ust as if you were in a prison, the people form
a living wall around you."

"We can all be honest and good," replied the queen.

"And make good men and women of our children," added Walpurga. "Do you
know what I'd like? I'd like, as long as I live, to take all trouble
from you, and if sickness came to you, to be sick in your place."

"Yes that's very well; but let us be quiet now."

The queen was all happiness. She saw to the bottom of a simple peasant
woman's heart, and into a new world that revealed itself to her in her
child.

CHAPTER XV.

Baum availed himself of every opportunity to speak with Walpurga. He
was in deep affliction; his wife was seriously ill, and Walpurga
endeavored to console him. In return, Baum lent a willing ear to all
her complaints, for she had just heard from home, that Zenza denied all
knowledge of the little golden heart that Countess Irma had sent to the
child.

"Ah, and so your countess has a golden heart left to give away," said
Baum in a mocking voice. "You ought to be glad to have such a friend."

"And so I am. Oh, if she were only here again, then it would be a real
paradise. I don't worry about Zenza's making away with the golden
heart; there must be some bad people, or else the world would be too
beautiful."

"And I tell you, it's only half a life when the king's away. Just wait
till he comes back and see how it will be then. When there's no man
about, it isn't a complete house."

The queen approached and Baum withdrew.

"What was that man saying to you?" asked the queen.

"We were telling each other of our troubles; he has great longing for
the king and I, dear queen, have great longing for my Countess Irma."

"I long for her, too; but she has asked to have her leave of absence
extended for another fortnight."

Peacefully and calmly, the days passed by. Walpurga's favorite resort
was in the neighborhood of the dairy-farm; for there were cows there,
and cows are the same everywhere, and don't know that they belong to
the king, or that their milk is served at his table.

Walpurga remarked this one day to Baum, who had discovered that he
could meet her there, and he replied:

"Oh, how clever you are; if I only had got a wife like you."

"There are dozens like me."

"Oh, not so clever as you are. You could get far in the world, if you
only wanted to."

"How far should I go?" said Walpurga. "I want to go home and no
farther."