The Hollow Needle; Further adventures of Arsene Lupin
ugh a forest that was so dense and so old that your eyes could not see the tops of the trees. It was always shrouded
head; and there i
alike: they were snow-white pansies and very prett
. A great mysterious silence surrounded them; and they trembled a litt
y a bunch of flow
a! She will be ple
gs did not know that every pansy (which means "a thought") that they picked brought them nearer
boy in triumph, as, climb
nd of
hey turned to every sid
ed Mytyl. "I'm cold!... I'm tired!.
y wrapped up in his e
.. You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" he s
ees faded away, everything vanished and, instead, there appeared a pretty little peasant's cottage, c
stead, there appeared a pre
tch-dog at the door, the blackbird in his wicker cage; and ev
made up their minds to come back often, now that they knew the way. But how great was their happiness when the last veil disappeared and t
ranny!... There they
m behind the tree; and they stood looking at the dear old couple, who woke up gen
ndchildren who are still aliv
er Tyl a
us, for I feel queer and I hav
said Granny, "for I see tears of
l surprise! The happiness was too great for words. They laughed and tried to speak and kept on looking at one another with delighted e
ng you've grown, T
andad
at her! What pretty ha
heir hands and flung themselves by tu
ling against Grandad's chest and Tyltyl comfortably perch
and Mummy Tyl
aid Tyltyl. "They were
hem fresh kis
don't you come to see us oftener? It is months and months now
Tyltyl, "and to-day it's o
ng for a visit from those who are alive. The
't go out that day, f
every time you think of us, w
t now, with his head on the heart of the dear Granny whom he had missed so much, he began t
e not real
their life on earth for another and a much nicer and
ord 'dead' mean?"
t one's no longer
ny only shrugged
, when they speak of the O
memories again, rejoici
erned; and so they delight in the present and the past. But we are growing impatient, lik
about in every corner, delighted at finding al
rything struck him as much nicer; and he added, in the voice of one who knows, "Only everything is prettier!... Hullo, there's th
Grandad. "And there's the plum-tree which you we
l was not forge
lue Bird here by c
, Mytyl, lifting h
old blackbird!...
d woke up and began to sin
nny, "as soon as on
mply amazed a
rd, the Blue Bird!... He's blue, blue, blue as a
etched the cage which he had left by the tree. He took hold of the preciou
!" said the boy, rejoicing at
andparents. "Come and loo
there too. At the same moment, seven little children, who, up to then, had been sleeping in the house, came tearing like mad into the g
id Granny. "As soon as you speak o
a little one
ys!... And Robert!... I say, Jean, what's become of your top?...
l la
till crawling
little dog yapp
off with Pauline's scissors...
a voice of great importanc
old people stopped spell-bound: they had heard t
and grandchildren
asked. "It never st
nk of the time," said Granny. "W
ght o'clock?... Then I'm off, for I pr
to say good-bye like that! Granny had a good idea: she knew what a little glutton Tyltyl was. It was ju
he Blue Bird!... And cabbage-soup is
e steaming soup-tureen in state. The lamp was lit and the grandparents and grandchildren sat down to supper, jostling and elbowing one another and la
shouted Tyltyl, who was eating greedil
Grandad. "You're just as ill-behaved a
upset it; and the hot soup trickled all over the table and down upon everybody's lap. The children yelled and screame
nd then he put his hand to his cheek
ke the slaps you used to give me when you wer
ody la
ame from, if you like them
the same, and turned to
"There's half- past eight striking!..
ored them to stay a
y," said Tyltyl firml
to take up th
sters, Pierrot, Robert, Pauline, Madeleine, Riquette and you, too, Ki
very much upset and
the Living are, with all
him and again promised
our only pleasure; and it's such a treat
rs and sisters in chorus. "Come back v
e figures began to fade away; the little voices could no longer be heard; the two Children
Mytyl. "Give me your hand, litt
it was his duty to try and c
mber that we are bring
las and alack, what a disappointment awaited him! The beautiful Blue Bird of the Land of Memory had turned quite black! Stare at it as hard as Tyltyl might, the bird was black! Oh, how well
f finding the beautiful Blue Bird which would bring happiness to the Fairy's little girl. And now all his hopes were shattered! For the first time, our poor friend understood the trials, the vexat
raight road by which he had come. There was not a s
st trial was over; and, just as outside the old people's house a little while ago, the mist now suddenly lifted. But, instead of
were seeking; she knew everything. For Light surrounds all mortals with her love, though none of them is fond enough of her ever to receive her thoroughly and thus
en your grandparents? Is that not enough happiness for one day? Are you no
and main; and his little yellow eyes sparkled
ildren, accustom yourselves to love the
full of beautiful mysteries, which we must respect, lest we should destroy them; and, if Light had told the Chil
iends to sleep on beautiful white
Romance
Romance
Billionaires
Werewolf
Romance
Modern