She sighed and glanced back the way she had come, and it was to be
noted that the sound of playing had not been resumed.

It was the Sleeping Beauty who replied. "Never mind, Cinderella," she
said. "You know I realize quite well what it is to be bored." She had
spoken gently; and now she smiled with a certain playfulness. "The
prince with the missing slipper will find you soon enough. You've only
to be patient, and the day will come when you'll seldom be bored any
more."

"I don't know, I'm sure," said Cinderella; and with perfect candor she
added, "Aren't _you_ bored? You look it: sitting there as if you
hadn't a single thought in your head."

The Sleeping Beauty laughed. "You dear, foolish thing!" she replied.
"Bored? The idea! I'm perfectly happy. Of course, there are
times . . ." She broke off and meditated, and actually sighed. "Come,
we'll go and look at the goldfish," she added briskly.

They went away together, taking cradle and all. All of a sudden they
seemed as energetic as sparrows. They seemed for the moment really
indifferent to Everychild, who remained in his chair alone.

When they had gone he leaned forward in an elegant yet somewhat
dejected attitude, his hands clasped between his knees. Then he arose,
shrugging his shoulders as if a burden were clinging to them, and
turned toward the Masked Lady.

"What are you doing?" he asked wonderingly.

She set free a fine dove, which immediately disappeared through the
window.

"I am getting ready for a very important journey," she said.

He watched her intently. Presently he said, in a strange, abashed
tone, "You seem a very nice, kind lady, after all!"

She did not reply to this, because a dove came in at that instant and
she busied herself placing it in its compartment in the cote.

He continued to regard her, though he was now studying her face, rather
than taking note of her work with the doves. "Sometimes," he continued
falteringly, "I have a wish to speak to you--I mean, to tell you of
things which I cannot speak of to others."

"I have tried always, Everychild, to be close to you," she said.

For an instant it seemed to him that it would not be difficult at all
to speak to her of what was in his heart. And he said, "You know I--I
am not very happy."

She replied to this with gentle mockery. "Not happy?" she said; "and
yet there are many to play with you, and none to turn away from you
with coldness and indifference--a