After the miracle of Mrs. Holman's having a little girl herself had
happened--after that great and important change in the household, it was
deliberated whether it would not be better to rid the room of other
people's progeny. But then it was good regular money to have, and in
time the boy could be made use of at the cradle.

It was the lightest work in the world--just made for a little boy,
sitting and rocking the cradle with his foot--nothing but a little
practice for him.

But here, too, she was to have sad experience. She left him by the
cradle went she went out, but when she came home, he would be standing
gazing out of the window or from the top of the cellar stairs at the
children playing in the square. She had even caught him right outside
with the door open behind him--it was all the same to him, as long as he
could get out of the cellar and away from his duty.

Well, the young rogue would have to pay for it, as much as his mortal
back could bear!

And she assured the servant upstairs, who put in her head to hear what
the little imp had done now, as he was screaming so--that all the
punishment she gave him, and all her attempts, both by letting him have
no supper and by locking him in, were equally useless: he was just as
defiant and unreliable as ever!

She had frightened him now by saying that the devil sat in the corner
behind the bed and watched to see if he left the cradle!

He was almost beside himself with terror, and fancied all the time that
he could see the aforesaid sinister personage putting up his head over
Mrs. Holman's pillow. He could not help looking now and again towards
the window--there was some one playing outside in the square. And,
somehow or other, he came to be standing there, and stood until he once
more remembered what was behind him. Then he darted back like an arrow,
and sat staring in mortal fear into the corner.

From being made useful beside the cradle, Nikolai was advanced in course
of time to mind the Holman's daughter Ursula, outside the cellar steps.
To move farther, only as far as the trees over on the other side of the
street, was a capital offence. The idea of what overstepping the bounds
meant, was impressed upon him with full force. How could Mrs. Holman be
sure otherwise that he did not take Silla right up to the basin round
the fountain, where all the naughty boys played with their ships, and
shouted and made a noise? His poor little body had received so many