Now she had learned through Sally’s prayer that Denmark had been her native land, and that a father was living there.  All this she told to her husband the same evening, and proposed that he should write at once to this gentleman in Denmark.

The pastor leaned far back in his armchair and stared at his wife with astonishment.  “Dear wife,” he said at last, “do you really believe that I could send a letter addressed ‘von Vestentrop, Denmark’?  This address is no doubt enough for the dear God, but not for short-sighted human beings.”

But the wife did not give in.  She reminded her husband that he knew their countryman, the pastor of the French church in Copenhagen, and that he perhaps could help him onto the track of von Vestentrop; the latter must be the owner of an estate and such a gentleman could be found.  And the wife spoke so long and so impressively to her husband that he finally sat down that very evening and wrote two letters.  The one he addressed “To Mr. von Vestentrop in Denmark”.  This one he enclosed in the second and addressed that to his acquaintance, the pastor of the French church in Copenhagen.  Then he laid the heavy letter on his writing-table so that early to-morrow morning ’Lizebeth would find it and carry it to the post office.

CHAPTER X

Surprising Things Happen

Weeks had passed by since Erick had become an inhabitant of the parsonage, but ’Lizebeth had not changed her mind.  Just now she was standing in the kitchen-door, when Erick came running up the steps, and hastily asked:  “Where are Ritz and Edi?”

’Lizebeth measured him with a long look and said:  “I should have thought that a boy in velvet would utter the names in a strange house more politely, and that he might say, ‘Where are Eduardi and Moritzli?’”

Much frightened, Erick looked up to ’Lizebeth.  “I did not know that I ought to talk so in the parsonage; I have never done it and I am sorry for it; now I will always remember to say it,” he promised assuringly.

Now that did not suit ’Lizebeth.  She had believed that he would answer, “That is none of your business.”  For that remark she had prepared a fitting answer.  And now he answered her so nicely that she was caught, but if he really was going to carry out his promise, then the lady of the house might find out how she had schoolmastered him and that might draw upon her some unpleasantness, for she knew how tenderly the former treated the boy Erick.  She therefore changed her tactics and said:  “Well, you see, I always say the names in the proper way; it is different with you, you are their comrade, and as far as I am concerned, you can call them as you like.”

“I should like to ask something else, if I may,” said Erick, and politely waited for permission.

’Lizebeth liked this mannerly way very well and said encouragingly:  “Yes, indeed, ask on, as much as you like.”