"onlyhalfaquartern,"stammeredtheboyinafrightenedvoice.

"andshehashadjustasmuchthismorningalready?"

"no,itwasyesterday,"repliedtheboy.

"twohalvesmakeawhole,"saidthemayor."she'sgoodfornothing.whatasadthingitiswiththesepeople.tellyourmothersheoughttobeashamedofherself.don'tyoubecomeadrunkard,butiexpectyouwillthough.poorchild!there,gonow."

theboywentonhiswaywithhiscapinhishand,whilethewindflutteredhisgoldenhairtillthelocksstoodupstraight.heturnedroundthecornerofthestreetintothelittlelanethatledtotheriver,wherehismotherstoodinthewaterbyherwashingbench,beatingthelinenwithaheavywoodenbar.thefloodgatesatthemillhadbeendrawnup,andasthewaterrolledrapidlyon,thesheetsweredraggedalongbythestream,andnearlyoverturnedthebench,sothatthewasher-womanwasobligedtoleanagainstittokeepitsteady."ihavebeenverynearlycarriedaway,"shesaid;"itisagoodthingthatyouarecome,foriwantsomethingtostrengtheniscoldinthewater,andihavestoodheresixhours.haveyoubroughtanythingforme?"

theboydrewthebottlefromhispocket,andthemotherputittoherlips,anddrankalittle.

"ah,howmuchgoodthatdoes,andhowitwarmsme,"shesaid;"itisasgoodasahotmeal,andnotsodear.drinkalittle,myboy;youlookquitepale;youareshiveringinyourthinclothes,andautumnhasreallycome.oh,howcoldthewateris!ihopeishallnotbeill.butno,imustnotbeafraidofthat.givemealittlemore,andyoumayhaveasiptoo,butonlyasip;youmustnotgetusedtoit,mypoor,dearchild."shesteppeduptothebridgeonwhichtheboystoodasshespoke,andcameonshore.thewaterdrippedfromthestrawmatwhichshehadboundroundherbody,andfromhergown."iworkhardandsufferpainwithmypoorhands,"saidshe,"butidoitwillingly,thatimaybeabletobringyouuphonestlyandtruthfully,mydearboy."

atthesamemoment,awoman,ratherolderthanherself,cametowardsthem.shewasamiserable-lookingobject,lameofoneleg,andwithalargefalsecurlhangingdownoveroneofhereyes,whichwasblind.thiscurlwasintendedtoconcealtheblindeye,butitmadethedefectonlymorevisible.shewasafriendofthelaundress,andwascalled,amongtheneighbors,"lamemartha,withthecurl.""oh,youpoorthing;howyoudowork,standingthereinthewater!"sheexclaimed."youreallydoneedsomethingtogiveyoualittlewarmth,andyetspitefulpeoplecryoutaboutthefewdropsyoutake."andthenmartharepeatedtothelaundress,inaveryfewminutes,allthatthemayorhadsaidtoherboy,whichshehadoverheard;andshefeltveryangrythatanymancouldspeak,ashehaddone,ofamothertoherownchild,aboutthefewdropsshehadtaken;andshewasstillmoreangrybecause,onthatveryday,themayorwasgoingtohaveadinner-party,atwhichtherewouldbewine,strong,richwine,drunkbythebottle."manywilltakemorethantheyought,buttheydon'tcallthatdrinking!theyareallright,youaregoodfornothingindeed!"criedmarthaindignantly.

"andsohespoketoyouinthatway,didhe,mychild?"saidthewasher-woman,andherlipstrembledasshespoke."hesaysyouhaveamotherwhoisgoodfornothing.well,perhapsheisright,butheshouldnothavesaidittomychild.howmuchhashappenedtomefromthathouse!"

"yes,"saidmartha;"irememberyouwereinservicethere,andlivedinthehousewhenthemayor'sparentswerealive;howmanyyearsagothatis.bushelsofsalthavebeeneatensincethen,andpeoplemaywellbethirsty,"andmarthasmiled."themayor'sgreatdinner-partyto-dayoughttohavebeenputoff,butthenewscametoolate.thefootmantoldmethedinnerwasalreadycooked,whenalettercametosaythatthemayor'syoungerbrotherincopenhagenisdead."

"dead!"