# III: The Mountains explained — The House Without Windows

> Chapter companion for The House Without Windows by Barbara Newhall Follett.

## What happens

Eepersip, now living wild, devises a plan to entice her little sister Fleuriss away from home using flowers, ferns, and fairy-like displays. She hides in a lilac bush, leaves apple-blossoms on Fleuriss's bed, and is thrilled when Fleuriss mistakes her for a nymph. Later, Eepersip takes Fleuriss on explorations through gardens and forests, then leaves her alone for a few days to scout a path to the mountains. Eepersip undertakes a difficult solo climb up a snowy peak, enduring cold and steep terrain, and finally reaches a high summit overlooking a vast mountain range.

## Themes in this chapter

### Sibling Love and Connection

Eepersip's deep desire to bring Fleuriss into her wild life, using flowers and fairy tricks to draw her away from home.

### Escape from Civilization

Eepersip's distress upon encountering roads and houses, and her determination to lead Fleuriss into the untamed mountains.

### The Beauty and Power of Nature

Vivid descriptions of gardens, sunsets, a lake, and the harsh yet exhilarating mountain climb.

## Character check-ins

### Eepersip

Plans to entice Fleuriss away with flowers and fairy attire; climbs an oak to watch Fleuriss sleep; leaves apple-blossoms; later explores gardens with Fleuriss and then undertakes a solo mountain climb.

### Fleuriss

Eepersip's little sister; sleeps in a wooden crib, mistakes Eepersip for a nymph; explores gardens and a lake; left alone while Eepersip scouts the mountains.

### Mrs. Eigleen

Dismisses Fleuriss's claim of seeing a nymph; is surprised by the apple-blossoms on Fleuriss's bed.

## Key lines

> She would dress herself up in wonderful flowers interwoven with the ferns, she would lure butterflies about her wreaths, she would bear armfuls of roses and apple-blossoms and lilacs and scatter them over Fleuriss, she would make her a fern dress, and, thus fascinating her, draw her away.

Eepersip plans to enchant Fleuriss by adorning herself with flowers and ferns, attracting butterflies, and showering her sister with blossoms to lure her into the wild.

_Eepersip's strategy to use natural beauty to win Fleuriss over._

> She saw a gorgeous butterfly come sailing toward her, of yellow streaked with black. Others followed, and they covered her with soft wing-caresses, crowning her head with their wings.

Fleuriss is surrounded by yellow-and-black butterflies that gently land on her, as if crowning her.

_Fleuriss's magical encounter with butterflies, which she believes are fairies._

> The colour faded slowly, slowly, as she watched, until only a deep flush was left, and it was then that Fleuriss thought she was in the heart of a giant rose.

As the sunset colors dimmed to a deep pink, Fleuriss imagined herself inside an enormous rose.

_Fleuriss's imaginative perception of the sunset._

> Oh, but it was cold up here on these tremendous heights; the wind was keen and shrilly whistling. But, however cold, it was a mountain wind, an exhilarating mountain wind which made Eepersip leap into the air—leap and dance as on the meadow.

Despite the bitter cold and sharp wind on the high peaks, Eepersip finds the mountain air invigorating and dances joyfully.

_Eepersip's exhilaration in the harsh mountain environment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_house_without_windows_se/chapters/iii-the-mountains
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_house_without_windows_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_house_without_windows_se/chapters