he mother waked, took her beads, and prayed still more
earnestly for her daughter, when, behold! Marienka laughed again as
she was sleeping.

"I wonder what she is dreaming," said the mother, who prayed, unable
to sleep.

"My dear child," she said the next morning, "what did you dream last
night that you laughed aloud?"

"What did I dream, mamma? I dreamed that a nobleman came here for me
in a silver coach, and that he offered me a golden diadem. And when I
entered the church the people looked at me more than they did at the
blessed Virgin."

"Hush! you are blaspheming. Pray, my daughter, pray that you may not
fall into temptation."

But Marienka ran away to escape her mother's sermon.

The same day a carriage entered the yard. A young lord came to entreat
Marienka to share a nobleman's bread with him.

"It is a great honor," said the mother; but vanity is blind.

"Though you should come in a silver coach," said Marienka to the new
suitor, "and should offer me a golden diadem, I would not have you for
a husband."

"Take care, my child," said the poor mother; "pride is a device of the
Evil One."

"Mothers never know what they are saying," thought Marienka, and she
went out shrugging her shoulders.

The third night the mother could not sleep for anxiety. As she lay
awake, praying for her daughter, behold! Marienka burst into a loud
fit of laughter.

"Oh!" said the mother, "what can the unhappy child be dreaming now?"
And she continued to pray till daylight.

"My dear child," said she in the morning, "what did you dream last
night?"

"You will be angry again if I tell you," answered Marienka.

"No, no," replied the mother. "Tell me."

"I dreamed that a noble lord, with a great train of attendants, came
to ask me in marriage. He was in a golden coach, and he brought me a
dress of gold lace. And when I entered the church, the people looked
at nobody but me."

The mother clasped her hands. Marienka, half dressed, sprang from the
bed and ran into the next room, to avoid a lecture that was tiresome
to her.

The same day three coaches entered the yard, one of copper, one of
silver, and one of gold; the first drawn by two horses, the second by
four, and the third by eight, all caparisoned with gold and pearls.
From the copper and silver coaches alighted pages dressed in scarlet
breeches and green jackets and cloaks, while from the golden coach
stepped a handsome nobleman all dressed in gold. He entered t