later did chance call
his attention to the fact that Cain had entered upon a new phase of his
life. It was in the afternoon of one of those light days, when the sun
seemed to spread its rays, like the glistening threads of a spider's
web along the road, from one tract of woodland to the other. The
southern wood cast a cool, clear shadow, and where this ended and the
sun began to spin its golden web, the line was as sharp as if cut by a
knife. Fausch, whose day's work was done, put his short pipe between
his teeth, and wandered along the road toward Waltheim, through the
sunshine, stretching out his bare, black arms before him, he bathed
them in the light, and enjoyed seeing how every motion he made broke
some of the golden threads. Just then he saw the little boy, Cain,
coming out of the woods through the beautiful shadows. He was carrying
a large hempen satchel which contained his school books, and came
cheerfully forward, taking rather long, vigorous steps for the length
of his legs. His long hair hung down over his shoulders, and his fair
face was shining. But as he crossed the line from shade to sun, the
light flashed upon his bare head, and for a moment his hair shimmered
like gold.

Stephen Fausch paused, involuntarily, to watch the strange picture that
the handsome child made, walking through the glorious sunlight.
Meanwhile the boy had seen his father. Pleasure took the place of the
thoughtful expression that he had worn, and he called out gaily from
some distance.

Fausch nodded, waited for him to approach, asked an idle question,
whether he was coming from school, and then turned around, and the two
walked home side by side. The smith did not change his sauntering gait.
Accordingly the boy too had to walk more slowly, and since his father
did not speak, he fell, after a few attempts at conversation, to
meditating as before. By and by, however, he looked up and asked
suddenly: "Why have I such a name?"

"What name?" asked Stephen.

"They all laugh when they call me that. The children say my name is a
disgrace." His eyes filled with tears, but he wiped them away secretly
so that his father should not see him cry. Stephen laughed harshly. He
did not answer. He stooped forward, and his rugged brow looked as if he
meant to butt into some obstacle; moreover he began to walk faster.

"The teacher calls me Fausch, just Fausch. He calls all the other boys
by their first names," Cain began again.

"The teacher