Stoffel was of the same opinion. Encouraged by his sympathy the mother became eloquent.
"I would like to know what she's thinking about; or if she thinks she's a pastor. With all her biblical quotations! And then to torment a child hardly out of a sick bed--it's a disgrace. You don't need to go to her. What business have you got with her? I tell you----"
Here it occurred to her that she herself had compelled Walter to go, and she interrupted this line of thought to scold Walter and tell him to get out of his Sunday breeches. Her dissatisfaction with herself expressed itself further in a funeral oration on Walter's last suit, which had cost so much "hard work."
"And then to let that child sit there for an hour without anything to eat or drink! She would----"
Walter's feeling for justice couldn't let that pass. He assured them that on the contrary--and then that excessive kindness got in his way again. In his confusion he went into all the details of the chocolate.
"Well! Why didn't you say so at once? But it's all the same. I was going to add that she ought to have given you something to eat. That's the way such folks are--always grumbling about others and they won't see themselves. I believe in grace too, and when I have my housework done I like to hear the Scripture read--but to be everlastingly and eternally prating about it? No, that isn't religion. What do you say, Stoffel? One must work part of the time. Walter! aren't you going to pull off those new breeches? I've told him a dozen times. Trudie, give him his old ones!"
Walter changed his breeches; but he promised himself that in Africa he would wear Sunday breeches every day.
The next day Walter rang the doctor's door-bell. His heart was in a flutter, for the doctor lived in an imposing house. He was admitted and, after he had been announced, was told just to come upstairs.
The maid conducted Walter to the "study," where the doctor was busy performing one of his paternal duties: he was teaching his children.
There were three. A boy, somewhat older than Walter, sat alone in one corner writing at a small table. The other two, a boy of Walter's age and a girl that seemed to be a few years younger, stood before the table behind which the doctor was sitting. On the table stood a large globe, evidently the subject of discussion. This became clear to Walter later, for, as far as he knew, he had never seen such a large ball. He didn't know that there was any other way to explain the location of countries except by means of maps. Thus he noticed in the room all sorts of things that he didn't understand till later.