All night long Panna tossed sleeplessly on her bed, and with the
earliest dawn she rose, went to her father, who was also awake, and
begged him to go to old Frau Molnar and entreat her forgiveness and
permission for her, Panna, to nurse the wounded man.
At the same time she took from her neck a pretty silver crucifix, such
as peasant women wear, a heritage from her mother, who died young, and
gave it to her father to offer to the old woman as an atonement. She
had nothing more valuable, or she would have bestowed it too.
"That is well done," said her father, and went out to discharge his
duty as messenger.
It was a hard nut which he had to crack. The old mother was again
fierce and wrathful and received him with a face as black as night; but
he accosted her gently, reminded her of her Christian faith, and
finally handed her the silver atonement. This touched the old dame's
heart. She burst into a torrent of tears, upbraided him with the
magnitude of her misery, said that she would never be able to forgive,
but she saw that the girl had acted without any evil design, that she
was sorry----
Pista, who had been delirious during the night, but was now better, had
hitherto listened quietly and intently.
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