Part 25 (2/2)

Old Zenza's eyes sparkled, while she said:

”If the gracious princess should ever want any one who'd go through fire and water to serve her, she need only think of Zenza and Thomas.”

She would have said much more, but Walpurga said:

”Thomas is waiting for you at the gate; make haste and go to him.”

”You see, dear princess, how good she is. She deserves to be happy.”

”Walpurga,” said Mademoiselle Kramer, ”you might give the woman the money for your husband.”

”I'll take it for you.”

”No, I'll send it. I must wait awhile,” said Walpurga hesitating. She could not well explain that she distrusted both Zenza and her son.

”Here,” said Irma, handing Zenza the little golden heart which she wore; ”take this to Walpurga's child, from me.” Then, removing her silk kerchief, she added, ”give her this, too.”

”Oh, what a lovely neck!” exclaimed Zenza.

Walpurga again reminded her that she had better return to her son.

Irma felt happy to think that she had brought about the pardon.

Walpurga was afraid to tell them Zenza was a stranger to her and that she almost hated her; or that Red Thomas was one of the worst men in their neighborhood. She consoled herself with the thought that all would yet be well. Bad men can grow better, or else all talk of repentance would be mere lies and deceit.

In the mean while, Zenza, holding the pardon on high, had hurried out of the palace.

”Is my reckoning settled?” asked Thomas, spitting as far as he could.

”Yes, thank G.o.d! See what a mother can do.”

”I don't owe you much thanks for that, what did you bring me into the world for? But the best of it all is it's a slap in the face for the great snarling country justice. Now, mother, I'm as thirsty as three bailiff's clerks. Waiting has almost used me up. Have you anything more about you?”

”Of course I have; just look.”

She showed him the gold piece, which he most dexterously removed from her hand and into his pocket.

”What else have you got?” said he, when he noticed the little gold heart that she had taken from her pocket at the same time.

”The beautiful princess gave me that and this silk kerchief for Walpurga's child.”

”Hansei's child will have enough with the kerchief,” said Thomas, appropriating the gold heart, while he good-naturedly allowed his mother to retain the black cord which had been attached to it.

”There, mother; that'll do very well, and now let's take a drink for having waited so long. While I was waiting out here, I saw a splendid rifle at the gunsmith's. You can take it apart and put it in your pocket, and we'll see if the greencoats catch me again.”

The first thing young Thomas did was to take the chamois beard and the black c.o.c.k plume out of his pocket and stick them in his hat again.

Then he put on his hat in a defiant manner, and his whole bearing seemed to say: I'd like to see who'd dare touch them.

Just as they were going away, Baum came in from the street. He seemed anxious to avoid them, but Zenza went up to him and thanked him again for the handsome present he had given her when Walpurga had been sent for. She looked at him strangely and Baum, with a side glance, noticed that Thomas's eyes were fixed upon him. He felt a shudder pa.s.sing like a flash of lightning, from his heart to his head. It actually made his hair stand on end, and obliged him to raise his hat and adjust it differently; but he took a nail-file from his pocket and began tr.i.m.m.i.n.g his nails, and then said: ”You've thanked me already; once is enough.”

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