Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno.djvu/187

XII] "Not always," Bruno said thoughtfully. "Sometimes, when I's too happy, I wants to be a little miserable. Then I just tell Sylvie about it, oo know, and Sylvie sets me some lessons. Then it's all right."

"I'm sorry you don't like lessons," I said. "You should copy Sylvie. She's always as busy as the day is long!"

"Well, so am I!" said Bruno."

No, no!" Sylvie corrected him. "You’re as busy as the day is short!"

"Well, what's the difference?" Bruno asked. "Mister Sir, isn't the day as short as it's long? I mean, isn't it the same length?"

Never having considered the question in this light, I suggested that they had better ask the Professor; and they ran off in a moment to appeal to their old friend. The Professor left off polishing his spectacles to consider. "My dears," he said after a minute, "the day is the same length as anything that is the same length as it!' And he resumed his never-ending task of polishing.

The children returned, slowly and thoughtfully, to report his answer. "Isn't he wise?"