er seen one?"

"Yes, once, long ago, when I was very young...."

"What was it like?"

"Quite white, very still and very cold; and it didn't talk...."

"Are we going to see them?"

Tyltyl shuddered at this question and made an unsuccessful effort to
steady his voice as he answered:

"Why, of course, Light said so!"

"Where are the Dead?" asked Mytyl.

Tyltyl cast a frightened look around him, for the Children had not
dared to stir since they were alone:

"The Dead are here," he said, "under the grass or under those big
stones."

"Are those the doors of their houses?" asked Mytyl, pointing to the
tombstones.

"Yes."

"Do they go out when it's fine?"

"They can only go out at night."

"Why?"

"Because they are in their night-shirts."

"Do they go out also when it rains?"

"When it rains, they stay at home."

"Is it nice in their homes?"

"They say it's very cramped."

"Have they any little children?"

"Why, yes, they have all those who die."

"And what do they live on?"

Tyltyl stopped to think, before answering. As Mytyl's big brother, he
felt it his duty to know everything; but her questions often puzzled
him. Then he reflected that, as the Dead live under ground, they can
hardly eat anything that is above it; and so he answered very
positively:

"They eat roots!"

Mytyl was quite satisfied and returned to the great question that was
occupying her little mind:

"Shall we see them?" she asked.

"Of course," said Tyltyl, "we see everything when I turn the diamond."

"And what will they say?"

Tyltyl began to grow impatient:

"They will say nothing, as they don't talk."

"Why don't they talk?" asked Mytyl.

"Because they have nothing to say," said Tyltyl, more cross and
perplexed than ever.

"Why have they nothing to say?"

This time, the little big brother lost all patience. He shrugged his
shoulders, gave Mytyl a push and shouted angrily:

"You're a nuisance!..."

Mytyl was greatly upset and confused. She sucked her thumb and
resolved to hold her tongue for ever after, as she had been so badly
treated! But a breath of wind made the leaves of the trees whisper and
suddenly recalled the Children to their fears and their sense of
loneliness. They hugged each other tight and began to talk again, so
as not to hear the horrible silence:

"When will you turn the diamond?" asked Mytyl.

"You heard Light say that I was to wait until midnight, because that
disturbs them less;