“Wherearewe,father?”Sylviewhispered,withherarmstwinedcloselyaroundtheoldman’sneck,andwithherrosycheeklovinglypressedtohis. “InElfland,darling.It’soneoftheprovincesofFairyland.” “ButIthoughtElflandwaseversofarfromOutland:andwe’vecomesuchatinylittleway!” “YoucamebytheRoyalRoad,sweetone.Onlythoseofroyalbloodcantravelalongit:butyou’vebeenroyaleversinceIwasmadeKingofElflandthat’snearlyamonthago. Theysenttwoambassadors,tomakesurethattheirinvitationtome,tobetheirnewKing,shouldreachme. OnewasaPrince;sohewasabletocomebytheRoyalRoad,andtocomeinvisiblytoallbutme:theotherwasaBaron;sohehadtocomebythecommonroad,andIdaresayhehasn’tevenarrivedyet.” “Thenhowfarhavewecome?”Sylvieenquired. “Justathousandmiles,sweetone,sincetheGardenerunlockedthatdoorforyou.” “Athousandmiles!”Brunorepeated.“AndmayIeatone?” “No,”saidBruno.“ImeanmayIeatoneofthatfruits?” “Yes,child,”saidhisfather:“andthenyou’llfindoutwhatPleasureislike—thePleasureweallseeksomadly,andenjoysomournfully!” Brunoraneagerlytothewall,andpickedafruitthatwasshapedsomethinglikeabanana,buthadthecolorofastrawberry. Heateitwithbeaminglooks,thatbecamegraduallymoregloomy,andwereveryblankindeedbythetimehehadfinished. “Ithasn’tgotnotasteatall!”hecomplained.“Icouldn’tfeelnuffininmymouf!It’sa—what’sthathardword,Sylvie?” “ItwasaPhlizz,”Sylviegravelyreplied.“Aretheyalllikethat,father?” “They’realllikethattoyou,darling,becauseyoudon’tbelongtoElfland—yet.Buttometheyarereal.” Brunolookedpuzzled.“I’lltryanuvverkindoffruits!”hesaid,andjumpeddownofftheKing’sknee.“There’ssomelovelystripedones,justlikearainbow!”Andoffheran. MeanwhiletheFairy-KingandSylvieweretalkingtogether,butinsuchlowtonesthatIcouldnotcatchthewords:soIfollowedBruno,whowaspickingandeatingotherkindsoffruit,inthevainhopeoffindingsomethathadataste. Itriedtopicksomemyself—butitwaslikegraspingair,andIsoongaveuptheattemptandreturnedtoSylvie. “Lookwellatit,mydarling,”theoldmanwassaying,“andtellmehowyoulikeit.” “’It’sjustlovely,”criedSylvie,delightedly.“Bruno,comeandlook!” Andsheheldup,sothathemightseethelightthroughit,aheart-shapedLocket,apparentlycutoutofasinglejewel,ofarichbluecolor,withaslendergoldchainattachedtoit. “Itarewellypretty,”Brunomoresoberlyremarked:andhebeganspellingoutsomewordsinscribedonit. “All—will—love—Sylvie,”hemadethemoutatlast.“Andsotheydoos!” hecried,claspinghisarmsroundherneck.“EverybodylovesSylvie!” “Butweloveherbest,don’twe,Bruno?” saidtheoldKing,ashetookpossessionoftheLocket.“Now,Sylvie,lookatthis.” Andheshowedher,lyingonthepalmofhishand,aLocketofadeepcrimsoncolor,thesameshapeastheblueoneand,likeit,attachedtoaslendergoldenchain. “Lovelierandlovelier!”exclaimedSylvie,claspingherhandsinecstasy.“Look,Bruno!” “Andthere’swordsonthisone,too,”saidBruno.“Sylvie—will—love—all.” “Nowyouseethedifference,”saidtheoldman:“differentcolorsanddifferentwords. Chooseoneofthem,darling.I’llgiveyouwhicheveryoulikebest.” Sylviewhisperedthewords,severaltimesover,withathoughtfulsmile,andthenmadeherdecision. “It’sverynicetobeloved,”shesaid:“butit’snicertoloveotherpeople!MayIhavetheredone,Father?” Theoldmansaidnothing:butIcouldseehiseyesfillwithtears,ashebenthisheadandpressedhislipstoherforeheadinalonglovingkiss. Thenheundidthechain,andshowedherhowtofastenitroundherneck,andtohideitawayundertheedgeofherfrock. “It’sforyoutokeepyouknowhesaidinalowvoice,notforotherpeopletosee.You’llrememberhowtouseit? Yes,I’llremember,saidSylvie. “Andnowdarlingsit’stimeforyoutogobackorthey’llbemissingyouandthenthatpoorGardenerwillgetintotrouble!” Oncemoreafeelingofwonderroseinmymindastohowintheworldweweretogetbackagain—sinceItookitforgrantedthatwhereverthechildrenwentIwastogo—butnoshadowofdoubtseemedtocrosstheirmindsastheyhuggedandkissedhimmurmuringoverandoveragain“Good-byedarlingFather!” Andthensuddenlyandswiftlythedarknessofmidnightseemedtocloseinuponusandthroughthedarknessharshlyrangastrangewildsong:— Helookedagain,andfounditwas HisSister’sHusband’sNiece. ‘Unlessyouleavethishouse,’hesaid, “Thatwasme!”headded,lookingoutatus,throughthehalf-openeddoor,aswestoodwaitingintheroad.’ “Andthat’swhatI’dhavedone—assureaspotatoesaren’tradishes—ifshehadn’thavetookenherselfoff! ButIalwayslovesmypay-rintslikeanything.” “Whoareoorpay-rints?”saidBruno. “Themaspayrintforme,acourse!”theGardenerreplied.“Youcancomeinnow,ifyoulike.” Heflungthedooropenashespoke,andwegotout,alittledazzledandstupefied(atleastIfeltso)atthesuddentransitionfromthehalf-darknessoftherailway-carriagetothebrilliantly-lightedplatformofElvestonStation. Afootman,inahandsomelivery,cameforwardsandrespectfullytouchedhishat. “Thecarriageishere,myLady,”hesaid,takingfromherthewrapsandsmallarticlesshewascarrying:andLadyMuriel,aftershakinghandsandbiddingme“Good-night!”withapleasantsmile,followedhim. ItwaswithasomewhatblankandlonelyfeelingthatIbetookmyselftothevanfromwhichtheluggagewasbeingtakenout:and,aftergivingdirectionstohavemyboxessentafterme,ImademywayonfoottoArthur’slodgings,andsoonlostmylonelyfeelingintheheartywelcomemyoldfriendgaveme,andthecozywarmthandcheerfullightofthelittlesitting-roomintowhichheledme. “Little,asyousee,butquiteenoughforustwo. Now,taketheeasy-chair,oldfellow,andlet’shaveanotherlookatyou!Well,youdolookabitpulleddown!” andheputonasolemnprofessionalair.“IprescribeOzone,quant.suff. Socialdissipation,fiantpilulaequamplurimae:tobetaken,feasting,threetimesaday!” “But,Doctor!”Iremonstrated.“Societydoesn’t‘receive’threetimesaday!” “That’sallyouknowaboutit!”theyoungDoctorgailyreplied.“Athome,lawn-tennis,3P.M.Athome,kettledrum,5P.M. Athome,music(Elvestondoesn’tgivedinners),8P.M.Carriagesat10.Thereyouare!” Itsoundedverypleasant,Iwasobligedtoadmit.“AndIknowsomeofthelady-societyalready,”Iadded.“Oneofthemcameinthesamecarriagewithme” “Whatwasshelike?ThenperhapsIcanidentifyher.” “ThenamewasLadyMurielOrme.Astowhatshewaslike—well,Ithoughtherverybeautiful.Doyouknowher?” “Yes—Idoknowher.”AndthegraveDoctorcoloredslightlyasheadded“Yes,Iagreewithyou.Sheisbeautiful.” “Iquitelostmyhearttoher!”Iwentonmischievously.“Wetalked—” “Havesomesupper!”Arthurinterruptedwithanairofrelief,asthemaidenteredwiththetray. AndhesteadilyresistedallmyattemptstoreturntothesubjectofLadyMurieluntiltheeveninghadalmostwornitselfaway. Then,aswesatgazingintothefire,andconversationwaslapsingintosilence,hemadeahurriedconfession. “Ihadn’tmeanttotellyouanythingabouther,”hesaid(namingnonames,asiftherewereonlyone‘she’intheworld!) “tillyouhadseenmoreofher,andformedyourownjudgmentofher:butsomehowyousurpriseditoutofme. AndI’venotbreathedawordofittoanyoneelse. ButIcantrustyouwithasecret,oldfriend!Yes! It’strueofme,whatIsupposeyousaidinjest. “Inthemerestjest,believeme!”Isaidearnestly.“Why,man,I’mthreetimesherage!Butifshe’syourchoice,thenI’msureshe’sallthatisgoodand—” “—andsweet,”Arthurwenton,“andpure,andself-denying,andtrue-hearted,and—”hebrokeoffhastily,asifhecouldnottrusthimselftosaymoreonasubjectsosacredandsoprecious. Silencefollowed:andIleanedbackdrowsilyinmyeasy-chair,filledwithbrightandbeautifulimaginingsofArthurandhislady-love,andofallthepeaceandhappinessinstoreforthem. Ipicturedthemtomyselfwalkingtogether,lingeringlyandlovingly,underarchingtrees,inasweetgardenoftheirown,andwelcomedbackbytheirfaithfulgardener,ontheirreturnfromsomebriefexcursion. Itseemednaturalenoughthatthegardenershouldbefilledwithexuberantdelightatthereturnofsograciousamasterandmistressandhowstrangelychildliketheylooked! IcouldhavetakenthemforSylvieandBrunolessnaturalthatheshouldshowitbysuchwilddances,suchcrazysongs! “HethoughthesawaRattlesnake ThatquestionedhiminGreek: Helookedagain,andfounditwas ‘TheonethingIregret,’hesaid, —leastnaturalofallthattheVice-Wardenand‘myLady’shouldbestandingclosebesideme,discussinganopenletter,whichhadjustbeenhandedtohimbytheProfessor,whostood,meeklywaiting,afewyardsoff. “Ifitwerenotforthosetwobrats,”Iheardhimmutter,glancingsavagelyatSylvieandBruno,whowerecourteouslylisteningtotheGardener’ssong,“therewouldbenodifficultywhatever.” “Let’shearthatbitoftheletteragain,”saidmyLady.AndtheVice-Wardenreadaloud:- “—andwethereforeentreatyougraciouslytoaccepttheKingship,towhichyouhavebeenunanimouslyelectedbytheCouncilofElfland:andthatyouwillallowyoursonBrunoofwhosegoodness,cleverness,andbeauty,reportshavereachedus—toberegardedasHeir-Apparent.” “Butwhat’sthedifficulty?”saidmyLady. “Why,don’tyousee?TheAmbassador,thatbroughtthis,iswaitinginthehouse:andhe’ssuretoseeSylvieandBruno:andthen,whenheseesUggug,andremembersallthatabout‘goodness,cleverness,andbeauty,’why,he’ssureto—” “AndwherewillyoufindabetterboythanUggug?”myLadyindignantlyinterrupted.“Orawittier,oralovelier?” ToallofwhichtheVice-Wardensimplyreplied“Don’tyoubeagreatbletheringgoose! Ouronlychanceistokeepthosetwobratsoutofsight. Ifyoucanmanagethat,youmayleavetheresttome. I’llmakehimbelieveUggugtobeamodelofclevernessandallthat.” “WemustchangehisnametoBruno,ofcourse?”saidmyLady. TheVice-Wardenrubbedhischin.“Humph!No!”hesaidmusingly.“Wouldn’tdo.Theboy’ssuchanutteridiot,he’dneverlearntoanswertoit.” “Idiot,indeed!”criedmyLady.“He’snomoreanidiotthanIam!” “You’reright,mydear,”theVice-WardensoothinglyIreplied.“Heisn’t,indeed!” MyLadywasappeased.“Let’sgoinandreceivetheAmbassador,”shesaid,andbeckonedtotheProfessor.“Whichroomishewaitingin?”sheinquired. “Andwhatdidyousayhisnamewas?”saidtheVice-Warden. TheProfessorreferredtoacardheheldinhishand.“HisAdipositytheBaronDoppelgeist.” “Whydoeshecomewithsuchafunnyname?”saidmyLady. “Hecouldn’twellchangeitonthejourney,”theProfessormeeklyreplied,“becauseoftheluggage.” “Yougoandreceivehim,”myLadysaidtotheVice-Warden,“andI’llattendtothechildren.” 
