第58章

Themotherputdownherwork，foraninstant，andlookedoutofthe

window。Butitsohappenedthatthesun-forthiswasoneofthe

shortestdaysofthewholeyear-hadsunkensonearlytotheedgeof

theworld，thathissettingshinecameobliquelyintothelady’seyes。

Soshewasdazzled，youmustunderstand，andcouldnotverydistinctly

observewhatwasinthegarden。Still，however，throughallthat

bright，blindingdazzleofthesunandthenewsnow，shebehelda

smallwhitefigureinthegarden，thatseemedtohaveawonderfuldeal

ofhumanlikenessaboutit。AndshesawVioletandPeony-indeed，

shelookedmoreatthemthanattheimage-shesawthetwochildren

stillatwork；Peonybringingfreshsnow，andVioletapplyingitto

thefigureasscientificallyasasculptoraddsclaytohismodel。

Indistinctlyasshediscernedthesnow-child，themotherthoughtto

herselfthatneverbeforewasthereasnow-figuresocunninglymade，

noreversuchadearlittlegirlandboytomakeit。

“Theydoeverythingbetterthanotherchildren。”saidshe，very

complacently。“Nowondertheymakebettersnow-images！”

Shesatdownagaintoherwork，andmadeasmuchhastewithitas

possible；becausetwilightwouldsooncome，andPeony’sfrockwas

notyetfinished，andgrandfatherwasexpected，byrailroad，pretty

earlyinthemorning。Fasterandfaster，therefore，wentherflying

fingers。Thechildren，likewise，keptbusilyatworkinthegarden，

andstillthemotherlistened，whenevershecouldcatchaword。She

wasamusedtoobservenowtheirlittleimaginationshadgotmixedup

withwhattheyweredoing，andwerecarriedawaybyit。Theyseemed

positivelytothinkthatthesnow-childwouldrunaboutandplay

withthem。

“Whataniceplaymateshewillbeforus，allwinterlong！”said

Violet。“Ihopepapawillnotbeafraidofhergivingusacold！

Shan’tyouloveherdearly，Peony？”

“O，yes！”criedPeony。“AndIwillhugher，andsheshallsit

downclosebyme，anddrinksomeofmywarmmilk！”

“O，no，Peony！”answeredViolet，withgravewisdom。“Thatwill

notdoatall。Warmmilkwillnotbewholesomeforourlittle

snow-sister。Littlesnow-people，likeher，eatnothingbuticicles。

No，no，Peony；wemustnotgiveheranythingwarmtodrink！”

Therewasaminuteortwoofsilence；forPeony，whoseshortlegs

wereneverweary，hadgoneonapilgrimageagaintotheotherside

ofthegarden。Allofasudden，Violetcriedout，loudlyandjoyfully，

“Lookhere，Peony！Comequickly！Alighthasbeenshiningonhercheek

outofthatrose-coloredcloud！andthecolordoesnotgoaway！Isnot

thatbeautiful？”

“Yes；itisbeau-ti-ful。”answeredPeony，pronouncingthethree

syllableswithdeliberateaccuracy。“O，Violet，onlylookatherhair！

Itisalllikegold！”

“O，certainly。”saidViolet，withtranquillity，asifitwere

verymuchamatterofcourse。“Thatcolor，youknow，comesfromthe

goldenclouds，thatweseeupthereinthesky。Sheisalmostfinished

now。Butherlipsmustbemadeveryred-redderthanhercheeks。

Perhaps，Peony，itwillmakethemred，ifwebothkissthem！”

Accordingly，themotherheardtwosmartlittlesmacks，asifboth

herchildrenwerekissingthesnow-imageonitsfrozenmouth。But，

asthisdidnotseemtomakethelipsquiteredenough，Violetnext

proposedthatthesnow-childshouldbeinvitedtokissPeony’sscarlet

cheek。

“Come，’ittlesnow-sister，kissme！”criedPeony。

“There！shehaskissedyou。”addedViolet，“andnowherlipsare

veryred。Andsheblushedalittle，too！”

“O，whatacoldkiss！”criedPeony。

Justthen，therecameabreezeofthepurewestwind，sweeping

throughthegardenandrattlingtheparlorwindows。Itsoundedso

wintrycold，thatthemotherwasabouttotaponthewindow-pane

withherthimbledfinger，tosummonthetwochildrenin，whenthey

bothcriedouttoherwithonevoice。Thetonewasnotatoneof

surprise，althoughtheywereevidentlyagooddealexcited；it

appearedratherasiftheywereverymuchrej