The old farmer asked, “Why are you so pressing? Can you not wait? What is the matter?”
“Nothing—but I cannot wait.”
She then told him that she wanted to fit out her brother, who was going to America.
This was a lucky excuse for the old farmer; he could make his stinginess pass for wise forethought and consideration for her; he declared he would not give a single farthing to help her to sacrifice herself for her brother. Barefoot entreated him to speak to Farmer Schecken. At last he consented, and boasted that he, a stranger, was going to beg of a stranger, for a stranger, but he put it off from day to day. Amrie would not spare him, and he, at last, took the path to Schecken’s farm. As it might have been foreseen, he came back with empty hands; for when Schecken asked what he intended to give, and he answered,—
“For the present, nothing!”
Schecken said, “He was also of the same mind.”
When poor Amrie revealed to Mariann her sorrow at the hard-heartedness of men, the old woman broke out with angry emotion,—
“Yes,” she said, “just so are men; if to-morrow one were to cast himself into the water, and he were drawn out dead, every one would say, ‘Had he only told me what was the matter, what he wanted, I would so gladly have helped him! What would I not give to bring him back to life!’ but to help him while he was yet alive, not one would move a finger!”
Strange as it was, though the whole labor of the thing rested upon Barefoot, she learnt to bear it cheerfully. One must depend on one’s self alone, was her inward resolve, and instead of being disheartened by all her difficulties, she was only made stronger and firmer. She collected every thing that she could turn to money; she carried the necklace she had formerly received from Landfried’s wife to the widow of the former Sacristan, who solaced her widowhood by lending upon pledges; even the ducat, she formerly threw back from the Surveyor, in the churchyard, she now demanded back again. Still more surprising, Rodel himself offered to demand of the village council, in which he sat, a certain sum for the service of Dami. With the public money he was always generous, as well as honest.
After a few days, he alarmed Barefoot by telling her that every thing was settled with the council, upon the condition that Dami should give up all claims to a home in the village. This had been understood from the first, but now that it was made a condition, it seemed frightful to Barefoot, that Dami should no longer have a home with her, or in any place. She said nothing of her thoughts to him, and he again appeared gay and good-humored. Mariann especially, encouraged him; she would gladly have sent the whole village to foreign countries, that they might learn something of her John. She now firmly believed that he had crossed the sea. Raven Zacky told her that the salt flood of the sea prevented the tears from flowing for one who was upon the other shore.