Ilse went into the village, to pay a tribute of respect to the dead and
to visit the living. It was with difficulty that she could get away
from the invalid Benz, and when at last she did so, he called for his
slate, and with trembling hands gave expression to his joy in poetry.
She then made a careful inspection of the farm-yard. Accompanied by a
train of maids, she walked between the rows of cattle, in spite of her
fashionable dress, like the legendary Frau Berchta, who scattered
blessings throughout the stable and house. She stopped before every
horned head; the cows raised their mouths to her, lowing; and there was
some important news to tell of each. The maids proudly showed her the
young calves, and begged her to give names to the grown-up heifers--for
the proprietor had desired that these young ones should be named by
Ilse--and she gave them the distinguished names of Kalypso and
Xantippe. All was familiar, all as formerly, and yet at every step
there was something new to eye and ear.
Clara showed her household accounts: the young girl had kept them
admirably. The praises which were bestowed upon her by the house-keeper
and by the dairy maid, in confidential conversations, gave Ilse great
pleasure, and she said: "Now, I am quite satisfied you can do without
me here."
Towards evening the Professor sought his wife, who had been absent some
hours. He heard the noise of the children by the brook, and guessed
where Ilse was. When he turned round the rock by the cave he saw her
sitting in the shadow, her eyes turned to her father's house. He called
her name, and stretched out his arms towards her; she flew to his
bosom, and said, softly: "I know that my home is in your heart; bear
with me, when old recollections crowd upon my mind and move me deeply."
At night, when her father conducted the Professor to his bedroom, still
conversing with him upon business and politics, Ilse sent her sister
Clara to bed, and seated herself in her chair. When her father came in
to fetch his candle from the table, he found Ilse again in her old
place, waiting to bid him good night, while she handed him the candle
stick. He placed it on the table, and, walking up and down the room, as
he had done of yore, began, "You are paler and more serious than you
used to be. Will that pass?"
"I hope it will," replied his daughter. After a time she continued,
"They believe and think very differently in the city from what we do,
father."
The father nodded. "That was the reason I was anxious about you."
"And it is impossible for me to free myself from painful thoughts,"
said Ilse, softly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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