Halcyone

akfast and began to arrange his books. His mind was away in a land of classical lore; he had almost forgotten the sprite who had invaded his so

afraid I am a little early, but I had something

window and let in

r presently, when they were seated in their tw

at once, and suggest that no more governesses are se

n't know," s

e's fac

I know from my 'Heroes' that is all that I need necessar

very conclusive answer-his

e said. "When

of the trees. The beeches are coming out very early this year; they have the most exquisite green just showi

it," sai

the hole in the paling like two b

rthe are very poor-and some of them died, and in the summer the Long Man came and talked and talked, and Aunt Roberta had red eyes all the afternoon, as she always does when he comes, and Aunt Ginevra pretended hers were a cold in her he

moment, as though at a too pa

now there are four of them, or perhaps five. But they are very wild and keep in the copses, and fly if they s

o is the 'Long Man' you spoke of

ent now in Applewood. And whenever he comes something has to go-we all

rom him. I suppose all this is necessa

ed abruptly and pointed to the beech avenue which they were approaching now through the

"They dance every afternoon as the sun sets, and sometimes in the dawn

ly," sai

y blustery there in storms. Well, there was a door behind it-a secret door! I was so excited, but I could not keep the candle alight and it was very cold. I saw nothing was broken-only the wind had dislodged the spring. I was able to push it back and pull a little chest against it, and wait till morning. And then what do you think I found?-it led to a staircase in the thickness of the wall, which went down and down until it came to a door right below the cellar-it took me days o

t all alone!" exclaimed

lty is in avoiding Priscilla-she sleeps in the dressing-room next me. I love her better than anyone else in the world, but she could never understand-she would only worry about the wet feet and cloth

interested-he wanted to he

a seeing your things in th

rs once, and I found them, and have hidden them in one of the chests, a

turnal outings, you odd little g

oose moonlight or starlight nights, and they are rare-but

ers of Dionysus as they beat their weird music among the dark crags of Parnassus-searching for communion with the spiritual beyond in the only way they knew of then to reach it, through a wild ecstas

tations, and presently they came to

d and leaned

elves' home

h night-as yet. This avenue is the most beautiful of all, because a hundred years ago the La Sarthes had a quarrel with the Wendovers, whose land just touches at the end of it, and they closed the gate, and so the turf has cov

ll," said

eat serpent, and so vivid was her picturing that he almost fancied he saw the Golden Fleece, nailed to the tree beyo

heart, and so the poor Heroes suffered. If she had been good and true and had not killed Absyrtus, things might have had a different ending. I n

ry long ago, you understand-when I was quite a little girl before I kne

erved the question for a future time, and encourag

ss the other side of their heads, until you knew them very well. Bu

d true they turn gentle and love you. I am hardly ever afraid of anything now-only I do not like a thunderstor

red to hold chief pl

asked Cheiron, presently, "or do you

eyes became dreary. "I can just remember long ago with my mother, we went once-

course you had, but I

lifetime, and was now a far-off memory of forty years ago, so Chei

l you of my beautiful mother-and I could let you shar

ey were turning back towards the orchard house she suddenly began

ow your name! I would like to call you Ch

nwall," the old gentleman said, "but you a

hanked him

could we not? But I can imagine you have, easily. I always can

my four legs and my hoofs do in the little orc

hs came so rarely and were like golden bells.

d in a cave, as the real Cheiron did,"

t I don't think I mind your

d into his for a moment, and ca

it is no use ever to be sad, because it draws evil and fear to yourself, and even in the winter one must

sure h

he went on. "But I expect, since you know ab

y," said

Halcyone felt she could almost en

little, but she is supremely beautiful. It is just her head I have got, and I pretend she is my mother sometimes, really come back to me again. We have long talks. So

o make her acquaintance

thing else but just Love-her eyes are so tender, she has many moods, and they are not often the same-but no matter how she looks you feel all the time just love, love, love-so I have not named her yet. You remember when O

te," sai

f that is what it means

do," said

d soft and sweet, and beautiful and glorious, and making you think of noble things, and

-and more,"

will nam

a serious moment to his little friend. He waited, and then presently he turned the chann

hesitated

but Aunt Ginevra does not let her, and she often says in the last ten years they have quite dropped out of everything. I do not know what that means altogether, because I do not know what ther

Misses La Sarthe m

. If you just walked it would make it even. Shall

his aft

this out-of-the-way corner because he had been assured by the agent there would be no sort of society around him-now intended to put on a tall