“You have been dreaming that!” said Otto.
“How do you mean?” replied Wilhelm; “will you make me fancy that I have imagined it? I was really quite awake! we really talked about it; I was initiated in it. Actually I have a good mind to give you a moral lecture. If it had been me, how you would have preached!”
They were summoned to breakfast. Otto’s heart was ready to burst. What might he not have to hear? What must he say?
Sophie was much excited.
“Did you, gentlemen, hear anything last night?” she inquired. “Have you both slept?”
“Yes, certainly,” replied Wilhelm, and looked involuntarily at Otto.
“The bird is flown, however!” said she; “it has made its escape out of the dove-cote.”
“What bird?” asked Wilhelm.
“Sidsel!” replied she; “and, what is oddest in the whole affair is, that Louise has loosed her wings. Louise is quite up to the romantic. Think only! she went up in the night to the topmost story, unlocked the prison-tower, gave a moral lecture to Sidsel, and after that let her go! Then in the morning comes Louise to mamma, relates the whole affair, and says a many affecting things!”
“Yes, I do not understand it,” said the mother, addressing Louise. “How you could have had the courage to go up so late at night, and go up to her! But it was very beautiful of you! Let her escape! it is, as you say, best that she should. We should all of us have thought of that last evening!”