She went back to the parlour where the sisters, green with envy, received her with a chilly smile, while Frau Asmussen muttered enigmatical phrases over her steaming glass.
"They really are from papa," Lilly said, and wondered why her own voice sounded so toneless.
The Asmussen sisters laughed jeeringly, and began putting the things away in the boxes.
Lilly held in her hand a little china bonbon box, filled to the brim with curious, rich-looking and fragrant-smelling sweets. She glanced from one sister to the other, uncertain as to whether she might dare offer them some of the sweets. She was afraid they might refuse with an abusive epithet, so she let fall the lid, which represented a cupid in a garland of roses, and buried the bonbonnière in the depths of one of the boxes. Then she crept away to bed in her corner and cried bitterly.
The sisters went on whispering together for a long time. They built the boxes up into a tower on the library counter, and then haughtily made a détour so as not to come in contact with them.
The next morning Lilly called a passing messenger, and sent back the whole pile of packages to the donor without a word. Afterwards she went to the sisters and said:
"It wasn't true what I told you last night. Papa didn't send the things, and I have returned them."
The two girls, who had intended to make themselves agreeable to her in a malicious sort of way, could not conceal their disappointment.
"I should never have taken her for such a ninny," said the younger.
"She is not so simple as you think," scoffed the elder, true to her character of scenting out ulterior motives, "only very designing. She wants to drive her admirer still more distracted, but she'd better take care she doesn't outwit herself. The stupidest man can soon distinguish between what is genuine and what is put on." As if to illustrate what genuine simplicity was like, Lona drew her petticoat tightly round her limbs with one hand, drew her night-jacket decorously together over her bosom with the other, and, tossing her head, cast a look of withering scorn over her shoulder at Lilly, displaying all the virtuous indignation that exalted natures sometimes betray.