en." Joseph had dried his tears, and was seated between his
grandfather and grandmother; and, after grace was said, all were as
quiet as possible at table--each helped himself with his own spoon out
of the dish, and there were no disputes as to precedence.

The room was perfectly clean and tidy, though small and poor. Above the
stove, just over the substantial old easy chair, there was a large
nail, with a brass head, stuck in the wall, on which once upon a time,
Martina's certificate of confirmation had hung--but nothing hung from
it now. Martina always avoided looking at it, and David had given
strict orders that the nail was not to be removed.

The head of the house, Schilder-David, was a man advanced in years, but
it was difficult to know his exact age. His hair was thick, closely
cropped, and snow white; but his face, encircled by a snowy beard, had
rather a youthful appearance, especially his deep blue eyes and dark
eyebrows, which appeared not to harmonize with the rest of his
features. His wife was tall and slender, but very little of her face
was visible, for she invariably wrapped her head in thick
handkerchiefs, and when she did speak, the sounds she uttered were
apparently brought forth with such difficulty, that it was evident she
did not hear even her own voice. The sempstress Leegart was a delicate,
pale, rather superior-looking person, somewhat advanced in life, but
still preserving traces of extreme beauty: moreover, her manner was
always gentle and polite. Her black cloth jacket was only fastened at
the throat, and open down to the waist, so that a white kerchief and
still whiter skin were visible. Those who did not know the fact could
scarcely perceive that she occasionally took a sly pinch, for she
never showed her snuff-box, and took a pinch so neatly and quickly
that it was almost imperceptible. It was difficult to believe that
little Joseph was only just six years old, for he might easily be
supposed three years older at least: his limbs were strong and finely
formed--what the country-people here call a well grown lad; his hair
was fair and curly, to which his marked eyebrows and dark eyes--his
mother's eyes--formed a singular contrast. Little Joseph was in fact,
the central point of the family, and this was evident by the extreme
confusion his strange welcome to Leegart had caused.

There was little said during the meal, but Leegart mentioned that the
Pastor had been sent for on the preceding n