The gentleman
now threw a penetrating glance at the delicate looking little girl, who
hardly dared to raise her large, dark eyes to his. Leonore, who had
blushed violently under his scrutiny, said in a barely audible voice,
"Perhaps we should not have come; but Maezli thought we might be allowed
to see you. Can we do something for you? Perhaps Maezli should not have
brought me. Oh, I am so sorry if I have offended you."
"No, indeed. Maezli meant well when she wanted me to meet her friend,"
the gentleman said in quite a friendly voice. "What is the name of
Maezli's friend?"
"Leonore von Wallerstaetten," the girl answered, and noticing the large
books on the gentleman's knees, she added, "May I take the books away?
They might be too heavy."
"Yes, you might, but it was very good of Maezli to bring them all the way
up to me," he said. "I'll look at them a little later."
"May I fix your pillow for you? It does not do you much good that way,"
said Leonore, pulling it up. It had long ago slipped out of position.
"Oh, this is better, this is lovely," the sick man replied, comfortably
leaning back in the chair.
"What a shame! It won't stay, I am afraid. It is falling down again,"
said Leonore regretfully. "We ought to have a ribbon. If I only had one
and a thread and needle!--but perhaps we could come again to-morrow--"
Leonore became quite frightened suddenly at her boldness and remained
silent from embarrassment.
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