Page:Select Popular Tales from the German of Musaeus.djvu/70

gone from her arms! Astonished, the terrified Countess cried out, “Nurse, where have you laid my baby?” The nurse answered, “Noble lady, the dear little boy is in your arms.” Bed and chamber were anxiously searched, but nothing was found except some drops of blood on the floor of the chamber. When the nurse perceived this, she raised a loud cry, “Oh, God and the Saints have pity on us! the man-wolf has been here and carried the child away!” The mother wept herself pale and thin for the loss of her noble boy, and the father was inconsolable. Although the knight had not, in reality, a mustard-grain of belief in the man-wolf, but treated it as woman’s prattle, yet he could in no way clear up the mystery. He consoled his sorrowful wife as he best could; and she, to please him, compelled herself to assume a more cheerful mien. That anodyne of pain, beneficent time, at last healed the mother’s heart-wound, and the loss was repaired by a second son. Boundless was the joy in the palace over the beautiful heir; the Count feasted with great mirth with all his neighbours within a day’s journey round, the cup of joy passed unceasingly from hand to hand, from the host and guests to the door-keeper; all drank to the health of the new-born. The apprehensive mother would not have the child out of her sight, and watched its sweet sleep as long as her strength permitted; but when at last the demands of nature must be obeyed, she took the golden chain from her neck, passed it round the baby’s body, and fastened the other end to her arm, signed herself and the child with the cross, that the man-wolf might have no power nor influence over it, and she soon fell into an irresistible slumber. When she awoke with the first dawn of morning, oh misery! the sweet boy had disappeared from her arms. In the utmost alarm she cried as before, “Nurse, where have you laid my baby?” and the nurse answered likewise, “Noble lady, the dear little boy is in your arms.” Immediately she looked for the golden chain which she had fastened to her arm, and found that a link had been cut through by a sharp steel instrument, and she fainted away with terror. The nurse alarmed the house, the servants hastened in, full of consternation, and when Count Conrad heard what had happened, his heart burned with anger and indignation, he drew his knightly sword, intending to cleave the nurse’s head. “Wicked woman!” thundered he with furious voice, “did I not give you strict orders to remain awake all night, that, if this monster came to rob the sleeping mother, you, by your screams, might alarm the house? Sleep now, indolent one, the sleep of death!” The woman fell on her knees before him: “Worshipful lord,” said she, “by God’s mercy, I conjure you to grant me some moments, that I may not take the crime which mine eyes have seen into the grave with me, and which should not have been extorted from me if it were not for the torture.” The Count was astonished. “What crime,” asked he. “have