Joan Pinchin and Dawson left the room, and almost at the same moment a rosy-cheeked girl, with blue eyes, and golden hair twined round her head, entered the Chamber of Penitence. Her hair, her eyes, her complexion, made her look all sunshine. She was dressed in the garb of a nurse, very simply and neatly.
"Oh, poor, poor little one," she said. "Miss Henrietta, you must get your clothes on, or you'll catch your death of cold."
"But that's what I want," said Henrietta. "I'm sick of life!"
"Oh my dear, you oughtn't to say that. Think of our dear, dear Mrs. Faithful."
"Upon my word, she's not dear to me," said Henrietta. "But I rather take to you; and it was perfectly lovely to hear her pounding it into old Pinchin, and that abominable Dawson. Why, Dawson simply dripped tears as she went away. What is your name, Goldilocks?"
"I'm called Nurse Annie, dear."
"Do you think my sister will die?"
"I hope not, dear; but you certainly will, unless you put on some more clothes than your nightdress."
"Well," said Henny-penny after a pause, "I suppose I may as well rig myself out. I feel somehow as though there was going to be a bit of fun again—only what an ugly uniform they do wear in this school, Goldilocks! I had glorious hair, much handsomer than yours. It was the colour of the sunset, and they cut it all off, and pomatumed it."