Itis
,
but
no
one
knows
what
It
is
except
the
headsmen
.
”
“
I
believe
you
know
,
”
said
Cyril
,
looking
at
her
very
hard
.
“
I’ll
give
you
this
if
you’ll
tell
me
,
”
said
Anthea
taking
off
a
bead‐ring
which
had
already
been
much
admired
.
“
Yes
,
”
said
the
girl
,
catching
eagerly
at
the
ring
.
“
My
father
is
one
of
the
heads
,
and
I
know
a
water
charm
to
make
him
talk
in
his
sleep
.
And
he
has
spoken
.
I
will
tell
you
.
But
if
they
know
I
have
told
you
they
will
kill
me
.
In
the
insidest
inside
there
is
a
stone
box
,
and
in
it
there
is
the
Amulet
.
None
knows
whence
it
came
.
It
came
from
very
far
away
.
”
“
Have
you
seen
it
?
”
asked
Anthea
.
The
girl
nodded
.
“
Is
it
anything
like
this
?
”
asked
Jane
,
rashly
producing
the
charm
.
The
girl’s
face
turned
a
sickly
greenish
white
.
“
Hide
it
,
hide
it
,
”
she
whispered
.
“
You
must
put
it
back
.
If
they
see
it
they
will
kill
us
all
.
You
for
taking
it
,
and
me
for
knowing
that
there
was
such
a
thing
.
Oh
,
woe
—
woe
!
why
did
you
ever
come
here
?
”
“
Don’t
be
frightened
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
they
shan’t
know
.
Jane
,
don’t
you
be
such
a
little
jack‐ape
again
—
that’s
all
.
You
see
what
will
happen
if
you
do
.
Now
,
tell
me
—
”
He
turned
to
the
girl
,
but
before
he
had
time
to
speak
the
question
there
was
a
loud
shout
,
and
a
man
bounded
in
through
the
opening
in
the
thorn‐hedge
.
“
Many
foes
are
upon
us
!
”
he
cried
.
“
Make
ready
the
defences
!
”
His
breath
only
served
for
that
,
and
he
lay
panting
on
the
ground
.
“
Oh
,
do
let’s
go
home
!
”
said
Jane
.
“
Look
here
—
I
don’t
care
—
I
will
!
”
She
held
up
the
charm
.
Fortunately
all
the
strange
,
fair
people
were
too
busy
to
notice
her
.
She
held
up
the
charm
.
And
nothing
happened
.
“
You
haven’t
said
the
word
of
power
,
”
said
Anthea
.
Jane
hastily
said
it
—
and
still
nothing
happened
.
“
Hold
it
up
towards
the
East
,
you
silly
!
”
said
Robert
.
“
Which
is
the
East
?
”
said
Jane
,
dancing
about
in
her
agony
of
terror
.
Nobody
knew
.
So
they
opened
the
fish‐bag
to
ask
the
Psammead
.
And
the
bag
had
only
a
waterproof
sheet
in
it
.
The
Psammead
was
gone
.
“
Hide
the
sacred
thing
!
Hide
it
!
Hide
it
!
”
whispered
the
girl
.
Cyril
shrugged
his
shoulders
,
and
tried
to
look
as
brave
as
he
knew
he
ought
to
feel
.
“
Hide
it
up
,
Pussy
,
”
he
said
.
“
We
are
in
for
it
now
.
We’ve
just
got
to
stay
and
see
it
out
.
”
CHAPTER
V
THE
FIGHT
IN
THE
VILLAGE
HERE
was
a
horrible
position
!
Four
English
children
,
whose
proper
date
was
A.D.
1905
,
and
whose
proper
address
was
London
,
set
down
in
Egypt
in
the
year
6000
B.C.
,
with
no
means
whatever
of
getting
back
into
their
own
time
and
place
.
They
could
not
find
the
East
,
and
the
sun
was
of
no
use
at
the
moment
,
because
some
officious
person
had
once
explained
to
Cyril
that
the
sun
did
not
really
set
in
the
West
at
all
—
nor
rise
in
the
East
either
,
for
the
matter
of
that
.
The
Psammead
had
crept
out
of
the
bass‐bag
when
they
were
not
looking
and
had
basely
deserted
them
.
An
enemy
was
approaching
.
There
would
be
a
fight
.
People
get
killed
in
fights
,
and
the
idea
of
taking
part
in
a
fight
was
one
that
did
not
smile
to
the
children
.
The
man
who
had
brought
the
news
of
the
enemy
still
lay
panting
on
the
sand
.
His
tongue
was
hanging
out
,
long
and
red
,
like
a
dog’s
.
The
people
of
the
village
were
hur‐
riedly
filling
the
gaps
in
the
fence
with
thorn‐bushes
from
the
heap
that
seemed
to
have
been
piled
there
ready
for
just
such
a
need
.
They
lifted
the
clustering
thorns
with
long
poles
—
much
as
men
at
home
,
nowadays
,
lift
hay
with
a
fork
.
Jane
bit
her
lip
and
tried
to
decide
not
to
cry
.
Robert
felt
in
his
pocket
for
a
toy
pistol
and
loaded
it
with
a
pink
paper
cap.
It
was
his
only
weapon
.
Cyril
tightened
his
belt
two
holes
.
And
Anthea
absently
took
the
drooping
red
roses
from
the
buttonholes
of
the
others
,
bit
the
ends
of
the
stalks
,
and
set
them
in
a
pot
of
water
that
stood
in
the
shadow
by
a
hut
door
.
She
was
always
rather
silly
about
flowers
.
“
Look
here
!
”
she
said
.
“
I
think
perhaps
the
Psammead
is
really
arranging
something
for
us
.
I
don’t
believe
it
would
go
away
and
leave
us
all
alone
in
the
Past
.
I’m
certain
it
wouldn’t
.
”
Jane
succeeded
in
deciding
not
to
cry
—
at
any
rate
yet
.
“
But
what
can
we
do
?
”
Robert
asked
.
“
Nothing
,
”
Cyril
answered
promptly
,
“
except
keep
our
eyes
and
ears
open
.
Look
!
That
runner
chap’s
getting
his
wind
.
Let’s
go
and
hear
what
he’s
got
to
say
.
”
The
runner
had
risen
to
his
knees
and
was
sitting
back
on
his
heels
.
Now
he
stood
up
and
spoke
.
He
began
by
some
respectful
remarks
addressed
to
the
heads
of
the
village
.
His
speech
got
more
interesting
when
he
said
—
“
I
went
out
in
my
raft
to
snare
ibises
,
and
I
had
gone
up
the
stream
an
hour’s
journey
.
Then
I
set
my
snares
and
waited
.
And
I
heard
the
sound
of
many
wings
,
and
looking
up
,
saw
many
herons
circling
in
the
air
.
And
I
saw
that
they
were
afraid
;
so
I
took
thought
.
A
beast
may
scare
one
heron
,
coming
upon
it
suddenly
,
but
no
beast
will
scare
a
whole
flock
of
herons
.
And
still
they
flew
and
circled
,
and
would
not
alight
.
So
then
I
knew
that
what
scared
the
herons
must
be
men
,
and
men
who
knew
not
our
ways
of
going
softly
so
as
to
take
the
birds
and
beasts
unawares
.
By
this
I
knew
they
were
not
of
our
race
or
of
our
place
.
So
,
leaving
my
raft
,
I
crept
along
the
river
bank
,
and
at
last
came
upon
the
strangers
.
They
are
many
as
the
sands
of
the
desert
,
and
their
spear‐heads
shine
red
like
the
sun
.
They
are
a
terrible
people
,
and
their
march
is
towards
us
.
Having
seen
this
,
I
ran
,
and
did
not
stay
till
I
was
before
you
.
”
“
These
are
your
folk
,
”
said
the
headman
,
turning
suddenly
and
angrily
on
Cyril
,
“
you
came
as
spies
for
them
.
”
“
We
did
not
,
”
said
Cyril
indignantly
.
“
We
wouldn’t
be
spies
for
anything
.
I’m
certain
these
people
aren’t
a
bit
like
us
.
Are
they
now
?
”
he
asked
the
runner
.
“
No
,
”
was
the
answer
.
“
these
men’s
faces
were
darkened
,
and
their
hair
black
as
night
.
Yet
these
strange
children
,
maybe
,
are
their
gods
,
who
have
come
before
to
make
ready
the
way
for
them
.
”
A
murmur
ran
through
the
crowd
.
“
No
,
no
,
”
said
Cyril
again
.
“
We
are
on
your
side
.
We
will
help
you
to
guard
your
sacred
things
.
”
The
headman
seemed
impressed
by
the
fact
that
Cyril
knew
that
there
were
sacred
things
to
be
guarded
.
He
stood
a
moment
gazing
at
the
children
.
Then
he
said
—
“
It
is
well
.
And
now
let
all
make
offering
,
that
we
may
be
strong
in
battle
.
”
The
crowd
dispersed
,
and
nine
men
,
wearing
antelope‐skins
,
grouped
themselves
in
front
of
the
opening
in
the
hedge
in
the
middle
of
the
village
.
And
presently
,
one
by
one
,
the
men
brought
all
sorts
of
things
—
hippopotamus
flesh
,
ostrich‐feathers
,
the
fruit
of
the
date
palms
,
red
chalk
,
green
chalk
,
fish
from
the
river
,
and
ibex
from
the
mountains
;
and
the
headman
received
these
gifts
.
There
was
another
hedge
inside
the
first
,
about
a
yard
from
it
,
so
that
there
was
a
lane
inside
between
the
hedges
.
And
every
now
and
then
one
of
the
headmen
would
disappear
along
this
lane
with
full
hands
and
come
back
with
hands
empty
.
“
They’re
making
offerings
to
their
Amulet
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
We’d
better
give
something
too
.
”
The
pockets
of
the
party
,
hastily
explored
,
yielded
a
piece
of
pink
tape
,
a
bit
of
sealing‐
wax
,
and
part
of
the
Waterbury
watch
that
Robert
had
not
been
able
to
help
taking
to
pieces
at
Christmas
and
had
never
had
time
to
rearrange
.
Most
boys
have
a
watch
in
this
condition
.
They
presented
their
offerings
,
and
Anthea
added
the
red
roses
.
The
headman
who
took
the
things
looked
at
them
with
awe
,
especially
at
the
red
roses
and
the
Waterbury‐watch
fragment
.
“
This
is
a
day
of
very
wondrous
happenings
,
”
he
said
.
“
I
have
no
more
room
in
me
to
be
astonished
.
Our
maiden
said
there
was
peace
between
you
and
us
.
But
for
this
coming
of
a
foe
we
should
have
made
sure
.
”
The
children
shuddered
.
“
Now
speak
.
Are
you
upon
our
side
?
”
“
Yes
.
Don’t
I
keep
telling
you
we
are
?
”
Robert
said
.
“
Look
here
.
I
will
give
you
a
sign
.
You
see
this
.
”
He
held
out
the
toy
pistol
.
“
I
shall
speak
to
it
,
and
if
it
answers
me
you
will
know
that
I
and
the
others
are
come
to
guard
your
sacred
thing
—
that
we’ve
just
made
the
offerings
to
.
”
“
Will
that
god
whose
image
you
hold
in
your
hand
speak
to
you
alone
,
or
shall
I
also
hear
it
?
”
asked
the
man
cautiously
.
“
You’ll
be
surprised
when
you
do
hear
it
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
Now
,
then
.
”
He
looked
at
the
pistol
and
said
—
“
If
we
are
to
guard
the
sacred
treasure
within
”
—
he
pointed
to
the
hedged‐in
space
—
“
speak
with
thy
loud
voice
,
and
we
shall
obey
.
”
He
pulled
the
trigger
,
and
the
cap
went
off
.
The
noise
was
loud
,
for
it
was
a
two‐shilling
pistol
,
and
the
caps
were
excellent
.
Every
man
,
woman
,
and
child
in
the
village
fell
on
its
face
on
the
sand
.
The
headman
who
had
accepted
the
test
rose
first
.
“
The
voice
has
spoken
,
”
he
said
.
“
Lead
them
into
the
ante‐room
of
the
sacred
thing
.
”
So
now
the
four
children
were
led
in
through
the
opening
of
the
hedge
and
round
the
lane
till
they
came
to
an
opening
in
the
inner
hedge
,
and
they
went
through
an
opening
in
that
,
and
so
passed
into
another
lane
.
The
thing
was
built
something
like
this
,
and
all
the
hedges
were
of
brushwood
and
thorns
:
“
It’s
like
the
maze
at
Hampton
Court
,
”
whispered
Anthea
.
The
lanes
were
all
open
to
the
sky
,
but
the
little
hut
in
the
middle
of
the
maze
was
round‐roofed
,
and
a
curtain
of
skins
hung
over
the
doorway
.
“
Here
you
may
wait
,
”
said
their
guide
,
“
but
do
not
dare
to
pass
the
curtain
.
”
He
himself
passed
it
and
disappeared
.
“
But
look
here
,
”
whispered
Cyril
,
“
some
of
us
ought
to
be
outside
,
in
case
the
Psammead
turns
up
.
”
“
Don’t
let’s
get
separated
from
each
other
,
whatever
we
do
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
It’s
quite
bad
enough
to
be
separated
from
the
Psammead
.
We
can’t
do
anything
while
that
man
is
in
there
.
Let’s
all
go
out
into
the
village
again
.
We
can
come
back
later
now
we
know
the
way
in
.
That
man’ll
have
to
fight
like
the
rest
,
most
likely
,
if
it
comes
to
fighting
.
If
we
find
the
Psammead
we’ll
go
straight
home
.
It
must
be
getting
late
,
and
I
don’t
much
like
this
mazy
place
.
”
They
went
out
and
told
the
headman
that
they
would
protect
the
treasure
when
the
fighting
began
.
And
now
they
looked
about
them
and
were
able
to
see
exactly
how
a
first‐class
worker
in
flint
flakes
and
notches
an
arrow‐head
or
the
edge
of
an
axe
—
an
advantage
which
no
other
person
now
alive
has
ever
enjoyed
.
The
boys
found
the
weapons
most
interesting
.
The
arrow‐heads
were
not
on
arrows
such
as
you
shoot
from
a
bow
,
but
on
javelins
,
for
throwing
from
the
hand
.
The
chief
weapon
was
a
stone
fastened
to
a
rather
short
stick
something
like
the
things
gentlemen
used
to
carry
about
and
call
life‐preservers
in
the
days
of
the
garrotters
.
Then
there
were
long
things
like
spears
or
lances
,
with
flint
heads
to
them
,
and
there
were
flint
knives
—
horribly
sharp
—
and
flint
battle‐axes
.
Everyone
in
the
village
was
so
busy
that
the
place
was
like
an
ant‐heap
when
you
have
walked
into
it
by
accident
.
The
women
were
busy
and
even
the
children
.
Quite
suddenly
all
the
air
seemed
to
glow
and
grow
red
—
it
was
like
the
sudden
opening
of
a
furnace
door
,
such
as
you
may
see
at
Woolwich
Arsenal
if
you
ever
have
the
luck
to
be
taken
there
—
and
then
almost
as
suddenly
it
was
as
though
the
furnace
doors
had
been
shut
.
For
the
sun
had
set
,
and
it
was
night
.
The
sun
had
that
abrupt
way
of
setting
in
Egypt
eight
thousand
years
ago
,
and
I
believe
it
has
never
been
able
to
break
itself
of
the
habit
,
and
sets
in
exactly
the
same
manner
to
the
present
day
.
The
girl
brought
the
skins
of
wild
deer
and
led
the
children
to
a
heap
of
dry
sedge
.
“
My
father
says
they
will
not
attack
yet
.
Sleep
!
”
she
said
,
and
it
really
seemed
a
good
idea
.
You
may
think
that
in
the
midst
of
all
these
dangers
the
children
would
not
have
been
able
to
sleep
—
but
somehow
,
though
they
were
rather
frightened
now
and
then
,
the
feeling
was
growing
in
them
—
deep
down
and
almost
hidden
away
,
but
still
growing
—
that
the
Psammead
was
to
be
trusted
,
and
that
they
were
really
and
truly
safe
.
This
did
not
prevent
their
being
quite
as
much
frightened
as
they
could
bear
to
be
without
being
perfectly
miserable
.
“
I
suppose
we’d
better
go
to
sleep
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
I
don’t
know
what
on
earth
poor
old
Nurse
will
do
with
us
out
all
night
;
set
the
police
on
our
tracks
,
I
expect
.
I
only
wish
they
could
find
us
!
A
dozen
policemen
would
be
rather
welcome
just
now
.
But
it’s
no
use
getting
into
a
stew
over
it
,
”
he
added
soothingly
.
“
Good
night
.
”
And
they
all
fell
asleep
.
They
were
awakened
by
long
,
loud
,
terrible
sounds
that
seemed
to
come
from
everywhere
at
once
—
horrible
threatening
shouts
and
shrieks
and
howls
that
sounded
,
as
Cyril
said
later
,
like
the
voices
of
men
thirsting
for
their
enemies’
blood
.
“
It
is
the
voice
of
the
strange
men
,
”
said
the
girl
,
coming
to
them
trembling
through
the
dark
.
“
They
have
attacked
the
walls
,
and
the
thorns
have
driven
them
back
.
My
father
says
they
will
not
try
again
till
daylight
.
But
they
are
shouting
to
frighten
us
.
As
though
we
were
savages
!
dwellers
in
the
swamps
!
”
she
said
indignantly
.
All
night
the
terrible
noise
went
on
,
but
when
the
sun
rose
,
as
abruptly
as
he
had
set
,
the
sound
suddenly
ceased
.
The
children
had
hardly
time
to
be
glad
of
this
before
a
shower
of
javelins
came
hurtling
over
the
great
thorn‐hedge
,
and
everyone
sheltered
behind
the
huts
.
But
next
moment
another
shower
of
weapons
came
from
the
opposite
side
,
and
the
crowd
rushed
to
other
shelter
.
Cyril
pulled
out
a
javelin
that
had
stuck
in
the
roof
of
the
hut
beside
him
.
Its
head
was
of
brightly
burnished
copper
.
Then
the
sound
of
shouting
arose
again
and
the
crackle
of
dried
thorns
.
The
enemy
was
breaking
down
the
hedge
.
All
the
villagers
swarmed
to
the
point
whence
the
crackling
and
the
shouting
came
;
they
hurled
stones
over
the
hedges
,
and
short
arrows
with
flint
heads
.
The
children
had
never
before
seen
men
with
the
fighting
light
in
their
eyes
.
It
was
very
strange
and
terrible
,
and
gave
you
a
queer
thick
feeling
in
your
throat
;
it
was
quite
different
from
the
pictures
of
fights
in
the
illustrated
papers
at
home
.
It
seemed
that
the
shower
of
stones
had
driven
back
the
besiegers
.
The
besieged
drew
breath
,
but
at
that
moment
the
shouting
and
the
crackling
arose
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
village
and
the
crowd
hastened
to
defend
that
point
,
and
so
the
fight
swayed
to
and
fro
across
the
village
,
for
the
besieged
had
not
the
sense
to
divide
their
forces
as
their
enemies
had
done
.
Cyril
noticed
that
every
now
and
then
certain
of
the
fighting‐men
would
enter
the
maze
,
and
come
out
with
brighter
faces
,
a
braver
aspect
,
and
a
more
upright
carriage
.
“
I
believe
they
go
and
touch
the
Amulet
,
”
he
said
.
“
You
know
the
Psammead
said
it
could
make
people
brave
.
”
They
crept
through
the
maze
,
and
watching
they
saw
that
Cyril
was
right
.
A
headman
was
standing
in
front
of
the
skin
curtain
,
and
as
the
warriors
came
before
him
he
murmured
a
word
they
could
not
hear
,
and
touched
their
foreheads
with
something
that
they
could
not
see
.
And
this
something
he
held
in
his
hands
.
And
through
his
fingers
they
saw
the
gleam
of
a
red
stone
that
they
knew
.
The
fight
raged
across
the
thorn‐hedge
outside
.
Suddenly
there
was
a
loud
and
bitter
cry
.
“
They’re
in
!
They’re
in
!
The
hedge
is
down
!
”
The
headman
disappeared
behind
the
deer‐skin
curtain
.
“
He’s
gone
to
hide
it
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
Oh
,
Psammead
dear
,
how
could
you
leave
us
!
”
Suddenly
there
was
a
shriek
from
inside
the
hut
,
and
the
headman
staggered
out
white
with
fear
and
fled
out
through
the
maze
.
The
children
were
as
white
as
he
.
“
Oh
!
what
is
it
?
what
is
it
?
”
moaned
Anthea
.
“
Oh
,
Psammead
,
how
could
you
!
how
could
you
!
”
And
the
sound
of
the
fight
sank
breathlessly
,
and
swelled
fiercely
all
around
.
It
was
like
the
rising
and
falling
of
the
waves
of
the
sea
.
Anthea
shuddered
and
said
again
,
“
Oh
,
Psammead
,
Psammead
!
”
“
Well
?
”
said
a
brisk
voice
,
and
the
curtain
of
skins
was
lifted
at
one
corner
by
a
furry
hand
,
and
out
peeped
the
bat’s
ears
and
snail’s
eyes
of
the
Psammead
.
Anthea
caught
it
in
her
arms
and
a
sigh
of
desperate
relief
was
breathed
by
each
of
the
four
.
“
Oh
!
which
is
the
East
!
”
Anthea
said
,
and
she
spoke
hurriedly
,
for
the
noise
of
wild
fighting
drew
nearer
and
nearer
.
“
Don’t
choke
me
,
”
said
the
Psammead
,
“
come
inside
.
”
The
inside
of
the
hut
was
pitch
dark
.
“
I’ve
got
a
match
,
”
said
Cyril
,
and
struck
it
.
The
floor
of
the
hut
was
of
soft
,
loose
sand
.
“
I’ve
been
asleep
here
,
”
said
the
Psammead
;
“
most
comfortable
it’s
been
,
the
best
sand
I’ve
had
for
a
month
.
It’s
all
right
.
Everything’s
all
right
.
I
knew
your
only
chance
would
be
while
the
fight
was
going
on
.
That
man
won’t
come
back
.
I
bit
him
,
and
he
thinks
I’m
an
Evil
Spirit
.
Now
you’ve
only
got
to
take
the
thing
and
go
.
”
The
hut
was
hung
with
skins
.
Heaped
in
the
middle
were
the
offerings
that
had
been
given
the
night
before
,
Anthea’s
roses
fading
on
the
top
of
the
heap
.
At
one
side
of
the
hut
stood
a
large
square
stone
block
,
and
on
it
an
oblong
box
of
earthenware
with
strange
figures
of
men
and
beasts
on
it
.
“
Is
the
thing
in
there
?
”
asked
Cyril
,
as
the
Psammead
pointed
a
skinny
finger
at
it
.
“
You
must
judge
of
that
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
“
The
man
was
just
going
to
bury
the
box
in
the
sand
when
I
jumped
out
at
him
and
bit
him
.
”
“
Light
another
match
,
Robert
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
Now
,
then
quick
!
which
is
the
East
?
”
“
Why
,
where
the
sun
rises
,
of
course
!
”
“
But
someone
told
us
—
”
“
Oh
!
they’ll
tell
you
anything
!
”
said
the
Psammead
impatiently
,
getting
into
its
bass‐bag
and
wrapping
itself
in
its
waterproof
sheet
.
“
But
we
can’t
see
the
sun
in
here
,
and
it
isn’t
rising
anyhow
,
”
said
Jane
.
“
How
you
do
waste
time
!
”
the
Psammead
said
.
“
Why
,
the
East’s
where
the
shrine
is
,
of
course
.
There
!
”
It
pointed
to
the
great
stone
.
And
still
the
shouting
and
the
clash
of
stone
on
metal
sounded
nearer
and
nearer
.
The
children
could
hear
that
the
headmen
had
surrounded
the
hut
to
protect
their
treasure
as
long
as
might
be
from
the
enemy
.
But
none
dared
to
come
in
after
the
Psammead’s
sudden
fierce
biting
of
the
headman
.
“
Now
,
Jane
,
”
said
Cyril
,
very
quickly
.
“
I’ll
take
the
Amulet
,
you
stand
ready
to
hold
up
the
charm
,
and
be
sure
you
don’t
let
it
go
as
you
come
through
.
”
He
made
a
step
forward
,
but
at
that
instant
a
great
crackling
overhead
ended
in
a
blaze
of
sunlight
.
The
roof
had
been
broken
in
at
one
side
,
and
great
slabs
of
it
were
being
lifted
off
by
two
spears
.
As
the
children
trembled
and
winked
in
the
new
light
,
large
dark
hands
tore
down
the
wall
,
and
a
dark
face
,
with
a
blobby
fat
nose
,
looked
over
the
gap
.
Even
at
that
awful
moment
Anthea
had
time
to
think
that
it
was
very
like
the
face
of
Mr
Jacob
Absalom
,
who
had
sold
them
the
charm
in
the
shop
near
Charing
Cross
.
“
Here
is
their
Amulet
,
”
cried
a
harsh
,
strange
voice
;
“
it
is
this
that
makes
them
strong
to
fight
and
brave
to
die
.
And
what
else
have
we
here
—
gods
or
demons
?
”
He
glared
fiercely
at
the
children
,
and
the
whites
of
his
eyes
were
very
white
indeed
.
He
had
a
wet
,
red
copper
knife
in
his
teeth
.
There
was
not
a
moment
to
lose
.
“
Jane
,
Jane
,
QUICK
!
”
cried
every
one
passionately
.
Jane
with
trembling
hands
held
up
the
charm
towards
the
East
,
and
Cyril
spoke
the
word
of
power
.
The
Amulet
grew
to
a
great
arch
.
Out
beyond
it
was
the
glaring
Egyptian
sky
,
the
broken
wall
,
the
cruel
,
dark
,
big‐nosed
face
with
the
red
,
wet
knife
in
its
gleaming
teeth
.
Within
the
arch
was
the
dull
,
faint
,
greeny‐brown
of
London
grass
and
trees
.
“
Hold
tight
,
Jane
!
”
Cyril
cried
,
and
he
dashed
through
the
arch
,
dragging
Anthea
and
the
Psammead
after
him
.
Robert
followed
,
clutching
Jane
.
And
in
the
ears
of
each
,
as
they
passed
through
the
arch
of
the
charm
,
the
sound
and
fury
of
battle
died
out
suddenly
and
utterly
,
and
they
heard
only
the
low
,
dull
,
discontented
hum
of
vast
London
,
and
the
peeking
and
patting
of
the
sparrows
on
the
gravel
and
the
voices
of
the
ragged
baby
children
playing
Ring‐o’‐Roses
on
the
yellow
trampled
grass
.
And
the
charm
was
a
little
charm
again
in
Jane’s
hand
,
and
there
was
the
basket
with
their
dinner
and
the
bath‐buns
lying
just
where
they
had
left
it
.
“
My
hat
!
”
said
Cyril
,
drawing
a
long
breath
;
“
that
was
something
like
an
adventure
.
”
“
It
was
rather
like
one
,
certainly
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
They
all
lay
still
,
breathing
in
the
safe
,
quiet
air
of
Regent’s
Park
.
“
We’d
better
go
home
at
once
,
”
said
Anthea
presently
.
“
Old
Nurse
will
be
most
frightfully
anxious
.
The
sun
looks
about
the
same
as
it
did
when
we
started
yesterday
.
We’ve
been
away
twenty‐four
hours
.
”
“
The
buns
are
quite
soft
still
,
”
said
Cyril
,
feeling
one
;
“
I
suppose
the
dew
kept
them
fresh
.
”
They
were
not
hungry
,
curiously
enough
.
They
picked
up
the
dinner‐basket
and
the
Psammead‐basket
,
and
went
straight
home
.
Old
Nurse
met
them
with
amazement
.
“
Well
,
if
ever
I
did
!
”
she
said
.
“
What’s
gone
wrong
?
You’ve
soon
tired
of
your
picnic
.
”
The
children
took
this
to
be
bitter
irony
,
which
means
saying
the
exact
opposite
of
what
you
mean
in
order
to
make
yourself
disagreeable
;
as
when
you
happen
to
have
a
dirty
face
,
and
someone
says
,
“
How
nice
and
clean
you
look
!
”
“
We’re
very
sorry
,
”
began
Anthea
,
but
old
Nurse
said
—
“
Oh
,
bless
me
,
child
,
I
don’t
care
!
Please
yourselves
and
you’ll
please
me
.
Come
in
and
get
your
dinners
comf’table
.
I’ve
got
a
potato
on
a‐boiling
.
”
When
she
had
gone
to
attend
to
the
potatoes
the
children
looked
at
each
other
.
Could
it
be
that
old
Nurse
had
so
changed
that
she
no
longer
cared
that
they
should
have
been
away
from
home
for
twenty‐four
hours
—
all
night
in
fact
—
without
any
explanation
whatever
?
But
the
Psammead
put
its
head
out
of
its
basket
and
said
—
“
What’s
the
matter
?
Don’t
you
understand
?
You
come
back
through
the
charm‐arch
at
the
same
time
as
you
go
through
it
.
This
isn’t
tomorrow
!
”
“
Is
it
still
yesterday
?
”
asked
Jane
.
“
No
,
it’s
today
.
The
same
as
it’s
always
been
.
It
wouldn’t
do
to
go
mixing
up
the
present
and
the
Past
,
and
cutting
bits
out
of
one
to
fit
into
the
other
.
”
“
Then
all
that
adventure
took
no
time
at
all
?
”
“
You
can
call
it
that
if
you
like
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
“
It
took
none
of
the
modern
time
,
anyhow
.
”
That
evening
Anthea
carried
up
a
steak
for
the
learned
gentleman’s
dinner
.
She
persuaded
Beatrice
,
the
maid‐of‐all‐work
,
who
had
given
her
the
bangle
with
the
blue
stone
,
to
let
her
do
it
.
And
she
stayed
and
talked
to
him
,
by
special
invitation
,
while
he
ate
the
dinner
.
She
told
him
the
whole
adventure
,
beginning
with
—
“
This
afternoon
we
found
ourselves
on
the
bank
of
the
River
Nile
,
”
and
ending
up
with
,
“
And
then
we
remembered
how
to
get
back
,
and
there
we
were
in
Regent’s
Park
,
and
it
hadn’t
taken
any
time
at
all
.
”
She
did
not
tell
anything
about
the
charm
or
the
Psammead
,
because
that
was
forbidden
,
but
the
story
was
quite
wonderful
enough
even
as
it
was
to
entrance
the
learned
gentleman
.
“
You
are
a
most
unusual
little
girl
,
”
he
said
.
“
Who
tells
you
all
these
things
?
”
“
No
one
,
”
said
Anthea
,
“
they
just
happen
.
”
“
Make‐believe
,
”
he
said
slowly
,
as
one
who
recalls
and
pronounces
a
long‐forgotten
word
.
He
sat
long
after
she
had
left
him
.
At
last
he
roused
himself
with
a
start
.
“
I
really
must
take
a
holiday
,
”
he
said
;
“
my
nerves
must
be
all
out
of
order
.
I
actually
have
a
perfectly
distinct
impression
that
the
little
girl
from
the
rooms
below
came
in
and
gave
me
a
coherent
and
graphic
picture
of
life
as
I
conceive
it
to
have
been
in
pre‐dynastic
Egypt
.
Strange
what
tricks
the
mind
will
play
!
I
shall
have
to
be
more
careful
.
”
He
finished
his
bread
conscientiously
,
and
actually
went
for
a
mile
walk
before
he
went
back
to
his
work
.
CHAPTER
VI
THE
WAY
TO
BABYLON
“
How
many
miles
to
Babylon
?
Three
score
and
ten
!
Can
I
get
there
by
candle
light
?
Yes
,
and
back
again
!
”
JANE
was
singing
to
her
doll
,
rocking
it
to
and
fro
in
the
house
which
she
had
made
for
herself
and
it
.
The
roof
of
the
house
was
the
dining‐table
,
and
the
walls
were
tablecloths
and
antimacassars
hanging
all
round
,
and
kept
in
their
places
by
books
laid
on
their
top
ends
at
the
table
edge
.
The
others
were
tasting
the
fearful
joys
of
domestic
toboganning
.
You
know
how
it
is
done
—
with
the
largest
and
best
tea‐tray
and
the
surface
of
the
stair
carpet
.
It
is
best
to
do
it
on
the
days
when
the
stair
rods
are
being
cleaned
,
and
the
carpet
is
only
held
by
the
nails
at
the
top
.
Of
course
,
it
is
one
of
the
five
or
six
thoroughly
tip‐top
games
that
grown‐up
people
are
so
unjust
to
—
and
old
Nurse
,
though
a
brick
in
many
respects
,
was
quite
enough
of
a
standard
grown‐up
to
put
her
foot
down
on
the
toboganning
long
before
any
of
the
performers
had
had
half
enough
of
it
.
The
tea‐
tray
was
taken
away
,
and
the
baffled
party
entered
the
sitting‐room
,
in
exactly
the
mood
not
to
be
pleased
if
they
could
help
it
.
So
Cyril
said
,
“
What
a
beastly
mess
!
”
And
Robert
added
,
“
Do
shut
up
,
Jane
!
”
Even
Anthea
,
who
was
almost
always
kind
,
advised
Jane
to
try
another
song
.
“
I’m
sick
to
death
of
that
,
”
said
she
.
It
was
a
wet
day
,
so
none
of
the
plans
for
seeing
all
the
sights
of
London
that
can
be
seen
for
nothing
,
could
be
carried
out
.
Everyone
had
been
thinking
all
the
morning
about
the
wonderful
adventures
of
the
day
before
,
when
Jane
had
held
up
the
charm
and
it
had
turned
into
an
arch
,
through
which
they
had
walked
straight
out
of
the
present
time
and
the
Regent’s
Park
into
the
land
of
Egypt
eight
thousand
years
ago
.
The
memory
of
yesterday’s
happenings
was
still
extremely
fresh
and
frightening
,
so
that
everyone
hoped
that
no
one
would
suggest
another
excursion
into
the
past
,
for
it
seemed
to
all
that
yesterday’s
adventures
were
quite
enough
to
last
for
at
least
a
week
.
Yet
each
felt
a
little
anxious
that
the
others
should
not
think
it
was
afraid
,
and
presently
Cyril
,
who
really
was
not
a
coward
,
began
to
see
that
it
would
not
be
at
all
nice
if
he
should
have
to
think
himself
one
.
So
he
said
—
“
I
say
—
about
that
charm
—
Jane
—
come
out
.
We
ought
to
talk
about
it
,
anyhow
.
”
“
Oh
,
if
that’s
all
,
”
said
Robert
.
Jane
obediently
wriggled
to
the
front
of
her
house
and
sat
there
.
She
felt
for
the
charm
,
to
make
sure
that
it
was
still
round
her
neck
.
“
It
isn’t
all
,
”
said
Cyril
,
saying
much
more
than
he
meant
because
he
thought
Robert’s
tone
had
been
rude
—
as
indeed
it
had
.
“
We
ought
to
go
and
look
for
that
Amulet
.
What’s
the
good
of
having
a
first‐class
charm
and
keeping
it
idle
,
just
eating
its
head
off
in
the
stable
.
”
“
I’m
game
for
anything
,
of
course
,
”
said
Robert
;
but
he
added
,
with
a
fine
air
of
chivalry
,
“
only
I
don’t
think
the
girls
are
keen
today
somehow
.
”
“
Oh
,
yes
;
I
am
,
”
said
Anthea
hurriedly
.
“
If
you
think
I’m
afraid
,
I’m
not
.
”
“
I
am
though
,
”
said
Jane
heavily
;
“
I
didn’t
like
it
,
and
I
won’t
go
there
again
—
not
for
anything
I
won’t
.
”
“
We
shouldn’t
go
there
again
,
silly
,
”
said
Cyril
;
“
it
would
be
some
other
place
.
”
“
I
daresay
;
a
place
with
lions
and
tigers
in
it
as
likely
as
not
.
”
Seeing
Jane
so
frightened
,
made
the
others
feel
quite
brave
.
They
said
they
were
certain
they
ought
to
go
.
“
It’s
so
ungrateful
to
the
Psammead
not
to
,
”
Anthea
added
,
a
little
primly
.
Jane
stood
up
.
She
was
desperate
.
“
I
won’t
!
”
she
cried
;
“
I
won’t
,
I
won’t
,
I
won’t
!
If
you
make
me
I’ll
scream
and
I’ll
scream
,
and
I’ll
tell
old
Nurse
,
and
I’ll
get
her
to
burn
the
charm
in
the
kitchen
fire
.
So
now
,
then
!
”
You
can
imagine
how
furious
everyone
was
with
Jane
for
feeling
what
each
of
them
had
felt
all
the
morning
.
In
each
breast
the
same
thought
arose
,
“
No
one
can
say
it’s
our
fault
.
”
And
they
at
once
began
to
show
Jane
how
angry
they
all
felt
that
all
the
fault
was
hers
.
This
made
them
feel
quite
brave
.
“
Tell‐tale
tit
,
its
tongue
shall
be
split
,
And
all
the
dogs
in
our
town
shall
have
a
little
bit
,
”
sang
Robert
.
“
It’s
always
the
way
if
you
have
girls
in
anything
.
”
Cyril
spoke
in
a
cold
displeasure
that
was
worse
than
Robert’s
cruel
quotation
,
and
even
Anthea
said
,
“
Well
,
I’m
not
afraid
if
I
am
a
girl
,
”
which
of
course
,
was
the
most
cutting
thing
of
all
.
Jane
picked
up
her
doll
and
faced
the
others
with
what
is
sometimes
called
the
courage
of
despair
.
“
I
don’t
care
,
”
she
said
;
“
I
won’t
,
so
there
!
It’s
just
silly
going
to
places
when
you
don’t
want
to
,
and
when
you
don’t
know
what
they’re
going
to
be
like
!
You
can
laugh
at
me
as
much
as
you
like
.
You’re
beasts
—
and
I
hate
you
all
!
”
With
these
awful
words
she
went
out
and
banged
the
door
.
Then
the
others
would
not
look
at
each
other
,
and
they
did
not
feel
so
brave
as
they
had
done
.
Cyril
took
up
a
book
,
but
it
was
not
interesting
to
read
.
Robert
kicked
a
chair‐leg
absently
.
His
feet
were
always
eloquent
in
moments
of
emotion
.
Anthea
stood
pleating
the
end
of
the
table‐cloth
into
folds
—
she
seemed
earnestly
anxious
to
get
all
the
pleats
the
same
size
.
The
sound
of
Jane’s
sobs
had
died
away
.
Suddenly
Anthea
said
,
“
Oh
!
let
it
be
‘pax’
—
poor
little
Pussy
—
you
know
she’s
the
youngest
.
”
“
She
called
us
beasts
,
”
said
Robert
,
kicking
the
chair
suddenly
.
“
Well
,
said
Cyril
,
who
was
subject
to
passing
fits
of
justice
,
“
we
began
,
you
know
.
At
least
you
did
.
”
Cyril’s
justice
was
always
uncompromising
.
“
I’m
not
going
to
say
I’m
sorry
if
you
mean
that
,
”
said
Robert
,
and
the
chair‐leg
cracked
to
the
kick
he
gave
as
he
said
it
.
“
Oh
,
do
let’s
,
”
said
Anthea
,
“
we’re
three
to
one
,
and
Mother
does
so
hate
it
if
we
row
.
Come
on
.
I’ll
say
I’m
sorry
first
,
though
I
didn’t
say
anything
,
hardly
.
”
“
All
right
,
let’s
get
it
over
,
”
said
Cyril
,
opening
the
door
.
“
Hi
—
you
—
Pussy
!
”
Far
away
up
the
stairs
a
voice
could
be
heard
singing
brokenly
,
but
still
defiantly
—
“
How
many
miles
(
sniff
)
to
Babylon
?
Three
score
and
ten
(
sniff
)
,
Can
I
get
there
by
candle
light
?
Yes
(
sniff
)
,
and
back
again
!
”
It
was
trying
,
for
this
was
plainly
meant
to
annoy
.
But
Anthea
would
not
give
herself
time
to
think
this
.
She
led
the
way
up
the
stairs
,
taking
three
at
a
time
,
and
bounded
to
the
level
of
Jane
,
who
sat
on
the
top
step
of
all
,
thumping
her
doll
to
the
tune
of
the
song
she
was
trying
to
sing
.
“
I
say
,
Pussy
,
let
it
be
pax
!
We’re
sorry
if
you
are
—
”
It
was
enough
.
The
kiss
of
peace
was
given
by
all
.
Jane
being
the
youngest
was
entitled
to
this
ceremonial
.
Anthea
added
a
special
apology
of
her
own
.
“
I’m
sorry
if
I
was
a
pig
,
Pussy
dear
,
”
she
said
—
“
especially
because
in
my
really
and
truly
inside
mind
I’ve
been
feeling
a
little
as
if
I’d
rather
not
go
into
the
Past
again
either
.
But
then
,
do
think
.
If
we
don’t
go
we
shan’t
get
the
Amulet
,
and
oh
,
Pussy
,
think
if
we
could
only
get
Father
and
Mother
and
The
Lamb
safe
back
!
We
must
go
,
but
we’ll
wait
a
day
or
two
if
you
like
and
then
perhaps
you’ll
feel
braver
.
”
“
Raw
meat
makes
you
brave
,
however
cowardly
you
are
,
”
said
Robert
,
to
show
that
there
was
now
no
ill‐feeling
,
“
and
cranberries
—
that’s
what
Tartars
eat
,
and
they’re
so
brave
it’s
simply
awful
.
I
suppose
cranberries
are
only
for
Christmas
time
,
but
I’ll
ask
old
Nurse
to
let
you
have
your
chop
very
raw
if
you
like
.
”
“
I
think
I
could
be
brave
without
that
,
”
said
Jane
hastily
;
she
hated
underdone
meat
.
“
I’ll
try
.
”
At
this
moment
the
door
of
the
learned
gentleman’s
room
opened
,
and
he
looked
out
.
“
Excuse
me
,
”
he
said
,
in
that
gentle
,
polite
weary
voice
of
his
,
“
but
was
I
mistaken
in
thinking
that
I
caught
a
familiar
word
just
now
?
Were
you
not
singing
some
old
ballad
of
Babylon
?
”
“
No
,
”
said
Robert
,
“
at
least
Jane
was
singing
‘How
many
miles
,
’
but
I
shouldn’t
have
thought
you
could
have
heard
the
words
for
—
”
He
would
have
said
,
“
for
the
sniffing
,
”
but
Anthea
pinched
him
just
in
time
.
“
I
did
not
hear
all
the
words
,
”
said
the
learned
gentleman
.
“
I
wonder
would
you
recite
them
to
me
?
”
So
they
all
said
together
—
“
How
many
miles
to
Babylon
?
Three
score
and
ten
!
Can
I
get
there
by
candle
light
?
Yes
,
and
back
again
!
”
“
I
wish
one
could
,
”
the
learned
gentleman
said
with
a
sigh
.
“
Can’t
you
?
”
asked
Jane
.
“
Babylon
has
fallen
,
”
he
answered
with
a
sigh
.
“
You
know
it
was
once
a
great
and
beautiful
city
,
and
the
centre
of
learning
and
Art
,
and
now
it
is
only
ruins
,
and
so
covered
up
with
earth
that
people
are
not
even
agreed
as
to
where
it
once
stood
.
”
He
was
leaning
on
the
banisters
,
and
his
eyes
had
a
far‐away
look
in
them
,
as
though
he
could
see
through
the
staircase‐window
the
splendour
and
glory
of
ancient
Babylon
.
“
I
say
,
”
Cyril
remarked
abruptly
.
“
You
know
that
charm
we
showed
you
,
and
you
told
us
how
to
say
the
name
that’s
on
it
?
”
“
Yes
!
”
“
Well
,
do
you
think
that
charm
was
ever
in
Babylon
?
”
“
It’s
quite
possible
,
”
the
learned
gentleman
replied
.
“
such
charms
have
been
found
in
very
early
Egyptian
tombs
,
yet
their
origin
has
not
been
accurately
determined
as
Egyptian
.
They
may
have
been
brought
from
Asia
.
Or
,
supposing
the
charm
to
have
been
fashioned
in
Egypt
,
it
might
very
well
have
been
carried
to
Babylon
by
some
friendly
embassy
,
or
brought
back
by
the
Babylonish
army
from
some
Egyptian
campaign
as
part
of
the
spoils
of
war
.
The
inscription
may
be
much
later
than
the
charm
.
Oh
yes
!
it
is
a
pleasant
fancy
,
that
that
splendid
specimen
of
yours
was
once
used
amid
Babylonish
surroundings
.
”
The
others
looked
at
each
other
,
but
it
was
Jane
who
spoke
.
“
Were
the
Babylon
people
savages
,
were
they
always
fighting
and
throwing
things
about
?
”
For
she
had
read
the
thoughts
of
the
others
by
the
unerring
light
of
her
own
fears
.
“
The
Babylonians
were
certainly
more
gentle
than
the
Assyrians
,
”
said
the
learned
gentleman
.
“
And
they
were
not
savages
by
any
means
.
A
very
high
level
of
culture
,
”
he
looked
doubtfully
at
his
audience
and
went
on
,
“
I
mean
that
they
made
beautiful
statues
and
jewellery
,
and
built
splendid
palaces
.
And
they
were
very
learned‐
they
had
glorious
libraries
and
high
towers
for
the
purpose
of
astrological
and
astronomical
observation
.
”
“
Er
?
”
said
Robert
.
“
I
mean
for
—
star‐gazing
and
fortune‐telling
,
”
said
the
learned
gentleman
,
“
and
there
were
temples
and
beautiful
hanging
gardens
—
”
“
I’ll
go
to
Babylon
if
you
like
,
”
said
Jane
abruptly
,
and
the
others
hastened
to
say
“
Done
!
”
before
she
should
have
time
to
change
her
mind
.
“
Ah
,
”
said
the
learned
gentleman
,
smiling
rather
sadly
,
“
one
can
go
so
far
in
dreams
,
when
one
is
young
.
”
He
sighed
again
,
and
then
adding
with
a
laboured
briskness
,
“
I
hope
you’ll
have
a
—
a
—
jolly
game
,
”
he
went
into
his
room
and
shut
the
door
.
“
He
said
‘jolly’
as
if
it
was
a
foreign
language
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
Come
on
,
let’s
get
the
Psammead
and
go
now
.
I
think
Babylon
seems
a
most
frightfully
jolly
place
to
go
to
.
”
So
they
woke
the
Psammead
and
put
it
in
its
bass‐bag
with
the
waterproof
sheet
,
in
case
of
inclement
weather
in
Babylon
.
It
was
very
cross
,
but
it
said
it
would
as
soon
go
to
Babylon
as
anywhere
else
.
“
The
sand
is
good
thereabouts
,
”
it
added
.
Then
Jane
held
up
the
charm
,
and
Cyril
said
—
“
We
want
to
go
to
Babylon
to
look
for
the
part
of
you
that
was
lost
.
Will
you
please
let
us
go
there
through
you
?
”
“
Please
put
us
down
just
outside
,
”
said
Jane
hastily
;
“
and
then
if
we
don’t
like
it
we
needn’t
go
inside
.
”
“
Don’t
be
all
day
,
”
said
the
Psammead
.
So
Anthea
hastily
uttered
the
word
of
power
,
without
which
the
charm
could
do
nothing
.
“
Ur
—
hekau
—
setcheh
!
”
she
said
softly
,
and
as
she
spoke
the
charm
grew
into
an
arch
so
tall
that
the
top
of
it
was
close
against
the
bedroom
ceiling
.
Outside
the
arch
was
the
bedroom
painted
chest‐of‐drawers
and
the
Kidderminster
carpet
,
and
the
washhand‐stand
with
the
riveted
willow‐pattern
jug
,
and
the
faded
curtains
,
and
the
dull
light
of
indoors
on
a
wet
day
.
Through
the
arch
showed
the
gleam
of
soft
green
leaves
and
white
blossoms
.
They
stepped
forward
quite
happily
.
Even
Jane
felt
that
this
did
not
look
like
lions
,
and
her
hand
hardly
trembled
at
all
as
she
held
the
charm
for
the
others
to
go
through
,
and
last
,
slipped
through
herself
,
and
hung
the
charm
,
now
grown
small
again
,
round
her
neck
.
The
children
found
themselves
under
a
white‐blossomed
,
green‐leafed
fruit‐tree
,
in
what
seemed
to
be
an
orchard
of
such
trees
,
all
white‐flowered
and
green‐foliaged
.
Among
the
long
green
grass
under
their
feet
grew
crocuses
and
lilies
,
and
strange
blue
flowers
.
In
the
branches
overhead
thrushes
and
blackbirds
were
singing
,
and
the
coo
of
a
pigeon
came
softly
to
them
in
the
green
quietness
of
the
orchard
.
“
Oh
,
how
perfectly
lovely
!
”
cried
Anthea
.
“
Why
,
it’s
like
home
exactly
—
I
mean
England
—
only
everything’s
bluer
,
and
whiter
,
and
greener
,
and
the
flowers
are
bigger
.
”
The
boys
owned
that
it
certainly
was
fairly
decent
,
and
even
Jane
admitted
that
it
was
all
very
pretty
.
“
I’m
certain
there’s
nothing
to
be
frightened
of
here
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
I
don’t
know
,
”
said
Jane
.
“
I
suppose
the
fruit‐trees
go
on
just
the
same
even
when
people
are
killing
each
other
.
I
didn’t
half
like
what
the
learned
gentleman
said
about
the
hanging
gardens
.
I
suppose
they
have
gardens
on
purpose
to
hang
people
in
.
I
do
hope
this
isn’t
one
.
”
“
Of
course
it
isn’t
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
The
hanging
gardens
are
just
gardens
hung
up
—
I
think
on
chains
between
houses
,
don’t
you
know
,
like
trays
.
Come
on
;
let’s
get
somewhere
.
”
They
began
to
walk
through
the
cool
grass
.
As
far
as
they
could
see
was
nothing
but
trees
,
and
trees
,
and
more
trees
.
At
the
end
of
their
orchard
was
another
one
,
only
separated
from
theirs
by
a
little
stream
of
clear
water
.
They
jumped
this
,
and
went
on
.
Cyril
,
who
was
fond
of
gardening
—
which
meant
that
he
liked
to
watch
the
gardener
at
work
—
was
able
to
command
the
respect
of
the
others
by
telling
them
the
names
of
a
good
many
trees
.
There
were
nut‐trees
and
almond‐trees
,
and
apricots
,
and
fig‐trees
with
their
big
five‐fingered
leaves
.
And
every
now
and
then
the
children
had
to
cross
another
brook
.
“
It’s
like
between
the
squares
in
‘Through
the
Looking‐glass
,
’
”
said
Anthea
.
At
last
they
came
to
an
orchard
which
was
quite
different
from
the
other
orchards
.
It
had
a
low
building
in
one
corner
.
“
These
are
vines
,
”
said
Cyril
superiorly
,
“
and
I
know
this
is
a
vineyard
.
I
shouldn’t
wonder
if
there
was
a
wine‐press
inside
that
place
over
there
.
”
At
last
they
got
out
of
the
orchards
and
on
to
a
sort
of
road
,
very
rough
,
and
not
at
all
like
the
roads
you
are
used
to
.
It
had
cypress‐trees
and
acacia‐trees
along
it
,
and
a
sort
of
hedge
of
tamarisks
,
like
those
you
see
on
the
road
between
Nice
and
Cannes
,
or
near
Littlehampton
,
if
you’ve
only
been
as
far
as
that
.
And
now
in
front
of
them
they
could
see
a
great
mass
of
buildings
.
There
were
scattered
houses
of
wood
and
stone
here
and
there
among
green
orchards
,
and
beyond
these
a
great
wall
that
shone
red
in
the
early
morning
sun
.
The
wall
was
enormously
high
—
more
than
half
the
height
of
St.
Paul’s
—
and
in
the
wall
were
set
enormous
gates
that
shone
like
gold
as
the
rising
sun
beat
on
them
.
Each
gate
had
a
solid
square
tower
on
each
side
of
it
that
stood
out
from
the
wall
and
rose
above
it
.
Beyond
the
wall
were
more
towers
and
houses
,
gleaming
with
gold
and
bright
colours
.
Away
to
the
left
ran
the
steel‐blue
swirl
of
a
great
river
.
And
the
children
could
see
,
through
a
gap
in
the
trees
,
that
the
river
flowed
out
from
the
town
under
a
great
arch
in
the
wall
.
“
Those
feathery
things
along
by
the
water
are
palms
,
”
said
Cyril
instructively
.
“
Oh
,
yes
;
you
know
everything
,
”
Robert
replied
.
“
What’s
all
that
grey‐green
stuff
you
see
away
over
there
,
where
it’s
all
flat
and
sandy
?
”
“
All
right
,
”
said
Cyril
loftily
,
“
I
don’t
want
to
tell
you
anything
.
I
only
thought
you’d
like
to
know
a
palm‐tree
when
you
saw
it
again
.
”
“
Look
!
”
cried
Anthea
;
“
they’re
opening
the
gates
.
”
And
indeed
the
great
gates
swung
back
with
a
brazen
clang
,
and
instantly
a
little
crowd
of
a
dozen
or
more
people
came
out
and
along
the
road
towards
them
.
The
children
,
with
one
accord
,
crouched
behind
the
tamarisk
hedge
.
“
I
don’t
like
the
sound
of
those
gates
,
”
said
Jane
.
“
Fancy
being
inside
when
they
shut
.
You’d
never
get
out
.
”
“
You’ve
got
an
arch
of
your
own
to
go
out
by
,
”
the
Psammead
put
its
head
out
of
the
basket
to
remind
her
.
“
Don’t
behave
so
like
a
girl
.
If
I
were
you
I
should
just
march
right
into
the
town
and
ask
to
see
the
king
.
”
There
was
something
at
once
simple
and
grand
about
this
idea
,
and
it
pleased
everyone
.
So
when
the
work‐people
had
passed
(
they
were
work‐people
,
the
children
felt
sure
,
because
they
were
dressed
so
plainly
—
just
one
long
blue
shirt
thing
—
of
blue
or
yellow
)
the
four
children
marched
boldly
up
to
the
brazen
gate
between
the
towers
.
The
arch
above
the
gate
was
quite
a
tunnel
,
the
walls
were
so
thick
.
“
Courage
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
Step
out
.
It’s
no
use
trying
to
sneak
past
.
Be
bold
!
”
Robert
answered
this
appeal
by
unexpectedly
bursting
into
“
The
British
Grenadiers
,
”
and
to
its
quick‐step
they
approached
the
gates
of
Babylon
.
“
Some
talk
of
Alexander
,
And
some
of
Hercules
,
Of
Hector
and
Lysander
,
And
such
great
names
as
these
.
But
of
all
the
gallant
heroes
...
”
This
brought
them
to
the
threshold
of
the
gate
,
and
two
men
in
bright
armour
suddenly
barred
their
way
with
crossed
spears
.
“
Who
goes
there
?
”
they
said
.
(
I
think
I
must
have
explained
to
you
before
how
it
was
that
the
children
were
always
able
to
understand
the
language
of
any
place
they
might
happen
to
be
in
,
and
to
be
themselves
understood
.
If
not
,
I
have
no
time
to
explain
it
now
.
)
“
We
come
from
very
far
,
”
said
Cyril
mechanically
.
“
From
the
Empire
where
the
sun
never
sets
,
and
we
want
to
see
your
King
.
”
“
If
it’s
quite
convenient
,
”
amended
Anthea
.
“
The
King
(
may
he
live
for
ever
!
)
,
”
said
the
gatekeeper
,
“
is
gone
to
fetch
home
his
fourteenth
wife
.
Where
on
earth
have
you
come
from
not
to
know
that
?
”
“
The
Queen
then
,
”
said
Anthea
hurriedly
,
and
not
taking
any
notice
of
the
question
as
to
where
they
had
come
from
.
“
The
Queen
,
”
said
the
gatekeeper
,
“
(
may
she
live
for
ever
!
)
gives
audience
today
three
hours
after
sun‐rising
.
”
“
But
what
are
we
to
do
till
the
end
of
the
three
hours
?
”
asked
Cyril
.
The
gatekeeper
seemed
neither
to
know
nor
to
care
.
He
appeared
less
interested
in
them
than
they
could
have
thought
possible
.
But
the
man
who
had
crossed
spears
with
him
to
bar
the
children’s
way
was
more
human
.
“
Let
them
go
in
and
look
about
them
,
”
he
said
.
“
I’ll
wager
my
best
sword
they’ve
never
seen
anything
to
come
near
our
little
—
village
.
”
He
said
it
in
the
tone
people
use
for
when
they
call
the
Atlantic
Ocean
the
“
herring
pond
.
”
The
gatekeeper
hesitated
.
“
They’re
only
children
,
after
all
,
”
said
the
other
,
who
had
children
of
his
own
.
“
Let
me
off
for
a
few
minutes
,
Captain
,
and
I’ll
take
them
to
my
place
and
see
if
my
good
woman
can’t
fit
them
up
in
something
a
little
less
outlandish
than
their
present
rig
.
Then
they
can
have
a
look
round
without
being
mobbed
.
May
I
go
?
”
“
Oh
yes
,
if
you
like
,
”
said
the
Captain
,
“
but
don’t
be
all
day
.
”
The
man
led
them
through
the
dark
arch
into
the
town
.
And
it
was
very
different
from
London
.
For
one
thing
,
everything
in
London
seems
to
be
patched
up
out
of
odds
and
ends
,
but
these
houses
seemed
to
have
been
built
by
people
who
liked
the
same
sort
of
things
.
Not
that
they
were
all
alike
,
for
though
all
were
squarish
,
they
were
of
different
sizes
,
and
decorated
in
all
sorts
of
different
ways
,
some
with
paintings
in
bright
colours
,
some
with
black
and
silver
designs
.
There
were
terraces
,
and
gardens
,
and
balconies
,
and
open
spaces
with
trees
.
Their
guide
took
them
to
a
little
house
in
a
back
street
,
where
a
kind‐faced
woman
sat
spinning
at
the
door
of
a
very
dark
room
.
“
Here
,
”
he
said
,
“
just
lend
these
children
a
mantle
each
,
so
that
they
can
go
about
and
see
the
place
till
the
Queen’s
audience
begins
.
You
leave
that
wool
for
a
bit
,
and
show
them
round
if
you
like
.
I
must
be
off
now
.
”
The
woman
did
as
she
was
told
,
and
the
four
children
,
wrapped
in
fringed
mantles
,
went
with
her
all
about
the
town
,
and
oh
!
how
I
wish
I
had
time
to
tell
you
all
that
they
saw
.
It
was
all
so
wonderfully
different
from
anything
you
have
ever
seen
.
For
one
thing
,
all
the
houses
were
dazzlingly
bright
,
and
many
of
them
covered
with
pictures
.
Some
had
great
creatures
carved
in
stone
at
each
side
of
the
door
.
Then
the
people
—
there
were
no
black
frock‐coats
and
tall
hats
;
no
dingy
coats
and
skirts
of
good
,
useful
,
ugly
stuffs
warranted
to
wear
.
Everyone’s
clothes
were
bright
and
beautiful
with
blue
and
scarlet
and
green
and
gold
.
The
market
was
brighter
than
you
would
think
anything
could
be
.
There
were
stalls
for
everything
you
could
possibly
want
—
and
for
a
great
many
things
that
if
you
wanted
here
and
now
,
want
would
be
your
master
.
There
were
pineapples
and
peaches
in
heaps
—
and
stalls
of
crockery
and
glass
things
,
beautiful
shapes
and
glorious
colours
,
there
were
stalls
for
necklaces
,
and
clasps
,
and
bracelets
,
and
brooches
,
for
woven
stuffs
,
and
furs
,
and
embroidered
linen
.
The
children
had
never
seen
half
so
many
beautiful
things
together
,
even
at
Liberty’s
.
It
seemed
no
time
at
all
before
the
woman
said
—
“
It’s
nearly
time
now
.
We
ought
to
be
getting
on
towards
the
palace
.
It’s
as
well
to
be
early
.
”
So
they
went
to
the
palace
,
and
when
they
got
there
it
was
more
splendid
than
anything
they
had
seen
yet
.
For
it
was
glowing
with
colours
,
and
with
gold
