EXPULSION OF THE BOOKS 87 



of a tree they had just felled. * My ! she's got a 

 load, ain't she, Bill ? ' cried the first urchin 

 again. 'Oh, if we had a penny, now ! ' 



I asked him what he meant, and very readily 

 and volubly he explained that on payment of a 

 penny the workmen would allow any person to 

 take away as much of the waste wood as he 

 could carry, but without the penny not a chip. 

 I relented at that and gave them a penny, and 

 with a whoop of joy at their success they ran 

 off to where the men were working. 



Then I turned to leave the gardens, nodding 

 a good-bye to the young woman, who was still 

 standing there. The slight smile and expression 

 of slight interest, that curious baffling expres- 

 sion with which she regards all our actions, from 

 the smallest to the greatest, came back to her 

 lips and face. But as she returned my glance 

 with her sunny eyes, behind the sunniness on 

 the surface there was a look of deep meaning, 

 such as I have occasionally seen in them before. 

 It seemed to be saying sorrowful and yet 

 comforting things to me, telling me not to grieve 

 overmuch at these hackings and mutilations of 

 the sweet places of the earth at these losses to 

 be made good. It was as if she had shown me a 



