Alas! it only brought fresh trouble to the once happy home! The steward himself appeared, peremptorily demanded the money due to his lord, overwhelmed the terrified Katherine with reproaches for her conduct to his wife, and refused in consequence to grant any delay, or even to await Gaspard's return.
He failed not to carry out his cruel purpose. He had scarcely left the cottage ere a bailiff and his men entered it;—they were plainly at hand ready to do the steward's bidding. These men at once laid a distress upon all the house contained, in the name of the Count de Sternfelden. The unhappy Katherine was too much frightened and overcome by this barbarous violence to offer the slightest resistance. She saw herself and family suddenly and unjustly despoiled of all that had been acquired by years of labour and economy.
Pale and trembling, she leant against the wall, watching the road by which Gaspard would return with Michael and John, who had accompanied him. Little Francis clung to her, asking why their beds, tables, and even clothes were being taken away. The poor little fellow cried bitterly when he saw his own little cap seized upon with the rest. The little cap, which had been so carefully treasured, in the fond hope that it might some day benefit their adopted child, if not themselves, seemed to be one cause of the heavy calamity which had now come upon them.
In the midst of this sad scene Gaspard and his two boys entered their hitherto quiet home.
The poor man had been unable to obtain any assistance, but returned with the hope that he might, at least, be granted a little longer time in which to raise the sum required. Great, therefore, was his dismay and surprise at finding his home half-stripped of its contents, and Katherine and the little Francis weeping bitterly.
The sight of her husband seemed to arouse Katherine from the state of terror and despair in which he found her. Leaning on his arm for support, she related to him all that had occurred during his absence.
The poor man gave way to a burst of anger and indignation.
"Katherine," he exclaimed, whilst tears started from his eyes, "such wickedness cannot go unpunished. I will seek the Count, were it even to the end of the world, and demand justice I will denounce the man who so cruelly oppresses all over whom he has any power."
Poor Katherine wept silently on her husband's shoulder.
"Oh, Gaspard," said she, "what will become of us, without a home, without bread, almost without clothes, winter approaching, and no one to befriend us?"