lateoneeveninginnovembertwowomencameridingintothetownofaarhuus.theywerethegraciousladygyldenlowe(mariegrubbe)andhermaid.theycamefromthetownofweile,whithertheyhadcomeinashipfromcopenhagen.theystoppedatlordgrubbe'sstonemansioninaarhuus.grubbewasnotwellpleasedwiththisvisit.mariewasaccostedinhardwords;butshehadabedroomgivenher,andgotherbeersoupofamorning;buttheevilpartofherfather'snaturewasarousedagainsther,andshewasnotusedtothat.shewasnotofagentletemper,andweoftenanswerasweareaddressed.sheansweredopenly,andspokewithbitternessandhatredofherhusband,withwhomshedeclaredshewouldnotlive;shewastoohonorableforthat.

ayearwentby,butitdidnotgobypleasantly.therewereevilwordsbetweenthefatherandthedaughter,andthatoughtnevertobe.badwordsbearbadfruit.whatcouldbetheendofsuchastateofthings?

"wetwocannotliveunderthesameroof,"saidthefatheroneday."goawayfromheretoouroldmanorhouse;butyouhadbetterbiteyourtongueoffthanspreadanyliesamongthepeople."

andsothetwoparted.shewentwithhermaidtotheoldcastlewhereshehadbeenborn,andnearwhichthegentle,piouslady,hermother,waslyinginthechurchvault.anoldcowherdlivedinthecourtyard,andwastheonlyotherinhabitantoftheplace.intheroomsheavyblackcobwebshungdown,coveredwithdust;inthegardeneverythinggrewjustasitwould;hopsandclimbingplantsranlikeanetbetweenthetreesandbushes,andthehemlockandnettlegrewlargerandstronger.theblood-beechhadbeenoutgrownbyothertrees,andnowstoodintheshade;anditsleavesweregreenlikethoseofthecommontrees,anditsgloryhadrowsandchoughs,ingreatclosemasses,flewpastoverthetallchestnuttrees,andchatteredandscreamedasiftheyhadsomethingveryimportanttotelloneanother-asiftheyweresaying,"nowshe'scomebackagain,thelittlegirlwhohadtheireggsandtheiryoungonesstolenfromthem;andasforthethiefwhohadgotthemdown,hehadtoclimbupaleaflesstree,forhesatonatallship'smast,andwasbeatenwitharope'sendifhedidnotbehavehimself."

theclerktoldallthisinourowntimes;hehadcollecteditandlookeditupinbooksandmemoranda.itwastobefound,withmanyotherwritings,lockedupinhistable-drawer.

"upwardanddownwardisthecourseoftheworld,"saidhe."itisstrangetohear.

andwewillhearhowitwentwithmariegrubbe.weneednotforthatforgetpoultrymeg,whoissittinginhercapitalhen-house,inourowntime.mariegrubbesatdowninhertimes,butnotwiththesamespiritthatoldpoultrymegshowed.

thewinterpassedaway,andthespringandthesummerpassedaway,andtheautumncameagain,withthedamp,coldsea-fog.itwasalonely,desolatelifeintheoldmanorhouse.mariegrubbetookherguninherhandandwentouttotheheath,andshotharesandfoxes,andwhateverbirdsshecouldhit.morethanonceshemetthenoblesirpalledyre,ofnorrebak,whowasalsowanderingaboutwithhisgunandhisdogs.hewastallandstrong,andboastedofthiswhentheytalkedtogether.hecouldhavemeasuredhimselfagainstthedeceasedmr.brockenhuus,ofegeskov,ofwhomthepeoplestilltalked.palledyrehad,aftertheexampleofbrockenhuus,causedanironchainwithahunting-horntobehunginhisgateway;andwhenhecameridinghome,heusedtoseizethechain,andlifthimselfandhishorsefromtheground,andblowthehorn.

"comeyourself,andseemedothat,damemarie,"hesaid.'onecanbreathefreshandfreeatnorrebak.

whenshewenttohiscastleisnotknown,butonthealtarcandlestickinthechurchofnorrebakitwasinscribedthattheywerethegiftofpalledyreandmariegrubbe,ofnorrebakcastle.

agreatstoutmanwaspalledyre.hedranklikeasponge.hewaslikeatubthatcouldnevergetfull;hesnoredlikeawholestyofpigs,andhelookedredandbloated.

"heistreacherousandmalicious,"saiddamepallydyre,grubbe'sdaughter.soonshewaswearyofherlifewithhim,butthatdidnotmakeitbetter.

onedaythetablewasspread,andthedishesgrewcold.palledyrewasouthuntingfoxes,andthegraciousladywasnowheretobefound.towardsmidnightpalledyrecamehome,butdamedyrecameneitheratmidnight,nornextmorning.shehadturnedherbackuponnorrebak,andhadriddenawaywithoutsayinggood-bye.

itwasgray,wetweather;thewindgrewcold,andaflightofblackscreamingbirdsflewoverherhead.theywerenotsohomelessasshe.

firstshejourneyedsouthward,quitedownintothegermancoupleofgoldenringswithcostlystoneswereturnedintomoney;andthensheturnedtotheeast,andthensheturnedagainandwenttowardsthewest.shehadnofoodbeforehereyes,andmurmuredagainsteverything,evenagainstthegoodgodhimself,sowretchedwashersoul.soonherbodybecamewretchedtoo,andshewasscarcelyabletomoveafoot.thepeewitflewupasshestumbledoverthemoundofearthwhereithadbuiltitsnest.thebirdcried,asitalwayscried,"youthief!