Robina was not, perhaps, a shy girl; and, having quickly taken in what her own cubicle contained, she marched into the others. Each cubicle was exactly like its fellow, except that its colouring was different: some were all in pink, some all in blue, some again in red and white, some again in palest primrose. "I have the prettiest," thought Robina; "not that I care." She now looked out of her window. The cubicle next to hers had no window, so she was highly privileged; but she was not in a mood to notice this at present. She stood quite still, gazing steadily out at the view. Her face was peculiar for so young a child, and had a look of power about it which would distinguish it all through life, and make people inclined to look twice at her. It was not exactly a beautiful face, but it arrested attention. The little nose was short, and perfectly straight; the brows thick; the forehead broad and very white. The eyes were good, but of a nondescript colour; so that one moment you spoke of them as brown, at another as blue, at another as grey. At night, they looked very black, and in times of emotion they would sparkle in quite a dangerous way. Robina's mouth was well cut, but a little large. She had a clear skin that was somewhat pale, and was a square-built child, neither especially tall nor especially short for her age. Having completed her toilet--not with any particular view to being tidy or making herself charming--she went downstairs. A maid directed her to Mrs Burton's sitting-room, where she and her mistress had tea. During tea-time, Mrs Burton did what she could to draw Robina out. But this was not at all an easy task. Robina did not want to be drawn; and she was the sort of child whom it was absolutely difficult to force out of the way in which she washed to go. Mrs Burton tried her on the subject of her sick mother; but although Robina did blink her eyes twice in a rather suspicious manner, she replied quite calmly, saying that her mother was always an invalid and could not stand noise. "I am noisy," said Robina, "so that is why I have been sent to you. Did you know that?" "Yes," replied Mrs Burton. "Do you expect me to be very quiet here?" continued Robina. "In play-time," answered Mrs Burton, "you can be as noisy as you like." "But when I am in the mood I am always noisy," said Robina. "We don't have moods here," replied Mrs Burton, whereupon Robina stretched out her hand and helped herself without asking to a large piece of cake. She ate it almost greedily, stuffing great pieces into her mouth. Mrs Burton was determined that no discipline should begin that evening, so she turned now to the subject of lessons. What did Robina know? Nothing, it seemed, and yet in a way everything. "I have read lots," answered that young lady calmly; "but they couldn't manage me about my lessons; that was another reason why they sent me here. Did you know that?" "Yes; I have heard it," replied Mrs Burton.