"'There is nothing so high that a man cannot reach, if he will,' answered Rudy; for he is a brave youth.
"'Yet you could not reach the young eagle,' said the miller, laughing. 'Babette is higher than the eagle's nest.'
"'I will have them both,' said Rudy.
"'Very well; I will give her to you when you bring me the young eaglet alive,' said the miller; and he laughed till the tears stood in his eyes. 'But now I thank you for this visit, Rudy; and if you come to-morrow, you will find nobody at home. Good-bye, Rudy.'
"Babette also wished him farewell; but her voice sounded as mournful as the mew of a little kitten that has lost its mother.
"'A promise is a promise between man and man,' said Rudy. 'Do not weep, Babette; I shall bring the young eagle.'
"'You will break your neck, I hope,' said the miller, 'and we shall be relieved from your company.'
"I call that kicking him out of the house," said the parlor-cat. "And now Rudy is gone, and Babette sits and weeps, while the miller sings German songs that he learnt on his journey; but I do not trouble myself on the matter,—it would be of no use."
"Yet, for all that, it is a very strange affair," said the kitchen-cat.