" Ellen played
none the worse for that; however she was caught at last, and
kissed, too; there was no help for it, so she bore it as well
as she could. Then she watched and laughed till the tears ran
down her cheeks, to see how the fox and the goose dodged each
other, what tricks were played, and how the long train pulled
each other about. At length Nancy was caught, and then Jenny
Hitchcock, and then Cecilia Dennison, and then Jane Huff, and
so on, till at last the fox and the goose had a long struggle
for Mimy Lawson, which would never have come to an end if Mimy
had not gone over to the enemy.
There was a general pause. The hot and tired company were
seated around the room, panting and fanning themselves with
their pocket-handkerchiefs, and speaking broken sentences;
glad to rest even from laughing. Miss Fortune had thrown
herself down on a seat close by Ellen, when Nancy came up and
softly asked, "Is it time to beat the eggs now?" Miss Fortune
nodded, and then drew her close to receive a long, low whisper
in her ear, at the end of which Nancy ran off.
"Is there anything _I_ can do, Aunt Fortune?" said Ellen, so
gently and timidly, that it ought to have won a kind answer.
"Yes," said her aunt, "you may go and put yourself to bed;
it's high time, long ago." And looking round as she moved off,
she added, "Go!" with a little nod that as much as said, "I am
in earnest.
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