t was not Belgrave House, it
was in the next square;" and when she heard that she clapped her hands
joyfully, and went and drank out of a little iron bowl in company with
a sweep. She asked him if she might drink first, and he said, "Oh,
laws, yes! you ain't near so smutty as me," which speech Fluff took as
a compliment. But she had fallen down twice, and her nice white frock
had got unsightly patches of green on it.

But she felt as though her troubles were over when she stood in front
of Belgrave House, its many windows shining like gold.

What a grand place it was--finer than the Crystal Ball Palace where
Princess Dove and Prince Merrydew lived; and, oh dear, what joy, the
door was open!

The footman had just run out to the pillar box, and another footman
was fast asleep in a chair that looked like a baby's cradle turned
upside down.

Fluff ran up the steps and looked in.

There was a beautiful scent of flowers as she crept timidly into the
hall, such sleepy warm flowers Fluff thought, only they made her head
drowsy; and there was a great staircase with carved balustrades and
dark slippery stairs, and the doors were all shut, and there was not a
sound in the whole house, except the singing of some birds. Fluff
began to feel giddy.

But it was babyish to feel frightened in her own grandpapa's house, so
she took courage, and passing the sleepy footman on tiptoe, crept
softly up the stairs, holding very tightly to the balustrades, for she
felt as though she were slipping every step, and presently she came to
a sunny landing-place with a conservatory, where some canaries were
singing. Here she saw a half-open door, and pushed it open, and then
she thought she was in fairy-land.

It was such a large beautiful room, with marble ladies standing in the
corners, with wonderful green plants growing in gilded baskets, and
satin couches, and lace draperies, and lovely china; and in an
arm-chair a gentleman asleep, for he had his eyes shut.

Fluff stole in and peeped at him; no, he was not asleep, for his eyes
opened, and yet he did not seem to see her, perhaps he was thinking.
His face looked very nice and kind, and with the unerring instinct of
childhood she laid her hand on his knee.

"If you please, sir, will you tell me where I can find grandpapa?"

The gentleman raised his eyes--as Fluff told her mother afterward, "he
looked at me without seeing me;" and then his hand closed quietly over
the child's. Nothing ev