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er？ He is so used to them that he stops now at the right moment without having to be told； and he is ready to drive me all night if I wish it； with no sign of anything but cheerful willingness on his nice old face。 The Man of Wrath deplores these eccentric tastes； as he calls them； of mine； but has given up trying to prevent my indulging them because； while he is deploring in one part of the house； I have slipped out at a door in the other； and am gone before he can catch me； and have reached and am lost in the shadows of the forest by the time he has discovered that I am nowhere to be found。
The brightness of Peter's perfections are sullied however by one spot； and that is； that as age creeps upon him； he not only cannot hold the horses in if they don't want to be held in； but he goes to sleep sometimes on his box if I have him out too soon after lunch； and has upset me twice within the last year once last winter out of a sleigh； and once this summer； when the horses shied at a bicycle； and bolted into the ditch on one side of the chaussee （German for high road）； and the bicycle was so terrified at the horses shying that it shied too into the ditch on the other side； and the carriage was smashed； and the bicycle was smashed； and we were all very unhappy； except Peter； who never lost his pleasant smile； and looked so placid that my tongue clave to the roof of my mouth when I tried to make it scold him。
〃But I should think he ought to have been thoroughly scolded on an occasion like that；〃 said Minora； to whom I had been telling this story as we wandered on the yellow sands while the horses were being put in the sleigh； and she glanced nervously up at Peter； whose mild head was visible between the bushes above us。 〃Shall we get home before dark？〃 she asked。
The sun had altogether disappeared behind the pines and only the very highest of the little clouds were still pink； out at sea the mists were creeping up； and the sails of the fishing…smacks had turned a dull brown； a flight of wild geese passed across the disc of the moon with loud cacklings。
〃Before dark？〃 echoed Irais； 〃I should think not。 It is dark now nearly in the forest； and we shall have the loveliest moonlight drive back。〃
〃But it is surely very dangerous to let a man who goes to sleep drive you；〃 said Minora apprehensively。
〃But he's such an old dear；〃 I said。
〃Yes； yes； no doubt；〃 she replied tastily； ；〃but there are wakeful old dears to be had； and on a box they are preferable。〃
Irais laughed。 〃You are growing quite amusing； Miss Minora；〃 she said。
〃He isn't on a box to…day；〃 said I； 〃and I never knew him to go to sleep standing up behind us on a sleigh。〃 But Minora was not to be appeased； and muttered something about seeing no fun in foolhardiness； which shows how alarmed she was； for it was rude。
Peter； however； behaved beautifully on the way home； and Irais and I at least were as happy as possible driving back； with all the glories of the western sky flashing at us every now and then at the end of a long avenue as we swiftly passed； and later on； when they had faded； myriads of stars in the narrow black strip of sky over our heads。 It was bitterly cold； and Minora was silent； and not in the least inclined to laugh with us as she had been six hours before。
〃Have you enjoyed yourself； Miss Minora？' inquired Irais； as we got out of the forest on to the chaussee； and the lights of the village before ours twinkled in the distance。
〃How many degrees do you suppose there are now？〃 was Minora's reply to this question。
〃Degrees？Of frost？ Oh； dear me； are you cold；〃 cried Irais solicitously。
〃Well； it isn't exactly warm； is it？〃 said Minora sulkily； and Irais pinched me。 〃Well； but think how much colder you would have been without all that fur you ate for lunch inside you；〃 she said。 〃And what a nice chapter you will be able to write about the Baltic；〃 said I。 〃Why； it is practically certain that you are the first English person who has ever been to just this part of it。〃
〃Isn't there some English poem；〃 said Irais； 〃about being the first who ever burst〃
〃'Into that silent sea；'〃 finished Minora hastily。 〃You can't quote that without its context； you know。〃
〃But I wasn't going to；〃 said Irais meekly； 〃I only paused to breathe。 I must breathe； or perhaps I might die。〃
The lights from my energetic friend's Schloss shone brightly down upon us as we passed round the base of the hill on which it stands； she is very proud of this hill； as well she may be； seeing that it is the only one in the whole district。
〃Do you never go there？〃 asked Minora； jerking her head in the direction of the house。
〃Sometimes。 She is a very busy woman； and I should feel I was in the way if I went often。〃
〃It would be interesting to see another North German interior；〃 said Minora； 〃and I should be obliged if you would take me。
〃But I can't fall upon her suddenly with a strange girl；〃 I protested； 〃and we are not at all on such intimate terms as to justify my taking all my visitors to see her。〃
〃What do you want to see another interior for？〃 asked Irais。 〃I can tell you what it is like； and if you went nobody would speak to you； and if you were to ask questions； and began to take notes； the good lady would stare at you in the frankest amazement； and think Elizabeth had brought a young lunatic out for an airing。 Everybody is not as patient as Elizabeth；〃 added Irais； anxious to pay off old scores。
〃I would do a great deal for you； Miss Minora；〃 I said； 〃but I can't do that。〃
〃If we went；〃 said Irais； 〃Elizabeth and I would be placed with great ceremony on a sofa behind a large； polished oval table with a crochetmat in the centre it has got a crochet…mat in the centre； hasn't it。？〃 I nodded。 〃And you would sit on one of the four little podgy； buttony； tasselly red chairs that are ranged on the other side of the table facing the sofa。 They are red； Elizabeth？〃 Again I nodded。 〃The floor is painted yellow； and there is no carpet except a rug in front of the sofa。 The paper is dark chocolate colour； almost black； that is in order that after years of use the dirt may not show； and the room need not be done up。 Dirt is like wickedness； you see； Miss Minoraits being there never matters； it is only when it shows so much as to be apparent to everybody that we are ashamed of it。 At intervals round the high walls are chairs； and cabinets with lamps on them； and in one corner is a great white cold stove or is it majolica？〃 she asked； turning to me。
〃No； it is white。〃
〃There are a great many lovely big windows； all ready to let in the air and the sun； but they are as carefully covered with brown lace curtains under heavy stuff ones as though a whole row of houses were just opposite； with peering eyes at every window trying to look in； instead of there only being fields； and trees； and birds。 No fire； no sunlight； no books； no flowers； but a consoling smell of red cabbage coming up under the door； mixed； in due season； with soapsuds。〃
〃When did you go there？〃 asked Minora。
〃Ah； when did I go there indeed？ When did I not go there？ I have been calling there all my life。〃
Minora's eyes rolled doubtfully first at me the