牧羊人彼得·克劳斯（4）（2/2）
《泰西故事30篇》作者：李汉昭 2017-04-10 17:32
ody lost. Does anybody know—”
He was about to inquire for his wife and children; but he thought how odd that would seem, and stopped short. He was silent for a moment; then he looked around at the circle of strange faces and asked, “Where is Kurt Steffen, the blacksmith?”
The crowd stared at him, but no one spoke. Then an old woman who had hobbled across the street to look at him answered, “Kurt Steffen!Why, Kurt Steffen went to the wars years and years ago. Nobody has heard from him since.”
Poor Peter Klaus looked around him, more dazed than ever. His lips quivered pitifully as he asked, “Then where is Valentine Meyer, the shoemaker?”
“Ah, me!” answered another old woman.“Valentine has been lying for nearly twenty years in a house that he will never leave.”
Peter thought that he had seen both of the old women before—but as he remembered them they were young and handsome and of about his own age. He was about to ask another question when he saw a sprightly young mother, who looked very much like his wife, coming down the street. She was leading a little girl about four years of age, and on her arm was a year-old baby. He staggered and rubbed his eyes, and leaned against the wall for support.
“Does anybody know Peter Klaus, the goat-herd?” he stammered.
“Peter Klaus!” cried the young mother.“Why, that was my father’s name. It is now twenty years since he was lost. His flock came home without him one evening, and all the village searched night and day among the hills and on the mountain, but could not find him. I was then only four years old.”
“And are you little Maria?” asked Peter, trembling harder than ever.
“My name is Maria,” was the answer, “but I am no longer little Maria.”
“And I am your father!” cried Peter. “I am Peter Klaus who was lost. Don’t any of you know Peter Klaus?”
All who heard him were filled with astonishment; and Maria, with her two children, rushed into his arms crying, “Welcome, father! Welcome home again! I felt sure it was you as soon as I saw you.”
And soon all the old people in the village came to greet him. “Peter Klaus? Yes, yes, it seems only yesterday that you drove our goats to the pasture. How time does fly! Welcome, old neighbor! Welcome home after being away twenty years.”
[end]
He was about to inquire for his wife and children; but he thought how odd that would seem, and stopped short. He was silent for a moment; then he looked around at the circle of strange faces and asked, “Where is Kurt Steffen, the blacksmith?”
The crowd stared at him, but no one spoke. Then an old woman who had hobbled across the street to look at him answered, “Kurt Steffen!Why, Kurt Steffen went to the wars years and years ago. Nobody has heard from him since.”
Poor Peter Klaus looked around him, more dazed than ever. His lips quivered pitifully as he asked, “Then where is Valentine Meyer, the shoemaker?”
“Ah, me!” answered another old woman.“Valentine has been lying for nearly twenty years in a house that he will never leave.”
Peter thought that he had seen both of the old women before—but as he remembered them they were young and handsome and of about his own age. He was about to ask another question when he saw a sprightly young mother, who looked very much like his wife, coming down the street. She was leading a little girl about four years of age, and on her arm was a year-old baby. He staggered and rubbed his eyes, and leaned against the wall for support.
“Does anybody know Peter Klaus, the goat-herd?” he stammered.
“Peter Klaus!” cried the young mother.“Why, that was my father’s name. It is now twenty years since he was lost. His flock came home without him one evening, and all the village searched night and day among the hills and on the mountain, but could not find him. I was then only four years old.”
“And are you little Maria?” asked Peter, trembling harder than ever.
“My name is Maria,” was the answer, “but I am no longer little Maria.”
“And I am your father!” cried Peter. “I am Peter Klaus who was lost. Don’t any of you know Peter Klaus?”
All who heard him were filled with astonishment; and Maria, with her two children, rushed into his arms crying, “Welcome, father! Welcome home again! I felt sure it was you as soon as I saw you.”
And soon all the old people in the village came to greet him. “Peter Klaus? Yes, yes, it seems only yesterday that you drove our goats to the pasture. How time does fly! Welcome, old neighbor! Welcome home after being away twenty years.”
[end]