I asked him why he put such a question to me: what I had drunk at Bürscher's I had always paid for.
"So I should have thought. It's only because Bürscher has sent me a paper to-day, which belongs to you, I'm thinking."
He gave me the paper: it was grey; and I turned red. Father noticed this and said:
"Seems to me there's some disgrace about it, for all that!"
"Not a disgrace," said I, with my eyes fixed on the lines, which were part in print and part in writing. "An honour rather. _Present myself_, that's what I have to do."
"Take note that you, Peter Rosegger, living at house No. 18 at Alpel, born in the year 1843, in the parish of Krieglach, are hereby called upon to fulfil your military obligations by presenting yourself for inspection, at 8 o'clock in the morning on the 14th of March, 1864, at the appointed place at Bruck, clean-washed and in clean linen, failing which you will be treated as a deserter and undergo the usual consequences prescribed by law.
"KINDBERG, 15 February, 1864. "For the Town Council, "WESTREICHER, "_Chairman_. "Lot No. 67. Age-class I."
By this time, my mother was there too. She could not believe it. Why, it wasn't so long since I was just a little bit of a chap! And now, all at once, a soldier!
"Give them time. And look at him. They won't send _him_ home in a hurry. Jesu, Mary! And the chest is spreading, too, now! That narrow little chest of yours was always my comfort. And to think that you have grown so broad all in a year!"
I had jumped out of bed, but did not know how to defend myself against my disconsolate mother's reproaches.
"Thank your stars that he's healthy. Do you want a cripple for a son? Would you rather have had that than a fine, well-set-up soldier?"
"You're right, of course, Lenzel:[15] if only I could keep him with me, though. Sooner or later, he'll have to go to the front; and I simply can't bear to think of that."
"Get back into bed again," said father to me. "You could have stayed in bed, if you'd wanted to."
I didn't care about bed now. I was glowing in every limb. True, I had been secretly awaiting this summons, in fear and trembling; but, now that it had come, I had an ever so pleasant and cheerful feeling inside me. I was filled with joy and pride. The Emperor had sent for me! I rushed to the door; I could have shouted from house to house, from hill to hill: