He gazed down on the city below him, and then put his hand over his eyes.
"I can't bear to look at it, it is so beautiful—so dreadful. And I don't understand it—not one bit. There is nobody to tell me about it. I wish I had somebody to speak to."
"Do you? Then pray speak to me. I was always considered good at conversation."
The voice that squeaked out this reply was an excellent imitation of the human one, though it came only from a bird. No lark this time, however, but a great black and white creature that flew into the cloak, and began walking round and round on the edge of it with a dignified stride, one foot before the other, like any unfeathered biped you could name.
"One half of the people seemed
so happy and busy."
"The other half were so wretched
and miserable."
"I haven't the honour of your acquaintance, sir," said the boy politely.