Bliss, and other stories

gs in the air. And then the flowers came. When you stared down from the balcony at the pe

a man wearing a palm on his head.” But she never kne

was much-too-long-and-tight-under-the-arms and Mother was running all over the house and telepho

hey only threw her up and shook her till she squeaked. But Sun was too heavy for that. He was so heavy that the fat man who came to dinner on Sundays used to say: “Now,

. That was for the concert. When Sun looked in a white faced man sat at the piano-not playing, but banging at it and then looking inside. He had a bag of tools on the pia

n to the flour bin so that they could watch the wonderful things she and the man were making for supper. Cook brought in the things and he put them on dishes and trimmed them. Whole fishes, with their heads and eyes and tails still on, he spri

me along.” Why was she being so nice, thought Sun as she g

use with white snow on the roof and green windows and a br

felt quite tired and h

on the roof,” said Moon, dancing. She alwa

with the table,” said Cook

to the table at first; they just stood at the door and made eyes at it. It wasn’t real night yet but the blinds were down in the dining-room and the lights turned

ice pudding is t

on their backs, and the salt cellars w

sparkling knives and forks-and all the food. And

ng to eat the f

t Sun didn’t want to laugh. Round and round he walked with his hands behind his back. Perhaps he never would have stopped if Nurse

ooked in with a white thing over her shou

urse, and then they can just come down

ite shirt with red and white daisies speckled on it, breeches with str

an costume,” said Nurse,

?” sa

hat chair and watch

make her curls with a finger and a wet brush she turned round and asked Nurse to show her the photo of her brooch or something like that. But at last she was f

like a sweet little cherub of a picture of a powder-

again with half

ried. “What

he,” sai

and dragged one of her feet. Sun didn’t

sound of laughter and voices and soft rustlings came from down below she whispered: “Now then, children, stay where you are.” Moon k

the hair brush, flattened his fringe, made her b

go!” she

s hand like that but Moon seemed to like it. She swu

ull of sweet smelling, silky, rustling ladies and men in black with funny tails on their coats

es. “Oh, the ducks! Oh, the lamb

nny old lady with teeth that clicked said: “Such a serious li

as gone. Instead, a fat man with a pink head leaned over

olled his eyes in a very nice way and said: “Hullo, my lad.” Then he went away. But soon he came back again and said: “Fond of dogs?” Sun said: “Yes.

id Mother, folding them up in her ba

again. She put up her arms in front of ev

and Daddy swooped down and p

r his prayers and said: “Get on with them, child, do. “ And the moment after t

asleep?”

id Sun.

said

s a loud, loud noise of clapping from downstai

are you

are

’s go and look

of “pops” and laughing. Then that stopped and Sun saw them all walking round and round the lovely table with their hands behind their backs like he had done. Round and round they walke

our head lik

nodding.

I never no

o. You’re no

ly showing you h

ery loud, and Mother, laughing away. Father came out of the d

By Jove, Kitty, com

you naughty children,”

’em a bone,” said Father. Su

nly not,” s

do! Do have us

I won’t be bullied. Kitty-way there.” An

n dreadfully cross. But she wasn’

oy!” said she. But

some pickings,” said this jolly F

ress is right

d “Yes” and pretended to bite her wh

lay on the floor, all the shining plates were dirty and all the winking glasses. The lovely food that the man had trimmed was all thrown about, and there were b

f and the green windows was broken-broken-h

id Father, pretend

nd shuffled up to the table and

” said Father, smashing

nd held it for him; she put

little nut. Kin I eat it?” And she reached across and picked i

lad,” sa

e door. Suddenly he put up h

rrid-horrid-horr

ee! “said Mot

her, no longer jolly. “T

y, Sun stumped of