"
But the old man shook his head.
"A miller I have lived," quoth he, "and a miller will I die. But tell
me, Nathalie, are you willing to leave me?"
The girl cast down her eyes and blushed sweetly.
"I love him," she whispered, "and if you separate us I shall die."
"Then," said the miller, kissing her with a heavy heart, "go; and may
God bless you."
So Nathalie and the Squire were wed, and lived in the great house, and
the very day after the wedding she came walking down to the mill in
her pretty new gown to see the miller.
But as she drew near she heard him singing, as was his wont; and the
song he sung she had not heard since she was a little girl, for this
was it:
"I care for nobody, no! not I,
Since nobody cares for me."
She came up softly behind him, and put her arms around his neck.
"Papa," said she, "you must not sing that song. Nathalie loves you
yet, and always will while she lives; for my new love is complete in
itself, and has not robbed you of one bit of the love that has always
been your very own."
The miller turned and looked into her blue eyes, and knew that she
spoke truly.
"Then I must learn a new song again," he said, "for it is lonely at
the mill, and singing makes the heart lighter. But I will promise that
never again, till you forget me, will I sing that nobody cares for
me.
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