IIl.] THE SILVER FAIRIES. 131

 

late enough to be undoubtedly evening, they entered
Simon’s den in a state of nervous anxiety bordering
upon fear.

Here, however, the worthy man recollected that
only one person, if any, besides himself, was to be
present when he summoned his mysterious visitor, and
that person must be a relative. Old Martha stoutly in-
sisted upon it that she was quite sufficiently a relative
to be admitted into the category of persons qualified
under the Fairy’s rule. She maintained that the rela-
tives of aman’s wife were a man’s own relatives, because
a man and his wife were one, and it was wicked to main-
tain the contrary. Moreover, she alleged that her years
(though not so many, perhaps, as some people might
fancy) and experience made her a more fitting person
than Dolly to be present upon such a solemn occasion,
and that the latter might find the scene too much for
her. In short, Mrs. Pattison pressed the point so warmly,
and Dolly was so yielding and sweet-tempered about
it, that the old lady had her own way, and entered the
den with Simon, while Dolly remained in the kitchen
with only just one little sigh of disappointment.

When the door had been shut and there was no
longer any reason for delay, the milkman slowly and
reverently approached the old piece of furniture, and
opened it as he had been directed; then he gave three
taps upon the desk, slowly and carefully, at the same
time pronouncing the mystic word ‘chuck-a-chuck’
as distinctly as he was able. But no result followed.
All was still and silent save the old clock ticking on
the wall, and there was no sign whatever of the exist-
ence of anything out of the common way. Again

K2