“What do you mean? Why do you want to thank me, Mrs. Halm?” the Director interrupted her. “Please let me speak first! It is I who want to thank you. I shall never be able to repay you for what you have done. What wonders you have accomplished for my child! How you have been able to change and develop Cornelli! How well she looks now! I have to gaze at her again and again, for I can hardly believe that it is the same child. How can I thank you enough? How did you ever do it? And what patience, care and trouble you must have taken with her. I am afraid that it has required endless thought on your part to bring her back like this.” “Oh, no, Mr. Hellmut, that was not the way at all,” said Mrs. Halm. “Cornelli has cost me neither patience, care, nor trouble. If by a little love I have been able to draw out the good kernel of her nature and bring it to happy development, then that is all I have done. Cornelli has never made my task hard for me. We have all become so fond of her that we had to think with sorrow of the time when she would leave us. I shall never forget what happy hours Dino had with Cornelli during his illness and how she constantly entertained my sociable little Mux with her constant merriment and kindness. Yes, Mr. Hellmut, I shall never forget what she has done, and I can assure you that you have a lovely little daughter.” The Director jumped up in his excitement and strode to and fro in the room. What different enthusiasm from that of a year ago! “You do not know what you are saying, Mrs. Halm,” he said, standing still before her. “You are relieving me of most dreadful anxiety. I have suffered perfect tortures, because I was blaming myself for having neglected my Cornelia’s child. I thought it was too late and that Cornelli had grown hopelessly stubborn. Now you have come and brought me back my child so that she even resembles her mother in her eyes and her whole expression and appearance. My wife was friendly and gay, and now you tell me that this is Cornelli’s disposition, too.” “I have to tell you something else, Mr. Hellmut,” Mrs. Halm continued. “I am perfectly sure that a child’s first impressions are very important. It is natural that Cornelli missed her mother’s guidance, but she was not by any means a neglected child when she came to me. From what she and Dino have told me I am perfectly sure that Martha gave Cornelli the best one can possibly give a child on spiritual education. I esteem old Martha very highly, for she must love and understand children as few people do.” “My wife used to say the same thing, and that is why I had such confidence in Martha. Unfortunately a time came later on when I feared that she was wrong, and I did not realize what she meant to Cornelli. You have reminded me of my great debt--” At this moment such loud laughter and rejoicing sounded from below that both stepped to the open window.