Cross Purposes and The Shadows | Page 9

at the blank
fireplace, without ever turning round, pretending to know nothing of
what had taken place.
"Come along, Alice," said Richard, rising. "This won't do. We won't
stop here."
Alice rose at once, and put her hand in his. They walked towards the
door. The old man took no notice of them. The moon was shining
brightly through the window; but instead of stepping out into the
moonlight when they opened the door, they stepped into a great
beautiful hall, through the high gothic windows of which the same
moon was shining. Out of this hall they could find no way, except by a
staircase of stone which led upwards. They ascended it together. At the
top Alice let go Richard's hand to peep into a little room, which looked
all the colours of the rainbow, just like the inside of a diamond. Richard
went a step or two along a corridor, but finding she had left him, turned
and looked into the chamber. He could see her nowhere. The room was
full of doors; and she must have mistaken the door. He heard her voice
calling him, and hurried in the direction of the sound. But he could see
nothing of her. "More tricks," he said to himself. "It is of no use to stab
this one. I must wait till I see what can be done." Still he heard Alice
calling him, and still he followed, as well as he could. At length he
came to a doorway, open to the air, through which the moonlight fell.
But when he reached it, he found that it was high up in the side of a
tower, the wall of which went straight down from his feet, without stair
or descent of any kind. Again he heard Alice call him, and lifting his
eyes, saw her, across a wide castle-court, standing at another door just
like the one he was at, with the moon shining full upon her.

"All right, Alice!" he cried. "Can you hear me?"
"Yes," answered she.
"Then listen. This is all a trick. It is all a lie of that old wretch in the
kitchen. Just reach out your hand, Alice dear."
Alice did as Richard asked her; and, although they saw each other
many yards off across the court, their hands met.
"There! I thought so!" exclaimed Richard triumphantly. "Now, Alice, I
don't believe it is more than a foot or two down to the court below,
though it looks like a hundred feet. Keep fast hold of my hand, and
jump when I count three." But Alice drew her hand from him in sudden
dismay; whereupon Richard said, "Well, I will try first," and jumped.
The same moment his cheery laugh came to Alice's ears, and she saw
him standing safe on the ground, far below.
"Jump, dear Alice, and I will catch you," said he.
"I can't; I am afraid," answered she.
"The old man is somewhere near you. You had better jump," said
Richard.
Alice sprang from the wall in terror, and only fell a foot or two into
Richard's arms. The moment she touched the ground, they found
themselves outside the door of a little cottage which they knew very
well, for it was only just within the wood that bordered on their village.
Hand in hand they ran home as fast as they could. When they reached a
little gate that led into her father's grounds, Richard bade Alice
good-bye. The tears came in her eyes. Richard and she seemed to have
grown quite man and woman in Fairyland, and they did not want to part
now. But they felt that they must. So Alice ran in the back way, and
reached her own room before anyone had missed her. Indeed, the last
of the red had not quite faded from the west.
As Richard crossed the market-place on his way home, he saw an

umbrella-man just selling the last of his umbrellas. He thought the man
gave him a queer look as he passed, and felt very much inclined to
punch his head. But remembering how useless it had been to punch the
goblin's head, he thought it better not.
In reward of their courage, the Fairy Queen sent them permission to
visit Fairyland as often as they pleased; and no goblin or fairy was
allowed to interfere with them.
For Peaseblossom and Toadstool, they were both banished from court,
and compelled to live together, for seven years, in an old tree that had
just one green leaf upon it.
Toadstool did not mind it much, but Peaseblossom did.

THE SHADOWS

Old Ralph Rinkelmann made his living by comic sketches, and all but
lost it again by tragic poems. So he was just the man to be chosen