the altar with pale and sober mien, bowing low as the music swelled, and folding his small white hands upon his breast.  The squire’s Barbara, who carried a burning taper wreathed with rosemary, had gone before him and took her stand at the side of the altar.  The mass began; and at the tinkling of the bell all fell upon their faces, and not a sound would have been heard, had not a flight of pigeons passed directly over the altar with that fluttering and chirping noise which always accompanies their motion through the air.  For all the world Ivo would not have looked up just then; for he knew that the Holy Ghost was descending, to effect the mysterious transubstantiation of the wine into blood and the bread into flesh, and that no mortal eye can look upon Him without being struck with blindness.

The chaplain of Horb now entered the pulpit, and solemnly addressed the “permitiant.”

Then the latter took his place.  Ivo sat near by, on a stool; with his right arm resting on his knee, and his chin upon his hand, he listened attentively.  He understood little of the sermon; but his eyes hung upon the preacher’s lips, and his mind followed his intentions if not his thoughts.

When the procession returned to the church amid the renewed peal of the bells and triumphant strains of music, Ivo clasped the crucifix firmly with both his hands; he felt as if new strength had been given him to carry his God before him.

As the crowd dispersed, every one spoke in raptures of the “gentleman” and of the happiness of the parents of such a son.  Christian the tailor and his wife came down the covered stairs of the church-hill in superior bliss.  Ordinarily they attracted little attention in the village; but on this occasion all crowded around them with the greatest reverence, to present their congratulations.

The young clergyman’s mother returned thanks with tearful eyes; she could scarcely speak for joyous weeping.  Ivo heard his cousin, who had come over from Rexingen, say that Gregory’s parents were now obliged to address their son with the formal pronoun “they,” by which strangers and great personages are spoken to, instead of the simple “thee and thou,” by which German villagers converse with each other.

“Is that so, mother?” he asked.

“Of course,” was the answer:  “he’s more than other folks now.”

With all their enthusiasm, the good people did not forget the pecuniary advantage gained by Christian the tailor.  It was said that he need take no further trouble all his life.  Cordele, Gregory’s sister, was to be her brother’s housekeeper, and her brother was a fortune to his family and an honor to all the village.

Translation of Charles Goepp.

The following passages from “On the Heights” are reprinted by consent of
Henry Holt & Co., holders of the copyright of the translation.

THE PEASANT-NURSE AND THE PRINCE