'heasked.

"'i'mwatchingthestork,'shereplied:'ourneighborstoldmethathewouldbringusalittlebrotherorsisterto-day;letuswatchtoseeitcome!'

"'thestorkbringsnosuchthings,'theboydeclared,'youmaybesureofthat.ourneighbortoldmethesamething,butshelaughedwhenshesaidit,andsoiaskedherifshecouldsay'onmyhonor,'andshecouldnot;andiknowbythatthestoryaboutthestorksisnottrue,andthattheyonlytellittouschildrenforfun.'

"'butwheredobabiescomefrom,then?'askedthegirl.

"'why,anangelfromheavenbringsthemunderhiscloak,butnomancanseehim;andthat'swhyweneverknowwhenhebringsthem.'

"atthatmomenttherewasarustlinginthebranchesofthewillowtree,andthechildrenfoldedtheirhandsandlookedatoneanother:itwascertainlytheangelcomingwiththebaby.theytookeachother'shand,andatthatmomentthedoorofoneofthehousesopened,andtheneighbourappeared.

"'comein,youtwo,'shesaid.'seewhatthestorkhasbrought.itisalittlebrother.'

"andthechildrennoddedgravelyatoneanother,fortheyhadfeltquitesurealreadythatthebabywascome."

fourteenthevening

"iwasglidingovertheluneburgheath,"themoonsaid."alonelyhutstoodbythewayside,afewscantybushesgrewnearit,andanightingalewhohadlosthiswaysangsweetly.hediedinthecoldnessofthenight:itwashisfarewellsongthatiheard.

"themorningdawncameglimmeringred.isawacaravanofemigrantpeasantfamilieswhowereboundtohamburgh,theretotakeshipforamerica,wherefanciedprosperitywouldbloomforthem.themotherscarriedtheirlittlechildrenattheirbacks,theelderonestotteredbytheirsides,andapoorstarvedhorsetuggedatacartthatboretheirscantyeffects.thecoldwindwhistled,andthereforethelittlegirlnestledclosertothemother,who,lookingupatmydecreasingdisc,thoughtofthebitterwantathome,andspokeoftheheavytaxestheyhadnotbeenabletoraise.thewholecaravanthoughtofthesamething;therefore,therisingdawnseemedtothemamessagefromthesun,offortunethatwastogleambrightlyuponthem.theyheardthedyingnightingalesing;itwasnofalseprophet,butaharbingeroffortune.thewindwhistled,thereforetheydidnotunderstandthatthenightingalesung,'fareawayoverthesea!thouhastpaidthelongpassagewithallthatwasthine,andpoorandhelplessshaltthouentercanaan.thoumustsellthyself,thywife,andthychildren.butyourgriefsshallnotlastlong.behindthebroadfragrantleaveslurksthegoddessofdeath,andherwelcomekissshallbreathefeverintothyblood.fareaway,fareaway,overtheheavingbillows.'andthecaravanlistenedwellpleasedtothesongofthenightingale,whichseemedtopromisegoodfortune.daybrokethroughthelightclouds;countrypeoplewentacrosstheheathtochurch;theblack-gownedwomenwiththeirwhitehead-dresseslookedlikeghoststhathadsteppedforthfromthechurchpictures.allaroundlayawidedeadplain,coveredwithfadedbrownheath,andblackcharredspacesbetweenthewhitesandhills.thewomencarriedhymnbooks,andwalkedintothechurch.oh,pray,prayforthosewhoarewanderingtofindgravesbeyondthefoamingbillows."

fifteenthevening

"iknowapulcinella,"themoontoldme."thepublicapplaudvociferouslydirectlytheyseehim.everyoneofhismovementsiscomic,andissuretothrowthehouseintoconvulsionsoflaughter;andyetthereisnoartinitall-itiscompletenature.whenhewasyetalittleboy,playingaboutwithotherboys,hewasalreadypunch.naturehadintendedhimforit,andhadprovidedhimwithahumponhisback,andanotheronhisbreast;buthisinwardman,hismind,onthecontrary,wasrichlyfurnished.noonecouldsurpasshimindepthoffeelingorinreadinessofintellect.thetheatrewashisidealworld.ifhehadpossessedaslenderwell-shapedfigure,hemighthavebeenthefirsttragedianonanystage;theheroic,thegreat,filledhissoul;andyethehadtobecomeapulcinella.hisverysorrowandmelancholydidbutincreasethecomicdrynessofhissharply-cutfeatures,andincreasedthelaughteroftheaudience,whoshoweredplauditsontheirfavourite.thelovelycolumbinewasindeedkindandcordialtohim;butshepreferredtomarrytheharlequin.itwouldhavebeentooridiculousifbeautyanduglinesshadinrealitypairedtogether.

"whenpulcinellawasinverybadspirits,shewastheonlyonewhocouldforceaheartyburstoflaughter,orevenasmilefromhim:firstshewouldbemelancholywithhim,thenquieter,andatlastquitecheerfulandhappy.'iknowverywellwhatisthematterwithyou,'shesaid;'yes,you'reinlove!