“The whole night long. But I begin to think it was not so much of an event after-all; you girls are so critical. It seems to me sometimes we are like those stones which are full of caves, and grottoes of crystal inside, to ourselves, while to others we are only common paving stones.” “But you must remember it is just so with all, and not contrast the inside of your paving stone with the outside of others',” said Anna. “I was thinking whether there was outside enough to my little adventure to make it worth telling. But if it is thinner than that of the rest, it will be easier to break open.” “There, Linda, you have let that stone roll long enough; now let it rest with me and gather moss.” “I understand you, Ella. You are off now on one of your fairy stories, and I shall have one listener the less. Well, I am glad of it, for I shall not have you looking at me in your calm way all the time, and thinking how much better you could tell the story.” “O Ella, let us have the fairy story, and call it the paving stone if you please. Never mind if it is not clear to you yet, but think as you go along,” said Fanny. “No; leave me alone. Perhaps it is nothing, and I know too well that no story is good for any thing, unless one knows what it is going to be before one begins.” “I hate stories with morals; they are just like going in the cars, where all you think of is the end of your journey,” said Kate. “But unless you know where you are going, you would never go at all.” “But it is so pleasant to go off for a day's walk without knowing where you are going, and with nothing to do but to enjoy what you see.” “Exactly as I thought when I set out on the adventure which led to that eventful night. But you were about to say something, Ella.” “I was only going to say that things never look so well to me as when I have some place to go to, and see them on the way. But the adventure.” “O, I set out without knowing whither I was going, though I found something so like a moral before I was through with it, that my story would be nothing without it.” “That may be, but you will not tell it in the same way.” “No, for I know well enough where it leads to, and my only fear now is, that incidents on the way will not seem interesting enough to make it worth the telling.” “Leave that to us, Linda; and now for the adventure.” “You remember what a time I had with Madam Irving, three or four years ago; you were here, Fanny, and you, Miss Revere--you remember, of course.” “When you ran away from school and frightened Madam Irving almost to death, and were so glad to get back again?” said Fanny. “Well, I will not dispute you.” “But do not look so resigned about it. If you could only have seen the contrast between yourself leaving the school room with the air of Queen Catharine leaving the court, and your first appearance on the morning after your return!”