"What are you two about?" he called out, "is this the beginning of some mischievous prank?"
"Be quiet, Jule, we haven't a minute to lose," said Lili seriously. Jule laughed aloud and went on his way. Going down stairs, he met Miss Hanenwinkel.
"What has got into the twins now?" he asked. "Have they taken the notion of being virtuous, into their small noddles?"
"That is more likely at seven than at seventeen;" was all the answer he got.
He went on down stairs still laughing, and just at the front door met his mother. She was starting at that early hour to try to see the doctor before he went from home, to ask him exactly the state of Dora's arm, and whether there was any danger for the child. Aunt Ninette's anxiety had infected her, and she could not rest until she knew the probabilities of the case.
"Do I hear some one playing on the piano, Jule?" she asked. "It is an unusual sound for this time of day."
"Mother dear, I do believe that the end of the world is coming," replied Julius;
"Lili is up there hurrying from one finger-exercise to another as if she could not get enough of that exquisite amusement, and Wili is seated at her side in a similar condition of nervous industry, waiting for his turn at the piano."
"A strange state of things, to be sure, Jule," said his mother; "for it was only yesterday that Miss Hanenwinkel was complaining to me that Lili did not show the slightest interest in her music, and that she would not even play her piece, much less her exercises."
"It's just as I said; the end of the world is coming," said Jule, turning towards the stable.