Part 19 (1/2)
”O Lord! Forgive me! I'll never be proud and vain again! I'll be good and honest,” she cried aloud, wringing her hands.
”What are you making such a noise about? who are you?” exclaimed the devil.
”I'm Walpurga, from the lake; and I've a child and husband and mother, at home. I was brought here to be the crown prince's nurse, but indeed, I didn't want to come.”
”Indeed! and so you're the nurse. I rather like your looks.”
”But I don't want you, or any one else, to like my looks. I've a husband of my own and want nothing to do with other men.”
The black fellow laughed heartily.
”Then what were you doing in my master's apartments?”
”Who's your master? I've nothing to do with him. I and all good spirits praise G.o.d the Lord! Speak! What is it you want of me?”
”Oh, you stupid! My master is the queen's brother. I'm his _valet de chambre_. We arrived here last evening.”
Walpurga could not understand what it all meant. Luckily for her, at that moment, the duke and the king came out of the apartment.
Addressing the Moor in English, the duke inquired what had happened; answering in the same tongue, the Moor said that the peasant woman had taken him for the devil incarnate; upon hearing which, the duke and the king laughed heartily.
”What brings you here?” inquired the king.
”I lost my way, after leaving the chapel,” replied Walpurga. ”My child will cry. Do please show me the way back to him.”
The king instructed one of the lackeys to conduct her to her apartments. While going away she overheard the uncle, who was to be chief sponsor, saying: ”What a fine milch-cow you've brought from the Highlands!”
When she had returned to her room, and again beheld herself in the large mirror, she said:
”You're nothing but a cow that can chatter, and is dressed up in clothes! Well, it served you right.”
CHAPTER XVII.
The night was a bad one. The crown prince suffered because of the fright which the Moor had given his foster-mother. Doctor Gunther sat up all night, in the adjoining room, so as to be within ready call, and was constant in his inquiries as to Walpurga and the child. He instructed Mademoiselle Kramer never again to allow the nurse to leave the room without his permission.
To Walpurga this imprisonment was welcome, as she wished to have nothing more to do with the whole world; for the child filled her soul and, while she lay on the sofa, she vowed to G.o.d that nothing else should enter her mind. She looked at the new clothes that were spread out on the large table and shook her head; she no longer cared for the trumpery. Indeed, she almost hated it, for had it not led her into evil? and had not the punishment quickly followed?
Walpurga's sleep was broken and fitful, and whenever she closed her eyes, she beheld herself pursued by the Moor. It was not until near daybreak, that she and the child slept soundly. The great ceremony could therefore take place at the appointed time.
Baum brought the beautiful pillows and the brocaded coverlet embroidered with two wild animals. While pa.s.sing Walpurga, he softly whispered:
”Keep a brave heart, so that you don't get sick again; for if you do, they will discharge you at once. I mean well by you, and that's why I say so.”
He said this without moving a feature, for Mademoiselle Kramer was to know nothing of it.
Walpurga looked after him in amazement; and Baum, indeed, presented quite an odd appearance, in his gray linen undress uniform.
”And so they'll send you away when you get sick,” thought she to herself. ”I'm a cow. They're right, There's no longer any room in the stable for a cow that's barren.”
”I and thou and the miller's cow--” said she, to the prince, as she again took him to her bosom, while she laughed and sang: