“I have hardly seen you yet, dear child,” she said, taking Cornelli’s hand, “but I thought I would leave you and Dino undisturbed for a little while. You must have many things to talk over about your experiences and friends in Iller-Stream. Dino has looked forward so much to your visit. Please come to lunch now. Dino has to sleep a little while afterwards, and then you can go back to him again, if you wish.” A difficult moment had now come for Cornelli. She had secretly hoped that she would be able to spend all day alone with Dino, and that nobody else would notice her. Now she had to sit at table with Dino’s mother and sisters. Mux, however, was her consolation; he seemed so confiding and so friendly. She had felt immediately to her great discomfort how different and how horrible she looked in comparison with these charming children. When she had stood in front of Nika, who was so very pretty, she felt sure that the elder girl must be filled with disgust at the sight of her, even if she did not show it. Mux had seen her peculiarity immediately and had remarked upon it. And now Agnes would be there, too. That Agnes, as well as the proud-looking Nika, had a secret sorrow made Cornelli feel as if there were a bond between them. This gave her a little courage to follow Dino’s mother, who was waiting in the doorway. When Cornelli entered Agnes was standing, full of expectation, in the middle of the room. Going up to the visitor, she shook her hand. “I am so glad you came, Cornelli,” she said with animation. “Dino has talked so much about you that we, too, wanted to meet you.” “I want to sit beside you,” said Mux, dragging his chair to Cornelli’s side. “Just stay where you are! That is my seat,” Agnes cut him short. She could not be misunderstood, for she pushed back the chair and Mux quite vigorously. The mother had again gone out to the kitchen, so he could not get her help, which made him very angry. “Yes, yes, you always want to order everybody around all the time,” he cried out furiously, “and you even broke somebody on the wheel, once.” Now the mother entered. “Oh, Mama, Mux is saying such frightful things. Shouldn’t he go to bed?” Agnes called to her. Mux was just gathering up his strength to fight against this proposed punishment, when the mother cut short their quarrel. “No, no,” she said kindly. “To-day Cornelli is here for the first time and it is a feast day for us. Mux shall not go to bed, but he must sit down quietly in his chair and say grace; then all will be well.” Mux was soon calmed by the soothing words and the good soup’s delicious odor which penetrated his nostrils. So he said grace in quite a tolerable manner. Cornelli had been very much touched by his desire to sit beside her. She was anxious to do him a favor, too, and she tried to think of something that might please him.