Biorn joined his hands, cast a look of thankfulness up to heaven, and said, smiling, "Yes, praised be God! it is the right companion! It is sweet gentle death!" And then he made a sign to his son to approach, saying, "Come here, my deliverer; come, blessed of the Lord, that I may relate to thee all that has passed within me."As Sintram now sat close by his father's couch, all who were in the room perceived a remarkable and striking change.For old Biorn, whose whole countenance, and not his eyes alone, had been wont to have a fiery aspect, was now quite pale, almost like white marble;while, on the other hand, the cheeks of the once deadly pale Sintram glowed with a bright bloom like that of early youth.It was caused by the morning cloud which still shone upon him, whose presence in the room was rather felt than seen; but it produced a gentle thrill in every heart.
"See, my son," began the old man, softly and mildly, "I have lain for a long time in a death-like sleep, and have known nothing of what was going on around me; but within,--ah! within, I have known but too much! I thought that my soul would be destroyed by the eternal anguish; and yet again I felt, with much greater horror, that my soul was eternal like that anguish.Beloved son, thy cheeks that glowed so brightly are beginning to grow pale at my words.I refrain from more.But let me relate to you something more cheering.Far, far away, I could see a bright lofty church, where Gotthard and Rudlieb Lenz were kneeling and praying for me.Gotthard had grown very old, and looked almost like one of our mountains covered with snow, on which the sun, in the lovely evening hours, is shining; and Rudlieb was also an elderly man, but very vigorous and very strong; and they both, with all their strength and vigour, were calling upon God to aid me, their enemy.Then I heard a voice like that of an angel, saying, 'His son does the most for him! He must this night wrestle with death and with the fallen one! His victory will be victory, and his defeat will be defeat, for the old man and himself.' Thereupon Iawoke; and I knew that all depended upon whom thou wouldst bring with thee.Thou hast conquered.Next to God, the praise be to thee!""Gotthard and Rudlieb have helped much," replied Sintram; "and, beloved father, so have the fervent prayers of the chaplain of Drontheim.I felt, when struggling with temptation and deadly fear, how the heavenly breath of holy men floated round me and aided me.""I am most willing to believe that, my noble son, and everything thou sayest to me," answered the old man; and at the same moment the chaplain also coming in, Biorn stretched out his hand towards him with a smile of peace and joy.And now all seemed to be surrounded with a bright circle of unity and blessedness."But see," said old Biorn, "how the faithful Skovmark jumps upon me now, and tries to caress me.It is not long since he used always to howl with terror when he saw me.""My dear lord," said the chaplain, "there is a spirit dwelling in good beasts, though dreamy and unconscious."As the day wore on, the stillness in the hall increased.The last hour of the aged knight was drawing near, but he met it calmly and fearlessly.The chaplain and Sintram prayed beside his couch.The retainers knelt devoutly around.At length the dying man said: "Is that the prayer-bell in Verena's cloister?" Sintram's looks said yea; while warm tears fell on the colourless cheeks of his father.
A gleam shone in the old man's eyes, the morning cloud stood close over him, and then the gleam, the morning cloud, and life with them, departed from him.
