allthetime。Sohegottothecompletestatementofhisaffiancedposition，andtoldherallaboutMillie。
　　“All？“saidI。
　　“Everything，“saidMr。Skelmersdale，“justwhoshewas，andwhereshelived，andeverythingabouther。IsortoffeltI’adtoallthetime，Idid。“
　　“’Whateveryouwantyoushallhave，’saidtheFairyLady。’That’sasgoodasdone。YouSHALLfeelyouhavethemoneyjustasyouwish。
　　Andnow，youknow——YOUMUSTKISSME。’“
　　AndMr。Skelmersdalepretendednottohearthelatterpartofherremark，andsaidshewasverykind。Thathereallydidn’tdeservesheshouldbesokind。And——
　　TheFairyLadysuddenlycamequiteclosetohimandwhispered，“Kissme！“
　　“And，“saidMr。Skelmersdale，“likeafool，Idid。“
　　Therearekissesandkisses，Iamtold，andthismusthavebeenquitetheothersortfromMillie’sresonantsignalsofregard。Therewassomethingmagicinthatkiss；assuredlyitmarkedaturningpoint。
　　Atanyrate，thisisoneofthepassagesthathethoughtsufficientlyimportanttodescribemostatlength。Ihavetriedtogetitright，Ihavetriedtodisentangleitfromthehintsandgesturesthroughwhichitcametome，butIhavenodoubtthatitwasalldifferentfrommytellingandfarfinerandsweeter，inthesoftfilteredlightandthesubtlystirringsilencesofthefairyglades。TheFairyLadyaskedhimmoreaboutMillie，andwassheverylovely，andsoon——
　　agreatmanytimes。AstoMillie’sloveliness，Iconceivehimansweringthatshewas“allright。“Andthen，oronsomesuchoccasion，theFairyLadytoldhimshehadfalleninlovewithhimashesleptinthemoonlight，andsohehadbeenbroughtintoFairyland，andshehadthought，notknowingofMillie，thatperhapshemightchancetoloveher。“Butnowyouknowyoucan’t，“shesaid，“soyoumuststopwithmejustalittlewhile，andthenyoumustgobacktoMillie。“Shetoldhimthat，andyouknowSkelmersdalewasalreadyinlovewithher，butthepureinertiaofhismindkepthiminthewayhewasgoing。Iimaginehimsittinginasortofstupefactionamidstalltheseglowingbeautifulthings，answeringabouthisMillieandthelittleshopheprojectedandtheneedofahorseandcart……Andthatabsurdstateofaffairsmusthavegoneonfordaysanddays。Iseethislittlelady，hoveringabouthimandtryingtoamusehim，toodaintytounderstandhiscomplexityandtootendertolethimgo。Andhe，youknow，hypnotisedasitwerebyhisearthlyposition，wenthiswaywithherhitherandthither，blindtoeverythinginFairylandbutthiswonderfulintimacythathadcometohim。Itishard，itisimpossible，togiveinprinttheeffectofherradiantsweetnessshiningthroughthejungleofpoorSkelmersdale’sroughandbrokensentences。Tome，atleast，sheshoneclearamidstthemuddleofhisstorylikeaglow-worminatangleofweeds。
　　Theremusthavebeenmanydaysofthingswhileallthiswashappening——
　　andonce，Isay，theydancedunderthemoonlightinthefairyringsthatstudthemeadowsnearSmeeth——butatlastitallcametoanend。
　　Sheledhimintoagreatcavernousplace，litbyarednightlightsortofthing，wheretherewerecofferspiledoncoffers，andcupsandgoldenboxes，andagreatheapofwhatcertainlyseemedtoallMr。Skelmersdale’ssenses——coinedgold。Therewerelittlegnomesamidstthiswealth，whosalutedherathercoming，andstoodaside。
　　Andsuddenlysheturnedonhimtherewithbrightlyshiningeyes。
　　“Andnow，“shesaid，“youhavebeenkindtostaywithmesolong，anditistimeIletyougo。YoumustgobacktoyourMillie。YoumustgobacktoyourMillie，andhere——justasIpromisedyou——theywillgiveyougold。“
　　“Shechokedlike，“saidMr。Skelmersdale。“Atthat，Ihadasortoffeeling——“hetouchedhisbreastbone“asthoughIwasfaintinghere。Ifeltpale，youknow，andshivering，andeventhen——I’adn’tathingtosay。“
　　Hepaused。“Yes，“Isaid。
　　Thescenewasbeyondhisdescribing。ButIknowthatshekissedhimgood-bye。
　　“Andyousaidnothing？“
　　“Nothing，“hesaid。“Istoodlikeastuffedcalf。Shejustlookedbackonce，youknow，andstoodsmilinglikeandcrying——Icouldseetheshineofhereyes——andthenshewasgone，andtherewasalltheselittlefellowsbustlingaboutme，stuffingmy’andsandmypocketsandthebackofmycollarandeverywherewithgold。“
　　Andthenitwas，whentheFairyLadyhadvanished，thatMr。Skelmersdalereallyunderstoodandknew。Hesuddenlybeganpluckingoutthegoldtheywerethrustinguponhim，andshoutingoutatthemtopreventtheirgivinghimmore。“’Idon’tWANTyergold，’Isaid。’I’aven’tdoneyet。I’mnotgoing。IwanttospeaktothatFairyLadyagain。’
　　Istartedofftogoafterherandtheyheldmeback。Yes，stucktheirlittle’andsagainstmymiddleandshovedmeback。Theykeptgivingmemoreandmoregolduntilitwasrunningalldownmytrouserlegsanddroppingoutofmy’ands。’Idon’tWANTyergold，’
　　Isaystothem，’IwantjusttospeaktotheFairyLadyagain。’“
　　“Anddidyou？“
　　“Itcametoatussle。“
　　“Beforeyousawher？“
　　“Ididn’tseeher。WhenIgotoutfromthemshewasn’tanywheretobeseen。“
　　Soheraninsearchofheroutofthisred-litcave，downalonggrotto，seekingher，andthencehecameoutinagreatanddesolateplaceathwartwhichaswarmofwill-o’-the-wispswereflyingtoandfro。
　　Andabouthimelvesweredancinginderision，andthelittlegnomescameoutofthecaveafterhim，carryinggoldinhandfulsandcastingitafterhim，shouting，“Fairyloveandfairygold！Fairyloveandfairygold！“
　　Andwhenheheardthesewords，cameagreatfearthatitwasallover，andhelifteduphisvoiceandcalledtoherbyhername，andsuddenlysethimselftorundowntheslopefromthemouthofthecavern，throughaplaceofthornsandbriers，callingafterherveryloudlyandoften。Theelvesdancedabouthimunheeded，pinchinghimandprickinghim，andthewill-o’-the-wispscircledroundhimanddashedintohisface，andthegnomespursuedhimshoutingandpeltinghimwithfairygold。Asheranwithallthisstrangeroutabouthimanddistractinghim，suddenlyhewasknee-deepinaswamp，andsuddenlyhewasamidstthicktwistedroots，andhecaughthisfootinoneandstumbledandfell……
　　Hefellandherolledover，andinthatinstanthefoundhimselfsprawlinguponAldingtonKnoll，alllonelyunderthestars。
　　Hesatupsharplyatonce，hesays，andfoundhewasverystiffandcold，andhisclothesweredampwithdew。Thefirstpallorofdawnandachillywindwerecominguptogether。Hecouldhavebelievedthewholethingastrangelyvividdreamuntilhethrusthishandintohissidepocketandfounditstuffedwithashes。
　　Thenheknewforcertainitwasfairygoldtheyhadgivenhim。
　　Hecouldfeelalltheirpinchesandpricksstill，thoughtherewasneverabruiseuponhim。Andinthatmanner，andsosuddenly，Mr。SkelmersdalecameoutofFairylandbackintothisworldofmen。
　　EventhenhefanciedthethingwasbutthematterofanightuntilhereturnedtotheshopatAldingtonCorneranddiscoveredamidsttheirastonishmentthathehadbeenawaythreeweeks。
　　“Lor’！thetroubleI’ad！“saidMr。Skelmersdale。
　　“How？“
　　“Explaining。Isupposeyou’veneverhadanythinglikethattoexplain。“
　　“Never，“Isaid，andheexpatiatedforatimeonthebehaviourofthispersonandthat。Onenameheavoidedforaspace。
　　“AndMillie？“saidIatlast。
　　“Ididn’tseemtocareabitforseeingMillie，“hesaid。
　　“Iexpectsheseemedchanged？“
　　“Everyonewaschanged。Changedforgood。Everyoneseemedbig，youknow，andcoarse。Andtheirvoicesseemedloud。Why，thesun，whenitroseinthemorning，fairhitmeintheeye！“
　　“AndMillie？“
　　“Ididn’twanttoseeMillie。“
　　“Andwhenyoudid？“
　　“IcameupagainstherSunday，comingoutofchurch。’Whereyoubeen？’
　　shesaid，andIsawtherewasarow。_I_didn’tcareiftherewas。
　　Iseemedtoforgetaboutherevenwhileshewastherea-talkingtome。Shewasjustnothing。Icouldn’tmakeoutwhateverI’adseenin’erever，orwhattherecould’avebeen。Sometimeswhenshewasn’tabout，Ididgetbackalittle，butneverwhenshewasthere。
　　Thenitwasalwaystheothercameupandblottedherout……
　　Anyow，itdidn’tbreakherheart。“
　　“Married？“Iasked。
　　“Married’ercousin，“saidMr。Skelmersdale，andreflectedonthepatternofthetableclothforaspace。