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Page 13
While he was thus happily engaged, a messenger arrived at the cottage to
disturb him. A peasant's wife, who wished to attend a funeral desired
his services, and the obliging Carl, although he protested that he had a
great deal to engage his attention at home, willingly promised to go to
the woman's cottage and take care of her children until her return. In
order that his arrival at the cottage might be joyfully welcomed, he
returned to his room, and commenced the manufacture of sundry whistles
and as he whittled and sung verses of his own composition--for Carl was
a poet--he occasionally cast loving glances towards the brown earthen
vase.
But how was Nanna employed? Was she reading some of her favorite books,
an amusement to which she often devoted her leisure hours? or perhaps
she was proceeding over the path which conducted to the spring in the
meadow. Neither. She at present appeared perfectly satisfied with her
unaccustomed listlessness, from which however she was soon aroused.
From between the trees that bordered the side of the hill, she saw a
green coat emerge, which when it reached the plain made its way towards
the little fountain beneath the tree.
The wearer of the coat, who was the young man who had carried the
knapsack and had called Nanna his little naiad, a term which he supposed
she did not understand, cast himself upon the grass near the trunk of
the tree. Perhaps he was expecting some one.
For a few moments Nanna stood undecidedly upon the threshold of the
door. Her inclinations drew her towards the spring; but her modesty
cautioned her to remain.
Why had she so long postponed her usual walk on this particular
occasion? She had not expected any one. Certainly not!
At length, however, she seized her bonnet and hastened from the room.
CHAPTER V.
THE FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT.
Nanna had arrived at the bottom step of the flight of stairs, when she
encountered Magde who was returning from a visit at a neighbor's house.
She had walked fast, and her face was crimson with heat and vexation.
When Magde first saw the young girl, she drew her bonnet close around
her face, intending to enter the house as quickly as Nanna wished to
depart; but when Nanna had reached the threshold she exclaimed:
"Where are you going?"
"To take a little walk," replied Nanna.
"Be careful, Nanna," said Magde seriously, "you will soon be a young
woman."
"And why should that affect you so?" replied Nanna, astonished at
Magde's caution.
"O, only that poor women who wish to preserve their fair fame, are not
allowed to go out when they choose."
"What did you say?"
"I say that the sun, earth, water, trees, and flowers, are made only for
the rich, who can admire them from their fine carriages and pleasure
yachts."
"But, dear Magde, you have always--"
"Silence, child," interrupted Magde, "you do not know the insults to
which we females of humble birth are exposed."
"We are not born that we should thus be insulted," said Nanna.
"True, true; but then we should have been born as deformed and ugly as
those sins, which even our modesty will not preserve us from being
suspected of."
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