the one he had slept in at Talbot House; and in the
green curtains was woven a white pattern, very like the thing that was
engraved on Tinkler and on the white seal. On the coverlet lavender and
other herbs were laid. And the wall was hung with pictures done in
needlework--tapestry, in fact, though Dickie did not know that this was
its name. All the furniture was heavily built of wood heavily carved. An
enormous dark cupboard or wardrobe loomed against one wall. High-backed
chairs with tapestry seats were ranged in a row against another. The
third wall was almost all window, and in the fourth wall the fireplace
was set with a high-hooded chimney and wide, open hearth.

Near the bed stood a stool, or table, with cups and bottles on it, and
on the necks of the bottles parchment labels were tied that stuck out
stiffly. A stout woman in very full skirts sat in a large armchair at
the foot of the bed. She wore a queer white cap, the like of which
Dickie had never seen, and round her neck was a ruff which reminded him
of the cut-paper frills in the ham and beef shops in the New Cross Road.

"What a curious dream!" said Dickie.

The woman looked at him.

"So thou'st found thy tongue," she said; "folk must look to have curious
dreams who fall sick of the fever. But thou'st found thy tongue at
last--thine own tongue, not the wandering tongue that has wagged so fast
these last days."

"But I thought I was in the front room at----" Dickie began.

"Thou'rt here," said she; "the other is the dream. Forget it. And do not
talk of it. To talk of such dreams brings misfortune. And 'tis time for
thy posset."

She took a pipkin from the hearth, where a small fire burned, though it
was summer weather, as Dickie could see by the green tree-tops that
swayed and moved outside in the sun, poured some gruel out of it into a
silver basin. It had wrought roses on it and "Drink me and drink again"
in queer letters round the rim; but this Dickie only noticed later. She
poured white wine into the gruel, and, having stirred it with a silver
spoon, fed Dickie as one feeds a baby, blowing on each spoonful to cool
it. The gruel was very sweet and pleasant. Dickie stretched in the downy
bed, felt extremely comfortable, and fell asleep again.

Next time he awoke it was with many questions. "How'd I come 'ere? 'Ave
I bin run over agen? Is it a hospital? Who are you?"

"Now don't you begin to wander again," said the woman in the cap.
"You're here