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THE

DRESSMAKER’S TALE,

CONTINUED

&nbs

p; THE MOUSE LICKED HIS CHOPS AND WRUNG HIS gray paws “What will she taste like? Will she taste like mouse?”

I trery stare “I have seen the sun, and the streets, and the world outside the Church-door Why do you not go into it? I edge the door open for you, and you ht, and see for yourself what the universe is s than Yellow and Green and Purple and Red Do you knohat Blue is?”

“No! Would it be difficult to chew?” The

“Yes, very” I tapped s desperately, my belly pained and anxious “But come, friend e “Xide is hardly worth your effort! She is all wrung out, an old cloth! Come with me, into the world outside the Church-door, and all your brethren, too, and I will show you the very brightest things there are! I eave whatever you like into beauty and color and light! And you will find that you can be brighter than la untoward There are so htness”

The mouse looked doubtful “I have heard that in the world outside, it is easy to becoht! We wish to be bright and great, so that no oneto us with Brooms!”

I considered this for a long ti in my manifold eyes “I think I kno you may have all you like, and still leave the Weaver in her place, uneaten and unknown”

I went to Xide and rested in the hollow of her elbow, as full of sorrows as a web of flies—for now I knew, being a proper spider, what flies were for, and webs, and I understood why the flies had not wanted to speak to me I told her all I had heard, and all I intended She s, and let her lips fall—ever so gently!—onto ht, and I was at peace

I began to weave , for the exodus of the reen boots in peood I wove a long black wig of glossy curls I sent to the Mask-old and peacock feathers And because they begged for it, I wove, over days and weeks and months and years, for a spider is still sold thread at every seam

THE TALE OF THE

CLOAK OF FEATHERS,

CONTINUED