tore fear from her mind, and knew that death was but an imperfectly kept
secret, and that not an evil one. After all, we have condemned it
unheard.

Both witches could talk a magic tongue, and make themselves mutually
understood. Neither knew the other's natural tongue. But when our witch
noticed several large ferocious tears rolling down her opponent's
cheeks, she was able, by means of magic, to say: "Great Scott, my good
person, what are you crying for?"

"I am not crying," replied the German witch. "I would not allow one tear
of mine to fall upon and water one possible grain of wheat in this
accursed country of yours. Certainly I am not crying."

"Accursed country?" echoed the astounded English witch. "How d'you
mean--accursed? This is England, you know. England hasn't done anything
accursed. Aren't you muddling it up with Germany?"

"England is the World Enemy," said the German, evidently pleased to meet
someone to whom this information was fresh. "Throughout the ages she has
been the Robber State, crushing the weaker nations, adding to her own
wealth by treachery, and now forcing this war of aggression upon her
peace-loving neighbours."

Our witch laughed. She was forgetting her danger. "This is really rather
funny," she said. "Do you know what's happened? You've been reading the
_Daily Mail_ and misunderstanding it. The whole of that quotation
applied to Germany, not England. It's Germany that's being naughty. You
made a mistake, but never mind, I won't repeat it."