"Milk, then. Poor child, you were only a nursling yesterday, and here you are running about alone like a grown man. Ah! these are sad times!"
And she picked Charles up as if he had been a baby indeed. Placing him in a chair she went to the keyboard to see what room she could give him.
"Let's see! 5, that's it. No! the room is too large and the window doesn't shut tight; the poor child would be cold. 9! No, that is a room with two beds. 14! That will suit him; a nice little room with a good bed hung with curtains to keep out the draughts, and a pretty little fireplace that does not smoke, with an infant Jesus over it; that will bring him good luck. Gretchen! Gretchen!"
A beautiful Alsatian, about twenty years old, dressed in the graceful costume of the country, which resembles somewhat that worn by the women of Arles, came quickly at this summons.
"What is it, mistress?" she asked in German.
"I want you to get No. 14 ready for this little cherub; choose some fine dry sheets while I go and get him some milk porridge."
Gretchen lighted a candle and started on her errand. Then citizeness Teutch returned to Charles.
"Do you understand German?" she asked.
"No, madame; but if I stay long in Strasbourg, as I expect to, I hope to learn it."