The Emperor of Portugalia | Page 3

at him appealingly, as if
wanting to ask whether he was pleased with her. The other women, too,
all turned their eyes toward him, expectantly waiting for some word of
praise from him for all the trouble they had been to on his account.
However, it is not so easy to appear jubilant when one has been half
frozen and out of sorts all day! Jan could not clear his face of that
Eric-of-Falla expression, and stood there without saying a word.
Then the midwife took a step forward. The hut was so tiny that that one
stride put her square in front of him, so that she could place the child in
his arms.
"Now Jan shall have a peek at the li'l' lassie She's what I'd call a real
baby!" said the midwife.
And there stood Jan, holding in his two hands something soft and warm
done up in a big shawl, a corner of which had been turned back that he
might see the little wrinkled face and the tiny wizzened hands. He was
wondering what the womenfolk expected him to do with that which
had been thrust upon him, when he felt a sudden shock that shook both
him and the child. It had not come from any of the women and whether

it had passed through the child to him or through him to the child, he
could not tell.
Immediately after, the heart of him began to beat in his breast as it had
never done before. Now he was no longer cold, or sad, or worried. Nor
did he feel angry. All was well with him. But he could not comprehend
why there was a thumping and a beating in his breast, when he had not
been dancing, or running, or climbing hills.
"My good woman," he said to the midwife, "do lay your hand here and
feel of my heart! It seems to beat so queerly."
"Why, it's a regular attack of the heart!" the midwife declared. "But
perhaps you're subject to these spells?"
"No," he assured her. "I've never had one before--not just in this way."
"Do you feel bad? Are you in pain?"
"Oh, no!"
Then the midwife could not make out what ailed him. "Anyhow," said
she, "I'll relieve you of the child."
But now Jan felt he did not want to give up the child. "Ah, let me hold
the little girl!" he pleaded.
The womenfolk must have read something in his eyes, or caught
something in his tone that pleased them: for the midwife's mouth had a
peculiar quirk and the other women all burst out laughing.
"Say Jan, have you never cared so much for somebody that your heart
has been set athrobbing because of her?" asked the midwife.
"No indeed!" said Jan.
But at that moment he knew what it was that had quickened the heart in
him. Moreover he was beginning to perceive what had been amiss with
him all his life, and that he whose heart does not respond to either joy

or sorrow can hardly be called human.
GLORY GOLDIE SUNNYCASTLE
The following day Jan of Ruffluck Croft stood waiting for hours on the
doorstep of his hut, with the little girl in his arms.
This, too, was a long wait. But now it was all so different from the day
before. He was standing there in such good company that he could
become neither weary nor disheartened. Nor could he begin to tell how
good it felt to be holding the warm little body pressed close to his heart.
It occurred to him that hitherto he had been mighty sour and unpleasant,
even to himself; but now all was bliss and sweetness within him. He
had never dreamed that one could be so gladdened by just loving some
one.
He had not stationed himself on the doorstep without a purpose, as may
be assumed. It was an important matter that he must try to settle while
standing there. He and Katrina had spent the whole morning trying to
choose a name for the child. They had been at it for hours, without
arriving at a decision. Finally Katrina had said: "I don't see but that
you'll have to take the child and go stand on the stoop with her. Then
you can ask the first female that happens along what her name is, and
the name she names we must give to the girl, be it ugly or pretty."
Now the hut lay rather out of the way and it was seldom that any one
passed by their place; so Jan had to stand out there ever so long,
without seeing a soul. This was also a gray day, though no rain fell. It
was not windy and cold, however, but rather a