“Will you please give me a sensible answer!” exclaimed the governess. “Why did it ever occur to you to ask the boy here? What did he want?”
“He wanted his music lesson,” replied Alida, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“But why don’t you tell me who wanted to give him a music lesson,” Hugo interposed.
“I was to give it,” Alida replied seriously.
Hugo exploded with laughter.
“Didn’t he laugh at the idea of your giving him a music lesson?” he asked.
“No, he was very attentive,” said Alida.
“This is enough!” exclaimed the governess angrily. “Do not ask anything more, Hugo. Alida is wrong if she thinks it funny to invent such rubbish. I shall write to your papa at once. But before everything else I’ll—” with this she left the room.
Hugo renewed his examination now. He heard to his great amusement that she had given Vinzi several lessons and that he had already learned much. Alida also wanted her brother to know that she fully meant to tell her papa how Vinzi had been treated by Mrs. Troll.
In the meantime Miss Landrat had sought out Mrs. Troll. She told her to send Vinzi away if he ever should venture near the house again, and roundly to forbid him entering it.