georgehurriedupstairstothegeneral'sapartments;heopenedthedoorofthenursery.thewindowcurtainwasalmostentirelyburnt,andthewoodencurtain-polewasonemassofflame.georgespranguponachairhebroughtinhaste,andpulleddowntheburningarticles;hethenalarmedthepeople.butforhim,thehousewouldhavebeenburneddown.

thegeneralandhisladycross-questionedlittleemily.

"ionlytookjustonelucifer-match,"shesaid,"anditwasburningdirectly,andthecurtainwasburningtoo.ispatatit,toputitout;ispatatitasmuchasevericould,buticouldnotputitout;soiranawayandhidmyself,forpapaandmammawouldbeangry."

"ispat!"criedthegeneral'slady;"whatanexpression!didyoueverhearyourpapaandmammatalkaboutspitting?youmusthavegotthatfromdownstairs!"

andgeorgehadapennygivenhim.butthispennydidnotgotothebaker'sshop,butintothesavings-box;andsoonthereweresomanypenniesinthesavings-boxthathecouldbuyapaint-boxandcolorthedrawingshemade,andhehadagreatnumberofdrawings.theyseemedtoshootoutofhispencilandoutofhisfingers'ends.hisfirstcoloredpictureshepresentedtoemily.

"charming!"saidthegeneral,andeventhegeneral'sladyacknowledgedthatitwaseasytoseewhattheboyhadmeanttodraw."hehasgenius."thosewerethewordsthatwerecarrieddownintothecellar.

thegeneralandhisgraciousladyweregrandpeople.theyhadtwocoatsofarmsontheircarriage,acoatofarmsforeachofthem,andthegraciousladyhadhadthiscoatofarmsembroideredonbothsidesofeverybitoflinenshehad,andevenonhernightcapandherdressing-bag.oneofthecoatsofarms,theonethatbelongedtoher,wasaverydearone;ithadbeenboughtforhardcashbyherfather,forhehadnotbeenbornwithit,norhadshe;shehadcomeintotheworldtooearly,sevenyearsbeforethecoatofarms,andmostpeoplerememberedthiscircumstance,butthefamilydidnotrememberit.amanmightwellhaveabeeinhisbonnet,whenhehadsuchacoatofarmstocarryasthat,letalonehavingtocarrytwo;andthegeneral'swifehadabeeinherswhenshedrovetothecourtball,asstiffandasproudasyouplease.

thegeneralwasoldandgray,buthehadagoodseatonhorseback,andheknewit,andherodeouteveryday,withagroombehindhimataproperdistance.whenhecametoaparty,helookedsomehowasifhewereridingintotheroomuponhishighhorse;andhehadorders,too,suchanumberthatnoonewouldhavebelievedit;butthatwasnothisfault.asayoungmanhehadtakenpartinthegreatautumnreviewswhichwereheldinthosedays.hehadananecdotethathetoldaboutthosedays,theonlyoneheknew.asubalternunderhisordershadcutoffoneoftheprinces,andtakenhimprisoner,andtheprincehadbeenobligedtoridethroughthetownwithalittlebandofcapturedsoldiers,himselfaprisonerbehindthegeneral.thiswasanever-memorableevent,andwasalwaystoldoverandoveragaineveryyearbythegeneral,who,moreover,alwaysrepeatedtheremarkablewordshehadusedwhenhereturnedhisswordtotheprince;thosewordswere,"onlymysubalterncouldhavetakenyourhighnessprisoner;icouldneverhavedoneit!"andtheprincehadreplied,"youareincomparable."inarealwarthegeneralhadnevertakenpart.whenwarcameintothecountry,hehadgoneonadiplomaticcareertoforeigncourts.hespokethefrenchlanguagesofluentlythathehadalmostforgottenhisown;hecoulddancewell,hecouldridewell,andordersgrewonhiscoatinanastoundingway.thesentriespresentedarmstohim,oneofthemostbeautifulgirlspresentedarmstohim,andbecamethegeneral'slady,andintimetheyhadapretty,charmingchild,thatseemedasifithaddroppedfromheaven,itwassopretty;andtheporter'ssondancedbeforeitinthecourtyard,assoonasitcouldunderstandit,andgaveherallhiscoloredpictures,andlittleemilylookedatthem,andwaspleased,andtorethemtopieces.shewasprettyanddelicateindeed.

"mylittleroseleaf!"