"What did she do?
I am afraid that her honest old grandmother will take it terribly to
heart. She'll be in deep sorrow about it and will probably punish Loneli
again."
"No, indeed, she must not do that," Kurt said eagerly. "The teacher said
himself that he hated to put Loneli there, as she was a good and obedient
child, but that he had to keep his word. He had announced that he was
tired of the constant chattering going on in the school. To stop it he
had threatened to put the first child on the shame-bench that was caught.
So poor Loneli had to sit there all by herself and she cried so terribly
that we all felt sorry. But of course, mother, a person doesn't talk
alone, and Loneli should not have been obliged to stay there alone. The
teacher had just asked: 'Who is talking over there? I can hear some
whispering. Who is it?' Loneli answered 'I' in a low voice, so she had
to be punished. One of her neighbors should have said 'I,' too, of
course; it was perfectly evident that there was another one."
"Loneli might have asked somebody a question which was not answered," his
mother suggested.
"Mea will know all about it, for she followed Loneli after school. Now
more still, mother," Kurt continued. "Two boys from my class were beaten
this morning by Mr. Trius. Early this morning they had climbed over the
castle hedge to inspect the apples on the other side of the hedge. But
Mr. Trius was already about and stood suddenly before them with his
heavy stick.
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