st thing she heard was the rain
still falling. Indeed, this day was so like the last that it would
have been difficult to tell where was the use of It. The first thing
she thought of, however, was not the rain, but the lady in the tower;
and the first question that occupied her thoughts was whether she
should not ask the nurse to fulfil her promise this very morning, and
go with her to find her grandmother as soon as she had had her
breakfast. But she came to the conclusion that perhaps the lady would
not be pleased if she took anyone to see her without first asking
leave; especially as it was pretty evident, seeing she lived on
pigeons' eggs, and cooked them herself, that she did not want the
household to know she was there. So the princess resolved to take the
first opportunity of running up alone and asking whether she might
bring her nurse. She believed the fact that she could not otherwise
convince her she was telling the truth would have much weight with her
grandmother.

The princess and her nurse were the best of friends all dressing-time,
and the princess in consequence ate an enormous little breakfast.

'I wonder, Lootie'--that was her pet name for her nurse--'what pigeons'
eggs taste like?' she said, as she was eating her egg--not quite a
common one, for they always picked out the pinky ones for her.

'We'll get you a pigeon's egg, and you shall judge for yourself,' said
the nurse.

'Oh, no, no!' returned Irene, suddenly reflecting they might disturb
the old lady in getting it, and that even if they did not, she would
have one less in consequence.

'What a strange creature you are,' said the nurse--'first to want a
thing and then to refuse it!'

But she did not say it crossly, and the princess never minded any
remarks that were not unfriendly.

'Well, you see, Lootie, there are reasons,' she returned, and said no
more, for she did not want to bring up the subject of their former
strife, lest her nurse should offer to go before she had had her
grandmother's permission to bring her. Of course she could refuse to
take her, but then she would believe her less than ever.

Now the nurse, as she said herself afterwards, could not be every
moment in the room; and as never before yesterday had the princess
given her the smallest reason for anxiety, it had not yet come into her
head to watch her more closely. So she soon gave her a chance, and,
the very first that offered, Irene was off and up the stai