Mrs. Lesa accompanied her visitor outdoors and called the children. Hugo was still leaning against the tree, but came up slowly behind the scampering girls.
When Stefeli heard her mother invite the gentleman to come again, she said quickly, "You'll come too, Alida? Perhaps I will be in the pasture again and you can visit me there. I'm sure you would like it."
Mr. Thornau and the children wandered back to Mrs. Troll's house, and when they met her in the doorway, he informed her he would be taking his children away in a few days, and while their stay would be shorter than he had expected, he would fulfill his bargain with her. Their mother wished to have them with her, but the chief reason for their removal was he would not allow anyone to suffer for doing a favor to his children.
How changed Mr. Thornau was, to be sure, thought Mrs. Troll as the gentleman walked away. Once so friendly, now so abrupt and formal, and he was going to take the children away. And all on account of that boy across the fields. It was really laughable, thought she, though she did not laugh by any means. She would have been glad enough to recall her angry words to Vinzi, but it was too late, for the carriage Mr. Thornau had ordered for his return had already come.
As the carriage drove up the mountain, Mr. Thornau sat lost in thought. He had received a most pleasant impression of Mrs. Lesa and her household and wished he had known her before he had placed his children with Mrs. Troll. She would have been justified in scorning him and his children, for it was through them her son had been sent away. But she had shown no sign of resentment. He would put an end to the study of the piano for his daughter; if she had any real love of music she would act far differently. At the moment he reached this conclusion, Mr. Thornau was greeted by a pedestrian going in the same direction, whom he recognized as his table-mate at the hotel.
"Oh, Mr. Delrick, what a hermit you are! Always alone!" he called to him, and ordered his driver to stop. "Now jump in, or I shall think my company is not good enough for you."
Mr. Delrick thanked him for the invitation, but declared he was unwilling to give up his daily exercise.
"Then I'll go with you," said Mr. Thornau, leaving his carriage. "I am sure I have news which will please you," and as they wandered along together, he continued, "Tell me, do you intend to turn your back on all society and become a hermit?"
"Matters are not quite so bad as that," said Mr. Delrick, laughing, "but it is true that if I could find a home with simple, orderly people where I could enjoy the beauties of nature in quiet, I would gladly leave the hotel."