Ikwarte stood by, nodding his assent and pulling his red mustache. After that, he went off with Rothfuss.
In the meanwhile, Martella sat crouching on the floor in a corner of the room.
Ludwig softly said to me, "Now is the time to let Martella tell us who and whence she is."
I thought that as the child was overmuch agitated, it might be better to wait until the next day; but he insisted that this was the proper time.
CHAPTER XIII.
Ludwig went up to Martella and said, "Martella, there is a woman in America who knows you."
Martella jumped to her feet and, brushing her hair from her face with both hands, asked, "How do you know that?"
"I will tell you how, when you have told your history. Will you do so?"
"I will. It is well and proper that I should. But no one shall be present but you and father. Forgive me, kind ladies," she said, addressing Conny and Annette in an unwonted tone. "I can only tell this to father and to brother."
She drank a few drops of water, and then, seating herself behind the table that was next to the wall, began: