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matter, naming one half of a woman as the devil’s, that she feared. Mary’s look at the world, as the look at herself wouldhave been had the garment fallen, was one of utter astonishment and fear at its nakedness when unclothed. And to Mary the world’s best and only clothing was—humankind.
    Mary’s ‘Oh’ that she gave now because she saw all Mockery as naked about her, was her usual exclamation with which she met anything that astonished her.
    To-day, as there was no skirt or coat to cover the earth, Mary walked a little nervously to the pasture beside the sea where the cows were.
    The sea, and especially when she could espy no ship or boat sailing upon it, appeared in her eyes as something very improper in its nakedness.
    The land had its trees and gateposts and beasts too, that gave it a sort of covering even though no man or woman was about. But the sea with its wide masculine spaces and the wicked dancing of its waves always made modest Mary blush when she looked upon it, and fancy that one day a naked man, rather than Miss Pink’s beast, would come out of it.
    Near to the field where Mr. Gulliver’s cows were feeding was a deserted fisherman’s hut, the last residence of poor Mr. Dobbin who wasn’t lucky enough to earn a living by fishing. The hut still had a chimney, and Mary, who didn’t like to look at the sea because of its mannish ways as explained by Mr. Caddy,gazed at the hut chimney when she walked across to the corner of the field where the cows were. When she was quite near to the hut Mary was startled to see a puff of white smoke come from the chimney. Mary stood still and trembled. Her simple mind was reasoning with itself: ‘There couldn’t be smoke,’ she decided, ‘without fire,’ and ‘there couldn’t be fire unless some one collected sticks and set a light to them.’
    â€˜Oh,’ gasped Mary, ‘I be sure that some one be about,’ and she began to drive the cows home.
    As Mary milked she couldn’t help hoping that Simon Cheney would meet her upon the hill when she led Dick there: Dick being Mr. Gulliver’s oldest horse, who wasn’t always needed at home, and who was granted the privilege of spending the greater number of his days in calm contentment upon the inland cliff.
    Mr. Gulliver, who had been studying for more than one evening now the queer picture, or map rather, that Mr. Tarr had given him, said to Mary as he opened the barton gate for her and the horse:
    â€˜Do ’ee mind and run home if anything do meet ’ee in lanes.’
    â€˜Children,’ said Mary, ‘do speak of a Nellie-bird , a nasty naked thing that gentleman ’ave told of.’
    Mr. Gulliver looked very grave.
    â€˜And there be‚’ said Mary, who loved to drink up fear till she gasped, ‘Miss Pink’s wicked beast wi’ ’is horns an’ tail.’
    â€˜And that bain’t all,’ said Mr. Gulliver, ‘for there be elephants and apes in India.’
    â€˜Oh, I do hope Simon will meet I,’ said Mary. Her father nodded and hoped so too.
    Mary was glad, for now the nasty nakedness of the land that had troubled her so when she went out for the cows was covered, for Mr. Caddy, the favourite of the buried king of Mockery, stood by his cottage gate that was a new one. Mr. Caddy was leaning against the gatepost and was watching with a friendly eye his ducks in the pond. Mr. Caddy walked a few steps and came to Mary.
    â€˜She do tell I,’ he said, referring to his wife and speaking of the ducks, ‘that they ducks be a-working while wold Caddy don’t do nothing—but ducks do all know that I do lean and talk.’
    Mr. Caddy used to lean, having evidently entered into a covenant with his garden gate to hold him up for ever. He talked, too; for no lady, not even Mrs. Pattimore or mild and plain Miss Pink, could pass Mr. Caddy without exchanging a word or