“I blew through the castle gate like a warder blowing his horn; but there
was no warder,” said the wind. “I turned the weathercock above the tower-it
sounded like a watchman snoring inside the tower; but no watchman was
there-it was only kept by rats and mice. Poverty presided at the table-
poverty sat in the clothes' chests and in the store-rooms. The doors fell off
their hinges-there came cracks and crevices everywhere. I went in, and I
went out,” said the wind; “therefore I knew what was going on.
“Amidst smoke and ashes-amidst anxiety and sleepless nights-Waldemar
Daae's hair had turned grey; so had his beard and the thin locks on his
forehead; his skin had become wrinkled and yellow, his eyes ever straining
after gold-the expected gold.
“I whisked smoke and ashes into his face and beard: debts came instead
of gold. I sang through the broken windows and cracked walls-came
moaning in to the daughter's cheerless room, where the old bed-gear was
faded and threadbare, but had still to hold out. Such a song was not sung at
the children's cradles. High life had become wretched life. I was the only
one then who sang loudly in the castle,” said the wind. “I snowed them in,
and they said they were comfortable. They had no wood to burn-the trees
had been felled from which they would have got it. It was a sharp frost. I
rushed through loopholes and corridors, over roofs and walls, to keep up my
activity. In their poor chamber lay the three aristocratic daughters in their
bed to keep themselves warm. To be as poor as church mice-that was high
life! Wheugh! Would they give it up? But Herr Daae could not.
“'After winter comes spring,' said he. 'After want come good times; but
they make one wait. The castle is now mortgaged-we have arrived at the
worst-we shall have gold now at Easter!'
“I heard him murmuring near a spider's web:-
“'Thou active little weaver! thou teachest me to persevere. Even if thy
web be swept away thou dost commence again, and dost complete it. Again
let it be torn asunder, and, unwearied, thou dost again recommence thy
