hehadtoldmeto“shutit，“onlyundersudden，excessiveprovocation，andwith，Iamcertain，asubsequentrepentance；hewas，Iknew，quitegladtobeseenwalkingaboutthevillagewithme。Induecourse，heacceptedtheproposalofapipeandwhiskyinmyroomsreadilyenough，andthere，scentingbysomehappyinstinctthattherewastroubleoftheheartinthis，andknowingthatconfidencesbegetconfidences，Ipliedhimwithmuchofinterestandsuggestionfrommyrealandfictitiouspast。Anditwasafterthethirdwhiskyofthethirdvisitofthatsort，ifIrememberrightly，thataproposofsomeartlessexpansionofalittleaffairthathadtouchedandleftmeinmyteens，thathedidatlast，ofhisownfreewillandmotion，breaktheice。“Itwaslikethatwithme，“hesaid，“overthereatAldington。It’sjustthatthat’ssorum。FirstIdidn’tcareabitanditwasallher，andafterwards，whenitwastoolate，itwas，inamannerofspeaking，allme。“
Iforboretojumpuponthisallusion，andsohepresentlythrewoutanother，andinalittlewhilehewasmakingitasplainasdaylightthattheonethinghewantedtotalkaboutnowwasthisFairylandadventurehehadsattightuponforsolong。Yousee，I’ddonethetrickwithhim，andfrombeingjustanotherhalf-incredulous，would-befacetiousstranger，Ihad，byallmywealthofshamelessself-exposure，becomethepossibleconfidant。Hehadbeenbittenbythedesiretoshowthathe，too，hadlivedandfeltmanythings，andthefeverwasuponhim。
Hewascertainlyconfoundedlyallusiveatfirst，andmyeagernesstoclearhimupwithafewprecisequestionswasonlyequalledandcontrolledbymyanxietynottogettothissortofthingtoosoon。
Butinanothermeetingorsothebasisofconfidencewascomplete；
andfromfirsttolastIthinkIgotmostoftheitemsandaspects——
indeed，IgotquiteanumberoftimesoveralmosteverythingthatMr。Skelmersdale，withhisverylimitedpowersofnarration，willeverbeabletotell。AndsoIcometothestoryofhisadventure，andIpieceitalltogetheragain。Whetheritreallyhappened，whetherheimagineditordreamtit，orfelluponitinsomestrangehallucinatorytrance，Idonotprofesstosay。ButthatheinventeditIwillnotforonemomententertain。Themansimplyandhonestlybelievesthethinghappenedashesaysithappened；heistransparentlyincapableofanyliesoelaborateandsustained，andinthebeliefofthesimple，yetoftenkeenlypenetrating，rusticmindsabouthimIfindaverystrongconfirmationofhissincerity。Hebelieves——
andnobodycanproduceanypositivefacttofalsifyhisbelief。
Asforme，withthismuchofendorsement，Itransmithisstory——
Iamalittleoldnowtojustifyorexplain。
HesayshewenttosleeponAldingtonKnollaboutteno’clockonenight——itwasquitepossiblyMidsummernight，thoughhehasneverthoughtofthedate，andhecannotbesurewithinaweekorso——
anditwasafinenightandwindless，witharisingmoon。IhavebeenatthepainstovisitthisKnollthricesincehisstorygrewupundermypersuasions，andonceIwentthereinthetwilightsummermoonriseonwhatwas，perhaps，asimilarnighttothatofhisadventure。
Jupiterwasgreatandsplendidabovethemoon，andinthenorthandnorthwesttheskywasgreenandvividlybrightoverthesunkensun。TheKnollstandsoutbareandbleakunderthesky，butsurroundedatalittledistancebydarkthickets，andasIwentuptowardsittherewasamightystartingandscamperingofghostlyorquiteinvisiblerabbits。JustoverthecrownoftheKnoll，butnowhereelse，wasamultitudinousthintrumpetingofmidges。TheKnollis，Ibelieve，anartificialmound，thetumulusofsomegreatprehistoricchieftain，andsurelynomaneverchoseamorespaciousprospectforasepulchre。
EastwardoneseesalongthehillstoHythe，andthenceacrosstheChanneltowhere，thirtymilesandmoreperhaps，away，thegreatwhitelightsbyGrisNezandBoulognewinkandpassandshine。
WestwardliesthewholetumbledvalleyoftheWeald，visibleasfarasHindheadandLeithHill，andthevalleyoftheStouropenstheDownsinthenorthtointerminablehillsbeyondWye。AllRomneyMarshliessouthwardatone’sfeet，DymchurchandRomneyandLydd，Hastingsanditshillareinthemiddledistance，andthehillsmultiplyvaguelyfarbeyondwhereEastbournerollsuptoBeachyHead。
AndoutuponallthisitwasthatSkelmersdalewandered，beingtroubledinhisearlierloveaffair，andashesays，“notcaringWHEREhewent。“
Andtherehesatdowntothinkitover，andso，sulkingandgrieving，wasovertakenbysleep。Andsohefellintothefairies’power。
ThequarrelthathadupsethimwassometrivialmatterenoughbetweenhimselfandthegirlatClaptonHilltowhomhewasengaged。
Shewasafarmer’sdaughter，saidSkelmersdale，and“veryrespectable，“
andnodoubtanexcellentmatchforhim；butbothgirlandloverwereveryyoungandwithjustthatmutualjealousy，thatintolerantlykeenedgeofcriticism，thatirrationalhungerforabeautifulperfection，thatlifeandwisdomdopresentlyandmostmercifullydull。WhattheprecisematterofquarrelwasIhavenoidea。Shemayhavesaidshelikedmeningaiterswhenhehadn’tanygaiterson，orhemayhavesaidhelikedherbetterinadifferentsortofhat，buthoweveritbegan，itgotbyaseriesofclumsystagestobitternessandtears。Shenodoubtgottearfulandsmeary，andhegrewdustyanddrooping，andshepartedwithinvidiouscomparisons，gravedoubtswhethersheeverhadREALLYcaredforhim，andaclearcertaintyshewouldnevercareagain。AndwiththissortofthinguponhismindhecameoutuponAldingtonKnollgrieving，andpresently，afteralonginterval，perhaps，quiteinexplicably，fellasleep。
Hewoketofindhimselfonasofterturfthaneverhehadsleptonbefore，andundertheshadeofverydarktreesthatcompletelyhidthesky。Always，indeed，inFairylandtheskyishidden，itseems。
Exceptforonenightwhenthefairiesweredancing，Mr。Skelmersdale，duringallhistimewiththem，neversawastar。AndofthatnightIamindoubtwhetherhewasinFairylandproperoroutwheretheringsandrushesare，inthoselowmeadowsneartherailwaylineatSmeeth。
Butitwaslightunderthesetreesforallthat，andontheleavesandamidsttheturfshoneamultitudeofglow-worms，verybrightandfine。Mr。Skelmersdale’sfirstimpressionwasthathewasSMALL，andthenextthatquiteanumberofpeoplestillsmallerwerestandingallabouthim。Forsomereason，hesays，hewasneithersurprisednorfrightened，butsatupquitedeliberatelyandrubbedthesleepoutofhiseyes。AndthereallabouthimstoodthesmilingelveswhohadcaughthimsleepingundertheirprivilegesandhadbroughthimintoFairyland。
WhattheseelveswerelikeIhavefailedtogather，sovagueandimperfectishisvocabulary，andsounobservantofallminordetaildoesheseemtohavebeen。Theywereclothedinsomethingverylightandbeautiful，thatwasneitherwool，norsilk，norleaves，northepetalsofflowers。Theystoodallabouthimashesatandwaked，anddownthegladetowardshim，downaglow-wormavenueandfrontedbyastar，cameatoncethatFairyLadywhoisthechiefpersonageofhismemoryandtale。OfherIgatheredmore。Shewasclothedinfilmygreen，andaboutherlittlewaistwasabroadsilvergirdle。Herhairwavedbackfromherforeheadoneitherside；therewerecurlsnottoowaywardandyetastray，andonherbrowwasalittletiara，setwithasinglestar。Hersleevesweresomesortofopensleevesthatgavelittleglimpsesofherarms；herthroat，Ithink，wasalittledisplayed，becausehespeaksofthebeautyofherneckandchin。Therewasanecklaceofcoralaboutherwhitethroat，andinherbreastacoral-colouredflower。Shehadthesoftlinesofalittlechildinherchinandcheeksandthroat。Andhereyes，Igather，wereofakindledbrown，verysoftandstraightandsweetunderherlevelbrows。YouseebytheseparticularshowgreatlythisladymusthaveloomedinMr。Skelmersdale’spicture。Certainthingshetriedtoexpressandcouldnotexpress；“thewayshemoved，“
hesaidseveraltimes；andIfancyasortofdemurejoyousnessradiatedfromthisLady。
Anditwasinthecompanyofthisdelightfulperson，astheguestandchosencompanionofthisdelightfulperson，thatMr。SkelmersdalesetouttobetakenintotheintimaciesofFairyland。Shewelcomedhimgladlyandalittlewarmly——Isuspectapressureofhishandinbothofhersandalitfacetohis。Afterall，tenyearsagoyoungSkelmersdalemayhavebeenaverycomelyyouth。Andonceshetookhisarm，andonce，Ithink，sheledhimbythehandadownthegladethattheglow-wormslit。
JusthowthingschancedandhappenedthereisnotellingfromMr。Skelmersdale’sdisarticulatedskeletonofdescription。Hegiveslittleunsatisfactoryglimpsesofstrangecornersanddoings，ofplaceswherethereweremanyfairiestogether，of“toadstoolthingsthatshonepink，“offairyfood，ofwhichhecouldonlysay“youshouldhavetastedit！“andoffairymusic，“likealittlemusicalbox，“
thatcameoutofnoddingflowers。Therewasagreatopenplacewherefairiesrodeandracedon“things，“butwhatMr。Skelmersdalemeantby“theseherethingstheyrode，“thereisnotelling。Larvae，perhaps，orcrickets，orthelittlebeetlesthateludeussoabundantly。
Therewasaplacewherewatersplashedandgiganticking-cupsgrew，andthereinthehottertimesthefairiesbathedtogether。Thereweregamesbeingplayedanddancingandmuchelvishlove-making，too，Ithink，amongthemoss-branchthickets。TherecanbenodoubtthattheFairyLadymadelovetoMr。Skelmersdale，andnodoubteitherthatthisyoungmansethimselftoresisther。Atimecame，indeed，whenshesatonabankbesidehim，inaquiet，secludedplace“allsmellingofvi’lets，“andtalkedtohimoflove。
“Whenhervoicewentlowandshewhispered，“saidMr。Skelmersdale，“andlaid’er’andonmy’and，youknow，andcameclosewithasoft，warmfriendlywayshe’ad，itwasasmuchasIcoulddotokeepmy’ead。“
Itseemshekepthisheadtoacertainlimitedunfortunateextent。
Hesaw“’owthewindwasblowing，“hesays，andso，sittingthereinaplaceallsmellingofviolets，withthetouchofthislovelyFairyLadyabouthim，Mr。Skelmersdalebrokeittohergently——
thathewasengaged！
Shehadtoldhimshelovedhimdearly，thathewasasweethumanladforher，andwhateverhewouldaskofherheshouldhave——evenhisheart’sdesire。
AndMr。Skelmersdale，who，Ifancy，triedhardtoavoidlookingatherlittlelipsastheyjustdroppedapartandcametogether，leduptothemoreintimatequestionbysayinghewouldlikeenoughcapitaltostartalittleshop。He’djustliketofeel，hesaid，hehadmoneyenoughtodothat。Iimaginealittlesurpriseinthosebrowneyeshetalkedabout，butsheseemedsympatheticforallthat，andsheaskedhimmanyquestionsaboutthelittleshop，“laughinglike“
