gone away. What does mamma want? O Marcelline, I am so sleepy, I would
like to go to bed."

"To go to bed, Mademoiselle, and not yet five o'clock! Oh no, you will
wake up nicely by the time you get down to the salon."

"I am so tired, Marcelline," persisted Jeanne. "These winter days it is
so dull. I don't mind in summer, for then I can play in the garden with
Dudu and the tortoise, and all the creatures. But in winter it is so
dull. I would not be tired if I had a little friend to play with me."

"Keep up your heart, Mademoiselle. Stranger things have happened than
that you should have some one to play with."

"What do you mean, Marcelline?" said Jeanne, curiously. "Do you know
something, Marcelline? Tell me, do. Did you know what my wish was?" she
added, eagerly.

"I know, Mademoiselle, that Madame will be waiting for you in the
salon. We can talk about your wish later; when I am putting you to bed."

She would say no more, but smoothed Jeanne's soft dark hair, never very
untidy it must be owned, for it was always neatly plaited in two tails
that hung down her back, as was then the fashion for little girls of
Jeanne's age and country, and bade her again not to delay going
downstairs.

Jeanne set off. In that great rambling old house it was really quite a
journey from her room to her mother's salon. There was the long corridor
to pass, at one end of which were Jeanne's quarters, at the other a room