e was hustled aside
by a little body in a dressing-gown and a cotton night-cap, who began
to frisk about the hall, wagging her head and stopping every minute to
cough, sneeze and blow her nose ... and to pull on her slippers, which
were too big for her and kept dropping off her feet. Sugar, Bread and
Tyltyl were no longer frightened and began to laugh like anything. But
they had no sooner come near the little person in the cotton night-cap
than they themselves began to cough and sneeze.

"It's the least important of the Sicknesses," said Night. "It's
Cold-in-the-Head."

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" thought Sugar. "If my nose keeps on running like
this, I'm done for: I shall melt!"

[Illustration: Wagging her head and stopping every minute to cough,
sneeze and blow her nose]

Poor Sugar! He did not know where to hide himself. He had become very
much attached to life since the journey began, for he had fallen over
head and ears in love with Water! And yet this love caused him the
greatest worry. Miss Water was a tremendous flirt, expected a lot
of attention and was not particular with whom she mixed; but mixing
too much with Water was an expensive luxury, as poor Sugar found to
his cost; for, at every kiss he gave her, he left a bit of himself
behind, until he began to tremble for his life.

When he suddenly found himself attacked by Cold-in-the-Head, he would
have had to fly from the palace, but for the timely aid of our dear
Tylo, who ran after the little minx and drove her back to her cavern,
amidst the laughter of Tyltyl and Mytyl, who thought gleefully that,
so far, the trial had not been very terrible.

The boy, therefore, ran to the next door with still greater courage.

"Take care!" cried Night, in a dreadful voice. "It's the Wars! They
are more powerful than ever! I daren't think what would happen, if one
of them broke loose! Stand ready, all of you, to push back the door!"

Night had not finished uttering her warnings, when the plucky little
fellow repented his rashness. He tried in vain to shut the door which
he had opened: an invincible force was pushing it from the other side,
streams of blood flowed through the cracks; flames shot forth; shouts,
oaths and groans mingled with the roar of cannon and the rattle of
musketry. Everybody in the Palace of Night was running about in wild
confusion. Bread and Sugar tried to take to flight, but could not find
the way out; and they now came back to Tyltyl and put thei