“Well, I don’t wonder he does not care for tarts any more,” said Kitty, who felt rather inclined to laugh, although she flicked away a tear. Even Greedyland picture was sad.
And now she perceived that another picture was beginning to appear. It was that of a lovely landscape. There were trees, and running water, and blooming flowers. Children filled this pleasant spot. But they did not seem at all happy. Some glanced about them in a frightened fashion. The greater number presented a most dejected, even a disconsolate appearance, while a few sat apart, keeping their eyes tightly screwed up; their faces were all puckered to keep those eyes tightly closed. As she looked at the children she recognized some of those she had seen looking into the pool and singing to their own reflections.
“Why, what is it they do not want to see?” asked Kitty, glancing about to discover if anything terrible lurked among the trees and flowers.
She looked up to Love, but once again Love motioned to her to speak to the children.
Kitty advanced nearer. “Why do you keep your eyes shut?” she asked a little girl who was sitting with her eyes tightly closed.
“Don’t speak to me. I won’t look at you,” answered the child with a resolute shake of her head, but without a quiver of her eyelids.
Faces! Faces!—a World of Faces!—Page 145.
Another child came running up. She waved her hands and pointed up and down and all around, saying, in that thin piping voice Kitty was getting accustomed to hear:
“Don’t you see! don’t you see!”