CHAPTER XIII

oomyhouse,whereallthatwasaskedofthemwasthattheyshouldbehappy. "It'salovelyplan,isn'tit,Letty?"shesaidjoyously,theeveningbeforetheyweretoarrive,asshestoodwithherarmroundLetty'sshoulderatthebottomofthegarden,wheretheyhadbothbeenwatchingthesailsofthefishing-smacksduringthoseshortsunsetmomentswhentheylookedlikethebrightwingsofspiritsmovingoverthefaceoftheplacidwaters. "Ishouldratherthinkitwas,"repliedLetty,whowasprofoundlyinterested. Theygotupatsunrisethenextmorning,andwentoutintotheforestinsearchofhepaticasandwindflowerswithwhichtodecoratethethreebedrooms.Thesebedroomswerethelargestandpleasantestinthehouse.Annahadgivenupherownbecauseshethoughtthewindowsparticularlypleasing,andhadgoneintoalittleoneinthefervourofherdesiretolavishallthatwasbestonhernewfriends.Theroomswerefurnishedwithspecialcare,animmenseamountofthoughthavingbeenbestowedonthecolourofthecurtains,thepatternoftheporcelain,andthebooksfillingtheshelvesaboveeachwriting-table.ThecoloursandpatternswerethenearestapproachBerlincouldproducetoAnna'sownfavouritecoloursandpatterns.Shewastedhalfhertime,whentheroomswereready,sittinginthemandpicturingwhatherowndelightwouldhavebeenifshe,likethepoorladiesforwhomtheywereintended,hadcomestraightoutofacold,unkindworldintosuchprettyhavens. Thechoiceofbookshadbeenagreatdifficulty,andtherehadbeenmuchcorrespondenceonthesubjectwithBerlinbeforeaselectionhadbeenmade.Bookstheremustbe,fornoroom,shethought,washabitablewithoutthemandshehadtriedtoimaginewhatmannerofliteraturewouldmostappealtoherunhappyones.Itwastobepresumedthattheiragesweresuchastoexcludefrivolitythereforesheboughtveryfewnovels.ShethoughtDickenstranslatedintoGermanwouldbeasafechoicealsoSchlegel'sShakespeareforloftiermoments.TheGermanclassicswererepresentedbyGoetheinoneroom,Schillerinanother,andHeineinthethird.IneachroomalsotherewasaGerman-Englishdictionary,forthefacilitationofintercourse.Finally,sheaskedtheprincesstorecommendsomethingtheywouldbesuretolike,andsherecommendedcookerybooks. "Buttheyarenotgoingtocook,"saidAnna,surprised. "Esistegal—itisalwaysinterestingtoreadgoodrecipes.Nootherreadingaffordsmethesamepleasure." "Butonlywhenyouwantsomethingnewcooked." "No,no,atalltimes,"insistedtheprincess. Annacouldnotquitebelievethatsuchatastewasgeneralbutincaseoneofthethreeshouldshareit,sheputacookerybookinonebookcase.Intheothertwoseverallytobalanceit,shesliptatthelastmomentavolumeofMaeterlinck,towhichatthatperiodshewasgreatlyattachedandMatthewArnold'spoems,towhichalsoatthatperiodshewasgreatlyattached. Theprincesswentaboutwithpursedlipswhilethesepreparationswereinprogressandwhen,atsunriseonthelastmorning,shewasawakenedbystealthyfootstepsandsmotheredlaughteronthelandingoutsideherroom,and,openingherdooraninchandpeeringoutasindutyboundincasethesoundsshouldbeemanatingfromsomeunaccountablymirthfulmaid-servant,shesawAnnaandLettycreepingdownstairswiththeirhatsonandbasketsintheirhands,sheguessedwhattheyweregoin