SO I went on my lonely way, and, on reaching the Hall,I found Lady Muriel standing at the garden-gate waiting for me.

`No need to give you joy, or to wish you joy?' I began.

`None whatever!' she replied, with the joyous laugh ofa child. `We give people what they haven't got: we wish for something thatis yet to come. For me, it's all here! It's all mine! Dear friend,' shesuddenly broke off, `do you think Heaven ever begins on Earth, for anyof us?'

`For some,' I said. `For some, perhaps, who are simpleand childlike. You know he said "of such is the Kingdom of Heaven".'

Lady Muriel clasped her hands, and gazed up into the cloudlesssky, with a look I had often seen in Sylvie's eyes. `I feel as if it hadbegun for me,' she almost whispered. `I feel as if I were one of the happychildren, whom He bid them bring near to Him, though the people would havekept them back. Yes, He has seen me in the throng. He has read the wistfullonging in my eyes. He has beckoned me to Him. They have had to make wayfor me. He has taken me up in His arms. He has put His hands upon me andblessed me!' She paused, breathless in her perfect happiness.

`Yes,' I said. `I think He has!'

`You must come and speak to my father,' she went on, aswe stood side by side at the gate, looking down the shady lane. But, evenas she said the words, the `eerie' sensation came over me like a flood:I saw the dear old Professor approaching us, and also saw, what was strangerstill, that he was visible to Lady Muriel!

What was to be done? Had the fairy-life been merged inthe real life? Or was Lady Muriel `eerie' also, and thus able to enterinto the fairy-world along with me? The words were on my lips (`I see anold friend of mine in the lane: if you don't know him, may I introducehim to you?') when the strangest thing of all happened: Lady Muriel spoke.

`I see an old friend of mine in the lane,' she said: `ifyou don't know him, may I introduce him to you?'

I seemed to wake out of a dream: for the `eerie' feelingwas still strong upon me, and the figure outside seemed to be changingat every moment, like one of the shapes in a kaleidoscope: now he was theProfessor, and now he was somebody else! By the time he had reached thegate, he certainly was somebody else: and I felt that the proper coursewas for Lady Muriel, not for me, to introduce him. She greeted him kindly,and, opening the gate, admitted the venerable old man--a German, obviously--wholooked about him with dazed eyes, as if he, too, had but just awaked froma dream!

No, it was certainly not the Professor! My old friendcould not have grown that magnificent beard since last we met: moreover,he would have recognised me, for I was certain that I had not changed muchin the time.

As it was, he simply looked at me vaguely, and took offhis hat in response to Lady Muriel's words `Let me introduce Mein Herrto you'; while in the words, spoken in a strong German accent, `proud tomake your acquaintance, Sir!' I could detect no trace of an idea that wehad ever met before.

Lady Muriel led us to the well-known shady nook, wherepreparations for afternoon-tea had already been made, and, while she wentin to look for the Earl, we seated ourselves in two easy-chairs, and `MeinHerr' took up Lady Muriel's work, and examined it through his large spectacles(one of the adjuncts that made him so provokingly like the Professor).`Hemming pocket-handkerchiefs?' he said, musingly. `So that is what theEnglish miladies occupy themselves with, is it?'

`It is the one accomplishment,' I said, `in which Manhas never yet rivalled Woman!'

Here Lady Muriel returned with her father; and, afterhe had exchanged some friendly words with `Mein Herr', and we had all beensupplied with the needful `creature-comforts', the newcomer returned tothe suggestive subject of Pocket-handkerchiefs.

`You have heard of Fortunatus's Purse, Miladi? Ah, so!Would you be surprised to hear that, with three of these leetle handkerchiefs,you shall make the Purse of Fortunatus, quite soon, quite easily?'

`Shall I indeed?' Lady Muriel eagerly replied, as shetook a heap of them into her lap, and threaded her needle. `Please tellme how, Mein Herr! I'll make one before I touch another drop of tea!'

`You shall first,' said Mein Herr, possessing himselfof two of the handkerchiefs, spreading one upon the other, and holdingthem up by two corners, `you shall first join together these upper corners,the right to the right, the left to the left; and the opening between themshall be the mouth of the Purse.'

A very few stitches sufficed to carry out this direction.`Now, if I sew the other three edges together,' she suggested, `the bagis complete?'

`Not so, Miladi: the lower edges shall first be joined--ah,not so!' (as she was beginning to sew them together). `Turn one of themover, and join the right lower corner of the one to the left lower cornerof the other, and sew the lower edges together in what you would call thewrong way.'

`I see!' said Lady Muriel, as she deftly executed theorder. `And a very twisted, uncomfortable, uncanny-looking bag it makes!But the moral is a lovely one. Unlimited wealth can only be attained bydoing things in the wrong way! And how are we to join up these mysterious--no,I mean this mysterious opening?' (twisting the thing round and round witha puzzled air). `Yes, it is one opening. I thought it was two, at first.'

`You have seen the puzzle of the Paper Ring?' Mein Herrsaid, addressing the Earl. `Where you take a slip of paper, and join itsends together, first twisting one, so as to join the upper corner of oneend to the lower corner of the other?'

`I saw one made, only yesterday,' the Earl replied. `Muriel,my child, were you not making one, to amuse those children you had to tea?'

`Yes, I know that Puzzle,' said Lady Muriel. `The Ringhas only one surface, and only one edge. It's very mysterious!'

`The bag is just like that, isn't it?' I suggested. `Isnot the outer surface of one side of it continuous with the inner surfaceof the other side?'

`So it is!' she exclaimed. `Only it isn't a bag, justyet. How shall we fill up this opening, Mein Herr?'

`Thus!' said the old man impressively, taking the bagfrom her, and rising to his feet in the excitement of the explanation.`The edge of the opening consists of four handkerchief edges, and you cantrace it continuously, round and round the opening: down the right edgeof one, handkerchief, up the left edge of the other, and then down theleft edge of the one, and up the right edge of the other!'

`So you can!' Lady Muriel murmured thoughtfully, leaningher head on her hand, and earnestly watching the old man. `And that provesit to be only one opening!'

She looked so strangely like a child, puzzling over adifficult lesson, and Mein Herr had become, for the moment, so strangelylike the old Professor, that I felt utterly bewildered: the `eerie' feelingwas on me in its full force, and I felt almost impelled to say `Do youunderstand it, Sylvie?' However I checked myself by a great effort, andlet the dream (if indeed it was a dream) go on to its end.

`Now, this third handkerchief,' Mein Herr proceeded, `hasalso four edges, which you can trace continuously round and round: allyou need do is to join its four edges to the four edges of the opening.The Purse is then complete, and its outer surface--'

`I see!' Lady Muriel eagerly interrupted. `Its outer surfacewill be continuous with its inner surface! But it will take time. I'llsew it up after tea.' She laid aside the bag, and resumed her-cup of tea.`But why do you call it Fortunatus's Purse, Mein Herr?'

The dear old man beamed upon her, with a jolly smile,looking more exactly like the Professor than ever. `Don't you see, my child--Ishould say Miladi? Whatever is inside that Purse, is outside it; and whateveris outside it, is inside it. So you have all the wealth of the world inthat leetle Purse!'

His pupil clapped her hands, in unrestrained delight.`I'll certainly sew the third handkerchief in--some time,' she said: `butI wo'n't take up your time by trying it now: Tell us some more wonderfulthings, please!' And her face and her voice so exactly recalled Sylvie,that I could not help glancing round, half-expecting to see Bruno also!

Mein Herr began thoughtfully balancing his spoon on theedge of his teacup, while he pondered over this request. `Something wonderful--likeFortunatus's Purse? That will give you--when it is made--wealth beyondyour wildest dreams: but it will not give you Time!'

A pause of silence ensued--utilized by Lady Muriel forthe very practical purpose of refilling the teacups.

`In your country', Mein Herr began with a startling abruptness,`what becomes of all the wasted Time?'

Lady Muriel looked grave. `Who can tell?' she half-whisperedto herself. `All one knows is that it is gone--past recall!'

`Well, in my--I mean in a country I have visited,' saidthe old man, `they store it up: and it comes in very useful, years afterwards!For example, suppose you have a long tedious evening before you: nobodyto talk to: nothing you care to do: and yet hours too soon to go to bed.How do you behave then?'

`I get very cross,' she frankly admitted: `and I wantto throw things about the room!'

`When that happens to--to the people I have visited, theynever act so. By a short and simple process--which I cannot explain toyou--they store up the useless hours: and, on some other occasion, whenthey happen to need extra time, they get them out again.'

The Earl was listening with a slightly incredulous smile.`Why cannot you explain the process?' he enquired.

Mein Herr was ready with a quite unanswerable reason.`Because you have no words, in your language, to convey the ideas whichare needed. I could explain it in--in--but you would not understand it!'

`No indeed!' said Lady Muriel, graciously dispensing withthe name of the unknown language. `I never learnt it--at least, not tospeak it fluently, you know. Please tell us some more wonderful things!'

`They run their railway-trains without any engines--nothingis needed but machinery to stop them with. Is that wonderful enough, Miladi?'

`But where does the force come from?' I ventured to ask.

Mein Herr turned quickly round, to look at the new speaker.Then he took off his spectacles, and polished them, and looked at me again,in evident bewilderment. I could see he was thinking--as indeed I was also--thatwe must have met before.

`They use the force of gravity,' he said. `It is a forceknown also in your country, I believe?'

`But that would need a railway going down-hill,' the Earlremarked. `You can't have all your railways going down-hill?'

`They all do,' said Mein Herr.

`Not from both ends?'

`From both ends.'

`Then I give it up!' said the Earl.

`Can you explain the process?' said Lady Muriel. `Withoutusing that language, that I ca'n't speak fluently?'

`Easily,' said Mein Herr. `Each railway is in a long tunnel,perfectly straight: so of course the middle of it is nearer the centreof the globe than the two ends: so every train runs half-way down-hill,and that gives it force enough to run the other half up-hill.'

`Thank you. I understand that perfectly,' said Lady Muriel.`But the velocity, in the middle of the tunnel, must be something fearful!'

Mein Herr was evidently much gratified at the intelligentinterest Lady Muriel took in his remarks. At every moment the old man seemedto grow more chatty and more fluent. `You would like to know our methodsof driving?' he smilingly enquired. `To us, a run-away horse is of no importat all!'

Lady Muriel slightly shuddered. `To us it is a very realdanger,' she said.

`That is because your carriage is wholly behind your horse.Your horse runs. Your carriage follows. Perhaps your horse has the bitin his teeth. Who shall stop him? You fly, ever faster and faster! Finallycomes the inevitable upset!'

`But suppose your horse manages to get the bit in histeeth?'

`No matter! We would not concern ourselves. Our horseis harnessed in the very centre of our carriage. Two wheels are in frontof him, and two behind. To the roof is attached one end of a broad belt.This goes under the horse's body, and the other end is attached to a leetle--whatyou call a "windlass", I think. The horse takes the bit in his teeth. Heruns away. We are flying at ten miles an hour! We turn our little windlass,five turns, six turns, seven turns, and--poof! Our horse is off the ground!Now let him gallop in the air as much as he pleases: our carriage standsstill. We sit round him, and watch him till he is tired. Then we let himdown. Our horse is glad, very much glad, when his feet once more touchthe ground!'

`Capital!' said the Earl, who had been listening attentively.`Are there any other peculiarities in your carriages?'

`In the wheels, sometimes, my Lord. For your health, yougo to sea: to be pitched, to be rolled, occasionally to be drowned. Wedo all that on land: we are pitched, as you; we are rolled, as you; butdrowned, no! There is no water!'

`What are the wheels like, then?'

`They are oval, my Lord. Therefore the carriages riseand fall.'

`Yes, and pitch the carriage backwards and forwards: buthow do they make it roll?'

`They do not match, my Lord. The end of one wheel answersto the side of the opposite wheel. So first one side of the carriage rises,then the other. And it pitches all the while. Ah, you must be a good sailor,to drive in our boat-carriages!'

`I can easily believe it,' said the Earl.

Mein Herr rose to his feet. `I must leave you now, Miladi,'he said, consulting his watch. `I have another engagement.'

`I only wish we had stored up some extra time!' Lady Murielsaid, as she shook hands with him. `Then we could have kept you a littlelonger!'

`In that case I would gladly stay,' replied Mein Herr.`As it is--I fear I must say goodbye!'

`Where did you first meet him?' I asked Lady Muriel, whenMein Herr had left us. `And where does he live? And what is his real name?'

`We first--met--him--' she musingly replied, `really,I ca'n't remember where! And I've no idea where he lives! And I never heardany other name! It's very curious. It never occurred to me before to considerwhat a mystery he is!'

`I hope we shall meet again,' I said: `he interests mevery much.'

`He will be at our farewell-party, this day fortnight,'said the Earl. `Of course you will come? Muriel is anxious to gather allour friends around us once more, before we leave the place.'

And then he explained to me--as Lady Muriel had left ustogether--that he was so anxious to get his daughter away from a placefull of so many painful memories connected with the now-cancelled engagementwith Major Lindon, that they had arranged to have the wedding in a month'stime, after which Arthur and his wife were to go on a foreign tour.

`Don't forget Tuesday week!' he said as we shook handsat parting. `I only wish you could bring with you those charming children,that you introduced to us in the summer. Talk of the mystery of Mein Herr!That's nothing to the mystery that seems to attend them! I shall neverforget those marvelous flowers!'

`I will bring them if I possibly can,' I said. But howto fulfil such a promise, I mused to myself on my way back to our lodgings,was a problem entirely beyond my skill!