midnight
The mother saw it in their beautiful beaming eyes ; she read it in Louise 's quiet glance as she turned round from the table , where she was helping Sara with her tunic , and looked at her mother . Elise nodded joyfully both to her and Eva , and drank to them the glass of almond-milk , which now appeared to have become suddenly sweet , so pleased did she look as she again set down the glass . `` Mamma , dear , '' said Gabriele , `` we must certainly do something towards poor Petrea 's toilet , otherwise she will not be presentable . '' But Louise took Petrea 's gauze-dress secretly in hand , and sate up over it till midnight , and adorned it so with her own ribbons and lace that it was more presentable than it had ever been before . Petrea kissed her skilful hands for all that they had done . Eva -- yet we will , for the present , keep silent on her arrangements . But dost thou know , oh , reader !