Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/358

320 Choking with sobs, the Gardener hastily stepped on a few yards ahead of the party, to conceal his emotion.

"Did he see the Bar of Mottled Soap?" Sylvle enquired, as we followed.

"Oh, certainly!" said the Professor. "That song is his own history, you know."

Tears of an ever-ready sympathy glittered in Bruno's eyes. "I's welly sorry he isn't the Pope!" he said. "Aren't you sorry, Sylvie?"

"WellI hardly know," Sylvie replied in the vaguest manner. "Would it make him any happier?" she asked the Professor.

"It wouldn't make the Pope any happier," said the Professor. "Isn't the platform lovely?" he asked, as we entered the Pavilion.

"I've put an extra beam under it!" said the Gardener, patting it affectionately as he spoke. "And now it's that strong, asas a mad elephant might dance upon it!"

"Thank you very much!" the Professor heartily rejoined. "I don't know that we shall exactly requirebut it's convenient to know." And he led the children upon the platform, to explain the arrangements to them. "Here are