andsilver
and
black
and
white
—
like
some
magnificent
embroidery
.
Flight
after
flight
of
broad
marble
steps
led
up
to
it
,
and
at
the
edges
of
the
stairs
stood
great
images
,
twenty
times
as
big
as
a
man
—
images
of
men
with
wings
like
chain
armour
,
and
hawks’
heads
,
and
winged
men
with
the
heads
of
dogs
.
And
there
were
the
statues
of
great
kings
.
Between
the
flights
of
steps
were
terraces
where
fountains
played
,
and
the
Queen’s
Guard
in
white
and
scarlet
,
and
armour
that
shone
like
gold
,
stood
by
twos
lining
the
way
up
the
stairs
;
and
a
great
body
of
them
was
massed
by
the
vast
door
of
the
palace
itself
,
where
it
stood
glittering
like
an
impossibly
radiant
peacock
in
the
noon‐day
sun
.
All
sorts
of
people
were
passing
up
the
steps
to
seek
audience
of
the
Queen
.
Ladies
in
richly‐embroidered
dresses
with
fringy
flounces
,
poor
folks
in
plain
and
simple
clothes
,
dandies
with
beards
oiled
and
curled
.
And
Cyril
,
Robert
,
Anthea
and
Jane
,
went
with
the
crowd
.
At
the
gate
of
the
palace
the
Psammead
put
one
eye
cautiously
out
of
the
basket
and
whispered
—
“
I
can’t
be
bothered
with
queens
.
I’ll
go
home
with
this
lady
.
I’m
sure
she’ll
get
me
some
sand
if
you
ask
her
to
.
”
“
Oh
!
don’t
leave
us
,
”
said
Jane
.
The
woman
was
giving
some
last
instructions
in
Court
etiquette
to
Anthea
,
and
did
not
hear
Jane
.
“
Don’t
be
a
little
muff
,
”
said
the
Psammead
quite
fiercely
.
“
It’s
not
a
bit
of
good
your
having
a
charm
.
You
never
use
it
.
If
you
want
me
you’ve
only
got
to
say
the
name
of
power
and
ask
the
charm
to
bring
me
to
you
.
”
“
I’d
rather
go
with
you
,
”
said
Jane
.
And
it
was
the
most
surprising
thing
she
had
ever
said
in
her
life
.
Every
one
opened
its
mouth
without
thinking
of
manners
,
and
Anthea
,
who
was
peeping
into
the
Psammead’s
basket
,
saw
that
its
mouth
opened
wider
than
anybody’s
.
“
You
needn’t
gawp
like
that
,
”
Jane
went
on
.
“
I’m
not
going
to
be
bothered
with
queens
any
more
than
it
is
.
And
I
know
,
wherever
it
is
,
it’ll
take
jolly
good
care
that
it’s
safe
.
”
“
She’s
right
there
,
”
said
every
one
,
for
they
had
observed
that
the
Psammead
had
a
way
of
knowing
which
side
its
bread
was
buttered
.
She
turned
to
the
woman
and
said
,
“
You’ll
take
me
home
with
you
,
won’t
you
?
And
let
me
play
with
your
little
girls
till
the
others
have
done
with
the
Queen
.
”
“
Surely
I
will
,
little
heart
!
”
said
the
woman
.
And
then
Anthea
hurriedly
stroked
the
Psammead
and
embraced
Jane
,
who
took
the
woman’s
hand
,
and
trotted
contentedly
away
with
the
Psammead’s
bag
under
the
other
arm
.
The
others
stood
looking
after
her
till
she
,
the
woman
,
and
the
basket
were
lost
in
the
many‐coloured
crowd
.
Then
Anthea
turned
once
more
to
the
palace’s
magnificent
doorway
and
said
—
“
Let’s
ask
the
porter
to
take
care
of
our
Babylonian
overcoats
.
”
So
they
took
off
the
garments
that
the
woman
had
lent
them
and
stood
amid
the
jostling
petitioners
of
the
Queen
in
their
own
English
frocks
and
coats
and
hats
and
boots
.
“
We
want
to
see
the
Queen
,
”
said
Cyril
;
“
we
come
from
the
far
Empire
where
the
sun
never
sets
!
”
A
murmur
of
surprise
and
a
thrill
of
excitement
ran
through
the
crowd
.
The
door‐porter
spoke
to
a
black
man
,
he
spoke
to
someone
else
.
There
was
a
whispering
,
waiting
pause
.
Then
a
big
man
,
with
a
cleanly‐
shaven
face
,
beckoned
them
from
the
top
of
a
flight
of
red
marble
steps
.
They
went
up
;
the
boots
of
Robert
clattering
more
than
usual
because
he
was
so
nervous
.
A
door
swung
open
,
a
curtain
was
drawn
back
.
A
double
line
of
bowing
forms
in
gorgeous
raiment
formed
a
lane
that
led
to
the
steps
of
the
throne
,
and
as
the
children
advanced
hurriedly
there
came
from
the
throne
a
voice
very
sweet
and
kind
.
“
Three
children
from
the
land
where
the
sun
never
sets
!
Let
them
draw
hither
without
fear
.
”
In
another
minute
they
were
kneeling
at
the
throne’s
foot
,
saying
,
“
Oh
,
Queen
,
live
for
ever
!
”
exactly
as
the
woman
had
taught
them
.
And
a
splendid
dream‐lady
,
all
gold
and
silver
and
jewels
and
snowy
drift
of
veils
,
was
raising
Anthea
,
and
saying
—
“
Don’t
be
frightened
,
I
really
am
so
glad
you
came
!
The
land
where
the
sun
never
sets
!
I
am
delighted
to
see
you
!
I
was
getting
quite
too
dreadfully
bored
for
anything
!
”
And
behind
Anthea
the
kneeling
Cyril
whispered
in
the
ears
of
the
respectful
Robert
—
“
Bobs
,
don’t
say
anything
to
Panther
.
It’s
no
use
upsetting
her
,
but
we
didn’t
ask
for
Jane’s
address
,
and
the
Psammead’s
with
her
.
”
“
Well
,
”
whispered
Robert
,
“
the
charm
can
bring
them
to
us
at
any
moment
.
It
said
so
.
”
“
Oh
,
yes
,
”
whispered
Cyril
,
in
miserable
derision
,
“
We’re
all
right
,
of
course
.
So
we
are
!
Oh
,
yes
!
If
we’d
only
got
the
charm
.
”
Then
Robert
saw
,
and
he
murmured
,
“
Crikey
!
”
at
the
foot
of
the
throne
of
Babylon
;
while
Cyril
hoarsely
whispered
the
plain
English
fact
—
“
Jane’s
got
the
charm
round
her
neck
,
you
silly
cuckoo
.
”
“
Crikey
!
”
Robert
repeated
in
heart‐broken
undertones
.
CHAPTER
VII
“
THE
DEEPEST
DUNGEON
BELOW
THE
CASTLE
MOAT
”
THE
Queen
threw
three
of
the
red
and
gold
embroidered
cushions
off
the
throne
on
to
the
marble
steps
that
led
up
to
it
.
“
Just
make
yourselves
comfortable
there
,
”
she
said
.
“
I’m
simply
dying
to
talk
to
you
,
and
to
hear
all
about
your
wonderful
country
and
how
you
got
here
,
and
everything
,
but
I
have
to
do
justice
every
morning
.
Such
a
bore
,
isn’t
it
?
Do
you
do
justice
in
your
own
country
?
”
“
No
,
said
Cyril
;
“
at
least
of
course
we
try
to
,
but
not
in
this
public
sort
of
way
,
only
in
private
.
”
“
Ah
,
yes
,
”
said
the
Queen
,
“
I
should
much
prefer
a
private
audience
myself
—
much
easier
to
manage
.
But
public
opinion
has
to
be
considered
.
Doing
justice
is
very
hard
work
,
even
when
you’re
brought
up
to
it
.
”
“
We
don’t
do
justice
,
but
we
have
to
do
scales
,
Jane
and
me
,
”
said
Anthea
,
“
twenty
minutes
a
day
.
It’s
simply
horrid
.
”
“
What
are
scales
?
”
asked
the
Queen
,
“
and
what
is
Jane
?
”
“
Jane
is
my
little
sister
.
One
of
the
guards‐at‐the‐gate’s
wife
is
taking
care
of
her
.
And
scales
are
music
.
”
“
I
never
heard
of
the
instrument
,
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
Do
you
sing
?
”
“
Oh
,
yes
.
We
can
sing
in
parts
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
That
is
magic
,
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
How
many
parts
are
you
each
cut
into
before
you
do
it
?
”
“
We
aren’t
cut
at
all
,
”
said
Robert
hastily
.
“
We
couldn’t
sing
if
we
were
.
We’ll
show
you
afterwards
.
”
“
So
you
shall
,
and
now
sit
quiet
like
dear
children
and
hear
me
do
justice
.
The
way
I
do
it
has
always
been
admired
.
I
oughtn’t
to
say
that
ought
I
?
Sounds
so
conceited
.
But
I
don’t
mind
with
you
,
dears
.
Somehow
I
feel
as
though
I’d
known
you
quite
a
long
time
already
.
”
The
Queen
settled
herself
on
her
throne
and
made
a
signal
to
her
attendants
.
The
children
,
whispering
together
among
the
cushions
on
the
steps
of
the
throne
,
decided
that
she
was
very
beautiful
and
very
kind
,
but
perhaps
just
the
least
bit
flighty
.
The
first
person
who
came
to
ask
for
justice
was
a
woman
whose
brother
had
taken
the
money
the
father
had
left
for
her
.
The
brother
said
it
was
the
uncle
who
had
the
money
.
There
was
a
good
deal
of
talk
and
the
children
were
growing
rather
bored
,
when
the
Queen
suddenly
clapped
her
hands
,
and
said
—
“
Put
both
the
men
in
prison
till
one
of
them
owns
up
that
the
other
is
innocent
.
”
“
But
suppose
they
both
did
it
?
”
Cyril
could
not
help
interrupting
.
“
Then
prison’s
the
best
place
for
them
,
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
But
suppose
neither
did
it
.
”
“
That’s
impossible
,
”
said
the
Queen
;
“
a
thing’s
not
done
unless
some
one
does
it
.
And
you
mustn’t
interrupt
.
”
Then
came
a
woman
,
in
tears
,
with
a
torn
veil
and
real
ashes
on
her
head
—
at
least
Anthea
thought
so
,
but
it
may
have
been
only
road‐dust
.
She
complained
that
her
husband
was
in
prison
.
“
What
for
?
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
They
said
it
was
for
speaking
evil
of
your
Majesty
,
”
said
the
woman
,
“
but
it
wasn’t
.
Some
one
had
a
spite
against
him
.
That
was
what
it
was
.
”
“
How
do
you
know
he
hadn’t
spoken
evil
of
me
?
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
No
one
could
,
”
said
the
woman
simply
,
“
when
they’d
once
seen
your
beautiful
face
.
”
“
Let
the
man
out
,
”
said
the
Queen
,
smiling
.
“
Next
case
.
”
The
next
case
was
that
of
a
boy
who
had
stolen
a
fox
.
“
Like
the
Spartan
boy
,
”
whispered
Robert
.
But
the
Queen
ruled
that
nobody
could
have
any
possible
reason
for
owning
a
fox
,
and
still
less
for
stealing
one
.
And
she
did
not
believe
that
there
were
any
foxes
in
Babylon
;
she
,
at
any
rate
,
had
never
seen
one
.
So
the
boy
was
released
.
The
people
came
to
the
Queen
about
all
sorts
of
family
quarrels
and
neighbourly
misunderstandings
—
from
a
fight
between
brothers
over
the
division
of
an
inheritance
,
to
the
dishonest
and
unfriendly
conduct
of
a
woman
who
had
borrowed
a
cooking‐pot
at
the
last
New
Year’s
festival
,
and
not
returned
it
yet
.
And
the
Queen
decided
everything
,
very
,
very
decidedly
indeed
.
At
last
she
clapped
her
hands
quite
suddenly
and
with
extreme
loudness
,
and
said
—
“
The
audience
is
over
for
today
.
”
Every
one
said
,
“
May
the
Queen
live
for
ever
!
”
and
went
out
.
And
the
children
were
left
alone
in
the
justice‐hall
with
the
Queen
of
Babylon
and
her
ladies
.
“
There
!
”
said
the
Queen
,
with
a
long
sigh
of
relief
.
“
That’s
over
!
I
couldn’t
have
done
another
stitch
of
justice
if
you’d
offered
me
the
crown
of
Egypt
!
Now
come
into
the
garden
,
and
we’ll
have
a
nice
,
long
,
cosy
talk
.
”
She
led
them
through
long
,
narrow
corridors
whose
walls
they
somehow
felt
,
were
very
,
very
thick
,
into
a
sort
of
garden
courtyard
.
There
were
thick
shrubs
closely
planted
,
and
roses
were
trained
over
trellises
,
and
made
a
pleasant
shade
—
needed
,
indeed
,
for
already
the
sun
was
as
hot
as
it
is
in
England
in
August
at
the
seaside
.
Slaves
spread
cushions
on
a
low
,
marble
terrace
,
and
a
big
man
with
a
smooth
face
served
cool
drink
in
cups
of
gold
studded
with
beryls
.
He
drank
a
little
from
the
Queen’s
cup
before
handing
it
to
her
.
“
That’s
rather
a
nasty
trick
,
”
whispered
Robert
,
who
had
been
carefully
taught
never
to
drink
out
of
one
of
the
nice
,
shiny
,
metal
cups
that
are
chained
to
the
London
drinking
fountains
without
first
rinsing
it
out
thoroughly
.
The
Queen
overheard
him
.
“
Not
at
all
,
”
said
she
.
“
Ritti‐Marduk
is
a
very
clean
man
.
And
one
has
to
have
some
one
as
taster
,
you
know
,
because
of
poison
.
”
The
word
made
the
children
feel
rather
creepy
;
but
Ritti‐Marduk
had
tasted
all
the
cups
,
so
they
felt
pretty
safe
.
The
drink
was
delicious
—
very
cold
,
and
tasting
like
lemonade
and
partly
like
penny
ices
.
“
Leave
us
,
”
said
the
Queen
.
And
all
the
Court
ladies
,
in
their
beautiful
,
many‐folded
,
many‐coloured
,
fringed
dresses
,
filed
out
slowly
,
and
the
children
were
left
alone
with
the
Queen
.
“
Now
,
”
she
said
,
“
tell
me
all
about
yourselves
.
”
They
looked
at
each
other
.
“
You
,
Bobs
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
No
—
Anthea
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
No
—
you
—
Cyril
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
Don’t
you
remember
how
pleased
the
Queen
of
India
was
when
you
told
her
all
about
us
?
”
Cyril
muttered
that
it
was
all
very
well
,
and
so
it
was
.
For
when
he
had
told
the
tale
of
the
Phœnix
and
the
Carpet
to
the
Ranee
,
it
had
been
only
the
truth
—
and
all
the
truth
that
he
had
to
tell
.
But
now
it
was
not
easy
to
tell
a
convincing
story
without
mentioning
the
Amulet
—
which
,
of
course
,
it
wouldn’t
have
done
to
mention
—
and
without
owning
that
they
were
really
living
in
London
,
about
two
thousand
five
hundred
years
later
than
the
time
they
were
talking
in
.
Cyril
took
refuge
in
the
tale
of
the
Psammead
and
its
wonderful
power
of
making
wishes
come
true
.
The
children
had
never
been
able
to
tell
anyone
before
,
and
Cyril
was
surprised
to
find
that
the
spell
which
kept
them
silent
in
London
did
not
work
here
.
“
something
to
do
with
our
being
in
the
Past
,
I
suppose
,
”
he
said
to
himself
.
“
This
is
most
interesting
,
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
We
must
have
this
Psammead
for
the
banquet
tonight
.
Its
performance
will
be
one
of
the
most
popular
turns
in
the
whole
programme
.
Where
is
it
?
”
Anthea
explained
that
they
did
not
know
;
also
why
it
was
that
they
did
not
know
.
“
Oh
,
that’s
quite
simple
,
”
said
the
Queen
,
and
every
one
breathed
a
deep
sigh
of
relief
as
she
said
it
.
“
Ritti‐Marduk
shall
run
down
to
the
gates
and
find
out
which
guard
your
sister
went
home
with
.
”
“
Might
he
”
—
Anthea’s
voice
was
tremulous
—
“
might
he
—
would
it
interfere
with
his
meal‐times
,
or
anything
like
that
,
if
he
went
now
?
”
“
Of
course
he
shall
go
now
.
He
may
think
himself
lucky
if
he
gets
his
meals
at
any
time
,
”
said
the
Queen
heartily
,
and
clapped
her
hands
.
“
May
I
send
a
letter
?
”
asked
Cyril
,
pulling
out
a
red‐backed
penny
account‐book
,
and
feeling
in
his
pockets
for
a
stump
of
pencil
that
he
knew
was
in
one
of
them
.
“
By
all
means
.
I’ll
call
my
scribe
.
”
“
Oh
,
I
can
scribe
right
enough
,
thanks
,
”
said
Cyril
,
finding
the
pencil
and
licking
its
point
.
He
even
had
to
bite
the
wood
a
little
,
for
it
was
very
blunt
.
“
Oh
,
you
clever
,
clever
boy
!
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
Do
let
me
watch
you
do
it
!
”
Cyril
wrote
on
a
leaf
of
the
book
—
it
was
of
rough
,
woolly
paper
,
with
hairs
that
stuck
out
and
would
have
got
in
his
pen
if
he
had
been
using
one
,
and
ruled
for
accounts
.
“
Hide
it
most
carefully
before
you
come
here
,
”
he
wrote
,
“
and
don’t
mention
it
—
and
destroy
this
letter
.
Everything
is
going
A1
.
The
Queen
is
a
fair
treat
.
There’s
nothing
to
be
afraid
of
.
”
“
What
curious
characters
,
and
what
a
strange
flat
surface
!
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
What
have
you
inscribed
?
”
“
I’ve
’scribed
,
”
replied
Cyril
cautiously
,
“
that
you
are
fair
,
and
a
—
and
like
a
—
like
a
festival
;
and
that
she
need
not
be
afraid
,
and
that
she
is
to
come
at
once
.
”
Ritti‐Marduk
,
who
had
come
in
and
had
stood
waiting
while
Cyril
wrote
,
his
Babylonish
eyes
nearly
starting
out
of
his
Babylonish
head
,
now
took
the
letter
,
with
some
reluctance
.
“
Oh
,
Queen
,
live
for
ever
!
Is
it
a
charm
?
”
he
timidly
asked
.
“
A
strong
charm
,
most
great
lady
?
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Robert
,
unexpectedly
,
“
it
is
a
charm
,
but
it
won’t
hurt
anyone
until
you’ve
given
it
to
Jane
.
And
then
she’ll
destroy
it
,
so
that
it
can’t
hurt
anyone
.
It’s
most
awful
strong
!
—
as
strong
as
—
Peppermint
!
”
he
ended
abruptly
.
“
I
know
not
the
god
,
”
said
Ritti‐Marduk
,
bending
timorously
.
“
She’ll
tear
it
up
directly
she
gets
it
,
”
said
Robert
,
“
That’ll
end
the
charm
.
You
needn’t
be
afraid
if
you
go
now
.
”
Ritti‐Marduk
went
,
seeming
only
partly
satisfied
;
and
then
the
Queen
began
to
admire
the
penny
account‐book
and
the
bit
of
pencil
in
so
marked
and
significant
a
way
that
Cyril
felt
he
could
not
do
less
than
press
them
upon
her
as
a
gift
.
She
ruffled
the
leaves
delightedly
.
“
What
a
wonderful
substance
!
”
she
said
.
“
And
with
this
style
you
make
charms
?
Make
a
charm
for
me
!
Do
you
know
,
”
her
voice
sank
to
a
whisper
,
“
the
names
of
the
great
ones
of
your
own
far
country
?
”
“
Rather
!
”
said
Cyril
,
and
hastily
wrote
the
names
of
Alfred
the
Great
,
Shakespeare
,
Nelson
,
Gordon
,
Lord
Beaconsfield
,
Mr.
Rudyard
Kipling
,
and
Mr.
Sherlock
Holmes
,
while
the
Queen
watched
him
with
“
unbaited
breath
,
”
as
Anthea
said
afterwards
.
She
took
the
book
and
hid
it
reverently
among
the
bright
folds
of
her
gown
.
“
You
shall
teach
me
later
to
say
the
great
names
,
”
she
said
.
“
And
the
names
of
their
Ministers
—
perhaps
the
great
Nisroch
is
one
of
them
?
”
“
I
don’t
think
so
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
Mr.
Campbell
Bannerman’s
Prime
Minister
and
Mr.
Burns’
a
Minister
,
and
so
is
the
Archbishop
of
Canterbury
,
I
think
,
but
I’m
not
sure
—
and
Dr.
Parker
was
one
,
I
know
,
and
—
”
“
No
more
,
”
said
the
Queen
,
putting
her
hands
to
her
ears
.
“
My
head’s
going
round
with
all
those
great
names
.
You
shall
teach
them
to
me
later
—
because
of
course
you’ll
make
us
a
nice
long
visit
now
you
have
come
,
won’t
you
?
Now
tell
me
—
but
no
,
I
am
quite
tired
out
with
your
being
so
clever
.
Besides
,
I’m
sure
you’d
like
me
to
tell
you
something
,
wouldn’t
you
?
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
I
want
to
know
how
it
is
that
the
King
has
gone
—
”
“
Excuse
me
,
but
you
should
say
‘the
King
may‐he‐live‐for‐ever
,
’
”
said
the
Queen
gently
.
“
I
beg
your
pardon
,
”
Anthea
hastened
to
say
—
“
the
King
may‐he‐live‐for‐ever
has
gone
to
fetch
home
his
fourteenth
wife
?
I
don’t
think
even
Bluebeard
had
as
many
as
that
.
And
,
besides
,
he
hasn’t
killed
you
at
any
rate
.
”
The
Queen
looked
bewildered
.
“
She
means
,
”
explained
Robert
,
“
that
English
kings
only
have
one
wife
—
at
least
,
Henry
the
Eighth
had
seven
or
eight
,
but
not
all
at
once
.
”
“
In
our
country
,
”
said
the
Queen
scornfully
,
“
a
king
would
not
reign
a
day
who
had
only
one
wife
.
No
one
would
respect
him
,
and
quite
right
too
.
”
“
Then
are
all
the
other
thirteen
alive
?
”
asked
Anthea
.
“
Of
course
they
are
—
poor
mean‐spirited
things
!
I
don’t
associate
with
them
,
of
course
,
I
am
the
Queen
.
They’re
only
the
wives
.
”
“
I
see
,
”
said
Anthea
,
gasping
.
“
But
oh
,
my
dears
,
”
the
Queen
went
on
,
“
such
a
to‐do
as
there’s
been
about
this
last
wife
!
You
never
did
!
It
really
was
too
funny
.
We
wanted
an
Egyptian
princess
.
The
King
may‐he‐live‐for‐ever
has
got
a
wife
from
most
of
the
important
nations
,
and
he
had
set
his
heart
on
an
Egyptian
one
to
complete
his
collection
.
Well
,
of
course
,
to
begin
with
,
we
sent
a
handsome
present
of
gold
.
The
Egyptian
king
sent
back
some
horses
—
quite
a
few
;
he’s
fearfully
stingy
!
—
and
he
said
he
liked
the
gold
very
much
,
but
what
they
were
really
short
of
was
lapis
lazuli
,
so
of
course
we
sent
him
some
.
But
by
that
time
he’d
begun
to
use
the
gold
to
cover
the
beams
of
the
roof
of
the
Temple
of
the
Sun‐God
,
and
he
hadn’t
nearly
enough
to
finish
the
job
,
so
we
sent
some
more
.
And
so
it
went
on
,
oh
,
for
years
.
You
see
each
journey
takes
at
least
six
months
.
And
at
last
we
asked
the
hand
of
his
daughter
in
marriage
.
”
“
Yes
,
and
then
?
”
said
Anthea
,
who
wanted
to
get
to
the
princess
part
of
the
story
.
“
Well
,
then
,
”
said
the
Queen
,
“
when
he’d
got
everything
out
of
us
that
he
could
,
and
only
given
the
meanest
presents
in
return
,
he
sent
to
say
he
would
esteem
the
honour
of
an
alliance
very
highly
,
only
unfortunately
he
hadn’t
any
daughter
,
but
he
hoped
one
would
be
born
soon
,
and
if
so
,
she
should
certainly
be
reserved
for
the
King
of
Babylon
!
”
“
What
a
trick
!
”
said
Cyril
.
“
Yes
,
wasn’t
it
?
So
then
we
said
his
sister
would
do
,
and
then
there
were
more
gifts
and
more
journeys
;
and
now
at
last
the
tiresome
,
black‐haired
thing
is
coming
,
and
the
King
may‐he‐live‐for‐ever
has
gone
seven
days’
journey
to
meet
her
at
Carchemish
.
And
he’s
gone
in
his
best
chariot
,
the
one
inlaid
with
lapis
lazuli
and
gold
,
with
the
gold‐plated
wheels
and
onyx‐studded
hubs
—
much
too
great
an
honour
in
my
opinion
.
She’ll
be
here
tonight
;
there’ll
be
a
grand
banquet
to
celebrate
her
arrival
.
She
won’t
be
present
,
of
course
.
She’ll
be
having
her
baths
and
her
anointings
,
and
all
that
sort
of
thing
.
We
always
clean
our
foreign
brides
very
carefully
.
It
takes
two
or
three
weeks
.
Now
it’s
dinner‐time
,
and
you
shall
eat
with
me
,
for
I
can
see
that
you
are
of
high
rank
.
”
She
led
them
into
a
dark
,
cool
hall
,
with
many
cushions
on
the
floor
.
On
these
they
sat
,
and
low
tables
were
brought
—
beautiful
tables
of
smooth
,
blue
stone
mounted
in
gold
.
On
these
,
golden
trays
were
placed
;
but
there
were
no
knives
,
or
forks
,
or
spoons
.
The
children
expected
the
Queen
to
call
for
them
;
but
no.
She
just
ate
with
her
fingers
,
and
as
the
first
dish
was
a
great
tray
of
boiled
corn
,
and
meat
and
raisins
all
mixed
up
together
,
and
melted
fat
poured
all
over
the
tray
,
it
was
found
difficult
to
follow
her
example
with
anything
like
what
we
are
used
to
think
of
as
good
table
manners
.
There
were
stewed
quinces
afterwards
,
and
dates
in
syrup
,
and
thick
yellowy
cream
.
It
was
the
kind
of
dinner
you
hardly
ever
get
in
Fitzroy
Street
.
After
dinner
everybody
went
to
sleep
,
even
the
children
.
The
Queen
awoke
with
a
start
.
“
Good
gracious
!
”
she
cried
,
“
what
a
time
we’ve
slept
!
I
must
rush
off
and
dress
for
the
banquet
.
I
shan’t
have
much
more
than
time
.
”
“
Hasn’t
Ritti‐Marduk
got
back
with
our
sister
and
the
Psammead
yet
?
”
Anthea
asked
.
“
I
quite
forgot
to
ask
.
I’m
sorry
,
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
And
of
course
they
wouldn’t
announce
her
unless
I
told
them
to
,
except
during
justice
hours
.
I
expect
she’s
waiting
outside
.
I’ll
see
.
”
Ritti‐Marduk
came
in
a
moment
later
.
“
I
regret
,
”
he
said
,
“
that
I
have
been
unable
to
find
your
sister
.
The
beast
she
bears
with
her
in
a
basket
has
bitten
the
child
of
the
guard
,
and
your
sister
and
the
beast
set
out
to
come
to
you
.
The
police
say
they
have
a
clue
.
No
doubt
we
shall
have
news
of
her
in
a
few
weeks
.
”
He
bowed
and
withdrew
.
The
horror
of
this
threefold
loss
—
Jane
,
the
Psammead
,
and
the
Amulet
—
gave
the
children
something
to
talk
about
while
the
Queen
was
dressing
.
I
shall
not
report
their
conversation
;
it
was
very
gloomy
.
Every
one
repeated
himself
several
times
,
and
the
discussion
ended
in
each
of
them
blaming
the
other
two
for
having
let
Jane
go
.
You
know
the
sort
of
talk
it
was
,
don’t
you
?
At
last
Cyril
said
—
“
After
all
,
she’s
with
the
Psammead
,
so
she’s
all
right
.
The
Psammead
is
jolly
careful
of
itself
too
.
And
it
isn’t
as
if
we
were
in
any
danger
.
Let’s
try
to
buck
up
and
enjoy
the
banquet
.
”
They
did
enjoy
the
banquet
.
They
had
a
beautiful
bath
,
which
was
delicious
,
were
heavily
oiled
all
over
,
including
their
hair
,
and
that
was
most
unpleasant
.
Then
they
dressed
again
and
were
presented
to
the
King
,
who
was
most
affable
.
The
banquet
was
long
;
there
were
all
sorts
of
nice
things
to
eat
,
and
everybody
seemed
to
eat
and
drink
a
good
deal
.
Every
one
lay
on
cushions
and
couches
,
ladies
on
one
side
and
gentlemen
on
the
other
;
and
after
the
eating
was
done
each
lady
went
and
sat
by
some
gentleman
,
who
seemed
to
be
her
sweetheart
or
her
husband
,
for
they
were
very
affectionate
to
each
other
.
The
Court
dresses
had
gold
threads
woven
in
them
,
very
bright
and
beautiful
.
The
middle
of
the
room
was
left
clear
,
and
different
people
came
and
did
amusing
things
.
There
were
conjurers
and
jugglers
and
snake‐charmers
,
which
last
Anthea
did
not
like
at
all
.
When
it
got
dark
torches
were
lighted
.
Cedar
splinters
dipped
in
oil
blazed
in
copper
dishes
set
high
on
poles
.
Then
there
was
a
dancer
,
who
hardly
danced
at
all
,
only
just
struck
attitudes
.
She
had
hardly
any
clothes
,
and
was
not
at
all
pretty
.
The
children
were
rather
bored
by
her
,
but
every
one
else
was
delighted
,
including
the
King
.
“
By
the
beard
of
Nimrod
!
”
he
cried
,
“
ask
what
you
like
girl
,
and
you
shall
have
it
!
”
“
I
want
nothing
,
”
said
the
dancer
;
“
the
honour
of
having
pleased
the
King
may‐he‐live‐for‐ever
is
reward
enough
for
me
.
”
And
the
King
was
so
pleased
with
this
modest
and
sensible
reply
that
he
gave
her
the
gold
collar
off
his
own
neck
.
“
I
say
!
”
said
Cyril
,
awed
by
the
magnificence
of
the
gift
.
“
It’s
all
right
,
”
whispered
the
Queen
,
“
it’s
not
his
best
collar
by
any
means
.
We
always
keep
a
stock
of
cheap
jewellery
for
these
occasions
.
And
now
—
you
promised
to
sing
us
something
.
Would
you
like
my
minstrels
to
accompany
you
?
”
“
No
,
thank
you
,
”
said
Anthea
quickly
.
The
minstrels
had
been
playing
off
and
on
all
the
time
,
and
their
music
reminded
Anthea
of
the
band
she
and
the
others
had
once
had
on
the
fifth
of
November
—
with
penny
horns
,
a
tin
whistle
,
a
tea‐tray
,
the
tongs
,
a
policeman’s
rattle
,
and
a
toy
drum
.
They
had
enjoyed
this
band
very
much
at
the
time
.
But
it
was
quite
different
when
some
one
else
was
making
the
same
kind
of
music
.
Anthea
understood
now
that
Father
had
not
been
really
heartless
and
unreasonable
when
he
had
told
them
to
stop
that
infuriating
din
.
“
What
shall
we
sing
?
”
Cyril
was
asking
.
“
Sweet
and
low
?
”
suggested
Anthea
.
“
Too
soft
—
I
vote
for
‘Who
will
o’er
the
downs.’
Now
then
—
one
,
two
,
three
.
”
“
Oh
,
who
will
o’er
the
downs
so
free
,
Oh
,
who
will
with
me
ride
,
Oh
,
who
will
up
and
follow
me
,
To
win
a
blooming
bride
?
Her
father
he
has
locked
the
door
,
Her
mother
keeps
the
key
;
But
neither
bolt
nor
bar
shall
keep
My
own
true
love
from
me
.
”
Jane
,
the
alto
,
was
missing
,
and
Robert
,
unlike
the
mother
of
the
lady
in
the
song
,
never
could
“
keep
the
key
,
”
but
the
song
,
even
so
,
was
sufficiently
unlike
anything
any
of
them
had
ever
heard
to
rouse
the
Babylonian
Court
to
the
wildest
enthusiasm
.
“
More
,
more
,
”
cried
the
King
;
“
by
my
beard
,
this
savage
music
is
a
new
thing
.
Sing
again
!
”
So
they
sang
:
“
I
saw
her
bower
at
twilight
gray
,
’Twas
guarded
safe
and
sure
.
I
saw
her
bower
at
break
of
day
,
’Twas
guarded
then
no
more
.
The
varlets
they
were
all
asleep
,
And
there
was
none
to
see
The
greeting
fair
that
passed
there
Between
my
love
and
me
.
”
Shouts
of
applause
greeted
the
ending
of
the
verse
,
and
the
King
would
not
be
satisfied
till
they
had
sung
all
their
part‐songs
(
they
only
knew
three
)
twice
over
,
and
ended
up
with
“
Men
of
Harlech
”
in
unison
.
Then
the
King
stood
up
in
his
royal
robes
with
his
high
,
narrow
crown
on
his
head
and
shouted
—
“
By
the
beak
of
Nisroch
,
ask
what
you
will
,
strangers
from
the
land
where
the
sun
never
sets
!
”
“
We
ought
to
say
it’s
enough
honour
,
like
the
dancer
did
,
”
whispered
Anthea
“
No
,
let’s
ask
for
It
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
No
,
no
,
I’m
sure
the
other’s
manners
,
”
said
Anthea
.
But
Robert
,
who
was
excited
by
the
music
,
and
the
flaring
torches
,
and
the
applause
and
the
opportunity
,
spoke
up
before
the
others
could
stop
him
.
“
Give
us
the
half
of
the
Amulet
that
has
on
it
the
name
UR‐HEKAU
SETCHEH
,
”
he
said
,
adding
as
an
afterthought
,
“
O
King
,
live
for
ever
.
”
As
he
spoke
the
great
name
those
in
the
pillared
hall
fell
on
their
faces
,
and
lay
still
.
All
but
the
Queen
who
crouched
amid
her
cushions
with
her
head
in
her
hands
,
and
the
King
,
who
stood
upright
,
perfectly
still
,
like
the
statue
of
a
king
in
stone
.
It
was
only
for
a
moment
though
.
Then
his
great
voice
thundered
out
—
“
Guard
,
seize
them
!
”
Instantly
,
from
nowhere
as
it
seemed
,
sprang
eight
soldiers
in
bright
armour
inlaid
with
gold
,
and
tunics
of
red
and
white
.
Very
splendid
they
were
,
and
very
alarming
.
“
Impious
and
sacrilegious
wretches
!
”
shouted
the
King
.
“
to
the
dungeons
with
them
!
We
will
find
a
way
,
tomorrow
,
to
make
them
speak
.
For
without
doubt
they
can
tell
us
where
to
find
the
lost
half
of
It
.
”
A
wall
of
scarlet
and
white
and
steel
and
gold
closed
up
round
the
children
and
hurried
them
away
among
the
many
pillars
of
the
great
hall
.
As
they
went
they
heard
the
voices
of
the
courtiers
loud
in
horror
.
“
You’ve
done
it
this
time
,
”
said
Cyril
with
extreme
bitterness
.
“
Oh
,
it
will
come
right
.
It
must
.
It
always
does
,
”
said
Anthea
desperately
.
They
could
not
see
where
they
were
going
,
because
the
guard
surrounded
them
so
closely
,
but
the
ground
under
their
feet
,
smooth
marble
at
first
,
grew
rougher
like
stone
,
then
it
was
loose
earth
and
sand
,
and
they
felt
the
night
air
.
Then
there
was
more
stone
,
and
steps
down
.
“
It’s
my
belief
we
really
are
going
to
the
deepest
dungeon
below
the
castle
moat
this
time
,
”
said
Cyril
.
And
they
were
.
At
least
it
was
not
below
a
moat
,
but
below
the
river
Euphrates
,
which
was
just
as
bad
if
not
worse
.
In
a
most
unpleasant
place
it
was
.
Dark
,
very
,
very
damp
,
and
with
an
odd
,
musty
smell
rather
like
the
shells
of
oysters
.
There
was
a
torch
—
that
is
to
say
,
a
copper
basket
on
a
high
stick
with
oiled
wood
burning
in
it
.
By
its
light
the
children
saw
that
the
walls
were
green
,
and
that
trickles
of
water
ran
down
them
and
dripped
from
the
roof
.
There
were
things
on
the
floor
that
looked
like
newts
,
and
in
the
dark
corners
creepy
,
shiny
things
moved
sluggishly
,
uneasily
,
horribly
.
Robert’s
heart
sank
right
into
those
really
reliable
boots
of
his
.
Anthea
and
Cyril
each
had
a
private
struggle
with
that
inside
disagreeableness
which
is
part
of
all
of
us
,
and
which
is
sometimes
called
the
Old
Adam
—
and
both
were
victors
.
Neither
of
them
said
to
Robert
(
and
both
tried
hard
not
even
to
think
it
)
,
“
this
is
your
doing
.
”
Anthea
had
the
additional
temptation
to
add
,
“
I
told
you
so
.
”
And
she
resisted
it
successfully
.
“
Sacrilege
,
and
impious
cheek
,
”
said
the
captain
of
the
guard
to
the
gaoler
.
“
to
be
kept
during
the
King’s
pleasure
.
I
expect
he
means
to
get
some
pleasure
out
of
them
tomorrow
!
He’ll
tickle
them
up
!
”
“
Poor
little
kids
,
”
said
the
gaoler
.
“
Oh
,
yes
,
”
said
the
captain
.
“
I’ve
got
kids
of
my
own
too
.
But
it
doesn’t
do
to
let
domestic
sentiment
interfere
with
one’s
public
duties
.
Good
night
.
”
The
soldiers
tramped
heavily
off
in
their
white
and
red
and
steel
and
gold
.
The
gaoler
,
with
a
bunch
of
big
keys
in
his
hand
,
stood
looking
pityingly
at
the
children
.
He
shook
his
head
twice
and
went
out
.
“
Courage
!
”
said
Anthea
.
“
I
know
it
will
be
all
right
.
It’s
only
a
dream
really
,
you
know
.
It
must
be
!
I
don’t
believe
about
time
being
only
a
something
or
other
of
thought
.
It
is
a
dream
,
and
we’re
bound
to
wake
up
all
right
and
safe
.
”
“
Humph
,
”
said
Cyril
bitterly
.
And
Robert
suddenly
said
—
“
It’s
all
my
doing
.
If
it
really
is
all
up
do
please
not
keep
a
down
on
me
about
it
,
and
tell
Father
—
Oh
,
I
forgot
.
”
What
he
had
forgotten
was
that
his
father
was
three
thousand
miles
and
five
thousand
or
more
years
away
from
him
.
“
All
right
,
Bobs
,
old
man
,
”
said
Cyril
;
and
Anthea
got
hold
of
Robert’s
hand
and
squeezed
it
.
Then
the
gaoler
came
back
with
a
platter
of
hard
,
flat
cakes
made
of
coarse
grain
,
very
different
from
the
cream‐and‐juicy‐date
feasts
of
the
palace
;
also
a
pitcher
of
water
.
“
There
,
”
he
said
.
“
Oh
,
thank
you
so
very
much
.
You
are
kind
,
”
said
Anthea
feverishly
.
“
Go
to
sleep
,
”
said
the
gaoler
,
pointing
to
a
heap
of
straw
in
a
corner
;
“
tomorrow
comes
soon
enough
.
”
“
Oh
,
dear
Mr.
Gaoler
,
”
said
Anthea
,
“
whatever
will
they
do
to
us
tomorrow
?
”
“
They’ll
try
to
make
you
tell
things
,
”
said
the
gaoler
grimly
,
“
and
my
advice
is
if
you’ve
nothing
to
tell
,
make
up
something
.
Then
perhaps
they’ll
sell
you
to
the
Northern
nations
.
Regular
savages
they
are
.
Good
night
.
”
“
Good
night
,
”
said
three
trembling
voices
,
which
their
owners
strove
in
vain
to
render
firm
.
Then
he
went
out
,
and
the
three
were
left
alone
in
the
damp
,
dim
vault
.
“
I
know
the
light
won’t
last
long
,
”
said
Cyril
,
looking
at
the
flickering
brazier
.
“
Is
it
any
good
,
do
you
think
,
calling
on
the
name
when
we
haven’t
got
the
charm
?
”
suggested
Anthea
.
“
I
shouldn’t
think
so
.
But
we
might
try
.
”
So
they
tried
.
But
the
blank
silence
of
the
damp
dungeon
remained
unchanged
.
“
What
was
the
name
the
Queen
said
?
”
asked
Cyril
suddenly
.
“
Nisbeth
—
Nesbit
—
something
?
You
know
,
the
slave
of
the
great
names
?
”
“
Wait
a
sec
,
”
said
Robert
,
“
though
I
don’t
know
why
you
want
it
.
Nusroch
—
Nisrock
—
Nisroch
—
That’s
it
.
”
Then
Anthea
pulled
herself
together
.
All
her
muscles
tightened
,
and
the
muscles
of
her
mind
and
soul
,
if
you
can
call
them
that
,
tightened
too
.
“
UR‐HEKAU
SETCHEH
,
”
she
cried
in
a
fervent
voice
.
“
Oh
,
Nisroch
,
servant
of
the
Great
Ones
,
come
and
help
us
!
”
There
was
a
waiting
silence
.
Then
a
cold
,
blue
light
awoke
in
the
corner
where
the
straw
was
—
and
in
the
light
they
saw
coming
towards
them
a
strange
and
terrible
figure
.
I
won’t
try
to
describe
it
,
because
Mr.
Millar
will
draw
it
for
you
,
exactly
as
it
was
,
and
exactly
as
the
old
Babylonians
carved
it
on
their
stones
,
so
that
you
can
see
it
in
our
own
British
Museum
at
this
day
.
I
will
just
say
that
it
had
eagle’s
wings
and
an
eagle’s
head
and
the
body
of
a
man
.
It
came
towards
them
,
strong
and
unspeakably
horrible
.
“
Oh
,
go
away
,
”
cried
Anthea
;
but
Cyril
cried
,
“
No
;
stay
!
”
The
creature
hesitated
,
then
bowed
low
before
them
on
the
damp
floor
of
the
dungeon
.
“
Speak
,
”
it
said
,
in
a
harsh
,
grating
voice
like
large
rusty
keys
being
turned
in
locks
.
“
the
servant
of
the
Great
Ones
is
your
servant
.
What
is
your
need
that
you
call
on
the
name
of
Nisroch
?
”
“
We
want
to
go
home
,
”
said
Robert
.
“
No
,
no
,
”
cried
Anthea
;
“
we
want
to
be
where
Jane
is
.
”
Nisroch
raised
his
great
arm
and
pointed
at
the
wall
of
the
dungeon
.
And
,
as
he
pointed
,
the
wall
disappeared
,
and
instead
of
the
damp
,
green
,
rocky
surface
,
there
shone
and
glowed
a
room
with
rich
hangings
of
red
silk
embroidered
with
golden
water‐lilies
,
with
cushioned
couches
and
great
mirrors
of
polished
steel
;
and
in
it
was
the
Queen
,
and
before
her
,
on
a
red
pillow
,
sat
the
Psammead
,
its
fur
hunched
up
in
an
irritated
,
discontented
way
.
On
a
blue‐covered
couch
lay
Jane
fast
asleep
.
“
Walk
forward
without
fear
,
”
said
Nisroch
.
“
Is
there
aught
else
that
the
Servant
of
the
great
Name
can
do
for
those
who
speak
that
name
?
”
“
No
—
oh
,
no
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
It’s
all
right
now
.
Thanks
ever
so
.
”
“
You
are
a
dear
,
”
cried
Anthea
,
not
in
the
least
knowing
what
she
was
saying
.
“
Oh
,
thank
you
thank
you
.
But
do
go
now
!
”
She
caught
the
hand
of
the
creature
,
and
it
was
cold
and
hard
in
hers
,
like
a
hand
of
stone
.
“
Go
forward
,
”
said
Nisroch
.
And
they
went
.
“
Oh
,
my
good
gracious
,
”
said
the
Queen
as
they
stood
before
her
.
“
How
did
you
get
here
?
I
knew
you
were
magic
.
I
meant
to
let
you
out
the
first
thing
in
the
morning
,
if
I
could
slip
away
—
but
thanks
be
to
Dagon
,
you’ve
managed
it
for
yourselves
.
You
must
get
away
.
I’ll
wake
my
chief
lady
and
she
shall
call
Ritti‐Marduk
,
and
he’ll
let
you
out
the
back
way
,
and
—
”
“
Don’t
rouse
anybody
for
goodness’
sake
,
”
said
Anthea
,
“
except
Jane
,
and
I’ll
rouse
her
.
”
She
shook
Jane
with
energy
,
and
Jane
slowly
awoke
.
“
Ritti‐Marduk
brought
them
in
hours
ago
,
really
,
”
said
the
Queen
,
“
but
I
wanted
to
have
the
Psammead
all
to
myself
for
a
bit
.
You’ll
excuse
the
little
natural
deception
?
—
it’s
part
of
the
Babylonish
character
,
don’t
you
know
?
But
I
don’t
want
anything
to
happen
to
you
.
Do
let
me
rouse
some
one
.
”
“
No
,
no
,
no
,
”
said
Anthea
with
desperate
earnestness
.
She
thought
she
knew
enough
of
what
the
Babylonians
were
like
when
they
were
roused
.
“
We
can
go
by
our
own
magic
.
And
you
will
tell
the
King
it
wasn’t
the
gaoler’s
fault
.
It
was
Nisroch
.
”
“
Nisroch
!
”
echoed
the
Queen
.
“
You
are
indeed
magicians
.
”
Jane
sat
up
,
blinking
stupidly
.
“
Hold
It
up
,
and
say
the
word
,
”
cried
Cyril
,
catching
up
the
Psammead
,
which
mechanically
bit
him
,
but
only
very
slightly
.
“
Which
is
the
East
?
”
asked
Jane
.
“
Behind
me
,
”
said
the
Queen
.
“
Why
?
”
“
Ur‐Hekau
Setcheh
,
”
said
Jane
sleepily
,
and
held
up
the
charm
.
And
there
they
all
were
in
the
dining‐room
at
300
Fitzroy
Street
.
“
Jane
,
”
cried
Cyril
with
great
presence
of
mind
,
“
go
and
get
the
plate
of
sand
down
for
the
Psammead
.
”
Jane
went
.
“
Look
here
!
”
he
said
quickly
,
as
the
sound
of
her
boots
grew
less
loud
on
the
stairs
,
“
don’t
let’s
tell
her
about
the
dungeon
and
all
that
.
It’ll
only
frighten
her
so
that
she’ll
never
want
to
go
anywhere
else
.
”
“
Righto
!
”
said
Cyril
;
but
Anthea
felt
that
she
could
not
have
said
a
word
to
save
her
life
.
“
Why
did
you
want
to
come
back
in
such
a
hurry
?
”
asked
Jane
,
returning
with
the
plate
of
sand
.
“
It
was
awfully
jolly
in
Babylon
,
I
think
!
I
liked
it
no
end
.
”
“
Oh
,
yes
,
”
said
Cyril
carelessly
.
“
It
was
jolly
enough
,
of
course
,
but
I
thought
we’d
been
there
long
enough
.
Mother
always
says
you
oughtn’t
to
wear
out
your
welcome
!
”
CHAPTER
VIII
THE
QUEEN
IN
LONDON
“
NOW
tell
us
what
happened
to
you
,
”
said
Cyril
to
Jane
,
when
he
and
the
others
had
told
her
all
about
the
Queen’s
talk
and
the
banquet
,
and
the
variety
entertainment
,
carefully
stopping
short
before
the
beginning
of
the
dungeon
part
of
the
story
.
“
It
wasn’t
much
good
going
,
”
said
Jane
,
“
if
you
didn’t
even
try
to
get
the
Amulet
.
”
“
We
found
out
it
was
no
go
,
”
said
Cyril
;
“
it’s
not
to
be
got
in
Babylon
.
It
was
lost
before
that
.
We’ll
go
to
some
other
jolly
friendly
place
,
where
every
one
is
kind
and
pleasant
,
and
look
for
it
there
.
Now
tell
us
about
your
part
.
”
“
Oh
,
”
said
Jane
,
“
the
Queen’s
man
with
the
smooth
face
—
what
was
his
name
?
”
“
Ritti‐Marduk
,
”
said
Cyril
.
“
Yes
,
”
said
Jane
,
“
Ritti‐Marduk
,
he
came
for
me
just
after
the
Psammead
had
bitten
the
guard‐of‐the‐gate’s
wife’s
little
boy
,
and
he
took
me
to
the
Palace
.
And
we
had
supper
with
the
new
little
Queen
from
Egypt
.
She
is
a
dear
—
not
much
older
than
you
.
She
told
me
heaps
about
Egypt
.
And
we
played
ball
after
supper
.
And
then
the
Babylon
Queen
sent
for
me
.
I
like
her
too
.
And
she
talked
to
the
Psammead
and
I
went
to
sleep
.
And
then
you
woke
me
up
.
That’s
all
.
”
The
Psammead
,
roused
from
its
sound
sleep
,
told
the
same
story
.
“
But
,
”
it
added
,
“
what
possessed
you
to
tell
that
Queen
that
I
could
give
wishes
?
I
sometimes
think
you
were
born
without
even
the
most
rudimentary
imitation
of
brains
.
”
The
children
did
not
know
the
meaning
of
rudimentary
,
but
it
sounded
a
rude
,
insulting
word
.
“
I
don’t
see
that
we
did
any
harm
,
”
said
Cyril
sulkily
.
“
Oh
,
no
,
”
said
the
Psammead
with
withering
irony
,
“
not
at
all
!
Of
course
not
!
Quite
the
contrary
!
Exactly
so
!
Only
she
happened
to
wish
that
she
might
soon
find
herself
in
your
country
.
And
soon
may
mean
any
moment
.
”
“
Then
it’s
your
fault
,
”
said
Robert
,
“
because
you
might
just
as
well
have
made
‘soon’
mean
some
moment
next
year
or
next
century
.
”
“
That’s
where
you
,
as
so
often
happens
,
make
the
mistake
,
”
rejoined
the
Sand‐fairy
.
“
I
couldn’t
mean
anything
but
what
she
meant
by
‘soon.’
It
wasn’t
my
wish
.
And
what
she
meant
was
the
next
time
the
King
happens
to
go
out
lion
hunting
.
So
she’ll
have
a
whole
day
,
and
perhaps
two
,
to
do
as
she
wishes
with
.
She
doesn’t
know
about
time
only
being
a
mode
of
thought
.
”
“
Well
,
”
said
Cyril
,
with
a
sigh
of
resignation
,
“
we
must
do
what
we
can
to
give
her
a
good
time
.
She
was
jolly
decent
to
us
.
I
say
,
suppose
we
were
to
go
to
St
James’s
Park
after
dinner
and
feed
those
ducks
that
we
never
did
feed
.
After
all
that
Babylon
and
all
those
years
ago
,
I
feel
as
if
I
should
like
to
see
something
real
,
and
now
.
You’ll
come
,
Psammead
?
”
“
Where’s
my
priceless
woven
basket
of
sacred
rushes
?
”
asked
the
Psammead
morosely
.
“
I
can’t
go
out
with
nothing
on
.
And
I
won’t
,
what’s
more
.
”
And
then
everybody
remembered
with
pain
that
the
bass
bag
had
,
in
the
hurry
of
departure
from
Babylon
,
not
been
remembered
.
“
But
it’s
not
so
extra
precious
,
”
said
Robert
hastily
.
“
You
can
get
them
given
to
you
for
nothing
if
you
buy
fish
in
Farringdon
Market
.
”
“
Oh
,
”
said
the
Psammead
very
crossly
indeed
,
“
so
you
presume
on
my
sublime
indifference
to
the
things
of
this
disgusting
modern
world
,
to
fob
me
off
with
a
travelling
equipage
that
costs
you
nothing
.
Very
well
,
I
shall
go
to
sand
.
Please
don’t
wake
me
.
”
And
it
went
then
and
there
to
sand
,
which
,
as
you
know
,
meant
to
bed
.
The
boys
went
to
St
James’s
Park
to
feed
the
ducks
,
but
they
went
alone
.
Anthea
and
Jane
sat
sewing
all
the
afternoon
.
They
cut
off
half
a
yard
from
each
of
their
best
green
Liberty
sashes
.
A
towel
cut
in
two
formed
a
lining
;
and
they
sat
and
sewed
and
sewed
and
sewed
.
What
they
were
making
was
a
bag
for
the
Psammead
.
Each
worked
at
a
half
of
the
bag
.
Jane’s
half
had
four‐leaved
shamrocks
embroidered
on
it
.
They
were
the
only
things
she
could
do
(
because
she
had
been
taught
how
at
school
,
and
,
fortunately
,
some
of
the
silk
she
had
been
taught
with
was
left
over
)
.
And
even
so
,
Anthea
had
to
draw
the
pattern
for
her
.
Anthea’s
side
of
the
bag
had
letters
on
it
—
worked
hastily
but
affectionately
in
chain
stitch
.
They
were
something
like
this
:
She
would
have
put
“
travelling
carriage
,
”
but
she
made
the
letters
too
big
,
so
there
was
no
room
.
The
bag
was
made
into
a
bag
with
old
Nurse’s
sewing
machine
,
and
the
strings
of
it
were
Anthea’s
and
Jane’s
best
red
hair
ribbons
.
At
tea‐time
,
when
the
boys
had
come
home
with
a
most
unfavourable
report
of
the
St
James’s
Park
ducks
,
Anthea
ventured
to
awaken
the
Psammead
,
and
to
show
it
its
new
travelling
bag
.
“
Humph
,
”
it
said
,
sniffing
a
little
contemptuously
,
yet
at
the
same
time
affectionately
,
“
it’s
not
so
dusty
.
”
The
Psammead
seemed
to
pick
up
very
easily
the
kind
of
things
that
people
said
nowadays
.
For
a
creature
that
had
in
its
time
associated
with
Megatheriums
and
Pterodactyls
,
its
quickness
was
really
wonderful
.
“
It’s
more
worthy
of
me
,
”
it
said
,
“
than
the
kind
of
bag
that’s
given
away
with
a
pound
of
plaice
.
When
do
you
propose
to
take
me
out
in
it
?
”
“
I
should
like
a
rest
from
taking
you
or
us
anywhere
,
”
said
Cyril
.
But
Jane
said
—
“
I
want
to
go
to
Egypt
.
I
did
like
that
Egyptian
Princess
that
came
to
marry
the
King
in
Babylon
.
She
told
me
about
the
larks
they
have
in
Egypt
.
And
the
cats
.
Do
let’s
go
there
.
And
I
told
her
what
the
bird
things
on
the
Amulet
were
like
.
And
she
said
it
was
Egyptian
writing
.
”
The
others
exchanged
looks
of
silent
rejoicing
at
the
thought
of
their
cleverness
in
having
concealed
from
Jane
the
terrors
they
had
suffered
in
the
dungeon
below
the
Euphrates
.
“
Egypt’s
so
nice
too
,
”
Jane
went
on
,
“
because
of
Doctor
Brewer’s
Scripture
History
.
I
would
like
to
go
there
when
Joseph
was
dreaming
those
curious
dreams
,
or
when
Moses
was
doing
wonderful
things
with
snakes
and
sticks
.
”
“
I
don’t
care
about
snakes
,
”
said
Anthea
shuddering
.
“
Well
,
we
needn’t
be
in
at
that
part
,
but
Babylon
was
lovely
!
We
had
cream
and
sweet
,
sticky
stuff
.
And
I
expect
Egypt’s
the
same
.
”
There
was
a
good
deal
of
discussion
,
but
it
all
ended
in
everybody’s
agreeing
to
Jane’s
idea
.
And
next
morning
directly
after
breakfast
(
which
was
kippers
,
and
very
nice
)
the
Psammead
was
invited
to
get
into
his
travelling
carriage
.
The
moment
after
it
had
done
so
,
with
stiff
,
furry
reluctance
,
like
that
of
a
cat
when
you
want
to
nurse
it
,
and
its
ideas
are
not
the
same
as
yours
,
old
Nurse
came
in
.
“
Well
,
chickies
,
”
she
said
,
“
are
you
feeling
very
dull
?
”
“
Oh
,
no
,
Nurse
dear
,
”
said
Anthea
;
“
we’re
having
a
lovely
time
.
We’re
just
going
off
to
see
some
old
,
ancient
relics
.
”
“
Ah
,
”
said
old
Nurse
,
“
the
Royal
Academy
,
I
suppose
?
Don’t
go
wasting
your
money
too
reckless
,
that’s
all
.
”
She
cleared
away
the
kipper
bones
and
the
tea‐things
,
and
when
she
had
swept
up
the
crumbs
and
removed
the
cloth
,
the
Amulet
was
held
up
and
the
order
given
—
just
as
Duchesses
(
and
other
people
)
give
it
to
their
coachmen
.
“
To
Egypt
,
please
!
”
said
Anthea
,
when
Cyril
had
uttered
the
wonderful
Name
of
Power
.
“
When
Moses
was
there
,
”
added
Jane
.
And
there
,
in
the
dingy
Fitzroy
Street
dining‐room
,
the
Amulet
grew
big
,
and
it
was
an
arch
,
and
through
it
they
saw
a
blue
,
blue
sky
and
a
running
river
.
“
No
,
stop
!
”
said
Cyril
,
and
pulled
down
Jane’s
hand
with
the
Amulet
in
it
.
“
What
silly
cuckoos
we
all
are
,
”
he
said
.
“
Of
course
we
can’t
go
.
We
daren’t
leave
home
for
a
single
minute
now
,
for
fear
that
minute
should
be
the
minute
.
”
“
What
minute
be
what
minute
?
”
asked
Jane
impatiently
,
trying
to
get
her
hand
away
from
Cyril
.
“
The
minute
when
the
Queen
of
Babylon
comes
,
”
said
Cyril
.
And
then
every
one
saw
it
.
For
some
days
life
flowed
in
a
very
slow
,
dusty
,
uneventful
stream
.
The
children
could
never
go
out
all
at
once
,
because
they
never
knew
when
the
King
of
Babylon
would
go
out
lion
hunting
and
leave
his
Queen
free
to
pay
them
that
surprise
visit
to
which
she
was
,
without
doubt
,
eagerly
looking
forward
.
So
they
took
it
in
turns
,
two
and
two
,
to
go
out
and
to
stay
in
.
The
stay‐at‐homes
would
have
been
much
duller
than
they
were
but
for
the
new
interest
taken
in
them
by
the
learned
gentleman
.
He
called
Anthea
in
one
day
to
show
her
a
beautiful
necklace
of
purple
and
gold
beads
.
“
I
saw
one
like
that
,
”
she
said
,
“
in
—
”
“
In
the
British
Museum
,
perhaps
?
”
“
I
like
to
call
the
place
where
I
saw
it
Babylon
,
”
said
Anthea
cautiously
.
“
A
pretty
fancy
,
”
said
the
learned
gentleman
,
“
and
quite
correct
too
,
because
,
as
a
matter
of
fact
,
these
beads
did
come
from
Babylon
.
”
The
other
three
were
all
out
that
day
.
The
boys
had
been
going
to
the
Zoo
,
and
Jane
had
said
so
plaintively
,
“
I’m
sure
I
am
fonder
of
rhinoceroses
than
either
of
you
are
,
”
that
Anthea
had
told
her
to
run
along
then
.
And
she
had
run
,
catching
the
boys
before
that
part
of
the
road
where
Fitzroy
Street
suddenly
becomes
Fitzroy
Square
.
“
I
think
Babylon
is
most
frightfully
interesting
,
”
said
Anthea
.
“
I
do
have
such
interesting
dreams
about
it
—
at
least
,
not
dreams
exactly
,
but
quite
as
wonderful
.
”
“
Do
sit
down
and
tell
me
,
”
said
he
.
So
she
sat
down
and
told
.
And
he
asked
her
a
lot
of
questions
,
and
she
answered
them
as
well
as
she
could
.
“
Wonderful
—
wonderful
!
”
he
said
at
last
.
“
One’s
heard
of
thought‐transference
,
but
I
never
thought
I
had
any
power
of
that
sort
.
Yet
it
must
be
that
,
and
very
bad
for
you
,
I
should
think
.
Doesn’t
your
head
ache
very
much
?
”
He
suddenly
put
a
cold
,
thin
hand
on
her
forehead
.
“
No
thank
you
,
not
at
all
,
”
said
she
.
“
I
assure
you
it
is
not
done
intentionally
,
”
he
went
on
.
“
Of
course
