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second interpretation?’
    â€˜In the second,’ said Reason, ‘the bridge signifies the giant’s own favourite doctrine of the wish-fulfilment dream. For this also he wishes to use and not to use.’
    â€˜I don’t see how he wishes not to use it.’
    â€˜Does he not keep on telling people that the Landlord is a wish-fulfilment dream?’
    â€˜Yes; surely that is true—the only true thing he did say.’
    â€˜Now think. Is it really true that the giant and Sigismund, and the people in Eschropolis, and Mr. Halfways, are going about filled with a longing that there should be a Landlord, and cards of rules, and a mountain land beyond the brook, with a possibility of a black hole?’
    Then John stood still on the road to think. And first he gave a shake of his shoulders, and then he put his hands to his sides, and then he began to laugh till he was almost shaken to pieces. And when he had nearly finished, the vastness and impudence and simplicity of the fraud which had been practised came over him all again, and he laughed harder. And just when he had nearly recovered and was beginning to get his breath again, suddenly he had a picture in his mind of Victoriana and Glugly and Gus Halfways and how they would look if a rumour reached them that there was a Landlord and he was coming to Eschropolis. This was too much for him, and he laughed so hard that the broken chains of the Spirit of the Age fell off his wrists altogether. But all the while Reason sat and watched him.
    â€˜You had better hear the rest of the argument,’ she said at last. ‘It may not be such a laughing matter as you suppose.’
    â€˜Oh, yes—the argument,’ said John, wiping his eyes.
    â€˜You see now the direction in which the giant does not want the wish-fulfilment theory used?’
    â€˜I’m not sure that I do,’ said John.
    â€˜Don’t you see what follows if you adopt his own rules?’
    â€˜No,’ said John, very loudly: for a terrible apprehension was stealing over him.
    â€˜But you must see,’ said Reason, ‘that for him and all his subjects disbelief in the Landlord is a wish-fulfilment dream.’
    â€˜I shall not adopt his rules.’
    â€˜You would be foolish not to have profited at all by your stay in his country,’ said Reason. ‘There is some force in the wish-fulfilment doctrine.’
    â€˜Some, perhaps, but very little.’
    â€˜I only wanted to make it clear that whatever force it had was in favour of the Landlord’s existence, not against it—specially in your case.’
    â€˜Why specially in mine?’ said John sulkily.
    â€˜Because the Landlord is the thing you have been most afraid of all your life. I do not say that any theory should be accepted because it is disagreeable, but if any should, then belief in the Landlord should be accepted first.’
    As Reason said these words they had reached the top of a little hill, and John begged for a halt, being out of breath. He looked back and saw beyond the green, rolling country the dark line of mountains which was the frontier of the giant’s land: but behind them, and far bigger, rose the old mountains of the East, picked out in the rays of the declining sun against a dark sky. They seemed no smaller than when John had looked at them long ago from Puritania.
    â€˜I do not know where you are leading me,’ he said at last, ‘and among all these winding roads I have lost my sense of direction. As well, I find the pace of your horse fatiguing. If you will excuse me, I think I will henceforth pursue my journey alone.’
    â€˜As you wish,’ said Reason. ‘But I would strongly advise you to take this turn to the left.’
    â€˜Where does it go to?’ asked John suspiciously.
    â€˜It takes you back to the main road,’ said Reason.
    â€˜That will do well enough,’ said John. ‘And now, lady, give me your blessing