‘We might just lift the lid up a little wee bit,’ said the wife.
‘No; don’t talk about it,’ said the husband.
The wife sat still for five minutes, and then she said: ‘If one just lifted up one corner of the lid it could scarcely be called opening it, you know.’
‘Better leave it alone altogether, and not think about it at all,’ said the husband.
The wife sat still another five minutes, and then she said: ‘If one peeped in just the least in the world it would not be any harm, surely; and I should so like to know what there can possibly be. Now, what can the count have put in that dish?’
‘I’m sure I can’t guess in the least,’ said the husband; ‘and I must say I can’t see what it can signify to him if we did look at it.’
‘No; that’s what I think. And besides, how would he know if we peeped? it wouldn’t hurt him,’ said the wife.
‘No; as you say, one could just take a look,’ said the husband.
The wife didn’t want more encouragement than that. But when she lifted one side of the lid the least mite she could see nothing. She opened it the least mite more, and the bird flew out. The servant ran and told his master, and the count came down and drove them out, bidding them never complain of Adam and Eve any more.