Three years had passed, and the White House was still the dread of the
neighbours and the terror of the sailors. No one came to see the
much-feared man, and he lived solitary and miserable.
The next winter was very severe. The wolves, coming together, howled
with hunger around the house, and the master sat by the hearth, on which
burned a large fire, and sorrowfully turned over the leaves of a large
book. The old servant had secured all the doors, and sat at the other
side of the room warming himself, and busied in mending a fishing-net.
“Stanislas,” said his master, “have you caught any fish?”
“Not many, master, but as many as we two shall want.”
“That is true,” said his master. “Although so many years have passed, we
are but two. O unlucky hour in which I was born! Here am I alone, and
all men fly from me as if I were a monster,” and the tears fell in a
torrent from his unfortunate eyes.
All of a sudden they heard a voice crying for help. The master started.
It was a long time since he had heard a strange voice. The old servant
rushed out, and his master followed him with the light in his hand.
Before the door stood a covered sledge, and by it was an old man who
called for help.
As soon as the stranger saw the two men coming to him, he lifted his
wife, who had fainted, out of the sledge, and the old servant helped the
terrified daughter, a beautiful girl, to alight.
They put on more wood, and brought the fainted lady round, and the
master of the house, pleased to be able to show hospitality, went and
fetched some old wine in order to drink the strangers’ healths. The old
servant laughed to himself as he marked his master’s joyful face. The
strange guest, cheered by the wine, told how they had lost their way,
how they had fallen in with a pack of hungry wolves, and how their fleet
horse had carried them to the White House.
Towards night the luggage was taken out of the sledge, and the wearied
travellers retired to rest in warm, comfortable chambers. All was still
in the White House, save that the fire now and then sent forth a
glimmering flame.