But that was out of the question. The Child was very obstinate, touched Tyltyl's cheeks with his finger and asked, in a tone of curiosity:
"Does it come from the eyes?..."
"Yes, sometimes, when one cries."
"What does that mean, crying?" asked the Child.
"I have not been crying," said Tyltyl proudly. "It's the fault of that blue!... But, if I had cried, it would be the same thing...."
"Do you often cry on earth?..."
"Not little boys, but little girls do.... Don't you cry here?"
"No, I don't know how...."
"Well, you will learn...."
At that moment, a great breath of wind made him turn his head and he saw, at a few steps away from him, a large piece of machinery which he had not noticed at first, as he was taken up with his interest in the little Child. It was a grand and magnificent thing, but I cannot tell you its name, because the inventions of the Kingdom of the Future will not be christened by Man until they reach the earth. I can only say that Tyltyl, when he looked at it, thought that the enormous azure wings that whizzed so swiftly before his eyes were like the windmills in his part of the world and that, if he ever found the Blue Bird, its wings would certainly be no more delicate, dainty or dazzling. Full of admiration, he asked his new acquaintance what they were.