'Nobody, child,' said the nurse, almost angrily.
But that instant there came a burst of coarse tittering from
somewhere near, and a hoarse indistinct voice that seemed to say:
'Lies! lies! lies!'
'Oh!' cried the nurse with a sigh that was almost a scream, and ran
on faster than ever.
'Nursie! Lootie! I can't run any more. Do let us walk a bit.'
'What am I to do?' said the nurse. 'Here, I will carry you.'
She caught her up; but found her much too heavy to run with, and
had to set her down again. Then she looked wildly about her, gave
a great cry, and said:
'We've taken the wrong turning somewhere, and I don't know where we
are. We are lost, lost!'
The terror she was in had quite bewildered her. It was true enough
they had lost the way. They had been running down into a little
valley in which there was no house to be seen.
Now Irene did not know what good reason there was for her nurse's
terror, for the servants had all strict orders never to mention the
goblins to her, but it was very discomposing to see her nurse in
such a fright. Before, however, she had time to grow thoroughly
alarmed like her, she heard the sound of whistling, and that
revived her.
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