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Crashey and Bravey stopped and turned sht Parsonage, and Charlotte heard her heels click on the diamond floor That click, somehow, sounded deep in her and convinced her of the reality of this summer country as the birds and pillars and heat could not The floor beneath her was real, and its facets yawned below her like mirrors She drew her sisters in close and her heart battered madly at her ribs

“I am your Crashey,” said the solemn soldier “And so I must obey you, but I wish you would not compel me in this way I will say it is a dream, if your will is set But I am an honest nut, and I do not like to lie I will show you my wounds if you require evidence—you may already see the place where the Marquis of Douro put his n, but here,” and Captain Tree showed his thigh, which had a scorch mark upon it, “you may find proof of the explosion of the citadel of Acroofcroomb Witness also my flank, whereupon Buonaparte stuck me with his knife, and lon If it will not make the ladies too faint, I can show you the scar over my liver, where the cannibal tribes made a lunch of Cheeky, Gravey, Cracky and my humble self”

Branwell at last relented and drew into the protective circle of his sisters Charlotte held hih him as he put his hand upon little Anne’s shoulder as he had seen their father do when their Aunt suffered a spell of grief

“Those are our battles,” whispered E Men to Acroofcroomb We set the cannibal hordes upon them We invented Glass Town, and Gondal, and the Marquis He is talking about Our Work”

“Indeed, fair Emily, you did send us into service,” spoke up Bravey for the first ti and entle hands which restored us to life, fit and hale to strive again for the sake of our nation” Handsome Bravey put his hand over his heart and bowed Branwell flushed, re his own plans for the afternoon, which had included dropping Bravey froht onto sharp rocks

Charlotte shook her head “It is not possible Fiction counts no casualties! The Young Men are playthings, entleman in Leeds and purchased fairly—they cannot simply become real”

“I believe you will find all this easier on your stomachs if you join us within,” said Bravey uncomfortably “For the whole of reality is not easily explained by a couple of old veterans with splinters still stuck in their bones”

The children allowed the blue hall They seereen and turquoise shadows pierced by pins of sunlight The hall opened into a great rooht, full of still olden thrones arrayed theures Three ladies there were, two dark and one light, their glossy hair gathered at their necks, their pale faces calauzy dresses of spectacular colors: criarnet-black Beside the crossed over one knee, his face craggy and not unhandsome, his brow furrowed, his lanky hair coal-colored and loose The four bore a si familiarity

Of all of them, little Anne, hardly turned seven, understood and ran toward the thrones

“She is rown, and beautiful, and that is you, Charlotte, and you, Emily, and you Branwell, your very scowl! Oh!” Anne put her hands to her face “So that is what I will be I have wanted to be grown-up all my life”

“How sht hair came loose as she put her own hand to her cheek

“Welcome,” said the older Charlotte “We are the Chief Genii of Glass Town You reat lady dropped her foruard! We are in the midst of our annual rite, and to be perfectly frank we did not think we should meet you here, or ever”

The younger Charlotte approached the throne shyly She extended her hand, still gloved fro at this woman as herself but not herself, herself older and wise and somewhat sad, herself whole and coh the child’s and smiled

“How strange,” she said

“You must explain!” cried Branwell fearfully “Or I will call the Young Men! Crashey said he would obey me!”