human
Do you know--do you know a young mechanic, Franz Erdmann, of M., who wandered over to France, lived in B., and is now serving in the Prussian army?
gpt
Why should I not know him? replied Frederic, surprised more at the strange tone of the question than at the glance which accompanied it.
human
He is my brother, that is, my foster-brother, as he is usually called.
gpt
And so --Jane's voice was almost stifled in her terrible excitement--
human
Certainly it was I, replied Frederic.
gpt
But where in the world, Miss Forest, did you learn all this!
human
And Professor Fernow! He too was reared by pastor Hartwig; but how came he there!
gpt
Well, it all happened very simply; the pastor took us both into his house the same year. Me first, out of favor and sympathy, because no one else would have me, and a few months later, my master, his sister's son, because his parents had suddenly died, and he had no other relations. As I was already there, he could not very well send me away, and so he kept us both. He did not do it willingly, and we had to pay dear for the bread he gave us; I by hard work around the house, and my master at the writing-desk; the pastor was determined he should be a scholar, but at the first, he would far rather have made verses. Well, all that soon ended; pastor Hartwig kept us well in rein.--God rest his soul! It did not go well with me until he really was at rest, and my young master, who became his heir, took me in charge. We have been almost twenty years together.