didsherememberanythingaboutit?yes,certainly,forshehadgivenhimthebeautifulhymn-bookinremembranceofthis;andwhenthefirstnewmooninthefirstnewyearafterthiseventcameround,hetookapieceofbread,apenny,andhishymn-book,andwentoutintotheopenair,andopenedthebooktoseewhatpsalmheshouldturnup.itwasapsalmofpraiseandthanksgiving.thenheopenedthebookagaintoseewhatwouldturnupforlittleemily.hetookgreatpainsnottoopenthebookintheplacewherethefuneralhymnswere,andyethegotonethatreferredtothegraveanddeath.butthenhethoughtthiswasnotathinginwhichonemustbelieve;forallthathewasstartledwhensoonafterwardstheprettylittlegirlhadtolieinbed,andthedoctor'scarriagestoppedatthegateeveryday.

"theywillnotkeepherwiththem,"saidtheporter'swife."thegoodgodknowswhomhewillsummontohimself."

buttheykeptherafterall;andgeorgedrewpicturesandsentthemtoher.hedrewtheczar'spalace;theoldkremlinatmoscow,justasitstood,withtowersandcupolas;andthesecupolaslookedlikegiganticgreenandgoldcucumbers,atleastingeorge'sdrawing.littleemilywashighlypleased,andconsequently,whenaweekhadelapsed,georgesentherafewmorepictures,allwithbuildingsinthem;for,yousee,shecouldimagineallsortsofthingsinsidethewindowsanddoors.

hedrewachinesehouse,withbellshangingfromeveryoneofsixteenstories.hedrewtwogreciantempleswithslendermarblepillars,andwithstepsallroundthem.hedrewanorwegianchurch.itwaseasytoseethatthischurchhadbeenbuiltentirelyofwood,hewnoutandwonderfullyputtogether;everystorylookedasifithadrockers,likeacradle.butthemostbeautifulofallwasthecastle,drawnononeoftheleaves,andwhichhecalled"emily'scastle."thiswasthekindofplaceinwhichshemustlive.thatiswhatgeorgehadthought,andconsequentlyhehadputintothisbuildingwhateverhethoughtmostbeautifulinalltheothers.ithadcarvedwood-work,likethenorwegianchurch;marblepillars,likethegreciantemple;bellsineverystory;andwascrownedwithcupolas,greenandgilded,likethoseofthekremlinoftheczar.itwasarealchild'scastle,andundereverywindowwaswrittenwhatthehallortheroominsidewasintendedtobe;forinstance:"hereemilysleeps;""hereemilydances;""hereemilyplaysatreceivingvisitors."itwasarealpleasuretolookatthecastle,andrightwellwasthecastlelookedataccordingly.

"charming!"saidthegeneral.

buttheoldcount-fortherewasanoldcountthere,whowasstillgranderthanthegeneral,andhadacastleofhisown-saidnothingatall;heheardthatithadbeendesignedanddrawnbytheporter'slittleson.notthathewassoverylittle,either,forhehadalreadybeenconfirmed.theoldcountlookedatthepictures,andhadhisownthoughtsashedidso.

oneday,whenitwasverygloomy,gray,wetweather,thebrightestofdaysdawnedforgeorge;fortheprofessorattheacademycalledhimintohisroom.

"listentome,myfriend,"saidtheprofessor;"iwanttospeaktoyou.thelordhasbeengoodtoyouingivingyouabilities,andhehasalsobeengoodinplacingyouamongkindpeople.theoldcountatthecorneryonderhasbeenspeakingtomeaboutyou.ihavealsoseenyoursketches;butwewillnotsayanymoreaboutthose,forthereisagooddealtocorrectinthem.butfromthistimeforwardyoumaycometwicea-weektomydrawing-class,andthenyouwillsoonlearnhowtodothembetter.ithinkthere'smoreofthearchitectthanofthepainterinyou.youwillhavetimetothinkthatover;butgoacrosstotheoldcountthisveryday,andthankgodforhavingsentyousuchafriend."

itwasagreathouse-thehouseoftheoldcountatthecorner.roundthewindowselephantsanddromedarieswerecarved,allfromtheoldtimes;buttheoldcountlovedthenewtimebest,andwhatitbrought,whetheritcamefromthefirstfloor,orfromthecellar,orfromtheattic.

"ithink,"said,theporter'swife,"thegranderpeopleare,thefewerairsdotheygivethemselves.howkindandstraightforwardtheoldcountis!