But Apollonie did not indulge very long in dreams and memories.  Soon after, she was making war on the fine spider-webs in the kitchen, and in a couple of hours it already looked livable and cosy there.  Mr. Trius smiled quite pleasantly when he entered, as he was just on the point of brewing himself and his master a cup of coffee.  The only thing he usually added was a piece of dry bread, as he was too lazy to get milk and butter from the neighboring farmers, and his master had never asked for either.  The steaming coffee and hot milk and the fresh white bread Apollonie had prepared looked very appetizing to him.  The wooden benches were clean scrubbed, and he didn’t object to absence of the annoying spider-webs, which had always tickled his nose.

Apollonie, pouring the fragrant beverage into a large cup, politely invited Mr. Trius to take his seat at the table.  He could not help enjoying the meal and the new order of things in the kitchen.  Apollonie now prepared the breakfast tray, setting on it the good old china that the Baroness had always used.  She had put a plate with round butter-balls beside the steaming coffee-pot, and fresh round rolls peeped invitingly from an old-fashioned little china basket.

When Apollonie came to her master’s room, he exclaimed, “Oh, how good this looks!  Just like old times.”

At first he thought that even looking at it would do him good, but Apollonie did not agree with him.

“Please take a little, Baron,” she begged him, “otherwise your strength will not come back.  Take a little bit at first and gradually more and more.  I know you will like the butter.  Loneli got it at the best farm hereabouts.”

After tasting a little the Baron was surprised how good it was.

When her master was comfortably sitting in the lovely morning sun, Apollonie fetched Loneli out.  She wanted the child to thank him for receiving her into his house.  Now the great task of cleaning and moving began, and it took a whole day of feverish activity to get the rooms in the castle settled.  Only at meal times was this interrupted, for Apollonie did not look at this as a minor matter, and she carefully planned what to give her master.

For Mr. Trius she had to consider the quantity, for he seemed to have an excellent appetite and clearly enjoyed coming to the neat-looking kitchen.  He had begun to show his gratitude to Apollonie by willingly carrying the heavy furniture about.

Two days had passed in uninterrupted work, and Apollonie had accomplished what she had set out to do.  When she brought her master his breakfast on Sunday, she stood irresolutely holding the doorknob in her hand.

“Have you something to tell me Apollonie?  You certainly can’t complain that I don’t appreciate your delicious coffee.  Just look at the progress I am making.”

With comical seriousness the Baron pointed to the empty cup and the sole remaining roll.