e over the front of her dress; and when Irene looked, not a
single stain was to be discovered.
'There!' said her grandmother, 'you won't mind coming to me now?'
But Irene again hung back, eying the flaming rose which the lady held
in her hand.
'You're not afraid of the rose--are you?' she said, about to throw it
on the hearth again.
'Oh! don't, please!' cried Irene. 'Won't you hold it to my frock and
my hands and my face? And I'm afraid my feet and my knees want it too.'
'No, answered her grandmother, smiling a little sadly, as she threw the
rose from her; 'it is too hot for you yet. It would set your frock in
a flame. Besides, I don't want to make you clean tonight.
I want your nurse and the rest of the people to see you as you are, for
you will have to tell them how you ran away for fear of the long-legged
cat. I should like to wash you, but they would not believe you then.
Do you see that bath behind you?'
The princess looked, and saw a large oval tub of silver, shining
brilliantly in the light of the wonderful lamp.
'Go and look into it,' said the lady.
Irene went, and came back very silent with her eyes shining.
'What did you see?' asked her grandmother.
'The sky, and the moon and the stars,' she answered. 'It looked as if
there was no bottom to it.'
The lady smiled a pleased satisfied smile, and was silent also for a
few moments. Then she said:
'Any time you want a bath, come to me. I know YOU have a bath every
morning, but sometimes you want one at night, too.'
'Thank you, grandmother; I will--I will indeed,' answered Irene, and
was again silent for some moments thinking. Then she said: 'How was
it, grandmother, that I saw your beautiful lamp--not the light of it
only--but the great round silvery lamp itself, hanging alone in the
great open air, high up? It was your lamp I saw--wasn't it?'
'Yes, my child--it was my lamp.'
'Then how was it? I don't see a window all round.'
'When I please I can make the lamp shine through the walls--shine so
strong that it melts them away from before the sight, and shows itself
as you saw it. But, as I told you, it is not everybody can see it.'
'How is it that I can, then? I'm sure I don't know.'
'It is a gift born with you. And one day I hope everybody will have
it.'
'But how do you make it shine through the walls?'
'Ah! that you would not understand if I were to try ever so much to
make you--not yet--not yet. But,' add
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