thful of her:

"Never mind!" he said. "It'll keep!"

"Leave her alone, will you, you ugly beast?" said Mytyl.

Our friends went back to the Temple of Light to rest after their
adventure. Tyltyl, repenting of his disobedience, dared not even
mention the Blue Bird of which he had caught a glimpse; and Light said
to the Children, gently:

"Let this teach you, dears, that Man is all alone against all in this
world. Never forget that."

[Illustration: A regular waterfall of tears came gushing from her
eyes, flooding all around her]

CHAPTER IX

THE LEAVE-TAKING

Weeks and months had passed since the children's departure on their
journey; and the hour of separation was at hand. Light had been very
sad lately; she had counted the days in sorrow, without a word to the
Animals and Things, who had no idea of the misfortune that threatened
them.

On the day when we see them for the last time, they were all out in
the gardens of the temple. Light stood watching them from a marble
terrace, with Tyltyl and Mytyl sleeping by her side. Much had happened
in the past twelve months; but the life of the Animals and Things,
which had no intelligence to guide it, had made no progress, on the
contrary. Bread had eaten so much that he was now not able to walk:
Milk, devoted as ever, dragged him along in a Bath chair. Fire's nasty
temper had made him quarrel with everybody and he had become very
lonely and unhappy in consequence. Water, who had no will of her own,
had ended by yielding to Sugar's sweet entreaties: they were now
married; and Sugar presented a most piteous sight. The poor fellow
was reduced to a shadow of his former self, shrank visibly day by day
and was sillier than ever, while Water, in marrying, had lost her
principal charm, her simplicity. The Cat had remained the liar that
she always was; and our dear friend Tylo had never been able to
overcome his hatred for her.

"Poor things!" thought Light, with a sigh. "They have not gained much
by receiving the benefit of life! They have travelled and seen nothing
of all the wonders that surrounded them in my peaceful temple; they
were either quarrelling with one another or over-eating themselves
until they fell ill. They were too foolish to enjoy their happiness
and they will recognize it for the first time presently, when they are
about to lose it...."

At that moment, a pretty dove, with silver wings, alighted on her
knees. It wore an emerald collar round it