sanctity. No one had any time to spare for the boy, who found himself in
the way wherever he turned. In the end he was ordered pointblank out of
the kitchen, where his mother, Granny and the servant girl needed all
the space at their disposal. The door to the parlour was closed although
the lodger had left town for the holidays, and so nothing but the
living-room remained. There Keith whiled away the long hours in vain
speculation on the contents of the mysterious package.

He tried to recall what things he had wished for during the year. He
felt sure that nothing of the kind could be in the package. Any desire
openly expressed was disregarded by his father, Keith thought, if not
actually resented. The reason given was that a Christmas present should
be a complete surprise, and if the recipient had openly asked for it,
there could be no talk of surprising him. Of course, Keith could whisper
what he wanted into his mother's ear now and then but always with the
provision that she must convey the proper information to the father as
coming from herself.

Even this process of elimination failed, however, and so the day dragged
on interminably, with no help from without for a mind weary of waiting.
The customary dinner was passed up. Everybody snatched a bite off the
kitchen table without breaking away from the work. Three or four times
people arrived with packages from relatives or friends. Each visitor had
to be treated, even though he be a stranger of the humblest character.
Then dull monotony reigned once more, and Keith resumed his fidgeting
back and forth between the kitchen door and his own corner. The old toys
were simply unendurable....

It had long been dark when the father returned home at last, laden with
parcels and tired out by personal delivery of Christmas gifts to the