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Page 46
"That will be as God wills," said her sister; "we must trust them to
him, and pray him to send his angels to watch over them; that will be a
better protection than any that we two could afford them."
CHAPTER III.
ON THE BEAUTIFUL RHINE.
In the garden at Rosemount was such an excitement and running to and fro
as had never been seen there before. It was the day after the arrival of
the three guests. Great had been the surprise of the doctor's children,
yesterday evening, when they were shown up stairs, to find three large
rooms assigned for their use, one to each. For the house was so arranged
that there was but one bed in each room. The windows of all three rooms
overlooked the garden, and beyond could be seen the river. The children
had never before been so royally lodged. Emma planned directly to spend
long hours at her window, looking into the moonlight and listening to
the river, as late as she chose, for no one would come to send her off
to bed. Oscar looked about the large apartment, and thought what a fine
place it would be to spread out his banners. They would not be in any
one's way, as they were at home; and no one would come and clear them
out. Fred examined all the presses, tables, and drawers, and destined
them to his special uses.
The meeting of the five children was a most joyous one to them all. From
the first moment they found themselves on as intimate a footing as if
they had never been separated. Elsli and Fani were not changed as the
doctor's children had feared they might be; on the contrary, it seemed
as if they were even nearer to their old friends. Fani was merrier and
more lively than ever, and Elsli, although still somewhat shy, was more
confiding than before, and just as amiable and obliging; and they both
were so attractive in their nice clothes, that Emma took great delight
in merely looking at them.
The first morning was spent in emptying the big trunk, with Aunt
Clarissa's help, and in arranging the contents in the three rooms. In
the afternoon the children were allowed to explore the house and garden,
and to have a run in the meadows, that they might become acquainted with
Rosemount and its surroundings. What a pleasure for them all!
Emma's first wish was to get down to the river-side, under the lindens,
and to see the branches dip and rise and dip again into the swiftly
flowing stream. Fani had drawn her a picture of it, and she must see it.
It was Fani's favorite spot, and he was ready enough to show it to her;
so the two ran off together.
Fred did not know which way to turn. He was fairly bewildered by all
the living wonders that surrounded him; the glancing, gleaming, humming
world of the rose-garden. Here a golden beetle crept across the lawn;
there the air seemed full of gayly colored butterflies. On the edge of
the fountain sat a golden-green lizard in the sun. Over on the hedge a
great variety of wonderful insects swarmed on every leaf and twig! What
a harvest he could gather! He ran about in every direction; he was
beside himself with delight; discovering every moment something new and
unexpected. Nor was this in the garden only. Down by the river, under
the old trees, in the thick hedges, in the damp earth by the water-side,
between the cracks of the stones by the river, he felt sure of countless
treasures. He paid little attention to his friends or his brother and
sister; he seemed to swim in an ocean of wealth, undreamed of before,
and all within his grasp!
Oscar, meantime, under Elsli's guidance, had been examining every part
of the garden; carefully observing everything as he walked along down to
the Rhine, along the meadow-land and back to the court-yard, which was
all walled in, and where two big oak-trees cast a far-reaching shadow.
Around these oaks ran a wooden seat where one could sit in comfort under
the thick protection of the leafy cover. Here the two children seated
themselves; and Oscar looked thoughtfully across the broad meadow,
around which ran a high hedge; a broad paved path led from the
court-yard down to a gate-way of iron-work, which united the hedges that
enclosed the whole estate.
"And you say, Elsli," said Oscar presently, "that beyond the hedges the
land does not belong to Mrs. Stanhope at all?"
"No, Oscar; a very large vineyard belongs to her besides. It is so large
that you would not believe the quantity of grapes that she gets from it.
It lies on the other side of the house, towards the Rhine."
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