“You have made her shed some,” retorted Enva.

“Yes,” said Eunane, “and if he knew it, I should like half a year’s penance in the black sash” [as the black sheep or scapegoat of her Nursery] “better than my next half-hour alone with him.  When I was silly enough to tie the veil over her mouth” [take the lead in sending her to Coventry] “the day after we came here, I expected to pay for it, and thought the fruit worth the scratches.  But when he came in that evening, nodded and spoke kindly to us, but with his eyes seeking for her; when he saw her at last sitting yonder with her head down, I saw how his face darkened at the very idea that she was vexed, and I thought the flash was in the cloud.  When she sprang up as he called her, and forced a smile before he looked into her face, I wished I had been as ugly as Minn oo, that I might have belonged to the miseries, worst-tempered man living, rather than have so provoked the giant.”

“But what did he do?”

“Well that he don’t hear you!” returned Eunane.  “But I can answer;—­nothing.  I shivered like a leveloo in the wind when he came into my room, but I heard nothing about Eveena.  I told Eive so next day—­you remember Eive would have no part with us?  ’And you were called the cleverest girl in your Nursery!’ she said; ’you have just tied your own hands and given your sandal into Eveena’s.  Whenever she tells him, you will drink the cup she chooses to mix for you, and very salt you will find it.’”

“Crach!” (tush or stuff), said Eirale contemptuously.  “We have ’filled her robe with pins’ for half a year since then, and she has never been able to make him count them.”

“Able!” returned Eunane sharply, “do you know no better?  Well, I chose to fancy she was holding this over me to keep me in her power.  One day she spoke—­choosing her words so carefully—­to warn me how I was sure to anger Clasfempta” (the master of the household) “by pushing my pranks so often to the verge of safety and no farther.  I answered her with a taunt, and, of course, that evening I was more perverse than ever, till even he could stand it no longer.  When he quoted—­

 “’More lightly treat whom haste or heat to headlong trespass urge;
   The heaviest sandals fit the feet that ever tread the verge’—­

“I was well frightened.  I saw that the bough had broken short of the end, and that for once Clasfempta could mean to hurt.  But Eveena kept him awhile, and when he came to me, she had persuaded him that I was only mischievous, not malicious, teasing rather than trespassing.  But his last words showed that he was not so sure of that.  ’I have treated you this time as a child whose petulance is half play; but if you would not have your teasing returned with interest, keep it clipped; and—­keep it for me.’  I have often tormented her since then, but I could not for shame help you to spite her.”

“Crach!” said Enva.  “Eveena might think it wise to make friends with you; but would she bear to be slighted and persecuted a whole summer if she could help herself?  You know that—­