rucible； andyet obtain no gold。 And so it was。 Empty are the barns andstore…rooms； the cellars and cupboards； the servants decreased innumber； and the mice multiplied。 First one window became broken； andthen another； so that I could get in at other places besides the door。'Where the chimney smokes； the meal is being cooked；' says theproverb； but here a chimney smoked that devoured all the meals for thesake of gold。 I blew round the courtyard；〃 said the Wind； 〃like awatchman blowing his home； but no watchman was there。 I twirled theweather…cock round on the summit of the tower； and it creaked like thesnoring of a warder； but no warder was there； nothing but mice andrats。 Poverty laid the table…cloth； poverty sat in the wardrobe and inthe larder。 The door fell off its hinges； cracks and fissures madetheir appearance everywhere； so that I could go in and out atpleasure； and that is how I know all about it。 Amid smoke and ashes；sorrow； and sleepless nights； the hair and beard of the master ofthe house turned gray； and deep furrows showed themselves around histemples； his skin turned pale and yellow； while his eyes stilllooked eagerly for gold； the longed…for gold； and the result of hislabor was debt instead of gain。 I blew the smoke and ashes into hisface and beard； I moaned through the broken window…panes； and theyawning clefts in the walls； I blew into the chests and drawersbelonging to his daughters； wherein lay the clothes that had beefaded and threadbare； from being worn over and over again。 Such a songhad not been sung； at the children's cradle as I sung now。 Thelordly life had changed to a life of penury。 I was the only one whorejoiced aloud in that castle；〃 said the Wind。 〃At last I snowedthem up； and they say snow keeps people warm。 It was good for them；for they had no wood； and the forest； from which they might haveobtained it； had been cut down。 The frost was very bitter； and Irushed through loop…holes and passages； over gables and roofs withkeen and cutting swiftness。 The three high…born daughters were lyingin bed because of the cold； and their father crouching beneath hisleather coverlet。 Nothing to eat； nothing to burn； no fire on thehearth！ Here was a life for high…born people！ 'Give it up； give itup！' But my Lord Daa would not do that。 'After winter； spring wille；' he said； 'after want； good times。 We must not lose patience； wemust learn to wait。 Now my horses and lands are all mortgaged； it isindeed high time； but gold will e at last… at Easter。'
〃I heard him as he thus spoke； he was looking at a spider's web；and he continued； 'Thou cunning little weaver； thou dost teach meperseverance。 Let any one tear thy web； and thou wilt begin againand repair it。 Let it be entirely destroyed； thou wilt resolutelybegin to make another till it is pleted。 So ought we to do； if wewish to succeed at last。'
〃It was the morning of Easter…day。 The bells sounded from theneighboring church； and the sun seemed to rejoice in the sky。 Themaster of the castle had watched through the night； in feverishexcitement； and had been melting and cooling； distilling and mixing。 Iheard him sighing like a soul in despair； I heard him praying； and Inoticed how he held his breath。 The lamp burnt out； but he did notobserve it。 I blew up the fire in the coals on the hearth； and itthrew a red glow on his ghastly white face； lighting it up with aglare； while his sunken eyes looked out wildly from their cavernousdepths； and appeared to grow larger and more prominent； as if theywould burst from their sockets。 'Look at the alchymic glass；' hecried； 'something glows in the crucible； pure and heavy。' He lifted itwith a trembling hand； and exclaimed in a voice of agitation； 'Gold！gold！' He was quite giddy； I could have blown him down；〃 said theWind； 〃but I only fanned the glowing coals； and acpanied himthrough the door to the room where his daughter sat shivering。 Hiscoat was powdered with ashes； and there were ashes in his beard and inhis tangled hair。 He stood erect； and held high in the air the brittleglass that contained his costly treasure。 'Found！ found！ Gold！gold！' he shouted； again holding the glass aloft； that it mightflash in the sunshine； but his hand trembled； and the alchymic glassfell from it； clattering to the ground； and brake in a thousandpieces。 The last bubble of his happiness had burst； with a whiz anda whir； and I rushed away from the gold…maker's house。
〃Late in the autumn； when the days were short； and the mistsprinkled cold drops on the berries and the leafless branches； Icame back in fresh spirits； rushed through the air； swept the skyclear； and snapped off the dry twigs； which is certainly no greatlabor to do； yet it must be done。 There was another kind of sweepingtaking place at Waldemar Daa's； in the castle of Borreby。 His enemy；Owe Ramel； of Basnas； was there； with the mortgage of the house andeverything it contained； in his pocket。 I rattled the brokenwindows； beat against the old rotten doors； and whistled throughcracks and crevices； so that Mr。 Owe Ramel did not much like to remainthere。 Ida and Anna Dorothea wept bitterly； Joanna stood； pale andproud； biting her lips till the blood came； but what could that avail？Owe Ramel offered Waldemar Daa permission to remain in the housetill the end of his life。 No one thanked him for the offer； and Isaw the ruined old gentleman lift his head； and throw it back moreproudly than ever。 Then I rushed against the house and the oldlime…trees with such force； that one of the thickest branches； adecayed one； was broken off； and the branch fell at the entrance；and remained there。 It might have been used as a broom； if any one hadwanted to sweep the place out； and a grand sweeping…out there reallywas； I thought it would be so。 It was hard for any one to preserveposure on such a day； but these people had strong wills； asunbending as their hard fortune。 There was nothing they could calltheir own； excepting the clothes they wore。 Yes； there was one thingmore； an alchymist's glass； a new one； which had been lately bought；and filled with what could be gathered from the ground of the treasurewhich had promised so much but failed in keeping its promise。 WaldemarDaa hid the glass in his bosom； and； taking his stick in his hand； theonce rich gentleman passed with his daughters out of the house ofBorreby。 I blew coldly upon his flustered cheeks； I stroked his graybeard and his long white hair； and I sang as well as I was able；'Whir…r…r； whir…r…r。 Gone away！ Gone away！' Ida walked on one sideof the old man； and Anna Dorothea on the other； Joanna turned round；as they left the entrance。 Why？ Fortune would not turn because sheturned。 She looked at the stone in the walls which had once formedpart of the castle of Marck Stig； and perhaps she thought of hisdaughters and of the old song；…
〃The eldest and youngest； hand…in…hand；
Went forth alone to a distant land。〃These were only two； here there were three； and their father with themalso。 They walked along the high…road； where once they had driven intheir splendid carriage； they went forth with their father as beggars。They wandered across an open field to a mud hut； which they rented fora dollar and a half a year； a new home； with bare walls and emptycupb