Full of anger, he would meet the four laughing school children when they were coming up the stairs and would say: "If I owned all the schools I would certainly burn them." "But I hope not all the teachers, too, Mux," said Dino, "for then one would have to tell an even worse tale about you than you were telling about Agnes." The door between Cornelli's and the sisters' room was always open now, for they all had wished it.

There was not a single evening on which they did not make use of the last moment for talking to each other about their mutual interests.
Cornelli was filled with admiration for Nika and for everything she did.

She could not understand how Nika, who was so lovely and could do such wonderful things, could have a sorrow.

She had never forgotten about it, because she had often noticed that the young girl suffered from some grief.
Even Agnes often stopped laughing quite suddenly.

She would say: "Yes, Cornelli, it is easy for you to be jolly.