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She grew more eager all the time in this occupation, and if Mux would suddenly want to play with soldiers, Cornelli would say: "You can easily play that alone. Let me read this and later I'll tell you all about it." So she had soon finished reading the whole big book. Cornelli had so far scarcely become acquainted with the two girls, and Nika had rarely spoken to her.
But Mux had forgotten that breakfast came first of all. After the meal the two sisters departed, but Dino knocked and clamored for Cornelli to come to him. Mux loudly protested against this and only calmed down when Cornelli promised to keep him company during Dino's rest hour. He kept on objecting and murmuring to himself even after she had gone.
But what a modicum of wit, of originality the little beast had, that, because he was born a washer, wash he must, though he washed in mud, nay, though he washed upon the upturned bottom of his empty tub! for this is what Mux did sometimes. I never blamed Aunt Milly for insisting upon this rather ill-sounding name of "Mux" for the little coon.
"What have you done, Cornelli?" he cried out in sudden surprise. "Your forehead looks quite clean and neat, and you have shiny eyes like a canary bird, and you don't look like an owl any more." "Why Cornelli! You are transformed!" Agnes exclaimed. "Just let me see you. Make a little room, Mux! No, I don't know you any more. It is fortunate you did it, for it is a pleasure to look at you now."
"Give your book to Cornelli, for it is time for you to retire," she said. "You can join us again to-morrow." Mux departed reluctantly. When his mother was firmly leading him away, he was still able to call to Cornelli: "Be sure not to go till I come back!" Cornelli felt quite frightened when her confiding little friend had gone. Now for the first time she was left alone with the two sisters.
Dat animile am a dumb beast shu'! Rubbin' dirt right inter clean cabbage! Sich muxin'! mux, mux, mux! Dat a coon? Dat ain't no coon. Dat's a mux!" And she scuffed off to the house, mumbling, "De muxinest thing I done evah seen." Hence his name. If there is one sweetmeat sweeter than all others to a coon, it is a frog.
She also bore in mind a picture in his favorite book, where a stable boy was shown giving a glossy brown cow splendid green leaves to eat. "So you still have the cabbage in your head, Mux?" said the mother. "You must not be dissatisfied when there are so many poor children who have to go hungry. While you get bread and good vegetables, they may be suffering."
Cornelli got the book down, and in a little while merry peals of laughter filled the room. The mother, who heard, was happily smiling and saying to herself: "No, no, all is not yet lost." So the week passed by. Cornelli spent most of her time reading aloud to Dino and to Mux.
Mux was screaming loudly, and seemed quite beside himself. "Mama, Mama," he cried out, "just look at a living goat boy and a real goat! Come down and see me!" Mux was sitting on the seat of a lovely wicker carriage, with two reins in one hand and a whip in the other, while a young and slender goat was pulling him.
Dino has to sleep a little while afterwards, and then you can go back to him again, if you wish." A difficult moment had now come for Cornelli. She had secretly hoped that she would be able to spend all day alone with Dino, and that nobody else would notice her. Now she had to sit at table with Dino's mother and sisters. Mux, however, was her consolation; he seemed so confiding and so friendly.
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