He
was probably a relation of their mother's who had undertaken the care of
the children.
Bruno was terribly cast down when he heard this. When his mother did not
give him help and counsel right away, she usually gave him some hope by
saying, "We shall see." As she had not said this to-day, he felt certain
that nothing could be done. But the mother's unhappy face showed to
Bruno that her disability did not come from a lack of sympathy, and that
it pained her very much that she could do nothing.
When Bruno came out of the room he was very silent and sadder than he had
ever been in his life.
Mea, on the contrary, came skipping out from her interview. Her mother
had told her that Leonore was charming, refined and modest, besides being
extremely grateful for every little favor. But what thrilled Mea beyond
everything was that Leonore had repeatedly told her mother how much she
looked forward to meeting her, because the two were of an age. Leonore's
only fear was that Mea might find her rather tiresome. All the girls in
the boarding school had always accused her of that, for she was often
terribly unhappy, and she could not help it. Mea was more eager than
ever now to meet Leonore, for she was already filled with a warm love for
the sick child. She could talk and think of practically nothing but
Leonore.
"I certainly have to make a song about this violent new friendship," Kurt
said in the evening, when Mea had urged more than once, "Oh, mother, I
hope you won't let Leonore go as soon as she can come down and the doctor
says she is well; otherwise we shall barely be able to become
acquainted.
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