It was to be presented to him on his next birthday as a great surprise.

Maezli had in her head this and many other thoughts caused by the morning's scene, so she did not feel the same inclination to set out on trips of discovery as usual, and remained quietly sitting on her chair.

Her mother was extremely preoccupied, as could easily be seen.

Her thoughts had nothing to do with either the laundry or the orders she was giving to Kathy, nor the cooking apples she had sorted out in the cellar.

Her hand often lay immovably on these, while she absently looked in front of her.