“Ah!” cried Theodora, joyfully, “our old man from A——.”
The children gathered round, the mother welcomed him cordially, and seated him in the arm-chair by the bright fire.
Speechless he looked round upon them all, but kept Theodora’s hand in his while his gaze rested with evident satisfaction upon her lovely face.
“Light the colored Christmas candles, Catharine,” said the father, “and seat yourselves all round the table.”
Then he opened his desk, took from it the doctor’s letter, stroked his wife’s cheek, and said—
“Ah, Catharine, all this has weighed upon me like a mountain, but now all that I know, you, dear ones, shall know, too, and our guest here shall tell us whether it be true or no.”
And then he read the doctor’s letter. Let whoever can, imagine the variety of emotions that overcame all the listeners; the astonishment of the mother, the gentle emotion of the guest, the alternate red and white that overspread Theodora’s cheek, and the delight of the little ones.
“Here I am, dear ones,” said the old man, at the end of the reading, “and here I shall stay, in dear, cheerful Germany.”
“Where then is—is—” stammered Theodora.
But just then the door was flung open, and there stood Robert, his eyes beaming with love and joy.