onsiderable present; "on the heath thou hast shelter and a home;
in Copenhagen, perhaps, the sandy beach would have been thy nightly
resting-place, hunger and cold the gifts which the day would bring
thee."

The nearer he approached the west, the more serious became his frame of
mind; it was as if the desolate scenery and cold sea-mist entered his
soul. The pictures of the gay country-seat at Funen were supplanted by
recollections of his home with his grandfather. He became more and more
low-spirited. It was only when a single mile separated him from his
home that the thought of surprising his dear friends conquered his
melancholy.

He caught sight of the red roof of the house, saw the willow
plantations, and heard the bark of the yard-dog. Upon the hillock before
the gate stood a group of children. Otto could no longer endure the slow
driving through the deep ruts. He sprang out of the carriage, and ran
more than he walked. The children on the hillock became aware of him,
and all looked toward the side from whence he came.

The slow driving, and his being absorbed in melancholy fancies, had
relaxed his powerful frame; but now in one moment all his elasticity
returned: his cheeks glowed, and his heart beat loudly.

From the court resounded singing--it was the singing of a psalm. He
stepped through the gateway. A crowd of peasants stood with bared heads:
before the door stood a carriage, some peasants were just raising a
coffin into it. In the doorway stood the old preacher, and spoke with a
man clad in black.

"Lord Jesus! who is dead?" were Otto's first words, and his countenance
became pale like that of a corpse.

"Otto!" all exclaimed.

"Otto!" exclaimed also the old preacher, astonished; then seized his
hand, and said gravely, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord!"

"Let me see the face of the dead!" said Otto. Not a tear came to his
eye; surprise and sorrow were too great.

"Shall I take out the screws?" inquired the man who had just screwed up
the coffin.

"Let him sleep the eternal rest!" said the preacher.

Otto stared at the black coffin in which his grandfather lay. The
carriage drove away with it. Otto followed after with the preacher,
heard him throw earth upon it, heard words which he did not comprehend,
saw the last corner of the coffin, and it was then removed from his
sight. All was as a dream to him.

They returned back to the preacher's abode; a