But as we approach St. Peter's the other two children become visibly restless and excited, looking constantly out of the window as if watching for something which they are eager to see. Even the little student of my paper, with whom I have struck up a conversation in German, soon forsakes me to join the watch; and I hear the boy mutter disconsolately:
"Why don't the train go quicker? We shall never get there!"
Can they be bound on a picnic? think I; but they look far too grave and troubled for that. Are they going home from school? but who would think of living in a desolate place like this? I am still puzzling over the riddle, when my little rosy-cheeked friend, after looking doubtfully at me once or twice, as if uncertain whether to speak or not, startles me with a very unexpected question:
"Please, when anybody grows blind, not from a blow or anything like that, but just with something growing over their eyes, can they be made well again?"
"Very often they can, when they have a good doctor; but why do you ask?"
And then the whole story comes out. Their father, a retired Austrian officer, has become blind from cataract; and a famous German oculist, an old friend of his, has taken him away to a country house among the hills between St. Peter's and Adelsberg, in the hope of restoring his sight by an operation.
"And it was to be done last night," says Theresa, the elder girl, "and papa was to start home this morning. But we couldn't wait until he came, and he wouldn't be able to send us a message; so we got leave from aunt to come and meet him ourselves, as she wasn't well enough to go with us. He's sure to be at St. Peter's station, when we get there."
"And his eyes will be quite well again—I'm sure they will!" cries little Katrina, eagerly. "Dr. Ulrich is so clever, and he's cured so many people, and papa's such a friend of his. I'm sure he'll cure him too."
"I hope he will, indeed," says her brother, earnestly. "Poor papa! it's so horrid to see a great strong man like him led about just like a baby, and not able to read any stories, or watch his flowers coming up so nicely, after taking all that trouble with them! I will give a shout if he's really cured."