They also almost entirely forgot
about the uncle in Fluorn, for during many years they had heard nothing
of him.
But one day the children were called into their guardian's house, and
there sat a tall, heavy man with a brown face.
"Come here, children," said this man, as the children entered. "Don't
you know me?" He had a dry, harsh voice.
The children looked at him with wondering eyes. Perhaps some remembrance
of their father's voice awoke within them. The man continued:
"I am your father's brother. Come here, Lisbeth, and you too, Damie."
"My name's not Lisbeth--my name's Amrei," said the girl; and she began
to cry. She did not offer her hand to her uncle. A feeling of
estrangement made her tremble, when her own uncle thus called her by a
wrong name; she very likely felt that there could be no real affection
for her in anybody who did not know her name.
"If you are my uncle, why don't you know my name?" asked Amrei.
"You are a stupid child! Go and offer him your hand immediately!"
commanded Farmer Rodel. And then he said to the stranger, half in a
whisper: "She's a strange child. Black Marianne, who, you know, is a
peculiar sort of person, has put all sorts of odd notions into her
head."
Amrei looked around in astonishment, and gave her hand to her uncle,
trembling. Damie, who had done so already, now said:
"Uncle, have you brought us anything?"
"I haven't much to bring.
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