The Street of the First Shell, Chapter 1

⁠​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌⁠“Be of Good Cheer, the Sullen Month will die,

And a young Moon requite us by and by:

Look how the Old one, meagre, bent, and wan

With age and Fast, is fainting from the sky.”

The room was already dark. The high roofs opposite cut off what little remained of the December daylight. The girl drew her chair nearer the window, and choosing a large needle, threaded it, knotting the thread over her fingers.