human
Why don't you shut your eyes and go to sleep?
gpt
I can't, on account of the round-and-roundness feeling,
human
What a funny little thing you are. Here, give me your hand.
gpt
May I come quite close to you, mother?
human
Yes, darling.
gpt
Oh, now that's better,
human
I am much better, she said;
gpt
I didn't understand, but I understand now. I got his letter.
human
Must we talk about it to-night, Sibyl?
gpt
Not much; there's not much to say, is there? He said I was to be good and to obey you. I was to be good all the time. It's very hard, but I 'spect I'll do it; I 'spect Lord Jesus will help me. Mother, why has father gone to Queensland? It's such a long, long way off.
human
For a most excellent reason, said Mrs. Ogilvie.
gpt
You really are showing a great deal of sense, Sibyl. I never knew you more sensible about anything. I was afraid you would cry and make scenes and be naughty, and make yourself quite ill; that would have been a most silly, affected sort of thing to do. Your father has gone away just on a visit--we will call it that. He will be back before the summer is over, and when he comes back he will bring us----
human
What? asked the child.
gpt
What has he gone for?
human
My dear child, he has gone on most important business. He will bring us back a great deal of _money_, Sibyl. You are too young yet to understand about money.
gpt
No, I am not, said Sibyl.
human
I know that when people have not much money they are sorrowful. Poor Mr. Holman is.
gpt
Who in the world is Mr. Holman?
human
He sells the toys in the back street near our house. I am very much obliged to you, mother, for that sovereign. Mr. Holman is going to send me some dusty toys to-morrow.
gpt
What do you mean?
human
I can't 'splain, Mr. Holman understands. But, mother, I thought we had plenty of money.
gpt
Plenty of money, echoed Mrs. Ogilvie;
human
Rich? said Sibyl,
gpt
Is it nice, being rich?
human
Of course it is.
gpt
But what does it do?
human
Do? It does everything. It gives you all your pretty frocks.
gpt
But I am more comfy in my common frocks.
human
Well, it gives you your nice food.
gpt
I don't care nothing about food.
human
It gives you your comfortable home, your pony, and----
gpt
Lord Grayleigh gave me my pony.
human
Child, I cannot explain. It makes all the difference between comfort and discomfort, between sorrow and happiness.
gpt
Do you think so? said Sibyl.
human
And father has gone away to give me a nice house, and pretty clothes, and all the other things between being comfy and discomfy; and you want to be rich very much, do you, mother?
gpt
Very much indeed; I like the good things of life.
human
I'll try and understand,
gpt
Nursie, said Sibyl, two months after the events related in the last chapter,
human
Um, replied nurse, with a grunt,
gpt
Why do you speak in that sort of voice, nursie? It's very nice to be rich. I have been having long talks with mother, and she has 'splained things. It means a great deal to be rich. I am so glad that my father is coming back a very, very rich man. I didn't understand at first. I thought to be rich just meant to have lots of money, and big, big houses, and heaps of bags of sweeties, and toys and ponies, and, oh, the kind of things that don't matter a bit. But now I know what to be rich really is.
human
Yes, dear,