Lisbeth, and they did not know of what
consequence she had once been there, but she felt sure the countess
would let them know it, and her darling boy too. How she longed to see
him!

Now, Anne Lisbeth was at her journey's end. She was kept waiting a
considerable time, and for those who wait time passes slowly. But
before the great people went to table she was called in and accosted
very graciously. She was to see her sweet boy after dinner, and then
she was to be called in again.

How tall and slender and thin he had grown! But he had still his
beautiful eyes, and the angel-sweet mouth! He looked at her, but he
said not a word: certainly he did not know her. He turned round, and
was about to go away, but she seized his hand and pressed it to her
mouth. "Good, good!" said he; and with that he went out of the
room--he who filled her every thought--he whom she had loved best, and
who was her whole earthly pride. Anne Lisbeth went out of the castle
into the open highway, and she felt very mournful; he had been so cold
and strange to her, had not a word nor a thought for her, he whom she
had once carried day and night, and whom she still carried in her
dreams.

[Illustration: ANNE LISBETH'S BOY.]

A great black raven shot down in front of her on to the high road, and
croaked and croaked again. "Ha!" she said, "what bird of ill omen art
thou?"

She came past the hut of the labourer; the wife stood at the door, and
the two women spoke to one another.

"You look well," said the woman. "You are plump and fat; you're well
off."

"Oh, yes," answered Anne Lisbeth.

"The boat went down with them," continued the woman. "Hans skipper and
the boy were both drowned. There's an end of them. I always thought
the boy would be able to help me out with a few dollars. He'll never
cost _you_ anything more, Anne Lisbeth."

"So they were drowned?" Anne Lisbeth repeated; and then nothing more
was said on the subject.

Anne Lisbeth was very low-spirited because her count-child had shown
no disposition to talk with her who loved him so well, and who had
journeyed all that way to get a sight of him; and the journey had cost
money too, though the pleasure she had derived from it was not great.
Still she said not a word about this. She would not relieve her heart
by telling the labourer's wife about it, lest the latter should think
she did not enjoy her former position at the castle. Then the raven
screamed again, and flew past over he