Looking in the direction of the voice, Rosebud saw, a few yards from her, what seemed to be a pile of rocks surrounded by trees. She stepped softly that way. When quite near, some one spoke—some young girl—in gentle tones, and said, “What do you seek, little one?”
“Only to know who sang so sweetly,” replied Rosebud, faintly.
“And if you knew,” said the voice, “would you, if you could, do the singer a service?”
“O yes,” cried Rosebud, “and with all my heart. But I am only a little girl,—only Rosebud, that lives in a little hut upon the sands, with Bess, and Judy, and Myrtle, and our poor lame granny.”
“Does your granny wear a blue blanket?” asked the voice; “and is she a little deaf? and does she mutter to herself, and carry a staff?”
“How did you know all that?” asked Rosebud.
“Your granny is the keeper of my cage,” replied the voice. “She comes by night to bring food for me and my little maid. Come near, Rosebud; you need not be afraid. I am only a young maiden, not so very much bigger than yourself. My uncle is lord of the land here, but not so powerful as my father, my brave father, who has now gone to the wars; for he is king, and rules over the whole country. O, he was loving and kind, and gave to me jewels and fine clothes in plenty! But, ah! he will not let me have my true love till one, two, three years have passed over my head. Yet I can tell you that I am already very old.
“And, Rosebud, before going to the wars he sent me to visit my uncle, that I might forget my true love. And my uncle is a wicked, cruel man, and a tyrant over me; but I am proud and defy him. He persuades my father, in his letters, that I am bad, and will be glad to make him believe this of me. Were I to die, would he grieve for it? Not at all; for then he would inherit the kingdom. I sought to escape, and that is why I am here, although he says it is that I may forget. Is this a place to forget? O no. For what says the song?
‘When the wind goes sobbing by,
I think my love doth sigh,