“They have grown quite fat,” said she; “so I shall carry them to the city and sell them. I shall be gone a week, and shall leave you here to take care of the house while I am gone. You will not have much to do. But there is one thing I must warn you against: you must not, on any account, open the door of the closet which is in your chamber. If you do, you will repent it.”
Wide-awake was not troubled with curiosity; and so he found no difficulty in making this promise.
The old woman departed, and Wide-awake was left alone. Having nothing else to do, he began to think of home and his mother. Then he began to wonder how much his mistress meant to give him for his services. He determined that he would buy a nice arm-chair for his mother, and a great many other things, if his money only held out. But they were all for his mother’s comfort, and not for his own, as I have already explained that Wide-awake was far from being selfish.
On the fourth day after the old woman’s departure, a stout man came to the door, and asked leave to rest a little while. Wide-awake knew that his mistress would have no objection; so he gave him permission, and, moreover, placed before him some bread and milk. The man ate heartily, and, in the mean time, contrived to draw out of Wide-awake all the particulars of his situation, and the old woman’s prohibiting him to open the door of the closet.
“I have no doubt,” said he, “that it is there where she keeps her money. If I were in your place, I would look and see. It wouldn’t do any harm.”
“But,” said Wide-awake, in astonishment, “she told me not to do it on any account.”
“Never mind that,” said the man, winking: “it’ll do no harm; and she’ll never know it.”
“But,” said Wide-awake, firmly, “I have promised; and I never break my promise.”
“Well, then, if you won’t, I will,” said the stranger, rising; “for I’m determined to know what there is in that closet.”
But Wide-awake sprang to the door, set his back resolutely against it, and said,—