Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/121

 belt in front, and had a light handkerchief tied round her head, which gave her round-cheeked face a still rounder and rosier effect. A white-footed cat was arching its back, and purring round the milk pails, its attention being divided between the young girl and two little kittens carried by the boy. About the middle of the yard it bounded towards a hollow stone in front of an empty dog kennel, where it was evidently used to having its ration of milk given to it. But as the girl walked dreamily on as if she had forgotten it to-day, the animal sprang towards her and clawed the edge of her skirt. Then she smiled half-seriously, turned and poured a liberal allowance of the still steaming milk into the hollow stone. But now the cat's martyrdom began; instead of putting down the kittens, the boy lifted them above his head, defending himself meanwhile with his foot, against the raging mother which tried to climb up his leg, and then turned to the girl with a woeful expression as if accustomed to look there for protection. The girl pleaded for the poor animal, though she was not able to help smiling a little, but the boy would not give up his prize, and continued to dance about the yard, the cat at his heels.

Emanuel stood at the window silently surveying this scene. His glance rested especially on the young girl, whom he easily recognised as the daughter of the house. He had imagined her to be taller and handsomer; but to make up for