white!’
‘May I come into your cubicle to see?’ asked Paula from the other end of the room.
‘No,’ said Juliet. ‘Sorry, Paula; but it’s against the rules. If you want to see it you can get up and get dressed. It’s twenty-five past eight now, and the rising-bell will be going in five minutes’ time, so it won’t matter for that.’
The members of the yellow room hopped out of bed, and dressed as quickly as possible. Sunday dressing was always a longer affair than week-day, for there were white petticoats to get into, and deep-brown velvet frocks with muslin collars and cuffs to adjust, and the people with long hair were allowed to have it hanging loosely. Jo, the only short-haired member of the party, was ready first, and trotted off gaily, while other people struggled with hair-ribbons and curls; and Juliet, after brushing out her fair, heavy man, fastened it with a clasp instead of plaiting it as usual.
Downstairs, Simone, another of the fortunate possessors of bobbed hair, was waiting in the passage; and Marie von Eschenau, who was noted for being a quick dresser, came racing down too. The three little girls ran to the door and opened it, letting in a rush of icy-cold air that made them shiver.
‘B-r-r-r! Isn’t it cold ?’ gasped Joey. ‘We’ll be able to have a walk to-day!’
‘Yes – if it does not snow again,’ said Simone pessimistically.
Here is Frieda!’
Frieda, with her long blue cloak pulled tightly round her, and her pretty flaxen hair waving loosely over her shoulders, came flying across from Le Petit Chalet. ‘ Grüss Gott! ‘ she smiled as she reached them. ‘How it freezes!’
‘ Grüss Gott, Frieda!’ said Joey. Then, eagerly, ‘I say! You know the weather about here. Do you think it will snow again to-day? Or do you think it’ll hold off till to-night?’
Frieda looked seriously at the sullen sky above them. ‘I cannot tell,’ she replied. ‘They sky is very full of snow, but it freezes, and so no more may fall until the night. There is no wind, of course. If a south or a west wind should rise, then I think we should have much more snow – wet snow. A north wind might bring hail. As long as it does not blow, there will be frost. If the lake freezes, will Madame give permission for skating, Joey?’
‘Sure to,’ replied Jo. ‘How long will it be before the lake bears, Frieda?’
Frieda shook her head. ‘I do not know. It depends on how long the frost holds, and how keen it is. Shall I go and put my cloak away? The bell will be ringing for Frühstück .’
‘And we shall be rowed for standing here without any coats on!’ supplemented Jo. ‘Come on, Simone; I’m going to shut the door!’
They went in, shutting the door behind them, and ran into the cloak-room just as Miss Bettany came downstairs, looking fresh and dainty in her navy-blue serge frock with its touches of black braid.
‘Just in time!’ murmured Joey under her breath. ‘Coo! It was cold standing there! Let’s go and get warm at the stove!’
They went into the big school-room where some of the others were, and presently the bell summoned them to the Speisesaal. After breakfast Miss Bettany told them that she intended arranging for walks that morning. In the meantime, no one was to go outside without a coat, as there was an icy wind getting up.
The three middles who had already transgressed this rule glanced at each other a little consciously. No one noticed them. Everyone was too much overjoyed at the idea of getting out after two days’ imprisonment to think of anything else.
There was a service in the little white-washed chapel to-day, so all the Roman Catholics – which mean the greater part of the school – would attend. The remainder, eight girls, Miss Bettany herself, and Miss Maynard, would have a little service of their own. Then they would have a kind of scratch meal and a long walk, having Kaffee at the usual time, and a semi-dinner at seven in the
‘May I come into your cubicle to see?’ asked Paula from the other end of the room.
‘No,’ said Juliet. ‘Sorry, Paula; but it’s against the rules. If you want to see it you can get up and get dressed. It’s twenty-five past eight now, and the rising-bell will be going in five minutes’ time, so it won’t matter for that.’
The members of the yellow room hopped out of bed, and dressed as quickly as possible. Sunday dressing was always a longer affair than week-day, for there were white petticoats to get into, and deep-brown velvet frocks with muslin collars and cuffs to adjust, and the people with long hair were allowed to have it hanging loosely. Jo, the only short-haired member of the party, was ready first, and trotted off gaily, while other people struggled with hair-ribbons and curls; and Juliet, after brushing out her fair, heavy man, fastened it with a clasp instead of plaiting it as usual.
Downstairs, Simone, another of the fortunate possessors of bobbed hair, was waiting in the passage; and Marie von Eschenau, who was noted for being a quick dresser, came racing down too. The three little girls ran to the door and opened it, letting in a rush of icy-cold air that made them shiver.
‘B-r-r-r! Isn’t it cold ?’ gasped Joey. ‘We’ll be able to have a walk to-day!’
‘Yes – if it does not snow again,’ said Simone pessimistically.
Here is Frieda!’
Frieda, with her long blue cloak pulled tightly round her, and her pretty flaxen hair waving loosely over her shoulders, came flying across from Le Petit Chalet. ‘ Grüss Gott! ‘ she smiled as she reached them. ‘How it freezes!’
‘ Grüss Gott, Frieda!’ said Joey. Then, eagerly, ‘I say! You know the weather about here. Do you think it will snow again to-day? Or do you think it’ll hold off till to-night?’
Frieda looked seriously at the sullen sky above them. ‘I cannot tell,’ she replied. ‘They sky is very full of snow, but it freezes, and so no more may fall until the night. There is no wind, of course. If a south or a west wind should rise, then I think we should have much more snow – wet snow. A north wind might bring hail. As long as it does not blow, there will be frost. If the lake freezes, will Madame give permission for skating, Joey?’
‘Sure to,’ replied Jo. ‘How long will it be before the lake bears, Frieda?’
Frieda shook her head. ‘I do not know. It depends on how long the frost holds, and how keen it is. Shall I go and put my cloak away? The bell will be ringing for Frühstück .’
‘And we shall be rowed for standing here without any coats on!’ supplemented Jo. ‘Come on, Simone; I’m going to shut the door!’
They went in, shutting the door behind them, and ran into the cloak-room just as Miss Bettany came downstairs, looking fresh and dainty in her navy-blue serge frock with its touches of black braid.
‘Just in time!’ murmured Joey under her breath. ‘Coo! It was cold standing there! Let’s go and get warm at the stove!’
They went into the big school-room where some of the others were, and presently the bell summoned them to the Speisesaal. After breakfast Miss Bettany told them that she intended arranging for walks that morning. In the meantime, no one was to go outside without a coat, as there was an icy wind getting up.
The three middles who had already transgressed this rule glanced at each other a little consciously. No one noticed them. Everyone was too much overjoyed at the idea of getting out after two days’ imprisonment to think of anything else.
There was a service in the little white-washed chapel to-day, so all the Roman Catholics – which mean the greater part of the school – would attend. The remainder, eight girls, Miss Bettany herself, and Miss Maynard, would have a little service of their own. Then they would have a kind of scratch meal and a long walk, having Kaffee at the usual time, and a semi-dinner at seven in the
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