little. And so
the lad talked on and on, and his fair young lady sister listened and
marvelled, and I held my tongue and looked about me, and wondered was I
awake or asleep.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE pictures come back fast and thick upon my mind. I suppose every
life, even the quietest, has its picture-book, its record of some one
time that seems filled with beauty or joy as a cup that brims over.
Every one, perhaps, could write his own fairy story; this is mine.

The next day Yvon had a thousand things to show me. The ladies sat in
their own room in the morning, and the rest of the castle was our own.
It amazed me, being a great building, and the first of the kind I had
seen. Terraces of stone ran about the house, except on the side of the
courtyard, and these were set with flowering shrubs in great stone pots,
that would take two men to lift. Beyond the terraces the ground fell
away in soft banks and hollows to where I heard a brook running through
a wood-piece. Inside, the rooms, very lofty and spacious, were dark to
my eyes, partly from the smallness of the windows, partly from the dark
carved wood that was everywhere, on floor and walls and ceilings. I
could never be at home, I thought, in such a place; though I never found
elsewhere such a fine quality of floor; smooth in the perfect degree,
yet not too slippery for firm treading, and springing to the foot in a
way that was next to dance music for suggestion. I said as much to Yvon,
and he caught the idea flying, as was his way, and ran to bring his
sister, bidding me get my fiddle on the instant. We were in a long hall,
rather narrow, but with excellent space for a few couples, let alone one.
Mlle. de Ste. Valerie came running, her hand in her brother's, a little
out of breath from his suddenness, and in the prettiest morning dress of
blue muslin. I played my best waltz, and the two waltzed. This is one of
the brightest pictures in my book, Melody. The young lady had perfect
grace of motion, and had been well taught; I knew less about the matter
than I do now, but still enough to recognise fine dancing when I saw it;
her brother was a partner worthy of her. I have seldom had more pure
pleasure in playing dance music, and I should have been willing it had
lasted all day; but it was not long before a sour-faced maid came and
said my Lady had sent her to say mademoiselle should be at her studies;
and she ran away laughing, yet sorry to go, and dropped a little