"And what did she do in Stockholm," Keith pushed on.
"She married your grandfather, as I told you, and then I was born."
"What was he?"
The mother remained silent for a good long while, and Keith repeated his question, not yet having learned that unanswered questions generally are unwelcome questions.
"He was a vaktmästare," she said finally, and Keith knew that, for some reason, she found the word unpleasant.
The boy reflected a while before he observed:
"That's what papa is."
"Your father's position is quite different," his mother rejoined sharply. "It's a shame that he and his comrades in the bank have no other title--although some of them deserve nothing better."
"What should they be called?"
"I don't know exactly--collectors, I think, because they go around and collect the money that is due to the bank."