"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 toward 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.
Madhuri Noah
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