FATHER WILLIAM’S STORY
with me, and if I take her the book” and she knelt down in front of Father William. “You will give it to me,” she said, “won’t you?”
“No, give it to me,” shouted the Fraction, and he threw himself in front of Father William.
And all the time Father William was gazing into the air quite calmly, taking no notice of either of them, and Lucy was almost crying, trying to get in a word to keep the other two quiet.
“It seems to me,” said Half-term, “that we must get the book before we can decide what is to be done with it.”
“Dear Father William,” said Lucy.
“In my youth” said Father William.
Minora and the Fraction jumped up angrily.
“We shall have to take it by force,” said Minora.
“Wait one minute,” said Lucy, “let me try once more. Dear Father William,” she said, and she stood beside him and laid her hand on his shoulder. “Dear Father William, will you give me the book you so kindly fetched for me?”
Father William looked up at her, and smiled a beautiful smile.
“Dear Lucy,” he said, “you asked me to fetch the book when you were in Nonsense Land; I did so, but could not find you there. They said you had disappeared. So, as Mrs. Owl advised, I left the book in Nonsense Land, at the Grand Panjandrum’s Court.”
“In Nonsense Land!” shouted Minora and Half-term.
But Thirteen-fourteenths threw himself on the ground, buried his face in his hands, and groaned aloud.
Lucy alone did not show how disappointed, how grieved, she was.
“Dear Father William,” she said, “will you fetch it for me? I will wait here, under this tree.”
“Certainly,” said Father William, very politely, and he jumped up from the ground.
“And will you be as quick as you can?” said Lucy. “Then we will go back together to Rhyme Land.”
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