"Now go," said Rosie, loosing the child's hand as the singing began gently to die away.
With flushed cheeks and the same wondering look still in her eyes, Ellie sprang round the rock, and holding out her hand to Nessa, she cried earnestly:
"Oor to tum and be a fairy. Ellie's not frightened. It doesn' hurt."
"No, dear," replied Nessa, taking hold of the little hot hand. "Only fun for Nessa and Ellie together."
"Yes, only fun," said Ellie. They came out from behind the rock, and were received with a cheer ending in a burst of music.
"How very, very pretty!" exclaimed Nessa, taking in the whole scene at a glance and standing still in admiration.
Almost opposite to them rose the grassy slope with the irregular double file of followers winding down its side. Through their ranks Nessa could see Murtagh playing his violin. Behind rose the gray ruin wreathed in flowers, and above and beyond all, clear blue sky flecked with sunny clouds spread over the purple hilltops as far as the eye could reach.
"Tum," said Ellie, pulling her hand; and through the singing children Nessa walked slowly towards the throne. But now Ellie was not the only one who felt solemnity underlying the play. The children could not have told how much they were in earnest; their hearts were beating fast, they scarcely knew why, and there was a tone in their voices that filled Nessa with emotion.
