TWILIGHT LAND

He took the young man by the hand and led him into
a third room—vaulted as the other two had been, lit as
they had been by a carbuncle in the roof above. But
when the young man’s eyes saw what was in this third
room, he was like a man turned drunk with wonder. He
had to lean against the wall behind him, for the sight
made him dizzy.

In the middle of the room was such a basin as he had
seen in the two other rooms, only it was filled with jewels
—diamonds and rubies and emeralds and sapphires and
precious stones of all kinds—that sparkled and blazed and
flamed like a million stars. Around the wall, and facing
the basin from all sides, stood six golden statues. Three
of them were statues of the kings and three of them were
statues of the queens who had gathered together all this
vast and measureless wealth of ancient Egypt.

There was space for a seventh statue, but where it
should have stood was a great arched door of adamant.
The door was tight shut, and there was neither lock nor -
key to it. Upon the door were written these words in
letters of flame :

“ Behold! beyond this door is that alone which shall
satisfy all thy desires.”

“Tell me, Zadok,” said the young man, after he had
filled his soul with all the other wonders. that surrounded
him, ‘‘tell me what is there that lies beyond that door 2”

“That [ am forbidden to tell thee, O master!” said the
King of the Demons of the Earth.

“Then open the door for me,” said the young man ;
“for I cannot open it for myself, as there is neither lock
nor key to it.”

‘That also I am forbidden to do,” said Zadok.

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