Sylvie and Bruno

uted (as well as I could make out) "Who roar for the Sub-Warden?" Everybody roared, but whether it was for the Sub-Warden, or not

f the Lord Chancellor, who had sprung to his feet the moment the shouting began, almost as if he ha

own floating in the air, he paced rapidly up and down the room. "I never heard such shouting before-an

e words, I assure you!" he said: then, leaning well out of the window, he whispered to a man who was standing close underneath, "Keep'em together, ca'n't you? The Warden will be here direct

' was a very

..The m

ig-zag fashion towards the Palace, wildly tacking from side to side, like a sailing vessel making way against an unfavourable wind

s man held his hat in one hand and a little green flag in the other: whenever he waved the flag the procession advanced a little nearer, when he dipped it they sidled a little farther off, and whene

t!" But at this moment the great folding-doors of the saloon were flung open, and he turned with a guilty start to

in a general sort of way, to the Chancellor and the waiter

se you see without my telling you, was nothing but 'your Royal Highness' condensed into one syllable) to a small creature whose father was merely the Warden of Outland: still, l

the room, even while the great feat of The Unpronoun

l have a speech!" Here one of the waiters, who had been for some minutes busy making a queer-looking mixture of egg and sherry, respectfully presented it on a large silver salver. The Cha

er look a hidiot!" And, all this time, "'Ear, 'ear!" went rumbling round the market-place, like a peal of thunder.) "That I always sympathise!" yelled the Chancellor, the first moment there was silence. "But your true friend is the Sub-Warden! Day and night he is brooding on your wrongs-I should say your rights-that is to say your wrongs-no, I mean your rights-" ("Don't talk no more!" growled the man under the window.

replied, modestly, with downcast ey

hey are!" he admitted. "I never considered it in that l

in whispers: so, as I could hear no mor

extreme respectfulness, with his hands hanging in front of him like the fins of a fish. "His High Excellency," this respectful man was saying, "

maidens it has ever been my lot to see. She looked four or five years older than Bruno, but she had the same rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes, and the same wealth of curly brown hair. Her eager smiling f

ling from land to land, and seeking for health, more years than you've been alive, little Sylvie!" Here Br

he last thousand miles or so, in order to be here on Sylvie's birthday. But he's a very early riser, and I dare sa

r come too?" Bruno aske

or is-well, you won't like him quite so much,

s a little more d

mean, Bruno?"

"She says she ca'n't, oo know. But I

dream!" the puzzl

ays to her 'Let's stop lessons!', she says

ssons," Sylvie explained, "

aid the Warden. "You won't learn

rn my lessons. And I tells her, over and over, I ca'n't learn 'em. And

knees, each secured a hand, and the happy trio set off for the Library-followed by me. I had come to the conclusion

h a little extra sedateness, by way of example to Bruno

isiting th

kind of thing. He's been curing himself, you know: he's a very learned doctor. Why, he'

ice way?"

he Library. "And here is the Professor. Good morning, P

came trotting in at the other end of the room, and was going straight across without taking any

he Warden exclaimed, taking him by the sh

gazed at them through his great spectacle

my child?" Bruno looked puzzled. "I's had the same night oo've

ctacles, and rubbed them with his handkerchief. Then he gazed at the

who thought himself quite a

his head sadly. "N

be half-boun

not pri

and was speaking to the Warden again. "You'll be glad to he

cts the weather. He's a wonderfully clever man, you know. Sometimes he says things that only the Other Profess

ly clapping his hands. "It's going

ce?" said the Warden. "Listen, children!

straight for the door, very nearly trampling on B

ooking after him with admiring eyes. "

't run over m

d had put on a pair of very strange-looking boots, the tops of which were open umbrellas.

ts for horiz

of wearing umbrellas

not be of much use. But if ever it rained horizontally

me. I had breakfast early, as I've some business to attend to." The children seized the Professor's hand