Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 27, 2025
"Kathi!" exclaimed Marianne, "how can you ask such a thing?" "Why not?" returned Kathi, reddening; "did he not tell me to say what I wanted?" "Yes," said Marianne in a low voice, "but it may be a gift perhaps it is from his sweetheart!" "No, Marianne," replied the emperor sadly, "I have no sweetheart. No one cares whether I give or keep the ring. Take it, Kathi."
"Oh, your majesty," said the happy old man, "I shall die content for my children are provided for." "Now we are rich," cried Kathi, "the best match in the village will be proud to marry either one of us." The emperor, meanwhile, took out his pocket-book, and, tearing out a leaf, wrote some words upon it.
Folding the paper, he advanced to Marianne, and handing it to her, said: "My dear child, when your father presents this paper to the marshal of my household, Count Rosenberg, he will give him in return for you five hundred florins." "Five hundred florins!" exclaimed Kathi, with envious looks. "Take the paper, Marianne," pleaded the emperor. "It is your dowry."
That chest had once been crammed full to overflowing with linen which, like other young women, she had spun for her own dowry, but when the Hofbauerin died Kathi became the housekeeper and mother to the little children. Thus the contents of the chest had gradually decreased, until the maiden aunt drew forth the four last pair of new sheets for these passing strangers. She felt it no sacrifice.
"You have no reason to envy your sister. Kathi's ring is not worth more than a hundred florins." He still held the paper in his hands. Suddenly Marianne took it from him, and crossed over to her sister. "You hear, Kathi," said she, "you hear what the emperor says. This paper is worth five times as much as your ring. Let us exchange."
"Still, Kathi," whispered the other. "He has not yet his senses. He looks as if he were dreaming of angels. But he will soon awake." "I don't wonder that be dreams of angels, Marianne, when he looks at you," said Kathi, contemplating her beautiful sister. "But now that he is safe, I will go and look after his horse. Poor animal! he trembles yet with fright, and I think he has lamed his leg.
In this dress I visited them, and had the story all over again, with variations, from that coquettish village beauty, Kathi." "How long ago?" "Three weeks, your highness." "How many times since then has the emperor visited his inamorata?" "Six times, your highness. Old Conrad has bought a farm, where he lives in a handsome house, in which each of his daughters now has a room of her own.
"Pardon me," whispered Marianne, "I wiped them away with the kerchief." "Why did you deprive me of those sweet tears?" whispered the emperor. But Kathi was talking all the while. "Now," continued she, "try to get up. Put one arm around me, and the other around Marianne, and we will set you upon your legs, to find out whether they are sound. Come one, two, three; now!"
"That can we, sir; but it is a long way for such a gentleman as you to travel on foot." "Let us go, then, to the highway, and perhaps I may there find some conveyance." "Well, then," cried the gleeful Kathi, "forward, march!" "Not yet, Kathi. Not until I have thanked you for the great service you have rendered me. Let me give you some testimony of my gratitude.
The sight of some brown veils and gentlemen's hats above the garden wall leads to the following explanation from Fanni: "Herr Je, just when the Fräulein was speaking of coming back next year, and I was thinking to myself how I would help the Kathi to scrub and clean beforehand, there were four strange Herrschaft below, who would insist on seeing the Hofbauer. And he all in a Schwitz!
Word Of The Day
Others Looking