“Oh, no,” wearily, “but it has struck one, and two, and three, and I’m afraid it will strike four.”
“I suppose it will unless the clock stops or time ceases to be.”
“What will be when time ceases to be? What comes next?”
“Forever comes next. Don’t you want it to be forever?”
“You sha’n’t talk so and frighten me. I can’t go to sleep. I thought somebody was dying or dead.”
“You were dreaming.” Tessa put a loving arm around her. “Didn’t you ever say the multiplication table in the night?”
“No, nor any other time.”
The moonlight shone in through the open window, making a golden track across the carpet.
“The moon shines on Red Riding Hood,” said Sue. “Tell me a story, Tessa.”
“Don’t you like the moonlight? Some one had a lovely little room once and she said that the moonlight came in and swept it clean of foolish thoughts.”