Belle and the dragon. An elfin comedy

this material life, without any fixed home in any of them. But he was no more nomadic in his habits than he was restless and shifting in his philosophy. At the same time, he possessed, intellectually speaking, the freedom of many fantastic fields of imagination, which are neither entered nor desired by the conventional humanity of this age.

His invitation to Fairyland passed unnoticed, due to one of those frequent eccentricities that governed him in certain moods, and from which, for example, the family's unusual names had originated. But, whatever his object was, it would have been evident to an observer of his movements that he was putting some fixed plan into operation. It is unnecessary to go into this, and indeed it would be impossible, for subsequent events caused him to maintain an impenetrable secrecy regarding them. But when the heat of that glorious day cooled down into the calm and pearly beauty of a soft and mild-breathed midsummer evening, the Mystic approached a tent in the garden of Ravendale, where the entire Raven community was enjoying a rustic feast of fruit and cream.

"The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," said the Mystic with an air of casualness.

"Quite right, darling," said Lady Melusine,

looking up from the pages of a short novel. "Have some strawberries!"

"He doesn't want strawberries, I'll bet," interposed the Gadfly hastily. "I know he'd much rather have a pipe," he continued, diligently polishing his clay pipe with a multi-purpose handkerchief that had been through many experiences without being particularly cleaned by them.

"We always have the pipe with us," replied the Mystic. "But fruit is limited to its season. As always, therefore, I will choose the better part, and by doing so, ensure a double benefit."

He contemplated the group of picturesque figures for a few moments, as they lay idly on rugs and the grass.

"But, perhaps, after all, true victory seldom falls to the runner or the warrior. You do right, therefore, to watch instead of competing."

"You seem to be very pleasantly and elaborately excusing our extreme laziness," remarked the Green Dragon, as she balanced the somewhat long curves of her spine on one elbow.

"And yet at times it is also pleasant to be active," continued the Mystic. "If we were ordinary people, this evening would tempt us out into the lanes."

"But we are not ordinary people, and I detest walking," said the Gadfly.