She therefore went slowly and hesitatingly towards his room in order to give him Esther's message.

In former times she had always run to him gaily, whenever she had something to tell him.

Since then things had changed.
"It will never again be that way," she said to herself.

The thought seemed to weigh so heavily on her that she suddenly stood still.

At that moment her father opened the door in front of which she stood.
"Oh, here you are, Cornelli," he said delightedly.