“After Peri had begged long, but in vain, at the gates of paradise to be admitted to the land of the blessed, she brought at last, as the most beautiful thing in the world, the sigh of a repentant sinner; and she found favor with the keeper of the gate on account of the sacredness of the gift she had brought——”
“Let’s play forfeits now!” cried Gustave.
“Forfeits! Forfeits!” everybody called out after him.
And they played forfeits. Pawns were redeemed; and of course there was some kissing done. Riddles were given that nobody could guess; and who ever knew must not tell—a usual condition in this game.
“Heavy, heavy hangs over your head; what shall the owner do to possess it?”
“Stand on one leg for five minutes.”
“Let him jump over a straw—or recite a poem!”
“No, a fable—la cigale, or something like that.”
“Yes, yes!”
It was Walter’s pawn.