done but for the
Queen of Sheba, who made haste to rescue the doll Beautiful, and
chastise that monster ribald dog pup.

Therefore, as you can understand, the time was right busily spent. The
full fair garden, with its flowers and the singing birds and the
gracious arbor and the Siege of Restfulness, found favor with those
children, and amid these joyous scenes did Master Sweetheart have to
tell each day of that far-off land of Ever-Plaisance, whither he said
he was going. And one day, when the sun shone very bright, and the
full fair garden joyed in the music of those birds, Master Sweetheart
did not come, and they missed the little lame boy and wondered where he
was. And as he never came again they thought at last that of a surety
he had departed into that country whereof he loved to tell. Which
thing filled our little Mistress Merciless with wonder and inquiry; and
I think she was lonely ever after that,--lonely for Master Sweetheart.

I am thinking now of her and of him; for this is the Christmas
season,--the time when it is most meet to think of the children and
other sweet and holy things. There is snow everywhere, snow and cold.
The garden is desolate and voiceless: the flowers are gone, the trees
are ghosts, the birds have departed. It is winter out there, and it is
winter, too, in this heart of mine. Yet in this Christmas season I
think of them, and it pleaseth me--God forbid that I offend with much
speaking--it pleaseth me to tell of the little things they did and
loved. And you shall understand it all if, perchance, this sacred
Christmas time a little Mistress Merciless of your own, or a little
Master Sweetheart, clingeth to your knee and sanctifieth your
hearthstone.

When of an evening all the joy of day was done, would our little
Mistress Merciless fall aweary; and then her eyelids would grow
exceeding heavy and her little tired hands were fain to fold. At such
a time it was my wont to beguile her weariness with little tales of
faery, or with the gentle play that sleepy children like. Much was her
fancy taken with what I told her of the train that every night whirleth
away to Shut-Eye Town, bearing unto that beauteous country sleepy
little girls and boys. Nor would she be content until I told her
thereof,--yes, every night whilst I robed her in her cap and gown would
she demand of me that tale of Shut-Eye Town, and the wonderful train
that was to bear her thither. Then would I say in this wi