"No," the man answered curtly.
"Maybe Mr. Trius knows, but one can't ask him. Are you afraid of Mr. Trius, too?" Mäzli asked.
"No."
"But he always goes about with a big stick. Kurt has made a song about him where he tells everything that Mr. Trius does," Mäzli chattered on. "It begins like this:
|
Old Trius lives in our town, A haughty man is he, And every one that he can catch He beats right heartily. |
I don't remember the rest, but it is quite long. But he wants to make a song about Salo now, because he is so awfully nice. He said it as soon as Salo went away today. We all like him, and Bruno said that if he made a stupid song he would tear it up."
"Is everybody here called Salo and Bruno?" the gentleman burst out angrily.
"No, nobody except Bruno, you know; he is my big brother," Mäzli explained. "Salo only came yesterday and went away again to-day. But he did not want to go and we wanted to keep him. But he was not allowed to. If his sister is well again, she has to go away, too. But we don't know her yet. Her name is Leonore."
"Who sent you here?" the gentleman ejaculated harshly. But Mäzli only looked at him in astonishment.
"Nobody has sent me. Nobody knows where I am, not even Apollonie," Mäzli began to explain. "I only ran away because Apollonie had to tell Mr. Trius so many things and I wanted to see the mignonette. I am visiting Apollonie because mama has to nurse Leonore, who is ill and can't come down. Because I don't obey Kathy very well and she has to cook, I spend the days with Apollonie. Oh, here he comes!" Mäzli interrupted herself suddenly, for she was frightened. Coming close to her new acquaintance, as if to seek his protection, she whispered confidentially. "Oh, won't you help me, please, if he tries to hurt me?"