excellent, although he were not blind.

"Something might be made of the boy and of his voice!" said
Wilhelm, when little Jonas, in a joyous mood, had left the house
with the other lads.

"The poor child!" sighed Otto. "I have fairly lost my good spirits
through all this. It seizes upon me so strangely when I see misery
and genius mated. Once there came to our estate in Jutland a man
who played the Pandean-pipes, and at the same time beat the drum
and cymbals: near him stood a little girl, and struck the triangle.
I was forced to weep over this spectacle; without understanding how
it was, I felt the misery of the poor child. I was myself yet a
mere boy."

"He looked so comic in the big boots that I became quite merry, and
not grave," said Wilhelm. "Nevertheless what a pity it is that such
gentle blood, which at the first glance one perceives he is, that
such a pretty child should become a rude fellow, and his beautiful
voice change into a howl, like that with which the other tall Laban
saluted us. Who knows whether little Jonas might not become the
first singer on the Danish stage? Yes, if he received education of
mind and voice, who knows? I could really have, pleasure in
attempting it, and help every one on in the world, before I myself
am rightly in the way!"

"If he is born to a beggar's estate," said Otto, "let him as beggar
live and die, and learn nothing higher. That is better, that is
more to be desired!"