Kurt was very glad when Mea entered at that moment, for he had really disobeyed his mother’s repeated instructions in the matter.  But he comforted himself with the thought that he was only acting according to her ideas if he was finally able to prove to the people that the whole thing was a pure invention and could get rid of the whole thing for good.

“Why are your eyes all swollen?” he accosted his sister.

Mea exploded now.  Half angry and half complaining, she still had to fight against her tears.  “Oh, mother, if you only knew how difficult it is to stay friends with Elvira.  Whenever I do anything to offend her, she sulks and won’t have anything to do with me for days.  When I want to tell her something and run towards her, speaking a little hurriedly, she is hurt.  Then she always says I spoil the flowers on her hat because I shake them.  And then she turns her back on me and won’t even speak to me.”

“Indeed!  I have seen that long ago,” Kurt broke in, “and I began a song about her yesterday.  It ought to be sung to her.  I’ll recite it to you: 

    A song about A well known young lady.

    I know a maiden fair of face,
    Who mostly turns her back. 
    All noise she thinks a great disgrace,
    But tricks she does not lack.

“No, Kurt, you mustn’t go on with that song,” Mea cried with indignation.

“Mea is right when she doesn’t want you to celebrate her friends in that way, Kurt,” said the mother, “and if she asks you to, you must leave off.”

“But I am her brother and I do not wish to see my sister being tyranized over and treated badly by a friend.  I certainly wouldn’t call her a real friend,” Kurt eagerly exclaimed.  “I should be only too glad if my song made her so angry that she would break the friendship entirely.  There would be nothing to mourn over.”

Mea, however, fought passionately for her friend and never gave way till Kurt had promised not to go on with his ditty.  But her mother wanted to know now what had given Mea such red eyes.  So she told them that she had followed Loneli in order to comfort her, for she was still crying.  Loneli had told her then about being caught at chattering.  Elvira, who was Loneli’s neighbor, had asked her if she would be allowed to go to Sils on dedication day, next Sunday, and Loneli had answered no.  Then Elvira wanted to know why not, to which Loneli had promised to give her an answer after school, as they were not allowed to talk in school.  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.”