“Well， well，” he said; and with that he walked out of the room. He who filled her everythought! he whom she loved best， and who was her whole earthly pride!
Anne Lisbeth went forth from the castle into the public road， feeling mournful and sad;he whom she had nursed day and night， and even now carried about in her dreams， hadbeen cold and strange， and had not a word or thought respecting her. A GREat black ravendarted down in front of her on the high road， and croaked dismally.
“Ah，” said she， “what bird of ill omen art thou?” Presently she passed the laborer's hut;his wife stood at the door， and the two women spoke to each other.
“You look well，” said the woman; “you're fat and plump; you are well off.”
“Oh yes，” answered Anne Lisbeth.
“the boat went down with them，” continued the woman; “Hans the skipper and the boywere both drowned; so there's an end of them. I always thought the boy would be able tohelp me with a few dollars. He'll never cost you anything more， Anne Lisbeth.”
“So they were drowned，” repeated Anne Lisbeth; but she said no more， and the subjectwas dropped. She felt very low-spirited， because her count-child had shown no inclination tospeak to her who loved him so well， and who had travelled so far to see him. The journey hadcost money too， and she had derived no GREat pleasure from it. Still she said not a word of allthis; she could not relieve her heart by telling the laborer's wife， lest the latter should thinkshe did not enjoy her former position at the castle. Then the raven flew over her， screamingagain as he flew.
“the black wretch!” said Anne Lisbeth， “he will end by frightening me today.” She hadbrought coffee and chicory with her， for she thought it would be a charity to the poor womanto give them to her to boil a cup of coffee， and then she would take a cup herself.
the woman prepared the coffee， and in the meantime Anne Lisbeth seated her in a chairand fell asleep. Then she dreamed of something which she had never dreamed before;singularly enough she dreamed of her own child， who had wept and hungered in the laborer'shut， and had been knocked about in heat and in cold， and who was now lying in the depthsof the sea， in a spot only known by God. She fancied she was still sitting in the hut， wherethe woman was busy preparing the coffee， for she could smell the coffee-berries roasting. Butsuddenly it seemed to her that there stood on the threshold a beautiful young form， asbeautiful as the count's child， and this apparition said to her， “The world is passing away;hold fast to me， for you are my mother after all; you have an angel in heaven， hold mefast;” and the child-angel stretched out his hand and seized her. Then there was a terriblecrash， as of a world crumbling to pieces， and the angel-child was rising from the earth， andholding her by the sleeve so tightly that she felt herself lifted from the ground; but， on theother hand， something heavy hung to her feet and dragged her down， and it seemed as ifhundreds of women were clinging to her， and crying， “If thou art to be saved， we must besaved too. Hold fast， hold fast.” And then they all hung on her， but there were too many;and as they clung the sleeve was torn， and Anne Lisbeth fell down in horror， and awoke.Indeed she was on the point of falling over in reality with the chair on which she sat; but shewas so startled and alarmed that she could not remember what she had dreamed， only that itwas something very dreadful.
they drank their coffee and had a chat together，and then Anne Lisbeth went away towards the littletown where she was to meet the carrier， who wasto drive her back to her own home. But when shecame to him she found that he would not be readyto start till the evening of the next day. Then shebegan to think of the expense， and what thedistance would be to walk. She remembered that theroute by the sea-shore was two miles shorter thanby the high road; and as the weather was clear，and there would be moonlight， she determined tomake her way on foot， and to start at once， that she might reach home the next day.
the sun had set， and the evening bells sounded through the air from the tower of thevillage church， but to her it was not the bells， but the cry of the frogs in the marshes. Thenthey ceased， and all around became still; not a bird could be heard， they were all at rest，even the owl had not left her hiding place; deep silence reigned on the margin of the wood bythe sea-shore. As Anne Lisbeth walked on she could hear her own footsteps in the sands;even the waves of the sea were at rest， and all in the deep waters had sunk into silence.There was quiet among the dead and the living in the deep sea. Anne Lisbeth walked on，thinking of nothing at all， as people say， or rather her thoughts wandered， but not awayfrom her， for thought is never absent from us， it only slumbers. Many thoughts that havelain dormant are roused at the proper time， and begin to stir in the mind and the heart， andseem even to come upon us from above. It is written， that a good deed bears a blessing forits fruit; and it is also written， that the wages of sin is death. Much has been said and muchwritten which we pass over or know nothing of. A light arises within us， and then forgottenthings make themselves remembered; and thus it was with Anne Lisbeth. The germ of everyvice and every virtue lies in our heart， in yours and in mine; they lie like little grains of seed，till a ray of sunshine， or the touch of an evil hand， or you turn the corner to the right or tothe left， and the decision is made. The little seed is stirred， it swells and shoots up， andpours its sap into your blood， directing your course either for good or evil. Troublesomethoughts often exist in the mind， fermenting there， which are not realized by us while thesenses are as it were slumbering; but still they are there. Anne Lisbeth walked on thus withher senses half asleep， but the thoughts were fermenting within her.
From one Shrove Tuesday to another， much may occur to weigh down the heart; it is thereckoning of a whole year; much may be forgotten， sins against heaven in word andthought， sins against our neighbor， and against our own conscience. We are scarcely awareof their existence; and Anne Lisbeth did not think of any of her errors. She had committed nocrime against the law of the land; she was an honorable person， in a good position—thatshe knew.