Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/483

 THE WIND TELLS ABOUT VALDEMAR DAA 449 fanned the glowing embers and followed him through the door to where his daughters lay shivering. His robe was covered with ashes ; they were clinging to his beard and his tangled hair. He drew himself up and held aloft the brittle glass with his great treasure. '"Found! found ! Gold!' he shouted, holding the glass still higher as it glittered in the rays of the sun. The hand trembled ; the alchemist's glass fell on the floor and broke into a thousand pieces. The last bubble ot his wealth had burst. Whew ! — ugh ! — whew ! Rush along ! And away I rushed from the goldmaker's abode. "Late in the year, when the days are short up here in the North, and when the fog comes with its misty veil and drops dew on the red berries and the leafless branches, I felt in good spirits, stirred up the air, swept the sky clear, and broke off all the rotten branches ; it is no great task, but it has to be done. At Valdemar Daa's Borreby House there was another kind of clearing out. His enemy, Ove Ramel, from Basnas, had arrived with the mortgages on the estate, and on all the goods and chattels, which he had bought up. I drummed at the dilapidated doors and whistled through all the cracks and crevices: Whew! — ugh I Master Ove should not take a fancy to live there ! Ida and Anna Dorthea cried bitterly ; Johanne stood pale and erect, biting her thumb till it bled. Of what did it avail ? Ove Ramel offered Valdemar Daa leave to remain on the estate during his lifetime, but he did not even receive thanks for his offer. I listened to them ; I saw the homeless master lift his head still higher and toss it back proudly ; I sent such a gust against the house and the old linden trees that one of the thickest branches broke — one that was not rotten. It lay in front of the gate like a big broom, if any one should want to sweep out the place; and a great sweeping out there was. I thought there would be ! It was a trying day, a difficult time to main- tain one's dignity; but the soul was hardened, the will was obstinate. "They possessed nothing but the clothes they had on, except the alchemist's glass, which had just been bought and filled with the spillings that had been scraped up from the floor — the treasure which had promised so much, but failed to keep its promise. V^ildemar Daa hid it in his bosom and took his staff in his hand ; and the once wealthy nobleman, with his three daughters, walked out of Borreby House. I blew cold gusts against his flushed cheeks, I patted his long white hair, and I sang as best I could. Whew I — ugh! — whew! Rush along ! Rush along! That was the end of all the wealth and splendor. " Ida and Anna Dorthea walked one on each side of him ; Johanne turned round at the gateway; but what was the good.? Their luck was not likely to turn. While looking at the red stones of Marsk Stig's castle did she think of his daughters ? " The eldest took the youngest by the hand. And wandered far into the world.