Page 44 - Adventures in shadow-land

boy said, “ for to-day t h e y cannot silence m e;
this one day when 1 can be my own. self again.

You ought to know, Eva, without my telling you,
and you would know, if you were like m e; but you

are not as I am ,”
“ Why not ?” Eva asked, in surprise,
“ Because you are only a little earth-maiden.”

Eva laughed. “ What is that?” She had wholly,
as we know, forgotten the past.

<fI cannot tell you,” Aster said, slowly. “ I
only know what t h e v have told me about you. ”

f‘ And that ?”
111 do not know. But you are not like me,
Eva. We are very different. Look at your dress,

and then at mine.''

In truth, every here and there upon the rich
velvet of Aster’s dress were soils and stains, while
not a spot discolored the pure white Eva wore.

“ Now do you see?” Aster asked. “ You
know that we are in Shadow-Land, and it can

only affect things which are like itself; it cannot
harm you or deceive you."

“ Do you belong here?”
“ N o/1 Aster said. “ I came from there/1