At the threshold, with her hand upon
the door-post against which she had so often leaned, she said sadly:
"May God reward this house for all good, and forgive it for all evil!"
They had gone but a few paces when Barefoot called out: "Good heavens! I
have forgotten all my shoes! They are upstairs on the shelf!"
Scarcely had she spoken the words, when the shoes, as if they were
running after their owner, came flying out of the window and down into
the street.
"Run to the devil in them!" cried a voice from the garret window. The
voice sounded masculine, and yet it belonged to Rose.
Barefoot collected the shoes and took them to the tavern with John, who
carried the sack on his back.
The moon was shining brightly, and the whole village was already asleep.
Barefoot would not stay at the tavern.
"Then I should like to go home this very night," said John.
"Before I do anything else," replied Barefoot, "I must go to Black
Marianne. She has filled a mother's place for me, and I have not seen
her today, and have not been able to do anything for her. And besides
that, she's ill. Alas! It is too bad that I shall have to leave her; but
what am I to do? Come, go with me to her."
They went together to the house. When Barefoot opened the inside door a
moonbeam fell upon the angel on the stove, just as a sunbeam had fallen
on that day of long ago. And it seemed to smile and dance more merrily.
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