ow.
What do you think of getting the princess a new dress or two?"

"Oh, it would be very nice, Norton. She wants it."

"Mamma will do that. Could _you_ get it, Pink? would you know how?
supposing your purse was long enough."

"Oh yes, Norton. Of course I could!"

"Then you shall do it. Who will see to all the rest?"

"To buy the things, do you mean?"

"To buy them, and to choose them, and to get them to their place, and
all that?"

"Why, you and I, Norton. Shan't we?"

"I think that is a good arrangement. The next question is, when? When
shall we send the things there?"

"We must get the rooms cleaned. I will see about that. Then, Norton,
the sooner the better; don't you think so?"

"How is it in the fairy stories?"

"Oh, it's all done with a breath there; that is one of the delightful
things about it. You speak, and the genie comes; and you tell him what
you want, and he goes and fetches it; there is no waiting. And yet, I
don't know," Matilda added; "I don't wish this could be done in a
breath."

"What?" said a voice close behind her. The two looked up, laughing, to
see Mrs. Laval. She was laughing too.

"What is it, that is not to be done in a breath?"

"Furnishing a palace, mamma--(getting it cleaned first,) and setting up
a princess."

Mrs. Laval wanted to hear about it, and gradually she slipped down on
the grass beside Matilda, and drew an arm round her, while she listened
to Norton's story. Norton made quite a story of it, and told his mother
what Matilda had been doing the day before in Lilac Lane, and what
schemes they had presently on hand. Mrs. Laval listened curiously.

"Dear, is it quite safe for you to go to such a place?" she asked
Matilda then.

"Oh yes, ma'am."

"But it cannot be pleasant."

"Oh yes, ma'am!" Matilda answered, more earnestly.

"How can it be?"

"I thought it would not be pleasant, at first," said Matilda; "but I
found it was."

"What made it pleasant, dear?"

"If you saw the poor old woman, Mrs. Laval, and how much she wanted
comfort, I think you would understand it."

"Would you come and see _me_, if I wanted comfort?" the lady inquired.
Matilda smiled at the possibility. Then something in Mrs. Laval's face
reminded her that even with such a beautiful house and so rich
abundance of things that money can buy, there might be a sad want of
something that money cannot buy; and she grew grave again.

"Would you?" Mrs. Laval repeated.

And Matilda said "