Besides, he was to play the dragon! When he
did fairly devote himself to anything, he grudged no trouble and
hesitated at no undertakings. He was so much pleased with my plot and
with the cave, that he announced that he should paint a new forest
scene for the occasion. I tried to dissuade him. There were so many
other things to be done, and the old scene was very good. But he had
learnt several new tricks of the scene-painter's trade, and was bent
upon putting them into practice. So he began his new scene, and I
resolved to work all the harder at the odds and ends of our
preparations. To be driven into a corner and pressed for time always
stimulated instead of confusing me. I think the excitement of it is
pleasant. Alice had the same dogged way of working at a crisis, and we
felt quite confident of being able to finish up "at a push," whatever
Philip might leave undone. The theatricals were to be on Twelfth
Night.
Christmas passed very happily on the whole. I found my temper much
oftener tried since Philip's return, but this was not only because he
was very wilful and very fond of teasing, but because with the younger
ones I was always deferred to.
One morning we were very busy in the nursery, which was our workshop.
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