d with all these lamentations, and it was
at last determined that if Fanny would say to papa, if he pressed her,
that she did not want to go to Aunt Teresa, they would all take her
part.

At that same moment Meyer's steps were audible upon the staircase. He
rushed into the room with his hat on--but, indeed, in such a house as
that it was not usual to take off one's hat at all at any time. He knew
that every one was looking at his face, but he also knew that his face
was distorted enough to frighten any one who looked at it.

Without bestowing a glance on any one, he simply said to Fanny--

"Put on your hat and cloak, and look sharp about it!"

"Why, papa?" asked Fanny. Like all badly-brought-up children, she always
said, "What for?" before doing anything she was told to do.

"You are to come with me."

"Where?"

"To Aunt Teresa's."

Every one present affected an air of astonishment. Fanny cast down her
eyes, and twisting a ribbon round her finger, "I don't want to go to
Aunt Teresa," she faltered timidly.

A disjointed embroidering frame was lying on the table.

Fanny stole a glance at her mother and sisters, and meeting with looks
of encouragement, repeated, this time in a bold, determined voice--

"I don't want to go to Aunt Teresa!"

"What? You don't want to go, eh?"

"I want to stay here with my mother and sisters."

"With your mother and sisters, eh? and become what they are, I suppose?"
and seizing the girl with one hand, he snatched up with the other one of
the sticks of the embroidering frame, and, before Fanny had time to be
frightened, he thrashed her in a way that made his own heart bleed for
her.

The sisters tried to interfere, and got their share also, for papa Meyer
broke all the remaining sticks of the frame over their shoulders, so
that when it came to his wife's turn, he had to pummel her with his
fists till she collapsed in a corner.

A few years sooner a moderate dose of this discipline might have been of
use, now it only caused physical pain. And all the time Mr. Meyer never
said a word; he simply gratified his rage, like a wild beast that has
escaped from its cage.

After that he seized Fanny by the hand, and without taking leave of any
one, dragged her along with him to Aunt Teresa's. The child wept all the
way.

The chastised damsels wished, in their wrath, that their departing
father might never return again. And their wish was gratified, for Mr.
Meyer never did return ho