"Oh, yes,
of course," said his mother. "Who would ever have thought that we should
need six spoons? We have always found five enough; and we must have
another knife too. Why can't you speak? You know well enough that to eat
you want a spoon." These last words were addressed to Wiseli.
The child glanced timidly at the woman and said, "It is no matter: I do
not need any. I am not hungry."
"Why not?" asked the woman. "Are you used to a different kind of food? I
don't mean to change, if you are."
"I think it would be better to let the child alone for a while; we must
not frighten her," said her cousin Gotti, soothingly. "She will feel
better soon."
So Wiseli was unmolested, and the others were busily employed for a
while. She sat there motionless until her cousin rose, took his fur cap
from the nail, and began to look for the stable lantern; for "Spot" was
sick, and must be looked after again that night. The table was quickly
cleared. The empty potato-skins were brushed off into the empty
milk-jug, the slate-top wiped off; and when the woman was done with
this, she said, turning to Wiseli, "You have seen what I did; now you
can do it the next time." Now Cheppi took his seat firmly behind the
table again. He had his slate-pencil and arithmetic book, and prepared
himself to do his examples. First, however, he stared for a while at
Wiseli, who had again taken up her brown stocking, but did not make any
progress; for she could not see a thing in the dark corner where she
was seated, and she did not dare to draw nearer to the table where the
dim lamp was placed.
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