A memory of some such scene crossed her son's mind now; for, after giving a heavy sigh, and filliping a crumb of wax at Gretel across the table, he said:
"Aye, mother, you have done bravely to keep it—many a one would have tossed it off for gold long ago."
"And more shame for them!" exclaimed the dame, indignantly. "I would not do it. Besides, the gentry are so hard on us poor folks that if they saw such a thing in our hands, even if we told all, they might suspect the father of——"
Hans flushed angrily.
"They would not dare to say such a thing, mother! If they did—I'd——"
He clenched his fist, and seemed to think that the rest of his sentence was too terrible to utter in her presence.
Dame Brinker smiled proudly through her tears at this interruption.
"Ah, Hans, thou'rt a true, brave lad. We will never part company with the watch. In his dying hour the dear father might wake and ask for it."
"Might wake, mother!" echoed Hans, "wake—and know us?"
"Aye, child," almost whispered his mother, "such things have been."