"
"Forgive me," said Ebbo, abashed, "forgive me;" and, as his mother
broke from him, he fell upon his knee; but he only heard his father's
cry, "Ah! Stine, Stine, thou alone art the same," and, looking up,
saw her, with her face hidden in the white beard, quivering with a
rapture such as he had never seen in her before. It seemed long to
him ere she looked up again in her husband's face to sob on: "My
son! Oh! my beautiful twins! Our son! Oh, see him, dear lord!"
And the pilgrim turned to hear Ebbo's "Pardon, honoured father, and
your blessing."
Almost bashfully the pilgrim laid his hand on the dark head, and
murmured something; then said, "Up, then! The slayer of
Schlangenwald kneeling! Ah! Stine, I knew thy little head was
wondrous wise, but I little thought thou wouldst breed him up to
avenge us on old Wolfgang! So slender a lad too! Ha!
Schneiderlein, old rogue, I knew thee," holding out his hand. "So
thou didst get home safe?"
"Ay, my lord; though, if I left you alive, never more will I call a
man dead," said Heinz.
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