A very idle talk, by the dining-room fire, after raisin-and-almond
time.

OLD LECTURER; FLORRIE, ISABEL, MAY, LILY, and SIBYL.

OLD LECTURER (L.). Come here, Isabel, and tell me what the make-
believe was, this afternoon.

ISABEL (arranging herself very primly on the foot-stool). Such a
dreadful one! Florrie and I were lost in the Valley of Diamonds.

L. What! Sindbad's, which nobody could get out of? ISABEL. Yes;
but Florrie and I got out of it.

L. So I see. At least, I see you did; but are you sure Florrie
did?

ISABEL. Quite sure.

FLORRIE (putting her head round from behind L.'s sofa-cushion).
Quite sure. (Disappears again.)

L. I think I could be made to feel surer about it.

(FLORRIE reappears, gives L. a kiss, and again exit.)

L. I suppose it's all right; but how did you manage it?

ISABEL. Well, you know, the eagle that took up Sindbad was very