She had one
consolation, however, for Uncle Reginald, always kind to her, was
particularly affectionate this evening, as if he would not have that
little foolish Fly set up before her.
The tea and the tree both went off joyously. There is no need to
describe the spectacle to folks who can count their Christmas-trees by
the years of their life and the memorable part of this one was that
much of the fruit that had been left hanging on it was now
metamorphosed into something much more gorgeous--oranges had become
eggs full of sugar-plums, gutta-percha monkeys grinned on the branches,
golden flowers had sprung to life on the ends of the twigs, a lovely
jewel-like lantern crowned the whole, and as to sweets, everybody-
servants and all--had some delightful devices containing them, whether
drum, bird, or bird's nest.
Before the distribution was over, it was observed that Aunt Jane and
Uncle Reginald, also Harry, had vanished from the scene. There was a
pause, during which such tapers as began to burn perilously low, were
extinguished, an operation as delightful apparently as the fixing them.
Presently a horn was heard, and a start or shudder of mysterious
ecstasy pervaded the audience, as a tall figure came through the
curtains, and announced:
'Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honour to inform you that a fresh
discovery has been made in the secret chambers of the Pyramid of Chops,
otherwise known as Te-Gun-Ter-ra. A mummy has been disinterred, which
is about to be opened by the celebrated Egyptologist, Herr Professor
Freudigfeldius, who has likewise discovered the means of making such a
conjuration of the Sphynx that she will not only summon each of the
present company by name, but will require of each of them to reply to a
question.
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