>Then his mother replied, "And even if he does know, do you mean to say +that he would run the risk and go into such dangerous places, when he +can live comfortably as he does here, and never have to do with any +wicked men again?"</p> + +<p>Then Silvio looked at Rico, and said, "Will you go to fetch Stineli, +Rico, or not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I will," said Rico firmly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, merciful heavens! now Rico is getting unmanageable too," cried the +mother, quite horrified. "And now I do not know what to do. Take your +fiddle, Rico, and play something, and sing; I must go into the garden." +And the good woman ran quickly forth into the garden under the +fig-trees, for she thought that her little son would forget the thing +more quickly if he had not a chance to talk to her about it.</p> + +<p>But the two good friends within neither played nor sang, but excited +each other almost to fever point with all kinds of representations of +how Stineli should be brought there, and of what would happen afterwards +when she had fairly arrived. Rico utterly forgot to take his leave, +although it was quite dark; and Mrs. Menotti purposely remained in the +garden, thinking that Silvio would soon fall asleep. At last, however, +she did come in, and Rico took his departure at once; but she had a bad +time of it with Silvio, after all. He positively would not close his +eyes until his mother promised that Rico should go to fetch Stineli; but +she could not make any such promise, and the little fellow did not cease +insisting until his mother said, "Be quiet, now; the night will set +every thing straight." For she thought in the night he will forget his +notion, as had often been the case, and he will have some other fancy.</p> + +<p>At last the child was quiet and slept; but his mother had miscalculated +the affair. Scarcely was it dawn when the little fellow called out from +his bed, "Is every thing set straight now, mother?"</p> + +<p>As it was impossible for her to reply in the affirmative to this +question, the storm broke out again, and a more violent one than she had +ever experienced before with her little boy, and lasted through the +whole day quite late into the evening; and on the following day the same +thing recommenced.</p> + +<p>Silvio had never been so persistent in any fancy before. When he +screamed and cried she was able to bear it; but when the hours of pain +and suffering came, and the child went on whining and complaining in the +most touching manner, saying,</p> + +<p>"One only feels perfectly well with Stineli, and nowhere else," that cut +his mother to the heart, and seemed like a reproach to her, as if she +would not do something that might make him well again; but how could she +possibly even think of it?</p> + +<p>She had heard herself Rico's answer to Silvio when he asked if he knew +how to go to Stineli. It was,—</p> + +<p>"No, I do not know the way; but I can easily find one."</p> + +<p>She went on hoping day after day that Silvio would take up some new +whim, as had always before been the case: she had never found it +otherwise. If he had wished for something when he was well, he had +always given it up when his pain came on. But it was quite different +this time, and there really was a reason too. Rico's stories and remarks +about his friend Stineli had taken firm possession of the mind of the +over-sensitive child; and he believed that nothing would hurt him again, +if she were only by his side. So Silvio went on day after day in +increasing distress; and his mother did not know where to turn for +counsel and support.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XVI.</p> + +<p>COUNSEL THAT BRINGS JOY TO MANY.</p> + +<p> +In all this trouble and uncertainty it was a real comfort to Mrs. +Menotti to see the long black coat of the kind-hearted old priest, +who had not been to visit her for a long time, coming through the +garden gate.</p> + +<p>She sprang up from her seat, crying out joyfully, "Look, Silvio; there +comes the dear, good priest!" and went towards him. But Silvio, in his +anger over every thing, said, as loud as he could, "I would rather it +were Stineli!"</p> + +<p>Then he crept quickly under the coverlet, so that the priest need not +know where the voice came from. His mother, however, was dreadfully +shocked, and begged the good man, who now entered the room, not to take +offence at this greeting, as it was not really so bad as it sounded.</p> + +<p>Silvio did not stir, but said softly, under the bed-cover,—</p> + +<p>"I really mean just what I say."</p> + +<p>The father must have had a suspicion of where the voice came from. He +stepped at once to the bedside; and, though there was not a hair of +Silvio's head even to be seen, he said, "God bless you, my son! how are +you? How is your health nowadays? and why do you creep into this hidden +hole like a little badger? Come out, and explain it all to me. What do +you mean by Stineli?"</p> + +<p>Now Silvio crept forth, for he had the priest in great respect now that +he was so close to him. He stretched out his little thin hand in +greeting, and said, "Rico's Stineli, I mean."</p> + +<p>His mother now interposed with the explanation, for the father shook his +head very doubtfully as he seated himself by the bedside. The good woman +related the whole affair about Stineli, and told how her little boy had +got the idea firmly fixed in his noddle that he would never be well +again unless this Stineli could come to him; and how even Rico had +become unreasonable, and declared that he could go to fetch Stineli, +even though he did not know a single stock nor stone of the way; and it +was such a long journey up into the mountains, moreover, and it was +impossible to realize what horrible people they were who lived up there. +But it proved how very bad they must be when a tender little fellow like +Rico preferred to incur the great danger of the journey than to remain +among such rude folk. "If it were practicable," however, added Mrs. +Menotti, "no money would seem to me wasted that would procure me such a +girl to quiet Silvio's longing, and to have some one to help take care +of him;" for sometimes she had almost too much to endure, and felt as if +she must give up altogether. And Rico, who was usually very discreet in +his conversation, was of the opinion that nobody could help her so much +nor so well in every way as this same Stineli. He ought to know her very +well, too; and certainly, if she really corresponded to his description, +it would be a great escape for such a girl to get away from the +mountains; but she did not know of anybody who would do them such a +favor as to bring her.</p> + +<p>To all this discourse the kind priest lent an attentive ear in profound +silence, until Mrs. Menotti had quite finished. Indeed, he could not +have got a word in edgewise if he had been inclined; for the good woman +had not opened her heart for a long time, and it was so full that it +almost choked her when she gave her words full expression, and she quite +lost her breath.</p> + +<p>Now quiet reigned for a while, then the good man began very calmly to +smoke his second pipe; and presently he said, "H—m, h—m, Mrs. Menotti; +I rather think you have an impression of the mountaineers that is +decidedly exaggerated. There are good Christians there as elsewhere; and +now that there are so many ways of doing things discovered, it would be +also quite possible to get up there without danger. We must bethink +ourselves about that, and find out about it."</p> + +<p>After this opinion, the priest stopped to refresh himself a little from +his snuffbox; then he went on:—</p> + +<p>"There are all sorts of trades-people who are always coming down to +Bergamo,—sheep and horse dealers: they know the road well enough, of +course. We can obtain information, and then bethink ourselves: we can +find a way sooner or later. It you are in earnest about it, Mrs. +Menotti, I will look about a little. I go every year once or twice to +Bergamo, and I will take the thing in hand for you."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti was so filled with gratitude at this promise, that words +utterly failed her that were, in her opinion, adequate to express her +thanks. Suddenly all the heavy thoughts had vanished that had oppressed +her day and night for such a long time past, and in which she was +getting more and more involved the more she puzzled over them, so that +at the last she saw no hope of a decision. Now the Father took the +whole burden upon himself, and she could refer her troublesome little +Silvio to him.</p> + +<p>While this conference was taking place, the little invalid had almost +pierced the priest through with his great gray eyes, so great was his +interest in what they said. When the priest arose, and held his hand +towards the child to say good-by, the little thin fingers were pressed +into his big palm as if he were making a firm contract.</p> + +<p>The father gave his promise to bring tidings as soon as he had obtained +the necessary information; and then they could decide whether the thing +could be done, or whether Silvio must give up his wish altogether.</p> + +<p>Week after week slipped by, but Silvio did not waver. He had a firm +ground of hope now by which to hold; and, moreover, Rico had become so +lively and amusing, that he was hardly to be recognized. It acted upon +him like a spark that kindled a joyful bonfire when he learned the +priest's comforting words; and a new life was awakened in the lad. He +knew more stories to tell Silvio than ever before; and when he took his +fiddle in his hand, he produced such heart-stirring tones and tunes, +that Mrs. Menotti could not tear herself from the room where the boys +were, and was full of astonishment at Rico's store of music.</p> + +<p>It was only in this room at Mrs. Menotti's that Rico fully enjoyed his +instrument. It sounded so well in the large, lofty space, where it was +quiet and peaceful, without a taint of tobacco-smoke, or the clamor of +noisy men; and he was not confined to dance music, but at liberty to +play as his fancy directed. Every day he went with increasing pleasure +to Mrs. Menotti's, and often said to himself, as he entered, "This is +the way it must feel when one is entering his own home."</p> + +<p>But it was not his home: he only was permitted to go there for a little +while, and away again.</p> + +<p>There had come over Rico a very decided change within a short time; and +the landlady, who perceived it clearly, was greatly perplexed thereby. +When she placed a nasty broken pail of refuse before him, saying, +"There, Rico, carry this to the hens," he would step aside a little, put +his hands behind his back, to show that he did not mean to touch the +pail, and say quietly, "I prefer that some one else should do that;" and +when she brought out an old pair of shoes and handed them to him to +carry to the cobbler, he did the same, saying. "I prefer that you should +give them to another person to carry."</p> + +<p>Now the landlady was a clever woman, and knew how to put two and two +together; and it had not escaped her that Rico was quite another person +within a short time, and looked very differently too. Mrs. Menotti had +always dressed him very nicely since she had undertaken that office; but +when she observed how well his clothes became him, and what an air of +real gentility he had, she used finer materials than at first; and the +lad always took good care of his person and his dress, for he detested +uncleanliness and disorder, both on his own appearance and in his +surroundings. All of this was not unnoticed, nor did she ever forget +that even as Rico had poured out his pocketful of gold upon the table +before her after his first "dance evening," so had he continued to do +faithfully, and not so much as looked as if he would like to keep one +bit for himself.</p> + +<p>He brought more and more each time; for it was not only for his dance +music that he was called so often, but because of his songs, that were +very popular.</p> + +<p>And the landlady recognized that it was her best policy to treat him +always kindly and well; and she did not trouble him about the hens nor +the shoes, and required such little services from him no more.</p> + +<p>It was now three years since Rico made his first entry into Peschiera. +He was now a tall, fourteen-year old stripling, and whoever laid eyes +upon him found him pleasing to look upon.</p> + +<p>Once again the golden sun of autumn burnished the surface of the Lake of +Garda, and the heavens lay blue above the tranquil waves. In the garden +the great bunches of grapes hung gold against the trellises, and the red +flowers of the oleander glistened in the sunbeams.</p> + +<p>It was quiet in Silvio's room, for his mother was without in the garden +gathering grapes and figs for the evening. The invalid lay listening +for Rico's step, for this was the time of his usual visit. The wicket +opened: Silvio pulled himself up in his bed. A long black coat came +slowly toward the door,—it was the priest. Silvio did not think of +hiding himself this time. He stretched out his little arm as far as he +was able, to shake hands with the good man, before he had fairly +entered the room.</p> + +<p>This welcome pleased the priest, who walked at once into the room, and +to the child's bedside, even though he saw Mrs. Menotti's form behind +him in the garden.</p> + +<p>"This is right, my son," he said. "And how do you find yourself?"</p> + +<p>"All right," said Silvio quickly; and, looking eagerly at the good man, +he added softly, "When may Rico go?"</p> + +<p>Seating himself by the bedside, the good man said, a little pompously, +"To-morrow, at five o'clock, Rico will start, my son."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti entered as he was speaking, and it was with some difficulty +that the priest could quiet her enough to get a chance to tell his story +in a consecutive way, and to make himself understood; and all the time +he was speaking, Silvio's eyes were fixed upon his face like a little +sparrow-hawk.</p> + +<p>He had come directly from Bergamo, where he had passed two days. He had +made all the necessary arrangements with a horse-trader,—a friend of +his who had been travelling, for thirty years or more, every autumn, and +knew the way over the mountains that Rico must take. He knew, also, how +the journey could be made without leaving the coach, or sleeping by the +way. He was going there himself, and would take Rico under his charge, +if the lad would go to Bergamo by the early train. The man knew all the +drivers and conductors, also; and would arrange for his and his +companion's return, and recommend them so well that there would be no +trouble or danger.</p> + +<p>The Father was convinced that there was no hindrance to Rico's going in +perfect safety, and gave his blessing to the undertaking.</p> + +<p>As he stood by the garden-hedge, after saying good-by to Silvio, Mrs. +Menotti, who had accompanied him thus far, detained him for a moment, to +ask again, full of sudden anxiety, "Oh, there will not be any danger to +his life, I hope? Nor that he may lose his way, and go wandering about +in the mountains? You do not think that possible, do you, Father?" But +the good man quieted her fears; and she returned to the house, thinking +of what there remained to do for Rico, who entered the garden at this +moment, and was greeted by such a startling cry of joy from Silvio, that +he reached the bedside in three leaps to find out what it all meant.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter? What ails you?" Rico kept asking; and Silvio +repeated, "I will tell you, I will tell you!" until, in real anxiety, +his mother came to his aid. Soon, however, she left the boys to enjoy +their happiness together; and went about her business, which she thought +very important. She fetched a portmanteau, and placed a huge piece of +smoked meat first of all at the bottom, then a half loaf of bread, a big +parcel of preserved plums and figs, and a bottle of wine, carefully +wrapped in a cloth. Then came the clothes,—two shirts and a pair of +shoes, two pair of stockings, and pocket-handkerchiefs; for it seemed +always to Mrs. Menotti as if Rico were going to the farthermost part of +the world; and she only now fully realized how dearly she loved the lad, +for she felt that she could not get on without him.</p> + +<p>All the while, as she was packing, she would pause, sit down, and say to +herself, anxiously, "Oh, I do hope there will not be an accident!"</p> + +<p>Presently she brought the portmanteau down-stairs, and counselled Rico +to go at once and explain to the landlady how every thing had happened; +and to ask if she would allow him to go, and not oppose it; and +afterwards Rico was to carry the portmanteau to the station.</p> + +<p>The boy was in the greatest surprise over his portmanteau. He obeyed in +silence, as usual, however, and went to the landlady. He explained to +her that he was going back to the mountains to bring Stineli back with +him, and that the priest had arranged it so that he was to start on the +following morning at five o'clock.</p> + +<p>It produced a feeling of respect at once in the mind of the landlady +when she found that the priest was at the head of the business. But she +naturally wished to know who this Stineli might be, and what the idea +was in fetching her; for she hoped it might be on her account.</p> + +<p>She only found out that Stineli was a girl whose name was Stineli, and +that she was coming to Mrs. Menotti. So she let the thing go; for she +would not interfere, for the world, with that lady's wishes. She was +only too glad that Rico had been left to her for so long. She took it +for granted that Stineli was Rico's sister, only that he had not said +so, because he never did say any thing about his family.</p> + +<p>So she told all the guests in the inn that evening that Rico was going +to bring his sister down to Peschiera, because he had found out how well +they all lived there.</p> + +<p>In order to show how highly she held the lad in respect, she had a big +basket brought down from the attic, and filled it with sausages and +cheese, and slices of bread, and eggs, saying,—</p> + +<p>"You must not get hungry on the way; and what is left over, you can eat +while you are there. It will not be too much; and coming back, you will +need something too. You are certainly coming back, Rico, are you not?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," replied the lad. "In eight days I shall be back again."</p> + +<p>In Mrs. Menotti's hands he placed his beloved fiddle, for he would not +have trusted it to any one else; and then he took his leave for eight +days, for he could easily be back again in that time, if every thing +went well.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XVII.</p> + +<p>BACK AGAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS.</p> + +<p> +Full of impatience, Rico stood at the station long before the appointed +time, and could scarcely be quiet while waiting for the train. Again he +took his seat in the carriage, as he had done three years before, but +not now crouched timidly in a corner with his violin in his hand. He +took a whole seat for himself this time; for he placed his portmanteau +and his basket next him, and they took up a deal of room. He met the +horse-dealer in Bergamo without difficulty, and they travelled along in +the same carriage together, and then across the lake. When they left the +boat they went towards the inn, where the big post-wagon stood with the +horses already harnessed. It all came back to Rico's memory with great +distinctness,—how he had stood there in the night, quite alone, after +the students had all gone their ways; and opposite he espied the +stable-door where he had seen the lantern hanging, and had found the +friendly sheep-dealer again. It was evening now; and they took their +places at once in the coach, and went towards the mountain. Rico sat +within, this time, with his companion, and had scarcely settled himself +comfortably in his corner when his eyes closed and he slept; for he had +not slept an hour on the preceding night, so great had been his +excitement. Now he made it up, without once awakening, until the sun +stood high in the heavens, and the coach moved very slowly; and when he +stuck his head out of the window, he saw, to his utter astonishment, +that they were ascending the zigzag road up the Maloja, that was so +familiar to him from his childhood.</p> + +<p>He could not see much from the window,—only a turning in the road now +and then; but now he did want to see everything that lay about them. At +last the coach stopped: they had reached the summit. There was the inn, +there the spot where he had sat and talked with the driver. All the +passengers got out for a moment, and the horses were fed. Rico also +descended, and asked very humbly of the driver if he might be allowed to +take a seat on the box with him.</p> + +<p>"Will you let me climb up there, and ride as far as Sils?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Up with you!" said the coachman. They all took their places, and +merrily rolled the coach down the smooth road and along the level way. +Now they reached the lake. Yonder lay the wooded peninsula, and there +the white houses of Sils, and beyond was Sils Maria. The little church +shone in the morning sunshine, and over towards the mountain were two +cottages. Rico's heart began to beat wildly. Where was Stineli? A few +steps farther, and the coach stood still in Sils.</p> + +<p>Stineli had suffered a great deal since her friend's disappearance. The +children were larger, and the work ever increasing; and the greater part +fell to her share, for she was the eldest of the children, and the +youngest of the rest of the family; so the cry was always, "Stineli can +do this: she is old enough now;" and presently, "Stineli must look after +that, she is so young." She had no one with whom to share her pleasures +since Rico's departure, even if she had a moment to herself.</p> + +<p>Her good grandmother had died the year before, and from that time +forward the girl had no relaxation whatever; but from morning to evening +there was nothing but incessant toil.</p> + +<p>She never lost heart, however, although she had wept bitterly over the +loss of her grandmother; and every day the thought arose several times +in her mind, without her good grandmother and Rico the world was no +longer as beautiful as formerly.</p> + +<p>On a sunny Saturday morning she came out of the stable with a big +bundle of straw poised on her head. She meant to weave some nice +brushes, for the evening sweeping. The sun was shining all down the +pathway towards Sils, and she stood gazing in that direction. An +unknown lad came along the road,—certainly no Silser, she thought; and +yet as he drew near he stood still and looked at her, and she returned +his gaze, and was much perplexed. In an instant, however, away went her +bundle of straw, and she rushed forward towards the motionless figure +before her, crying out,—</p> + +<p>"O Rico! are you still alive? Have you come back again? But how big you +are, Rico! I did not know you, at first; but as soon as I saw your face, +then I was sure,—nobody has a face like yours."</p> + +<p>So Stineli stood with glowing cheeks before the lad; and he grew as +white as chalk from excitement, and could not find words to speak his +joy, but looked and looked at the girl. Presently he said,—</p> + +<p>"You have grown, too, Stineli, but are not otherwise changed. The nearer +I came to the house, the more anxious I got lest you might be altered."</p> + +<p>"Oh, to think that you are really here, Rico!" cried Stineli, joyfully. +"Oh, if the grandmother only knew! But come in, Rico; they will all be +surprised." She ran on before to open the door, and Rico followed.</p> + +<p>The children hid themselves one behind the other; and their mother rose +and greeted the lad as if he were a stranger, and asked what his wishes +were. Neither she nor the children had an idea who he was. Now Trudi +and Sami came into the room, and bowed to him as they passed through. +"Does not one of you know him?" said Stineli, at last. "Don't you see +it is Rico?"</p> + +<p>They were astonished and full of their surprise when their father came +to his dinner. Rico advanced towards him, offering his hand, which the +man took, but looked steadily at the strange lad.</p> + +<p>"Is it some kind of a relation?" he asked; for he was never very sure +about the members of the family who sometimes visited them.</p> + +<p>"Even the father does not know him," said Stineli, rather vexed.</p> + +<p>"Why, it is Rico, father!"</p> + +<p>"Well, well: that is good," remarked he; and looked the lad well over +from head to foot this time, adding,—</p> + +<p>"You need not be ashamed to show yourself. Have you learned some sort of +a trade? Let us all be seated, and then you can tell us what has +happened to you."</p> + +<p>But Rico did not sit down at once: he kept looking towards the doorway. +At last he asked, hesitatingly,—</p> + +<p>"Where is the grandmother?"</p> + +<p>"She lies over there in Sils, not far from the old schoolmaster," was +the reply. Rico had hesitated with his question, for he feared this +would be the answer; he had noticed the grandmother's absence at once. +He took his seat with the others at the table, but was silent for a +while, and could not eat a morsel: he had loved the grandmother dearly. +However, the father wanted to hear his story, and to know what had +become of him on the day they all searched for him in the ravines, and +what he had seen and done in the world. So the boy told all his story, +and about Mrs. Menotti and Silvio; and explained distinctly that he +wished to take Stineli back with him to Peschiera, if her parents would +consent. Stineli made very big eyes while her friend was talking: she +had not lost one word of his history. Her heart was as if on fire with +joy. To go to Rico's beautiful lake with him, to live with Mrs. Menotti +and her sick son, who was so anxious for her to come,—that would be +happiness indeed!</p> + +<p>There was a long silence after this. Stineli's father never decided +hastily. At last he said, "It is true that when one goes among strangers +there is much to be learned; but I cannot let Stineli go,—there can be +no question of that. She is needed here at home; but one of the others +may go,—Trudi, perhaps."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes: that will do," said the mother. "I cannot get along +without Stineli."</p> + +<p>Then Trudi raised her head from her plate, and said, "That suits me very +well. There is nothing but children's racket here at home."</p> + +<p>Stineli did not speak. She only looked anxiously towards Rico, wondering +if he would not say any thing more since her father seemed so decided, +and whether he would take Trudi with him as proposed. The lad, however, +looked calmly at her father, saying, "No: that won't do at all. It is +precisely Stineli whom the sick boy Silvio wishes, and nobody else; and +he knows very well what he wants. He would only send Trudi home again, +and she would have taken the journey for nothing. Mrs. Menotti told me +to say, that if Stineli got on well with her son, she would give her +every month five gulden to send home to her family, if they cared for +it; and I am sure that Stineli and Silvio will agree famously,—just as +sure as if I saw it with my own eyes now," added the lad.</p> + +<p>Pushing his plate to one side, Stineli's father put his cap on his head. +He had finished his dinner; and when he had some very severe thinking to +do, he was always more comfortable with his cap on. It seemed to help +him to collect his thoughts.</p> + +<p>He thought, always in silence, how much labor he would have to perform +before he could earn even one good gulden; and he said to himself, "Five +gulden every month without lifting a finger."</p> + +<p>So he shoved his cap first on one side and then on the other; and said, +at last, "She may go. One of the others can do the work in the house."</p> + +<p>Stineli's eyes sparkled, but the mother looked sadly at all the little +heads and plates. Who would keep them all nice and in order?</p> + +<p>But the father's cap got another shove. Something else had +occurred to him.</p> + +<p>"Stineli has not yet been confirmed, and ought to be before she +goes away."</p> + +<p>"I am not to be confirmed for two years yet, father," said the girl +eagerly; "so that I can go away for two years perfectly well, and come +back quite in time for that."</p> + +<p>This was a good decision, and everybody was satisfied. The father and +mother thought, even if every thing does go badly without Stineli, it +will only be for a while; and when she comes back again, all will be +well. And Trudi thought, "Just as soon as she comes back again, I will +go and then we shall see if I come back."</p> + +<p>But Rico and Stineli merely glanced at each other, and laughed with +their eyes for pure joy.</p> + +<p>As the father looked upon the affair as settled, he rose from the table, +saying, "She may go to-morrow: then we shall know where we stand."</p> + +<p>Her mother, on the contrary, objected to this, saying that it could not +be managed so quickly, and complained bitterly, until her father gave +in, and said she should go the following Monday, and would not hear of a +later date; for he thought that there would be a continual fuss until +the departures were fairly over.</p> + +<p>Work there was now for Stineli in abundance. Rico understood that this +must be the case, and he addressed himself to Sami, and said he would +like to see whether every thing remained as formerly in Sils-Maria; and +that he had a sack and a basket to fetch from Sils, and perhaps Sami +would go with him to help him; so they went forth.</p> + +<p>Firstly, Rico paused before his former home, and gazed at the old +house-door and the hen-house. It was just as it had been. He asked Sami +who lived there now,—if his cousin were there, and alone.</p> + +<p>But he heard that the cousin had long ago gone away towards Silvaplana, +and nobody knew any thing about her; for she had not shown her face in +Sils-Maria again.</p> + +<p>There were people living in the house, about whom Rico knew nothing. +Everywhere that he went with Sami, from the old well-known houses and +stables the people stared at him as if he were an utter stranger; not +one of them recognized him in the least.</p> + +<p>As he crossed over, towards evening, to Sils, he turned aside a little +towards the churchyard. He wanted to see the grave where the old +grandmother was buried; but Sami did not rightly know where she lay.</p> + +<p>They returned home just as it was growing dark, laden with basket and +portmanteau. Stineli stood at the well, and brushed out the stable +buckets for the last time; and as Rico stood there by her side, she +said, flushed with pleasure, and with her exertions over the pails, "I +can scarcely believe that it is true, Rico."</p> + +<p>"But I do," said he so decidedly, that the girl looked at him surprised. +"But of course, Stineli," he added, "you have not been thinking it out +this long time as I have."</p> + +<p>There was a change in Rico that the girl noticed at once. Formerly he +would not have spoken in this firm and decided manner.</p> + +<p>They had arranged a bed for Rico up in the room under the roof. +He carried his things up there, and meant to open them the +following morning.</p> + +<p>When they were all seated the next day at table,—a beautiful, clear +Sunday morning,—down came Rico, and poured out before Urschli and +Peterli a big heap of plums and figs. The latter fruit they had never +seen at all; and the plums were finer than any that they were accustomed +to; and his sausages and meat and eggs he placed in the middle of the +table. As soon as their admiration and surprise had a little subsided, +they all fell to and ate with a wonderful relish, and the children were +munching the sweet figs quite late into the evening.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XVIII.</p> + +<p>TWO HAPPY TRAVELLERS.</p> + +<p> +On Monday evening the journey was to begin. The horse-dealer had +impressed this fact so thoroughly on Rico's memory, that there was not a +chance for a mistake. After the farewells were all said, Rico and +Stineli went towards Sils together, while her mother, with all the +little children clustered about her, stood upon the doorstep and looked +after them.</p> + +<p>Sami accompanied them to carry the portmanteau on his head, and Rico +carried the basket on one side, and Stineli held it on the other. +Stineli's clothes had just filled it.</p> + +<p>When they reached the church in Sils, Stineli said, "Oh, if my +grandmother could only see us now! We will go to say good-by to her, +Rico." He was very willing, and told Stineli how he had already tried to +find the grave, but had not succeeded.</p> + +<p>The girl was better informed than her brother.</p> + +<p>When the post-wagon came along and stopped, the driver called out, "Are +the couple ready who are to go down to the Lake of Garda? I was asking +for them yesterday."</p> + +<p>The horse-dealer had given them a good recommendation; and the driver +called out that they should climb up to the top: the others had found it +too cold. "You are younger," he said.</p> + +<p>So saying, he helped them up to the seats behind the box, and took out +a thick horse-blanket, and wrapped them up snugly therein; and off +they went.</p> + +<p>For the first time since they had come together again, the two young +people were alone, and could talk freely and undisturbed, and tell each +other how they had passed the three long years since they parted. And +they chattered away happily under the starry heavens, never thinking of +sleep in their joy at being together.</p> + +<p>Towards morning they reached the lake, and arrived in Peschiera at the +same hour as Rico had before arrived, and walked along the road to the +lake-side. But Rico did not wish his companion to see the lake until she +had reached the spot he called his own; so he led her through the trees +until they came to the little stone bridge in the open.</p> + +<p>There lay the lake in the light of the setting sun; and the children sat +side by side on the little mound, and gazed across the water.</p> + +<p>There it was, just as Rico had described it, but more, much more lovely; +for such colors Stineli had never seen before.</p> + +<p>She looked about her towards the purple mountains, across the golden +waters, and she cried out with all her heart, "Yes, it is finer than the +Lake of Sils."</p> + +<p>But Rico felt that it had never yet been so exquisitely beautiful as on +this evening when he and Stineli saw it together.</p> + +<p>Rico had another secret joy that he cherished in his heart. How +surprised Silvio and his mother would be to see them! Nobody had +expected them back so soon. Nobody would look for them before the end of +the week, and now there they sat by the lake-side.</p> + +<p>They did not quit the little mound until the sun had fairly disappeared.</p> + +<p>Rico pointed out to his companion the spot where his mother stood +washing something in the lake, and how he used to sit waiting until she +had finished; and then he told how they walked back together, hand in +hand, over the little bridge.</p> + +<p>"But where did you go when you went back?" asked Stineli. "Have you +never found the house that you returned to?"</p> + +<p>Rico could not say. "When I go up there, away from the lake towards the +railroad, I seem to remember that there I stood with my mother, or sat +with her upon a garden-seat with the red flowers before us; but now +nothing is to be seen like the house, and I do not even recognize the +road at all."</p> + +<p>At last they arose, and went towards the garden. Rico carried the +portmanteau, and the girl the basket. As they entered the garden, +Stineli called out too loud, in her delight, "Oh, the beautiful, +beautiful flowers!"</p> + +<p>Silvio heard these unfortunate words, and pulled himself up in an +instant, crying out, at the top of his lungs,—</p> + +<p>"Here comes Rico with his Stineli!"</p> + +<p>His poor mother thought that he had an attack of fever. She thrust her +things back into the chest which she was arranging,—every thing in +again, pell-mell,—and ran quickly to the bedside.</p> + +<p>At that moment Rico walked boldly into the room, and the good woman +almost fell over backward in her surprise and delight; for until that +very instant she had secretly been a prey to the darkest fears, always +believing that Rico's adventure would cost him his life.</p> + +<p>A maiden came behind Rico, with a friendly face that won Mrs. Menotti's +heart in a twinkling, for she was a very impressionable woman.</p> + +<p>First of all, however, she shook Rico's hands almost off in her +welcoming grasp; and in the meantime Stineli had gone over to the +bedside and placed her arm about the thin shoulders of the child, and +smiled into his face as if they were old and dear friends, while Silvio +in return put his arm about her neck, and drew her face down to his.</p> + +<p>Straightway Stineli placed a present for the child before him. She +had put it conveniently in her pocket, so that she could place her +hand on it at once. It was a toy that had been Peterli's favorite +before any other,—a pine-cone, with a thin wire introduced into each +little opening between the hard scales, and a little figure, made of +sole-leather, perched on the top of each bit of wire. All these tiny +figures shook and nodded so merrily towards each other, and had such +funnily painted little faces, that Silvio could scarcely stop +laughing at them.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti had learned from Rico all that he had to tell her of +importance while this play went on,—for she was anxious to learn from +himself that all had gone quietly and safely,—then she turned to the +girl, and greeted her with heartfelt kindness; and Stineli made answer +more with her kindly eyes than with her tongue, for she could not speak +a word of Italian, and had to help herself out with such Romanish words +as she had learned.</p> + +<p>But she was quick-witted, and found a way to make herself understood +without difficulty; for, if the right word was wanting, she described +the thing cleverly with her fingers, and by all sorts of signs, which +amused Silvio exceedingly; for it was a kind of game of guessing for him +all the time.</p> + +<p>Now Mrs. Menotti went over to the cupboard, where all the service for +the table was kept, and brought out tablecloth and plates, cold +chicken, fruit, and wine; which, when Stineli observed, she hastened +after her to aid her, and did it so neatly and handily that there +remained little for Mrs. Menotti to do; and she stood gazing at the +nimble, willing girl, who had soon served Silvio also, as he lay in +bed, cutting his food for him, and helping him neatly and rapidly, +which pleased the child very much.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti seated herself, saying, "I have not had such help as this +in many a year; but, come now, Stineli: sit down, and eat with us."</p> + +<p>And they sat and chatted and ate together, as if they were old friends +who had always been accustomed to such free intercourse.</p> + +<p>Rico began to give an account of the journey after they had finished +eating, and Stineli meanwhile quietly replaced every thing in the +cupboard; for she knew well enough, without being told, how such work +should be done. Then she seated herself by Silvio's bedside, and made +shadow pictures on the wall with her supple fingers; and Silvio laughed +aloud, and called the names,—"A hare! A beast with horns! A spider with +long legs!"</p> + +<p>So sped away the first evening quickly and merrily, and they all were +taken by surprise when it struck ten o'clock. Rico rose, for he knew he +must be going; but a dark cloud came over his countenance.</p> + +<p>He said shortly, "Good-night," and went away. But the girl ran after +him; and in the garden she took his hand, saying, "Now you must not be +sad, Rico, it <i>is</i> so beautiful here. I cannot tell you how lovely I +find it, nor how happy I am; and I owe it all, all to you. And you will +come again to-morrow, and every day, will you not, Rico?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said; and looked at Stineli with a most melancholy expression. +"Yes; and every evening, when it is most beautiful, I must be off and +away, because I belong to nobody."</p> + +<p>"Oh! do not think in that way, Rico," said his friend encouragingly. +"Have we not always belonged to each other, and have not I often rejoiced +over that thought all these three years that are past? And when things +were almost unsupportable, and I longed to get away, have not I always +said to myself, 'If I could only be with Rico again, I would bear any +thing?' And now it has come about as we wished, and, indeed, far better +than I had imagined; and will you not be happy with me, Rico?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; that I will," said the lad; and his countenance cleared a little.</p> + +<p>He did belong to somebody, after all; and Stineli's words had restored +his tranquility. They shook hands again; and Rico went through the +garden-gate, and away.</p> + +<p>When Stineli returned to the room, and, by Mrs. Menotti's directions, +was about to say good-night to Silvio, the child began to dispute +again, and declared that he would not be separated from his newly-found +friend even for a few hours; but would have her sit by his bedside all +night long, and say funny words to him, and look at him with her +laughing eyes.</p> + +<p>Nothing that his mother could say produced any impression upon him, +until she spoke thus: "Very well; if you keep Stineli standing by your +bed to amuse you all night, she will soon be as ill as you are, and not +be able to get up at all, but have to lie in bed, and you will not see +her for a long time."</p> + +<p>So, after a while, the child released his hold of Stineli's arm, +and said,—</p> + +<p>"There, go to sleep; but come to me again to-morrow early."</p> + +<p>This was promised; and Mrs. Menotti showed the girl into a neat little +bedroom that looked out upon the garden, whence a delicious scent of +flowers rose through the open window.</p> + +<p>With every day that passed Stineli became more and more necessary to +little Silvio. If she only went out-of-doors for a few moments, he +considered it a misfortune. He was obedient and quiet enough, however, +when she stayed with him; and did every thing she bade him do, and did +not tease his mother as before.</p> + +<p>And it seemed as if the nervous little fellow had less frequent attacks +of pain since Stineli's arrival. Indeed, he had not complained since her +coming, and she had been with them many days.</p> + +<p>It must certainly be acknowledged that she was the most amusing of +companions, and turned every thing that came in her way into a game. She +had always lived with children, and constantly had their entertainment +in her mind. She had also learned a great many words from Silvio, and +could soon chatter away with him at her ease; and when she did get the +words twisted and upside down, it was even more funny, and Silvio looked +upon that as a game made expressly for him.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti never saw Rico entering the garden but she ran towards him, +for now she was at liberty to move about freely; and she always drew him +a little aside to tell him what a treasure he had brought into the house +for her, how happy and gay her Silvio had become, and that she never +would have believed that such a girl as Stineli existed on the face of +the earth; for with Silvio she was as merry as if her only pleasure +consisted in playing the little games he liked, while she was as wise +and intelligent as any grown woman with Mrs. Menotti, and understood +housework so that it all seemed to go on of its own accord; and nicely, +too, as if every day were Sunday. In short, Mrs. Menotti could not find +words enough to praise Stineli in all the ways in which she found her +admirable; and Rico was always happy in listening to these praises.</p> + +<p>When they all sat together in the pleasant room, and exchanged loving +and happy glances, they felt that they never wanted to be separated, +and called themselves the happiest family in the whole world, and +needed for nothing.</p> + +<p>But the clouds on Rico's brow grew dark as night came on, and towards +ten o'clock every thing looked black and blacker; and even if Mrs. +Menotti, in her contentment, did not notice it, Stineli did, and +secretly worried over it, thinking, "It is just as if there were a +thunder-storm in the air."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XIX.</p> + +<p>CLOUDS ON THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE OF GARDA.</p> + +<p> +It was a beautiful Sunday in autumn, and across the Lake of Riva there +was to be a "dance evening," and Rico was to go over there to play; so +he would not be able to pass the day with Stineli and the rest. They +talked this over and over through the week, for it was a great trial to +them all when Rico did not come for Sunday; and Stineli tried to find +all sorts of little reasons to reconcile Rico, and to make the affair +seem less unpleasant.</p> + +<p>"You will go across the lake in the sunlight, and return under the +beautiful stars; and we shall be thinking of you the whole time," she +said to him, when he first mentioned that he should be away on Sunday.</p> + +<p>On Saturday evening Rico brought his violin, for Stineli's greatest +pleasure was to hear him play. The lad played lovely tunes one after +another; but they were all sad melodies, and seemed to make him sadder +still, for he looked down at his instrument with a kind of indignant +sorrow, as if it did him a real injury.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he pushed it away from him, long before the clock had struck +ten, and said, "I am going away."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti tried to detain him; she could not understand what was +amiss. Stineli had looked steadily at him while he was playing. Now she +said, quietly,—</p> + +<p>"I will go with you a little way."</p> + +<p>"No," cried Silvio; "do not go. Stay here with me."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, Stineli!" said Rico. "Stay here, and let me go alone."</p> + +<p>And, saying this, he looked at his friend exactly as he had looked when +he came away from the schoolmaster's house, and joined Stineli at the +wood-pile, so long ago, saying then, "It is all of no use!"</p> + +<p>Stineli went to Silvio's bedside, and said softly, "Be a good boy, +Silvio; and to-morrow I will tell you the very prettiest and drollest +story about Peterli; but now do not make a noise."</p> + +<p>Silvio really did keep quiet, and Stineli went after Rico. When they +reached the hedge, Rico turned about, and pointed towards the brightly +lighted window that looked so pleasant and friendly from the garden, and +said, "Go back there, Stineli. You belong there, and there you are at +home; but I belong in the streets. I am a homeless fellow, and shall +always be so: now let me go away."</p> + +<p>"No, no; I will not let you go in this mood, Rico. Where do you +mean to go?"</p> + +<p>"To the lake," said the young man; and went towards the bridge. As they +stood together on the little mound, they were silent for a while, +listening to the murmur of the waves. At last, Rico said,—</p> + +<p>"Do you understand, if you were not here, I would go away at once, far +away?—but I do not know where I should go. Wherever I go, I shall be +homeless, and have to be fiddling forever in public-houses where they +are noisy, just as if they had lost their senses, and I must always +sleep in a room in which I dislike to be; but you belong to them there +in that beautiful house, and I do not belong anywhere. And I tell you, +Stineli, when I look down there, I think if my mother had only cast me +to the waves before she died, then I should not have been this +homeless wanderer."</p> + +<p>With ever-increasing trouble, Stineli listened to these words of her +friend; but when he pronounced these last, she became really alarmed, +and said hastily, "O Rico! you ought not to say such things. I am sure +that you have not said 'Our Father' for a long, long time; and these +wicked thoughts are the consequence."</p> + +<p>"No: I have not prayed for a long time," said Rico. "I have +forgotten how."</p> + +<p>These words gave his companion a severe shock.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! what would my grandmother say to this, Rico?" she cried, in +distress. "She would be in sad trouble about you. Do not you remember +how she told us, 'He who forgets his Lord's Prayer is sure to get into +trouble?' Rico, you must learn it again. I will teach it to you this +minute: it will not take you long."</p> + +<p>And the good girl began, with pious zeal, and repeated the prayer twice +or thrice over to her friend; and, while she thus emphasized the words, +she noticed that there was a great deal of especial comfort for Rico +contained therein; and, as she ended, she said,—</p> + +<p>"Do not you see, Rico, if all the kingdom belongs to the good God, He +can surely find you a home? for He has all the power, so He can give it +to you if He chooses."</p> + +<p>"Now you can plainly see, Stineli," replied the youth, "if the good God +has a home for me in His kingdom, and has the power to give it to me, +and does not, it is because He does <i>not</i> choose to."</p> + +<p>"Yes; but you forget something," continued Stineli. "The good God may +say, 'If Rico wants any thing from me, he should pray to me.'"</p> + +<p>In reply to this, Rico had no answer. He remained silent for some +time; then he said, "Repeat the Lord's Prayer again, Stineli: I will +learn it."</p> + +<p>His companion gladly complied, and it was soon learned. Then they +separated, and each went home; but Rico's thoughts were busy with the +"kingdom and the power."</p> + +<p>Once more in his quiet room, he prayed humbly, and with a softened +heart; for he felt that he had been in the wrong to believe that the +good God ought to give him what he wished for, when he did not even +remember to pray to Him.</p> + +<p>Stineli returned to the garden very full of anxious thought. She turned +over and over in her mind whether she ought to tell all this to Mrs. +Menotti. Perhaps she might be able to find some other employment for +Rico than this fiddling in the public-houses for dancing, that was so +detestable to the lad. But the thought of troubling Mrs. Menotti with +her affairs passed quickly from her mind as she entered the room again.</p> + +<p>Silvio lay upon his pillows with flushed cheeks, breathing heavily and +irregularly; and by the bedside sat his mother, and wept.</p> + +<p>The little invalid had had another of his severe attacks, and a little +anger at Stineli's absence had increased the fever. His mother was so +cast down, that she did not seem to Stineli the same person at all. When +she, at last, recovered her spirits a little, she said,—</p> + +<p>"Come here, Stineli. Sit down here by my side: I want to tell you +something.</p> + +<p>"I have something that lies very heavily at my heart; so heavily, +that sometimes it seems to me that I cannot bear it any longer. It is +true you are young, but you are so sensible, and have seen a great +deal; and it seems to me that I should be relieved if I could talk it +over with you.</p> + +<p>"You see how Silvio suffers, and how ill he is,—my only son. Now I have +not only the distress of his sickness, which can never be healed, but I +often feel that perhaps it is a punishment from God, because I am +holding and enjoying an unlawful property: although, to be sure, I did +not seek to get it, and do not wish to keep it. But I will tell you +every thing from the beginning.</p> + +<p>"When we were married, Menotti and I,—he brought me over from Riva, +where my father still lives,—Menotti had a very good friend living +here, who was just about leaving, because the land had become hateful to +him, owing to the death of his wife. This friend had a house—a little +one—and large fields, though they were not very productive. He wanted +my husband to take them all, and said that the land did not yield much; +but if he would keep it all in good order, and the house also, that he +would return to claim it in a few years.</p> + +<p>"So the friends made their arrangements together, and said nothing about +interest. My husband said, 'You will want to find every thing as it +should be when you return;' for he meant to put it all in good +condition, and understood the cultivating of land perfectly, which was +thoroughly well known to his friend, who willingly left it all in his +hands. But about one year later the railroad was built, and the little +house had to come down, and the garden was taken too, with the fields, +for the railway went right through them. So my husband got a great deal +more money than they were really worth, and bought a far better piece of +land and a garden, and built a house, all with the money; and the land +produced fully twice what the other had, and we had most abundant +harvests. I often said, 'It does not really belong to us, and we are +living in luxury from the property of another. How I wish that we knew +where he is!' But my husband quieted me, and said, 'I am keeping it all +in order for him, and when he comes it is all his; and as to the profit +that I have laid aside, he must have his share also.'</p> + +<p>"Then Silvio was born; and when I discovered that the little fellow was +ill, I kept saying over and over to my husband, 'We are living on +property to which we have no right, and we are punished for it.' And +sometimes it was so dreadful to me that poverty would have been more +tolerable, and I would have gladly been homeless.</p> + +<p>"My husband always tried to console me, and said, 'You will see how +pleased he will be with me when he returns.' But he did not return. My +husband died: it is now four years ago. Oh, what a life I have led since +then! always thinking how can I be free from this unlawful property +without doing any thing wrong, for it is my duty to keep it in good +condition until our friend comes; and then I feared that he might be in +misery somewhere while I am living so comfortably on his property, and +know nothing of his whereabouts."</p> + +<p>Stineli felt sincerely how much Mrs. Menotti was to be pitied; for she +perfectly well understood her feeling, and how she was always +reproaching herself for a thing that she could not change, and she +comforted the good woman, saying,—</p> + +<p>"When any one does not mean to do wrong, and means not to do wrong, +then there is nothing but to trust to the good God and pray to Him for +help; for He can turn our evil into His good, and He will do so when +we are truly repentant over evil. I know all this from my +grandmother's teaching; for once I was in great distress, and did not +know what to do."</p> + +<p>Then she told about Rico and the lake that he was always thinking of, +and how she was the cause of his running away, and full of fear that it +had cost him his life. But she said that she felt perfectly at ease +after she had cast her burden on the Lord; and she advised Mrs. Menotti +to do likewise, and assured her that she would derive the truest comfort +from so doing. After this conversation Mrs. Menotti felt much relieved, +and said they would all go to rest now, and thanked her young counsellor +for her advice.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XX.</p> + +<p>AT HOME.</p> + +<p> +One beautiful Sunday morning in autumn, Mrs. Menotti seated herself on +the garden-bench in the midst of the glowing red flowers, and +thoughtfully gazed about her,—now at the oleander and laurel bushes, +now at the fig-trees laden with fruit, and again at the vines heavy with +golden grapes; and she said, softly, "God knows I should be glad if I +could lay aside this feeling of wrong-doing that weighs on my +conscience, but certainly such a lovely spot as this one I could never +find for a home."</p> + +<p>Presently Rico came into the garden. He was obliged to go away in the +afternoon; and he never passed a whole day without paying them a visit, +if it were possible to do otherwise. As he was passing on towards +Silvio's room, Mrs. Menotti called him.</p> + +<p>"Come and sit down by me, Rico, for a moment. Who knows how long we may +be able to stay in this place together?"</p> + +<p>Rico was alarmed.</p> + +<p>"Why do you say this, Mrs. Menotti? You do not think of going +away, do you?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti had to stop, for she could not tell him all her story. She +remembered what Stineli had said to her the evening before about Rico. +She was so full of her own thoughts at that time, that she did not +fairly take in the import of her words. Now she began to wonder about +it, the more she thought it over.</p> + +<p>"Do tell me, Rico," she said, "were you ever here earlier?—I mean +before; or what made you want to see the lake again, as Stineli told me +was the case yesterday?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; when I was little," said the lad. "Then I went away."</p> + +<p>"How did you get here when you were little, Rico?"</p> + +<p>"I was born here."</p> + +<p>"What! here? What was your father, if he came here from the +mountains yonder?"</p> + +<p>"He did not come here from the mountains; only my mother did."</p> + +<p>"Do I hear aright, Rico? Was your father born here?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. He was a native of this place."</p> + +<p>"You never told me this before. This is wonderful. You have not a name +like the people here. What was your father's name?"</p> + +<p>"What was his name? It was Henrico Trevillo."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti sprang up from the seat as if she had had a shock.</p> + +<p>"What did you say, Rico?" she cried out. "What did you say just now? +Tell me again."</p> + +<p>"I told you my father's name."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Menotti was not listening: she ran towards the door.</p> + +<p>"Stineli, bring me a kerchief," she cried. "I must go to the priest at +once: I am trembling all over."</p> + +<p>In great surprise, Stineli brought out the kerchief.</p> + +<p>"Come with me a few steps, Rico," said the good woman, as she went +through the garden. "I must ask you something more."</p> + +<p>Rico had to repeat his father's name twice over; and when they had +fairly reached the door of the priest's house, for a third time Mrs. +Menotti asked,—</p> + +<p>"What did you say it was? Are you quite sure?"</p> + +<p>She hurried into the priest's house, and left Rico wondering what could +have happened to put her into such a way.</p> + +<p>Rico had brought his violin with him, for he knew that Stineli was +particularly pleased to hear it. When he reached Silvio's room, he +found the little boy and his companion in the best of humor. Stineli +had fulfilled her promise about the story of Peterli's funny doings, +and this had amused Silvio exceedingly. When the latter espied the +violin, he cried out at once, "Now let us sing; let us sing the +'Lambkins' with Stineli."</p> + +<p>Stineli had never heard her song since it was composed that day on the +mountain, for now Rico played such beautiful airs that she had quite +forgotten the old ones. But she was astonished to hear Silvio asking +for the German song, for she had no idea of the hundred times the two +boys had repeated it during the three years that were past. She was +much pleased to hear the old song again, and, above all, to sing it +with Rico; and so they began. Silvio sang with all his might,—without +understanding a single word, to be sure, but the tune was quite +correct. It was the girl's turn to laugh now; for Silvio's +pronunciation was most wonderful, and she could not join in for +laughter, and it was contagious; for the child could not resist the +merry expression of her face, and joined her in laughing, and sang +again still more queerly and louder; and all the while Rico played his +accompaniment without stopping.</p> + +<p>And thus Mrs. Menotti's ears were greeted with laughter and song as she +drew near the house on her return, and she could not understand how they +could be so light-hearted and merry on such a momentous occasion. She +came hastily through the garden, and into the room, and sank upon the +nearest seat; for the shock and the joy, and the anticipation of what +was to follow, had overpowered her, and she needed to recover herself a +little. The sight of her agitation silenced the singers, and they gazed +at her in surprise. At last she recovered, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Rico,"—and her voice was quite solemn,—"Rico, listen to me. Look +about you. This house, this garden, that field,—all, all that you can +see, and much that you cannot see, belongs to you: it is all yours. You +are the owner; it is your inheritance from your father; your home is +here; your name stands in the baptismal record; you are the son of +Henrico Trevillo, and he was my husband's dearest friend."</p> + +<p>Stineli had understood the whole story at the first word, and her face +beamed with unspeakable happiness.</p> + +<p>Rico sat as if turned to stone, and made no sound; but Silvio broke out +into shouts of delight,—it was all a play to him.</p> + +<p>"Oh! now the house belongs to Rico, where is he going to sleep?"</p> + +<p>"He can sleep in any room he chooses, Silvio. He can sleep in them all +if he wishes to. He can turn us all out-of-doors if he has a mind to, +and stay all sole alone in this house."</p> + +<p>"I am sure I should much prefer to go away with you, then," said Rico.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you good Rico!" cried Mrs. Menotti. "If you will let us stay here, +we shall be so glad to remain. I have thought it out as I came along +towards home, and know how we can arrange it so that we shall be happy. +I will take half of the house of you, and the same with the garden and +all the land; so one half will be yours, and the other Silvio's."</p> + +<p>"I shall give my half to Stineli," said the child.</p> + +<p>"So shall I," said Rico.</p> + +<p>"Oh, ho! now the whole thing belongs to her,—the garden, and the house, +and all that is in them; and Rico and his fiddle, and I too. Now let us +go on with our song."</p> + +<p>But Rico did not take the same view of the affair as his little friend. +He had thought over Mrs. Menotti's words, and now asked, anxiously,—</p> + +<p>"I do not understand how Silvio's house can belong to me because our +fathers were friends."</p> + +<p>It now occurred to Mrs. Menotti for the first time that Rico did not +know any thing about the circumstances; and she told him the whole +story, with all the particulars, even more minutely than she had told it +to Stineli; and when she had finished they all understood perfectly how +it was, and were at liberty to rejoice without restraint; for since the +house and all belonged partly to Rico, there was no reason why he should +not take possession at once, and never leave them again; and their +rejoicing was great.</p> + +<p>In the midst of their merry-making Rico said, suddenly,—</p> + +<p>"Since things have turned out this way, Mrs. Menotti, do not let any of +the arrangements be disturbed in the house; but every thing go on as +usual. I will simply come here to live, and you shall be our mother."</p> + +<p>"O Rico! to think that it is yours, that it is you who are the <i>master</i>. +How good God is to let it all turn out in this way,—that I can give it +all to you, and yet stay here myself with a clear conscience. I will be +a mother to you, Rico; and indeed you have long been as dear to me as if +you were my own child. Now you must call me 'mother,' and so must +Stineli; and we shall be the happiest household in all Peschiera."</p> + +<p>"Well, now let us finish our song," cried little Silvio; for he was so +excited and glad that he felt that singing was the only way to express +his joy; and the others were not unwilling to join him, and they did +finish their song; then Stineli said,—</p> + +<p>"Now will you not sing one other song with me, Rico? You know which +one I mean."</p> + +<p>And they sang the grandmother's hymn piously, and in beautiful accord, +especially the favorite verses at the end,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "He never yet has done amiss;<br> + And, perfect in His sight,<br> + All that He does or orders is<br> + Sure to be finished right.</p> +<br> +<p> "Now only let His 'will be done,'<br> + Nor clamor constantly,<br> + Peace to the heart on earth will come,<br> + And joy eternally."</p> + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>The next day Rico did not go to Riva. Mother Menotti advised him to go +at once to the landlady, to explain to her the change in his +circumstances, and to order another fiddler to be sent to Riva, while he +at once entered upon his possessions. Well pleased with these +suggestions, the youth hastened to carry them out.</p> + +<p>The landlady heard his wonderful story with great interest, and at the +end she called out to her husband and told it all over to him, and +testified real pleasure at the good fortune that had befallen her young +friend, and was sincere in what she said. She certainly was sorry to +lose him; but she had suspected for some time that the hostess of the +"Three Crowns" was making advances to Rico in the hope of enticing him +away from her; and that would have been dreadful to the "Golden Sun." +Now any danger of that misfortune was averted, and she was glad to hear +that Rico was a house and land holder himself, for he was a great +favorite with her. Her husband was particularly well pleased; for he had +been a friend of Rico's father, and did not now understand why he had +not earlier noticed that the lad was the exact image of the man.</p> + +<p>So the farewells were all spoken in good feeling, and the landlady took +his hand at parting, and asked for his patronage if ever there was +occasion for her services in his house.</p> + +<p>That very evening the news was known in all Peschiera, with all the true +details, and a great many more; and everybody expressed pleasure, and +said that Rico looked exactly as if he owned an estate, and would grace +the position.</p> + +<p>Mother Menotti did not know how she could do enough to make Rico +comfortable in his own house. She arranged the big room for him—the +one that had two windows overlooking the garden, and with a view over +the lake—with beautiful marble statuettes adorning the walls; and on +the table she placed a vase of flowers, and the whole room was most +prettily furnished, so that Rico stood still on the threshold when, at +Mrs. Menotti's request, Stineli led him up there. And when the kind, +motherly woman took his hand and led him to the window, and he looked +down in the shimmering lake, and over at the purple mountains in the +distance, his heart filled to overflowing with thankfulness, and he +could only murmur, softly,—</p> + +<p>"Oh, how beautiful! And this is my home!" And now day after day the four +happy friends lived their peaceful life in the comfortable room looking +on the garden, where Silvio lay, and never perceived how the time was +speeding away.</p> + +<p>In the daytime Rico went about with his whistling servant lad through +the fig-trees and over the fields planted with corn, for he wanted to +learn the care of it all.</p> + +<p>Now the servant naturally thought, "I know much more than my new +master," and felt sensible of his superiority over Rico; but when, in +the evening, beautiful and heart-stirring music came forth upon the +evening breeze from the well-lighted room, where they all sat +together, the boy leaned against the hedge and listened for long +hours; for music was his greatest delight, and he said to himself, "My +master knows more than I do, after all;" and he could not help feeling +a great respect for Rico.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER XXI.</p> + +<p>SUNSHINE ON THE LAKE OF GARDA.</p> + +<p> +Two years have passed, every day bringing more enjoyment than the last.</p> + +<p>To Stineli came the knowledge that it was time for her to return to her +home, and she had many a hard battle with herself to keep up her courage +and cheerfulness; for to go away, and probably never return, was the +most dreadful prospect that ever presented itself to the young girl's +imagination. Rico also knew what was before them, and sometimes he would +only speak when it became absolutely necessary. And a strange, unnatural +feeling took possession of mother Menotti, and she tried to discover the +secret cause; for she had quite forgotten that Stineli was to go home +again to be confirmed. When at last the cause of the trouble came out, +she said, "Oh! you can put that off for another year;" and so things +fell back into their old comfort again.</p> + +<p>On the third year, however, a message came from Bergamo (some one came +down there from the mountain) that Stineli was wanted at home, and must +go. Now there was no help for it. Silvio might fight against it like one +possessed: it did no good. Against fate it is useless to struggle.</p> + +<p>Mother Menotti said, day after day, towards the end, "Only promise to +come back, Stineli. You may tell your father I will do any thing he +wishes, if he will only let you come back soon."</p> + +<p>Rico said nothing at all. And Stineli went off; and day after day it +seemed as if a big black cloud lay over the household, and as if the +very sun outside had ceased to shine.</p> + +<p>And so it went on from November to Easter, when everybody was rejoicing; +but it was still sad in Rico's house. After the Easter festival was +over, and every thing was beginning to be more beautiful than ever +before in the garden, and flowers and sweet odors were spread all +abroad, Rico sat by Silvio's bedside, and played every sad melody that +he could remember, until the little fellow was in a most melancholy +mood, when suddenly from the garden a merry voice called out,—</p> + +<p>"Rico, Rico! have you no more cheerful welcome for me than this?"</p> + +<p>Silvio screamed as if beside himself. Rico threw his violin on the bed, +and ran out; and mother Menotti came in, half frightened.</p> + +<p>On the threshold stood Rico with Stineli; and so in Silvio's room there +was the long-lost sunshine back again, and they were as merry as ever +again, and happy as they had never believed would be possible during +their long separation. There they all sat at table by Silvio's bedside, +and questioned and answered, and told all that had happened, and ever +and again broke out into rejoicing over their reunion. Who would have +thought, to see them there, that any thing could be wanting to the +perfect happiness of these four people? But Rico knew another tale. In +the midst of all the merriment, he became absent-minded, and fell into +one of his old dreamy moods. It did not last as long as formerly, +however. He must have reached a satisfactory conclusion pretty soon; for +suddenly his reverie was over, and he said these words, with the utmost +decision, "Stineli must be my wife this very moment, or else she will +have to go away again directly; and that we could not endure."</p> + +<p>This decision pleased Silvio mightily; and in a short time they were +all of the same way of thinking, that the sooner the marriage took +place the better.</p> + +<p>On the very most beautiful May morning that ever shone over Peschiera, a +long procession started from the church towards the "Golden Sun."</p> + +<p>At the head, tall and well-proportioned, came Rico with his stately +mien; and at his side walked Stineli, looking happy and pretty, her +smooth braids crowned with the fresh bridal wreath. Next in the +procession, in a well-upholstered little wagon, drawn by two merry +Peschiera urchins, Silvio might be seen, beaming with satisfaction like +a triumphant victor; and last of all followed mother Menotti, very much +moved and affected, in a rustling wedding-dress; behind her the servant +lad, with a nosegay that covered his whole shirt-front; and after them +streamed all Peschiera, with the very noisiest kind of participation, +for they all wanted to look at the handsome couple, and to do them +honor. It was almost like a great family festival, in which they all +joined to help the strayed and lost Peschiera boy to found his own home +in his native town.</p> + +<p>The joy of the landlady of the "Golden Sun," when she saw the procession +coming towards her house, is quite indescribable. Whenever the question +arose concerning any wedding, low or high, she always said, with +emphasis,—</p> + +<p>"That is nothing at all in comparison with Rico's wedding in the +'Golden Sun.'"</p> + +<p>The house in the garden never again lost its sunshine, and Stineli took +good care "Our Father" was never forgotten again; and on every Sunday +evening the grandmother's hymn was sung in the garden in full chorus.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>HOW WISELI WAS PROVIDED FOR.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER I.</p> + +<p>COASTING.</p> + +<p> +On one of the hills surrounding the city of Bern a little village is +perched which shall be nameless in this story; but if you are curious, +and go there in your travels, perhaps you may recognize it from the +following description. On the very top of the hill stands one solitary +house, with a beautiful garden about it. It is called "On the Height," +and is the property of Colonel Ritter. The descent to the little square, +where the church and parsonage stand, is sharp (in the parsonage the +colonel's wife passed her happy days of childhood); and somewhat farther +down is the schoolhouse, amid a little cluster of houses; while on the +left, as you still descend, you see a lonely cottage with a pretty, +well-kept garden, surrounded by currant-bushes, and adorned with +mignonette and pinks, and a few roses amidst its chiccory and spinach. +This is the last house on the road, which, from here on, makes one long +stretch downward to the highway that goes far out into the country, +parallel with the river Aar.</p> + +<p>This long, unbroken descent forms, in winter, the most perfect +coasting-ground imaginable; for once you are past the steep bit by the +colonel's house, you may go on without interruption quite down to the +road by the river; that is, always supposing that you make a fair start +at the beginning.</p> + +<p>This coast was an endless source of pleasure to the army of children who +daily poured out of the door of the old schoolhouse when lesson hours +were over, ran to the yard where they had piled their sleds on entering, +took each his own from the heap, and scampered off in wild haste to +begin their afternoon amusement. How the hours passed no one could +imagine: down flew the sleds in a twinkling, and nobody felt the trouble +of climbing up the hill, so full were all the little heads of the +pleasure of going down again; and so the night, and the time for +returning to their homes for supper, always took them by surprise.</p> + +<p>This usually occasioned a stormy scene before they left the +coasting-ground; for everybody wished to go down "once more," and then +"just <i>once</i> more," and then "one single turn more,"—so that everybody +hurried and jumped onto the sleds, and flew down and ran up again in a +regular hurry-scurry.</p> + +<p>A rule had been established to the end that no one should go down the +coast while the others were still climbing up, but that all should go +down one after the other in good order, to prevent confusion or +accidents. Notwithstanding this good rule, there were often many +lawless proceedings, especially towards the close of the day, when +nobody wished to be the last, and when they all crowded onto the coast +very closely together.</p> + +<p>This was the state of affairs on a clear evening in January, when the +snow fairly crackled under the children's feet as they mounted the hill, +and the fields in every direction were frozen so firmly that you could +have gone anywhere over them in a sleigh as if they were the highway. +The children were all rosy and glowing with their exertions, for they +were hurrying up the steep hill, pulling their sleds behind them, +turning them about in a flash, jumping upon them, and off again head +foremost, not to lose a second of the precious time until the moon shone +brightly in the crisp sky, and the evening bells were ringing. All the +boys were shouting, "Once more; just once more!" and the girls were as +eager as they. At the top, however, where they all threw themselves upon +their sleds, there was great excitement and uproar. Three boys each +claimed to have reached the top first, and would not yield an inch to +each other, but all must go down at once. And so they pushed this way +and that, until a big boy called Cheppi was hustled quite against the +bank of snow at the side of the coast, and found that his heavily ironed +sled was fast in the snow. He was furious, for he saw that now all the +other fellows would get off before he could extricate himself. He looked +about, and presently espied a little slender girl standing near by in +the snow. She was very pale, and held both arms wrapped in her apron to +keep them warmer, for all that she trembled and shivered with cold from +head to feet. She looked so feeble and miserable, that she seemed to +Cheppi just the proper object upon whom to vent his rage.</p> + +<p>"Can't you get out of a fellow's way, you stupid thing? What are you +standing there for? You have not even a sled with you. Just wait a +moment; I'll help you to get along!"</p> + +<p>So saying, he thrust his boot into the snow, intending to kick it over +the girl. She sprang back, however, quickly, so that she went quite up +to her knees in the snow, and said timidly, "I was only looking on."</p> + +<p>Cheppi was thrusting his boot into the snow again with the same +intention towards the child, when he received such a tremendous box +on the ear from behind, that it almost knocked him off his sled. +"Just you wait a minute," he shouted, beside himself with anger, for +his ear tingled as it had never tingled before; and doubling up his +fists, he turned himself to see who was his hidden foe. A boy stood +behind him, and looked on very quietly, holding his sled in position +for another coast.</p> + +<p>"Come on," he said calmly.</p> + +<p>It was Otto Ritter, a class-mate of Cheppi, with whom he was always +engaged in some little quarrel. Otto was a tall, slender boy, about +eleven years old, and not nearly of the same strength as Cheppi; but +the latter had learned more than once that with hands and feet Otto was +much the more skilful of the two. He did not strike out, but held his +fists doubled up, and cried out angrily, "Let me alone: I am not +meddling with you."</p> + +<p>"But I am with you," replied Otto, in a very warlike tone. "What +business have you to chase Wiseli away like that, and then to kick snow +at her, I should like to know? I have been looking at you, you coward! +teasing a little girl who cannot defend herself."</p> + +<p>With these words he turned his back contemptuously towards Cheppi, and +called out to Wiseli, who was standing shivering all this time in the +deep snow,—</p> + +<p>"Come out of the snow, Wiseli. Oh, how you are shivering, child! Have +you no sled really, and only been able to look on? Here, take mine, and +go down once quickly. Do you know how?"</p> + +<p>The pale, timid girl did not know what to make of this kindness. She had +been looking on for some little time, watching the sleds as they flew +down the hill, and thinking, "Oh, how I should like to go down to the +very bottom just once!" when she saw two, and sometimes three, going +down on the same sled. But now she might go down all alone by herself, +and that, too, on the very handsomest sled on the coast,—the one with a +lion's head, that went faster than any other, because it was light, and +was bound with iron. She was so happy that she stood still, looking +after Cheppi with a half feeling that he might strike her if she dared +to enjoy such a piece of good fortune. But there he stood quite +tranquilly, as if nothing whatever had happened; and by him stood Otto, +with such a protecting air, that she took courage, and seated herself on +the handsome sled; and when Otto called out, "Go on; go on, Wiseli!" she +obeyed, and away she flew as if the wind were behind her. Very soon Otto +heard the coasters all toiling up the hill again, and he called out, +"Stay among the first, Wiseli, and go down again; after that we must go +home." Wiseli was only too happy to do as she was bid, and enjoyed for a +second time the long-wished-for pleasure. Then she brought the sled to +its owner, thanking him shyly for his kindness, but more with her +beaming eyes than with words; and off she scampered as fast as she could +go. Otto felt decidedly happier. "Where is Pussy?" he called out, +peering into the already scattering crowd. "Here she is!" replied a +merry voice; and out of the knot of children appeared a red-cheeked, +plump little girl, who slipped her hand into her big brother's +protecting palm, and went with him towards their father's house as +quickly as possible. It was very late, and they had over-passed the +allotted time for coasting.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER II.</p> + +<p>AT HOME WHERE ALL ARE HAPPY.</p> + +<p> +When Otto and his sister came noisily in through the deep stone entrance +of their father's house, the old servant Trine appeared in a doorway +holding a light high above her head to see whence came all the uproar, +and from whom. "So," at last she said, half scoldingly, half pleasantly; +"your mother has been asking for you for a long time, but there was no +trace of you, although it struck eight nobody knows how long ago." Old +Trine had been maid-servant in the family when the children's mother +came into the world, so she was an authority in the household, and felt +that she was one of its members,—to tell the truth, the very head of +the establishment; for surely she was the oldest in age and experience. +The dear old woman was fairly foolish in her fondness for her master's +children, and very proud of all their qualities and acquisitions. She +would not let this be seen, however, but employed an indignant tone when +speaking to them; for she thought it best for their education not to +appear perfectly satisfied with their conduct.</p> + +<p>"Off with your shoes, on with your slippers!" she called out at once, +according to rule; but her order was immediately executed by the +commander, for she knelt before Otto while she spoke, to take off his +wet shoes. He had sunk down upon the nearest seat. His little sister +stood perfectly still in the middle of the room without stirring, which +was such an unusual circumstance, that Trine looked over her shoulder +two or three times to see what it could mean. Now that Otto was +equipped, it was Pussy's turn to sit down and be attended to; but she +stood stock still, and did not stir. "Well, well! if we wait there +until summer comes, our shoes will get dry of themselves," said Trine, +still on her knees. "Hsh, hsh, Trine! I hear something. Who is in the +big parlor?" said Pussy, lifting her forefinger up a little +threateningly. "Everybody who has dry shoes: nobody else admitted. Now +make up your mind to sit down," said Trine. But instead of sitting +down, Pussy made a spring upward, and cried, "Now I hear it again; +Uncle Max laughs just like that." "What!" cried Otto, and reached the +parlor-door with one leap.</p> + +<p>"Wait, wait!" Pussy called after him, and ran to the door at the same +time; but she was caught and placed on the seat, although old Trine had +hard work to get the shoes off the little kicking feet; but perseverance +at last accomplished the business, and off ran Pussy out of one door and +through the other into the big parlor, where truly sat Uncle Max in the +arm-chair. Now there was a fine jubilee, and a hugging and kissing over +and over. Uncle Max certainly made as much noise as the children, and it +was a long time before they were quieted enough to speak a rational word +to each other. A visit from this uncle was always a time of great +delight for the children, and with good reason, for he was extravagantly +fond of them. He was a great traveller, and only came to see them once +in two years; but then he made up for his long absence by giving himself +entirely to his little friends as if he were no older than they; and the +queer and enchanting presents that he had stuffed into every pocket for +his little niece and nephew would be hard to describe.</p> + +<p>Uncle Max was a naturalist, and travelled to every corner of the world, +bringing back something curious and interesting from each place.</p> + +<p>At last supper was served, to the immense satisfaction of the whole +party,—for the children always brought home new appetites from the +coasting-ground, and were prepared, both old and young, to do full +justice to the steaming dishes set before them.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Colonel Ritter, glancing across the table at his little +daughter, who was seated beside her mother, and already too busily +engaged in satisfying her hunger to look up from her plate. "Well, well; +it seems rather strange to think that Pussy has no hand to spare for her +papa to-day. I have not had one single kiss, and now it is too late."</p> + +<p>With a contrite air Pussy pushed back her plate, saying, "O papa, I +forgot! I will give you"—</p> + +<p>But her father said, quickly, "No, no; do not make a disturbance now, +child. Give me your hand across the table; we will have the rest later. +That will do now, Pussy."</p> + +<p>"What was this child christened, Marie? I was certainly present at the +ceremony, but I have utterly forgotten her name. Not Pussy, I am sure," +said Uncle Max, laughing.</p> + +<p>"You certainly were present, Max," replied his sister, "for you are the +child's godfather. She was named Marie. At this time her father +nicknamed her Pussy, and Otto has multiplied that in the most +nonsensical manner."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, mamma; not nonsensical," cried Otto, quite seriously. "You see, +uncle, it follows in very sensible order. When the little thing is +gentle and good, then I call her 'Pussy.' That is not always the case, +however, and 'Puss' does for some of her moods; but when she is angry, +and looks like a regular cross-patch, then I call her 'Old Cat.'"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, Otto," answered his sister; and when you are angry, you look +like a—like a"—</p> + +<p>"Like a man," said Otto; and as Pussy had no better comparison ready, +she went on busily eating her pudding.</p> + +<p>Uncle Max laughed heartily. "Pussy is right," he said. "She does far +better in pursuing her present occupation than in answering back such +slanders. But, children," he began again, after a pause, "it is more +than a year since I was here, and you have not told me about any thing +that has taken place during my absence."</p> + +<p>The latest events were those that occurred first to the children; and +they began to tell, generally both speaking together, the story of +Cheppi's rude treatment of Wiseli on the coast, and of how cold the girl +was, and how she stood shivering in the snow, and had no sled of her +own, but got a chance to coast down twice after all.</p> + +<p>"That is right, Otto," said his father. "You must honor your name. You +must always be a true knight for the persecuted and unprotected. Who is +this Wiseli?"</p> + +<p>"You cannot know any thing about the girl nor her mother," said his +wife. "But Uncle Max knows Wiseli's mother very well. You remember that +thin weaver who was our neighbor, don't you, brother? He had an only +daughter with big brown eyes, who often came to us at the parsonage, and +sang so sweetly. Can't you remember her now?"</p> + +<p>While Uncle Max was trying to recall the somewhat fading recollections +of his youth, old Trine put her head into the room, saying,—</p> + +<p>"The carpenter Andrew would like to speak to you, Mrs. Ritter, if it +will not disturb you too much."</p> + +<p>This apparently innocent message produced a wonderful effect upon the +whole family. Mrs. Ritter put down the tablespoon, with which she was +about to help her brother a second time to fruit, and said hastily, "If +you will excuse me, gentlemen," and left the room. Otto sprang up so +quickly that he knocked his chair over backwards, and then fell over it +himself in his haste to get away. Pussy was about to follow the others; +but her uncle, seeing the movement, put his arms about her, and held her +fast. She struggled, however, and said, entreatingly,—</p> + +<p>"Let me go, uncle; let me go. Really, I must go."</p> + +<p>"Where do you want to go, Pussy?"</p> + +<p>"To see the carpenter Andrew. Let me go quickly. Help, papa; help!"</p> + +<p>"If you will tell me what you have to say to the carpenter, I will +let you go."</p> + +<p>"The sheep has only two legs left, and no tail at all; and the carpenter +is the only person who can mend him. Now <i>do</i> let me go!" And now Pussy +was off too.</p> + +<p>The gentlemen looked at each other, and Max burst out into a merry +laugh. "Who is this carpenter Andrew, pray, who seems to have the power +of attracting your whole family to his feet?"</p> + +<p>"You ought to be able to answer that question better than I," replied +the colonel. "He must also be one of the friends of your youth. The fever +of adoration you ought to understand also: it must be one of your family +characteristics; and your sister has introduced it into her family. I +can only tell you this much: this Andrew is the very corner-stone of my +house. Every thing depends upon him, and we should all fall to pieces if +his support were withdrawn from us. Andrew is the counsellor, comforter, +safety, and aid in any trouble. If my wife thinks she wants any utensil +for household use, even if she does not know how it should look, nor +what use to put it too, Andrew the carpenter invents it, and makes it on +the spot. If the kitchen is on fire, or the water gives out there, or in +the laundry, Andrew the carpenter smothers the fire, and procures floods +of water. If my son does some sad piece of mischief, Andrew the +carpenter repairs the damage in a trice. If my daughter smashes all the +crockery, Andrew the carpenter glues it together at once. So you see +that this man is really the very pillar of my edifice; and if any thing +should happen to him, we should straightway go to pieces."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ritter had returned to the room during this account of Andrew the +carpenter's virtues, and her husband had heightened the description for +her benefit. Uncle Max shouted with laughter.</p> + +<p>"Yes, laugh away; laugh away!" said she. "For all that, I know very well +what a treasure I possess in Andrew the carpenter."</p> + +<p>"So do I, for that matter," said her husband, laughing merrily.</p> + +<p>"I do, too," said Pussy, heartily, <b>who</b> was again on her seat at +table.</p> + +<p>"So do I," grumbled Otto, while he rubbed his shins, that ached from his +recent fall over the chair.</p> + +<p>"Well, now we are all of one mind about it, and the children can go +quietly to bed," said their mother. These words did not tend to restore +quiet, for the children became rebellious; but it was useless. Old Trine +stood on the threshold, and was ready to carry out the family rules and +regulations. Off marched the children, and presently their mother also +disappeared again; for there were the evening prayers to be said, and +she never failed to be at their bedside for that.</p> + +<p>When, at last, every thing was in order in the house, Mrs. Ritter joined +the gentlemen once more.</p> + +<p>"At last!" said the colonel, with a sigh of relief, as if he had +vanquished the enemy. "Now you see how it is, Max. My wife belongs first +of all to the carpenter Andrew, then to the children, and only to her +husband when there is nothing else for her to do."</p> + +<p>"And now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "that, although my +husband speaks scornfully of Andrew the carpenter, he does assign him a +very high rank after all. Now acknowledge that, won't you? He has just +given me a message for you. He has brought his yearly savings with him +to-day, and begs for your assistance."</p> + +<p>"That is true," said the colonel. "A more orderly, industrious, reliable +man I do not know. I would trust my wife, my children, my goods and +chattels to him rather than to any one else. He is the most honorable, +trustworthy man in this parish, or in any other, I do believe."</p> + +<p>"Now you see, Max," said his sister, laughing, "I could not say more +than that." Her brother joined with her in her amusement at the zest +which the colonel showed. Then he said,—</p> + +<p>"You have all been so full of the praises of your marvel, that I have +become curious, at last, to know where he comes from, and how he looks. +Have I never seen him when I have visited you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! you used to know him perfectly well," replied his sister. "You +must remember Andrew, with whom we went to school. Don't you recall the +two brothers who were always in the same classes with you? The elder was +even then a perfect good-for-nothing,—he was not stupid, but would not +study, and did not get on, and was put down into one of the lower +classes with his brother and you. You must remember him,—his name was +Jorg, and he had stiff, black hair. He always pelted us with something +whenever he got a chance,—with green apples or pears, and in winter +with snow-balls,—and always called us 'aristocrats.'"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that fellow!" cried Max. "Yes; now I do remember all about him. +Certainly he always called us 'aristocrats.' I wonder how he got hold of +that word. He was a disagreeable fellow: I remember that well. I caught +him once thrashing a little fellow most cruelly. I helped the little +one, and he shouted after me at least twelve times in succession, +'Aristocrat, aristocrat!' And now it comes back to me about the other +one, the lean Andrew, his brother. He was your Andrew, was he not, +Marie?—the Andrew with the violets? Oh, now I comprehend this great +friendship," said Max, laughing again.</p> + +<p>"What is this about the violets? I want to know all about that," said +the colonel.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I can see the whole thing just as it happened as plainly as if it +were only yesterday," said Max, quite animated over his recollections. +"I must tell you all about it, Otto. You have probably heard from your +wife that we had here, in the happy time of our childhood, an old +schoolmaster, whose creed was that all faults could be whipped out of, +and all virtues be whipped into, the children under his care. So he felt +himself constrained to whip a great deal either for one thing or the +other, and very often for both at once. Andrew's turn came one day, and +the master applied his well-meant rule so heartily that poor, thin +Andrew screamed with pain. At this moment my little sister, who had only +entered the school a short time before, and did not understand the rules +very well, stood up from her seat and hastened to the door. The teacher +held his hand for a moment, and shouted after her, 'Where are you +running to?' Marie turned about. The tears were running down her cheeks, +and she said, very decidedly, 'I am going home to tell my father.' +'Wait, I will teach you!' cried the master, in the greatest surprise, +and sprung after the girl. He did not strike her, however, but took her +roughly by the arm, and set her down very hard upon the bench; then he +said again, 'Wait, I will teach you!'</p> + +<p>"It was the end of that, however. He did not touch Andrew again, and +every thing passed off quietly that day. But the tears that Marie had +shed for Andrew, and her protest against the whippings, were not +forgotten. From that day forward a big bunch of violets was always +placed on Marie's desk, and the whole room was perfumed with them; and +later a still better scent filled the air, for there were every day +great bunches of dark red strawberries, such as nobody else knew how to +find. And so it went on for the whole year; but how the friendship +reached the height at which it now stands, that I will leave to my +sister to relate, for I do not know myself."</p> + +<p>The colonel was much pleased with this story of the tears and the +violets, and begged his wife to tell more about it. She said, "According +to you, Max, violets and strawberries grow all the year round; but, in +truth, it is not exactly the fact. But it is true that the good Andrew +was never tired of bringing in any thing that he thought would give me +pleasure all through the time we were in the school together. He left +long before I did, and went to learn his trade of a joiner in the city. +He came home very often, however, so that I never really lost sight of +him; and when my husband bought this piece of land and we were married, +it happened, also, that Andrew bought property, and wished to be +settled. He had lost his parents, and was quite by himself, and a +first-rate workman. He wanted the little house with the neat, pretty +garden down there half-way to the church; but was not able to purchase +it, because the owner wished for full payment at once, and Andrew could +only pay in instalments, as he earned the money.</p> + +<p>"But we knew all about him and his work. My husband purchased the place +for him, and he has never had the least reason to regret it."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed I have not," added the colonel. "Andrew has long ago paid +for his house, and now he always brings me the yearly amount of his +labor; and a very pretty sum it is, too. I invest it well for him, and +have a sincere satisfaction in the welfare of the sturdy fellow. He is +already a very well-to-do man, and adds to his property every year, and +can make his little house into a big one if he have a mind to do so, the +good Andrew. It is too bad that he is such a hermit, and cannot, +therefore, properly enjoy his home and his possessions."</p> + +<p>"Has he, then, neither wife nor family?" asked Max. "And what has become +of his disagreeable brother Jorg?"</p> + +<p>"No; he has really nobody," replied his sister. "He lives entirely +alone, and really like a hermit. He has had a long and very sad history +that I have been witness to, and which has taken away all the desire he +once might have felt to look for a wife. His brother Jorg wandered about +here in a disreputable way for several years, never working, but in the +hope of getting something, by his infamous behavior, out of his family, +who were respectable people, quite unlike himself. But, at last, he saw +that there was no chance of this, and even the kind Andrew refused to +pay any more of his debts, or to help him out of any more scrapes, so he +disappeared, nobody knows where; but everybody rejoiced that he was out +of the way."</p> + +<p>"What was the sad story of which you spoke, Marie?" asked her brother. +"I want to hear that, too."</p> + +<p>"So do I," said the colonel; and lighted another cigar, in order to +enjoy the tale more thoroughly.</p> + +<p>"But, my dear husband," objected his wife, "I have at least told you +this story ten times over."</p> + +<p>"Really," said the colonel, quietly, "it seems that it pleases me then, +if I ask for it again."</p> + +<p>"Oh, do begin!" said her brother.</p> + +<p>"You cannot have forgotten the child, Max," began his sister, "of whom I +was speaking yesterday, who lived quite near to us. She belonged to the +pale, thin weaver, whose shuttle we could always hear moving back and +forth when we stood in our garden. The child always looked clean and +neat, and had great lively, sparkling eyes, and beautiful brown hair. +Her name was Aloise."</p> + +<p>"I never knew anybody by the name of Aloise in my life," interrupted Max +at this point.</p> + +<p>"Oh! to be sure not," said his sister. "We never called her so, you +especially. 'Wisi' we called her, to the horror of our dear departed +mother. Don't you remember, now, how often you said yourself that we +must get Wisi to sing with us when mamma played songs for us on the +piano, and we could not make it go at all without Wisi's help?"</p> + +<p>At last Max seemed to remember about it, and laughed at the +recollection. "Oh, yes! I remember Wisi," he cried. "Yes, certainly that +was Wisi. I can see her now, before my eyes, with her bright face, as +she stood by the piano and sang so cheerily. I was very fond of her. I +was very fond of her,—of Wisi. She was very pretty, too. I remember, +too, what a shock it always seemed to mamma when I said, 'Wisi.' I +really never knew her proper name."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, you did," replied his sister; "because mamma always said +it was perfectly barbarous to change the pretty name of Aloise +into 'Wisi.'"</p> + +<p>"I certainly never heard it each time," said Max. "But pray what has +become of this Wisi?"</p> + +<p>"You remember she was in my class at school, and we kept along together; +and I often think of how Andrew always befriended and stood up for the +girl through thick and thin, and that she knew well how to turn his +friendship to good account.</p> + +<p>"When she came with her slate full of examples, like the rest of us, her +figures were not often correct; but she put the slate, with a merry +laugh, on her desk, and lo! soon the sums were all rightly set down, for +Andrew had put them in order. It often happened that she smashed a pane +in the schoolroom window, or shook down the schoolmaster's plums in the +garden; and yet Andrew was always the one who took the blame of these +misdeeds,—not that anybody accused him, but he himself used to say, +half aloud, that he believed it was his fault that the glass was broken, +or the plums shaken down, and so he got the punishment. We children all +knew well enough who was to blame; but we let it go, we were so used to +it, and were so fond of the merry Wisi, that we all were pleased when +she escaped punishment.</p> + +<p>"Wisi had always pocketfuls of apples, pears, and nuts, that all came +from Andrew; for every thing that he had, or could procure, he used to +stuff into Wisi's satchel. I used often to wonder how it happened that +the quiet Andrew liked the very most unruly and gayest girl in the +school, and I also wondered whether she returned his affection. She was +always very friendly with him, but she was the same with others; and as +I once asked our mother how it could be, she shook her head a little, +and said, 'I am afraid,—I am afraid that the nice little Aloise is a +trifle heedless, and may have to suffer for it.' These words gave me +much food for thought, and recurred to me again and again.</p> + +<p>"We went together to the Bible-class; and every Sunday evening Wisi used +to come regularly to our house, and we sang hymns together to the piano. +She particularly enjoyed this. She knew all the lovely songs by heart, +and sang them clearly and well; and mamma and I were very much pleased +to know that Wisi liked to sing, and went gladly to the Bible-class, and +seemed to take the religious teaching very much to heart. She had grown +into a fine large girl now, with bright eyes; and, although she did not +look very strong, like the peasant girls in the villages, still she had +a fine color, and was far prettier than any of them.</p> + +<p>"At this time Andrew was learning his trade in the town, but invariably +came home on Sundays. He always came up to the parsonage to call, and +was inclined to talk to me about our former schooldays; and gradually +we worked round to Wisi, and talked about her most of the time. Andrew +spoke most eloquently and feelingly on this subject; and, although +everybody else had adopted the name 'Wisi' for Aloise, he never called +her so, but said 'Wiseli' so softly and prettily, that it was very +sweet to hear.</p> + +<p>"But one Sunday (we were not quite eighteen years old, Wisi and +I,—mamma was with us that evening) Wisi came in looking very rosy, and +said that she had come to tell us that she was betrothed to a young +workman who had come lately to live in the village, and that they would +soon be married, as he had a good position, and it was arranged that +they could be married in about twelve days. I was so surprised, and so +sorry, that I could not say a word. Neither did my mother speak for a +long time, but looked very much troubled.</p> + +<p>"After a time she talked very seriously with Wisi,—told her that it was +foolish in her to have taken up so quickly with a workman of whom she +really could know very little, and especially when there was another who +had sought her for long years, and plainly shown her how much he loved +her; and, at last, she asked her if it could not be broken off, this +engagement,—or, at least, put off for a while, Wisi was still so young, +and ought to remain with her father. Then Wisi began to cry, and said +that it was all arranged; that she had given her promise, and that her +father was pleased. So my mother said no more about it; but poor Wisi +cried bitterly, until my mother took her by the hand, and led her to the +piano, and said kindly, 'Dry your tears: we will sing together.' And she +played the accompaniment, and we sang,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "'To God you must confide<br> + Your sorrow and your pain;<br> + He will true care provide,<br> + And show you heaven again.</p> +<br> +<p> "'For clouds and air and wind<br> + He points the path and way;<br> + Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your + footsteps stray.'</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + +<p>"After this, Wisi left us apparently comforted, and my mother spoke +kindly to her at parting; but I felt very sadly about the whole affair. +I had a conviction that poor Wisi had passed her happiest days, and +would never be light-hearted again; and I could not express my sorrow +for Andrew. What would he say? He said nothing,—not one word,—but went +about for several years like a shadow, and became more silent than ever, +and had no longer the quietly happy expression that formerly +distinguished him."</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow!" cried Max. "And did he never marry?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Max!" replied his sister, rather reproachfully. "How could he +do so? How can you ask such a question? He is faithfulness personified."</p> + +<p>"How could I know that, dearest sister?" said Max soothingly. "I could +not be expected to know that your gifted and inestimable friend +possessed also the quality of steadfastness. But tell me some more about +Wisi. I hope, truly, that the merry creature was not unfortunate. It +would grieve me sadly to think that."</p> + +<p>"I see plainly, brother, that all your sympathies are secretly with +Wisi; and that you are not sorry for the faithful Andrew, whose heart +was nearly broken when he found that he had lost her."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said Max. "I have the greatest sympathy for the good fellow. +But do tell me how it was with Wisi: did she cry her pretty eyes out?"</p> + +<p>"Almost, I believe," replied Marie. "I did not see her very often, and +she had a great deal of work to do. I believe that her husband was not a +bad fellow; but there was something very rough about him, and he was +rude and unkind even to his own little children. Wisi had a hard time of +it. She had a good many pretty children; but they were very delicate, +and she lost them one after the other. Five she buried, and has only now +one tender little girl,—a little Wiseli,—who is not much larger than +our Pussy, though she is several years older. Naturally Wisi's health +has been sadly tried with all this, and it is plainly visible now that +it has almost reached the end with her. She is rapidly wasting away in +consumption. I fear that there is no hope for her."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Max, "is this possible? Is it really so bad as that? Can +nothing be done, Marie? Let us look after her, and try if we cannot mend +matters somewhat."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no! there is no chance for her," said his sister, sadly. "From the +very beginning Wisi was too delicate for all the work and care that came +upon her."</p> + +<p>"And what became of her husband?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! I quite forgot the sad trouble that poor Wisi had to endure +with him also.</p> + +<p>"About a year ago, he broke an arm and a leg in the workshop, and was +brought home half dead. He was very ill, and could not work, and +certainly was not a patient sufferer. Wisi had the care of him in his +sickness, in addition to every thing else, and he died about six +months after the accident. Wisi has lived alone with her child since +that time."</p> + +<p>"Then there will soon be nothing left but a little Wiseli, and what will +become of her? But, no; it will not turn out so sadly, I am sure. Wisi +will get well, and every thing be right again, as it should have been in +the beginning."</p> + +<p>"No, not so, Max; it is too late for that," replied his sister, +decidedly. "Poor Wisi had to suffer sadly for her folly. But it is too +late indeed!" she said, rising, almost frightened to see that it was +after midnight, and that the colonel, who had been silent for some time +past, was now sleeping in his arm-chair.</p> + +<p>Max was not in the least sleepy, however. All this story of poor Wisi +had awakened in him such lively recollections of his childhood, that +he wanted to talk about many other events and people; but his sister +was not to be persuaded. She took her bed-candle, and insisted upon +going to bed.</p> + +<p>There was nothing to be done but to awaken his brother-in-law, which he +did with such a tremendous thump on the back, that the colonel sprang up +with the feeling that he had been struck by an enemy's bomb-shell. But +Max tapped him kindly on the shoulder, saying, "It is only a gentle +warning from your wife that we must all beat a retreat." This was +accomplished, and soon the house on the height stood quietly in the +moonlight; and half way down the hill stood another house, where it +would soon be silent, too, though a still feeble light glimmered there, +casting a pale shadow through the little window out into the brilliant +moonlit night.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER III.</p> + +<p>ALSO AT HOME.</p> + +<p> +At the same time that the colonel's children were going home, the +little Wiseli ran along down the hill as fast as she could scamper, for +she knew she had remained away longer than her mother liked that she +should, and she very rarely did any thing of the kind. This evening had +been one of such unusual pleasure for her that she had quite forgotten +to go home at the usual time, and therefore ran all the faster, and so +almost fell against a man, in her haste, who came out of the door of +their cottage as she was rushing in. He stepped quietly to one side, +and Wiseli hastened into the room, and went to her mother's side. To +her great surprise, she found no light in the room,—her mother was +sitting in the twilight, on a low chair by the window. "Mother," said +the child, "are you angry because I was away such a long time?" and she +put her arms around her mother's neck as she spoke. "No, no, Wiseli," +said her mother, kindly; "but I am glad that you have come at last." +The girl began at once to tell her mother about the delightful coast +she had had on Otto's pretty sled,—how she had gone twice down the +hill, and how pleasant it was. When she had finished her little story, +she noticed, for the first time, how very quiet her mother was,—much +more so than usual,—and she asked anxiously, "Why have you not lighted +the lamp, mother?"</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<a name="3"></a> +<center> +<img alt="003a.jpg (158K)"src="003a.jpg" height="1077" width="680"> +<p><b>WISELI HASTENED INTO THE ROOM, AND WENT TO HER +MOTHER'S SIDE</b></p> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"I feel so weary this evening, Wiseli," replied her mother, "that I +could not get up to light it. Go get it now, my child, and bring me a +little water to drink at the same time, I am so very thirsty." Wiseli +hastened to the kitchen, and soon returned with the light in one hand, +and in the other a bottle filled with red syrup, that looked so +temptingly clear and good, that the thirsty invalid called out eagerly, +"What is that you are bringing me? It looks so good!"</p> + +<p>"I do not know," said the child; "it was standing on the kitchen-table. +See how it sparkles!" Her mother took the bottle, and smelled at it. +"Oh!" she said, smelling again, "it is like fresh, wild strawberries. +Give me some water, quickly, Wiseli; I must drink." The child poured +some of the red syrup into a glass, and filled it with water, which her +mother swallowed eagerly, as one parched with thirst. "You do not know +how refreshing it is, child," as she handed back the empty glass. "Put +it away, Wiseli, but not far. It seems to me as if I could drink it all +the time, I am so thirsty. Who brought me this refreshment, Wiseli: do +you know? It must be from Trine: she brought it from the colonel's."</p> + +<p>"Did Trine come in here, mother?" asked the child.</p> + +<p>"No; I have not seen her at all," said her mother.</p> + +<p>"Then it is not Trine, I am sure," said Wiseli, decidedly. "She always +comes into the room when she brings anything for you. But Andrew the +carpenter came today: did not he bring this with him?"</p> + +<p>"What, Wiseli," said her mother, very eagerly, "what are you saying? +Andrew the carpenter never came to see me: what made you think of that?"</p> + +<p>"He was here, certainly; certainly he was here within this house. He +went out of the door so quickly that I almost ran into him. Did you not +hear him at all?"</p> + +<p>Her mother was quiet for a long time without speaking; then she said, "I +did hear the kitchen door softly opened. At first I thought it might be +you, and—it is true, I did not hear you enter until later. Are you +sure, Wiseli, that Andrew the carpenter was the person who went out from +our door?"</p> + +<p>Wiseli was sure of her affair, and told her mother exactly how the coat +and how the cap looked that Andrew wore, and how frightened he was when +she almost ran into him; so that, at last, she convinced the good woman, +who said softly, as if to herself, "Yes, it must be Andrew; he knows +what I like best."</p> + +<p>"Now I remember something else, mother," cried Wiseli, quite excitedly. +"Now I know for sure who once placed a big pot of honey in the +kitchen,—you remember how much you liked that,—and then the +apple-cakes a day or two ago,—do not you remember? You wished to send +your thanks by Trine when she brought you something from the colonel's +kitchen, and she said that she knew nothing at all about them. Now I am +sure that Andrew the carpenter brought them, and secretly placed them in +the kitchen for you."</p> + +<p>"Now I believe so, also," said her mother, and softly wiped her eyes.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing sad about it, mother," said Wiseli, rather shocked to +see how often her mother kept wiping her eyes.</p> + +<p>"You must thank him for me, Wiseli: I cannot. Tell him that I send him +my thanks for all the goodness he has shown me,—he has always been kind +to me. Come, sit down here by me a little," said she, softly. "Give me +some more of the syrup, and then come and repeat the verse that I taught +you the other day."</p> + +<p>Wiseli brought more water, and mixed it with the syrup again, and her +mother drank of it eagerly; then she laid her head wearily upon the low +window-sill, and beckoned her little daughter to come to her side. It +seemed to the child that her mother could not be comfortable, and she +fetched a pillow from the bed, and placed it carefully under her +mother's head. Then she sat down close to her side on a footstool, and +held her mother's hand in her own, and complied with her request to +repeat the verses, thus,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "'To God you must confide<br> + Your sorrow and your pain;<br> + He will true care provide,<br> + And show you heaven again.</p> +<br> +<p> "'For clouds and air and wind<br> + He points the path and way;<br> + Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray.'"</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>As Wiseli finished, she observed that her mother was almost asleep; but +she heard her say, softly, "Think of this, my Wiseli; and when you do +not know which way to turn, and every thing seems difficult and +perplexing, then say to yourself these words,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "'Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray.'"</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>Now the weary head sank down to rest, and little Wiseli would not awaken +her mother by a movement, but nestled up to her quietly, and slept also. +And the feeble light of the little lamp burned dimly in the quiet +room,—more and more feebly it burned, until it slowly flickered and +went out, and the cottage stood a dark object in the bright moonlight.</p> + +<p>The next morning the neighbor from the nearest house stopped, as usual, +on her way to the fountain, to look through the window of the cottage to +see if all was well within. She saw that the sick woman was sleeping on +the pillow, with her head against the window-sill, and that Wiseli stood +weeping by her side. This seemed so strange, that she put her head a +little way into the room, and asked, "What is the matter, Wiseli? Is +your mother worse?" The child sobbed dreadfully, and could scarcely say, +"I do not know what ails my mother."</p> + +<p>The poor child had a strong suspicion of what it all meant, but she +could not realize that her mother was lost to her. For she was still +there, but asleep,—asleep for all the rest of her daughter's life on +earth,—and could not hear how sadly the child called to her. The +neighbor stepped to the window and looked at the sleeping head upon the +pillow; then she started back in alarm. "Run quickly, Wiseli; run and +fetch your cousin Gotti. He must come at once. You have no other +relation, and somebody must look after things here. Run as fast as you +can: I will wait here until you come back."</p> + +<p>The child ran, but not fast, her heart was so heavy within her, and her +limbs trembled; and at last she had to stop and give way to her tears, +for she became more and more sure, with every step, that her mother +would never waken more. But she went on again soon, although she could +not stop her tears, for her sorrow increased as she went. In the beech +grove, full a quarter of an hour's walk from the church, stood the +house of her cousin Gotti; and presently Wiseli entered the door, still +crying bitterly. Her cousin's wife stood in the kitchen, and asked +harshly, "What is the matter with you?" Wiseli replied, between her +sobs, that the neighbor had sent her to ask her cousin Gotti to come +quickly to her mother. Probably the woman suspected, from the child's +look, that her mother was more ill, for she spoke a little less roughly +than usual. "I will tell him. You can go home: he is not here now." So +Wiseli turned about, and reached home more quickly than she came, for +she was returning to her mother. The neighbor stood by the +doorstep,—she could not wait inside the room: it was not pleasant to +her. But the child stepped in, and went to her place by her mother's +side that she had kept all through the night. There she sat weeping, +and only said, now and then, softly, "Mother." But no answering word +came to her. At last Wiseli said, bending over her, "Mother, you can +hear me, although you are in heaven now, and I cannot hear your +answer." And the child sat holding her mother's hand tightly until long +after noontime. About that time her cousin Gotti entered the room, +looked about him a little, and then called for the neighbor. "You must +arrange things here a little,—you know what I mean," he said,—"so +that things will be ready for the removal. Then carry the keys away +with you, so that nothing will be taken." He then turned to Wiseli and +said, "Where are your clothes, little one? Get them together and tie +them up in a bundle, and we will go away."</p> + +<p>"Where shall we go?" asked the child.</p> + +<p>"We will go home to the beech grove. You can stay there with us, for you +have nobody else in the world now but your cousin Gotti."</p> + +<p>At these words, Wiseli felt herself stiff with fear. Go to the beech +grove, and live with them there,—was that her fate? She had always had +the greatest fear of the wife of her cousin Gotti, and always stood a +long time before the door, when she was sent there with a message, +before she could summon courage to enter. The eldest son, Cheppi,—that +rough fellow,—lived there, and Hannes and Rudi; and they threw stones +at all the children. Was that to be her home?</p> + +<p>Fear caused the child to turn pale and immovable.</p> + +<p>"You must not be frightened, my child," said her cousin Gotti, in a +kindly tone. "There are more people in our house than there are here, +but it is all the more lively for that."</p> + +<p>Wiseli put her things silently together in a shawl, and tied the two +corners together crosswise; then she tied her scarf about her head, and +stood ready.</p> + +<p>"So," said her cousin, "now we will go," and turned towards the door; +but Wiseli sobbed out suddenly,—</p> + +<p>"Then I must leave my mother all alone."</p> + +<p>With these words she ran to her mother, and clasped her in her +arms again.</p> + +<p>Her cousin Gotti stood rather disconcerted, and looked on. He did not +know how to explain how things were with her mother, if she did not +understand without words; for he was not strong in the matter of +expressing himself: he had never given himself the trouble to try. At +last, he said,—</p> + +<p>"Now come, come along. A little child like you must be obedient. Come; +and, after this, no crying. That does not mend matters one bit."</p> + +<p>The child swallowed her sobs, and followed the cousin Gotti silently +through the door. Once only she glanced backward, and said softly, "God +will watch over you, mother;" and then went forth with her bundle on her +arm, and left the little house which had been home to her. Just as she +and her cousin Gotti went together across the field, Trine came towards +them down the road, with a covered basket on her arm. The neighbor stood +in the doorway, and looked after the departing couple. Trine went +towards her, saying,—</p> + +<p>"To-day I am bringing the sick woman something good. A little late, to +be sure. We have Uncle Max on a visit to us: that always makes me late."</p> + +<p>"And even if you had come early in the morning, you would have come too +late to-day. She died last night."</p> + +<p>"That cannot be!" cried Trine, startled. "Oh, goodness me! what will my +lady say?"</p> + +<p>With these words she turned sharp about, and ran home as fast as +possible. The neighbor went back into the quiet room, and performed the +last kind offices for Wiseli's mother.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER IV.</p> + +<p>AT COUSIN GOTTI's.</p> + +<p> +When Wiseli made her entry into her cousin Gotti's house at Beech Grove, +the three boys came running out of the barn, and, behind Wiseli, into +the room, where they placed themselves in front of her in a row, and +stared at the timid little thing with all their eyes. Her cousin's wife +came out of the kitchen, and stared also at the little thing, as if she +had never seen her before.</p> + +<p>Her cousin Gotti seated himself behind the table, and said,—</p> + +<p>"I think she can eat something: she has not had much to-day. Come here," +he said, turning to Wiseli, who stood all this time in the same place, +with her bundle under her arm. She obeyed. Now her cousin's wife put new +wine and cheese on the table, also a huge loaf of black bread. Cousin +Gotti cut a big slice, put a lump of cheese upon it, and pushed it +towards the child. "There, eat, little one," he said. "You must be +hungry, I'm sure."</p> + +<p>"No, I thank you," said Wiseli, softly. She could not have swallowed +even a crumb. She felt as if she were crushed under her load of sorrow +and anxiety, and could scarcely even breathe.</p> + +<p>The boys stood there all the time, and stared at her.</p> + +<p>"Don't be frightened," said cousin Gotti, encouragingly. "Do eat +something." But the child sat motionless, and did not touch her bread. +Her cousin's wife came again; and, putting her hands on her hips, stood +looking her over from head to foot.</p> + +<p>"If you don't want it," she said, "you can leave it;" and turned on her +heel, and went again into the kitchen.</p> + +<p>When cousin Gotti had refreshed himself sufficiently he arose, and said, +"Put it in your pocket. By and by you will feel like eating, only do not +feel frightened;" and he went into the kitchen. Wiseli tried to do as he +told her, to put the bread and cheese into her pocket; but they were too +large, and she put them back upon the table again.</p> + +<p>"I will help you," said Cheppi, snatching the pieces from the table; and +was about to stuff them into his open mouth, but they flew up into the +air instead, for Hannes had knocked Cheppi's hand up with a smart blow, +and so the plunder was scattered, and Rudi darted upon it, and carried +part of it away. With this the two oldest boys fell upon him, and they +kicked and cuffed, and screamed and shouted, until Wiseli was terribly +frightened. Presently their father opened the kitchen-door, and called +out, "What does this all mean?" Then the boys all answered at once, from +the floor; and one said, "Wiseli did not want it;" and another, "Wiseli +had not any;" and "As long as Wiseli did not want any"—</p> + +<p>Their father called out, loudly, "If you do not stop that, I will come +in with the thong, and whip you." And he slammed the door again.</p> + +<p>"It" did not "stop," however; but, as soon as the door was shut again, +it began worse than ever, for Hannes found that the best way to treat +the enemy was to grasp him by the hair; and so they all seized each +other by the hair, and stood in a ring, uttering terrible noises. In the +kitchen their mother sat on a stool, and peeled potatoes. When her +husband closed the door again, she asked,—</p> + +<p>"What is your idea about that child? Why did you bring her home with +you at once?"</p> + +<p>"I thought she would have to stay with somebody. I am her cousin Gotti, +and she has no other relatives. You can make her useful. She can do what +you are doing now. Then you will be able to do other things. You are +always saying that the boys give you so much work,—more than is right."</p> + +<p>"Yes, as regards them, a great help she will be! You can hear now what +a racket there is in there, and she is only a quarter of an hour in +the house."</p> + +<p>"I have heard that sort of thing a good many times before the little one +came. I do not think that she has much to do with it," said the cousin +Gotti quietly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you did not hear them!" said his wife sharply; "how they kept +calling out something about Wiseli?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they may call out, if they want to," said their father. "You will +soon have the little one in hand. I think she is not a troublesome +child,—I noticed that in the beginning,—and is much more obedient than +those boys of yours."</p> + +<p>This was too much for his wife.</p> + +<p>"I do not see what is the use of finding fault with the boys," she said; +and she peeled the potatoes faster and faster. "And I <i>should</i> like to +know where the girl is to sleep."</p> + +<p>Her husband pushed his cap back and forth several times upon his head, +and said, soothingly,—</p> + +<p>"One can't think of every thing at once. She must have had a bed to +sleep in; and she can, at least, have that. Tomorrow I will go to the +pastor. To-night she can sleep on the bench by the stove. It is always +warm there; and I can put a partition in the little passage that goes +into our room later, and set her bed in there."</p> + +<p>"I never heard of bringing home a child and getting a bed for it a week +afterwards," said the woman crossly; "and I should like to know who will +pay for it if we must build something more for her into the bargain."</p> + +<p>"When the parish assigns the child to us, they will allow us something +for her maintenance. I shall take her cheaper than any one else would +do, and she will be more comfortable here too."</p> + +<p>With this the cousin went out into the shed, and called out for Cheppi +to come with him. It was hard for the cousin's wife to make herself +heard in the room when she wished to give this message. They were all +fighting away, and shouting angrily and loudly.</p> + +<p>"I am surprised that you sit there looking on, and do not try to quiet +them in the least," said their mother to Wiseli, who sat cowering +against the wall, and did not dare even to move. Cheppi, however, was +dispatched to the barn, and the two others ran after him.</p> + +<p>"Do you know how to knit?" the cousin's wife asked Wiseli, who replied, +timidly, "Yes, I can knit stockings."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, take this," she said; and took from the cupboard a big +brown stocking, with yarn almost as stout as Wiseli's little fingers. +"Go on with the foot," she said, "and take care to make it big +enough: it is for your cousin Gotti." Then she went back into the +kitchen, and the little girl took her seat on the bench by the stove, +with the long stocking coiled up in her lap,—for it was so heavy +that she could scarcely knit if it hung down: it pulled the needles +out of her hand. She had scarcely begun to work, however, before her +cousin's wife came in again.</p> + +<p>"I think you had better come out into the kitchen with me," she said. +"Then you can see how I do things, and be able to help me a little by +and by." Wiseli obeyed, and watched her cousin's wife at her work as +well as she was able; but the tears kept coming into her eyes so that +she could scarcely see, for she thought all the time of how she used to +go about in the kitchen with her mother, who chattered so pleasantly +with her, and how they would stop to kiss each other now and then. She +knew very well that she ought not to give way to her tears, and tried to +swallow her sobs, until she felt almost strangling.</p> + +<p>"See here, look here," said the cousin's wife, every now and then; "then +you will know how to do it by and by." And she went about, here and +there, in the kitchen, letting Wiseli stand, and said nothing else to +her. This went on for some time, when there was a terrible stamping in +the entry, and the woman said, "Open the door as quick as you can: they +are coming." The noise was made by the cousin and his sons, who were +knocking the snow off their shoes before entering. Wiseli opened the +door into the inner room as quickly as possible; and the cousin's wife +lifted an enormous pan off the fire, and ran with it into the room, +where she shook a great heap of potatoes out over the slate-topped +table. Then she brought out a big jug of sour milk, and said, "Put the +things that are in the table-drawer on the table, and then they can all +sit down at once."</p> + +<p>Wiseli pulled out the drawer as quickly as possible. There lay five +spoons and five knives. She put these upon the table, and the supper was +ready. The father and his sons came in, and sat down at once on the +seats along the wall behind the table. At the other end stood a chair. +Cousin Gotti made a motion towards the chair and said, "She can sit +there, I think; or do you say no?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, certainly!" said his wife, whose seat was nearest the kitchen-door. +She did not remain seated a moment; but ran out into the kitchen and +came back, took a spoonful of milk, and was off again.</p> + +<p>Nobody knew why she ran about in this way, for there was nothing cooking +in the kitchen, and nothing to bring out, but she always did so; and +when, sometimes, her husband would say, "Do sit still, and eat +something," then she seemed more hurried than ever, and said she had no +time to sit still, there were so many things to be looked after.</p> + +<p>When she had made two visits to the kitchen and returned, and began to +peel a potato in great haste, she noticed, for the first time, that +Wiseli sat idly by her side, her hands on her lap. "Why don't you eat +something?" she said, angrily. "She has no spoon," said Rudi, who was +seated on the other side, and had long been wondering why anybody should +sit at table and not eat as long as there was any thing left. "Oh, yes, +of course," said his mother. "Who would ever have thought that we should +need six spoons? We have always found five enough; and we must have +another knife too. Why can't you speak? You know well enough that to eat +you want a spoon." These last words were addressed to Wiseli.</p> + +<p>The child glanced timidly at the woman and said, "It is no matter: I do +not need any. I am not hungry."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" asked the woman. "Are you used to a different kind of food? I +don't mean to change, if you are."</p> + +<p>"I think it would be better to let the child alone for a while; we must +not frighten her," said her cousin Gotti, soothingly. "She will feel +better soon."</p> + +<p>So Wiseli was unmolested, and the others were busily employed for a +while. She sat there motionless until her cousin rose, took his fur cap +from the nail, and began to look for the stable lantern; for "Spot" was +sick, and must be looked after again that night. The table was quickly +cleared. The empty potato-skins were brushed off into the empty +milk-jug, the slate-top wiped off; and when the woman was done with +this, she said, turning to Wiseli, "You have seen what I did; now you +can do it the next time." Now Cheppi took his seat firmly behind the +table again. He had his slate-pencil and arithmetic book, and prepared +himself to do his examples. First, however, he stared for a while at +Wiseli, who had again taken up her brown stocking, but did not make any +progress; for she could not see a thing in the dark corner where she +was seated, and she did not dare to draw nearer to the table where the +dim lamp was placed. "You must have something to do," cried Cheppi, in +an irritated tone. "You are not the smartest scholar in the school." +The girl did not know what to answer. She had not been to school that +day, and did not know what lessons were given out; and, besides, was +quite out of her usual habits and life generally. "If I must do my +examples, so must you, or I won't do them at all," cried Cheppi again. +Wiseli kept as still as a mouse. "Well, then, it is all right," said +the boy noisily. "I won't do another stroke of work." And he threw away +his pencil.</p> + +<p>"Then I won't do any thing, either," cried Hannes, and stuffed his +multiplication-table into his satchel again; for learning his lessons +was the hardest thing in the world for him.</p> + +<p>"I will tell the master whose fault it is," began Cheppi again. "You can +see, then, what you will get."</p> + +<p>Probably Cheppi would have gone on in this unpleasant style for a long +time, if his father had not soon returned from the barn. He brought in +two big, empty grain-bags on his shoulders, and came up to the table +with them.</p> + +<p>"Make room," he said to Cheppi, who sat with his elbows on the table, +supporting his head on his hands. Then he spread out his two bags, +folded them together again, and then again. At last he went towards the +bench behind the stove, and put them down on it. "There," he said, with +an air of satisfaction, "that is good. Where is your bundle, little +one?" Wiseli fetched it from her corner,—where it had lain ever since +she arrived,—and looked with surprise at her cousin Gotti as he placed +the bundle at the upper end of the folded bags, and pressed it down, so +that it was not perfectly round.</p> + +<p>"There, now you may go to sleep," he said, turning round to Wiseli. "You +cannot be cold, for the stove is hot; and you can put your head on your +bundle, and you will be as comfortable as if you were in your bed.</p> + +<p>"And it is time for you three to go to bed, too. Off with you: make +haste!" So saying, he took the oil-lamp from the table, and went towards +the kitchen. The three boys clattered along after him.</p> + +<p>When he reached the door, he turned again and said, "There, sleep +soundly. Must not think any more to-night, and it will be better for you +by and by," and he went out. Presently his wife came into the room with +an oil-lamp in her hand, and looked at the place where Wiseli was to +sleep. "Can you lie there?" she asked. "You will find it warm enough by +the stove. There are plenty of people who have neither bed nor a warm +place to be in. You won't suffer in that way, and ought to be thankful +that you are under a good roof. Good-night."</p> + +<p>"Good-night," replied Wiseli, softly; but the woman could not have +heard her, for she was already away when she spoke, and had closed the +door behind her immediately. Now Wiseli sat alone in the dark room. +Every thing about her was suddenly silent,—not a sound to be heard. A +straggling moonbeam shone through the little window,—enough to show +the child where the bench by the stove was, upon which she must find +her bed. She crossed the room, and seated herself there. For the first +time that day since she had left her dear mother, she found herself +alone, and able to think over what had befallen her. She had been +constantly under excitement until this moment; for every thing that +had happened frightened her. All that she heard or saw since she left +her home had been so very unpleasant that she could not stop to think +at all, but went from one alarm to another. Now there she sat alone, +without her mother, and began to realize that it was all over,—that +they would never see nor hear each other again in this world. And such +a sense of loneliness, of utter desolation, took possession of Wiseli, +that she believed herself uncared for and forgotten by everybody, and +feared that she should be left there alone to die in the dark. The +poor child laid her head down upon her bundle, and began to cry, +bitterly and despairingly, "Mother, can you not hear me? Mother, do +not you hear me call?"</p> + +<p>Now Wiseli's mother had often told her little girl, that when things +went very badly with us here below, then was the moment to lift up our +voices and cry to God for help; for he would hear us in our trouble when +all other's ears were deaf, and help us when no other help was possible. +At this moment the child remembered these words, and she sobbed aloud, +"Oh, you dear God in heaven! help me also, I am so unhappy, and my +mother cannot hear me when I call!"</p> + +<p>And when she had prayed thus several times over, she felt calmer. It +comforted her poor little heart; for now she felt that God was really +there in heaven, and could help her, and that she was no longer alone. +And presently she recalled her mother's words,—almost the very last +that she spoke: "My child, when you cannot see your way clearly before +you, and every thing seems strange and difficult"—And now it was so; +and how little she thought that it ever would be so, when her mother was +talking to her. Her mother told her to remember the words of the hymn,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>Now Wiseli first rightly understood these words, and felt their full +meaning. Before she had repeated them mechanically, for not until now +did she need them. But it was just her present case. Was not she full of +perplexity? and what could she possibly have in her cousin Gotti's house +but fear and trouble? And so she repeated, again and again,—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray."</p> + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + +<p>The child had found her way to her heavenly Father, and knew that he was +sure to help her; and she felt comforted. Folding her little hands, she +began the hymn at the beginning, for it seemed like talking to a kind +friend; and she said each word from her very heart:—</p> + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "To God you must confide<br> + Your sorrow and your pain;<br> + He will true care provide,<br> + And show you heaven again.</p> +<br> +<p> "For clouds and air and wind<br> + He points the path and way;<br> + Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray."</p><br> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>A quiet trust now took possession of the child's heart. She fell asleep +soon after, her head supported on her little bundle, still repeating the +last lines of the hymn. And a pleasant dream followed. She saw before +her a dry bright pathway in the full sunlight, and the road led between +beautiful red roses and lovely pinks that were so attractive that she +longed to run to gather them. And by her side stood her dear mother, and +held her hand tenderly in her own, as she always did; and her mother +pointed along the pathway in her dream, and said, "See, my Wiseli; did +not I tell you so? That is your way."</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + +<p> "'Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray.'"</p> + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + +<p>And the child was happy in her dream, and slept as soundly on her little +bundle as if she were on a soft bed.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER V.</p> + +<p>HOW TIME WENT ON, AND SUMMER CAME.</p> + +<p> +When old Trine carried the news back to the heights, and told them +there that Wiseli's mother was dead, and the child taken at once to her +cousin Gotti's, the whole family became greatly agitated. Mrs. Ritter +could not cease bewailing her neglect in not visiting the sick woman +before, for she had been postponing it from day to day; but, of course, +had not in the least realized how near the end might be. She was sadly +cast down, and sorrowful. And Otto: he went raging up and down the room +with great strides, and kept calling out angrily, "It is an injustice! +It is a great injustice! But if he dares to lay a hand on her to harm +her, he may look to his own bones, how many of them will be left whole +in his skin!"</p> + +<p>"Who do you mean, Otto? Who are you talking about in that way?" said his +mother, looking curiously at her excited boy.</p> + +<p>"About that Cheppi," he replied. "I do not know what dreadful things he +will do to Wiseli when he has her there in his own house. It is not +right, but just let him try"—But now Otto was interrupted by a repeated +and heavy stamping that prevented his being heard. "Why do you make such +a deafening noise, you pussy cat, there behind the stove?" he cried, +turning his indignation towards another quarter. Pussy came out from +behind the stove, but stamped more violently than before; for she was +trying to force her feet into her wet boots, which it had taken the old +Trine ever so long to pull off a while before. It was dreadfully hard +work; and Pussy became as red as fire, while she said,—</p> + +<p>"Don't you see that I have to do so? Nobody in the world could get these +boots on without stamping."</p> + +<p>"And what in the world do you want to put those wet boots on again for? +I have just pulled them off, so that you should not have them on. I +should just like to know what this means?" said Trine, who stood looking +on all this time.</p> + +<p>"I am going to the beech grove this very minute to fetch Wiseli to +our house. She can have my bed," said Pussy, decidedly. But quite as +decidedly old Trine stalked over to Pussy, at these words, lifted her +up, placed her firmly on a chair, while she pulled off the boot that +was half on; but said, in a pacifying tone, to the kicking and +excited child,—</p> + +<p>"That is all right! that is all right! but I will take care of you +first. You must not get two pair of shoes and two pair of stockings wet +through in one day. You can give up your bed. You can go up into the +lumber-room, if you want to: there is room enough there."</p> + +<p>But Pussy had a very different plan in her little head. She thought +that she could free herself, in this wise, of a great and daily +recurring trouble, that often gave her both inward and outward +annoyance; namely, the being ordered off to bed every evening, and +obliged to go, into the bargain, just as she was in the mood to enjoy +herself especially. She thought that, if she gave up her bed to Wiseli, +there would be none other at hand for her, and so she could stay up as +long as she wanted to.</p> + +<p>She was so delighted at this prospect, that she did not, at first, +notice how the sly Trine had wisked off her wet boots, and that now +there was no chance to fetch Wiseli.</p> + +<p>When she fairly understood how she had been tricked, she set up such an +outcry that Otto put his fingers in his ears, and her mother came in, a +good deal alarmed at the uproar. She promised Pussy to talk over the +matter with her father as soon as he came home; for he had gone away +that very morning, with their Uncle Max, to pay a long-promised visit to +an old friend. After a while peace and quiet were restored in the +household. The gentlemen did not return for two weeks, however; but Mrs. +Ritter kept her promise. The first thing that she mentioned to her +husband, on the very evening of his return, was the fact of Wiseli being +an orphan, and her new shelter; and the colonel promised to go to the +pastor the very next day, to see what better arrangement could be made +for the child; and, having visited the pastor, the colonel brought back +the sad news, that, on the Sunday just past, the parish had taken the +matter into consideration, and that it was now settled. Wiseli must be +housed somewhere; and, as her mother had not left any property whatever, +she must also be maintained at the expense of the parish until she could +support herself. Moreover, her cousin Gotti had offered, in the first +instance, to take the child for a very slight compensation. He wished to +do an act of charity as far as he could afford it. He was known to be a +well-conducted man; and, as he made so slight a demand, it was agreed +and settled that the child should henceforth find her home with him.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me a very good arrangement," said the colonel to his wife. +"The child will be well cared for there; besides, what else could be +done? She is much too small to be placed anywhere in service, and +certainly you cannot take every orphan child in the neighborhood into +your own house. You might as well turn it into an asylum at once."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ritter was very much disturbed by the news that every thing had +been settled so soon. She had hoped to be able to have found a different +home for Wiseli, who was, she knew, much too sensitive and delicate a +child to be happy in a home where rudeness and roughness were the rule; +but she had not a definite plan in her mind, and now there was nothing +to be done but to try to look after the child's comfort a little, and to +protect her, if possible.</p> + +<p>Otto and Pussy did not take the affair so quietly, however. They were in +great excitement when they heard it all on the following morning.</p> + +<p>Otto declared Wiseli's lot to be the lot of Daniel in the lion's den, +and brought his fist down on the table with the evident wish that he +were pommelling Cheppi's head. Pussy screamed, and cried a little; +partly out of pity for Wiseli, and partly from disappointment that she +could not now carry out her little plan of being able to sit up later in +the evenings.</p> + +<p>But this excitement was at last quieted down, like every other, by time; +and the days rolled on in their wonted manner.</p> + +<p>In the meantime Wiseli has become somewhat accustomed to the life in her +cousin Gotti's house. For one thing, her bed had come; and she no longer +slept on the bench by the stove, but in a little place partitioned off +from the passage between her cousin's room and that of the boys. There +was just room enough in this little place for her bed, and a little +chest, in which she placed her clothes, and upon which she had to climb +when she wished to get into her bed; for there was no space between.</p> + +<p>She was obliged to go to the well when she washed; and, if it was very +cold, then her cousin's wife said she could give up washing for that +day, and do it on another when it was warmer. Now Wiseli was not used to +this style of thing at all. Her mother had taught her that cleanliness +was absolutely necessary; and Wiseli would have frozen rather than to +look untidy, and, therefore, displease her mother. To be sure, every +thing was different for her at home; for she washed and dressed herself +in her mother's room always; and many a loving word they exchanged until +the coffee was on the table, and they sat down together, and ate their +breakfast happily, before Wiseli started off for school.</p> + +<p>But what a difference for her now! All, all was changed,—her whole life +from morning till evening; and often, at the thought of her mother, the +tears started into the poor child's eyes, and her heart ached so sadly, +that she felt as if she could go no farther, but must drop down, and +die. But she held herself bravely, for it distressed her cousin Gotti to +see her cry, and his wife scolded more than ever; for she, too, disliked +to see her dull.</p> + +<p>The happiest part of the twenty-four hours for Wiseli was when she +climbed into her little bed at night, and had a moment's time to think +about her dear mother in peace.</p> + +<p>At this time she always obtained comfort. She thought about her +beautiful dream, and felt perfect confidence that the good God would +find a way for her out of her troubles, as her mother had told her; and +she hoped that her mother was also in heaven, and would pray to God not +to forget her poor little child left alone in the wide world. Then +Wiseli always repeated her hymn, and slept quietly.</p> + +<p>So the winter slipped away, and the spring with its sunshine followed. +The trees were green again, and the meadows were gay with primroses and +white anemones, and in the wood the cuckoo sang lustily; and soft, warm +breezes were all abroad, making every heart beat more cheerily; and one +rejoiced that life was still possible.</p> + +<p>Wiseli also rejoiced over the flowers and the sunshine, especially when +she went to and from school. Beyond this she had little time for +enjoyment, for she had so much work to do. Every moment out of school +she had to employ in some useful occupation; and, indeed, often was +obliged to stay away from school for a half-day at a time, there was so +much to be done that could not be neglected, as her cousin Gotti, and +particularly his wife, were forever telling her. The cultivation of the +fields had begun, and also the garden work; and when her cousin's wife +was in the garden, then Wiseli had to wash the cooking utensils, and had +the hogs' trough to cleanse and carry back to the barn; and then the +boys' stockings and shirts must be mended, and her cousin's wife always +said, "Oh, the child can do that, she has nothing else to do;" and yet +she never was idle a single moment, and felt almost giddy at times, +because she was called from one piece of work to another before she had +time to breathe. Moreover, she found that if, for example, she ran over +to the field with the seed-potatoes that her cousin Gotti was calling +for, then his wife would scold because she had not made the kitchen-fire +for the supper, as she was bidden to do; but if she stopped to make the +fire, then she was found fault with by Cheppi because she had not mended +the hole in his jacket-sleeve he had told her to long ago; and everybody +called out, "Why don't you do this, or why don't you do that? you have +nothing else to do." She was glad to go to school whenever she was +allowed to go, for she was quiet for a while then; and, moreover, in +that place the poor child heard a pleasant word now and again. For each +time that recess came, or they left school to go home, Otto would come +to her, and talk with her pleasantly for a while, or give her an +invitation from his mother to visit them on Sunday evening and play +games with the children. Poor Wiseli could never avail herself of these +charming invitations, because on Sunday she had always to make the +coffee for the family; and her cousin's wife said that she could not +think of letting the child go away to visit on the only day when she was +really of some use to her. But the child was glad that Otto always asked +her, though she could not go, and that he always spoke kindly to her; +for those were the only friendly acts or words that she knew of +nowadays. There was still another reason that made it pleasant for +Wiseli to go to school, and that was the passing by Andrew the +carpenter's pretty garden on her way there. She always paused and looked +over the low hedge, hoping that she might catch sight of the carpenter; +for she had her mother's message to deliver, and never ceased hoping to +find the opportunity. She was far too shy to go into the house for that +purpose. She felt that she did not know Andrew well enough to venture to +do that. She was particularly timid with him, because he was so very +quiet, and always looked at her kindly when they met, but never spoke; +or, at least, never said more than a kindly word in passing. And she had +never succeeded in catching even a glimpse of him, no matter how long +she stood by the hedge and looked over.</p> + +<p>May passed, and June. The long days of summer came, with more and more +work to be done in the fields, and work that was ever hotter and hotter. +Wiseli felt this keenly when her cousin Gotti called her out to help +with the haymaking, and the heavy rake was so hard for her to lift; or, +worse still, to handle the clumsy wooden fork when the hay needed +spreading in the sun to dry.</p> + +<p>She often was obliged to work in the fields, and in the evening was so +tired out that she could scarcely move her poor little arms. She never +fretted, however, for she thought it was necessary and right; but often, +when she was still for a moment in the evening, it hurt her sadly to +hear Cheppi call out, "You ought to do your examples in arithmetic now, +as I do. You are never doing any thing out of school, and in the classes +you are always behind the others."</p> + +<p>She would have liked to study and get on at her lessons, if she could +only have gone regularly to school, and been able to keep up with the +class. She was well aware that she was far behind her schoolmates; but +what could she do, when she only got a little here and there, and all +was confused for her, and she never knew what lessons were given out for +the out-of-school studies. When she came quite unprepared to school, and +could not answer the questions put to the class, she was overwhelmed +with mortification, especially when the teacher would say, before all +the other children, "I did not expect to see you so behindhand, +Wiseli,—you of all others, who used to be so clever at your books." +Then she used to feel fit to sink through the floor for shame, and would +cry all the way as she walked home. But she did not dare to answer +Cheppi back when he taunted her, because then he would begin to cry and +scold, and make a noise, until his mother came in, when she, too, would +reproach her with being behind her classes, because Cheppi said she was. +So Wiseli often kept back her tears, and only gave way when she was +alone; and sometimes it did seem to her as if she were quite forgotten +by her heavenly Father and her mother, and as if nobody in the whole +world cared for her; and she was too sad at heart even to say her +comforting hymn for a long time; but she could not rest nor sleep until +she had done so, even though there was little satisfaction for her in +the words.</p> + +<p>One beautiful evening in July Wiseli slept, after a sad time of weeping, +and could not obtain an answer, the next morning, to her question of +whether she might go to school with the boys.</p> + +<p>Off scampered the boys. She looked sadly after them through the open +window as they sprang away gayly through the flower-besprinkled grass, +and chased a cloud of white butterflies along in front of them as they +ran through the brilliant sunshine.</p> + +<p>Her cousin's wife had prepared the big wash,—this was the work laid out +for the whole week. Must Wiseli work there too?</p> + +<p>Yes: already she heard a calling from the kitchen, and her cousin Gotti +called her by name,—he stood at the well, and saw her looking out of +the window.</p> + +<p>"Make haste, make haste, Wiseli; it is time to be off: the boys are +half-way to school. All the hay is in: make haste and go too." She did +not wait till he told this twice. Like a flash she snatched her satchel +and was off.</p> + +<p>"Tell the teacher that I have not sent him his money for a long time, +but he must not be vexed at that, we have had so much work with the hay +this summer."</p> + +<p>How happy the child felt as she flew along! She need not stand all day +at the wash-tub: she could go instead to school. How beautiful it was +everywhere about! The birds sang more sweetly than ever from the +trees, the grass was scented, and the pretty red and yellow flowers +glistened in the sun. Wiseli could not stop to enjoy them,—it was too +late for that,—but she felt the beauty as she ran along, and rejoiced +at every step.</p> + +<p>That same evening, just as all the children streamed out of the +close schoolroom into the beautiful afternoon light, the teacher +called out, with his serious face peering into the little crowd, +"Whose week is this?"</p> + +<p>"Otto's, Otto's," called the whole company at once, and ran off.</p> + +<p>"Otto," said the teacher, earnestly, "yesterday it was not swept up here +at all. I excuse you for once; but do not let it happen again, or I must +punish you, boy."</p> + +<p>Otto looked for a moment at all the nut-shells and apple-parings and +bits of paper that lay scattered about the floor waiting to be brushed +up; then he turned his head quickly away, and scampered out of the door, +for the teacher had disappeared into his own part of the house. Otto +stood outside and gazed about him at the golden sunset, and thought, "If +I could go home now, I could get a capful of cherries, and I could ride +the brown horse home from the field when the groom fetches the hay; and +now I must stay here instead, and sweep up these scraps from the floor!" +And Otto was so angry over this unpleasant task, that he scowled about +him, saying, "I wish the day of judgment would come, and carry off the +schoolhouse, and break it up into a thousand pieces!" But every thing +was still and peaceful all about, and not a sign of any such ravaging +earthquake to be seen or heard.</p> + +<p>After a while Otto turned back towards the schoolroom-door with a savage +determination, for he knew that he must bite into his sour apple, or be +punished the next day by having to sit still during recess; and he would +not run the risk of that disgraceful punishment. He entered the room, +but stood still with surprise as soon as he stepped past the threshold. +Every thing was brushed up in the school-room: not a scrap nor bit to be +seen anywhere. The windows all stood wide open, and the soft evening +breeze blew through the quiet room. Just then the teacher came out of +his own room and looked about him, and at the staring Otto, and said, +pleasantly, "You may well look about you with satisfaction. I did not +think that you could do it so well. You are a good scholar; but you have +surpassed yourself to-day in cleaning up, for I never saw it so neatly +done before."</p> + +<p>So saying, the teacher went away; and after Otto had convinced himself +by a last glance that what he saw was fact, and no witchcraft, he dashed +down the steps, two at a time, across the little place and up the +hillside: and not until he began to tell it all to his mother did he +begin to wonder to whom he was indebted for this good turn.</p> + +<p>"Nobody has done it through a mistake, that is certain," said his +mother. "Have not you some good friend who is noble enough to sacrifice +himself in this way for you? Think over all of them: who can it be?"</p> + +<p>"I know," cried Pussy, who had been listening eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Yes; pray who?" said Otto, half curiously, half incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Jack, the mouse," explained Pussy in a tone of conviction; "because you +gave him an apple last year."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; or William Tell, because I did not take away his, year before +last. One would be quite as probable as the other, you wonderfully +clever Puss." And Otto ran away barely in time to catch the groom, who +was going for the hay.</p> + +<p>Wiseli also ran about this time. Down the hill with a happy heart and a +merry countenance, past Andrew's garden, she ran, jumping and leaping in +her frolicsome mood; and then about she went, and jumped back again to +the garden, for she had espied the pinks all in bloom just within the +enclosure, and must look at them again, they, were so beautiful. "I +shall soon overtake the boys," she thought; "they stop at every corner +to play ball."</p> + +<p>But the pinks were most lovely to look upon; and they had such a +sweet perfume, too, that the child lingered, looking over the low +hedge for a long time. Suddenly Andrew came out of his house-door, +and stood in front of Wiseli. He offered her his hand over the hedge, +and said most kindly,—</p> + +<p>"Will you take a pink, Wiseli?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," she replied; "and I have a message to give you from +my mother."</p> + +<p>"From your mother?" repeated Andrew the carpenter in great surprise, and +let the pink that he had just gathered fall from his hand. Wiseli ran +round the hedge and picked it up from the ground; then she looked up at +the man who stood still and looked at her strangely, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Yes; at the very end, when my mother could do nothing more, she drank +up the nice syrup that you put on the kitchen-table for her, and it +refreshed her very much; and she charged me to tell you that she thanked +you for it very much indeed, and for all the many acts of kindness that +you had shown her; and she said, 'He always felt kindly to me.'"</p> + +<p>Now Wiseli perceived that big tears rolled from Andrew's eyes and fell +over his cheeks. He tried to say something, but could not speak. He +pressed the child's hand, turned him about, and went into the house.</p> + +<p>Wiseli stood still and wondered. Nobody had wept for her mother. Even +she had not dared to cry, except when nobody could see her; for her +cousin said that he would not have any whining, and she was even more +afraid of making his wife angry. And now here was some one who wept +because she had spoken of her mother to him. It seemed to the child as +if Andrew were her very best friend upon the earth, and she felt herself +strongly drawn towards him. But now she ran with her pink as fast as +possible towards the beech grove; and it was well that she did so, for +she saw the boys also drawing near the house, and it would never have +done for her to be later than they.</p> + +<p>Wiseli said her prayer with a light heart that night, and could not +understand why she had been so depressed the night before, and why she +had felt no confidence in God's kindness, and could not even say her +hymn. Now she felt sure that he had not forgotten her, and she would +never allow herself to think that again. Had she not received many kind +things from him? And as she fell asleep she saw before her the kind face +of Andrew the carpenter, with the tears in his eyes.</p> + +<p>On the following day—it was Wednesday—Otto was again surprised by the +good deed performed for him by his unknown friend; for he could not +refrain from going out with the others when school was first over, and +making a few gambols here and there to refresh himself after the long +confinement. When, at last, he returned somewhat sadly to his work, it +was all done again, and the schoolroom perfectly tidy. Now his curiosity +began to be excited, and also gratitude to his invisible benefactor +began to stir in his heart. He would certainly find out on Thursday what +it all meant.</p> + +<p>So, when the classes were dismissed, and they all left the house as +usual, Otto stood for a while by his seat, thinking how he could +discover his helpful friend. But a knot of his schoolmates rushed in as +he stood there, grasped him by arms and shoulders, and dragged him out, +crying, "Come along! Come on! We are playing 'Robbers,' and you must be +our leader."</p> + +<p>Otto defended himself for a moment. "This is my week," he cried.</p> + +<p>"Oh, nonsense! put it off," they said. "Only just for a quarter of an +hour. Come along!"</p> + +<p>And Otto went. To tell the truth, he relied secretly upon his unseen +friend, who would certainly shield him from punishment. He found it +extremely agreeable to feel such a support under his feet; and the +quarter slipped into the full hour, and Otto was lost. He went back to +the schoolhouse to fulfil his duty, and threw open the door with such a +slam that the master rushed out of his room very quickly, and asked,—</p> + +<p>"What do you want, Otto?"</p> + +<p>"Only to look in again, to see if every thing is as it should be," +stammered the boy.</p> + +<p>"This is excellent," said the teacher; "but it is not necessary for you +to slam the door in that way."</p> + +<p>Otto went away in good spirits. On Friday he made up his mind not to do +his work of cleaning until he was satisfied about the mystery; and +then,—then there would only be Saturday morning left of his week.</p> + +<p>"Otto," called out the teacher on Friday, as the clock struck four, +"take this paper over to the pastor as quickly as you can. He will give +you some papers to bring back. It will only take you a moment or two, +and you will be here in time to brush out the room."</p> + +<p>The boy did not like to go very well, but there was no help for it; and, +of course, he could be back in a twinkling. He reached the parsonage in +half a dozen bounds. The pastor was busy, just then, with a visitor. His +wife called Otto to her in the garden. She wanted to know how his mamma +found herself; if his father were well, and Pussy, too; how Uncle Max +was employed; and if they had good news from their relations in Germany. +Then the pastor made his appearance, and Otto had to explain why it was +his business to bring the papers, and what the teacher was doing at +present. At last he got his papers, and was off like an arrow, pulled +open the door of the schoolroom,—to find every thing swept and +garnished, and no living being visible.</p> + +<p>"And I have not been obliged to stoop once, to clear away the tiresome +bits, the whole week through," thought Otto contentedly. "But who can +have done all this dirty work without being obliged to do it?" Now he +determined, for once and all, to have that question settled.</p> + +<p>The school hours ended at eleven o'clock on Saturday. Otto waited until +all the children had gone, and the room was empty. Then he went outside, +closed the door, and leaned with his back against it. There could no one +enter without his seeing who it was. He preferred to do this, rather +than to go at once to work at the sweeping and cleaning. He waited and +waited: no one came. He heard the clock strike the half-hour. There were +plans at home for an excursion that afternoon. The family were to dine +early, to get away soon after dinner. He ought to begin with his work at +once, if he wanted to get home in good season. How he hated it!</p> + +<p>He opened the door. Now Otto stared about him even more than he had done +the first time. The work was all done. It was certainly so, and nicer +than ever before.</p> + +<p>Things began to look rather queerly to Otto. He thought of ghost +stories, and such things. Very much more softly than usual he +slipped out, and closed the door behind him. Just at the same time, +something slipped silently out of the teacher's kitchen, and they +came together face to face. It was Wiseli. She grew red and redder, +just as if Otto had detected her in something mischievous. Now the +truth flashed into his mind.</p> + +<p>"So it is you who have done my work all the week, Wiseli?" he said. +"Nobody else would have thought of doing it unless obliged to, I am +sure of that."</p> + +<p>"You have no idea how glad I am to get the chance," said Wiseli, in +reply.</p> + +<p>"No, no; you must not say that, Wiseli. Nobody in the world can be glad +to do such things," said the boy decidedly.</p> + +<p>"But I mean it,—I really do," repeated the girl. "I have thought, +all day long through the week, with pleasure of the chance the +afternoon would give me; and, while I was working, I was more than +ever glad, because I thought, when Otto comes, he will find the work +done, and be pleased."</p> + +<p>"But what put it into your head to do it for me?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! I knew how much you disliked it; and I have always wanted to give +you something, as you once gave me your sled. Don't you remember? But I +have nothing to give."</p> + +<p>"What you have done is worth a great deal more than lending a sled. I +won't forget your kindness, Wiseli." So saying, Otto offered her his +hand, quite overcome for the moment.</p> + +<p>Wiseli's eyes shone with satisfaction as they seldom did nowadays. +Presently Otto wanted to know how she had managed to get into the room +again, for he had always waited until all the children were gone.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I never did go out," said the girl. "I hid myself quickly +behind the closet-door. I thought you would go out for a few +moments, as usual."</p> + +<p>"How did you get out without my seeing you afterwards?" Otto wanted to +know all about it.</p> + +<p>"Oh! while you were running around with the other boys, I got out easily +enough. I listened; but yesterday and to-day, as I was not certain where +you were, I went through the teacher's kitchen, and asked his wife if +she had any errand for me to do,—she often gives me a message to carry +somewhere,—and then I went out that way. Yesterday I was behind the +kitchen-door when you ran into the schoolroom."</p> + +<p>Now Otto knew all the ghost story. He offered his hand again to Wiseli. +"I thank you," he said; and they both ran off with happy hearts, each a +separate way.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER VI.</p> + +<p>OLD AND NEW.</p> + +<p> +Summer was over, and Autumn had followed in her footsteps. The evenings +were cool and misty. In the damp meadows the cows were eating the last +grass of the season, and here and there little fires were visible where +the sheep-boys cooked their potatoes and warmed their stiffened fingers.</p> + +<p>It was on such a misty evening that Otto, on leaving the schoolhouse, +ran home for a moment to tell his mother that he was going to see what +kept Wiseli from school; for she had not been there since the autumn +vacation,—certainly not for eight days.</p> + +<p>As he approached the beech grove, he saw Rudi sitting before the door, +eating pear after pear from a heap that lay before him.</p> + +<p>"Where is Wiseli?" asked Otto.</p> + +<p>"Outside," was the answer.</p> + +<p>"Where outside?"</p> + +<p>"In the meadow."</p> + +<p>"In which meadow?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know;" and Rudi went on munching his pears.</p> + +<p>"You won't die early because you know too much," remarked Otto, and +went haphazard towards the big meadow that stretched away from the +house to the wood.</p> + +<p>Presently he discovered three black spots under the pear-trees, and went +towards them.</p> + +<p>He was right. There was Wiseli stooping over the pears which she was +sorting, while a little farther off Cheppi sat astride of his rake; and +behind him Hannes lay on his back across the piled-up basket, and rocked +it back and forth so violently, that it nearly fell over at each +movement. Cheppi looked at him, laughing loudly.</p> + +<p>When Wiseli saw Otto coming towards her, her whole countenance glowed +with pleasure.</p> + +<p>"Good evening, Wiseli," cried the lad from afar. "Why have you not been +to school for so long?"</p> + +<p>The girl stretched out her hand with a pleasant smile to her friend.</p> + +<p>"We have had so much to do that I was not able to go," she said. "Just +look, what a lot of pears we have! I have to sort them from morning till +night, there are so many."</p> + +<p>"Your shoes and stockings are all wet. It is not pleasant here. Are you +not cold when you are so wet?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do feel chilly sometimes; but, in general, I get very warm at +this work."</p> + +<p>At this moment Hannes gave his basket such a powerful twist that over it +went, and there lay Hannes, the basket, and the pears all in a heap on +the ground.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" cried Wiseli in distress; "now they are all to be picked +up again."</p> + +<p>"And this one, too," cried Cheppi, and laughed aloud as the pear that he +had in his hand struck Wiseli's cheek with such force that it brought +the tears to her eyes, and she turned quite white with the pain.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had Otto seen this than he flew at Cheppi, threw him and his +rake to the ground, and seized him by the nape of the neck.</p> + +<p>"Stop, or I shall choke!" Cheppi was not laughing now.</p> + +<p>"I want to make you remember that you will also have me to deal with in +future, when you treat Wiseli in that way," said Otto, scarlet with +anger. "Have you got enough? Will you remember it now?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes! Let me go!" said Cheppi, in a very humble tone.</p> + +<p>Otto released him.</p> + +<p>"Now you have felt," he said, "how it will be whenever you hurt Wiseli +again. I will give you some more of this each time, even if you are +sixty years old. Good-by, Wiseli." And Otto went his way to carry his +anger to his mother.</p> + +<p>He unburdened himself to her as soon as he reached home. It was a +terrible thing to the generous boy that Wiseli should be obliged to +submit to such treatment. He was determined to go at once to the +pastor to complain of him and of his whole family, and demand that +Wiseli should be taken away from them at once. His mother listened +quietly to him, and let his indignation have time to cool off a +little; then she said,—</p> + +<p>"I do not think, my dear boy, that there is the least use in your doing +this. They would not take the child from her cousin Gotti, I am sure; +and it would only irritate him, should he hear that such a thing was +thought of. He himself does not feel unkindly towards Wiseli, and there +is really no sufficient ground for removing her from his roof. I know +very well that the poor girl has a hard time of it there. I have not +forgotten her, and am constantly hoping to find some way to help her. It +lies very heavily on my heart to know how much she has to suffer, you +may be sure of that, Otto. And if you can at any time manage to shelter +her and intimidate that brutal fellow Cheppi, without being too rough +yourself, I shall be very glad."</p> + +<p>Otto took what comfort he could in the knowledge that his mother was +constantly looking out for some way to help Wiseli.</p> + +<p>He was always planning some way to help her himself, but never hit upon +any thing that could be carried out. He saw very well that she could not +free herself; and the only idea that occurred to him as Christmas drew +near was to write on his list of wishes, in huge letters so big that +they could easily be read from heaven above, "I wish that the Christ +child would set Wiseli at liberty."</p> + +<p>Winter was come again, and the coast offered its feast of inexhaustible +pleasure to the children, who never wearied of its charm. The moon shone +with the most unusual brightness, it seemed to Otto, who, at last, had +the cleverness to suggest that all the children should collect on the +hillside at seven o'clock to take advantage of its beauty for an evening +coasting-party.</p> + +<p>This suggestion was received with universal approbation, and the +children separated at five o'clock when it began to be dark, to meet +again at seven for their favorite amusement.</p> + +<p>Otto's mother was not so enthusiastic over this great scheme as were the +children, and could not agree with them when they expressed their +delight. She said it was too cold for them to be out late into the +evening; that there was great danger of accidents in the uncertain +moonlight; and particularly objected to allowing Pussy to expose +herself. But her objections only served to enhance the interest the +children felt for the expedition, and Pussy pleaded for her consent as +if her very life hung on being one of this coasting-party. Otto +promised, "upon his word of honor," that he would not let any thing +happen to his sister, and would always keep near to her and protect her. +At last their mother gave her consent; and, with great noise and +rejoicing, the children went out into the beautiful, clear, cold +moonlight.</p> + +<p>Every thing went on without a drawback. The coast was in perfect +condition; and the mysteriousness of the darker places, upon which the +moonlight did not fall, heightened the interest of the occasion. There +were a vast number of children assembled, and all were in the best +humor. Otto let them all go down first; then he followed, and Pussy came +last of all, so that no one could run her down. Otto had arranged it in +this way, so that he could always glance backward to see that his little +sister went safely down the coast.</p> + +<p>As every thing went so smoothly and happily, somebody proposed that they +should make a "train;" that is, bind all the sleds together, and so go +down: it would be more delightful than ever by moonlight. No sooner said +than done. Only Pussy's sled was not tied to her brother's, for he +feared lest the straining and shocks that often took place in this kind +of coasting might prove dangerous to her. She followed, therefore, as +usual; but Otto could not stop his sled if she was delayed, for he had +to go on with the "train." Off they went, and the long chain reached the +bottom safely and happily.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Otto heard a fearful cry, and he recognized at once his little +sister's voice. What had happened? He had no choice, however, but to go +down to the very end with the merry party to which he was closely +fastened—down to the foot of the hill, no matter how great his fear +might be. Once at the bottom, however, he tore his sled loose, and ran +up the hill as quickly as possible, with all the others at his heels; +for they had all heard the screams, and wanted to see what they meant. +Half-way up the ascent stood Pussy by her sled, and screamed and cried +rivers of tears. Out of breath with his haste, Otto could hardly call +out, "What is the matter? What has happened?"</p> + +<p>"He did—he did—he did," sobbed Pussy, and could get no further.</p> + +<p>"What did he do? Who was it? Where? Who?" stammered Otto.</p> + +<p>"That man there, that man; he did try to kill me, and said terrible +words, too."</p> + +<p>As much as this Otto understood, accompanied by screams and sobs.</p> + +<p>"Be quiet now, Pussy: do not go on like that. He did not kill you, after +all. Did he really strike you?" asked Otto, very gently and soothingly, +for he was much alarmed.</p> + +<p>"No," sobbed Pussy, beginning again; "but he was going to. He had a +stick, and he held it out like that, and said, 'Wait a moment;' and such +dreadful words he said, too."</p> + +<p>"Then he really did not do any thing to hurt you?" asked Otto, and began +to breathe more freely.</p> + +<p>"But he did, he did; and you were all off down the hill, and I was all +alone." And Pussy's tears and sobs continued to break forth.</p> + +<p>"Hush, hush!" said Otto, consolingly. "Now try to be quiet. I will not +leave you again, and the man will not trouble you any more; and if you +will be quiet and good, I will give you the red candy cock that was on +the Christmas-tree."</p> + +<p>This made an impression upon Pussy. She dried her eyes, and did not make +another sound; for that big red candy cock on the Christmas-tree was +what the child had most wished for. In the division of the things it had +fallen to Otto's share; but his little sister had never forgotten her +longing for it. Now that every thing was quiet again, the children began +to climb the hill, and they tried to make out who the man could be who +had threatened to kill Pussy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, kill! Not so bad as that," interposed Otto. "I saw a big man with a +stick, who was obliged to step into the snow to get out of our way when +we went down the coast on the 'train.' It made him angry to be obliged +to go into the snow; and finding Pussy alone there, he scolded her a +little to relieve himself."</p> + +<p>This explanation satisfied everybody, it was so perfectly natural. +Everybody wondered that they had not thought of it before,—indeed, +thought they had,—and soon forgot all about it, and continued coasting. +This, however, had an end, like all other pleasures; for eight o'clock +had struck long ago, and that was the hour at which they were to break +up and go home. On the way back, Otto charged Pussy not to speak of her +adventure; otherwise their mother would never again let them go coasting +in the moonlight. She should have the candy cock, but must promise not +to say a word if she took it.</p> + +<p>All traces of her tears had long vanished, and nothing betrayed their +secret to the family.</p> + +<p>Both children slept quietly in their beds soon after, and Pussy dreamed +of the red candy cock, and shouted out with pleasure in her dreams. +Presently there was a loud knocking at the house-door, that made Colonel +Ritter and his wife spring up from the table, where they were +comfortably talking about the children; and old Trine called out of the +window, in an angry tone,—</p> + +<p>"What sort of a way of knocking is that?"</p> + +<p>"A terrible thing has happened," said some one from below. "We want the +colonel to come down the hill. They have found Andrew the carpenter +dead." And off ran the messenger again.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Ritter had heard enough, however, for they had heard this +sad news from the window. The colonel threw his cloak about his +shoulders, and hastened down to the carpenter's. As he entered the room, +he found that there were already a crowd of people assembled. The +justice of the peace and the chief magistrate had been fetched, and a +number of curious and sympathetic people had come along with them. +Andrew lay on the floor, in his blood, and gave no sign of life. The +colonel went to his side.</p> + +<p>"Has nobody been for the doctor?" he asked. "We want a doctor at once."</p> + +<p>Nobody had thought of that,—there was no use in trying to do any thing, +they said.</p> + +<p>"Run, somebody, as quickly as possible," said the colonel. "Go, +you,"—to a lad who stood near,—"tell the doctor that I send him word +to come here immediately." He helped to raise Andrew from the ground, +and to carry him into his bedroom, and to lay him on the bed. Then he +went back to the chattering group of neighbors, to find out how the +accident had taken place,—if anybody knew the precise circumstances.</p> + +<p>The miller's son stepped forward, and told his story. He was passing +the house about a half-hour ago, he said; and, seeing a light in the +window, stopped to ask if his bits of furniture were finished. He found +the door of the room open, and Andrew lying dead on the floor, covered +with blood; and by his side stood Meadow-Joggi, and held out a piece of +gold between his fingers. Then the miller's son had called all the +neighbors, and sent some one for the chief magistrate and everybody +whose business it was.</p> + +<p>Meadow-Joggi—who was so called because he lived down in the +meadow-land—was a foolish fellow, who was supported by the neighbors, +who gave him little jobs of work suitable to his feeble capacity, such +as carrying sand or stone where they were needed, or helping to sort the +fruit, or gathering fagots in winter.</p> + +<p>No one ever had heard of his doing any mischief. The miller's son told +him to stay where he was until the president came; and so Joggi stood in +the corner, held his fist tightly closed, and laughed to himself. The +doctor soon arrived on the scene, and behind him came the president. The +council took its place in the middle of the room, to consider the case. +The doctor, however, went at once into the bedroom, and the colonel +followed him. The doctor examined the motionless body carefully.</p> + +<p>"Here it is," he cried presently. "Here, at the back of the head, is +where Andrew was struck. There is a large wound here."</p> + +<p>"But he is not dead, doctor, is he?"</p> + +<p>"No, no; he breathes feebly, but it is with difficulty."</p> + +<p>The doctor wanted all sorts of things,—water and sponges, and linen +rags, and so on,—and the people ran this way and that, and searched and +pulled things out from the closets and drawers, and produced a heap of +things, but nothing that was useful for this occasion.</p> + +<p>"We want a woman here who has some intelligence, and knows what is +needed in sickness," said the doctor at last, rather impatiently. They +all called out this one or that one; but not one was able to come of all +those mentioned.</p> + +<p>"Let somebody go to the 'Heights,' and tell my wife to send old Trine +down here," said the colonel. And somebody ran off.</p> + +<p>"Your wife won't thank you," said the doctor; "for I shall not be able +to let the nurse leave this patient for three days and nights."</p> + +<p>Trine came, laden with all needful things, much sooner than anybody +dared hope for her; for she was all ready with her big basket packed, +and her mistress stood by her side, expecting the order for her to go +down to Andrew's; for they would not believe that Andrew was dead, and +had thought of every thing that could possibly be needed. She had +sponges and bandages, lint and oil, and warm flannels, packed in her +basket, and had only to run off when the messenger came. The doctor was +delighted.</p> + +<p>"Everybody must go now. Good-night, colonel; and turn all those people +out of the house, will you?" cried the doctor, and closed the door +without ceremony as soon as the colonel went out.</p> + +<p>The committee was still sitting, but the colonel explained that the +house must be emptied; so they decided to imprison Joggi, and then +institute investigations. Two men took Joggi between them, so that he +could not get away, and carried him off to the poor-house, and shut him +up in a room. Joggi went with them very willingly, and laughed now and +then, and looked into his hand.</p> + +<p>The following morning Mrs. Ritter hastened down to Andrew's house in +great anxiety. Trine came softly from the bedroom, and brought the +welcome news that Andrew had come to himself a little; that the doctor +had already made his visit, and found his patient in better condition +than he expected; but he left especial orders that nobody should be +allowed to enter the room. Andrew was not to be permitted to speak one +word, even if he wished to speak: only the doctor and the nurse might +come into his presence. Trine said these words with great pride, for she +was a very good nurse, and well aware of the importance of the +situation. Mrs. Ritter fully appreciated all this, and went home +rejoicing over the news.</p> + +<p>A week went by. Every morning Mrs. Ritter went down to the sick man's +house to obtain an accurate statement of his condition herself, and to +find out if any thing were needed for his comfort, in order that all his +wants might be supplied at once. Every day Otto and Pussy sent the same +message; namely, "When could they be permitted to see their sick +friend?" but the doctor was inexorable. There was no possibility of +Trine being allowed to go, either; and the doctor could not praise her +enough for her intelligent care of the patient. After the week was +fairly over, however, the doctor sent word to the colonel that if he +would come to Andrew's at the same time he made his daily visit, they +would go in together; for now that Andrew was able to talk, the doctor +wished to have the colonel hear what could be told about the terrible +assault that had prostrated the good carpenter.</p> + +<p>Andrew was very glad to press the colonel's hand gratefully in his +own,—he knew very well where all the care and comfort came from with +which he was surrounded.</p> + +<p>He collected his thoughts to the best of his ability to answer the +questions put to him. This was, however, all that he could tell them. He +had taken out the yearly sum of money that he always carried up to the +colonel for investment, and was in the act of counting it over once +again, to be sure that it was right. It was rather late in the evening, +and he was seated with his back towards the door. While he was in the +midst of counting, he heard some one enter the room; and before he had +time to turn about, he received a tremendous blow upon his head. After +that, all was a blank.</p> + +<p>There had been a heap of money upon the table. Nothing was to be found +of it, however, but the piece that Joggi held in his hand when they +found him.</p> + +<p>Even supposing that Joggi were the malefactor, where was the rest of +that money? When Andrew learned that they had taken Joggi into custody +and shut him up, he was very uneasy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you must let him go, poor Joggi!" he said. "He never would hurt the +smallest infant. <i>He</i> never struck me."</p> + +<p>For all that, Andrew had no suspicion who it could have been. He had no +enemy, he said, and knew of nobody who would wish him harm.</p> + +<p>"It may have been a stranger," suggested the doctor, as he looked at the +window. "If you sat here, with the bright light shining upon your pile +of money while you counted it over on the table, anybody going by the +house could have seen you, and taken a notion to rob you."</p> + +<p>"I suppose it must have been in that way," said Andrew. "I never +thought of such a thing, however. Every thing has always stood open in +the house."</p> + +<p>"It is well that you have laid something by already, Andrew," said the +colonel. "Do not fret over this: it is so lucky that you will soon be +well again."</p> + +<p>"Certainly, colonel; and I have every reason for thankfulness. The good +God has given me far more than I have any use for." And he shook hands +with his friends, who agreed, in parting, that Andrew was much less to +be pitied than the man who tried to kill him.</p> + +<p>There was a sad story told about Joggi, which excited the sympathy of +the schoolboys exceedingly. Otto brought it home with him and repeated +it several times, for it made a deep impression on his mind. It seemed +that when they brought Joggi, laughing all the way, into the almshouse +that evening, he was told to give up his piece of gold to one of his +guards,—the son of the justice of the peace; but Joggi shut his fist +tighter, and would not give it up at all. But the two men were stronger +than he, and at last forced his hand open; and, as they took the money +away from him, one of them said, "Only wait a little till the others +come, then you will get what you deserve. You will see!" For he was +vexed at the scratches he had got in the struggle.</p> + +<p>These threats had frightened the poor half-witted fellow, who thought he +was going to be beheaded, having no idea of what his punishment might +be. And he refused to eat, and cried and groaned incessantly.</p> + +<p>The officers of justice had been to see him twice, to assure him that, +if he would only tell them what he had done, he should not be +punished. He repeated that he had not done any thing but look in at +the window; and when he saw Andrew on the floor, he went to him and +shook him a little, and then he was dead. He saw something shining in +the corner, and picked it up; and then the miller's son came in, and a +lot of other people.</p> + +<p>When Joggi got thus far in his story, he began to cry and groan, and +would not be pacified.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER VII.</p> + +<p>ANDREW IS BETTER, AND SOMEBODY ELSE, ALSO.</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Ritter went, as usual, to visit her friend, but no longer remained +closeted with Trine, for she could now go freely into his room, talk +with him for a little while, and mark his daily improvement. Otto and +Pussy also paid several visits, armed with dainties for their favorite. +So that Andrew said to the old Trine, with great feeling, "If I were a +king, they could not show me more kindness."</p> + +<p>The doctor was well pleased with the rapidity of the cure, and said to +the colonel, whom he met on the threshold one day,—</p> + +<p>"Every thing has worked wonderfully well. Your wife can have her Trine +back again; and tell her she was worth her weight in gold. I only wish +there were some one to stay with Andrew for a little while; or who could +come in, now and then, to help him. The poor fellow must have something +to eat, and he has no wife nor child,—in fact, nobody. Do ask Mrs. +Ritter if she cannot think of something that will help us."</p> + +<p>The colonel carried his message correctly, and his wife went the next +day to Andrew's, as usual; and, seating herself by his bedside, said, +without circumlocution, "I have something to say to you, Andrew. Are you +inclined to listen to me?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, certainly. Every thing you do is right," said Andrew, +supporting his head on his hand, and prepared to give her all his +attention.</p> + +<p>"I am going to take Trine away, now that you are so well," began +Mrs. Ritter.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear lady, I beg you to believe me, I have wished to send her home +for a long time past. I know how much you must miss her."</p> + +<p>"I would not have allowed her to enter my house, if she had tried to +come back before," replied Mrs. Ritter. "But now it is different: the +doctor has dismissed her. He says, however,—and I fully agree with +him,—that you need some one who can wait upon you, cook for you, or +fetch your food from my house, and do a hundred little things: somebody +for at least a few weeks. Now, Andrew, why cannot you have little Wiseli +to do this?"</p> + +<p>The words were scarcely spoken, when Andrew almost sprang up in his bed.</p> + +<p>"No, no, Mrs. Ritter; certainly not!" he said, and became very red from +excitement. "I could not dream of such a thing. Could I lie here in bed, +and let that delicate little thing work for me out there in the kitchen? +Oh! in Heaven's name, how could I think of her poor mother, where she +lies buried? How she would look at me, if she knew of my doing such a +thing. No, no, Mrs. Ritter; I would rather not get well at all."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ritter did not try to stop him; but, when he sunk back again upon +his pillow, she said quietly,—</p> + +<p>"It is not any thing very shocking, however, that I have proposed, +Andrew: think it over now. You know what kind of care Wiseli is getting, +do you not? Do you suppose she has nothing to do there, or even light +work suitable to her strength? Hard work she has, and hard words with +it. Would you give her any thing like that? Do you know what the child's +mother would do, if she were standing here by our side? She would thank +you, with tears in her eyes, if you would take her child into your +house, where she could be happy. I am sure of that. And you would soon +see how useful she would make herself."</p> + +<p>After these touching words, Andrew began to take another view of the +matter. He wiped his eyes, and said softly, "How can I be sure that the +child would be willing? And how can I get her? Her cousin would not wish +to part with her, probably."</p> + +<p>"That is all right. You need not trouble yourself about that, Andrew," +said his friend, cheerfully, as she rose to go. "I will attend to it all +for you. It is a thing about which I have thought long and anxiously."</p> + +<p>She took her leave; but, as she was passing out of the door, Andrew +called out again,—</p> + +<p>"Only in case Wiseli herself is perfectly willing: you will not forget +that, please, Mrs. Ritter."</p> + +<p>She promised again that the child should come gladly, or not at all, and +left the house.</p> + +<p>She went down the hill at once to the beech grove, for she was impatient +to take Wiseli where she could think of her in safety. She met the +cousin Gotti just as he was himself entering his own house. He saluted +her, without concealing his surprise at her visit. But she did not leave +him in doubt for a moment over the object that brought her there, and +how anxious she was that Wiseli should take charge of the wounded Andrew +at once, as she was sure she could do, if they were willing. His wife, +who was in the kitchen, came directly she heard their voices, and was at +once informed of Mrs. Ritter's proposition. But she answered that it was +not possible, for the child was not able to be of use to anybody. But +her husband interposed. The truth should be told: Wiseli was able and +willing to work, and did so, well and intelligently. He did not wish to +have her go, for she was useful and obedient. He would not refuse, for +two weeks or so, to let her nurse Andrew. He would not probably need her +longer than that, and then she must come back; for there was a great +deal of work on hand against the spring.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said his wife. "I have no mind to begin it all over again +teaching her, it has given me so much trouble already. If Andrew wants +anybody to help him, let him get somebody for himself."</p> + +<p>"Well, well; for two weeks, as I have promised, she shall go. It is our +duty to help a neighbor, if we can."</p> + +<p>"I thank you for your kindness," said Mrs. Ritter, rising. "And Andrew +will himself show his gratitude. May I take Wiseli with me at once?"</p> + +<p>Although his wife grumbled out that there could not be any such hurry, +her husband said it was better the child should go at once. The sooner +she went, the more quickly she would be back again; and repeated that it +was only for fourteen days in all.</p> + +<p>Wiseli was called, and told to get her clothes together, and tied in a +bundle. The child obeyed, not daring to ask for a reason. It was exactly +a year since she had brought the little bundle into the house. Nothing +had been added to her scanty wardrobe in that time but a black frock. +She wore that now, but it had been so long in use, that it hung about +her almost in rags; and Wiseli looked shyly at Mrs. Ritter as she stood +before her now, with her little bundle on her arm. The colonel's wife +understood the look, and answered it. "Come, my dear; we are not going +far away. You can go as you are."</p> + +<p>Quickly taking leave, she waited only for Wiseli to give her cousin +Gotti her hand. He said,—</p> + +<p>"Oh, you are soon coming back; this is not a separation."</p> + +<p>Off trotted Wiseli in silence, and much astonished, behind Mrs. Ritter, +who walked rapidly across the snow-covered fields, as if she feared they +both might be recalled; but as soon as they were out of sight of the +beech grove, she turned about, and stood still. "Wiseli," she said +kindly, "do you know Andrew the carpenter?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, I do," said the child; and glanced at her friend with such a +happy expression, that Mrs. Ritter was rather surprised.</p> + +<p>"He is ill," she proceeded. "Would you like to take care of him, and +wait upon him a little, for about two weeks?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed!" replied the child promptly; and her face, that +became suddenly rosy with pleasure, told Mrs. Ritter more than her +short answer.</p> + +<p>The good lady was pleased, but did not understand the child's feeling, +for she knew nothing of her gratitude for Andrew's kindness to her +mother. After they had gone on a while, Mrs. Ritter said,—</p> + +<p>"You can tell Andrew the carpenter that you are very glad to go to take +care of him, or he will not believe it. Don't forget to tell him that."</p> + +<p>"No, no; I won't forget," said Wiseli. "I was just thinking about +it myself."</p> + +<p>They reached the house at last. Mrs. Ritter told Wiseli to go in alone, +promising to come down in the morning to see how things went on; and, if +she needed any thing for her patient, she could come up to the "Heights" +to fetch it herself.</p> + +<p>Wiseli stole into the garden, and opened the house-door. She knew that +Andrew lay within in the bed-room behind the sitting-room. She entered +the room softly. No one was there; but it was in good order, as old +Trine had left it when she went away.</p> + +<p>The child looked about to see that every thing was in the right place. +Against the wall, in the back part of the room, stood a big wooden +bedstead called a coach, and which was all arranged like a proper bed. +The curtain was almost closed across it, but Wiseli could see how neat +and clean it looked, and wondered who slept there usually. Presently she +knocked quietly at the bedroom door; and when Andrew called out, "Come +in," she entered, and shyly stood before him. Andrew raised himself in +his bed to see who was there.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" he said, partly glad and partly startled. "Is that you, +Wiseli? Come here; give me your hand." The child obeyed.</p> + +<p>"You did not come to me against your will?"</p> + +<p>"No, no," replied the child; "surely not." But Andrew was not satisfied.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<a name="4"></a> +<center> +<img alt="004a.jpg (163K)"src="004a.jpg" height="1102" width="684"> +<p><b>ANDREW RAISED HIMSELF IN HIS BED TO SEE WHO WAS +THERE</b></p> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"I mean, Wiseli," he continued, "perhaps you would have liked better not +to come; but perhaps you wanted to do a kindness to the good colonel's +wife, she is so kind."</p> + +<p>"No, no," repeated the child again; "she did not say any thing to me +about it being for her. She only asked me if I was willing to go to +you, and there is nobody in all the world to whom I would go so gladly +as to you."</p> + +<p>These words must have quieted all Andrew's scruples, for he did not ask +any more questions, but let his head sink back on his pillow, and lay +gazing silently at Wiseli; and presently he turned his head aside, and +wiped his eyes several times.</p> + +<p>"What shall I do now?" asked Wiseli, as Andrew did not move his head. He +turned at the sound of her voice, and said, very kindly, "I do not know, +I am sure, Wiseli. You may do any thing that you like, if you will only +stay with me a little while."</p> + +<p>Wiseli scarcely knew what to think. Since the death of her mother, +nobody had spoken to her in such kindly, loving tones. It seemed as if +her mother's voice and love were come into Andrew's words and tones. She +took his hand in both hers, as she often took her mother's, and stood by +the bedside. She did not even speak, but felt that her mother's loving +presence was about them. Andrew, too, had a silent, peaceful conviction +that Wiseli's mother was happy in their happiness.</p> + +<p>Presently Wiseli said, "I think I ought to cook something for you: it is +past twelve o'clock already. What shall I cook?"</p> + +<p>"Whatever you like," said Andrew. But Wiseli knew that she was there +for the purpose of making things comfortable for the sick man, and +she did not cease her questioning until she found out what he usually +had to eat,—a good nourishing soup, and a piece of the meat that was +in the closet; and then Andrew said she must cook something with milk +for herself.</p> + +<p>The child was perfectly at home in the kitchen. She had really learned a +great deal at her cousin Gotti's, even if she had received many cross +words at the same time. She had every thing ready in a short time; and +Andrew begged her to push a little table to the bedside, and sit down +and eat with him, so that he could enjoy the pleasure of her company. +Neither Wiseli nor Andrew had eaten such a pleasant meal for a long, +long time. After eating, Wiseli rose; but Andrew looked at her sadly, +and said, "Where are you going now, Wiseli? Won't you stay with me here +a little longer, or is it too dull for you?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed, not dull; but after dinner the things must be washed and +put away in their places in good order," said the child.</p> + +<p>"I know," said Andrew; "but I thought that just for to-day—the first +day, you know—you might put them away as they are, and to-morrow wash +them all together."</p> + +<p>"But if the colonel's wife should see them so, I should almost die of +shame;" and Wiseli looked very grave while she spoke.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes; you are right," said Andrew. "Do whatever you think best."</p> + +<p>So the child went to work, and cleaned and sorted and swept, so that +every thing shone in the kitchen. Then she stood quietly, and looked on +her work with satisfaction, saying softly, "Now Mrs. Ritter may come +when she will."</p> + +<p>Going into the room next the kitchen, she cast an admiring glance at the +beautiful big bed on the "coach" behind the curtain; for Andrew the +carpenter had told her that she was to sleep there, and that the little +chest of drawers in the corner was also for her, and that she might put +all her things there, if she liked.</p> + +<p>So she laid away all the clothes in her little bundle in good order; but +it did not take long to do that, they were so few. At last she returned +to Andrew, and seated herself by his bedside. He had been looking +towards the door very wistfully for a long time. She had scarcely seated +herself before she asked, "Have not you a stocking to be knitted, or +something else for me to do?"</p> + +<p>Wiseli had been well drilled,—first by her mother, and then by her +cousin's wife, whose words she never forgot, they frightened her so; and +when Andrew said, "Oh, you have worked enough for to-day; let us sit +still and talk over all sorts of things together now," the child +replied, "I do not like to sit and do nothing, for it is not Sunday; but +we can talk while I knit, you know."</p> + +<p>Andrew was pleased at this sign of the little girl's industry, and he +again bade her do whatever she thought right and best. She might get a +stocking to knit, if she wanted to: he had not one for her, however.</p> + +<p>So Wiseli fetched her own, and took her seat by the bedside; and, truly, +she could talk and knit at the same time perfectly well.</p> + +<p>Andrew chose the one subject for their conversation that was by far the +most agreeable to Wiseli; namely, her mother. It was the first time she +had been able to talk about her mother to anybody since her death. But +now she had a listener who could not hear enough, and so she told all +that she could remember of their happy life together.</p> + +<p>And day after day slipped by. For every little thing that Wiseli did, +Andrew thanked her over and over,—not from politeness or mere form, but +because every thing pleased the good man, and he wanted to express his +pleasure. He became strong and well very rapidly under Wiseli's care, +and soon was able to leave his bed. And the doctor was much surprised to +see how quickly his strength had returned, and how happy he looked +besides. He sat at the window in the sunshine all day long, and watched +Wiseli as she moved about, as if he could never get enough of her. His +eyes followed her as she went here to a drawer, opened it and shut it +again; and noticed how every thing that passed through her hands was +done in an orderly, regular manner, such as he had never seen before. +And Wiseli was so happy, so happy, in this quiet little house, where she +never heard any but loving words, and moved constantly in an atmosphere +of affection, that made it impossible for her to allow her thoughts to +dwell on the sad fact that the fourteen days would soon be past, and +then she must return to the beech grove.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> + +<p> +CHAPTER VIII.</p> + +<p>SOMETHING VERY STRANGE HAPPENS.</p> + +<p> +On the "Heights" there was a great deal of talk about Andrew and Wiseli. +Mrs. Ritter went down every day, and always brought back good accounts. +They all rejoiced together over this, and Otto and Pussy formed a plan +to have a great convalescence festival in Andrew the carpenter's room +while Wiseli was still with him. It should be a great surprise for them +both. But before that came another feast,—their father's birthday. And +the children had invented all sorts of "celebrations" from early morning +on, but the great moment was yet to come; namely, at dinner-time. Otto +and Pussy had taken their seats, full of excitement and expectancy.</p> + +<p>The father and mother made their appearance, and the merriment began.</p> + +<p>After one or two surprises came a large covered dish,—certainly that +was a birthday dish. The cover was removed, and, behold, a beautiful +cauliflower!</p> + +<p>"This is a fine vegetable," said the father; "I must admire it. But, to +tell the truth," he went on, with an air of disappointment, "I expected +something different. I expected artichokes. They are to be found and +bought as well as cauliflowers. You know, my dear Mary, there is no dish +I care for so much as artichokes."</p> + +<p>Suddenly Pussy called out,—</p> + +<p>"That is it! that is it! That is exactly what he called to me twice. +And he raised his stick in the air, and did so,"—and Pussy raised her +arm in the air in great excitement. But suddenly she was quiet, and put +her arm under the table, and turned crimson; and Otto, who sat on the +other side of the table, looked at her with flashing eyes and very +angry looks.</p> + +<p>"What is this?" asked the colonel. "A strange way to celebrate my +birthday. My daughter cries out, on one side, as if some one were going +to kill her; and, on the other, my son is giving me such kicks on the +shin that I shall soon be covered with black-and-blue spots. I should +like to know where you learned this agreeable amusement, Otto?"</p> + +<p>Now it was Otto's turn to become fiery red. His intention had been to +give Pussy certain decided warnings to keep quiet, but his boot had +encountered his father's leg instead, and not gently either. When he +discovered his mistake, he did not dare to raise his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Now, Pussy," said the colonel, "tell me the end of your robber story. +You said the terrible man called out 'artichokes' to you, and raised his +stick in the air; and then"—</p> + +<p>"Then—then," stammered Pussy, who perceived that she had betrayed every +thing, and would have to give the sugar cock back to Otto again. "Then +he did not strike me, or kill me."</p> + +<p>"Well, that was nice of him," said her father, laughing. "And +what else?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing else," said Pussy, whimpering.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, the story had a good ending. The stick remained in the air, +and Pussy came back to the house like an 'artichoke.' Now we will drink +the health of the 'artichokes' and of Andrew the carpenter together."</p> + +<p>The father raised his glass, and his companions did the same. When they +left the table, they were all rather sad; all except the father, who +took his newspaper, and lighted his cigar, as usual. Otto stayed in +another room in the corner, and thought how, when the children were all +allowed to go again to coast by moonlight, he would be obliged to remain +at home; for his mother would not now let him go, he was sure. Pussy +crept into her bedroom, nestled down in a corner by the bed upon a +footstool, took the red candy cock upon her lap, and felt very sadly at +the thought that she held it for the last time.</p> + +<p>At the window her mother stood sadly thinking. She soon became agitated, +however, and moved uneasily about the room, and presently began to seek +for her little daughter in every corner. She found her at last, in her +hiding-place behind the bed, sunk in deep dejection.</p> + +<p>"Pussy," said her mother, "I want you to tell me the story about the man +who threatened you. When was it, and where, and what words did he use?"</p> + +<p>Pussy told all that she knew, but did not give much more information +than she had conveyed at the table. The man had called out the same word +that her father had used at table,—that she was sure of. Her mother +turned away, went directly to the room where her husband was smoking, +and said, in a very excited tone, "I must tell you, for I am more and +more sure of it."</p> + +<p>The colonel put down his newspaper and looked at his wife, much +surprised.</p> + +<p>"That scene at table has made me think of something; and the more I +think, the surer I am about it."</p> + +<p>"Do sit down, and tell me what you mean," said the colonel, who now +became very curious. His wife did as he desired, and went on.</p> + +<p>"You noticed Pussy's excitement. She must have been very much +frightened by the man of whom she spoke. She was not joking. Therefore +it is clear to my mind that the word was not 'artichoke,' but +'aristocrat,' that he used. Now you know who used to call us that,—my +brother and I. Pussy has just told me that this took place on that +evening when they all went coasting by moonlight; and that was the +night when Andrew was assaulted and robbed. That rascally fellow Jorg +has not been seen for years in this vicinity; and the very first time +that there is any trace of him, we hear of this act of brutality +towards his brother, against whom no one but he has any grudge. Do not +you think there is something strange in this?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; certainly there may be something in it," said the colonel. "I must +look it up at once."</p> + +<p>He arose, called his servant, and presently rode off at a sharp trot +towards the town.</p> + +<p>And for several days he continued to go there, to hear if the +investigation had produced any result. On the fourth day he came home +towards evening, and sent word to Mrs. Ritter, who was seated by Pussy's +bed, that he had something important to tell her. It was that the police +had been seeking for Jorg, and had found him without much delay; for he +had not taken precautions to conceal himself, being sure that no one had +seen him on the evening when he visited his native village. He had, +therefore, merely gone to the city, and was spending his time in the +taverns. When they took him into custody, and accused him, he denied +every thing; but when he heard that Colonel Ritter had accusations to +make against him, he was intimidated, thinking that the colonel must +have seen him, or he would never have suspected him, as he had just +returned from the Neapolitan army service. It never occurred to him that +one single word that he had thrown to a little child had betrayed him.</p> + +<p>When he heard the truth, he began to swear terribly, and declared he had +always known that those aristocrats would bring him into trouble. On +further examination, he said he had gone to his brother's house with the +intention of asking him for a loan of money; but when he looked through +the brilliantly lighted window and saw the big pile of money lying on +the table, it occurred to him that he would strike Andrew down and rob +him. He had not meant to kill him,—only render him insensible. Nearly +all the money was found at his lodgings, and taken. Jorg was lodged in +the prison.</p> + +<p>When these facts were made known in the village, everybody was very much +interested and excited, for nothing of the kind had happened before in +that small place. In the school, particularly, every thing was +topsy-turvy, for the children were as much excited as their elders. Otto +scarcely stopped to take breath all day long, for he ran from one place +to another, hoping to hear the latest news at each. He came to the +house, on the third evening, in such a state, that his mother told him +that he must sit perfectly quiet and silent for a little while before he +communicated the piece of news with which he was bursting.</p> + +<p>At last he was calm enough to tell them that they wanted to set Joggi +free, for he had been shut up all this time; but the poor fellow was so +convinced that they only wanted to take him out to cut off his head, +that he fought against being removed with all his might. So they decided +to take him out by force, and two men dragged him into the open air. He +fought and screamed so violently, that a crowd soon assembled; and the +poor, foolish fellow, becoming more and more alarmed, had darted away +like an arrow to the nearest barn, where he took refuge from his +imaginary danger in a stall, cowering down in a heap in one corner, and +would not let anybody approach him. His countenance showed his terrible +fear. He had been there all day and night; and now the peasant to whom +the barn belonged said if he did not move soon, he would use the +pitchfork to him.</p> + +<p>"It is a sad, sad story, my children," said their mother, when Otto had +finished. "Poor Joggi! how terribly he must suffer from his fear, that +nobody can relieve him of, because he cannot understand what is said; +and yet he is perfectly innocent of any evil deed or wish. Oh, if you +had only told me what had happened that evening on the coast! Your +keeping that a secret has had very, very sad consequences. Cannot we do +something to comfort and reassure him again?"</p> + +<p>Pussy was almost crying. "I will give him my red candy cock," she +said, tearfully.</p> + +<p>Otto was much disturbed, but he said, scornfully,—</p> + +<p>"Yes; a nice present for a grown up man,—a sugar cock! You had better +keep it for yourself."</p> + +<p>After a moment he asked his mother, however, to allow Pussy to carry +some food to Joggi in the barn: he had not eaten any thing for +nearly two days.</p> + +<p>His mother was more than willing, and had a basket filled at once with +bread and sausage and cheese for the children, and sent them off without +delay. Poor Joggi! there he was cowering in the stall, white as a sheet, +and dared not stir. The children gradually drew near, and presently Otto +held out his basket and showed the food, hoping to tempt Joggi.</p> + +<p>"Come out, Joggi. See, all this is for you to eat."</p> + +<p>There was no sign of movement.</p> + +<p>"Do come out, or the peasant will stick his pitchfork into you."</p> + +<p>The poor fellow gave a piteous moan, but still did not stir.</p> + +<p>Now Pussy went quite close to him, put her mouth to his ear, and said, +gently, "Do not be frightened, Joggi; they won't cut off your head. My +papa will help you, and will not let anybody harm you. And see, Joggi; +here is a candy cock, all red. Santa Claus sent you this on the +Christmas-tree." And the little girl took the cock very carefully from +her pocket, and held it out to Joggi.</p> + +<p>This little gift had a wonderful effect. Joggi looked at his friend +without fear, then at the candy cock, and presently began to laugh. It +was many days since he had laughed. He rose slowly from his corner, and +followed Otto out of the barn behind Pussy. When they got well out of +the yard, Otto said,—</p> + +<p>"You can take this basket, Joggi; we are going up there to our house. +Your way is down yonder."</p> + +<p>But Joggi shook his head, and followed close to Pussy's heels. They all +went up the hill. Their mother watched the little procession coming, and +her heart began to feel lighter; and she also noticed how the poor, +foolish Joggi held his sugar cock in his hand, and laughed at it with +childish satisfaction.</p> + +<p>They all three entered the house and went into the sitting-room, where +Pussy fetched a chair, and, taking the basket in her hand, beckoned +Joggi to come to her; and when he was seated at the table, she spread +out the bread and cheese and sausage before him, saying, very gently, +"Now do eat,—eat up every bit, Joggi, and be happy again."</p> + +<p>The poor fellow obeyed, and left no crumbs. He never relinquished his +hold of the red cock, however. He held it in his left hand, and nodded +and smiled at it from time to time. For bread and cheese and sausage he +had often received, but a red candy cock never before.</p> + +<p>At last he went down the hill to his cottage. With very happy looks Mrs. +Ritter and Otto and Pussy followed his retreating form, and noticed that +he changed the red cock from one hand to another, and had evidently +forgotten his fears. Mrs. Ritter had not visited Andrew during three +days. There was so much going on all the time, that she had not +perceived how the time passed; and then she no longer felt the least +anxiety about him. He was well cared for,—of that she was certain,—and +was on the best road towards health and strength.</p> + +<p>As soon as Colonel Ritter could go, he took the news of the arrest and +imprisonment of Andrew's brother to the good carpenter, who listened to +the story quietly, and said, after a while,—</p> + +<p>"It was his will. It would have been far better for him to have asked me +for a little money. I should have given it to him, but his way was ever +a blow rather than a kind word."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Ritter went down the mountain one cold, frosty morning, and went +smiling to herself all the way; for she had pleasant plans and projects +in her heart. Just as she opened the door of Andrew's cottage, Wiseli +came out of the sitting-room. Her eyes were swollen and red. She had +been crying. She gave Mrs. Ritter her hand very shyly, and ran into the +kitchen, and shut the door. Mrs. Ritter had never seen Wiseli look in +this way. What could have happened? She went into the sitting-room. +There sat Andrew by the window. He, too, looked as if a bad piece of +news had been brought to him.</p> + +<p>"What has happened?" asked Mrs. Ritter; and forgot to say +"good-morning," in her anxiety.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" sighed Andrew. "I wish that the child had never entered +my house."</p> + +<p>"Wiseli!" exclaimed his visitor. "Is it possible that Wiseli can have +displeased you in any way?"</p> + +<p>"Not that, by any means, good lady," Andrew hastened to answer. "No; she +has made my home a paradise for me, and now she is going away; and it +will seem so empty and lonely without her, I cannot bear it. You never +could think, Mrs. Ritter, how I love that child. I cannot bear it, if +they take her away. And the cousin Gotti has sent his boy twice to say +that she is wanted at his house; and, since then, Wiseli has been so +quiet, and cries in secret. It breaks my heart; for I see that she does +not want to go there, though she says nothing, and to-morrow is the last +day. I do not exaggerate, Mrs. Ritter; but I assure you I would prefer +to give all that I have earned and saved for thirty years to her cousin +Gotti, than have him take the child away."</p> + +<p>"I would not think of doing that. In your place, Andrew, I would go to +work another way," said Mrs. Ritter, when Andrew had finished his +excited talk.</p> + +<p>He questioned her with his eyes in silence.</p> + +<p>"I mean in this way. All your worldly goods you will leave to some one +who is very dear to you. You will take Wiseli as your adopted child; +will be a father to her; she shall henceforth live in your house as your +own daughter. You would like that, Andrew, would you not?"</p> + +<p>He had listened with all his might, and his eyes grew bigger and bigger. +Presently he grasped Mrs. Ritter's hand, and pressed it almost +painfully. He leaned forward.</p> + +<p>"Can that be done? Can I obtain the right to say that Wiseli is really +my own child,—all my own, so that nobody will be able to take her from +me again?"</p> + +<p>"You can do all that, Andrew. And, once Wiseli is recognized as your +child, no one will have the least right to her. You will be her father. +And, to tell the truth, Andrew, I hoped that you might wish to do this; +and therefore have kept my husband at home, in case you want to go into +the city to take the necessary steps towards the adoption. You know you +cannot walk, Andrew."</p> + +<p>Andrew fairly lost his head over all this. He ran this way and that, +looking for his Sunday coat; and kept asking all the time,</p> + +<p>"Can it be true? Is it possible? To-day, did you say? May I go to-day?"</p> + +<p>"At once," she said; and gave her hand to Andrew as she left him, to +tell the colonel that all was ready for the visit to the town. "It will +be better not to tell Wiseli until the evening, when every thing is +settled, and you are quietly together here," she said, as she stepped +out of the door. "Do not you agree with me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly," was the answer. "I could not tell her now."</p> + +<p>While Andrew was waiting until Colonel Ritter came for him to drive to +the town, he sat trembling in every limb, and thought he could scarcely +stand up, he was so happy and so excited. In about half an hour Wiseli +saw, to her great surprise, the colonel's wagon drive up, stop at +Andrew's door, the servant get down, come to the steps, take Andrew +under the arm, and help him to get into the carriage. The child looked +at it, as it passed away from the house down the road, and could not +understand it at all; for the carpenter had not said any thing to +her,—not even that he was going to drive. He had remained seated where +he was, after Mrs. Ritter's departure, until the colonel's servant came +for him; and the child had kept herself hidden all the time.</p> + +<p>After his departure, she went into the sitting-room, and looked out of +the window where Andrew always sat, and kept saying to herself, "To-day +is the last day. To-morrow I must go to cousin Gotti."</p> + +<p>Towards noon the child went into the kitchen, put every thing in order, +and arranged Andrew's dinner; but he did not come, and she did not like +to remove the things until he did. So she went back into the +sitting-room; but the sad thought of the coming separation made her +almost ill, and she said to herself, over and over, "To-morrow I must go +to cousin Gotti;" and did not see, in her sadness, that the sunset was +very beautiful, and betokened a still more beautiful morrow.</p> + +<p>The child sprang to her feet when presently she heard the door +opened. Andrew the carpenter stood before her with happy eyes, and +with a look that Wiseli had never seen on his face. He sunk into a +chair. He was overcome, but not with fatigue. At last he cried out, +in a triumphant tone,—</p> + +<p>"It is true, Wiseli! It is all really true! All the gentlemen said +'Yes,'—every one. You belong to me. I am your father. Call me +'father,' Wiseli."</p> + +<p>Wiseli became white as a sheet. She stood staring at Andrew, but did not +speak nor move.</p> + +<p>"Oh! of course, of course," said the carpenter. "You can't understand +me, I tell you all so confusedly. Now I will begin at the beginning. +I have just written in the record book in the town, and you are my +child now, and I am your father; and you will always stay here with +me, and not go back to your cousin Gotti again. This is your +home,—here with me."</p> + +<p>Wiseli understood now. She sprang into Andrew's arms, clung round his +neck, and cried, "Father, father!" They neither could speak a word after +this for a long time,—too many things were crowding upon them. After a +little, Wiseli felt a sudden light that seemed to break in upon her +thoughts; and she exclaimed, looking up at Andrew,—</p> + +<p>"O father! I know how it has all happened, and who has helped us."</p> + +<p>"Who may it be, Wiseli?" asked Andrew.</p> + +<p>"My mother."</p> + +<p>"Your mother, child,—who do you mean? Your mother?"</p> + +<p>And Wiseli related her dream about the beautiful garden with the red +carnations, and a rose-bush on the other side, where the sun shone; and +told him how her mother had taken her by the hand and showed her the +garden, and said that her way led through that. And Wiseli was sure that +her mother had not ceased to pray God to let her child's way be through +that garden,—which was Andrew's garden, and the happiest place in the +world for Wiseli.</p> + +<p>"Do not you believe it too, father, now that you know that in my dream +my mother showed me my road to your garden?"</p> + +<p>Andrew could not answer. Big tears rolled down his face, but he smiled +all the time that he wept. When, at last, he opened his mouth to speak, +there came such a terrible knocking at the door, that nothing else could +be heard. Open flew the door, and Otto was in the middle of the room +with one leap; then he jumped over a chair, and shouted, "Hurrah! we +have won, and Wiseli is delivered." Pussy came in behind him, ran at +once to her friend, and said, pointing towards the door,—</p> + +<p>"Now, Andrew, you will see what is coming for you, to celebrate your +recovery."</p> + +<p>Scarcely had she spoken, than the baker's boy came struggling through +the doorway with a big tray upon his head that could scarcely come +through. A good push from behind, however, helped him along, and he put +the tray down on the table. Otto and Pussy had ordered the biggest cake, +to be made at the baker's, that was ever known; and as it would not have +been very large if it were round, they ordered it square, and it quite +filled the oven when it was baked. Old Trine stood behind the baker's +boy, and her big basket was at her feet. She had brought, among other +delicacies, a bottle of good wine; for Mrs. Ritter declared that Andrew +had, in all probability, not eaten a morsel since breakfast, and Wiseli +was probably fasting also; and the child remembered the fact, now that +she saw the feast that Trine spread upon the table. They all took their +places, and a merry company they were. To be sure, the grand cake had to +be cut in halves, and part put away, for otherwise there was not room on +the table for the rest of the supper; but after that they were all more +merry than ever feasters were before.</p> + +<p>But the time went by, and Trine stood there waiting to take the children +home,—it was late. Andrew said, at leave-taking,—</p> + +<p>"To-day you have prepared a feast for me, and I thank you with all my +heart; but I invite you to come here again on Sunday, and I will give +you a feast,—the feast to celebrate my daughter's adoption."</p> + +<p>And so they parted, all rejoicing over the fact of Wiseli being so +happily at home with Andrew, and the children promising to come to the +Sunday celebration. At the door Wiseli gave Otto her hand again, and +said, "I thank you a thousand times for all your kindness to me, Otto. +Cheppi never was so rude to me again after you frightened him that day. +He was afraid to throw things at me. I owe it to your kindness."</p> + +<p>"And I owe you something, Wiseli," replied Otto. "I have never had to +sweep out the schoolhouse since the time you know of."</p> + +<p>"And I thank you, too, Wiseli," said Pussy; for she would not be behind +the others in her thanks.</p> + +<p>Now every thing was quiet in the little room, and the moonlight streamed +in through the window where Andrew took his seat, while Wiseli put all +the supper dishes away, and made every thing neat again; then she came +to him, and stood before him with folded hands.</p> + +<p>"Father," she said, "let me say my mother's hymn aloud to you. I +have always said it softly to myself; but I shall never forget it +now, I am sure."</p> + +<p>Andrew was glad to listen; and the child, raising her eyes to the stars, +said, with the very deepest feeling thrilling through her heart,—</p> + + +<center> +<table summary="poems"> +<tr><td> + + +<p> "To God you must confide<br> + Your sorrow and your pain;<br> + He will true care provide,<br> + And show you heaven again.</p> +<br> +<p> "For clouds and air and wind<br> + He points the path and way;<br> + Your road He'll also find,<br> + Nor let your footsteps stray."</p> +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + + + +<p>From this day forward the happiest cottage in the whole village was that +of Andrew the carpenter, with its sunny garden. Wherever Wiseli showed +herself, she received the very kindest notice from all the neighbors, +much to the child's surprise. Formerly no one had noticed her +particularly, but now even her cousin Gotti and his wife never passed +the cottage without coming in to take her by the hand, and invite her to +visit them.</p> + +<p>This gave the child keen satisfaction, for she had always feared +secretly her cousin's feelings about her adoption; so this kindness on +his part freed her from all anxiety, and she could go her way +peacefully. But these thoughts often rose within her, and she repeated +to herself,—</p> + +<p>"Otto and his family have always shown me kindness when I was alone +in the wide world and friendless: these others are only kind to me +since I am happy and have a father. I know well enough who are really +my friends."</p> + +<p>THE END.</p> + +<p> + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Rico And Wiseli, by Johanna Spyri + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICO AND WISELI *** + +This file should be named 8rico10h.htm or 8rico10h.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8rico11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8rico10ah.htm + +Produced by David Widger, Juliet Sutherland and Distributed Proofreaders + +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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