midnight
She was five years older than her sister Geraldine , and between the two there had been a brother -- Robert , or Robin , as he was familiarly called -- a little blue-eyed , golden-haired boy , with a face always wreathed in smiles , and a mouth which seemed made to kiss and be kissed in return . He was three years younger than Lucy , who , having been petted so long as the only child , looked somewhat askance at the brother who had come to interfere with her , and as he grew older , and developed that wonderful beauty and winning sweetness for which he was so remarkable , the demon of jealousy took possession of the little girl , who felt at times as if she hated him for the beauty she envied so much . `` Oh , I wish he was blind ! '' she once said , in anger , when his soft blue eyes had been extolled in her hearing and compared with her own , which were black as midnight and bright as the wintry stars . And , as if in answer to her wish , an accident occurred not long after , which darkened forever the eyes which had caused her so much annoyance . Just how it happened no one knew . The two children had been playing in the dining-room , when a great crash was heard , and a wild cry , and Robin was found upon the floor screaming with agony , while near him lay a broken cup , which had contained a quantity of red pepper , which the housemaid had left upon the sideboard until ready to replenish the caster .