Loud cries of joy beside her drew her attention to the two children, who flung themselves upon their father. Mr. Thornau now held them both in his arms and responded to their stormy greetings with exclamations of joyous surprise. He held his son a short distance from him and looked at him happily.
“And is this supposed to be my thin, frail Hugo, who had neither spirit nor strength. You look as sunburnt as a woodsman, with your fat cheeks and beaming eyes. Mrs. Lesa,” he called to the mother, “what did you do with him? He is a different creature. And is this stalwart gipsy girl really my Alida? The blood throbs through your brown cheeks with health. Mrs. Lesa, Mrs. Lesa, how on earth did you do it?”
“Oh, we know, we know how,” cried out the children simultaneously, and immediately began to relate to the father how they had spent their delicious summer days. It would have been impossible for Mrs. Lesa to give any information now.
After greeting her husband, Mr. Delrick took Mrs. Lesa’s hand. Just is if he had read from her eyes what was in her heart, he said, “Don’t worry about Vinzi, Mrs. Lesa. He is perfectly well, and he is still a great joy to me. The reason why he is not here is not a bad one, you must believe me. Oh, here is my little Stefeli, too, and another old friend besides,” he continued, turning toward the children. “I am glad Jos came, too, for he must belong entirely to your family by now.”
“Yes, like our own,” said Mrs. Lesa, putting her arms around the boy. “Thank God that we have him.”
“I’d like to ask what you think about a plan we made,” continued Mr. Delrick. “I wonder what Mr. Lesa will say. Our friend, Mr. Thornau, has asked us all to dinner today at a hotel quite near the beautiful old Nicholas church. So we thought it would be pleasant to go there first of all and then have a nice, quiet time together.”
Mrs. Lesa glanced at her husband, for she wanted him to decide. She herself was most anxious to go to the church immediately. Old memories had risen in Vinzenz Lesa’s mind as soon as he had set his foot in Freiburg. As a child he had known nothing more wonderful than to drive to Freiburg on a Sunday, and his little girl neighbor had felt the same. He had always loved to enter the tall, quiet church holding his mother’s hand. Whenever he heard the sounds of the wonderful organ, they revealed to him a different world, one quite apart from his daily life.
“I’d be only too glad to go to church first,” he began. “It is but suitable that we should go, as it is Sunday today.”
At this the little company started off into the town. It was very still in the large old church, and so dark and solemn that the children stepped very lightly before settling down beside their parents. Suddenly the organ began to play, and rich, powerful tones floated through the quiet building. It seemed as if all the heavenly hosts were singing a hymn of praise and joy for all the world.
