The
Story
of
the
Amulet
BY
E
.
NESBIT
AUTHOR
OF
“
THE
TREASURE
SEEKERS
,
”
“
THE
WOULD‐BE‐GOODS
,
”
ETC.
WITH
48
ILLUSTRATIONS
BY
H.R.
MILLAR
LONDON
T
.
FISHER
UNWIN
ADELPHI
TERRACE
1906
(
All
rights
reserved
.
)
TO
DR.
WALLIS
BUDGE
OF
THE
BRITISH
MUSEUM
THIS
BOOK
IS
DEDICATED
AS
A
SMALL
TOKEN
OF
GRATITUDE
FOR
HIS
UNFAILING
KINDNESS
AND
HELP
IN
THE
MAKING
OF
IT
.
The
Story
of
the
Amulet
CHAPTER
I
THE
PSAMMEAD
THERE
were
once
four
children
who
spent
their
summer
holidays
in
a
white
house
,
happily
situated
between
a
sandpit
and
a
chalkpit
.
One
day
they
had
the
good
fortune
to
find
in
the
sandpit
a
strange
creature
.
Its
eyes
were
on
long
horns
like
snail’s
eyes
,
and
it
could
move
them
in
and
out
like
telescopes
.
It
had
ears
like
a
bat’s
ears
,
and
its
tubby
body
was
shaped
like
a
spider’s
and
covered
with
thick
soft
fur
—
and
it
had
hands
and
feet
like
a
monkey’s
.
It
told
the
children
—
whose
names
were
Cyril
,
Robert
,
Anthea
,
and
Jane
—
that
it
was
a
Psammead
or
sand‐fairy
.
(
Psammead
is
pronounced
Sammy‐ad
.
)
It
was
old
,
old
,
old
,
and
its
birthday
was
almost
at
the
very
beginning
of
everything
.
And
it
had
been
buried
in
the
sand
for
thousands
of
years
.
But
it
still
kept
its
fairylikeness
,
and
part
of
this
fairylikeness
was
its
power
to
give
people
whatever
they
wished
for
.
You
know
fairies
have
always
been
able
to
do
this
.
Cyril
,
Robert
,
Anthea
,
and
Jane
now
found
their
wishes
come
true
;
but
,
somehow
,
they
never
could
think
of
just
the
right
things
to
wish
for
,
and
their
wishes
sometimes
turned
out
very
oddly
indeed
.
In
the
end
their
unwise
wishings
landed
them
in
what
Robert
called
“
a
very
tight
place
indeed
,
”
and
the
Psammead
consented
to
help
them
out
of
it
in
return
for
their
promise
never
never
to
ask
it
to
grant
them
any
more
wishes
,
and
never
to
tell
anyone
about
it
,
because
it
did
not
want
to
be
bothered
to
give
wishes
to
anyone
ever
any
more
.
At
the
moment
of
parting
Jane
said
politely
—
“
I
wish
we
were
going
to
see
you
again
some
day
.
”
And
the
Psammead
,
touched
by
this
friendly
thought
,
granted
the
wish
.
The
book
about
all
this
is
called
“
Five
Children
and
It
,
”
and
it
ends
up
in
a
most
tiresome
way
by
saying
—
“
The
children
did
see
the
Psammead
again
,
but
it
was
not
in
the
sandpit
;
it
was
—
but
I
must
say
no
more
—
”
The
reason
that
nothing
more
could
be
said
was
that
I
had
not
then
been
able
to
find
out
exactly
when
and
where
the
children
met
the
Psammead
again
.
Of
course
I
knew
they
would
meet
it
,
because
it
was
a
beast
of
its
word
,
and
when
it
said
a
thing
would
happen
,
that
thing
happened
without
fail
.
How
different
from
the
people
who
tell
us
about
what
weather
it
is
going
to
be
on
Thursday
next
,
in
London
,
the
South
Coast
,
and
Channel
!
The
summer
holidays
during
which
the
Psammead
had
been
found
and
the
wishes
given
had
been
wonderful
holidays
in
the
country
,
and
the
children
had
the
highest
hopes
of
just
such
another
holiday
for
the
next
summer
.
The
winter
holidays
were
beguiled
by
the
wonderful
happenings
of
“
The
Phœnix
and
the
Carpet
,
”
and
the
loss
of
these
two
treasures
would
have
left
the
children
in
despair
,
but
for
the
splendid
hope
of
their
next
holiday
in
the
country
.
The
world
,
they
felt
,
and
indeed
had
some
reason
to
feel
,
was
full
of
wonderful
things
—
and
they
were
really
the
sort
of
people
that
wonderful
things
happen
to
.
So
they
looked
forward
to
the
summer
holiday
;
but
when
it
came
everything
was
different
,
and
very
,
very
horrid
.
Father
had
to
go
out
to
Manchuria
to
telegraph
news
about
the
war
to
the
tiresome
paper
he
wrote
for
—
the
Daily
Bellower
,
or
something
like
that
,
was
its
name
.
And
Mother
,
poor
dear
Mother
,
was
away
in
Madeira
,
because
she
had
been
very
ill.
And
The
Lamb
—
I
mean
the
baby
—
was
with
her
.
And
Aunt
Emma
,
who
was
Mother’s
sister
,
had
suddenly
married
Uncle
Reginald
,
who
was
Father’s
brother
,
and
they
had
gone
to
China
,
which
is
much
too
far
off
for
you
to
expect
to
be
asked
to
spend
the
holidays
in
,
however
fond
your
aunt
and
uncle
may
be
of
you
.
So
the
children
were
left
in
the
care
of
old
Nurse
,
who
lived
in
Fitzroy
Street
,
near
the
British
Museum
,
and
though
she
was
always
very
kind
to
them
,
and
indeed
spoiled
them
far
more
than
would
be
good
for
the
most
grown‐up
of
us
,
the
four
children
felt
perfectly
wretched
,
and
when
the
cab
had
driven
off
with
Father
and
all
his
boxes
and
guns
and
the
sheepskin
,
with
blankets
and
the
aluminium
mess‐kit
inside
it
,
the
stoutest
heart
quailed
,
and
the
girls
broke
down
altogether
,
and
sobbed
in
each
other’s
arms
,
while
the
boys
each
looked
out
of
one
of
the
long
gloomy
windows
of
the
parlour
,
and
tried
to
pretend
that
no
boy
would
be
such
a
muff
as
to
cry
.
I
hope
you
notice
that
they
were
not
cowardly
enough
to
cry
till
their
Father
had
gone
;
they
knew
he
had
quite
enough
to
upset
him
without
that
.
But
when
he
was
gone
everyone
felt
as
if
it
had
been
trying
not
to
cry
all
its
life
,
and
that
it
must
cry
now
,
if
it
died
for
it
.
So
they
cried
.
Tea
—
with
shrimps
and
watercress
—
cheered
them
a
little
.
The
watercress
was
arranged
in
a
hedge
round
a
fat
glass
salt‐cellar
,
a
tasteful
device
they
had
never
seen
before
.
But
it
was
not
a
cheerful
meal
.
After
tea
Anthea
went
up
to
the
room
that
had
been
Father’s
,
and
when
she
saw
how
dreadfully
he
wasn’t
there
,
and
remembered
how
every
minute
was
taking
him
further
and
further
from
her
,
and
nearer
and
nearer
to
the
guns
of
the
Russians
,
she
cried
a
little
more
.
Then
she
thought
of
Mother
,
ill
and
alone
,
and
perhaps
at
that
very
moment
wanting
a
little
girl
to
put
eau‐de‐cologne
on
her
head
,
and
make
her
sudden
cups
of
tea
,
and
she
cried
more
than
ever
.
And
then
she
remembered
what
Mother
had
said
,
the
night
before
she
went
away
,
about
Anthea
being
the
eldest
girl
,
and
about
trying
to
make
the
others
happy
,
and
things
like
that
.
So
she
stopped
crying
,
and
thought
instead
.
And
when
she
had
thought
as
long
as
she
could
bear
she
washed
her
face
and
combed
her
hair
,
and
went
down
to
the
others
,
trying
her
best
to
look
as
though
crying
were
an
exercise
she
had
never
even
heard
of
.
She
found
the
parlour
in
deepest
gloom
,
hardly
relieved
at
all
by
the
efforts
of
Robert
,
who
,
to
make
the
time
pass
,
was
pulling
Jane’s
hair
—
not
hard
,
but
just
enough
to
tease
.
“
Look
here
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
Let’s
have
a
palaver
.
”
This
word
dated
from
the
awful
day
when
Cyril
had
carelessly
wished
that
there
were
Red
Indians
in
England
—
and
there
had
been
.
The
word
brought
back
memories
of
last
summer
holidays
and
everyone
groaned
;
they
thought
of
the
white
house
with
the
beautiful
tangled
garden
—
late
roses
,
asters
,
marigold
,
sweet
mignonette
,
and
feathery
asparagus
—
of
the
wilderness
which
someone
had
once
meant
to
make
into
an
orchard
,
but
which
was
now
,
as
Father
said
,
“
five
acres
of
thistles
haunted
by
the
ghosts
of
baby
cherry‐trees
.
”
They
thought
of
the
view
across
the
valley
,
where
the
lime‐kilns
looked
like
Aladdin’s
palaces
in
the
sunshine
,
and
they
thought
of
their
own
sandpit
,
with
its
fringe
of
yellowy
grasses
and
pale
,
stringy‐stalked
wild
flowers
,
and
the
little
holes
in
the
cliff
that
were
the
little
sandmartens’
little
front
doors
.
And
they
thought
of
the
free
fresh
air
smelling
of
thyme
and
sweetbrier
,
and
the
scent
of
the
wood‐smoke
from
the
cottages
in
the
lane
—
and
they
looked
round
old
Nurse’s
stuffy
parlour
,
and
Jane
said
—
“
Oh
,
how
different
it
all
is
!
”
It
was
.
Old
Nurse
had
been
in
the
habit
of
letting
lodgings
,
till
Father
gave
her
the
children
to
take
care
of
.
And
her
rooms
were
furnished
“
for
letting
.
”
Now
it
is
a
very
odd
thing
that
no
one
ever
seems
to
furnish
a
room
“
for
letting
”
in
a
bit
the
same
way
as
one
would
furnish
it
for
living
in
.
This
room
had
heavy
dark
red
stuff
curtains
—
the
colour
that
blood
would
not
make
a
stain
on
—
with
coarse
lace
curtains
inside
.
The
carpet
was
yellow
,
and
violet
,
with
bits
of
grey
and
brown
oilcloth
in
odd
places
.
The
fireplace
had
shavings
and
tinsel
in
it
.
There
was
a
very
varnished
mahogany
chiffonier
,
or
sideboard
,
with
a
lock
that
wouldn’t
act
.
There
were
hard
chairs
—
far
too
many
of
them
—
with
crochet
antimacassars
slipping
off
their
seats
,
all
of
which
sloped
the
wrong
way
.
The
table
wore
a
cloth
of
a
cruel
green
colour
with
a
yellow
chain‐stitch
pattern
round
it
.
Over
the
fireplace
was
a
looking‐glass
that
made
you
look
much
uglier
than
you
really
were
,
however
plain
you
might
be
to
begin
with
.
Then
there
was
a
mantelboard
with
maroon
plush
and
wool
fringe
that
did
not
match
the
plush
;
a
dreary
clock
like
a
black
marble
tomb
—
it
was
silent
as
the
grave
too
,
for
it
had
long
since
forgotten
how
to
tick
.
And
there
were
painted
glass
vases
that
never
had
any
flowers
in
,
and
a
painted
tambourine
that
no
one
ever
played
,
and
painted
brackets
with
nothing
on
them
.
“
And
maple‐framed
engravings
of
the
Queen
,
The
Houses
of
Parliament
,
the
Plains
of
Heaven
,
And
of
a
blunt‐nosed
woodman’s
flat
return
.
”
There
were
two
books
—
last
December’s
“
Bradshaw
,
”
and
an
odd
volume
of
Plumridge’s
“
Commentary
on
Thessalonians
.
”
There
were
—
but
I
cannot
dwell
longer
on
this
painful
picture
.
It
was
indeed
,
as
Jane
said
,
very
different
.
“
Let’s
have
a
palaver
,
”
said
Anthea
again
.
“
What
about
?
”
said
Cyril
,
yawning
.
“
There’s
nothing
to
have
anything
about
,
”
said
Robert
kicking
the
leg
of
the
table
miserably
.
“
I
don’t
want
to
play
,
”
said
Jane
,
and
her
tone
was
grumpy
.
Anthea
tried
very
hard
not
to
be
cross
.
She
succeeded
.
“
Look
here
,
”
she
said
,
“
don’t
think
I
want
to
be
preachy
or
a
beast
in
any
way
,
but
I
want
to
what
Father
calls
define
the
situation
.
Do
you
agree
?
”
“
Fire
ahead
,
”
said
Cyril
without
enthusiasm
.
“
Well
,
then
.
We
all
know
the
reason
we’re
staying
here
is
because
Nurse
couldn’t
leave
her
house
on
account
of
the
poor
learned
gentleman
on
the
top‐floor
.
And
there
was
no
one
else
Father
could
entrust
to
take
care
of
us
—
and
you
know
it’s
taken
a
lot
of
money
,
Mother’s
going
to
Madeira
to
be
made
well
.
”
Jane
sniffed
miserably
.
“
Yes
,
I
know
,
”
said
Anthea
in
a
hurry
,
“
but
don’t
let’s
think
about
how
horrid
it
all
is
.
I
mean
we
can’t
go
to
things
that
cost
a
lot
,
but
we
must
do
something
.
And
I
know
there
are
heaps
of
things
you
can
see
in
London
without
paying
for
them
,
and
I
thought
we’d
go
and
see
them
.
We
are
all
quite
old
now
,
and
we
haven’t
got
The
Lamb
—
”
Jane
sniffed
harder
than
before
.
“
I
mean
no
one
can
say
‘No’
because
of
him
,
dear
pet
.
And
I
thought
we
must
get
Nurse
to
see
how
quite
old
we
are
,
and
let
us
go
out
by
ourselves
,
or
else
we
shall
never
have
any
sort
of
a
time
at
all
.
And
I
vote
we
see
everything
there
is
,
and
let’s
begin
by
asking
Nurse
to
give
us
some
bits
of
bread
and
we’ll
go
to
St
James’s
Park
.
There
are
ducks
there
,
I
know
,
we
can
feed
them
.
Only
we
must
make
Nurse
let
us
go
by
ourselves
.
”
“
Hurrah
for
liberty
!
”
said
Robert
,
“
but
she
won’t
.
”
“
Yes
she
will
,
”
said
Jane
unexpectedly
.
“
I
thought
about
that
this
morning
,
and
I
asked
Father
,
and
he
said
yes
;
and
what’s
more
he
told
old
Nurse
we
might
,
only
he
said
we
must
always
say
where
we
wanted
to
go
,
and
if
it
was
right
she
would
let
us
.
”
“
Three
cheers
for
thoughtful
Jane
,
”
cried
Cyril
,
now
roused
at
last
from
his
yawning
despair
.
“
I
say
,
let’s
go
now
.
”
So
they
went
,
old
Nurse
only
begging
them
to
be
careful
of
crossings
,
and
to
ask
a
policeman
to
assist
in
the
more
difficult
cases
.
But
they
were
used
to
crossings
,
for
they
had
lived
in
Camden
Town
and
knew
the
Kentish
Town
Road
where
the
trams
rush
up
and
down
like
mad
at
all
hours
of
the
day
and
night
,
and
seem
as
though
,
if
anything
,
they
would
rather
run
over
you
than
not
.
They
had
promised
to
be
home
by
dark
,
but
it
was
July
,
so
dark
would
be
very
late
indeed
,
and
long
past
bedtime
.
They
started
to
walk
to
St
James’s
Park
,
and
all
their
pockets
were
stuffed
with
bits
of
bread
and
the
crusts
of
toast
,
to
feed
the
ducks
with
.
They
started
,
I
repeat
,
but
they
never
got
there
.
Between
Fitzroy
Street
and
St
James’s
Park
there
are
a
great
many
streets
,
and
,
if
you
go
the
right
way
you
will
pass
a
great
many
shops
that
you
cannot
possibly
help
stopping
to
look
at
.
The
children
stopped
to
look
at
several
with
gold‐lace
and
beads
and
pictures
and
jewellery
and
dresses
,
and
hats
,
and
oysters
and
lobsters
in
their
windows
,
and
their
sorrow
did
not
seem
nearly
so
impossible
to
bear
as
it
had
done
in
the
best
parlour
at
No.
300
,
Fitzroy
Street
.
Presently
,
by
some
wonderful
chance
turn
of
Robert’s
(
who
had
been
voted
Captain
because
the
girls
thought
it
would
be
good
for
him
—
and
indeed
he
thought
so
himself
—
and
of
course
Cyril
couldn’t
vote
against
him
because
it
would
have
looked
like
a
mean
jealousy
)
,
they
came
into
the
little
interesting
criss‐crossy
streets
that
held
the
most
interesting
shops
of
all
—
the
shops
where
live
things
were
sold
.
There
was
one
shop
window
entirely
filled
with
cages
,
and
all
sorts
of
beautiful
birds
in
them
.
The
children
were
delighted
till
they
remembered
how
they
had
once
wished
for
wings
themselves
,
and
had
had
them
—
and
then
they
felt
how
desperately
unhappy
anything
with
wings
must
be
if
it
is
shut
up
in
a
cage
and
not
allowed
to
fly
.
“
It
must
be
fairly
beastly
to
be
a
bird
in
a
cage
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
Come
on
!
”
They
went
on
,
and
Cyril
tried
to
think
out
a
scheme
for
making
his
fortune
as
a
gold‐digger
at
Klondyke
,
and
then
buying
all
the
caged
birds
in
the
world
and
setting
them
free
.
Then
they
came
to
a
shop
that
sold
cats
,
but
the
cats
were
in
cages
,
and
the
children
could
not
help
wishing
some
one
would
buy
all
the
cats
and
put
them
on
hearthrugs
,
which
are
the
proper
places
for
cats
.
And
there
was
the
dog‐shop
,
and
that
was
not
a
happy
thing
to
look
at
either
,
because
all
the
dogs
were
chained
or
caged
,
and
all
the
dogs
,
big
and
little
,
looked
at
the
four
children
with
sad
wistful
eyes
and
wagged
beseeching
tails
as
if
they
were
trying
to
say
,
“
Buy
me
!
buy
me
!
buy
me
!
and
let
me
go
for
a
walk
with
you
;
oh
,
do
buy
me
,
and
buy
my
poor
brothers
too
!
Do
!
do
!
do
!
”
They
almost
said
,
“
Do
!
do
!
do
!
”
plain
to
the
ear
,
as
they
whined
;
all
but
one
big
Irish
terrier
,
and
he
growled
when
Jane
patted
him
.
“
Grrrrr
,
”
he
seemed
to
say
,
as
he
looked
at
them
from
the
back
corner
of
his
eye
—
“
You
won’t
buy
me
.
Nobody
will
—
ever
—
I
shall
die
chained
up
—
and
I
don’t
know
that
I
care
how
soon
it
is
,
either
!
”
I
don’t
know
that
the
children
would
have
understood
all
this
,
only
once
they
had
been
in
a
besieged
castle
,
so
they
knew
how
hateful
it
is
to
be
kept
in
when
you
want
to
get
out
.
Of
course
they
could
not
buy
any
of
the
dogs
.
They
did
,
indeed
,
ask
the
price
of
the
very
,
very
smallest
,
and
it
was
sixty‐five
pounds
—
but
that
was
because
it
was
a
Japanese
toy
spaniel
like
the
Queen
once
had
her
portrait
painted
with
,
when
she
was
only
Princess
of
Wales
.
But
the
children
thought
,
if
the
smallest
was
all
that
money
,
the
biggest
would
run
into
thousands
—
so
they
went
on
.
And
they
did
not
stop
at
any
more
cat
or
dog
or
bird
shops
,
but
passed
them
by
,
and
at
last
they
came
to
a
shop
that
seemed
as
though
it
only
sold
creatures
that
did
not
much
mind
where
they
were
—
such
as
goldfish
and
white
mice
,
and
sea‐anemones
and
other
aquarium
beasts
,
and
lizards
and
toads
,
and
hedgehogs
and
tortoises
,
and
tame
rabbits
and
guinea‐pigs
.
And
there
they
stopped
for
a
long
time
,
and
fed
the
guinea‐pigs
with
bits
of
bread
through
the
cage‐bars
,
and
wondered
whether
it
would
be
possible
to
keep
a
sandy‐coloured
double‐lop
in
the
basement
of
the
house
in
Fitzroy
Street
.
“
I
don’t
suppose
old
Nurse
would
mind
very
much
,
”
said
Jane
.
“
Rabbits
are
most
awfully
tame
sometimes
.
I
expect
it
would
know
her
voice
and
follow
her
all
about
.
”
“
She’d
tumble
over
it
twenty
times
a
day
,
”
said
Cyril
;
“
now
a
snake
—
”
“
There
aren’t
any
snakes
,
said
Robert
hastily
,
“
and
besides
,
I
never
could
cotton
to
snakes
somehow
—
I
wonder
why
.
”
“
Worms
are
as
bad
,
”
said
Anthea
,
“
and
eels
and
slugs
—
I
think
it’s
because
we
don’t
like
things
that
haven’t
got
legs
.
”
“
Father
says
snakes
have
got
legs
hidden
away
inside
of
them
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
Yes
—
and
he
says
we’ve
got
tails
hidden
away
inside
us
—
but
it
doesn’t
either
of
it
come
to
anything
really
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
I
hate
things
that
haven’t
any
legs
.
”
“
It’s
worse
when
they
have
too
many
,
”
said
Jane
with
a
shudder
,
“
think
of
centipedes
!
”
They
stood
there
on
the
pavement
,
a
cause
of
some
inconvenience
to
the
passers‐by
,
and
thus
beguiled
the
time
with
conversation
.
Cyril
was
leaning
his
elbow
on
the
top
of
a
hutch
that
had
seemed
empty
when
they
had
inspected
the
whole
edifice
of
hutches
one
by
one
,
and
he
was
trying
to
reawaken
the
interest
of
a
hedgehog
that
had
curled
itself
into
a
ball
earlier
in
the
interview
,
when
a
small
,
soft
voice
just
below
his
elbow
said
,
quietly
,
plainly
and
quite
unmistakably
—
not
in
any
squeak
or
whine
that
had
to
be
translated
—
but
in
downright
common
English
—
“
Buy
me
—
do
—
please
buy
me
!
”
Cyril
started
as
though
he
had
been
pinched
,
and
jumped
a
yard
away
from
the
hutch
.
“
Come
back
—
oh
,
come
back
!
”
said
the
voice
,
rather
louder
but
still
softly
;
“
stoop
down
and
pretend
to
be
tying
up
your
bootlace
—
I
see
it’s
undone
,
as
usual
.
”
Cyril
mechanically
obeyed
.
He
knelt
on
one
knee
on
the
dry
,
hot
dusty
pavement
,
peered
into
the
darkness
of
the
hutch
and
found
himself
face
to
face
with
—
the
Psammead
!
It
seemed
much
thinner
than
when
he
had
last
seen
it
.
It
was
dusty
and
dirty
,
and
its
fur
was
untidy
and
ragged
.
It
had
hunched
itself
up
into
a
miserable
lump
,
and
its
long
snail’s
eyes
were
drawn
in
quite
tight
so
that
they
hardly
showed
at
all
.
“
Listen
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
in
a
voice
that
sounded
as
though
it
would
begin
to
cry
in
a
minute
,
“
I
don’t
think
the
creature
who
keeps
this
shop
will
ask
a
very
high
price
for
me
.
I’ve
bitten
him
more
than
once
,
and
I’ve
made
myself
look
as
common
as
I
can
.
He’s
never
had
a
glance
from
my
beautiful
,
beautiful
eyes
.
Tell
the
others
I’m
here
—
but
tell
them
to
look
at
some
of
those
low
,
common
beasts
while
I’m
talking
to
you
.
The
creature
inside
mustn’t
think
you
care
much
about
me
,
or
he’ll
put
a
price
upon
me
far
,
far
beyond
your
means
.
I
remember
in
the
dear
old
days
last
summer
you
never
had
much
money
.
Oh
—
I
never
thought
I
should
be
so
glad
to
see
you
—
I
never
did
.
”
It
sniffed
,
and
shot
out
its
long
snail’s
eyes
expressly
to
drop
a
tear
well
away
from
its
fur
.
“
Tell
the
others
I’m
here
,
and
then
I’ll
tell
you
exactly
what
to
do
about
buying
me
.
”
Cyril
tied
his
bootlace
into
a
hard
knot
,
stood
up
and
addressed
the
others
in
firm
tones
—
“
Look
here
,
”
he
said
,
“
I’m
not
kidding
—
and
I
appeal
to
your
honour
,
”
an
appeal
which
in
this
family
was
never
made
in
vain
.
“
Don’t
look
at
that
hutch
—
look
at
the
white
rat
.
Now
you
are
not
to
look
at
that
hutch
whatever
I
say
.
”
He
stood
in
front
of
it
to
prevent
mistakes
.
“
Now
get
yourselves
ready
for
a
great
surprise
.
In
that
hutch
there’s
an
old
friend
of
ours
—
don’t
look
!
—
Yes
;
it’s
the
Psammead
,
the
good
old
Psammead
!
it
wants
us
to
buy
it
.
It
says
you’re
not
to
look
at
it
.
Look
at
the
white
rat
and
count
your
money
!
On
your
honour
don’t
look
!
”
The
others
responded
nobly
.
They
looked
at
the
white
rat
till
they
quite
stared
him
out
of
countenance
,
so
that
he
went
and
sat
up
on
his
hind
legs
in
a
far
corner
and
hid
his
eyes
with
his
front
paws
,
and
pretended
he
was
washing
his
face
.
Cyril
stooped
again
,
busying
himself
with
the
other
bootlace
and
listened
for
the
Psammead’s
further
instructions
.
“
Go
in
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
“
and
ask
the
price
of
lots
of
other
things
.
Then
say
,
‘What
do
you
want
for
that
monkey
that’s
lost
its
tail
—
the
mangy
old
thing
in
the
third
hutch
from
the
end.’
Oh
—
don’t
mind
my
feelings
—
call
me
a
mangy
monkey
—
I’ve
tried
hard
enough
to
look
like
one
!
I
don’t
think
he’ll
put
a
high
price
on
me
—
I’ve
bitten
him
eleven
times
since
I
came
here
the
day
before
yesterday
.
If
he
names
a
bigger
price
than
you
can
afford
,
say
you
wish
you
had
the
money
.
”
“
But
you
can’t
give
us
wishes
.
I’ve
promised
never
to
have
another
wish
from
you
,
”
said
the
bewildered
Cyril
.
“
Don’t
be
a
silly
little
idiot
,
”
said
the
Sand
Fairy
in
trembling
but
affectionate
tones
,
“
but
find
out
how
much
money
you’ve
got
between
you
,
and
do
exactly
what
I
tell
you
.
”
Cyril
,
pointing
a
stiff
and
unmeaning
finger
at
the
white
rat
,
so
as
to
pretend
that
its
charms
alone
employed
his
tongue
,
explained
matters
to
the
others
,
while
the
Psammead
hunched
itself
,
and
bunched
itself
,
and
did
its
very
best
to
make
itself
look
uninteresting
.
Then
the
four
children
filed
into
the
shop
.
“
How
much
do
you
want
for
that
white
rat
?
”
asked
Cyril
.
“
Eightpence
,
”
was
the
answer
.
“
And
the
guinea‐pigs
?
”
“
Eighteenpence
to
five
bob
,
according
to
the
breed
.
”
“
And
the
lizards
?
”
“
Ninepence
each
.
”
“
And
toads
?
”
“
Fourpence
.
Now
look
here
,
”
said
the
greasy
owner
of
all
this
caged
life
with
a
sudden
ferocity
which
made
the
whole
party
back
hurriedly
on
to
the
wainscoting
of
hutches
with
which
the
shop
was
lined
.
“
Lookee
here
.
I
ain’t
agoin’
to
have
you
a
comin’
in
here
a
turnin’
the
whole
place
outer
winder
,
an’
prizing
every
animile
in
the
stock
just
for
your
larks
,
so
don’t
think
it
!
If
you’re
a
buyer
,
be
a
buyer
—
but
I
never
had
a
customer
yet
as
wanted
to
buy
mice
,
and
lizards
,
and
toads
,
and
guineas
all
at
once
.
So
hout
you
goes
.
”
“
Oh
!
wait
a
minute
,
”
said
the
wretched
Cyril
,
feeling
how
foolishly
yet
well‐meaningly
he
had
carried
out
the
Psammead’s
instructions
.
“
Just
tell
me
one
thing
.
What
do
you
want
for
the
mangy
old
monkey
in
the
third
hutch
from
the
end
?
”
The
shopman
only
saw
in
this
a
new
insult
.
“
Mangy
young
monkey
yourself
,
”
said
he
;
“
get
along
with
your
blooming
cheek
.
Hout
you
goes
!
”
“
Oh
!
don’t
be
so
cross
,
”
said
Jane
,
losing
her
head
altogether
,
“
don’t
you
see
he
really
does
want
to
know
that
!
”
“
Ho
!
does
’e
indeed
?
”
sneered
the
merchant
.
Then
he
scratched
his
ear
suspiciously
,
for
he
was
a
sharp
business
man
,
and
he
knew
the
ring
of
truth
when
he
heard
it
.
His
hand
was
bandaged
,
and
three
minutes
before
he
would
have
been
glad
to
sell
the
“
mangy
old
monkey
”
for
ten
shillings
.
Now
—
“
Ho
!
’e
does
,
does
’e
,
”
he
said
,
“
then
two
pun
ten’s
my
price
.
He’s
not
got
his
fellow
that
monkey
ain’t
,
nor
yet
his
match
,
not
this
side
of
the
equator
,
which
he
comes
from
.
And
the
only
one
ever
seen
in
London
.
Ought
to
be
in
the
Zoo
.
Two
pun
ten
,
down
on
the
nail
,
or
hout
you
goes
!
”
The
children
looked
at
each
other
—
twenty‐three
shillings
and
fivepence
was
all
they
had
in
the
world
,
and
it
would
have
been
merely
three
and
fivepence
,
but
for
the
sovereign
which
Father
had
given
to
them
“
between
them
”
at
parting
.
“
We’ve
only
twenty‐three
shillings
and
fivepence
,
”
said
Cyril
,
rattling
the
money
in
his
pocket
.
“
Twenty‐three
farthings
and
somebody’s
own
cheek
,
”
said
the
dealer
,
for
he
did
not
believe
that
Cyril
had
so
much
money
.
There
was
a
miserable
pause
.
Then
Anthea
remembered
,
and
said
—
“
Oh
!
I
wish
I
had
two
pounds
ten
.
”
“
So
do
I
,
Miss
,
I’m
sure
,
”
said
the
man
with
bitter
politeness
;
“
I
wish
you
’ad
,
I’m
sure
!
”
Anthea’s
hand
was
on
the
counter
,
something
seemed
to
slide
under
it
.
She
lifted
it
.
There
lay
five
bright
half
sovereigns
.
“
Why
,
I
have
got
it
after
all
,
”
she
said
;
“
here’s
the
money
,
now
let’s
have
the
Sammy
,
...
the
monkey
I
mean
.
”
The
dealer
looked
hard
at
the
money
,
but
he
made
haste
to
put
it
in
his
pocket
.
“
I
only
hope
you
come
by
it
honest
,
”
he
said
,
shrugging
his
shoulders
.
He
scratched
his
ear
again
.
“
Well
!
”
he
said
,
“
I
suppose
I
must
let
you
have
it
,
but
it’s
worth
thribble
the
money
,
so
it
is
—
”
He
slowly
led
the
way
out
to
the
hutch
—
opened
the
door
gingerly
,
and
made
a
sudden
fierce
grab
at
the
Psammead
,
which
the
Psammead
acknowledged
in
one
last
long
lingering
bite
.
“
Here
,
take
the
brute
,
”
said
the
shopman
,
squeezing
the
Psammead
so
tight
that
he
nearly
choked
it
.
“
It’s
bit
me
to
the
marrow
,
it
have
.
”
The
man’s
eyes
opened
as
Anthea
held
out
her
arms
.
“
Don’t
blame
me
if
it
tears
your
face
off
its
bones
,
”
he
said
,
and
the
Psammead
made
a
leap
from
his
dirty
horny
hands
,
and
Anthea
caught
it
in
hers
,
which
were
not
very
clean
,
certainly
,
but
at
any
rate
were
soft
and
pink
,
and
held
it
kindly
and
closely
.
“
But
you
can’t
take
it
home
like
that
,
”
Cyril
said
,
“
we
shall
have
a
crowd
after
us
,
”
and
indeed
two
errand
boys
and
a
policeman
had
already
collected
.
“
I
can’t
give
you
nothink
only
a
paper‐bag
,
like
what
we
put
the
tortoises
in
,
”
said
the
man
grudgingly
.
So
the
whole
party
went
into
the
shop
,
and
the
shopman’s
eyes
nearly
came
out
of
his
head
when
,
having
given
Anthea
the
largest
paper‐bag
he
could
find
,
he
saw
her
hold
it
open
,
and
the
Psammead
carefully
creep
into
it
.
“
Well
!
”
he
said
,
“
if
that
there
don’t
beat
cock‐fighting
!
But
p’raps
you’ve
met
the
brute
afore
.
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Cyril
affably
,
“
he’s
an
old
friend
of
ours
.
”
“
If
I’d
a
known
that
,
”
the
man
rejoined
,
“
you
shouldn’t
a
had
him
under
twice
the
money
.
’Owever
,
”
he
added
,
as
the
children
disappeared
,
“
I
ain’t
done
so
bad
,
seeing
as
I
only
give
five
bob
for
the
beast
.
But
then
there’s
the
bites
to
take
into
account
!
”
The
children
trembling
in
agitation
and
excitement
,
carried
home
the
Psammead
,
trembling
in
its
paper‐bag
.
When
they
got
it
home
,
Anthea
nursed
it
,
and
stroked
it
,
and
would
have
cried
over
it
,
if
she
hadn’t
remembered
how
it
hated
to
be
wet
.
When
it
recovered
enough
to
speak
,
it
said
—
“
Get
me
sand
;
silver
sand
from
the
oil
and
colour
shop
.
And
get
me
plenty
.
”
They
got
the
sand
,
and
they
put
it
and
the
Psammead
in
the
round
bath
together
,
and
it
rubbed
itself
,
and
rolled
itself
,
and
shook
itself
and
scraped
itself
,
and
scratched
itself
,
and
preened
itself
,
till
it
felt
clean
and
comfy
,
and
then
it
scrabbled
a
hasty
hole
in
the
sand
,
and
went
to
sleep
in
it
.
The
children
hid
the
bath
under
the
girls’
bed
,
and
had
supper
.
Old
Nurse
had
got
them
a
lovely
supper
of
bread
and
butter
and
fried
onions
.
She
was
full
of
kind
and
delicate
thoughts
.
When
Anthea
woke
the
next
morning
,
the
Psammead
was
snuggling
down
between
her
shoulder
and
Jane’s
.
“
You
have
saved
my
life
,
”
it
said
.
“
I
know
that
man
would
have
thrown
cold
water
on
me
sooner
or
later
,
and
then
I
should
have
died
.
I
saw
him
wash
out
a
guinea‐pig’s
hutch
yesterday
morning
.
I’m
still
frightfully
sleepy
,
I
think
I’ll
go
back
to
sand
for
another
nap
.
Wake
the
boys
and
this
doormouse
of
a
Jane
,
and
when
you’ve
had
your
breakfasts
we’ll
have
a
talk
.
”
“
Don’t
you
want
any
breakfast
?
”
asked
Anthea
.
“
I
daresay
I
shall
pick
a
bit
presently
,
”
it
said
;
“
but
sand
is
all
I
care
about
—
it’s
meat
and
drink
to
me
,
and
coals
and
fire
and
wife
and
children
.
”
With
these
words
it
clambered
down
by
the
bedclothes
and
scrambled
back
into
the
bath
,
where
they
heard
it
scratching
itself
out
of
sight
.
“
Well
!
”
said
Anthea
,
“
anyhow
our
holidays
won’t
be
dull
now
.
We’ve
found
the
Psammead
again
.
”
“
No
,
”
said
Jane
,
beginning
to
put
on
her
stockings
.
“
We
shan’t
be
dull
—
but
it’ll
be
only
like
having
a
pet
dog
now
it
can’t
give
us
wishes
.
”
“
Oh
,
don’t
be
so
discontented
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
If
it
can’t
do
anything
else
it
can
tell
us
about
Megatheriums
and
things
.
”
CHAPTER
II
THE
HALF
AMULET
LONG
ago
—
that
is
to
say
last
summer
—
the
children
,
finding
themselves
embarrassed
by
some
wish
which
the
Psammead
had
granted
them
,
and
which
the
servants
had
not
received
in
a
proper
spirit
,
had
wished
that
the
servants
might
not
notice
the
gifts
which
the
Psammead
gave
.
And
when
they
parted
from
the
Psammead
their
last
wish
had
been
that
they
should
meet
it
again
.
Therefore
they
had
met
it
(
and
it
was
jolly
lucky
for
the
Psammead
,
as
Robert
pointed
out
)
.
Now
,
of
course
,
you
see
that
the
Psammead’s
,
being
where
it
was
,
was
the
consequence
of
one
of
their
wishes
,
and
therefore
was
a
Psammead‐wish
,
and
as
such
could
not
be
noticed
by
the
servants
.
And
it
was
soon
plain
that
in
the
Psammead’s
opinion
old
Nurse
was
still
a
servant
,
although
she
had
now
a
house
of
her
own
,
for
she
never
noticed
the
Psammead
at
all
.
And
that
was
as
well
,
for
she
would
never
have
consented
to
allow
the
girls
to
keep
an
animal
and
a
bath
of
sand
under
their
bed
.
When
breakfast
had
been
cleared
away
—
it
was
a
very
nice
breakfast
with
hot
rolls
to
it
,
a
luxury
quite
out
of
the
common
way
—
Anthea
went
and
dragged
out
the
bath
,
and
woke
the
Psammead
.
It
stretched
and
shook
itself
.
“
You
must
have
bolted
your
breakfast
most
unwholesomely
,
”
it
said
,
“
you
can’t
have
been
five
minutes
over
it
.
”
“
We’ve
been
nearly
an
hour
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
Come
—
you
know
you
promised
.
”
“
Now
look
here
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
sitting
back
on
the
sand
and
shooting
out
its
long
eyes
suddenly
,
“
we’d
better
begin
as
we
mean
to
go
on
.
It
won’t
do
to
have
any
misunderstanding
,
so
I
tell
you
plainly
that
—
”
“
Oh
,
please
,
”
Anthea
pleaded
,
“
do
wait
till
we
get
to
the
others
.
They’ll
think
it
most
awfully
sneakish
of
me
to
talk
to
you
without
them
;
do
come
down
,
there’s
a
dear
.
”
She
knelt
before
the
sand‐bath
and
held
out
her
arms
.
The
Psammead
must
have
remembered
how
glad
it
had
been
to
jump
into
those
same
little
arms
,
only
the
day
before
,
for
it
gave
a
little
grudging
grunt
,
and
jumped
once
more
.
Anthea
wrapped
it
in
her
pinafore
and
carried
it
downstairs
.
It
was
welcomed
in
a
thrilling
silence
.
At
last
Anthea
said
,
“
Now
then
!
”
“
What
place
is
this
?
”
asked
the
Psammead
,
shooting
its
eyes
out
and
turning
them
slowly
round
.
“
It’s
a
sitting‐room
,
of
course
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
Then
I
don’t
like
it
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
“
Never
mind
,
”
said
Anthea
kindly
;
“
we’ll
take
you
anywhere
you
like
if
you
want
us
to
.
What
was
it
you
were
going
to
say
upstairs
when
I
said
the
others
wouldn’t
like
it
if
I
stayed
talking
to
you
without
them
?
”
It
looked
keenly
at
her
,
and
she
blushed
.
“
Don’t
be
silly
,
”
it
said
sharply
.
“
Of
course
,
it’s
quite
natural
that
you
should
like
your
brothers
and
sisters
to
know
exactly
how
good
and
unselfish
you
were
.
”
“
I
wish
you
wouldn’t
,
”
said
Jane
.
“
Anthea
was
quite
right
.
What
was
it
you
were
going
to
say
when
she
stopped
you
?
”
“
I’ll
tell
you
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
“
since
you’re
so
anxious
to
know
.
I
was
going
to
say
this
.
You’ve
saved
my
life
—
and
I’m
not
ungrateful
—
but
it
doesn’t
change
your
nature
or
mine
.
You’re
still
very
ignorant
,
and
rather
silly
,
and
I
am
worth
a
thousand
of
you
any
day
of
the
week
.
”
“
Of
course
you
are
!
”
Anthea
was
beginning
but
it
interrupted
her
.
“
It’s
very
rude
to
interrupt
,
”
it
said
;
“
what
I
mean
is
that
I’m
not
going
to
stand
any
nonsense
,
and
if
you
think
what
you’ve
done
is
to
give
you
the
right
to
pet
me
or
make
me
demean
myself
by
playing
with
you
,
you’ll
find
out
that
what
you
think
doesn’t
matter
a
single
penny
.
See
?
It’s
what
I
think
that
matters
.
”
“
I
know
,
”
said
Cyril
,
“
it
always
was
,
if
you
remember
.
”
“
Well
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
“
then
that’s
settled
.
We’re
to
be
treated
as
we
deserve
.
I
with
respect
,
and
all
of
you
with
—
but
I
don’t
wish
to
be
offensive
.
Do
you
want
me
to
tell
you
how
I
got
into
that
horrible
den
you
bought
me
out
of
?
Oh
,
I’m
not
ungrateful
!
I
haven’t
forgotten
it
and
I
shan’t
forget
it
.
”
“
Do
tell
us
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
I
know
you’re
awfully
clever
,
but
even
with
all
your
cleverness
,
I
don’t
believe
you
can
possibly
know
how
—
how
respectfully
we
do
respect
you
.
Don’t
we
?
”
The
others
all
said
yes
—
and
fidgetted
in
their
chairs
.
Robert
spoke
the
wishes
of
all
when
he
said
—
“
I
do
wish
you’d
go
on
.
”
So
it
sat
up
on
the
green‐covered
table
and
went
on
.
“
When
you’d
gone
away
,
”
it
said
,
“
I
went
to
sand
for
a
bit
,
and
slept
.
I
was
tired
out
with
all
your
silly
wishes
,
and
I
felt
as
though
I
hadn’t
really
been
to
sand
for
a
year
.
”
“
To
sand
?
”
Jane
repeated
.
“
Where
I
sleep
.
You
go
to
bed
.
I
go
to
sand
.
”
Jane
yawned
;
the
mention
of
bed
made
her
feel
sleepy
.
“
All
right
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
in
offended
tones
.
“
I’m
sure
I
don’t
want
to
tell
you
a
long
tale
.
A
man
caught
me
,
and
I
bit
him
.
And
he
put
me
in
a
bag
with
a
dead
hare
and
a
dead
rabbit
.
And
he
took
me
to
his
house
and
put
me
out
of
the
bag
into
a
basket
with
holes
that
I
could
see
through
.
And
I
bit
him
again
.
And
then
he
brought
me
to
this
city
,
which
I
am
told
is
called
the
Modern
Babylon
—
though
it’s
not
a
bit
like
the
old
Babylon
—
and
he
sold
me
to
the
man
you
bought
me
of
,
and
then
I
bit
them
both
.
Now
,
what’s
your
news
?
”
“
There’s
not
quite
so
much
biting
in
our
story
,
”
said
Cyril
regretfully
;
“
in
fact
,
there
isn’t
any
.
Father’s
gone
to
Manchuria
,
and
Mother
and
The
Lamb
have
gone
to
Madeira
because
Mother
was
ill
,
and
don’t
I
just
wish
that
they
were
both
safe
home
again
.
”
Merely
from
habit
,
the
Sand‐fairy
began
to
blow
itself
out
,
but
it
stopped
short
suddenly
.
“
I
forgot
,
”
it
said
;
“
I
can’t
give
you
any
more
wishes
.
”
“
No
—
but
look
here
,
”
said
Cyril
,
“
couldn’t
we
call
in
old
Nurse
and
get
her
to
say
she
wishes
they
were
safe
home
.
I’m
sure
she
does
.
”
“
No
go
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
“
It’s
just
the
same
as
your
wishing
yourself
if
you
get
some
one
else
to
wish
for
you
.
It
won’t
act
.
”
“
But
it
did
yesterday
—
with
the
man
in
the
shop
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
Ah
yes
,
”
said
the
creature
,
“
but
you
didn’t
ask
him
to
wish
,
and
you
didn’t
know
what
would
happen
if
he
did
.
That
can’t
be
done
again
.
It’s
played
out
.
”
“
Then
you
can’t
help
us
at
all
,
”
said
Jane
;
“
oh
—
I
did
think
you
could
do
something
!
I’ve
been
thinking
about
it
ever
since
we
saved
your
life
yesterday
.
I
thought
you’d
be
certain
to
be
able
to
fetch
back
Father
,
even
if
you
couldn’t
manage
Mother
.
”
And
Jane
began
to
cry
.
“
Now
don’t
,
”
said
the
Psammead
hastily
;
“
you
know
how
it
always
upsets
me
if
you
cry
.
I
can’t
feel
safe
a
moment
.
Look
here
;
you
must
have
some
new
kind
of
charm
.
”
“
That’s
easier
said
than
done
.
”
“
Not
a
bit
of
it
,
”
said
the
creature
;
“
there’s
one
of
the
strongest
charms
in
the
world
not
a
stone’s
throw
from
where
you
bought
me
yesterday
.
The
man
that
I
bit
so
—
the
first
one
,
I
mean
—
went
into
a
shop
to
ask
how
much
something
cost
—
I
think
he
said
it
was
a
concertina
—
and
while
he
was
telling
the
man
in
the
shop
how
much
too
much
he
wanted
for
it
,
I
saw
the
charm
in
a
sort
of
tray
,
with
a
lot
of
other
things
.
If
you
can
only
buy
that
,
you
will
be
able
to
have
your
heart’s
desire
.
”
The
children
looked
at
each
other
and
then
at
the
Psammead
.
Then
Cyril
coughed
awkwardly
and
took
sudden
courage
to
say
what
everyone
was
thinking
.
“
I
do
hope
you
won’t
be
waxy
,
”
he
said
;
“
but
it’s
like
this
:
when
you
used
to
give
us
our
wishes
they
almost
always
got
us
into
some
row
or
other
,
and
we
used
to
think
you
wouldn’t
have
been
pleased
if
they
hadn’t
.
Now
,
about
this
charm
—
we
haven’t
got
over
and
above
too
much
tin
,
and
if
we
blue
it
all
on
this
charm
and
it
turns
out
to
be
not
up
to
much
—
well
—
you
see
what
I’m
driving
at
,
don’t
you
?
”
“
I
see
that
you
don’t
see
more
than
the
length
of
your
nose
,
and
that’s
not
far
,
”
said
the
Psammead
crossly
.
“
Look
here
,
I
had
to
give
you
the
wishes
,
and
of
course
they
turned
out
badly
,
in
a
sort
of
way
,
because
you
hadn’t
the
sense
to
wish
for
what
was
good
for
you
.
But
this
charm’s
quite
different
.
I
haven’t
got
to
do
this
for
you
,
it’s
just
my
own
generous
kindness
that
makes
me
tell
you
about
it
.
So
it’s
bound
to
be
all
right
.
See
?
”
“
Don’t
be
cross
,
”
said
Anthea
,
“
please
,
please
don’t
.
You
see
,
it’s
all
we’ve
got
;
we
shan’t
have
any
more
pocket‐money
till
Daddy
comes
home
—
unless
he
sends
us
some
in
a
letter
.
But
we
do
trust
you
.
And
I
say
,
all
of
you
,
”
she
went
on
,
“
don’t
you
think
it’s
worth
spending
all
the
money
,
if
there’s
even
the
chanciest
chance
of
getting
Father
and
Mother
back
safe
now
?
Just
think
of
it
!
Oh
,
do
let’s
!
”
“
I
don’t
care
what
you
do
,
”
said
the
Psammead
;
“
I’ll
go
back
to
sand
again
till
you’ve
made
up
your
minds
.
”
“
No
,
don’t
!
”
said
everybody
;
and
Jane
added
,
“
We
are
quite
mind‐made‐up
—
don’t
you
see
we
are
?
Let’s
get
our
hats
.
Will
you
come
with
us
?
”
“
Of
course
,
”
said
the
Psammead
;
“
how
else
would
you
find
the
shop
?
”
So
everybody
got
its
hat
.
The
Psammead
was
put
into
a
flat
bass‐bag
that
had
come
from
Farringdon
Market
with
two
pounds
of
filleted
plaice
in
it
.
Now
it
contained
about
three
pounds
and
a
quarter
of
solid
Psammead
,
and
the
children
took
it
in
turns
to
carry
it
.
“
It’s
not
half
the
weight
of
The
Lamb
,
”
Robert
said
,
and
the
girls
sighed
.
The
Psammead
poked
a
wary
eye
out
of
the
top
of
the
basket
every
now
and
then
,
and
told
the
children
which
turnings
to
take
.
“
How
on
earth
do
you
know
?
”
asked
Robert
.
“
I
can’t
think
how
you
do
it
.
”
And
the
Psammead
said
sharply
,
“
No
—
I
don’t
suppose
you
can
.
”
At
last
they
came
to
the
shop
.
It
had
all
sorts
and
kinds
of
things
in
the
window
—
concertinas
,
and
silk
handkerchiefs
,
china
vases
and
tea‐cups
,
blue
Japanese
jars
,
pipes
,
swords
,
pistols
,
lace
collars
,
silver
spoons
tied
up
in
half‐dozens
,
and
wedding‐rings
in
a
red
lacquered
basin
.
There
were
officers’
epaulets
and
doctors’
lancets
.
There
were
tea‐caddies
inlaid
with
red
turtle‐shell
and
brass
curly‐wurlies
,
plates
of
different
kinds
of
money
,
and
stacks
of
different
kinds
of
plates
.
There
was
a
beautiful
picture
of
a
little
girl
washing
a
dog
,
which
Jane
liked
very
much
.
And
in
the
middle
of
the
window
there
was
a
dirty
silver
tray
full
of
mother‐of‐pearl
card
counters
,
old
seals
,
paste
buckles
,
snuff‐boxes
,
and
all
sorts
of
little
dingy
odds
and
ends
.
The
Psammead
put
its
head
quite
out
of
the
fish‐basket
to
look
in
the
window
,
when
Cyril
said
—
“
There’s
a
tray
there
with
rubbish
in
it
.
”
And
then
its
long
snail’s
eyes
saw
something
that
made
them
stretch
out
so
much
that
they
were
as
long
and
thin
as
new
slate‐pencils
.
Its
fur
bristled
thickly
,
and
its
voice
was
quite
hoarse
with
excitement
as
it
whispered
—
“
That’s
it
!
That’s
it
!
There
,
under
that
blue
and
yellow
buckle
,
you
can
see
a
bit
sticking
out
.
It’s
red
.
Do
you
see
?
”
“
Is
it
that
thing
something
like
a
horse‐shoe
?
”
asked
Cyril
.
“
And
red
,
like
the
common
sealing‐wax
you
do
up
parcels
with
?
”
“
Yes
,
that’s
it
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
“
Now
,
you
do
just
as
you
did
before
.
Ask
the
price
of
other
things
.
That
blue
buckle
would
do
.
Then
the
man
will
get
the
tray
out
of
the
window
.
I
think
you’d
better
be
the
one
,
”
it
said
to
Anthea
.
“
We’ll
wait
out
here
.
”
So
the
others
flattened
their
noses
against
the
shop
window
,
and
presently
a
large
,
dirty
,
short‐fingered
hand
with
a
very
big
diamond
ring
came
stretching
through
the
green
half‐
curtains
at
the
back
of
the
shop
window
and
took
away
the
tray
.
They
could
not
see
what
was
happening
in
the
interview
between
Anthea
and
the
Diamond
Ring
,
and
it
seemed
to
them
that
she
had
had
time
—
if
she
had
had
money
—
to
buy
everything
in
the
shop
before
the
moment
came
when
she
stood
before
them
,
her
face
wreathed
in
grins
,
as
Cyril
said
later
,
and
in
her
hand
the
charm
.
It
was
something
like
this
—
and
it
was
made
of
a
red
,
smooth
,
softly
shiny
stone
.
“
I’ve
got
it
,
”
Anthea
whispered
,
just
opening
her
hand
to
give
the
others
a
glimpse
of
it
.
“
Do
let’s
get
home
.
We
can’t
stand
here
like
stuck‐pigs
looking
at
it
in
the
street
.
”
So
home
they
went
.
The
parlour
in
Fitzroy
Street
was
a
very
flat
background
to
magic
happenings
.
Down
in
the
country
among
the
flowers
and
green
fields
anything
had
seemed
—
and
indeed
had
been
—
possible
.
But
it
was
hard
to
believe
that
anything
really
wonderful
could
happen
so
near
the
Tottenham
Court
Road
.
But
the
Psammead
was
there
—
and
it
in
itself
was
wonderful
.
And
it
could
talk
—
and
it
had
shown
them
where
a
charm
could
be
bought
that
would
make
the
owner
of
it
perfectly
happy
.
So
the
four
children
hurried
home
,
taking
very
long
steps
,
with
their
chins
stuck
out
,
and
their
mouths
shut
very
tight
indeed
.
They
went
so
fast
that
the
Psammead
was
quite
shaken
about
in
its
fish‐bag
,
but
it
did
not
say
anything
—
perhaps
for
fear
of
attracting
public
notice
.
They
got
home
at
last
,
very
hot
indeed
,
and
set
the
Psammead
on
the
green
tablecloth
.
“
Now
then
!
”
said
Cyril
.
But
the
Psammead
had
to
have
a
plate
of
sand
fetched
for
it
,
for
it
was
quite
faint
.
When
it
had
refreshed
itself
a
little
it
said
—
“
Now
then
!
Let
me
see
the
charm
,
”
and
Anthea
laid
it
on
the
green
table‐cover
.
The
Psammead
shot
out
his
long
eyes
to
look
at
it
,
then
it
turned
them
reproachfully
on
Anthea
and
said
—
“
But
there’s
only
half
of
it
here
!
”
This
was
indeed
a
blow
.
“
It
was
all
there
was
,
”
said
Anthea
,
with
timid
firmness
.
She
knew
it
was
not
her
fault
.
“
there
should
be
another
piece
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
“
and
a
sort
of
pin
to
fasten
the
two
together
.
”
“
Isn’t
half
any
good
?
”
—
“
Won’t
it
work
without
the
other
bit
?
”
—
“
It
cost
seven‐and‐six
.
”
—
“
Oh
,
bother
,
bother
,
bother
!
”
—
“
Don’t
be
silly
little
idiots
!
”
said
everyone
and
the
Psammead
altogether
.
Then
there
was
a
wretched
silence
.
Cyril
broke
it
—
“
What
shall
we
do
?
”
“
Go
back
to
the
shop
and
see
if
they
haven’t
got
the
other
half
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
“
I’ll
go
to
sand
till
you
come
back
.
Cheer
up
!
Even
the
bit
you’ve
got
is
some
good
,
but
it’ll
be
no
end
of
a
bother
if
you
can’t
find
the
other
.
”
So
Cyril
went
to
the
shop
.
And
the
Psammead
to
sand
.
And
the
other
three
went
to
dinner
,
which
was
now
ready
.
And
old
Nurse
was
very
cross
that
Cyril
was
not
ready
too
.
The
three
were
watching
at
the
windows
when
Cyril
returned
,
and
even
before
he
was
near
enough
for
them
to
see
his
face
there
was
something
about
the
slouch
of
his
shoulders
and
set
of
his
knickerbockers
and
the
way
he
dragged
his
boots
along
that
showed
but
too
plainly
that
his
errand
had
been
vain
.
“
Well
?
”
they
all
said
,
hoping
against
hope
on
the
front‐door
step
.
“
No
go
,
”
Cyril
answered
;
“
the
man
said
the
thing
was
perfect
.
He
said
it
was
a
Roman
lady’s
locket
,
and
people
shouldn’t
buy
curios
if
they
didn’t
know
anything
about
arky
—
something
or
other
,
and
that
he
never
went
back
on
a
bargain
,
because
it
wasn’t
business
,
and
he
expected
his
customers
to
act
the
same
.
He
was
simply
nasty
—
that’s
what
he
was
,
and
I
want
my
dinner
.
”
It
was
plain
that
Cyril
was
not
pleased
.
The
unlikeliness
of
anything
really
interesting
happening
in
that
parlour
lay
like
a
weight
of
lead
on
everyone’s
spirits
.
Cyril
had
his
dinner
,
and
just
as
he
was
swallowing
the
last
mouthful
of
apple‐pudding
there
was
a
scratch
at
the
door
.
Anthea
opened
it
and
in
walked
the
Psammead
.
“
Well
,
”
it
said
,
when
it
had
heard
the
news
,
“
things
might
be
worse
.
Only
you
won’t
be
surprised
if
you
have
a
few
adventures
before
you
get
the
other
half
.
You
want
to
get
it
,
of
course
.
”
“
Rather
,
”
was
the
general
reply
.
“
And
we
don’t
mind
adventures
.
”
“
No
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
“
I
seem
to
remember
that
about
you
.
Well
,
sit
down
and
listen
with
all
your
ears
.
Eight
,
are
there
?
Right
—
I
am
glad
you
know
arithmetic
.
Now
pay
attention
,
because
I
don’t
intend
to
tell
you
everything
twice
over
.
”
As
the
children
settled
themselves
on
the
floor
—
it
was
far
more
comfortable
than
the
chairs
,
as
well
as
more
polite
to
the
Psammead
,
who
was
stroking
its
whiskers
on
the
hearth‐rug
—
a
sudden
cold
pain
caught
at
Anthea’s
heart
.
Father
—
Mother
—
the
darling
Lamb
—
all
far
away
.
Then
a
warm
,
comfortable
feeling
flowed
through
her
.
The
Psammead
was
here
,
and
at
least
half
a
charm
,
and
there
were
to
be
adventures
.
(
If
you
don’t
know
what
a
cold
pain
is
,
I
am
glad
for
your
sakes
,
and
I
hope
you
never
may
.
)
“
Now
,
”
said
the
Psammead
cheerily
,
“
you
are
not
particularly
nice
,
nor
particularly
clever
,
and
you’re
not
at
all
good‐looking
.
Still
,
you’ve
saved
my
life
—
oh
,
when
I
think
of
that
man
and
his
pail
of
water
!
—
so
I’ll
tell
you
all
I
know
.
At
least
,
of
course
I
can’t
do
that
,
because
I
know
far
too
much
.
But
I’ll
tell
you
all
I
know
about
this
red
thing
.
”
“
Do
!
Do
!
Do
!
Do
!
”
said
every
one
.
“
Well
,
then
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
“
This
thing
is
half
of
an
amulet
that
can
do
all
sorts
of
things
;
it
can
make
the
corn
grow
,
and
the
waters
flow
,
and
the
trees
bear
fruit
,
and
the
little
new
beautiful
babies
come
.
(
Not
that
babies
are
beautiful
,
of
course
,
”
it
broke
off
to
say
,
“
but
their
mothers
think
they
are
—
and
as
long
as
you
think
a
thing’s
true
it
is
true
as
far
as
you’re
concerned
.
”
)
Robert
yawned
.
The
Psammead
went
on
.
“
The
complete
Amulet
can
keep
off
all
the
things
that
make
people
unhappy
—
jealousy
,
bad
temper
,
pride
,
disagreeableness
,
greediness
,
selfishness
,
laziness
.
Evil
spirits
,
people
called
them
when
the
Amulet
was
made
.
Don’t
you
think
it
would
be
nice
to
have
it
?
”
“
Very
,
”
said
the
children
,
quite
without
enthusiasm
.
“
And
it
can
give
you
strength
and
courage
.
”
“
That’s
better
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
And
virtue
.
”
“
I
suppose
it’s
nice
to
have
that
,
”
said
Jane
,
but
not
with
much
interest
.
“
And
it
can
give
you
your
heart’s
desire
.
”
“
Now
you’re
talking
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
Of
course
I
am
,
”
retorted
the
Psammead
tartly
,
“
so
there’s
no
need
for
you
to
.
”
“
Heart’s
desire
’s
good
enough
for
me
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
Yes
,
