She was starting at that early hour to try to see the doctor before he went from home, to ask him exactly the state of Dora's arm, and whether there was any danger for the child.

Aunt Ninette's anxiety had infected her, and she could not rest until she knew the probabilities of the case.
"Do I hear some one playing on the piano, Jule ?" she asked.

"It is an unusual sound for this time of day." "Mother dear, I do believe that the end of the world is coming," replied Julius; "Lili is up there hurrying from one finger-exercise to another as if she could not get enough of that exquisite amusement, and Wili is seated at her side in a similar condition of nervous industry, waiting for his turn at the piano." "A strange state of things, to be sure, Jule," said his mother; "for it was only yesterday that Miss Hanenwinkel was complaining to me that Lili did not show the slightest interest in her music, and that she would not even play her piece, much less her exercises." "It's just as I said; the end of the world is coming," said Jule, turning towards the stable.
"Let us hope rather the beginning," replied Mrs.Birkenfeld, starting in the other direction to go down the hill towards the village.

When she reached the doctor's house, she was so fortunate as to find him at home, and she asked him the question that so greatly disquieted her.

He assured her that the wound was doing perfectly well, and that there was not the slightest danger of any permanent stiffness of the arm; though he laughingly owned that he had made the worst of it to Dora, in order to impress her with caution for the future.