so high that it seemed to go back
And burgomaster's Charlotte sat at the piano. Her delicate
fingers danced over the keys, and made them ring into Peter's
heart. It seemed too much for him to bear; and this happened
not once, but many times; and at last one day he seized the
delicate fingers and the white hand, and kissed it, and looked
into her great brown eyes. Heaven knows what he said; but we
may be allowed to guess at it. Charlotte blushed to guess at
it. She reddened from brow to neck, and answered not a single
word; and then strangers came into the room, and one of them
was the state councillor's son. He had a lofty white forehead ,
and carried it into his
neck. And Peter sat by her a long time, and she looked at him
with gentle eyes.
At home that evening he spoke of travel in the wide world,
and of the golden treasure that lay hidden for him in his
violin.
"To be famous!"
"Tum-me-lum, tum-me-lum, tum-me-lum!" said the Fire-drum.
"Peter has gone clear out of his wits. I think there must be a
fire in the house."
Next day the mother went to market Residence Design.
"Shall I tell you news, Peter?" she asked when she came
home. "A capital piece of news. Burgomaster's Charlotte has
engaged herself to the state councillor's son; the betrothal
took place yesterday evening."
"No!" cried Peter, and he sprang up from his chair. But
his mother persisted in saying "Yes." She had heard it from
the baker's wife, whose husband had it from the burgomaster's
own mouth
And Peter became as pale as death, and sat down again.
"Good Heaven! what's the matter with you?" asked his
mother.
"Nothing, nothing; only leave me to myself," he answered
but the tears were running down his cheeks.
"My sweet child, my golden treasure!" cried the mother,
and she wept; but the Fire-drum sang, not out loud, but
inwardly.
"Charlotte's gone! Charlotte's gone! and now the song is
done."
But the song was not done; there were many more verses in
it, long verses, the most beautiful verses, the golden
treasures of a life DR REBORN.
