ad painted _all the four lions alike_.

Now a Writer whose chambers overlooked Trafalgar Square, and who was
acquainted with its every aspect, by night as well as day, knew full
well that the Futurist artist was wrong when he painted all the four
lions _alike_. The Writer knew that one Lion was totally different
from all the others; so the Writer smiled and kept his own counsel.

I will wait, said the Writer, until somebody else has made the same
discovery that I have made. I will remain completely silent concerning
one square patch of fairyland placed within the very hub and centre of
the Universe, within the busiest part of a great city. When some other
traveller finds the key to the mystic place, we shall both discover it
is possible to talk about something which nobody else understands, and
be enabled to compare notes.

CONTENTS

CHAP.

AN EXPLANATION AND AN APOLOGY
A PREFACE

BOOK I

WHAT RIDGWELL AND CHRISTINE DECLARED

I THE PLEASANT-FACED LION
II BY ORDER OF THE LION
III THE GOLDEN PAVILION
IV PREPARING FOR A VISITOR

BOOK II

WHAT THE WRITER AND THE LORD MAYOR DECLARED

V THE WRITER APPEARS ON THE SCENE
VI TWO DICK WHITTINGTONS
VII THE LION MAKES HIS SIGN
VIII AN UPSETTING ARTICLE IN THE MORNING PAPER
IX THE WRITER PLANS WICKED PLANS

BOOK III

WHAT THE PUBLIC HEARD ABOUT

X THE LION GOES TO COURT
XI THE END OF THE MATTER

BOOK I

WHAT RIDGWELL AND CHRISTINE DECLARED

CHAPTER I

THE PLEASANT-FACED LION

Ridgwell always told Christine afterwards that he thought the Lion
first spoke to him in Trafalgar Square, the day when he was lost in the
fog.

Ridgwell never knew how he became separated from the rest, but like all
other unpleasant experiences it was one step, so to speak, and there he
was, wandering about lost. The fog appeared to have swallowed up the
friends he had been walking with a moment before; he could only hear
voices as if people were talking through a gramophone, and see looming
black shadows which did not seem to be accompanied by any bodies; then
whack--he walked right into something big which did not move. At this
point Ridgwell was seriously thinking about commencing to cry.

"Stop that," said a gruff voice.

"What?" faltered Ridgwell.

"Going to cry."

"I am not sure," said Ridgwell, "that I was."

"I am," said the gruff voice. "I saw the corners of your mouth go
down. Now can y