第44章

'Yes; but I should have thought Curdie -'

'You are right.Curdie is much farther on than Lootie, and you will see what will come of it.But in the meantime you must be content, I say, to be misunderstood for a while.We are all very anxious to be understood, and it is very hard not to be.But there is one thing much more necessary.'

'What is that, grandmother?'

'To understand other people.'

'Yes, grandmother.I must be fair - for if I'm not fair to other people, I'm not worth being understood myself.I see.So as Curdie can't help it, I will not be vexed with him, but just wait.'

'There's my own dear child,' said her grandmother, and pressed her close to her bosom.

'Why weren't you in your workroom when we came up, grandmother?'

asked Irene, after a few moments' silence.

'If I had been there, Curdie would have seen me well enough.But why should I be there rather than in this beautiful room?'

'I thought you would be spinning.'

'I've nobody to spin for just at present.I never spin without knowing for whom I am spinning.'

'That reminds me - there is one thing that puzzles me,' said the princess: 'how are you to get the thread out of the mountain again?

Surely you won't have to make another for me? That would be such a trouble!'

The lady set her down and rose and went to the fire.Putting in her hand, she drew it out again and held up the shining ball between her finger and thumb.

'I've got it now, you see,' she said, coming back to the princess, 'all ready for you when you want it.'

Going to her cabinet, she laid it in the same drawer as before.

'And here is your ring,' she added, taking it from the little finger of her left hand and putting it on the forefinger of Irene's right hand.

'Oh, thank you, grandmother! I feel so safe now!'

'You are very tired, my child,' the lady went on.'Your hands are hurt with the stones, and I have counted nine bruises on you.just look what you are like.'

And she held up to her a little mirror which she had brought from the cabinet.The princess burst into a merry laugh at the sight.

She was so draggled with the stream and dirty with creeping through narrow places, that if she had seen the reflection without knowing it was a reflection, she would have taken herself for some gipsy child whose face was washed and hair combed about once in a month.

The lady laughed too, and lifting her again upon her knee, took off her cloak and night-gown.Then she carried her to the side of the room.Irene wondered what she was going to do with her, but asked no questions - only starting a little when she found that she was going to lay her in the large silver bath; for as she looked into it, again she saw no bottom, but the stars shining miles away, as it seemed, in a great blue gulf.Her hands closed involuntarily on the beautiful arms that held her, and that was all.

The lady pressed her once more to her bosom, saying:

'Do not be afraid, my child.'

'No, grandmother,' answered the princess, with a little gasp; and the next instant she sank in the clear cool water.

When she opened her eyes, she saw nothing but a strange lovely blue over and beneath and all about her.The lady, and the beautiful room, had vanished from her sight, and she seemed utterly alone.

But instead of being afraid, she felt more than happy - perfectly blissful.And from somewhere came the voice of the lady, singing a strange sweet song, of which she could distinguish every word;but of the sense she had only a feeling - no understanding.Nor could she remember a single line after it was gone.It vanished, like the poetry in a dream, as fast as it came.In after years, however, she would sometimes fancy that snatches of melody suddenly rising in her brain must be little phrases and fragments of the air of that song; and the very fancy would make her happier, and abler to do her duty.

How long she lay in the water she did not know.It seemed a long time - not from weariness but from pleasure.But at last she felt the beautiful hands lay hold of her, and through the gurgling water she was lifted out into the lovely room.The lady carried her to the fire, and sat down with her in her lap, and dried her tenderly with the softest towel.It was so different from Lootie's drying.

When the lady had done, she stooped to the fire, and drew from it her night-gown, as white as snow.

'How delicious!' exclaimed the princess.'It smells of all the roses in the world, I think.'

When she stood up on the floor she felt as if she had been made over again.Every bruise and all weariness were gone, and her hands were soft and whole as ever.

'Now I am going to put you to bed for a good sleep,' said her grandmother.

'But what will Lootie be thinking? And what am I to say to her when she asks me where I have been?'

'Don't trouble yourself about it.You will find it all come right,' said her grandmother, and laid her into the blue bed, under the rosy counterpane.

'There is just one thing more,' said Irene.'I am a little anxious about Curdie.As I brought him into the house, I ought to have seen him safe on his way home.'

'I took care of all that,' answered the lady.'I told you to let him go, and therefore I was bound to look after him.Nobody saw him, and he is now eating a good dinner in his mother's cottage far up in the mountain.'

'Then I will go to sleep,' said Irene, and in a few minutes she was fast asleep.