One or the other of the
children kept forgetting that the mother must not be sought and would
absent-mindedly make an attempt to go upstairs, but they were always met
by unexpected resistance. Lippo on his arrival home from school had
posted himself there to see that his mother's orders were strictly kept.
He also had missed her desperately, but he had nevertheless remembered
her injunctions and was quite certain that the others might forget and
act contrary to her orders. Placing himself on the first step, he would
hold any of his brothers or sisters with both hands when they came
towards him as they dashed upstairs. When he cried out loudly, "We
mustn't do it, we mustn't do it," they ran away again, quite frightened,
for his horrified shrieks might have penetrated into the sick-room.
Kathy was the only one who appreciated Lippo's worth. She had received
orders to remind the children of the strict command, and she knew quite
well from previous experiences that she could never have succeeded as
effectively as he. Maezli, meanwhile, was sitting at Apollonie's table,
gayly eating a snow-white milk-pudding which Apollonie knew so well how
to prepare. Whenever Maezli came to a meal at her house, she always set
this favorite dish before the child.
The days when Maezli came for a visit here were happy days for Loneli.
There was always something funny going on at meal-time, because Maezli had
so many amusing things to speak about.
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