very tempting-looking country produce.

I said, "I need not ask if this is a market, for I see clearly that
it is; but what market is it that it is so splendid? And what is the
glorious hall there, and what is the building on the south side?"

"O," said he, "it is just our Hammersmith market; and I am glad you
like it so much, for we are really proud of it. Of course the hall
inside is our winter Mote-House; for in summer we mostly meet in the
fields down by the river opposite Barn Elms. The building on our
right hand is our theatre: I hope you like it."

"I should be a fool if I didn't," said I.

He blushed a little as he said: "I am glad of that, too, because I
had a hand in it; I made the great doors, which are of damascened
bronze. We will look at them later in the day, perhaps: but we
ought to be getting on now. As to the market, this is not one of our
busy days; so we shall do better with it another time, because you
will see more people."

I thanked him, and said: "Are these the regular country people?
What very pretty girls there are amongst them."

As I spoke, my eye caught the face of a beautiful woman, tall, dark-
haired, and white-skinned, dressed in a pretty light-green dress in
honour of the season and the hot day, who smiled kindly on me, and
more kindly still, I thought on Dick; so I stopped a minute, but
presently went on: