"And how if I bring her back with a strapping reiter son-in-law?"
laughed Hugh. "What welcome should the fellow receive?"
"That would depend on what he might be," replied Gottfried; and Hugh,
his love of tormenting a little allayed by satisfaction in his buff
suit, and by an eye to a heavy purse that lay by his brother's hand
on the table, added, "Little fear of that. Our fellows would look
for lustier brides than yon little pale face. 'Tis whiter than ever
this morning,--but no tears. That is my brave girl."
"Yes, father, I am ready to do your bidding," replied Christina,
meekly.
"That is well, child. Mark me, no tears. Thy mother wept day and
night, and, when she had wept out her tears, she was sullen, when I
would have been friendly towards her. It was the worse for her.
But, so long as thou art good daughter to me, thou shalt find me good
father to thee;" and for a moment there was a kindliness in his eye
which made it sufficiently like that of his brother to give some
consolation to the shrinking heart that he was rending from all it
loved; and she steadied her voice for another gentle profession of
obedience, for which she felt strengthened by the morning's orisons.
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