Ursel heaped up objections; but so
urgent was Christina for confession and for mass, that the old woman
had not the heart to stop her by a warning to the elder Baroness, and
took the alternative of accompanying her. It was a glorious
sparkling Easter Day, lovely blue sky above, herbage and flowers
glistening below, snow dazzling in the hollows, peasants assembling
in holiday garb, and all rejoicing. Even the lonely widow, in her
heavy veil and black mufflings, took hope back to her heart, and
smiled when at the church door a little child came timidly up to her
with a madder-tinted Easter egg--a gift once again like the happy
home customs of Ulm. She gave the child a kiss--she had nothing else
to give, but the sweet face sent it away strangely glad.
The festival mass in all its exultation was not fully over, when
anxious faces began to be seen at the door, and whisperings went
round and many passed out. Nobody at Adlerstein was particular about
silence in church, and, when the service was not in progress, voices
were not even lowered, and, after many attempts on the part of the
Schneiderlein to attract the attention of his mistress, his voice
immediately succeeded the Ite missa est, "Gracious lady, we must
begone.
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