no brighter for the rain, were the brooks that ran down the mountain;
they had changed from the clearness of crystal to a muddy brown; but
what they lost in color they gained in sound--or at least in noise, for
a brook when it is swollen is not so musical as before. But Irene was in
raptures with the great brown streams tumbling down everywhere; and
Lootie shared in her delight, for she too had been confined to the
house
for three days. At length she observed that the sun was getting low, and
said it was time to be going back. She made the remark again and
again,
but, every time, the princess begged her to go on just a little farther
and a little farther; reminding her that it was much easier to go down
hill, and saying that when they did turn, they would be at home in a
moment. So on and on they did go, now to look at a group of ferns
over
whose tops a stream was pouring in a watery arch, now to pick a
shining
stone from a rock by the wayside, now to watch the flight of some bird.
Suddenly the shadow of a great mountain peak came up from behind,
and
shot in front of them. When the nurse saw it, she started and shook,
and
tremulously grasping the hand of the princess turned and began to run
down the hill.
Madhuri Noah
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