So saying, she went away and left the two Children face to face, shyly smiling. Suddenly, they began to talk: "How do you do?" said Tyltyl, putting out his hand to the Child. But the Child did not understand what that meant and stood without moving. "What's that?" continued Tyltyl, touching the Child's blue dress. The Child, who was absorbed in what he was looking at, did not answer, but gravely touched Tyltyl's hat with his finger: "And that?" he lisped. "That?... That's my hat," said Tyltyl. "Have you no hat?" "No; what is it for?" asked the Child. "It's to say How-do-you-do with," Tyltyl answered. "And then for when it's cold...." "What does that mean, when it's cold?" asked the Child. "When you shiver like this: Brrr! Brrr!" said Tyltyl. "And when you go like this with your arms," vigorously beating his arms across his chest. "Is it cold on earth?" asked the Child. "Yes, sometimes, in winter, when there is no fire." "Why is there no fire?..." "Because it's expensive; and it costs money to buy wood...." The Child looked at Tyltyl again as though he did not understand a word that Tyltyl was saying; and Tyltyl in his turn looked amazed: "It's quite clear that he knows nothing of the most everyday things," thought our hero, while the child stared with no small respect at "the little Live Boy" who knew everything. Then he asked Tyltyl what money was. "Why, it's what you pay with!" said Tyltyl, scorning to give any further explanation. "Oh!" said the Child, seriously. Of course, he did not understand. How _could_ he know, a little boy like that, who lived in a paradise where his least wishes were granted before he had learned to put them into words? "How old are you?" asked Tyltyl, continuing the conversation. "I am going to be born soon," said the Child. "I shall be born in twelve years.... Is it nice to be born?" "Oh, yes," cried Tyltyl, without thinking. "It's great fun!" But he was very much at a loss when the little boy asked him "how he managed." His pride did not allow him to be ignorant of anything in another child's presence; and it was quite droll to see him with his hands in his breeches-pockets, his legs wide apart, his face upturned and his whole attitude that of a man who is in no hurry to reply. At last, he answered, with a shrug of the shoulders: "Upon my word, I can't remember! It's so long ago!" "They say it's lovely, the earth and the Live People!" remarked the Child. "Yes, it's not bad," said Tyltyl. "There are birds and cakes and toys.... Some have them all; but those who have none can look at the others!" This reflection shows us the whole character of our little friend. He was proud and inclined to be rather high-and-mighty; but he was never envious and his generous nature made up to him for his poverty by allowing him to enjoy the good fortune of others. [Illustration: Other Blue Children opened great big books]