THE MAGICAL KISS. 139

“ Earthly griefs, however great,
Shall not pass our mystic gate.
To the Palace of the Blest
Enter in, and take your rest.”

When the words of the song were ended the two little girls
found themselves standing in a marble hall, in the middle of which
a fountain rose and fell with a soothing sound, birds of lovely
plumage came in and out of the open windows, and flowers of the
sweetest scent and most delightful perfume were everywhere.

The four sisters were all dressed alike in white, which yet was
not pure white, for it had a sort of golden thread running through
it, as if it were all lit up with sunshine from within, and this
sunshiny look gleamed also out of the sisters’ eyes, and a sun-
shiny feeling, restful, strong, and glad, was in the very tones of
their voices, so that the longer they were with them the more
rested Primrose and Martha grew.

“You must have a bath, each of you, and something to eat,
and then you must sleep for a little time, and afterwards we will
dress you beautifully,” said one.

« Are we really at the end of all the dangers?” asked Prim-
rose, raising her sweet eyes, and looking into the speaker’s face.

“The time of danger is nearly quite over,” said the lady. “ Let me
kiss you on the forehead, Primrose, and then take you into another
room, where you can be washed and refreshed. My name is Amethyst
—this sister is called Iris, this sister Asphodel, and this Amaranth.
You can guess, therefore, my child, that as we are called after the
Flowers and Jewels of Paradise, you have reached a very happy
place.”