FullReads

Moni stood on the Pulpit-rock and saw how it was growing brighter and more beautiful below in the valley and above over the mountains beyond. Now the clouds scattered and the lovely light blue sky looked down so cheerfully that it seemed to Moni as if the dear Lord were looking out of the bright blue at him, and suddenly it became quite clear in his heart what he ought to do. He could not carry the wrong around with him any more; he must throw it off. Then Moni seized the little kid, that was jumping about him, took it in his arms and said tenderly: “Oh, Maggerli, you poor Maggerli! I have certainly done what I could, but it is wrong, and that must not be done. Oh, if only you didn’t have to die! I can’t bear it!”

And Moni began to cry so hard, that he could no longer speak, and the kid bleated pitifully and crept far under his arm, as if it wanted to cling to him and be protected. Then Moni lifted the little goat on his shoulders, saying:

“Come, Maggerli, I will carry you home once more to-day. Perhaps I can’t carry you much longer.”

When the flock came down to the Bath House, Paula was again standing on the watch. Moni put the young goat with the black one in the shed, and instead of going on farther, he came toward the young lady and was going past her into the house. She stopped him.

“Still no singing, Moni? Where are you going with such a troubled face?”

“I have to tell about something,” replied Moni, without lifting his eyes.

“Tell about something? What is it? Can’t I know?”

“I must tell the landlord. Something has been found.”

“Found? What is it? I have lost something, a beautiful cross.”

“Yes, that is just what it is.”

“What do you say?” exclaimed Paula, in the greatest surprise. “Is it a cross with sparkling stones?”

“Yes, exactly that.”

“What have you done with it, Moni? Give it to me. Did you find it?”

“No, Jorgli from Kublis found it.”

Then Paula wanted to know who he was and where he lived, and to send some one to Kublis at once to get the cross.

“I will go as fast as I can, and if he still has it I will bring it to you,” said Moni.

“If he still has it?” said Paula. “Why shouldn’t he still have it? And how do you know all about it, Moni? When did he find it, and how did you hear about it?”

Moni looked on the ground. He didn’t dare say how it had all come about, and how he had helped to conceal the discovery until he could no longer bear it.

But Paula was very kind to Moni. She took him aside, sat down on the trunk of a tree, beside him, and said with the greatest friendliness:

“Come, tell me all about how it happened, Moni, for I want so much to know everything from you.”

Then Moni gained confidence and began to relate the whole story, and told her every word of his struggle about Maggerli and how he had lost all happiness and dared no longer look up to the dear Lord, and how to-day he couldn’t bear it any longer.

Then Paula talked with him very kindly and said he should have come immediately and told everything, and it was right that he had told her all now so frankly, and that he would not regret it. Then she said he could promise Jorgli ten francs, as soon as she had the cross in her hands again.

“Ten francs!” repeated Moni, full of astonishment, for he knew how Jorgli would have sold it for much less. Then Moni rose and said he would go right away that very day to Kublis, and if he got the cross he would bring it with him early the next morning. He ran along and was once more able to leap and jump, for he had a much lighter heart and the heavy burden no longer weighed him down to the ground.