he cried, 'I'll poke out your eyes, as I did
those of the ugly picture in my room. I won't be stared at.'

I longed for the gift of speech to represent to him, that if he would
but leave off looking at me, I should give him no offence; but alas, I
was silent, and could only stare as hard as ever.

'Oh, you will, will you?' said he 'then I know what I'll do: I'll hang
you.'

In vain I hoped for the return of the rest of the party. I listened
anxiously for every sound, but no friendly step or voice was near, and I
was completely in his power.

He began rummaging his pockets, grinning and making faces at me all the
time. Presently he drew forth a long piece of string, extremely dirty,
looking as if it had been trailed in the mud.

'Now for it,' he exclaimed; 'now you shall receive the reward of all
your stupidity and affectation. I do think dolls are the most affected
creatures on the face of the earth.'

He laid hold of me by my head, pushing my wig on one side. Alas for my
beautiful hair, it was disarranged for ever! But that was a trifle
compared with what followed. He tied one end of his muddy string round
my neck, drawing it so tight that I foresaw I should be marked for life,
and hung the other end to a nail in the wall.

There I dangled, while he laughed and quizzed me, adding insult to
injury. He twisted the string as tight as possible, and then let it
whirl round and round till it was all untwisted again. I banged against
the wall as I spun like a top, and wished that I could sleep like a top
too. But I was wide awake to my misfortunes; and each interval of
stillness, when the string was untwisted, only enhanced them, by showing
in painful contrast the happy home whence I had been torn. For I was
hung on the wall directly opposite my own house; and from my wretched
nail I could distinguish every room in it. Between my twirls I saw my
pretty drawing-room, with its comfortable arm-chair now vacant; and my
convenient kitchen, with my respectable cook peacefully basting her
perpetual mutton; I envied even my lame footman quietly seated in his
chimney-corner, and felt that I had never truly valued the advantages of
my home till now. Would they ever be restored to me? Should I once again
be under the protection of my kind and gentle mistress, or was I
Geoffrey's slave for ever?

[Illustration: Page 72]

These melancholy thoughts were interrupted by a step on the stairs.
'Hallo!' cried Geoffrey, 'who would hav