"Ah! no, hardly so," laughed the madame; "it is on a little street that
I do find apartments for you, but it is nice there; I do hope you will
be pleasured."
"Oh, I'm sure we will! Baby dear, don't chew your pretty cloak-strings,
you will spoil them. Ah! is this the place?" as they whirled around a
corner and stopped shortly in a narrow but clean court, surrounded by
small, trim cottages with tiny squares of green in front.
The madame led them up a gravelled foot-path--there were no fences--to
a door in one of these, which she opened and entered.
"Follow, follow!" she called out merrily, and flitted up the narrow,
uncarpeted stairway. She stopped at the head of this, and stood till all
had gathered about her in the dim little hall-way, then, with a graceful
flourish, cried, "Behold then!" and threw wide a door.
There was a universal shout of satisfaction, which made the madame's
eyes dance, while Sara's grew misty with feeling; for that kind little
Frenchwoman had almost settled their rooms for them, doing all an
outsider could do, so that the bare, homeless look many of us can
remember when newly entering a tenantless house, was quite removed.
After the first pause of surprise, the children began running wildly
about, while the madame and Sara took it more leisurely.
Pages:
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169