"Yes, of course," said the mother, in a low tone, which sounded as cheerless as the autumn wind.
"Boys such as he should be kept in the background," his sister said fervently.
"Yes, he is nothing to be proud of," said the mother. "There is not much sense in his little head."
"Perhaps you are right," the father agreed.
"No, there's a lot of sense."
The hunchback came back, stopped in the doorway and said:
"I am not a fool either."
"We shall see," said the father; and his mother remarked:
"No one thinks anything of the sort."
"You will study at home," declared his sister, making him sit down by her side.