His sister said nothing but set the porridge over; it was ready, it was only to be warmed. While she set the table, he teased her with reproaches and spiteful witticisms; and when she came with the porridge, it was scorched because she had forgotten to stir it.
Everything was as unpleasant as well could be; and she had been so happy in expectation of this evening. For a moment she bore up bravely; but when her grief was victorious she laid her head upon her arm and sobbed aloud.
The brother sat a little while and looked at her. He had never seen his strong sister so broken down. He began to repent and tried to find something soothing to say.
“You see, now, Augusta! You will never meet anything but disappointments and sorrow in the way you conduct yourself. If you absolutely must have these poor people to bother with, then do as the other ladies in town. Each has her own paupers to take care of; so they don’t need to bother about the others. But you throw the little you have away on the lowest trash, who don’t bear being helped—yes, perhaps you do more harm than good.”
“No, Christian, I don’t do that,” cried Miss Falbe decidedly, and raised her head. “And I will not have paupers of my own. Let the others buy off their consciences with the trifles they dole out; let them go home secure in the belief that they have done their duty by narrowing their hearts to a few individual, deserving paupers where they can see the blessing—as it goes. I see that the great gulf will never be filled, however much there is thrown into it; and this certainty is the only reward you have a right to expect for your sympathy; it drives you from depth to depth, to the worst, the vilest, where you know fresh disappointments and fresh pains await you. For I know now what to think; money, gifts, alms, they all come in good. And I am glad when they come. But all the gold in the world does not fill so much of the gulf between those who have it easy and those who have it hard, as a single drop of warm human blood. And if you have not a clod to give them, but yet can bring them to understand that you have that warm heart-blood, then you will not be afraid of disappointments, but will go from depth to depth and you will not need to look for your reward. So I shall get up early to-morrow morning and take hold where I let go.”
When she had finished her brother went over to her.
Caresses were, to tell the truth, not frequent between the two; but he took her in his arms now and kissed her.
And he whispered something in her ear. She had heard it so many times, that promise which she knew he did not have the strength to keep.
But this time she believed him; she looked up to him with that wonderful smile which made her so handsome and thanked him.
Then they sat down again, laughed, cried and talked with each other as they had not done for many years.