“Oh, I am glad,” she cried out decidedly relieved, “it may not be for quite a while. And if it is put off a long while, it may never happen at all. Cheer up again, Vinzi.”
Stefeli had a way of finding a consoling side to everything and had often brightened Vinzi’s despondent mood by her cheerful outlook. That day also the boy was affected by her words, and the sunny afternoon ended much more happily than it had begun.
When the children had gone to bed and the parents were sitting alone together Lesa told his wife that he had gone to the village that day and that when he had asked after his friend he had found that the latter had just that day driven his cows over the mountain. But there was no loss in that; on the contrary. He had at the same time heard of a young workman from Gondo who was going home to his village next Monday. As he would make the road from Brieg on foot, he expected to spend the night in Berisal on the way. This was much better, as Vinzi would not be obliged to make the whole journey on foot. Lesa also knew an innkeeper in Berisal who would provide good board for the travellers.
The woman, who had listened silently till now, here said, “How can you give our boy in charge of a person nobody knows anything about, except that he is going up the mountain.”
“I immediately went to see him and talked it all over,” replied the father, “and I found him a good fellow. When I inquired about him I heard nothing but good of him. All Vinzi needs is to have a companion, for he can look after himself perfectly well. No boy is a little child any more at twelve.”
“Young enough, to go away alone,” uttered the mother with a sigh. “Does he really have to go on Monday? Tomorrow is Sunday.”
“Nothing could be better,” the husband said decisively. “If a thing has to be done, it is best to have it settled right away. I can’t see anything dreadful in it. He is not going to Australia, and next winter he’ll be home again.”
“It is a blessing that we can give him into the protection of our Father in Heaven. I find this my only consolation now when the boy goes away, and I don’t even know the people he is going to,” said Mrs. Lesa.
“That is quite true,” the husband replied, happy at the thought that his wife had found a consolation. “I think everything is all right now,” he said after a pause, pushing his pipe from one corner of his mouth to the other. But something still seemed to be on his mind. “I think the boy ought to be told about going.”
“He knows, for I told him this morning; only I didn’t know when.”