That moment the teacher had questioned them and Loneli had promptly accused herself.
"Don't you think, mother, that Elvira should have admitted that she asked Loneli a question?
Then Loneli would not have had to sit on the shame-bench alone.

He might have given them both a different punishment," Mea said, quite wrought up.
"Oho! Now she sent Loneli to the shame-bench besides, and Loneli is a friend of mine!" Kurt threw in.

"Now she'll get more verses after all." "Elvira should certainly have done so," the mother affirmed.
"Yes, and listen what happened afterwards," Mea continued with more ardor than before.

"I ran from Loneli to Elvira, but I was still able to hear poor Loneli's sobs, for she was awfully afraid to go home.

She knew that she had to tell her grandmother about it and she was sure that that would bring her a terrible punishment.