…and my tutor starts in fidgeting.
in the afternoon, a dreadful sonata begins…
He’s quite strict.
This is my tutor. I study every day.
I am fourteen.
Beautiful… like the spring!
BAM!
My sister is seventeen. And beautiful.
it’s my sister playing the sonata. EHEM. Now then. Read the rest of this chapter, Charles. is that clear?
I blow grass whistles. I run around.
I sing silly songs.
And in the afternoon, I’m free.
I shout.
Songs?
A song!
…was a lass in days of yore
Limpid locks of…
…calls out to him in words more gentle than any breeze or melody.
The day before yesterday. I’m Marybelle.
is that so? The same age as my brother,
Edgar.
I’m Charles. I’m fourteen.
When did you come? This house has been empty for ages.
First love, hidden in the girl’s budding breast…
Do you know the family that moved into the old mansion just outside town the other day?
She seemed to me like a mayfly or a breeze.
Yes, Father.
awkward silences blushing cheeks and racing hearts…
But she was wearing a lovely Grecian dress.
Among the roses of the overgrown garden
Lord Portnell. Eccentric pair, they are. Not so much as a "how-do-you-do." And I hear they haven’t got a single maid.
Poor nobleman, eh?
I trust you’re studying hard, Charles?
Marybelle, tell me about yourself.
I want to know more about you. Tell me about when you were little.
What?
Marybelle.
Well, well. A lovers’ spat?
Whatever the reason, I’m off.
When I was little? But it was so long ago. I can’t remember. What about you?
Me? I’ve lived in this town my whole life. I have a big sister. My favorite season is
This evening air’s not good for you. Come into the house now.
How her eyes laugh and invite kisses.
Don’t know how sweet a young girl is in spring.
Ah!
That’s… her brother…?
Who’s that!? is something wrong? it’s my brother, Edgar. You called?
Haha!
Don’t pretend you don’t know. Oh!
Marybelle!
He looked at me as if he was a hundred years my elder. Such cold eyes… So blue…
But they’re a strange lot, they are! Never a window open, don’t you know?
Oh, and did you hear there was someone walking down the road?
The vicar saw him from his window, didn’t he? A very tall man in a cloak. Not someone from town, anyway.
We’ll see you again tomorrow? Can he really be the same age as I am?
That’s none of your business. And don’t you dare go saying a word to Mother.
You’d think they were up to no good. it’s so quiet!
But in the middle of the night!
We’ll see you again tomorrow.
is it true you’ve been playing with the girl from the mansion outside of town?
That’s what roads are for, isn’t it?
Master Charles, you shouldn’t be out so late.
I was worried about you.
Because that’s all he was doing!
Oh-h, don’t you see? That’s precisely why it’s scary!
is that all!? Oh, really now!
Said he was walking toward the mansion outside of town.
Then we’ll just hide somewhere he can’t see us. Come on.
Your brother hasn’t moved from that spot. Does it bother you? How silly.
Someday, yes. YOU MUSTN’T!
We’re never in one place for long. We’re always traveling. We won’t be here for very long. Marybelle!
You mean you’re going to leave someday?
Why are your windows always closed? it must be dark. You’d think an invalid lived here.
it doesn’t matter. We have no love for houses or towns. Father, Mother, Edgar, and I.
You mustn’t leave! Don’t leave! I love you!
There was a lass in days of yore Limpid locks of silver she wore So graceful she