g to get in," she said; "but what do _they_ mean when
they nod at me like that?"

"They mean, of course, what I tell you--'Get in,'" said the cuckoo.

"Why don't they say so, then?" persisted Griselda, getting in, however,
as she spoke.

"Griselda, you have a _very_ great----" began the cuckoo, but Griselda
interrupted him.

"Cuckoo," she exclaimed, "if you say that again, I'll jump out of the
palanquin and run away home to bed. Of course I've a great deal to
learn--that's why I like to ask questions about everything I see. Now,
tell me where we are going."

"In the first place," said the cuckoo, "are you comfortable?"

"Very," said Griselda, settling herself down among the cushions.

It was a change from the cuckoo's boudoir. There were no chairs or
seats, only a number of very, _very_ soft cushions covered with green
silk. There were green silk curtains all round, too, which you could
draw or not as you pleased, just by touching a spring. Griselda stroked
the silk gently. It was not "fruzzley" silk, if you know what that
means; it did not make you feel as if your nails wanted cutting, or as
if all the rough places on your skin were being rubbed up the wrong way;
its softness was like that of a rose or pansy petal.

"What nice silk!" said Griselda. "I'd like a dress of it. I never
noticed that the palanquin was lined so nicely," she continued, "for I
suppose it _is_ the one from Lady Lavander's mantelpiece? There couldn't
be two so exactly like each other."

The cuckoo gave a sort of whistle.

"What a goose you are, my dear!" he exclaimed. "Excuse me," he
continued, seeing that Griselda looked rather offended; "I didn't mean
to hurt your feelings, but you won't let me say the other thing, you
know. The palanquin from Lady Lavander's! I should think not. You might
as well mistake one of those horrible paper roses that Dorcas sticks in
her vases for one of your aunt's Gloires de Dijon! The palanquin from
Lady Lavander's--a clumsy human imitation not worth looking at!"

"I didn't know," said Griselda humbly. "Do they make such beautiful
things in Mandarin Land?"

"Of course," said the cuckoo.

Griselda sat silent for a minute or two, but very soon she recovered her
spirits.

"Will you please tell me where we are going?" she asked again.

"You'll see directly," said the cuckoo; "not that I mind telling you.
There's to be a grand reception at one of the palaces to-night. I
thought you'd like to assist at