Then came a gentle, pitiful little voice.
'It isn't nonsense, Queen, darling. It's howid for Franz, but it wasn't nonsense he was going to say. I know what it was,' and she gave the boy's hand a little squeeze.
'It was only—if aunty was my mamma, Bess, but you know she isn't. And aunts aren't forced to be troubled about not their own children.'
'Yes they are,' the elder girl replied. 'At least when they're instead of own mammas. And then, you know, Franz, it's not only you, it's Lally too, and——'
That was all I heard. I couldn't pretend to be obliged to walk slowly just behind them, for in reality I was rather in a hurry, so I hastened past; but just as I did so, their little dog, who was with them, looked up at me with a friendly half-bark, half-growl. That made the children smile at me too, and for the life of me, even if 'twas not good manners, I couldn't help smiling in return.
'Hasn't her a nice face?' I heard the second little young lady say, and it sent me home with quite a warm feeling in my heart.
