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and so I had planned not to smoke. True, I thoughtlessly- 

 slapped my pocket, but I did not actually commit myself 

 further than to take out my pouch, and that, you know, 

 might have been almost anything. Now, if I'd taken my 

 pipe out, or scratched a match, it would not have been so 

 easy to have covered my retreat. However it was all 

 wasted, for at least one observant pair of eyes was there and 

 right well they knew that bag o' 'baccy, so with a sheepish 

 grin (What's that, you didn't think a dog could grin? Much 

 you know !) yes, with a sheepish grin — same grin in fact — ^he 

 assured me that I might smoke all I chose as the blue clouds 

 would curl up in the air and the fairies would not mind; but 

 I must, as always, be very careful how I emptied my pipe 

 and where I threw down blazing matches. He is no in- 

 cendiary, you see. 



So I smoked and we both watched, and as I smoked and 

 watched I reaUsed that it must be nearly fairy church time 

 for the Oxford Quarters were being soiuided on the Canter- 

 bury Bells and the congregation was fast gathering. The 

 lady fairies were mostly dressed in lily white. Now please 

 remember that I am a professional man and quite incapable 

 of describing any fair lady's costume in detail. Indeed I am 

 not always sure whether she has on a dress or a suit and as 

 for telling the difference between a frock and a gown, please 

 excuse me for I am sure that of this I know if possible less 

 than the Dahli Lahma of Thibet. This much I will venture 

 to say, however, that all of the charming ladies wore the 



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