. Stories for the household . motion, for Christine stood bodily before him, just as he rememberedher from the days of his childhood. And he went with the little maiden into the wretched house, andascended the narrow, crazy staircase, which led to a little attic chamberin the roof. The air in this chamber was heavy and almost suffocating:no light was burning; but there was heavy sighing and moaning in one II 2 484 Stories for the Household. corner. Ib struck a light with the help of a match. It was the motherof the child who lay sighing on the miserable bed. Can J be of any service to you P as
. Stories for the household . motion, for Christine stood bodily before him, just as he rememberedher from the days of his childhood. And he went with the little maiden into the wretched house, andascended the narrow, crazy staircase, which led to a little attic chamberin the roof. The air in this chamber was heavy and almost suffocating:no light was burning; but there was heavy sighing and moaning in one II 2 484 Stories for the Household. corner. Ib struck a light with the help of a match. It was the motherof the child who lay sighing on the miserable bed. Can J be of any service to you P asked Ib. This little girl hasbrought me up here, but I am a stranger in this city. Are there noneighbours or friends whom I could call to you? And he raised thesick womans head, and smoothed her pillow. It was Christine of the heath! For years her name had not been mentioned yonder, for the mentionof her would have disturbed Ibs peace of mind, and rumour had toldnothing good concerning her. The wealth which her husband had in-. LITTLE CHEIST1NE. herited from his parents had made him proud and arrogant. He hadgiven up his certain appointment, had travelled for half a year in foreignlands, and on his return had incurred debts, and yet lived in an expen-sive fashion. His carriage had bent over more and more, so to speak,until at last it turned over completely. The many merry companionsand table-friends he had entertained declared it served him right, for hehad kept house like a madman; and one morning his corpse was foundin the canal. The icy hand of death was already on Christine. Her youngest child,only a few weeks old, expected in prosperity and born in misery, wasalready in its grave, and it had come to this with Christine herself, thatshe lay sick to death rnd forsaken, in a miserable room, amid a poverty Ib and Christine. 485 that she might well have borne in her childish d< ys, but which now op-pressed her painfully, since she had been accustomed to better was h
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