She put up her pretty red cheek to me, and then ran to the table. Aunt Grédel also came to see the present. Catharine untied the cord and opened the box. I was behind them; my heart jumped, jumped,—I feared that the watch was not pretty enough. But in an instant, Catharine, clasping her hands, said in a low voice:
"How beautiful! It is a watch!"
"Yes," said Aunt Grédel; "it is beautiful! I never saw so fine a one. One would think it was silver."
"But it is silver," returned Catharine, turning toward me inquiringly.
Then I said:
"Do you think, Aunt Grédel, that I would be capable of giving a gilt watch to one whom I love better than my own life? If I could do such a thing, I would despise myself more than the dirt of my shoes."
Catharine, hearing this, threw her arms around my neck; and as we stood thus, I thought: "this is the happiest day of my life." I could not let her go.
Aunt Grédel asked:
"But what is this painted upon the face?"
I could not speak to answer her; and only at last, when we were seated beside each other, I took the watch and said: