Then he came back and looked still more closely at William. Then he said: “’Ere!” and whipped off William’s hat. Then he said: “Well, I’m——!” and whipped off William’s beard. Then he said: “I’ll be——” and whipped off William’s coat.
William stood revealed as the Fairy Queen in the middle of the workhouse courtyard.
The short-sighted old man began to chuckle in a high, quavering voice. “It’s a lady out of a circus,” he said. “Oh, dear! Oh, dear! It’s a lady out of a circus!”
The man in uniform staggered back with one hand to his head.
WILLIAM STOOD REVEALED AS THE FAIRY QUEEN IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE COURTYARD. THE SHORT-SIGHTED OLD
MAN BEGAN TO CHUCKLE. “IT’S A LADY OUT OF
A CIRCUS! OH, DEAR! OH, DEAR!”
“Gor’ blimey!” he ejaculated. “’Ave I gone mad, or am I a-dreamin’ it?”
“It’s a lady out of a circus. He! He!” cackled the old man.
But William had gathered up his scattered possessions indignantly and fled, struggling into the coat as he did so. He ran along the road that skirted the workhouse, then, finding that he was not pursued, and that the road was empty, adjusted his hat and beard and buttoned his coat.
