This Month's Installment
"Fleeing?" askt Hans. "You? And the others too?"Something heavy, faltering was in his speech. As if it cost him an effort to make a connection between the words."The battle rages around our city. The enemy draws closer-""Moving to Gumbinnen?""But, Pastor, let the people up there come! There are poor refugees from the border who are seeking a shelter. Come, my little girl, give me your hand; no one will hurt you here! Come along into the room, where it is already light, where you will no longer be afraid at all!"Edith had taken the little one by the hand and led her up the stairs. "And your brother and sister also come with, and your dear mother. And soon something warm will be brought to you all."The little one had calmed down; she followed the friendly guide with full faith; the two older children already began to recount what she experienced throughout the day.---155---"A nice cup of hot chocolate, what do you say to that? You see, now you're already making a completely different face!"Hans likewise was come upstairs with the woman and let her tell about herself. Now and then he glanced at Edith; an astonishment lay in his eyes. He had never thought that she could deal with people in such a way, so friendly and so determined at the same time.Else was also there. Edith was actually annoyed that she had gotten up; she had gladly allowed her the rest and had been able to do everything well by herself. Now they were both quickly preparing the dinner for the refugees and setting up the room for them. The chocolate tasted wonderful to the children, but they also ate to their hearts' content of the bread and butter that was served. They were happy and now had no more objections about their fate, which appeared to them as a very agreeable change of their daily life.Else had gone back to bed; Hans stood at the window and lookt on the street.It was livelier than usual in this quiet hour. Streams of people, mostly women and chile, but also a few men, went through it, remained standing here and there, askt about routes or houses, and then walkt farther. Something helpless and restless was in them; some went silently, their heads bent to the ground; others speaking and moving lively and excitedly. Now and then a child cried, like that small one just here in his hall... refugees, driven away from hearth and home, dragged through foreign streets in dark evening hours, looking for a place of mercy where they could lay their heads!
Grammatical Minutiae/Commentary
I translated "mit vollem Vertrauen" as "with full faith" in order to keep the alliteration of the original. Since both words begin with the same sound, it gives something of a sense of that completeness.
"Brüderchen und Schwesterchen" are diminutives, but the context seems to indicate that these two are older than the other girl, so I translated them just as "brother and sister."
I altered some elements in "schweigend, den Kopf zu Boden geneigt, gingen die einen" to get a smoother translation. Literally, it's something like "being silent, their heads bent to the ground, went some," but I translated it as "some went silently, their heads bent to the ground." The biggest difference is that I changed "schweigend" from a participle to an adverb.
