in
displaying the Dutch fair! The longer I thought of her the faster my
tears fell, but they did not help me to think of anything definite to
ask for; and when Lady Elizabeth said, "would you like to go home, my
dear? or do you want me to ask your friend to stay with you?" I had
the grace to feel ashamed of my peevishness, and to thank my godmother
for her kindness, and to protest against wanting anything more. I only
added, amid my subsiding sobs, that "it did seem such a thing," when I
had got a Dutch fair to play at dolls in, that Joseph should be so
stupid, and that dear Maud Mary, who would have enjoyed it so much,
should not be able to see it.

CHAPTER III.

"Nous aurons aussi la fete dans notre rue."--RUSSIAN
PROVERB.

Next day, when our drill in the long corridor was over, Lady Elizabeth
told Joseph to bring his fortress, guns, and soldiers into the
library, and to play at the Thirty Years' War in the bay-window from a
large book with pictures of sieges and battles, which she lent him.

To me my godmother turned very kindly and said, "I have invited your
little friend Maud to come and stay here for a week. I hope she will
arrive to-day, so you had better prepare your dolls and your shops for
company."

Maud Mary coming! I danced for joy, and kissed my godmother, and
expressed my delight again and again. I should have liked to talk
about it to Joseph, but he had plunged into the Thirty Years' War, and
had no attention to give me.

It was a custom in the neighbourhood where my mother lived to call
people by double Christian names, John Thomas, William Edward, and so
forth; but my godmother never called Maud Mary anything but Maud.

It was possible that my darling friend might arrive by the twelve
o'clock train, and the carriage was sent to meet her, whilst I danced
up and down the big hall with impatience. When it came back without
her my disappointment knew no bounds. I felt sure that the Ibbetsons'
coachman had been unpunctual, or dear Maud Mary's nurse had been
cross, as usual, and had not tried to get her things packed. I rushed
into the library full of my forebodings, but my godmother only said,
"No grumbling, my dear!" and Joseph called out, "Oh, I say, Selina, I
wish you wouldn't swing the doors so: you've knocked down Wallenstein,
and he's fallen on the top of Gustavus Adolphus;" and I had to compose
myself as best I could till the five o'clock train.

Then she came. Darling Ma