But the mother's unhappy face showed to Bruno that her disability did not come from a lack of sympathy, and that it pained her very much that she could do nothing.
When Bruno came out of the room he was very silent and sadder than he had ever been in his life.
Mea, on the contrary, came skipping out from her interview.

Her mother had told her that Leonore was charming, refined and modest, besides being extremely grateful for every little favor.

But what thrilled Mea beyond everything was that Leonore had repeatedly told her mother how much she looked forward to meeting her, because the two were of an age.

Leonore's only fear was that Mea might find her rather tiresome.

All the girls in the boarding school had always accused her of that, for she was often terribly unhappy, and she could not help it.