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〃If you are at all nervous； I will come and keep you company；〃 she said； 〃I don't mind at all； I assure you。〃
But Irais is not to be taken in by such simple wiles； and has told me she would rather sleep with fifty ghosts than with one Minora。
Since Miss Jones was so unexpectedly called away to her parent's bedside I have seen a good deal of the babies； and it is so nice without a governess that I would put off engaging another for a year or two； if it were not that I should in so doing come within the reach of the arm of the law； which is what every German spends his life in trying to avoid。 The April baby will be six next month； and； after her sixth birthday is passed； we are liable at any moment to receive a visit from a school inspector； who will inquire curiously into the state of her education； and； if it is not up to the required standard； all sorts of fearful things might happen to the guilty parents； probably beginning with fines； and going on crescendo to dungeons if； owing to gaps between governesses and difficulties in finding the right one； we persisted in our evil courses。 Shades of the prison…house begin to close here upon the growing boy； and prisons compass the Teuton about on every side all through life to such an extent that he has to walk very delicately indeed if he would stay outside them and pay for their maintenance。 Cultured individuals do not； as a rule； neglect to teach their offspring to read； and write； and say their prayers； and are apt to resent the intrusion of an examining inspector into their homes； but it does not much matter after all； and I daresay it is very good for us to be worried； indeed； a philosopher of my acquaintance declares that people who are not regularly and properly worried are never any good for anything。 In the eye of the law we are all sinners； and every man is held to be guilty until he has proved that he is innocent。
Minora has seen so much of the babies that； after vainly trying to get out of their way for several days； she thought it better to resign herself； and make the best of it by regarding them as copy； and using them to fill a chapter in her book。 So she took to dogging their footsteps wherever they went； attended their uprisings and their lyings down； engaged them； if she could； in intelligent conversation； went with them into the garden to study their ways when they were sleighing； drawn by a big dog； and generally made their lives a burden to them。 This went on for three days； and then she settled down to write the result with the Man of Wrath's typewriter； borrowed whenever her notes for any chapter have reached the state of ripeness necessary for the process she describes as 〃throwing into form。〃 She writes everything with a typewriter； even her private letters。
〃Don't forget to put in something about a mother's knee；〃 said Irais； 〃you can't write effectively about children without that。〃 〃Oh； of course I shall mention that；〃 replied Minora。
〃And pink toes；〃 I added。 〃There are always toes； and they are never anything but pink。〃
〃I have that somewhere；〃 said Minora； turning over her notes。
〃But； after all； babies are not a German speciality；〃 said Irais； 〃and I don't quite see why you should bring them into a book of German travels。 Elizabeth's babies have each got the fashionable number of arms and legs； and are exactly the same as English ones。〃
〃Oh； but they can't be just the same； you know；〃 said Minora； looking worried。 〃It must make a difference living here in this place； and eating such odd things； and never having a doctor； and never being ill。 Children who have never had measles and those things can't be quite the same as other children； it must all be in their systems and can't get out for some reason or other。 And a child brought up on chicken and rice…pudding must be different to a child that eats Spickgans and liver sausages。 And they are different； I can't tell in what way； but they certainly are； and I think if I steadily describe them from the materials I have collected the last three days； I may perhaps hit on the points of difference。〃
〃Why bother about points of difference？〃 asked Irais。 〃I should write some little thing； bringing in the usual parts of the picture； such as knees and toes； and make it mildly pathetic。〃
〃But it is by no means an easy thing for me to do；〃 said Minora plaintively； 〃I have so little experience of children。〃
〃Then why write it at all？〃 asked that sensible person Elizabeth。
〃I have as little experience as you；〃 said Irais； 〃because I have no children； but if you don't yearn after startling originality； nothing is easier than to write bits about them。 I believe I could do a dozen in an hour。〃
She sat down at the writing…table； took up an old letter； and scribbled for about five minutes。 〃There；〃 she said； throwing it to Minora； 〃you may have itpink toes and all complete。〃
Minora put on her eye…glasses and read aloud：
〃When my baby shuts her eyes and sings her hymns at bed…time my stale and battered soul is filled with awe。 All sorts of vague memories crowd into my mind memories of my own mother and myselfhow many years ago！ of the sweet helplessness of being gathered up half asleep in her arms； and undressed； and put in my cot； without being wakened； of the angels I believed in； of little children coming straight from heaven； and still being surrounded； so long as they were good； by the shadow of white wings；all the dear poetic nonsense learned； just as my baby is learning it； at her mother's knee。 She has not an idea of the beauty of the charming things she is told； and stares wide…eyed； with heavenly eyes； while her mother talks of the heaven she has so lately come from； and is relieved and comforted by the interrupting bread and milk。 At two years old she does not understand angels； and does understand bread and milk； at five she has vague notions about them； and prefers bread and milk； at ten both bread and milk and angels have been left behind in the nursery； and she has already found out that they are luxuries not necessary to her everyday life。 In later years she may be disinclined to accept truths second…hand； insist on thinking for herself； be earnest in her desire to shake off exploded traditions； be untiring in her efforts to live according to a high moral standard and to be strong； and pure； and good〃
〃Like tea；〃 explained Irais。
〃yet will she never； with all her virtues； possess one…thousandth part of the charm that clung about her when she sang； with quiet eyelids； her first reluctant hymns； kneeling on her mother's knees。 I love to come in at bed…time and sit in the window in the setting sunshine watching the mysteries of her going to bed。 Her mother tubs her； for she is far too precious to be touched by any nurse； and then she is rolled up in a big bath towel； and only her little pink toes peep out； and when she is powdered； and combed； and tied up in her night…dress； and all her curls are on end； and her ears glowing； she is knelt down on her mother's lap； a little bundle of fragrant flesh； and her face reflects the quiet of her mother's face as she goes through her evening prayer for pity and for peace。〃
〃How very curious！〃 said Minora； w