o awfully separated. Mrs. Waddy took
fresh kisses off my lips, assuring me that my father would have them in
twenty minutes, and I was to sit and count the time. My nursemaid let her
out. I pretended to be absorbed in counting, till I saw Mrs. Waddy pass
by the window. My heart gave a leap of pain. I found the street-door open
and no one in the passage, and I ran out, thinking that Mrs. Waddy would
be obliged to take me if she discovered me by her side in the street.

I was by no means disconcerted at not seeing her immediately. Running on
from one street to another, I took the turnings with unhesitating
boldness, as if I had a destination in view. I must have been out near an
hour before I understood that Mrs. Waddy had eluded me; so I resolved to
enjoy the shop-windows with the luxurious freedom of one whose
speculations on those glorious things all up for show are no longer
distracted by the run of time and a nursemaid. Little more than a glance
was enough, now that I knew I could stay as long as I liked. If I stopped
at all, it was rather to exhibit the bravado of liberty than to
distinguish any particular shop with my preference: all were equally
beautiful; so were the carriages; so were the people. Ladies frequently
turned to look at me, perhaps because I had no covering on my head; but
they did not interest me in the least. I should have been willing to ask
them or any one where the Peerage lived, only my mind was quite full, and
I did not care. I felt sure that a great deal of walking would ultimately
bring me to St. Paul's or Westminster Abbey; to anything else I was
indifferent.

Toward sunset my frame was struck as with an arrow by the sensations of
hunger on passing a cook's-shop. I faltered along, hoping to reach a
second one, without knowing why I had dragged my limbs from the first.
There was a boy in ragged breeches, no taller than myself, standing
tiptoe by the window of a very large and brilliant pastry-cook's. He
persuaded me to go into the shop and ask for a cake. I thought it
perfectly natural to do so, being hungry; but when I reached the counter
and felt the size of the shop, I was abashed, and had to repeat the
nature of my petition twice to the young woman presiding there.

'Give you a cake, little boy?' she said. 'We don't give cakes, we sell
them.'

'Because I am hungry,' said I, pursuing my request.

Another young woman came, laughing and shaking lots of ringlets.

'Don't you see he's n