80 PRINCE FILDERKIN

the wild beasts, a magician was an altogether
different kind of animal, and one which
it was on all accounts better to leave alone.
But as they could give no better reason for
this opinion than one which was evidently
founded on fear, and as fear was a thing
with which Prince Filderkin was unac-
quainted, their arguments had very little
effect upon him, and as the general permis-
sion to visit the show must of course be held
to include the caravan in which the magician
resided, he determined not to leave it un-
visited.