Sylvie and Bruno . , with a newspaper lying near it a small pug-dog couchant before it, resolved to guard the treasure even at the sacrifice of life and a front-door standing invitingly half-open. Here is mychance, I thought, for testing the reverseaction of the Magic Watch ! I pressed thereversal-peg and walked in. In anotJierhouse, the entrance of a stranger might cause surprise perhaps anger, even going so far as to expel the said stranger with violence:but heic, I knew, nothing of the sort could happen. The ordinary course of events first, to think nothing about me ; then, hearing myfootst
Sylvie and Bruno . , with a newspaper lying near it a small pug-dog couchant before it, resolved to guard the treasure even at the sacrifice of life and a front-door standing invitingly half-open. Here is mychance, I thought, for testing the reverseaction of the Magic Watch ! I pressed thereversal-peg and walked in. In anotJierhouse, the entrance of a stranger might cause surprise perhaps anger, even going so far as to expel the said stranger with violence:but heic, I knew, nothing of the sort could happen. The ordinary course of events first, to think nothing about me ; then, hearing myfootsteps to look up and sec me ; and then to wonder what business I had there would be reversed by the action of my Watch. Theywould first wonder who I was, then see me. XXIIl] AN OUTLANDISH WATCH. 55 tlien look down, and think no more aljcnit as to being expelled with violence, iJiaievent would necessarily come. Jirsf in this , if I can once get ///, I said to myself,all risk of expulsion will be over! I. The pug-dog sat up, as a precautionarymeasure, as I passed ; but, as I took no noticeof the treasure he was guarding, he let me goby without even one remonstrant bark. Hethat takes my life, he seemed to be saying,wheezily, to himself, takes trash : But he that takes the Daily Telegraph ! But this awful contingency I did not face. 35:: SYLVIE AND BRUNO. The party in llic drawing-room 1 had walked straiirht in, voii understand, withoutringing the bell, or giving any notice of my approach consisted of four laughing rosy children, of ages from about fourteen down toten, who were, apparently, all coming tow^ardsthe door (I found they were really walkingbackzjarcis), while their mother, seated by thefire with some needlework on her lap, was say-ing, just as I entered the room, Now, girls,you mav ijet your thino-s on for a walk. To my utter astonishment-—for I was not yet accustomed to the action of the Watch all smiles ceased (as Browning says) onthe four pretty faces,
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