strophe, but I was not thinking of the pancakes and fritters now.
The thought that was uppermost in my mind was, that this man who seemed
so cruel was my father! My father! Absently I said the word over and
over again to myself. I had never thought much what a father would be.
Vaguely, I had imagined him to be a sort of mother with a big voice, but
in looking at this one who had fallen from heaven, I felt greatly
worried and frightened. I had wanted to kiss him and he had pushed me
away with his stick. Why? My mother had never pushed me away when I went
to kiss her; on the contrary, she always took me in her arms and held me
tight.

"Instead of standing there as though you're made of wood," he said, "put
the plates on the table."

I nearly fell down in my haste to obey. The soup was made. Mother
Barberin served it on the plates. Then, leaving the big chimney corner,
he came and sat down and commenced to eat, stopping only from time to
time to glance at me. I felt so uncomfortable that I could not eat. I
looked at him also, but out of the corner of my eye, then I turned my
head quickly when I caught his eye.

"Doesn't he eat more than that usually?" he asked suddenly.

"Oh, yes, he's got a good appetite."

"That's a pity. He doesn't seem to want his supper now, though."

Mother Barberin did not seem to want to talk. She went to and fro,
waiting on her husband.

"Ain't you hungry?"

"No."

"Well then, go to bed and go to sleep at once. If you don't I'll be
angry."

My mother gave me a look which told me to obey without answering. But
there was no occasion for this warning. I had not thought of saying a
word.

As in a great many poor homes, our kitchen was also the bedroom. Near
the fireplace were all the things for the meals--the table, the pots and
pans, and the sideboard; at the other end was the bedroom. In a corner
stood Mother Barberin's big bed, in the opposite corner, in a little
alcove, was my bed under a red figured curtain.

I hurriedly undressed and got into bed. But to go to sleep was another
thing. I was terribly worried and very unhappy. How could this man be my
father? And if he was, why did he treat me so badly?

With my nose flattened against the wall I tried to drive these thoughts
away and go to sleep as he had ordered me, but it was impossible. Sleep
would not come. I had never felt so wide awake.

After a time, I could not say how long, I heard some one coming over to
my bed. The sl