But to-night he scarcely seemed to heed even his wife. He leant his head on his clasped hands for a long time, and said nothing until old Keeper came, as was his wont, and rubbed his shaggy head against the master's knees, and little Hilda's hands, for a welcome.
At this, Hilda's composure gave way altogether, and she burst into tears and sobbed.
"Oh, Keeper, you don't know, and we can't tell you!"
Then Bruno roused himself, and the great cry of the preacher burst from his lips.
"'Apparebit repentina,'" he said; "suddenly it will come, and this year."
And slowly and solemnly he repeated what they had heard.
A strange joy came over the mother's face as he spoke.
She was lifting up her heart to God and saying,—
"I thank Thee. At last I can long with all my heart to come to Thee. For we shall not be parted. And I shall not be leaving those Thou gavest me to keep."
Bruno went on.