Page:Halek's Stories and Evensongs.pdf/113

 bear all that fate designs. She felt that in her burned a portion of that light, which drives the sage into the wilderness, that there it may kindle a torch for the discovery of uncounted treasures and of a new world.

Having at times a few alms to spare, she gave them to those who were more destitute than herself. Only one thing she was sorry for that with the warmth she could not endow those who enjoying indeed all the luxuries of life, were yet with all this as poor as she had remained while she had abundance of everything.

Her nightly resting-place was always the little niche at Havel’s house. That place was always empty, and no one guessed that it could possibly be occupied. She always came unobserved and unobserved withdrew. At first she had betaken herself there unwittingly. Later she came there wittingly and felt that little corner to be her home. Havel knew nothing about it and Karla narrowly guarded every occasion that might have betrayed her. She felt that in his heart there was no corner left to her to compare with this one, but she felt happy to know that no one hitherto had forbidden her to rest in this despised retreat.

In this small room she forgot all her sufferings, she forgot that she was a beggar, and in her fancy Havel lived like an infant swaddled in silk. She never dwelt on the season of his love for her, but occupied her thoughts about him in his present condition. If she had ever been made aware that he could not sleep at night, she herself would not have closed an eye, and if she learnt that things went well with him and that he felt happy, she felt herself blessed on the same account. Once returning in the evening to her little chamber she found the door locked and had to pass the night outside. It had happened by accident, but that night Karla spent in bitter weeping for she fancied that they had discovered her lurking-place and wished to deprive her of it. Next evening she approached it with infinite apprehension; but finding the door opened and her little chamber untouched she felt such bliss in her heart that the whole house did not contain that night so happy a soul as Karla.

She still received a few sparks of happiness to increase her inward warmth. Havel had a little daughter four years of age, an engaging little floweret as like her father as if she had dripped from his eye. From the neighbouring house it was possible to overlook Havel’s balcony where the little daughter played with a doll, dressing and undressing it and tucking it into its little bed. Karla often looked privily for a whole hour at the child as