o_!

"When roaming through the forest
Cold Boreas whistles shrill,
'Tis then our need is sorest;
Wet through on plain and hill,
Our cloaks the winds are tearing,
Our shoes are worn and old,
Still playing, onward faring,
In spite of rain and cold.
_Beatus ille homo
Qui sedet in sua domo
Et sedet post fornacem,
Et habeat bonam pacem!"_

I, the captain, and the girl, although we did not understand Latin,
joined gaily in the last lines of each verse; but I was the gayest of
all, for I had caught a glimpse in the distance of my toll-house, and
soon afterward the castle shone among the trees in the light of the
setting sun.

CHAPTER X

The boat touched the shore, and we all left it as quickly as possible,
and scattered about in the meadows, like birds suddenly set free from
the cage. The reverend gentleman took a hasty leave of us, and strode
off toward the castle. The students repaired to a retired dingle,
where they could shake out their cloaks, wash themselves in the brook,
and shave one another. The new lady's-maid, with her canary-bird and
her bundle, set out for an inn, the hostess of which I had recommended
to her as an excellent person, and where she wished to change her
gown before she presented herself at the castle. As for me--the lovely
evening shone right into my heart, and as soon as all the rest had
disappeared I lost not a moment, but ran directly to the castle
garden.

My toll-house, which I had to pass, was standing on the old spot, the
tall trees in the castle garden were still murmuring above it, and
a yellow-hammer, which always used to sing at sunset in the
chestnut-tree before the window, was singing again, as if nothing in
the world had happened since I last heard him. The toll-house window
was open; I ran up to it with delight and looked in. There was no one
there, but the clock in the corner was ticking away, the writing-table
stood by the window, and the long pipe in the corner as of old. I
could not resist the temptation to climb through the window and seat
myself at the writing-table before the big account-book. Again the
sunlight shone golden-green through the chestnut boughs upon the
figures in the open book, again the bees buzzed in and out of the
window, and again the yellow-hammer's jocund song sounded from the
tree outside. All at once the door of the sleeping-room opened, and a
tall, old Receiver, in my dotted dressing-gown, entered! He p