Page:Hopkinson Smith--In Dickens's London.djvu/139

THE FOUNTAIN IN FOUNTAIN COURT and in choosing laid the scenes around the fountain of Fountain Court.

The description written in 1843 will answer to-day as foot-lines to my sketch:

"Brilliantly the Temple Fountain sparkled in the sun, and laughingly its liquid music played, and merrily the idle drops of water danced and danced, and peeping out in sport among the trees, plunged lightly down to hide themselves, as little Ruth and her companion came towards it."

And the love-scene is worthy of the setting.

"And why they came towards the Fountain at all is a mystery; for they had no business there. It was not in their way. It was quite out of their way. They had no more to do with the Fountain, bless you, than they had with with Love, or any out of the way thing of that sort.

"It was all very well for Tom and his sister to make appointments by the Fountain, but that was quite another affair.&hellip;

"However, there they found themselves. And another extraordinary part of the matter was, that they seemed to have come there, by a silent understanding. Yet when they got there, they were a little confused by being there, which was the strangest part of all; because there is nothing naturally confusing in a Fountain. We all know that.

"'What a good old place it was!' John said. With quite an earnest affection for it.

"'A pleasant place, indeed,' said little Ruth. 'So shady!'

"Oh wicked little Ruth!

"They came to a stop when John began to praise it. The 83