dkerchief of gossamer-like cambric, which she tied round her hand.

'I don't think I can let you go away tonight,' she said. 'Would you
like to sleep with me?'

'Oh, yes, yes, dear grandmother,' said Irene, and would have clapped
her hands, forgetting that she could not.

'You won't be afraid, then, to go to bed with such an old woman?'

'No. You are so beautiful, grandmother.'

'But I am very old.'

'And I suppose I am very young. You won't mind sleeping with such a
very young woman, grandmother?'

'You sweet little pertness!' said the old lady, and drew her towards
her, and kissed her on the forehead and the cheek and the mouth. Then
she got a large silver basin, and having poured some water into it made
Irene sit on the chair, and washed her feet. This done, she was ready
for bed. And oh, what a delicious bed it was into which her
grandmother laid her! She hardly could have told she was lying upon
anything: she felt nothing but the softness.

The old lady having undressed herself lay down beside her.

'Why don't you put out your moon?' asked the princess.

'That never goes out, night or day,' she answered. 'In the darkest
night, if any of my pigeons are out on a message, they always see my
moon and know where to fly to.'

'But if somebody besides the pigeons were to see it--somebody about the
house, I mean--they would come to look what it was and find you.'

'The better for them, then,' said the old lady. 'But it does not
happen above five times in a hundred years that anyone does see it.

The greater part of those who do take it for a meteor, wink their eyes,
and forget it again. Besides, nobody could find the room except I
pleased. Besides, again--I will tell you a secret--if that light were
to go out you would fancy yourself lying in a bare garret, on a heap of
old straw, and would not see one of the pleasant things round about you
all the time.'

'I hope it will never go out,' said the princess.

'I hope not. But it is time we both went to sleep. Shall I take you
in my arms?'

The little princess nestled close up to the old lady, who took her in
both her arms and held her close to her bosom.

'Oh, dear! this is so nice!' said the princess. 'I didn't know
anything in the world could be so comfortable. I should like to lie
here for ever.'

'You may if you will,' said the old lady. 'But I must put you to one
trial-not a very hard one, I hope. This night week you must come back