“He has gone away,” was Stefeli’s reply.
“Why are you not on the pasture? I thought you always stayed on the pasture till he comes back,” said Alida, evidently well informed on the matter. “If you were there you would not have to knit such a heavy stocking.”
“Vinzi has not gone for but an hour; he has gone for weeks and weeks. That’s why somebody else will have to take care of the cows now, but we don’t know who is to attend to them yet,” Stefeli replied. “You see I couldn’t possibly do it all alone. I couldn’t manage them if they were all jumping around at once. But mother told me that all bad things have a good side, too. She thought I couldn’t spend my time better than knitting woolen stockings for Vinzi to wear when he comes home again.”
“I should say that that decidedly belonged to the very worst side of all,” replied Alida quickly. “Those thick needles are hurting you and the heavy thread is cutting into your finger. Won’t you show me your barnyard? I can hear the funny little noises the chickens are making. Can’t you come out with me?”
Stefeli looked towards her mother, who had heard what the children were saying. With a nod Stefeli was given permission, and the girls ran out.
“I am sure the boy wants to go, too,” said Mrs. Lesa, glancing towards Hugo, who had posted himself shyly behind his father’s chair. “The air would do him good.”
“Yes, Hugo, you can go and see the place,” remarked the father. “Look how those two are running, or rather flying about. Go and run about with them.”
Hugo obeyed.
“If I have understood you rightly, Mrs. Lesa,” Mr. Thornau continued the interrupted conversation, “the boy has been sent away because he shows no interest in your fine, prosperous farm and has evidently no inclination for his future life’s work. But I cannot believe him to be a dull boy, for he seems to have been tremendously eager to take music lessons from my daughter. According to her he showed the most extraordinary comprehension.”
“Oh, no, he is not dull,” replied Mrs. Lesa with animation, “the trouble with him is that he has his thoughts where they ought not to be. If he happens to be out in the field with his father and he hears the sound of a bell anywhere he drops everything and pays attention to absolutely nothing else till no sound of it can be heard any more. Very often when no one else can hear anything he seems to be listening to something. Naturally his father gets impatient with him. He thought that if Vinzi lived for a while with boys who love farm life he might change and get to like it, too. But I don’t know how it will work out,” added Mrs. Lesa with a wistful shake of the head. “These things are so deeply rooted in Vinzi. When he was a baby he would stand stock-still at hearing a beautiful sound. Whenever he got hurt and was crying, I only had to take him on my lap and sing him a song to make him happy and quiet again.”