you, and it would be cruel to keep them so all night. You must go down
stairs."
"I'm so glad, grandmother, you didn't say--_go home_--for this is my
home. Mayn't I call this my home?"
"You may, my child. And I trust you will always think it your home.
Now
come. I must take you back without any one seeing you."
"Please, I want to ask you one question more," said Irene. "Is it
because you have your crown on that you look so young?"
"No, child," answered her grandmother; "it is because I felt so young
this evening, that I put my crown on. And it occurred to me that you
would like to see your old grandmother in her best."
"Why do you call yourself old? You're not old, grandmother."
"I am very old indeed. It is so silly of people--I don't mean you, for
you are such a tiny, and couldn't know better--but it is so silly of
people to fancy that old age means crookedness and witheredness and
Madhuri Noah
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