TWILIGHT LAND

“You must come with me,” said he.

“What do you want with me?” said Beppo.

“That you shall see for yourself,” said the man.

“Very well,” said Beppo; ‘I'd as lief go along with _
you as anywhere else.”

So he turned and followed the man anne: he led.

They went along first one street and then another, and
by-and-bye they came to the river, and there was a long
wall with a gate in it. The tall man in black knocked
upon the gate, and some one opened it from within. The
man in black entered, and Beppo followed at his heels,
wondering where he was going.

He was in a garden. There were fruit trees and
flowering shrubs and long marble walks, and away in
the distance a great grand palace of white marble that
shone red as fire in the light of the setting sun, but
there was not a soul to be seen anywhere.

The tall man in black led the way up the long marble
walk, past the fountains and fruit trees and beds of roses,
until he had come to the palace. ;

Beppo wondered whether he were dreaming.

The tall man in black led the way into the palace, but
still there was not a soul to be seen.

Beppo gazed about him in wonder. There were floors
of coloured marble, and ceilings of blue and gold, and
columns of carved marble, and hangings of silk and
velvet and silver.

Suddenly the tall man opened a little door that led
into a dark passage, and Beppo followed him. They
went along the Peete and then the man opened another
door.

Then Beppo found himself in a great vaulted room,

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