Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/261

XIV] "Both, I think," seemed to me the safest thing to say.

Sylvie adopted the suggestion instantly. "So Bruno said 'Please, Sirm, I want it for my Picnic' And the Oven said 'O! But I hope you wo'n't toast any of it?' And Bruno said 'No, indeed I wo'n't! New Bread's so light and so puffy, it wants no toasting!

"It never doesn't want no toasting," said Bruno. "I wiss oo wouldn't say it so short!"

"So Bruno put the Bread in the hamper. Then Bruno said 'Now I want some Apples!' So he took the hamper, and he went to the Apple-Tree, and he picked some lovely ripe Apples. And the Apple-Tree said"Here followed another long pause.

Bruno adopted his favourite expedient of tapping his forehead; while Sylvie gazed earnestly upwards, as if she hoped for some suggestion from the birds, who were singing merrily among the branches overhead. But no result followed.

"What does an Apple-tree begin with, when it wants to speak?" Sylvie murmured despairingly, to the irresponsive birds.