hat stewing and boiling mean," cried the old woman
with a fierce laugh. "It is a blessing from Heaven direct, that the
child should have come here of his own accord. We will keep him hid,
and not give him up. Now we can force both Adam and the others to dance
to our piping."

"But I won't give you up the child," said the bride, coming forward.
"Don't be afraid, my boy--don't be afraid; come and sit in my lap. But
wait; I will first take off your shoes, and you shall put on mine, and
you will soon be quite warm. Now tell me, does your mother know that
you left home? and why did you come so far alone in such a night?"

"I went to meet my father, for they all abuse him in the village; and
they say my grandmother is the very devil, and I wanted to tell him all
this."

"I will be-devil you," cried the savage old Roettmaennin, furiously
struggling with the bride to get the child from her, who, however, used
all her strength to defend the boy; and at the moment when the women
were contending with each other, the two grandfathers came in.

"Oh! here is my grandfather," said little Joseph in ecstacy, running up
to him.

"Is that the lost grandchild?" asked Speidel-Roettmann. "Come here, my
boy. You have got another grandfather now. What a fine fellow he is! It
would have been a pity----"

"And I say, no! and no again! and a thousand times over, no, no, no!"
raged the Roettmaennin; "and I would rather let my tongue be cut out and
thrown to the dogs, than ever say yes, as long as I live."

"Quite right! Say no, if you like; but it's no use now. Is it not an
actual miracle from Heaven, that a child should be lost in such a way
and found again? In the wood yonder, all the people in the village are
running about in search of the child. We may well be proud of such a
grandson, and it is quite a privilege and an honour to have a child
belonging to us, who is such a favourite that the neighbours are
risking their lives for his sake. The good Lord has performed a
miracle, and I hope He will perform one on you also, wife. Be kind, and
give in. It is no sin to yield up your own will. Do you consent to it,
Tony?"

"So far as I am concerned, I would on no account deprive the child of
his father."

"But I say no, no! and with my last breath I will say no! and we shall
see whether you can get the better of this _no_ of mine."

During this discussion Schilder-David had remained perfectly silent: he
was holding Joseph in his arms,