Gretel laughed and blushed.
“It was very silly,” she said, “but I couldn’t help it. I was thinking how perfectly wonderful everything was, and then just for a minute I thought how terrible it would be if it should all come to an end just as it did with Cinderella when the clock struck twelve.”
Mr. and Mrs. Douane both smiled, and the latter said—
“I wouldn’t worry about it, if I were you. This little Cinderella has come home to stay, and we are all going to have a happy summer together.”
“By the way, Barbara,” said Mr. Douane, “I saw the man about that pony this morning. I am going to have you learn to ride, Gretel; it’s the best exercise in the world, and we must have you fat and rosy before you go to school in the autumn.”
It was a beautiful moonlight night, and after dinner they all went out on the piazza, and sat watching the boats on the river. It was so still that they could hear the band on the Albany steamer, as it passed, and so warm that scarcely a leaf stirred. Gretel would have liked to linger there for hours, with the two people she loved best in the world, but at nine o’clock her sister-in-law advised her to go to bed.
“You have been traveling all day,” she said, “and need a good night’s rest.”
“I feel so wide awake that I don’t think I can possibly go to sleep,” said Gretel, rising rather reluctantly, “but I’ll try if you want me to.” And she kissed her brother and sister good night, and went up-stairs to her pretty room, where she found the faithful Higgins busy unpacking.
Gretel had so many things to say to Higgins, that the process of undressing was a rather lengthy one, but it was over at last, and Higgins, having seen her charge safely in bed, was preparing to leave the room, when Gretel called her back.
“Higgins,” she said a little timidly, “I don’t believe you are very fond of being kissed, are you?”