“O Hanky, Hanky! you will wreck the whole thing if you ever allow yourself to talk in that way.”
“You are more likely to wreck it yourself, Panky, by never doing so. People like being deceived, but they like also to have an inkling of their own deception, and you never inkle them.”
“The Queen,” said Panky, returning to the statues, “sticks to it that . . . ”
“Here comes another bird,” interrupted Hanky; “never mind about the Queen.”
The bird was soon eaten, whereon Panky again took up his parable about the Queen.
“The Queen says they are connected with the cult of the ancient Goddess Kiss-me-quick.”
“What if they are? But the Queen sees Kiss-me-quick in everything. Another quail, if you please, Mr. Ranger.”
My father brought up another bird almost directly. Silence while it was being eaten.
“Talking of the Sunchild,” said Panky; “did you ever see him?”
“Never set eyes on him, and hope I never shall.”