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Page 59
"Sweet Ulgenie, dearest wife, can your heart be touched? I dreamed last
night that I might dare approach it."
"Oh, so you have noticed me," said Mrs. Ulrica, immediately assuming her
former authority, when she found herself thus entreated. "Have you slept
out your debauch?"
"Was I--is it possible that I was inebriated? I have quite forgotten
what happened last night."
"You fool, when were you able to remember anything unless _I_ reminded
you?"
The perusal of a continuance of this scene will scarcely repay our
readers. Suffice it to say that Mr. Fabian's reign of one hour remained
thereafter a legend only. Like all other unsuccessful revolutions, it
was followed by a government still more exacting and severe.
CHAPTER XIX.
CARL.
Winter had departed. Ragnar, the bold seaman, had left his home, and his
ship was ploughing the broad ocean. The grass in the valley waved
gracefully in the light winds of spring. The children once more launched
their miniature boats, and the occupants of the cottage all labored for
the good of the little commonwealth.
But there was one of the family who could not mingle in their labors,
and who sat quietly in his corner, gazing cheerfully upon the operations
of the others. It was Carl.
During the winter Carl had been confined to his bed, but at the present
time he occupied his father's arm-chair, which the old man had
relinquished to him. He usually sat in a corner near Magde's spinning
wheel and his father's bed-room door.
When the children returned from their out of doors sports, they would
sit on the floor near Carl's chair, and listen to the many tales of
fairies, nymphs, and sea gods, that he told them in a pleasant but weak
voice, while he as formerly made willow whistles and repaired their
little boats.
The neighbors' children also visited the cottage that they might hear
his last stories, and they all brought with them many little gifts that
their mothers had prepared for poor Carl. At a later period the mothers
came themselves, bringing their own presents, which they carried in
large baskets, for there was not one in the entire neighborhood for whom
Carl had not performed a service, and without a solitary exception they
all loved him.
Then who was to take his place, after he should be taken from his
friends. In fact perfect pilgrimages were made to Carl, who always
received the pilgrims with pleasant words and cheerful smiles. Carl was
not insensible to the pleasure he derived from being able in turn to
present to Magde the gifts he received from his friends.
"Ah," Nanna often said, "how pleasant it is to be beloved," and she
would sigh as she thought of the absent one who had vowed to love her
forever, and whose word was her creed of life. How much happiness Nanna
derived from this creed! It solaced her in many lonely hours, and
produced a favorable effect upon her every action and thought. She no
longer was oppressed, as formerly, with dreaming indolence. Her cheeks
were roses now.
Old Mr. Lonner and Magde were much gratified at this unexpected change
in Nanna's deportment, and they could account for it only by supposing
that she was much wiser than other girls of her age.
Carl, however, had peculiar views upon this subject, and when Nanna
would exclaim, "O, how pleasant it is to be beloved!" he would reply:
"You know right well that there is some one who loves you, or else you
would not be so light hearted."
When Carl thus spoke Nanna would blush with confusion.
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