wasitawaterspout,oraheavysearollingsuddenlyuponthem?

"heavenhelpus!"criedtheboyatthehelm,astheboatheeledoverandlayonitsbeamends.ithadstruckonarock,whichrosefromthedepthsofthesea,andsankatonce,likeanoldshoeinapuddle."itsankatoncewithmouseandman,"asthesayingremighthavebeenmiceonboard,butonlyonemanandahalf,theskipperandthelaborer'sboy.noonesawitbuttheskimmingsea-gullsandthefishesbeneaththewater;andeventheydidnotseeitproperly,fortheydartedbackwithterrorastheboatfilledwithwaterandsank.thereitlay,scarcelyafathombelowthesurface,andthosetwowereprovidedfor,buried,andforgotten.theglasswiththefootofbluewoodwastheonlythingthatdidnotsink,forthewoodfloatedandtheglassdriftedawaytobecastupontheshoreandbroken;whereandwhen,isindeedofnoconsequence.ithadserveditspurpose,andithadbeenloved,whichannelisbeth'sboyhadnotbeen.butinheavennosoulwillbeabletosay,"neverloved."

annelisbethhadnowlivedinthetownmanyyears;shewascalled"madame,"andfeltdignifiedinconsequence;sherememberedtheold,nobledays,inwhichshehaddriveninthecarriage,andhadassociatedwithcountessandbaroness.herbeautiful,noblechildhadbeenadearangel,andpossessedthekindestheart;hehadlovedhersomuch,andshehadlovedhiminreturn;theyhadkissedandlovedeachother,andtheboyhadbeenherjoy,hersecondlife.nowhewasfourteenyearsofage,tall,handsome,andclever.shehadnotseenhimsinceshecarriedhiminherarms;neitherhadshebeenforyearstothecount'spalace;itwasquiteajourneythitherfromthetown.

"imustmakeoneefforttogo,"saidannelisbeth,"toseemydarling,thecount'ssweetchild,andpresshimtomyheart.certainlyhemustlongtoseeme,too,theyoungcount;nodoubthethinksofmeandlovesme,asinthosedayswhenhewouldflinghisangel-armsroundmyneck,andlisp'anneliz.'itwasmusictomyears.yes,imustmakeanefforttoseehimagain."shedroveacrossthecountryinagrazier'scart,andthengotout,andcontinuedherjourneyonfoot,andthusreachedthecount'scastle.itwasasgreatandmagnificentasithadalwaysbeen,andthegardenlookedthesameasever;alltheservantswerestrangerstoher,notoneofthemknewannelisbeth,norofwhatconsequenceshehadoncebeenthere;butshefeltsurethecountesswouldsoonletthemknowit,andherdarlingboy,too:howshelongedtoseehim!

nowthatannelisbethwasatherjourney'send,shewaskeptwaitingalongtime;andforthosewhowait,timepassesslowly.butbeforethegreatpeoplewentintodinner,shewascalledinandspokentoverygraciously.shewastogoinagainafterdinner,andthenshewouldseehersweetboyoncemore.howtall,andslender,andthinhehadgrown;buttheeyesandthesweetangelmouthwerestillbeautiful.helookedather,buthedidnotspeak,hecertainlydidnotknowwhoshewas.heturnedroundandwasgoingaway,butsheseizedhishandandpressedittoherlips.

"well,well,"hesaid;andwiththathewalkedoutoftheroom.hewhofilledhereverythought!hewhomshelovedbest,andwhowasherwholeearthlypride!

annelisbethwentforthfromthecastleintothepublicroad,feelingmournfulandsad;hewhomshehadnurseddayandnight,andevennowcarriedaboutinherdreams,hadbeencoldandstrange,andhadnotawordorthoughtrespectingher.agreatblackravendarteddowninfrontofheronthehighroad,andcroakeddismally.

"ah,"saidshe,"whatbirdofillomenartthou?"