“Doesn’t it look bare at the side, Tilly?”
“Oh, dear, no; ’tis all bows and ribbons. Come, Freddie, do sit still a moment, now.”
All at once the door opened slowly, with a creaking sound.
“What now?” cried Mathilde impatiently, and her anger rose when she caught sight of Ernestine, shivering in her white nightgown, making her appearance behind the door, a little frightened, but with an elf-like impudence.
“Oh, ma, I want so much——”
“But, Tine, ’tis enough to get your death of cold, running about like that! I don’t know how you can be so disobedient.”
“Get into my bed, Tine, quick; but mind my bodice!” cried Freddie. “Never mind, Tilly, let her alone,” she whispered.
Tine crept into the bed, and nestled herself like a dove in the blankets, and her little fingers passed over the blue satin of Frédérique’s corsage, which was lying on the pillow.
Mathilde shrugged her shoulders with a sigh, resigned as usual, [[59]]but the bodice she took away. Madame van Erlevoort appeared in the open door, rustling in silk moiré.
“Oh, how nice mamma is looking!” cried Frédérique excitedly; “you will see, Tilly, I shall be the last again to be ready. Make haste a bit, do!”