"This is too much, sir; I cannot receive six thalers from you."
"That is but a trifle for me; put it in your pocket, and say no more about it."
"May God reward and bless you a thousand times for it!"
"What does that cross indicate?"
"That is a weather cross, sir. We have a great deal of bad weather to fear. We have frequent storms here, in summer; they hang over the mountain and rage terribly. Every ravine becomes a torrent that dashes over the fields, hurling rocks and sand from the mountain. Our fields are desolated and destroyed. The people of Salingen placed that cross there against the weather. In spring the whole community come here in procession and pray God to protect them from the storms."
Richard reflected on this phenomenon; the confidence of these simple people in the protection of God, whose omnipotence must intervene between the remorseless elements and their victims, appeared to him as the highest degree of simplicity. But he kept his thoughts to himself, for he respected the religious sentiments of the old man, and would not hurt his feelings.
"And the Virgin, why is she there?"
"Ah! that is a wonderful story, sir," he answered, apparently wishing to evade an explanation.
"Which every one ought not to know?"
"Well—but perhaps the gentleman would laugh, and I would not like that!"