The waterfall lengthened its icicles daily, and
the whole court was heaped with snow, up even to the top of the high
steps to the hall; and thus, Christina was told, would it continue
all the winter. What had previously seemed to her a strangely door-
like window above the porch now became the only mode of egress, when
the barons went out bear or wolf-hunting, or the younger took his
crossbow and hound to provide the wild-fowl, which, under Christina's
skilful hands, would tempt the feeble appetite of Ermentrude when she
was utterly unable to touch the salted meats and sausages of the
household.
In spite of all endeavours to guard the windows and keep up the fire,
the cold withered the poor child like a fading leaf, and she needed
more and more of tenderness and amusement to distract her attention
from her ailments. Christina's resources were unfailing. Out of the
softer pine and birch woods provided for the fire, she carved a set
of draughtsmen, and made a board by ruling squares on the end of a
settle, and painting the alternate ones with a compound of oil and
charcoal.
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