tremendous pull. Could they be trusted to play fair? I
asked Selina, who replied scornfully that angels ALWAYS played
fair. But I went back and had another look at the brown-faced
one peeping over the back of the lady's chair, and still I had my
doubts.

When Edward went off to school a great deal of adjustment and re-
allotment took place, and all the heroes of illustrated
literature were at my call, did I choose to possess them. In
this particular case, however, I made no haste to seize upon the
armour-man. Perhaps it was because I wanted a FRESH saint of
my own, not a stale saint that Edward had been for so long a
time. Perhaps it was rather that, ever since I had elected to be
saintless, I had got into the habit of strolling off into the
background, and amusing myself with what I found there.

A very fascinating background it was, and held a great deal,
though so tiny. Meadow-land came first, set with flowers,
blue and red, like gems. Then a white road ran, with wilful,
uncalled-for loops, up a steep, conical hill, crowned with
towers, bastioned walls, and belfries; and down the road the
little knights came riding, two and two. The hill on one side
descended to water, tranquil, far-reaching, and blue; and a very
curly ship lay at anchor, with one mast having an odd sort of
crow's-nest at the top of it.

There was plenty to do in this pleasant land. The annoying thing
about it was, one could never penetrate beyond a certain point.
I might wander up that road as often as I liked, I was bound to
be brought up at the gateway, the funny galleried, top-heavy