the fir-bough with its damp, fresh smell, and themselves sitting sadly beside the hearth.
"It is getting late," said Thekla, at last,
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/The_New-Year%27s_Bargain_%281884%29-237.png/550px-The_New-Year%27s_Bargain_%281884%29-237.png)
"Late into the night did they all sit over the fire, while Fritz told the story of his
seven long years of absence."