Moonbeam shook hands with a quiet dignity and made no attempt to ask for or offer kisses, yet there was something very winning and frank about her, which made the contrast all the more delightful, because of a certain similarity. I thought on meeting they would have had so much to say that I should have become an unnecessary accompaniment to Sunbeam’s walk, but that was not so. They walked along one on each side of me, as quietly and demurely as possible, till at last I asked Sunbeam why she was so silent. “It’s my advancing years,” she said. “I feel as if the exertion to talk would be as tiring as to hide.” “Why are you talking in such an old-fashioned way?” demanded Moonbeam, laughing. “It’s my company manners. Mother says I must always accommodate myself to the society I’m in.” And after that there was no more quietness. CHAPTER V That afternoon we went to the city and Moonbeam with us. There is no doubt we made a very happy party, and the journey, though long as regards distance, was very quickly accomplished in a light and comfortable vehicle borne by six horses swift as the wind, and beautiful as perfect strength and freedom make them. Mountains and valleys, level roads and shining rivers, we crossed and passed. In itself this drive was exhilarating, and the beauty of the scenes through which we journeyed was unrivalled. When we first came in sight of the city it was from the brow of a steep hill our horses had climbed with perfect ease and freshness. The sun was setting as we came there, and what is sunset but the beauty of variety to those whose sun can never set? How magnificent it was only the eye of pure thought can ever truly see, yet with almost marvellous exactness it resembled hell. When we came to the city twilight had fallen, and cheerful lights shone from each curtained window. A few of their more intimate friends were there to greet us at the door, and among the number Philemon, Moonbeam’s brother. Now, had Philemon lived on this earth he would have been called a little shrivel of a fellow, for he was no higher than five feet, and extremely thin. But there was about him the nameless strength and beauty which marked them all. “That’s Philemon,” said Sunbeam to me as Moonbeam was kissing him, and to see their apparent delight at thus unexpectedly meeting was very pleasing. “Come along, let us go to them.” So we went. “Hullo, Sunbeam, you’re not an inch taller since I saw you last. Follow my advice and keep little, and when you’re old enough I’ll marry you.” “You see,” he explained, turning to me, “it’s hard on a fellow when his wife is taller than he is himself. Now, my ambition is to marry someone exactly six inches smaller than myself, but so far I have found nobody.” “Your ambition is a very lofty one,” I put in. “And like all such, impossible of accomplishment,” he sighed. “This is my brother Philemon,” said Moonbeam. “This is my brother Genius,” said Sunbeam.