Anne Lisbeth Page #2

								

darling, the count's sweet child, and press him to my heart.  Certainly
he must long to see me, too, the young count; no doubt he thinks of me
and loves me, as in those days when he would fling his angel-arms
round my neck, and lisp 'Anne Liz.' It was music to my ears.  Yes, I
must make an effort to see him again."  She drove across the country in
a grazier's cart, and then got out, and continued her journey on foot,
and thus reached the count's castle.  It was as great and magnificent
as it had always been, and the garden looked the same as ever; all the
servants were strangers to her, not one of them knew Anne Lisbeth, nor
of what consequence she had once been there; but she felt sure the
countess would soon let them know it, and her darling boy, too: how
she longed to see him!

Now that Anne Lisbeth was at her journey's end, she was kept
waiting a long time; and for those who wait, time passes slowly.  But
before the great people went in to dinner, she was called in and
spoken to very graciously.  She was to go in again after dinner, and
then she would see her sweet boy once more.  How tall, and slender, and
thin he had grown; but the eyes and the sweet angel mouth were still
beautiful.  He looked at her, but he did not speak, he certainly did
not know who she was.  He turned round and was going away, but she
seized his hand and pressed it to her lips.

"Well, well," he said; and with that he walked out of the room.  He
who filled her every thought!  he whom she loved best, and who was
her whole earthly pride!

Anne Lisbeth went forth from the castle into the public road,
feeling mournful and sad; he whom she had nursed day and night, and
even now carried about in her dreams, had been cold and strange, and
had not a word or thought respecting her.  A great black raven darted
down in front of her on the high road, and croaked dismally.

"Ah," said she, "what bird of ill omen art thou?"  Presently she
passed the laborer's hut; his wife stood at the door, and the two
women spoke to each other.

"You look well," said the woman; "you're fat and plump; you are
well off."

"Oh yes," answered Anne Lisbeth.

"The boat went down with them," continued the woman; "Hans the
skipper and the boy were both drowned; so there's an end of them.  I
always thought the boy would be able to help me with a few dollars.
He'll never cost you anything more, Anne Lisbeth."

"So they were drowned," repeated Anne Lisbeth; but she said no
more, and the subject was dropped.  She felt very low-spirited, because
her count-child had shown no inclination to speak to her who loved him
so well, and who had travelled so far to see him.  The journey had cost
money too, and she had derived no great pleasure from it.  Still she
said not a word of all this; she could not relieve her heart by
telling the laborer's wife, lest the latter should think she did not
enjoy her former position at the castle.  Then the raven flew over her,
screaming again as he flew.
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