He kept his word manfully , and was much comforted to find that his experience was an old story to the professor , who approved his plan , thinking wisely that the discipline would be good for him , and was very kind in offering help and promising to keep the secret of his folly from his friend Bhaer till Nat had redeemed himself . The first week of the new year was spent by our prodigal in carrying out his plan with penitent dispatch , and his birthday found him alone in the little room high up at Frau Tetzel 's , with nothing of his former splendour , but sundry unsalable keepsakes from the buxom maidens , who mourned his absence deeply . His male friends had ridiculed , pitied , and soon left him alone , with one or two exceptions , who offered their purses generously and promised to stand by him . He was lonely and heavy-hearted , and sat brooding over his small fire as he remembered the last New Year 's Day at Plumfield , when at this hour he was dancing with his Daisy . A tap at the door roused him , and with a careless ` Herein ' , he waited to see who had climbed so far for his sake . It was the good Frau proudly bearing a tray , on which stood a bottle of wine and an astonishing cake bedecked with sugar-plums of every hue , and crowned with candles . Fraulein Vogelstein followed , embracing a blooming rose-tree , above which her grey curls waved and her friendly face beamed joyfully as she cried : ` Dear Herr Blak , we bring you greetings and a little gift or two in honour of this ever-to-be-remembered day . Best wishes ! and may the new year bloom for you as beautifully as we your heart-warm friends desire . ' ` Yes , yes , in truth we do , dear Herr , ' added Frau Tetzel . ` Eat of this with-joy-made Kuchen , and drink to the health of the far-away beloved ones in the good wine . ' Amused , yet touched by the kindness of the good souls , Nat thanked them both , and made them stay to enjoy the humble feast with him . This they gladly did , being motherly women full of pity for the dear youth , whose straits they knew , and having substantial help to offer , as well as kind words and creature comforts . Frau Tetzel , with some hesitation , mentioned a friend of hers who , forced by illness to leave his place in the orchestra of a second-rate theatre , would gladly offer it to Nat , if he could accept so humble a position . Blushing and toying with the roses like a shy girl , good old Vogelstein asked if in his leisure moments he could give English lessons in the young ladies ' school where she taught painting , adding that a small but certain salary would be paid him . Gratefully Nat accepted both offers , finding it less humiliating to be helped by women than by friends of his own sex . This work would support him in a frugal way , and certain musical drudgery promised by his master assured his own teaching . Delighted with the success of their little plot , these friendly neighbours left him with cheery words , warm hand-grasps , and faces beaming with feminine satisfaction at the hearty kiss Nat put on each faded cheek , as the only return he could make for all their helpful kindness . It was strange how much brighter the world looked after that ; for hope was a better cordial than the wine , and good resolutions bloomed as freshly as the little rose-tree that filled the room with fragrance , as Nat woke the echoes with the dear old airs , finding now as always his best comforter in music , to whom henceforth he swore to be a more loyal subject . Chapter 14 .
PLAYS AT PLUMFIELD As it is as impossible for the humble historian of the March family to write a story without theatricals in it as for our dear Miss Yonge to get on with less than twelve or fourteen children in her interesting tales , we will accept the fact , and at once cheer ourselves after the last afflicting events , by proceeding to the Christmas plays at XXXXX ; for they influence the fate of several of our characters , and can not well be skipped .
English Frau Kuchen Plumfield Vogelstein day fire hand-grasps splendour week