CHAPTER VI.
THE LIONS IN THE DESERT 'But why ?' asked Philip at dinner, which was no painted wonder of wooden make-believe, but real roast guinea-fowl and angel pudding, 'Why do you only have wooden things to eat at your banquets ?' 'Banquets are extremely important occasions,' said Mr.Noah, 'and real food--food that you can eat and enjoy--only serves to distract the mind from the serious affairs of life.

Many of the most successful caterers in your world have grasped this great truth.' 'But why,' Lucy asked, 'do you have the big silver bowls with nothing in them ?' Mr.Noah sighed.

'The bowls are for dessert,' he said.
'But there isn't any dessert _in_ them,' Lucy objected.
'No,' said Mr.Noah, sighing again, 'that's just it.

There is no dessert.

There has never been any dessert.