The Children of the Castle

dream, it would be the same as

I mean, Sir, I do not

feeling very much inclined for her t

rits; it had been so delightful

e was," she said to herself. "I must look out my old reading books to-night. I shall so like teac

sitting-room, where Dorcas waited upon her. And sometimes when Griselda was in a particularly good humour she would beg Dorcas to sit down and have

, and besides this, so very full of her adventures, that she would have be

I'm sure you could eat a little more if you tried, whether you've had your tea in the kitchen or not. I'm fearful

elda," said Dorcas, smiling, as she seated hers

t do it any harm. But oh, Dorcas, I've had such fun this

not, missie,"

uessing takes such a time, and I want to tell you. Just fanc

boy, Miss Griselda!" ex

he day after, and every day, I dare say," sa

sie," beg

look like that-as if I had done some

tell your au

course; why shouldn't I? I must ask her to give the little boy leave to come into our grounds; and I

ief. "Then he must be quite a little boy, perhaps M

ight know I wouldn't want to play wi

as. "All, that is to say, excepting your dear papa. But then, of cour

says I'm not to play with him, I shall think-I know what

on and discontent settled d

s anxiously, an hour later, when Griselda, dressed as usual in her

d not condescend

of home-made elderberry wine, "Aunt Grizzel, when I was out in the garden to-day-down the wood-path, I mea

aking it in such a way as was almost certain to lead to its being refused; and yet, though she was really so very,

arted that had her aunt looked up quietly and said at once, "Oh yes, you may have the little boy to play

e than as she did. Like Dorcas, for an instant, she was utterly "flabbergasted," if you know what that means. For she was

saw her uneasines

Grizzel. "A boy in my grounds, and yo

coolly, "and I want t

"I am too astonished to say

," cried Griselda, blazing up. "What have I do

Miss Grizzel. "I will

all the good of being honest and telling everything. I might have played with the l

whirlwind; but when she got to her own room, she sat down on the floor and burst into tears, and when Dorcas cam

said Dorcas, "it's jus

room Miss Grizzel leant back i

fore. Can one afternoon's companionship with rudeness hav

for she felt cold of an evening and usually wore a very fine woolly shawl of a delicate grey shade, and the bo

, "it is true what the child said. She might have dec

e energy than usual; "no, certainly not. For once, Sister G

zzel did not

t she was surprised to find Dorcas waiti

t, ma'am," she said, "for I did so want to speak to you about Miss

izzel. "Admitted a boy, a rude, common, impertinent boy,

to give an opinion, it isn't quite so bad. He's quite a little boy, ma'am-between five and six-only just about

six years old! That is less objectionable than I exp

at Miss Griselda says, I believe he is staying at Mr. Crouch's farm, and that, you know, ma'am, belongs to my Lady Lavander, though it is a good way from Merrybrow Hall. My lady is pretty s

l listened

ake inquiry. And you may tell Miss Griselda in the morning what I purpose doing; but tell her also that, as a punishment for her rudeness and ill-temper, she must have b

riselda's unhappiness. From her mistress's room she went straight to the littl

e, missie?" s

da sta

d. "Is it you, cuck

d does run on Miss Sybilla's cuckoo. It's really wonder

she only

out this little Master Phil from my Lady Lavander, for we think it's at one of her ladyship's farms that he and his nurse are staying, and if she hears that h

zel never goes to Merrybrow till the afternoon. She wo

day, perhaps

il will be coming up to the wood-path to-morrow, and if he doesn't find me, he'

rn out and excited, and not yet inclin

nd don't think anything more about it till

ce touched

ss to you; but I can't bear to think of poor little Phil. Perh

left her she did feel her heart a little lighter

her. She lay for a minute or two perfectly still-listening. Yes; there it was-the soft, fain

said gently,

ame the answer-the prett

oft and musical. Th

ow are you? It's a good while sin

t yet feeling quite as amiable as might have been desire

ou jump over them, you see, and go too far. One should always walk up to conclusions, very slowly and evenly, right foot

o speak to you if you go on at me like that. You might

you unha

d Griselda. "Wasn't it you that sent him to play with me? I was so ple

nsult my Lady Lavander about it," said the cuckoo. "It'll be

n't all right. Don't you see, poor little Phil will be coming up the wood-path to

y how some people make troubles out of nothing! We can eas

eated Griselda; "

"You don't understand. Put out

the soft feathers which seemed to be c

put your arms round my neck, and

Griselda. "Why, one of my little fingers would

said th

riselda h

nd pony's, or a large Newfoundland dog's; and, to her astonishment, so it was! A nice, comfortable, feathery

ght," said

ther lifted on to his back. She lay there as comfortably as possible-it

inquired. "You're not

d Griselda;

ckoo, "for you couldn't if yo

o?" said

ey first," sa

sweep, hands and knees, you know, like going up a ladder. But stretched out

, any way, and to take you with me. Shut your eyes-one, two

ht. She felt nothing but a pleasant sort of r

ll done? Open your ey

d so. Where

use, which Griselda saw down below them, looking

rstand. Is it I that have grown l

oo. "You have forgotten. I told you l

if any of me had grown little all would, and my eyes haven't grown little, for everything looks as big as usual, only you a great deal bigger. My eyes can't have grown bigger without the

ce big and little are of. Make yourself comfortable all the same. A

o?" said

e cuckoo. "What a bad memory

elda, giving the cuckoo's neck

t's quite the same to you," said the cuckoo. "H

before. It did not make her the least giddy, either; but a slightly sleepy feeling came over her. She felt no inclinati

ant it felt more rushy than before, and there was a queer, dul

re we?"

r down off my back, but don't speak loud, or you'll waken him, and that wouldn't do

n a little bed in one corner lay a lovely sleeping child. It was Phil! He looked so pretty asleep-his shaggy curls all tumbling about, his rosy mouth half open as if smiling, one little hand tossed over his head, the

The cuckoo had disappeared, but Griselda heard his voi

you want to say into his ear, as soon as I have calle

d note, soft and

thout opening his eyes a change passed over the little boy's fa

ose," she said to herself with a

o-morrow, for I can't come. But come the

two arms towards Griselda, all without opening hi

a baby almost. Then he turned over and

the cuckoo. "Come

way to the place whence the c

your arms round my neck

as before. There came the same sort of rushy sound; t

s that stood beside the farmhouse were gently waving their topmost branc

he said. "Or would you rat

"I should rather think not. H

ut nothing, whatever you do," said th

lda. "You know far more

he mandarins, or the butterflie

"I'd like something new. And I'm

COULD I BE T

kind, unless you could take

t, you know," s

sound among the branches sugg

a. It's such a time since I saw the sea. I