Now look, they are going to quarrel." And a great contest began for an especially large crumb, in which all the birds manifested a strong dislike to the banker, and the wife came off victorious.
"And now, do look!" cried Sabine, joyfully; "here comes my little one--my pet;" and down plumped a young sparrow, with helpless outspread wings, and fluttered up to the maternal bird, who hacked the large crumb into little bits, and put them into its wide-opened beak, while the father hopped up and down, at a little distance, looking with a certain misgiving at his energetic better half.
"What a pretty sight!" cried Anton.
"Is it not ?" said Sabine.

"Even these little creatures have characters and a family life." But the scene was suddenly changed; a quick step came round the hot-house; the birds flew away, and the mother called piteously to her child to follow.

But the little thing, heavy and stupefied with all it had eaten, could not so quickly lift its weak wings.

A cut from Fink's riding-whip caught him, and sent its little body dead among the flowers.
An angry exclamation arose, and all faces looked darkly on the murderer.
As for Sabine, she went to the bed, picked up the bird, kissed its little head, and said, in a broken voice, "It is dead." Then she put it down on the bench near the door, and covered it with her handkerchief.
An awkward silence ensued.

At length Jordan said reproachfully, "You have killed Miss Sabine's favorite bird." "I am sorry for it," replied Fink, drawing a chair to the table.