Mother was furious at first; and then, at the sight of the kneeling figure and the sound of the tearful little voice, her anger fell and she felt like crying. Father hated all that sentimental rubbish:
“Come, you baggage, quick to bed!... Forgive you? What for?... Nonsense, nonsense!”
The child kept on weeping:
“Father, please, it’s my first communion to-morrow and we must first receive forgiveness: Sister at school said so....”
“The sisters at school are mad! And they’ll make you mad too! To bed with you now, d’you hear?”
Mother could stand it no longer; she sobbed aloud, took Horieneke under the arms and lifted her to her breast. She felt a lump in her throat and could hardly get out her words:
“It’s all forgiven, my darling. God bless you and keep you! And now go quick to bed; you have to be up early to-morrow.”
Horieneke put her arm over mother’s shoulders and whispered softly in her ear:
“I have something else to ask you, mother. All the children’s parents are going to communion to-morrow: shall you too, mother?”
“Make your heart easy, dear; it’ll be all right.”