`` Brave , brave ! '' her doting eyes were crying when she got a dreadful shock ; instead of hiding , her hero had run out at the gate ! At this bitter sight Maimie stopped blankly , as if all her lapful of darling treasures were suddenly spilled , and then for very disdain she could not sob ; in a swell of protest against all puling cowards she ran to St. Govor 's Well and hid in Tony 's stead . When the ayah reached the gate and saw Tony far in front she thought her other charge was with him and passed out . Twilight came on , and scores and hundreds of people passed out , including the last one , who always has to run for it , but Maimie saw them not . She had shut her eyes tight and glued them with passionate tears . When she opened them something very cold ran up her legs and up her arms and dropped into her heart . It was the stillness of the Gardens . Then she heard clang , then from another part clang , then clang , clang far away . It was the Closing of the Gates . Immediately the last clang had died away Maimie distinctly heard a voice say , `` So that 's all right . '' It had a wooden sound and seemed to come from above , and she looked up in time to see an elm tree stretching out its arms and yawning . She was about to say , `` I never knew you could speak ! '' when a metallic voice that seemed to come from the ladle at the well remarked to the elm , `` I suppose it is a bit coldish up there ? '' and the elm replied , `` Not particularly , but you do get numb standing so long on one leg , '' and he flapped his arms vigorously just as the cabmen do before they drive off . Maimie was quite surprised to see that a number of other tall trees were doing the same sort of thing and she stole away to the Baby Walk and crouched observantly under a Minorca Holly which shrugged its shoulders but did not seem to mind her . She was not in the least cold . She was wearing a russet-coloured pelisse and had the hood over her head , so that nothing of her showed except her dear little face and her curls . The rest of her real self was hidden far away inside so many warm garments that in shape she seemed rather like a ball . She was about forty round the waist .
There was a good deal going on in the Baby Walk , when XXXXX arrived in time to see a magnolia and a Persian lilac step over the railing and set off for a smart walk .
Gardens Holly Maimie Tony Twilight Walk ayah cowards pelisse right