His mother, however, knew well that his success would only result in dreadful yawns and heavy eyes.
This evening he found himself ready for bed before he had had time to prepare for his fight.

His mother seemed anxious to have him in bed punctually that night.

The boy was always reconciled to his fate when she sat down a moment beside his bed to hear of anything that might be troubling him.

Mux, knowing that all conversation was irrevocably closed after his prayers were said, would try every night to prolong this period.
After Mux had climbed into bed, he said thoughtfully: "Don't you think, mother, that if people planted cherries where cabbage now grows everybody could eat cherries instead of cabbage ?" "We simply have to stop now, Mux," Mrs.Halm replied to his astonishment, for he had hoped to start a long conversation.
"Well, Mux, you don't seem to be able to get over the cabbage to-day.
Go to sleep, for you have talked enough about it." Mux knew then that nothing could be done that day, After his evening prayer and a kiss from his mother, he lay down and was fast asleep before his mother had even shut the door.
Agnes had just finished her last task and was throwing her books into a drawer, each more violently than the other.

She was still terribly excited, and as soon as her mother came back to the room, she burst forth: "Oh, mother, if I am not allowed to study music any more, I would rather stop learning anything.