I NOW REQUEST BAILEY AND CONWAY TO SHAKE HANDS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SCHOOL AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR REGRET AT WHAT HAS OCCURRED CONWAY AND I APPROACHED EACH OTHER SLOWLY AND CAUTIOUSLY AS IF WE WERE BENT UPON ANOTHER HOSTILE COLLISION


WE CLASPED HANDS IN THE TAMEST MANNER IMAGINABLE AND CONWAY MUMBLED I'M SORRY I FOUGHT WITH YOU I THINK YOU ARE I REPLIED DRILY AND I'M SORRY I HAD TO THRASH YOU


YOU CAN GO TO YOUR SEATS SAID MISTER GRIMSHAW TURNING HIS FACE ASIDE TO HIDE A SMILE I AM SURE MY APOLOGY WAS A VERY GOOD ONE I NEVER HAD ANY MORE TROUBLE WITH CONWAY


HE AND HIS SHADOW SETH RODGERS GAVE ME A WIDE BERTH FOR MANY MONTHS NOR WAS BINNY WALLACE SUBJECTED TO FURTHER MOLESTATION MISS ABIGAIL'S SANITARY STORES INCLUDING A BOTTLE OF OPODELDOC WERE NEVER CALLED INTO REQUISITION


KLETKE ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WERE THREE PRINCESSES WHO WERE ALL THREE YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL BUT THE YOUNGEST ALTHOUGH SHE WAS NOT FAIRER THAN THE OTHER TWO WAS THE MOST LOVEABLE OF THEM ALL


ABOUT HALF A MILE FROM THE PALACE IN WHICH THEY LIVED THERE STOOD A CASTLE WHICH WAS UNINHABITED AND ALMOST A RUIN BUT THE GARDEN WHICH SURROUNDED IT WAS A MASS OF BLOOMING FLOWERS


AND IN THIS GARDEN THE YOUNGEST PRINCESS USED OFTEN TO WALK ONE DAY WHEN SHE WAS PACING TO AND FRO UNDER THE LIME TREES A BLACK CROW HOPPED OUT OF A ROSE BUSH IN FRONT OF HER


THE POOR BEAST WAS ALL TORN AND BLEEDING AND THE KIND LITTLE PRINCESS WAS QUITE UNHAPPY ABOUT IT WHEN THE CROW SAW THIS IT TURNED TO HER AND SAID I AM NOT REALLY A BLACK CROW


BUT AN ENCHANTED PRINCE WHO HAS BEEN DOOMED TO SPEND HIS YOUTH IN MISERY IF YOU ONLY LIKED PRINCESS YOU COULD SAVE ME BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO SAY GOOD BYE TO ALL YOUR OWN PEOPLE


AND COME AND BE MY CONSTANT COMPANION IN THIS RUINED CASTLE THERE IS ONE HABITABLE ROOM IN IT IN WHICH THERE IS A GOLDEN BED THERE YOU WILL HAVE TO LIVE ALL BY YOURSELF


AND DON'T FORGET THAT WHATEVER YOU MAY SEE OR HEAR IN THE NIGHT YOU MUST NOT SCREAM OUT FOR IF YOU GIVE AS MUCH AS A SINGLE CRY MY SUFFERINGS WILL BE DOUBLED


THE GOOD NATURED PRINCESS AT ONCE LEFT HER HOME AND HER FAMILY AND HURRIED TO THE RUINED CASTLE AND TOOK POSSESSION OF THE ROOM WITH THE GOLDEN BED


WHEN NIGHT APPROACHED SHE LAY DOWN BUT THOUGH SHE SHUT HER EYES TIGHT SLEEP WOULD NOT COME AT MIDNIGHT SHE HEARD TO HER GREAT HORROR SOME ONE COMING ALONG THE PASSAGE AND IN A MINUTE


HER DOOR WAS FLUNG WIDE OPEN AND A TROOP OF STRANGE BEINGS ENTERED THE ROOM THEY AT ONCE PROCEEDED TO LIGHT A FIRE IN THE HUGE FIREPLACE THEN THEY PLACED A GREAT CAULDRON OF BOILING WATER ON IT


WHEN THEY HAD DONE THIS THEY APPROACHED THE BED ON WHICH THE TREMBLING GIRL LAY AND SCREAMING AND YELLING ALL THE TIME THEY DRAGGED HER TOWARDS THE CAULDRON SHE NEARLY DIED WITH FRIGHT


BUT SHE NEVER UTTERED A SOUND THEN OF A SUDDEN THE COCK CREW AND ALL THE EVIL SPIRITS VANISHED AT THE SAME MOMENT THE CROW APPEARED AND HOPPED ALL ROUND THE ROOM WITH JOY


IT THANKED THE PRINCESS MOST HEARTILY FOR HER GOODNESS AND SAID THAT ITS SUFFERINGS HAD ALREADY BEEN GREATLY LESSENED NOW ONE OF THE PRINCESS'S ELDER SISTERS WHO WAS VERY INQUISITIVE


THAT AT LAST THE GOOD NATURED LITTLE PRINCESS CONSENTED BUT AT MIDNIGHT WHEN THE ODD FOLK APPEARED THE ELDER SISTER SCREAMED WITH TERROR AND FROM THIS TIME ON THE YOUNGEST PRINCESS


INSISTED ALWAYS ON KEEPING WATCH ALONE SO SHE LIVED IN SOLITUDE ALL THE DAYTIME AND AT NIGHT SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN FRIGHTENED HAD SHE NOT BEEN SO BRAVE BUT EVERY DAY


THE CROW CAME AND THANKED HER FOR HER ENDURANCE AND ASSURED HER THAT HIS SUFFERINGS WERE FAR LESS THAN THEY HAD BEEN AND SO TWO YEARS PASSED AWAY WHEN ONE DAY THE CROW CAME TO THE PRINCESS AND SAID


IN ANOTHER YEAR I SHALL BE FREED FROM THE SPELL I AM UNDER AT PRESENT BECAUSE THEN THE SEVEN YEARS WILL BE OVER BUT BEFORE I CAN RESUME MY NATURAL FORM


AND TAKE POSSESSION OF THE BELONGINGS OF MY FOREFATHERS YOU MUST GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND TAKE SERVICE AS A MAIDSERVANT THE YOUNG PRINCESS CONSENTED AT ONCE AND FOR A WHOLE YEAR


AND HAD WORKED HER LITTLE WHITE HANDS WEARY SHE HEARD A RUSTLING BESIDE HER AND A CRY OF JOY THEN SHE SAW A HANDSOME YOUTH STANDING BESIDE HER WHO KNELT DOWN AT HER FEET


AND KISSED THE LITTLE WEARY WHITE HANDS I AM THE PRINCE HE SAID WHO YOU IN YOUR GOODNESS WHEN I WAS WANDERING ABOUT IN THE SHAPE OF A BLACK CROW FREED FROM THE MOST AWFUL TORMENTS


COME NOW TO MY CASTLE WITH ME AND LET US LIVE THERE HAPPILY TOGETHER SO THEY WENT TO THE CASTLE WHERE THEY HAD BOTH ENDURED SO MUCH


IT WAS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS THE SAME FOR IT HAD ALL BEEN REBUILT AND DONE UP AGAIN


KLETKE THERE WAS ONCE UPON A TIME A MAN AND WOMAN WHO HAD THREE FINE LOOKING SONS BUT THEY WERE SO POOR THAT THEY HAD HARDLY ENOUGH FOOD FOR THEMSELVES LET ALONE THEIR CHILDREN


OF HER AND THEIR FATHER THE THREE SET FORTH ON THEIR TRAVELS THE YOUNGEST OF THE THREE BROTHERS WHOSE NAME WAS FERKO WAS A BEAUTIFUL YOUTH WITH A SPLENDID FIGURE BLUE EYES FAIR HAIR


AND A COMPLEXION LIKE MILK AND ROSES HIS TWO BROTHERS WERE AS JEALOUS OF HIM AS THEY COULD BE FOR THEY THOUGHT THAT WITH HIS GOOD LOOKS HE WOULD BE SURE TO BE MORE FORTUNATE THAN THEY WOULD EVER BE


FOR THE SUN WAS HOT AND THEY WERE TIRED OF WALKING FERKO FELL FAST ASLEEP BUT THE OTHER TWO REMAINED AWAKE AND THE ELDEST SAID TO THE SECOND BROTHER WHAT DO YOU SAY TO DOING OUR BROTHER FERKO SOME HARM


HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL THAT EVERYONE TAKES A FANCY TO HIM WHICH IS MORE THAN THEY DO TO US IF WE COULD ONLY GET HIM OUT OF THE WAY WE MIGHT SUCCEED BETTER I QUITE AGREE WITH YOU ANSWERED THE SECOND BROTHER


AND MY ADVICE IS TO EAT UP HIS LOAF OF BREAD AND THEN TO REFUSE TO GIVE HIM A BIT OF OURS UNTIL HE HAS PROMISED TO LET US PUT OUT HIS EYES OR BREAK HIS LEGS HIS ELDEST BROTHER WAS DELIGHTED WITH THIS PROPOSAL


AND THE TWO WICKED WRETCHES SEIZED FERKO'S LOAF AND ATE IT ALL UP WHILE THE POOR BOY WAS STILL ASLEEP WHEN HE DID AWAKE HE FELT VERY HUNGRY AND TURNED TO EAT HIS BREAD BUT HIS BROTHERS CRIED OUT


YOU ATE YOUR LOAF IN YOUR SLEEP YOU GLUTTON AND YOU MAY STARVE AS LONG AS YOU LIKE BUT YOU WON'T GET A SCRAP OF OURS FERKO WAS AT A LOSS TO UNDERSTAND HOW HE COULD HAVE EATEN IN HIS SLEEP BUT HE SAID NOTHING


AND FASTED ALL THAT DAY AND THE NEXT NIGHT BUT ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING HE WAS SO HUNGRY THAT HE BURST INTO TEARS AND IMPLORED HIS BROTHERS TO GIVE HIM A LITTLE BIT OF THEIR BREAD


AND BREAK ONE OF YOUR LEGS THEN WE WILL GIVE YOU A BIT OF OUR BREAD AT THESE WORDS POOR FERKO WEPT MORE BITTERLY THAN BEFORE AND BORE THE TORMENTS OF HUNGER TILL THE SUN WAS HIGH IN THE HEAVENS


THEN HE COULD STAND IT NO LONGER AND HE CONSENTED TO ALLOW HIS LEFT EYE TO BE PUT OUT AND HIS LEFT LEG TO BE BROKEN WHEN THIS WAS DONE HE STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND EAGERLY FOR THE PIECE OF BREAD


BUT HIS BROTHERS GAVE HIM SUCH A TINY SCRAP THAT THE STARVING YOUTH FINISHED IT IN A MOMENT AND BESOUGHT THEM FOR A SECOND BIT BUT THE MORE FERKO WEPT AND TOLD HIS BROTHERS THAT HE WAS DYING OF HUNGER


THE MORE THEY LAUGHED AND SCOLDED HIM FOR HIS GREED SO HE ENDURED THE PANGS OF STARVATION ALL THAT DAY BUT WHEN NIGHT CAME HIS ENDURANCE GAVE WAY AND HE LET HIS RIGHT EYE BE PUT OUT


AND HIS RIGHT LEG BROKEN FOR A SECOND PIECE OF BREAD AFTER HIS BROTHERS HAD THUS SUCCESSFULLY MAIMED AND DISFIGURED HIM FOR LIFE THEY LEFT HIM GROANING ON THE GROUND AND CONTINUED THEIR JOURNEY WITHOUT HIM


POOR FERKO ATE UP THE SCRAP OF BREAD THEY HAD LEFT HIM AND WEPT BITTERLY BUT NO ONE HEARD HIM OR CAME TO HIS HELP NIGHT CAME ON AND THE POOR BLIND YOUTH HAD NO EYES TO CLOSE


AND COULD ONLY CRAWL ALONG THE GROUND NOT KNOWING IN THE LEAST WHERE HE WAS GOING BUT WHEN THE SUN WAS ONCE MORE HIGH IN THE HEAVENS FERKO FELT THE BLAZING HEAT SCORCH HIM


AND SOUGHT FOR SOME COOL SHADY PLACE TO REST HIS ACHING LIMBS HE CLIMBED TO THE TOP OF A HILL AND LAY DOWN IN THE GRASS AND AS HE THOUGHT UNDER THE SHADOW OF A BIG TREE


IS THERE ANYTHING THE LEAST WONDERFUL OR REMARKABLE ABOUT THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD I SHOULD JUST THINK THERE WAS REPLIED THE OTHER MANY THINGS THAT DON'T EXIST ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD


THERE IS A LAKE DOWN THERE BELOW US AND ANYONE WHO BATHES IN IT THOUGH HE WERE AT DEATH'S DOOR BECOMES SOUND AND WELL ON THE SPOT AND THOSE WHO WASH THEIR EYES WITH THE DEW ON THIS HILL


BECOME AS SHARP SIGHTED AS THE EAGLE EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN BLIND FROM THEIR YOUTH WELL ANSWERED THE FIRST RAVEN MY EYES ARE IN NO WANT OF THIS HEALING BATH FOR HEAVEN BE PRAISED


THEY ARE AS GOOD AS EVER THEY WERE BUT MY WING HAS BEEN VERY FEEBLE AND WEAK EVER SINCE IT WAS SHOT BY AN ARROW MANY YEARS AGO SO LET US FLY AT ONCE TO THE LAKE THAT I MAY BE RESTORED TO HEALTH AND STRENGTH AGAIN


AND SO THEY FLEW AWAY THEIR WORDS REJOICED FERKO'S HEART AND HE WAITED IMPATIENTLY TILL EVENING SHOULD COME AND HE COULD RUB THE PRECIOUS DEW ON HIS SIGHTLESS EYES


AT LAST IT BEGAN TO GROW DUSK AND THE SUN SANK BEHIND THE MOUNTAINS GRADUALLY IT BECAME COOLER ON THE HILL AND THE GRASS GREW WET WITH DEW THEN FERKO BURIED HIS FACE IN THE GROUND


TILL HIS EYES WERE DAMP WITH DEWDROPS AND IN A MOMENT HE SAW CLEARER THAN HE HAD EVER DONE IN HIS LIFE BEFORE THE MOON WAS SHINING BRIGHTLY AND LIGHTED HIM TO THE LAKE WHERE HE COULD BATHE HIS POOR BROKEN LEGS


THEN FERKO CRAWLED TO THE EDGE OF THE LAKE AND DIPPED HIS LIMBS IN THE WATER NO SOONER HAD HE DONE SO


HE HAD NOT GONE FAR BEFORE HE MET A WOLF WHO WAS LIMPING DISCONSOLATELY ALONG ON THREE LEGS AND WHO ON PERCEIVING FERKO BEGAN TO HOWL DISMALLY MY GOOD FRIEND SAID THE YOUTH


BE OF GOOD CHEER FOR I CAN SOON HEAL YOUR LEG AND WITH THESE WORDS HE POURED SOME OF THE PRECIOUS WATER OVER THE WOLF'S PAW AND IN A MINUTE THE ANIMAL WAS SPRINGING ABOUT SOUND AND WELL ON ALL FOURS


THE GRATEFUL CREATURE THANKED HIS BENEFACTOR WARMLY AND PROMISED FERKO TO DO HIM A GOOD TURN IF HE SHOULD EVER NEED IT FERKO CONTINUED HIS WAY TILL HE CAME TO A PLOUGHED FIELD


HERE HE NOTICED A LITTLE MOUSE CREEPING WEARILY ALONG ON ITS HIND PAWS FOR ITS FRONT PAWS HAD BOTH BEEN BROKEN IN A TRAP FERKO FELT SO SORRY FOR THE LITTLE BEAST


THAT HE SPOKE TO IT IN THE MOST FRIENDLY MANNER AND WASHED ITS SMALL PAWS WITH THE HEALING WATER IN A MOMENT THE MOUSE WAS SOUND AND WHOLE AND AFTER THANKING THE KIND PHYSICIAN IT SCAMPERED AWAY OVER THE PLOUGHED FURROWS


FERKO AGAIN PROCEEDED ON HIS JOURNEY BUT HE HADN'T GONE FAR BEFORE A QUEEN BEE FLEW AGAINST HIM TRAILING ONE WING BEHIND HER WHICH HAD BEEN CRUELLY TORN IN TWO BY A BIG BIRD


FERKO WAS NO LESS WILLING TO HELP HER THAN HE HAD BEEN TO HELP THE WOLF AND THE MOUSE SO HE POURED SOME HEALING DROPS OVER THE WOUNDED WING ON THE SPOT THE QUEEN BEE WAS CURED AND TURNING TO FERKO SHE SAID


I AM MOST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND SHALL REWARD YOU SOME DAY AND WITH THESE WORDS SHE FLEW AWAY HUMMING GAILY THEN FERKO WANDERED ON FOR MANY A LONG DAY


AND AT LENGTH REACHED A STRANGE KINGDOM HERE HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF HE MIGHT AS WELL GO STRAIGHT TO THE PALACE AND OFFER HIS SERVICES TO THE KING OF THE COUNTRY FOR HE HAD HEARD THAT THE KING'S DAUGHTER


THEY HAD MANAGED TO OBTAIN PLACES IN THE KING'S SERVICE AND WHEN THEY RECOGNISED FERKO WITH HIS EYES AND LEGS SOUND AND WELL THEY WERE FRIGHTENED TO DEATH FOR THEY FEARED HE WOULD TELL THE KING OF THEIR CONDUCT


FOR SHE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYONE SO HANDSOME IN HER LIFE BEFORE HIS BROTHERS NOTICED THIS AND ENVY AND JEALOUSY WERE ADDED TO THEIR FEAR SO MUCH SO THAT THEY DETERMINED ONCE MORE TO DESTROY HIM


THEY WENT TO THE KING AND TOLD HIM THAT FERKO WAS A WICKED MAGICIAN WHO HAD COME TO THE PALACE WITH THE INTENTION OF CARRYING OFF THE PRINCESS THEN THE KING HAD FERKO BROUGHT BEFORE HIM AND SAID


YOU ARE ACCUSED OF BEING A MAGICIAN WHO WISHES TO ROB ME OF MY DAUGHTER AND I CONDEMN YOU TO DEATH BUT IF YOU CAN FULFIL THREE TASKS WHICH I SHALL SET YOU TO DO YOUR LIFE SHALL BE SPARED


ON CONDITION YOU LEAVE THE COUNTRY BUT IF YOU CANNOT PERFORM WHAT I DEMAND YOU SHALL BE HUNG ON THE NEAREST TREE AND TURNING TO THE TWO WICKED BROTHERS HE SAID SUGGEST SOMETHING FOR HIM TO DO


NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT HE MUST SUCCEED IN IT OR DIE THEY DID NOT THINK LONG BUT REPLIED LET HIM BUILD YOUR MAJESTY IN ONE DAY A MORE BEAUTIFUL PALACE THAN THIS AND IF HE FAILS IN THE ATTEMPT


LET HIM BE HUNG THE KING WAS PLEASED WITH THIS PROPOSAL AND COMMANDED FERKO TO SET TO WORK ON THE FOLLOWING DAY THE TWO BROTHERS WERE DELIGHTED FOR THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD NOW GOT RID OF FERKO FOR EVER


AS HE WAS WANDERING DISCONSOLATELY ABOUT THE MEADOWS ROUND THE PALACE WONDERING HOW HE COULD ESCAPE BEING PUT TO DEATH A LITTLE BEE FLEW PAST AND SETTLING ON HIS SHOULDER WHISPERED IN HIS EAR


WHAT IS TROUBLING YOU MY KIND BENEFACTOR CAN I BE OF ANY HELP TO YOU I AM THE BEE WHOSE WING YOU HEALED


A PALACE SHALL BE BUILT UNLIKE ANY THAT KING HAS DWELT IN BEFORE JUST STAY HERE TILL I COME AGAIN AND TELL YOU THAT IT IS FINISHED HAVING SAID THIS SHE FLEW MERRILY AWAY AND FERKO


BE OF GOOD CHEER AND LEAD THE KING TO THE HILL JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS AND HUMMING GAILY SHE FLEW AWAY AGAIN FERKO WENT AT ONCE TO THE KING AND TOLD HIM THE PALACE WAS FINISHED


THE WHOLE COURT WENT OUT TO SEE THE WONDER AND THEIR ASTONISHMENT WAS GREAT AT THE SIGHT WHICH MET THEIR EYES A SPLENDID PALACE REARED ITSELF ON THE HILL JUST OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF THE CITY MADE OF THE MOST EXQUISITE FLOWERS


WITH SUNFLOWERS FOR KNOCKERS AND ALL ROUND HYACINTHS AND OTHER SWEET SMELLING FLOWERS BLOOMED IN MASSES SO THAT THE AIR WAS PERFUMED FAR AND NEAR AND ENCHANTED ALL WHO WERE PRESENT


THIS SPLENDID PALACE HAD BEEN BUILT BY THE GRATEFUL QUEEN BEE WHO HAD SUMMONED ALL THE OTHER BEES IN THE KINGDOM TO HELP HER THE KING'S AMAZEMENT KNEW NO BOUNDS AND THE PRINCESS'S EYES BEAMED WITH DELIGHT


ON THE DELIGHTED FERKO BUT THE TWO BROTHERS HAD GROWN QUITE GREEN WITH ENVY AND ONLY DECLARED THE MORE THAT FERKO WAS NOTHING BUT A WICKED MAGICIAN


THE KING ALTHOUGH HE HAD BEEN SURPRISED AND ASTONISHED AT THE WAY HIS COMMANDS HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT WAS VERY VEXED


AND TURNING TO THE TWO BROTHERS HE SAID HE HAS CERTAINLY ACCOMPLISHED THE FIRST TASK WITH THE AID NO DOUBT OF HIS DIABOLICAL MAGIC BUT WHAT SHALL WE GIVE HIM TO DO NOW


LET US MAKE IT AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE AND IF HE FAILS HE SHALL DIE THEN THE ELDEST BROTHER REPLIED THE CORN HAS ALL BEEN CUT BUT IT HAS NOT YET BEEN PUT INTO BARNS


LET THE KNAVE COLLECT ALL THE GRAIN IN THE KINGDOM INTO ONE BIG HEAP BEFORE TO MORROW NIGHT AND IF AS MUCH AS A STALK OF CORN IS LEFT LET HIM BE PUT TO DEATH


THE PRINCESS GREW WHITE WITH TERROR WHEN SHE HEARD THESE WORDS BUT FERKO FELT MUCH MORE CHEERFUL THAN HE HAD DONE THE FIRST TIME AND WANDERED OUT INTO THE MEADOWS AGAIN


BUT HE COULD THINK OF NO WAY OF ESCAPE THE SUN SANK TO REST AND NIGHT CAME ON WHEN A LITTLE MOUSE STARTED OUT OF THE GRASS AT FERKO'S FEET AND SAID TO HIM I'M DELIGHTED TO SEE YOU


MY KIND BENEFACTOR BUT WHY ARE YOU LOOKING SO SAD CAN I BE OF ANY HELP TO YOU AND THUS REPAY YOUR GREAT KINDNESS TO ME THEN FERKO RECOGNISED THE MOUSE WHOSE FRONT PAWS HE HAD HEALED AND REPLIED


BEFORE TO MORROW NIGHT ALL THE GRAIN IN THE KINGDOM HAS TO BE GATHERED INTO ONE BIG HEAP AND IF AS MUCH AS A STALK OF CORN IS WANTING I MUST PAY FOR IT WITH MY LIFE IS THAT ALL ANSWERED THE MOUSE


THAT NEEDN'T DISTRESS YOU MUCH JUST TRUST IN ME AND BEFORE THE SUN SETS AGAIN YOU SHALL HEAR THAT YOUR TASK IS DONE AND WITH THESE WORDS THE LITTLE CREATURE SCAMPERED AWAY INTO THE FIELDS


FERKO WHO NEVER DOUBTED THAT THE MOUSE WOULD BE AS GOOD AS ITS WORD LAY DOWN COMFORTED ON THE SOFT GRASS AND SLEPT SOUNDLY TILL NEXT MORNING THE DAY PASSED SLOWLY


AND THE WHOLE COURT WENT OUT TO SEE THE WONDER


FOR IN A HEAP HIGHER THAN THE KING'S PALACE LAY ALL THE GRAIN OF THE COUNTRY AND NOT A SINGLE STALK OF CORN HAD BEEN LEFT BEHIND IN ANY OF THE FIELDS AND HOW HAD ALL THIS BEEN DONE


THE LITTLE MOUSE HAD SUMMONED EVERY OTHER MOUSE IN THE LAND TO ITS HELP AND TOGETHER THEY HAD COLLECTED ALL THE GRAIN IN THE KINGDOM THE KING COULD NOT HIDE HIS AMAZEMENT BUT AT THE SAME TIME HIS WRATH INCREASED


AND HE WAS MORE READY THAN EVER TO BELIEVE THE TWO BROTHERS WHO KEPT ON REPEATING


THAN A WICKED MAGICIAN ONLY THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS REJOICED OVER FERKO'S SUCCESS AND LOOKED ON HIM WITH FRIENDLY GLANCES WHICH THE YOUTH RETURNED THE MORE THE CRUEL KING GAZED ON THE WONDER BEFORE HIM


THE MORE ANGRY HE BECAME FOR HE COULD NOT IN THE FACE OF HIS PROMISE PUT THE STRANGER TO DEATH HE TURNED ONCE MORE TO THE TWO BROTHERS AND SAID HIS DIABOLICAL MAGIC HAS HELPED HIM AGAIN


BUT NOW WHAT THIRD TASK SHALL WE SET HIM TO DO NO MATTER HOW IMPOSSIBLE IT IS HE MUST DO IT OR DIE THE ELDEST ANSWERED QUICKLY LET HIM DRIVE ALL THE WOLVES OF THE KINGDOM ON TO THIS HILL


BEFORE TO MORROW NIGHT IF HE DOES THIS HE MAY GO FREE IF NOT HE SHALL BE HUNG AS YOU HAVE SAID AT THESE WORDS THE PRINCESS BURST INTO TEARS


AND WHEN THE KING SAW THIS HE ORDERED HER TO BE SHUT UP IN A HIGH TOWER AND CAREFULLY GUARDED TILL THE DANGEROUS MAGICIAN SHOULD EITHER HAVE LEFT THE KINGDOM OR BEEN HUNG ON THE NEAREST TREE FERKO WANDERED OUT INTO THE FIELDS AGAIN


AND SAT DOWN ON THE STUMP OF A TREE WONDERING WHAT HE SHOULD DO NEXT SUDDENLY A BIG WOLF RAN UP TO HIM AND STANDING STILL SAID I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN MY KIND BENEFACTOR


WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT ALL ALONE BY YOURSELF IF I CAN HELP YOU IN ANY WAY ONLY SAY THE WORD FOR I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A PROOF OF MY GRATITUDE FERKO AT ONCE RECOGNISED THE WOLF


WHOSE BROKEN LEG HE HAD HEALED AND TOLD HIM WHAT HE HAD TO DO THE FOLLOWING DAY IF HE WISHED TO ESCAPE WITH HIS LIFE BUT HOW IN THE WORLD HE ADDED AM I TO COLLECT ALL THE WOLVES OF THE KINGDOM ON TO THAT HILL OVER THERE


IF THAT'S ALL YOU WANT DONE ANSWERED THE WOLF YOU NEEDN'T WORRY YOURSELF I'LL UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM ME AGAIN BEFORE SUNSET TO MORROW


AND WITH THESE WORDS HE TROTTED QUICKLY AWAY THEN THE YOUTH REJOICED GREATLY FOR NOW HE FELT THAT HIS LIFE WAS SAFE BUT HE GREW VERY SAD WHEN HE THOUGHT OF THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS


AND THAT HE WOULD NEVER SEE HER AGAIN IF HE LEFT THE COUNTRY HE LAY DOWN ONCE MORE ON THE GRASS AND SOON FELL FAST ASLEEP ALL THE NEXT DAY HE SPENT WANDERING ABOUT THE FIELDS


THEN RETURN AT ONCE TO ME AND GET ON MY BACK AND I WILL HELP YOU TO DRIVE ALL THE WOLVES TOGETHER THEN FERKO WENT STRAIGHT TO THE PALACE AND TOLD THE KING THAT HE WAS READY TO PERFORM THE THIRD TASK IF HE WOULD COME TO THE HILL AND SEE IT DONE


FERKO HIMSELF RETURNED TO THE FIELDS AND MOUNTING ON THE WOLF'S BACK HE RODE TO THE WOOD CLOSE BY QUICK AS LIGHTNING THE WOLF FLEW ROUND THE WOOD AND IN A MINUTE MANY HUNDRED WOLVES ROSE UP BEFORE HIM


INCREASING IN NUMBER EVERY MOMENT TILL THEY COULD BE COUNTED BY THOUSANDS HE DROVE THEM ALL BEFORE HIM ON TO THE HILL WHERE THE KING AND HIS WHOLE COURT AND FERKO'S TWO BROTHERS WERE STANDING ONLY THE LOVELY PRINCESS WAS NOT PRESENT


FOR SHE WAS SHUT UP IN HER TOWER WEEPING BITTERLY THE WICKED BROTHERS STAMPED AND FOAMED WITH RAGE WHEN THEY SAW THE FAILURE OF THEIR WICKED DESIGNS BUT THE KING WAS OVERCOME BY A SUDDEN TERROR


WHEN HE SAW THE ENORMOUS PACK OF WOLVES APPROACHING NEARER AND NEARER AND CALLING OUT TO FERKO HE SAID ENOUGH ENOUGH WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE BUT THE WOLF ON WHOSE BACK FERKO SAT SAID TO ITS RIDER


GO ON GO ON AND AT THE SAME MOMENT MANY MORE WOLVES RAN UP THE HILL HOWLING HORRIBLY AND SHOWING THEIR WHITE TEETH THE KING IN HIS TERROR CALLED OUT STOP A MOMENT I WILL GIVE YOU HALF MY KINGDOM


IF YOU WILL DRIVE ALL THE WOLVES AWAY BUT FERKO PRETENDED NOT TO HEAR AND DROVE SOME MORE THOUSANDS BEFORE HIM SO THAT EVERYONE QUAKED WITH HORROR AND FEAR THEN THE KING RAISED HIS VOICE AGAIN AND CALLED OUT


STOP YOU SHALL HAVE MY WHOLE KINGDOM IF YOU WILL ONLY DRIVE THESE WOLVES BACK TO THE PLACES THEY CAME FROM BUT THE WOLF KEPT ON ENCOURAGING FERKO AND SAID GO ON GO ON SO HE LED THE WOLVES ON


TILL AT LAST THEY FELL ON THE KING AND ON THE WICKED BROTHERS AND ATE THEM AND THE WHOLE COURT UP IN A MOMENT THEN FERKO WENT STRAIGHT TO THE PALACE AND SET THE PRINCESS FREE AND ON THE SAME DAY


HE MARRIED HER AND WAS CROWNED KING OF THE COUNTRY AND THE WOLVES ALL WENT PEACEFULLY BACK TO THEIR OWN HOMES AND FERKO AND HIS BRIDE LIVED FOR MANY YEARS IN PEACE AND HAPPINESS TOGETHER


THE POND MY FRIEND ALDENHAM'S POND STANDS AT A CONVENIENT DISTANCE FROM THE HOUSE AND IS REACHED BY A WELL DRAINED GRAVEL PATH SO THAT IN ANY WEATHER ONE MAY WALK


ALONE OR IN COMPANY DRY SHOD TO ITS BRINK AND ESTIMATE ROUGHLY HOW MANY INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN IN THE NIGHT THE RIBALD CALL IT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS POND TRACING


A RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN IT AND THE BATH OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS AT THE ZOO BENEATH THE WATERS OF WHICH IF YOU PARTICULARLY DESIRE TO POINT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS OUT TO SOMEBODY HE ALWAYS LIES HIDDEN TO THE REST OF US


IT IS KNOWN SIMPLY AS THE POND A DESIGNATION WHICH IGNORES THE EXISTENCE OF SEVERAL NEIGHBOURING PONDS THE GIFTS OF NATURE AND GIVES THE WHOLE CREDIT TO THE HANDIWORK OF MAN


FOR THE POND IS JUST A SMALL ARTIFICIAL AFFAIR OF CEMENT ENTIRELY UNPRETENTIOUS THERE ARE SEVEN STEPS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POND AND EACH STEP


THUS THE STEPS HELP TO MAKE THE POND A CONVENIENT RAIN GAUGE FOR OBVIOUSLY WHEN ONLY THREE STEPS ARE LEFT UNCOVERED AS WAS THE CASE LAST MONDAY


WHEN THE POND BEGAN TO FILL TO STRANGERS THIS MAY SEEM SURPRISING AND IT IS ONLY FAIR TO TELL THEM THE GREAT SECRET WHICH IS THAT MUCH OF THE SURROUNDING LAND


DRAINS SECRETLY INTO THE POND TOO THIS SEEMS TO ME TO GIVE A MUCH FAIRER INDICATION OF THE RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN THAN DO THE OFFICIAL FIGURES IN THE NEWSPAPERS


FOR WHEN YOUR WHOLE DAY'S CRICKET HAS BEEN SPOILT IT IS PERFECTLY ABSURD


HAS DONE THE DAMAGE THE SOUL YEARNS FOR SOMETHING MORE STARTLING THAN THAT THE RECORD OF THE POND


SOOTHES US WHERE THE RECORD OF THE ORDINARY PEDANTIC RAIN GAUGE WOULD LEAVE US INFURIATED IT SPEAKS MUCH FOR MY FRIEND ALDENHAM'S BREADTH OF VIEW THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THIS


AND PLANNED THE POND ACCORDINGLY A MOST NECESSARY THING IN A COUNTRY HOUSE IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECOGNIZED MEETING PLACE


WHERE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WRITING A FEW LETTERS AFTER BREAKFAST MAY WHEN THEY HAVE FINISHED MEET THOSE WHO HAVE NO INTENTION OF WRITING ANY AND ARRANGE PLANS WITH THEM FOR THE MORNING


I AM ONE OF THOSE WHO CANNOT WRITE LETTERS IN ANOTHER MAN'S HOUSE AND WHEN MY PIPE IS WELL ALIGHT I SAY TO MISS ROBINSON OR WHOEVER IT MAY BE LET'S GO AND LOOK AT THE POND


RIGHT OH SHE SAYS WILLINGLY ENOUGH HAVING SPENT THE LAST QUARTER OF AN HOUR WITH THE TIMES FINANCIAL SUPPLEMENT ALL OF THE PAPER THAT IS LEFT TO THE WOMEN IN THE FIRST RUSH FOR THE CRICKET NEWS


WE WANDER DOWN TO THE POND TOGETHER AND PERHAPS FIND BROWN AND MISS SMITH THERE A LOT OF RAIN IN THE NIGHT SAYS BROWN IT WAS ONLY JUST OVER THE THIRD STEP AFTER LUNCH YESTERDAY


WE HAVE A LITTLE ARGUMENT ABOUT IT MISS ROBINSON BEING CONVINCED THAT SHE STOOD ON THE SECOND STEP AFTER BREAKFAST AND MISS SMITH REPEATING THAT IT LOOKS


BY AND BY TWO OR THREE OTHERS STROLL UP AND WE ALL MAKE MEASUREMENTS TOGETHER THE GENERAL OPINION IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF RAIN IN THE NIGHT


MUST BE A RECORD BUT ANYHOW IT IS FAIRLY FINE NOW AND WHAT ABOUT A LITTLE LAWN TENNIS OR GOLF OR CROQUET OR AND SO THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE MORNING ARE MADE


AND THEY CAN BE MADE MORE READILY OUT OF DOORS FOR SUPPOSING IT IS FINE THE FRESH AIR CALLS YOU TO BE DOING SOMETHING AND THE SIGHT OF THE NEWLY MARKED TENNIS LAWN


FILLS YOU WITH THOUGHTS OF REVENGE FOR YOUR ACCIDENTAL DEFEAT THE EVENING BEFORE BUT INDOORS IT IS SO EASY TO DROP INTO A SOFA AFTER BREAKFAST AND ONCE THERE WITH ALL THE PAPERS


TO BE DISINCLINED TO LEAVE IT TILL LUNCH TIME A MAN OR WOMAN AS LAZY AS THIS MUST NOT BE RUSHED SAY TO SUCH A ONE COME AND PLAY AND THE INVITATION


WILL BE DECLINED SAY COME AND LOOK AT THE POND AND THE WORST SLUGGARD WILL NOT REFUSE SUCH GENTLE EXERCISE AND ONCE HE IS OUT HE IS OUT


ALL THIS FOR THOSE DELIGHTFUL SUMMER DAYS WHEN THERE ARE FINE INTERVALS BUT CONSIDER THE ADVANTAGES OF THE POND WHEN THE RAIN STREAMS DOWN IN TORRENTS


FROM MORNING TILL NIGHT HOW TIRED WE GET OF BEING INDOORS ON THESE DAYS EVEN WITH THE BEST OF BOOKS THE PLEASANTEST OF COMPANIONS THE EASIEST OF BILLIARD TABLES


YET IF OUR HOSTESS WERE TO SEE US MARCHING OUT WITH AN UMBRELLA HOW ODD SHE WOULD THINK US WHERE ARE YOU OFF TO SHE WOULD ASK AND WE COULD ONLY ANSWER LAMELY


ER I WAS JUST GOING TO ER WALK ABOUT A BIT BUT NOW WE TELL HER BRIGHTLY I'M GOING TO SEE THE POND IT MUST BE NEARLY FULL WON'T YOU COME TOO AND WITH ANY LUCK SHE COMES


TO THESE STREAMING DAYS TO REFLECT THAT IT ALL GOES TO FILL THE POND FOR THERE IS EVER BEFORE OUR MINDS THAT GREAT MOMENT IN THE FUTURE WHEN THE POND IS AT LAST FULL


WHAT WILL HAPPEN THEN ALDENHAM MAY KNOW BUT WE HIS GUESTS DO NOT SOME THINK THERE WILL BE MERELY A FLOOD OVER THE SURROUNDING PATHS AND THE KITCHEN GARDEN BUT FOR MYSELF


I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE PROMISED SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT A MAN WITH SUCH A BROAD AND FRIENDLY OUTLOOK TOWARDS RAIN GAUGES WILL BE SURE TO ARRANGE SOMETHING STRIKING WHEN THE GREAT MOMENT ARRIVES


WILL HELP TO CELEBRATE IT I HAVE NO DOUBT WITH AN OPEN AIR PLAY TANK DRAMA OR WHAT NOT AT ANY RATE WE HAVE EVERY HOPE THAT HE WILL EMPTY THE POND AS SPEEDILY AS POSSIBLE


SO THAT WE MAY WATCH IT FILL AGAIN I MUST SAY THAT HE HAS BEEN A LITTLE LUCKY IN HIS CHOICE OF A YEAR FOR INAUGURATING THE POND BUT ALL THE SAME


HAVE FALLEN IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS


A HOUSEHOLD BOOK ONCE ON A TIME I DISCOVERED SAMUEL BUTLER NOT THE OTHER TWO BUT THE ONE WHO WROTE THE WAY OF ALL FLESH THE SECOND BEST NOVEL IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE


I SAY THE SECOND BEST SO THAT IF YOU REMIND ME OF TOM JONES OR THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE OR ANY OTHER THAT YOU FANCY I CAN SAY THAT OF COURSE THAT ONE IS THE BEST


WELL I DISCOVERED HIM JUST AS VOLTAIRE DISCOVERED HABAKKUK OR YOUR LITTLE BOY DISCOVERED SHAKESPEARE THE OTHER DAY AND I COMMITTED MY DISCOVERY TO THE WORLD


IN TWO GLOWING ARTICLES NOT UNNATURALLY THE WORLD REMAINED UNMOVED IT KNEW ALL ABOUT SAMUEL BUTLER LAST WEEK I DISCOVERED A FRENCHMAN


WHO WROTE IN THE EARLY PART OF LAST CENTURY A BOOK CALLED


MY UNCLE BENJAMIN I READ IT IN THE TRANSLATION EAGER AS I AM TO BE LYRICAL ABOUT IT I SHALL REFRAIN I THINK THAT I AM PROBABLY SAFER WITH TILLIER THAN WITH BUTLER


BUT I DARE NOT RISK IT THE THOUGHT OF YOUR SCORN AT MY PREVIOUS IGNORANCE OF THE WORLD FAMOUS TILLIER YOUR AMUSED CONTEMPT BECAUSE I HAVE ONLY JUST SUCCEEDED


IN BORROWING THE CLASSIC UPON WHICH YOU WERE BROUGHT UP THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR ME LET US SAY NO MORE ABOUT IT


WHO HAS NOT HEARD OF CLAUDE TILLIER


WHO HAS NOT READ IT IN FRENCH OR AS I DID IN AMERICAN LET US PASS ON TO ANOTHER BOOK FOR I AM GOING TO SPEAK OF ANOTHER DISCOVERY


OF A BOOK WHICH SHOULD BE A CLASSIC BUT IS NOT OF A BOOK OF WHICH NOBODY HAS HEARD UNLESS THROUGH ME IT WAS PUBLISHED SOME TWELVE YEARS AGO THE LAST PUBLISHED BOOK


OF A WELL KNOWN WRITER WHEN I TELL YOU HIS NAME YOU WILL SAY OH YES I LOVE HIS BOOKS AND YOU WILL MENTION SO AND SO AND ITS EQUALLY FAMOUS SEQUEL SUCH AND SUCH


BUT WHEN I ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE READ MY BOOK YOU WILL PROFESS SURPRISE AND SAY THAT YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT IS IT AS GOOD AS SO AND SO AND SUCH AND SUCH YOU WILL ASK


HARDLY BELIEVING THAT THIS COULD BE POSSIBLE MUCH BETTER I SHALL REPLY AND THERE IF THESE THINGS WERE ARRANGED PROPERLY WOULD BE ANOTHER TEN PER CENT IN MY POCKET BUT BELIEVE ME


I SHALL BE QUITE CONTENT WITH YOUR GRATITUDE WELL THE WRITER OF MY BOOK IS KENNETH GRAHAME YOU HAVE HEARD OF HIM GOOD I THOUGHT SO THE BOOKS YOU HAVE READ


ARE THE GOLDEN AGE AND DREAM DAYS AM I NOT RIGHT THANK YOU BUT THE BOOK YOU HAVE NOT READ MY BOOK


THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS AM I NOT RIGHT AGAIN AH I WAS AFRAID SO THE REASON WHY I KNEW YOU HAD NOT READ IT IS THE REASON WHY I CALL IT MY BOOK


FOR THE LAST TEN OR TWELVE YEARS I HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDING IT USUALLY I SPEAK ABOUT IT AT MY FIRST MEETING WITH A STRANGER IT IS MY OPENING REMARK JUST AS YOURS IS SOMETHING FUTILE ABOUT THE WEATHER


IF I DON'T GET IT IN AT THE BEGINNING I SQUEEZE IT IN AT THE END THE STRANGER HAS GOT TO HAVE IT SOME TIME SHOULD I EVER FIND MYSELF IN THE DOCK AND ONE NEVER KNOWS


MY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION WHETHER I HAD ANYTHING TO SAY WOULD BE WELL MY LORD IF I MIGHT JUST RECOMMEND A BOOK TO THE JURY BEFORE LEAVING MISTER JUSTICE DARLING


WOULD PROBABLY PRETEND THAT HE HAD READ IT BUT HE WOULDN'T DECEIVE ME FOR ONE CANNOT RECOMMEND A BOOK TO ALL THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHOM ONE HAS MET IN TEN YEARS WITHOUT DISCOVERING


WHETHER IT IS WELL KNOWN OR NOT IT IS THE AMAZING TRUTH THAT NONE OF THOSE HUNDREDS HAD HEARD OF THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS UNTIL I TOLD THEM ABOUT IT


SOME OF THEM HAD NEVER HEARD OF KENNETH GRAHAME WELL ONE DID NOT HAVE TO MEET THEM AGAIN AND IT TAKES ALL SORTS TO MAKE A WORLD BUT MOST OF THEM WERE IN YOUR POSITION


GREAT ADMIRERS OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS TWO EARLIER FAMOUS BOOKS BUT IGNORANT THEREAFTER I HAD THEIR PROMISE BEFORE THEY LEFT ME AND WAITED CONFIDENTLY


FOR THEIR GRATITUDE NO DOUBT THEY ALSO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS IN THEIR TURN AND IT IS JUST POSSIBLE THAT IT REACHED YOU IN THIS WAY BUT IT WAS TO ME


NONE THE LESS THAT YOUR THANKS WERE DUE FOR INSTANCE YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED A COUPLE OF CASUAL REFERENCES TO IT AS IF IT WERE A CLASSIC KNOWN TO ALL IN A FAMOUS NOVEL


PUBLISHED LAST YEAR IT WAS I WHO INTRODUCED THAT NOVELIST TO IT SIX MONTHS BEFORE INDEED I FEEL SOMETIMES THAT IT WAS I WHO WROTE THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS


AND RECOMMENDED IT TO KENNETH GRAHAME BUT PERHAPS I AM WRONG HERE FOR I HAVE NOT THE PLEASURE OF HIS ACQUAINTANCE NOR AS I HAVE ALREADY LAMENTED AM I FINANCIALLY INTERESTED IN ITS SALE


AN EXPLANATION WHICH SUSPICIOUS STRANGERS REQUIRE FROM ME SOMETIMES I SHALL NOT DESCRIBE THE BOOK FOR NO DESCRIPTION WOULD HELP IT BUT I SHALL JUST SAY THIS


THAT IT IS WHAT I CALL A HOUSEHOLD BOOK BY A HOUSEHOLD BOOK I MEAN A BOOK WHICH EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSEHOLD LOVES AND QUOTES CONTINUALLY EVER AFTERWARDS A BOOK WHICH IS READ ALOUD


TO EVERY NEW GUEST AND IS REGARDED AS THE TOUCHSTONE OF HIS WORTH BUT IT IS A BOOK WHICH MAKES YOU FEEL THAT THOUGH EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE LOVES IT IT IS ONLY YOU


WHO REALLY APPRECIATE IT AT ITS TRUE VALUE AND THAT THE OTHERS ARE SCARCELY WORTHY OF IT IT IS OBVIOUS YOU PERSUADE YOURSELF THAT THE AUTHOR WAS THINKING OF YOU


WHEN HE WROTE IT I HOPE THIS WILL PLEASE JONES WERE HIS FINAL WORDS AS HE LAID DOWN HIS PEN WELL OF COURSE YOU WILL ORDER THE BOOK AT ONCE


BUT I MUST GIVE YOU ONE WORD OF WARNING WHEN YOU SIT DOWN TO IT DON'T BE SO RIDICULOUS AS TO SUPPOSE THAT YOU ARE SITTING IN JUDGMENT ON MY TASTE


STILL LESS ON THE GENIUS OF KENNETH GRAHAME YOU ARE MERELY SITTING IN JUDGMENT ON YOURSELF YOU MAY BE WORTHY I DO NOT KNOW


AT THE BOOKSTALL I HAVE OFTEN LONGED TO BE A GROCER TO BE SURROUNDED BY SO MANY INTERESTING THINGS SARDINES BOTTLED RASPBERRIES


BISCUITS WITH SUGAR ON THE TOP PRESERVED GINGER HAMS BRAWN UNDER GLASS EVERYTHING IN FACT THAT MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING


AT ONE MOMENT TO WALK UP A LADDER IN SEARCH OF NUTMEG AT THE NEXT TO DIVE UNDER A COUNTER IN PURSUIT OF CINNAMON TO SERVE LITTLE GIRLS


AND LORDLY PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME WITH A PINT OF CHERRY GIN IS NOT THIS TO FOLLOW THE KING OF TRADES SOME DAY I SHALL OPEN A GROCER'S SHOP AND YOU WILL FIND ME IN MY SPARE EVENINGS


APRONED BEHIND THE COUNTER LOOK OUT FOR THE CURRANTS IN THE WINDOW AS YOU COME IN I HAVE AN IDEA FOR SOMETHING ARTISTIC IN THE WAY OF PATTERNS THERE BUT AS YOU LOVE ME DO NOT OFFER TO BUY ANY


WE GROCERS ONLY PUT THE CURRANTS OUT FOR SHOW AND SO THAT WE MAY RUN OUR FINGERS THROUGH THEM LUXURIOUSLY WHEN BUSINESS IS SLACK I HAVE A GOOD LINE IN SHORTBREADS MADAM IF I CAN FIND THE BOX


BUT NO CURRANTS THIS EVENING I BEG YOU YES TO BE A GROCER IS TO LIVE WELL BUT AFTER ALL IT IS NOT TO SEE LIFE A GROCER


IN AS FAR AS IT IS POSSIBLE TO A MAN WHO SELLS BOTH SCENTED SOAP AND PILCHARDS WOULD BECOME NARROW WE DO NOT COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD MUCH SAVE THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF POTTED LOBSTER


AND TO SELL A MAN POTTED LOBSTER IS NOT TO HAVE OUR FINGERS ON HIS PULSE POTTED LOBSTER DOES NOT DEFINE A MAN ALL CUSTOMERS ARE ALIKE TO THE GROCER PROVIDED THEIR MONEY IS GOOD


I PERCEIVE NOW THAT I WAS OVER HASTY IN DECIDING TO BECOME A GROCER THAT IS RATHER FOR ONE'S OLD AGE WHILE ONE IS YOUNG AND INTERESTED IN PERSONS RATHER THAN IN THINGS


THERE IS ONLY ONE PROFESSION TO FOLLOW THE PROFESSION OF BOOKSTALL CLERK TO BE BEHIND A BOOKSTALL IS INDEED TO SEE LIFE THE FASCINATION OF IT STRUCK ME SUDDENLY


LAST MONDAY AND WONDERED WHO BOUGHT THE TIE CLIPS THE ANSWER CAME TO ME JUST AS I GOT INTO MY TRAIN ASK THE MAN BEHIND THE BOOKSTALL HE WOULD KNOW


YES AND HE WOULD KNOW WHO BOUGHT ALL HIS PAPERS AND BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS AND TO KNOW THIS IS TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD


YOU CANNOT TELL A MAN BY THE LOBSTER HE EATS BUT YOU CAN TELL SOMETHING ABOUT HIM BY THE LITERATURE HE READS FOR INSTANCE I ONCE OCCUPIED A CARRIAGE ON AN EASTERN LINE


WITH AMONG OTHERS A MIDDLE AGED WOMAN AS SOON AS WE LEFT LIVERPOOL STREET SHE PRODUCED A BAG OF SHRIMPS GRASPED EACH INDIVIDUAL IN TURN FIRMLY BY THE HEAD AND TAIL


AND ATE HIM WHEN SHE HAD FINISHED SHE EMPTIED THE ENDS OUT OF THE WINDOW WIPED HER HANDS AND SETTLED DOWN COMFORTABLY TO HER PAPER WHAT PAPER YOU'LL NEVER GUESS


I SHALL HAVE TO TELL YOU THE MORNING POST NOW DOESN'T THAT GIVE YOU THE WOMAN THE SHRIMPS ALONE NO THE PAPER ALONE NO BUT THE TWO TO GETHER


CONCEIVE THE HOLY JOY OF THE BOOKSTALL CLERK AS SHE AND HER BAG OF SHRIMPS YES HE COULD HAVE TOLD AT ONCE THEY WERE SHRIMPS APPROACHED AND ASKED FOR THE MORNING POST


THE DAY CAN NEVER BE DULL TO THE BOOKSTALL CLERK I IMAGINE HIM ASSIGNING IN HIS MIND THE RIGHT PAPER TO EACH CUSTOMER THIS MAN WILL ASK FOR GOLFING WRONG


HE WANTS CAGE BIRDS THAT ONE OVER THERE WANTS THE MOTOR AH WELL THE AUTO CAR THAT'S NEAR ENOUGH SOON HE WOULD BEGIN TO KNOW THE DIFFERENT TYPES HE WOULD LEARN TO DISTINGUISH


BETWEEN THE PATRONS OF THE DANCING TIMES AND OF THE VOTE THE ERA AND THE ATHENAEUM DELIGHTFUL SURPRISES WOULD OVERWHELM HIM AT INTERVALS AS WHEN


A RED LETTER DAY IN ALL THE GREAT STATIONS A GENTLEMAN IN A CHECK WAISTCOAT MAKES THE DOUBLE PURCHASE OF HOMER'S PENNY STORIES AND THE SPECTATOR ON THOSE OCCASIONS


AND THEY WOULD BE VERY RARE HIS FAITH IN HUMAN NATURE WOULD BEGIN TO OOZE AWAY UNTIL ALL AT ONCE HE WOULD TELL HIMSELF EXCITEDLY THAT THE MAN WAS OBVIOUSLY AN ESCAPED CRIMINAL IN DISGUISE


RATHER OVERDOING THE PART AFTER WHICH HE WOULD HAND OVER THE WINNING POST AND THE ANIMALS FRIEND TO THE PURSUING DETECTIVE IN A SORT OF HOLY AWE WHAT A LIFE


BUT HE HAS OTHER THINGS THAN PAPERS TO SELL HE KNOWS WHO BUYS THOSE LITTLE SIXPENNY BOOKS OF FUNNY STORIES A PROBLEM WHICH HAS OFTEN PUZZLED US OTHERS


HE UNDERSTANDS BY NOW THE TYPE OF MAN WHO WANTS TO READ UP A FEW GOOD JOKES TO TELL THEM DOWN AT OLD ROBINSON'S WHERE HE IS GOING FOR THE WEEK END OUR BOOKSTALL CLERK DOESN'T WAIT TO BE ASKED


AS SOON AS THIS GENTLEMAN APPROACHES HE WHIPS OUT THE BOOK DUSTS IT AND PLACES IT BEFORE THE RACONTEUR HE RECOGNIZES ALSO AT A GLANCE THE SORT OF SILLY ASS


WHO IS ALWAYS LOSING HIS INDIARUBBER UMBRELLA RING HALF WAY ACROSS THE STATION HE CAN SEE HIM AND HE HASTENS TO GET A NEW CARD OUT IN READINESS OR WE WOULD LET YOU HAVE SEVEN FOR SIXPENCE SIR


AND EVEN WHEN ONE OF THOSE SUBTLER CHARACTERS DRAWS NEAR ABOUT WHOM IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY IMMEDIATELY WHETHER THEY REQUIRE A FOUNTAIN PEN WITH CASE OR THE LIFE AND LETTERS


OF MAJOR GENERAL CLEMENT BULGER C B EVEN THEN THE MAN BEHIND THE BOOKSTALL IS NOT FOUND WANTING IF HE IS WRONG THE FIRST TIME HE NEVER FAILS TO RECOVER WITH HIS SECOND BULGER SIR


ONE OF OUR GREATEST SOLDIERS I THOUGHT OF THESE THINGS LAST MONDAY AND DEFINITELY RENOUNCED THE IDEA OF BECOMING A GROCER AND AS I WANDERED ROUND THE BOOKSTALL THINKING


I CAME ACROSS A LITTLE BOOK SIXPENCE IN CLOTH A SHILLING IN LEATHER CALLED PROVERBS AND MAXIMS IT CONTAINED SOME THOUSANDS OF THE BEST THOUGHTS IN ALL LANGUAGES


SUCH AS HAVE GUIDED MEN ALONG THE PATH OF TRUTH SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD FROM WHAT HO SHE BUMPS TO ICH DIEN AND MORE THE THOUGHT OCCURRED TO ME


THAT AN INTERESTING ARTICLE MIGHT BE EXTRACTED FROM IT SO I BOUGHT THE BOOK UNFORTUNATELY ENOUGH I LEFT IT IN THE TRAIN BEFORE I HAD TIME TO MASTER IT I SHALL BE AT THE BOOKSTALL NEXT MONDAY


AND I SHALL HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER COPY THAT WILL BE ALL RIGHT YOU SHAN'T MISS IT BUT I AM WONDERING NOW WHAT THE BOOKSTALL CLERK WILL MAKE OF ME A MAN WHO KEEPS ON BUYING PROVERBS AND MAXIMS


ONE HOT NIGHT IN HINDUSTAN A KING AND QUEEN LAY AWAKE IN THE PALACE IN THE MIDST OF THE CITY EVERY NOW AND THEN A FAINT AIR BLEW THROUGH THE LATTICE AND THEY HOPED THEY WERE GOING TO SLEEP BUT THEY NEVER DID PRESENTLY THEY BECAME MORE BROAD AWAKE THAN EVER


AT THE SOUND OF A HOWL OUTSIDE THE PALACE LISTEN TO THAT TIGER REMARKED THE KING TIGER REPLIED THE QUEEN HOW SHOULD THERE BE A TIGER INSIDE THE CITY IT WAS ONLY A JACKAL I TELL YOU IT WAS A TIGER SAID THE KING AND I TELL YOU THAT YOU WERE DREAMING


IF YOU THOUGHT IT WAS ANYTHING BUT A JACKAL ANSWERED THE QUEEN I SAY IT WAS A TIGER CRIED THE KING DON'T CONTRADICT ME NONSENSE SNAPPED THE QUEEN IT WAS A JACKAL AND THE DISPUTE WAXED SO WARM THAT THE KING SAID AT LAST VERY WELL


WE'LL CALL THE GUARD AND ASK AND IF IT WAS A JACKAL I'LL LEAVE THIS KINGDOM TO YOU AND GO AWAY AND IF IT WAS A TIGER THEN YOU SHALL GO AND I WILL MARRY A NEW WIFE AS YOU LIKE ANSWERED THE QUEEN THERE ISN'T ANY DOUBT WHICH IT WAS


SO THE KING CALLED THE TWO SOLDIERS WHO WERE ON GUARD OUTSIDE AND PUT THE QUESTION TO THEM BUT WHILST THE DISPUTE WAS GOING ON THE KING AND QUEEN HAD GOT SO EXCITED AND TALKED SO LOUD THAT THE GUARDS HAD HEARD NEARLY ALL THEY SAID AND ONE MAN OBSERVED TO THE OTHER


MIND YOU DECLARE THAT THE KING IS RIGHT IT CERTAINLY WAS A JACKAL BUT IF WE SAY SO THE KING WILL PROBABLY NOT KEEP HIS WORD ABOUT GOING AWAY AND WE SHALL GET INTO TROUBLE SO WE HAD BETTER TAKE HIS SIDE TO THIS THE OTHER AGREED


THE KING MADE NO REMARK BUT SENT FOR A PALANQUIN AND ORDERED THE QUEEN TO BE PLACED IN IT BIDDING THE FOUR BEARERS OF THE PALANQUIN TO TAKE HER A LONG WAY OFF INTO THE FOREST AND THERE LEAVE HER IN SPITE OF HER TEARS SHE WAS FORCED TO OBEY


AND AWAY THE BEARERS WENT FOR THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS UNTIL THEY CAME TO A DENSE WOOD


AND STARTED HOME AGAIN NOW THE QUEEN THOUGHT TO HERSELF THAT THE KING COULD NOT MEAN TO SEND HER AWAY FOR GOOD AND THAT AS SOON AS HE HAD GOT OVER HIS FIT OF TEMPER HE WOULD SUMMON HER BACK SO SHE STAYED QUITE STILL FOR A LONG TIME LISTENING WITH ALL HER EARS FOR APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS


BUT HEARD NONE AFTER A WHILE SHE GREW NERVOUS FOR SHE WAS ALL ALONE AND PUT HER HEAD OUT OF THE PALANQUIN AND LOOKED ABOUT HER DAY WAS JUST BREAKING AND BIRDS AND INSECTS WERE BEGINNING TO STIR


BUT ALTHOUGH THE QUEEN'S EYES WANDERED IN ALL DIRECTIONS THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY HUMAN BEING THEN HER SPIRIT GAVE WAY AND SHE BEGAN TO CRY IT SO HAPPENED THAT CLOSE TO THE SPOT WHERE THE QUEEN'S PALANQUIN HAD BEEN SET DOWN THERE DWELT A MAN WHO HAD A TINY FARM IN THE MIDST OF THE FOREST


WHERE HE AND HIS WIFE LIVED ALONE FAR FROM ANY NEIGHBOURS AS IT WAS HOT WEATHER THE FARMER HAD BEEN SLEEPING ON THE FLAT ROOF OF HIS HOUSE BUT WAS AWAKENED BY THE SOUND OF WEEPING HE JUMPED UP AND RAN DOWNSTAIRS AS FAST AS HE COULD AND INTO THE FOREST TOWARDS THE PLACE THE SOUND CAME FROM


AND WHEN SHE HAD TOLD HER STORY THE FARMER CALLED HIS WIFE WHO LED HER TO THEIR HOUSE AND GAVE HER FOOD TO EAT AND A BED TO LIE ON AND IN THE FARM A FEW DAYS LATER A LITTLE PRINCE WAS BORN AND BY HIS MOTHER'S WISH NAMED AMEER ALI


YEARS PASSED WITHOUT A SIGN FROM THE KING HIS WIFE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR ALL HE SEEMED TO CARE THOUGH THE QUEEN STILL LIVED WITH THE FARMER AND THE LITTLE PRINCE HAD BY THIS TIME GROWN UP INTO A STRONG HANDSOME AND HEALTHY YOUTH OUT IN THE FOREST THEY SEEMED FAR FROM THE WORLD


VERY FEW EVER CAME NEAR THEM AND THE PRINCE WAS CONTINUALLY BEGGING HIS MOTHER AND THE FARMER TO BE ALLOWED TO GO AWAY AND SEEK ADVENTURES AND TO MAKE HIS OWN LIVING BUT SHE AND THE WISE FARMER ALWAYS COUNSELLED HIM TO WAIT UNTIL


AT LAST WHEN HE WAS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE THEY HAD NOT THE HEART TO FORBID HIM ANY LONGER


A BIG BRASS POT TO HOLD WATER A FEW PIECES OF SILVER


MANY A WEARY MILE HE TRAMPED DAY AFTER DAY UNTIL ONE MORNING HE SAW BEFORE HIM JUST SUCH A FOREST AS THAT IN WHICH HE HAD BEEN BORN AND BRED AND HE STEPPED JOYFULLY INTO IT LIKE ONE WHO GOES TO MEET AN OLD FRIEND


PRESENTLY AS HE MADE HIS WAY THROUGH A THICKET HE SAW A PIGEON WHICH HE THOUGHT WOULD MAKE A GOOD DINNER SO HE FIRED A PELLET AT IT FROM HIS GALAIL BUT MISSED THE PIGEON WHICH FLUTTERED AWAY WITH A STARTLED CLATTER AT THE SAME INSTANT HE HEARD A GREAT CLAMOUR FROM BEYOND THE THICKET


AND ON REACHING THE SPOT HE FOUND AN UGLY OLD WOMAN STREAMING WET AND CRYING LOUDLY AS SHE LIFTED FROM HER HEAD


THE OLD WOMAN'S FACE BRIGHTENED SHE SHOWED HIM WHERE TO SEEK THE WATER AND WHEN HE RETURNED A FEW MINUTES LATER WITH HIS POT FILLED TO THE BRIM SHE LED THE WAY WITHOUT A WORD AND HE FOLLOWED IN A SHORT WHILE THEY CAME TO A HUT IN THE FOREST


AND AS THEY DREW NEAR IT AMEER ALI BEHELD IN THE DOORWAY THE LOVELIEST DAMSEL HIS EYES HAD EVER LOOKED ON AT THE SIGHT OF A STRANGER SHE DREW HER VEIL ABOUT HER AND STEPPED INTO THE HUT AND MUCH AS HE WISHED TO SEE HER AGAIN


AMEER ALI COULD THINK OF NO EXCUSE BY WHICH TO BRING HER BACK AND SO WITH A HEAVY HEART HE MADE HIS SALUTATION AND BADE THE OLD WOMAN FAREWELL BUT WHEN HE HAD GONE A LITTLE WAY SHE CALLED AFTER HIM IF EVER YOU ARE IN TROUBLE OR DANGER


COME TO WHERE YOU NOW STAND AND CRY FAIRY OF THE FOREST FAIRY OF THE FOREST HELP ME NOW AND I WILL LISTEN TO YOU THE PRINCE THANKED HER AND CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY BUT HE THOUGHT LITTLE OF THE OLD WOMAN'S SAYING AND MUCH OF THE LOVELY DAMSEL


SHORTLY AFTERWARDS HE ARRIVED AT A CITY AND AS HE WAS NOW IN GREAT STRAITS


THE KING SAID HE HAD PLENTY OF SERVANTS AND WANTED NO MORE


AND PROMISED THAT HE SHOULD ENTER HIS BODYGUARD ON THE CONDITION THAT HE WOULD UNDERTAKE ANY SERVICE WHICH WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS THIS WAS JUST WHAT AMEER ALI WANTED AND HE AGREED TO DO WHATEVER THE KING MIGHT WISH


SOON AFTER THIS ON A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT WHEN THE RIVER ROARED BENEATH THE PALACE WALLS THE SOUND OF A WOMAN WEEPING AND WAILING WAS HEARD ABOVE THE STORM THE KING ORDERED A SERVANT TO GO AND SEE WHAT WAS THE MATTER BUT THE SERVANT FALLING ON HIS KNEES IN TERROR


BEGGED THAT HE MIGHT NOT BE SENT ON SUCH AN ERRAND PARTICULARLY ON A NIGHT SO WILD WHEN EVIL SPIRITS AND WITCHES WERE SURE TO BE ABROAD INDEED SO FRIGHTENED WAS HE THAT THE KING WHO WAS VERY KIND HEARTED BADE ANOTHER TO GO IN HIS STEAD


BUT EACH ONE SHOWED THE SAME STRANGE FEAR THEN AMEER ALI STEPPED FORWARD THIS IS MY DUTY YOUR MAJESTY HE SAID I WILL GO THE KING NODDED AND OFF HE WENT THE NIGHT WAS AS DARK AS PITCH


BUT HE MADE HIS WAY DOWN TO THE FORD UNDER THE PALACE WALLS AND STEPPED INTO THE FLOODED WATER INCH BY INCH AND FOOT BY FOOT HE FOUGHT HIS WAY ACROSS NOW NEARLY SWEPT OFF HIS FEET BY SOME SUDDEN SWIRL OR EDDY NOW NARROWLY ESCAPING


BEING CAUGHT IN THE BRANCHES OF SOME FLOATING TREE THAT CAME TOSSING AND SWINGING DOWN THE STREAM AT LENGTH HE EMERGED PANTING AND DRIPPING WET ON THE OTHER SIDE CLOSE BY THE BANK STOOD A GALLOWS AND ON THE GALLOWS HUNG THE BODY OF SOME EVILDOER


WHILST FROM THE FOOT OF IT CAME THE SOUND OF SOBBING THAT THE KING HAD HEARD


OR OF THE ROARING RIVER AS FOR GHOSTS AND WITCHES THEY HAD NEVER TROUBLED HIM SO HE WALKED UP TOWARDS THE GALLOWS WHERE CROUCHED THE FIGURE OF THE WOMAN WHAT AILS YOU HE SAID NOW THE WOMAN WAS NOT REALLY A WOMAN AT ALL


BUT A HORRID KIND OF WITCH WHO REALLY LIVED IN WITCHLAND AND HAD NO BUSINESS ON EARTH IF EVER A MAN STRAYED INTO WITCHLAND THE OGRESSES USED TO EAT HIM UP AND THIS OLD WITCH THOUGHT SHE WOULD LIKE TO CATCH A MAN FOR SUPPER


IN HOPES THAT SOMEONE OUT OF PITY MIGHT COME TO HER RESCUE SO WHEN AMEER ALI QUESTIONED HER SHE REPLIED AH KIND SIR IT IS MY POOR SON WHO HANGS UPON THAT GALLOWS HELP ME TO GET HIM DOWN AND I WILL BLESS YOU FOR EVER


AMEER ALI THOUGHT THAT HER VOICE SOUNDED RATHER EAGER


AND BENT SO THAT THE OLD WOMAN COULD CLAMBER ON TO HIS BACK WHICH SHE DID VERY NIMBLY THEN SUDDENLY HE FELT A NOOSE SLIPPED OVER HIS NECK


BUT AMEER ALI GAVE A SWEEP UPWARDS WITH HIS SHARP SWORD TO CUT THE ROPE THAT SHE HAD SLIPPED ROUND HIS NECK


AND WITH A YELL OF PAIN AND ANGER SHE VANISHED INTO THE DARKNESS AMEER ALI THEN SAT DOWN TO COLLECT HIMSELF A LITTLE AND FELT UPON THE GROUND BY HIS SIDE AN ANKLET THAT HAD EVIDENTLY FALLEN OFF THE OLD WITCH'S FOOT


AND AS THE STORM HAD BY THIS TIME PASSED OVER HE MADE HIS WAY BACK TO THE PALACE WHEN HE HAD FINISHED HIS STORY HE TOOK THE ANKLET OUT OF HIS POCKET AND HANDED IT TO THE KING WHO LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WAS AMAZED AT THE GLORY OF THE JEWELS WHICH COMPOSED IT INDEED


AMEER ALI HIMSELF WAS ASTONISHED FOR HE HAD SLIPPED THE ANKLET INTO HIS POCKET IN THE DARK AND HAD NOT LOOKED AT IT SINCE THE KING WAS DELIGHTED AT ITS BEAUTY AND HAVING PRAISED AND REWARDED AMEER ALI HE GAVE THE ANKLET TO HIS DAUGHTER A PROUD AND SPOILED PRINCESS


NOW IN THE WOMEN'S APARTMENTS IN THE PALACE THERE HUNG TWO CAGES IN ONE OF WHICH WAS A PARROT AND IN THE OTHER A STARLING AND THESE TWO BIRDS COULD TALK AS WELL AS HUMAN BEINGS THEY WERE BOTH PETS OF THE PRINCESS WHO ALWAYS FED THEM HERSELF AND THE NEXT DAY AS SHE WAS


WALKING GRANDLY ABOUT WITH HER TREASURE TIED ROUND HER ANKLE SHE HEARD THE STARLING SAY TO THE PARROT


THAT WAS THE PARROT'S NAME HOW DO YOU THINK THE PRINCESS LOOKS IN HER NEW JEWEL THINK SNAPPED THE PARROT WHO WAS CROSS BECAUSE THEY HADN'T GIVEN HIM HIS BATH THAT MORNING I THINK SHE LOOKS LIKE A WASHERWOMAN'S DAUGHTER WITH ONE SHOE ON AND THE OTHER OFF


WHY DOESN'T SHE WEAR TWO OF THEM INSTEAD OF GOING ABOUT WITH ONE LEG ADORNED AND THE OTHER EMPTY WHEN THE PRINCESS HEARD THIS SHE BURST INTO TEARS AND SENDING FOR HER FATHER


OR SHE WOULD DIE OF SHAME SO THE KING SENT FOR AMEER ALI


OR HE SHOULD BE HANGED FOR THE PRINCESS WOULD CERTAINLY DIE OF DISAPPOINTMENT POOR AMEER ALI WAS GREATLY TROUBLED AT THE KING'S COMMAND BUT HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF THAT HE HAD AT ANY RATE A MONTH IN WHICH TO LAY HIS PLANS HE LEFT THE PALACE AT ONCE


AND INQUIRED OF EVERYONE WHERE THE FINEST JEWELS WERE TO BE GOT BUT THOUGH HE SOUGHT NIGHT AND DAY HE NEVER FOUND ONE TO COMPARE WITH THE ANKLET AT LAST ONLY A WEEK REMAINED AND HE WAS IN SORE DIFFICULTY WHEN HE REMEMBERED THE FAIRY OF THE FOREST


THEREFORE AWAY HE WENT AND AFTER A DAY'S TRAVELLING HE REACHED THE COTTAGE IN THE FOREST AND STANDING WHERE HE HAD STOOD WHEN THE OLD WOMAN CALLED TO HIM HE CRIED FAIRY OF THE FOREST FAIRY OF THE FOREST HELP ME HELP ME


THEN THERE APPEARED IN THE DOORWAY THE BEAUTIFUL GIRL HE HAD SEEN BEFORE WHOM IN ALL HIS WANDERINGS HE HAD NEVER FORGOTTEN WHAT IS THE MATTER SHE ASKED IN A VOICE SO SOFT THAT HE LISTENED LIKE ONE STRUCK DUMB


THEN HE TOLD HER HIS STORY AND SHE WENT WITHIN THE COTTAGE AND CAME BACK WITH TWO WANDS AND A POT OF BOILING WATER THE TWO WANDS SHE PLANTED IN THE GROUND ABOUT SIX FEET APART AND THEN TURNING TO HIM SHE SAID


AND HOLD IT OVER THE CAULDRON AND EVERY DROP OF BLOOD THAT FALLS FROM IT INTO THE WATER WILL BECOME A JEWEL NEXT YOU MUST CHANGE THE WANDS SO THAT THE ONE THAT STOOD AT MY HEAD IS AT MY FEET AND THE ONE AT MY FEET STANDS AT MY HEAD AND PLACE THE SEVERED FOOT AGAINST THE WOUND AND IT WILL HEAL


AND I SHALL BECOME QUITE WELL AGAIN AS BEFORE AT FIRST


AT LENGTH SHE PERSUADED HIM TO DO HER BIDDING HE NEARLY FAINTED HIMSELF WITH HORROR WHEN HE FOUND THAT AFTER THE CRUEL BLOW WHICH LOPPED HER FOOT OFF SHE LAY AS ONE LIFELESS BUT HE HELD THE SEVERED FOOT OVER THE CAULDRON AND AS DROPS OF BLOOD FELL FROM IT


AND HE SAW EACH TURN IN THE WATER INTO SHINING GEMS HIS HEART TOOK COURAGE VERY SOON THERE WERE PLENTY OF JEWELS IN THE CAULDRON AND HE QUICKLY CHANGED THE WANDS PLACED THE SEVERED FOOT AGAINST THE WOUND AND IMMEDIATELY THE TWO PARTS BECAME ONE AS BEFORE


THEN THE MAIDEN OPENED HER EYES SPRANG TO HER FEET AND DRAWING HER VEIL ABOUT HER RAN INTO THE HUT AND WOULD NOT COME OUT OR SPEAK TO HIM ANY MORE


BUT THREE RARE AND BEAUTIFUL ANKLETS AND THESE HE DULY PRESENTED TO THE KING ON THE VERY DAY THAT HIS MONTH OF GRACE WAS OVER THE KING EMBRACED HIM WARMLY AND MADE HIM RICH GIFTS AND THE NEXT DAY THE VAIN PRINCESS PUT TWO ANKLETS ON EACH FOOT


AND STRUTTED UP AND DOWN IN THEM ADMIRING HERSELF IN THE MIRRORS THAT LINED HER ROOM


AND NEVER RECOVERED HIS TEMPER UNTIL AFTER LUNCH SHE'S GOT ALL HER BEAUTY AT ONE END OF HER NOW IF SHE HAD A FEW OF THOSE FINE GEW GAWS ROUND HER NECK AND WRISTS SHE WOULD LOOK BETTER BUT NOW TO MY MIND


SHE LOOKS MORE THAN EVER LIKE THE WASHERWOMAN'S DAUGHTER DRESSED UP POOR PRINCESS SHE WEPT AND STORMED AND RAVED UNTIL SHE MADE HERSELF QUITE ILL


AND THEN SHE DECLARED TO HER FATHER THAT UNLESS SHE HAD BRACELETS AND NECKLACE TO MATCH THE ANKLETS SHE WOULD DIE AGAIN THE KING SENT FOR AMEER ALI AND ORDERED HIM TO GET A NECKLACE AND BRACELETS TO MATCH THOSE ANKLETS WITHIN A MONTH OR BE PUT TO A CRUEL DEATH


AND AGAIN AMEER ALI SPENT NEARLY THE WHOLE MONTH SEARCHING FOR THE JEWELS BUT ALL IN VAIN AT LENGTH HE MADE HIS WAY TO THE HUT IN THE FOREST AND STOOD AND CRIED FAIRY OF THE FOREST FAIRY OF THE FOREST HELP ME


ONCE MORE THE BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN APPEARED AT HIS SUMMONS AND ASKED WHAT HE WANTED


AND HER HEAD HER WORDS TURNED AMEER ALI PALE WITH HORROR BUT SHE REMINDED HIM THAT NO HARM HAD COME TO HER BEFORE AND AT LAST HE CONSENTED TO DO AS SHE BADE HIM


FROM HER SEVERED HANDS AND HEAD THERE FELL INTO THE CAULDRON BRACELETS AND CHAINS OF RUBIES AND DIAMONDS


THEN THE HEAD AND HANDS WERE JOINED ON TO THE BODY AND LEFT NEITHER SIGN NOR SCAR FULL OF GRATITUDE AMEER ALI TRIED TO SPEAK TO HER BUT SHE RAN INTO THE HOUSE AND WOULD NOT COME BACK AND HE WAS FORCED TO LEAVE HER


WHEN ON THE DAY APPOINTED AMEER ALI PRODUCED A NECKLACE AND BRACELETS EACH MORE BEAUTIFUL AND PRICELESS THAN THE LAST THE KING'S ASTONISHMENT KNEW NO BOUNDS AND AS FOR HIS DAUGHTER SHE WAS NEARLY MAD WITH JOY


THE VERY NEXT MORNING SHE PUT ON ALL HER FINERY AND THOUGHT THAT NOW AT LEAST THAT DISAGREEABLE PARROT COULD FIND NO FAULT WITH HER APPEARANCE AND SHE LISTENED EAGERLY WHEN SHE HEARD THE STARLING SAY


HOW DO YOU THINK OUR PRINCESS IS LOOKING NOW VERY FINE NO DOUBT GRUMBLED THE PARROT BUT WHAT IS THE USE OF DRESSING UP LIKE THAT FOR ONESELF ONLY SHE OUGHT TO HAVE A HUSBAND WHY DOESN'T SHE MARRY THE MAN WHO GOT HER ALL THESE SPLENDID THINGS


THEN THE PRINCESS SENT FOR HER FATHER AND TOLD HIM THAT SHE WISHED TO MARRY AMEER ALI


SO THE KING SENT FOR AMEER ALI AND TOLD HIM THAT WITHIN A MONTH HE PROPOSED TO DO HIM THE HONOUR OF MARRYING HIM TO THE PRINCESS AND MAKING HIM HEIR TO THE THRONE ON HEARING THIS SPEECH


AMEER ALI BOWED LOW AND ANSWERED THAT HE HAD DONE AND WOULD DO THE KING ALL THE SERVICE THAT LAY IN HIS POWER SAVE ONLY THIS ONE THING THE KING WHO CONSIDERED HIS DAUGHTER'S HAND A PRIZE FOR ANY MAN FLEW INTO A PASSION AND THE PRINCESS WAS MORE FURIOUS STILL


AMEER ALI WAS INSTANTLY THROWN INTO THE MOST DISMAL PRISON THAT THEY COULD FIND AND ORDERED TO BE KEPT THERE UNTIL THE KING HAD TIME TO THINK IN WHAT WAY HE SHOULD BE PUT TO DEATH MEANWHILE THE KING DETERMINED THAT THE PRINCESS OUGHT IN ANY CASE TO BE MARRIED WITHOUT DELAY


SO HE SENT FORTH HERALDS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES PROCLAIMING THAT ON A CERTAIN DAY ANY PERSON FITTED FOR A BRIDEGROOM AND HEIR TO THE THRONE SHOULD PRESENT HIMSELF AT THE PALACE WHEN THE DAY CAME ALL THE COURT WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AND A GREAT CROWD ASSEMBLED OF MEN YOUNG AND OLD


WHO THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD AS GOOD A CHANCE AS ANYONE ELSE TO GAIN BOTH THE THRONE AND THE PRINCESS AS SOON AS THE KING WAS SEATED HE CALLED UPON AN USHER TO SUMMON THE FIRST CLAIMANT BUT JUST THEN A FARMER WHO STOOD IN FRONT OF THE CROWD CRIED OUT THAT HE HAD A PETITION TO OFFER


WELL HASTEN THEN SAID THE KING I HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE YOUR MAJESTY SAID THE FARMER HAS NOW LIVED AND ADMINISTERED JUSTICE LONG IN THIS CITY


WHILST JACKALS HUNT IN EVERY PLACE WHERE THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE PICKED UP


NO YOUR MAJESTY ANSWERED THE FARMER I WOULD ONLY REMIND YOUR MAJESTY THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF JACKALS GATHERED TO DAY TO TRY AND CLAIM YOUR DAUGHTER AND KINGDOM EVERY CITY HAS SENT THEM AND THEY WAIT HUNGRY AND EAGER BUT DO NOT O KING MISTAKE OR PRETEND AGAIN


TO MISTAKE THE HOWL OF A JACKAL FOR THE HUNTING CRY OF A TIGER THE KING TURNED FIRST RED AND THEN PALE THERE IS CONTINUED THE FARMER A ROYAL TIGER BRED IN THE FOREST WHO HAS THE FIRST AND ONLY TRUE CLAIM TO YOUR THRONE WHERE


GROWING PALE AS HE LISTENED IN PRISON REPLIED THE FARMER IF YOUR MAJESTY WILL CLEAR THIS COURT OF THE JACKALS I WILL EXPLAIN CLEAR THE COURT COMMANDED THE KING AND VERY UNWILLINGLY THE VISITORS LEFT THE PALACE NOW


THEN THE FARMER TOLD THE KING AND HIS MINISTERS HOW HE HAD RESCUED THE QUEEN AND BROUGHT UP AMEER ALI AND HE FETCHED THE OLD QUEEN HERSELF WHOM HE HAD LEFT OUTSIDE AT THE SIGHT OF HER THE KING WAS FILLED WITH SHAME AND SELF REPROACH AND WISHED HE COULD HAVE LIVED HIS LIFE OVER AGAIN


AND NOT HAVE MARRIED THE MOTHER OF THE PROUD PRINCESS WHO CAUSED HIM ENDLESS TROUBLE UNTIL HER DEATH MY DAY IS PAST SAID HE AND HE GAVE UP HIS CROWN TO HIS SON AMEER ALI WHO WENT ONCE MORE AND CALLED TO THE FOREST FAIRY TO PROVIDE HIM WITH A QUEEN TO SHARE HIS THRONE


THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON I WILL MARRY SAID HE AND THIS TIME THE MAIDEN DID NOT RUN AWAY BUT AGREED TO BE HIS WIFE SO THE TWO WERE MARRIED WITHOUT DELAY AND LIVED LONG AND REIGNED HAPPILY AS FOR THE OLD WOMAN WHOSE PITCHER AMEER ALI HAD BROKEN


SHE WAS THE FOREST MAIDEN'S FAIRY GODMOTHER AND WHEN SHE WAS NO LONGER NEEDED TO LOOK AFTER THE GIRL SHE GLADLY RETURNED TO FAIRYLAND THE OLD KING HAS NEVER BEEN HEARD TO CONTRADICT HIS WIFE ANY MORE IF HE EVEN LOOKS AS IF HE DOES NOT AGREE WITH HER


SHE SMILES AT HIM AND SAYS IS IT THE TIGER THEN OR THE JACKAL


THINGS WENT VERY SMOOTHLY AT GORE HALL AFTER DURHAM HAD ESTABLISHED LUCY AS ITS MISTRESS DURING THE ABSENCE OF BERNARD THE GIRL HERSELF FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT HER COUSIN WAS DEAD AND ASSUMED DEEP MOURNING


AND FELT HIS LOSS DEEPLY IT WAS HER OUTSPOKEN AFFECTION THAT PROVOKED A QUARREL BETWEEN HER AND JULIUS AND WHICH LED TO THE BREAKING OF THEIR ENGAGEMENT LUCY HAD A HIGH TEMPER WHICH HAD BEEN KEPT IN SUBJECTION DURING THE LIFE OF SIR SIMON


BUT NOW THAT SHE TASTED THE SWEETS OF POWER SHE WAS NOT DISPOSED TO ALLOW JULIUS TO TREAT HER AS HE CHOSE MISSUS GILROY CAME BACK FROM HER VISIT TO THE LAWYER


SHE SAW THAT SHE HAD GONE TOO FAR AND HAD GIVEN DURHAM AN INKLING AS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF MICHAEL HAVING MASQUERADED AS BERNARD


KNOWING THAT SHE HAD MARRIED WALTER GORE AND ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES UPON WHICH SHE BUILT HER CLAIM YET SHE TRUSTED TO HER OWN CLEVERNESS TO CONCEAL THIS FROM THE TOO CLEVER LAWYER BUT APART FROM THIS


THE FACT THAT HE SUSPECTED SOMEONE OF PASSING HIMSELF OFF AS BERNARD STARTLED HER AND OPENED AN ABYSS AT HER FEET ON LEAVING THE OFFICE SHE JUDGED IT BEST TO LOWER HER CREST FOR THE MOMENT AND TO WAIT PATIENTLY TO SEE WHAT WOULD TRANSPIRE


MISSUS GILROY WAS A WELL EDUCATED WOMAN AND VERY ASTUTE THEREFORE SHE HOPED TO GAIN HER ENDS BY CRAFT IF NOT BY FORCE SO FAR SHE HAD FAILED BUT SHE DID NOT INTEND TO ABANDON HER CLAIM


FOR ONE FAILURE AS IT WAS SHE CAME BACK TO THE HALL AND BEHAVED HERSELF MUCH BETTER THAN SHE HAD EVER DONE BEFORE SHE WAS RESPECTFUL TO LUCY AND DID NOT DISPLAY HER IMPATIENCE OF COMMANDS THAT


SHE HAD HITHERTO DONE NO ONE COULD HAVE BEEN MEEKER AND ALTHOUGH MISS RANDOLPH DID NOT LIKE OR TRUST THE WOMAN SHE HAD NO FAULT TO FIND WITH HER IN ANY WAY LUCY SUFFERED SEVERELY FROM THE SHOCK OF SIR SIMON'S TRAGIC DEATH


AND FROM THE SUPPOSED DEATH OF SIR BERNARD IN FACT THE MATTER SO PREYED ON HER NERVES THAT SHE BECAME PROSTRATE AND DOCTOR PAYNE HAD TO BE CALLED IN HE WAS A HANDSOME AND POPULAR YOUNG DOCTOR WHO HAD PRACTICED IN HURSETON


HE WAS NATURALLY VERY PLEASED AND WAS VERY ATTENTIVE A COMPLETE REST IS WHAT YOU NEED HE SAID TO MISS RANDOLPH


AND I WILL GIVE YOU A TONIC NATURALLY YOU SUFFER FROM THE TERRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES OF SIR SIMON'S DEATH HE THOUGHT A MOMENT


A CHEERFUL COMPANION WOULD DO YOU GOOD SHALL I ASK MISS MALLESON TO COME OVER IS SHE CHEERFUL ASKED LUCY LANGUIDLY I FEAR NOT DOCTOR SHE WAS ENGAGED TO MY COUSIN AND HIS DEATH HAS MADE HER SAD


PROBABLY BUT SHE BEARS UP WONDERFULLY BUT THAT SHE IS IN MOURNING ONE WOULD HARDLY GUESS SHE HAD SUSTAINED SUCH A LOSS WAS SHE VERY MUCH ATTACHED TO MISTER GORE YES


I NEVER SAW A MORE ATTACHED COUPLE DID YOU EVER MEET HIM ONCE AT MISS PLANTAGENET'S YOU KNOW I AM GREAT FRIENDS WITH THE OLD LADY I OFTEN VISIT HER NOT PROFESSIONALLY FOR SHE IS AS HEALTHY AS A TROUT IN A POND


IS ALICE MISS MALLESON ALSO WELL IN VERY GOOD HEALTH AND APPEARS RESIGNED TO HER LOSS I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT SHE WOULD HAVE FELT IT MORE SAID LUCY PERPLEXED


ALICE HAS SUCH A TENDER HEART DOCTOR PAYNE WAS DOUBTFUL SO FAR AS HE SAW MISS MALLESON WAS REMARKABLY CHEERFUL UNDER HER SORROW SHE IS PHILOSOPHIC MISS RANDOLPH


I THINK HOWEVER IF YOU WOULD HAVE HER OVER TO SEE YOU IT WOULD DO BOTH HER AND YOURSELF GOOD I SHALL WRITE A NOTE TO HER TO DAY SAID LUCY I AM VERY FOND OF HER AND WE GET ON VERY WELL TOGETHER


POOR ALICE I WISH BERNARD HAD LIVED


RISING TO TAKE HIS LEAVE IF HE WAS GUILTY AH SAID LUCY RAISING HERSELF WITH ANIMATION FROM THE SOFA UPON WHICH SHE WAS LYING IF HE WAS GUILTY


I DO NOT BELIEVE HE WAS


BUT HE COULD NOT ALWAYS CONTROL IT AND WAS A KIND HEARTED BOY HE IS INNOCENT I AM SURE HOW ARE YOU SURE MY DEAR LUCY ASKED A THIRD VOICE AND SHE LOOKED UP TO SEE JULIUS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY


HE CAME FORWARD FORGIVE ME IF I HEARD A FEW WORDS OF YOUR CONVERSATION BUT I HAVE JUST COME IN DOCTOR PAYNE I HOPE I SEE YOU WELL QUITE WELL SAID THE DOCTOR WHO DID NOT LIKE BERYL THINKING HIM


IN SCHOOLBOY PHRASE A SNEAK I AM JUST GOING MISTER BERYL ARE YOU ILL LUCY ASKED BERYL WITH AFFECTION I HAVE AN ATTACK OF NERVES SHE REPLIED PETTISHLY


POOR BERNARD'S DEATH HAS SHAKEN ME IT IS JUST AS WELL HE DID DIE THOUGH I HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT SAID PAYNE BUT I MUST TAKE MY LEAVE I WILL COME AND SEE YOU AGAIN MISS RANDOLPH AND REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU


REST AND CHEERFUL COMPANY MISS MALLESON'S FOR CHOICE HE DEPARTED SMILING AND THEY HEARD HIM GALLOP OFF WHEN THE SOUND OF THE HORSE'S HOOFS DIED AWAY


WHY DO YOU THINK BERNARD IS INNOCENT HE ASKED BECAUSE IF HE IS GUILTY HIS ACTION GIVES THE LIE TO HIS WHOLE LIFE JULIUS SHE REPLIED RAISING HERSELF ON HER ELBOW I CAN'T BELIEVE HE KILLED MY UNCLE


SIR SIMON IS NOT YOUR UNCLE SAID BERYL JEALOUSLY YOU ARE ONLY A DISTANT RELATIVE PERHAPS MY MARRIAGE WITH YOU MAY MAKE ME A NEARER ONE


IF WE EVER DO MARRY SAID JULIUS GLOOMILY SO FAR AS I AM CONCERNED I SHOULD LIKE TO BREAK THE ENGAGEMENT JULIUS WE WERE NEVER SUITED TO ONE ANOTHER BERYL'S VANITY WAS HURT


WHY DID YOU ACCEPT ME THEN WHAT ELSE COULD I DO IT WAS SIR SIMON'S WISH THAT WE SHOULD MARRY AND OWING TO MY CIRCUMSTANCES I HAD NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER DURING HIS LIFE I WAS MERELY A PUPPET


ALTHOUGH YOU SWORE FOR AN HOUR


YOU TOLD SIR SIMON ABOUT BERNARD BEING IN LOVE WITH ALICE THAT THE POOR BOY MIGHT BE DISINHERITED BERYL DID NOT DENY THE CHARGE I BELIEVE YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH BERNARD YOURSELF HE SAID


NO BERNARD AND I ARE LIKE BROTHER AND SISTER BUT HE IS DEAD


LUCY SAT UP ON THE SOFA AND PUSHED THE LOOSE HAIR BACK FROM HER FOREHEAD WHY DO YOU SAY THAT SHE ASKED SHARPLY JULIUS STARED AT THE FIRE I CAN'T UNDERSTAND DURHAM'S ATTITUDE HE SAID EVASIVELY


HE MUST KNOW THAT BERNARD IS DEAD SEEING THAT THE COAT AND HAT WERE FOUND ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER NO MAN COULD HAVE LIVED IN THE COLD AND THE FOG YET IF DURHAM WAS SURE HE WOULD NOT HOLD THE ESTATE AGAINST BERNARD'S COMING


MISTER DURHAM REQUIRES PROOF OF THE DEATH REJOINED LUCY SHARPLY AND UNTIL THEN HE IS BOUND TO ADMINISTER THE ESTATE ACCORDING TO THE WILL AS BERNARD'S BODY HAS NOT BEEN FOUND


THERE IS ALWAYS A CHANCE THAT HE MAY HAVE ESCAPED I SINCERELY TRUST NOT AH YOU ALWAYS HATED BERNARD ON THE CONTRARY I SPEAK FOR HIS GOOD


WHAT'S THE USE OF HIS COMING TO LIFE WHEN HE MUST SUFFER FOR HIS CRIME


YOU HAVE NO GROUNDS FOR SAYING THAT SAID JULIUS PALE WITH RAGE I DON'T NEED GROUNDS RETORTED THE GENUINE WOMAN BERNARD ALWAYS WAS AS KIND HEARTED AS YOU WERE AND ARE THE REVERSE


I AM NOT HARD HEARTED SNAPPED BERYL I ALWAYS DO GOOD


NOT ALWAYS FOR INSTANCE I AM DOWN HERE TO GET A SMALL BOY A POST WITH MISS PLANTAGENET AS A PAGE THAT IS VERY GOOD OF YOU SAID LUCY SCORNFULLY AH YOU SEE I CAN DO A KIND ACTION


THIS BOY IS A GRANDSON OF LORD CONNISTON'S HOUSEKEEPER MISSUS MOON AT COVE CASTLE SAID LUCY WITH SOME COLOR IN HER FACE I KNOW DO YOU KNOW LORD CONNISTON ASKED JULIUS SUSPICIOUSLY I HAVE MET HIM ONCE


HE SEEMS TO BE A MOST DELIGHTFUL FELLOW WHAT A DELIGHTFUL SPEECH FOR A LADY SAID BERYL CONNISTON IS A SCAMP I HEARD HE ENLISTED IN THE LANCERS IT SHOWS HOW BRAVE HE IS EVERY MAN WORTH CALLING A MAN


SHOULD GO TO THE FRONT PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO GO SNEERED JULIUS YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE THE PLUCK SAID LUCY QUICKLY ALL YOUR ENDS IN LIFE ARE GAINED BY CUNNING


LUCY IF YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT BEGAN BERYL AND THEN RESTRAINED HIMSELF WITH AN EFFORT IT IS NO USE OUR QUARRELLING LET ME SHOW YOU THAT I AM NOT SO CARELESS OF OTHERS OR SO HARD HEARTED AS I SEEM TO BE


MISS PLANTAGENET WANTS A PAGE I FOUND THIS LAD IN LONDON SELLING MATCHES HE WAS A MESSENGER BOY AT A TOBACCONIST CALLED TABERLEY AND LORD CONNISTON GOT HIM TURNED OUT OF THE SITUATION


THE BOY TOLD ME HIMSELF HE WILL TELL YOU IF YOU LIKE TO SEE HIM I DON'T WANT TO SEE HIM LORD CONNISTON IS TOO KIND A MAN TO BEHAVE IN THAT WAY HE WAS FOND OF BERNARD


AND THAT MAKES HIM PERFECT IN YOUR EYES SAID BERYL LOOKING SAVAGE SEE HERE LUCY CONNISTON HAS LEFT THE ARMY SO YOU SEE HE IS NOT SO BRAVE AS YOU THINK


HE LEFT SO AS TO SEEK AFTER BERNARD SAID LUCY QUICKLY MISTER DURHAM TOLD ME SO


AND I BELIEVE BERNARD MAY BE ALIVE AFTER ALL IN WHICH CASE YOU WOULD GIVE HIM UP TO THE POLICE NO SAID JULIUS WITH AN EMOTION WHICH DID HIM CREDIT I SHOULD NEVER BETRAY HIM


LUCY IF YOU CAN FIND OUT FROM LORD CONNISTON OR DURHAM THAT BERNARD IS ALIVE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP HIM HOW CAN YOU HELP HIM WHEN YOU BELIEVE HIM GUILTY I MIGHT HELP HIM TO ESCAPE


I DON'T WANT TO SEE HIM HANGED HE WON'T BE HANGED IF LORD CONNISTON AND MISTER DURHAM CAN SAVE HIM AH JULIUS STARTED TO HIS FEET THEN HE IS ALIVE


I CAN'T SAY I HAVE NO REASON TO THINK HE IS BUT I AM HOPING AGAINST HOPE SAID LUCY RISING I MERELY STATE WHAT WAS SAID MISTER DURHAM AND LORD CONNISTON BOTH TOLD ALICE THAT BERNARD WAS INNOCENT


THEY WILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PROVE THAT SNEERED BERYL WITH A WHITE FACE I BELIEVE THE FELLOW IS ALIVE AFTER ALL


AND THEN ASKED LUCY STARTING UP AND FACING BERYL


AH YOU WOULD MAKE HIM PAY MONEY TO SAVE HIMSELF I HAVE A RIGHT TO A PORTION OF THE ESTATE YOU HAVE NOT SAID MISS RANDOLPH CLENCHING HER FISTS AND ALL HER LANGUOR GONE BERNARD IS THE OWNER OF GORE HALL


AND OF ALL THE PROPERTY AND OF THE TITLE ALSO


HIS NAME WILL BE CLEARED AND THEN YOU WILL THROW ME OVER AND TRY TO BECOME LADY GORE I THROW YOU OVER NOW SAID LUCY LOSING HER TEMPER AND COLORING HOTLY HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THIS JULIUS


I WILL NO LONGER BE BOUND TO YOU I NEVER LOVED YOU BUT I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO SEE THE BEST SIDE OF YOU BUT YOU HAVE NO GOOD SIDE YOU ARE A MEAN COWARDLY SERPENT AND IF BERNARD IS ALIVE I SHALL DO MY BEST TO DEFEND HIM


FROM YOUR SNARES BUT LUCY DON'T SPEAK TO ME


I GIVE YOU BACK YOUR RING HERE IT IS SHE WRENCHED IT FROM HER FINGER NOW LEAVE THE HOUSE MISTER BERYL I AM MISTRESS HERE JULIUS LOOKED AT THE RING WHICH SHE HAD THROWN AT HIS FEET AND LAUGHED


YOU TAKE A HIGH TONE HE SAID SNEERINGLY BUT REMEMBER THAT IF BERNARD IS DEAD THE MONEY GOES TO CHARITIES SO MUCH THE BETTER YOU DO NOT GET IT NOR YOU EITHER


YOU WILL HAVE TO TURN OUT OF THIS LUXURIOUS HOME AND LIVE ON THE PITTANCE SIR SIMON LEFT YOU WOULD I BE BETTER OFF IF I MARRIED YOU I THINK YOU WOULD I HAVE NOT MUCH MONEY NOW BUT I WILL HAVE SOME


A GREAT DEAL SOME DAY BY BLACKMAILING BERNARD SAID LUCY INDIGNANTLY JULIUS PICKED UP THE RING AND SLIPPED IT INTO HIS WAISTCOAT POCKET CALMLY WE DON'T KNOW THAT BERNARD IS ALIVE


BUT THE FACT OF CONNISTON LEAVING THE ARMY AND FROM DURHAM'S ATTITUDE I SHREWDLY SUSPECT HE IS AND IN HIDING


AND THEN IT DEPENDS UPON HIM WHETHER HE IS HANGED OR PREFERS TO LIVE ABROAD ON A PORTION OF HIS MONEY THE LESSER PORTION I KNOW THE PRICE OF YOUR SILENCE SAID LUCY VEHEMENTLY YOU WILL WANT THE HALL AND A LARGE INCOME


ALL I CAN GET REJOINED BERYL QUIETLY AND YOU HAVE REFUSED TO SHARE MY FORTUNE WITH ME YES I WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU AND REMEMBER THAT IF I CATCH YOU PLOTTING I WILL TELL MISTER DURHAM


YOU CAN TELL HIM THE WHOLE OF THIS CONVERSATION SNARLED BERYL I AM NOT AFRAID OF DURHAM IF BERNARD IS ALIVE HE'LL HAVE TO PAY UP OR BE HANGED HE IS INNOCENT


JULIUS SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND WALKED TO THE DOOR THERE HE PAUSED TO UTTER A FINAL INSULTING SPEECH I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU INTEND TO MARRY BERNARD OR LORD CONNISTON HE SAID BUT I WISH


WHICH EVER IT IS JOY OF A SPITFIRE AND AN HONEST WOMAN SAID MISS RANDOLPH WRATHFULLY FOR THE REFERENCE TO CONNISTON TOUCHED HER NEARLY


BUT YOU GO TOO FAST YOU CAN'T YET PROVE THAT BERNARD LIVES I GO TO DO SO SNEERED JULIUS AND BOWED HIMSELF IRONICALLY OUT OF THE ROOM LEAVING LUCY FURIOUS BOTH WITH HIM AND WITH HERSELF


SHE WAS ANGRY WITH HERSELF BECAUSE SHE FELT THAT IN SPEAKING OF CONNISTON SHE HAD COLORED AND AS A MATTER OF FACT SHE GREATLY ADMIRED THE YOUNG LORD EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD ONLY MET ONCE


FOR CONNISTON WAS ONE OF THOSE IRRESISTIBLE MEN WHO APPEAL TO WOMEN LUCY THOUGHT BUT IT MATTERS LITTLE WHAT SHE THOUGHT ALL SHE KNEW WAS THAT HER ENGAGEMENT TO JULIUS WHICH HAD ALWAYS WEIGHED ON HER CONSCIENCE WAS AT AN END


I AM FREE NOW FREE SHE SAID STRETCHING HER HANDS OH WHAT AN ESCAPE I HAVE HAD FROM THAT WICKED MAN HE HAS SHOWN HIS HAND TOO PLAINLY I WILL PUT MISTER DURHAM ON HIS GUARD AND


HERE SHE BLUSHED AND LORD CONNISTON JULIUS WALKING TOWARDS THE BOWER WAS ALSO ANGRY WITH HIMSELF AS LUCY THOUGHT HE HAD SHOWN HIS HAND TOO CLEARLY


IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER HE CONSIDERED TO HAVE HELD MY TONGUE I SHOULD HAVE DONE SO HAD SHE NOT GOADED ME INTO SPEECH SHE WILL TELL DURHAM AND THAT INTERFERING CONNISTON AND PUT THEM ON THEIR GUARD WELL


HE LAUGHED AND LOOKED AT THE SMALL BOY TROTTING BESIDE HIM I AM EQUAL TO BOTH THE BOY WAS A HANDSOME INNOCENT LOOKING LITTLE FELLOW RATHER UNDERSIZED


WITH HIS CLEAR SKIN HIS FAIR HAIR AND WIDE BLUE EYES HE LOOKED LIKE THE CONVENTIONAL PICTURE OF A CHERUB


BUT HIS MIND HAD NOT YET HAD TIME TO WORK ON HIS FACE AND THE MASK OF HIS CHILDHOOD FOR HE WAS ONLY THIRTEEN CONCEALED HIS EVIL NATURE SUCCESSFULLY IN A FEW YEARS WHEN HIS PASSIONS WORKED THEIR WAY THROUGH THE MASK HIS FACE


WOULD BE WRINKLED AND SINFUL HIS MIND WOULD HAVE MARKED PLAINLY ITS SIGNET ON THE SMOOTH SURFACE BUT AT PRESENT HE LOOKED CHARMINGLY INNOCENT ALTHOUGH HE ALREADY KNEW MUCH MORE ABOUT LIFE THAN WAS GOOD FOR HIM


JULIUS IN ORDER THAT THE LAD MIGHT MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON MISS PLANTAGENET HAD DRESSED HIM IN A NEW SUIT AND PLEASED WITH HIMSELF FOR MUCH OF THE BOY REMAINED IN THIS PRECOCIOUS CRIMINAL YOUNG JERRY TROTTED ALONG SMILING


JERRY SAID BERYL LOOKING DOWN MIND YOU ARE NICE TO THE OLD LADY JERRY TOSSED HIS FAIR CURLS AND LOOKED ROGUISH OH THAT'S ALL RIGHT MISTER BERYL ALL OLD LADIES TAKE TO ME


THEY THINK I'M A KIND OF HOLY BILL AND I LET THEM THINK SO IT PAYS JERRY YOU ARE A YOUNG SCAMP OF THE WORST THE BOY CHUCKLED AS THOUGH HE HAD RECEIVED A COMPLIMENT I LIKE DOING THINGS HE EXPLAINED FRANKLY IT'S FUN


IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR VICTORIA


YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT SUCH THINGS CORRECTED THE RESPECTABLE MISTER BERYL SEVERELY I KNOW A JOLLY SIGHT MORE THAN YOU THINK SAID THE URCHIN UNDER HIS BREATH AND PRODUCING A CIGARETTE JULIUS TOOK IT FROM HIM


AND DULL SAID JERRY PUTTING HIS HANDS IN HIS POCKETS LORD WHAT A BORE STOPPING WITH HER WILL BE BUT I CAN NIP OVER AND SEE VICTORIA WHEN I LIKE AND KEEP AN EYE ON LORD CONNISTON AS I TOLD YOU


I'M FLY SAID MASTER MOON AND BEGAN WHISTLING JULIUS LOOKED AT HIM WITH SATISFACTION HE INTENDED THAT THE BOY SHOULD REMAIN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO AS TO KEEP WATCH ON CONNISTON


ON DURHAM AND ON ALICE MALLESON FOR THIS LAST REASON HE WAS INTRODUCING HIM INTO THE HOUSE IF BERNARD WERE ALIVE AS JULIUS BEGAN TO SUSPECT HE WOULD COME TO ONE OF THESE THREE PEOPLE AND THEN JERRY WOULD AT ONCE BECOME AWARE OF THE FACT


MISS BERENGARIA WAS AS USUAL IN THE GARDEN LOOKING AFTER THE WELL BEING OF SOME WHITE CHRYSANTHEMUMS SHE RAISED HER HEAD WHEN SHE SAW HER VISITORS AND A LOOK OF ANNOYANCE CROSSED HER FACE WHEN SHE SAW MISTER BERYL


AND BUT FOR THE SAKE OF ALICE SHE WOULD HAVE REFUSED TO LET HIM ENTER THE BOWER AS IT WAS AND WITH GREAT DIPLOMACY SO GREAT THAT IT DECEIVED EVEN THE ASTUTE BERYL SHE ASKED HIM TO COME INTO THE HOUSE


LUCKILY ALICE WAS OUT OF THE WAY HAVING GONE TO PAY A VISIT BUT SHE WAS EXPECTED BACK MOMENTARILY AND MISS BERENGARIA WISHED TO GET RID OF JULIUS BEFORE THE GIRL RETURNED SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONCEAL HER REAL FEELINGS BUT


ALICE BEING SO YOUNG AND IMPULSIVE MIGHT SHOW HER DISLIKE TOO PLAINLY AND PUT BERYL ON HIS GUARD WHO IS THIS YOU HAVE HERE ASKED MISS PLANTAGENET PUTTING ON HER SPECTACLES AND SURVEYING JERRY WITH ADMIRATION WHAT A PRETTY LAD


HE IS A LAD I WISH YOU TO HELP SAID BERYL BLANDLY LAST TIME WE MET MISS PLANTAGENET YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WANTED A PAGE NOT EXACTLY A PAGE SAID THE OLD DAME RUBBING HER NOSE


A SURE SIGN SHE WAS PERPLEXED MERELY A BOY TO SEE AFTER THE FOWLS AND TO WAIT ABOUT THE HOUSE WHEN NECESSARY I LOVE FOWLS SAID JERRY SWEETLY AND LOOKING AS INNOCENT AS A BABE AND DOGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT


YOU SEEM A NICE LAD WHO IS HE MISTER BERYL A POOR BOY WHO SOLD MATCHES IN LONDON BUT I DIDN'T ALWAYS PIPED JERRY SHIFTING FROM ONE LEG TO THE OTHER IN FEIGNED EMBARRASSMENT AND PLAYING HIS PART PERFECTLY


I LIVED WITH GRANDMOTHER AT COVE CASTLE THAT'S LORD CONNISTON'S PLACE SAID MISS BERENGARIA MORE PERPLEXED THAN EVER WHAT WERE YOU DOING THERE I LIVED WITH GRANDMOTHER MY NAME IS JERRY MOON


HIS LORDSHIP GOT ME A SITUATION AT A TOBACCONIST'S SAID THE CHILD LIKE MOON AND THEN HE GOT ME TURNED OFF WHY THAT IS NOT LIKE LORD CONNISTON


IT IS NOT TO LORD CONNISTON'S CREDIT BUT I MUST KNOW THE REASON SAID THE OLD DAME SHARPLY IF YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THE LAD INTO MY SERVICE JERRY IN ANSWER TO A LOOK OF BERYL'S BEGAN TO WEEP OSTENTATIOUSLY


I SAW HIS LORDSHIP DRESSED AS A SOLDIER HE SNUFFLED AND I TOLD MISTER BERYL HIS LORDSHIP WAS SO ANGRY THAT HE GOT ME TURNED OFF SAYING I WAS UNGRATEFUL


YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HOLD YOUR TONGUE SAID MISS BERENGARIA ANGRILY YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO TELL WHAT LORD CONNISTON WISHED KEPT SECRET IT WAS ONLY A FREAK ON HIS PART HE LEFT THE ARMY AT MY REQUEST


AT YOUR REQUEST SAID JULIUS LOOKING AT HER DIRECTLY FOREARMED AS SHE WAS MISS BERENGARIA WITH THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF BERNARD'S SECRET FLUSHED THROUGH HER WITHERED SKIN


BUT TURNED THE CONVERSATION DEFIANTLY


YES SWEET LADY DON'T TALK LIKE THAT CHILD CALL ME MA'AM


MISTER BERYL SUCH A KIND GENTLEMAN MA'AM SAID YOU WOULD HELP ME I WILL SO LONG AS YOU ARE HONEST JERRY THRUST HIS TONGUE IN HIS CHEEK BUT JULIUS ANSWERED


I CAN VOUCH FOR HIS HONESTY HE SAID BUT HE TALKS TOO MUCH HE MUST HOLD HIS TONGUE HERE SAID THE OLD DAME SEVERELY AND SHAKING HER TROWEL AT THE BOY WHERE ARE HIS CLOTHES I HAVE NONE BUT WHAT'S ON CRIED JERRY


THE KIND GENTLEMAN GOT THEM FOR ME MA'AM YOU ARE A BETTER CHRISTIAN THAN I THOUGHT SAID MISS BERENGARIA LOOKING AT BERYL WELL YOU CAN STAY HERE BOY GO TO THE KITCHEN AND TELL THE SERVANTS TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO EAT


JERRY GRINNED AND DUCKED TOWARDS THE DOOR GOOD BYE JERRY SAID BERYL KINDLY DON'T FORGET ME IF I DO MAY I BE OH NO KIND LADY I MEAN MA'AM I WON'T SWEAR


I NEVER DID HAVING BEEN TO SUNDAY SCHOOL YES MA'AM I'M GOING AND JERRY IN ANSWER TO AN IMPERATIVE WAVE OF HIS NEW MISTRESS'S HAND DISAPPEARED MISS BERENGARIA TURNED TO BERYL


I MUST SEE THAT HE DOESN'T SWEAR OR SMOKE OR INDULGE IN ANY OF THOSE WICKED THINGS I HOPE HE WILL DO YOUR RECOMMENDATION CREDIT MISTER BERYL I HOPE HE WILL SAID JULIUS AND FELT A STRONG INCLINATION


THEN HE TOOK HIS LEAVE AND THE OLD LADY WATCHED HIM GO


ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS AN OLD WIDOW WOMAN WHO HAD THREE SONS THE FIRST TWO WERE CLEVER ENOUGH BUT THE THIRD BOBO BY NAME WAS LITTLE BETTER THAN A SILLY SIMPLETON ALL HIS MOTHER'S SCOLDINGS AND BEATINGS


AND SHE SMACKED THE POOR LAD SOUNDLY A DOZEN TIMES A DAY DID HIM NO GOOD WHATEVER NOW IT CAME TO PASS THAT ONE MORNING PRINCESS ZENZA THE RULER OF THE LAND HAPPENED TO PASS BY THE COTTAGE AND HEARD BOBO BEING GIVEN A TERRIBLE TONGUE LASHING


CURIOUS AS TO THE CAUSE OF ALL THE NOISE THE PRINCESS DREW REIN AND SUMMONED BOBO'S MOTHER TO COME NEAR ON HEARING HER STORY IT OCCURRED TO THE PRINCESS THAT SO SILLY A LAD MIGHT AMUSE HER


NOW HE WOULD BE SENT TO FIND A WHITE CRAW'S FEATHER OR A SPRAY OF YELLOW BLUEBELLS NOW HE WAS ORDERED TO LOOK FOR A SQUARE WHEEL OR A GLASS OF DRY WATER EVERYBODY LAUGHED AT HIM AND MADE FUN OF HIM THAT IS


EVERYBODY EXCEPT LITTLE TILDA THE KITCHEN MAID WHEN POOR BOBO USED TO RETURN FROM SOME WILD GOOSE CHASE TIRED OUT MUD STAINED AND OFTEN ENOUGH WET TO THE SKIN


INSTEAD OF LAUGHING LITTLE TILDA WOULD FIND HIM A GLASS OF WARM MILK HANG HIS COAT BY THE FIRE TO DRY AND TELL HIM NOT TO BE SUCH A SIMPLETON AGAIN THUS AFTER A WHILE


ONE PLEASANT MID SUMMER MORNING WHEN BOBO HAD BEEN NEARLY A YEAR AT THE CASTLE PRINCESS ZENZA OVERSLEPT HALF AN HOUR AND DID NOT COME DOWN TO BREAKFAST AT THE USUAL TIME WHEN SHE DID GET UP SHE FOUND HER COURT WAITING FOR HER IN THE CASTLE GARDENS


SHALL WE SEND BOBO IN SEARCH OF THE LOST HALF HOUR SAID THE PRINCESS TO THE COURTIERS YES YES CRIED THE COURTIERS BOBO SHALL LOOK FOR THE LOST HALF HOUR I'LL GIVE HIM A HORSE SAID ONE


WHEN HE RETURNED THE GOOD KITCHEN MAID SAID LITTLE FOR SHE FEARED LEST SOME MISADVENTURE OVERTAKE THE POOR SIMPLETON BUT WHEN THE CHIEF COOK WAS NOT LOOKING SHE TUCKED A FRESH CURRANT BUN INTO BOBO'S POCKET


GOOD BYE BOBO CRIED THE ASSEMBLED COURTIERS WHO WERE ALMOST BESIDE THEMSELVES WITH LAUGHTER AT THE SIMPLETON AND HIS ERRAND DON'T FAIL TO BRING BACK THE LOST HALF HOUR SO BOBO RODE OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY


IT WAS VERY DIGNIFIED AND WORE TORTOISE SHELL GLASSES BUT BOBO HAD TO ANSWER NO AND THE OLD MAN WANDERED ON AGAIN ANOTHER DAY THE SIMPLETON ENCOUNTERED A TALL DARK FIERCE KIND OF FELLOW


WHO ANSWERED HIS POLITE QUESTION WITH A SCREAM OF RAGE A HALF HOUR HE ROARED NO I HAVE N'T SEEN YOUR HALF HOUR I WOULD N'T TELL YOU IF I HAD WHAT'S MORE I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT


I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING I'VE LOST MYSELF I'VE LOST MY TEMPER


ANSWER ME YOU SILLY HAVE YOU SEEN A LOST TEMPER ANYWHERE IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF A LARGE MELON AND HAS SHARP LITTLE POINTS ON BOBO'S ANSWERING NO THIS DREADFUL PERSON UTTERED SO PERFECTLY AWFUL A SCREECH OF RAGE


THAT BOBO'S HORSE TOOK FRIGHT AND RAN AWAY WITH HIM AND IT WAS ALL THAT BOBO COULD DO TO REIN HIM IN THREE MILES FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD STILL FARTHER ALONG BOBO CAME TO ZIZZ THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE KINGDOM OF THE SEVEN BROOKS AND WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE KING HIMSELF


HERE THE POOR OLD KING TOOK OUT A GREAT GREEN HANDKERCHIEF AND WIPED HIS EYES SHE WAS STOLEN BY THE FAIRIES ON MIDSUMMER EVE FIFTEEN YEARS AGO FIND HER WORTHY BOBO AND AN IMMENSE REWARD WILL BE YOURS


AND HE CONTINUED HIS WAY ON FOOT THREE LONG YEARS PASSED AND BOBO GREW INTO A HANDSOME LAD BUT REMAINED A SIMPLETON STILL FINALLY AFTER HE HAD WANDERED ALL ABOUT FAIRYLAND HE CAME TO THE EDGE OF THE SEA


BOBO ASKED THE SAILORS IF THEY HAD SEEN A LOST HALF HOUR NO SAID THE SAILORS BUT WE ARE GOING TO THE ISLES OF IRON SUPPOSE YOU GO WITH US THE LOST HALF HOUR MAY BE THERE


SO BOBO WENT ABOARD THE SHIP AND SAILED OUT UPON THE DARK SEA FOR TWO DAYS THE WEATHER WAS WARM AND CLEAR BUT ON THE THIRD DAY THERE CAME A DREADFUL STORM AND ON THE THIRD NIGHT THE VESSEL WAS DRIVEN FAR OFF HER COURSE INTO THE UNKNOWN OCEAN


AND WAS WRECKED UPON A MYSTERIOUS ISLAND OF ROCKS THAT SHONE IN THE NIGHT LIKE WET MATCHES A GREAT WAVE SWEPT THE DECKS AND BOBO WAS BORNE AWAY FROM HIS COMPANIONS AND CARRIED TOWARD THE SHINING LAND


THOUGH POUNDED AND BATTERED BY THE FOAMING WAVES THE SIMPLETON AT LENGTH MANAGED TO REACH THE BEACH AND TOOK REFUGE IN A CREVICE OF THE CLIFF DURING THE STORMY NIGHT WHEN THE DAWN BROKE ALL SIGN OF THE SHIP HAD DISAPPEARED


LOOKING ABOUT BOBO FOUND HIMSELF ON A LOVELY ISLAND WHOSE HEART WAS A HIGH MOUNTAIN MASS HIDDEN IN THE FOG STILL SWEEPING IN FROM THE SEA THERE WAS NOT A HOUSE A ROAD OR A PATH TO BE SEEN


IN WHICH WERE A PAIR OF WOODEN SHOES ABOVE THE SHOES WAS A CARD SAYING SIMPLY


SO BOBO SAT DOWN ON A STONE BY THE FOOT OF THE TREE AND PUT ON THE WOODEN SHOES WHICH FITTED HIM VERY NICELY NOW THESE SHOES WERE MAGIC SHOES AND BOBO HAD HARDLY STEPPED INTO THEM BEFORE THEY TURNED HIS FEET INLAND


SO BOBO OBEDIENTLY LET THE SHOES GUIDE HIM AT CORNERS THE SHOES ALWAYS TURNED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND IF BOBO FORGOT AND BLUNDERED ON THE WRONG WAY THE SHOES SWIFTLY BEGAN TO PINCH HIS TOES


FOR TWO DAYS BOBO WALKED INLAND TOWARD THE GREAT MOUNTAIN A WARM WIND BLEW THE CLOUDS AND RAIN AWAY THE SUN SHONE SWEET AND CLEAR ON THE MORNING OF THE THIRD DAY THE SIMPLETON ENTERED A WOOD OF TALL SILENT TREES


AND AS THAT DAY WAS DRAWING TO A CLOSE TURRETS OF A MAGNIFICENT CASTLE ROSE FAR AWAY OVER THE LEAVES OF THE FOREST BOBO ARRIVED AT TWILIGHT


HE FOUND HIMSELF IN A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN LYING BETWEEN THE CASTLE WALLS AND THE RISING SLOPES OF A GREAT MOUNTAIN STRANGE TO SAY NOT A LIVING CREATURE WAS TO BE SEEN AND THOUGH THERE WERE LIGHTS IN THE CASTLE


THERE WAS NOT EVEN A WARDER AT THE GATE SUDDENLY A GREAT BOOMING BELL STRUCK SEVEN O'CLOCK BOBO BEGAN TO HEAR VOICES AND SOUNDS AND THEN BEFORE THE HUMMING OF THE BELL HAD DIED AWAY


A YOUTH MOUNTED ON A SPLENDID BLACK HORSE DASHED AT LIGHTNING SPEED OUT OF THE CASTLE AND DISAPPEARED IN THE WOOD AN OLD MAN WITH A WHITE BEARD ACCOMPANIED BY ELEVEN YOUNG MEN WHOM BOBO JUDGED FROM THEIR EXPRESSIONS TO BE BROTHERS


STOOD BY THE GATE TO SEE THE HORSEMAN RIDE AWAY PLUCKING UP COURAGE BOBO CAME FORWARD FELL ON HIS KNEE BEFORE THE OLD MAN AND TOLD HIS STORY TRULY YOU SHOULD THANK THE STORM FAIRIES SAID THE OLD MAN


FOR HAD YOU NOT BEEN WRECKED UPON THIS ISLAND NEVER WOULD YOU HAVE DISCOVERED THE LOST HALF HOUR I AM FATHER TIME HIMSELF AND THESE ARE MY TWELVE SONS THE HOURS EVERY DAY ONE AFTER THE OTHER


THEY RIDE FOR AN HOUR ROUND THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD SEVEN O'CLOCK HAS JUST RIDDEN FORTH YES YOU SHALL HAVE THE LOST HALF HOUR BUT YOU MUST LOOK AFTER MY SONS HORSES FOR THE SPACE OF A WHOLE YEAR TO THIS


BOBO WILLINGLY AGREED SO TWELVE O'CLOCK WHO WAS THE YOUNGEST OF THE HOURS TOOK HIM TO THE STABLES AND SHOWED HIM THE LITTLE ROOM IN THE TURRET THAT HE WAS TO HAVE


HE TOOK SUCH GOOD CARE OF THE GREAT BLACK HORSES OF THE HOURS OF THE NIGHT AND THE WHITE HORSES OF THE HOURS OF THE DAY THAT THEY WERE NEVER MORE PROUD AND STRONG NOR THEIR COATS SMOOTHER AND MORE GLEAMING WHEN THE YEAR WAS UP BOBO AGAIN SOUGHT OUT FATHER TIME


YOU HAVE SERVED FAITHFULLY AND WELL SAID FATHER TIME HERE IS YOUR REWARD AND WITH THESE WORDS HE PLACED IN BOBO'S HANDS A SMALL SQUARE CASKET MADE OF EBONY THE HALF HOUR LIES INSIDE


DON'T TRY TO PEEK AT IT OR OPEN THE BOX UNTIL THE RIGHT TIME HAS COME IF YOU DO THE HALF HOUR WILL FLYAWAY AND DISAPPEAR FOREVER FAREWELL BOBO SAID KIND YOUNG TWELVE O'CLOCK WHO HAD BEEN THE SIMPLETON'S GOOD FRIEND


I TOO HAVE A GIFT FOR THEE DRINK THIS CUP OF WATER TO THE LAST DROP AND THE YOUTH HANDED THE SIMPLETON A SILVER CUP FULL TO THE BRIM OF CLEAR SHINING WATER NOW THIS WATER WAS THE WATER OF WISDOM


AND WHEN BOBO HAD DRUNK IT HE WAS NO LONGER A SIMPLETON AND BEING NO LONGER A SIMPLETON HE REMEMBERED THE MAN WHO HAD LOST HIS REPUTATION THE MAN WHO HAD LOST HIS TEMPER AND THE KING WHOSE DAUGHTER HAD BEEN STOLEN BY THE FAIRIES


TELL THE FIRST SAID FATHER TIME THAT HIS REPUTATION HAS BEEN BROKEN INTO A THOUSAND PIECES WHICH HAVE BEEN PICKED UP BY HIS NEIGHBORS AND CARRIED HOME IF HE CAN PERSUADE HIS NEIGHBORS TO GIVE THEM UP


AS FOR THE MISSING DAUGHTER SHE IS THE KITCHEN MAID IN PRINCESS ZENZA'S PALACE WHO IS KNOWN AS TILDA SO BOBO THANKED FATHER TIME AND AT NOON


TWELVE O'CLOCK PLACED HIM BEHIND HIM ON THE WHITE CHARGER AND HURRIED AWAY SO FAST THEY FLEW THAT BOBO WHO WAS HOLDING THE EBONY CASKET CLOSE AGAINST HIS HEART WAS IN GREAT DANGER OF FALLING OFF


WHEN THEY GOT TO THE SEASHORE THE WHITE HORSE HESITATED NOT AN INSTANT BUT SET FOOT UPON THE WATER WHICH BORE HIM UP AS IF IT HAD BEEN NOT WATER BUT EARTH ITSELF


BOBO WITH GREAT GOODNESS OF HEART TOOK ALONG THIS EXTRAORDINARY OBJECT IN THE HOPE OF FINDING ITS ANGRY POSSESSOR FARTHER ON THE LAD ENCOUNTERED TILDA'S FATHER THE UNHAPPY KING AND DELIVERED HIS MESSAGE


THE JOY OF THE MONARCH KNEW NO BOUNDS AND BOBO THE ONE TIME SIMPLETON BECAME ON THE SPOT LORD BOBO OF THE SAPPHIRE HILLS MARQUIS OF THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON PRINCE OF THE VALLEY OF GOLDEN APPLES


IN A WORD THE GREATEST NOBLEMAN IN ALL FAIRYLAND


ALL IN SPLENDID SILKS AND SOLDIERS IN SHINING ARMOR THE DELIGHTED KING RODE OFF TO CLAIM HIS MISSING DAUGHTER FROM PRINCESS ZENZA SO ON THEY RODE THE HARNESSES JINGLING THE BRIDLE BELLS RINGING


AND THE BREASTPLATES OF THE ARMED MEN SHINING IN THE SUN AFTER A WEEK OF ALMOST CONSTANT PROGRESS FOR THE KING WAS SO ANXIOUS TO SEE HIS BELOVED DAUGHTER THAT HE WOULD HARDLY GIVE THE CAVALCADE TIME TO REST


ON THE STEPS OF ONE OF THE COTTAGES SAT AN OLD WOMAN ALL ALONE AND WEEPING WITH ALL HER MIGHT WHAT IS THE MATTER MY GOOD WOMAN SAID THE KING


EVIL DAYS HAVE FALLEN UPON OUR UNHAPPY KINGDOM THREE DAYS AGO A TERRIBLE DRAGON ALIGHTED IN THE GARDENS OF THE PALACE AND SENT WORD TO PRINCESS ZENZA THAT IF WITHIN THREE DAYS SHE DID NOT PROVIDE HIM WITH SOMEONE BRAVE ENOUGH TO GO HOME WITH HIM AND COOK HIS MEALS


AND KEEP HIS CAVERN TIDY HE WOULD BURN OUR FIELDS WITH HIS FIERY BREATH YET WHO I ASK YOU WOULD BE HOUSEKEEPER FOR A DRAGON


THAT WE ARE MOURNING AT TWO O'CLOCK SHE IS TO BE CARRIED OFF BY THE DRAGON IT IS ALMOST TWO NOW ALAS ALAS HARDLY WERE THE WORDS OUT OF HER MOUTH WHEN THE TOWN BELL STRUCK TWICE SOLEMNLY AND SADLY


QUICK QUICK CRIED THE KING AND BOBO IN THE SAME BREATH LET US HURRY TO THE CASTLE WE MAY SAVE HER YET BUT THEY KNEW IN THEIR HEARTS THAT THEY WERE TOO LATE AND THAT POOR TILDA HAD GIVEN HERSELF TO THE DRAGON


AND SO IT PROVED IN SPITE OF HIS MAD DASH BOBO WHO HAD SPURRED ON AHEAD ARRIVED EXACTLY HALF AN HOUR LATE THE MONSTROUS DRAGON WITH TILDA IN HIS CLAWS


THINGS SHOULD BE EXACTLY AS THEY WERE HALF AN HOUR BEFORE HE OPENED THE COVER OF THE EBONY BOX SOMETHING LIKE A WINGED WHITE FLAME ESCAPED FROM IT AND FLEW HISSING THROUGH THE AIR TO THE SUN


AS FOR THE SUN ITSELF TURNING ROUND LIKE A CARTWHEEL AND HISSING LIKE TEN THOUSAND ROCKETS IT ROLLED BACK ALONG THE SKY TO THE EAST THE HANDS OF THE CLOCKS WHICH MARKED HALF PAST TWO WHIRRED BACK TO TWO O'CLOCK IN A TWINKLING


AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS BRAVE LITTLE TILDA STANDING ALONE IN A GREAT FIELD WAITING FOR THE DRAGON TO COME AND TAKE HER AWAY LUMBERING HEAVILY ALONG LIKE A MONSTROUS TURTLE AND SNORTING BLUE SMOKE


THE DRAGON WAS ADVANCING TOWARD HER BOBO RAN DOWN INTO THE FIELD AND STOOD BESIDE TILDA READY TO DEFEND HER TO THE END THE DRAGON CAME NEARER AND NEARER SUDDENLY


ANGERED BY THE SIGHT OF BOBO AND HIS DRAWN SWORD HE ROARED ANGRILY BUT CONTINUED TO APPROACH BOBO STRUCK AT HIM WITH HIS SWORD THE BLADE BROKE UPON HIS STEELY SCALES THE DRAGON ROARED AGAIN NOW


JUST AS THE DRAGON'S MOUTH WAS ITS WIDEST BOBO WHO HAD BEEN SEARCHING HIS POCKETS DESPERATELY HURLED INTO IT THE LOST TEMPER THERE WAS A PERFECTLY TERRIFIC BANG AS IF A MILLION BALLOONS HAD BLOWN UP ALL AT ONCE


FOR THE DRAGON HAD BLOWN UP THE LOST TEMPER HAD FINISHED HIM ONLY ONE FRAGMENT OF HIM A TINY BIT OF A CLAW WAS EVER FOUND


THE GRAND CROSS OF THE ORDER OF THE BLACK CAT WAS CONFERRED UPON BOBO BY PRINCESS ZENZA WHO ALSO ASKED HIS PARDON FOR HAVING TREATED HIM SO SHABBILY THIS BOBO GAVE READILY


WHEN THE REJOICINGS WERE OVER


MISTER SHAW CAME FOR A SHORT TIME RECENTLY TO BE REGARDED LESS AS AN AUTHOR THAN AS AN INCIDENT IN THE EUROPEAN WAR IN THE OPINION OF MANY PEOPLE IT SEEMED AS IF THE ALLIES WERE FIGHTING AGAINST A COMBINATION COMPOSED OF GERMANY


AND HE DOES EXPRESS AN OPINION ON EVERYTHING WITHOUT MAKING A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE SHAKE THEIR FISTS IN IMPOTENT ANGER HIS LIFE AT LEAST HIS PUBLIC LIFE


HE HAS GONE ABOUT LIKE A PICKPOCKET OF ILLUSIONS FROM THE WORLD OF LITERATURE TO THE WORLD OF MORALS AND FROM THE WORLD OF MORALS TO THE WORLD OF POLITICS AND EVERYWHERE HE HAS GONE AN INNUMERABLE GROWL HAS FOLLOWED HIM


NOT THAT HE HAS NOT HAD HIS DISCIPLES MEN AND WOMEN WHO BELIEVE THAT WHAT MISTER SHAW SAYS ON ANY CONCEIVABLE SUBJECT IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT THE TIMES OR THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN SAYS HE HAS NEVER FOUNDED A CHURCH HOWEVER


BECAUSE HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO LAUGH AT HIS DISCIPLES AS UNFEELINGLY AS AT ANYBODY ELSE HE HAS COURTED UNPOPULARITY AS OTHER MEN HAVE COURTED POPULARITY HE HAS REFUSED TO ASSUME THE VACUOUS COUNTENANCE EITHER OF AN IDOL


SEEMS LIKE LIFE IN RUINS ARE FILLED AT TIMES WITH A WILD LUST TO DENOUNCE AND BELITTLE HIM HE HAS BEEN CALLED MORE NAMES THAN ANY OTHER MAN OF LETTERS ALIVE


WHEN ALL THE OTHER NAMES HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED AND WE ARE ABOUT TO BECOME INARTICULATE WE EVEN DENOUNCE HIM AS A BORE BUT THIS IS ONLY THE BILLINGSGATE OF OUR EXASPERATION MISTER SHAW IS NOT A BORE


WHATEVER ELSE HE MAY BE HE HAS SUCCEEDED IN THE MERE BUSINESS OF INTERESTING US BEYOND ANY OTHER WRITER OF HIS TIME


PROBABLY HE WAS DOOMED TO BE A FIGURE JUST AS DOCTOR JOHNSON WAS IF HE HAD NOT TOLD US LEGENDS ABOUT HIMSELF


IN SEARCH OF A GHOST WITH ITS BEARD ON FIRE HIS CRITICS OFTEN ACCUSE HIM IN REGARD TO THE INVENTION OF THE SHAW MYTH OF HAVING DESIGNED A POSTER RATHER THAN PAINTED A PORTRAIT


STOP ADVERTISING MYSELF ON THE CONTRARY I MUST DO IT MORE THAN EVER LOOK AT PEARS'S SOAP THERE IS A SOLID HOUSE IF YOU LIKE BUT EVERY WALL IS STILL PLASTERED WITH THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS IF I WERE TO GIVE UP ADVERTISING


MY BUSINESS WOULD IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO FALL OFF YOU BLAME ME FOR HAVING DECLARED MYSELF TO BE THE MOST REMARKABLE MAN OF MY TIME BUT THE CLAIM IS AN ARGUABLE ONE WHY SHOULD I NOT SAY IT WHEN I BELIEVE THAT IT IS TRUE


HE IS IN THE LINE OF ALL THOSE TRAMPS AND STAGE IRISHMEN WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH LIFE WITH SO FINE A SWAGGER OF WORDS THIS ONLY MEANS THAT IN HIS LIFE HE IS AN ARTIST


UNTIL WE REALIZE THAT HE IS AN ARTIST NOT ONLY IN THE INVENTION OF HIS OWN LIFE BUT IN THE OBSERVATION OF THE LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE HIS BROADBENT IS AS WONDERFUL A FIGURE AS HIS GEORGE BERNARD SHAW NOT THAT HIS PORTRAITURE IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL


HE SEES MEN AND WOMEN TOO FREQUENTLY IN THE REFRACTING SHALLOWS OF THEORIES HE IS A DOCTRINAIRE AND HIS CHARACTERS ARE OFTEN COMIC STATEMENTS OF HIS DOCTRINES RATHER THAN THE REFLECTIONS OF MEN AND WOMEN


HE OBSERVES IN ONE OF THE MANY PASSAGES IN WHICH HE JUSTIFIES HIMSELF THE AUDIENCE THINKS IT IS BEING MADE FUN OF IN REALITY I AM SIMPLY A VERY CAREFUL WRITER OF NATURAL HISTORY


ONE IS BOUND TO CONTRADICT HIM MISTER SHAW OFTEN THINKS HE IS PRESENTING TRUE HUMAN NATURE WHEN HE IS MERELY PRESENTING HIS OPINIONS ABOUT HUMAN NATURE THE HUMAN NATURE OF SOLDIERS OF ARTISTS OF WOMEN OR


RATHER WHEN HE IS PRESENTING A QUEER FIZZING MIXTURE OF HUMAN NATURE AND HIS OPINIONS ABOUT IT THIS MAY BE SOMETIMES ACTUALLY A VIRTUE IN HIS COMEDY CERTAINLY FROM THE TIME OF ARISTOPHANES ONWARDS


ADMIRABLY TRUE BOTH TO HUMAN NATURE AND TO MISTER SHAW'S VIEW OF THE HUMAN NATURE OF ARTISTS BUT WHEN HE GOES ON WITH HIS LAST BREATH TO UTTER HIS ARTISTIC CREED I BELIEVE IN MICHAEL ANGELO VELASQUEZ AND REMBRANDT IN THE MIGHT OF DESIGN


THE REDEMPTION OF ALL THINGS BY BEAUTY EVERLASTING AND THE MESSAGE OF ART THAT HAS MADE THESE HANDS BLESSED AMEN AMEN THESE SENTENCES ARE NO MORE NATURAL OR NATURALISTIC


WITHOUT ANY ADMIXTURE OF HUMANITY REPEATING MISTER SHAW'S OPINION OF THE NATURE OF THE CREED OF ARTISTS THERE IS A SIMILAR FALSIFICATION IN THE SAME PLAY IN THE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NEWSPAPER MAN WHO IS PRESENT AT DUBEDAT'S DEATH


BECAUSE INTO AN ATMOSPHERE OF MORE OR LESS NATURALISTIC COMEDY THEY SIMPLY INTRODUCE A FARCICAL EXAGGERATION OF MISTER SHAW'S OPINION OF THE INCOMPETENCE AND IMPUDENCE OF JOURNALISTS MISTER SHAW'S COMEDIES ARE REPEATEDLY INJURED


BY A HURRIED ALTERATION OF ATMOSPHERE IN THIS MANNER COMEDY AS WELL AS TRAGEDY MUST CREATE SOME KIND OF ILLUSION AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ILLUSION EVEN FOR THE SAKE OF A JOKE MAY MEAN THE DESTRUCTION OF LAUGHTER


THE PROPORTION OF UNREALITY IS NOT OVERWHELMING IT HAS BEEN ENORMOUSLY EXAGGERATED AFTER ALL IF THE CHARACTER OF THE NEWSPAPER MAN IN THE DOCTOR'S DILEMMA IS MACHINE MADE


THE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT CHARACTER OF B B THE SOOTHING AND INCOMPETENT DOCTOR IS A CREATION OF THE TRUE COMIC GENIUS NINE PEOPLE OUT OF TEN HARP ON MISTER SHAW'S ERRORS


IT IS MUCH MORE NECESSARY THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT AMID ALL HIS FALSIFICATIONS DOCTRINAL AND JOCULAR HE HAS A GENUINE COMIC SENSE OF CHARACTER MOST FRENCH CRITICS


DECLARE THAT BERNARD SHAW DOES DEPICT CHARACTERS


MOLIERE HAS NEVER DRAWN A DOCTOR MORE COMICALLY THE DOCTOR THAN PARAMORE NOR MORE CHARACTERISTIC FIGURES OF WOMEN THAN THOSE IN THE SAME PLAY THE PHILANDERER THE CHARACTER DRAWING IS ADMIRABLE


AND THE CHARACTERIZATION IN MOLIERE IN SHAW'S PLAYS THE CHARACTERS ARE LESS REPRESENTATIVE OF VICES OR PASSIONS THAN THOSE OF MOLIERE AND MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF CLASS PROFESSION OR SECT


MOLIERE DEPICTS THE MISER THE JEALOUS MAN THE MISANTHROPE THE HYPOCRITE WHEREAS SHAW DEPICTS THE BOURGEOIS THE REBEL THE CAPITALIST THE WORKMAN THE SOCIALIST THE DOCTOR


A FEW ONLY OF THESE LATTER TYPES ARE GIVEN US BY MOLIERE


OF FARCE AND SO FORTH IS A SUGGESTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO CRITICISM I AM NOT SURE THAT THE COMPARISON WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE EFFECTIVELY PUT IN A CHAPTER THAN A BOOK


IS INTENDED AS A BIOGRAPHY AND GENERAL CRITICISM OF MISTER SHAW AS WELL AS A COMPARISON BETWEEN HIS WORK AND MOLIERE'S IT CONTAINS IT MUST BE CONFESSED A GREAT DEAL THAT IS NOT NEW TO ENGLISH READERS


MISTER SHAW IS MADE AN IDOL IN SPITE OF HIMSELF


IS AN OFFERING AT A SHRINE THE TRUE THINGS IT CONTAINS HOWEVER MAKE IT WORTH READING


FOR INSTANCE WHAT MANY CRITICS HAVE FAILED TO SEE THAT IN HIS DRAMATIC WORK MISTER SHAW IS LESS A WIT THAN A HUMORIST IN SHAW'S WORK WE FIND FEW STUDIED JESTS FEW EPIGRAMS EVEN


MOLIERE ANTICIPATED MISTER SHAW IN OUTRAGING THE SENTIMENT FOR INSTANCE WHICH HAS GATHERED ROUND THE FAMILY MOLIERE AND SHAW AS HE PUTS IT WITH QUAINT SERIOUSNESS APPEAR TO BE UNAWARE OF WHAT A FATHER IS WHAT A FATHER IS WORTH


THE DEFENCE OF MISTER SHAW HOWEVER DOES NOT DEPEND ON ANY REAL OR IMAGINARY RESEMBLANCE OF HIS PLAYS TO MOLIERE'S HIS JOY AND HIS MISERY BEFORE THE LUDICROUS SPECTACLE OF HUMAN LIFE ARE HIS OWN AND HIS EXPRESSION OF THEM


IS HIS OWN HE HAS STUDIED WITH HIS OWN EYES THE SWOLLEN BELLIED PRETENCES OF PREACHERS AND POETS AND RICH MEN AND LOVERS AND POLITICIANS AND HE HAS DERIDED THEM AS THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN DERIDED ON THE ENGLISH STAGE BEFORE


HE HAS DERIDED THEM WITH BOTH AN ARTISTIC AND A MORAL ENERGY HE HAS BROUGHT THEM ALL INTO A PALACE OF TRUTH WHERE THEY HAVE REVEALED THEMSELVES WITH AN UNACCUSTOMED AND STARTLING FRANKNESS


HE HAS DONE THIS SOMETIMES WITH ALL THE EXUBERANCE OF MIRTH SOMETIMES WITH ALL THE BITTERNESS OF A SATIRIST EVEN HIS BITTERNESS IS NEVER VENOMOUS HOWEVER HE IS GENIAL BEYOND THE MAJORITY OF INVETERATE CONTROVERSIALISTS AND PROPAGANDISTS


HE DOES NOT HESITATE TO WOUND AND HE DOES NOT HESITATE TO MISUNDERSTAND BUT HE IS FREE FROM MALICE THE GENIALITY OF HIS COMEDY ON THE OTHER HAND IS OFTEN MORE OFFENSIVE THAN MALICE


BECAUSE IT IS FROM AN ORTHODOX POINT OF VIEW GENIALITY IN THE WRONG PLACE IT IS LIKE A GRIN IN CHURCH A LAUGH AT A MARRIAGE SERVICE


THAT HE WAS NOT INTENSELY SERIOUS IN ALL THAT HE WROTE ABOUT THE WAR BUT HIS SERIOUSNESS IS ESSENTIALLY THE SERIOUSNESS OF IN THE HIGHER SENSE OF THE WORD THE COMIC ARTIST OF THE DISILLUSIONIST


HE SEES CURRENT HISTORY FROM THE ABSOLUTELY OPPOSITE POINT OF VIEW SAY TO THE LYRIC POET


THOUGH HIS ATTITUDE TO THE WAR WAS AS ANTI PRUSSIAN


A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THOUGHT HE MUST BE A PRO GERMAN THE FACT IS IN WAR TIME MORE THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME PEOPLE DREAD THE VISION OF THE SATIRIST AND THE SCEPTIC


THIS IS NOT TO DISPARAGE MISTER SHAW'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DISCUSSION OF POLITICS THAT CONTRIBUTION HAS BEEN BRILLIANT CHALLENGING AND HUMANE AND NOT MORE WAYWARD THAN THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PARTISAN


IT MAY BE SAID OF MISTER SHAW THAT IN HIS POLITICS AS IN HIS PLAYS HE HAS SOUGHT UTOPIA ALONG THE PATH OF DISILLUSION AS OTHER MEN HAVE SOUGHT IT ALONG THE PATH OF IDEALISM


CHAPTER SIXTEEN MUCH TO ALTER AT THE SAME MOMENT CONSTANCE CHANNING WAS TRAVERSING THE BOUNDARIES ON HER WAY TO LADY AUGUSTA YORKE'S WHERE SHE HAD SOME DAYS SINCE COMMENCED HER DUTIES IT TOOK HER SCARCELY TWO MINUTES TO GET THERE FOR THE HOUSES WERE ALMOST WITHIN VIEW OF EACH OTHER


CONSTANCE WOULD WILLINGLY HAVE COMMENCED THE DAILY ROUTINE AT AN EARLIER HOUR LADY AUGUSTA FREELY CONFESSED THAT TO COME EARLIER WOULD BE USELESS FOR SHE COULD NOT GET HER DAUGHTERS UP STRICTLY SPEAKING LADY AUGUSTA DID NOT PERSONALLY TRY TO GET THEM UP


PREPARING THEIR LESSONS FANNY CAME RUNNING IN HER HAIR IN CURL PAPERS SOME BREAD AND BUTTER IN HER HAND CARRY HAS NOT FINISHED HER BREAKFAST MISS CHANNING QUOTH SHE SHE WAS LAZY THIS MORNING I THINK SOME ONE ELSE WAS LAZY ALSO SAID CONSTANCE GENTLY DRAWING THE CHILD TO HER


WHY DID YOU COME DOWN HALF DRESSED MY DEAR I AM QUITE DRESSED RESPONDED FANNY MY FROCK'S ON AND SO IS MY PINAFORE AND THESE SAID CONSTANCE TOUCHING THE CURL PAPERS OH MARTHA GOT UP LATE AND SAID SHE HAD NO TIME TO TAKE THEM OUT


CONSTANCE RANG THE BELL MARTHA WHO WAS THE ONLY MAID KEPT EXCEPT THE COOK APPEARED IN ANSWER TO IT LADY AUGUSTA WAS WONT TO SAY THAT SHE HAD TOO MUCH EXPENSE WITH HER BOYS TO KEEP MANY SERVANTS AND THE ARGUMENT WAS A TRUE ONE


BE SO KIND AS TO TAKE THE PAPERS OUT OF MISS FANNY'S HAIR AND LET IT BE DONE IN FUTURE MARTHA BEFORE SHE COMES TO ME GENTLY AS THE WORDS WERE SPOKEN THERE WAS NO MISTAKING THAT THE TONE WAS ONE OF AUTHORITY AND NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH


MARTHA WITHDREW WITH THE CHILD AND JUST THEN CAROLINE CAME IN FULL OF EAGERNESS MISS CHANNING MAMMA SAYS SHE SHALL TAKE ONE OF US TO THE MISSIONARY MEETING WHICHEVER YOU CHOOSE TO FIX UPON MIND YOU FIX UPON ME


SOME OF THE ANECDOTES ARE BEAUTIFUL WHO TOLD YOU THEY WERE ASKED CAROLINE MISTER YORKE REPLIED CONSTANCE A PRETTY BLUSH RISING TO HER CHEEK HE KNOWS THE LECTURER WELL YOU WOULD BE PLEASED TO HEAR THEM


IT IS NOT FOR THAT I WISH TO GO SAID CAROLINE I THINK MEETINGS WHERE THERE'S NOTHING BUT TALKING ARE THE DULLEST THINGS IN THE WORLD IF I WERE TO LISTEN IT WOULD SEND ME TO SLEEP THEN WHY DO YOU WISH SO MUCH TO ATTEND THIS ONE BECAUSE I SHALL WEAR MY NEW DRESS


I HAVE NOT HAD IT ON YET


I WAS IN SUCH A PASSION CONSTANCE WONDERED WHERE SHE SHOULD BEGIN THERE WAS SO MUCH TO DO SO MUCH TO ALTER IN SO MANY WAYS TO SET TO WORK ABRUPTLY WOULD NEVER ANSWER IT MUST BE COMMENCED GRADUALLY ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLY LITTLE BY LITTLE CAROLINE


IN WHAT WAY MISS CHANNING DID I NOT REQUEST YOU TO HAVE THAT EXERCISE WRITTEN OUT I KNOW SAID CAROLINE WITH SOME CONTRITION I INTENDED TO WRITE IT OUT THIS MORNING BEFORE YOU CAME BUT SOMEHOW I LAY IN BED


WOULD YOU UNDERTAKE TO GET UP AND BE READY FOR ME ASKED CONSTANCE CAROLINE DREW A LONG FACE SHE DID NOT SPEAK MY DEAR YOU ARE FIFTEEN WELL RESPONDED CAROLINE


DEFICIENT IN MANY WAYS CAROLINE IN GOODNESS IN THOUGHTFULNESS AND IN OTHER DESIRABLE QUALITIES AND GREATLY SO IN EDUCATION ANNABEL WHO IS A YEAR YOUNGER THAN YOU IS TWICE AS ADVANCED ANNABEL SAYS YOU WORRY HER INTO LEARNING


ANNABEL IS FOND OF TALKING NONSENSE BUT SHE IS A GOOD LOVING CHILD AT HEART


I HAVE SO MUCH TO TEACH YOU CAROLINE TO YOUR MIND AND HEART AS WELL AS TO YOUR INTELLECT THAT I FEEL THE HOURS AS AT PRESENT ARRANGED WILL BE INSUFFICIENT FOR ME MY DEAR WHEN YOU GROW UP TO WOMANHOOD I AM SURE YOU WILL WISH TO BE LOVING AND LOVED


CAROLINE BURST INTO TEARS I SHOULD DO BETTER IF MAMMA WERE NOT SO CROSS WITH ME MISS CHANNING I ALWAYS DO ANYTHING THAT WILLIAM YORKE ASKS ME AND I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU CONSTANCE KISSED HER THEN WILL YOU BEGIN BY RISING EARLY AND BEING READY FOR ME AT SEVEN


ARE YOU GOING TO THE MEETING THIS AFTERNOON OF COURSE NOT SAID CONSTANCE MY TIME NOW BELONGS TO YOU BUT I THINK MAMMA WISHES YOU TO GO WITH US SHE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT IT DOES SHE I SHOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO GO


LADY AUGUSTA CAME IN AND PROFFERED THE INVITATION TO CONSTANCE TO ACCOMPANY THEM CONSTANCE THEN SPOKE OF GIVING THE CHILDREN THE EXTRA TWO HOURS FROM SEVEN TO NINE IT WAS REALLY NECESSARY SHE SAID IF SHE WAS TO DO HER DUTY BY THEM


YOU WILL NEVER PUT UP WITH OUR SCRAMBLING BREAKFAST MISS CHANNING THE BOYS ARE SO UNRULY AND I DO NOT GET UP TO IT HALF MY TIME


NOT VERY EARLY ANSWERED CONSTANCE HITHERTO I HAVE RISEN AT SEVEN SUMMER AND WINTER DRESSING AND READING TAKES ME JUST AN HOUR FOR THE OTHER HOUR I FIND PLENTY OF OCCUPATION WE DO NOT BREAKFAST UNTIL NINE ON ACCOUNT OF TOM AND CHARLEY I SHALL RISE AT SIX NOW


AND COME HERE AT SEVEN VERY WELL SAID LADY AUGUSTA I SUPPOSE THIS WILL ONLY APPLY TO THE SUMMER MONTHS ONE OF THE GIRLS SHALL GO WITH US TO DAY WHICHEVER DESERVES IT BEST YOU ARE NOT LEAVING ONE OF THEM AT HOME TO MAKE ROOM FOR ME I HOPE LADY AUGUSTA


NOT AT ALL ANSWERED LADY AUGUSTA I NEVER CHAPERON TWO CHILDREN TO A CROWDED MEETING PEOPLE MIGHT SAY THEY TOOK UP THE ROOM OF GROWN UP PERSONS YOU WILL LET ME GO NOT CAROLINE MISS CHANNING PLEADED FANNY WHEN HER MOTHER


NO SAID CAROLINE SHARPLY MISS CHANNING WILL FIX UPON ME I SHALL OBEY LADY AUGUSTA


IT WILL BE ONLY RIGHT TO DO SO SUPPOSE WE ARE BOTH GOOD AND MERIT IT EQUALLY SUGGESTED FANNY


YOU MUST NOT BE DISAPPOINTED IF IN THAT CASE I GIVE THE PRIVILEGE TO CAROLINE AS BEING THE ELDER OF THE TWO BUT I WILL MAKE IT UP TO YOU IN SOME OTHER WAY ALAS FOR POOR CAROLINE'S RESOLUTION FOR A SHORT TIME AN HOUR OR SO SHE DID STRIVE TO DO HER BEST


BUT THEN GOOD RESOLUTIONS WERE FORGOTTEN AND IDLENESS FOLLOWED NOT ONLY IDLENESS TEMPER ALSO


SHE EVEN FORGOT HERSELF SO FAR AS TO BE INSOLENT FANNY WAS TAKEN TO THE MEETING YOU SAW HER IN THE CARRIAGE WHEN LADY AUGUSTA DROVE TO MISTER GALLOWAY'S OFFICE AND PERSUADED HAMISH TO JOIN THEM CAROLINE WAS LEFT AT HOME IN A STATE OF OPEN REBELLION WITH THE LESSONS TO LEARN


WHICH SHE HAD NOT LEARNT IN THE DAY HOW SHALL YOU GET ON WITH THEM CONSTANCE THE REV WILLIAM YORKE INQUIRED OF HER THAT SAME EVENING HAVE THE WEEDS DESTROYED THE GOOD SEED NOT QUITE DESTROYED IT REPLIED CONSTANCE THOUGH SHE SIGHED SADLY AS SHE SPOKE


THERE IS SO MUCH ILL TO UNDO CAROLINE IS THE WORST THE WEEDS WITH HER HAVE HAD LONGER TIME TO GET AHEAD I THINK PERHAPS IF I COULD KEEP HER WHOLLY WITH ME FOR A TWELVEMONTH OR SO WATCHING OVER HER CONSTANTLY A GREAT DEAL MIGHT BE EFFECTED


IF THAT ANTICIPATED LIVING WOULD FALL IN WHICH SEEMS VERY FAR AWAY IN THE CLOUDS AND YOU WERE WHOLLY MINE WE MIGHT HAVE CAROLINE WITH US FOR A TIME LAUGHED MISTER YORKE CONSTANCE LAUGHED TOO DO NOT BE IMPATIENT


OR IT WILL SEEM TO BE FURTHER OFF STILL IT WILL COME WILLIAM THEY HAD BEEN SPEAKING IN AN UNDERTONE STANDING TOGETHER AT A WINDOW APART FROM THE REST MISTER CHANNING WAS LYING ON HIS SOFA UNDERNEATH THE OTHER WINDOW AND NOW SPOKE TO MISTER YORKE


REPLIED MISTER CHANNING I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HIS EXPERIENCE IN ANOTHER LINE MAY BE OF SERVICE TO YOU CONTINUED MISTER YORKE