served slowly.

"'I'm quite sure it wouldn't,' I hastened to reply. I wouldn't try for
worlds. It would spoil your pretty work in a moment. Good-evening.'

"And I hurried forward. Once I looked back, but the spider was not
following me. He was in his hole again, on his stomach, with his knees
above his head, and looking (apparently through his spectacles) down
the road up which I came.

"I soon forgot him in the sight before me. I had reached the open place
with the lights and the music; but how shall I describe the spectacle
that I beheld?

"I have spoken of the effect of a toy-shop on my feelings. Now imagine
a toy-fair, brighter and gayer than the brightest bazaar ever seen,
held in an open glade, where forest-trees stood majestically behind the
glittering stalls, and stretched their gigantic arms above our heads,
brilliant with a thousand hanging lamps. At the moment of my entrance
all was silent and quiet. The toys lay in their places looking so
incredibly attractive that I reflected with disgust that all my ready
cash, except one shilling and some coppers, had melted away amid the
tawdry fascinations of a village booth. I was counting the coppers
(sevenpence halfpenny), when all in a moment a dozen sixpenny fiddles
leaped from their places and began to play, accordions of all sizes
joined them, the drumsticks beat upon the drums, the penny trumpets
sounded, and the yellow flutes took up the melody on high notes, and
bore it away through the trees. It was weird fairy-music, but quite
delightful. The nearest approach to it that I know of above ground is
to hear a wild dreamy air very well whistled to a pianoforte
accompaniment.

"When the music began, all the toys rose. The dolls jumped down and
began to dance. The poodles barked, the pannier donkeys wagged their
ears, the wind-mills turned, the puzzles put themselves together, the
bricks built houses, the balls flew from side to side, the battledores
and shuttlecocks kept it up among themselves, and the skipping-ropes
went round, the hoops ran off, and the sticks ran after them, the
cobbler's wax at the tails of all the green frogs gave way, and they
jumped at the same moment, whilst an old-fashioned go-cart ran madly
about with nobody inside. It was most exhilarating.

"I soon became aware that the beetle was once more at my elbow.

"'There are some beautiful toys here,' I said.

"'Well, yes,' he replied, 'and some odd-looking ones too. You see,
whatever