n before the fire to go to sleep. As he shut
his eyes, your father looked at me in a way I didn't like. He'd been
behaving very bitterly and desperately toward us for some time past,
being soured about poverty, and your mother's illness, and the constant
crying out of you children for more to eat. So when he told me to go and
buy some wood, some bread, and some wine with money I had got, I
didn't like, somehow, to leave him alone with the stranger; and so made
excuses, saying (which was true) that it was too late to buy things in
the village that night. But he told me in a rage to go and do as he bid
me, and knock the people up if the shop was shut. So I went out,
being dreadfully afraid of your father--as indeed we all were at that
time--but I couldn't make up my mind to go far from the house; I was
afraid of something happening, though I didn't dare to think what. I
don't know how it was, but I stole back in about ten minutes on tiptoe
to the cottage; I looked in at the window, and saw--O God! forgive him!
O God! forgive me!--I saw--I--more to drink, Gabriel! I can't speak
again--more to drink!"

The voices in the next room had ceased; but in the minute of silence
which now ensued, Gabriel heard his sisters kissing Perrine, and wishing
her good-night. They were all three trying to go asleep again.

"Gabriel, pray yourself, and teach your children after you to pray,
that your father may find forgiveness where he is now gone. I saw him as
plainly as I now see you, kneeling with his knife in one hand over the
sleeping man. He was taking the little book with the notes in it out of
the stranger's pocket. He got the book into his possession, and held it
quite still in his hand for an instant, thinking. I believe--oh no! no!
I'm sure--he was repenting; I'm sure he was going to put the book back;
but just at that moment the stranger moved, and raised one of his arms,
as if he was waking up. Then the temptation of the devil grew too strong
for your father--I saw him lift the hand with the knife in it--but saw
nothing more. I couldn't look in at the window--I couldn't move
away--I couldn't cry out; I stood with my back turned toward the house,
shivering all over, though it was a warm summer-time, and hearing no
cries, no noises at all, from the room behind me. I was too frightened
to know how long it was before the opening of the cottage door made me
turn round; but when I did, I saw your father standing before me in the
yello