"It is Zeffen!"
I rose at once, and tried to light the lamp; but I was so much agitated
that I could not find anything.
Sorle struck a light, I drew on my pantaloons and ran to the door. But
I was hardly in the passage-way when Zeffen came out of her room like
an insane person, with her long black hair all loose.
"The child!" she screamed.
Sorle followed me. We went in, we leaned over the cradle. The two
children seemed to be sleeping; Esdras all rosy, David as white as snow.
At first I saw nothing, I was so frightened, but at last I took up
David to waken him; I shook him, and called, "David!"
And then we first saw that his eyes were open and fixed.
"Wake him! wake him!" cried Zeffen.
Sorle took my hands and said:
"Quick! make a fire! heat some water!"
And we laid him across the bed, shaking him and calling him by name.
Little Esdras began to cry.
"Light a fire!" said Sorle again to me. "And, Zeffen, be quiet! It
does no good to cry so! Quick, quick, a fire!"