If
he found it so necessary, why didn't he do it himself, they thought,
remaining seated. Maezli had risen rapidly and looked towards the door
with large expectant eyes, wondering what was going to happen. Mrs.
Knippel now entered.
"Why does something horrible always happen when Mrs. Knippel comes?"
Maezli asked in a loud voice.
Mea, quickly getting up, went out of the door, pulling Maezli after her;
to explain her hasty retreat, she said that she wanted to fetch her
mother. She simply had to take that horrible little Maezli out of the
way; who could know what she might say next. She always brought forward
her most awful ideas when it was least suitable. The mother, who was on
the way already, entered just when Mea was running out with Maezli. Bruno
also slipped quickly after them. He had only waited for his mother's
appearance in order to fly.
"Your children are certainly very peculiar," the district attorney's wife
began. "I have to think so every time I see them. What do all your
admonitions help, I should like to know? Nature will have its way! Not
one of my children has ever been so impertinent, to say the least, as
your little daughter is already."
"I am very sorry you should have to tell me that," Mrs. Maxa replied.
"Isn't it possible that the child should have unconsciously said an
impertinence? I hope you have never had a similar experience with my
older children."
"No, I could not say that," Mrs.
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