at once, and I waited a few minutes; Mother Heitz talked to
me but I did not listen; I was thinking how far Buche had gone; I saw
him near the ford, at the outworks, and at the gate. Suddenly I went
out, saying to Mother Heitz, "I will pay you another time."

I began to run; I partly remember having met three or four persons, who
said, "Ah! that is Joseph Bertha!" But I am not sure of that.

All at once, without knowing how, I sprang up the stairs, and then I
heard a great cry--Catherine was in my arms.

My head swam--in a minute after I seemed to come out of a dream; I saw
the room, Mr. Goulden, Jean Buche, and Catherine; and I began to sob so
violently, that you would have thought some great misfortune had
happened. I held Catherine on my knee and kissed her, and she cried
too. After a long while I exclaimed:

"Ah! Mr. Goulden, pardon me! I ought to have embraced you, my father!
whom I love as I do myself!"

"I know it, Joseph," said he with emotion, "I know it, I am not
jealous." And he wiped his eyes. "Yes--yes--love--and family and then
friends. It is quite natural, my child, do not trouble yourself about
that."

I got up and pressed him to my heart.

The first word Catherine said to me was, "Joseph, I knew you would come
back, I had put my trust in God! Now our worst troubles are over, and
we shall always remain together."

She was still sitting on my knee with her arm on my shoulder, I looked
at her, she dropped her eyes and was very pale. That which we had
hoped for before my departure had come.

We were happy.

Mr. Goulden smiled as he sat at his workbench--Jean stood up near the
door and said:

"Now I am going, Joseph, to Harberg. Father and grandmother are
waiting for me."

"Stay, Jean, you will dine with us." Mr. Goulden and Catherine urged
him also, but he would not wait. I embraced him on the stairs and felt
that I loved him like a brother.

He came often after that, but never once for thirty years without
stopping with me. Now he lies behind the church at Hommert. He was a
brave man and had a good heart.

But what am I thinking of? I must finish my story, and I have not said
a word of Aunt Gredel, who came an hour afterward. Ah! she threw up
her hands, and she embraced me, exclaiming:

"Joseph! Joseph! you have then escaped everything! let them come now
to take you again! let them come! oh! how I repented of letting you go
away! how I cursed the conscription and all