All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

ALL L\ A GARDEX FAIR, 233
which thron^f the thoroughiaros of the Joyluss
City like ants upon an ant-hill, there presently
began to detach themselves, by ones and twos,
singly or in little groui)s, separate figures
while he looked upon them the background of
faces disappeared. These figures, however,
never left him, day after day, but continued
shadows impalpable, yet plain to behold, and
acted and talked before him. He listened and
looked imtil he knew them, knew their very
thoughtcs, knew why they acted and what they
would do next ;
knew their manner of speech,
their hopes, and their anxieties, their very
prejudices ; man and woman they stood before
him, and bared their souls, and were not
ashamed. They were unlovely ; some of them
were like monstrous figments created by a fan-
tastic artist, so hideous were tlu y ;
but these were
the old ; some among the young were beautiful,
but it seemed as if while he looked \\\iO\\ tiiem,
invisible fingers were taking the beauty out of
their faces and the sweetness out of their eyes.
Tlicrc were young girls among tliem, quite