The four dolls halted and seemed to consult. The acrobats pirouetted, and reached to their backs. They
drew from the hidden sheaths their dagger-pins. In the hands of banker-doll and spinster-doll appeared
similar weapons. They presented the points toward me, like swords.
The four resumed their march to my bed…
The red eyes of the second acrobat-doll-the trapeze performer, I knew him now to be-had rested on
the chandelier. He paused, studying it. He pointed to it, thrust the dagger-pin back into its sheath, and
bent his knees, hands cupped in front of them. The first doll nodded, then stood, plainly measuring the
height of the chandelier from the floor and considering the best approach to it. The second doll pointed to
the mantel, and the pair of them swarmed up its sides to the broad ledge. The elderly pair watched them,
seemingly much interested. They did not sheath their dagger-pins.