"Ah, dear child, you were so calm, and now it is done!" said the old
dressmaker.

The dress stood stiffly glittering at them, white as snow, the nine
frills pricking away from the great hooped skirt.

Fanny picked up the brown paper parcel she had laid on the dresser,
taking from it a bottle of blue ink, a bottle of green, and a paint
brush, and diluted the inks in a saucer under the tap. There was awe in
the kitchen as she held the brush, filled with colour, in the air, and
began to paint blue flowers on the dress.

At the first touch of the brush the old dressmaker clasped her hands.
"What is she doing, the English girl! And we who have kept it so
white...."

"Hush," said Fanny, stooping towards the bodice, "trust me!"

The children held their breath, except Elsa, who breathed so hard that
Fanny felt her hair stir on her neck. She covered the plain, tight-
waisted bodice with dancing flowers in blue and green.

On the frills of the skirt a dozen large flowers were painted as though
fallen from the bodice. Soon it was done.

"Like that! In five minutes!" groaned the dressmaker, troubled by the
peculiar growth of the flowers.

"Let it dry," said Fanny. "I'll go home and start doing my hair. Elsa