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With a bound she stood erect； one foot upon each of her supple； plunging
Arabs； and at once I knew that my fate was sealed； my chapter closed； and
the Bride of the Desert was the one bride for me。 Black was her raiment；
great silver stars shone through it； caught in the dusky twilight of her
gauze； black as her own hair were the two mighty steeds she bestrode。 In
a tempest they thundered by； in a whirlwind； a scirocco of tan； her cheeks
bore the kiss of an Eastern sun； and the sand… storms of her native desert
were her satellites。 What was Coralie； with her pink silk； her golden hair
and slender limbs； beside this magnificent； full…figured Cleopatra？ In a
twinkling we were scouring the desertshe and I and the two coal… black
horses。 Side by side； keeping pace in our swinging gallop； we distanced
the ostrich； we outstrode the zebra； and； as we went； it seemed the
wilderness blossomed like the rose。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
I know not rightly how we got home that evening。 On the road there
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DREAM DAYS
were everywhere strange presences； and the thud of phantom hoofs
encircled us。 In my nose was the pungent circus…smell； the crack of the
whip and the frank laugh of the clown were in my ears。 The funny man
thoughtfully abstained from conversation； and left our illusion quite alone；
sparing us all jarring criticism and analysis； and he gave me no chance；
when he deposited us at our gate； to get rid of the clumsy expressions of
gratitude I had been laboriously framing。 For the rest of the evening；
distraught and silent； I only heard the march…music of the band； playing on
in some corner of my brain。 When at last my head touched the pillow； in
a trice I was with Zephyrine； riding the boundless Sahara； cheek to cheek；
the world well lost； while at times； through the sand…clouds that encircled
us； glimmered the eyes of Coralie； touched； one fancied； with something
of a tender reproach。
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DREAM DAYS
ITS WALLS WERE AS OF
JASPER
In the long winter evenings； when we had the picture…books out on the
floor； and sprawled together over them with elbows deep in the hearth…rug；
the first business to be gone through was the process of allotment。 All
the characters in the pictures had to be assigned and dealt out among us；
according to seniority； as far as they would go。 When once that had been
satisfactorily completed； the story was allowed to proceed； and thereafter；
in addition to the excitement of the plot； one always possessed a personal
interest in some particular member of the cast； whose successes or rebuffs
one took as so much private gain or loss。
For Edward this was satisfactory enough。 Claiming his right of the
eldest； he would annex the hero in the very frontispiece； and for the rest of
the story his career； if chequered at intervals； was sure of heroic episodes
and a glorious close。 But his juniors； who had to put up with characters
of a clay more mixednay； sometimes with undiluted villainywere hard
put to it on occasion to defend their other selves （as it was strict etiquette
to do） from ignominy perhaps only too justly merited。 Edward was
indeed a hopeless grabber。 In the 〃Buffalo…book；〃 for instance （so named
from the subject of its principal picture； though indeed it dealt with varied
slaughter in every zone）； Edward was the stalwart； bearded figure； with
yellow leggings and a powder…horn； who undauntedly discharged the fatal
bullet into the shoulder of the great bull bison； charging home to within a
yard of his muzzle。 To me was allotted the subsidiary character of the
friend who had succeeded in bringing down a cow； while Harold had to be
content to hold Edward's spare rifle in the background； with evident signs
of uneasiness。 Farther on； again； where the magnificent chamois sprang
rigid into mid…air； Edward； crouched dizzily against the precipice…face；
was the sportsman from whose weapon a puff of white smoke was floating
away。 A bare…kneed guide was all that fell to my share； while poor
Harold had to take the boy with the haversack； or abandon； for this
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DREAM DAYS
occasion at least； all Alpine ambitions。
Of course the girls fared badly in this book； and it was not surprising
that they preferred the 〃Pilgrim's Progress〃 （for instance）； where women
had a fair show； and there was generally enough of 'em to go round； or a
good fairy story； wherein princesses met with a healthy appreciation。 But
indeed we were all best pleased with a picture wherein the characters just
fitted us； in number； sex； and qualifications； and this； to us； stood for
artistic merit。
All the Christmas numbers； in their gilt frames on the nursery… wall；
had been gone through and allotted long ago； and in these； sooner or later；
each one of us got a chance to figure in some satisfactory and brightly
coloured situation。 Few of the other pictures about the house afforded
equal facilities。 They were generally wanting in figures； and even when
these were present they lacked dramatic interest。 In this picture that I
have to speak about； although the characters had a stupid way of not doing
anything； and apparently not wanting to do anything； there was at least a
sufficiency of them； so in due course they were allotted； too。
In itself the picture； whichin its ebony and tortoise…shell framehung
in a corner of the dining…room； had hitherto possessed no special interest
for us； and would probably never have been dealt with at all but for a
revolt of the girls against a succession of books on sport； in which the
illustrator seemed to have forgotten that there were such things as women
in the world。 Selina accordingly made for it one rainy morning； and
announced that she was the lady seated in the centre； whose gown of rich；
flowered brocade fell in such straight； severe lines to her feet； whose cloak
of dark blue was held by a jewelled clasp； and whose long； fair hair was
crowned with a diadem of gol