His mother was very much shocked and wanted to travel the next day to see for herself if her child was very ill.

But the Pastor said that would not do, but that she should wait until the doctor allowed a visit, and she could be sure that Toni was receiving the best care.

With a heavy heart Elsbeth went back to her cottage.  She could do nothing but leave it all to the dear Lord, who alone had been her trust for so many years.  But it was only a few days later when the Pastor sent her word that she was to go to Bern at once, as the doctor wished her to come.

Early the following day Elsbeth started.  About noon she reached Bern and soon was standing in front of the door of the sanitarium.

She was led to the doctor’s living-room and here received with great friendliness by his wife and with still keener sympathy by the lady from Geneva, who had so lived in the history of poor Toni and his mother that she could hardly think of anything else but how to help these two.  She had had only the one child and could so well understand the mother’s trouble.  She had even asked the doctor to allow her to be present when he took the boy to his mother, in order to share in the joy, if the poor boy’s delight at seeing her again would affect him as they hoped.

Soon the doctor appeared, and after he had prepared the mother not to expect Toni to speak at the first moment, he brought him in.  He led him by the hand into the room, then he let go and stepped to one side.

The mother ran to her Toni and tried to seize his hand.  He drew back and pressed into the corner staring into vacancy.

The women and the doctor exchanged sad looks.

His mother went up to him and caressed him.  “Toneli, Toneli,” she said again and again in a tender voice, “don’t you know me?  Don’t you know your mother any more?”

As always before Toni pressed against the wall, made no motion and stared before him.

In tender tones the mother continued mournfully: 

“Oh, Toneli, say just a single word!  Only look at me once!  Toneli, don’t you hear me?”

Toneli remained unmoved.

Still once again the mother looked at him full of tenderness, but only met his staring eyes.  It was too much for poor Elsbeth, that the only possession she had on earth, and the one she loved with all her heart, her Toni, should be lost to her, and in such a sad way!  She forgot everything around her.  She fell on her knees beside her child, and while the tears were bursting from her eyes, she poured out aloud the sorrow in her heart: 

  Oh God of Love, oh Father-heart,
    In whom my trust is founded,
  I know full well how good Thou art—­
    E’en when by grief I am wounded.

  Oh Lord, it surely can not be
    That Thou wilt let me languish
  In hopeless depths of misery
    And live in tears of anguish.

Toni’s eyes took on a different expression.  He looked at his mother.  She did not see him and went on imploring in the midst of her tears: