The gentleman only made a light gesture with his hand, and Mr.Trius disappeared as he had come.
"Won't he hurt me if I come down to the door where he stands ?" Maezli asked.

She retreated slightly from her protector, whom she had held tightly in her fear of the stick.
"No," he replied curtly, but his voice did not sound as severe as before, a fact which Maezli noticed immediately.

She was very grateful to him for chasing Mr.Trius away and she now felt desirous of doing him a service in return.
"Do you always have to sit alone here all the time?
Does no one come to see you ?" she asked, full of sympathy.
"No." "Oh, then I must come to you another time and I'll keep you company," Maezli said consolingly.

"Does the bad baron never come down to you here ?" she asked anxiously.
"Where is he ?" came a second question.
"Don't you know that ?" Maezli said in great surprise.

"He is up there where the windows are open." With this Maezli looked up, and walking close to the chair, whispered cautiously, "A sick baron lies up there.
Apollonie says that he is not bad, but I know that one has to be afraid of him.