It was a mild spring night.
Irma was sitting by the spring and looking up at the starry heavens.
She felt strangely at the thought of again wandering forth, for on the
following morning she was to start for the shepherd's hut, there to
spend the summer. How would it be with her when she again sat here in
the night, listening to the stream rushing by?
At that moment she heard whispering. It seemed to come from the dark
stable, the door of which was open.
"Yes, Gundel; our mistress is just as changeable as April weather. On
the way from home, she was as jolly as she could be, and on the way
back, she was just as glum as if she'd been beaten. She went to see the
great doctor. Something must have happened to her. But what does she
matter to us, after all? She bought pots and pans, but I got something
better. Let's have your hand. There! I put this little silver ring on
your finger and make you fast to me, in soul and body, for life. Now
you may go wherever you choose; you're mine, all the same."
Hearty kisses were heard, and Gundel at last said:
"But you'll come up to the meadow to see us, once in a while, won't
you?"
"Of course I will!" And then there was more soft and unintelligible
whispering.
"Why, just look!" said Franz, suddenly; "there's cousin Irmgard, and
she's heard every word of what we've said."
"That's no harm; she knows all about it, and so I'll have something to
talk with her about, all summer. Come, let's go to her. You'll see how
kind she is."
They went to Irma.
She took them both by the hand and said:
"Let your love be as pure, as fresh, as inexhaustible as this spring."
She dipped her hand into the spring, which glittered in the moonlight,
and sprinkled the two lovers with water.
"That's as good as if it came out of a holy water pot," cried Franz.
"Now everything will be all right. I've no fear. You, spring, and you,
elder-tree, are witnesses that we both belong together, and will never
leave each other. Good-night."
Franz went back into the stable and closed the door. Gundel accompanied
Irma to her room and slept on the bench, for her father, the little
pitchman, had already gone before them to the shepherd's hut and had
taken her bed and various household articles with him.
It was long before Irma fell asleep. She felt as if she could not help
living over, in anticipation, the many days and nights she was to spend
upon the mountain. She was restless, and lay there thinking, until at
last her thoughts became confused and bewildered.
At last, she asked in a soft voice:
"Gundel, are you still awake?"
"Oh yes, and I'm sure Franz is awake, too. He isn't as well off as I
am, and has no one to talk to as I have. Oh, how thankful I am to you!
I'll make things as pleasant and as comfortable for you as I can. Oh,
what a good, honest soul Franz is! Do you hear the cows lowing? They
can't rest, either. I feel as if I could already hear the bells that
they're going to wear to-morrow, and I think they must know all about
it, too. Oh Irmgard, if you only had a sweetheart, too. I know how it
will be with you. It'll be just as it says in the story--and you
deserve it, too. There was once upon a time a king who rode through the
forest and found a beautiful girl tending the flocks; and he put her on
his horse, took her home with him, gave her clothes of gold, and put a
diamond crown upon her head. And then the queen--Oh, the bells, the
queen--come, White-spot, the bells--come, come, come--and so--"
Gundel slept, but Irma lay awake and looked out into the moonlight. The
whole world seemed a marvel, and vague fairy pictures filled her mind.
She smiled, and her eyes sparkled until they were at last closed in
sleep. But the smile rested on her features, although there was none to
see it, save the moon, calmly looking down from on high.