“One must console one’s self that everything great and good becomes at length known,” said the cousin of the family, who is known to us by his verses for the Christmas-tree. “The nations will become acquainted with everything splendid in the kingdom of mind, let it bloom in a small or in a large country. Certainly during this time the artist may have died, but then he must receive compensation in another world.”
“I truly believe,” returned the gracious lady, “that he would wish a little in advance here below, where it is so ordered that the immortal must bow himself before the mortal.”
“Certainly,” replied Otto; “the great men of the age are like mountains; they it is which cause the land to be seen from afar, and give it importance, but in themselves they are bare and cold; their heights are never properly known.”
“Very beautiful,” said the lady; “you speak like a Jean Paul.”
At this moment the door opened, and all were surprised by the entrance of Miss Sophie, Wilhelm, and the dear mamma. They were not expected before the following evening. They had travelled the whole day through Zealand.
“We should have been here to dinner,” said Sophie, “but my brother could not get his business finished in Roeskelde; then he had forgotten to order horses, and other little misadventures occurred: six whole hours we remained there. Mamma contracted quite a passion there—she fell fairly in love with a young girl, the pretty Eva.”
“Yes, she is a nice creature!” said the old lady. “Had I not reason, Mr. Thostrup? You and my Wilhelm had already made her interesting to me. She has something so noble, so refined, which one so rarely meets with in the lower class; she deserves to come among educated people.”
“Otto, what shall our hearts say,” exclaimed Wilhelm, “when my good mother is thus affected?”
They assembled round the tea-table. Wilhelm addressed Otto with the confidential “thou” which Otto himself had requested.
“We will drink together in tea and renew our brotherhood.”