"'Agreed,' cried the count and countess; 'you must set the house in
order, and we will send up the entertainment,' she added, speaking to
Meeta and Jacques; 'and we will be with you in a few hours. Let us then
see this little fair one in all the bravery of her Sunday attire.'
"And all was done as the lady and pastor wished. Meeta set everything
in proper order. Jacques brought his flocks from the pasture, and gave
his best help. All the Sunday dresses were put on, and Margot was
standing at the wicket in her very best apron, when the mule and the
lady appeared again, followed by the pastor and Monique, Ella, and
people without number, bearing the things needful for such a supper as
had not often been enjoyed under that roof.
"Oh, what a happy meeting was that! How delighted was the lady with
Margot, and what a beautiful little enamelled box for containing
sweetmeats did she give her from her pocket! But there were no
sweetmeats in it; there were what Margot called golden fish.
"Wolf had a glorious evening; he went about again to be patted, and he
had as much to eat, for once in his life, as he could conveniently
swallow.
"Meeta was forgiven by everyone, because she had not hidden her fault;
and the whole party were just sitting down to supper before the porch
when Martin Stolberg came home.
"Who shall say how astonished he was, or how grateful when the countess
placed in his hand all the gold which had been found in the purse?--the
count adding, that in a few days he might look for a fine young cow and
two sheep from his own farm, in the vicinity of his castle; and also
saying, at the same time, that he and his lady should have great
pleasure in doing anything for him and his family at any time when they
might apply to them.
"The lady did not overlook Meeta and Ella; she assured them that she
would remember them when the cow was brought; and truly there was an
ample store of linen and flowered aprons, and kerchiefs and caps of
fine linen, in packets directed to each. But the little one, like
Benjamin, had more than her share even of these presents also; and she
had well deserved them, for she had shared her golden fish with her
brother, sister, and cousin.
"The young count took upon himself to make presents to Jacques; he sent
him a strong set of gardener's and carpenter's tools, and a Sunday suit
of better clothes than Jacques had ever worn before.
"Martin put his gold into the pastor's hands till he should require it,
being in no mind to keep much treasure in his house.
"It is only necessary to add, that the count took proper steps for
finding the wicked gipsy and her son, but they had left the country and
could not be found; neither were they ever again seen by the peasants
of the Hartsberg."
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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