"Silly child!" she said, fondly, "as silly as thy poor mother herself! The master only takes trouble, and chastens and rebukes, because he thinks it is worth while, because thou art trying and learning, and art doing a little better day by day. He knows what thy best can be, and will never be content with anything but thy very best."
"Is it that, mother? Is it indeed that?" said the boy, looking up with a sudden dawning of hope.
And a sweet dawn of promise met him in his mother's eyes as she answered:
"It is even that, my own, for thee and for me!"
CHAPTER IV.
With a glad heart, Gottlieb dressed the next morning before Lenichen was awake, and was off to the choir-master for his lesson alone.
The new hope had inspired him, and he sang that morning to the content even of the master, as he knew, not by his praise, but by his summoning Ursula from the kitchen to listen, unable to resist his desire for the sympathy of a larger audience.
Ursula was not exactly musical, nor was she demonstrative, but she showed her satisfaction by appropriating her share of the success.
"I knew what was wanting!" she said, significantly. "The birds and the blessed angels may sing on crumbs or on the waters of Paradise; but goose and pudding are a great help to the alleluias here below."