“Now let us be happy again and let us sing a song,” said Dino, who loved to be gay and who liked to see everyone about him merry, too.
“Let us sing:
If winter’s storms are wild and long
We know that spring is coming.
To Agnes, whom I hear rebel,
This consolation I here tell.”
“Yes, Dino, it is easy enough for you to laugh,” Agnes exclaimed. “You would probably whistle another tune if you had to become a tailor. But you can learn and study everything you want to.”
“I shall certainly not study everything,” Dino informed her. “But your singing is much nicer than your arguing, Agnes, so please begin, and if you don’t like my song, you can start another.”
“We shall all sing together later on, children,” said the mother. “I have to speak to you, too, Dino. I am troubled about your cough and your health. I have looked about for quite a while to find a suitable place in the country where I could send you. Of course, there are plenty of places, but I want you to go into some modest house where you can be looked after. I found a notice in the paper today which might be just what I am looking for. Read it yourself, Dino.”
Dino began to read. “Yes, yes, mother, I must go there,” he said, shaking with merriment. “I must go to Martha in Iller-Stream. I am sure that it is very cosy in Martha Wolf’s house, where everything is so neat and the covers are so fresh.”
The sisters now wanted also to see the notice that made Dino laugh so heartily. He read the paragraph aloud about Martha Wolf in Iller-Stream and they all agreed that it would be pleasant there. The mother decided to write to the woman at once and to take Dino there as soon as possible.
“Now we shall sing a song to end the day,” she said, sitting down at the old piano. Every day the children sang an evening song to her accompaniment. Opening the book she herself started and the three children took up the song with their pure, fresh voices:
When bowed with grief,
Go seek relief
Of God, our Lord above.
Thy need has grown,
When left alone,
For great and helping love.
Before thou’st said,
Before thou’st prayed,
He knows thy inmost need.
And by His care,
His love so rare,
From sorrow thou art freed.
III
New Appearances in Iller-Stream
In the Director’s house in Iller-Stream reigned great excitement. The day had come when the two ladies from town were expected to arrive for their lengthy stay. To celebrate the coming of his guests, the master of the house had ordered a festive dinner for the middle of the day. He had been longing for this day, so was in a splendid humor. It was very important for him to start on his journey right away, and he had waited only to be able formally to receive his visitors. Also he had promised his cousin to give the reins of the household into her hands himself, after which event he had planned to start on his journey.
To Cornelli the preparations for the arrival of the new members of the household seemed very annoying, everything being different from usual. She commonly very much enjoyed the prospect of company, for on such occasions she paid frequent visits to the kitchen, where Esther was always busy cooking.
As soon as Cornelli appeared in the doorway, Esther would call to her: “Come and see which you like best, Cornelli; I am sure they are not so bad.” A small yellow apple tart and a round purple plum cake were ready for the child to taste, for her visit had been anticipated. Cornelli always assured the cook that the apple tarts were excellent and the plum cakes even better.
Then Cornelli would go into the pantry, where Miss Mina was fixing fruit on the crystal platters. Here many a raisin and almond would drop beside the plate, and from there find its way into Cornelli’s pocket. It was pleasant to have a supply whenever she felt like eating. The housekeeper dropped many nuts on purpose, for she did not want to be less sought after than her rival in the kitchen.
Today Esther was flying around the kitchen violently rattling her pots and pans, and when Cornelli appeared, to see what was going on, the cook called to her: “Off with you! I have nothing for you here today. The ladies from town must not think that they have to show me how to cook a good dinner. I’ll show them. Go away and make room here for me. Make room, Cornelli! I have to fix the vegetables.”
Cornelli ran to the pantry.
Mina was just building up a splendid pile of cookies and almond rings. “Don’t come rushing in like that, or it will all tumble down,” she objected. “Don’t come so near to the table; this plate is all ready and nothing must be missing from it. I won’t have it said that one can see there is no mistress in this house, and that nobody here knows how to set a table.”
“If you are all so stingy today, I won’t bother you any more,” said Cornelli, and with these words she turned around and marched indignantly out of the house.
That moment, hearing the sound of approaching wheels, and looking down the road through the open place in front of the house, she spied the expected carriage with two ladies sitting in it.
“Matthew, Matthew,” she called out, in the direction of the large stable and the barn. These lay a little distance from the house, and were hidden by trees.
Matthew was the gardener who looked after the horses, and had also to superintend all the work done by his assistant in the garden and the
