Then they got into the carriage again, and Evangeline flourished her whip. The boys climbed up into the back seat, and Mary felt she should not mind being driven along that sunny road for ever, or at least until tea-time. She had never smelled the air so sweet nor seen the sky so blue. Presently they reached some shops and small houses, and the people came out to stand at the doors and bow to Evangeline as she passed. 'Why do they do that?' asked Mary. 'If you saw a fairy-queen driving four cream-coloured ponies past your house, don't you think you would bow to show how pleased you felt?' said Sister Agatha. 'I suppose I should,' answered Mary, as they came to a gate with a cottage beside it. Out from the cottage a funny little old woman came with a face the colour of a russet apple; she curtseyed so low that her chin seemed almost to touch the ground, and she wore a red cloak. In one hand she carried a stick, and Mary wondered whether she was a witch. She opened the gate, and stood bowing as Evangeline drove through it, and when Mary looked back at her afterwards the little old woman was bowing still. Now, the road ran through a large park, and in the distance Mary saw a great white house, a part of which shone very brightly in the sunshine. 'Is that the palace?' asked the child. 'Yes,' answered Sister Agatha, 'that is your fairy's palace.' 'Why does it shine so much?' asked Mary. 'Oh, that's to welcome the queen, you know!' 'What are those things?' exclaimed Mary the next minute; 'those funny things with trees on their heads?' 'Those are deer,' said Evangeline. 'But that's what you call me!' cried Mary, with her eyes very widely open. 'Well,' said Sister Agatha, 'you're a dear too, only a different kind of dear.' 'I can't run so fast,' answered Mary. For as she spoke the deer began to trot away, then they stopped again, and one that was bigger than the rest stood in front whilst they all watched the carriage. Several people stood at the door of the house, which seemed to be partly built of glass. All the people were young like Evangeline, and they all appeared pleased to see her. But Mary felt a little disappointed that none of them took any notice of her, and very few spoke to Sister Agatha, who took Mary's hand, and led her into the house. They passed through a wide hall with animals' heads hanging on the walls, and there was a large table with a green top and red and white balls on it. 'Where are their bodies?' asked Mary, as she walked upstairs with Sister Agatha. 'Whose bodies?' 'Belonging to the great heads downstairs?' said Mary. 'Oh!' answered Sister Agatha, 'I daresay their bodies have been turned into men.'