hing; she
almost never even smiled in what Jeanne called her "funny" way; but
there was just a very tiny little undersound in the tone of her voice
sometimes, a little wee smile in her eyes more than on her lips, that
told Hugh that, fairy or no fairy, old Marcelline knew all about it, and
it pleased him to think so.

One night when Hugh was warmly tucked up in bed Marcelline came in as
usual before he went to sleep to put out his light.

"There's been no moonlight for a good while Marcelline, has there?" he
said.

"No, Monsieur, there has not," said Marcelline.

"Will it be coming back soon?" asked Hugh.

"Do you like it so much, my child?" said the old nurse. She had a funny
way of sometimes answering a question by asking another.

"Yes," said Hugh. "At least, of course when I'm fast asleep it doesn't
matter to me if it's moonlight or not. But you know what I like it for,
Marcelline, and you said the other day that I hadn't half seen the
tapestry castle, and I want very much to see it, Marcelline, only I'd
like Jeanne to be with me; for I don't think I could tell her well about
the fairy things if she hadn't been with me. She didn't seem to
understand the words, and I don't think I could get the right ones to
tell, do you know, Marcelline?"

He half sat up in bed, resting his head on his elbow, which was leaning
on the pillow, and looking up in the old woman's face with his earnest
blue eyes. Marcelline shook her head slowly.

"No," she said, "you're right. The words wouldn't come, and if they did,
it would be no use. You're older than Mademoiselle Jeanne, Monsieur
Hugh, and it's different for her. But it doesn't matter--the days bring
their own pleasures and interests, which the moonlight wouldn't suit.
You wouldn't have cared for a dinner like what you have every day when
you were listening to the song of the swan?"

"No, certainly not," said Hugh. "I see you do understand, Marcelline,
better than anybody. It must be as I said; there must be two of me, and
two of Jeanne, and two of you, and----"

"And two of everything," said Marcelline; "and the great thing is to
keep each of the twos in its right place."

She smiled now, right out, and was turning away with the light in her
hand, when Hugh called after her,

"_Will_ the moonlight nights come again soon, Marcelline? Do tell me.
I'm sure you know."

"Have a little patience," said the old nurse, "you shall be told. Never
fear."

And, a little incli