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Stories by Foreign Authors: Spanish by Unknown
page 50 of 163 (30%)

Berta offered no resistance, for it was a matter of indifference to her
whether she lived in the city or in the country; the only thing she showed
any desire about was that the piano should be taken with them, as if she
regarded it as a dear friend and her only confidant; and the family
removed to the villa and established themselves in it.

Berta herself arranged the room which she was to occupy in the villa. This
opened on the garden and served her both as bedroom and dressing-room.
Above her bed she hung a beautiful life-size photograph of a head. It was
that of Adrian Baker, with his pale, smooth brow, his large blue eyes and
his beautiful golden curls--the head of Adrian Baker admirably
photographed, and which she herself had shaded.

For the piano no place could be found to please Berta. There was only one
common room in the villa, the parlor, which at times also served as a
dining-room. She was hesitating between the parlor and her bedroom, when
the idea occurred to her to put it in a small pavilion covered with vines
and honeysuckles, which stood in a corner of the garden and which was used
as a hot-house. The idea seemed to be a happy one, and she smiled as it
occurred to her, and the piano was placed in the pavilion, like a bird in
its cage.

The journey must have fatigued Berta, for she retired early to her room,
where the nurse left her in bed. Did she sleep? We cannot say; but at dawn
the songs of the birds that made their nests in the garden caused her to
rise. She opened the window-shutters and a flock of birds flew away
frightened, to hide themselves in the tops of the trees, gilded by the
first rays of the sun. Before long, however, the boldest of them returned
to hop before her window, looking at Berta with a certain audacious
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