Page:Popular Tales of the Germans (Volume 1).djvu/193

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OF THE VEIL.
175

tigue and hunger, under a foreſt tree, and when the coolneſs of the evening had refreſhed his ſpirits and recruited his ſtrength, he lifted up his eyes, and beheld at a ſhort diſtance a pious hermit performing his oriſons before a ſimple crucifix, of which the croſs pieces were only faſtened together with the bark of a tree. This devout ſpectacle gave him courage to approach the holy father; he aſſumed a very ſupplicating poſture, and kneeled down behind him. The hermit having ended his devotions gave the ſtranger his bleſſing: on perceiving his paleneſs and trepidation, and judging from his habit that he was either a pike-man or ſhield-bearer, he entered into a converſation with him. The honeſt Swabian unfolded his misfortunes with as much ſincerity as if he had been confeſſing, without ſuppreſſing his apprehenſions of death, for he ſtill fancied the deſtroying angels were cloſe behind him with their ſpits and fire-forks aimed at his fleſhy buttocks. The hermit took pity on

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