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"There are so many of these new things," said Grandmama, "I daresay modern young people like Gerda and Kay are quite in with it all." "I'm afraid," said Neville, "that Gerda and Kay are secularists at present." "Poor children," Grandmama said gently. Secularism made her think of the violent and vulgar Mr. Bradlaugh. It was, in her view, a noisier thing even than Anglo-Catholicism.
And they went into the garden in the large avenue, where one leaf was falling after the other; and when the lights in the palace had all gradually disappeared, the Raven led little Gerda to the back door, which stood half open. Oh, how Gerda's heart beat with anxiety and longing! It was just as if she had been about to do something wrong; and yet she only wanted to know if little Kay was there.
Gerda's mind was artistic rather than literary, and she felt no wide or acute interest in human beings, their actions, passions, foibles, and desires. Barry came down for week-ends. He and Gerda had declared their affections towards one another even at the Looe infirmary, where Gerda had been conveyed from the scene of accident.
Now, when Gerda went to look out of the window, she called to the others to come quickly to see the northern lights; for out of the north there had come a gorgeous illumination, filling the heavens with a marvellous radiance such as only the aurora borealis can give.
"What time is it, Father?" asked Gerda, as they reached the top of Mount Dundret, and Lieutenant Ekman took the key out of his pocket to open the door of the Tourists' Hut. "It is half past eleven," replied her father, looking at his watch. "At noon or at night?" questioned Gerda. "Look at the sun, and don't ask such foolish questions," Birger told her.
She had often seen the northern lights, but never any so brilliant as these. Everyone seemed charged with the electricity, and little Karen said softly, "I never felt so strange before. The lights go up and down my back to the tip of my toes." "It is the elves of light dancing round the room," said Birger with a laugh. "No," said Gerda, "it is the Tomtar playing with the electric wires."
Beside his hut was piled a beacon ready to light if all was not well, and in the hut hung a great, wooden cattle lure wherewith to alarm the town. We were close to it now. By this time it was as if I knew the place well, so often had Gerda told me of it.
She then took Gerda by the hand, led her into the little cottage, and locked the door. The windows were very high up; the glass was red, blue, and green, and the sunlight shone through quite wondrously in all sorts of colors. On the table stood the most exquisite cherries, and Gerda ate as many as she chose, for she had permission to do so.
I'm happy." It was a tingling, intense, sensuous feeling, like stretching warm before a good fire, or lying in fragrant thymy woods in June, in the old Junes when suns were hot. Life was a song and a dream and a summer morning. "You're happy, Gerda," Neville said to her once, gladly but half wistfully, and she nodded, with her small gleaming smile.
The Snow Queen has her summer tent there, but her permanent castle is up at the North Pole, on the island which is called Spitzbergen! 'Oh Kay, little Kay! sighed Gerda. 'Lie still, or I shall stick the knife into you! said the robber girl.
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