Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno.djvu/88

60 child, quite at their ease, talking as if they had known each other for years ! Then you think," I continued aloud, "that we ought sometimes to ask a Ghost to sit down ? But have we any authority for it ? In Shakespeare, for instance ——there are plenty of ghosts there——does Shakespeare ever give the stage - direction ’hands chair to Ghost’ ?" The lady looked puzzled and thoughtful for a moment : then she almost clapped her hands. "Yes, yes, he does !" she cried. "He makes Hamlet say ’Rest, rest, perturbed Spirit !’"

"And that, I suppose, means an easy-chair ?"

"An American rocking-chair, I think——— "

"Fayfield Junction, my Lady, change for Elveston ! "the guard announced, flinging open the door of the carriage : and we soon found ourselves, with all our portable property around us, on the platform.

The accommodation, provided for passengers waiting at this Junction, was distinctly inadequate——a single wooden bench, apparently intended for three sitters only : and even this was already partially occupied by a very old man, in a smock frock, who sat, with rounded