But you would soon forget your promise if you got back into the land-world . For , if people only once found out that you had been up my backstairs , you would have all the fine ladies kneeling to you , and the rich men emptying their purses before you , and statesmen offering you place and power ; and young and old , rich and poor , crying to you , ` Only tell us the great backstairs secret , and we will be your slaves ; we will make you lord , king , emperor , bishop , archbishop , pope , if you like -- only tell us the secret of the backstairs . For thousands of years we have been paying , and petting , and obeying , and worshipping quacks who told us they had the key of the backstairs , and could smuggle us up them ; and in spite of all our disappointments , we will honour , and glorify , and adore , and beatify , and translate , and apotheotise you likewise , on the chance of your knowing something about the backstairs , that we may all go on pilgrimage to it ; and , even if we can not get up it , lie at the foot of it , and cry - ` Oh , backstairs , precious backstairs , invaluable backstairs , requisite backstairs , necessary backstairs , good-natured backstairs , cosmopolitan backstairs , comprehensive backstairs , accommodating backstairs , well-bred backstairs , commercial backstairs , economical backstairs , practical backstairs , logical backstairs , deductive backstairs , comfortable backstairs , humane backstairs , reasonable backstairs , long-sought backstairs , coveted backstairs , aristocratic backstairs , respectable backstairs , gentlenmanlike backstairs , ladylike backstairs , orthodox backstairs , probable backstairs , credible backstairs , demonstrable backstairs , irrefragable backstairs , potent backstairs , all-but-omnipotent backstairs , & c. Save us from the consequences of our own actions , and from the cruel fairy , Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid ! ' Do not you think that you would be a little tempted then to tell what you know , laddie ? '' Tom thought so certainly . `` But why do they want so to know about the backstairs ? '' asked he , being a little frightened at the long words , and not understanding them the least ; as , indeed , he was not meant to do , or you either . `` That I shall not tell you . I never put things into little folks ' heads which are but too likely to come there of themselves . So come -- now I must bandage your eyes . '' So she tied the bandage on his eyes with one hand , and with the other she took it off . `` Now , '' she said , `` you are safe up the stairs . '' Tom opened his eyes very wide , and his mouth too ; for he had not , as he thought , moved a single step . But , when he looked round him , there could be no doubt that he was safe up the backstairs , whatsoever they may be , which no man is going to tell you , for the plain reason that no man knows . The first thing which Tom saw was the black cedars , high and sharp against the rosy dawn ; and St. Brandan 's Isle reflected double in the still broad silver sea . The wind sang softly in the cedars , and the water sang among the eaves : the sea-birds sang as they streamed out into the ocean , and the land-birds as they built among the boughs ; and the air was so full of song that it stirred St. Brandan and his hermits , as they slumbered in the shade ; and they moved their good old lips , and sang their morning hymn amid their dreams . But among all the songs one came across the water more sweet and clear than all ; for it was the song of a young girl 's voice . And what was the song which she sang ? Ah , my little man , I am too old to sing that song , and you too young to understand it . But have patience , and keep your eye single , and your hands clean , and you will learn some day to sing it yourself , without needing any man to teach you .
And as Tom neared the island , there sat upon a rock the most graceful creature that ever was seen , looking down , with her chin upon her hand , and paddling XXXXX her feet in the water .
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