e great fireplace containing an almost commonplace
crane and kettle, and bordered by irregular areas of smoked wood and
stone, indicating that the ventilation of the room needed looking after
in the worst way.

In addition to the lady of honor there were other persons in the room:
a scullion, or cook, with rather comical features and a red nose, who
sat before the fireplace; a line of guards in mailed armor who were
stationed around the walls, finely erect, with spears held
perpendicularly, their ends resting on the floor; and a herald, or
messenger, standing just inside an inner door.

But--wonderful to relate--the lady of honor, the scullion, the guards
in mail, and the herald, were all sound asleep! Moreover, they had all
been sound asleep for precisely one hundred years.

I should add that two other individuals already known to us were in the
room: the Masked Lady and Mr. Literal. The Masked Lady held in her
hands a time-glass precisely like an hourglass in every respect, save
that it was designed to measure the passage of a full century. The
last grains of sand were just falling when she looked up, startled,
because Mr. Literal had broken the stillness by yawning. He was
plainly bored, and he was looking about the room at the various
sleepers as if he were thoroughly tired of them all.

After Mr. Literal had finished his yawn a truly unearthly silence
reigned. There wasn't so much as the ticking of a clock or the falling
of embers in the fireplace. Silence, a long, long silence.

Then a distant door opened and closed sharply. There was the muffled
tramp of many feet. And then--what have we here? Everychild entered
the room!

He was followed instantly by Cinderella, Hansel and Grettel, Will
o'Dreams, Prince Arthur, Tom Hubbard, Little Bo-Peep, Little Boy Blue,
the children of the Old Woman who lived in a shoe (who numbered some
forty boys and girls all told), and last of all, the little black dog.

There was necessarily a good deal of bustle and noise while the members
of the band were entering; but when Everychild had had time to look
about him he was smitten with silence, and all his companions suddenly
became as quiet as mice.

Then Everychild perceived the Masked Lady, and for once he was very
glad to see her. He approached her eagerly, if somewhat timidly.

"What is this strange place?" he whispered.

And as the Masked Lady did not reply to him, he turned to Cinderella.
"Am I--are we--drea