[ WP ] The running faucet

The faucet had a third knob. 
 
 She tried the knob on the left, and hot water came out of the faucet. Just as she expected, the one on the right was cold. But the third nob... Grace did n't know what that might be. She closed both taps and the faucet stopped running. She would try the third one next. 
 
 Like everything in Giovanni's workshop, it would probably be something wonderful and unexpected. Birds flew out of drawers when she opened them. The birds were red and green and gold and did n't look like any birds Grace had ever seen, not even when Giovanni had taken her to the aviary at the zoo. The kitchen had these strange machines with gears and pipes that played beautiful music when he tinkered in there. The mirrors were very nice and gave her the most lovely complements when she tried on big-girl clothes. So the mystery of the third faucet tap would also be a great surprise when she tried it. 
 
 Giovanni's hand barely caught Grace's in time. 
 
 `` No, my flower!'' He was frightened. She could tell. `` You know what I have told you about touching things in my workshop!'' Giovanni caught his breath, but he never dropped his gaze. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, uncle,'' she mewed pathetically. 
 
 `` I have told you, I have taught you time and again. If you are to learn what I have to teach you, to take my place, then you must be patient. I have promised to introduce you to every marvel I have created in time. And one of those marvels is this: that faucet must *never* stop running.'' 
 
 `` But it's not running right now, Uncle.''
