| Where now is fled thy beauty? Where thy bloom, |
| Those airy steps that charmed th' expectant room? |
"To continue, however—this elusive sentence made me lose my direction and I found myself removed from the centre of the Maze by an impenetrable hedge of yew. I was about to retrace my steps when I heard voices on the other side of the hedge. It was a duet, madam—man and maid, flute and bass viol, fife and drum, describe it how you will."
"Did you recognize the voices?"
"Madam, I did not."
"Then how—since you were not able to see over the tops of the hedges without——"
The Great little Man drew himself up.
"Madam," he said, "I regard the physical exertion of bobbing up and down as ungenteel."
"Then how do you——?"
"Because on retracing my steps I passed your maid in an attitude of vigilance and exactly one hour and a half later I saw Miss Courteen and the aforesaid maid leave the Garden; and vastly well she looked, madam."
Mrs. Courteen asked why Mr. Ripple did not interrupt them. "'Twould surely have frightened them out of love-making for ever."