Presently Ermentrude peeped in.
"Stina, Stina, don't cry; I will not tell my mother! Come out, and
finish my kerchief! Come out! No one shall beat you."
"That is not what I wept for, lady," said Christina. "I do not think
you would bring harm on me. But oh! I would I were at home! I
grieve for the bloodshed that I must see and may not hinder, and for
that poor merchant."
"Oh," said Ermentrude, "you need not fear for him! I saw his own
folk return and lift him up. But what is he to thee or to us?"
"I am a burgher maid, lady," said Christina, recovering herself, and
aware that it was of little use to bear testimony to such an auditor
as poor little Ermentrude against the deeds of her own father and
brother, which had in reality the sort of sanction Sir Eberhard had
mentioned, much akin to those coast rights that were the temptation
of wreckers.
Still she could not but tremble at the thought of her speech, and
went down to supper in greater trepidation than usual, dreading that
she should be expected to thank the Freiherr for his gift.
Pages:
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109