After I so did have Mathilde Plantagenet washed then I did dry her neck and ears with the soft salt-sack towel that Sadie McKibben has gave to me. After I did have her neck and ears washed and her hair rubbed down in the way it does go, I did give her a little lump of salt. She liked that. Then I tied the little rope around her neck that I do lead her by, and we made starts to go visit the girl that has no seeing. When we were come to her gate, I did open it and Mathilde Plantagenet and I went down the path to her door. Mathilde Plantagenet went around with me to the window where I do tap taps so she will have knows I am come.
She did rub the nose of Mathilde Plantagenet. And she was so glad to see her. She straightway did go to bring her a salt-lump. But I told her Mathilde Plantagenet did just have a salt-lump after her foot-bath. And I did give her explainings as how I thought one salt-lump a day is enough for Mathilde [Plantagenet] while she is yet so young. When she is older grown she may have two salt-lumps in one day. Then the girl that has no seeing did give me the salt-lump for her to have to-morrow. She has thinks like my thinks that there is music in the moos of Mathilde Plantagenet. And she had asks how was the dear baby of Elsie’s. And I told her as how I thought it would have two tooths soon, and she said that would be interest. I had thinks so too. I told her the mamma’s nice baby has a lot of tooths. It’s had them quite a time long, and so has Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus.
Then we all did go for a walk. With my right hand I did lead the girl who has no seeing. With my left hand I did lead Mathilde Plantagenet. And Brave Horatius came a-following after. As we did go along, we did have listens to the voices of the trees and grass. The girl that has no seeing is learning to have hearing of what the grasses say and of the waters of the brooks that tell the hill songs. Too, she is learning to see things. She shuts her eyes when I shut mine. We go on journeys together. We ride in a cloud—in a fleecy white one that does sail away over the hills. We look down on beautiful earth, and we see Nonette and Iraouaddy and Launette and forêt d’Ermenonville and Aunette and forêt de Chantilly and Saint Firmin.
To-day, after we did have our eyes shut for quite a time long, I did open mine just a little bit to have seeing how big that bee was that was making such a buzz. He was quite a big bee and he was in a hurry. When he did go on, the girl who has no seeing did have asks when was I going to bring Menander Euripides Theocritus Thucydides to visit her. She said she had thinks he must be a bigger lamb now with me giving him his bottle of milk morning and eventime. I said he was growing more big—a little bit. He is a very dear lamb. Then she had askings when was Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus and Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil coming to visit her. And she had wants to know when was Lars Porsena of Clusium coming again. I did have thinks about it and I did tell her we would all come to visit her on the fourth day from the day that is now. And I did sing her the song of fleurs: of tante, of myosotis, aubépine, romarin, gentiane, ulmaire, eglantier, rosagine, iris, tulipe and éclaire. And we came home, and before we were yet to the house we live in, we did make a stop at the cathedral for prayers, and “Hosanna in excelsis.”
[CHAPTER XXVI
Why it Was that the Girl who Has no Seeing Was not at Home when Opal Called.]
Now is the fourth day come. And we are going goes to the house of the girl who has no seeing. All the morning hours there was works to do to help the mamma. Afternoon is now come and we go.
We did. First I did make begins to get us all together. Brave Horatius was waiting by the back steps. Lars Porsena of Clusium was near unto him. Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil was under the front doorstep. Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus was back of the house in his home of sticks that he does have likes for. I did help Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus to build that home. I had sees in the woods of how other wood-rats do have their houses builded of sticks and some sticks and some more sticks. To-day, when I did squeak calls for Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus to come out of his house, he did come out, and he did crawl up on my shoulder and cuddle his nose up close to my curls.