Why Pearl,

Laugh and the world laughs with you? Weep and you weep alone? That is truly the way of the world. I'm sure your gentle reminders through the years were always appropriate. Dear, dear Pearl. You are and always have been the very soul of appropriateness.

And how wise of you to bring up the cat and the fiddle in the same conversation. You doubtless meant for me to notice how poignant is the little dog's laughter to see such sport. Is he laughing alone? Is his laughter a kind of weeping? And while we're wondering: Were Thing One and Thing Two merely humans in little red outfits? Or were they indeed a personification of the absent mother's fear of messy things? Are they - God help us - lint, writ large? My poor head aches, Pearl. Your insights are so keen it is hard to keep up with you. You would be a fine philosopher or comedian. A philedian! No. A comedopher!

I Remain Your Devoted Miss Blue