surprised。　True　love　suffers；　and　is　silent。　I

remember　myself　once　…　But　it　is　no　matter　now。　Romance　is　a　thing　of

the　past。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　Roman　Candle；　〃Romance　never　dies。　It　is　like

the　moon；　and　lives　for　ever。　The　bride　and　bridegroom；　for　instance；

love　each　other　very　dearly。　I　heard　all　about　them　this　morning　from　a

brown…paper　cartridge；　who　happened　to　be　staying　in　the　same　drawer　as

myself；　and　knew　the　latest　Court　news。〃　But　the　Catherine　Wheel　shook

her　head。　〃Romance　is　dead；　Romance　is　dead；　Romance　is　dead；〃　she

murmured。　She　was　one　of　those　people　who　think　that；　if　you　say　the

same　thing　over　and　over　a　great　many　times；　it　bees　true　in　the　end。

Suddenly；　a　sharp；　dry　cough　was　heard；　and　they　all　looked　round。

It　came　from　a　tall；　supercilious…looking　Rocket；　who　was　tied　to　the

end　of　a　long　stick。　He　always　coughed　before　he　made　any　observation；

so　as　to　attract　attention。

〃Ahem！　ahem！〃　he　said；　and　everybody　listened　except　the　poor

Catherine　Wheel；　who　was　still　shaking　her　head；　and　murmuring；

〃Romance　is　dead。〃

〃Order！　order！〃　cried　out　a　Cracker。　He　was　something　of　a　politician；

and　had　always　taken　a　prominent　part　in　the　local　elections；　so　he　knew

the　proper　Parliamentary　expressions　to　use。

〃Quite　dead；〃　whispered　the　Catherine　Wheel；　and　she　went　off　to

sleep。

As　soon　as