ped, and all the white crowd cheered.

'To say,' she went on as the cheers died down, 'that I wasn't blameless,
and innocent, and all those nice things. I ought to have thought. And
they _were_ Auntie's flowers. But I did want to please her. It's all so
mixed. Oh, I wish Auntie was here!'

And instantly Auntie _was_ there, very tall and quite nice-looking, in a
white velvet dress and an ermine cloak.

'Speech,' cried the crowd. 'Speech from Auntie!'

Auntie stood on the step of the throne beside Amabel, and said:

'I think, perhaps, I was hasty. And I think Amabel meant to please me.
But all the flowers that were meant for the winter ... well--I was
annoyed. I'm sorry.'

'Oh, Auntie, so am I--so am I,' cried Amabel, and the two began to hug
each other on the ivory step, while the crowd cheered like mad, and the
band struck up that well-known air, 'If you only understood!'

'Oh, Auntie,' said Amabel among hugs, 'This is such a lovely place, come
and see everything, we may, mayn't we?' she asked the Mayor.

'The place is yours,' he said, 'and now you can see many things that
you couldn't see before. We are The People who Understand. And now you
are one of Us. And your aunt is another.'

I must not tell you all that they saw because these things are secrets
only known to The People who Understand, and perhaps you do not yet
belong to that happy nation. And if you do, you will know without my
telling you.

And when it grew late, and the stars were drawn down, somehow, to hang
among the trees, Amabel fell asleep in her aunt's arms beside a white
foaming fountain on a marble terrace, where white peacocks came to
drink.

* * * * *

She awoke on the big bed in the spare room, but her aunt's arms were
still round her.

'Amabel,' she was saying, 'Amabel!'

'Oh, Auntie,' said Amabel sleepily, 'I am so sorry. It _was_ stupid of
me. And I did mean to please you.'

'It _was_ stupid of you,' said the aunt, 'but I am sure you meant to
please me. Come down to supper.' And Amabel has a confused recollection
of her aunt's saying that she was sorry, adding, 'Poor little Amabel.'

If the aunt really did say it, it was fine of her. And Amabel is quite
sure that she did say it.

* * * * *

Amabel and her great-aunt are now the best of friends. But neither of
them has ever spoken to the other of the beautiful city called
'_Whereyouwantogoto._' Amabel is too sh