I burst out crying
again and both our mothers said I must go away because it was too
exciting for Hella.

December 15th. I was with Hella again to-day. She passed me a little
note asking me to get from her locker the parcel with the blotting-book
for her father and the key basket for her mother and bring it to her
because the things are not ready yet for Christmas.

December 16th. Hella's better to-day. I've got to paint the
blotting-book for her father. Thank goodness I can. She'll be able to
finish the key basket herself, that's nothing.

December 18th. The Bruckners are all frightfully unhappy for it won't
be a real Christmas if Hella has to stay in hospital over Christmas.
But perhaps she will for since yesterday she has not been so well, the
doctors can't make out why she suddenly had fever once more. For she
didn't let on that I had brought her some burnt almonds because she's
so awfully fond of them. But now I'm so terribly frightened that she'll
have to have another operation.

December 19th. Directly after school I went to see Hella again for I
had been so anxious I could not sleep all night. Thank goodness she's
better. One of the doctors said that if she'd been in a private house
he would have felt sure it was an error in diet, but since she was in
hospital that could be excluded. So it was from the burnt almonds and
the two sticks of marzipan. Hella thinks it was the marzipan, for
they were large ones at 20 hellers each because nuts lie heavy on
the stomach. She had a pain already while I was still there, but she
wouldn't say anything about it because it was her fault that I'd brought
her the sweets. She can beg as much as she likes now, I shan't bring her
anything but flowers, and they can't make her ill. Of course it would be
different if it were true about the "Vengeance of Flowers." But that's
all nonsense, and besides I don't bring any strong-scented flowers.

December 20th. I am so glad, to-morrow or Tuesday Hella can come home,
in time for the Christmas tree. Now I know what to give her, a long
chair, Father will let me, for I have not enough money myself but Father
will give me as much as I want. Oh there's no one like Father! To-morrow
he's going to take me to the Wahringerstrasse to buy one.

December 21st. I was only a very short time with Hella to-day because
Father came to fetch me soon. At first she was a little hurt, but then
she saw that we had important business so she said: All right