saidshe;"ishallnotbehappytillwearereallyoutintheworld."

thenhecomfortedher,andshowedherhowtoplaceherlittlefootonthecarvededgeandgilt-leafornamentsofthetable.hebroughthislittleladdertohelpher,andsotheycontrivedtoreachthefloor.butwhentheylookedattheoldcupboard,theysawitwasallinanuproar.thecarvedstagspushedouttheirheads,raisedtheirantlers,andtwistedtheirnecks.themajor-generalsprungupintheair;andcriedouttotheoldchinaman,"theyarerunningaway!theyarerunningaway!"thetwowereratherfrightenedatthis,sotheyjumpedintothedrawerofthewindow-seat.herewerethreeorfourpacksofcardsnotquitecomplete,andadoll'stheatre,whichhadbeenbuiltupveryneatly.acomedywasbeingperformedinit,andallthequeensofdiamonds,clubs,andhearts,,andspades,satinthefirstrowfanningthemselveswithtulips,andbehindthemstoodalltheknaves,showingthattheyhadheadsaboveandbelowasplayingcardsgenerallyhave.theplaywasabouttwolovers,whowerenotallowedtomarry,andtheshepherdessweptbecauseitwassolikeherownstory."icannotbearit,"saidshe,"imustgetoutofthedrawer;"butwhentheyreachedthefloor,andcasttheireyesonthetable,therewastheoldchinamanawakeandshakinghiswholebody,tillallatoncedownhecameonthefloor,"plump.""theoldchinamaniscoming,"criedthelittleshepherdessinafright,anddownshefellononeknee.

"ihavethoughtofsomething,"saidthechimney-sweep;"letusgetintothegreatpot-pourrijarwhichstandsinthecorner;therewecanlieonrose-leavesandlavender,andthrowsaltinhiseyesifhecomesnearus."

"no,thatwillneverdo,"saidshe,"becauseiknowthatthechinamanandthepot-pourrijarwereloversonce,andtherealwaysremainsbehindafeelingofgood-willbetweenthosewhohavebeensointimateasthat.no,thereisnothingleftforusbuttogooutintothewideworld."

"haveyoureallycourageenoughtogooutintothewideworldwithme?"saidthechimney-sweep;"haveyouthoughthowlargeitis,andthatwecannevercomebackhereagain?"

"yes,ihave,"shereplied.

whenthechimney-sweepsawthatshewasquitefirm,hesaid,"mywayisthroughthestoveandupthechimney.haveyoucouragetocreepwithmethroughthefire-box,andtheironpipe?whenwegettothechimneyishallknowhowtomanageverywell.weshallsoonclimbtoohighforanyonetoreachus,andweshallcomethroughaholeinthetopoutintothewideworld."soheledhertothedoorofthestove.

"itlooksverydark,"saidshe;stillshewentinwithhimthroughthestoveandthroughthepipe,whereitwasasdarkaspitch.

"nowweareinthechimney,"saidhe;"andlook,thereisabeautifulstarshiningaboveit."itwasarealstarshiningdownuponthemasifitwouldshowthemtheway.sotheyclambered,andcrepton,andafrightfulsteepplaceitwas;butthechimney-sweephelpedherandsupportedher,tilltheygothigherandhigher.heshowedherthebestplacesonwhichtosetherlittlechinafoot,soatlasttheyreachedthetopofthechimney,andsatthemselvesdown,fortheywereverytired,asmaybesupposed.thesky,withallitsstars,wasovertheirheads,andbelowweretheroofsofthetown.theycouldseeforaverylongdistanceoutintothewideworld,andthepoorlittleshepherdessleanedherheadonherchimney-sweep'sshoulder,andwepttillshewashedthegiltoffhersash;theworldwassodifferenttowhatsheexpected."thisistoomuch,"shesaid;"icannotbearit,theworldistoolarge.oh,iwishiweresafebackonthetable.again,underthelookingglass;ishallneverbehappytilliamsafebackagain.nowihavefollowedyououtintothewideworld,youwilltakemeback,ifyouloveme."

thenthechimney-sweeptriedtoreasonwithher,andspokeoftheoldchinaman,andofthemajor-general-field-sergeant-commanderbilly-goat'slegs;butshesobbedsobitterly,andkissedherlittlechimney-sweeptillhewasobligedtodoallsheasked,foolishasitwas.andso,withagreatdealoftrouble,theyclimbeddownthechimney,andthencreptthroughthepipeandstove,whichwerecertainlynotverypleasantplaces.thentheystoodinthedarkfire-box,andlistenedbehindthedoor,tohearwhatwasgoingonintheroom.asitwasallquiet,theypeepedout.alas!